After I was done, a long silence stretched for several minutes. Nicky was shaking her head looking at me with concern. Kate wore a similar worried expression as did Kelsie. Well, she mostly looked scared. More or less, she was never scared but this time she was beginning to understand just how serious this entire situation was, or maybe she was scared that I might unintentionally do something to her. After all, my blackouts were unexpected, so I never knew what might happen.
"So, how is Ella? She’s going to wake up, right?" Nicky asked, ignoring her ringing mobile phone.
I sighed. "Ella’s stable at the moment and as far as I know she’s in some kind of magical coma."
"Julia, I think you need to tell your dad,” Kate said in a serious tone. “You weren’t yourself when you did all those things. Maybe it’s better that he knows. You need help and clearly that fairy prince and the other guy aren’t doing a very good job with your training."
"Okay, ladies, let me recap. So, your best childhood human friend is the daughter of some royal family. You’re like a ticking time bomb that can explode at any moment. And on top of that, your hot, hot, hot and rich ex-boyfriend is probably still pining over you?"
"Kelsie!" Kate shouted.
"What?" Kelsie shrugged with an innocent expression on her face. "I'm not surprised that she’s falling apart. One person can only handle so much!"
"Don’t listen to her. Let’s concentrate on the facts: La Caz isn't your problem at the moment," Kate said firmly, giving Kelsie a look that could kill.
"I don’t know, I think I have to stay away from Ella until I figure out how to control my magic. I'm still worried about that nightmare; the fire and my mother. What if I'm cursed and what if Nathaniel caused that outburst of magic?" I asked thinking about all the times when we were together. When I was younger I always had problems with tingling fingers and smoke in my hair, but Nathaniel was actually making it worse.
The girls looked at each other exchanging silent thoughts. They had no idea what to make out of it, not that I did either.
"You two had an explosive relationship, but your magic? This is different. We need to help you somehow; the blackouts and Jennifer? That’s what we need to focus on. Nathaniel, well, he’s just your ex," Kate said trying to think on her toes as usual. My mind was completely tangled.
"Kel, what happened with Craig? Has he been around?" I asked looking at my crazy best friend. Kate flinched, and Nicky looked curious.
"No idea, he hasn't shown up at my place after sweet Michael kicked his butt," Kelsie said smiling dreamily.
"I know that look," Kate said, pursing her lips with annoyance. “What have you been up to, Kel?"
"Yeah, I would like to know, too. I shouldn’t have introduced you to him. It’s been days and you’ve probably already broken his heart."
"For your information, Miss. Smarty Pants, we haven't had sex yet and I really like him."
Nicky raised her left eyebrow shooting me a questionable look. I was planning to introduce her to the group, but she was always so busy with her kids.
"Bloody hell, Kel. This is a first for you. You really like him."
Kel started looking at her nails not paying attention at us.
We teased her about her new relationship for the next five minutes before switching back to the subject of my problems. Nicky was worried, I could see it on her face, she couldn't quite believe that Ella was half fairy. When Kate and Kelsie left, she stayed with me for a couple more minutes. She told me that there was only one royal family of fairies. They lived separate from other paranormals, and they were never involved with others. They ruled in certain parts of Britain but these days, no one cared who was in power.
It wasn't long after the girls left when Quentin showed up to take me home. Nicky was in heaven when I finally introduced them. She went to see Ella while I was getting ready.
"How are you feeling now? You know, without your magic?" I asked him when we were alone. He brushed his hand over his brown hair, then kissed me passionately before he gave me an answer.
“I tried to use it the other day but that hollow feeling in my chest is still there."
I felt incredibly guilty. It had been at least four weeks and Quentin’s magic was still absent. What if he’d lost it forever and I was the cause? We didn't talk about it anymore and I finally left the hospital. When I got home, my mum called.
She demanded that I bring Quentin over for dinner soon and as usual, she wasn't taking no for an answer. Normally she would have given me a lecture about the fact that I hadn't told her about him, but Ella was still unconscious, and my mum knew that she would’ve been insensitive.
