Altered Souls (4 page)

Aunt Vieta walked quickly around Trevor. “Triss, you’ve been through so much. Let me get you something.”

“Just get him out of here and that will do plenty for me.”

“Why are you avoiding the inevitable?” Trevor walked toward me, and Logan held on tighter.

“The inevitable?” I squinted at him. “There’s nothing inevitable about us. I don’t care what you think that spell’s capable of.”

Trevor reached for my hand, but not before Logan released me and grabbed Trevor throwing him to the floor. Logan had him completely subdued with his knee digging into Trevor’s chest. Catching Trevor’s glance, my heart twisted in knots, and I didn’t understand my reaction. I hated Trevor and Logan was completely in control. Oh no. Please let this not be happening. There’s nothing to be conflicted over. I’m not feeling bad for Trevor. This was impossible.

“You heard Triss. She wants you to leave. Let her aunt take you to the station, and we’ll pretend none of this ever happened,” Logan growled. His knuckles were turning white with anticipation. He wanted to annihilate Trevor and a few seconds ago, I wanted that too. Now I was confused and wasn’t sure.

“I’m guessing he doesn’t know about the kiss?” Trevor shouted, trying to dislodge from Logan’s strength.

“Kiss?” Logan’s pain cut through to my heart. My eyes locked with Logan’s but no words would come. This was a complete misunderstanding. I had forgotten that Trevor had tried to kiss me once. He kind of managed it, but it was many years ago and inconsequential. That couldn’t count for anything. Could it? Why wouldn’t words come?

My head continued throbbing, and I reached behind me for the table to lean against. Logan’s eyes were filled with such agony, and my aunt’s hands were raised to her mouth in complete shock. All I could do was keep shaking my head no, unable to speak.

Logan stood up, and released Trevor by throwing him against the wall. What’s he doing?

“It didn’t mean anything, Logan,” I whispered.

“Maybe not in your head, but all we can do is wait to see what your heart says,” he replied. “And I don’t know that I can be around to watch.” Grabbing his jacket, he spun around and went outside leaving me in my own personal hell.

Trevor started toward me, and I raised my hand to stop him.

“Don’t.”

“We are meant to be together,” Trevor’s voice had new warmth to it.

“Quit saying that,” I cried, running after Logan.

Chapter 5

The porch light did little to illuminate the forest beyond the porch, but it didn’t matter. I had to find Logan. I had to explain. The darkness brought with it silence, except for the occasional flutter of leaves or bats circling above searching for their late night snack. My body felt as if it was glued to the forest floor beneath me. Every movement I made was delayed with the heaviness of what life might have in store for me. None of which I wanted.

“Logan?” I called out to the night doubtful I’d hear anything returned.

A cracked twig off in the distance gave me hope, and I started toward the anonymous echo. The slight rustle of leaves ahead of me signaled that I was getting closer, but with every step it seemed the noise moved that much farther ahead of me. My stomach was in knots, and I wasn’t sure what I would say. There was no way I would have purposefully traded my future with Logan for Trevor. I only prayed my subconscious hadn’t betrayed me at some point in my life.

I was getting closer to the pasture that, only a week ago, held a magnificent carpet of blue bells. It was where Logan told me he was holding off college to help find my mom. He had done so much for me since he returned. Made me the priority. There was no way Trevor was going to get in the way of that regardless of the spell’s outcome.

Finally making my way to the clearing, the moonlight sprinkled its goodness onto the pasture leading the way. The blue bells had finished their bloom, leaving only the mounds of foliage behind for me to walk on. As far as my eyes could see, there was no Logan. Anger quickly displaced the worry and sadness that had been running through my system. How could he give up on me so easily?

Across the pasture, where the woods began again, a shadow danced at the slightest movement giving away Logan’s location. He was leaning up against one of the pine trees. His head extended as if he was looking to the sky for answers.

Despite my weakened state, I sprinted towards him. Surely he’d seen me coming as I barreled across the field. Upon approach, each step was heavier than the last, and I was completely breathless and fully agitated at him for making me come after him out in the woods.

“Hey, you,” I called to him.

I was trying to catch my breath, which seemed impossible. This was why I never attempted the mile-long runs in gym class.

The blood was pounding in my ears, and it was safe to say I’d done too much too soon after the spell. I reached for the nearest tree, but my complete inability to gauge distance caused me to miss the trunk as I fell to the ground.

