Insight: Web of Hearts and Souls #1 (Insight series 1) Read online

  Chapter Four

  The flight was two hours long, so I decided to try and fall asleep. I needed to know if the blue-eyed boy had read my note.

  Dreams came fast, but I didn’t find him...

  All I saw was a Blue Moon filling the sky. I gazed at its detail and felt the energy that came from it. Slowly, it started to rise. In the gleam of blue light, I saw Drake to my right, and to my left I saw the boy I was searching for.

  The landing gear hit the ground and I awoke with a start.

  Libby had fallen asleep, too, so I carried her through the airport and cradled her as my mother rented us a car. My mother drove through the last hours of daylight. I took over at nightfall. As I drove, I searched the sky, looking for the moon and wondering what the dream could have meant.

  My mother took over again at daybreak. She had been to Ashten’s home before and knew the way. I gladly closed my eyes, needing the rest, the hope I wanted to find in sleep.

  The weight that I always felt on my chest was immediate.

  My sense of emotion was stripped from me. This time the people around me could see me. They gawked in my direction. The room I was in was more beautiful than any other room I had visited in these nightmares. It was regal. The floor was a red velvet carpet, and doors that stretched from the floor to the ceiling were centered on every wall. One of them led outside, into sunlight.

  Women were lining the walls, dressed for a formal occasion; others made adjustments to what I was wearing. They’d dressed me in a gown, with lace and flowers woven into the design.

  The wooden doors in front of me opened. I sensed someone. They were not afraid like the ones I always felt here. Instead, they were content. My heartbeat grew louder as I gasped for breath under the pressure on my chest. I wanted to wake, to help whoever needed me and leave. Through the doorway, I heard whispering.

  A striking woman of age with spellbinding green eyes glided over to me. When she reached me, the ones around me scurried away. She took my hand, and as her smooth skin touched mine, the room vanished and I was surrounded by a white glow. In that moment, the weight on my chest was released. The woman smiled. I could feel her intensely now. She was compassionate, unconditional... at least when her emotions are aimed at me she was.

  “You’ve been quite difficult to find,” she said serenely.

  “Who are you?”.

  “I am Perodine. You have known me from your first heartbeat.”

  “What do you want?” I asked, nervously.

  She kept taking me in, like I was the supernatural element in this scene. “I’ve waited over four million years to see you this...strong.”

  “What?”

  Perodine beamed. “You’re powerful …” she tilted her head. “Your heart is. The one who sees all must have it.”

  Sees what?

  “I don’t understand.” I couldn’t hide the tremble in my voice.

  “When the Blue Moon rises, you will choose. Not for the first time or the last, but you will chose.”

  “Choose what?”

  Perodine went to speak, and as she did, I saw pain absorb her body. With her eyes closed, she inhaled deeply and said in a hushed voice, “Our time now is over.”

  The room flashed back, and the others in the room gasped. The pain on my chest intensified. I panted for breath. Before I could focus on what was happening, men took Perodine away. She glanced over her shoulder at me, taking in one last disbelieving glance.

  Someone’s warm breath glided down my neck, as a hum swarmed through my body. I turned and saw Drake. He grinned and wrapped his arm around me. “They are waiting,” he said.

  The glass doors leading outside opened, the roar of a crowd erupted, and I walked unwittingly with Drake to the balcony. The sky was a beautiful blue, and the sunlight warmed my face. The crowd grew louder as they saw us standing side by side. Looking down, I saw a sea of color surrounding the people who cheered below. My nightmares had never had a happy ending even close to the vibration I felt then.

  My eyes peered up at Drake. My willpower was losing a battle that any other girl would have lost the first time that she saw him. Then, above the crowd, I heard the sweetest voice.

  “Willow…”

  I turned to look back in the room and saw Libby standing there. I couldn’t feel her, but I could see the fear in her eyes. I ran to where she was, but she vanished before my eyes.

  The roar of the crowd grew silent.

  The sky turned gray.

  “You’re mine,” Drake said unsympathetically.

