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  We were lying on the bed in the old woman’s home; our hands twined together. Aaron had a seductive smile on his face that made my heart melt. I winked at him and let a smile spread across mine as well. I didn’t exactly feel different, but I didn’t feel the same either.

  “That was an interesting nap, to say the least,” I laughed as he rolled his eyes.

  “That is only a hint of the powers I have inherited,” he laughed, rolling on to his back and sitting up. “You look amazing. I missed those brown eyes of yours.”

  “They’re brown again?” I shot up and ran to the closest mirror, marveling at my appearance.

  My hair was shoulder length with the same Cleopatra bangs. I had almost forgotten how my hair looked black, every trace of blonde and honey erased. My brown eyes were huge and sparkling, all hint of the blue gone. I blinked at the sight of my old face. Prudence was officially dead, and Dawn lived again.

  I was going to miss the high society living of Prudence. The well-crafted persona I had created in order to get Wesley out of the camp. She had a sense of fashion and a strong personality: everything that I didn’t have. However, after Mona admitted the powers Prudence used were indeed mine, I felt I needed to attempt the same abilities I had while in the camp.

  “It’s weird,” I said, turning to look at Aaron.

  “How is it weird?”

  “I became so used to her face. Knowing she’s gone now makes me sad.” I closed my eyes as he rested his chin on my shoulder. Again, the familiarity of his body close to mine made my heart pound.

  “She wasn’t you. I honestly do not know what she was, but she wasn’t you.” He kissed me on the cheek, and I smiled to myself.

  “That is probably the sweetest thing I have heard coming out of all of this.” I kissed him briefly out of reflex.

  I had Wesley back, and I was happy about that. Still, at the same time, there was something about Aaron that was making him almost irresistible.

  “It is still nice to have you back,” he said when I pulled away from him.

  “So, what happens now?” I asked, wondering why we were still alone.

  “I guess you go back to Harrisville and try and figure out what happened with Nick. He seemed nice enough when I met him.”

  We were all confused when it came to Nick. Anything could have happened to cause him to switch to being Miranda’s lapdog. I was still holding on to the theory she threatened his family if he did not do as she asked.

  “You’re staying behind, aren’t you?” I asked, feeling a sadness consume me.

  “I have to. We have our own Army, which needs to be trained. I’m lucky they even let me out long enough to see you here.” Aaron frowned. “I wish I could come with you.”

  “Sometimes, when you speak, I hear the boy from Midvale.” I smiled at him and touched his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned his face into my hand.

  “I will always be that boy. I just have a few more upgrades, that is all,” he laughed.

  “Will we see each other again after this?” I asked him.

  “One day, I’m sure. We will be on the battlefield together.” He didn’t sound pleased with the realization, but I suppose it was true.

  “I hope to see you before that.” I put my arms around him and pulled him close. I could feel his heart pounding on the other side of his shirt.

  Would I always have this effect on him? He said I would, but how much of that was true?

  “I don’t want to do something you will regret,” he said in my ear as I felt his hands slide up and down my back.

  “I regretted everything at one time, but I do not regret it anymore,” I said softly as his hands rested on my waist.

  “You know what I mean, Dawn. Wesley is back. I knew the moment he returned; you would no longer be mine.” His voice failed him for a second.

  “Is that what this is about? Aaron, are you sure you don’t still love me?” I asked as his heart pounded in my ear.

  “Gran told me things were going to change once my body switched sides,” he said, heaving a sigh.

  “I felt the contract break. Edmund said it would. I don’t understand, Aaron. How much of what I have heard is the truth and how much isn’t.” I wasn’t upset at all. I was simply remarking on the inconsistencies of the stories I had been told. They, like all the others, seemed to evolve as time went on.

  “The Incubus blood in me stops all emotions concerning love. That is why I said in my dreams I could feel it, but when I’m awake, it stops at some point.” He kissed the top of my head.

  “That is why you were different in the dream,” I sighed.

  “I thought you weren’t appreciative of me telling you I loved you,” he said questioningly.

  “I may not have felt the same, but I still would like to think it helped me get over the heartbreak.” I smiled to myself as his grip on me tightened.

  “I’m glad to hear that. So, what is going to happen with you and Wesley now?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. There is still love there. There is also damage that will be hard to get around. It doesn’t help much that he is a mixture of so many bloodlines.” I groaned. “His eyes are always shifting.”

  “Yeah, well, what do you expect after what happened to him?” Aaron laughed.

  “I wasn’t expecting what I saw. I just do not know what is going to happen now. Mom and Dad want him to give his soul to Krista. It would bind him to her and not to me. Who knows how that will change his orientation?” I shrugged.

  “I was there when they figured out the plan. The good news is it will be done differently. I believe they wanted to try the written contract as opposed to the sexual way.” I felt him stiffen.

  “You know that me taking yours was by total accident,” I laughed.

  “A well-worth-it accident. If it had not have been for the connection, nobody would have known my family was under attack that night.” He sounded grateful for the contract we had shared.

  “Then again, maybe if there had never been a contract, it wouldn’t have happened,” I pointed out.

  “I have a feeling it would have been sooner,” he corrected.

