The Elemental Collective: Volume One: An Elemental Paladins Spin-off Series

by Montana Ash

  Max was eyeing him with suspicion and not the excitement he had been aiming for. “Every time I’ve asked for a holiday with you, you’ve tried to turn it into a mission, and I always end up caving and saying I changed my mind because that is not my idea of a good time.”

  Ryker cringed. “I know. And I’m kind of sorry about that.”

  “Only kind of?” Max sputtered.

  Ryker shrugged, “Yeah, kind of. Because we were living in different times with the threat of chades trying to suck out your life force at every turn. But times are different now. We have an even bigger support group, no more evil entities – mostly,” he quickly amended, thinking of the few sick paladins that kept popping up. “And we have a literal goddess here who can hold down the fort.”

  Max contemplated his words for a moment. “A babymoon?” she asked again for clarification.

  “Yes,” Ryker confirmed.

  “Just the Order? Or should I expect a full chaden entourage on this relaxing getaway?” she then asked wryly.

  Ryker shook his head, starting to grin. “No Order. No entourage. Just you and me.”

  Max gaped at him. “Now I know you’re joking.”

  Ryker picked up Max’s hand, kissing the back of her knuckles. “I’m not joking, baby. We’ve never really had any time to ourselves. I figured it might be nice to be just the two of us before it becomes three of us.” To his dismay, Max burst into tears again. He patted her back helplessly. “Max?”

  “I’m sorry. I just –” she sniffed loudly, “I just would love that so much.”

  Ryker blew out a relieved breath. “So, is that a yes?”

  “Yes!’ Max shouted, grinning widely. “What were you thinking?”

  “Road trip,” Ryker stated.

  “Road trip? We’re going to have to stop every hour for me to pee,” Max warned.

  “I’m aware,” Ryker said, knowing that Max’s bladder was now the size of a pea apparently. She got up at least four times to pee during the night. “But it’s not like you can fly either.”

  “Where would we be roadtripping to?” Max asked, looking more and more excited.

  “The Blue Mountains. I know you love the ocean, but I figure it’s been a long time since you visited the mountains.” He paused, feeling uncertain. “Does that sound okay?”

  “That sounds absolutely perfect.” Max sighed, “I love the mountains.”

  “Perfect.” Ryker let out a pleased breath. “Now, come with me. We have a bunch to do today if we want to leave tomorrow morning.”

  Chapter Six

  Max was so excited! She hadn’t been anywhere other than an hour in either direction of where they lived since she had stumbled upon Dave’s just a couple of months shy of two years ago now. She hadn’t realised how long it had been, and how she had not paid much attention to the fact she was fairly well cooped-up. Sure, she had asked Ryker for a few trips here and there, but she hadn’t pursued them seriously because her idea of a romantic getaway with her guy did not include a dozen other armed individuals accompanying them. For someone who had spent a lifetime moving from place to place, her home now was the longest she had ever spent in one place. It was wonderful and it was a blessing, but now that the idea of getting away was in her head, she simply couldn’t shake it. She wanted the impromptu babymoon so badly. She was so focused on her thoughts as she stepped out of the back door, following where Ryker led, that she didn’t notice the crowd at first. She had no idea how that was possible, but the huge crowd was only brought to her attention when Ryker stopped abruptly in front of her.

  “Ryker, why did you stop?” Max trailed off, taking in the dozens of paladins, wardens, and chadens lined up along the beach. As well as her mother, Tanda, Tempus, and even Gaias. What was more bizarre was the hundreds of fairy lights sparkling in the back garden and forming an aisle of sorts onto the sand. She turned around to ask Ryker what the hell was going on – and damn near choked on her own spit when she found Ryker on bended knee.

  “Max,” Ryker began, lifting one of Max’s lax hands. “I love you. Will you marry me?”

  Such simple words, Max thought. I love you and will you marry me? No long flowery prose, no big poetic declaration. But those few words meant more to her than any sonnet possibly could. And of course, Ryker knows that, Max thought. Because Ryker knows me. He knows the direct route to my heart. And she knew the fastest way to his heart as well. So her answer, when she could finally speak, was simple and true. “Yes. I will marry you. I love you.”