Over the next couple of weeks, I stayed away from the hospital but bugged Nicky to give me updates. Ella’s mother wasn’t in very good shape and she probably hated me for not visiting her daughter.
I showed up at Tron’s posh home a few days after I was released from the hospital determined to get a handle on my magic. Alex wasn’t there, and I felt a little overwhelmed practising alone with Tron.
His training was all about concentration. He wanted me to learn how to capture tiny sparks of energy when the power rolled but my reflexes were off. Every time I tried to create the same bolt of lightning something exploded. The spell I used on Craig worked but I hadn't progressed any further.
"Your mind is somewhere else. You’re not talking to your magic!" Tron shouted after I shattered everything made of glass all around the room. That was the fifth time that I’d tried. My magic was all over the place, electrifying my hair and burning my skin.
"I'm trying but you’re not telling me how do it!" I yelled back swallowing my tears. Tron muttered something under his breath.
"Calm down and listen to your body, feel the power boiling inside of you."
I closed my eyes, focusing on the tiny warmth that filled my stomach, pulling my body and lifting my hands. I stood there for about a minute feeling haunted and useless. In the end Tron asked me to leave. He said that I wasn't trying hard enough, and my thoughts were clouded.
When his driver dropped me home later that evening I had several messages from Nicky.
"Ella woke up and she’s been asking for you," Nicky informed me after I returned her phone call.
My heart fluttered in my chest and a long tingle passed over my arms.
“That's wonderful! Is she okay?"
There was a slight pause.
"She seems to be. She’s still angry with me but asked why you weren’t with me. She looked upset when her mother told her that you never came to visit her."
"Nicky, I can’t go and see her. It’s better if I stay away. She’s vulnerable and I don’t want her to end up like Jennifer." I sighed as that sorrowful feeling in my stomach came back. Alex asked me to keep my distance until we knew how to stop the blackouts. I could have called Ella, but this wasn’t a conversation that could be carried out over the phone. My best friend was probably confused and regretted that she’d ever forgiven me, but I had no other choice.
"What should I tell her?"
"That I can't see her now and tell her that I'm sorry. Just say that it’s better like this for now."
After all, Nicky understood, although she didn't approve of my course of action, she agreed to pass the message on to Ella. I wanted to question Alex and ask him how long he was planning to wait before he was going to talk to her. After all these years he’d never talked to or seen his family, and I understood that he was trying to protect them, but at some time, everyone deserved happiness.
The next few days and weeks were hectic and apart from intensive magical training sessions with Tron, I wanted to look into Jennifer’s involvement in my life more closely. Some nights when Quentin was around, thoughts of Nathaniel would slip through, making my heart ache. Lucinda didn't mention him when I talked to her and no one broke any more news about the wedding. Kate was watching me more closely at work, like she was afraid I might start killing the clients. I wasn’t angry with her; I knew she
meant well, but I felt hopeless and even more depressed.
It had been five weeks since my encounter with my ex-lover and my last blackout. Quentin came to the office when my shift was coming to the end, showing up unexpectedly. After I ended up in the hospital, he hadn’t brought up our conversation about moving in together. At that time of the day I was ready to leave, but Rufus came in five minutes early asking for some paperwork.
"Julia, who’s that giant by the door?" my regional manager asked, eyeing my boyfriend suspiciously.
"He’s the guy I'm currently seeing," I breathed out, my voice high. Rufus narrowed his eyes looking uncomfortable.
"Right, you may go. I’ll be fine here."
I nodded not making another comment. Rufus wasn’t just my boss, he was also a good friend. My love life shouldn’t be any of his business, but he always looked out for me and even warned me about Nathaniel. Actually, everyone warned me it wasn't a good idea to get involved with a vampire, but I didn't want to listen, so now I was suffering the consequences.
"Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to wait for me at home?"
"I have a surprise for us." He smiled. "It’s the weekend and the weather will be glorious. We’re going to Brighton. You’ve had a tough few weeks and you deserve a break."
