Gia wanted to argue, but there was no point. The only thing that would make a difference was catching and killing the bastard. “I suppose even we don’t know what’s in the heart of men. Although, I now realize why he would make himself scarce when you visited the island.”
“You think I would have sussed him out?” Diana raised a brow.
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. Your built-in lie detector isn’t infallible, but it makes sense John took steps to avoid you. He didn’t last as long as he did in T’Kaieri by taking chances.” Gia groaned as she flexed her arms and shoulders. “We can’t be caught unawares by him again.”
“We won’t be,” Diana vowed. She relaxed her hold, running her fingers over the faint marks on Gia’s skin. “You know, I think I dreamt this.”
Gia’s sluggish mind began to work faster. “You dreamt of me being poisoned by John?’
“No. It was a very old dream, not clear at all. And there was nothing about John or his betrayal. It’s just…it’s the image of these,” Diana said, tracing the marks. “I remember them.”
As omens went, it was less than informative after the fact, but Gia had been in service long enough to know the Mother’s ways weren’t merely mysterious. Sometimes, they were downright perverse. “Prophetic dreams are rare for our kind. Yours was probably unrelated, but if you remember anything else, let me know.”
“I will.”
“What happened after I went down?” Gia asked.
Diana gave her a quick and concise rundown of events after the attack, starting with the booby trap at T’Kaieri and ending with the ritual that sent a disinherited Delavordo into hell to search for Gia. In turn, Gia told her about the spell trap and the open door to Sheol.
“Why the hell would those dragon shifters invade Sheol?” her sister asked. “It’s nothing but a barren wasteland, isn’t it? Do they expect to find treasure there?”
Like Gia, all three of her younger sisters were familiar with the major clans of shifters, but none had spent a significant amount of time with any of the Draconai Imperia, the oldest clan of non-native dragons.
The Draconai Imperia were refugees, the only survivors of a cataclysmic civil war that destroyed their civilization over a millennia ago. Compared to the small pockets of native dragon shifters, the Draconai were smaller and faster with a rigidly disciplined hierarchical structure.
There was still some debate among T’Kaierian scholars over which group of dragons first appeared on Earth. The most popular theory was Earth’s native dragon shifter population took their form after the Draconai arrived. Noomi’s great-grandfather, a former head archivist himself, was convinced the form was inspired by the Draconai after the first clans settled in North America. Some vocal authorities insisted the similarity in form was simple convergent evolution. However, after seeing the entire Imperia in flight, Gia was leaning toward the former.
“The Draconai have been around for an extremely long time, and we’ve never had any trouble from them,” Diana observed. “I hope that isn’t about to change. Could they have been on an invasion for gold or something like that? Those demon lords have been known to hoard wealth like humans.”
“I suspect they were hunting treasure—just not gold or jewels,” Gia murmured.
Given the way the junior Draconai had reacted to Salvador, Gia had a suspicion, but they wouldn’t know the truth until the dragons returned. If they returned.
“Are these dragons anything like Serin’s friend, Ed…he of the cookie jars?” Diana asked.
“No,” Gia said. “The Draconai Imperia are another species from a different realm. They’re a warrior caste that emigrated here a millennia ago, survivors of a war they never talk about. The Mother allowed them to stay so long as they kept the Covenant, and they didn’t make war for riches. And they have honored that pledge—for the most part. But regardless of their relatively peaceful ways, they train every day, maintaining their rigid warrior ways amongst themselves.”
“A life endlessly preparing for war, but not fighting one. Could that be why they went to Sheol? Could it be a training exercise?”
“Opening a door to Sheol is a clear violation of the Covenant. I don’t think they would risk their place on Earth by doing so unless they had a damn good reason.” She brushed her hair out of her face. “I don’t know what that would be. Except for their leader, I’ve never spoken to them, although I know most by sight. They keep to themselves, an insular community. On occasion, one or two have even fought alongside earlier generations of Elementals, when certain threats arose.”
