Elementris, Exposure, Eruption Box set: The Vangeretta Curse Series

by Christina Mobley

“Lymp is a she,” he carefully took her from her spot inside his jacket and laid her down on the table. “Where the hell were you?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  He ran his hand carefully along Lymp’s injured wing, and Lyssa felt a strange vibration in the air as the bird began to chirp happily.

  “Can you fix the wing?”

  “I can help her heal it,” he said, tearing a small strip of fabric from his t-shirt, “if the damage isn’t too bad.”

  “I feel so much better today. Thank you for all that last night.” Lyssa moved away, thinking maybe she could avoid answering any questions about where she had been while he was busy. She should have known better.

  “This is serious,” he said, as he worked to wrap the bird’s small wing. “I’m here to help you, Lyssa.” He finished wrapping the bird’s wing and carefully set her on the sofa. “I can’t do that if I don’t know where you are.”

  “Is Lymp going to be okay?”

  “Yeah,” he looked back at the bird, distracted for a moment, and then, satisfied that Lymp was okay, and no longer willing to be distracted, he said, “This ain’t no damn game, Lyssa. This is your life. You have no idea what kind of monsters are out there. Don’t you get it? Every dog has a few flea’s, but you, you’re just crawling with them.”

  “Did you just say I have fleas?! What are you talking about?”

  “It means that you have some problems, more than most do. I’m trying to protect you and you go flying off the handle every five minutes jumping from one mud hole to the next.”

  “Don’t lie,” Lyssa stepped forward and looked up at him, “You’re not here to protect me from some invisible evil. You’re here to make sure I don’t screw up,” she pushed his chest with all her might, not doing anywhere near the damage she had hoped to. “You’re here to make sure I don’t expose your precious island. You don’t give a crap about me.”

  “I do. Why do you think I do what I do? I care about all of those born of the Element and I seem to have developed a very strong need to protect you personally.” He pulled her close, “If you will just quit being stump-headed and let me!”

  Lyssa looked up and clasped his shirt in her fingers; her heart suddenly pounding. A wonderful heat washed over her whole body as she looked into his dark, angry, eyes.

  She caught her breath as he leaned towards her and touched her hair with the tips of his fingers, “I understand why you did what you did, but you’ve got to stop fighting me and let me take care of you.” He let his fingers brush through her dark hair and then he leaned in and slowly touched his lips to hers.

  Lyssa’s lips tingled with warmth and breathing became almost impossible as she responded to his kiss. She let her eyes close as his other hand slipped around her waist and pulled her against him. He teasingly nipped her bottom lip with his and then rested his forehead against hers as he tried to resist another taste. Lyssa leaned into him, her will nowhere near as strong as his and gave in to her own temptation. Their lips slowly danced over each other, tasting and exploring. She felt her legs weaken and his grip tightened around her, and then…he pushed her back.

  Lyssa stumbled back and shook her head, “What the…,” she stepped closer, “What’s wrong?”

  “That.” He shook his head. “That was wrong. You’re too young and I was sent here to protect you.” He moved away from her, carefully collected his bird, and left.

  Lyssa stared after him; the burn of his kiss was still flickering on her raw lips. She pressed them together and smiled.

  Thomas avoided her most of the night. He stood silently by the window and only spoke when spoken to. Lyssa went to sleep after tossing back and forth uncomfortably for hours.

  The next morning she woke to his curt, “Get up!”

  Lyssa sprang straight up and looked back and forth. There was no one else in the room, only Thomas standing over her, “Get out of bed.”

  “Why, what’s wrong?”

  “We gotta go,” he said and picked up a small leather bag he had fashioned for Lymp.

  Lyssa was tired and she wanted nothing more than to sink back into her bed and go back to sleep. Thomas looked very insistent, though. She glanced wistfully at her pillow, then got up and went into the bathroom to get dressed.

  After only a few minutes Thomas was knocking on the door. “Hurry up.”

