Intangible

by DelSheree Gladden

  Mason pulls his hands back to his chest and starts unzipping his jacket. I want to do the opposite, but I don’t say anything until he drops his jacket on the ground and reaches for the hem of his sweatshirt. My lips part to tell him he’s being crazy, but the sight of Mason’s bare torso steals all my words away.

  The last time I saw Mason shirtless was the morning he first kissed me. I was stunned by his beauty and magnetic pull then, but now… I feel like one of those stupid girls in an insipid teen romance movie. I take a step toward him without thinking. Mason has always been fit, but I find myself staring blatantly as he drops his sweatshirt to the ground. Fit does not even begin to describe Mason. Sculpted is definitely more accurate. I can’t stop myself from touching his chest, which makes Mason jump.

  Clearly more focused on the excitement of throwing his power around than my reaction, Mason seems startled to find me hovering next to him looking like I can’t remember my own name. His confused expression startles me into speaking. “What… are you doing?” I finally manage to ask. “You’re going to freeze!”

  For some reason, Mason winks at me. “No I’m not,” he says. “It helps to be able to feel more of the air on my skin.” He grins, then, and steals a quick kiss. “Watch this!”

  Mason spins away from me, facing the storm full on through a gap in the trees. Arms outstretched, he lets the wind and rain rake over his body. He truly looks like he’s enjoying standing in the middle of a storm at two in the morning. I can only shake my head and shiver as I watched him revel.

  For several minutes, I wonder what exactly I am supposed to be watching. It’s Mason’s birthmark that wakes me up. Given that Mason isn’t prone to wandering around shirtless—something I’m now thinking I should encourage—I’ve never seen his birthmark when he’s using his power. I doubt he has any clue that the patchy brown mark is beginning to glow. I wrinkle my nose as I focus in on the mark. A waving branch momentarily blocks the moonlight and I realize, the mark isn’t glowing, it’s turning silver like Mason’s eyes.

  Now, a captive audience, my eyes don’t leave Mason as he works to build his power. I quickly realize he is affecting the wind and rain around him. Instead of the blasts of wind buffeting him like they are me, they wrap around his body and seemingly disappear when they cross his chest as he gathers them. His arms slowly pull together. As they do, the wind and rain flying at him dart through the trees and bare branches as though they are rushing into his embrace.

  I step carefully as I walk around to the side of Mason, unable to resist my curiosity any longer. As Mason’s hands come into view, I gasp in amazement. The little ball of air I am used to seeing him work with has transformed into a massive globe of spinning wind, rain, and sparks of static electricity. Any doubt that Mason is an Aerling god disappears as I stare. It’s magnificent.

  And dangerous.

  I cry out in shock as the globe of energy flings straight out of his hands and explodes against a tree. Shards of wood shoot through the air like bullets. I scream and duck, knowing my jacket won’t do much to stop them from biting into me, and cringe in anticipation of the pain. A few seconds later, I blink in surprise when I’m not impaled by bits of exploded tree, and look up.

  The sight of Mason standing in front of me, protecting me, would be enough to put me as ease normally. My arms go limp as I stare at the shield of solid air shining in front of us both. Mason is half ducked, half holding up the shield, with his eyes closed in concentration. I take a hesitant step toward him, but he doesn’t move or make any sign of hearing me. I take a few more steps and touch his shoulder gently.

  Mason blinks and the shield fizzles out. He pats me down frantically, searching for any sign injury. I’m too shocked to enjoy it at the moment. I stare at him and demand, “When did you learn how to do that?”

  The silver in Mason’s eyes blazes again. “The thing with the tree or the shield?”

  “Either! Both, I mean.”

  Giddy, Mason says eagerly, “The tree… I’ve been playing around with the idea and practicing it in smaller scale tests for days, but I had to have a night like tonight to really test it out.”

  “And the shield?” I ask.

