Clairvoyant (Spells and Sins)

3. Chapter 3

“If there are any spirits here, please know we are not here to hurt you. We are here to learn about you. I can speak to you. I can see you. This could be your opportunity to convey a message. Let me help you,” I speak into the quiet room. “You might feel like your privacy will be invaded, but I promise, I am only here to help you.” I wait to hear if anyone replies, but the room is silent. I turn to Rian, wondering if she is getting any energy readings. “How is the energy?”

“Nothing alarming. I’m not sensing anything in this room,” Rian replies.

I find that hard to believe. This house is quiet, but there is a certain vibe in the room. I feel it. It’s subtle, barely a whisper, but it is there, and I plan to discover the voice who is choosing to remain quiet.

“Why are you asking them instead of using your gift?” Beckett asks.

“I like to give them an opportunity to come to me before I invade their privacy. Some spirits are too nervous to come forward. They have been alone for so many years and they don’t know what to do when confronted with an option to finally speak.”

Beckett nods, but I’m not sure he understands. He scratches the top of his head, clearly confused. I think it is sweet that even though he doesn’t understand, he is eager to learn more. At the end of the night, he might not believe anything he experienced, and all that matters is that he tried and remained respectful.

I know this, though. My twin flame will believe because it is coded into his DNA. He is a part of me and that is why he is so interested and not running out the door. I have no idea what to do about Beckett and what it means for us as a couple.

I can’t give my energy to those thoughts right now when I’ve been hired to do a job.

I stroll around the room, slow and steady, careful not to show any quick movements. “My name is Quinn Rune. I’m here to help you. The university sent me to make sure they could use this house, but they are nervous. They are afraid if they send students to live here, something bad will happen. Is that true? Do you not want people living here?”

I stop walking, listening intently, waiting for a spirit to reach out to me. Everything is still- silent- and a chill sweeps through the air.

We are not alone.

“I feel you here. Why won’t you come say hello? Is it because of the other two people with me?” I glance at Beckett, and he straightens. In two steps, he is in front of me, taking my hands in his.

Because it’s a habit, I close my eyes and wait for the onslaught of images, of stories, of memories to run through my mind.

Then nothing happens. I’m not possessed by his past, present, or future. I’m able to breathe.

I’m safe.

“I’m Beckett Blake. I’m not a threat. I’m just a construction worker looking to revive this place. I’m a friend of Quinn’s. I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to help Quinn. I won’t get in the way.”

I lean forward, getting a whiff of his scent. He smells like a forest after it has rained. All I want to do is surround myself with the aroma, relax, and go to sleep.

“You don’t have to talk to them, you know. Don’t feel obligated. There’s no pressure,” I say to him.

“I know that, but if it helps you, I’ll do anything.” He brings my hand to his mouth, kissing the top of my knuckles. The way Beckett is looking at me right now, I’m getting lost in the gold specks of his brown eye and the endless green sea of the other.

It hits me in that moment like a wave crashing against me and sucking me under. He wasn’t just born with these eyes. They were a sign all along. Those irises are supposed to be green, but because he is my twin flame and owns a part of my soul, his other eye matches mine.

May souls intertwine through the stars and share their sights so they can experience the beauty of the galaxy together.

It’s one of the quotes from the Rune Grimoire about twin flames. We were born of the same stardust and placed in different parts of the world, but like magnets, the pull we feel always brings us back to one another.

“I’m Rian.” My best friend has me breaking the spell with Beckett. “I’m Quinn’s best friend. I’m an empath, so all I ask is that you don’t drain me because I will get sick. I wouldn’t do that to you, so all I ask is you don’t do it to me, at least, not without my permission and cause.”

“If you understand us,” I announce. “Please blow out the candle I have in my hand.” I reach for one of the many candles on the mantle, careful so the wax doesn’t spill onto my fingers.

I don’t want to astral project and travel through dimensions to find answers to this house. Astral projection is exhausting and the more I do it, the higher of a chance I have to get lost in the spirit world.

There is a chance I wouldn’t be able to find my way back.

Just as I’m about to give up, the flame flickers, extinguishing the flame. Smoke billows from the burned and blackened wick, invading my nose to slither into my lungs.

I love that smell.

I grin, lifting my eyes to Beckett’s.

“Holy fucking shit,” he curses with wide eyes.

Rian and I start bellowing in laughter at how shocked he is.

“Oh my God. Did you see that?” he asks, gripping the sides of his hair. He points to the candle. “You saw that, right? You saw how it was lit and then it wasn’t. It was clearly blown out. I wasn’t breathing. I was too nervous I’d blow the candle out. Did you? Did you blow it out?” He is talking so fast and through the same breath, I can hardly keep up.

“I did not blow it out, Beckett. What you just saw was your first experience with a spirit. They are here, but they don’t want to talk to me. They are willing to show me they realize I am here, though. It’s a step in the right direction. Are you okay?”

