“Of course I will. It would be my honor,” Carter said, blushing. I looked over to the others and noticed each of them had a thoughtful look on their faces. They seemed like they were really pleased with something. Guess they think it is cool that my spirit animal is a panther, because it is!
As we started back toward the house, my stomach started growling. I blushed as everyone looked at me. “I didn’t eat much today with everything that was going on. Bryce, can you take me back to campus?” I asked.
“Let’s order pizzas!” Mason said. “What kind do you like, Bre?”
“Mmm, pizza sounds great! I like hamburger and extra cheese, but will eat pepperoni and bacon, too,” I replied.
“Great! I will call it in,” Bryce said.
Chapter 5
While we ate, everyone was quiet and I thought about everything that had happened throughout the day. How would I just go about my regular day tomorrow knowing all of this? Now that I knew what I could do, I was pretty sure I would soon blow something up. That was just how my life went. Before I spiraled too low, though, Bryce cut into my thoughts, “Bre, we need to set you up on a training schedule. You will need to work with each of us to develop and control your gifts. I think you need to work with Harrison first since that is the gift that can get you into the most trouble.”
“I agree. Can you come back on Friday to start training?” Harrison asked between bites.
“Yes, but someone will need to pick me up. I don’t drive,” I replied.
“You don’t have a car or you don’t drive?” Chase asked.
“I don’t drive,” I said.
“Why? Has no one ever taught you?” Carter piped in.
“I can drive, I just don’t,” I said. I knew what was coming next and I dreaded it. I had just met these guys. How could I tell them the most horrible part of my life? I already felt a connection to each of them – well, except Chase – but I wasn’t sure I was ready to spill my guts about the worst day of my life yet.
“Why don’t you drive?” Mason asked. There it was, the question I had been able to avoid for four months. Bryce said that Chase investigated me already, so he may have already known. If not, I’m sure he would have figured it out eventually. I should probably get it over with. I just really hated the look I always got when people talked about the wreck.
“I don’t drive, because the last time I did, my best friend died,” I blurted out.
“What? How?” Bryce asked.
“My best friend Callie and I were leaving school on the last day of our senior year and we were in a head-on collision and she died,” I said.
“So the wreck was your fault then?” Chase asked.
“Not directly. A man hit us on purpose and I think he was trying to kill me. He was driving normally and at the last second before he would have driven past us, he swerved into our lane and hit us. He then walked off, leaving his truck in the middle of the road. I was okay, but my best friend was dead. I may not have wrecked the car, but I know he was after me and got her instead. So her death was my fault,” I said shakily.
“No, it wasn’t! The man that hit you on purpose is the one that killed her, not you,” Carter said as he came and sat next to me. He put his arm around me to comfort me. All it did was make me want to cry.
“I used to love driving. I had the most beautiful Mustang GT I got for my birthday. I have not been behind the wheel since that day,” I said.
“That is insane. You are insane,” Chase yelled at me.
“Tell me how you really feel about me, Chase!” I yelled back.
“You have survivor’s guilt. You feel guilty that your friend is dead and you are not. It is not your fault that she died. The man who hit you is to blame. You shouldn’t deprive yourself of something you honestly love because of a murderer,” Carter said as he squeezed my shoulder.
“I know. That’s what my shrink said when my parents made me go for therapy after the wreck. I know in my heart that I did not kill her, but every time I think about getting behind the wheel, I start to panic. I almost didn’t come to university either. Callie’s parents had to convince me. Why do I get to experience this and she doesn’t? He was after me and she paid for it,” I confessed. “Let’s talk about something else. Why do you think I have all five gifts when no one ever has before?”
All of them paused in thought before Bryce said, “Honestly, we have no idea. We have never heard of anything like this. No one has ever been born with more than one gift.”
“What about asking the Elders you spoke about. Shouldn’t they know?” I questioned.
