Twin Flames (2 page)

Chapter Two

Her entire life, Raven had sensed something awaited her, that her life held something more. Now, as she sat cross-legged on her bed, the two amethyst teardrops lying on the white silk bedspread, she knew the time had come to fulfill her destiny.

She didn’t know how long she sat there staring at the violet gems, but when the doorbell rang she had slipped into a light sleep.

Damn. She had forgotten she had an appointment with a potential employer. A strangled laugh poured from her throat. She was some psychic.

She had stopped taking contract work years ago when her powers had begun to fade from exhaustion. She wouldn’t be doing this one if not for Zach. Her mentor rarely asked her for anything, and she’d be damned if she’d turn him down.

The doorbell chimed again, the snappy Chopin dance her father had loved, flying through the halls of the house. Raven swung her legs off the bed with a low groan.

She was almost to the door when the first glimmer of unease hit. Her third eye whirled, struggling to come to terms with the unaccustomed fear. There was no logical reason not to go forward, so she pulled open the door.

Her breath lodged in her throat as she took in the man before her. Although dressed commonly in jeans and a black crew-neck sweater with a white T-shirt peeking out from underneath, he radiated power unlike anyone she had known.

His tight black jeans hugged muscular thighs. Even through the thickness of his sweater, the corded muscles of his biceps and forearms, as well as the strength of his chest, were impossible to conceal.

But it was his face that drew her most of all. Hair the color of night framed a face dark with knowledge. The intensity in his stark, golden glance caught hold of her soul and refused to release it.

She knew this man, knew him intimately.

Her dream had come to life.

She stared at him like a raving lunatic for a few seconds before she somehow managed to pull herself together.

“Come in,” she murmured, then took a step back from the doorway. “I was expecting you.”

“Were you?” A half-grin played on his lips as he moved inside her sanctuary. “It didn’t appear so a moment ago. You looked shell-shocked at the sight of me.”

She cursed silently as a blush heated her normally pale cheeks. “It’s just that you remind me of someone.”

He slipped through the hall, forcing her to follow. “I hope that won’t hinder our working together. I need you. Zach told me you were the best.”

“I am.” The weakness left her immediately as she slipped into work mode. “But I have full discretion over whether I take this job, regardless of what Zach may have told you.”

His throaty laugh filled the room. “Have no fear. I have no desire to force you.”

She wanted to believe him, but the glint in his eyes said otherwise. “Your name, let’s start with that.” She motioned for him to sit and he complied, choosing the dark leather sofa beside the fireplace.

He sank into the thick cushions, his pale skin in sharp contrast with the soft texture. “My friends know me as Devlin. If we are going to work together, we must be friends, so you may call me that.”

His ran his gaze across her body as she slid into the cold, wooden chair across from him. To her extreme displeasure, she couldn’t hide her body’s reaction. Her breasts swelled against her white silk shirt, stretching the buttons to capacity. She sucked in a groan as her nipples hardened, their sensitive peaks brushing against the soft material. She never wore a bra. They were too restricting. Yet today, for the first time in her life, she wished she had. The sensuous torture was making the interview more than difficult.

“Well, Devlin, what do you need me for?” She sat back and took a long breath, but the silk continued to pull at her breasts. He had noticed. His eyes were transfixed on her pert nipples straining against the fabric. The sound of her voice stirred him from his perusal, but he did nothing to hide his desire.

Humor crinkled his eyes. “Right now your psychic abilities are the last thing on my mind.” He stood, the outline of his arousal thick against his jeans. “I will go before this becomes more than either of us can handle.” In a show of incredible speed, he tossed a manila envelope on the coffee table that sat between them. “Inside, you’ll find a detailed description of what I need as well as my contact information. I’ll be waiting for your call.”

She started to rise, but he waved her down. “I know my way.” Silent, moving so quickly he appeared motionless, he disappeared through the front door.