  I turned back to where he was and raised my arms to block a light I was sure would come. As I moved my hand, I saw that my wrist was bare and that the Ankh was gone. I fell to my knees, gasping as I tried to understand why it was gone.

  Chants echoed against the walls. I closed my eyes and found the image of the one who always made me feel safe: my blue eyes. The room shook, and the paintings crashed to the floor. The noise shocked my body, causing me to wake with a scream.

  My mother was so frightened that she veered off the road.

  “Willow? Are you okay?”

  My eyes focused as I looked down at my wrist: the tattoo of the ankh and one lonely star was still there. I was safe, at least for now.

  I had dreamed with Drake more times than I could count. Something was off about him in that last one…it was like I knew someone was playing his part, someone cold and deceitful. The question was how was any one of them getting into my head in the first place.

  “Just a bad dream. I’m fine.”

  “We got you some breakfast, well, lunch. You were sleeping so soundly that I didn’t want to wake you. I wish that I had now.”

  “How close are we?” I asked, looking at the secluded highway.

  “Only an hour away. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, Mom, just a dream,” I shuddered as it flashed into my memory.

  I spent the rest of the trip watching Libby in the mirror. I had to keep her safe. Far from that place.

  My mother turned off onto a small road where a picturesque mountain played the role of a breathtaking background. Then she turned off onto a less traveled path. Without warning, a beautiful, massive log home nestled next to a magnificent river came into view.

  Excitement and relief overtook the emotions of the two people on the porch of the cabin. As we got closer, I could see my father standing next to an attractive man whom I assumed was Ashten. He was smiling and patting my father on the back. Strangely, he looked familiar to me.

  I woke Libby up as we stopped. My mother was already in my father’s arms. When we got to the porch, my father introduced Libby and me to his lifelong friend, Ashten Chambers.

  “Jason, your girls are beautiful. You’re a lucky man,” Ashten said, looking curiously into my eyes, then to my father.

  Overwhelming anxiety and anticipation started to build in the vibe around me. I should’ve questioned it, but I was so numb, so tired.

  Dad told us the others should be there soon, then showed us into the cabin. The entire front room, from floor to ceiling, was made of a glossy wood. The ceiling was angled into an A-frame with wide beams that stretched across the room. All the furniture seemed to complement the mountain setting. The smell of pine lingered in the air. I unloaded my tote on the counter and picked up Libby’s bag to carry it upstairs.

  The cabin had six bedrooms, so Libby got her own room, which made her happy. I brushed her hair and listened to her tell me of all the fun she was going to have in her new home.

  I decided to take a hot shower. All the traveling had given me jet lag, but the last thing I wanted to do was close my eyes again. When I got back to my room and started to dress, I couldn’t find my brush anywhere. Libby walked in and handed it to me. I stood stunned, holding it. Libby didn’t often go out of her way to help me out since she was used to us taking care of her.

  “I couldn’t find your sandals,” she said sadly.

  “Why were you looking
for them?”

  She furrowed her tiny brow. “Cause you told me you needed your brush and asked if I had your sandals.”

  “When did I say that...?”

  “Just now. Mom wants you to come downstairs,” she said, crossing her little arms.

  My mother topped the stairs, looked in my direction, and said, “Willow, can you please come downstairs?”

  Wide-eyed, I looked from my mother back to Libby, convinced I was now delusional.

  “Mom, did you send Libby to tell me that?”

  Slowly, she swayed her head no. I walked over to Libby, knelt down in front of her, and said, “Libby how did you know about the brush and Mom?”

  “You told me to get your brush,” she said flustered. “I heard Mom ask you to come downstairs.”

  Shock absorbed my mother, but it couldn’t compare to mine. It was like watching Libby take her first steps all over again. She’d found her gift, but I knew she didn’t understand it. She didn’t even realize what she was doing.

  “Hey, I’m sorry. I just forgot. I’m pretty tired from our trip,” I said, straightening her shirt.

