The Corners: A Psychic Paranormal Romance (Building the Circle Book 4) Read online

  Evelyn shook her head. "Time will tell."

  "I just did. I just told you," James teased with a grin, trying to ease her tension.

  An eye-roll later, Evelyn was back on point. "What are you two going to do with yourselves? What's next?"

  Sam blinked. "Isn't that what you're supposed to tell us?"

  James smirked. "You're not double-oh-nine. We won't send you out on missions."

  "Nine?" Sam asked.

  "Like the spy guy," James said, disappointed that Sam didn't get the reference.

  Sam grinned. "It's seven. James Bond is double-oh-seven."

  Evelyn pulled a smug smile across her face, distracted from her fear. "I've told you that more than once, dumb ass. It's more fun for me when you're stupid around others. It highlights how much you don't listen to me to your own detriment."

  "What are we supposed to do?" Adaline tried to stay on topic.

  "Dump energy into the world. You have enough of it, even without that giant circle of yours. We talked about this," Evelyn sighed.

  James shrugged. "This is why I was so surprised that you struggled with the decision, Sam. You were already healing things. The extra energy, pairing, and circle just make it easier."

  "Go build out the rest of your circle and start dumping energy into the world. It'll go faster and easier as the circle fills out. The energy spreads more evenly with more people. Evie and I will focus on cleaning up now. Maybe build out a circle of our own."

  "Meh," Evelyn shrugged. "You keep talking about that. I don't know how you think that will work. We don't have Pillars, James. Did you and Micah kiss and make up? Is he going to stand with us? We need at least a few Pillars. I wouldn't want to share energy with most of the other outcast Pillars."

  James glowered at her. "Micah wouldn't drink my beer."

  That reminded Sam of a question. "How is Micah still roaming around with his power after giving up his name? How does that happen? I thought the energy had to be recycled over time."

  "Micah was the Pillar of Hate. Do you ever see the world running short on hate? Do you think life would suffer if there was less of it?" James challenged.

  Sam nodded. "Matilda is right. It is annoying when someone answers a question with a question."

  "The vibrant Lady Light is quite something. I can't believe she fell into time. Lots of power packed into that little curvy body," James said with a smile that leaned toward a leer.

  Sam glared at him again.

  "What?" James asked, looking innocent.

  Sam continued to glare.

  "She's into the Anchor? Really? But he's a dumb ass." James's face fell.

  Evelyn smacked him again. "Anyway. Pick up Ava's old circle. You need more bodies now. You won't be able to close another circle like yesterday. Don't try it. You'll scorch people. There's too much power with just the two of you, let alone with the Pillars.

  "The circle in Chicago is one of the largest in the country and also one of the strongest. It's an excellent home base to start with. You can build outward from there."

  Evelyn shifted her focus as Addy's terror rolled through the clearing, overwhelming the sense of love. "Being in a populated area is different. But you'll be fine now. You can't stay in this clearing in the middle of nowhere, Mistress Life. The Anchor will be there with you. It's easier to move the energy with him. He'll help more than this field ever did."

  Sam looked skeptical. "How would Jake help? He's stuffed full of Matty's energy. I was plenty out of balance with him around."

  Evelyn patted Sam's arm with a condescending smirk. Her world was back in order with Sam's power tucked away and his ignorance showing. "You were thirty years out of balance. If he hadn't stayed with you for so long, the clock would have ticked on midnight years ago."

  "I thought the organic circle thing balanced us all?" Sam asked, undisturbed by Evelyn's tone.

  "It does. Jake's the only one who cycles energy out of the circle, though. The rest of you just keep dumping more energy into it. Your parents can only absorb so much. Your organic circle would crumble if he disappeared from it for any length of time." Evelyn glared at James again.

  "They don't need the organic circle. It's a nice-to-have," James mumbled.

  Samuel, as The Walker, stared at James, eyes glowing.

  At fifteen seconds, the silent staring became uncomfortable.

  At thirty seconds, James squirmed. "I won't bother him. I'm teasing."

  "You are lying," Samuel warned, voice loaded with power. "They are mine. You will not disturb their balance, James."

