Cleansed by Water: The Nature Hunters Academy Series, Book 3

by Quinn Loftis

  Gabby paused as she slipped a dagger into her boot when she realized her hands were shaking. Her lungs were tight as she tried to take a deep breath, but no air came in. She stumbled back until her legs hit the bed, where she sat down. She was broken, too. Perhaps for different reasons than why you are broken. Shelly’s words played through Gabby’s mind over and over like a song on repeat. Every time she heard “broken” she felt as if she was being cut. “I’m not broken,” she whispered into the empty room. “I’m not effing broken.” Maybe if she said it enough, then it would be true. She snorted to herself. “Why don’t you feed yourself a little more shit, Gabs, since you seem to like the taste of it so much.” The fact that she was talking out loud to herself should have been a red flag indicating that if she wasn’t already broken, she was certainly nearing her breaking point. Why couldn’t she just be normal? Nausea rolled in her stomach as that thought brought back a memory she was usually able to keep locked away.

  “She’s not normal,” Gabby’s dad spat out as he stared down at her. She was sprawled across the floor of her bedroom looking up at his angry face. Gabby was clumsy, true, but that’s not how she ended up on her bedroom floor.

  Lewis Gellar had a bad habit of manhandling his daughter, and Gabby was constantly having to make up excuses for why she had bruises.

  “I’m not messing around, Vanessa,” Lewis said with a sniff. There was still white powder around the edge of his nose, but Gabby wasn’t about to point it out. She’d learned her lesson the last time she’d done that and could still feel the sting of his backhand.

  “She’s ten,” Vanessa—not quite a mother, but the woman who carried Gabby in her stomach for nine months—said. “No ten-year-old is normal. Just ignore her and come do another line with me.”

  “Yeah, Lewis, ignore me and go away.” It wasn’t the first time Gabby had wished that she had mind-control powers and could force her parents to do what she wanted or even what she needed.

  “Don’t come out of this room,” Lewis growled at her. “We’ve got people coming over, and we don’t need them focusing on you and your weird ass.”

  She didn’t say anything as he glared at her for a few seconds longer. Then he slammed her door. She stayed frozen on her floor, listening as he stomped away. When Gabby could no longer hear his footsteps, she finally took a breath and let it out. At least this time he’d only shoved her to the floor. There’d been no fists or feet, and for that, she was grateful.

  “I swear she gets weirder every damn day, V.” Her father’s voice carried through the thin walls of their mobile home. “Something’s wrong with her. I don’t like the way she looks or talks. Or hell, anything about her.”

  Gabby pulled her mind from the past and away from the people who had broken her. She lifted her hand, wiped away the few tears that had managed to escape while she’d been momentarily lost in her pain, and took a deep breath. Anyone who says words don’t hurt as much as physical pain has never had their parents say things like that about them. “There’s nothing wrong with me,” she murmured. Then she cleared her throat and said it again, louder, for good measure.

  When she was sure her hands were no longer shaking, Gabby stood and snatched up the backpack that she’d shoved full of warm clothes and a few more daggers. She slipped it over one shoulder and then glanced around her room. “Phone?” she muttered and patted her back pocket. “Check. Clothes? Check.” She patted her thigh and added, “Sharp, pointy things to stab people with? Check.” She walked briskly out of her dorm room and headed straight for Professor Frost’s office.

  Three knocks and a question later, Gabby stared at the grim smile on the professor’s face. “I will not let you switch teams,” Frost said in answer to Gabby’s hasty question. Gabby had known the answer before she’d ever even asked it, but she’d had to try.

  “I just think—” Gabby began but was cut off by Frost's raised hand.

  “Explain why you don’t want to be assigned to the team upon which Headmaster Terrick has placed you.”

  Gabby’s eyes widened. She hadn’t considered that Professor Frost might ask her the “why” of her request. That’s because she’d been distracted by that “why.”

  “I just think I’d do better on a different team,” Gabby answered lamely. The lameness of her answer was so apparent she was pretty sure she could hear the flies on the walls booing her.

