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

by Christina Mobley

“Who are we going to call that won’t mind giving us a ride to an invisible island? We can’t trust anyone that does know about it.”

  “I have a better idea,” Caslan said as they walked back onto Aunt Avalene’s porch.

  “What?”

  He tilted his head, eyeing an approaching, extended-cab, truck. His eyes went dark and he held his hands up. The truck sputtered and stopped on the side of the road. The driver, a skinny young kid, got out and kicked the tire.

  They watched from the front yard as he walked around and opened the tailgate. Caslan took her hand and they walked over to the truck. The kid was struggling with a heavy-looking toolbox. He looked up as they approached and Caslan released her hand and walked to the back of the truck. “Looks like you’re having a little trouble there, Buddy. Here, let me give you a hand with that.” Caslan reached out and clapped the kid on the shoulder, then caught him when he started to fall. Brea was amazed, Caslan had knocked the kid out cold with one touch. He carried him to the truck cab and laid him across the back seat. Turning to Brea, he was quick to reassure her. “He’ll wake up after we get to where we need to be. He’ll be confused as hell, but otherwise fine,” he laughed. He motioned for her to get in, “Your chariot awaits, M’lady.” Brea shook her head and climbed in. The truck roared to life. Caslan put it in gear and hit the gas.

  …Ava…

  Ava was pacing. She’d been worrying herself sick for days now. Brea was still missing. Shawn was looking for her, but he’d had no luck so far. The plans for New Roots were moving along, but she still had no idea where the missing women were. She still didn’t know what was causing the problems with the weather. It could be the baby, or maybe that government group had found a way to use weather as a weapon. She needed answers. She couldn’t rest. She needed real answers. Leaving her room, she made her way to the one person she thought might be able to help her.

  Gale answered her knock on the door and looked concerned when she saw Ava. “Come on in, Honey. Are you alright?”

  Gale closed the door and pointed to a chair, “Sit, and tell me what brings you here.”

  Ava sat, then popped right back up again. She couldn’t be still. “Gale, I’m sorry to intrude on your privacy like this, but I need some answers and I think you might be able to provide them for me.”

  “You’re not intruding, Ava. Tell me how I can help.”

  “The scrolls. Do you know anything about the scrolls? Are they still here on the island?”

  “Who told you about the scrolls?” Gale asked. She was upset, but the only sign of her agitation was her tightly clasped hands.

  Ava sighed, “The diary. Ann Marie talks about them in her diary. She wrote that the scrolls contain the record of the past and the future. I need to know if any of the predictions ever came true.”

  “Honey, Nadia had those scrolls destroyed a long time ago.”

  “Are you sure that they were actually destroyed?”

  “I was there, Ava. I watched Nadia burn them.”

  …Brea…

  Brea pinched the bridge of her nose.

  “What’s wrong?” Caslan asked.

  “Just a headache. How long do you think they will keep the women there? Do you know if they’re planning to move them?

  “No, they’re being very cautious. Last night I noticed my father’s associates become very secretive about what their saying when I’m around.” Caslan looked back at the road and immediately slowed down.

  “What the hell?” he cursed under his breath and slowed down even more.

  Brea looked to see what Caslan was cursing about. There he was, standing right in the middle of the road. “He’s lost his mind,” was Brea’s first thought. “He’s standing in the middle of the Interstate, for God’s sake!”

  Shawn. Her heart beat faster. She clamped down on the immediate relief she felt when she saw him. He was the enemy now, he had to be if all that she’d learned was really true.

  “He’s crazy!” Caslan said as he slammed on the brakes to keep from plowing him over. The truck stopped just inches from him.

  Shawn didn’t even flinch. He walked around and yanked Brea’s door open. “Get in the car, Brea.”

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the truck.

  “Shawn?”

  Caslan got out and ran around the truck. His eyes darkened as he eyed Shawn, “Let her go, Shawn!”

  Shawn towered over Caslan and he was obviously not the least bit threatened by what he saw before him.

  They continued to stare at each other as traffic zoomed by them with horns blaring. Neither of them seemed to be worried about getting hit. The wind blasted a warning with each one that passed. Brea stumbled as a gust of wind caught her.

