Five (Elemental Enmity Series Book I) (34 page)

His whole face sunk inward when he inhaled. “What do you mean, grew up?”

I gave him a smirk. “It’s the time between birth and now.”

He lifted his chin. “Fae are not born.”

What was wrong with this creature? “Hence why I am not one of them.”

He shook his head. “But you are, miss.”

I put a hand to my hip. “You are mistaken.”

He looked me over again. “It will take more than words for me to believe such a thing.”

“Good. He will be here momentarily.”

He grumbled out a laugh. Something jingled softly. Several jeweled objects hung lazily from his belt in a cluster. Cassie’s dragonfly was one of them. I didn’t see the charm bracelet though. Was that my ruby ring? I reached for it. He swatted my hand away.

“That’s mine,” I screeched.

“Not no more.”

“If you’re going to keep my ring, you need to give me back the book.”

He looked like I had punched him in the stomach. “We made no bargain.”

“No matter. Zach will make you give it back.”

He laughed, his orange eyes welling with moisture. “Now I know you’re full of it. Ain’t no lord named Zach.” He smiled wryly before a popping noise erupted like a thousand kernels exploding in succession all around me. In a flash of blue light, I was holding onto air.

It wasn’t as late as I thought, so I went to see what Jessica wanted. Without even waiting for me to knock, she pulled me through the door and motioned for me to sit. She looked horrible.

The sweet smell of vanilla hit me the moment I passed the threshold. Furniture and plastic containers crowded the room. These girls had as much space for four as Cassie and I had between us. They didn’t have a bathroom, either.

I sat on the floor and leaned up against a nondescript dresser. I bet they had fun in here even if it was cluttered.

“Do you have a candle burning?” I asked because I didn’t know what else to say.

Jessica gave me an irritated look. “How are you still here?”

“What?”

“That lord you were with earlier. You should be falling all over yourself to be with him by now. Why hasn’t he taken you?”

I gaped at her. “I’m supposed to take care of my affairs. You know, make sure no one misses me. How did you know he was a lord?”

She looked different somehow, almost pretty. Her hair was shiny and her skin glowed where it was usually sallow.

“Rayla, you have to tell me how you did it.” She sat on a metal folding chair and leaned forward, her knee bouncing like a piston. “I think one of them knows I’m an Elemental.”

“What makes you say that?” I would have never guessed.

She shrugged. “He saw me when they took Cassie away in the ambulance. I’ve been hiding here ever since. They’ve been all over you, and miraculously, here you sit. So I ask you again. How?”

I thought furiously, not knowing how to answer her. “I don’t want them to take me.”

She jumped to her feet. “That’s it? No supersized magic ring or shielding spell?”

I rubbed my nose on my sleeve. My eyes were watering. I was pretty sure I was allergic to her air freshener. “Jessica, I hate to tell you this, but I’m not exactly a vat of information. I didn’t even know the fae existed until I came here.”

She smacked her tight lips. “Oh. You’re one of those.”

I tried not to be offended. If she was asking me for help, we both had problems.

She pulled a backpack from under her bed. “Sister Mary Margaret is working to get me out of here, but I haven’t heard from her in a long time. I’m worried.” She opened a drawer, shoving clothes in her bag without even looking at what she was doing.

“I’d be willing to help if I could go with you.”

She shot me a withering look. “I can’t risk it. The lord that saw me was from my house. I’ve never met one of them before. I’ve seen a group from a distance, but there isn’t anything like being close to one that holds your element. I felt so drawn to him even though, until the last moment, he was completely unaware of me.”

I knew the feeling, only I had to deal with all five of them, Taylor included. “What do you want me to do?”

“I’m supposed to meet someone in the tunnels, but I don’t dare go alone. I need you to come with me to Sister Mary Margaret’s office. She has a key to the underground.”

Why should I put myself at risk to help her? She hadn’t exactly gone out of her way to help me. “Why don’t you have one of your roommates do it?”

She looked grim. “They’re human. They can’t know about this stuff. We have to hurry. I need to leave before your lord returns. He will call the others if he realizes what I am.”

“You don’t know that.”

She stiffened her spine. “He is a lord. They are all alike.”

