"You're not gonna burn anything, just take a deep breath," Yoshi instructed.
I did what he said, then exhaled slowly in an effort to calm my nerves.
"Now imagine the fire increasing just slightly," Malachi encouraged.
I nodded, closing my eyes and doing exactly that. I felt the spark of energy inside me and pulled just a speck of power from it to help increase the size of the flame.
"Yes! Stop, Crim," Quillian urged.
I opened my eyes to see the medium size fireball in my hands. I knew it could do a lot of damage if directed at something or someone.
"Now close your eyes and pull the magic back within you, like a vacuum," Itsuki instructed.
I nodded, closing my eyes and mentally called the magic back into my body. I felt the heat within my hands began to dim until it completely dissipated. I opened my eyes and saw the fireball was gone.
"I did it!" I looked to the guys who were crowded around me.
"Excellent work, Crim!" Malachi cheered, coming to give me a high five.
"You’re a fast learner, Crim," Haru complimented.
"Right! That took Itsuki like five days to learn when Storm tried to teach him. He made some tiny little ball of light that wouldn't even burn a fly," Malachi teased.
Itsuki frowned. "You're never letting that go, are you?"
"Nope. That was funny and I'll always make fun of you when I get the chance."
"Maybe you should accidentally light his hair on fire like last time," Quil suggested.
"You better not!" Malachi shouted, pointing at Itsuki who smirked.
"It’s tempting." He snapped his fingers.
Malachi swore when a bit of his hair caught on fire. "Dammit, Itsuki!" He tried to blow it out.
Hmm, I wonder.
I quickly closed my eyes and envisioned a small ball of water just like Haru and Itsuki had taught me, directing it to Malachi. I heard a large splash.
I opened my eyes to see a completely drenched Malachi who just blinked. Quil and Aki burst out laughing, while Haru and Itsuki snickered. Yoshi had a wide grin on his face.
"Good work, Crim. Just do the opposite next time when it comes to water. You need to use more energy to make it smaller."
"What? But I thought that was for wind," I whined.
"Wind needs less energy like fire and electricity. Water and nature magic need more energy to become smaller and more focused," Yoshi explained.
"Oh," I replied, looking back at Malachi. I gave him a sheepish grin and shrugged. "Oops?"
Now all the guys were laughing. Even Malachi chuckled.
"I'm gonna go change," he announced.
"I can dry you off?" I suggested.
He held his hands up in defense. "Nope! I don't want a tornado in this house. I'll change like a normal person," Malachi reassured me.
I pouted, "You're no fun."
"Hottie McHot Pants needs a moment to restore his hotness. You cooled him off," Quil joked.
"You’re an ass," Malachi huffed, pointing to Quil who smirked.
"Go change. We're going out, remember?" Quil reminded.
"Fine. Give me five minutes." Malachi rushed to the washroom, leaving a puddle of water behind.
"You guys have a lead?" I asked, getting up to grab a few paper towels. Aki stopped me before I made it three steps.
"Don't worry about it." He snapped his fingers. The puddle evaporated within seconds. I gawked at where the puddle once was and then back at Aki.
"How did you do that?"
"I'll teach you later." He winked.
"Don't go sucking up to try and get brownie points with her," Malachi called out from the washroom.
"Stop eavesdropping and go shower! Or I'll leave your ass behind," Quil yelled.
"Kutabare!" Malachi shouted.
"Stop swearing in front of Crim," Itsuki chastised.
"I'm not in front of her," Malachi countered.
Haru rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to me. "Yes, Crim. We have a lead. The man we believe was at the crime scene apparently has a meeting with your father in a week and a half from now. We're gonna track where he's staying for now and keep a lookout," Haru explained. Yoshi rose from where he sat on the cushion facing the couch.
"I contacted the Emperor and he's sending us back out to scout all of Nokamato. I've gathered a bit of evidence, but it’s difficult to talk to the females around here," Yoshi admitted.
"Maybe I could help?" I offered.
