She’d been a good little girl for so long, and where had it gotten her?
Married off to a Russian guy she’d never even met. In a month. And if she wanted to have a damn drink with her best friend?
She. Would.
And that lame new elite guard would just have to deal.
Elspeth came awake slowly. A low voice pushed through the fog in her brain, something about two seconds and going in, followed by clipped replies.
Several knocks sounded, harder than usual.
She tore back the covers.
“One second,” she yelled, struggling to get her bearings.
Light streamed through the windows. She looked to the clock. Noon? Good Goddess, she’d missed two conference calls, but oddly, she didn’t care. She’d call Egan and have him reschedule, if the warlock extraordinaire hadn’t already handled the issue.
She got out of bed, her head a little spinny, her stomach a tad angry. It all came back, blaring like the sunlight through her windows. Rosewater lightning.
Blessed nectar of the universe. With a morning after sucker punch.
Heading for the door, she swiped a hand across her face, caught a whiff of hangover breath, and did her best at finger combing the mass of tangles in her hair. Nothing her guards hadn’t seen before.
Another series of knocks, less patient this time. She thought briefly of the lie she’d spun—and her guards had bought. Well, not bought, but hadn’t been able to prove otherwise. I went to get gum had somehow worked.
And she’d had a fantastic night out with the one person tied with Lach for Most Awesome Person Ever.
More pounding. Goddess, maybe she should take her entire detail to Freddy’s so they could chill the hell out.
She yanked on the handle.
Looked up.
Big. Unknown. Badass.
She flinched before calling on years of never-let-’em-see-you-sweat self-training.
“Can I help you?”
His gaze drew down her, holding at her legs, and he swallowed hard.
“I’m Aleron Foussé, your new guard from Elite One.” His attention shifted to something behind her.
She looked down at her thighs. Her thighs. Crap.
The sweatshirt barely covered her. Her thoughts spiraled, trying to recall last night when she’d undressed and gotten into bed. The previous evening seemed to end right after she’d given her guards the “I went to buy gum” line. She dared not look down again, so she concentrated on detecting what was beneath the sweatshirt. No bra, but yes! A scrap of material had crept into the wedgie zone.
“Ms. Lennox, the clause in your marriage contract calls for increased security. I need to begin my safety checks and go over your new protocol. It would be best if we begin immediately.”
She locked gazes with the rock-wall man in front of her, wondering why her skin felt like static electricity filled the room. None of the four guards in her regular safety rotation, all of whom had been dealt from the deck of badassery, straight-lined her hackles or launched her pulse into orbit.
“It would be best, Mr. Foussé, if you waited in the hallway until I’m ready.”
Big frown, and a scowl that threatened to singe her.
“Are you not alone?” He leaned to look behind her.
Great Goddess above, she had so little privacy. He could do his job without digging into her personal life.
“That’s none of your business.”
“It’s most definitely my business. Your safety’s my responsibility, even if it includes your own reckless behavior.”
The door smacked the wall, and he barged in, moving past her with speed and stealth a man his size shouldn’t be capable of.
She followed, hell hot on his biker boot heels as he stormed into the living room, stopping at the entrance to her bedroom. “If you’re not powerful enough to sense another Natura, then I question my grandfather’s use of elite in reference to your guarding capabilities.”
He turned, and something flashed in his eyes. If she’d had element energy, she’d know for sure whether it was anger or reluctant admiration at her challenging him. The moment was too brief, and she didn’t want to dwell on her powerlessness.
“There’s not a Natura within five miles of here,” he scoffed. “I’d suspected a human male.”
Judgmental jerk. So sleeping with humans was frowned upon and viewed as a waste of time since they couldn’t recharge Naturas. She couldn’t either so—
“You’re not going to dictate who’s in my bed. If I had a human male tucked away in my room, it’s definitely not your business.”
She looked to the fireplace, swearing she’d heard a crackle, but the logs weren’t lit. Maybe his arrogance had fried the last of her patience.
“Just so we’re clear, any guests have to be approved by me.”
“I’ll let you know who’s stopping by, but they don’t require your approval.” And they never will.
He folded his arms behind him. “If you want to make this difficult, that’s your choice.”
The. Nerve. Of. This. Man.
“You just accused me of having someone in my apartment.” She closed the distance between them, standing just off his boots. “There’s no one here, big boy. Satisfied?”
His gaze locked with hers, challenge ablaze in his eyes. “You need to get dressed so we can get started.”
“Was there a ‘please’ in there somewhere?” She shot him her super-saccharine smile. “I think I missed it.”
He didn’t bite, but he also didn’t budge.
For her part, she wasn’t remotely impressed. Concrete Column Foussé didn’t realize she’d spent her entire life refusing to be intimidated by arrogant Naturas. But she also hadn’t gotten to where she was by being unreasonable.
“I didn’t think anyone would be assigned this fast.” She’d give him that much. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”
He moved an inch closer, and she realized her mistake. He intended to take a mile.
“Just so we’re clear, I didn’t think I’d have to worry about a sneaking-out problem. You certainly don’t want the Russians getting wind of it, or you won’t be dealing with just one extra guard.”
