Evie's Knight (31 page)

Evie rolled to her side, secured her grasp around Calvin’s forearm, and buried her head into his chest. He wondered when she would remember. Snap out of her slumber and want an explanation for what he’d done. Yet as her grip on him loosened, and her breaths came slower, Calvin let his lids close as well. Feeling, for the first time in weeks, whole again.

Chapter Thirty-four

“What part are you thinking about?”

Evie looked into Calvin’s warm, brown eyes, unable to fathom his new reality. Their new reality. She shook her head, shrugged. “All of it. I just can’t believe you’ve known this. That you’ve been dealing with it this whole time and you’re still … okay.”

“I am now.” He caressed her cheek with his hand.

Her body heat rose at the gesture. She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around them, and thought some more.

“C’mon, tell me what you’re thinking,” Calvin said. “Are you panicked? Nauseous? Wishing you’d never met me, what?”

That one pulled a laugh from her.

Calvin’s face remained still. “I’m serious.” His expression spoke volumes. He was anxious to know how she’d taken it all.

“I might be panicking inside,” she said, “or feel a little nauseous, but I’m not wishing I’d never met you, Calvin. Of course not. I’m just worried about losing you again.” Of all the horrors he’d told her, one pressing detail haunted Evie the most. “I can’t believe this lady … I don’t even know what to call her.”

“Jocelyn?”

Evie nodded. “I can’t believe she’s going to try to take you.”

“What?” An angry crease furrowed his brow. “Didn’t you hear anything else I said?”

“Yes. But it sounds like we can deal with the rest. I get abducted, you guys will be watching me, and you’ll follow. At some point you’ll kill the possessed guy, who’ll kill us if you don’t, and that’s how Jocelyn will enter into our…”

“Realm,” he said.

“Yeah. Then she’ll use her mind thing on you guys and try to persuade you to join her and what if she wins? Convinces you to go. The idea makes me sick.” 

“Evie, do you realize you may have a choice here? I mean, if you–”

“If I what?” she interrupted. “Stop loving you?”

Calvin looked away, his jaw clenched tight.

“I’ve already tried.” She scooted beside him, rested her head against his chest, fumbling with the fabric of his shirt. “I want you in my life, Calvin. And I’m not scared about what’s going to happen to me. I’m not sure why, but I mostly feel … relieved. To finally know what’s going on. Why you left me.” She didn’t want to say more. It would sound desperate. Needy. But the fact was, Evie had felt entirely incomplete without Calvin, and now that she had him back in her life, she’d do whatever it took to keep him there.

“So tell me about the dreams,” she said. “When did they start?”

Calvin swept a lock of her hair behind her ear. “You know that day I mentioned the curse in art?  Not that I believed it at the time.” He shook his head. “I had the first dream that night, though that one was isolated. The consecutive dreams didn’t start until Christmas night.”

Evie nodded, thoughtful. That was the day he’d first said he loved her. Something she’d never forget. “How long do you think we have?”

“Well, my latest dream keeps showing this certain flower. Dark pink petals, thick red stems. Here, I looked them up online.” He reached over to his nightstand, handed her a printout.

She studied the photo. “I’ve never seen this kind of flower before. What are they called?”

“Bleeding Hearts. We think they relate to Jocelyn somehow. You know, the whole sacrifice on the altar?”

Evie nodded, shaking off the visual in her head.

“According to Fiona, Jocelyn’s into theatrics. She believes the Bleeding Hearts represent her. Besides the obvious, the fact that she stabbed herself in the heart, there’s her ability to come back after death the way the flower does. Bigger, stronger and more beautiful than before.”

Evie studied the enchanting flower. Broad green leaves framed heart-shaped flowers that clung to thick ruby stems. The elegant flowers had an opening at their base where drop-sized pendants of pink dangled below, bleeding.

“Some bloom as early as late spring. They’re usually gone by the end of summer, first frost at best.” His voice got quieter. “It’ll happen sometime before then.” He looked away almost guiltily, but not before she detected the pained look of regret in his eyes. 

She leaned over to check the time. Four a.m.

“What’s your dad going to think about you being out so late?”

