Terran sprinted down the hallway and bounded down the stairs. The stairwell door opened to the lobby. He made for the front doors and ran outside. Aether’s employees milled about on the sidewalk across the street. They were soaked from the sprinklers and were bundled together in clusters. A strong wind kept them at bay.
Arms waving, Terran crossed the street. “Stay back. There’s a bomb.”
A loud boom reverberated and all the windows on the second floor shattered in a fiery explosion. More blasts erupted as additional flammable material exploded, lit by the massive fireball shooting through the lab. Glass rained down around the building. Flint did his duty and controlled the flames before they spread. Nodin controlled wind patterns so the debris was contained.
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Terran stood next to Nodin on the sidewalk and kept an eye on the crowd. To glean what people were thinking would be interesting. Most were probably worried whether or not they would have a job tomorrow.
Nodin suddenly shifted.
Terran stiffened and turned.
The willowy blonde, Pillar stood apart from the crowd, beside her was the redhead.
The scientist in him longed to speak to Ms. Levina. He wished to understand all her capabilities. If his theory was correct and she could control the whole electromagnetic spectrum then she was more powerful than all of the Elementals and Quint combined. The most frightening thought was what she could do to Maya. Vaporize was too kind a word. He’d try to comprehend that nightmare later. Right now, he was fascinated by the palpable waves of emotion coursing between Nodin and the blonde.
Nodin remained still as the woman called Pillar glided toward him.
“You’re on your final chance with me, Pillar.” His voice was deep with muted warning. “There is only so much more I will tolerate. Do not believe our past will keep me from destroying you.”
“You destroyed me a long time ago.” Her gravelly voice rasped, as she halted before him.
Nodin shook his head. “Enough.” He kissed her. Hard. Deep. Determined.
Terran turned away on the pretense of searching the crowd for Maya.
Nodin’s soft laugh brought back his attention. “You know I prefer salty over sweet.” He licked his lips as Pillar marched off.
Violet continued staring with curiosity plain in her eyes.
Sudden warmth at his back indicated Flint’s presence.
Violet’s eyes narrowed before she turned and followed the blonde away from the fire and the men watching their retreat.
Apparently, woman trouble exists for Elementals, as well.
Chapter 33
“Do you even have a license?” Terran stood in a Ford dealership’s parking lot after escaping the chaos surrounding the smoldering remains of Quint’s brick building. Distress remained high after hearing Flint’s plan to steal a vehicle—a shiny red Ford SVT Raptor.
While Terran understood the necessity, he couldn’t compute the idea of driving a bright red stolen truck down a major interstate.
Flint ran his hand over the Raptor’s hood. “This beauty is a trophy truck in street clothing. She has extra long wheel travel so she can handle rough terrain, something we may need. Plus, she looks mean with the muscle to back it up.”
“I don’t care about any of that.” Terran gritted out, and then pointed across the street “The used trucks in that lot will serve our purposes. And they aren’t waving a bright red flag to police officers in search of a stolen vehicle.”
“Terran, do you really believe after all you’ve witnessed in the past few days, the police pose a problem for us?”
“Do you or do you not have a license?” Terran stood guard by the driver’s side door.
Maya ran a hand up his arm. “Terran, we need to move on.”
Nodin interjected, “Flint gave up on human laws a long time ago, brother. He’ll never listen to reason. Besides, this truck has over 400 horsepower with a 6-speed automatic.”
“Really?” Terran cupped his hands on the truck window and perused the interior. The shiny, steel lined dash and intricate dials brought back thoughts of the vehicles expense. “Wait, no. No. I can get cash out of the ATM for a used truck. I’ll leave the money in their mail slot. Why do we have to steal this one?”
“Because we can.” Flint shoved him aside and sidled into the driver’s seat.
“Brilliant answer.”
“Just get in, Pigpen.”