I knew that because of the increased crime rate, which included a number of rapes in the city, many women either banded together or were very apprehensive around men. It didn't matter how rich or poor they looked. If you took sympathy for a poor person or were wooed by a rich person, it could cost you dearly.
"It's not a bad idea. We'd be able to gather more information for the Emperor. He can't come down himself yet and his undercover team is still working on things. We could try and assist while we gather evidence regarding Storm's murder. I bet someone knows what happened or who is pulling the strings," Aki explained.
"If you're going with Crimson, she's gonna need to change her appearance a bit," Haru pointed out.
"Please don't tell me I need long hair," I grumbled.
"What's wrong with long hair?" Quil asked, looking amused.
"It just gets in the way."
"It's not that bad." Aki pointed to his ponytail which was tied in a gold silk ribbon with red symbols.
"Why do you wear different ribbons?" I asked, realizing Aki never left his hair down, even to sleep.
"That's because he goes all Super Saiyan like Goku," Malachi joked, walking into the living room wearing just a towel.
I stared him up and down, completely zoning everything else out for a good ten seconds.
"Go put some clothing on, Malachi! We'd like to have a normal conversation without splitting Crim's attention," Quil grumbled.
Itsuki chuckled. "Earth to Crim."
I had to blink a few times before I tuned back to the conversation. "Nani?" I asked, accidentally speaking in Japanese.
Haru shook his head. "If you ever need Crim's attention, just take your shirt off," he teased.
I blushed. "I...you guys are mean," I grumbled, crossing my arms.
They all laughed.
"Crimson, how are your commissions going?" Aki inquired.
"Hey, you can't change the subject," I retorted, remembering that I had asked about his hair.
He grinned, walking over to me.
"You can't distract—" I began, but froze when his lips gently pressed against my forehead. I blinked, turning completely red and blanking out.
"Oh look. It's time for you guys to get ready," he pointed out.
"What a player," Itsuki whispered to Yoshi.
"I knew he was trouble when Storm recruited him," Yoshi replied.
"Oh please. You said the same thing about Malachi and me," Quil huffed and got to his feet.
"My predictions are always true," Yoshi defended.
"Uh huh," they all replied in unison.
I grinned and tried not to focus on the butterflies fluttering in my stomach from Aki's simple kiss. It was hard to admit, but I'd never experienced that feeling with James. I wonder if he's coming back to get more clothes?
"So Crim, your commissions?" Haru asked, looking curious.
"Oh! My orders tripled ever since the name change. Aki helped update my website with a gallery and everything. I've been getting tons of emails."
"Which I responded to already," Itsuki announced.
I gawked at him. "What? You went through all of them!" I exclaimed. I'd fallen asleep after the fiftieth inquiry and hadn't had a chance to catch up since.
Itsuki grinned and looked at Haru and Quil who looked proud like they had won an award of some kind.
"You’re booked for the next five months," Itsuki revealed.
"And we inquired with a contact Storm used to know in Homatomashi who's been following your work sin
ce you began and would love to schedule a massive gallery event when you're up for it." Quil sounded as excited as I felt.
"And Aki ordered something for you," Haru added softly.
Aki cursed, glaring at him. "You weren't supposed to tell her," Aki grumbled.
"Oh please, it's her house. She would have checked the mail," Malachi pointed out.
"It already came in, you baka!" Quil growled, throwing a pillow at Malachi who just stepped to the side and rolled his eyes.
"Why am I to blame when Haru is the one who spoiled it?" Malachi pointed to Haru who just looked innocently at us.
"Cause it’s easier to blame you," Itsuki said with a shrug.
"You guys are all bullies that's what. Let's go," Malachi grumbled.
"Not with you in a towel, Hottie McHot Pants," I tutted.
"You can't use that nickname when he has no pants on," Yoshi joked.
"That's because you guys are ruining my concentration," Malachi complained and turned back to get some clothes from the spare room.
We all laughed. The others who had been still sitting rose to their feet.
"Aki's staying with you today, Crim. He wants to sleep all day," Quil informed me.
