Wyeth stared at the lighthouse, hoping to glimpse Drake, but he had not come by. After three days, he was still processing all the information he had learned. Wyeth had come to the conclusion the man was a shape shifter. He touched his lip and his cheek. Drake could throw a mean punch. His thoughts turned to Savanna. She might not have been his type, but he found himself fantasizing about her luscious lips and her round breasts. He’d never been with a woman with curves, but maybe there was something that the skinny girls didn’t know about. He was tired of trying to live up to the expectations others held him to, especially the women he dated. They all assumed he was an obnoxious prick who used his money for going to fancy parties, the most expensive restaurants, and buying fast cars. All he wanted was to keep his dented pickup, pull a beer from the cooler, and shoot the shit with his crew. Image didn’t matter to him. His family might have built and owned half of the town, but that didn’t mean anything to him. He wanted a good woman to settle down with, who loved him regardless of his money.
He sighed and didn’t see anyone coming into the lighthouse. The walkway he had never noticed before was precarious now that he could see it. He wouldn’t walk on it. The crew worked in the background, pulling down a couple of walls. He had other crews laboring around town, and he wanted to check on his guy in the hospital. Wyeth left the house and made his rounds, heading to the hospital first and then the other jobsites. Forty guys worked for him, and he knew them all by name, their wives, and their kid’s names. He made it a point to be friendly and hang out with the crew so they would feel he was more than just their boss. Most of the guys liked him. After checking on Thomas, he made a note to call his accountant and his lawyer to make sure that there was money set aside for him and a trust setup for the man’s kids. It was the least he could do and make sure that his worker’s comp insurance claim was filed. The last job led him downtown where they were restoring one of the old mansions near the center of town.
As he walked down to one of the many restaurants on the strip his stomach grumbled, and crammed between the little tourist traps a sign for a spiritual advisor was chained around a lamppost. Savanna had said she was sandwiched near Main Street, but not on it. The scent of pizza enticed him, but Wyeth turned down the alleyway to find Savanna. The outside of her little shop was nothing he expected. There was no flashy window display, just a door with a simple sign that could be flipped to say Open or Closed. The glass in the door had been darkened so no one could peek in.
Chimes went off as he entered. A beaded curtain separated the tiny storefront from the back. He heard Savanna talking behind the beads. A small bookcase with an array of books stood on the wall next to him. Another next to it had a few crystals of various colors. Underneath the cash register and the credit card machine she had a display case with the jewelry and tarot cards. These were the things that he understood.
The beaded curtain separated and a woman came out. She was tall, blonde, and dressed in a green business suit. When she looked up, her cheeks were streaked with black mascara. Beside her, Savanna stopped talking when she saw him. She smiled and motioned for him to sit in one of the seats nestled in the corner. As the woman left, Savanna flipped the sign to Closed.
“What are you doing here?” Savanna’s cheeks reddened.
“You said that I could come down sometime, so here I am.”
“Did you need a little bit of spiritual advice? Maybe some words of wisdom on how to deal with what Drake told you?”
“Actually, I was wondering what he told you after I left.”
She chuckled. “I thought he was supposed to show you more about who he was in the caves below your house.”
“I haven’t seen him since the other night. Have you?” Wyeth asked.
“No. He left and, well...that was it. I haven’t had a chance to go by the lighthouse and see if he was there. I’ve been swamped with readings. It’s been kinda crazy. This is the first break I’ve had in three days. At least I’ve made rent this month.”
“Is it difficult for you to keep up with your bills? I can help you out if you...” He wasn’t sure why he had offered this woman money.
“No. I wouldn’t dream of it. Thank you, though. I’m okay. What really brings you here today?”
He shrugged, surprised she had turned down his money. “I was going to get some lunch, and I recalled you were down here. I thought it would be nice to come and see you. Dinner was good the other night, and we all gotta eat. Would you want to get lunch?”
Her eyes widened. “Ahh... yeah, I guess. Just let me close up.” It took her a moment as she switched her lights off. His muscles tightened, and his heart picked up a few beats as her hips swayed. Dear God, I’m falling for her. She returned with a smile on her face and a bounce in her step. She was a few steps ahead of him before she turned around. “Where did you want to go?”