  Ryker’s grin lit up his dark eyes and he pushed a ring onto her finger. Max gasped when she felt power rush up her arm. No, not power, she corrected. Spirit. Looking down, she saw a simple gold band holding a single stone in place. It looked like a white opal, with an opaque white background, slashed through with pinks, purples, oranges, greens and blues. It flashed with life every time the sun hit it and Max knew it was more than just a simple stone. “Where did you get this?” she asked.

  Ryker jumped to his feet, hugging her and murmuring into her neck. “I found it. When I was digging around Eden a few months ago. I showed Slate and he said opals are not endemic to this part of Australia but that he had no doubt that’s what it was. He also said it was no regular opal, but I have no idea what that means. I just know when I found it, it was destined to go on your finger. Slate agreed to set it for me. Do you like it?”

  Max pulled back, admiring the ring again. “It is beautiful. I can’t believe you found this!”

  Ryker shrugged, looking so happy and earnest, it made him look younger than his years. “It’s the only one I found and no one else mentioned finding anything more of the sort. Just one of those things, I guess.”

  “I guess,” Max agreed, shaking her head. She was about to kiss her new fiancé again when the presence of all those souls registered again. “Um, Ryker? What are all these people doing here?”

  Ryker smirked, “Well, you know that babymoon I mentioned? I figured we could call it a honeymoon as well.”

  Max thought for sure she was hearing things. “Honeymoon?”

  “Yep,” Ryker confirmed cheerily. “We’re getting married. Now.”

  Max looked into the full-length mirror and couldn’t believe the vision staring back at her. After Ryker had dropped his latest surprise, they had been overrun with congratulations, hugs, and kisses. Apparently, while Max had been crying her eyes out and questioning her relationship with her baby-daddy, Ryker had been arranging a flippin’ wedding. Eventually, her mother had managed to whisk her away and they had spent the better part of an hour in Max’s bedroom. Cali, Diana, and Celeste had gone to work on her hair and makeup, while Ivy and Jasminka had stood and offered commentary. They had both steadfastly denied any skill over such things and left the other three women to play. Max, being still somewhat stunned, had allowed them to do what they willed until her mother had returned from a quick jaunt to Otherworld. Dana had promised she would only be a few minutes – able to keep such promises now that she was no longer tied to the Triumvirate. When she had popped back in carrying what looked like a set of robes, Max had adamantly shaken her head. “Nope. No way.”

  “Hush. Trust me,” her mother had responded.

  Max had closed her eyes, pretending there weren’t six other women in the room when her mother magically stripped her naked, before tugging the voluminous folds of fabric over her head. Max had pointedly kept her eyes shut as six pairs of hands tugged and rearranged the robes, tying something around her ribcage, until they were all seemingly satisfied. Now, standing in front of the mirror, the only thing holding back her tears, was all the mascara her friends had put on her lashes. Max didn’t want to mess up the great job they did. But, oh, she looked like a bride. And it was the one thing she had never, not in her entire existence, ever thought she would be.

  The white robe was an all-in-one piece with holes for her head and arms. That should have made it look like a muumuu, but the gold braided rope high around her ribs, and under her br
easts gave the robe shape. It also allowed room for her pregnant belly, highlighting the perfectly round bump beautifully. The robe itself was not a simple white, but was threaded through with extremely fine threads of colour. Blues, pinks, greens, reds, purples, greys, and golds. Every colour of her Order was represented in the shimmery threads. They could only be seen when the light hit them just right, and they were subtle. But the overall effect was magical. And beautiful. “I look like a bride,” she finally voiced.

  “You do!” Cali exclaimed.

  “A very beautiful bride,” her mother said, coming to stand beside her. “I am so happy for you, my daughter.”

