by Janelle Peel
My brow furrowed as I filled in the missing pieces. Everything was all my fault. Both men adored Bex. Losing her was akin to cutting off a limb. My voice cracked, “I’m so sorry.”
Grimly, he nodded, “What’s done is done. I don’t blame you, Nat. Things have been difficult, sure… but I shouldn’t have-”
A group of college kids pulled up, cutting off his sentence. Loudly, they slammed their doors and cat called to one another.
I didn’t want to do this here. Not with so many people. “Can we go somewhere? Do you have a place nearby?”
His lips curled, “Yes. Do you want to follow me? It’s only a few miles away.”
Bex
Nat’s nervous smile repeated on an unending loop inside my mind long after her departure. She was so anxious, I had to pack her bag myself.
Sitting on the front porch of the mansion, I beamed like an idiot. Her happiness was infectious. She wanted to wait before letting anyone else know of her decision, with the exception of Sora and Blaze. I agreed, this was her business.
The full Moon shone in all her glory high above the clear sky. Her call was too strong to ignore. Deciding a run was in order, I quickly shucked my clothes. Shifting in a flash of silver and blue light, four white paws touched down on the freshly dewed grass.
An owl hooted overhead as I turned at the perimeter fence for another circuit. A strange scent whispered on the breeze; drawing my stride to a standstill. Breathing in short puffs, my olfactory senses identified the smell of a recently discharged gun, and the spicy undertone of cloves.
Instantly, my hackles rose. Someone was out there.
Pretending nonchalance, I began searching for the source.
Kane
Putting his truck in park, he wondered at all the possible reasons for Nat’s arrival. If someone was in trouble, she’d surely have led with that.
He dared to hope… Had she finally made a decision?
It’d been almost eleven months since he’d seen her. After her twenty-first birthday party, she’d retreated back inside her shell.
Mel had insisted that they both leave for a short while.
His Wolf rebelled at the thought of abandoning their Mate, but had eventually come around. She wasn’t ready to choose, and they would not push her.
Looking up at the large house he’d painstakingly built, he could only pray she’d be pleased. After all, he designed it for her.
Two stories high, the sprawling home boasted eight bedrooms and nine baths. The exterior was a neutral shade of beige. Spanish clay tiles covered the roof and wrap around porch. The plot of land was a steal and provided plenty of room for his Pack to run.
The sound of her door slamming drew his attention.
Her ebony hair trailed behind her like a shimmering flag. Jade and gold, her eyes glowed briefly as she took in the desert style landscape.
His gaze skipped down the swell of her breasts and curve of one hip.
Clearing her throat, she smirked, “Are you going to invite me in?”
Ears pinking, he gestured to the door, “Welcome home.” Her brow furrowed as he quickly tacked on, “My home. Welcome to my home.”
Rolling one shoulder, she padded silently up the steps in knee high leather boots.
He was struck stupid for a moment as he took in the absolute perfection of her body. Pleasure coated the deep bass of his voice, “It’s open.”
Gooseflesh broke out along her bared arms in response. Jerking a nod, she placed one delicate hand on the handle and stepped inside.
Home, he berated himself. Good one, Kane. Real smooth.
“Did you buy this place?” She asked, panning the room.
“No, actually. I purchased the land and built it.”
She froze, “You? Here? Why?”
Shit, she didn’t like it. His mask slid into place, “Why not?”
Turning, her expression shone with hesitation, “You’re so close… I thought you’d be long gone by now. Especially after…”
“Nat!” Justine screamed, barreling toward them like a freight train. The Mage nearly bowled Nat over with her enthusiastic hug. Pulling back to arm’s length, she squealed, “It is you! Oh, thank the Goddess! It’s been ages! Kane’s been an insufferable ass to live with.”
Nat flared her nostrils skeptically, “Has he, now?”
“Oh yes. He designed this home for you. Once it was finished, he’s just been sulking about like an asshole and barking orders.” She shook her head, “But, now you’re here. Are you staying? Please say you’re staying.”