“Am I okay? Am I okay!” He starts to laugh, then wraps his arms around me and swings me around in a circle. “I’m fantastic. I want to see it again. What else is there? What else can you do? That was amazing.” His excitement is clear, which has me smiling, but his exhilaration doesn’t end there.

When he sets me down, his hand cups the back of my neck, and his crooked smile lights up my once very heavy and burdened heart. “You are beyond this world, aren’t you? Quinn, please let me travel it with you.” His lips descend on mine in an unexpected kiss.

I’ve never kissed anyone else before. I knew that would never be in the cards for me, considering what my gift is.

His other arm wraps around my waist, sliding across my back until his fingers curl on my hip. Beckett tugs me close, our bodies pressing together as our lips slide against one another.

The flames lighting the candles soar into the air, climbing nearly to the ceiling. The fire becomes brighter and hotter. I can feel it against my right cheek from where I’m standing.

Then, the endless memories of us always finding one another flash in my mind. Thousands of lifetimes, thousands of first kisses, thousands of times where I finally found Beckett Blake.

Every single moment, and there wasn’t one time where he doubted me or my ability.

His tongue sweeps across mine, his hands moving to cup my face as he deepens the kiss. Beckett groans, kissing me until there is no longer air in my lungs for him to take.

He was a king once, and I was his servant.

I was a princess, and he killed all of my father’s men until he was the last one standing, the only one to deserve my hand.

We were thieves, living on horseback.

He was in charge of his army when he came to help my town and he saved me from being murdered by the enemy.

The lives we have lived until we found one another bombard my mind with every slide of his tongue against mine.

Tears are running down my cheeks, knowing just how much we have endured to be here. His thumbs rub against my cheeks, wiping my tears away before he kisses the middle of my forehead.

“Quinn Josephine Blake,” he whispers before leaning away from me, his own eyes swimming with emotion. A singular tear escapes Beckett. “I have been searching the stars for you and the one I followed led me right here.”

“You found me,” I burst into a sob, slamming myself against his chest now that the secret is out and our souls are now intertwined from the kiss.

Now, he knows why he was drawn to me. I always know who he is because of my gift, but I never know how far we go back until his lips meet mine.

“There isn’t a world where I wouldn’t find you. There isn’t a death where I won’t come back and seek your love. In every life, with every breath, I will search for you.” He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “I knew you were familiar when I saw you. I only needed a kiss to know.” He rubs his thumb across my bottom lip.

Now that we have found one another, a new fear settles inside me and takes root in my heart.

How long do I have with him before one of us dies?

“I can’t believe you met your twin flame,” Rian coos, holding a hand over her heart. “I’m so jealous, but—” her eyes drift back and forth between us. “You’re human,” she says to Beckett. “What does this mean for you?”

“I don’t know and I don’t want to think about it right now.” Beckett takes my hand and holds it against his chest. “I want to help you with this house and tomorrow we can tackle all the questions, but tonight- tonight, I only want to be with you.”

I nod, wanting nothing more than to shove reality out of the door to enjoy him for as long as I can. That’s the hardest thing about being twin flames. We can see all the lives we have lived together, but we can never see how, when, or why we died.

I clutch his hand, finding safety, solace, and peace in our connection.

The flames of the candles return to normal size, reminding me that love has to wait.

“It’s time to search more of the house. It’s time to get to work,” Rian says. “We might have more power since you have your twin flame here. Assuming he remembers who you are…”

“I remember, but I won’t speak the words into existence just in case they are listening.” He zips his mouth shut.

“Smart man. I love what reviving memories will do.” Rian holds up the spirit board. “Do you want to do this first or tour the house and touch objects?”

“Let’s save the board for last. I think this house has a lot to say and I’m not sure a spirit board will—”

A force slams the board out of Rian’s grasp. It crashes against the wall, breaking the board in two. The planchette spins on the ground until it comes to a stop, pointing toward the stairs.

“I think the spirit wants us to go up the staircase.” I bend down to pick up the planchette, holding it in my palms, and my head jerks back as a memory rushes through me.

A woman with long black hair and fair skin is screaming at the top of her lungs in pain. Red marks are all over her body. Blood soaks her clothes as she holds the body of another woman who has multiple stab wounds in her chest.

I gasp awake, clutching the planchette against my chest. “I think we might be dealing with a serial killer.” The planchette flies from my hands and the pointed end lodges itself into the wall near the staircase.

“Quinn, a very dark, sadistic energy is here. I feel it. It’s nearly suffocating,” Rian states.

A dark shadow cloaks the living room so heavily, that all the candles burn out, leaving us in complete darkness.

“And I think the killer is still here and doesn’t want us to find the truth. Well,” I scoff, ripping the planchette out of the wall. “That’s just too fucking bad.” I stomp my feet as hard as I can while climbing the steps, wanting all the spirits to know I’m here.

I don’t care if it means I have to astral project to take the killer’s spirit to a place where he can never haunt a house again. I’ll protect everyone he killed, even if it means I become his very last victim.