Terran opened the back door for Maya then hopped into the passenger seat. He planned to keep an eye on Flint’s driving. Pilfering high-end trucks was out of his comfort zone. These Elemental road-trippers may no longer care about such petty matters, but adopting the same nonchalance about breaking laws would take a long time.
After a finger fight with Flint over the touch-screen navigation panel, they were set to head east.
Terran twisted in his seat to speak to Nodin and Maya. If his mind sat idle then this new reality would come crashing down. “Based on what happened today, I have no choice but to reconsider my stance. However, please understand I’ll need time to analyze all the factors. I will have more questions and you will give me answers. I comprehend dealing with Quint is not a game. I imagine accepting this Elemental lifestyle happens in stages so consider me in stage one. I suppose I understood upon meeting Mother Nature, but I blocked the truth from my mind.”
Lights from streetlamps and business signs lit up Nodin’s face. “I asked you who you will be and what you will do. Tonight we unearthed answers to those questions. In the face of danger, you took charge. You completed the task we set out to accomplish. I’d say you’ve already blown past all the stages.”
Terran didn’t want to dwell too much on levels of acceptance now. He ran a hand over his chin. “I’ve been considering the possible range of Violet’s capabilities. I believe she can control the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Radio waves, Microwaves, Infrared, Ultraviolet, X-rays, and Gamma rays.” He ticked off each one with his fingers. “That petite redhead holds unimaginable power.”
Nodin nodded. “What’s worse is Quint’s aware of what she can do and who she is. He was thrilled to see her until she blasted that hole through his chest. I’ve never seen anything like her. We’ve struggled against him for so long. If we could get her in our corner, we’d finally have a chance to win.”
Maya finished fiddling with the buttons on the panel by her leg and sat back. “Quint will come after us harder now. He wasn’t just spouting off when he said he’d make us pay. He’ll have no trouble locating us. Scientists theorize that the universe is made up of sixty-eight percent dark energy and twenty-seven percent dark matter, so in essence, that leaves normal matter bringing up the rear at less than five percent—Normal five versus darkness ninety-five. We don’t stand a chance.” She combed her fingers through her hair. “When he says he’s everywhere and undetectable, he’s right. We’ve never been able to detect his presence. We merely pick up on his subtle menacing vibe. And now, he’s finally been in a situation out of his control. If we thought he had no scruples before, now that he’s been challenged, he’ll pass sanity’s edge reasserting his authority.”
Flint flipped through the radio channels and settled on a classic rock station before he knocked Terran on the shoulder with the back of his hand. “Can Quint heal from this?”
Terran turned down the guitar solo blasting through the cab. “You’re asking me? How would I know? I have no comprehension of who this Quint is, what he’s derived from, or how as dark matter he interacts with matter. I’ll have to dust off my physics book.” Terran adjusted the seat belt lever, to keep the strip from rubbing against his neck, as he twisted in his seat.
Maya glanced at Nodin. “We’ve never understood how Quint came to exist or why. Maybe Pillar knows. I wonder why she and Violet were there? Nodin, do you—”
“No, Maya. I don’t know her mind anymore. I begin to wonder if I ever did.” Nodin’s gaze settled on the view outside the window.
/> A tense silence settled over the sounds of Led Zepplin belting out “Kashmir”. Not privy to the undercurrents circulating through the truck, Terran searched for a way to change the subject.
Do I need to? Are they having telepathic conversations right now?
He certainly was.
Talk. Talk. Don’t dwell.
“So, Maya, any more surprises? Adding Pillar and Violet into the problem throws off my whole mental math equation. I had enough to compute with the three of you.”
“I’m glad you’re finally viewing this Elemental life as real, Terran. Let’s begin by focusing on where Aether’s false vaccines were sent.”
Nodin scrubbed a hand over his chin. “Flint and I can determine which farms are using illegal feed then detect and incinerate livestock infected with Mad Cow.”
“Good plan.” Maya tapped her fingers against her knee to the beat of the music. “We’ll worry about Pillar and Violet once we’ve finished.”
