Desire: #4 Brightest Kind of Darkness (25 page)

“There can be for you. You have the power to change it. You just have to accept who you are. You’re not one of many, Rave. You’re one of a kind. You’re the Master—”

He jerks his head back and forth, saying forcefully, “No, I’m just Corvus. Nothing more.”

Before I can say anything else, he leans sideways and then pitches straight down off the branch. His swift retreat jars the limb, and I grip the thick branch underneath me to keep from falling. Just when I call his name, he shifts to a massive raven and shreds through his clothes, growing to the size of a car. Swooping close to the pond, he pulls water with him as he flaps his powerful wings once, twice. The third time sends him soaring high above the trees and out of my line of sight in a matter of seconds.

The look of angry defiance on his face struck me. He doesn’t want to believe or accept what I say. When I tried to tell him what he was, he shut me out. Frustration rolls through me and I dig my fingers into the branch’s rough bark. How am I going to convince a supernatural being that he possesses massive power and has duties and responsibilities when all he wants to do is refuse them?

“Well, damn,” I whisper when the irony hits me. I can’t believe that Michael has tasked me with a role not unlike Fate’s. The only difference is, whereas Fate wanted to quash my powers, the Master Corvus is refusing to accept all of his. This path-leading job isn’t easy. I’m just glad Fate can’t hear my thoughts. He’d be laughing his ass off and quoting karma sayings right now. I clench my jaw at the mere thought.

Nara, you there?
Drystan’s voice filters into my frustrated thoughts.

How is he in my dream world?
I whip my head around, looking for him, when a tree branch brushes against my cheek.

Chapter Seventeen

Nara

I jerk awake to the sensation of something prickly brushing my face. Christmas bulbs tinkle against each other and colorful lights’ reflections bounce off the furniture as my head jostles some of the tree branches.

“What is it?” Ethan says groggily.

“Shhh.” I press my finger to his lips and rest my chin on his chest, closing my eyes.

—you there?
Drystan’s voice bleeds back in.
Ah, there you are. Wow, I feel you now. My brain just lit up. I was beginning to think our connection was just a one time fluke. Damn, this rocks.

I didn’t find your book in the library where the computer system said it would be. Another was in its spot, some touristy book on London. I’m not sure if that’s good news or not, but now you know for sure. There’s not a second book. Merry Christmas, Nara. I’m off to some tree-lighting Christmas event the whole sanctuary is required to attend.

When I sigh my frustration and open my eyes, Ethan pushes my hair back from my face. “What’s wrong?”

“Drystan checked the library for me. Another book has apparently been put in the place of the raven book.”

Ethan frowns warily. “When did Drystan tell you this?”

“Um.” I hadn’t told him about the odd connection Drystan and I have. I thought I’d wait for Drystan to contact me this way on purpose first. “Just now.”

He tenses under me. “Are you saying you just had a whole conversation telepathically?”

My stomach knots when several emotions scroll across his face. None of them happy. I shake my head. “I can’t talk to him. I just hear what he’s saying.”

“How long has this been happening?” he asks, only the sound of the front door opening interrupts us. Before I can move, Houdini comes barreling toward me covered in snow.

“Hey, buddy,” I say, rubbing his head as he licks me on the cheek. “Looks like you’re back to your old self again.”

“What are you still doing here?” My dad says while Ethan leans over to help me to my feet.

“We fell asleep under the tree,” I say, gesturing to the spot where we’d pushed presents to the side.

“This is what I was talking to you about, Elizabeth.” My father’s attention snaps to my mom, who’s looking bone tired as she hooks her coat and scarf on the rack.

Suddenly my mom’s shoulders straighten. “That’s enough, Jonathan. It’s Christmas, and this is
my
home.”

Turning to Ethan, she says, “Your car is completely covered. You won’t be getting it out tonight.”

“I can walk home, Mrs. Collins. It’s not that far—”

“Absolutely not,” Mom cuts in. “The temperature has dropped to the single digits. You can sleep here on the floor. Just send your brother a text so he doesn’t worry about you.”

Facing my dad, she says, “I doubt you’ll get a taxi this late. I’m pretty sure everyone’s hunkered in for the night. You’re welcome to the couch. I’m going to bed.” Waving to us, she starts up the stairs and calls over her shoulder, “Nara, get our guests some blankets and pillows. Jonathan will cook pancakes tomorrow morning in payment for staying the night.”

“I will?” my dad asks, surprised sarcasm lacing his tone.

When my mom stops on the stairs, but doesn’t turn around, he immediately says, “Pancakes it is. Night, Elizabeth.”