Diana brightened. “So, they could be potential allies?”
Gia sighed. “I wouldn’t count on it. Based on what I saw, they have their own war to fight. But we’ll do as I told the guard. The door stays only stays open for twenty-four hours. Then we close it whether they are back or not—permanently. I also ordered the guard to send his chieftain to me when they return. If the answer is unsatisfying… then we may have to reevaluate the terms of the treaty.”
Diana nodded. “I understand,” she said, seemingly unconcerned that a serious battle with a dangerous shifter clan might be brewing on top of everything else.
If they had to leave, the dragons wouldn’t go quietly.
“I’ll cover the doorway until those dragon shifters get back,” Diana offered.
Gia shook her head. “No, send Logan.”
When Diana frowned, Gia patted her shoulder. “The inhabitants of Sheol have been conditioned to fire. I’m pretty sure one or more of those demon princes are impervious.”
“Not to my fire,” Diana sniffed.
“Maybe not,” Gia conceded. Her sister’s gift came from the Mother herself. It had never failed to destroy anything she’d wanted to burn. “But I’d rather have you on John’s trail.”
Her sister grinned. “Even better. Just know if I find him this time, I won’t wait for you. The second I set eyes on him, he’s toast.”
Gia inclined her head. “Do whatever you have to do. No matter what happens, we can’t let him accomplish his goal. But be careful. He’s planned for this for years.”
Diana’s face softened, but there was a granite resolution in the tense lines of her back and arms.
On the historical Elemental badass scale, Diana was near the top.
“He’s not going to get the drop on me or the others,” she promised. “We’re on our guard now, as are Alec’s coven and the Maitland pack. Even Serin’s new man Daniel pitched in. He put out a bolo on John on every human law enforcement channel there is. We are going to find him. He’s going to be sorry he came for us.”
That could be helpful, but Gia didn’t set much stock in the human’s ability to hunt down someone as dangerous as John. No, they were going to have to take care of this themselves. The stakes were too big.
She forced herself to her feet, silently cursing her weak legs.
“I’m glad we have these allies right now, but you should know I don’t think John is trying to kill the Elementals. I believe he’s aiming higher—much higher. His goal is to kill the Mother.”
13
Of all the Elementals Gia was the best-versed in healing. She knew how important rest was to the recuperation process. If it had been one of her sisters who’d been poisoned and nearly killed, Gia would have been the first one to insist they stay in bed for a few days—preferably a week.
Despite her knowledge, Gia was already out of bed, making herself walk around not ten minutes after Diana had left for her hunt. Gia couldn’t stop herself. She was back in her body, breathing clean air, and surrounded by the scents of the Costa Rican jungle. Reasoning getting outdoors was what she needed, she grabbed a hiking pole leaned next to the door to use as a walking stick. Then she hobbled outside.
The energy hit her like an ocean wave. The trees and plants pulsed with life. She could feel the echo in her bones and her blood. After being cut off in a nearly dead wasteland, the sensation was almost overwhelming, a gentle bombardment. It was like
a seed getting water for the first time—there was a storm of chemical activity as the shoots began to develop, pushing into the soil…connecting. That was what it felt like.
The farther she got from the cottage, the better she felt. Each step was healing. The jungle was restorative—almost as much as whatever Salvador put in his medicines and poultices.
A fire burned in the clearing in front of the house where a ring of stones had been carefully laid out. Two thin iron bars had been twisted into supporting arches to suspend a hook over the center of the flames. At the moment, there was a pot suspended over the fire. Some sort of stew bubbled inside. To the left of it, there was a rough mud-brick stove, also hot. Salvador was there, his back to her as he heated some flatbread on an iron plate that had been placed above the coals like a griddle.
He turned around, startled when he saw her. The morsel flew out of his hand. Gia took a few steps, faster than was advisable under the circumstance, but she managed to catch it before it hit the ground. Thankfully, there was no nausea this time, despite the abruptness of the motion.