Flint grunted, and then glared at his open palm.
In the faint light from the dash, Terran noticed a light pink mark still marred his skin from Violet’s burn.
Flint rolled his fingers into a fist and faced him with a feral smile. “The redhead is mine.”
# # #
Reminding Flint again that both he and the truck had needs, Terran suggested they take the next exit.
After pulling into a gas station, he jumped out, headed across the parking lot, and then hiked through a narrow strip of grass to a fast food restaurant. Upon seeing to his most basic human need, he exited the bathroom, wiping his hands on a paper towel.
Maya stood by the soda machines, a grease-stained brown bag in hand.
His first thought was to apologize for not believing her, but his heart still chafed over her incomplete honesty. The complexity of their relationship was on a level he hadn’t quite grasped. Plus, the fact he hadn’t showered in two, or was it three, days now pushed his mood way past acidic all the way to caustic.
Maya remained leaning against the counter with both arms folded across her chest as he approached. She passed him the bag filled with greasy goodness.
Nothing beats a Five Guys burger and fries. Nothing.
“Did you get some water?” Terran tilted her face with his free hand and peered into her blue eyes.
She blinked and turned from his touch.
Perhaps, stage two meant accepting her. Just her. He could do without the rest, but at this point, he had to play his hand or fold. And that string, that braided thread of need, of desire, thrummed a primal beat through his body. Each strike wore down his resistance, pounding only one wish over and over—take her and forget the consequences. Their connection would never break or snap in two. The band would only stretch. Ready at any and every moment to boomerang them back together. He took a sip of ice-filled soda, which did nothing to cool the lust burning though his body.
Damn her for putting him in this position. She’d said she loved him. They had stood on the edge of death and her final thoughts had been of him. He couldn’t let that pass unanswered. The time for childish tantrums was over. They wanted him to take charge of their party of four. Fine, he’d take the reins.
He dug deep into his nature and exhumed those ancient tools men had developed over thousands of years. He took a deep breath and blew it out, expelling doubt, fear, and anger.
Earthman rising.
Maya studied him, a slight tilt to her head. “You look like a statue frozen in place.”
Parts of him might still be frozen from that inhospitable well, but his will broke through the clay mold and charged through stage two. “Get some water, Maya.”
“I’m fine.”
“Three days ago, you were a dried apricot. You are anything but fine.”
Her aqua blue eyes darkened to sapphire and she fired back, “I’ve been taking care of myself for a long, long time. I don’t need your sudden interest in my welfare.” She flicked a finger at his paper bag. “Enjoy that while you can.”
“Believe me, every bite will be pure bliss, but not as much bliss as this—” He pulled her closer, bent his head, and kissed her. Hard. Punishing. She struggled, but he tied her up. Not allowing her resistance to the cord between them, but winding their connection tight. In a world that no longer made sense, this was real. With each rasp of his tongue over hers, his world went from hazy gray to vibrant blue.
He locked his hand at the back of her neck.
She slid her arms up to his shoulders.
Their kiss expelled waves of emotion dammed up for days.
Catcalls from late-night customers reminded Terran of where they were. Reluctantly, he pulled back, grasped her upper arm, and led her outside.
Maya clasped his hand, halting their progress to the truck. “I thought Quint had you. I’m so frightened he’ll harm you before your transformation. And even though I know I should keep these feelings to myself, I’m scared of what my future will be without you. I thought everything was over.”
“I don’t know what is over and what is beginning. We can only move forward. I imagine Nodin would have some perfect quote for this moment, but I’m more basic. I want a shower. I want you. Most likely at the same time. The rest, I’ll take as it comes.” He brushed a stray hair over her ear. “I’m so very sorry for all my harsh words.” He dropped his forehead against hers. “You were amazing today. So brave. Who are you, Maya Conway? And after all this time, why me?”
