Chapter Sixteen

Pagan

The first thing I saw through the tinted windows of the limo was twinkling white lights. There were thousands of them. I scooted over to look closer and see where it was the driver had taken us. I’d just spent over ten minutes in Dank’s lap, kissing and being kissed senseless.

The large area looked like a field with a gazebo covered in white lights sat in the middle of it. Strands of lights were strung from the gazebo to the trees surrounding it giving a canopy of lights feeling. What was this place?

The limo came to a stop and I looked back at Dank who was watching me instead of looking out the window. “Where are we?” I asked.

Dank smirked the sexy way only Dank could and the driver opened my door. I slid out and Dank followed me. Dank thanked the tall dark man who then got back into the car and drove away.

I looked around at the secluded site that Dank had obviously taken great pains to make appear so stunning.

“It’s not the Garden of Hesperides, but then who wants to eat golden apples and dodge a dragon. This garden is a much better option.”

Had the rocker just compared this place to Hara’s garden? Impressive. But then again, he frequently managed to surprise me.

“It’s gorgeous. How did you do all this?” I asked as he took my elbow and led me toward the gazebo.

“I have my ways.”

He was always so guarded. I shouldn’t have expected him to actually tell me how he’d managed to get a large elaborate gazebo into the middle of a deserted field and then cover the place with lights.

The three steps on the gazebo were lined with white lights. A small round table sat in the center of the covered area. A silver tablecloth draped the table and there were two chairs placed around it. A bouquet of some kind of exotic flowers I’d never seen sat in the middle of the table. The glass vase even had lights inside. He had really put a lot of work into this. I was suddenly very thankful that I hadn’t worn jeans.

“What are you thinking?” He asked close to my ear. I shivered from the warmth of his breath against my skin.

“I’m thinking you must really want to impress me or either this is something you’ve invested in to bring all your first dates on.” I was teasing of course and I smiled at him as I said it so he’d know I wasn’t being serious.

“Never realized how sexy a smart mouth could be,” he replied.

Soft music began playing from speakers hidden in the corners of the gazebo. Dank held out his hand, “Dance with me?”

I slid my hand into his and he pulled me against his chest. This was different than our first dance at the club. It was sweeter, more sincere. Less about attraction and more about connection.

“Pagan?” Dank asked softly against my ear.

“Yes,” I replied resting my chin on his shoulder thanks to the height from my heels.

“Will you promise me something?”

That was an odd request. I thought about it a minute then nodded. “Yes.”

He let out another heavy sigh. Something was bothering him tonight. “One day you’ll need to remember this. Remember how this felt. I need you to tuck this memory close inside and hold onto it.”

That was by far the oddest thing anyone had ever said or asked of me. He almost sounded like he was dying. “Um, okay,” I replied hesitantly.

He let out a soft chuckle, “I’m sorry. Sometimes I get a little too serious.”

No kidding. He took my hand and lifted it in the air and twirled me around. I decided I’d forget his ominous request for now and enjoy the most romantic date I’d ever been on.

After the song ended Dank walked over and pulled out a chair for me. “I know it looks like we’re out here all alone but I don’t intend to starve you.”

I looked around and sure enough a man in a tuxedo came walking out of the woods carrying a silver tray and two glass bottles of Coke.

Smiling back at Dank I said, “I can’t believe you set all this up.”

He winked at me. “I wanted to make a good impression being as this is our first official date.”

“Well, you blew any other first dates I’ve ever had out of the water already so sit back and relax.”

Dank laughed as the waiter placed the Cokes in front of us and opened them. He lifted the lid on the silver tray and then took the two glasses of ice and put them beside or bottles.

“I don’t know how you could even think I’d ever be able to forget this,” I said in awe as the server set chocolate covered strawberries in front of us.

“Good. That’s the idea,” he replied.

***

It had almost been a whole day since I’d seen or heard from Dank. He had brought me home after our date last night and I’d half expected him to be waiting on me outside the dorm this morning when I walked out. Then I’d been expecting him to be waiting on me outside the building of our first class. But he hadn’t shown up for literature again. After lunch when he still hadn’t called or shown up I began to wonder if I’d done something wrong last night. Since the first day we’d met he had managed to show up at least two times a day. I’d thought after the evening we’d had he would be around even more. I had looked forward to seeing him. I’d almost texted him several times but I’d refrained. He had my number.

Now that the sun was setting and he hadn’t bothered to even text I decided last night might have meant more to me than it had to him. Maybe that really was a set up for first dates. Maybe it hadn’t meant anything more to him.