  "Oh, shut up. I'll leave him be. She'll get bored with him eventually, anyway."

  "What do you need from us?" Sam asked Evelyn, all signs of the Walker's power gone.

  Evelyn blinked several times, processing the rapid change. "Nothing, really. We needed to make sure you were both sane and warn you that you need more people in your circle."

  "Are you able to stand in our circle?" Adaline inquired.

  "I don't know," James admitted after a few seconds, surprised by her question. "Josiah was very stingy with his circle. We could not talk to their pillars directly. Given that you're on cooking duty and we're on clean-up duty, I'm not sure what would happen if we all stood together. That might be a good question for the thief."

  Sam nodded. "I'll ask him."

  "Are we able to share accordance with you?" Adaline asked.

  Evelyn and James both rocked back in shock.

  "Addy," Evelyn muttered, voice subdued. "Accordance is uncommon, even between a pair. James Walked through the past to look for it. We don't think it's ever been shared to the level you and Sam have."

  "The largest mark I could find went to the Walker's elbow," James murmured, looking at his feet.

  Evelyn sighed. "Josiah and Madrid had none. I shared a negligible amount with James in the beginning."

  "There is so much energy—more energy between Sam and me than I imagined in the entire world. And then we each have more of our own. It scares me. I think it may be hard to cycle it. You have no circle—limited energy. I would not mind sharing with you," Adaline explained.

  "I don't know that it's possible, Addy. And I don't know that it'd be advisable. I do not have Samuel's aversion to the indifference," James confessed. "Power is intoxicating, even when you don't intend harm."

  Adaline nodded, eyes downcast.

  "Do you feel the binding to me, Sam?" James's voice was somber.

  Sam nodded. "I can find you if we need you."

  ✽✽✽

  "What were those words, Adaline?" Sam inquired as they walked through the forest, back towards the restaurant.

  She jumped at Sam's sudden break in the silence.

  "You said words on Monday. About guilt and blame," he muttered, eyes going unfocused for a second. "'Guilt and blame do not belong between us.' That's what you said. It's still true."

  "You Walk easily now," Adaline murmured, astonished.

  "It's hard to not Walk now. It pulls at me. I can't turn it off anymore." Sam's voice was muffled with concern as he watched where they walked through the forest.

  "Life is everywhere for me now, even more than before. It's like that?" she asked.

  Sam shook his head. "I don't know. When they asked how we felt, you asked something about how else we would feel. I didn't even think about it. I Walked to the place and time. It pulled me directly to the answer to your question. I asked what your words were. It pulled me to the words. I didn't mean to do it. It's distracting."

  Silence fell between them again as her feelings of shame flowed through their link.

  "Addy-" Sam started.

  "Stop, Sam. It's not okay. There are no words to make it okay."

  "It's over, Adaline. Shame and guilt have no purpose."

  Adaline sighed. "I might have destroyed us. A minute of quiet in my mind, where there is always noise and distraction, could have destroyed things. It's not a lesson I will forget."

  Sam stopped walking and turned to face her. "What lesson did you learn?"

  Addy's shoulders drooped, damp violet eyes focused on the ground. Her black hair hung loose, partially hiding her face.

  "I am not trustworthy with that power," she whispered. "I am not immune to it."

  As Sam's anger rolled through their binding, Adaline flinched, snapping her gaze to his.

  "You've missed the larger point. We don't stand alone, Addy. When you were lost, I found you. You told me you'd remind me of who I am. Is it so bad that you might also need that help? Am I the only one allowed to need help?"

  After a moment, she nodded in acknowledgment.

  Sam continued. "It seems things are mutable between us. We can shift and change. Our connection can shift and change. I nearly destroyed it last night. We rebuilt it quickly enough. It is broader and more robust now—more energy.

  "The only change to come from last night is a healthy fear of the cold. Or the indifference. Whatever. I thought it was a character trait. We learned that it's not. That lesson is well-learned. Everything else? Meh. Shit happens."

  Adaline burst out laughing.

  "We are here now. Let's be happy," Sam grinned, repeating Adaline's own words back to her.