Gia held out the bread, but Salvador shook his head, managing a winsome smile. “I was actually making that for you. Now that you’re awake, I think we can start on solids. Alec said you enjoy all sorts of food, so I had him send out for some goat meat to make stew—one of my signature dishes. There aren’t any restaurants nearby, so I’ve been forced to learn a few tricks in the kitchen,” he said, waving at the makeshift cooking area.
“It smells very nice,” she said before taking a bite of the bread. Despite his claims to the contrary, it tasted extraordinarily good—light, fluffy, and with copious amounts of butter worked into the dough. “And this is even better. Absolutely delicious.”
“Thank you.” He grinned. “Although we can’t discount the fact it might be because you haven’t eaten anything real for over a week.”
“That could be it, too,” she admitted, deadpan.
The flicker of the fire did interesting things to his features, she decided. Gia hadn’t changed her mind. He was handsome enough to be a male succubus…
“Before you eat, Alec wanted to speak with you.”
She raised a brow. “He’s still here?”
Like most of her sister’s mates, Alec disliked being left behind when Diana went on the hunt. He could travel in her medium. By extension, he could those of her sisters as well. Because he didn’t slow Diana down and was usually helpful, no one begrudged him tagging along. The only time Alec didn’t go was when he had a new library to explore. The archives on T’Kaieri were his Mecca.
“I think he went to the stream,” Salvador offered, removing the pot of stew from the fire and setting it on a broad flat rock next to the ring of stones.
“I’ll be right back,” she said. Maintaining a measured pace, she headed in the direction he’d indicated, despite the siren call of the stew.
She found the vampire right where Salvador said he’d be. He sat on a rock, typing furiously on a hefty military-grade cell. He’d given up the sleek top-of-the line models when he paired up with Diana. Her heat tended to short out the less-sturdy devices.
Alec whipped around as soon as she came into view. “Gia.” Holding up a hand, he jumped up and ran with preternatural speed, stopping short a few feet from her.
It was to her credit that all she did was blink. If it were any other vampire, she would have put her arms out, decking him before he could get that close.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you up and around,” Alec said.
“Yes, I can see that,” she said, holding out her hand before he could hug her. His relief was somewhat out of proportion to the closeness of their friendship. Something else was up.
Alec took her hand, shaking it with jerky movements. She braced herself. “Did you discover something about John or his poison?”
“No, no. I’m afraid not.” His hands came together, gripping one in the other tightly enough to make it white—well, whiter than normal. “This is about Diana.”
She frowned. “What’s wrong with her?”
Alex’s lips parted, uncharacteristic indecision flickering across his face. “She’s…not herself.”
“I didn’t notice anything wrong with her.” Granted, Gia hadn’t been looking, but if her sister were ill, she would have noticed—unless her ability to detect the resonance of other living beings was somehow compromised. Which is a real possibility at the moment.
Gia flicked her fingers at Alec, indicating he should continue. The vampire swallowed and opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
“Alec, just spit it out,” she snapped.
“I think Diana is pregnant.”
Relieved, she laughed aloud. “That’s impossible.”
“I heard it.”
She rocked back on her heels. “You heard what exactly?”
Alec pointed at his abdomen. “The heartbeat.”
The humor fell away, confusion taking its place. “No offense, but vamps don’t breed. Not that way.”
Vampire reproduction was a closely guarded secret, but Gia and her sisters were outsiders privy to the details. Few people were able to be turned. Once they did, their bodily functions slowed down enough to be almost negligible. Like shifters, they were creatures of magic, capable of great feats like super-strength and speed. However, in all their recorded history, none had reproduced after the turn. Not even the handful of vampiric Daywalkers had accomplished the feat, and God knew Alzeal Hussan had tried…
There was also the fact her sisters were like her. Elementals were perpetually fixed, their bodies remaining as they were at exactly the moment they took their vow to do their duty to serve the Mother and enforce the Covenant.