Chapter 14
Brighton.
I opened my mouth to ask questions but, in the end, I only stared at him slightly taken aback by his offer. I glanced at Rufus and Kate; they were watching us intensely. Quentin was fully committed to me and now he wanted to make me feel better, so instead of worrying and analysing if this was a good idea, I smiled.
“I'd love to go to Brighton with you."
Quentin beamed. Kate was smiling when we said our goodbyes and left. I called Mum on my way to the apartment telling her that we wouldn’t be coming for Sunday dinner.
"Have fun, hon. Quentin is a very handsome young man," she said before hanging up. I packed whatever I thought was necessary for a two-day trip and jumped into Quentin’s car.
"Thank you, darling. I think this is exactly what I need; a short break away from everything." I leaned over and kissed him. He gave me a wide smile and switched on the engine.
"There’s an Art and Food Festival, so we’ll have plenty to do," he said keeping his eyes on the road.
"As long we spend time together and you won’t be thinking about work."
Surprisingly, I’d never been to Brighton and I’d lived in London all my life. My parents were more settled in Cornwall and holidays abroad. I sat back and closed my eyes knowing that this weekend away was going to be paradise. I had a lot of crap on my shoulders, but I was determined to enjoy myself. I liked that Quentin was spontaneous. My stomach made a small jolt because I remembered Paris and how happy I was with Nathaniel. I seriously needed to stop thinking about Mr. Bastard and focus on my relationship with Quentin.
The journey to Brighton would’ve normally taken an hour and a half, but we left on Friday afternoon when the weekend was just about to begin. By the time we reached our hotel, it was dark outside. I smiled when I realised that Quentin booked our blissful break in a hotel looking out on the coastline. My magic was more active tonight, but I didn't want to think about blackouts.
I dragged Quentin to the shower and after getting rid of all his clothes, we showered together.
"My turn now," he muttered, lifting me up and carrying to the bed. My fingertips started sparkling and I giggled with excitement. Quentin was tall and well-built; he was also a very skilled lover. He moved on top of me, kissing my breast. I stroked his back as desire blossomed throughout my body. His mouth was on mine and his fingers started moving inside me. I groaned with pleasure ready for a long lovemaking session when we heard a knock at the door.
"Who’s that?"
"I ordered some room service to have a little nibble before dinner," he breathed out gliding his fingers up and down my stomach before he got up and put a dressing robe on.
After I had a bit to eat my energy settled down and the tingling stopped. We enjoyed our small canapés and made love straight after that. When he was inside me, kissing me throughout and touching my body with his skilled hands, I was melting away. Sometimes I compared him to Nathaniel and the way we both exploded when we were together, but right now, Nathaniel cherished another creature and I didn't matter to him anymore—unless he was drunk, which pissed me off even further.
I knew I shouldn’t make such comparisons, but I couldn’t help where my thoughts drifted. It was as if Nathaniel had ruined me completely. I thought I was okay and finally moving on, then he had to show his face back in London with a new fiancé crushing every bit of progress I’d made. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and wished he would just leave me alone and stop showing up in random places, so I could live my life without him.
Later that night, when we were in a restaurant that looked out over the sea that was shaded with darkness, we had more food and drinks. I couldn’t remember what time we went back to our room; I was completely wasted. When I fell into a blissful sleep my problems no longer existed.
The sun was pouring into the room, blinding me. The hangover hit me hard, but I stayed cuddled up to my boyfriend and listened to his slow breathing. After a few minutes, I slipped from beneath the covers and went to the balcony. It was late morning and the sky was cloudless. I inhaled, mesmerised by the sea, the view was incredible.
All of a sudden, I felt a burning sensation and had to hold onto the barrier for a brief second. My magic was back, but the wave of heat hit me hard, charging my skin with clean energy. Something wasn’t right. Since my last session I could maintain my excess magic in shields, but right now my energy was too much too bear.
