“In what way?” Burkhart asks as he strokes Saskia’s hair, which has her closing her eyes.
“If you look at Brielle, she can heal and calm. Also, if you look at Alaia, she can nourish and grow. If you put them together, you have the perfect healing. Same goes for Aria, who can read thoughts, Nova, who can persuade, and Scarlett, who can tell the truth. Each of these gifts enhances the other.”
I had never thought about it like this, but it makes sense. If each of them enhances the other’s gift when they work together, then it means that they can acquire even more results then they were getting before. Then I tense when I think of an option. Is it possible?
“What if they can reverse the fury of the Keres now with Alaia, and Vercin knows somehow?” At my question, everyone looks at me, surprised, and then they all start talking at the same time.
“Enough,” Draco mutters, but everyone quickly quietens as he stands. “Get me a Keres.” He looks at Gunner. “And put him in the cell.” If this is true, we can help all the Keres we capture except the ones who have had mates, because I doubt we can help those.
“If this works, how are we going to maintain them as Elementals?” Gabriela asks with a frown. “Because won’t they just turn again if we don’t know who their mates are?”
“Celmund and I can try the energy meter that we have been working on; we just need to figure out a way to send out the signal,” Bion says as he looks over at Celmund, who nods.
“Ladies, I’m going to get a Keres here. Will you try to change him back?” Draco asks as he looks around the table. Alaia looks back at me with a question in her eyes, and I nod, which has her nodding and looking forward again.
“I’m able to revitalize animals and plant, but I’ve never tried with people,” Alaia says, which has Draco looking at her and then at Brielle.
“Bion, Caelius, and Celmund, when we have the Keres, I want you to work with the women to see what they can do,” Draco states. “The rest of us need to figure out what Vercin is up to. If he knows something, then I want to know what it is.” It’s the first time Draco has the women and men working together as a whole. He has asked the women for help before, but we haven’t necessarily worked together.
“If the women start to explore what they can do in pairs and maybe bring it to the group as they usually do, I think there is much more they haven’t even tapped into yet,” Cassius comments as he looks at Scarlett.
“This is exciting,” Nova comments with a grin, which has Ceric shaking his head in amusement.
“Let’s get to it, then,” Draco grunts as he walks out of the room. I look over at Wulf and see him frowning at Draco’s departure. Draco is on edge, something that worries all of us.
“What’s up?” Bjarni asks as he, too, looks at Wulf. Wulf looks around at everyone and shrugs, also standing. He pulls Jasmine up from her chair and guides her to where Orion is playing before kissing her on the lips lightly.
“I’ll speak to him,” he says before he also leaves the room. We have all found our mates except for Draco, and that worries us all, because he is the oldest of the Elementals, and there is no one stronger than him, but even with the strongest willpower, he has to fight his inner self constantly to not change.
“We need to find his mate,” I mumble, but it’s loud enough for all the other brothers to hear.
ALAIA 9
It has been two days since the meeting, and in those two days, we have all been looking at different ways of using our gifts. Even Sara has been helping; I’ve noticed some tension between her and Gunner and suspect that the two of them are attracted to each other but are fighting it for some reason. I’ve tried to ask her, but she says I’m imagining things, which clearly indicates to me that she’s not willing to speak about it yet. I’ve also asked Sara to keep checking on Joshua just to make sure he is fine and doesn’t try anything, like trying to take us out of here.
I know he doesn’t understand this connection I have with Caelius, but maybe one day, when we’re not still hiding from the Keres, I can explain the way I feel to him without telling him about what Caelius really is. The few days we have had together have been the most intense days I have ever had in my life; he is caring, understanding, and gentle. When he is close to me, I feel invincible.
“They have a Keres in the cell,” Brielle says as she walks into the kitchen where I’m having breakfast with Scarlett and Talia. “Are you ready to try what we have been planning?” Brielle and I have sat together and discussed our gifts and what we know we can do and what we might be able to still do. We decided that when they captured a Keres, we would try to help them and see until what point we are able to reverse their anger.
“Sure, if we can do this, it will be great. We must just make sure that Nova and Aria are ready to listen to his thoughts and persuade him to be calm until hopefully the others can find his mate or a solution to keeping him calm.” I never thought I would be doing something like this, much less working towards helping others. I stand and take my plate to the sink. Rinsing it out, I place it on the counter before I turn and make my way towards Brielle, who is talking to the other women. I wonder if we should call Caelius and Bion before we try to work with the Keres, but I’m sure there must be someone there by him.
“Shall we go?” I ask, which has all three women standing. I smile because I should have realized that they would want to be there to see what happens. We make our way to the cell area and find no one there except a man inside the cell. As soon as we enter, I can feel the evilness rising through the floor and up my legs. Nausea engulfs me with the hate this man carries within him. When he sees us, his face turns into a scowl and he growls like a captured animal.
“Hello,” Brielle says, but we don’t approach, as we know how unpredictable the Keres can be.
“I’m not a fucking monkey for you to come and appease your curiosity with,” he roars in anger as he charges against the bars. We all jump back in fright at his angry outburst.