“Anywhere is fine. Where do you like to eat?” Wyeth asked.
“Lucia’s is good. Have you been there? They’re fairly new.”
“Sounds good. Lead the way.”
They went a couple of blocks and arrived at a small café with tables outside and people chatting. The wind blew and wrapped him in a chill. Autumn was in the air. Soon the tourists would leave and he would pick up a few more jobs. It was his favorite time of year. Colors splashed across the trees. The mountains were a backdrop against the dark ocean and the browns of the cliffs and the rocks. His father always had a leaf viewing party, and Wyeth enjoyed those. I wonder if Savanna would appreciate something like that. We haven’t used the yacht in a while.
They got a table inside Lucia’s and perused the menu. He glanced over the laminated print but kept peeking at Savanna over the top of the menu as she worried her straw, sipping on her water. What did she think of everything that happened the other night? What did happen the other night after I left? He sipped on his cola and something nagged at the back of his brain. “Did you sleep with Drake after I left your apartment?”
Savanna went to put her glass down, but it slipped and spilled all over the tabletop. She coughed the water she had drunk. He grabbed a few napkins and sopped up the liquid. As he did, he realized what an idiot he sounded like.
“I don’t see where that’s any of your business.”
“Sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I shouldn’t have even...”
She took a few more napkins. “No, you shouldn’t have. Did you show up at my doorstep to ask me if I slept with Drake, who I barely know any more than I know you?” She threw the pile of disintegrated napkins closer to the edge of the table and went to get up.
Wyeth grabbed her arm to keep her from leaving. She struggled a bit, but he tightened his hand and stood so he was closer to her. He didn’t care about the scene he was making. Wyeth pulled her to him. Savanna thrashed against him.
“Let me go, or I’m going to scream,” she forced out.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk. I’m sorry about the question. Please, can’t we have lunch?” Wyeth released her and backed away when he noticed the manager was preparing to come over. “Savanna, please.”
She rubbed her wrist and sat back down. The waitress came over and took their orders after she wiped the table down to sop up the rest of the water. Wyeth waited for her to leave so that he could focus on Savanna. Seeing her steamed turned him on, and he couldn’t wait to see what she would be like in the sack. He ran his fingers over his waistband, adjusted it to make room for his thickening cock, and moved the napkin over it so that no one would notice the bump in his pants.
“Why did you ask me that?” Savanna demanded.
“I’m sorry. It just slipped out. I was thinking about ...I was thinking about asking you out on a date. I left and he stayed. I know it’s none...”
She pursued her lips and gripped her fork. He waited for her to stab him the way she had skewered Drake. Savanna set the fork down and rearranged her silverware. “You’re right. It’s not. Damn it, Wyeth. We don’t know one another. I didn’t even know it was you when I attacked Drake. I just wanted him to stop hitting whoever was at the door so the cops wouldn’t come. That’d be all I’d need.”
“You don’t find me attractive?” He sat back in the chair and felt a little bit deflated.
Savanna rolled her eyes. “Men. Why does it always come back to sex?”
He smiled and leaned a little further over the table, taking her hand in his. He flipped it over and trailed his finger over one of the lines on her palm. Savanna jumped, but she didn’t pull her hand away. He liked her soft skin. “Because it’s the way we’re built. But you didn’t answer my question. Do you find me as good-looking as you do Drake?”
“That wasn’t your question. You wanted to know if I thought you were attractive. Stop fishing for information.”
The server came back with their meals. Savanna had ordered a sandwich, and he had gotten a burger. He plucked the bun off, added a bit more ketchup, and then plopped the side of slaw on top of the meat. Wyeth gripped the hamburger in both hands and was about to take a bite when Savanna started laughing.
“What?” He eyed her.
“You’re really going to fit that ginormous thing into your mouth.”
Wyeth grinned and instead of answering, he wrapped his mouth around the burger. He took a large bite and savored the mixture of flavors. Savanna laughed as though the questions between them had flown away. “It’s good.”
“I take it that you like it.”
“Are you still mad at me for asking you about Drake?” he asked.
