by Thorne, Elle
A streak of heat made its way through her body.
Dammit. She bit her lip. Piria knew.
“I guess it’s not my business.” Sean was frowning. “What’s wrong?”
“You need to go.” She kept her gaze averted from him. “Now.”
“Why?”
She dropped to the ground and whirled to face him. “Go, now.” She was almost screaming.
A searing pain coursed through her nerve endings, starting from her shoulders, down her arms, into her hands.
“Now!” she yelled, as a flame took hold of a bush. “Go.”
But he didn’t go.
So, she did.
She ran from him. Eden glanced back. He was putting out the fire with the shirt he’d removed. Stomping on the flames and uttering curses.
She’d left her basket in the tree—lunch uneaten—but at this point, did it really matter?
Finally, she stopped and talked to her elemental in her head.
“Piria, you need to talk to me. You can’t keep setting things on fire because you don’t like bears.”
Eden’s panther snarled.
“You hush,” she told her panther.
“Piria. Please. Talk to me.”
Silence, still.
Eden paced in a tight circle in front of a hollowed out old tree. Over and over again, she paced trying to get Piria to come out and talk to her.
No luck.
Exhausted from fire-creating and the pacing, not to mention the running, plus the emotional fatigue, Eden plopped into the hollow, curled up and held her legs tightly against her body. She tucked her chin onto her knees.
Her stomach rumbled with hunger, and she thought of the basket she’d abandoned. Too bad, too late now.
“I can wait, Piria. I can wait until you do talk to me. I can wait indefinitely.”
Unfortunately, the next voice Eden heard wasn’t Piria’s. It was Tyler’s. And it came from somewhere nearby.
“Have you ever been close to her elemental?”
Who was Tyler talking to?
The answer to that came very soon. On a parallel path, a few yards away, Tyler and Camden were taking a walk.
Eden stayed motionless, unseen, unnoticed.
She studied the couple as they kept a leisurely stroll. There was something off with her sister’s body language. And something odd about the interaction between Camden and Tyler. There was a distance between the two of them. Not huge, but they weren’t holding hands, like they usually did.
Eden narrowed her eyes and appraised them.
“No, Piria doesn’t seem to be of a mind to become close to anyone.”
That wasn’t Camden’s voice!
The realization hit Eden hard. She was eavesdropping on a conversation between Camden’s elemental and Tyler.
And they were discussing Eden—or rather, her elemental.
“What can we do to help Eden? She’s going to burn the house down. Camden didn’t have any ideas, do you?” Tyler had turned to face Camden—or rather, Avala.
Great.
She held back a sigh. I’m just everyone’s little problem.
“I think Camden’s idea to call Circe is the best one yet. Circe might have a suggestion,” Avala said.
A fury raged within Eden. She couldn’t even talk to Piria, and here was Camden’s elemental, chatting with Tyler like they were besties. Tears of wrath built behind her eyes. Eden closed her lids tightly to keep them from escaping, but no such luck. Her tears made hot tracks as they trailed down her cheeks.
Tears of frustration with Piria’s unwillingness to communicate or help her, tears of frustration that she felt irresistibly drawn to Sean, and could barely talk to him without Piria trying to burn everything down.
She tucked herself deeper into the tree’s hollow and surrendered to her panther’s snarls in the deep recesses of her mind. Her panther had always been one to soothe her.
Chapter Five
Sean took a shower to wash off the ash and dust, then changed clothing. He needed to talk to Camden. Eden’s response to him was becoming a hazard to the area. He’d noticed the occasional burned items that found their way into the trash. And he knew that though he didn’t set the fires, he was directly responsible for them. He irritated her elemental.
He heard Tyler and Camden on the front porch. He met them at the door. He wanted to talk about Eden, but first things first.
“Where are the girls?” He hadn’t seen Tessa and Trista this morning.
“Mae asked to have them for the day,” Tyler said. “Didn’t figure you’d mind.”
“All good.”
“Where have you been?”
“For a walk in the woods. Talking about… stuff,” Camden said.
Then Sean did a double take. That wasn’t Camden’s voice. He narrowed his eyes and appraised Camden. Then he looked at his brother with a quizzical expression on his face.
“This is Avala,” Tyler said. “Camden’s elemental.”
Sean nodded. Tyler had told him he was on friendly terms with Camden’s elemental, but it was just that… “I didn’t realize… I mean…” He struggled with the words. “I didn’t think that Camden, that, Avala…” Sean cleared his throat. “Nice to meet you?”
Camden smiled. But it wasn’t her smile; it was like another person.
“It’s difficult to comprehend,” Avala said.
“I’ll say,” Sean agreed. “I wasn’t expecting this sort of two people in the same body with different voices, and even different smiles.”
Tyler patted Sean on the shoulder. “Now you know what I meant when I said we were friendly.”
“Yeah, I guess I didn’t think that Avala could speak to others. Or outside of Camden’s head.” Pretty much the way it worked with their bears—except for the shifting and all. “So, no offense, but do you think Camden can come back?”
She looked at Tyler, then nodded.
“Hey.” It was Camden’s voice.
