Heart of Stone - Book 2: Hearts Collide

Pain seized her heart.

No!

This couldn’t be happening.

Why her? What could she do? She didn’t have any medical training. Thankfully, she didn’t have a weak stomach for blood, but she’d never been around anyone bleeding to death either. What if she couldn’t handle the sight of a bleeding lycan on the table?

As if sensing her fear and hesitation, Gavin hurried to her and clasped her head in his hands and tilted it up so that her eyes would meet his.

“You have our mother’s soul,” he said. “We need you. Papa and I can’t bring her back without you.”

“Bring her back?” Aubree choked out the words.

That meant she was already gone.

“Hurry,” he said, taking her shoulders this time and urging her to her feet. “There’s not much time. She’s slipped unconscious now. If we don’t hurry, her soul will leave her body and we’ll never be able to bring her back.”

Pulling herself up on shaky legs, he helped her into the kitchen, where her stomach roiled at the sight before her.

Crimson blood pooled on the kitchen floor, slipping slowly down the table’s legs, and dripping over the table’s edge from the huge body covered up in bloodstained sheets. The metallic sting of copper, muddled earth, and wet dog punctured her nose, but it was the sight of the creature, Gwen, that made her weak in the knees.

Even though she was covered, with the sheet cut open over the gash in her stomach and blood seeping out all around as Rosemary attempted to quickly sew up the wound, Aubree could make out the outline of Gwen’s form.

Long, lean, yet muscular legs covered in short, thick, dark brown fur, matted with blood hung over the edge of the table with Rosemary standing between them and working over the exposed stomach.

She had put on a long shirt, now stained red, her strawberry blonde hair piled high in a messy bun as her face held an expression of complete and total concentration.

Stone sat in a chair at Gwen’s head, where the sheet peaked up over a pointed muzzle like the pictures she saw on the Internet. He had the sheet pulled down slightly, enough to expose her long pointed ears and forehead as he pressed his to the dark brown fur. His eyes were closed as he held her head in his hands, his lips fluttering as nearly silent words whispered through them.

Aubree’s heart ached at the sight of him holding his child’s head to his, holding onto her life as best as he could.

“Don’t distract him, Aubree,” Gavin whispered, following her pained gaze. “He’s locked in. He’s the only one keeping her from leaving us right now.”

Oh god!

“What do I do?” she asked, afraid of distracting Stone and losing Gwen forever.

Gavin pulled over a chair that had been dragged to the side of the kitchen and set it next to one of the long, limp arms hanging over the edge of the table. He went over to one of the drawers and pulled out a wooden rolling pin. Clasping it in her hand and holding it in both of his, he said, “Hold her hand like this. If she comes to—when she comes to,” he corrected himself, “she may squeeze and break your hand, thus the rolling pin. I’ll guide you through it on her other side.”

Swallowing a lump of fear, she nodded before he guided her to the enormous claw-like hand and assisted her in wrapping the limp fingers around the rolling pin. The hand was the size of her head with long pointed claws capable of shredding her skin with a feather-light caress.

“Just like this,” he whispered as he held her hands around Gwen’s.

Swallowing, she nodded and exhaled a slow, controlled breath. “Okay.”

“Close your eyes and focus on her. Feel her. Connect with her,” he said as he pulled away.

Aubree closed her eyes and tried to do what he told her, even though she had no idea what he meant. Connect with Gwen? Did he mean her soul? How?

Gwen’s hand was cold, sticky with blood, but she tried not to linger on Gwen’s exterior and instead focus her attention on looking within Gwen.

She wanted to help them. Wanted to bring Gwen back.

If only she knew how.

“Focus, Bree,” Gavin said across from her. “Slow your breathing and clear your mind. You have to open yourself up before you can expect to make a connection with her.”

She did as he told her, taking slow deep breaths until he spoke again.

“Good. I can feel your presence. There’s still a barrier up, and I don’t want to alarm you, but we don’t have time to work on bringing that down. I’m going to force the connection, okay? Stay with me and don’t try to push me out.”

She exhaled, slow and steady. “Okay.”

Pressure began to build in her head. She furrowed her brows as it intensified. Unconsciously, she tightened her grip on Gwen’s hand as she clenched her jaw.

“Relax, Bree, and let me in.”

Easy for you to say, she wanted to mutter but kept her mouth shut when a sharp pain ripped through her skull. It was gone as quickly as it had come and she felt something different. She couldn’t wrap her head around it, but it almost felt like there was another presence within her.