I stacked up my books and stuck them into my book bag. I’d spent the last two hours in the library studying. Miranda was getting ready for another date with Nathan and she was too chatty to allow me to get anything done. This hadn’t been much better. My thoughts had kept going back to last night and what I could have done wrong.

The night breeze was abnormally cool tonight. I pulled my books higher on my shoulder and made my way toward the dorm. It was almost a mile but I figured the walk was good exercise. I didn’t like trying to park Miranda’s SUV. I could see myself scratching it up.

“Dank, stop,” a giggling female voice came from the darkness. My blood froze. Stopping in my tracks I waited to listen for more. Surely I’d heard that wrong.

“I want a taste,” a familiar deep voice replied. My stomach felt sick.

“I can’t get naked out here. Someone may come by,” the girl whispered and then let out a small moan.

“Open your legs,” he replied.

I wanted to move my legs. I wanted to move away from the voices. But I couldn’t. My legs weren’t cooperating.

“Right here?” the girl asked breathlessly.

“Yeah,” he said a small groan came from him. Yeah, I was going to be sick.

“Ah, Dank, Mmmmm that feels so good.”

I took off running. I didn’t look back.

Dank

I’d worked all day to make up for my late night with Pagan. Tonight, however, I intended to spend it with her again. I walked into the empty park just outside of Pagan’s dorm before appearing. Leif sat on the bench facing the dorm with one leg crossed over his knee and his arms folded across his chest. What was he still doing here? She didn’t know him nor did she want him. Now that her soul was free of his claim she couldn’t even remember him from one week to the next. A week from now she’d forget about the strange guy who’d ordered her coffee correctly and questioned her. She had a soul. He didn’t. There could never be a lasting connection. A spirit born of Voodoo could never connect with a soul born of the Creator. It was that simple. He knew it too.

“Why are you here?” I didn’t bother to announce my arrival.

“Because I owed you one,” was his only reply.

What the hell did that mean? I glared down at him, “Explain that.”

Leif shrugged. “Not much to explain Dankmar. You took Pagan from me. She’ll never remember me. I lost all I’d ever known and loved. So, I thought you deserved the same thing in return.”

He still made no sense. I knew Pagan was safe. He could no longer touch her soul. I held the life of her soul in my hands. “She never chose you. She chose me. You have no power here.”

Leif stood up and took a step back away from me. He nor his father liked to get too close to me. They knew their place in the scheme of things. My power was never-ending; theirs was conjured by the beliefs of humans. The weight of power lay heavily in my court.

“Let’s just say, we’re even now. If you’re lucky you’ll figure it out, but the damage is done. Goodbye, Dankmar,” Leif glanced at Pagan’s dorm one more time before he vanished.

His solemn tone was the only thing that concerned me. He seemed worried about something. Unsure. He only had feelings for one person. No one else weighed on his conscious. Pagan.

I had to find her. Closing my eyes I sensed her soul. It was hurting. She was in the dorm. I snapped my eyes open to find Gee standing in front of me.

“You’re in a shitload of trouble. I can’t figure it out exactly but I know it’s all kinds of fucked up.” Gee shook her head and pointed back to the window of Pagan’s room. “She thinks you were doing the wild thing behind the library with some chick. She is positive it was you. The girl called your name out and you talked back to her. It ain’t pretty.”

Fuck.

“It ain’t like she is in love with you. Since she can’t remember who the hell you are but she obviously feels betrayed. She is spouting off about listening to her first instincts and how glad she is she found this out sooner. Rockers are shitheads and that you are scum. I think that about covers it.”

I sank onto the bench and buried my head in my hands. How the hell was I going to fix this? I’d made progress. When Jay’s soul started connecting with hers I was going to have the upper hand. I was going to have found a way into her heart again. But now? She thought I had screwed some other girl? Outside? When?

“When did this happen?” I asked Gee.

“She came slamming into the room about fifteen minutes ago. Calling you very colorful names I didn’t know she was aware existed.”

We’re even now.

Leif’s words replayed in my head. He’d been watching the window to her room. He had been acting as if something was bothering him. Pagan was upset. He knew why. He had done this. I’d taken Pagan from him and he’d returned the favor.

“Leif,” I said as I looked back up at her window.

‘What? You think that stupid voodoo spawn did this?”

I nodded, “ I know he did. He was paying me back.”

“Fuck that. I’m gonna go beat his ass,” Gee snarled.

“I need you up there with her, Gee. I need you to make sure she’s okay. Watch out for her. I’ve got to find a way to fix this but she isn’t going to let me near her right now.”

Gee sighed, “I want to go kick voodoo ass. Not listen to a bitching female.”

“Please, Gee.”

“Fine. I’ll go. But you need to think of something to tell her.”

I nodded, “I know.”

Gee left to do as I requested.