  Libby hugged me tightly and said, “I guess it’s okay that you’re acting weird…just don’t give me your cooties.”

  My mother turned on her heels and went downstairs. Reluctantly I followed her.

  Ashten and my father were sitting on the couches in the center of the room. Their quiet conversation halted when my father saw the look on my mother’s face. “I think Libby has a gift, Jason,” Mom said when she got closer to him.

  A surge of anxiety and denial came over Dad and Ashten.

  “What is it?” Ashten asked dismayed.

  Mom glanced to me. I guess she thought it would sound more believable coming from me.

  Her reasoning made no sense, but I explained anyway. “She can see what’s coming, short term, at least. Just now, she brought me my brush just as I began to look for it, and she told me Mom wanted me before Mom came upstairs. She doesn’t know that she’s doing it.”

  Dad glanced warily back at Ashten then forced a smile as he took in the concern in my mother’s expression.

  “If it’s a true insight, it could grow stronger or leave her all together if we provoke her to use it. Leave her be, ” he explained carefully.

  “Willow,” Mom said shifting the conversation. “I told your dad you had another nightmare. Could you please tell us what it was about?”

  My stomach turned. “It was nothing,” I muttered, looking away.

  Libby. Let’s talk about Libby, not Willow’s slow fall into insanity.

  “Was it the same as the other nightmares?” Dad asked.

  “No,” I admitted, swearing to myself that if I just told them what they wanted to hear I could get back to my own space. “I was in a huge home, like a palace. Libby was there, and so was Drake. There was a large crowd that cheered as we stood side by side. It was just a product of the last few days. Nothing to worry about.”

  Anxiety bloomed into the room.

  “That’ll never happen. You’re going home to Chara, where you will always be safe,” Dad said as he sat forward.

  His words were soothing enough to chill Mom out, but I could still feel the unrest coming from Ashten. He kept his eyes low, avoiding mine.

  Mom shook off the conversation, then went to the kitchen and started unloading bags of food. Dad glanced at Ashten then leaned back.

  Gathering all my nerve, “Can we talk for a second,” I asked.

  “Ashten’s hear to help, do you need him to leave?”

  I didn’t like the guilt trip I felt behind his words. As familiar as Ashten’s vibe seemed I didn’t know him, and I had a rather embarrassing enough topic on deck.

  “Fine,” I said under my breath. I stared at my dad. “On the way home, if I see a door that’s bright or whatever, you gotta let me go in it. I’m looking for someone.”

  “Willow, you’re only eighteen,” Dad said. “I think you’re just a little overwhelmed by what you’ve learned about Chara. You have your whole life ahead of you.”

  “Dad, it shouldn’t matter how old I am. This isn’t a freak teenage crush. I can’t explain it. I just know I need him. His my best friend.”

  “Who?”

  I didn’t have a name. Only eighteen years of life with a soul that got me as we stood alone in our own world.

  “You haven’t even seen the string,” Dad said as I blushed with embarrassment and anger. “It’s not as easy as you think to see a beacon. It’s a powerful moment. Most build up to this for months—years, before they even look.”

  I’ve been building up since my first breath! “He will tell me where to go. I dream of him—every night. Look, I can show you what he looks like,” I said, walking to the counter to get the sketch out of my tote.

  Ashten and my dad followed me over and watched as I turned the pages. I smiled when I flipped to the page he was on then turned it so they could see. Shock hit Ashten, and he ran his fingers through his hair, turned away, and started pacing. “Ashten, calm down,” Dad said.

  My mother circled the counter, took the sketch from me, and stared at it.

  “Jason, I cannot do this,” Ashten said through his teeth. He walked briskly back to the couch, sat down, and leaned forward stiffly. “Do you have any idea how furious he’s going to be?”

  My eyes raced back and forth between them, trying to understand what I’d triggered.

  “This is just one part, Ashten,” Dad said.

  “Part of what?” I asked, protectively taking my sketch back.

  Ashten stood and walked over to me.

  “I want you to understand where I’m coming from,” he said, trying to be polite.

