Evan Elemental (The Evan Elemental Series)

by Crystal Groszek

  Lex lifts me off the floor and suddenly we're on the couch, his body pressed firmly on top of mine. His lips break away from mine and travel down my face and neck. I exhale a soft moan as he kisses every bare inch of my skin above the conservative neckline of my dress.

  "Evan," he whispers into the curve of my neck. Slowly, Lex pulls away and looks into my eyes. I wait for him to speak, but he's silent. I watch a multitude of emotions dance across the inky black surface of eyes, eyes that seem entirely consumed by his dilated black pupils. His jaw clenches and I can sense the internal debate raging inside him. Finally, his expression relaxes as if he's made up his mind. I don't need to ask what he was thinking or what his decision was, because suddenly his lips are pressed to mine, forcing my mouth open, his kiss full of an untamed, burning hunger that matches my own.

  As we kiss, his hands slide down my sides and grasp my hips, pulling me closer, but it's not close enough. My thighs part and I wrap my legs around his waist. Lex groans feverishly into my mouth and he presses into me. He breaks away from our kiss and glides his tongue along the hollow of my throat and takes gentle nips with his teeth at the skin there.

  I throw my head back and moan, my eyes so clouded with passion that it takes a second before I notice that the bulb in the lamp on the end table is flickering on and off. My body stiffens when I realize that all the lights in the room are doing the same thing. As soon as I make the connection it stops. Lex freezes. Slowly, he raises his head to meet my gaze.

  "What is it?" he whispers hoarsely. "Did I do something wrong?" His face is wrinkled with concern. He places one hand on either side of my head and pushes himself up so that he's looking directly into my eyes.

  "No," I breathe out, my body relaxing. "It's not you."

  "I'm so sorry, Evan," he says, pulling away and moving so that he's sitting up. "I let myself get carried away." I watch as he leans forward and presses his hands to his face, his shoulders tight with guilt.

  "Lex, stop it," I say, raising myself so that I'm sitting beside him. I gently take his hands and pull them away from his face, forcing him to look me in the eye. "Everything that just happened, I wanted. So don't go trying to be noble..."

  "Noble?" he laughs, the tension melting from his body. "I'm as far from noble as it gets." A playful smile tugs at his lips as he pulls me into his lap so that I'm straddling him. His hand traces the contour of my neck then snakes through my hair. My eyes flutter closed and electricity pops under my skin as he guides my mouth to his, drawing my bottom lip between his teeth and biting down gently. I gasp and my eyes fly open in time to see every light bulb in the room burst. Lex pulls back, his eyes hooded with desire, a sexy grin on his lips. I exhale a sigh, wishing the moment didn't have to end.

  "Lex, there's something I have to tell you."

  .

  "Magic?" Lex raises his eyebrow incredulously.

  "I know it sounds crazy, but I don't know how else to describe it," I reply, not quite believing it myself.

  "Evan, it's not that I don't believe you, but, don't you think that maybe what you claim to be experiencing..."

  "Is some sort of psychological or physical damage from the accident?" I answer, cutting him off. "Of course I've thought about that. But it's not, Lex. Here," I say, taking his hand in mine and closing my eyes. I inhale deeply. As I exhale I send a surge of power from my mind all the way down to my fingertips and into Lex. It comes so naturally to me now that it's almost frightening. I open my eyes and find Lex's wide-eyed stare. To my surprise, he's grinning.

  "So, the rumors are true."

  "Rumors?" I ask, swallowing hard. I drop his hand and recoil into myself.

  "No, Evan, nothing unkind," he replies, taking my hand again. "There have been rumors for a while that Ms. Price was about to come into a powerful magical object. Nobody could have known that it was a girl."

  "In possession of?" I sputter. I yank my hand from his grip and stand, wrapping my arms around myself. "My parents died. I was made to come live here. I'm not some object. What does that even mean, anyway? Who the hell are you people?" Tears spill down my cheeks unbidden. Lex jumps up and takes hold of my shoulders in an attempt to get me to look at him, but I can't.

  "I'm sorry, that's not how I meant it," he pleads, his grip on me tightening in desperation. I try to pull away, but he holds on and I'm too weak right now to fight any harder.