"He secretly wants to watch you paint, but you didn't hear it from me," Itsuki whispered in my ear.
"Just go already!" Aki shouted.
"Ah. Anger issues," Haru sighed dramatically in his thick Japanese accent which made him sound super cute.
"We’ll be back in the evening, Crim. Don't let her fall asleep on the couch, Aki or we'll kick your ass," Quil warned.
Aki rolled his eyes. "Hai, hai!" he replied quickly, shooing them away.
Haru, Itsuki, Quil, and Yoshi all said goodbye to me, giving me hugs before they left, leaving the door wide open for Malachi.
"Wait for me!" Malachi ran out, sliding to a stop next to me. He gave me a quick hug.
"See ya, Hottie. Be good and we’ll bring back food, even if it's midnight," he whispered.
"Can you bring ice cream too? The green tea kind?" I asked shyly.
"No problem," Malachi assured me.
"HOTTIE MCHOT PANTS! The elevator's here!" I heard Quil call out.
"I swear...bye, Aki and Hottie!" Malachi dashed out the door and ran off.
Aki sighed, shaking his head and went to close the door while I stood there giggling.
"So, you got me something?" I hummed, walking over to my painting area to decide what commission to start next.
I glanced at the next client on the list:
A.T. Green
Request: Image representing your new pen name. Can be what inspired the name change. I like it. XOXOXO
I stroked my chin in wonder as to how I was gonna paint this one out. How the pen name came to be. Crimson Storm is a combination of me and Storm Yuna. Hmm... Maybe I could make it an image of both of us. Well, I'd change my image slightly. Maybe make her have paler skin. Hmmm. I could have Urufu on Storm's side and maybe a Kitsune on my side? Like the Kitsune in my dream.
Arms slid around my waist and snapped me out of my train of thought.
"Aki?" I asked, my tone a little higher than normal.
"You didn't hear what I said, did you?" he asked softly.
I blushed in embarrassment, turning in his embrace to look up at him. "No," I whispered, realizing how close we were.
His eyes lingered on my lips for a few seconds before he pulled away, turning to pick up a wrapped gift from the couch. I would admit that I was slightly disappointed I hadn’t gotten to kiss him; my heart had skipped a beat.
Aki turned back to face me and presented the gift.
"Thought it would be good for your work," he announced.
I eyed him curiously, but accepted the gift. It was the first time in years I'd received a gift from anyone. James wasn't the type to buy me anything and the last gift I remembered getting was from Mr. Jiyuna when I was really young.
I carefully unwrapped the rectangular item and my eyes went wide when I realized what it was.
"A drawing tablet? Wait, are these the ones those designers who create video games and manga use?" I asked excitedly.
Aki grinned. "Yup. I have a contact here who orders a lot from his store and he reserved one for me. I was gonna wait for your birthday, but I was ratted out," he mumbled the last part.
"Aki...Arigato," I whispered, trying not to cry.
He gave me a soft smile and pulled me into a hug. "You’re welcome, Crimson. I'll teach you how to use it whenever I have time," he promised me.
We pulled apart and I nodded in agreement.
He smiled before a yawn escaped him. "And I need a nap," he admitted, rubbing his eyes.
I smirked. "Go sleep. I'll start working on this project," I encouraged.
"Hmm... Okay. If you need more than Uru, just come wake me up."
I nodded, taking a step forward and getting up on my tiptoes to give him a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Sleep well," I whispered, meeting his stunned gaze. I noticed the slight blush on his cheeks before he looked away with an embarrassed look.
"Okay. Work hard," he mumbled and shuffled away.
I forced myself not to laugh at his shy behavior which wasn't normal for Aki. I smiled down at the tablet before placing it carefully on the coffee table. I turned back to the blank canvas and took a deep breath.
"Let's get this started," I announced.
I turned on some soft music and got my paints and palette ready. I took a final look at the blank canvas, envisioning how the entire thing would look. I smiled.
Crimson Storm. A human with perseverance and a shifter with immense power. What do they have in common?
