The Soul Seeker: Echo Part 17

"I'm not your gift." She smiles. "I'm not that poetic."

"No?" I take another look around. "Could've fooled me."

"This is your gift." She hooks a thumb toward the chain-link fence at her back.

I squint, try to think of a reply, but its meaning is lost. So I go the jokey route and say, "I'm pretty sure you've gone way past the twenty-dollar limit. The permits alone-" My words halted by the finger she presses to my lips.

"Not the fence, silly-this." She flicks the small golden lock that's fixed to one of the links.

Still, I look at her. Not really getting it-but not caring either. My lips burn from her touch. It's all I can think about.

"You probably don't realize it, but today marks six weeks since we first got together. And, well, I wanted to observe it in some way. This is pretty much a first for me."

"It's a first for me too." I want so badly to kiss her, right here, right now. But something tells me to wait. There's still more to say.

"Is that because you're usually long gone by this point?" She chases the words with a grin, but it doesn't take much to spot the vein of worry that pulses just underneath.

"That's Cade's game, not mine," I say, hoping to convince her I will do whatever it takes to be with her-now and forever. I was a fool that night in my kitchen. I won't be anymore.

She nods, takes a deep breath, and says, "Anyway, I wanted to do something special, and then I remembered this."

She points to the lock again, but I still don't get the significance.

"There's a place in Paris with an old chain-link fence, much like this one." She hooks her finger around one of the links and rattles it for emphasis-the move, along with her words, leaving me even more perplexed than before. "Only that fence, the one in Paris, is completely covered with locks. The entire thing is crammed chock full of locks of all kinds. And, well, it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Or at least it is once you realize what it is the locks symbolize."

I look at her, clueless as to where this is going.

"It's a fence for lovers." Her voice softens. "It's a place where couples go to declare their love for each other. As a show of devotion, they attach the lock to the fence, and then each person gets a key. If at any point one of them decides their feelings have changed, they're free to use their key to remove the lock. But from the looks of that fence, it rarely happens." She stares down at her feet, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. "So, I guess what I'm trying to say is-I'm declaring my love for you. And this lock, on this fence, is a symbol of that love. I love you, Dace Whitefeather, and whether we're together or apart, it doesn't change the essential truth. If there's one thing I've discovered over the last few days, it's that suppressing my love for you doesn't make it go away or weaken it in the slightest." Her lips lift, but her eyes suggest the tinge of sadness that dwells just under the surface. "I know what we're up against, and I know you know too. But-" She takes a deep breath, and it's all I can do to stand patiently before her, not crush my lips to hers. "But the thing is, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be together. And, well, I was hoping you feel the same. But in case you're not on board..."

She dips inside her top, retrieving one of two long black cords with a small gold key attached to its end, which she's quick to drape around my neck. Leaving it to lie against my chest, just like the one that she wears.

I pinch the key between my fingers. "I won't use it." My gaze burns on hers. "I will wear this for eternity. They'll bury me in it."

She bites her bottom lip, as her eyes go so bright and glittery, her cheeks so flushed and pink, I'm just about to kiss her. Just about to pull her into my arms and taste her in the way I could only dream about yesterday. When I remember I have something for her.

I place the small package into her hands, watching as she works the stone free of the red-and-green wrapping paper. "It's a-"

"I know what it is." She rubs her finger over the top, then flips it over and examines the back. "It's your version of the lock and key." She smiles at me.

"It's also meant to protect you, keep you from harm. It's an amulet. May I?"

I hook my finger around the soft buckskin pouch that hangs from her neck. Waiting for her to nod her consent before I loosen the string and open the top just wide enough to add the stone to her collection of talismans. My fingers lingering in the place where it lies. Finding it impossible to pull away now that I've touched her.

Mesmerized by the warmth of her skin meeting mine. The rhythm of her heart beating hard against my palm. Her breath coming soft and fast as she stands just before me. Looking so beautiful, so radiant-I draw her into my arms and cover her mouth with my own.

Aware of nothing more than the way her body melts and conforms against mine-the way she returns my kiss with an equal amount of desire and need. Allowing everything else to skew out of focus-Cade, Leandro, the Rabbit Hole-screw it all. This is all that I care about.

Daire.

In my arms.

Loving me and needing me as much as I love and need her.