  "Is that...is that why you've shown so much interest in me?" I whisper hoarsely. "Because I might be magic, or because I might know about some object..." A sob catches in my throat, cutting me off.

  "Christ, no. It's because..." He pauses and bites his lip as he searches his mind for the right explanation. I hope it's a good one, because the idea of losing him is too much for me to process. We barely know each other, but already he's a lifeline for me. The sudden realization of how deep my feelings for him have become is like a slap in the face.

  Lex breathes in deeply before speaking. "When I first heard you were coming to stay, I was curious. Over the years, I've seen many pictures of you, in Magda's office. Pictures your mother sent, and Magda kept. I've heard stories about you growing up, heard rumors about your potential. So, I came to find you."

  I blink rapidly, trying to keep fresh tears from spilling. I raise my gaze to meet his. "I thought you said that you had business?" I ask, my voice surprisingly steady.

  Lex lets out a breathy laugh and looks away, embarrassment plain on his face.

  "I-uh," he stammers. "There was no other business." His eyes find mine again and I feel my face go pink under the intensity of his gaze. "I came here that day with the sole purpose of meeting you, nothing more. But, when I saw you that day in the hall, when I touched you. Evan," he breathed, "something inside of me was awoken. I had to know you. And when you kissed me? It was more than I could have hoped for."

  He raises my hand to his lips and kisses it gently before pressing my palm to his cheek. All of my apprehension fades away. At this second, there's nothing else in the world besides us; I revel in the feeling.

  "Evan, I have to tell you..."

  "No, don't," I plead. "Not yet. If there's another secret or a lie that needs explaining, I don't want to hear it right now. Can you just..."

  Lex pulls me into his arms before I can finish. He presses his face to my hair and holds me as if he's afraid I'll dissolve without the pressure. I let the warmth of his body envelop me, and the beat of his heart still the storm inside of me. For one moment, for one afternoon, it's perfect.

  Chapter Nine

  After Lex's revelation about Magda I had a million questions, but I had to wait because he was called away to some business or other. He promised to come by the next day, and he did.

  We take a long walk through the apple orchards that lie beyond the garden. I soak in the peaceful vibe that I always feel out here. The sun filters lazily through the tree limbs and a light breeze stirs the leaves. The petals from the young apple blossoms fall around us like soft pink snow. A stray petal catches in my hair and Lex stops to pluck it out.

  I feel a tiny warm bubble swell in my stomach whenever he's so close. I have to try hard to resist the temptation to throw my arms around his neck and pull him down in to the grass and ravage him. Answers first, then ravaging, I think, smiling to myself.

  "So, Price Industries is what, exactly?" I begin, biting my bottom lip to keep the flow of questions to one at a time.

  Lex gives a half smile, his eyes straying to my lip caught between my teeth. I let it loose and he smirks. "The name is sort of misleading, on purpose," he says finally, directing his gaze to the path in front of us. "We deal with art and antiquities."

  Just like my parents. The realization hits me and leaves me a little breathless, but I put that thought aside for dwelling on later.

  "But, you said that you had heard about her coming into some magical object? Is this a normal thing?" I ask, having only a vague notion of what this might have to do with art and antiques.

  "Yes," Lex
replies. He's suddenly very interested in the rough, peeling bark of a birch tree at the side of the trail. We're at the edge of the orchard where things turn wild and the forest eats up our path.

  "Lex, you're going to have to be a little more forthcoming than that." I place my hand on his shoulder and gently urge him to turn and look at me. Our eyes meet and I can see a world of pain in them. He reaches up and brushes his fingers along the side of my neck before dipping them below my collar. I breathe in sharply, painfully curious of what he might do. Instead of continuing to touch me, his index finger loops around the chain of my necklace. Gingerly, he pulls my pendant from its hiding place.

  "The first time I saw you wearing this," he says quietly, "the day I took you to the record store, I was shocked. I had only ever seen sketches of it. It's supposed to be lost and we've been looking for it for a long time."

  The warmth I always feel near him evaporates. An unnatural calm settles over me and I take a step back. Lex lets the pendant fall against my chest. His eyes travel up to meet mine, and the pain there breaks my heart. Even so, I resist the urge to wrap my arms around him and, instead, wrap them around myself. He's waiting for me to say something, but I stay silent. I don't want to make this easy for him, because it's not easy for me. Not by a long shot.