They all looked at each other with grim faces. “We are not sure we should tell them about you yet, at least not until we know more. We are afraid of how they will react. They may see you as a hope for the future, that children can be born with more than one gift; or they will see you as a threat. We really don’t know what you are capable of yet,” Bryce answered. “For now, I think we should work with you to control your gifts before we talk to anyone about you.”
“Obviously someone knows something about her if they tried to kill her and kidnap her,” Carter said. “We need to teach her how to defend herself in case she gets into trouble again.”
“Well, that will definitely happen again. Story of my life,” I replied.
“Let’s just take it one day at a time and see what happens, then make a decision,” Bryce said. “Bre, are you ready to go? I can take you home.”
“Yeah, today has totally wiped me out,” I said.
Bryce drove me back to my dorm and left; I was back to being alone. I had forgotten what it was like to be around people who cared about me and who I cared about. It had only been four months, but I had gotten used to being alone. I did not want to get used to it again. It made each day harder. I made a promise to myself then and there that I would make more of an effort to meet people and make friends. Once I could control my gifts, I wouldn’t have to worry as much about crazy things happening and might be okay around others.
After taking a long, hot shower, I collapsed in my bed and fell asleep immediately. I dreamt of driving my Mustang on a long windy road. I had the windows down and the radio blaring; it felt wonderful. I looked to my right and Chase was in the car with me. He was smiling at me, really smiling. I felt lighter than I had in months. I felt like I could breathe again.
Chapter 6
Thursday seemed to drag on forever. I had English, European History, and Computer Science on Tuesdays and Thursdays; those were not my favorite classes. Computer Science was okay, but English and European History bored me. I made it to all of my classes, but thought about the guys and my gifts the whole time.
I had five elemental gifts and I was going to train with five of the most magnificent men I had ever seen, even if Chase was still being an asshole, but I was sitting there listening to a professor drone on about the changes in agricultural production and organization in the 1400s. I thought my life was strange before, but it was just plain insane now.
I finally made it to Friday and Algebra and Biology. I was so excited about seeing the guys again and learning to control my gifts that I rushed through my Biology lab and finished early. I rushed through it so I could be waiting outside for Harrison and Carter to pick me up. I left class and walked to the parking lot where I promised to meet them. I was about twenty minutes early, so I sat on a nearby bench to wait. I tried speaking to the birds in the tree above me. “Hello. That is a beautiful song you are singing today,” I thought to them.
“Thank you,” I heard. I was so caught up in speaking to the birds that I didn’t notice the “brothers” from the other night walking up behind me.
One of them covered my mouth and started to drag me away. I was not going to let this happen again. I kicked and hit any body part of theirs I could reach. His hand slipped a little from my mouth, so I screamed for help. I looked around, hoping someone would see us and come to help, but there was no one around. “We have been looking for you. We don�
��t appreciate you knocking us out the other night. We will not make the mistake of underestimating you again. Just come with us quietly and you won’t get hurt,” the one holding me said.
I continued to thrash around, trying to break free of his hold. The other one looked at me with glowing yellow eyes and said, “Our boss wants you. And what he wants, he gets. Stop fighting and come with us. I don’t want to hurt you. Well, actually I do, but the boss says to bring you in unharmed if possible. But if it’s not possible, just bring you in in any condition.”
Carter’s eyes glowed a golden color. Maybe this guy was an Animal Elemental, too. The yellow-eyed brother’s hands changed into claws. They were not like Carter’s, though; his were more like talons. This guy’s hands looked like hairless paws with long, sharp claws. He grabbed my arm and I saw a thin trail of blood where one of his claws scraped me. They continued dragging me away from the parking lot where I was supposed to meet the guys.