  “Brea!” Shawn shouted as he grabbed her and pulled her closer to him and away from the traffic.

  Caslan stepped closer, “Brea, come with me.”

  Shawn took a step towards Caslan. They were nose to nose now. “She’s not going anywhere with you, Caslan.”

  “Don’t push me.” Caslan’s jaw tightened.

  Shawn had that icy-hot thing going on that he did so well. Brea had seen the look he was giving Caslan only a couple of times, but she knew an eruption was imminent. “Brea, get in the car,” he said again without taking his eyes off Caslan.

  Caslan grabbed Brea’s hand, “Don’t listen to him, Brea.”

  Shawn turned towards her and the hard planes of his face softened, “Brea, please get in the car.”

  She let go of Caslan’s hand and faced Shawn. She reached up and slapped him as hard as she could. “You’re one of them, Shawn. You lied to me!” she accused.

  Shawn stared at her. The hurt in his eyes tore her apart, but she stood her ground. She took a deep breath and walked back to Caslan’s truck.

  Shawn wasn’t through with Caslan, though. He grabbed him by the shirt front and pulled him close, “If anything happens to her, Caslan, I’m going to kill you.” He shoved him away like he was a bothersome little gnat.

  Caslan almost lost his balance, then, getting his feet back under him, he grinned at Shawn and headed back to the truck.

  Brea watched Shawn get in his car. Spinning tires and a cloud of dust illustrated the depth of his anger. He didn’t usually lose control enough to give in to emotion. She knew he wouldn’t disappear. He would never leave her alone with Caslan. She looked at Caslan and leaned her head against the window. She’s only thought she had a headache before. Her head was really pounding now and she wasn’t sure if her nausea was from that, or the scene she had just been a part of. Either way, life sucked right at that moment. She closed her eyes as memories of Shawn played through her mind. Everything she knew about Shawn made it seem impossible for him to have committed such a betrayal. She just couldn’t seem to wrap her mind around it. Was it the truth? She needed answers and she needed them fast. Someone was lying, but who? She continued think about Shawn as the road carried them toward the boat house in Miami. Eventually, she fell asleep.

  Fire. She thought. The big fire ring. She was in the middle of it. A pile of dirt with a ring of fire around it. People danced all around her. “Why are they dancing?” The humming was so loud. She pulled her hands up to her ears. She saw him through the flames. Caslan. He was saying something to Shawn. Shawn shoved him away and ran toward the flames. Guards grabbed him and pulled him back. Caslan said something else to him. Brea tried to hear him but her ears were buzzing and then she saw Erie; the torturer. He was on the other side of the fire moving towards her. It looked as if he were going to walk through the fire but as he approached it, the flames parted for him. His eyes were white with power. Brea couldn’t move. She was frozen. Suddenly her head was snatched back. Someone had her hair and something had wrapped around her throat. It wasn’t a person. Shadows. She could see more of them moving towards her; they were everywhere. They forced her mouth open and Erie poured a sour liquid inside. She spit, but he poured more. She choked and felt like she was drowning as some of the fo
ul liquid made its way down her throat. She couldn’t see and her hearing was gone. She was surrounded by enemies in a dark, silent, place. Then it happened. Every memory she had suppressed came alive, they burst from her subconscious with uncontrolled fury. Soul shattering, painful. She had no weapons with which to protect herself, any measure she had used as a barrier to pain burned away in that moment and she was left defenseless. Her whole body shook as the sound of a belt snapping rang in her ears. She saw her mother’s hollow stare and watched helplessly as her mother turned her back as Buck beat her. It wasn’t the pain of the beating that tore her apart, it was her seeing her mother turn away. She whimpered.

  First her sight came back, and then her hearing. “Brea, can you hear me?”

  Erie stood in front of her, his blue eyes ice cold and haunting. “Fereaya Helousa” Everyone repeated it. “Fereaya Helousa.” Everyone in the room repeated it again. She tried to cover her ears, but she couldn’t move.