  “I’ve known Terrick a long time,” said Frost. “And despite the misplaced animosity between our schools for the past decades, I trust his reasons for placing you exactly where you are. Now, let’s be done with it and get a move on.” She opened a portal and ushered Gabby through it without so much as a “Have a nice trip.”

  Half a minute later, Gabby found herself standing on the training field at Terra Academy feeling dumbfounded and unsure of herself. “Damn,” she muttered under her breath.

  “My sentiments exactly, every time I lay eyes on you.”

  Liam’s voice should have been like nails on a chalkboard. Instead, it was more like the sweetest love song. And that was just wrong. “Damn,” Gabby muttered again as she squeezed her eyes closed and tried to mentally prepare herself for being so close to him.

  “Open your eyes, beautiful,” he whispered. He was close enough she could feel his breath on her cheeks.

  Gabby obeyed and met his deep blue eyes swirling with white, like ocean surf, staring intently at her. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at him. He was just so damn attractive it literally took her breath away. And yes, she was completely aware of how romance-novel-ish that sounded. But it was the truth. Liam Nash was the epitome of manly beauty. Surfer boy good looks with charm and charisma to match. It was like all the ingredients for the perfect meal were laid out before her, and Gabby was suddenly starving.

  “You all right?” Liam asked her softly as he stepped even closer.

  There was an answer to that question, she was sure of it. Right?

  “Gabs?” he asked and ran his fingertips down her cheek.

  Too close.

  “Gabby?”

  Bloody hell. Had he gotten even closer? Gabby suddenly pressed her hands to his chest and pushed. He stumbled back, maybe half a foot, and frowned at her.

  “You’re too close,” she huffed out and noted that she sounded like she’d just run a couple of sprints.

  “I’m not bloody close enough,” he growled out as he moved with the fluid-like grace of the water he could wield and was right back in front of her a second later. He held her face in his firm hands, and his lips were only a couple inches from her own. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

  Gabby was too shocked at his reaction to shove him away again. He looked genuinely concerned about her.

  “Nothing is wrong,” she said. “I’m fine.”

  He looked back and forth between her eyes, his own narrowing on her. “If you’re fine, then I’m Rudolph.”

  “Where’d you leave your glowing nose?” she asked, her lips almost turning up into a grin as the thought of gorgeous Liam wearing a glowing red nose popped into her mind.

  His own sensual lips twitched as his eyes dropped to her mouth. “I only wear it for special occasions.”

  “And I’m not such an occasion?” Holy hell, did I just say that? Was she flirting? Gabby pinched her thigh to make sure that she was actually awake and hadn’t fallen asleep in her dorm room. Nope. Definitely awake.

  Liam’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second but then narrowed again and filled with heat. “Beautiful Gabby, you are more than an occasion. You’re a life event, and you deserve more than a damn glowing nose to celebrate.”

  It was the most convoluted and yet romantic thing anyone had ever said to her. “You could have just said you forgot it.” Yep. Wow, brilliant response. Someone, shoot me … now.

  Liam chuckled, and it was so sexy she nearly swooned. Like a girl. Gabby hadn’t been in his presence for ten minutes, and she already wanted to kick her own ass for her reaction to him.


  “I like you, Gabby,” he said as he tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear.

  “I have a feeling that has something to do with the fact that I have girl parts,” she said dryly.

  The smile fell from his face, and a rumble that sounded suspiciously like a growl came from him. “I definitely like your girl parts, but make no mistake, it’s more than that. If you walked away and another girl took your place standing there glaring at me, I wouldn’t give her a second glance. When I say I like you, I damn well mean I like you.”

  Gabby’s mouth dropped open. Once again, she saw a side of Liam that didn’t seem to come out often. The few times she’d been around him, he never seemed to stop playfully flirting. But now, he had suddenly turned serious. Apparently, he didn’t want his feelings toward her questioned.