I was in full panic mode. I tried to think of how I could use one of my gifts to get away from them when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Harrison and Carter running toward us. Harrison’s hands were glowing with fire and Carter’s hands were back to talons. I could see both of their eyes glowing. “You are in for it now, assholes,” I mumbled into his hand. Just then, claw-man got hit with a fireball from Harrison. He stumbled and released me. The other “brother” also released me, turned toward Harrison, and got hit with a fireball. Each of them then had yellow, glowing eyes and claws instead of hands. Harrison and Carter didn’t even slow down as they engaged the brothers. Carter attacked the brother that was holding me with his talons and Harrison punched the other one with his fist of fire. Yes, I said fist of fire. My boys are badass. My boys? When did I start thinking of them that way? I have known them for two days. I really think I’m losing my mind. The guys were punching and slashing at each other as I slowly backed away. I saw Carter get sliced across his chest and I gasped. I really wish I knew more so I could help them. I thought back to what the guys taught me about concentrating and willing things to happen. I saw a tree nearby and thought about the branches extending and wrapping themselves around the brothers. I felt the essence of the tree and willed it to do what I wanted. Suddenly, the tree’s branches extended and grabbed them in a tight wooden prison. Carter and Harrison just stood there, looking dumbfounded. The brothers were hanging below the tree, wrapped up tight like a present.
“We can’t leave them like that, the humans will see,” Carter said.
“I can’t believe someone hasn’t seen us already,” Harrison said as he stared at them. As he said that, the brothers started hacking away at the branches to release themselves. I thanked the tree for its help and we ran to the car. As we got in the car, I saw the brothers finally get loose and watch as we drove away.
“Bre, are you okay? You’re bleeding,” Harrison said as he looked to me in the back seat, concern showing on his face. He removed his shirt and leaned into the back to press it to my arm.
I completely forgot about the bleeding and was in awe of his sculpted chest filled with tattoos. I followed them down to his stomach and what had to be an eight-pack.
“Bre,” Harrison said to get my attention.
“Oh, ah, yeah, I’m fine. It’s just a little scratch. Carter, are you okay?”
“Yep, I’m fine. Just a little scratch,” he said with a smirk I could see in the review mirror. I smiled back at him. “We heal faster than humans, so by tomorrow I will be as good as new.”
“Really? We heal faster? I guess I never really paid attention to how fast I heal compared to someone else. Do we have any other super powers I don’t know about?” I asked.
“Well, we don’t age as quickly as humans. Most Elementals can live up to three hundred years or more. We start aging a lot slower once we get to be about twenty years old,” Harrison answered.
“Wow! That is crazy. I have no idea what I would have done without you guys. Thank you, and not just for today, but for being there and helping me when you didn’t have to. I appreciate how you are setting up training sessions and teaching me about a life I am a part of, but know nothing about. Thank you,” I said.
“Of course, we love a good challenge. And you are definitely a challenge!” Harrison said, laughing. Hot scary guy has a sense of humor. Who knew?
We arrived back at the “little castle” as I like to call it. Harrison and Carter told the others what happened and how I used the Earth element to get us out of there. “She was badass. We would be a lot worse off if she hadn’t done that. I can’t even imagine how extraordinary she is going to be once we train her,” Carter exclaimed. He was always so sweet and encouraging to me that I just wanted to curl up in his lap and snuggle.
After they finished telling the story of my most recent crazy afternoon, I went outside to train with Harrison. He started with a candle again and worked with me on how to control it and my emotions. “When you start to feel excited or scared, concentrate on your connection with the fire,” he said.
“But I don’t feel a connection with it. I felt something with the plant and the animals, but not with fire, water, or air,” I replied.
“Hmm, that’s interesting. What do you feel when you connect with plants or animals?” he asked.
“I don’t know, I feel the energy or the essence of them. I feel what makes them alive. Air, water, and fire are not alive; they are things, not beings. Does that make sense?” I asked.
“Wow, I have never thought about it that way. I’ve always thought about fire as alive; it is something that moves, has heat, and is tangible. It is a part of me and I am a part of it,” he said while producing fire in his hand without using a flame.
“How did you do that? I was wondering how you had fists of flame when you were rescuing me. I thought you must carry a lighter around so you can always have fire with you. I didn’t know you could create it out of nowhere,” I said.