  Lyssa swung open the bathroom door, “What’s the big rush?”

  “Just tighten up,” he said.

  Lyssa groaned and hurried after him.

  Outside, the morning sunrise was creating golden patterns all over the ground as it cast its light through the trees. Lyssa climbed on the bike and wrapped her arms around Thomas’ waist. “Where are we going, anyway?”

  He turned the key to start the bike, “To the island.” He squeezed the throttle, leaving the house behind.

  She was a little excited to be going back to the island, its beauty and magic had not left her mind since she was there. She tucked herself in closer against him as they hit the edge of a rainstorm; hiding her face against his back to avoid the needle-like sting of the drops. The bike sent a spray of water out behind them as they rode. They arrived at a little marina on the coast four hours, and two storms, later.

  Thomas climbed off and pulled out his cell phone. He pressed it to his ear and turned his back to Lyssa, “We’re here. Where’s the boat?” he asked. “Okay,” he answered and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

  Lyssa wondered why Thomas had been so quiet. “Why are we going to the island?”

  He walked ahead of her, ignoring her question.

  She hurried after him and grabbed his shirt, “Thomas?”

  He whirled around, “They want to talk to us.”

  “Us? Why?”

  “I don’t know. It’s probably for the best that we’re going back anyway!”

  “What are you talking about? What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Yesterday!” He lowered his voice, “The kiss.”

  “Are you serious?” She looked up at him, cocking her head to one side, “It was just a kiss. What’s the big deal?” She paused and butterflies floated into her stomach. What if they were taking Thomas back? Lyssa thought about the kiss and looked deep into his chocolate eyes. She felt her face flush. “You don’t think they are reassigning you back to the island permanently, do you?”

  “No telling.” He turned away from her. “It’s possible. It would probably be better if they did.”

  “So, you want to be reassigned? You’re going to just leave me?”

  “I can’t be around you, Lyssa. I’m too old for you, and besides that I’m supposed to be here to protect you and now…,” he stopped, staring down at her. “Now I’m not sure I can protect you from me, much less anyone else. I don’t know what they’re bringing us in for, but if they do reassign me I’ll make sure they don’t leave you to face a dangerous situation on your own. I don’t want to go back, but I need to.” He looked away and took a deep breath. As he blew it out he whispered, “I can’t keep you safe if I’m distracted by my feelings for you.”

  He stared into her eyes.

  Her heart beat hard against her chest as she looked at Thomas and saw the genuine pain and uncertainty revealed in his dark eyes.

  She wanted to comfort him and make that uncertainty go away. She wanted him to want to be with her, no matter the consequences.

  “There’s the boat.” He said, turning away from her.

  Her heart squeezed and felt like it would break in two as he walked away.

  …Ava…

  Brea whispered under her breath as they walked through the castle, “That’s crazy about Nisca, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah,” Ava smiled as she passed one of the visiting Elementris' and her daughter. “We shouldn’t talk about it unless we’re sure no one can hear us though.”

  “Oh yeah, right,” she pretended to zip her lips and lock them with a key.

  Vincent came up behind them, “Queen V
angeretta?”

  Ava jumped and turned around, “Yes?”

  “We need to speak with you in the council room immediately.” He took a step back. After yesterday’s little incident, she couldn’t blame him.

  “Okay,” she nodded.

  “I’m going to go get some grub,” Brea rubbed her stomach, “I’ll catch up with you after you’re done.”

  “Save some for me! I’ll come find you when we’re done here,” Ava said as she followed Vincent to the council room. When he opened the door, she saw that the other council members were already present and seated around the table. “Good afternoon,” she said with a smile. Their returned greetings were subdued, worry etched their faces.

  Vincent took his seat and, as usual, was the first to speak. “We are having a lot of trouble finding a new Keeper for Lyssa. No one wants to risk being exposed. Her being in the media has many in the Element community nervous.”