In answer, she kissed him—a flagrant reminder of all that was between them. They reaffirmed life and their burgeoning love in the most basic way possible. Though they would have to wait for completion—fast-food parking lots were not conducive to life-affirming sex acts.
Maya smiled and bumped their hips together. “Are you sure? I could make everyone leave.”
He paused for a moment, but then pulled her along toward the truck.
Chapter 34
For over a hundred years, Maya’s service as an Elemental had focused on helping humans and fighting water pollution. Now, her life focused on one thing—Terran.
As his head rested on her lap, she studied his profile. I would die for him. She would give every last drop of her Elemental gifts to keep him safe.
But would an Elemental life be too much for Terran? She’d never tasted whisky before, but right now, the amber liquid seemed a viable way to ease this torment, to make her forget. Customers at Mo-saw’s enjoyed liquor’s effects, and in this moment whisky seemed an appropriate way to drown her sorrows. Unrealistic, because she couldn’t walk away from this situation, she had to sail through to the journey’s end. Whisky would have to wait.
Does he love me? Want me? Forgiveness for his words in the cave had already leaked from her thawing heart. His bluster had come from fear and uncertainty.
The tick, tick, tick of the turn signal brought Maya out of her contemplations.
Flint practically boosted the truck on two wheels exiting to Buzzy Bear Campground.
Mending the frayed threads of her relationship with Terran could not be realized under this state of emergency. Diving deep into a sexual well and absorbing every facet of pleasure they could create was unrealistic with Quint on the loose.
“Nodin.”
He twisted in the passenger seat. “I understand, Maya. Flint and I will deal with the consequences of Quint’s vaccine while you keep Terran safe.”
“I can’t leave him.” She ran her fingernails through his sexy stubble. Days had passed since he’d shaved. A shiver went through him as her tickling caress registered.
Terran blinked open his eyes. “Where are we?” He stretched and sat up.
Of course, the first words out of his mouth were a question.
“As you’ve so often reminded us of your human needs, we too have elemental needs. Flint pulled off here because there is a river running on the outskirts of the campground. Plus they have some higher-end amenities.”
“Good, I can finally take a shower.” Terran rubbe
d his eyes and yawned.
“A shower is a wonderful idea.” If he planned to enjoy water, she’d be right there with him.
At a previous stop, they’d appropriated toiletries and towels, plus extra clothes. Maya grabbed the bags off the floor and hopped down. “Showers are this way.”
Nodin hopped out of the passenger side and visibly breathed deep. “Maya, Flint and I will be waiting outside the door. I’ll do a quick perimeter search.” He stripped then disappeared into the wind.
Flint jabbed Terran’s shoulder. “Don’t hog all the hot water, Pigpen.”
Terran stepped toward Flint with a feral growl.
Maya jerked his hand and led him through the campgrounds to the brick building that housed the showers.
“What is the story behind Nodin and the tall blonde, Pillar?”
“She is the salt of the earth. I don’t know many details of her history—how she came about or even her age. I do know, she and Nodin were together for a time, and then something tore them apart.”
“He seemed interested in rekindling their affair today.”
“Did he?” Maya halted before the bathroom door. “I was terrified when Violet stood outside of Quint’s shattered office wall. A purple fog masked her mind. I’ve never felt so much power emanating from one source. I don’t know Pillar’s game, but she saved our lives today. Whether she planned our rescue or not, that was the result.”
“Flint seemed eager to volunteer for the mission to locate Violet.”
“He’s baffled. Quite amusing that someone finally burned him.”
“Burning, I am familiar with the sensation. I’m unsure of your expectations, Maya, and I’m not sure of our future path, but right now I don’t care.” He stepped toward her, pushed open the bathroom door, and backed her through.
Slackening defenses with Quint at large wasn’t the smartest idea. But Terran obviously wanted her. They were alive and together. A short celebration seemed in order.
He buried his hands in her hair. “I’m tired of thinking. I just want to feel.”
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