  Mason shrugs. “Just kind of happened. I didn’t really expect the tree to explode like it did. I had to do something to protect you and that was all I could think to do.” His expression turns serious suddenly. “I’m sorry, Olivia. I didn’t mean to put you in danger like that.”

  I sigh, not wanting to admit how shaken I am by that display. Don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely in awe of what Mason can do. I’d just like a little more warning next time. Not to mention a safer place to stand. I wrap my arms around myself and say, “It’s okay, but can we finally agree you passed the power test?”

  Mason grins. “I’ll agree to that, but I’ve still got two more for tonight.”

  Even as much as the exploding tree scared me, I have to admit, I want to see more. A grin creeps onto my lips as I step back. “Which test next?”

  Shaking water off his bare arms, Mason looks up at the sky. “How about weather? I’m done getting drenched, and I’m sure you are too.”

  I nod emphatically. Bring on the end to the storm!

  “Maybe step back a little,” Mason says, “just in case.”

  I don’t argue.

  Mason doesn’t turn away from me this time, but he does close his eyes. This time, the influence of his power is seen much more quickly. The wind stops whipping around his body almost instantly. I hold my breath as I wait to see what will happen next. Hopefully there will be no blasts this time, but I’m not so sure what we’re in for as I watch Mason begin churning the air around him. When it starts to look like a mini tornado, I take another step back.

  Thankfully, the spiral of air doesn’t start careening around the riverbank. It goes up, instead. Mason’s hands move slowly as he guides the column of air upward into the clouds. It’s like a dance, one that is delicate and graceful while still showing the sheer power behind it. I am mesmerized as the column moves higher and higher.

  I don’t know what I expect to happen next. I’m just hoping for less torrential downpour. My neck is now craned upward, watching the spinning air finally touch the lowest hanging clouds. When they do, the spiral seems to uncoil, sweeping the clouds and rain outward and away from us.

  Right away, the rain stops above Mason. I’m about to turn into an icicle, so I risk getting in the way and crowd into his storm-free zone. Mason’s eyes never open, but he must sense me near him because his lips turn up playfully. “I’m not done yet,” he whispers.

  Another column of air shoots upward from his hands. This one doesn’t stop at the clouds, but instead races far, far above us. I’m not sure what the purpose of this new airstream was, but I wait excitedly to find out. Apparently done with what he needed to do, Mason moves behind me and pulls me against his chest. A moment later, the rain still falling around us crystallizes, freezing in its path momentarily before continuing on as snowflakes drifting toward the ground lazily.

  I gasp in surprise. “How did you do that?”

  Pride shines in Mason’s eyes almost as bright as his enjoyment. “The second airstream I sent up went above the clouds and pulled down air from higher up where it’s much, much colder.”

  I shiver at the mention of colder and Mason frowns. Clearly, he wasn’t joking when he said being out in this weather wasn’t going to hurt him. Perk of being an Aerling weather god, I suppose. He does finally notice how cold and wet I am, though. I expect him to suggest we head home, but instead, he cups one hand in front of his mouth and breathes out slowly, intensely focused on something.

  A strange buzzing noise fills our little patch of freedom from the storm. I’m not sure what’s happening until the air around us begins to warm. I smile as I realize all he had to do was get the air particles moving fast enough to generate heat. I wish I had thought to ask for this sooner. Steam rises off our bodies as we dry. I’m sure it doesn’t look
nearly as enticing coming of my soggy jacket and limp hair, but I am thoroughly distracted by the steam curling off Mason’s bare shoulders and chest.

  I don’t think I would have been able to stop from losing myself in Mason completely if not for the Caretaker Officer stepping into view. He doesn’t motion for us to leave, but he clearly looks agitated. My lips part to tell Mason the time for testing may be over, but before I can say anything, a huge wall of water leaps up from the river. Throwing my arms around Mason, I duck down and selfishly hope he’ll take the brunt of the wave.

  Mason’s chest rumbles against me as he laughs. “I’m not going to drown you,” he says. “I just got you dried off.”