  “We should probably join the rest of our group,” she said and pointed to the people she recognized as those Terrick had earlier singled out as their teammates. She didn’t give Liam a chance to respond. Instead, she turned quickly and began hoofing it over to them. Gabby could hear Liam walking just a step behind her and could feel his eyes on her back. She had no idea how she was going to survive being in his presence for … how long? However long it was going to take to save the freaking world, I guess. If she was being honest with herself, she was mostly worried she’d give in to his advances. Okay, so it was more than that. She was terrified that she’d throw herself at him and beg him to claim her. Claim her? Damn, what did she think he was, a freaking werewolf? She seriously needed to lay off the paranormal romance novels, like yesterday.

  When they reached their group, Liam stopped next to her. He was so close that his arm brushed hers. She started to step away from him, but suddenly his hand was on her lower back. He slipped it around until it rested on her hip. He pulled her against him and held her firmly.

  “Gabby, I didn’t know you were seeing anyone,” Professor Frost said as she stepped up into the circle of their team.

  “I’m not,” Gabby said at the same time that Liam said, “It’s new.”

  Gabby snapped her head around, tilting back to look up at him. Standing this close, she realized how tall he was. “It’s nothing,” she bit out through gritted teeth.

  “Is this why you wanted to switch teams?” Frost asked. “Are you worried your relationship with Liam will interfere with your task?”

  Liam’s brow rose as he stared down at her. His gaze was so intense she felt as if he was trying to see into her soul. “You wanted to switch teams? That’s hurtful, lovebug,” he purred.

  Gabby clenched her jaw and swallowed down the string of curse words she wanted to throw at him. “I am not your lovebug, and I’m sure you will recover.”

  “You’re definitely my lovebug, and I’ll recover fine after you show me you didn’t mean your cruel words by giving me a little loving.”

  Gabby didn’t even realize she had moved until she saw the blade of her dagger pressed to Liam’s throat. She heard a couple of gasps but ignored them. “The only loving you’re going to get is the kiss of my blade.”

  He growled, and it was definitely a growl this time. To her surprise, he leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. The movement caused her blade to break his skin, and a trickle of blood ran down his neck. “Bloody hell, female. If you were any sexier, I’d get kicked out of the academy for completely inappropriate public groping.”

  “It would most certainly be inappropriate to grope yourself in public,” Gabby whispered as she soaked in the heat from where his skin touched hers.

  Liam chuckled. “Sexy and funny. You’re the whole package, baby. You can pull every blade you have on me. Cut me a thousand times, and it won’t change how I feel about you.”

  “Perhaps it’s time we talk about our mission and where our team is going,” said a voice Gabby recognized as Zuri’s.

  Before Liam pulled back, he shifted his head, pressed his lips against her forehead, and whispered. “You’ll realize it soon. I’m yours and you, Gabby, are mine.”

  Chapter 6

  Ra held Shelly’s hand as they stepped through the portal onto the training fields of Terra Academy. They spotted Aviur immediately and headed in his direction. The fire king smiled, his eyes on Shelly.

  “As you pointed out,” Aviur said, “you do not have fire magic that can be joined with Ra’s. I am going to remedy that.”

  Ra looked at Shelly and nearly smiled at the shocked look on her face. “I’m going to be able to control fire? And heat up my food?”

  Aviur laughed as Ra shook his head at his mate. “I believe your priorities are a bit misplaced, beloved.”

  Aviur nodded. “I suppose that is one of the perks of being a fire elementalist.” He reached out his hand and placed it on her forehead.

  Ra wasn’t surprised when a surge of possessiveness and protectiveness rushed through him. He was beginning to realize he was a bit of a Neanderthal when it came to Shelly. He didn’t like others touching her, especially males. He also knew just how dangerous the fire king was, and that if he wanted to, he could wipe Shelly from the face of the earth in a second. Not that he would, but it was the fact that Ra wouldn’t be fast enough to save her if that happened.