“We’re not here to appease our curiosity. We want to help you,” Talia says, which has the guy snorting angrily and hitting the wall with an open palm.
“Help?” he says sarcastically. “Okay, if you are here to help, then why don’t you open this cell so I can get out and thank you personally.”
“Lie. If we open the door, you will try to kill all of us,” Scarlett says.
“Why did you become a Keres?” Talia asks with a raised brow.
“Why don’t you mind your fucking business? I don’t see how that has anything to do with you.”
“True,” Scarlett says, and looks at Talia with a shrug. It doesn’t look like we are going to be able to help him if he doesn’t calm. I squat down until I’m touching the ground and place my hands flat on the floor. I then close my eyes and ask the earth to surround him and calm him enough so that we can help him.
I then look up at Brielle. “Do you want to try to send some of your healing energy through my connection with the earth until he is calm enough for us to be able to touch?” At my question, Brielle leans forward and places her hands on my shoulders. I instantly feel her energy penetrating my being and filling me with warmth and calmness. A few seconds later, roots start spreading from the top of the cell, coming in through slight cracks in the rock. He still hasn’t seen them as he stands against the bars, glaring at us suspiciously.
They move quickly down the walls until they’re near enough to climb up his legs and hold him still. He starts to struggle and pulls a few loose, but they are moving too fast for him to be completely free, and soon, he is tied down and roaring in anger. He fights and screams, but to no use, as soon, he isn’t able to move at all, and after a few minutes, his breathing also calms. I once again close my eyes and start seeing myself helping him calm, helping him find his path back to himself.
This is something I have done before but only with animals. I have never done this with a human being, but according to the others, my gift would have expanded in different aspects after b
onding with Caelius, and the only way for me to find out how is to try it.
I see myself surrounded in a pink light, and then that light is flowing through my hands and towards the man in the cell. I imagine that light flowing up his legs until he is surrounded. I then feel my love surrounding him and comforting him. My eyes are looking at him, but I’m not seeing him. I am seeing the pink light comforting him, the light that will be filling his heart with love instead of hate, with hope instead of loss.
The hate and anger that he carries seeps deep into my bones. I feel the tears flowing down my cheeks at the despair I feel. “He’s draining them. I’m going to help, maybe call the others,” I hear Scarlett say as if from far away. I realize that this fury of his that we are trying to reverse into happiness is too deep. I can feel myself weakening and Brielle’s energy stuttering as she also tries to keep on healing him. Then I feel Scarlett’s hand touching me, a warmth enveloping me, and even though I don’t feel stronger, at least I don’t feel myself draining as quickly.
I don’t know how long we are like that. I can feel that I’m about to pass out, when I hear a commotion, and then a blast of energy fills me. Before I can pass out, I send the flux of energy towards the man, and then darkness surrounds me.
“Fuck,” I hear Cassius roar. “I’m going to kill that son of a bitch.”
Why is he so upset?
“Alaia!” Is that Caelius? His voice sounds rough, as if he’s having difficulty talking. And then I feel arms around me, and I know he has picked me up. Realization suddenly comes to me, and I struggle to open my eyes. When I do, I encounter Caelius’s chest. Turning my head slightly, I notice that Cassius is sitting on the floor with Scarlett on his lap. Bion is walking out the door with Brielle. All I see is his tense muscles. My eyes flicker up, and I see the anger in Caelius’s face.
Why are they all so angry?
“I need to persuade him before all of this was for nothing,” I hear Nova say.
“I don’t fucking like this, hellcat,” Ceric says.
“That’s too bad, as it has to be done,” she mutters, and then I see her walking closer to the cell, Ceric right next to her.
“Kitten?” My eyes flicker up to Caelius’s, and I see concern in them. “How are you feeling?” At his question, I realize how tired I’m feeling. My body and mind are completely exhausted. Usually I feel a little drained, but at the moment, I’m totally exhausted.
“Just tired, just need to rest,” I murmur, already snuggling into his arms.
“Why didn’t you call us?” he asks as he starts to make his way out of the cell area.
“Wait,” I grumble, and feel Caelius tense as he stops, a frown on his face. “We can’t leave. I might need to calm him.” He is shaking his head before I even finish talking.
“You’re not doing anything else or I’m going to kill him if you lose consciousness again,” Caelius grunts angrily.
“We need to make sure that it works or not. Otherwise, we will have to do it all over again.” I can feel how tense Caelius is and how his anger is vibrating through him. He turns and walks back into the cell area. I hear Nova talking to the Keres, and Aria is next to her. I know Nova is persuading the Keres to keep calm and Aria is listening to his thoughts to make sure that what we did is working.
“I don’t want you to do that shit again,” I hear Cassius arguing. “Keres are all lies. They will eat you alive if you let them.”
“I had to do something; Brielle and Alaia were fading fast,” Scarlett says as she leans against Cassius. I see the Keres shaking his head as he looks around. Nova has stopped talking, but Aria is still looking at him intently. I hope this has worked, because if it didn’t, I don’t know what else we can do.