[I heard that,] came Gavin’s voice, only it was in her head.

Holy sh—

She balked, but a calming sensation wafted over her.

[Relax, Bree. I know this is all strange and new to you, but we have to hurry. Papa’s trying his best, but she’s slipping out of his grip,] he said.

A sensation enveloped her body, embracing her. She inhaled and exhaled before relaxing and nodding her head. Okay. Lead the way.

[Let your mind go. Your soul knows what to do.]

She didn’t know how to let go of her mind. She didn’t meditate. Still, she had to do what Gavin told her to bring Gwen back. Gradually, she could feel an almost sinking sensation, as if she were slowly being dipped into a pool of water. A faint throbbing sensation pulsed around her and before she could ask what it was, Gavin answered.

[That’s her heartbeat. It should be twice that speed.]

Shit.

[Yeah.]

But she’s not dead yet, Aubree reminded herself and Gavin.

There was still hope.

A strong pull tugged her deeper into the abyss as the fluttering of words, foreign words, whispered around her. The voice was Stone’s, the strong presence she felt pulling her forward was Stone’s, and the power that surrounded her was Stone’s, filling her with energy, yet pulling energy from her as well. The give and take swirled around her, lifting her, making her feel stronger, though lighter at the same time. The presence she felt with him was weak, and dissipating by the second.

Gwen!

A burst of energy exploded from within her, reaching out to grasp a hold of Gwen’s soul. To pull her back. To keep her from disappearing altogether.

Don’t you dare leave us, Gwen!

She could feel Gavin’s energy join her and Stone’s, pulling on the metaphysical life-force, calling it back, and refusing to let it go.

[That’s it, Bree,] Gavin said. [Together, we are strong. We are a family. Souls connected.]

Aubree could feel the energy building within her and around her. The beating of Gwen’s heart began to increase. The strength of her soul slowly returning as her father’s words continued to rumble low and even.

[She’s coming back!] Gavin exclaimed in Aubree’s mind.

Aubree wanted to squeal with excitement but instead, another burst of energy emanated from her, circling them and pulling them all tightly together into a hug of sorts. The energy within and around her began to pulse with life, with hope, with joy, and overflowing with love. It came from all of them, merging together, giving and taking, sharing in the emotions and celebrating life.

A groan rumbled through her as Gwen’s body stirred with life.

The unexpected sound and movement jarred Aubree from her connection with them, throwing her out and back into the kitchen. Her eyes flew open as Gwen’s hand clutched tightly to the rolling pin between her pressed palms. Another rumble of pain vibrated through her as she returned from consciousness.

Relief flooded over Aubree as she held Gwen’s massive hand. Her eyes pooling with tears as she choked them back. Thank God!

Looking over Gwen’s covered body, she caught Gavin’s gaze with his usual small smile. Her heart fluttered as she returned the smile, as if sharing a secret together.

“Thanks, Aubree,” he whispered.

Really, she thought, I should be the one thanking you.

She couldn’t have made the connection if he hadn’t helped her to, even if it meant he had to force himself through her. She’d do it all again in a heartbeat if she had to.

“You did good,” Rosemary said behind her before she placed her hand on Aubree’s shoulder. Despite her shirt being soaked with blood, her hand was clean. “You guys had me worried there for a bit, but you did it.”

Looking up over her shoulder, Aubree furrowed her brows. “How’s her stomach? Will it heal?”

Rosemary jutted her chin toward the stitched up stomach. “In time, it will. Might take her about a week to be completely healed.”

“What about...” Aubree hesitated, pursing her lips as she lowered her gaze. “Will she be able to have children still?”

Rosemary squeezed her shoulder, drawing Aubree’s gaze again. She smiled, though there was a hint of sadness behind it. “She should. Everything was still there. Intact.” She sighed. “Thankfully.”

“Rose, could you escort Aubree back to the sunroom while we try to dig the bullet out of her back?” Stone asked in a soft, rumbling voice.

Aubree looked over at him, her heart clenching as he remained in the same position as before, only his hands on Gwen’s head were rubbing small circles into her temple with his thumbs.

“Of course,” Rosemary replied.

“Can’t I stay?” Aubree didn’t want to leave now. What if Gwen suddenly slipped under again? She wanted to stay by her side.

“Please?” Stone looked up from Gwen’s head, his eyes pleading with her to understand.

Her heart fell, but she nodded, giving in. “Can I come back later, then?”

“Yes.”

I guess that will have to do, she said to herself as she suppressed a sigh and pulled herself up from the table.