“I am.”
“That makes you the ninth one to break security this month alone. And for what? You Tärkein need to feel the elements close up and personal. Well, the fact that your house carries a drop of elemental essence doesn’t mean you get free reign to break protocol.”
My torso tightens with all-out rage. “What you don’t know about me is a lot.”
Maxon crosses his arms over his chest. “So, enlighten me.”
“That’ll take a while, buddy, and it’s time I don’t have. Look, all I need to know is where the closest humans are. Point me in the general direction and I’ll be out of your way.”
I need to hide out and get my head together, not deal with this yahoo.
“Answer the question first,” orders Maxon. “Who are you?”
“I’m a traveler. Sort of.”
“Great.” Maxon walks off in a huff.
Screw you, buddy.
A squat guy with white-blonde hair raises his hand. “I’m calling her. This one’s mine to fight.”
A warm sense of satisfaction rises up my chest. At least, this guy sees me as an opponent instead of a girl.
An ebony man-mountain replies. “You’re not calling her, Uther,” he says. “The girl is thrax.”
And we’re back to the g-word. Again.
“Hey, I’ll fight a thrax.” The Uther guy seems odd. That said, at least he’s acknowledging the fact that I exist as a real person.
“You heard Zee,” says Maxon. “Leave the girl alone already, Uth. She’s harmless.”
The girl? Again? And harmless? Waves of rage wash through my body.
My voice comes out low and angry. “Call me girl one more time and we’ll have trouble.”
At last, Maxon turns to face me. Every line on his face fairly screams ‘I can’t believe I have to deal with you right now.’ The fact that he’s all tall, burly, and manly-man hot is not lost on me. And I hate that about myself, really. It’s like Fisk all over again. Stupid hormones.
“News flash—you are a girl,” says Maxon. “And you’re alone in the middle of desert without permission. You Tärkein can’t sneak cloud-side every time the mood strikes you. Now, I don’t know how you got here, but you’re going back to Antrum before you get hurt.” He lets out an irritated groan. “There’s a transfer station nearby, we’ll take you there.”
I set my fists on my hips. “You’re not taking me anywhere.”
“Really?” asks Maxon. “What are we supposed to do with you, then?”
That did it.
I raise my pointer finger high. “I know exactly what you can do with me.”
He looks at me like I’m half crazy. Hell, maybe I am.
“What’s that?” he asks.
“Fight me.”
“Come again?”
“Hard of hearing, are we?”
I turn to mist and disappear, only to reappear right before him. Now, I have sea-green hair and matching eyes. Once again, moving blue light plays across my skin.
“I said, fight me.”
Maxon’s mouth falls open in shock and I have to admit, that’s a mighty satisfying sight, right there.
“You’re an elemental,” he whispers. “I’ve never met one before.”
No kidding. Elementals are experts at hiding. We’re like the unicorns of the after-realms.
“You guessed it, genius. I’m the Monarkki of Water.” A little exaggeration, since I haven’t been crowned yet. Still, Maxon doesn’t know the difference. I lean in closer, stopping only when our noses are inches apart. “So fight me.”
Some little part of me says I’m nuts, but a lot more of me doesn’t care.
I’m about to kick Prince Maxon’s ass.
Maxon
I blink hard. For fuck’s sake. This can’t be real. I blink again, just to be sure.
Yup, she’s still there.
A thrax girl stands in my way. Minutes ago, she climbed out of Charybdis. Then, she asked to fight me.
In her jeans.
With her Hello Kitty T-shirt.
After that, the chick turned blue. Skin, hair, eyes, everything. That’s some weird shit.
No way am I fighting her; I’d crush her like a bug. That said, there’s no denying that she’s crazy hot. And my body thinks so too, for once. Unfortunately, she’s also off limits. Banging anyone from the after-realms only gets the girl a guest spot on Royal Insider. When I was eighteen, that chick Nat even tried to sell them a sex tape. Now, I like my hook-ups human and oblivious. To mortal girls, I’m a one-night stand with lots of fun and no entanglements.
