Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
T he metal hinges squeaked, then the door opened wide. My jaw went slack as I took in Jax as he stood on the other side, his body shifted from translucent to solid before my eyes.
He reached for me and my feet moved of their own accord. I jumped. The door slammed the moment I crossed the threshold.
From one blink to the next, Jax invaded my personal space. A soft smile transformed his usual harsh features into something irresistible as he taped his fingertips beneath my chin and I instantly closed my mouth.
“Come, pet.”
The room swelled around us; its hollow confines were absent of any furnishings. I blinked a few times, then noticed there were used black candles resting on small mounds of melted wax, scattered all over the charred wood surface of the floor.
Moonlight streaked over Jax’s face through the gaping hole in the roof as he sat down within the ring of candles directly below the opening above.
“How?” I mouthed, my eyes widening.
“Zellie,” Jax called, jerking my attention back to him. “I will explain that,” he said and waved vaguely toward the closed door, “Later. We cannot linger here.”
Small clouds of dust rose as he patted the spot next to him. However, I folded my legs beneath me as I sat across from him instead.
He chuckled, then smirked, as if my small defiance was to be expected.
“It started this past summer,” he explained huskily. “The dreams. You, haunting my nights, smothering me with your presence.”
Almost all of his words stuck a cord of familiarity within me.. “Pretty much the same happened to me.”
“Pretty much?” He questioned, then raised an eyebrow.
Shit. Nothing was beyond his notice. “All of it.” I lied.
He twisted the silver ring on his thumb with deft fingers and narrowed his eyes at me. “More lies, pet,” he snapped. “You’re losing the battle.”
My neck pinched as I lifted my head much too quickly. “Excuse me?”
His gaze darkened, then he bared his teeth. “I’m fine.”
“There’s that fucking phrase again,” Jax hissed through clenched teeth. “You keep trying to convince yourself and everyone else that, but I see the truth. The evidence is pretty fucking damning.”
I turned my face away from him. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Fine. For now.”
“Why are we here, Jax?” I snapped.
He clenched his jaw, then spoke. “I have a theory about the dreams.”
The corner of my mouth twitched involuntarily. “What’s that?”
“I believe you and I have a connection woven by the fates.”
I smiled. “That’s hilarious.”
His serious expression didn’t shift, but the corners of his lips turned down farther.
“Well…” I started, feeling awkward now. “How can that be possible? We aren’t even the same species. I gestured to myself, then to him. “Siren, remember? Phantoms like you cannot connect with my kind…Our magic is much too different.” He rested his elbows on his knees, then leaned forward, our faces now inches apart. “Mmm. And what if you have yet to reach your full potential as a siren?” His breathing sped up as he leisurely brushed his nose against mine, wiggling the hoop pierced through my nostril. “My magic senses something greater hides within you. Something dark and wicked that matches mine lies burrowed behind your ribs.”
I watched him for a few seconds, but as if his words were the catalyst of my destruction, something curled and stretched in my chest, pressure rising against the bone cage that contained it.
“What the fuck?” I whispered. My voice held an edge of panic as I rubbed my sternum. “You feel it,” he stated. “Don’t you?”
I dropped my hand to my lap and forced a laugh. “Oh, come on. You can’t really believe that.”
He shrugged. “I do.”
“Well, I don’t,” I lied. Clenching my teeth as the pressure inside me grew, as if threatening to crack my bones and flee its host.
“There’s always a skeptical one amongst partners.”
I blinked in disbelief. “Partners?”
“Yes. You’re mine, pet.” Warmth spread through me as he pressed a palm between my breasts, his touch firm. “And you know it too.”
I pried his hand off me and flung it away. “It could just be a coincidence. Not to mention, you’re a phantom. Instinct and a bloody history between us demands we remain enemies,” I said, not even trying to sound convincing.
He arched a dark brow. “Not even you can believe that.”
“You’re right,” I admitted. “But…I don’t know. It’s not realistic.”
“I’ll prove it to you.”
“How?”
Jax moved his hand back to my chest and all the candles placed throughout the room ignited at once.
My breath stuttered, soft purple sparks floating from my mouth with each choppy exhale, dancing and nearly blending with the royal blue ones of his magic hovering in the air surrounding us as our breaths mingled. Desire rushed through my veins as my core throbbed violently.
Jax coasted his hand through the thin cloud of our magic, gently tilting to rise and fall as if it was riding a wave.
“Beautiful.” His lips formed the words, but he uttered the words too quietly for me to hear.