  “Why do you say that?”

  I was enjoying just being in his arms again. How odd I could not appreciate it when it was available to me whenever I wanted, but I did now. Knowing I was the cause of what he became made the interactions between us all the sweeter.

  “The creatures were in my house looking for my mother. They just so happened to come across me. I wasn’t attacked because I was your boyfriend. I was attacked because I was her son.”

  I pulled away from him and looked at him, dumbfounded.

  “Seriously?” I asked, my pulse increasing. Now was not the time to mess with me. I had felt guilty for his attack since it happened. Knowing I was not at fault took the weight of the world from my shoulder. Wesley had been wrong.

  “Yes. Seriously.” He laughed as I threw myself back into his arms and pressed my lips to his.

  “So, it isn’t my fault!” I squealed as he pulled me back to him and pressed his lips hard to mine.

  The kiss deepened and became more intense. I no longer felt I had caused his transition. Gran had said there was old blood in him. If anything, my family had saved his life. I knew I had nothing to worry about, so I gave in to the moment and allowed his hands to explore my body as the heat continued to build between us.

  “Are you two done yet?” I heard a persistent knock on the door, and the sound of Marshall’s voice stifling a laugh.

  I pulled my black hair up in a tie I had found on the dresser. Straightening out my pajama top, I looked at Aaron and smiled.

  “How much of that do you think they heard?” I asked, blushing.

  “Oh, I’m sure they heard all of it. Surprised you didn’t burn the place down.” He pushed himself to his feet and winked at me.

  “Great, I’m not going to hear the end of it,” I groaned, putting my face in my hands, and looking at him through the cracks in
my fingers.

  “Don’t worry about them. It’s just jealousy.” He giggled.

  I laughed at him as he grabbed the side of my face and pressed his lips to mine one last time. We opened the bedroom door and walked out into the living room where everyone was staring at each other.

  “Well.” Mona began to speak but stopped herself. She looked at me and shook her head back and forth. “Your father would not be pleased.”

  “Nothing pleases my father,” I laughed as the others turned to look at me.

  Krista gave me a weak smile, and Kelly put her arms up in devil’s horns. I assumed that was her sign of approval.

  “Good to see you back to normal,” Krista stuttered, looking over at Aaron and blushing. As far as I knew, the girl was still pure, even with her innocence ripped from her.

  “Good to be back,” I said, smiling brightly at everyone.

  “Well, we need to get back. You wasted most of the day back there,” Mona said, coughing as she stood up from her perch on the couch.

  “Already?” I pouted.

  “Yes, already.” Gran smiled at Aaron and me.

  I had a distinct feeling she knew exactly what she was doing. The woman could see into the past and future. There was a purpose for placing Aaron and me in the same room. I doubted it had to do with rewinding time.

  “Will I see you again?” I asked as the older woman put her arms around me and hugged me tightly.

  “Of course. I will be out at the farm in the not-too-distant future. I have to redo some of the spells.” She winked at me.

  “I cannot wait.” I smiled at her as she kissed me on the cheek.

  “Aaron, can I see you for a second?” the woman asked, looking at him and smiling.

  “Of course,” he replied. “Yawl go-ahead to the limo. I will be out shortly.”

  I gave him an odd look. Marshall grabbed my arm and pulled me outside before I could provide an objection of any sort.

  “Do I have to go back into that room?” I asked as he pushed me inside the limo.

  “No. There is no need now, Prudence is gone,” Mona said, a hint of disapproval in her voice.

  “Do I get to keep my car?” I inquired, thinking this could be the best time to ask.

  “Of course. I had to make some minor alterations to the appearance, but it didn’t cost me much. I know the right people.” She finally smiled, which put me at ease. She was upset with me but not to the point she wasn’t going to answer me. “I tied up all loose ends concerning your vehicle. It can no longer be traced back to Prudence.”

  “That’s a plus. What did you do, purchase another Bentley and leave it busted up on the side of the road?” I asked, thinking I was making a joke.

  “Yes, actually.” Mona seemed quite proud of herself. “I also made sure to spread blood all over the interior and leave your cellphone busted in the back seat.”

  I quit moving for a second and stared at her in disbelief. She had actually killed me before she had me shot.

  Chapter Five

  Home

  “I’m going to miss you,” I said to Aaron as he walked me toward my father’s private jet.

  “I’m going to miss you, too.” He hugged me tightly as the others boarded.

  Wesley lingered at the door, staring for a bit before entering. I didn’t get a good look at his face, but my best guess would be he wasn’t thrilled with me at that moment. Let me get this straight. It wasn’t I didn’t care about him. I loved him, but I wasn’t healed. I still bled at the thought of him leaving me. I didn’t care if we ever got back together as long as Miranda didn’t have him to herself. It wasn’t as if I had moved on, I thought I had, with Adam, but that wound up being a mistake. In no way should I have had any guilt about what I had done the day before. What happened between Aaron and me was between us, and Wesley could keep his nose out of it.

