Enflame (Insight #6)(24)
“All of this hell, this war of hearts, this manipulation…I have a feeling it has been plotted for awhile, maybe since our beginning. I think that the only way to keep Madison Marie safe, to keep you safe, is to play this part, let them think we are hopelessly twisted.”
“Who is them? What part?”
“Whomever has seen fit to bring agony to each of us. If I give my attention to Madison Marie they will kill her simply because for some reason they have seen fit to pair the two of us.”
I was grinning on the inside. He was worried about her. He was working out his dreams. He understood what I had been saying from day one.
“You’re a smart man. You can find a way around all of that.”
He smiled contemptuously. “Absolutely, apologizing for mistaking Madison Marie for you will work perfectly as I stand on a stage before evil and fight for your heart to appease them. How will she ever understand that?”
“I would start by being honest with her. Tell her your intentions. Even though your actions were wickedly dark at times, your heart was in the right place.”
“Was it, now?” he asked as his eyes met mine.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think if Landen ever felt lust, undying love, or your intent to run away with me you’d be dead by this point. He knew you cared about me, that you would protect me. That the emotions you thought you had for my soul were shallow compared to how deep love swims. We had a past, Drake, a dark one. One that ended quickly with a painful death. I have no guilt for the emotions I have for you. We have walked through hell too many times side-by-side to not care…Landen understood that because of his insights. Madison…if she’s worthy to take your heart as hers she should, too.”
“It’s the stage that we have to stand on that has me bothered. I have always spoken the truth as I knew it to be. Now, I’m going to have to lie.”
“Lie to whom?”
“Whomever is watching us. When you are next to me in my kingdom you need to understand that I am on a stage. That I will say and do whatever I have to in order to keep you and Madison Marie alive.”
“And that will keep you an honest man Mr. Blakeshire. Talk to her the way you talk to me and you can’t go wrong.”
His grin nearly took my breath away. It was so unexpected. “Hmm,” he murmured. “Does my ex have any dating tips for me?”
“Ex?” I repeated, rolling my eyes.
“Poor choice of words.” He admitted.
“I know for sure now that we are not meant to be—that in the past we never were.” I assured.
“Because you found a twin.” He said with a nod, obviously over the argument that I was right all along.
“No. I’m darkness. That is why we always destroyed each other in the past.”
He smirked. “Sure you are.”
“I’m not trying to prove a point or pick a fight. I was giving you a point to bring up to Madison. She is pure light. The two of you will balance. You won’t hurt her—drain her.”
“I can’t hurt someone that will not let me near them.” His tone was harsh as he stepped away from my pondering stare.
“Any blind man can see that Madison and her friends have a closed circle. Break into it. If you gain the trust of the others, you will gain hers.”
He smiled disdainfully. “I’m breaking into that circle, not for her benefit, but for Draven’s.”
I wasn’t surprised he’d found a fondness for Draven. Oddly, they reminded me of each other in some way.
“Are you going to protect him?”
“I’m going to teach him control. He will be able to protect himself.” His placid expression told me that even though he was going to teach Draven control, he wouldn't go any further than that. He didn’t want to let anyone else in. Drake had closed himself off from almost every soul in the universe.
“He needs you. They all need you.”
“My theory,” he murmured, letting his gaze fall over me, “is that we all need each other.”
“Promise me you’ll open yourself up, let her see the real you. The one I see right now.”
An embarrassed grin invaded his addictive image. “And how am I supposed to do that?”
“You’ll figure it out. I shouldn't be the only one that sees that side of you.”
“Are you telling me to live a little?” he asked with an allure in his eyes.
Before I could answer, he stepped closer to me and reached for my chin. Suddenly, the room erupted into flames.
Drake’s eyes moved to the flames, then to me as he let out a sigh and let his hand fall. “You better wake up. He knows you’re here. Let’s not test the man while he’s in transition.”
Before I could question him, my eyes flew open and I found myself lying in Landen’s arms. His eyes were gently closed, but his humming skin was on fire.
“Are you awake?”
His only response was his arms pulling me tighter and his thumb urging my chin up to his lips. I kissed him tenderly at first, but then my hungry lips divided his, wanting to be closer. I wanted him to wake up, to hold me, talk to me, but I felt the strength in his lips fading, ignoring my protest. His kiss halted as he fell into a relaxed sleep.
Frustrated, I rolled to my back and stared into the darkness. I knew that Drake would send someone to where we were, that our family would not be worried about us. I didn’t think I needed them to help me with Landen anymore. I just didn’t want them to worry. I was more than sure that by now they knew what had happened to Clarissa and Dane, that Charlie must have told them, and time apart would be good. In some way, we would blame each other for this loss.