She breaks the kiss, catching her breath as she says, "I've loved you since the first time you appeared in my dreams-long before I even heard of Enchantment."

My eyes narrow, surprised by her words. Never once guessing that she had the dreams too.

"So you know how it ends?"

She shakes her head, allowing her hair to spring into her face, making her even more irresistible. "No. I know how the dream ends. But that's not how we end. Dace, I was thinking, can't we give ourselves this night? I know we can't be together full time, or at least not until after Cade is defeated. Still, I was thinking maybe we could give ourselves this one gift-this one night-just you and me. Tomorrow we'll separate and do what we have to. But tonight ... well, I guess I need something to go on. Something to carry me through. Something to ease the ache of loneliness and pain that comes from missing you."

I kiss her again. Fully. Deeply. It's the only thing that makes sense.

Love is meant to be shared-not h.o.a.rded. That's the whole point of it.

No wonder there are so many love songs on the radio. It's a never-ending attempt by artists to describe the indescribable.

Somewhere inside the Rabbit Hole a party rages.

Somewhere inside that club Epitaph rocks the stage, while Xotichl waits for me to return so she can lead me to the vortex.

Somewhere among the crowd Leandro roots for my dark side, as Phyre pokes through the embers of a pa.s.sion that died long ago.

But none of that matters right now.

Because Daire and I are together.

As we should be.

As we're meant to be.

And when I bundle her into the crook of my arm and usher her into my truck, I watch as she snuffs out the candles lining the path with merely a nod of her head.

Leaving no doubt she's right.

We'll get through this. The prophecy doesn't define us.

Tonight we'll give ourselves the gift of each other.

Tomorrow will come soon enough.

I wake to the sight of Daire sleeping beside me. Her breath soft and even, her skin fair and gleaming under the slant of light that seeps in from the window. And as much as I long to touch her, fill my fingers with the promise of her-I climb out of bed and leave her to slumber.

I pull on the jeans I'd left on the floor and swipe a clean T-shirt from the laundry basket and yank it over my head. Chasing it with a gray sweater culled from the back of a chair, I look around my place for the first time in days, horrified by the colossal mess that it is.

The last week has been chaotic at best. And because of it, my apartment is trashed. While Daire and I were a little too preoccupied last night for her to really take notice, there's no doubt she'll notice now. There's no place to hide under the harsh glare of daylight.

I hit the kitchen first, determined to deal with the pile of dirty dishes crowding the sink. Not getting very far before there's a knock at the door and I open it to find Xotichl and Auden loaded down with pink boxes and white bags embossed with the logo of Nana's bakery, one of the few places in Enchantment that's not owned and operated by the Richters, which means the bread is pure heaven.

"We bring sustenance." Xotichl finds her way past me as Auden follows and plunks the bags on the small kitchen table. "But we're counting on you for the coffee, so please don't disappoint us. You're not the only one who had a late night. I'm desperately in need of my morning fix."

"That's the one thing I do have." I return to the sink, working the scrubber side of the sponge over the stubborn film of crud on the bottom of the coffeepot. "Just, uh-give me a second and we're good to go."

Xotichl stands in the middle of my living room, head swiveling from side to side, as though she doesn't know where to sit, even though this is hardly her and Auden's first visit.

"Something wrong?" I watch as Auden tears off a piece of bread, plops it into his mouth, and shoots me a guilty look, while Xotichl stays rooted in place, nose pitched high, face scrunched in disapproval.

"Dace-this place feels like a mess. Like a serious, chaotic mess."

"That's because it is," Auden says. Looking at me when he adds, "Sorry, bro, but I can't let you continue like this. Clutter makes for bad energy. You should know that."

"Funny-I didn't even notice the clutter 'til you just now mentioned it. How'd you manage to slip that past me?" Daire stands in the doorway, looking adorable in one of my old, red flannel shirts that falls halfway to her knees.

"Lots of things go unnoticed in the night, but surely you notice now?" Xotichl says, unable to find a place to sit until Auden clears a s.p.a.ce off the couch and guides her to it.