“You’re wrong.” Gia shook her head. “You have to be. We don’t age or change. That means we can’t conceive either. Not unless…”
She trailed off for the sake of delicacy. They both knew the only way Diana could fall pregnant were if she had given up the Elemental mantle, then lain with another man—a human or Supe who wasn’t a vampire.
“It’s not like that.” Briefly, Alec’s dark eyes heated into hot coals, but quickly subsided. “I haven’t left Diana’s side since before you were struck down. Before then really. The Elders of T’Kaieri weren’t keen on my help doing an inventory of the archive unless she stayed behind to mind me. We were given a cottage there, near the beach, and well…”
Gia didn’t need him to fill in the blanks. Alec and Diana were essentially still honeymooners.
“I’m pretty sure Connell heard it, too—the heartbeat.” Alec rubbed his temple. “He didn’t say anything, but he was giving Diana some pretty weird looks. Perhaps he detected a change in her scent, too. He must have kept it to himself, though. Otherwise, Logan would have been broadcasting it to the skies.”
“Yes, she would have,” Gia agreed in a quiet murmur. Her youngest sister wasn’t indiscreet exactly. Gia preferred to think of her as exuberant.
“As I said, I don’t believe Diana’s aware of anything being off, but she’s been consumed with worry ever since you were poisoned.”
Gia nodded. Her sister had been orphaned at a young age. Diana had been alone in the world when Gia had gone to claim her and inform her of her legacy. Since Gia had been in service, she’d been unable to take young Diana in hand herself. Gia had done the next best thing by leaving the new recruit with extended family. But Gia had visited frequently. Consequently, her relationship with Diana had more of a maternal touch than the one she had with Serin, or even Logan, who was the youngest.
The Fire Elemental had already lost one mother. Gia could only imagine Diana’s reaction when John ambushed her. For her sister’s worry alone, John deserved to die.
“I’ve been doing some reading on embryo development,” Alec continued after a pause. “Di’s not far enough along for her to be carrying another’s babe—not that she would ever do that. She wouldn’t betray me.”
“I know that.” Gia had
been grasping at straws when she’d suggested otherwise. When Elementals took a mate, it was for life… sometimes longer. It had been years since Gia had lost hers, but she knew she would never find anyone like Marco again.
“Perhaps it’s something else. Maybe Diana has a parasite.” Alec raised a dark brow, and she threw up her hands. “I don’t know what to say. If you’re right, then this is unprecedented.”
“I’m hearing that too often lately,” the vampire muttered. “I was hoped you would have answers. Perhaps there is record of an occurrence somewhere in your history, something before your time I haven’t come across yet?”
“Don’t bother looking. I can assure you no such information exists.” If it had happened, she would have known. The Mother would have told her. Wouldn’t She have?
Sighing, Gia sighed moved until she could lean against a tree at the water’s edge. Resting her weight against the trunk, she took strength from its connection to the soil.
“We’ll need to confirm this,” she said eventually. “We should take her back to the island. The T’Kaierian healers are the most experienced with our unique physiologies.”
Alec snorted aloud, then rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“They couldn’t help Serin when she got poisoned.” He paused, shifting his weight from side to side. “But what would you think if we brought her to Salvador? I think he’s proven himself trustworthy and skilled. Maybe Di should come back here so he can confirm the diagnosis?”
“No.” Gia’s answer was instinctive and immediate.
Alec frowned. “Why not?”
“Because…” she answered.
He stared. She crossed her arms, irritated he was forcing her say it aloud. “I know he is your friend and he helped me, but he is also a Delavordo.”
Alec’s expression showed his incredulity. “Salvador is a good man. He saved your life, for the Mother’s sake.”
“I know, and I’m grateful.” Gia had no illusions that without Salvador’s intervention, she might not have had a body to come back to. She couldn’t forget the man had ended up in hell because of her, too… “But I am one Elemental. By definition, I am replaceable. If he had failed, you’d be talking to my successor right now. Diana conceiving while in service is something else entirely. What if the child were to inherit our abilities?”
The Elementals Collection Page 93