  Feeling foolish, and just a little bit irritated, I lift my head and peer at a display of power that blows away everything else Mason has done tonight. My jaw hanging open in amazement makes Mason laugh. He leans down and kisses the curve of my neck. “Do you like it?”

  I want to tell him that it’s amazing, but the words won’t come. The ribbons of water swirling around our bodies makes me feel like I am standing in the center of a Fabergé egg. The intricate patterns created in the water by the whorls of air guiding it are breathtaking.

  “It’s not a tidal wave …” Mason begins.

  “It’s better, so much better,” I say. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”

  Mason presses me closer. “Then you do like it?”

  “I love it,” I say as I turn in his arms. When I look into his eyes, the ache I see dulls the silver around his pupils. The agitated Caretaker Officer I saw just before Mason created this breathtaking sanctuary returns to my mind and my body tenses. “Mason, what’s wrong?”

  “I saw Hayden kiss you today,” Mason says quietly.

  The beauty surrounding us vanishes from my thoughts as I suddenly feel weak and scared. “Mason, it wasn’t …”

  He cuts me off with a shake of his head. “I know,” he says as he trails his fingers down my cheek. “I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. I came in looking for you and saw the two of you sitting there so seriously. I knew it was a private conversation, but I didn’t walk away. I heard what you both said before he kissed you, so I understood why.”

  “Mason, I’m so sorry.”

  Smiling gently, Mason brushes his lips against my skin. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m not mad… or hurt even.”

  “Then what?” I ask, more confused than ever.

  “I just …” Mason’s eyebrows pull together as he struggles to find the words he needs. It takes him a moment before his eyes drop and his lips part. “I like Hayden, more than I ever thought I would. He’s a good person, and he loves you.”

  Fear bubbles up in my chest and I shake my head against the possibility of Mason releasing me. “Mason,” I whisper, “you’re the one I want. You can’t …”

  “No, no, no,” Mason says frantically, “that’s not what I was trying to say. I would never willingly give you up.”

  “Then what?” I demand.

  The corner of Mason’s mouth twitches. “If you can’t go with me, or if… if I die, don’t …”

  My eyes widen as I wait for him to finish his thought, even though I’m sure I don’t really want to hear it.

  “Hayden told me what you went through after I left.”

  My head drops in shame as I think of Hayden telling him how I almost fell apart, gave up on school and was a few steps short of crawling into a hole to become a hermit. Mason doesn’t pressure me to meet his eyes, but he finishes what he needs to say.

  “If you can’t come with me, you have to promise me that you’ll keep going and build a life without me.”

  “With… Hayden?” I say, stumbling over the words.

  Mason’s mouth quirks up just a little. “If I have to know you’re with someone besides me, I’d rather it be him than anyone else, but I just want to know you’ll be happy, Ollie. I don’t think I can bear going home otherwise. Please promise me you will be.”

  I hate talking about this. I hate even thinking about it! I don’t want to consider the possibility that Mason and I won’t be together always. Just thinking about it brings back the time I spent wallowing in self-pity and hiding from everything and everyone. As those memories flood into my mind, I finally see myself as Hayden did.

  Never before have I been so ashamed of myself. I cringe to think of how weak I was in the face of having to live my life without my best friend there to buoy me up. Deep down, I knew I was stronger than that, but I refused to show it until Hayden forced me to. Going back to that place isn’t an option. I never want to find myself so low and utterly dependent on someone else for happiness.

  I want to go with Mason more than anything. I am terrified of what we may find when we get to his world, but I know I am brave enough to face those dangers if it means staying with Mason.

  I realize now that I am also brave enough to face life without him if I absolutely must.

  My movements are slow and reluctant as I finally meet his eyes. The words stick in my throat, because saying them is admitting I may lose him forever in two days. Not saying them is selfish, though, and I can’t bear causing Mason pain. My lips part and I say not only what he needs to hear, but what I need to hear as well.

  “I promise.”

  Mason’s victory is bittersweet. He takes in my promise with a strained smile. “Thank you.”