I shake my head. Fight me? Maybe I heard her wrong.
“Let me get this straight,” I say. “You’re thrax.”
“We covered this,” she says.
“House of Tärkein.”
“Covered that, too.”
“And you’re asking to fight me. That’s it, right?”
“No, you missed the big part. I’m also the Monarkki of Water and I’m not asking.”
Her skin flares a brighter shade of blue. Never seen anything like it.
This must be a spell. House of Striga, maybe? I’ve had girls from there pull a few nutty gags before. One snuck into my private chambers by conjuring herself to look like cousin Hildy. Next she climbed into my bed and tried to kiss me. That was disgusting.
The girl tilts her head. “Last chance.”
Uther waves his arms frantically. “I told you. It’s my turn, man! I’m calling her! I’m calling her!”
“Fine,” she says. Something that looks like an icicle sword appears in her right hand. “Let’s do this.”
Uther eyes the frozen weapon, his mouth quivering with shock. Immediately, he plunks his ass back onto his lawn chair. “On second thought, you can have this one, M.”
“That’s big of you, Uth.”
I slowly look this girl over from head to toe. She’s my type, all right. Tall, sporty, and blonde. Or at least, she was blonde until a few seconds ago. Why am I getting all defensive again? So, she’s trying to pull a scam. The ones who do that all have one goal in mind.
I shoot her my signature smile, the one that shows off my dimples. “You didn’t have to go through all this to get my attention, you know.”
She rolls her eyes. “Think a lot of ourselves, don’t we?”
“I’m not the one running a con to meet some guy.”
“You were warned.” She raises her ice sword. With a whoosh of movement, her weapon streams toward my chest. On reflex, my right arm blocks it. The icicle’s tip shatters against my dragon scales.
Okay, I didn’t see that coming.
“Watch out, Maxon!” calls Uther. “Your feet!”
A slow freeze has started creeping up my legs. Raising my arm, I conjure a lightning bolt. With a flash of brightness and the crack of thunder, it strikes the ground, smashing the ice around my limbs into bits.
I look at her more closely. It’s like I’m seeing her for the first time.
It must be true.
“You really are the Monarkki of Water.”
“You always this fast?” She throws a series of punches rapid fire, which I block just as quickly. I jut my right leg forward, ready to take her out at the ankles.
Before I can make contact, her body turns into liquid. One second, I’m looking at a version of this girl in different shades of blue. The next, everything about her—eyes, hair and robes—becomes clear water. With a splash, she turns into a puddle beneath my feet, only to retake her solid form again, only this time behind me. Her small foot gives me a huge kick in the ass.
I tumble face-first onto the ground. My brain stalls out. I fight demons, not elementals. I mean, who trains to fight someone who specializes in staying out of everybody’s way?
The girl wastes no time using my confusion to her advantage. A weight presses into my spine as she leaps on my back. After yanking my hands together, she creates a block of ice around my wrists, holding my arms in place. Another block tak
es shape around my ankles and tail. Weight lightens from my spine as she steps away. I hear her slapping her palms together.
“That was disappointingly easy, Maxon. Nice friends, too. They always stand around while you get your butt kicked?”
“I haven’t given them the go ahead.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I’m not done with you.”
Flexing my arms, legs, and tail, I burst through my icy bindings. Rolling onto my back, I summon my lightning power. A prison appears around her body, only instead of bars, this cell is made from long lightning bolts spaced closely together. It’ll take a long time for her water form to sieve through them. A feverish sense of satisfaction heats my skin.
Now, that should keep her in place.
The girl winks and turns into mist. Her transparent shape easily drifts through the lightning barrier. Once outside her prison, the girl solidifies again. She kicks at my chest with force, slamming me onto the desert floor. Next, she conjures five separate blocks of ice to hold down my hands, feet and tail. While I struggle to get out of them, the girl leaps onto my chest and straddles me. Her arms brace my shoulders while her hips align in just the right way.