"Nope. I'm focused solely on breakfast." Daire veers past me, teasing a finger along my spine as she makes her way to the table where Auden's arranged a pile of freshly baked rolls, danishes, and fat loaves of oven-warmed bread. "I'm famished." She bites into a roll, closing her eyes to savor the flavor. Lids fluttering open when she says, "So, how'd you guys know I'd be here?" She wanders into the living room and perches on the arm of the sofa, next to Xotichl.

"Dace stood me up." Xotichl nods her head in my direction as Auden laughs. "I was going to show him the vortex, but then when he didn't show and you never returned ... well, let's just say that as far as mysteries go, this one was easy to solve."

"Sorry," I mutter, checking on the coffeemaker. "I should've called."

"No worries." Xotichl shrugs. "It's not like it's going anywhere."

"Though you did miss the excitement." Auden makes for the table, filching a danish this time. "Cade showed."

Daire and I exchange a look.

A look Auden catches when he says, "Yeah, I know all about it. Demons-vortexes-multiple worlds-the Richters are evil beasts out to dominate Enchantment..." His cheeks fill as he takes another bite of pastry. Covering his mouth as he adds, "I'm all up to speed."

"So, what happened?" I reach into the cupboard, searching for mugs that aren't chipped. But not finding any, I'm forced to settle on four that bear the least amount of damage and wear.

"Yeah, and is Lita okay?" Daire crosses her legs, distracting me with a quick glimpse of thigh I try hard not to stare at.

"Lita's fine," Xotichl says. "In fact, she's more than fine. I think she spent over an hour working the mistletoe line, giving away free, one-time-only Christmas kisses just to annoy him."

"And did it?" Daire's face lights up at the thought.

"Not in the way that she hoped," Xotichl says. "Cade's beyond jealousy. Though I do think it bugged him that he couldn't control her in the way that he used to. He's pretty much a control freak."

"So-that's it? Cade showed up, Lita kissed a bunch of guys she's known all her life, and the party ended normally?" I distribute mugs filled with coffee while apologizing for the clumpy sugar and lack of milk.

"Pretty much," Auden says, sitting beside Xotichl and clasping her hand in his. "Though he asked about you-about both of you."

"And?" Daire peers at him from over the rim of her mug.

"And-nothing," Xotichl says. "I blew him off. Said I hadn't seen you."

"But it was weird," Auden says. "He actually looked pretty happy about that."

"Yeah, he would." I exchange another look with Daire.

"And then what?" Daire leans against my chest when I move to stand behind her. "Did he stay-leave-what happened?"

"Actually, it was weird. He pretty much spent the rest of the time talking with Phyre." Xotichl takes a long grateful sip of her coffee.

"What'd they talk about?" I rub Daire's shoulders, noticing the way they stiffen at the mention of Phyre's name. Leaving me to wonder how much she knows-versus what she might've guessed on her own.

"I don't know," Xotichl says. "I wasn't close enough to hear. But the energy they had going between them was certainly weird."

"Weird how?" Daire leans forward, her voice sounding worried.

"Frenetic. Off. Kind of murky and gray-brown in color."

"You could see it?" Daire asks. "I thought that only worked with music?"

Xotichl shakes her head, takes another sip of coffee. "Paloma is teaching me to see the color in all forms of energy. Music was just the gateway."

"Speaking of-" Daire grabs hold of my wrist and consults my watch. "I should get dressed and head back. I'm supposed to meet up with Jennika, so we can spend some quality mother-daughter time together."

"I'll drive you, if you want," Auden says. "I'm heading that way."

"And I figured I'd stick around and finally show Dace where the Rabbit Hole vortex is located."

"I don't want you going there." Daire pauses on her way to the bedroom, her words directed at Xotichl.

"I figured as much," Xotichl says. "But I'm not sure that'll stop me."

"Seriously," Daire says, refusing to give in so easily. "It's totally corrupt. It's too dangerous. Dace-promise me you won't let her go with you. In fact, promise me neither of you will go."

I swipe a hand over my chin, purposely ignoring that last bit. "Have you ever tried to keep Xotichl from doing what she's determined to do?"

"I have." Auden raises a hand. "It's not pretty. My flower is a stubborn one."

Daire shoots me a warning look, but all I can do is shrug in response.

I'm going in.

Without Xotichl.

Without Daire.

Without anyone.

Last night clinched it. Now that I've been with her again, I don't ever want to be without her.

I'm going to confront the prophecy and see that it's done.