Evie shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’m guessing he’s ready to give me about as much freedom as I’d ask for, but I’m probably better off to get there sometime before he wakes up, just to avoid any awkward, entirely unnecessary … talks.” She smiled at him. “But I can stay a bit longer.”

Calvin smiled back, causing her heart to flutter. “Good,” he said. “I’m not ready to say goodbye to you yet.”

The thought of facing her father had caused panic to rise within her. But when Calvin lay back on the bed, suggested she do the same, Evie cuddled up to him and let the strength of his warm embrace offer comfort.

“Evie,” he said in a whisper. “It hurt so bad, leaving you the way I did. I thought I would die. I know it was a mistake, but it was one that I had to make. I hope you understand.”

She brought his hand to her mouth, kissed the warm center of his palm and let his words sink in, heal her wounded heart as a tear made its way down her cheek. So much had happened in the last few hours, and she didn’t know how to digest it all. Where to start even. She closed her eyes and focused on the one detail that put all else to rest: Calvin Knight was hers again, and with that, nothing else mattered.

***

The sun was high and bright as Evie pulled away from Calvin’s house. Light pierced through the leafy trees above as she wove through the narrow Ogden streets. She shook her head, remembering her state of mind while she’d driven recklessly down that very road the night before. She considered the change of events, and worked to organize the chaos in her mind, sift through the pressing details of what lay ahead. What they faced was dangerous, life-threatening even. So why did she feel so good? Almost giddy?

Because he loved her. Calvin Knight was back in her life. Her heart soared at the thought, caused a squeal of delight to escape her smiling lips. She must be crazy, but she didn’t care.

A mile closer to home, and elation gave way to anxiety. What would she tell her dad? It was different for Calvin. Jack had been in and out of town for the last few months and was now away for the next ninety days. She, on the other hand, would have to face her dad daily, all the while keeping a secret so big, so impossible. So deadly.

A quick flash of fear struck her like a bolt of lightening–white and hot. What they faced
was
deadly. Undeniably so. A tremor of panic rumbled up the back of her neck as she considered the dangers that lurked ahead. While Calvin had explained the terrible curse on the Knight men and what it meant for her, Evie had stayed focused–fiercely determined to accept whatever it was. To prove she could handle it.

Being with Calvin had felt like a dream; yet now, with each passing mile of distance between them, the euphoria was beginning to fade, and the stark truths of what lay ahead slowly became a frightening reality.

Tightening her grip on the leather steering wheel, she pictured the disturbing drawing of Jocelyn, the hatred etched in her eyes. For the first time in months, Evie recalled the way the image had appeared in her mirror so long ago. She’d told herself over and over it’d been nothing more than her imagination. 
But what if?

Her shoulders tensed as the buzz of her phone rang throughout the quiet car. While pulling the device up to her ear, Evie caught sight of the number.
Crap.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Where’d you go? Getting an early start this morning aren’t you?”

Her next words caught in her throat. “Um.” She spit out the first thing that came to mind. “I got a text from Calvin early this morning,” she lied. “It said he was sorry. That he wanted to work things out.” Her dad remained silent. “We’re sort of back together now,” she added, hating how childish it sounded.

The therapist in him was probably screaming, distraught about the disturbed behavior of his teenage daughter. “Oh. Well I’m glad to hear it, Eve.” He coughed. “That’s uh, great.”

He didn’t really think so. She knew there would be a lecture ahead, one where he’d tell her to be careful, that people were unpredictable. He’d tell her not to dive in so deep this time.
He’s already hurt you once,
she could almost hear him saying,
more than likely he’ll do it again.
In most cases he’d probably be right on that point.  This wasn’t like most cases.

“I’m on my way home to do some laundry and shopping,” she told him as she turned the corner. “I’ll be there in a–”

“Well now, I’m disappointed,” he said.

“What?” She’d been busted.

“And offended,” he added.

She flinched away from her phone. “You are?”

“Yes. I could take care of those things, Evie. You’re not the damn maid.  I’ve got the grocery list right here. I’m sure I can find my way around Harmons. And the washing machine for that matter. Why don’t you spend the day with Calvin, let me take care of the rest for today.”