Okay, that’s pretty hot.
Desire flares through my body. Her blue robes are now hiked up by her waist. That’s even hotter. My hands ache to touch her bare thighs.
On second thought, there’s no rush to break free here.
“I’d like you to stay put,” she says.
“I’m good with that.” My voice comes out a little husky. “You’re a fine warrior.”
“And you’re not too bad either, for a boy.”
I shoot her another award-winning smile. “You’re still mad about the girl thing.”
She shrugs. “I’m temperamental. Goes with being water.” She leans in so close I can smell her scent. Strawberry. Oh, man. I’m in trouble.
More heat runs through me. More urges to touch her, too. And the bottom half of my body armor only hides so much. It’s time to move. I slam my hands, feet, and tail onto the desert floor, smashing the ice around them. The movement sends the girl off balance, so I easily flip her over. She lands back-first against the sand. I hop upright, raise my arms high and summon a sheath of lightning to surround her. This time, the prison is semi-transparent and one hundred percent solid. She can’t turn into mist and slip through.
I kneel down beside her and our gazes lock. Her chest rises and falls as she pants for breath. I frown. This is a desert and she’s a water elemental. Gasping for breath means that I’m hurting her. Something inside my chest tightens. My eyes prickle with a feeling I don’t even know how to name. Suddenly, I can’t stand the thought of making her suffer.
This ends now.
“You were right,” I say. “I was acting like an ass. I’m sorry.” I wave my hand; her prison disappears. The girl hoists herself up onto her elbows. She keeps panting for air, which makes me feel like a dick.
I unclip a small canteen from my belt. “Want some water?”
She stares hungrily, but doesn’t move to take the canteen from me.
“What do they call you?” I ask.
“Call me?”
“Your name. I’m Maxon.”
“Oh, Lianna. I’m Lianna.”
I smile at her. A genuine one, this time. “That’s a good name.”
Nizam watches us from across the desert. “You all right over there?”
“In thrax sic hunt,” I reply.
“What’s that?” asks Lianna.
“Code phrase. Means I’m safe.” I move to sit beside her, resting my arms on my knees. I twist open the canteen and set it directly into her hands. My stomach jolts when our fingers brush. Her skin is warm and liquid smooth, even if it is blue.
More trouble.
“Here,” I say. “Please.”
“What is it?” she asks.
“Water. I may be an asshole, but I’m not that much of an asshole.”
Lianna inspects me carefully. “Possibly.” She sips once and then finishes the rest in one gulp. “Oh, that was good.”
“I’m glad.” I rise to my feet and wave the empty canteen at the guys. They toss me another. I follow the same routine. Sit down. Open the cap. Set it in her hands. Feel that sweet brush of her liquid-soft skin. My tail sways happily behind me. My Furor side seems to like her, too. Or at least, it’s happy not to be fighting her anymore.
“Thank you,” she says. This time, she drinks more slowly. “Much better.”
“What are you doing out here?” I ask.
“Looking for humans. There’s a city nearby, right?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
Okay, that’s a big fucking lie. There’s a little town about a mile from here. I’d tell her that, but then she’ll leave. For some reason, I’m not quite ready for that yet.
“Why do you need humans?” I ask.
“I don’t particularly. I need a place to get my head together. I’ve just come into my powers and life is…” She bobs her head from side to side, trying to find the word. “Complicated.”
“I know how that goes.” I laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “Why do you think humans will help?”
“I grew up cloud-side, so I know how to hide with human kind.”
“Hide from what, exactly?”
“Zephyr, the Monarkki of Air. He and I don’t get along.” She leans back, opens her beautiful blue mouth, and pours the last few drops from the canteen onto her pretty pink tongue.
Well, that’s about the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
My blood instantly heats. I rise to my feet, the better to mask what’s happening to the lower half of my body armor. I offer her my hand. “If you need to hide out, I can take you to Antrum for a night.”
“I’d feel safer with humans.”