  Dad stepped defensively in front of me.

  “Jason,” Ashten said, raising his hand to let my father know he meant no harm. “I’ve made mistakes,” he continued, looking at me. “I’ve overlooked a truth that lived before me, but my only intention was to protect my family.”

  “Protect your family,” I repeated, then I realized why Ashten looked familiar to me—he had deep blue eyes, soft dimples, and was built just like the one in my dreams.

  “He’s…he’s your son.” My chest rose and fell rapidly. This was real. He was real. “What are you protecting him from? Me?” I asked as my cheeks filled with heat. I was so incensed that I felt sick to my stomach.

  “Not from you,” Ashten said.

  Dad turned to face me. “Willow, I need you to calm down, you’ll faint if you don’t,” he said, trying to catch my eyes.

  “Tell me his name,” I demanded, focusing on Ashten again.

  “Landen…Landen Chambers,” he answered, looking away.

  “Willow, sit down. We need to talk about this,” Dad said, reaching for my arm.

  I stepped back, dodging his touch. I raised my hands and started to say something, but I was too angry—to confused. I took two steps back then walked to the door. I wanted to be alone. I opened and slammed it behind me as hard as I could.

  No one dared follow me.

  How? How was any of this real? How did I dream of my father’s best friend’s son for, like, my whole life? Why was all of this hidden from me only to explode in my face without warning?

  The daylight was leaving, and the stars could be seen above the light blue sky. There was a river that ran behind the cabin. I walked down to it in a stunned trance.

  Once there, I followed its path until I reached a mound of large rocks. I climbed up on them and listened to the aggressive river that rushed by. I’d come to the point in my life where everything I knew had changed. My nightmares had returned, I was told I was from another dimension, Drake had found me, and…Landen was real.

  I replayed my last dreams, the one of the Blue Moon with Landen and Drake beneath it, and then the one where Perodine had told me I would have to choose. If that were all that I had to choose, then I’d made this bigger than it really was. I couldn’t understand ho
w that could be so important. Looking back at the cabin, I could see Libby sitting on a bed in the upstairs bedroom, coloring quietly. Her innocence touched my soul. She now had insight. I’d seen her vanish in my nightmare. I wanted to run from my life, but I had no choice now. Some way, somehow, I had to protect my little sister.

  I felt a gentle pull in the air around me on me. An image was about to appear, a needed distraction. I stood slowly and stared into the darkness next to the river.

  I vibe in the air lost its sting of anxiety. A blanket of peace wrapped around a sense of urgency shifted around me.

  I knew this vibe...

  The night air in front of me began to move; it looked like a wave gently swaying with a current. A thin light began to emerge then Landen stepped through the wave. Adrenaline rushed through my body as my heart violently hammered in my chest. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I couldn’t comprehend a wish that moved through my mind daily had come true.

  “Landen…”

  In the darkness, I could see his haunting blue eyes widen, we were both soaked in the emotion of disbelief, along with the fear that this wasn’t real.

  In that beat of my heart he’d reached my side. His hands were trembling ever so slightly as they cradled my face, and his thumbs grazed the flesh of my cheekbones. He was staring at me like I was a forbidden fruit, like I was every sin in the book, desire washed over that lasting look as he leaned in and let his lips frame mine.

  When we fused our lips together, his hands fell from my face and slowly waved down my body, embracing me—proving to himself I was no longer a dream. I was doing the same to him. He was warm, he was on fire, I could hear his breaths, hear the sweet sound of our kiss.

  He was real...

  I was trembling with the need to be closer. I think he misunderstood my reaction; he slowed our kiss, as one arm went around me and the other cradled my face. His thumb reached to my lips just as his kiss ended.

  “I found you,” he said with the lips of an angel. His voice was deep and entrancing, those three simple words sounding like poetry as he spoke them.

  His eyes danced over my image. “I’ve loved you...every day,” he said as he leaned his forehead to mine.

  I’d always felt this emotion coming from him, this deep claim, connection, and bond, but hearing the words...it was crazy fast and overdue at once.