  She smiled up at him, the last few tears dripping down her cheeks.

  ✽✽✽

  Sam pulled on the restaurant back door only to find it locked.

  "Really?"

  "Hunters," Adaline reminded him.

  "Oh!" There was a touch of panic in his voice.

  "They're fine. Everyone's here. Sleeping mostly. The Anchor and Fear are awake. Ask one of them-"

  Without warning, Sam and Adaline appeared in the center of the restaurant.

  "I forgot about that," she admitted. "We didn't need to walk
from the clearing."

  Sam gave a sheepish smile. "We needed to talk."

  "How is everyone?" Sam whispered to William.

  "Why can I feel gravity, Sam?" Will's tone was flat as he glared at his brother.

  "Uh, I don't know," Sam admitted, surprised. "I don't feel-. Oh. Yes, I do. I don't know."

  "The sun?"

  Sam shrugged. "I don't know much more than you. How is everyone?"

  "My head feels like it'll explode any minute. Jake's, too."

  "Hurts to have my eyes open," Jake mumbled. "I think I'm getting some of Jess's shit. How do I make that stop?"

  "I don't know," Sam said again, looking at Adaline. She shook her head. "We don't know."

  "Can you get those two assholes who knew what the fuck they were doing to straighten this shit out?" Jake bitched.

  "We just talked to them. They said we need a bigger circle with more bodies. We need to go back to Chicago."

  Jake squinted his eyes open at his little brother as Matty stirred. "Great. Zap us home. Let's do that before I puke."

  "Oh, my God," Matty moaned, trying to focus her eyes. "My head."

  Noah shifted around, two booths over.

  "I want to die. I can't move. I'd puke, but I'd have to move to do that," he croaked, voice hoarse and tight. "Why is the room fucking spinning? Why are you people breathing so fucking loud? Why do I feel like I'm on fire? Sam, this is absolutely your fault. I just fucking know it. You're a giant fucking pain in the ass. You are my least favorite brother until the end of time."

  "It was all fun and games when you were just horny, but now that shit's gotten real-" Jake laughed.

  "Fuck you, too, whatever the fuck weird thing you are," Noah sighed. "Can we just sit quietly?"

  "Matty?" Jake whispered, concerned when she put her head down on the booth table.

  "I'll take that as a 'no.' I hate the world," Noah groaned.

  "Every inch of me hurts," she sighed. "I'm fine. My chest is tight. I can feel the sun."

  "How are you doing, Sam?" Jake asked, eyes still closed as he ran his hand through Matilda's mussed fiery curls.

  Sam snorted, breaking out in a full grin. "I've never felt better."

  Noah glared at him.

  Sam's pale blue eyes shone with health and happiness. His normally gray, ashen skin had vibrancy.

  Sam looked like the young man he was, rather than the exhausted, drawn, sickly wretch he'd been for most of his life.

  "Fucking thirty-year-old virgin finally had fucking sex, and now we're all fucked up," Noah mumbled under his breath. He paused at Adaline's touch on his forehead.

  "Addy, he's a whiner. Don't!" Sam's voice was sad.

  "Oh, sweet mother of God. That is so much better. I love you, Adaline," Noah groaned, smiling up at her. "You are an angel. A violet-eyed, beautiful angel-woman-girl. I will love you forever."

  Adaline slapped him on the forehead.

  "What did you do?" Noah rubbed his forehead.

  "I took the excess. You were severely overloaded," Adaline whispered, words laced with power.

  "She took the extra energy because you're a crybaby," Sam bitched, the echo in his voice making his displeasure known.

  Jake leaned away from Addy as she approached him. "Does it hurt you?"

  She shrugged. "Used to it."

  "I'll be fine," Jake grunted.

  Addy looked surprised.

  "It sucks, but not enough for me to hurt you. It's fine."

  "Jake, she wants to know if she can touch you to build the link for you to hear her without words." Sam's unhappiness continued to spread throughout the room.

  "Don't be pissed off because she wants to talk to people other than you, jackass," Jake said, glaring at Sam.