“No. It was an unexpected question, considering you came to my house to date my roommate. Rumors around town are that you kinda go more for the slimmer blondes than my type. I’m not the skinniest person in the world, but anyway.”
He knew about the rumors. “All that’s true. And maybe before this happened, I never would’ve taken a second glance in your direction. But something happened that night at your apartment. He was touching you, and you were touching him. All three of us were connected. When I went to catch you, there was this zap of something... a jolt, I don’t know, but I felt something pass between us. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. It’s crazy.”
She nearly froze and set her sandwich back down on her plate. Her expression grew serious. “Yes. I felt something too, but with everything that went on that night—I don’t know. I want to talk to him about things. I need to be sure of what we saw. And yes, I continue to feel this crazy attraction, connection, whatever it is between us. The longer I’m around you, the closer I am, the more it affects me.”
She rubbed her temples. He suspected in this moment he was either going to lose her or she would answer him. Wyeth had never felt such a flutter of butterflies in his stomach about asking someone out. He never had that problem before, and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. This is ridiculous. I’m never like this.
“Does that mean you’re willing to go out on a date with me?” Wyeth asked.
“Why is it so important I go out with you? A month ago you never knew I existed, and I can bet you a million dollars that you never would’ve asked me, either.”
“That’s not...”
She held up her finger and wagged it at him. “Don’t lie to me, Wyeth. I’m not an idiot.”
He never would have blinked at her if she walked by, probably would have made some snide comment about her weight if his crew were around. “You’re right. I never would’ve batted an eye at you if none of this happened, but it did. And now I am. What do you say?”
“How about we finish lunch first and make plans to see Drake, because I want to see exactly what he’s going to tell you? Once we finish that, then we can figure out what, or if, anything is between us except this crazy thing that occurred the other night.”
Wyeth took another bite of his burger. It sounded reasonable, more reasonable than coming off like an ass and blurting out questions like he had already done and already screwed up their relationship beyond repair. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
* * * *
Savanna walked beside Wyeth after a frustrating lunch. Even though the food was good, she wasn’t sure what to say to him after he had asked her out on a date. They were linked in a manner she didn’t understand. Her guides didn’t have any answers for her either, just to say that great and terrible things were coming, and she had to be aware of the signs. Savanna knew one thing: the woman who had possessed her, and the mist dragon, were all tied together. And that Drake’s kiss lingered in her dreams. The way it did on the lips when she thought about it.
“You never did answer my question. Do you find me more attractive than Drake?” Wyeth asked as they stood before her shop.
“Why are you being so insistent? I’m not comfortable comparing you to him. I don’t like doing that ...” Wyeth cut her off when he stepped in, touched her cheek, and pressed his lips to hers. Her world stopped as he moved closer, until their bodies were pressed together and his kiss grew a little bit more insistent. She tasted the burger and the ketchup on his mouth. She melted into his embrace as he flicked his tongue across her lips. He was taller than her, but not as tall as Drake. Wyeth kissed her in a way that wasn’t as covetous as Drake had done the other night.
Savanna touched his arm, feeling the muscles underneath his shirt. The thread flared to life between them. Flashes of him working at jobs blew through her mind and another of him standing over his father’s grave. When he looked up, Drake stood in the background. She pushed the barrage of images away and focused on his kiss and how his body molded to hers. It was nice to be in strong, warm arms. It was also nice to be in Drake’s arms. It didn’t matter he was from somewhere else or some other lifeform. It should bother her. It should make her run.
Wyeth pulled away from the kiss, leaving her craving more of him. He curled a strand of her hair around her ear and laughed. “I don’t know what it is, but you’re right. I probably would’ve said something unforgiveable about you if my crew was around, too. Now though, I couldn’t imagine doing that. Won’t you go out with me? I can cook dinner tonight, and we can go to the lighthouse to bother Drake.”
“Wyeth, I don’t know. We don’t know one another.”
“You didn’t know Drake, and you invited him over to your house for dinner. What’s the difference?”
She threw her arms up in exasperation. “I invited him to my house to say thank you for pulling me off those rocks. I would have died if he hadn’t.”
“I took you home,” he confessed.
