The Beckoning of Broken Things (The Beckoning Series) (9 page)

“Will it result in a similar sensation as I experienced in the dining room?”

“You’ll just have to take your chances.”

I bite my lip and consider. I don’t know Rafe all that well but I’m starting to see that he loves to tease and provoke. This could just be a set up. “I think I’ll take a rain check.”

“I’m going to hold you to that rain check.”

“I have no doubt that you will,” I say, sauntering off down the hall, away from him. I lift my hand in a farewell gesture. I may
seem
like I’ve got it all together, but the truth is that my legs are like jelly as I wobble away from this mysteriously seductive male.

The green glow of the clock reads 2am when I am awakened by a scuffle out in the hallway. I bolt upright to sitting and blink in the techno-illuminated darkness, completely disoriented. A night nurse is trying to calm someone down.
Is it one of the patients?
I was going to say inmates, but changed the word in my head at the last minute. Matthew’s out there. And it sounds like Rafe is out there, too.
Is he in trouble?

I slide out of bed and pad over to the hallway.
I grab the door handle and slowly crack the door open wide enough to peek into the hallway. Rafe immediately spies me. He puts his palm up for an instant and gives me a quick shake of the head as if to tell me to stay put.

“Rafe, get back to your room.”

“I can’t sleep with all this noise out here. I wanted to see if I could help.”

“Thank you, no. Brian, can you see Rafe to his room, please?”

A voice rings out that sounds familiar. It’s Southern and it’s cantankerous.

“Where is she? I just want to see her and make sure she’s alright. That’s all. That’s all I want to do.”

It’s Crazy Betty!
My heart does a happy dance.
Is she going to get me out of here?

“My Buddy - that’s my departed Chihuahua - Buddy told me Marissa’s not doing well. That girl needs a caring hand right now, I can feel it. My bones is aching, my lumbago’s acting up, I just had to come. Where is she?”

“Mrs…Mrs. Worthington, you can’t just barge into a locked ward in the middle of the night.”

“Your locks are worthless. Nothing but paper clips. That’s no way to protect your patients. I’d see to that right away if I was you.”

She must have used magic. And she’s here to get me out!

“We’ll get them checked in the morning. Now, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“Don’t be afraid. Just ask. And the answer’s no.”

“Now, Mrs. Worthington, I’d hate to have to use force, but we’ll use it if necessary.”

“You need some training in saying what you mean and meaning what you say.”

Crazy Betty notices me and winks. I raise my eyes brows high in a question.

“You’ve got to listen to me. Listen to what I say. Something’s coming.”

“We are
listening to you, Mrs. Worthington. That’s not a threat, is it?”

“Oh, you’d know if it was a threat, I can guaran-damn-tee that. Now
listen. You might want to check your windows.”

The nurse looks puzzled.

“Did I say windows? I meant to say room roster. My daft old brain. Check your room roster and let me know where Marissa is.”

“We know where Ms. Engles’ room is.”

“Well, tell me, I’ll check on her, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Brian, see to Rafe,” the nurse snaps.

“Thanks, I can see to myself,” Rafe responds. He takes a few step
s down the hall and leans against the wall outside my room. “Cool that Betty’s here, huh?” he whispers.

“Do you think she means to free us?”

“I don’t know, but she was talking to you just a minute ago. Did you hear what she said? Go look at your window.”

“Rafe!” the nurse commands.

“I’m going, I’m going,” he states, not moving an inch.

I whirl and run to my window. When I peer outside, my heart bursts with joy. There, fluttering like a f
our legged, sparkly-winged angel, is Sober Dober, my beloved Doberman Pinscher. “Oh, your wings have grown! And you have total control over them.”

His tail is wagging like a helicopter propeller.
He licks at the window, making smeary love kisses all over the glass. I tug at the window sash, trying to open it.

In the distance, I see a spot of brilliant light. It speeds toward the hospital. The closer it gets, the more I am certain what it is - it’s Chiara, my coati-lumina, mystical bird beast. She brought me home from Brazil
, and she can get me out of this sorry place.

She’s got a wing span of at least
25’. Her brilliant, multi-hued body sparkles like diamonds. The top of her body gleams like metallic gold. Her tail boasts an array of luminescent, rainbow-like colors. In short, she’s one of the most beautiful creatures that exists.