“Fists of flame, huh? I like that! Maybe I can come up with a superhero name from that,” he said. “Once you can control the fire better, we will work on you creating it without a flame. For now, let’s just make sure you don’t burn the house down when you get pissed at Chase.”
“Speaking of fists of flame, you guys got there just in time today. Thank you,” I said.
“We wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for Carter. He heard you scream for help with his bird hearing and we came running,” he said.
“Bird hearing? Oh, is that his spirit animal? That makes sense with the gold eyes and talon hands. What kind of bird?” I asked.
“His spirit animal is a hawk. He can hear and see as well as a hawk and as you saw, his hands can transform into talons,” he replied. “By the way, thank you for the way you acted the other day with him and his animals. It was really nice of you to make him feel special.”
“Oh, it was wonderful! I loved every second of it. It was the most thrilling thing I have ever done. I felt so connected with them and that brought such a sense of peace inside of me. Don’t get me wrong, I think the other four gifts are great, but feeling that connection to the animals was extraordinary!” I said excitedly.
“I forget that you didn’t grow up in this life. Animal Elementals are looked down upon by most in our community. They do not see them as being true Elementals. They think that a true Elemental has to be literally ‘of the Earth.’ Plants and soil are ‘of the Earth’ as well as water, air, and fire. They see it as animals were put on the Earth and are not ‘of the Earth.’ They are treated as second-class citizens and are not allowed to bond with Elementals of any other type.”
“That’s awful! What a wonderful gift it is to be able to connect with and partially become one of these beautiful creatures. Those people are insane. I would choose to be an Animal Elemental any day. Don’t get me wrong. Earth, air, water, and fire are cool and very useful, but you have no idea the feeling you get when interacting with the animals. I spoke to a panther and a wolf! I will eventually be able to use th
e traits of a panther, whatever that means. I wish you could experience it. You would love it!” I excitedly said.
He smiled at me in a way that made me sigh. He was scary-looking, but only because of his jet-black hair, tattoos, and the fact that he was at least six-and-a-half feet tall. When I really looked at him, I could see he was extremely handsome in a rugged sort of way. His chin looked to be chiseled out of granite with slight black stubble, and his broad shoulders and muscular chest were asking to be touched. I wonder if they are as hard as they look. Whew, is it getting hot out here?
We continued to work for a couple more hours and I was getting a lot better, but was exhausted. He decided I’d had enough and left to take a shower. Before he left, he yelled over his shoulder, “Wanna stay for dinner? I’m cooking lasagna.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “You cook?”
“Yes, I cook. Just because I have tattoos and a motorcycle doesn’t mean I can’t cook. I make a mean lasagna,” Harrison responded defensively.
“Whoa there, Harry. I wasn’t implying you can’t cook because you have tats and a bike, I was implying you can’t cook because you are a guy,” I countered.
He looked at me and cocked his head. “Bryce is right, you are funny, and you will be good for us. We tend to forget to laugh and enjoy life. You make us lighter and give us a purpose. I am going to enjoy having you around.”
I smiled a real smile at him; it was nice to be wanted. In the short time I had known the guys, I cared very deeply for them. I had only known them for two days, but I couldn’t imagine what my life would be without them. “I would love to stay for dinner. Thank you for asking.” He smiled and turned back into the house.
Chapter 7
I was not ready to go inside yet, so I wandered around the property. I started walking toward the garage to see what other types of cars they had. I had seen Bryce’s Aston Martin and the Land Rover Carter and Harrison picked me up in today, but I hadn’t seen what the others drove. I wondered if I could tell whose car was whose. The first one I saw was a very large and tall black pickup truck. It looked like one of those monster trucks you saw on TV jumping over things. I bet that was Harrison’s. Yep, I must be right, because a solid black Harley with chrome accents was parked right in front of it. Further down, I noticed the hood up on what looked like a Shelby Cobra. No way, it couldn’t be. I walked closer and Chase came out from around the corner with grease stains on his shirt and hands. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you were here. I’ll get out of your way,” I mumbled as I turned and walked away.
Becoming Elemental Page 4