Aria looks around until she finds me. “His thoughts aren’t as angry, but I don’t think he has changed yet.” I feel a knot in my stomach at the disappointment of not changing him. “We will have to try again.” At her words, the men all growl in anger just as Draco, Wulf, and Bjarni walk in.
“I’m taking it that the experiment didn’t work,” Draco says as he walks towards the cell.
“I didn’t say that. It worked, but there is still some anger in him.”
“Alaia, Brielle, and Scarlett were passed out,” Cassius mutters. “They are going to have to find another way because it clearly effects them.” Draco looks at Scarlett and then at me with a concerned look on his face.
“Are they okay?” he asks as he looks at Caelius, who nods, and then Cassius, who reluctantly nods too. “Is there another way?”
“I don’t know,” Aria says as she looks at Nova, and then her eyes snap to mine, as I’m sure she’s reading my mind. “Maybe there is.” She nods at me.
“I think that it didn’t work fully because our energy wasn’t combined. We were quickly drained, but when Scarlett joined us, I felt the strength that came through,” I murmur, my eyes fighting to close with my exhaustion.
“Do you want to try it again?” Draco asks me.
“Fuck, Draco,” Caelius grunts angrily, but I place my hand on his cheek as I look up at him. His eyes snap down to mine, and we stand like that for a few seconds before he nods.
“I think if all the women join forces, it will work; therefore, I think it will be worth trying it again,” I confirm as I see the other women nod in agreement.
“What happens with him?” Wulf asks as he inclines his head towards the Keres.
“Once we have a rest, we will try it again, but this time, with all the women,” I say as I lean my head back against Caelius’s shoulder and close my eyes.
“We need to decide what we are going to do if this works. We need a place to put them to see how long this process lasts, if it lasts any time at all,” Caelius says as he holds me closer to his chest.
“I’m calling a meeting with all the other chapters; this is something that everyone should be involved in, something that we need everyone’s help in accomplishing,” Draco states. “If this works with the Keres, we will throw a party where all the chapters are invited. It will then be decided where we will keep them and for how long.” At his low-pitched voice, I feel the darkness taking me, feeling the comfort of Caelius’s arms around me.
Even though I’m involved in something scary, in something I would have never imagined before, I feel more comfortable and more at peace than I have felt before.
CAELIUS 10
When I saw Alaia lying on the floor unconscious, I was ready to kill, but after two days of recuperating, they have decided to try again. The Keres, who now we know is called James, is calmer but still not an Elemental. The women have been keeping him in a daze and today will try to change him again. Bion and I will be there to make sure they don’t overdo it. Even though the others wanted to be there, the women insisted on it only being two of us. I know that the other brothers will be watching in the computer room to make sure their women are fine.
I don’t like the idea of Alaia draining herself for a Keres, but if it helps us find a way of helping all Elementals, I can’t stop it. Also, Alaia has confessed to me that she has never felt so useful as she does now, like she is doing what she was meant to do. I walk towards the bathroom where my kitten has just come out of the shower, my eyes running up and down her perfect body as she takes the towel and wraps it around herself.
Taking the couple steps necessary to reach her, I place my hands on her hips and pull her against me. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to this already?” I ask as I kiss her forehead, her unique fragrance enveloping me in a blanket of seduction. She raises her hand, stroking my cheek, her breasts rubbing against my chest.
“Well, it depends if you have anything on your mind that would change mine,” she teases, which has me as hard as steel in seconds. This woman can turn me on like a light in seconds and have me eating out of her hand with a single look. I place my hands under her perfect ass and lift her up. I walk to the sink and set her down while my hands lower down her legs as I lift the towel up.
“Fuck,” I grunt in annoyance. Alaia gasps in surprise, hurriedly lifting the towel around her. I’m going to hang whoever is at the door by their toes. The knock comes again, which has me tensing as I lift Alaia off the counter and onto the floor. Turning, I make my way to the bedroom door, closing the bathroom one on my way out. Yanking the door open, I find Nova standing on the other side with a big smile on her face. Ceric is leaning against the back wall, smirking. The asshole probably knows that they interrupted us.
“Are you guys ready?” Well, so much for hanging the person by their toes. I would never harm Nova or any of the women, for that matter.
“Alaia is just getting ready,” I say just as the bathroom door opens and Alaia walks out dressed in her jeans and T-shirt. She looks around, and when she finds her boots, she walks to them, picks them up, and then sits on the bed as she starts to put them on. Nova pushes me aside, and then she’s walking in.
“Hi, are you feeling up to it?” Nova asks, which has Alaia’s head snapping up in surprise, but then she smiles.
“Feeling much better,” she says, and then looks over Nova’s shoulder at me and winks, which instantly has my cock twitching in reaction. “I think today, with everyone’s cooperation, it will work.”
“I think your persuasion has helped with keeping him calm,” I say as I stand, ready to make my way to the cell where James is being held. “Let’s go. I’m curious to see if this works.”
CAELIUS: Elementals MC (book 9) (Elemental's MC) Page 7