Did he have the audacity to just say that? “You might have gotten me in the car and started to bring me home. Then I told you about my job, and you made fun of me.”
“I know, and I apologized. I’m sorry about that. I didn’t believe in psychics until the other night. I didn’t believe in a lot of things. I didn’t believe there could be an us.” He took her hands and stared into her eyes. She saw the sincerity reflected there, because he truly believed in what he said.
“I—”
“Okay. Dinner. And then we can go talk to Drake.”
“Yes.” He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them. “How’s eight sound?”
“Fine. Nothing with shrimp or mushrooms, though.”
“You don’t like shrimp?”
“No. I’m allergic to them. Not a good sight if I eat them.”
The lines deepened around his eyes and he nodded. “I think I can swing that.” He released her hands and brushed his lips across hers one more time. “I’ll see you later.” He whispered next to her ear, sending chills down her spine as his hand trailed over her side and touched her breast. She sucked in a quick breath. Wyeth winked at her and walked away.
Savanna slipped back inside of her small store. One of the wealthiest men in the town, maybe even in the state, had asked her out, and she had said yes. If Chastity found out, she would have kittens, and living with her would spiral down into an even worse nightmare than what it already was. She spent the rest of the day doing her readings and tidying up the shop. When she got home her roommate wasn’t home. Savanna pulled out half of her clothes from the closet onto the bed and finally decided on a dress she hadn’t worn in a while. It was dark blue with a rounded neck, so it showed the top of her breasts. She pinned her hair up, dashed on a little bit of makeup, and found a pair of sapphire earrings. When she was done, she glanced in the mirror. She wasn’t either of the men’s type, but she wanted both of them.
They were attractive. What she was feeling was lust. Being in lust was better than the nothing she had for the past couple of years. Love? Well she wasn’t sure if that was something in the cards for her.
Heading out the door, she met Chastity coming back in with another man in tow. He was dressed in a leather jacket and had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. “Oh, how sweet. You’re going out again?”
Savanna nodded. “Yeah.”
“Dinner with the man who beat up my date?” she sneered.
“No. With someone else. Hey, Chastity’s date, no smoking in the apartment. Got it?”
“Whatever. Fine,” he croaked.
Chastity giggled.
Savanna grabbed her roommate’s arm. “I mean it. He smokes in the house, you’re out. Got it? I’m tired of your shit.”
“You can’t kick me out! You need me to pay the rent.”
“Yes, I can. You’re subletting the place from me, and it’s in the lease. So deal with it.” Savanna clutched her purse and went down to her car. She drove to Wyeth’s house, surprised the gate was open with no intercom or security guard. As she drove up with the lighthouse in the background, she couldn’t help but feel a little like she was being shoved into a horror movie where the fog would roll in off the sea. Within its misty banks would be vaporous monsters that would eat her. The tower light, guarding the rocks, illuminated the solitary piece of land. The same way that Drake was.
The loneliness inside of her was the same that he had, too. Savanna climbed out of the car and went to the front door, feeling very inadequate. She turned back, about to return to her car, when she saw Drake approaching the house.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” He didn’t look at her. There was a restless energy about him that she had seen the other night, but it was more than that. It seemed that he was in a hurry. He wanted to flee, and yet, that other part of him wanted to stay. And deep within her, she wanted to comfort that part of him. Reading the different parts of him was exhausting.
He stood next to her while she knocked. The silence between them stretched as she waited for Wyeth. Savanna tried not to notice Drake, but it was tough, considering what had transpired between them and the fact that he was a beefcake. “So, the other night. You kissed me.”
“I did.”
“Is that something you do all the time? Kissing strange girls you’ve just met?”
Drake’s gaze traveled down her face and settled on her breasts before it moved back up again to her eyes. “Was that a problem? You didn’t seem to mind.”
“That’s not the point. You told me and Wyeth something that you don’t tell anyone else, and then you do that and walk out. You’re an enigma, and because of all of this three of us are connected on some strange level now.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Don’t start playing test the psychic. I’m not up for it tonight.” She crossed her hands over her chest and stared at him. It took everything in her, because when it came to men she was never the straightforward one in the relationship. She gritted her teeth, because she sensed the very thread between them pulling tighter, making her crave to be closer to him. It hadn’t been so bad before when Savanna was away from him. Now that they were feet apart, she yearned to rub along his body and smell his musky scent. She closed her eyes and took in a few breaths as the cool night air caressed her.