  "I'm not pissed off because she wants to talk to you, idiot. I'm pissed off because she's planning for the inability to speak again. She's planning to be severely overloaded and in a fuckton of pain. Again."

  "Give Noah back his shit! He'll be fine. He's a great big sissy," Jake barked, causing the others to stir.

  Addy raised her eyebrows, hand hovering over Jake's in a question.

  "Yes, of course, you can talk to me," he nodded.

  Adaline grinned at him, sharing joy. Jake couldn't help but smile back.

  Adaline's eyes dropped to Matty.

  "I'm fine. Just feel strange," Matilda muttered. "It's not so bad I can't function."

  Adaline nodded. "You could burn off the excess, Matilda, as fire. Outside or in the fireplace."

  "How do I do that?" Matty asked, intrigued.

  "I don't know. I don't have fire. Sam?" Addy broadcast.

  "I've never done it on purpose. We can try together, Matty," Sam offered.

  Will started talking before Adaline even finished turning toward him. "It's a headache for me. I'm fine. Give me Noah's energy when you give me the link for talking, Adaline."

  She shook her head, gesturing at Emma before touching Will's hand.

  "She may need your help with the little ones. I'm fine for now," Adaline broadcast.

  "But no more words? Already? There was no pain earlier," Sam lamented.

  "I don't want to make a mistake. I went so long without talking, Sam. This is more natural for me. It will be fine once the energy is balanced again. The pain is not bad," Adaline responded.

  "Jake, try sucking the power from her like you did in the circle," Will suggested.

  "I can't," Jake said.

  "Why?" Will asked.

  "I don't know. There's no more room. I just can't. I know I can't."

  A banging on the door drowned out the sound of Ava, Clyde, Jess, and Blake coming down the backstairs.

  "You gotta be kidding me," Will growled as he peeked out the window. Gently shifting Emma, he walked over to open the door. "I thought you left yesterday."

  "No, I told you I'd chase off the hunters," Micah grinned.

  "What do you want?" Will groaned. "Please be less chipper and loud. It makes me want to punch you in the head."

  Micah snorted. "Go for it, He-Man."

  "What. Do. You. Want." Will repeated.

  "I can tell you how to balance some of the energy. But, if you don't want to know, I'll leave," Micah shrugged, eyebrows raised.

  "Well, you can come in for that."

  Will moved out of the doorway.

  Chapter Two

  Micah's laughter drifted across the room. "You all look at least as bad as I thought you would. Except for Lust over there. Why's he fine?"

  "Because he's a sissy," William growled, glaring at Noah.

  "Mistress, Walker," Micah greeted Sam and Adaline with a formal bow. "May the balance of life be joyful and prosperous during your times."

  "It's still 'Sam' if you don't mind," Sam requested. "The formality seems misplaced unless we're at odds. We are not at odds, Micah. Not yet, at least."

  Micah's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I have no desire to be at odds with you. Are we to be at odds?"

  "I hope not," Sam responded with sincerity.

  After nodding in acceptance, Micah looked at Adaline and then turned to glare at Noah.

  "Don't bother," Will muttered.

  "Where are the others?" Micah asked. "Madam Sight will need help until a circle can balance things. She's blind right now."

  "Yeah," Jess groaned, coming down the back stairs, holding onto her husband's shoulders.

  Micah nodded. "It may be best to cover your eyes until the circle is closed. I know it doesn't help the sensation, but it will help the glare."

  "Why do you know this? It's more now; it's feeling, too. But why do you know this?" Jess asked.

  "This is why Madam Sight doesn't hang out in this crowd. Too much energy." Micah sat with Jess at the closest table, ignoring her question while taking her hand. "I'll take as much of the excess as I can. It's the only thing that helps without a circle."

  "Why is the organic circle gone?" Jess sighed in relief as Ava wrapped her eyes in an ace bandage, and Micah pulled away energy.

  "Maybe because Jake is overloaded," Sam suggested. "Evelyn said he holds the organic circle. And Jake, you are never to Walk with James. Never. There is not a valid reason to Walk with him. Ever. Understand? He means you harm."