  “There has to be someone,” Ava said as she leaned forward to grab the file in front of her.

  The council member next to her, Edward, slapped his hand down on it. “Don’t look at that yet!”

  Ava snatched her hand back, shocked, “Why?”

  “That’s why,” Vincent cleared his throat, “we wanted to talk to you. It may be near impossible to assign a new Keeper for Lyssa or the others in her circle.”

  “Why?”

  “We found her Keeper.”

  “You did? Where was she?”

  “She was…,” Vincent shook his head and started over, “She’s dead. She was found in her home this morning. As far as where she was before, we are still trying to put together the details.”

  “How? We checked the house, right?” Ava felt tears well in her eyes, she hadn’t known Shelby Ross, but all the same she hated to hear of one of her family dying. “How did she die?”

  “The local paper will say she had an aneurism, but after examining the body we are quite sure she was sacrificed. We found a thin line down her left arm and a trace of Blackstone powder in her hair along with a few other substances the Waevern use for their spells.”

  Ava felt her hand shake suddenly at the memory of Blackstone powder; Troy tricking her into using it, and the broken look that had been in Brea’s eyes after her mother was hospitalized. The only good that had come from that time in their lives was that Brea’s stepfather, Buck, was no longer around to torment Brea and her mother. They were all better off now. Brea’s mother had even found the courage to help other women stuck in abusive relationships by working at a women’s center. Ava looked up, trying to bring her mind back to the situation at hand.

  “What are we going to do?”

  Vincent pointed at the file, “We will continue the investigation, but because of the nervousness of those born of the Element, the council feels that we need to take the opportunity to show that we have everything under control. We have arranged to have Shelby’s body transported here so she can be given an Elementris burial ceremony. She has no family and we will make the records reflect that she was cremated. We believe this would be a perfect opportunity for you to address the current problems and to reassure everyone at the same time.”

  Ava nodded, feeling nervous about what she would say. “How can I reassure everyone when I could use some reassuring myself?”

  “We will prepare a speech for you and hopefully everyone will be back in good spirits for the festival. This year we want to do a grand celebration since it’s also the one year anniversary of your crowning,” Vincent continued.

  “And her birthday,” said Gale, the oldest member of the council, as she smiled at Ava across the table.

  “Yes; and her birthday.” Vincent said. “In the meantime we have to keep searching for a Keeper for Lyssa and the others in her circle. Our hope is that after hearing you speak, someone will come forward.”

  “Okay,” Ava said.

  “Also,” Vincent stood up and picked up the file on the table, “there is a drought in Albany. I know it’s in your daily report and that you’re still getting used to feeling what needs to be taken care of when and where, but I took the liberty of putting a reminder on your desk.”

  “We know,” Gale said sweetly, “that you have a lot going on and a lot to get used to. We are here to help you though. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to let us know.”

  “Yes, do that,” Vincent said in a stark tone. “Oh, and there is one last thing that must be taken care of immediately. You have to make a decision about Blake Sanders today. We can keep him longer, but his family may get suspicious.”

  “Okay.” Ava stood up, glaring at Vincent. She was so tired of him trying to run her over. She had to keep the elements, and her temper, under control. She can just hear it now; “The True Elementris can’t control her element. She killed a council member.” “Yeah, that would not be good.” Feeling overwhelmed, she walked out of the room. She knew what she had to do.

  Exiting the castle, she walked down to the beach by the Brooden. She still remembered the day she’d stood outside with Aunt Avalene staring at the raven cloud in the pink sky. She had to share the news of Shelby’s death with the others born of the Element and then arrange her burial ceremony. She stood on the beach and closed her eyes. Calling spirit was like a natural instinct. The words on her lips didn’t even make sense to her. They were more of a group of low sounds than words. She felt the spirit element wrap around her, and heard the cry of the bird before she opened her eyes. It landed right in the palm of her hand. The raven’s black feathers glimmered in the sun light. She continued to hold onto the spirit Element as she softly closed her hands around the bird. She bent low and then stood suddenly, tossing the raven into the air. Its wings caught the wind and it carried the bird up to the sky. Right before her eyes the black bird turned into a faint mist and soon after a large raven-shaped cloud was floating in the now pink sky announcing the death of one of the Element.