  Max hugged her mother hard, thanking her for all her sacrifices so Max could be exactly where she was now. Now that she was pregnant with her own child, she fully understood the depth of agony her mother must have felt when she had been locked away from her all those years. Max remembered her wilful arguments when she had been barely more than a child herself. She had been so sure of herself and her path. But she had been selfish, not caring about what would happen to her mother once she was gone. “I’m sorry.”

  Dana frowned, cupping Max’s cheek. “Why are you sorry?”

  Max couldn’t speak, instead she opened up her mind for her mother to see, only to receive a sharp tug on her expertly curled hair. “Ouch,” she yelped, reaching up to make sure everything was still in place.

  “That was for being silly. Max, you were right to leave when you did. Yes, it was hard – torturous even. But when I stop and think about how even one small deviation from your path would have changed this present, right here and right now … Well, it was worth it,” Dana ended with a small smile.

  Max looked at herself in the mirror one last time before smiling at her friends and family. “Definitely worth it.” They all stared, a little misty-eyed for a few more minutes before Max finally laughed, “Well, am I going to get married or what?”

  She was then rushed from the room amid lots of giggles, only to come to a shy stop when she found her father at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her. “Dad …”

  “Oh, Max, you look so beautiful,” Mordecai said.

  She threw herself into his arms and they shared their first, full-on hug, complete with a few tears. Pulling back, she told him, “Thank you for never giving up on finding me all those years. I didn’t know you were out there, I honestly never thought about it. But I am so glad a good portion of my stubbornness comes from you. I’m so glad, out of all of the men in the world, that you’re the one who is my father.”

  Mordecai sniffed once before clearing his throat. “You are very welcome. I am so glad, out of all the women in the world, that you’re the one who is my daughter.” Max laughed and accepted the elbow Mordecai held out for her. “I am here to walk you down the aisle,” he explained.

  Max nodded her head and allowed her father to lead her out the back door and down the aisle outlined in friends, family and fairy lights. It was only mid-afternoon, but with the clouds covering the sun, the lights were very pretty. Rounding the slight bend, she got her first eyeful of Ryker. He looked unbearably handsome in white linen slacks and a matching shirt with no buttons. In fact, it had a rather robe-like quality to it, almost like a tunic. Max didn’t care what it was called. All she knew was that he looked damn sexy in it. And he was wearing it as he married her. Because they were getting married. Max’s steps faltered and she wondered why she couldn’t draw enough breath into her lungs. Before she completely freaked out and embarrassed herself, Zombie jumped up against her, butting his head under hers and licking her face. It wasn’t exactly hard for him to do now, given he was almost the size of a Great Dane and she was barefoot. Laughing, she looked into his bi-coloured eyes, feeling the unconditional love he had for her – as well as the confidence. She patted his head in thanks and continued her journey, gripping Ryker’s hand painfully tight when she reached him.

  Tempus was standing next to Ryker and he winked at her. “I hope you do not mind me officiating. I promise, it’s all very legal.”

  Max laughed, knowing nothing could be more official than Father Time marrying you. “I would love that, Uncle Tempus,” she replied, reminding him of their affectionate relationship. As much as Dana had broken the rules all those years ago, Tempus and Tanda had still loved Max and were true uncles in her eyes. It was another reason why she was not too afraid for her daughter – because she trusted her Uncle Tanda unconditionally.

  Ryker pulled her in as close as the baby allowed, wrapping his arms around her waist and locking his hands in the small of her back. He bent down to kiss her sweetly on the lips, whispering, “You take my breath away.”

  Max’s breath shuddered out, “You take mine away,” she whispered back.

  And then Tempus began. The ceremony was a mixture of a traditional human wedding as well as a handfasting. Max loved the part where she and Ryker placed coloured ribbons over their interlocked hands as they spoke words and promises special to them and their growing family. It had been even better when each and every one of her paladins, along with Jazz, her mother and father, had also stepped up to tie ribbons and add their own hopes, well-wishes and promises.