Panic coursed through him, “Justine!”
Tossing her sandy blond ponytail over one shoulder, she gave him a fake smile, “Yes, Alpha?”
Gritting his teeth, he growled, “Leave us.”
Haughtily, she kissed Nat’s cheek.
His chest rumbled as his Wolf struggled for control, MINE!
Ignoring them both, she gave her another hug, “Find me later, okay?”
Blushing, Nat mumbled, “Sure.”
Justine turned on the heel of one sneaker and gave him the eye. Her meaning was clear. He’d better not fuck this up.
As she retreated upstairs, he stormed across the tiled floor to the bar in the corner, “Drink?”
Quietly, she made her way over and perched on a stool, “Please.”
Knowing her taste for whiskey, and needing a drink himself, he poured two shots.
Lifting her glass in salute, she patiently waited for him to do the same.
Mirroring her with a clink, he threw back the amber liquid.
“I’ve know what I want,” she whispered as he swallowed.
Sputtering, the liquor choked in his throat. Eyes burning, he hacked, “You do?”
Kai
The beautiful white Wolf moved soundlessly over the grass. The slope of her belly placed her as female. Inhaling, the scent of fresh spring water met his nose.
Delightful…
His power pinged this location for a Water Fae, but much to his surprise, he’d found only a Wolf. Snorting in the breeze, her blue eyes glowed as she attempted to pierce the darkness.
High up in a eucalyptus tree, he shook out his auburn feathers to gage her reaction.
Swiveling one ear, she zeroed in on his location. Faster than he could track, a stunning young woman stood where the large predator had been. The chilly air instantly hardened the rosy peaks of her breasts to sharp points.
His beak opened and closed in shock at her nude state.
A growl rumbled from her chest, “I know you’re there. Come out.”
Spreading his wings, he soared to the ground. Shifting midair, the soft tread of his loafers crunched on the dried grass as he touched down.
Crossing her arms, she sneered, “What the hell are you doing here, and how the fuck did you keep your clothes for a shift?”
Her blunt reply threw him for a loop.
Storming to the chain link, she mocked, “Do you not speak English?”
“I speak English just fine, Miss…?”
“Bex, asshole. Drop the Miss, you aren’t fooling anyone.”
This one was smart. Interesting. Nodding, he bent at the waist and answered, “Kai.”
Furrowing her brow, sarcasm laced her words, “Kai. Great. Nice to meet you. What the fuck are you doing here?”
Smirking at her flustered state, he took a step closer. When that didn’t elicit a response, he followed with another.
Blue and silver flames raced along her skin; lighting her face in an ethereal glow, “Far enough, Kai.”
Lifting a hand, he reached out to touch the fence. Brilliant white light flashed; scorching his fingers and flinging his body backward with a massive concussion of magic. His ears rang as he bounced twice on the ground and hit a pile of sage brush.
The soft notes of her laughter sounded as he struggled to disentangle himself. Ripping his shirt in the process, he finally broke free.
“Couldn’t you sense the ward?”
&
nbsp; Standing, he dusted off his pants, “Ward?”
Gripping her sides, she sobered, “Yeah, the thing you just hit. I warned you. Better move along, Kai. Our Mistress is due any moment, and she doesn’t take kindly to trespassers.”
“Who is trespassing? I simply came to speak with the Elemental residing here.”
Sora
“Damnit, Blaze! Drive faster! It was the ward! Someone is at our home!” The pinch and subsequent drain of power were telltale signs. Movie night had been cut short as we raced through the crowd of partygoers.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t just run people over.
Swerving around a group parading in the street, he bit out, “Call Mason.”
Fuck how I wished Jackson and Viv were home. Mel stumbled upon a strange magical anomaly in Mexico, and they were busy assisting him to locate the cause. Cooper joined them shortly thereafter, and we were awaiting the results.
Waking the screen, I dialed the lead Protector.
He answered almost immediately, “Yes, Mistress?”