“Guys, look,” Sean began. “I’m new to this and it kind of gives me pause.”
“Avala can hear the things I hear, you know,” Camden said.
“Sorry.” Sean stuffed his fingers in his pockets. “So, you let her come out and talk to Tyler? What’s that about?”
“They’re friends.” Camden frowned as if she was perplexed by the question. “Why would I not want them to be able to talk? She has a right to a friendship and happiness just as much as I do. What her people have gone through…” She shook her head, her eyes filled with tears.
Now he felt even worse. And he’d already said he was sorry once, would it be hollow to apologize? This was his brother’s mate. He didn’t like seeing her in pain. Not to mention, the resemblance to Eden was so uncanny that it reminded him of Eden’s pain; a pain she displayed every time she lit something on fire.
“I didn’t realize.” That’s the only thing he could think of to say.
Camden put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m a bit hyper-sensitive to it still.”
Tyler put his arm around her. “Understandably.” He raised his nose to the air. “Do I pick up the scent of smoke?”
Damn his brother’s nose was sensitive.
Sean had already discarded the shirt he used to put Eden’s flash fire “Yeah.”
“What happened?” Camden’s eyes mirrored her concern.
“I was trying to talk to Eden earlier. She started a little fire. I know she wouldn’t have this problem if I wasn’t around. That thing she has about bears.” He shrugged. He was at a loss. “I’m thinking I should leave town. For some reason, her elemental hates me, and I know that means you two can’t do for Tessa and Trista what you need to.”
Camden frowned. “That’s no solution.”
“I don’t think that staying here and creating stress for her or waiting for her to burn something down is a viable answer either.” He didn’t want to say house, but that thought was there. As was the thought that Tessa and Trista lived here. A f
ire… Sean exhaled. He didn’t even want to contemplate what would happen if they were hurt in a fire he could have prevented by leaving for a while. Leaving home. Leaving Eden.
“But—” Camden paused, tapped her nails against the table.
Sean raised a brow and waited for the rest of it.
“But what you have. You and Eden.”
Sean glanced at Tyler. Did his brother give it away? Did he tell Camden that he had feelings for Eden?
Tyler gave him a slight headshake.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake.” Camden stomped her foot. “Do you think it’s not obvious? Not to mention, I know my sister.”
Sean scrubbed his face, his scruffy growth making a scratchy sound. Was she saying that Eden had feelings for him? “Wait—”
“No.” Camden shook her head vigorously. Dark hair flying loose from the ponytail she’d put it in. “You wait. I’m not willing to watch this—” she waved her hands to and fro, “whatever this is meant to be thwarted be a hardheaded elemental with a longstanding grudge toward bears she won’t talk about.”
Whoa.
Sean glanced at Tyler.
“She’s a spitfire, little brother,” Tyler told him.
“I see that.”
“Please. Just wait,” Camden added one last plea. “A while.”
Chapter Six
Eden walked into the sitting area in the front of the house. Outside, nature had decided to take control and wreak a little bit of havoc. Upstairs, Sean and Tyler played with Trista and Tessa, helping them pack for a day visit with Mae and Doc the next day. If the weather permitted.
Lights flickered on and off as high winds were clearly messing with the electricity.
Camden sat in one of the wing chairs, a tray in front of her.
Eden picked up the scent of herbs. “What’s that?” She pointed to the tray, tea cups, and teapot with steam rising from an elegant neck.
Camden smiled. “Have a cup of tea with me?”
Eden cocked her head. “Since when do we do high tea?” She laughed. “Got scones to go with it?””
Camden shook her head. “Well, with the power flickering on and off, couldn’t make coffee in the electric coffeemaker, but the stove is gas-powered. So, I figured it would be a perfect day for tea.”
Eden shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”
Camden set down a book she’d been reading and poured her a cup while Eden took a spot in the opposite wing chair and studied the trees outside.
“Freak storm, isn’t it.”
Camden looked up. “Yes, Tyler says it doesn’t happen all that often.”
“The sky’s so dark.” Eden shivered. “It’s almost scary, the way the mountains and trees make it look darker than it is. At the same time, it makes me miss Colorado so much.”
Camden handed her the cup. “I know what you mean. I miss it, too.”
“But now you’re going to be staying here…”
Camden nodded. “I know. I’ve thought about it. I hope there’s a way to figure out how to be able to visit home more often.”
Eden fought back the tears. “I’ll miss you.”
Camden’s lip trembled. She fanned her face with her hands to keep the tears from shedding, a mannerism both Eden and Camden had picked up from their older sister Circe.
“You’re reminding me of her,” Eden told Camden.
Cam looked at her hands, then dropped them self-consciously in her lap. “I miss her, too.”
Eden nodded, but didn’t tell Camden that she’d be seeing Circe a lot less now that she was going to be living here with Tyler.
She took a sip of the fragrant herbal tea, shuddered at the sweetness.
“I’m sorry,” Camden said. “I might have over sweetened it.”
“It’s okay. I hope the storm doesn’t scare Trista and Tessa too badly.”
A crack of thunder drowned out Eden’s reply.
* * *
Eden held onto the chair’s arm. “Something’s wrong.”