  What jolted Max was when Tempus asked her to place her ring on Ryker’s finger. “I don’t –” she began, only to be gently nudged by Slate of all people. Looking down at his open palm, she saw a perfectly smooth, white opal ring, streaked through with the same riot of colours as her own stone. Picking it up, she felt the power – and the protection – that were forged into the very atoms of the stone. The ring appeared to have no beginning and no end – there was no obvious join. Max knew without being told that Slate had fashioned the ring by hand using his domain.

  “Thank you,” she told Slate sincerely, before turning and pushing the ring onto Ryker’s finger. Ryker then did the same to her with her ring, grinning as they seemed to flash magically in the light.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Tempus declared.

  And just like that, Max thought, I’m married. All other thoughts were lost however, under the onslaught of Ryker’s mouth against her own. She gave herself up to the promises and the passion of her new husband, feeling nothing but joy.

  Chapter Seven

  Ryker grunted as he lifted Max and carried her over the threshold of their rental property. He knew it was a human tradition, but he had gotten a kick out of the idea and had surprised Max by sweeping her into his arms as soon as she unlocked the door. He was experiencing second thoughts now though, as his back protested to carrying Max and the added weight of the baby. Who knew pregnant women could weigh so much? he thought, wisely shutting down their mental connection first. Taking a quick look around, he saw a dark brown leather lounge in the living area and quickly deposited his wife there.

  “Do you need more time in the gym? Maybe more time on the mats?” Max teased, smiling up at him.

  Ryker mock growled, “Quiet, you.” Then he kissed her. A lot.

  “Mmm-mmm,” Max murmured, licking her lips when they parted. “Are we really not going to have sex on our honeymoon? We already didn’t have sex on our wedding night.”

  “Max …” he warned.

  Max pouted, “Fine. You’re lucky I have a healthy body image. Otherwise a girl might get a complex thinking she was no longer desirable to her man now that she’s pregnant.”

  Ryker looked at her askance. She was looking particularly lovely in a long maternity dress with skinny little straps and some kind of cute half-sized cardigan over the top that tied up in a knot just under her generous breasts. Not only was her fabulous cleavage on display, but her baby bump was accentuated. She had happy, healthy colour in her cheeks and to cap it all off, she was wearing his wedding ring. He had never seen a more beautiful sight in all of his life. She had never been more appealing to him. He wanted very much to make love to her, all night long, but he also had read that orgasms could bring on labour. And with only four weeks until her due date and them being so far
from home, there was no way he was taking chances.

  “Gods, you are so adorable,” Max said abruptly, smooshing his cheeks.

  “I am not adorable,” Ryker grumbled, realising his wife had been reading his mind. It didn’t really bother him. At least she knew how much he wanted her.

  Max smiled, eyes going soft. “I do know. You love me very much.”

  “So much,” Ryker promised. He kissed her one last time before patting her stomach. “And I love my little ray of sunshine too. Now, shall we explore? Are you too tired? We can just chill out on the lounge for the rest of the evening.”

  “Explore! At least in here. It is super cute. I can’t believe we get to stay here a whole week,” Max exclaimed, hopping up and exploring their accommodation.

  Ryker smiled, looking around for himself. He had rented a converted barn overlooking the Megalong Valley in the Blue Mountains. They were still in New South Wales, about four-and-a-half hours drive from their home. At least, it should have taken that long, Ryker amended. Instead, it had taken closer to seven hours and it was now close to five in the evening. Max had been correct with her prediction – lots of pee stops. But Ryker didn’t mind. He was on his honeymoon. With his wife. Max’s chuckle caught his attention and he focused on her.

  “How often are you going to refer to me as your wife?”

  Ryker didn’t reply at first, he was too busy taking in her flushed cheeks with her solo dimple and her sparkling eyes, alight with happiness and love. When Max smirked at him, he cleared his throat and answered, “As many times as I can reasonably work it into a sentence for the foreseeable future.”

  Max sighed happily before heading from the small kitchenette off the living room into what he assumed was the bedroom. “I don’t blame you. I love thinking of you as my husband as well.” She startled him by laughing loudly from the other room. “Especially considering when I woke up yesterday morning I wasn’t even engaged.”