Altered Souls (15 page)

“You have a stoic mind, Triss,” Bakula said. “That will only work in our favor.”

“Some of us might call it stubbornness,” Logan smiled, and I couldn’t help but
smile
despite the
very serious moment in time.

“I will help however I can,” I replied. “I hope it’s enough.”

“It will be. Your decision ensures it already.” Dace said, fluttering about with activity.

“Now let’s have the engravers carve the correct name in your partner’s chair,” Bakula said, who was an apparent romantic at heart.

“Thank you, Bakula,” I whispered, giving her my pinky to shake, “and you, too, Dace.” Who was already busy waking up the artisan who would finish the chair next to mine.

“No, thank you. Your choice has given us all hope once more, but we need to start planning now. Time isn’t on our side,” Bakula said, her voice solemn.

“But kids,” Bakula added, making me feel like my mother was in front of me, “remember that nothing can tear you two apart except for your own fears and paranoia.”

I nodded, and stole a glance at Logan who was wearing one of the most confident smiles I had seen on his lips in quite some time.

“Thanks Bakula,” I whispered, grateful for this tiny woman full of knowledge I never would be able to replicate.

“Now, let’s shoot
for
getting you in there i
n
three days,” Dace was back with a blue print of my father’s property that was ten times as large as he was.

Logan’s eyes darkened, and I knew we were in for a long night ahead of us.

Chapter 16

“Do you think it can be done?” I asked.

Logan nodded. “I do. I’m not that hot on the idea of you going in there alone, but maybe they’re right. Maybe it is the only way.”

We didn’t get back to the house until early morning from our meeting with the fairies. Instead of allowing myself to feel overwhelmed, I forced myself to fall asleep and start over again with a fresh outlook. I
glanced
over at Logan who looked worn out and like he didn’t follow the same plan. We had curled up together on the couch, but I had woken up alone.

“Did you sleep at all?” I questioned.

“Meh, enough.”

“I don’t even know what time it is,” I said, reaching for my phone and noticing a message. “Did you already fill in Jenny?”

“I managed to get
in touch with
everyone Dace mentioned,” he replied softly.

So he
hadn’t slept
at all.

I gave him a grateful smile and thought about how much our lives had changed in such a short time. Logan’s lips quirked in an almost-smile as if he knew what I was thinking, and the thought of leaving him made me wonder about my choice. Maybe we could just run away together.

“You always have this way about you,” I started.

“Yeah?” he prompted, smiling as he looked up from a page he was reading.

“It’s pretty incredible, actually.”

“How’s that?” he asked, completely bewildered.

“You’re so in control, so strong. I feel so protected around you even when I don’t need protecting.” I replied with mild embarrassment. “I’m going to miss that when I go inside the compound. I
know
I’m strong enough. It’s not that.”

“What is it then?” his voice softer, and his eyes taking
in
everything about me.

“It’s that! Right there… that look,” I whispered. “You make me feel like everything I have to say is important — valued. I’m not going to have anyone to bounce ideas or my wacky assumptions off of.”

He looked down at the table quickly and moved the papers he was looking at to the side.

Oh, no! Did I completely freak him out?

“Wanna sit down over here?” his words were burdened with something I didn’t understand.

“Sure,” I replied as cheerfully as possible. I had no clue what was going on.

I plopped down in the chair next to him and yanked on his seat to angle him toward me more.

“There. That’s better,” I teased. “If I’m in for something heavy, I need a full on frontal view of you.”

“Is that so?” His grin was wide.

“Yep. That way if I get really mad, I can just look at you, and it’ll remind me of why I put up with you.”

“Wow. That’s the only reason, huh?” His eyes had softened, and my worry began to fade slightly.

“That and your mammoth house back in Illinois,” I teased.

He smiled and touched my cheek, creating a flurry inside.

Did he find something out when he was calling everyone to fill them in on our plans? That might be it. Maybe there’s more infiltration on my father’s side th
a
n we accounted for. His voice cut into my thoughts with something I didn’t expect.

“Remember when you tried on that old dress from the attic?”

“Yeah I do.” It seemed so long ago but it wasn’t that
far in the past
at all. Dancing in his embrace felt magical, like anything was possible. How had things gotten so complicated?

“I felt like the luckiest man in the world getting to hold you, yet I was so worried that you would push me away.”

“I’m sorry I ever made you feel that way,” I whispered. “I never meant to, but it was like,” I paused for a second, “too good to be true.”

“I guess it was in a way, and it was short-lived.” His laughter lingered.

“Wasn’t it though?” My mind quickly thought back to the Trevor situation.

“You believe what Bakula said about spells of the heart, right?” he asked.

“Yes, and might I add… I-told-you-so,” I said grinning. “I knew that side-effect was bogus.”

“Well, it’s only bogus because you’re so bullheaded,” he shot back with an adorable smirk.

“
I
f you believe in me and I believe in you we’ll be set,” I said. “Which I always knew.”

“Right, that’s exactly how I remember it,” he replied coyly, but then his eyes began shielding something.

He frowned and looked over at the sheet of paper, bringing it toward him again.

“I want to show you something,” he said, pointing at the piece of paper.

“What’s up?” I asked perplexed, only seeing a drawing.

“It’s,” he hesitated. “It’s a method for us to share things and —”

“Yeah?”

“I know we’re young, and I don’t want to pressure you.” The confidence that Logan usually exuded was completely absent. Instead, he wore a shy grin.

“Would you spit it out?” I teased him.

“You know that tattoo I have that links me to your father?” Logan asked.

“Kind of hard to forget.” I rolled my eyes.

“That’s not the only type of tattoo that can link beings. There are ones that are for more intimate, and I thought maybe we could share —” His eyes held onto mine, waiting for my response before he continued.

