Time After Time

Chaper 16

Walking into Hawthorne house, with Cass, Dante and Erik following, Lexi is surprised to see Mallory back already. With her is a dark skinned, tall and thin boy who looks to be about 17. His chocolate brown eyes are warm and inviting. Mallory smiles and gives a small wave, gesturing to the boy beside her she says " Guys, meet Tyrone." Tyrone waves, a bit shyly. Cass, Lexi notices, looks very interested. Mallory continues "He is going to help Cass and I." Looking directly at Cass, she says " The power of three is very important in our craft."
Dante snorts, and Erik just looks at him wryly. They know all too well the power of three, don't they? Lexi muses to herself.
Mallory continues, undaunted. " Between the three of us, we should be able to progress your training along much faster. Tyrone is very strong, one of our strongest. The coven wasn't too keen on letting him come." At this, Tyrone shrugs and simply replies " I didn't give them much choice. I'm not a slave to the coven." Mallory smiles and with a touch of irony replies "Sure, Tyrone, none of us are."
At Lexi's confused look, Dante leans over and whispers " Covens have rules and everyone in them must follow them, or be punished or banished"
Mallory and Tyrone pointedly ignore what Dante is saying and turn to Cass, asking her if she is ready to begin. She follows them into the living room, leaving Lexi, Dante and Erik standing there in the foyer. Knowing the inquisition is coming, Lexi heads to the kitchen to distract herself by getting something to drink.
" Well?" Erik demands, following her, Dante sauntering in behind him. Lexi opens the fridge and focuses on the contents intently, giving her self time to think. Reaching in and grabbing a juice, she slowly shuts the door and propping on hip against the marble countertop, says " Well, what?"
Dante's eyes flash with amusement,he likes it when she is a bit difficult. Erik just pinches the bridge of his nose with his fingers and sighs deeply before saying " You know very well what. What did you think of Kieran?"
Lexi didn't make eye contact with either of them, her focus on twisting off the bottlecap in her hands. "He was quiet, but polite."
Dante tiled his head, staring at her. "Erik said your mood spiked, as well as Cass, just for a moment there inside."
Lexi nodded, she hated lying, but she didn't need them increasing their protection detail either. " It must have been just normal protectiveness we both have towards Emma. Just trying to make sure he is good enough for her. Like I said, he was polite, but quiet so we didn't get to know him that well."
Dante and Erik both regarded her for a moment, before exchanging a glance with each other and deciding to let it go apparently. Erik announced he was going to go get himself a drink and headed to the library where the liquor cart was. Dante stood there, watching Lexi drink her juice. As she drained the last bit out of the bottle, her head tilted back, throat fully exposed, he swooped in and began trailing light kisses all down her neck. She shuddered, not with fright like she had when meet Kieran, but with desire. Dropping her head so her lips met his, she allowed herself to relax into the kiss, all other thoughts and worries disappearing for the moment, at least. He moved his lips to her ear, whispering "Want to head upstairs?" Shivering again, this time with anticipation, Lexi nodded. They hurried through the house, holding hands and laughing as they made their way up the stairs, ignoring the glances from the three witches in the living room as the blew by.
Once inside Dante's room, he pushed her up against the closed door. Lifting her leg to wrap around his waist with one hand, he flipped the lock on the door with the other, while missing her neck and stopping long enough to wiggle his eyebrows at her. Lexi laughed, recalling the other day when she told him next time, we lock the door. She threw her other leg around him, and clinging on tightly, giggled as he carried her to the bed. They spent the next few minutes kissing and gently touching each other, as they were staring deeply into each other's eyes, Lexi reached over with one hand to grab the knife by the bed. Never breaking eye contact, she cut her wrist lightly, before gesturing for Dante's wrist. He obliged, an intrigued look on his face. The other two times they had done this, he had lead the way. The second attempt to cut him was successful, his skin was much more durable than hers. Staring deeply into his eyes, she lowered her mouth to his wrist, sucking lightly. Dante followed her lead, raising her own wrist to his mouth, his eyes never leaving hers. When the euphoric feeling began as soon as they were connected, it was more difficult to keep their eyes locked together. They managed it though. Each other's thoughts, feelings and memories slid together, intertwining as one, was only heightened by keeping their gaze locked on each other. Lexi felt like she might burst, and from the look Dante was giving her, he felt the same. They could not get any closer than this, it was truly the best feeling. Eventually, Dante blinked at her slowly, signaling it was time to start breaking apart. He began slowing his suction, a little at a time and she followed suit. Before breaking away completely he licked her wrist slowly a few times. Instead of the painful jolting apart they felt last time, it was a slow unmelding of each other.
As they sat there facing each other breathlessly, Dante raised his hand, slowly wiping his blood of her lip with the pad of his thumb. Lexi lightly caught his thumb in her mouth and sucked on it gently. His eyes darkened and a little groan escaped his lips. He pushed his thumb in her mouth a little deeper and she sucked harder. Suddenly, his thumb was gone and his mouth was in its place. " God, I love you." He whispered against her mouth. Lexi's heat skipped a beat. He had never said that before. " I love you too" she whispered back, meaning it with every fiber or her being.
Just then there was a knocking at the door. "Ignore it, maybe they will go away." Dante murmured his lips still pressed against hers. The knocking came again, and forgetting human speed he was swinging open the door, demanding " This had better be good." Cass stood there silently, looking back and forth between them. From the slight flush on both their cheeks, she was certain she was interrupting something important and there was a faint scent of blood in the air. " Sorry" she said apologetically, " but Mallory and Tyrone think we found something." Dante closed his eyes for a moment and then very politely, smiled at Cass. " We will be down in just a second." She nodded, and headed back downstairs. Turning to Lexi, he swooped her up, holding her under her bottom, her face above his. " Later." He demanded, and lowered her down, crushing his mouth to her. " Later" she echoed, feeling like she was floating on cloud nine.