“I wasn’t testing you,” Drake said, his voice inexplicably closer to her than before.
Savanna opened her eyes, and he was inches from her. It took all her willpower not to throw her arms around him. “Then what the hell were you doing?”
“Truth?”
“I’d hope so. I-I would appreciate it after everything that happened.”
“After I left your apartment, I came back to the lighthouse and started packing. I got halfway packed, but I couldn’t banish you from my mind.” Drake rested his hand on the wall, trapping her between him and the wall. He stared at her with the intensity of a hunter that had found its prey and was waiting for her to bolt. “I did everything I could to push you from my thoughts. Let’s face it, you’re not my type for a human woman. I’ve had many, and don’t think that your size deters me, because it doesn’t.”
“Yeah. I get it. You don’t like buxom beauties or fat chicks. I’ve heard it before.”
“You asked for the truth. Nevertheless my thoughts returned to your lips and how you felt against me, and the heat that we had shared. You speak to the beast inside of me. I needed time to sort things out. I didn’t know if I could leave, and then I sensed you had come here. I had to come see you.” He captured her lips in a hungry kiss that curled her toes and made her moan.
“Hey, Savanna...” Wyeth called. The place where Drake had kissed turned into air. She heard one of them cry out in pain. When she opened her eyes, Wyeth was the one on top of Drake this time, hitting him.
“Dear Lord, not again,” she muttered. “This is getting ridiculous.” Men did not fight over her. “Guys, enough!” She tried to grab onto Wyeth’s arm, but he pushed her off. She landed on her ass, which hurt, and then she heard a rip where her dress tore up the side. Hot tears of frustration and anger lined her eyes. She stood up, and her anger consumed her. The heat of it made her so warm that she was sweating. A fire sparked inside of her. It glowed within her mind. She reached out her hand, as the energy needed a way to escape because she could not contain it within her. If she even tried, she would burn up. Savanna focused it down her left arm. A grapefruit sized fire ball appeared and landed next to Drake’s head.
Both of them stopped fighting.
All the energy drained from her. Dots appeared on the edge of her vision. Savanna sank to the ground. Wyeth slung a hand around her waist, and Drake came to her other side until she was suspended between them. They walked her inside and set her on a chair. The cool air helped clear her senses. Drake knelt before her, patting her hand. Wyeth returned with a glass of water and held it to her lips so she could take a sip. As she swallowed it, feeling parched and wrung out, she was able to concentrate.
“How did you do that?” Drake asked. His voice was filled with awe.
“Do what? Shoot fire out of my hand? How the fuck should I know?” She turned to Wyeth. “Really? You had to jump on him and start fighting.”
He was taken aback and his face paled. “He was kissing you and...”
“I don’t care if I was being kissed by a shark...okay, well, not a shark, but you get the idea, my lips don’t belong to you. This is all too fucked up even for me.” She started to get up but fell back down into the seat, feeling defeated and tired.
Drake put a hand on her knee. Another strong jolt went through her and brought her back to her senses. She was under his spell no matter how much she fought it. It was definitely stronger when he touched her, and it seemed that everything was right in the world. “I think I have an answer for what’s been plaguing the three of us. I hate to admit it, but it is the only explanation that can fit.”
“What is it, oh wise one?” Wyeth said, sarcasm dripping from every word.
“Give it a rest. If he can clarify some things then I want to know. The longer I’m with either of you, the more this weird attraction I have grows for the both of you. And it’s not natural.”
“You’re right. It’s not natural for a human. You aren’t built that way. The same way that you were able to channel my dragon fire. That is something that only happens between dragons and their mates or sometimes dragons and their spellcasters. At least that is what I have been told, they can share power. It must have been a fluke. It is the way that this world has impacted me. It would not surprise me that everything is topsy-turvy.”
It took Savanna a minute to process what he had imparted to them. “So you’re telling me that a witch can tap into a dragon’s fire and channel it?”