She doesn’t say another word, just continues up to the second floor.

I’m a nervous wreck when I come back downstairs with blankets and pillows for my dad and Ethan. I already gave them new toothbrushes—for some odd reason Mom always keeps a fresh supply of toothbrushes handy.

I poke my head in the open bathroom doorway just as my dad’s spitting toothpaste foam into the sink. “I’ll put your pillow and blanket on the couch, Dad.” Then I lower my voice just for him and say in a forceful tone, “Be nice to him.”

He grunts and sets the toothbrush down, saying, “Goodnight, Nari,” before he turns and closes the door to finish up his nightly routine.

I hand Ethan his pillow and blankets, and grimace. “I’m going to apologize now if my dad gives you a hard time tonight.”

“There’s nothing your dad can say to me that would be any worse than what I’ve heard from my own dad,” Ethan says, gathering the covers under his arm.

“I know you would’ve been fine walking in that crazy weather out there, so thank you for staying for my mom’s sake. She would’ve worried you would freeze to death on your way home.”

He kisses me on the forehead, but when he straightens, he has the same look on his face he did earlier. “About Drystan—”

My dad opens the bathroom door, cutting off our conversation. I give Ethan an apologetic smile, then wave goodnight.

By the time I wash my face and crawl into bed, I have two texts from Ethan.

Ethan: Is the Drystan thing recent?

Ethan: I’m not freaking out. Just wondering.

Me: It seems a little like you’re freaking out. Ever since Drystan arrived in England, if he thinks my name, I hear his thoughts. After all my attempts to contact Madeline failed, I got worried someone might already be after the second book, so I asked Drystan to check the library for me. He thought it’d be faster to ‘think’ the answer to me.

Ethan: Did something happen to Madeline?

Me: Her website is gone. Her email bounces. None of my earlier contact information with her works. It’s like she never existed.

Ethan: Hopefully Madeline’s fine. As for Drystan, I know how he feels about you, Nara. I don’t want him in your head.

Drystan’s not the only one in my head. But I can’t say anything to Ethan about what I heard that day in his car. I’m still not sure if I imagined it, since it just happened the one time.

Me: He was only helping me out.

Ethan: I know. There’s something else I want to talk to you about tomorrow. Then I think you’ll understand why I’m feeling the way I do.

Me: How are you feeling?

Ethan: Territorial.

That’s an interesting word choice. Very Corvus of him. I type an answer back that should help.

Me: TTTWFO

Ethan: I love you, Sunshine. Night.

Me: Love you too. Night.

Ethan

Nara’s dad never said a word to me, but like a guard dog ready to strike if I moved a muscle, he kept his distrustful gaze on my back for at least an hour before he finally succumbed to sleep. Now that his breathing has evened out, I roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling in the darkness.

The conversation I had earlier with the Corvus plays through my head in an endless, frustrating loop, keeping me wide awake.

Nara’s head hitting the tree woke me, but when she asked me to be quiet and confusion rolled through me, that’s when the Corvus piped in.

Drystan’s in her head.

My gut tightened. Was this some new form of torture he has decided to inflict on me now?
She’s not thinking about him.

I didn’t say that. He’s talking to her. At least he was in her dream.

My hand resting on Nara’s back curled into a fist.
How do you know that?

Because I was there.

It took massive effort to remain still under Nara when all I wanted to do was punch the stupid spirit.
Why?

I told you…her lightness is addicting.

My heart constricted with worry. I had been right to yank my hand away from her face last night after I saved her from that demon. It wasn’t me touching her.
And I told you to stay the hell away from her.

This again? You have to keep your distance for that to happen, and we both know you can’t.

His egotistical confidence set me off.
Screw you, Corvus!

You may call me Rave.

He sounded like a prince bestowing me with his permission.
Hop off, you self-important feather-covered rat. Rave? Really?
I mentally snorted.

That’s my name.

Since when?

I like it. It’s—

Dumb,
I said in a droll tone.

—self-explanatory.

Corny.

I don’t think Nara’s dumb or corny. Should I tell her you do?
He laughed heartily at that.

The fact that he sounded pleased with his new name ticked me off even more.
She named you like a pet, same way she did Patch
, I gritted out.

I am
not
an animal. I am beyond your comprehension!
The Corvus roared so loud it felt like my brain was vibrating in my skull. And then he was gone. Nara sighing her frustration yanked me out of my own head. Lying on the floor under the tree with her felt so peaceful, I didn’t want it to end. I brushed her hair out of her face just so I could touch her and asked what was wrong.