Her body tingling from shock, she stared into the empty space where Devlin had stood mere moments before. It was him. It had to be. But that just wasn’t possible. Her mind screamed in recognition. He had the same body, not to mention the same name. Had her abilities grown so strong her dreams had been a premonition?

No. It wasn’t possible. Her dreams were merely a mix of sexual frustration and psychic abilities. It had been years since she had given herself to a man. The attraction she had yearned for had never existed, until now. Never had her whole body reacted from a mere glance. Even now, the ache in her pussy yearned to be filled, her swollen breasts screamed to be touched.

Who the hell was he? And what had he done to her?

She leaned forward and grabbed the envelope from the table. That, at least, would give her some logical, tactile answers. At least she thought so, until she read the first line.

He was crazy.

That was the only explanation. He couldn’t honestly expect her to open a centuries-old psychic gate that had been hidden a thousand years before she was born. Her people were strong, but over the years much of that strength had lessened. The creators of the gates had placed protective illusions around it to keep anyone from trying to force it open. She couldn’t begin to guess how to rework such a trap made by such powerful beings. It would be suicide to even try.

Pushing aside the obvious, why in the hell would he even want to do such a thing? There was no way of knowing what was on the other side, or what the ramifications of such an act would be. For all she knew, it could cause some kind of cataclysmic explosion. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but why take the risk? Besides, no one really knew who, or what, had created the gate. She had heard the rumors from other psychics she’d worked with in the past, even from her own mother, that the gate was a portal into another world. A vortex of pure power.

A long sigh slipped from her lips as she looked once again at his proposal. Others had made similar requests, but she had turned each of them down. The very idea was madness. This time, however, she hesitated. There was something about Devlin she couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t because she had dreamed him up in a fantasy, but rather a sense of the unfamiliar that radiated from him. It made her wonder. She tried to rationalize it as intellectual as opposed to sexual, but couldn’t quite pull it off. Either way, it was what it was, and she wanted to learn more.

She dropped Devlin’s proposal onto the table in front of her. He was asking the impossible, and the impossible was always tempting. It was time that she took a few risks. She had been so careful in the past. She would agree to work with him, if only to fulfill her own curiosity.

Several days later, Raven drove down a dirt road to meet Devlin so that they could begin their work. She glanced yet again at the directions on the scrap of paper in her hand, then back at the empty field that lay unassumingly before her. There was no doubt she was in the right place, but where the hell was Devlin?

The cold wind bit at her skin as she stepped outside the black SUV. Couldn’t he have picked a more inviting spot? The grass had been burnt to a crisp by a recent fire. What trees remained stood tattered and scarred, staring down at her like wisps of demons. The sense of death and hopelessness that radiated in the aura of the place threatened to choke her.

“You made it.”

She turned to face Devlin. His back to the sun, he overpowered the light, his expression cloaked.

“Why here?” She motioned to the scorched earth that surrounded them.

He crouched, his fingers sifting through the scorched soil. “You’ll have to get used to this. Everything we will need is scalded and ruined. This is how the gate has remained hidden for so long.” He rose to his feet, and she saw a flicker of green in his palm. As he walked toward her, she realized it was a single blade of grass, crisp and green, untouched by the destruction around it.

“You see,” he murmured, his palm outstretched. “There is life here. You just have to search for it.”

“That’s nice,” she said, dismissing the gesture. “But you still haven’t answered my question.”

He turned his hand and the thin blade of grass floated gently on the wind, tumbling to the scarred earth. “The answer to your question is fairly obvious. I live here.”

Raven searched the land for any sign of a building and found nothing. “Look,” she snapped, “I’m not here to play games. There’s no way in hell you live here.” She started to walk back to the truck but he grabbed her arm. Trapped, she glanced back at him, wondering if frustration shone in her eyes. “Let me go.” She yanked hard, but her arm didn’t fall from his grasp.

“Sweet Raven, so suspicious.” He used his grip on her arm to pull her closer until she was almost in his embrace. His breath softly tickled her neck as he continued to pull her forward.

