Oracle: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Series (A Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mystery Book 1), Carissa Andrews [read my book .txt] 📗

His expression is firm and he refuses to remove me from underneath his scrutiny. I hold firm, trying to lighten the energy between us. Finally, he leans back a bit and says, “Yeah, if you would have told me a month ago that I’d be having past-life memories about being married to the Oracle of Delphi, or that I’ve made a pact with the god Apollo, I would have said to lay off the acid.”

I chuckle, dropping my gaze to the sandy ground. “Right?”

So much has changed.

A little over a month ago, I had been trying desperately to understand my past. If I’m completely honest, I don’t think I really expected anything to come of it. After being let down time and time again, how could I?

But the Violet Flame invocation came through.

Demetri came through.

My stomach constricts again and a fresh wave of guilt and anxiety rolls through me. I exhale, trying to release the tension. Instead, the realization that I’m the reason Demetri’s powers were stripped from him punches me in the feels.

His powers are gone and mine have grown. Oh, he’ll love that.

I again press my fingertips to my mouth and turn away from Blake.

“See, now I know something’s up. What’s going on with you?” Blake says, as he presses his hand against my back, letting me feel his presence.

He’s genuinely concerned for me—I can sense it in every molecule of his being—but I’ve been alone so long, I don’t quite know how to open up completely. Even with him.

He’s fragile and human… and I could still push him away if I’m not careful.

I close my eyes for a moment, allowing my abilities to survey the landscape of our new relationship before proceeding. “When you mentioned where we were at a month ago, it got me thinking about what was happening in my life around that time… I’m just worried about a friend back home,” I admit, hoping it will be enough for him to let things go.

“Is something wrong with him?” he asks, narrowing his gaze.

My eyebrows pull in as I try to put things into the right words. It’s way easier when I’m just the vessel, delivering universal information. But when I’m at the center of it all, shit gets so damn complicated and messy.

“You could say that, yeah. He was helping me with a ritual and it backfired.” I shake my head. “Well, sort of.”

Blake continues to watch me, giving me the space to process through what I want to say without interruption. It’s who he is—the watcher. It’s why he’s such a good private investigator.

I inhale slowly and let my shoulders drop. “He’s psychic as well, but after the ritual, the blow back cost him his gifts. I don’t think he’s very happy with me.”

“Is there anything that can be done?” Blake asks, switching gears into fixer mode.

I shrug. “Honestly, I don’t know.”

“Well, I fully admit that I’m new to this whole supernatural thing, so correct me if I have this wrong,” Blake begins, narrowing his gaze, “but you’re connected to some pretty powerful beings. I’d be surprised if you can’t pull a few strings for him.”

I mull over his words for a moment. Would the gods help Demetri? I suppose they could, but then it would be one more thing they could hold over me. If they even felt it was something to bother with. The gods and their plans…

I glance at Blake, then back out over the valley. “While technically true, the gods don’t look kindly on trivial requests. I should know. And this…would definitely be considered trivial.” Besides that, in a way, it’s a direct consequence of my selfishness all those years ago. It’s serving not only to punish him—but me. And maybe I should be punished.

“Well, I have faith in you. If there’s a way to fix this for him, you’ll figure it out. So, stop worrying, would you?” Blake says, grabbing hold of my arms and spinning me to face him. He lifts his right hand to my cheek, brushing back a strand of my pink hair that’s slipped loose from my ponytail.

I inhale sharply, suddenly tuned into every movement he makes and the proximity of his body to mine. While we may have been married in a past life, everything about this relationship we have now is so new. I can count the times we’ve kissed on one hand…and that’s as far as we’ve taken things.

I’ve had relationships in the past that existed solely for sweaty entanglements—and nothing else. No names, no shared experiences beyond that. But this…

Blake’s eyes linger on mine, holding my gaze so long my heart begins to race.

Can he see into my soul? Can he feel my thoughts?

My breath catches and I try to shake this horrible feeling niggling its way into my consciousness. Love is a beautiful, strange thing. I love him so deeply, even though we’ve barely met in this new lifetime. His essences is the same.

Yet, I’ve changed so much.

What if after all these years, he finds out I’m no longer worthy of his love?

Those worries puddle at my feet when Blake slowly bends in, brushing his lips against mine. The whiskers in his peppered goatee tickle the edges of my lips, making my skin hum.

As much as I try to stay clear of reading his thoughts, they still come to me with fervor. Despite his gentleness, he wants the exact same thing I want. Only, he’s just as nervous to reach for it as I am.

I lean into his kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck, and entangling my fingers into his dark locks. The wind whips around us, echoing through the branches nearby and the ruins themselves. Hidden in the undercurrent of the breeze, I swear I can hear someone calling my name.

Only, it’s not my name anymore…

The Grecian accent is thick, but my mind translates them instantly.“Amarantham? Is that you?”

I wish