Crazy
Betty starts shouting now and hell reigns in the hallway. “My lumbago! Oh, my, this has stressed me out to no end. I’m about to fall! Get me a stretcher. Oh, my lord, I’m about to meet my maker! The pain!”

A clatter, more yells
, and the sound of a gurney with a squeaky wheel fills the hallway. Patients are going to rise from their stupor, if they haven’t already.

My head spins toward the door. Rafe has slipped inside. He makes his way over to me. “Betty’s distracting them and moving them further away from your room.
” He looks out the window. “Is that your dog?”

“None other,” I say proudly.

“Cool.” He leans past me and hefts the window open. “There. Lick away, mutt.”

Sober’s tongue pokes through the bars, seeking my cheeks, my face, anything
he can reach. I stretch my fingers out and scratch his muzzle. I’ve never been so happy to see anyone as much as I am right now seeing my dog.

“And what’s that?” Rafe asks, eyeing the lights hurtling toward us. “Is that what I think it is?”

“If you’re thinking it’s a coati-lumina, then, yes.” My chest puffs with more pride.

Rafe whistles through his teeth. “Damn. This part, I didn’t believe. When I heard that the Light Rebel claimed Chiara, I thought it was a
story someone made up. I thought Navid had his eye on her.”

“He did. But she chose me.”

“Good choice. I would’ve done the same.”

I shake my head at him.

The enormous winged bird gets closer and the wind starts to assault the window. Sober is smashed against the bars, whining and whimpering. “Hey,” I shout, forgetting that I probably don’t want to draw attention to me. “You’re hurting my dog! I told you what I would do if you ever hurt my dog!”

Chiara pause
s, mid-flight, and hovers in the air, her wings beating in figure eights. She still stirs the air with her shimmering feathers, but it gives Sober a chance to peel himself free from the bars.

“Sober. 10 yards,” I command. This is a game I taught him. I’d send him 10 yards or so out and flip a Frisbee for him.

He propels far away from the window. I hope no one is watching. But then, who would believe a psych ward patient if they claimed to see a flying dog?

“Okay, Chiara, do your thing.”

The resplendent bird stops her hover, swoops toward the window, and again mammoth blasts of air beat the atmosphere into an invisible froth.

“Back away,” Rafe calls, grabbing my arm.

I’m stirred with arousal from his touch, but he quickly releases me and we huddle in the corner. The wind from the bird’s feathers shatters the window frame, sending wood and metal end over end.

“Run, Marissa, go!” Rafe shoves me forward.

A night staffer flings open my door and bursts into the room. He stops at the chaos littering the floor. Matthew pounds in seconds later and stares at me and my dog. “Go get some supplies to clean up this mess,” he shouts to the staffer. The man stays glued to the floor, his eyes popping from his face.

Sober
zips to the hole in the wall like a giant hummingbird. “Are you going to carry me over to Chiara?” His tail whirls in response.

“Rafe, come
on.”

He shakes his head. “No. You go.”

“Come on!” I scramble over the shards of wood and debris.

“I’m scared of heights.”

“Oh, for Pete’s Sake! Get over here!” I grab Sober’s collar and prepare to drop into space. My head spins to find Rafe being ushered out the door by the guy who was frozen in place.
Think, Engles, think!
As light streams through my hands, I pick up a paintbrush in my mind and see myself painting a sturdy rope. It snakes through the room and wraps around Rafe’s ankle. Holding the end of the rope, I give it a sharp jerk, snagging my new pal’s legs. I leap out the hole that used to be a window, clinging to my dog’s collar. Rafe falls, colliding with the floor, slides across the linoleum, and bounces through the hole in the wall. Once outside the building, he swings like a pendulum. Sober flaps his wings, and we bob and lurch toward Chiara, who has resumed her figure eight hover.

Rafe
yells and swings to and fro. “Hey,” he hollers up at me. “I’m a Stealth Numen. Not a frigging yo-yo! Hey! Hey! I’m scared of heights! Seriously! Who’s going to service me? You? Who’s going to take care of me when I go berserk? Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Sober drops onto the back of Chiara. I land with a soft thud, cushioned by the downy feathers. Rafe continues to sway back and forth, perilously close to Chiara’s dagger-like talons as the bird-beast takes flight. “Hey! Hey! Help a brother out here! I’m getting motion sickness! These claws look sharp. Help me out!”