  Erie bent over her, still chanting, and, touching his thumbs together, he made a half-circle using his index fingers. He completed the circle, placing a finger on each of her temples. She felt her body relax. He grabbed her arm and she felt cold metal slice through her flesh. She was helpless to stop him. She felt no pain and was only slight alarmed when he lifted a small jar of liquid and started pouring it over the wound. “You won’t remember any of this,” he told her. After he finished, he let go of her arm and her head began to pound. She felt dark pain deep inside her soul. What could only be described as a sharp, electric, pulse shot through her whole body. Her nails dug into her palms as she tried to escape the pain.

  Everything went dark.

  “Brea.” Caslan’s voice echoed in her ear.

  Sharp pain screamed through her head as she opened her eyes. She looked around. She was with Caslan. He was shaking her.

  “Are you okay?” Caslan asked.

  “Yeah.” Brea glanced at him, the dream filtering through her mind in pieces. “Did I fall asleep?”

  “Yeah.” He looked where she was looking; Shawn’s vehicle was still in front of them. “We have to get rid of him.”

  “Good luck with that,” Brea said, still thinking about the dream. Shawn had tried to save her.

  “He wants to stop you from telling Ava that he and Bianca are working with the Waevern.”

  “He’s not going to go away, but I won’t let him stop us. He probably won’t even try. I know him.” Brea spoke quietly, hoping against hope that she was right.

  “Do you?” Caslan said, his tone clipped. He pulled in and parked at the boat house.

  “Yeah. I do.” Brea shook her head, “At least, I think I do,” she thought as they climbed out of the truck.

  Shawn walked towards her. “Brea, look at me.” He grabbed both of her hands. “Look in my eyes and tell me that you don’t trust me. You know I would never do anything to hurt you or Ava and Alec.”

  “Seriously, Shawn?” She looked up, meeting his eyes despite the warning bells in her head that said don’t get caught there. “What about Bianca?” she asked.

  Caslan turned, “Get your hands off of her, Shawn.”

  Shawn turned quickly, his eyes full of rage as he grabbed Caslan by the throat and slammed him to the ground.

  “Shawn, stop!” She screamed as Shawn reared back to hit him. Shawn looked at her, his knee on Caslan’s chest. He was shaking with anger.

  “Shawn. Please.” She grabbed his arm, “Please, don’t do this.”

  He looked at her and then got up. Caslan rose also, watching Shawn a little more carefully now. “What are you doing here, Brea?” Shawn asked.

  “We’re going to the island.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Caslan can help us get those missing women back. Ava wants to meet him.”

  “I can’t believe she would allow him to go to the island, Brea. He’s up to something, trying to trick you. You can’t trust him.”

  “I can’t trust you, Shawn!” She shifted so she could look into his eyes, “Are you really helping the Waevern?”

  Shawn’s face hardened. “Brea, please.” He took a deep breath, his large chest expanding as he did so. Her body instantly heated. She closed her eyes, exasperated with herself. How could she still want him?

  “Tell her, soldier boy. Tell her how you lied to her and to everyone else you know.”

  Shawn lunged towards him again. Wary now, Caslan danced just out of reach.

  Brea laid her hand on Shawn’s arm, “It’s true, isn’t it? You’re a Waevern Soldier.” She looked at him sadly, “You have to tell Ava the truth.”

  He turned toward her, “It’s not that simple, Brea, sometimes things aren’t what they seem. You know me. You know that I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, Alec, or Ava.”

  “I don’t know anything. You won’t tell me anything. All I get from you is that it’s complicated!”

  “I can’t!” He said, his voice so low she could barely hear him.

  “Sure you can.” Caslan smiled. “Go ahead, tough guy.” Caslan reached over and put his hand on Brea’s arm.

  Brea looked down at his hand then back at Shawn.

  Shawn lowered his brows. “Is that why you want to go to the island, Brea? So you can tell her that I’m a Waevern soldier?”

  “Yes, Shawn. That’s part of my reason for going to see her.”

  He stared at her, torture in his eyes, his sadness a palpable thing. “Okay, let’s go then.” He glared at Caslan and pulled the garage door open.

  Brea ran after him. “Is there a reason for not telling her, Shawn? If so, just tell me. Tell me the truth right here, right now.”