  Shelly’s gasp yanked his mind away from the possessive train of thought. He watched as fire rushed down her body, starting at her head and ending at her feet. Aviur muttered something under his breath and then removed his hand.

  “It is done,” the fire king said. “Ra will be able to teach you how to wield your power, and you will learn to utilize it together. It will make you both stronger—a force to be reckoned with.”

  “Thank you,” Shelly said.

  “Yes,” Ra agreed. “Thank you. It means she will be able to protect herself when I cannot.”

  Aviur nodded and then said, “I promised you I would take you to see your parents. If you are ready, I’ve let your team know that you will be joining them after we visit your family.”

  Shelly looked over to Ra with wide eyes. “What will I tell them?”

  “The truth,” Ra said simply.

  “I will stay and help you explain,” Aviur said. “All will be well.”

  “Not to intrude,” Elias said as he stepped up beside Ra, “but, Tara needs to see her foster mom, too. Can we join you?”

  Aviur nodded. “Of course. Just let your team know that I will bring you to them later.”

  Ra felt Shelly’s hand on his arm and looked down at her. Her lips were trembling. He cupped her face and frowned. “What is wrong, Mery?”

  “Is it weird that I’m freaking out about seeing them, but I’m also excited because I honestly didn’t think I’d ever see them again?”

  “Why are you freaking out?” Ra asked. He ran his thumb back and forth across her cheek as he stared into her tear-filled eyes.

  “Because I’m about to tell them there’s this whole supernatural world they know nothing about, that I’ve been to hell and back, and that I’m basically married, only it’s even more permanent than marriage.”

  “Marriage isn’t permanent,” Ra pointed out. “I’m glad we are more than married. I could lose you if we were just married. I can’t lose you with our bond. You’re mine. Forever.”

  “Okay, could you not say things that make me want to molest you when I cannot act on my desires?” Shelly asked as heat filled her eyes, replacing the fear.

  “I’d rather see desire filling your eyes than fear and tears,” he said. He would never apologize for making her feel better.

  “You’re too sexy for your own good, Ra,” she murmured.

  A little of the worry began to leak back into her features. Ra raised his other hand to her face and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. He didn’t care that the fire king was standing mere feet away. He didn’t care that the entire training field was full of other warriors and professors. He wanted to taste his soul bonded, and he wanted to distract her. In his mind, it was a win-win.

  When Ra pulled away,
Shelly was breathing hard. She blinked slowly until her eyes completely opened, and she stared up at him in awe. “I love you,” Ra told her. “I will be right beside you. You’re not doing this alone.”

  A small, shy smile turned her lips up. “Thank you. I love you, too.”

  Elias and Tara walked up. “Shelly, you okay?” Tara asked.

  Shelly stepped back from Ra, and he dropped his hands but grabbed one of hers and entwined their fingers.

  “I’m good, Tara-bear,” Shelly assured her. “Just having a bit of a mini freak-out.”

  Tara smiled gently at her friend. “Those are completely understandable, considering everything you’ve gone through.”

  “I’m not sitting in a corner rocking and drooling. I think that deserves a cookie,” Shelly said, sounding more like herself.

  “Agreed,” Tara said.

  Aviur opened a portal and looked at their group. “Buffalo, Kentucky, correct?”

  Tara and Shelly both nodded at the same time.

  Ra tightened his grip on Shelly as they stepped through the portal, reminding her that he was beside her. He always would be.

  The first thing Shelly noticed as soon as her feet landed on the porch of her parent’s home was how cold it was. It was May … or maybe June? Crap, she didn’t even know anymore, but she knew it shouldn’t have been cold. This was confirmation things were indeed as bad as the royals had said.

  Shelly stepped up to the front door. The place didn’t feel as if it was her house anymore. Not now that she was with Ra. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. As her hand rose to knock, she paused just before her fist made contact.

  Her mind raced. She wondered how they would take the news of the supernatural world and the fact that she’d been in hell. Maybe she didn’t have to mention the hell part?