Enflame (Insight #6)(14)

The rage in me was strong enough to cause the wind to blow out the window behind the desk and let me step forward, breaking free from the hold of his energy.

“Run!” Dane yelled, telling me to leave him, but I couldn’t. I charged toward him, wanting to pull him free, but my feet left the floor, and before I knew it I was on the ceiling pinned in place, watching Dane and Phoenix throw each other across the room. No matter what I did, what I thought, I had no control. I would have thought all of my insights were impaired if it wasn’t for the raging storm outside. The wind charging in from the broken window caused papers from the desk to swirl. Before long, I couldn’t even see them fighting anymore.

Then out of nowhere, a numbing calm spread across my body and a sigh escaped my lips as the weather ceased its assault on the atmosphere. As the papers fell, my heart leaped. Landen was back.

He was standing at the threshold, peering into the room at both Phoenix and Dane.

I’d never seen that look in his crystal blue eyes before. It was daring, near reckless.

“Brother,” Phoenix said with a sigh.

Landen did not falter his stare. Instead, he gently nodded his head, and my body was pulled across the ceiling to above where he was standing.

Without warning I began to fall, but he caught me before I could bother to fear that. In his arms I felt the blissful, numbing sensation that before this day had never belonged to him. Gently, he set my feet down on the ground, never looking at me, then urged me behind him with one brush of his hand.

“Who pinned her on the ceiling?” Landen asked, as if he were the judge and jury at that moment.

Though both Phoenix and Dane had acted fearless until this point, now they looked terrified.

“I was trying to get her away from him so I could bring her to you,” Phoenix answered, holding Landen’s stare with utter awe.

“To me,” Landen seethed, stepping forward.

“Right. As soon as I saw her energy, that medallion, I knew who she must be, that you had to be close.”

“Dane,” Landen said solemnly, “where are you at now?”

“Weak,” Dane answered.

“Go to The Realm. Clarissa is waiting on you.”

“You’re letting him go?” Phoenix roared.

“Are you going to stop me?” was Landen’s flat response.

“Brother, listen to me. I don’t know where he’s at. He was raised. That is good and all, but he could fall fast and in the wrong direction. He cannot be left unguarded.”

“He will be well guarded,” Landen stated flatly.

“Wait what’s going on?” I stammered. No one bothered to answer.

“Fine,” Phoenix said as he crossed his arms.

Within that second, Dane vanished.

Landen took one step forward and slightly nodded his head, and with that nod the entire room began to return to perfection. The broken glass flew back into place, sealing the window. The scattered papers found their way back to Saige’s desk, and the overturned chairs found their way to an upright position.

It was as if nothing had ever occurred in this room, like it was a quiet night by the fire.

I wanted to gasp in shock, but I was still paralyzed by an uncalled for calm and balance. If I didn’t know any better, I would think I was waking from one of the blissful moments when Landen and I had combined our energy. It was almost like I didn’t know him anymore, like he was this new man...what did that Realm do to him?

Phoenix smiled sardonically. “What is your name in this life, Brother?”

Landen tilted his head slightly, as if he were watching an instant replay in his mind, then he smiled slyly. It was a grin I’d never seen before, one that was nothing less than predatory.

“Landen.”

“Were you trying to blend in or something?” Phoenix teased dryly.

“You’re in the same form,” Landen said sternly.

He reached back for my hand. Once his skin touched mine, his addictive energy swarmed so deeply inside me that I gasped and slightly curled my toes. The vibration of his energy may have reminded me of Drake at first, but it was anything but...this hum was deeper and just as passive as it was aggressive. It was fire. I felt it in my core.

He urged me to come closer, then together we walked to the antique couch. He nodded for me to sit, and almost against my will I did. I could not stop staring at him, studying him...something was different...maybe not different. Maybe it was there all along and I just didn’t see it. It was like I was finally seeing him as others always had: dangerously fearless.

“I told you that you were a fool to die,” Phoenix uttered as he sat down in a tall chair next to the fire. The flames danced in his eyes as he appraised Landen.

Landen eased down to the couch and leaned ever so slightly in the corner. “Did you?” he said coolly.

Phoenix leaned forward. “What is that delay? Something is triggering in your mind, isn’t it? Where are you on this path? Why do I sense mint on you? What alliance have you made?”

Mint. I didn’t smell that now, but I thought I remembered being saturated within that powerful aroma. I think I’m losing it.

Landen smiled wryly. “Nineteen years, four planets, and one moon.”

“So I’m your Jupiter? Clever.”

“How do you know him?” I asked timidly. I may have complained about never being alone with Landen, but right now I wanted his family here. I felt alone, vulnerable. With the birth of that emotion, he glanced at me.