  “I’ve loved you,” I said so faintly that I wasn’t sure he heard me.

  He pulled me to his chest, caging me in his arms like I was the most precious soul he’d ever laid eyes on.

  I didn’t care what hell was hunting me anymore. It didn’t matter because I knew this boy would stand at my side and help me fight all my demons. He was strength. He was liberation. He was mine.

  He slowly turn and look at the cabin, then down at me. He raised my chin so I would have to look at him.

  “Willow?” he said with a disbelieving gaze.

  I nodded shyly.

  Anger came over him as he looked back at the cabin.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “You were here the whole time, and he kept me from here,” Landen raged under his breath. “How did you come to me before?” he asked as confusion came over him.

  “What do you mean? I dreamt, just like I always do.”

  His haunting blue gaze filled with awe. “I wasn’t asleep…I thought it was real.”

  “How is that possible?” I whispered breathlessly.

  “I don’t know. I’ve never known anyone who has dreamed of the same place and person so vividly, every night,” he said, searching my eyes for answers I didn’t have.

  “Neither have I,” I said, trying to catch my breath.

  “You’ve always been real to me,” he swore.

  “It was all real, dream to dream, soul to soul,” I said to myself.

  Landen glanced at the cabin, then down at me. He tucked a loose lock of my hair behind my ear. “I’ve been following my beacon for the last few days, but it kept moving.”

  “We were traveling here to meet your father.”

  “What happened?” he asked as concern filled the stare I was lost in.

  “There’s this guy, Drake, who wants me to come to his dimension with him.”

  “Drake Blakeshire?” Landen asked, fury immediately overtaking him.

  The astonished glint in my stare gave him his answer. How did he know him? Why did I feel an insane amount of emotions swelling within him? How much danger was I in? The sharp spikes of anger and grief in Landen’s emotion gave me my answer: a lot.

  He put his arm around me and started to walk in the direction of the wave from which he’d come. I looked over my shoulder to the cabin, where I could still see Libby. I wasn’t going to leave her here.

  “Wait, Libby, my sister. I can’t leave her,” I said, stopping in my tracks.

  Landen followed my eyes to the window where she was sitting. His anger faded, compassion took its place.

  “Let’s get her, then we’ll go.” There was no room for compromise in the tone he used.

  “Our parents won’t let us take her without them,” I warned.

  He reached to caress my face once more, a shy smile emerged. “I finally found the missing part of me. My father is not going to make decisions for me anymore.” The love he felt for me swelled inside him. “I should’ve listened to my soul,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

  “For?”

  “They held me back, and I let them.”

  I let out an uneasy breath. “They held you back and I stayed silent. I never told my parents about you. Maybe if I had I would’ve found you before now. I just…I just didn’t want anyone to think I was going mad.”

  Those spellbinding eyes glanced over me. “You had the best intentions, Willow. Deep down I did, too. But that doesn’t make me any less furious with my father at this point,” he reached for my hand and began to lead me toward our parents.

  I focused on the emotions coming from the cabin. They were of regret, sorrow, and anticipation.

  “Being angry didn’t get me very far,” I said. “I can feel them. They’re sorry for what they did. They had to have had their reasons. If we want to know why we were kept apart we need to listen to what they have to say.” I said, staring up at him. “I don’t want to fight with them. I want to understand why I’m the way I am. I need them safe.”

  He squeezed my hand. “I will never let you want for anything, Willow. I’ll bring our family home.”

  My head was spinning. Too fast, too fast, the reasonable chick inside me said. The rest of me couldn’t agree. The only thing different between right now and every single day Landen and I had spent together was words. Sound.

  I for sure didn’t know he was real, but I did know I’d give almost anything for him to be. He was bigger than life now. I was acutely aware of him. I didn’t ‘sense’ his emotions. I knew them.

  Too fast, too slow, either way, life was exploding around me. I had no choice but to make the most of every moment. Even if it sounded like a too good to be true fairy tale.

  Chapter Five