They love with all their heart.
"Mom, I'm not coming down for my birthday," I grumbled as I stared at the blank canvas before me.
I'd been trying to create the perfect image for A.T. for an hour, but had been interrupted by a phone call from my mom.
Every year it was a 'you must come home and celebrate with your family' thing which made no sense to me because A. we didn't celebrate. It was the same dinner and hidden insults as any other get together, and B. it usually ended with me leaving early in tears to go drink a large amount of alcohol. Then, I would end up having drunk sex with James, which, with his attitude lately, I didn't want to put myself in that situation.
"Your father has been stressed lately. He didn't mean what he said," Mother defended.
"Mom, how long are we gonna play this game? He treats me like shit and everyone turns a blind eye and acts like it’s okay. Well it's NOT okay!' I snapped.
"I know, Crimson. I'm sorry," she whispered.
I sighed, pinching my nose and closing my eyes. "Sorry. I'm just...Mom, I can't keep putting myself in these situations. I'll do what you ask one last time, but after this, I'm done. I'll come to see you whenever you like, but not Father. I have anxiety and other issues to deal with. I don't need his stress and the burden that comes with it," I whispered.
I opened my eyes and noticed Uru was sitting quietly at my feet. I smiled down at her, crouching down to pet her.
"I understand. Just this last time..." she whispered.
I noticed the hesitation in her voice. "Mother, what are you hiding?" I didn't need to be in front of my mom to know she was hiding something from me.
"Crim...well... I shouldn't tell you on the phone," she mumbled.
"Is Father home?"
"No. He went out for a meeting," Mother assured.
"Then what's wrong?" I asked again in a stern voice.
She was silent for a few seconds before she began to sob.
"Mom, you’re scaring me. Why are you crying? Do you want me to come over?" I got to my feet.
I noticed Aki from the corner of my eye, leaning against the door frame. He tried to maintain a blank expression, but his eyes showed concern.
"Mom, please." If my father hurt her, I didn't care how weak or incompetent I was with magic. I would make sure he paid for it dearly.
<
br /> "I'm divorcing your father," she announced.
I blinked, needing a second for the sentence to sink into my brain.
"What!" I shrieked.
"I can't do this anymore, Crim. I can't keep pushing you away. I've watched it for years. I've sat and watched you be isolated and I didn't have the guts to say no. I'm your mother. I should have protected you and put my foot down from the beginning. I don't know what happened. Ever since I had to marry your father and then losing Hotaka... I just didn't have the strength to fight anymore. But I can't afford to lose you too. We barely talk. I'm lucky to even have a conversation with you every three months," she cried.
I couldn't say anything as tears filled my eyes. I never knew my mother felt this way. I thought she supported my father completely. I had to bite my lip to hold back the sobs that tried to escape.
To think I lost out on having a real relationship with my mom because of my father. Aki walked over to me and soothingly rubbed my back. I gave him a small smile and continued to listen to my mom's explanation.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for what I did. For casting you aside. You didn't deserve it. I love you no matter what you are. I carried you and gave birth to you. We should never have blamed you for being who you are. So, if there's any way you can forgive me..." she begged.
I closed my eyes, letting the tears fall as I absorbed her words. For my mom to acknowledge her mistakes and apologize meant everything to me. It proved to me that I hadn’t deserved the treatment I was getting. It showed that I deserved to have a childhood where I could learn the same things as shifters and play with other children without being looked down on. I deserved friends and to have birthday parties and attend family gatherings without ridicule. I deserved to be loved, even if I was human.
"Watashi wa anata o yurusu," I whispered into the phone.
I forgive you. She deserved to be forgiven. At the end of the day, even if she’d made mistakes, she had given me life and showed her love whenever she didn't have Father watching her every move. I could move on and love her and have a relationship with her again. She was my mom after all.
She continued to cry over the phone and I comforted her the best I could. When she finally calmed, I promised I'd come down for my birthday.
Taming the Storm (Crimson Storm Chronicles Book 1) Page 15