“Whoa. I gotcha,” Logan said, grabbing me before I hit the bed of pine needles. His voice was as gentle as his touch, making it nearly impossible to be as angry with him as I felt.

Bringing me to his body, he wrapped his arms tightly around me.

“You can’t do this to me,” I whispered, placing my arms around his waist. “You can’t give up on me before you’ve even gotten me.”

I looked up to meet his eyes, which held a bit of the darkness we had done so well at eliminating.

“You’ve already started putting your walls back up,” I said.

“And you haven’t?”

“No. Because I know I’ve never had feelings for him.”

“What about the kiss?” Logan growled.

“I wouldn’t call it a kiss where both parties participated. He came in for it, and I was completely taken off guard. It made me cringe at the time, and the memory still makes me ill.”

“I wish it was that simple,” Logan replied, his embrace loosened some.

“Are you serious?” The fury was starting to build again. “Why don’t you take my word for it? Why doesn’t that count?”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you. I just —”

He looked away, and I caught a glimpse of moistness edge the blue of his eyes.

“I wanted to kill him.” Logan looked into my eyes, gauging my reaction. “And I would have. This is when I know how close to dark magic I still am.”

“I have a confession too,” I whispered. “That thought crossed mine as well. See? It has nothing to do with dark magic. It has to do with being human. Ridding the world of evil.”

A grin spread across his face.

“Is that so?” his voice low.

I nodded as he embraced me tighter.

“I don’t want you to see that side of life,” he replied, his words strained. “I want to shelter you from all of that.”

“Too late.” I paused, wondering what to say next. “We’ve got to face everything head on, Logan. Together. We’ll be stronger as a team. No more ditching me. From now on, take me with you.”

“I didn’t mean to leave you in there like that, but shocked doesn’t even begin to describe the emotions that came over me when I heard about that kiss. I spent all night telling myself there was no chance you had feelings for him. And even in my darkest nightmares, I never thought there was a
kiss
involved. He was so smug, and I just needed to get out of there.”

“Still, you can’t take off like that. I don’t care what was going through your mind. I’d rather have you hit him again than be left with him. You abandoned me.”

“I’m sorry. Figuring that I’d lost you to him was more than I could handle. I didn’t want to see it unfold in front of me.”

He pulled me closer, and I rested my head against his chest.

“You still think you could lose me to him?” I murmured.

“Only time will tell.”

“How’s that? Wouldn’t I already be showing signs?” I asked.

“Possibly. I’m not really sure how it works.”

I let out a sigh, trying to find a balance between anger, sadness, and fear. I didn’t want any emotion to outweigh the other and tip me toward something I didn’t want to be a part of.

“You don’t feel anything for him. Do you?” Logan whispered, gazing down to the woodland floor. At night, it wasn’t that interesting so his avoidance technique killed me.

I shuddered at the thought of Trevor, but then worry crept in as I thought back to the fear I felt about Logan
hurting
him. Could that be a sign? No. It couldn’t be. My mind was all clouded from everything – that’s all.

“I hate him more now than ever.” It was true.

I needed to get far away from Trevor. I completely understood Logan’s desire to distance himself from the situation, and maybe it was better if I did as well. I didn’t want to know the outcome, and if I didn’t see him I wouldn’t have to worry about it.

“Let’s get out of here,” I whispered, looking up into Logan’s eyes. “Right now. Let’s just go.”

“Where would we go?” Logan’s eyes lit up slightly.

“I found out so much about my father and mother tonight that I think the sooner we make our way back east, the better. I’m still unclear about a motive behind my father’s actions, but I think that it will come out in time. I think there’s still hope that I can bring her home. And I don’t want to get caught up in the Trevor drama. It’s not worth it. We’re here now together and that’s what matters… So are you game?”

Logan brought his hands up from my waist, cupping my chin as he brought his lips slowly down to mine. I wanted to taste his mouth, his lips, everything about him. He was who I wanted, not Trevor.  No matter what the spell tried to hijack from me, my feelings wouldn’t change for Logan.

As our lips met, the search for our security began. Neither of us wanted to believe that we could lose this. Running my fingers through his hair, I gripped his neck with my other hand. I didn’t want this closeness to end. The firmness of his body stretched along mine as he lifted me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist, not wanting to detach from his kisses as they led away from my mouth down my neck. Feeling his breath dance across my skin as he kissed my collarbone brought a shivery delight to my senses. The softness of his lips was such a contrast to the firmness of his grasp as he guided his hands down my back.