Her stomach did an oh-shit dip.
He reached inside his leather jacket and held out a large, shrink-wrapped package of…gum. “I’ll order a case, for both here and the office. That way, you won’t need to go on any more unsanctioned scavenger hunts for vending machines.”
So. Busted.
Sure, she was down, but not out, and he wasn’t going to tarnish one of the best nights out she could remember.
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll just make sure to get your approval before I go on a candy run. Sometimes, I need a little sugar.”
If she hadn’t been looking straight at him, she’d have missed the spark of surprise. Heat flushed up her back at her own innuendo. Since when did she drop those?
He stood there, giving her an any-day-now expression.
Her stomach roiled. She needed a cheeseburger, a pot of coffee, and a toothbrush. “Get settled in. I’ll get back to you this afternoon.”
“It is after noon.”
Her smile should have frozen him solid. “Regardless, my regular detail can brief you on my schedule, and I’ll come get you later.”
His gaze raked over her and hung a second too long on her legs.
She sensed the sweatshirt’s hem hitting her just below her butt. Surely, it covered her.
“One second. Let me check something.” He pulled out his phone, and as he communed with it, she took the moment to give Mr. Pushy a thorough once-over.
Wavy hair cut tight framed a forehead anchored by hard eyes and an even darker glare. He wasn’t at all pretty. Given the slight bump on his nose and his scowl, he could pass for an MMA fighter who’d suffered a few punches to the face. Gym rat, for sure, with that lumberjack build.
Deep lines scored the skin between his brows, as if he’d been born pissed off
. Then there was the scar.
Straight-on, the mark wasn’t visible, but he’d turned his head ever so slightly as he read his phone. Like he wanted her to see the slash about the width of a finger creeping down his slightly stubbled jawline like a mudslide plowing through grass.
“Yep. Exactly as I remembered.” He shoved the phone in his back pocket. “You’ll need to review Section 7, Clause 4. I’ll let you get to that while I map the access points in your apartment and walk the building’s perimeter. I’ll give you thirty minutes instead of ten.”
The urge to tell him exactly where he could shove his thirty minutes nearly had her careening off the high road. If she’d learned anything at Kindred, it was the most powerful Naturas were usually the biggest assholes.
Unfortunately, her job required her to hone a nearly eidetic memory. She’d read Section 7 three times. The words ticked off in her mind.
Intended shall have additional security from date of signing until conclusion of Binding Ceremony, which shall include, but is not limited to, an Elite-level guardian in personal attendance at all times.
Her stomach fell. With her signature, she’d agreed to shitty Section 7 and received a supersized, muscled timekeeper to satisfy the clause.
She stepped so her bare toes bumped the tips of his black boots. “Let’s get something straight, Mr. Foussé.” Her heart kicked up at being this close to him. “You might be my guard, but you are not my boss. You will not be barging in again and acting as a stopwatch. Are we clear?”
The barest hint of grudging respect flashed in his eyes again, and then Captain Concrete returned.
“I’ve detected an uptick in energy in the city. In addition, your alert level has been upgraded to sight distance. The rest of your team will stay on entry and exit points, but I’ll be inside your apartment.” He glared down the crooked slope of his nose like she should swoon that his cavalry of one had arrived. “If you need any more sugar, I’ll handle it.”
He likely knew about the whole Freddy’s rendezvous. Maybe they all did. Too bad, not sad. Or flustered. Or scared. No one could take away from her the few moments of wild, thrilling freedom she’d had with Zum, especially not Mr. Elite One.
The guy had balls and nerve, but she’d grown up with brothers, which gave her steel to his brass. In truth, he seemed sort of…different. Solid. Controlled. He had attitude, but not like Lach. More stubborn, like Ross. Was this guy an Earth? He was unusual. Something more. Why couldn’t Mother Nature have at least allowed Passives to sense element energy?
Her brain snapped to something itching at her from the moment she’d heard his name.
“Why don’t I know you?” She cut a glance to his left hand. No wedding band, and no way would she have missed this guy in Kindred.
“Because my job is to be invisible, and Naturas like you don’t look past your invited guests at your galas and get-togethers.”
“Naturas like me? Mr.—”
“Ms. Lennox, we’re wasting time. Surely you own a pair of pants.”
Her sweatshirt covered a good bit of her, but she may as well have been naked before him. “You act like you’ve never seen a woman’s legs before.”
“I have. It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten a glimpse of green lace.”
She should slap the self-satisfied smirk right off of his face. Goddess, he was aggravating and terrifying and…exhilarating. No way was she hightailing it to the bedroom and covering up. He’d barged in, he could deal with the result.
He was also bigger than Lach, which was saying something, and clearly used to instant obedience of his every word. Yet, he waited, his game on stare locked with hers, determined to win.
Hmm…what was he?
She tallied her clues. Cold. Rigid. Angry. He tried to hide the last one, but his intensity gave away his buried ire. It made sense. Placid mountain exterior. Lava core. Good thing she’d mastered her Guess the Element game.
She had two Earth cousins, and Aleron’s whole immovable-object vibe totally meshed with their heel-digging stubbornness. “You’re an Earth.”
His head jerked back. “I am not a dirt digger.”