Camden watched her, not saying a word.
“I think that…” In Eden’s mind, her panther roared. Otherwise, there as an emptiness she couldn’t explain.
And still Cam was silent.
“I can’t feel Piria.” The words sounded strange, coming from her own mouth, but she didn’t know how else to explain it. She felt empty inside. Except that her panther was there.
“Piria?” she called out to her elemental.
Eden received no reply.
Many times, Piria didn’t respond. So not getting a reply wasn’t that unusual. But the sensation that Piria was gone was a totally new feeling. It was like walking into a vacant house.
“Piria’s not answering me. And it feels like she’s gone. She can’t do that, can she? Just up and leave? Don’t I have to be dead for her to go?”
Camden shook her head. “Wait.” She rose and stepped closer to Eden, putting her hand on her shoulder. “I told Circe about what is going on with Piria and the bear thing, and the fires…”
“What are you saying?”
“She sent me the tea. Overnighted it.”
“What?” Eden flew to her feet. “What have you done? You killed Piria?”
Camden gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth. “God, no. No. The tea is to knock her out. It’s a sedative.”
Eden slumped back into the chair. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You wanted me to tell you that I was going to give you something to knock Piria out? And you don’t think she’d have heard that? You don’t think she’d have made me spontaneously burst into combustion?”
Eden chewed on her lip, rubbing her hands over her thighs repeatedly with anxious energy. “You’re right. But now what?”
“Circe said to keep drinking the tea while we try to help the girls. It will keep Piria from freaking out. And it will allow you to be able to be around bear shifters, and bears, without issue.”
Chapter Seven
A couple of days later, Eden was thinking of what she liked to call the Tea Maneuver. The act of keeping Piria under thanks to Circe’s tea.
At first, Eden wasn’t sure how to feel about the strategy to keep Piria sedated so she could be at Sean and Ty’s house without incident. A part of her realized this was the best tactic to keep the house and everyone in it safe. But on the other hand, she felt like she was betraying Piria, like she was doing something underhanded.
Damn, what a position to be in.
She watched Trista and Tessa, back from Mae’s home and outside, playing with Tyler and Camden.
Please forgive me, she silently pleaded to Piria, though she knew that Piria couldn’t hear her.
“They’re happy, aren’t they?”
She flinched and jumped. “Sean.” How the heck had he managed to sneak up on her? She must have been very involved in her thoughts.
“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to scare you. Was certain your panther would have alerted you.”
“That’s okay. No. I was thinking,” her voice was a hair above a whisper.
“How are you doing with this?” He leaned in, his leg brushing against hers. “How are you doing with your elemental being AWOL?”
She sighed, met his eyes, tried not to notice how she wanted to plunge into those eyes, how she could drown in him way too easily.
He edged in closer while she tried to process her heartbeat doubling in rate, her body temperature rising, and her panther snarling like a banshee, but in a good way.
“I’m not burning anything down,” she said, wondering how she managed to put a sentence together, the way this man was wreaking havoc on her senses and her emotions.
He leaned closer, his lips brushing against hers, gliding ever so tenderly.
Eden closed her eyes, relishing the feel of the bristly stubble against her face.
When he pulled away, she realized she’d been holding her breath and her lungs were on fire.
“I should apologize for that.” His voice was a sexy, hoarse growl, a sure
sign his bear was near the surface. She could absolutely relate to that, her panther felt ready to pounce out of Eden’s skin, of that she was sure.
She opened her eyes. “You shouldn’t.”
Who knew when they’d ever have a chance to kiss again? The moment that Piria awakened, she’d be back on her death march toward annihilating bears.
“No?” He raised a brow in that sexy, chiseled face, his lips curling into a crooked smile that made her want to kiss him.
Why, oh, why, did the only man I’ve ever felt this way for have to be a bear shifter?
“No,” she shook her head. “You should take full advantage of the opportunity.”
His smile grew. “Full advantage?” This time his voice was even more of a growl, more gravelly.
She realized what she’d said. “Wait. I didn’t mean that. I meant in the kissing.”
“Oh, and what did you think I meant, dirty girl?” His laugh was low and husky.
She playfully hit him on the arm, those muscular triceps didn’t give an inch. She let her hand rest there.
That kiss. It had to be duplicated. And she had to take advantage of it now, else, there might not be another chance.
Her gaze remained locked on his as she stretched on her tiptoes and let her fingers walk up those arms, to those wide, shoulders, then around to his neck. A gloriously thick neck that boasted of his time in the gym.
“I need a little help from you, you know?” She pulled his head down to meet hers.
His mouth claimed hers, slow and passionately, his tongue stroking her bottom lip, testing the seam, demanding entrance.
Her lips parted on a sigh, tasting his wildness.
It was a kiss to end all kisses, a primeval dance of tongues that left her world shattered and her senses reeling.
He nipped at her bottom lip with sharp teeth.
Her body leaned against his, her breasts, even in the confine of her bra, pushed forward to be against his flesh, though he was in a flannel shirt that showed off his muscles to sheer perfection.
His hands were on her waist, then her hips, then at the small of her back, then lower, almost cupping her derriere.