Drake explained. “Yes. They are able to share magic, and the human can use the dragon fire for short periods of time. Some dragons thought it was beneath them to join with a spellcaster. The ones who did said they felt a pull toward that human as if another part of their soul had been found. And they followed that link until it brought them to the person, no matter how far away. I think you tapped into that power. I don’t know how, but you linked with me. Maybe it’s the same way that I am bonded to Wyeth.”
“The other night when you grabbed me, and then I touched her, something passed between the three of us. I can’t get Savanna out of my head. And, no offense, I don’t fantasize about having sex with another dude, but I do sense this link,” Wyeth admitted.
“So what is it then?” Savanna asked. “What has happened between the three of us?” She took another sip of the cool water and it revived her. She could probably down a lake and it still wouldn’t make a difference. I don’t know how I was able to do that. I can’t produce fireballs. I can’t be his mate, and there’s no way I’m a witch.
Drake paced the room with the grace of a caged animal. As he walked, she couldn’t help but notice the way his ass looked in his pants. Savanna shook her head and snapped out of it. Wyeth kept his hand on her shoulder. Having him close satisfied a need in her she hadn’t experienced the other night. Maybe it would grow to the point that she couldn’t control herself, and she would have to jump one of them.
“The enchantment I cast upon Wyeth’s namesake was a blood spell. It mingled our blood and our souls. If there were blood relatives the bond stretched, but I always sensed a death or anything big that was going to happen or if they were planning it. Now there is only Wyeth. The thread becomes the strongest when I reveal myself to a Blackmore. At that instant, when you touched him and me, the magic also bombarded you. Magic in this realm is unpredictable and what little I have left is dwindling. There is no real magic here, and whatever I came here with is leaving me,” Drake confessed.
“So you’re to blame?” Wyeth questioned Drake.
“I don’t know. If this bond has also been transferred to Savanna, then you shouldn’t be attracted to her or lusting after her. Neither should I. The most we should both experience is a tightening sensation in your chest. Or, if she is making an important decisions or if she dies. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but I do feel this magnetism as well, and she stirs my passions.” Drake ran his finger down her other shoulder.
Savanna shivered. “What do we do about it? This won’t become any easier if you leave.”
“That was another thing I was contemplating. Not with you being the conduit to my world. If they have another message for me, then I need to know what it is.”
“Right. Of course.” Savanna turned back to Wyeth. His fingers twined through her hair. He flashed her a small smile, and it seemed he was in a daze all his own.
Drake caressed her cheek and turned her face back to him. “And I don’t want to abandon you. Savanna, I can’t explain any of this. I’d love to put a big shiny label on it that clarifies it for everyone. Until it works itself out, enjoy it while it lasts. Bask in our affections. That’s all I can say to you.”
“And if I ‘enjoy it while it lasts,’ as you say, you do realize it’s going to mean that we will end up in bed, because I can’t fight the lure. There are too many factors here for me to rationalize everything. We have to come to an understanding that you two aren’t going to fight every five seconds because I pay the other attention. Can you both deal with that?” Savanna asked.
Wyeth traced the contours of her face and along her neck until he got to her shoulder. He began kneading out some of the knots there. “You’re tense.”
“I wonder why,” she murmured as he dug deeper into her shoulder blade and made it so that she could move her neck without it cramping. “You didn’t answer my question. Can you behave yourselves?”
“It all depends on if he can do the same.” Drake gestured to Wyeth.
She shook her head. “No. It depends on where this goes, because with him touching me right and you touching me, I want to melt into the both of you. Look, I’m not into threesomes or anything, but again...my gut tells me we are headed there.”
Wyeth grunted and withdrew from her. When he did she was able to think a bit clearer. “How about we eat first? This was supposed to be a dinner for me and you,” he reminded Savanna.
“I know,” she replied.
“I’m not leaving you alone with him,” Drake responded.
She sighed. “I know that too.” Savanna got up and followed Wyeth, hoping dinner would not be disastrous. All of this made her head hurt. Maybe it was best if she reached across the void and asked this strange woman who had contacted her. Then maybe she could get some straight answers.