  “You don’t know how bad I wish I could tell you everything.” His eyes were dark with sadness.

  Brea held his gaze, refusing to let him off that easy, “You can, Shawn. All you have to do is talk to me.”

  “The boat’s ready.” Bianca walked into the room. “We don’t have time for all of this drama. Let’s go.”

  Neither looked away from the other. This was too important. “I’m just trying to protect you, Brea. Remember that,” he said, then turned and followed Bianca.

  Chapter Fifteen…

  …Ava…

  “You were there when she destroyed the scrolls?” Ava asked Gale, hoping that she had heard wrong.

  “I’ve been here longer than I’d like to admit. I was here when Nadia came to challenge Lilith Vangeretta.”

  “Wait, so she really did challenge her own aunt?”

  “Yes.” Gale sat down and gestured towards the chair next to hers. “Nadia had to. She didn’t really know her aunt. Lilith and her sister, Nadia’s mother, had a falling out years before Nadia was born. Many people thought she was wrong, but it was that or give up her magic. It was a terrible thing, but nature’s way. Lilith saw it that way too. Nature picked her niece to be the next. She fought hard, but the years had worn her down.”

  “She killed her,” Ava said shakily.

  Gale nodded, “Yes, she did. You were the first True Elementris to find a way to take your power without killing your opponent.”

  “You don’t think…,” Ava paused, almost scared to say it out loud, “You don’t think that might be why I’m having these troubles now, do you?”

  “No, child.” Gale smiled, “I believe it’s the way nature intended it.”

  “I’m not so sure nature is always right,” Ava muttered.

  “Nature can be cruel,” Gale agreed.

  “Yes, it can. I don’t think nature should pit aunt against niece, or mother against child.” Ava felt sick thinking about it.

  “Nature does that all the time. Look at the animal kingdom. Father’s fight sons for dominance; mothers compete with their children for food. Animals are different from us. They just accept it.”

  Ava shook her head, “Has everything from the scrolls come true?”

  Gale sighed, “Yes, so far events have unfolded just as the scrolls foretold.”

  “Do y
ou know what it said about me? Will I battle my own child?”

  “It didn’t say that. You will battle a True Elementris from the Stone line. Emmy or something.”

  “Emberlee Stone.” Ava said flatly.

  “Oh. You and Alec are married…your child.” She covered her mouth, “Your daughter will be…” She shook her head, “Is that the name you chose?”

  “Alec chose it.”

  “Does he know?”

  Ava shook her head and felt her shoulders shake as her eyes watered and her throat went dirt dry. “I can’t tell him. How will he ever love her if he knows that she might be the one to kill me?”

  “Oh, my dear child.” She patted Ava’s back, “Nothing is definite.”

  “You said that everything had come true so far!” Ava yelled, then shook her head contritely, “I’m sorry. I just...” she sniffed, “I have to find a way to stop this.”

  “That doesn’t mean that the future won’t change, Ava. It just means it hasn’t so far.”

  “I can’t control the weather. It has to be the baby and if it is, then she will be the next True Elementris. It must be true.”

  Gale looked shocked. She was shaking her head as if trying to convince herself. “No, it’s that horrible government group and the Waevern!”

  “There’s one more thing I need, Gale. Can you help me?” Ava finally said.

  “I’ll do what I can. What do you need?”

  “You were here when they burnt the scrolls so you must know about the rings. Where they’re hidden, I mean.”

  “The rings?”

  “The vine rings. Like the one Blake had.”

  She stood suddenly. “No, Ava, I can’t help you with that. You leave those rings right where they are.”

  “Why?” Ava demanded.

  “Those rings are dangerous. They were hidden for just that reason.”

  “You won’t tell me where they are?”

  “No,” Gale state firmly.

  Defeated, Ava walked towards the door.

  “Ava, wait.”

  Ava turned back.

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this. Nadia believed that one of the rings was buried under the statues. She thought about having them moved, but Minya talked her out of it. Something about dreams. I don’t know that that helps, but you have to promise me, unless there is no other option you will leave them where they are. Promise me.”