“No.” Using all of her power, she pulled from his grasp. “I want some answers first. None of this makes sense, and I get the feeling you’re feeding me a load of bullshit.”

He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “We have limited time to get inside. I suggest we go now. Let me show you my home and then I will answer all of your questions.”

Fear tingled in her belly. She knew she couldn’t trust him, but her curiosity got the better of her. Even though he released her arm, she continued to follow him. She would play this his way for now, but her questions would be answered. There seemed to be only emptiness ahead, but she could feel psychic vibrations in the air. Vibrations that would only be present if there was something large and concrete in front of them. She had participated in some wild shit, but this took the cake.

When she hesitated, he grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. Her body, accepting what her mind did not, flinched in anticipation of hitting an object. He released her, crouching down to brush the dirt at their feet. It was then that she saw it, the entrance to an underground cave. Hand carved steps traveled down into its deep abyss.

She leaned forward to get a better look and he yanked her back.

“Careful, it goes down for miles. It would be a terrible end.” The darkness in his eyes spoke a swift promise of protection.

Pressed against the thick wall of his chest, she followed him into the ancient tunnel. He remained in a protective stance below her, perhaps to make sure he could catch her if she fell. The path down was astounding. The cavern into which they descended surrounded them with shimmering silver etchings, the likes of which she had not believed could exist. From what she could make out, they told the story of a terrible war, one that pitted brother against brother. The walls were stained with the blood of battle and annihilation.

Time slowed as they traveled, and it seemed as if they climbed forever. By the time her feet reached the soft sandy bottom of the pit, she wanted to know what the hell he had pulled her into.

The sand began to sink around her ankles. Her feet came free with a loud slurping noise. “Where the hell are we?” she demanded.

“My home.” He shrugged and started down the nearest corridor, leaving her alone in the crystalline cave. She hurried after him, having to jump to keep from sinking in the ooze.

“Could you wait?” she called, but he didn’t slow. Had she offended him? Surely the man didn’t call this place home. It was too bizarre. No human could live here.

Maybe he wasn’t human.

She couldn’t disregard the thought. She had dealt with all manner of creatures, but none so cleverly disguised. Dear God, her paranoia was out of control. The man was merely playing games with her, seeing how strong she was, how far he could push her. She had to hand it to him. No one had tested her in quite this manner.

His shadow stilled in the light of the sconces that lined the cavern walls. She sensed he was waiting.

She smoothed her hand against the silvery cavern wall to steady herself. As her hand touched the wall, a flare of energy exploded on the psychic plane. The wall felt like the slippery skin of an eel. It growled and crouched along the invisible barrier separating the conscious and subconscious, threatening her on a primal level. She rubbed her palm on her jeans to rid it of the residual ooze

“Damn it.” Devlin grabbed her around the waist and yanked her to him. “Are you trying to get us killed?” He tossed her into his arms then raced them to a cavern, clutching her tightly to his side.

Her heart pounded in fear from the onslaught of such a powerful, vindictive force. It would have killed her without thought, without remorse.

What was such a thing doing here in what Devlin claimed was his home? Her fear tripled. What if Devlin was just as malignant a force, only he knew how to hide his true essence?

Her heartbeat raced as she glanced at his aura, studying it carefully for discrepancies. There were none. The golden blaze stood in stark contrast to the darkness of the cave. It had no imperfections, no hint of evil. At least he was safe, even if he was a damned sexual distraction.

All she could think about was pushing him to the floor and wrapping her legs around him. He was a stranger, yet she felt as though she had known him her entire life. She yearned to connect with him, to feel him inside her.

Devlin finally stopped in a chamber of sorts. Small and cramped, it reminded her more of a dorm room than a bedroom. There was no bed, only a pile of blankets covering one corner. Candles that lay scattered around the dirt floor provided the only light. The musky scent of Devlin permeated the room.

“You stay here?” The thought was shocking, sending waves of unease down her spine. Questions of his humanity once again sprung to the forefront of her mind.