He spun around, pinning me up against the tree with his weight, as I let my mind wander to what might be waiting for me next. My breathing got faster with each second of anticipation. He slowly brought my chin up and his lips began exploring mine once more. With every kiss, his mouth pressed harder along mine, and my heart exploded with curiosity. I let my hands find their way back to his neck up to his hair, twisting and pulling him closer to me with all of my strength.

He pulled away slightly, and I opened my eyes to see him searching my expression for something. For what, I wasn’t sure.

“I don’t ever want to lose you, Triss.” Logan shook his head. “I couldn’t—”

“Shh.” I placed my index finger to his lips. “You won’t.”

My hand trailed down his chest to the first button that I attempted to unfasten. His eyes closed briefly as he took a deep breath in, and I enjoyed the reaction I evoked. Working my way down his shirt, I never let my gaze leave his. The blue of his eyes began to cast a desperate stare as I reached the last button.

Opening his shirt, my hand slid along his warm skin and his lips began to curl into the familiar grin that I loved.

“Enjoying this?” I asked, hiding my smile.

The moonlight was bouncing off of his gloriously smooth skin as my fingers began discovering the dips and peaks of his stomach. I had no idea it was so defined.

“You seem a little distracted, Miss. Spires,” he whispered, catching my eyes gazing at the definition where his shirt once was.

Unable to hide my smile any longer, my finger glided down toward the first button of his jeans. The warmth of his skin beckoned me to explore every inch of his body.

Logan grabbed my hand, disrupting my next course of action, and he swiftly pinned it above my head. My other hand glided along his back and he captured that one too, securing it above me. I was at his mercy and loving every second of it. I struggled a little bit, just for fun, and he tightened his grasp on me. Managing to wriggle one hand free, I let it slide along his skin until it hit an ice-cold patch. My breath hitched in surprise, and I glanced at him before attempting to see what my hand came across.

“Triss, don’t,” he muttered.

The tattoo he shielded me from earlier was freezing. His entire body was laced with warmth, except for this symbol — a symbol that I didn’t recognize. His hand enclosed mine, bringing it away from the chill of his flesh.

“What is that? Why is it so cold?” I said, attempting to make out the shape of the black ink against the glow of his skin.

“It’s nothing,” he whispered, bringing my hand up to his mouth where his lips began placing gentle kisses along each finger.

“Tell me. Share with me,” I pleaded.

Doing his best to distract me, his stare was intense and burning with the same desire I experienced in his presence. His eyes traced my lips creating a thirst for something more. He placed my hand above my head once more, leaning in to meet my lips, promising to quench my yearning. His kiss deepened with every passing moment, allowing me to forget the situation, time, and place where I stood suspended. I quietly begged for my hands to be freed so that I could let my fingertips grace his skin, but he wouldn’t allow it, only deepening the stir within.

A rustle of leaves destroyed our private sanctuary, and Logan stiffened as he dropped my hands from above my head. It had to be Trevor. He’d found us. My heartbeat quickened and I brought Logan’s ear close to mine.

“Let me deal with him. Follow my lead,” I whispered.

Unwrapping my legs from Logan’s waist, I centered myself on the ground again while Logan quickly slid his shirt on, buttoning it up as fast as he could.

Trevor was in earshot now and a situation like this might not present itself again. He was coming up from behind me, and it sounded like he was alone. My aunt must have stayed back in the cottage.

“Logan, I’m sorry,” I started, locking eyes with him, and winking. “I didn’t expect it to end this way. I never imagined this could happen.”

The words themselves created a sickness within me even though they were completely false. Looking into Logan’s eyes, I could tell they were producing the same feeling inside him too.

“I don’t understand, Triss,” Logan attempted to play along. “I thought you never felt anything for him.”

Logan’s voice was full of anger. Even in the most spurious of situations, it was impossible not to let the absurdity of my actions taint his words.

“I never knew I did. I’m so sorry,” I whispered, moving toward him.

A hand from behind me rested on my shoulder, and I did my best not to cringe even though that was my natural inclination.

“Triss, you came around,” Trevor said. “I knew you would.”

Bringing me closer to him, I stepped back quickly into his arms so I didn’t lose my footing. The pain in Logan’s eyes was no act as Trevor brought me into his fold. Doing my best to play along, I caught Logan’s eyes and apologized with every second of our connected gaze as I wrapped my arm around Trevor’s waist.

“Logan wants to take off tonight. I thought I’d drive him to the station,” I replied coldly.