  Curling against his chest, I don’t say anything else. I want the possibility of separating to vanish into the storm. I stare out at the ribbons of air and water still swirling around us and wish everything could be so perfect.

  “I’m going to be able to come with you,” I say firmly.

  Mason pulls my chin up. His lips are curved upward in a confident smile. “I know you are. Just covering my bases.”

  His lips banish the heaviness from my heart the moment they touch mine. Hope plants itself deep inside of me as I kiss him back. I can’t lose him. I have to find a way to save his life and go with him. I know the danger doesn’t stop there, and I know that our differences may not fit into the ideal life I imagine us having, but I don’t care. I kiss him again, drinking in his body and soul alike. The familiar hum of his power wraps around my soul and I gasp at how right it feels.

  Looking up into Mason’s brilliant eyes, I see and feel now what I couldn’t before. The fluidity of his power and body wash over me like waves. I am the rocks on the shore they break against, accepting their caress, wishing I could dissolve under their touch and be swept away.

  “Olivia,” Mason gasps.

  The fear in his voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I pull back as he pushes his hands between us. A small yelp escapes my lips at the sight of Mason’s hands fading out of existence. It only lasts a moment before his hands and fingers return to normal, but we are both shaken by what just happened. We look at each other for some kind of explanation, but anything we might have said is buried beneath my scream as a hand bursts through the water and grabs my shoulder.

  The ribbons of air and water crash to the ground only to be replaced by an invisible hand clamping down around my attacker’s neck. A choking growl slips past the stranglehold and Mason and I both gasp. The sight of a Caretaker Officer gasping for breath makes Mason drop his power away instantly.

  “I’m so sorry,” Mason says.

  Drawing in a huge breath, the officer straightens. “It’s time to leave.” He coughs and squares his shoulders. “Three Sentinels have been watching you for the past hour. One more just arrived and they don’t seem content with watching anymore. Get in the car.”

  We obey instantly. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen or heard of Sentinels hanging around, but they’ve yet to attempt an attack. I silently wonder what prompted them to make a move, but I answer my own question a moment later.

  Power.

  None of us ever really believed we had duped the Sentinels into thinking Mason was human, but we hoped the slim line of doubt they couldn’t dispel would hold them off. That
doubt is now gone after seeing what Mason can do, and I expect so is their patience.

  Chapter 31

  Purpose

  (Mason)

  “Are you sure this is safe?” Molly asks quietly as she slips her arms into her jacket.

  To be honest, I have no idea, but I don’t tell Molly that. The Sentinels are poised to attack after what they saw last night. None of us are allowed to leave the house without an armed escort. There are now three police cruisers watching our house.

  Leaving the house is a risk, to say the least, but one I have to take at this point.

  “Molly, my birthday is in two days, and Olivia and I haven’t been able to recreate what happened at the river yet. Robin isn’t helping much, but she’s still hell bent on coming with me and won’t stop badgering me to come up with a plan. We’re out of time.”

  Tucking her bottom lip between her teeth, she eyes me warily. “But Robin’s parents …”

  “Who else are we supposed to ask? Robin’s grandma has been doing poorly lately, so she’s out, and we haven’t heard from the Parkers yet.”

  “I don’t think we should trust them,” Molly says. She takes my hand and scrunches in close to me as we wait for our guard.

  I nudge her with my arm. “That’s why I’m taking you with me. Time to turn on your wicked lie detector skills,” I say with a smile.

  That finally gets Molly to stop frowning down at her toes. She looks up at me, grinning a devilish little grin. “I like being a lie detector.” Her grin widens. “Do I get to say when she’s lying? It’s fun to watch people’s faces when I do that.”

  I choke back a laugh and say, “Maybe a signal would be better.”

  Molly pouts a bit, but is distracted a moment later when Olivia comes bounding down the stairs. The worries crowding into my mind dissipate as Olivia wraps her arms around me. My lips go right to the curve of her neck, her favorite spot to be kissed. She sighs and tightens her grip on me.