  My father decided the best course was to have Wesley and Krista sign the contract on the way back to Harrisville. This would tie up strings in areas where strands dangled, I suppose. If they did it 30,000 feet in the air, Miranda was less likely to find Wesley and his soul’s owner. Since Krista was not me, and Miranda had no idea who she was, Dad felt it better for Krista to protect his most valuable item.

  Through all the changes in his body and the amount of blood in his veins, I wasn’t even sure if he had a soul left. Then, I remembered his heartbeat. No matter where you were from, a heartbeat said you were alive, so hence, you must have a soul. I knew it was for the best, so I had no reason to object to the contract. As long as he was safe, that was all that really mattered in the long run.

  “You never told me about your mother,” I said as he let me go.

  “She’s a Carrier, apparently,” he said, smiling at me. “You’re going to laugh when I tell you of what.”

  “What’s that?” I raised an eyebrow and gave him a half-smile.

  “Fire. Heaven’s Flame, as your mother called it.” He kissed me on the cheek as I stared at him. “I will email you soon. You need to get on your flight before they leave without you. Besides, Wesley keeps staring at us.”

  “All right, I’m going.” I playfully punched him, and he smiled.

  I left Aaron standing on the runway, the early morning sunshine giving his skin a healthy glow. I gave him one last wave from the door and entered the jet, taking a seat next to Wesley. He looked better now that his eyes weren’t changing color every two seconds. They were the same brilliant blue as they were the day I met him almost a year earlier.

  “Did you say goodbye to your boyfriend?” he asked me with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

  “He’s not my boyfriend,” I said flatly. This was not a conversation I wanted to have with him.

  “Sure, it looked like it.” His lips were a line as he looked at me.

  “Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.

  “There was a time you looked at me like that,” he replied, turning his face away from me.

  “There was a time when I was the only woman you were with,” I muttered, then instantly regretted letting the words come out.

  My father appeared and saved us from what could have been a very heated discussion.

  “Wesley?” my father asked, approaching us. He gave me a stern look then knelt in front of the boy beside me.

  “Yes, Mr. Weathers?”

  “It’s time,” he said simply, pointing toward the table at the tail of the plane.

  I glanced at Krista. She looked nervous. This would be her first Claim and more than likely, not the last one. If this world was going to go up in smoke, it was going to require a lot of catch and release when it came to souls.

  “Yes, Sir,” Wesley said, glancing at me for a second before getting up to follow him to the table.

  I stood and trailed behind them, taking a seat next to my mother. Take-off had been quick and, due to the amount of magic my parents carried, we had made it to 30,000 feet within the blink of an eye.

  “Why didn’t Shawn come?” I asked her as Krista and Wesley took seats across from each other.

  “I had to leave him behind to care for things. We may have left Helen and Rose in charge, but I needed someone who would let us know if everything went to hell.” My mother looked tense.

  “I suppose that would make sense. I just know he said he would be coming with you.” I sighed as Dad placed a sheet of paper on the table and looked between Krista and Wesley.

  “It was a last-minute choice.” My mom smiled at me, then motioned for me to be quiet.

  I turned my attention to the table. They looked uncomfortable, sitting on opposite sides with the contract between them. I was almost sure they were going to back out at the last minute. Still, I knew when it came to the four of us, Krista was the best choice for the job. It did make me wonder. Would she be there for him when the nightmares took over? Would she hold him and tell him it was all a dream? Would she feel every emotion in his body and be drawn to him because of
it?

  “This contract, written in Krista’s blood, will bind you, Wesley, to her by your soul. If you are to pass into another world, it will become Krista’s property so she can decide the direction your soul takes.” My father placed his finger on the single sheet of parchment between the two of them. “The only way this contract is binding is if you willingly give your soul to her. The written contract is harder to break than the one you had with Dawn, as it has been written in blood. Do you agree with the terms of the contract?”

  “Yes,” Wesley said, locking eyes with Krista.

  She smiled slightly and darted her eyes to mine. I wasn’t sure if she was looking for my approval, but I gave her a half-hearted smile and a nod. I might not have understood what my parents were doing, but I couldn’t think of anyone better than Krista to guard Wesley’s soul.

  “Krista, do you agree to the terms?” My father asked, pulling her from her daze. She looked at him, confused.

  “Yes. Yes, I agree.” Her voice cracked.

  “To make this a binding contract, please pierce your finger and sign in your own blood.” My father handed Wesley a needle and looked at Krista. “If the contract works as it should, the world will cease to spin. Most likely, you will hear a high-pitched scream as the contract with Miranda is broken.”

  Wesley took the needle and let the blood pool on his index finger before placing it on the paper. For the first time, I saw a Claim take control. Krista’s eyes went white, then black, her hands flew to her ears, and she let out this horrific scream as she threw her head backward. Wesley jumped, and his head shot around. His eyes bore into mine, confusion written all over his face. This wasn’t how it had gone down with me. Mine had been melodic, only lasting a mere minute before it was over.

  For five minutes, Krista screamed until her eyes turned normal, and she fell face-first onto the table, knocked out cold. I ran around to check for a pulse and sighed when I found it to be strong.

  “Well, that was different,” my father said, staring at the girl.

  “You’re telling me. I’ve gone through this four times now, and hers was by far the scariest,” Wesley said, glancing at me again.