My nighty stuck to my back as I took long pulls of air, concentrating, just how Tron had advised me. Breathing in through my nose helped a little but then my fingertips were on fire, melting the metal I was holding on to.
I went back inside, and the energy decreased slightly.
"Hey, baby, come back to bed," Quentin growled, obviously awake now. I felt a little lightheaded.
When he kissed me, energy rolled over my spine and then his phone started vibrating on the bedside table. For some reason I felt relieved when he turned to the other side and answered it. My breathing was shallow, and this outburst was odd. It was as if someone had tricked my magic, deliberately causing an alteration of my entire body.
"Hello, Mr. Van Rooyen," Quentin answered the phone with an abrupt tone of voice. He was annoyed.
My pulse was racing, so I rushed to the bathroom hoping that if I splashed some water on my face, it would settle my energy. When I looked at my reflection in the mirror and held my breath, my eyes began to shimmer. I was seeing small dots everywhere.
Quentin opened the door to the bathroom still holding his phone. He looked pissed off about something.
"My partner just called, he was on the way here, but he crashed his car half an hour into the drive. I need to deal with this," he said giving me an apologetic look.
"Is he okay?" I asked ignoring the tingling sensation all over my body.
"He was taken to the hospital, but the most expensive art is lying everywhere, and someone has to deal with it. I'm so sorry, Julia, I’ll be back as soon as I can."
I faked a smile.
"I'm fine, go."
Five minutes later he was gone, and I felt a little better, although my head was still pounding.
When I left the bathroom, I stared putting some clothes on wondering if I should go down for breakfast. Quentin wasn't going to be back for a couple of hours, so I needed to keep myself entertained one way or another.
Then I heard a knock at my door thinking that maybe Quentin ordered breakfast for me, so I opened it up without worrying about my appearance. When I realised who was standing at the door, I thought I was hallucinating.
He can't be here, he wouldn’t know. This is impossible.
Out of nowhere, wind
ruffled my hair and my skin sparkled. Nathaniel La Caz was in front of me and my world came crashing down.
"So, you are with the giant now?" he asked and when I failed to respond he continued. "We both know he isn't for you."
I was so shocked that I couldn't move. He walked in, pushing me away from the entrance and closed the door.
"I want you to leave right now," I demanded after a moment, ready to speak again but my voice cracked.
Nathaniel ignored me, glancing at the bed on which I made love to Quentin last night. His hair was a little longer and he was dressed casually wearing a grey jumper and jeans. My heart started to gallop out of my chest and a sudden rush of heat was circling all over me.
"Julia, please, I made mistake and I know you don’t want to hear it again, but I came to tell you that I love you!" he said approaching me.
I always thought I’d be the happiest person on the planet if Nathaniel told me he loved me, but instead pure rage and anger consumed me. My pores opened, and magic burned deep down to my core. I bared my teeth and slapped him hard, making my hand burn.
"Fuck you!" I roared levitating above the floor just an inch.
Nathaniel widened his eyes and the smile that was spread across his face disappeared. His eyes burned with heat and desire whereas I pushed away any warmth and lust that embraced my heart out of nowhere.
"I love you and I won’t stop staying this to you until you get it," he repeated with a much more softer voice, moving even closer. I took another intake of breath and slapped him again this time, much harder leaving a red mark on his cheek.
"Fuck you, Nathaniel La Caz!" I yelled but he caught my hands before I could push him away.
"I love you!" he repeated again causing an eruption of desire. Then he kissed me, and I inhaled the intense smell of cedar notes and lemons. My body fought hard, but my heart and soul urged for more. He finally let go of himself and revealed his true feelings for me. His touch brought me back to life, and in the end, I didn't have the strength to fight with him. I kissed him back, slamming into his chest. The wind inside the hotel room picked up, things started to circle around us. Nathaniel pressed his lips to my neck and I moaned as pleasure replaced the guilt. Then he sucked on my lower lip, pulling me closer to his lean body.
Elf's Affection: The Witching Hour Series Book 3 Page 11