Not safer in Antrum? Where has this girl been? That’s when it hits me. “You’ve never been to Antrum, have you?”
“Never.” A sweet blue blush crawls up her neck. “That must sound strange to you.”
“Not as much as you’d think. A lot of Tärkein live on Earth. Keeps them closer to the elements.” I shoot her another smile. “That settles it. You have to see Antrum at least once. And Zephyr won’t get to you there. No one gets past our security systems.”
She offers me a sly smile. “The Tärkein do.”
“They can escape easily enough. It’s getting back inside that’s the problem.”
Another lie, but a little one. I sneak back and forth all the time. As the High Prince, I’m a special case.
“Come on, what do you say? Want to visit?”
“Thanks,” she says slowly. “I’d like that.”
“Me too, beautiful.” For once, that isn’t a total line to get in her pants. Only partial. I extend my arm in her direction. “Need a hand up?”
She slips her palm onto mine. Something in my chest tightens again.
Oh, yeah. I’m definitely in trouble.
Lianna
Don’t look at him.
Don’t look at him.
Don’t look at him.
Crap, I looked. And Maxon caught me at it, too.
Smooth, Lianna. Really smooth.
I know I shouldn’t keep glancing at Maxon, but I can’t help it. I don’t meet a lot of hot guys, and my hormones want a peep show. What sucks is that Maxon’s probably another good-looking creep. I mean, what was that nonsense before? I nearly had to tear the guy’s head off for him to take me seriously. At least, he’s stopped calling me ‘girl.’
Still, I can’t stop stealing glances and making comparisons. While Fisk is handsome in a spare and elegant kind of way, Maxon is raw power. He’s got a few inches on Fisk and he’s broader, too, with all sorts of muscles that I didn’t even know existed. More than that, Maxon gives off a sense of coiled energy. The way he talks to the guys and they hang on his every word. How he carries himself like he can handle anything. I have to admit he’s magnetic, even if he is another
jerkoff.
He catches me staring. Again.
Can I be more of a loser?
“You okay?” he asks.
Look away, Lianna.
Look away.
Finally, I look away. Go me.
“Yup, I’m fine.”
“Need some more water?”
“No, thanks.” For the last few minutes, we’ve been marching toward the transfer station—‘we’ being Maxon, his buddies and me—and during that time, I’ve drained everyone’s canteens.
“What’s on your mind, then?” he asks.
“Nothing.”
He gives me a knowing smile. “You keep looking at me like it’s something, beautiful.”
I blush so hard, I feel it down to my toes. Does my blue skin now hide that kind of thing? It’s something to hope for.
“Well,” I tilt my head from side to side, trying to find the right words. “You’re not at all what I expected.”
“Oh, that.” He laughs, and it’s a low rumble that I like very much indeed. “Yeah, most people think I’ll be a charming little Prince.”
“Aren’t you?”
“I’m still charming, only now I charm demons out of their lives and to do that, I can’t prance around in a crown and watch my language.”
I smile. He’s got a sense of humor, too. We stare at each other until someone clears their throat.
It’s Uther.
“What’s up, Uth?” Maxon doesn’t break eye contact with me while he talks to his friend. For some reason, I can’t look away either.
“We’ve been standing here for five minutes,” says Uther.
I make an embarrassing noise that sounds something like “ack.” Five whole minutes? Now, I look away and fast. Suddenly, it’s very important to straighten the neckline of my blue monarkki robe.
“Right,” says Maxon. If he feels uncomfortable, he hides it like a pro. “We’re here.”
Sure enough, our little group is standing beside a tall gray rock, or it looks that way to humans. To thrax, it’s a small, round building made of poured concrete. The words ‘Pulpitum XXVII’ are carved outside in large letters.
Maxon waves to the guys. “Go on ahead. Lianna and I’ll go on to Antrum ourselves.”
Ty’s mouth falls open with surprise. “Striga has an enchanted hunting cottage. The cloaking spell there is impenetrable. I was talking to the guys. We all think she should stay there.”
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