Jax sighed, then rolled his shoulders back, the leather fabric of his jacket tightening along the ridges of his muscular shoulders.
I looked down. His gaze was far too penetrating.
“Eyes on me.”
I lifted my head slowly, then met his gaze.
“Good girl,” he growled.
What was it about those two simple words?
Jax’s body tensed, then he tilted his head back and groaned. “I’ve tried to resist, but I can’t take it anymore.”
My thoughts were interrupted as Jax pulled me into his lap, my legs spread so I straddled him. His hard length pressed against the heat between my thighs.
The sense of danger within this tower was nothing compared to how vulnerable I felt in his arms. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I fell into his embrace, then pulled on the hair at the nape of his neck. He groaned and gyrated his hips, each wave of his body encouraging my lust to climb higher.
I closed my eyes as his lips etched inches from mine. I’ve wanted this kiss for too long, the anticipation every time he was in my orbit pulling me deeper, the need to be close to him all-consuming. Dangerously so. He held me closer, and I bucked against him. Our lips connected, Jax’s need pressed against mine with urgency.
I hadn’t realized how much I needed it until now. The rain drummed lightly against our skin as it fell through the gaping hole in the roof. As if my thoughts summoned it, the rain fell harder. It hammered down, each drop stroked my skin like a caress, soothing my overheated skin; the noise was almost deafening, but we ignored it.
His mouth dominated mine, claiming and demanding. Our teeth clashed together as the kiss depended. Our clothes were the only thing that separated us and stopped me from impaling myself on his throbbing erection.
“That’s it, baby girl. Take what you need,” Jax encouraged, then moaned.
I rubbed myself against him, the pressure in my core building to a blinding mix of pain and pleasure. Jax’s fingers dug into my hips so hard I knew I’d find bruises the next day and pushed me down each time I ground against him.
This man brought my primal side to the surface, a wild side I didn’t know existed. I ran my hand down his arm, then to his waist.
“I’m close,” I gasped, and his cock throbbed beneath me, my soaked panties clinging to my skin.
Jax chuckled sinisterly, then bit my lip hard. I buried my face against his neck and shoulder. Sandalwood filled my senses, my darkness collided with his, and they seemed to purr—nothing else mattered in that moment.
His hips flexed as he ground into me lightly, and he rested his forehead on mine, the breaths skimming my cheek fast and short.
“Fuu- what the hell?” Gravity shifted as Jax gripped my hips and lifted me off his lap, then dropped me in front of him. A wave of dizziness washed over me.
“Fuck, this needs to stop,” Jax growled, his voice, while husky and deep, held an edge of malice that was impossible to ignore. He palmed himself through the fabric molded to his erection and moaned. Jax let out a slow breath, then spoke again. “This is not why we came here.”
Why did he encourage me to use his body and then deny me? I fucking hated that I wanted him, but loved that I had him, if only for a moment. How I felt about him made no sense, but I needed it like a plant needed water.
I blushed, sure my cheeks were bright red. He reached over the small space between us and took my hands in his. I flinched, but let him do it. He looked at me and the fine wrinkles around his eyes crinkled, his resulting smile completely genuine. “You flinched.”
I swallowed hard, then straightened my spine. “I guess I did.”
He closed his eyes. “Close your eyes and let me in.”
I wanted to refuse, but my curiosity was too great. My eyes squeezed closed, colors I could not name swirled behind my lids, as I inhaled slowly through my nose and tried to open my mind, but a big part of me felt like it was one big joke and I would end up being the punchline.
“I would never intentionally embarrass you.” He said as if he could read my thoughts, rubbed his palm against my lower back. “Well, not until you beg me to.”
I pursed my lips.
“Keep your mind open and settle your thoughts,” he ordered, his deep baritone a silky caress.
My thoughts drifted like clouds in the darkness behind my eyelids. I breathed in deeply through my nose, then exhaled through my mouth. I’ve always found rain of any form relaxing. Thunder boomed. I opened my eyes in time to see a flash of lightning crack through the sky.
“Stay with me.” He said, and I closed my eyes again. I wasn’t sure what we were doing, but I let my mind drift. His grip on my hands was strong. Feeling my hands in his sent a warm tingle up my arms. One by one, those tingles turned into shockwaves, like a whole-body orgasm. .
“Open your eyes.”
My eyelids fluttered open. We were sitting on a hardwood floor in a modern house. My eyes widened. “What the….”
He squeezed my hands tighter. “Don’t panic.”