  "There are so many things that I won't be able to tell you," Lex says, his voice almost pleading.

  "Then tell me what you can," I snap, unable to tolerate any excuses from him, from anybody, anymore. If one more person lies to me I swear I can't be held accountable for how I react. Lex seems to understand this and find it amusing; his lips curl into a tiny smirk. "I told you before that I don't want to lie to you, and I won't. But, you'll have to allow me some omissions."

  I start to protest, but he closes the tiny distance between us in one smooth motion and places his hands on my waist. The warmth is back and it's hotter than ever. I give my head a slight shake to clear away the fog that his touch put there.

  He leans down and rests his forehead against mine. "I can't tell you everything, but I can promise that someday this will all make sense." I don't like it, but I nod in understanding, anyway, because I believe him.

  "So," I begin, biting down on my bottom lip again, his grip on my waist tightening, "what does my necklace have to do with anything? Why are you, or I should say, why were you looking for it?"

  "Honestly," he replies smiling wryly, "and I am being honest, I don't know."

  I groan in frustration. "Lex..."

  Lex presses the tips of his fingers against my lips, hushing me. "Let me finish. I rarely ever get so much as an explanation for a task I'm assigned, and I never have a reason to question anything I'm told. Until now." He pauses, letting his words sink in. "It's kind of crazy actually. I've spent the last three years looking for that necklace, and then you show up and there it is." His gaze drops to the stone then lifts back to mine, a question in his eyes. I know exactly what he's thinking.

  "Yes," I say answering his unspoken question. "I started to "change" the moment I opened the box my mother left me and pulled this thing out."

  We both drop our eyes to the necklace where it sits unassuming on top of my black Hold Steady t-shirt. With shaking hands I reach up and unclasp the chain.

  "Here," I say, offering the necklace to Lex, proud that I'm managing to keep my hands steady. He hesitates, so I press it into his hand and step back. I feel queasy letting go of the last thing my mom gave me, but I suddenly can't bear to look at it anymore. If it ended my involvement in whatever was going on here, then I'm glad to be rid of it.

  Lex stares at the stone, apparently dumbfounded.

  "Look, if that's what you all have been searching for," I gesture to the necklace in his hand, "then there you go. I don't want in. Maybe things will go back to normal now and I can move on with my life." I start to walk away when something occurs to me. I backtrack my steps and stop in front of Lex who is still standing where I left him. His expression is glazed over, as if he's trying to work out something really complicated. "Lex, tell me something." He blinks and his expression clears. He nods once, letting me know he's listening. "If you knew I had that, then wouldn't Magda have known I had that?"

  His eyes widen slightly, and it becomes clear what he was just thinking about so hard. "I would be more surprised if she didn't," Lex says finally, his voice quiet and tinged with defeat.

  "And you said before that there were rumors about some object, some magical object. Is that it?" I ask, gesturing again to the necklace. He starts to shake his head no, but stops, his mouth falling slightly open.

  I can't stop the panic that fills my chest and the tears that fill my eyes.

  "Do you think," I choke out, the tears falling freely, "do you think that she knew, that Magda knew that my parents were going to..." I trail off, unable to finish the sentence. The taste of salt washes over my lips and the soft sunlight that's shining over us is cut off by a black cloud that's wandering by, leaving us enshrouded in shadow.

  "I don't see how that's possible." Lex replies softly. He takes a tentative step toward me. When I don't move he wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close. "Besides, the rumors all indicated that it would happen in December. A lot of it is fishy, but everything I heard was very clear that Magda was expecting something to come on December 18th."

  I grow still, my body suddenly ice cold. I slowly start to shake my head but it doesn't stop the thought from forming.

  "Evan?" Lex asks gently. He places his finger under my chin and tilts my head so that I'm forced to look into his eyes.

  "December 18th is my eighteenth birthday," I whisper. "What does that mean Lex?"