My heart skipped a beat, and all I could do was blink at him.

“Too much?” he asked softly.

Not realizing I was giving him the wrong impression I began shaking my head quickly, thinking about what to say, but words seemed inadequate.

“I…I would be honored,” I whispered.

His blue eyes burned into mine, as
a look of wonder spread across his face
.

“Really?” his voice was hoarse. “You would do this for me?”

I shook my head and reached over to his hand.

“I would do this for me,” I smiled.

“You have a glorious smile,” he grinned.

“Do I?” I began getting lightheaded as excitement ran through me. I had no idea what to expect, but I was looking forward to finding out.

“Maybe this one can replace the spider spell?” I teased.

“Pretty sure the
nectunt
will replace it,” he murmured, his eyes penetrating my soul. “Do you want me to give you some details?”

“Yes, please
explain
the
nectunt
,” I replied, scooting closer, trying to shake my sudden dazed feeling. “Quite a name.”

“It’s going to hurt—”

“You should’ve started with that,” I interrupted.

“No way. And ruin my odds? I even made sure I was wearing the jeans you love.” He looked at me with hidden amusement.

“I can see that,” I said, laughing. “And it worked.”

“I’m thankful that this will cover all bases with the whole love
-
spell free
-
will thing.” He winked at me.

“Whatever. I’m telling you, all those little things that we kept being paranoid about with the Trevor connection were probably me just being my worrywart self. We were so freaked out that we jumped to the worst possible conclusion every time thinking it was the side effect. It was almost like we were going to ensure some tormented destiny would arrive at our door whether we wanted it or not,” I laughed. “I’m serious. I knew I never had anything for him. You better believe me next time.”

“I hope there’s not a next time,” he said sternly.

I swatted at him and waited for him to continue.

“We will use this,” he said, moving the drawing directly in front of me. “But where this part is empty, we can place an addition inside that means something to both of us.”

“I’d say daisies, but I won’t do that to you,” I teased. “Butterflies are probably out too.”

“For you I’d do it.” His eyes were sparkling, and I felt so lucky to be sharing this experience with him.

“You know what they say about couples who get matching tattoos, right? That kind of signals the end,” I said, laughing nervously. “People always break up after they get matching tattoos.”

He started laughing, and I loved watching him. It was a split second where we were more like ourselves than ever.

“Well it’s good that ours aren’t exactly the same then. Besides these aren’t
those
kind. These are deeper.”

I smiled, wondering what he meant.

“So there’s no getting out of it? We’re really linked?” The excitement was building.

He nodded. “Pretty much, but you heard what Bakula said, matters of the heart and all.”

I sat there thinking of images from what we’d experienced together and images that might work the best. The snake seemed fitting, but no matter how grateful I
was
to Logan for producing that weapon for me, I don’t think I
’d
want an image of it on my body.

“What about the arrowhead?”

“I think that’s perfect.” He nodded, unable to hide his smile.

“It is, isn’t it?”

“So how does it work?”

“We’ll be signaling to our ancestors
,
along with the world we live in
,
our commitment to one another.”

“Wow.”

“We won’t be sharing a replica of the same tattoo. The image will be split between us,” he continued.

“Like a locket?” I asked.

“Yeah, I guess it’s kind of like that. We each have half of the image and our energy is able to go between the two. We’ll be able to share abilities between each other as time goes by. Right away, however, we can communicate through this.” He pointed to the upper part of the stencil drawing. “I was thinking we might do the ritual before everything begins.”

“Before I go to meet my father?” I asked, my mouth dry.

He nodded. “If you don’t want to, I understand.”

“No, I totally want to do it before then. What all is involved with the actual spell?”

“It isn’t that complicated, but it can be exhausting depending how far we take it.” His mouth twisted upright and his expression was completely irresistible.

“What does that mean?” I questioned playfully, hoping it meant what I wanted.

“It’s a really intimate experience in the Wiccan world and if we add the human—”

“We are definitely adding the human component,” I interrupted, playfully scowling.

“Whatever you say, babe” he replied amused.

“Should we start?” I asked.

Logan began laughing at the same time that I realized
exactly
how eager I must have sounded.

Logan slid the chair back and pulled me into his arms. His gaze held an intensity that excited me.

“You are my everything and more, Triss,” he whispered, pulling my hair back from my face.

“And you are mine.”

Scooping me up, he took me toward the stairs and my breath caught.

“Are you ready?” he asked softly.

I nodded causing his lips to curl into a smile as he began carrying me up the stairs. The door to the bedroom was open, lit with candles in every corner, and daisies in every direction.

Choking back my happiness
,
it
felt like my world was spinning.

“It’s beautiful,” I gushed.

“Not as beautiful as you,” he murmured, gently lowering me onto the bed.

“You’ve already got the girl, Mr. Greene,” I reply coyly.

He leaned over me with his lips barely touching my skin as he traced his mouth down my arm, sending shivers through my system.

“Are you cold?” he asked quietly.

Catching his gaze, I shook my head no. No words would come out.

“No matter what we face, I’ll always be there for you.”

I looked into his eyes and felt the desire take hold. I wanted to be with this man forever and leave everything behind.

“Turn on your side,” he whispered, allowing his lips to trace the curves of my arm.

“I can’t move if you’re going to continue. You’re lips are more than a little paralyzing.”

A salacious grin covered his mouth, as he backed away, trading his lips for his fingers.

I turned on my side like he requested, unsure of what he had planned. I glanced at the box he grabbed and
then
back at him.

“What
’s
inside?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him suspiciously.

“I’m not going to tell you because you’ll only laugh,” he smiled.