Had an “oh, shit” come from the hallway?
But he’d given himself away with the temper flare, although she had to give him credit. Most Fires failed miserably at hiding their feelings.
“Interesting. I’m rarely wrong.” She decided to take his lead with giving orders. “If you’ll excuse me, I need coffee.” She shouldn’t, but she couldn’t resist. “And while you’re out on your perimeter check, grab a pack of spearmint from the market next door.”
She called up her Southern roots and pasted on her best bless-your-heart smile. Something flared deep in his eyes. The slightest flicker, swiftly snuffed. She’d spent most of her life surrounded by Fires and Airs, but a pissed off Fire was like those trick birthday candles that couldn’t be blown out.
“Yeager,” he barked, and the tall redhead, a captain if she remembered, stepped inside her apartment.
“Yes, sir.” The woman shot him a clear you’re-an-asshole glare.
“Please verify my identity and rank for Ms. Lennox.”
Yeager looked to her. “Mr. Foussé is a senior officer in your grandfather’s elite squad. He’s a Dual-mantled Alpha Fire of unequaled strength, ma’am.”
Her contract had called for top-tier security. No surprise there. Seanair had personnel he preferred to use, but she knew of no elite squad.
“Thank you.” He looked to Yeager, giving her a curt nod and receiving one in return.
He turned back toward her and Yeager left, shutting the door behind her.
“Ms. Lennox, while I commend your reluctance to adhere to my rules, let me be clear. There are many who want to stop your upcoming wedding by whatever means.” He leaned so his face was level with hers. “I don’t get paid to be polite, which is why your grandfather sent me. I’m…recognized in my field, and your Russian groom will approve.”
There it was. The real reason he was here. Not to protect her so much as to guarantee her grandfather’s master plan went off without a hitch. No doubt Aleron had been sent a file on her. The same kind of file she prepared for every Natura she matched.
He’d have scrolled through the bullet points—name, address, hair color, eye color, height…weight.
Whatever. She had no problem with weighing one-sixty, eating dessert, and giving the finger to diet days. Life was meant to be lived. Her breath caught as she thought of the next line in every folio, hers revealing the shame haunting her.
Element status and power level: Passive. No element power. No latent ability. No element-detection ability. Defenseless.
Pressure built behind her eyes. She’d accepted what her people deemed as weakness. Still, sweatshirt or not, she’d been stripped bare before this man, though she didn’t know why she’d give a rat’s ass about a guard’s opinion of her.
Something deflated in her chest. Likely the last of her hope her grandfather would one day see her worth, her accomplishments, or just see…her. Like he had when she was little. Before the terrible birthday when she’d been revealed as a null.
This scintillating little conversation reminded her of how invisible Elspeth Lennox, the woman, was in this game.
“I’ll get to my perimeter check.” His voice warmed a few degrees. He stepped back and his take-no-prisoners facade returned. “From now on, no one is allowed in this apartment if I’m not with you.”
The door clicked shut. It was a good five minutes before she dragged herself to her room and managed to get into yoga pants and a cashmere hoodie. She tamed her attacked-by-Airs hair and pinned one side back with her favorite faux-ivory barrette.
When a knock came again, she was ready. She opened the door and shoved her hand into the space between them, determined not to let him see her falter.
“Let’s start again. Elspeth Lennox.” She didn’t need his approval, but she’d be damned if she’d allow him to add another line item to her
file, like doesn’t play well with others.
She was so done with guards, so done with lists, so done with being a Lennox.
He took her offered hand, his massive one folding around hers. Warmth spread up her arm like her sleeve had turned into an electric blanket. The heat swirled, danced, expanded into the empty space inside her she’d tried to patch with hard work and loyalty and enthusiasm.
“I’m surprised your apartment is so small. I’d presumed the dimensions incorrect on the floor plan.” He followed her inside, his presence at her back feeling like being tailed by a predator.
“My bedroom’s right there.” She swept her hand to the left. “Feel free to scan inside. Nothing’s in there but furniture and dust.”
Without a word, he went in and returned seconds later. “So, two bedrooms, two baths, a living room and a kitchen. Nothing else?” He looked around, his brow wrinkling.
Great. He seemed to have the layout of her whole life.
“I prefer a smaller unit.” She rubbed her arms as she moved toward the mantel to get the matches. “Cozy spaces aren’t so hard to heat.”
“You’re cold?” He seemed offended by the idea.
“It’s impossible to get warm in New York in winter.” Last night at the pier had been like walking around inside a giant freezer. Goddess, how would she survive Saint Petersburg?
Flames ignited in the fireplace, the match still cold in her hand. Warmth circled her, an invisible rope of heat shooting out and wrapping her in a luscious coil. She stopped, turned.
“Better?” The word was low, determined.
Something lit up inside her. Calling it a spark sounded cliché, but it was a flash. There, then gone. She been powerless her whole life, but the question occasionally surfaced. What would it feel like to have power? To exchange it? To move elements with the flick of a wrist, the bat of an eye, or with a thought?
Maybe a Fire could warm her and thaw places long frostbitten?
The Call of Fire: A Natura Elementals Novel Page 4