“Northern perimeter. The ward has been breached. Find the cause, and report back immediately.”
“On it,” he replied.
Disconnecting, my hand clenched the plastic casing so hard it creaked, “What if it’s Lila? Or Bex? Where the fuck is Nat?”
Blaze dodged another idiot wandering down the middle of the road.
Unclenching my fingers, I scrolled through the contacts as the phone rang. Nat’s picture popped up. Swiping the green accept button, I screamed, “What the hell is happening?”
“I don’t know! I’m in Santee. What is going on?”
My voice pitched to a shrill, “What? Where’s Bex?”
“She’s not answering, Sora. We’re already on the way. We’ll be there in ten minutes.” A growl rumbled distantly through the speaker as she tacked on, “Five.”
“Who the fuck is we?”
“Kane,” she answered. “I’ll call you when we get there.”
The line clicked. She hung up.
Bex
My magic extinguished with the shock of his words. Pretending ignorance, I asked, “What is that?”
Dipping the square line of his chin, his body lit with a ruby glow. The aqua rim of his iris pulsed with a red circle. His brown hair lightened to a ginger hue. Curling at the edges, he shook his head once to reveal the point of one ear.
I froze. He was Fae.
As if in slow motion, his hand rose. His lips moved, but I could hear no sound. A stream of fire shot from the tip of one finger; heading straight for me.
Instinctually, my power responded. A geyser rushed up from the ground to meet his flames with a hiss of steam.
His supple lips formed an O of surprise as he dropped his arm. The air shimmered around his muscular body; signaling an impending shift. Within a blink, a large hawk took his place. The tips of his broad wings glowed like the embers of a camp fire. Beating them twice, he rose high into the sky before I could recover.
Sitting down hard on my rear, the flow of water reduced to a trickle.
“Bex!” Mason shouted, flashing across the field with a contingent of our Clutch.
Jonas reached my side first. Panning the area for any signs of an intruder, he touched my bare shoulder, “Bex? Hey, you okay?”
Numbly, I nodded.
“What happened?”
My voice cracked, “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you think it was Fire Elemental?” Sora barked, storming around the pool table. Blaze snagged her wrist and tugged her over to the bar.
We’d been over this multiple times in the last hour, and I was sick of repeating the story. Gritting my teeth, my throat rumbled in irritation, “I was out for a run, like I said. There was this strange scent, so I followed it.”
“Bex!” Nat growled. “Calm down. Sora’s just upset. No one is blaming you, it’s all so…” her arm waved around, “unbelievable.”
Standing from my perch on the couch, I snapped my eyes to hers in challenge, “Unbelievable? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Enough!” Blaze boomed, silencing the room. “This is not helping. We believe you, Bex.” Lifting a large hand, he rubbed his face aggressively, “Nat only means that it’s strange. Almost a year has passes since we last heard from the Fae, present company excluded. Why would they attack us now?”
Some of my ire retreated at his words. Kai’s arrival was odd. I shrugged, “It wasn’t an attack, per say. He didn’t seem violent, more… curious? He said he wanted to speak with the Elemental residing here. Then he used his magic and mine responded. I can’t explain it, but he didn’t seem aggressive at all.”
Sora hissed, “He attempted to breech the ward, Bex. If that isn’t a sign of aggression, I don’t know what is.”
Shaking my head, I answered, “It’s not like that. He didn’t even notice the ward. In fact, he seemed quite shocked when he touched it. He wasn’t trying to breech anything.”
One silver brow rose, “Why are you defending him?”
I sighed tiredly, “Ask Nat. She’s the one who showed me the memories of she who shall not be named.”
Everyone turned to her expectantly.
Squaring her shoulders, she tossed me a glare before answering, “Their war started with the Earth Fae stealing their precious onyx stone. Fire tried to find out what happened, and lured away the Earth King. When the Fire Queen didn’t get the answers she wanted, she killed him. That sparked their war.”
Kane loomed over her shoulder threateningly as if daring anyone to dismiss her words.