  …Lyssa…

  Thomas was quiet and distant once they were in the boat. She watched him as they sped across the ocean. She wasn’t sure what she thought about the kiss she’d shared with Thomas, but there was one thing she was sure of, she didn’t want to lose him, not yet. She needed more time to get to know him. She had to find a way to make him understand, quick. “I’m not a little girl! Why does he act like I am?! Why does he have to be so honorable and stubborn?” she thought. She stood carefully and moved closer so she could talk to him.

  He watched her as she took the seat next to him.

  Lyssa felt her heartbeat speed slightly. She was quiet for a moment, gripping the seat with both hands, “Thomas?”

  He looked at her, his eyes haunted.

  She swallowed hard, “What if they do reassign you? What if this is the last time we ever see each other?”

  He stared up at her for a moment and looked away, “Then it is.”

  She reached out and gripped his arm, “You don’t really feel that way.” she paused, “I saw it in your eyes. I felt it when you kissed me, Thomas.” She had to give it one more try, “Would you kiss me again, Thomas?” She felt her face heat.

  He looked up at her intently. His look blocked out everything around them.

  Yep, there it was. He had one hell of an effect on her. She felt her blood heat and begin to pulse through her veins and there was that deep woozy feeling she tended to get when Thomas’ dark eyes met hers.

  He grabbed her and pinned her between himself and the steering wheel. He was looking directly into her eyes, which caused an immediate acceleration in her breathing, and then he cut the power to the boat.

  Lyssa’s body tensed as his eyes held hers captive. The warmth of his body against hers was causing what felt like hundreds of little fires to race throughout her body in response. She felt her arms tense at her sides. This had to be the biggest rush she had ever felt. Tiny raindrops began to patter across the boat as they stared at each other, and for one moment she wondered if they were putting off little puffs of ste
am when they hit her. She didn’t know what she wanted, but she needed him to kiss her, bad. His eyes dropped to her lips and just as he moved in to finally give her what she wanted, a clap of thunder sounded and the storm began in earnest. He instantly tensed.

  “No,” he said simply, and stepped back from her, breathing hard. Disappointed, she slowly moved out of the way so that Thomas could restart the boat as the sky grew darker and the previously calm ocean began to get angry. She sank silently down in the seat next to his as he began to maneuver the boat through the storm.

  As they approached the island, the storm calmed and turned into a warm fog that quickly evaporated over the calming waves. Soon, the immense beauty of the island appeared before them, seeming just as beautifully shocking as the first time she had seen it.

  Thomas looked at her, his eyes still reflecting his need. He didn’t act on it though, he just sighed and looked towards the island.

  “I don’t want to go through this without you, Thomas.”

  He studied her for a moment, “I was sent to protect you, Lyssa. That means something to me. This ain’t right and I can’t help but feel I’m taking advantage of you. You’re young and…”

  “And what?”

  “And you’re going through a lot right now.” He pulled up to the boat dock, “Besides, I couldn’t live with myself if I let something happen to you. I can’t concentrate when I’m around you, especially now.” He stepped past her and tied the boat off, “You comin’?”

  “No,” she said, pouting a little, but mostly just sad. “I’ll just sit here and wait for them to send me back with some stranger.”

  “If that’s what they called us in for, I’ll make sure they send somebody I trust.”

  “Yeah, I have to have a good babysitter, huh?” She looked down, then lifted her gaze to his, “You’re only two years older than me you know.”

  “Three,” he said looking down.

  “Two, my birthday is next month. I will be seventeen in one month. You’re nineteen. Two years. It’s not the age, Thomas. What is it? Is there somebody else?”