“Jesus, Rafe,” I say, hauling up the rope. “Pull up your big boy britches.”

“I’d rather pull them off,” he shouts, brushing his pants off. “And get naked with you.” He lurches and loses his balance, grabbing onto Chiara’s feathers to keep from falling. “This is some ride you’ve got.”

“It’s a good one,” I yell back. The wind noise up here is intense. “Keep a grip on Sober, will you?”

“Oh, sure, I’ll take care of your dog. Your dog with wings. Yep, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to sit on this giant bird, calmly, cool as a cucumber, way high up, and take care of your dog.”

“What’s the matter with you? You’re chattering like a chipmunk.” I’m clinging to the bird, to my dog, to the rope around Rafe’s leg, trying to keep us all steady. “Help out a little bit, will you?”

“I’m sorry. I told you, I’m seriously scared of heights, and we’re pretty high up here. I have to deal with heights all the time. That doesn’t mean I like them.”

“Just close your eyes, then, and imagine you’re being rocked in your crib.” I shake my head.

“Where are we headed?” Rafe hugs Sober to his chest.

My brave dog isn’t trembling like the last time he took a ride on Chiara. He’s grown in the last few days. He’s becoming a strong,
confident, warrior dog. He’s turning into a Light Rebel’s dog.

“Hmm,” I say. “I hadn’t thought that far. I hadn’t thought we’d escape so suddenly. Since we’re fugitives, as you put it, the only place I can think of is to head to Brazil. We can rest, recuperate, there are plenty of people to service your needs…yes, I think Brazil is the place to go.”

“Okay, boss. Whatever you say.”

Rafe’s trying to make light but I can tell the guy’s an inch away from losing it. It’s a bit of a flight - 14 hours
- even on this quick flying bird. I’ll have to find ways to keep the guy calm - this guy that I barely know. Why is it always leap first, look later, with me? All I know is that we’re out of the goddamned psych ward. I’m going to free my dark and dangerous lover from wherever he is and then we’ll deal with his father.

Oodles of hours later, I pry open my eyes. Rafe, Sober, and I were dumped into the pool behind my very remote house, nestled high on a hill, in a jungle far from Sao Paolo, Brazil last night. Chiara took off to wherever she goes, leaving us in her wind-swept wake. We climbed out of the pool, completely exhausted. We made our wet and dripping way upstairs to my room, climbing up the private stairs to the open-aired landing off the bedroom that looks out over the pool and the jungle beyond, and collapsed onto the huge bed. Before we fell asleep, I warned Rafe that under no circumstances was he to touch me in the night. It was hard enough to keep from touching as we balanced on our winged carrier. He promised to keep his hands to himself and sleep outside the covers. And yet now, as I awaken next to my sleeping pal, the covers are on the floors, his leg is draped over mine, and his pants leg has pushed up slightly over his calf. Skin on skin. Arousal like you wouldn’t believe. I imagine Daniel’s rage, and slowly, oh, so slowly, slide my leg out from under Rafe, wincing, longing, wanting more.

His eyes pop open. A delicious smile forms on his face. “I just had the most
delectable dream.”

“Did you?” I say, moving as far away from him as I can.

“Yes. I dreamt that I was lying in bed with the love of my life. It was a beautiful dream. And then, I open my eyes and here we are.”

“Here we are.” I slip out of bed and turn away from him, trying to quash the need for
“innocent” -
right
- unbridled passion with Rafe. “You find yourself lying in bed with the woman who is soul bound to and completely in love with the Night Numen and you realize it was just a dream.”

“But was it just a dream?” he says, right next to my ear.

“Oh!” I jerk, startled. “How’d you do that?”

“Do what?” he asks, an
angelic smile spread from cheek to cheek.

“Get next to me without my knowing.”

“Stealth Numen, remember? And 21 hours of no drugs.” He taps my cheek with his fingertip and wanders to the other side of the room to look outside.

I press my palm to the place on my cheek that burns with the memory of his touch.
Even something as simple as a tap on the cheek elicits unbelievable yearning. “You can’t keep doing that,” I say, not looking at him.

“Doing what?” he asks.