“This. Is. Not. Normal.” I looked around. “What is this place?”
“Your subconscious.”
My hands trembled. “Sorry, did you just say you’re in my mind?”
He nodded.
I looked side to side, not wanting to move because of how freaked out I was.
“Does this room look familiar?” Jax asked.
I shook my head. At least, I couldn’t remember it. “No.”
My heart lodged itself in my throat, then the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. We were being watched. Whatever was happening, I needed it to stop.
“Let’s go back,” I begged. “Please.”
But it was too late. We heard footsteps coming from outside of the living area we were in, followed by a man’s voice. Our eyes met, then the door flew open. In walked a man who I quickly recognized.
“Is…is that you?” I asked Jax.
Jax’s double didn’t react to my voice. Over on the sofa, I saw a blonde woman lounging against the arm rest and reading. How did we not notice her before? Goosebumps pebbled my skin. Something about her was familiar. It was as if only a small portion of the room was focused. A defined circle ringed Jax and me, the rest of the room blurred on the fringes.
“That’s me.” I gasped. Jax tensed beside me, then stepped away.
Then Jax’s double did something I don’t remember happening. He crouched in front of the sofa and looked into my eyes, then told me to go to sleep. It was as if he had compelled me, the dream-like version of myself. Her head fell back and her body slumped to the cushions.
“When the dead speak, heed their words. It will save your life someday,” Jax’s double whispered. My ears strained as I struggled to catch every word.
Before I could see what was about to happen, the room spun like multicolored galaxies, then we slammed onto the unforgiving floor of the tower.
“What happened!?” I shrieked.
He swallowed audibly. “I broke the connection.” Jax gripped my face between his palms. “I…You weren’t ready to see that,” he uttered, tripping over his words. “It was in your subconscious for a reason, pet.”
“Why do I have a memory of you, Jax?” I demanded and stomped my foot.
His mouth twisted. “I shouldn’t have done that. It was too soon. You aren’t ready to accept the truth.” He replied with a sobering gaze.
I stood and brushed dust and ash from my clothes. “This can’t be real.” No. I won’t accept it. Resolve coated my spine with an iron defiance. I tried to calm my racing heart. I laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“Stay the hell away from me!” I grabbed my bag, flung it over my shoulder, and bolted down the stairs.
I tripped over grave stones as I fled through the meadow and over to the trees. The storm brewed above and followed me. I pushed my body harder, my quads screaming as I quickened my pace, as thick raindrops fell from the sky.
The following afternoon Lalita caught up with me at lunch. “Hey, L!”
I hugged her tightly. “Hey.”
“How did the exam go?”
“Bad. It doesn’t matter, it was just a pop quiz. Anyway,
You seem in better spirits today. Did someone sage your personality?” She teased.
“I just had a good night. That’s all.”
Thomas skulked out of the shadows cast by the stone arch leading to the administration building. “Hi, Ness.”
Ness? I looked between them.
She beamed at him. “Hey, Thomas”
Thomas? Since when were they on a first name basis?
“Where were you during Fighting Compulsion?” He asked.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I was called away. A professor needed clarification on one of my assignments.”
“Oh, cool.”
I couldn’t stand the awkwardness for another second. “We should get going,” I told Lalita, giving her a look.
Lalita and I walked home. “I’m worried about Eleanore,” I told her. “She’s been doing so much.”
Lalita gave me an ‘Mmhmm’ and looked down the stone path as we strolled through the campus grounds to the dorm. She seemed distracted.
I probed her about the history of Crimson Leaf. She knew more than anyone—except perhaps for Eleanore. “Do you know anything about witch trials or something along those lines in this town?”
She looked up at me.
“Oh. Uh, yeah, lots happened here, but there isn’t much documentation about it. From what I’ve read, they executed the first person in Connecticut for witchcraft here. There was an entire coven that was massacred. They called themselves the Black Lily. The people in this town killed everyone inside some tower nearby where the coven practiced. Even children. I don’t know where it is, though.”
My thoughts drifted to the very tower she spoke of, much closer than she probably thought. As much as I loathed to even think about it, Jax and I needed a subject to study for our group project, and the mystery surrounding the tower was too intriguing to resist. “Can you tell me more?”
“That’s all I really know, but you could look in the library on campus.”
“Thanks.”
“This is me.” She said and hugged me. “See you tomorrow?”
I nodded.
She paused before heading to the dorm entrance. “It’s good to have you back. I’ve missed you.”
“You too.” I squeezed her arm and added. “A lot.”