  When he doesn't respond, I pull away from him and begin backing away. Without so much as a backward glance, or a second thought, I turn and break into a run. I'm not exactly sure what it is I'm running from, but I desperately need to think and running is the only way I can anymore. The world rushes by in a blur and I tune out all sound except for the crush of dirt beneath my feet and the echo of my footsteps.

  I don't stop until I reach the edge of the lake. There isn't a single swimming pool at the estate, but it does have its own lake, and it's the color of green glass in some spots and turquoise in others. There's a handy little plaque that explains how the coloring is caused by bacteria but, with recent developments, I'm not so sure if I believe that.

  I can feel Lex's presence nearby, even though I didn't hear him come after me, but I don't acknowledge him. Instead, I close my eyes and inhale, easily pulling the energy in the air toward me until I can feel it vibrate against my skin, aching to come inside. I remember that I'm no longer wearing the necklace; I'm doing this all on my own. With a sharp intake of breath, I let the energy flow in to me in one controlled, intense, rush. I am overcome with the heady feeling of oneness.

  My eyes close as I allow myself to feel everything. In my mind I conjure a scene of white-pink petals raining down on me. I feel the breeze begin to pick up and I concentrate harder on the image. My heart thrums against my rib cage as the power inside me swells and erupts.

  The scent of apple blossoms fills the air and my eyes snap open. The air around me is consumed in a cyclone of delicate flower petals. I can almost hear them whisper to me; can almost feel their delight. I take another deep breath and, exhaling, pitch my arms forward sending the blossoms scattering over the surface of the lake.

  The power I feel evaporates slightly, but I can still feel it there, a gentle vibration just below the surface of my consciousness, and it's like nothing I've experienced. I turn to look for Lex only to find him standing just a few feet away. I blush slightly, but not because I'm embarrassed, but because I am so incredibly turned on. Lex might be repulsed by me, he might think I'm a freak, but I don't really give a fuck.

  I tilt my jaw up and look deeply into his eyes. What I find there is not repulsion or even fear; there is only desire. He closes the gap between us in an inhuman instant and grabs hold of my hips, pulling the
m hard against his own. His mouth seeks and finds mine, and he kisses me with a desperate hunger that I match eagerly. I feel his hands inch up under my t-shirt, searing my skin with delicious white heat as he glides them over my bare skin. Too soon, Lex pulls back from our kiss and presses his face to the curve of my neck, inhaling deeply. A soft, animalistic moan, muffled by my skin, escapes his lips.

  "What is it?" I breathe. "What's wrong?"

  Lex raises his head slightly so he can speak. "You smell amazing." I feel his lips curl against my skin, his breath icy hot as he inhales deeply and exhales making me shiver.

  "Yeah?" I whisper, a foreign huskiness in my voice. "What do I smell like?"

  "Cedar. And lilac. And chocolate." I shiver again, something that will probably embarrass me when I remember this later. Right now, it's all I can do not to melt into a puddle on the bank of this lake.

  "You can smell all that on my skin?" my voice trembling slightly when I speak.

  "No," he answers, raising his head until his mouth is close to my ear. "In your blood."

  I should be afraid, I should be damn near terrified, but I lean in closer, diminishing the already miniscule space between us. Lex's grip on me tightens and he presses his face into my neck again. I feel his tongue, hot and rough, run along the vein that throbs there. He pauses, his breath still.

  "Evan," Lex whispers after a tense second, "I'm afraid I..."

  "Going for a stroll?" The deep, gruff voice cuts through the air like fire consuming oxygen. Lex's body stiffens against mine. Slowly, he straightens up, pausing to look deeply in my eyes before stepping away. When his hands fall from my sides I feel weak with ache and longing. The feeling quickly gives way to an intense fury that I am prepared to unleash on the unwelcome stranger. As if sensing my emotions, Lex's hand shoots out and grabs mine, his touch instantly calming me. Even so, I'm still pissed.

  I clench my jaw and turn to see a tall, breathtakingly beautiful man, with sandy brown hair and eyes the color of nickel, standing cockily just a few feet away. A white thermal t-shirt clings snugly to his broad shoulders and tapers to a narrow waist. He's wearing tight jeans and brown leather boots and can't be older than twenty-five. Maybe twenty-six. He flashes me a golden smile, but his eyes are hard and unyielding.