After sighing with relief, Evie pictured her lovely blouses, crisp and white, mingling in the wash with just one random red, and the dreaded shades of pink that would result. Next she pictured spending the entire day with Calvin.

“Dad,”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“You bet.”

If she was being honest with herself, Evie was glad for the distraction. She’d been close to the state of panic just moments ago, and now, all she could think about was being with Calvin. And freshening up. She grabbed a stick of gum from her bag, chewed as she combed through her hair with one hand. She stifled the voice that told her panic would come. Once she had a chance to be alone, consider the horrifying events that lay in her path, Evie would most likely become crippled with fear. But for now, she’d breathe deep and know that Calvin was capable. He’d keep her safe. And together, they would conquer.

Calvin was out front when she pulled up, removing the hardcover top from his Jeep. He rushed to her while she opened the door.

“Are you mine for the day?” he asked.

Evie nodded, but before she could speak another word, Calvin swept her off her feet and spun her around.

She giggled. “Are you and Parker going to be training in The Loft?” she asked, sounding totally in the know.

“We are, but you can join us. Parker’s not going to be here until noon, but I’ve got an idea.” He carried her to the Jeep, placed her in it, and then dashed back into the house without another word.

He came back holding a sweatshirt. “Here, I may have jumped the gun on removing the top. This’ll keep you warm. ”

“Thanks.” Still dressed in her skirt and pumps from the night before, Evie gladly took the offer. She smelled the heavenly scent of his aftershave as she pulled it over her head and reveled in the warmth.

With a deep breath of wonderfully fresh morning air, she looked at him. At Calvin’s side, in his Jeep, was one of Evie’s favorite places to be. She loved to look over, study his gorgeous face while he was driving. No one had a profile quite like Calvin’s; it was nothing short of perfection.

As they pulled out of the neighborhood, Evie reached over to the stick shift, removed one of her black hair bands, and used it to pull her hair back, happily noting he’d left them there. The wind quickly loosened strands of her hair, sent them sweeping into her face with the rushing breeze. Evie simply reveled in it; she couldn’t remember feeling so alive.

When she tucked her knees into the sweatshirt, Calvin flipped on the heat. “Sorry,” he said, “I probably should have left the top on. You’re freezing.”

Evie put her hands up to catch the warmth blowing freely from the vents before her. “No, I’m fine. It’s beautiful actually. What a way to enjoy the view.”

After parking alongside the river, Calvin led Evie across the wooded area until they came to a small clearing. “Alright,” he said with a wide smile. “This is it.” He bent down, swooped Evie off her feet, and cradled her against him.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“You’ll see.”

“Is this a vortex?” Her heart did a skip. “You’re going to take me to The Loft?”

Calvin gave her a slow nod, revealing his dimple with a smile. “Ready?”

“No.” She reached her arms around his neck, pressed her face against his chest with her eyes clenched shut. “Okay, go. I don’t think I can watch.”

Calvin chuckled. “Are you sure you don’t want to see?”

She spoke into the folds of his shirt. “I’m sure.”

The muscles along his arms flexed against her back, and beneath the bend in her knees. She sucked in a breath when he dropped to a squat, felt his chest muscles tighten along the side of her body. A quick bounce took them even lower before they shot off the ground and into the air.

Wind, cool and constant, fluttered against the lashes of her clenched lids. After a brief moment passed, she inched away from Calvin’s chest and snuck a peak to reveal the miniature-looking canyon below, canopied by a sky of brilliant blue. The pull of her next breath was exhilarating. She should have been terrified, somewhere in her mind Evie acknowledged that, but she wasn’t. Like an amusement park ride–it was sheer thrill–no real threat of danger.

In one quick blink the sky turned into a mysterious veil of white that stretched and grew around them. Sealing, connecting, placing them in a world all their own.

Calvin cradled her more tightly against him as they landed, first bouncing up into the flat-looking whiteness, and then coming to a stop altogether. “Close your eyes,” he said in a whisper, gently setting her to her feet. “I want to get this ready for you.”

With her eyes closed, it was easy to notice the change in the atmosphere. The warm breeze that kicked up, sweet-scented and lovely. She wiggled her toes, noticed something soft and lush beneath them, and wondered how she’d suddenly ended up barefoot. “Calvin?”