Hmm, I wondered briefly. Did that mean she’d told him her decision?
The sound of footsteps whispering across the carpet announced Julian’s arrival. Issuing his standard half bow, his brow creased, “Apologies for the interruption. Miss Lila is awake.”
I grinned. The sleeve of his pressed white polo showcased a perfectly charred, child sized handprint. Lila did not seem pleased.
Sora nodded, “Thank you, Julian. Blaze, please get the tome from the vault. I want to know everything about this new possible threat,” she held one finger up in my direction as I opened my mouth. “We need to know if he is a threat, Bex. If he isn’t, we still need more information.” Drumming her fingers on the polished oak, she moved from her Mate’s side.
She was right. Dipping my chin acknowledgment, I muttered, “Fine, but I want to read the book, first.”
Meeting my gaze, she sighed, “Deal, but only with Nat present. Both of you also need to wear gloves.”
Chapter 3
Kai
Tossing his ruined attire on the small table, he took in the Gaslamp District of San Diego in the buff.
People scurried about, drunkenly walking the streets from one bar to the next. Their fascination with alcohol left him dumbfounded. He’d tried on multiple occasions to participate in the feeling of inebriation, but had quickly learned his blood boiled out the effects before he could catch even the slightest buzz.
Placing one palm on the wall sized window of his room, he replayed the encounter with Bex.
He’d never met a Water Fae, having been born long after their original world ended. His Queen, Serefina, refused to speak of the past. He only knew he was her anchor… and now she was gone.
Was Bex the anchor for Water?
Curiously, he poked at the vast amount of information his mother transferred to him with her dying breath. Sifting through the eons of memories would take time, though. He grinned at his reflection. If only there were a Google search to help navigate the murky depths.
Plucking a bottle of rum from atop the mini fridge, he unscrewed the cap. He couldn’t achieve intoxication, but the burn soothed his throat, and left a pleasant warmth inside his belly.
Thoughts returning to the Elemental who caught his eye, he took a long swallow. Pale blue, her orbs stood out foremost inside his mind.
Frustrated, he tossed the glass bottle against the wall; shattering it on impact.
Bex was the embodiment of the one thing his Queen warned him he could not have…
His fire would be squelched beneath the cooling balm of her ice.
Bex
Blaze dumped the thick tome unceremoniously on the boardroom table. After a moment’s hesitation, he pulled two keys from his pocket. Fingering them, he met our eyes in turn, “The book does not leave this room. Both of you are to wear gloves at all times. These keys control that lock,” he jerked his chin to the door. “As you enter, you lock it. When you leave, you lock it. Are we clear?”
Nat and I bobbed our heads as he set them within reach.
Moving to the door, he pulled it open with an expectant look.
Standing, I followed and flicked the deadbolt after him.
Crossing her arms, Nat stared at me.
“What?” I questioned.
Raising one brow, her lips thinned.
Shrugging off her weird behavior, I pulled on a pair of leather gloves. Sitting, I moved the thick tome showcasing a living flame closer and gawked at the cover.
Flickering in red and orange hues, it danced upon a black background.
Nat snorted, “Don’t expect to find anything in there. The Earth book was a bunch of bullshit.”
Curiously, I asked, “How so?”
“For starters, whoever wrote it lied about the onyx stone.”
“Okaaay,” I drew out. Where the hell was she going with this? There might be some relevant information inside.
“I know you, Bex. Describe the Fire Fae. Don’t even think of leaving anything out.”
Her tone was unappreciated. Why would I lie, anyway? Swallowing the snarky reply she totally deserved, I closed my eyes in remembrance, “He originally came in the form of a hawk. His feathers were auburn as he winged from the bough of a tree. I blinked, and he touched down as a fully clothed man.”
Nat barked a quick laugh, “Èriu could do the same. I’m sure I can figure out how, but honestly, I don’t want to dig through her memories.”
I couldn’t blame her there. The thought of having someone else’s life inside my brain gave me the heebie jeebies.
“Anyway, tell me more.”