I know he knows what I mean. “The touch.”

“I probably shouldn’t,” he agrees. “I could get into trouble. But the thought of trouble seems to appeal to me. Especially with you.”

“Rafe,” I say.

“I know, I know. I told you, a guy can hope. I can fantasize all I want.”

I close my eyes. I have a guilty need to connect with my dangerous lover.
Daniel?
My thoughts are drenched with felonious regret.

What?
He snarls in my head.

There’s so much force behind his single word I am taken aback
. He must know what’s going on. My guilt spikes.
Are you okay?

Are you?

Yes, I’m…we…I…Crazy Betty helped me escape last night.

Did
she? That’s fantastic, dulzura! Where are you?

We…I came back to Brazil. It seemed like the safest place to come.

Good. That’s good. I put several protection spells in place on your property there.

How could you do that? We left Brazil together.

I went back.

When?
A weighted silence falls from my mind.
You and your secrets, Daniel.
More silence. I’m convinced that whatever realm he commands has different time parameters than I live by.

If only I could be by your side.

Deflection.

I apologize for my sharp retort. I’ve been arguing with my asshole father.

Distraction.

There’s too much to explain. I’m not used to explaining myself.

Ah. So you get to experience the downsides of being soul bound, too.

I didn’t say it was a downside. I only said I’m not used to it.

I shake my head.
We need time to sort things. Loads and loads of time. And now is not the time for sorting.
Is your father in there?

No! He’s somewhere, holding vigil in whatever he’s do
ing to seal me in here. He’s no match for me, I assure you. I just haven’t figured out my new powers yet. I want to make certain that I don’t…

Silence.
Don’t?
I prompt. More silence.
I sigh. This man must be president of the Secret of the Month Club.
So some sort of mind-to-mind argument?

Yes. The prick thinks I am no match for him. He doesn’t know that I seized El Demonio’s powers. He’s telling everyone that he did so he can feel like a
bad ass with a fucking hard on.

I heard your mom’s whisper poem.
It gets extremely quiet inside my head.

“Everything alright over there? You in a trance?” Rafe calls.

“Everything’s fine. Just thoughtful over here.”

“I’ll be down by the pool.
I know when I’m being ignored.”

“I’ll be down in a second.”
I swiftly turn my head. There’s something in Rafe’s voice that sounds off.

“Promises, promises,” Rafe mutters,
somewhat good naturedly. He disappears down the stairs that lead to a paradise oasis.

Daniel. Did you hear me say I heard your mom’s whisper poem?

Yes, I heard you. So she’s alive. Thank the Holy Mothers.

I don’t know. All I said was I heard your mom’s whisper poem.

If she wasn’t alive, you wouldn’t have heard it. She’s the one who whispered it.

It’s my turn for silence. There’s so much about this magic and sorcery business that I just don’t get.

Dulzura. Are you still there?

Yes.

My mother…we can never let my father get to her. What did her poem say?

Something about sacrificing her heart for yours. At least that’s what some of the Numina interpreted.

So she knows.

She knows what?

She knows what my father is planning.

How do you know that?

You’ll just have to trust me on this one. I know that she knows. My mother is a good woman. My father is a bad man. She stole away from him one night. No one knew where she went. I was outraged at my father. That was the beginning of the end for him and me. First, I had lost my mother. Then, Josephina. I feared that good women were never to be part of my life. That they’d always be ripped from my life through violent means. Until you showed up. Dulzura, you mean the world to me. Life without you can never be. I’ll wander to the ends of the Earth to be a part of your life.

I let his words, his intention melt my heart.

My mother - escape from my clever father would have been extremely difficult. She must have worked hard for months to cloak her thoughts so that my father couldn’t read them. Part of soul binding is granting access to your beloved.

Even if they haven’t been asked if they want a binding?
My hackles rise sharply, like pointed sticks aimed at my lover.

This again.
I thought we put this topic to rest.

Yes, this again.
No, I guess we haven’t. My blood still boils.

This isn’t the time for an argument, cariño. I’ve got to find a way out of here before my father does whatever he intends to do.

What does he intend to do?

He intends to harm me in the best way he knows.

Which is?
This time the silence stretches thick and long.
Come on, Daniel. Stop keeping me in the dark.
The irony of what I just said doesn’t escape me.