Downstairs, Cass, Mallory, Tyrone and Erik were all waiting for them. Erik's face looked strained and Lexi realized he could probably tell what her and Dante were doing upstairs. Serves him right for listening, she thought to herself, letting it project out to him. Erik looked up sharply and muttered under his breath " Like I could help it if I wanted too, you were projecting all over the place." Dante smirked. Cass, Mallory and Tyrone ignored them. Clearing her throat, Mallory began "When I went back home to get Tyrone, I asked around a little more about what you came to us originally for Erik." She looked at him briefly and he nodded. " Without an outsider around, the coven was a little more willing to talk about it. No one was certain, but they had an idea of what would have went into the spell that created yours and Dante's immortality and the loss of your souls." Lexi looked over at Cass, but clearly Mallory had filled her in, as she didn't look surprised. Mallory sighed as she continued
" They said it was dark magic, very old. Not the kind of magic just any witch would mess with. The part about you needing a triad, I think, is a loophole of sorts. You both disappointed her, from your side of the story, so she need away to untie herself from you both, yet keep your souls."
Dante nodded and said " We have assumed that much for a long time now, anything we don't know?"
Mallory shot him a look but said " Cass is a very powerful witch, even though she is inexperienced. I think that with Tyrone and I helping her, if you both allow it, we could have her go into your memories in a sense, different than a blood connection." At this, she looked pointedly at Dante and Lexi for a moment. Lexi flushed, does everyone know what they have been doing? "It wouldn't be just your memories, it would almost be like she was there. She could look around and see if she could pick up on anything you two wouldn't have noticed at the time."
Erik nodded slowly and looking at Dante, Lexi realized that he was waiting to see if Dante would send him any thoughts he was having. After a moment, Erik nodded again and said "We will do it."
Mallory nodded but said " I will warn you, before we begin, this will link you together, so where as you can't always read Erik mind, Dante, and you will seem unconscious, you will be able to see Erik's thoughts during this time. Same for you Erik, I know you told me you try to stay out of Dante's thoughts as much as possible. You will both be fully open to each other and Cass." Dante paused for a moment and said "Fine, not like we have another plan."
Nodding, Mallory and Tyrone got busy setting up a circle of salt for them to lay in, for protection. A white candle was set up at the north end of the circle, for Cass to focus on as they attempted the spell. Dante and Erik both carefully stepped into the circle as to not disturb the salt. They laid down with their eyes closed. Cass stepped into the circle as well, sitting cross legged and holding one of their hands in each of her. Mallory draped a her necklace over Cass's neck and Tyrone slipped a bracelet on her wrist. At Lexi's questioning look, Tyrone stated " They are our talismans, they will lend her our power during the spell."
Nodding, Lexi watched in fascination as they began. Mallory and Tyrone closed their eyes and began chanting in an unfamiliar language, Cass in the circle with her eyes closed, still clutching Dante and Erik's hands, began muttering as well. After several moments, nothing happened. Opening her eyes, in frustration Cass said " I don't understand."
Tyrone looked at the scene in front of him, thinking deeply. Suddenly he exclaimed " Ahh! If Lexi is truly meant to be part of the triad, maybe she needs to be in the circle as well?"
Mallory's eyes narrowed, as she considered it. Finally her face relaxed " Your right Tyrone, of course. Also, this might be the way to find out about the visions, Dante and Lexi keep having."
Tyrone looked at Lexi " Go ahead and step in carefully. Lay down between them, and hold their hands. Cass will keep their other hands joining you all in a circle." Lexi looked at Cass in alarm
" So they will see all my thoughts as well?" She of course was thinking about Kieran, but also how much Erik would hate that. Dante and her already exchange all their thoughts and feelings when they connect through blood. Cass nods, her face showing her sympathy, but she says " It is the only way."
Lexi nods, a flutter of dread flittering through her as she joins them.