He wants to get to me through taking the one thing that matters to me.

And what is that?

Cariño, you must know the answer.

A warm sensation floods my heart, like sweet, creamy, liquid heat. It rolls down between my belly, pools in my core, and my legs start to buckle. I swear, the way this man makes me feel, even from wherever the hell he is, is incomparably delicious. It makes Rafe’s skills seem like child’s play and folly.
I want you to tell me. Don’t make me guess.

He wants to get to me through you.

The sweet cream pushing through me coagulates. Now it feels like sour milk. I have a sudden urge to vomit.
Get to me, how?

However he can. And I’m not there to protect you. There’s one other thing that keeps me here.

The silence is smothering. In addition to the nausea, I can barely breathe, the quietude is so thick.
What is that?

It’s me.
I…I’ve changed. I’m changing every day.

An icy shudder snakes up my spine.
How so?

More darkness. More power. More…

More what?

More…I can’t explain. You’re going to have to see for yourself.
I’m going to have to show you. And I don’t want to.

The icy shiver becomes a calving glacier.
Daniel, you’re scaring me.
My mouth turns into a desert. I swallow hard, trying to coax moisture into my mouth.
What are you saying?

Only that I…oh, God, cariño, I never want to hurt you.

Why would you?

Because I don’t know what I’ve become…what I’m becoming.
I don’t know who I’m turning out to be.

Desperate longing swamps my thoughts. What is he saying? That we’re not going to be together?
We’ll find out together. I know we will. Daniel, who you are is more than enough for me.
Suddenly, being soul bound seems like a rope of safety, even to me.
You can’t keep away from me. I love you, Daniel. I love you. Do you hear me? Our hearts are bound together.

Yes. Yes, th
ey are, dulzura. I told you, you’re the only thing that’s keeping me alive. And yet…

And yet, what? Daniel, you’re freaking me out.
A wave of hysteria flows through me.
Calm. Stay calm,
I urge myself.
Where are you?

Dulzura, I can’t…y
ou’ll have to use our connection to find me, to source me. Are you saying you’ll come for me?

A wave of
velvety warmth pulses between my legs, replacing my terror. Both meanings strike me head on. Oh, I’ll come for this man, as sure as the day is long.
Yes. I’ll come for you. I…I’ll have help.
I send this thought swiftly with a prayer of innocence.

I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Too bad, buddy. Too bad if you think it’s not a good idea. You’re not my boss.

It seems as if he’s laughing.
Okay, my head-strong Light Rebel. Who will help you?

A guy named…
I stop and swallow.
A guy…

A guy, who?
Who will help you?

Sweat beads on my forehead.
A guy named Rafe. The Stealth Numen. Do you know him?
I am greeted with silence so cold I start to shiver.
Daniel? What’s going on?
The cold turns into the heat of rage.

The Stealth Numen
, you say?

I can picture his face right now. I can guarantee that it’s not a happy face.
Yes. He was in the same mental hospital as I was. I helped him escape. I…it was…

Is he your little friend, now?

Maybe. I barely know him.

Then you don’t know what he’s capable of.

I know some things.

You know what he’s capable of sexually?

Kind of…

And how do you know this?
I have no intention of sharing you. You’re mine.

I huff and start stomping around the room. Now I’m pissed.
I don’t know what you’re capable of! I belong to no one. I’m with you because I want to be!
I don’t say I’m also with you because we’re now soul bound because
you
decided that we needed to be, but he knows that already. He’s right. It’s becoming a tired topic.
You can’t tell me who to be friends with, Daniel. I’m your soul bound lover, but I am not yours to shape and manipulate. Now let me live my life the way I deem fit. I’m going to find you and that’s that.
My commune is interrupted by a long, loud groan coming from outside. I rush to the landing and peer over the edge. Rafe is huddled in a ball, trembling and convulsing.

Sober is standing next to him, his tail wagging cautiously.
His head lifts, he turns to me and he barks.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming, I’m coming.”
What have I done?
I think I’m about to find out what it’s like to withdraw from Haloperidol, cold turkey. Why, oh, why do I never listen? Why, oh, why do I leap without thinking? I race down the steps, ready to face the results of my latest impulsive maneuver. I’m creative and always have a lot of ideas. They’re just not always great ideas.