I didn’t think so. They were as different as the elements they harnessed. “Your plan is horrible. It isn’t safe. I promised Zach I would stay in my room. The other lords haven’t exactly released their claim on me. What if they come for me down there?”

She got in my face. “You are my only hope of getting out of here. I don’t understand what is happening with you, but none of the rest of us has a choice. If the lord of air manages to get close to me, that’s it. I will be his. I don’t know how you can resist yours, but I envy you.”

How absurd was that? I sighed. She was so desperate that I couldn’t say no. “I’ll go with you to the entrance of the tunnel, but that’s as far as I go.”

Her features relaxed. She nodded, but didn’t say anything. So much for gratitude.

Sister Mary Margaret wasn’t in her office. I had expected the staff to question us, but no one seemed to notice us at all. Jessica led me to an ordinary looking door in the basement. What I wouldn’t give for some fresh air. The hall was dim because a bunch of the lights were burned out.

Out of nowhere foreboding flooded into me. I stepped on Jessica’s foot trying to get away from it.

She touched my shoulder lightly. “It’s going to be okay. I really appreciate you doing this. You have no idea how much.”

She sidestepped the door as I opened it. I smiled at her then yelped when I saw Roger Wayne glide into the hallway.

Jessica whirled around, eyes wide. Alex followed Roger out of the room. Roger looked back and clenched his fists. “Do I have to tell you guys everything? Get out here.”

Two burly men staggered out of the doorway. I didn’t recognize either of them. Satisfied, Roger turned and leered at us.

I raised my brows at him. “I’m sure if you look hard enough, you might find some brawn that comes with brains.”

He glared at the two giants; they looked confused. “What are you flushed turds waiting for? Get her!”

My fear overrode my urge to giggle. I was going to have to remember that one, though.

I grabbed Jessica’s hand and ran. I had no idea where I was going, so I let her ahead of me. Her pace was too slow. They would catch us if we didn’t hurry. She raced through the first door we came to then came up short. I slammed into her as her body flailed to keep from falling.

Taylor approached us smiling gloriously. Roger caught up to us and pulled me roughly against him. I shot Alex a pleading look, but he glanced away. That told me all I needed to know about him.

Taylor soundlessly reached out a hand toward Jessica. He didn’t even look at me. She blinked hard and shook her head. With what appeared to be enormous effort on her part, she backed into me and slipped a note into my hand.

Roger pushed us both forward then pulled me back. Jessica turned, giving me a farewell smile. “I’m sorry,” she said. Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks. “Tell Adam I’ll miss him. Ask him to forgive me.”

How did she think I would be around any longer than she would? Her words were those of someone desperately in love. The way she had acted with Adam made perfect sense now. “Fight it,” I screamed. “Don’t let him in your head. Build a wall. You have to fight it!”

For a moment I thought she might be able to resist him. She retreated a few steps but halted at Taylor’s command. The air picked up around us, blowing dirt into my eyes. My hair whipped violently around.

Roger pulled a strand out of his mouth, and yanked me toward the other end of the tunnel. I fought him, but he threw me over his shoulder as if I were a five year old. I looked up as Taylor took Jessica into his arms. She smiled at him as though he was the only man alive, her real life completely forgotten.

I pummeled Roger’s back, but he just ignored me. Jessica didn’t react to anything I shouted at her.

Someone stepped from the shadows. At first I thought it was Zach. I was wrong.

Luke smiled charmingly before he turned a warning expression to Roger. “I sincerely hope you were not planning to renege on our agreement, boy.”

Roger twisted around slowly. I could feel his tension when he set me down. “Whatever would make you think otherwise?”

Luke stalked toward me; Roger skittered away. The other men were already out of view.

I felt Luke trying to break into my mind. He blasted at my walls, but for now they were holding.

“Interesting,” he said. His graceful brows furrowed before he came at me stronger.

I gasped. Cracks were forming. I couldn’t retreat and concentrate at the same time. He broke through my barrier when his hand came to rest lightly at my nape. I couldn’t take the physical contact and combat him mentally.

“I don’t want to see this,” Alex spat as though the scene repulsed him. I thought he had already gone. Why wouldn’t he help me?

The door shut. Silence reigned. Luke brushed the hair from my face. His eyes were kind. His fingers traced my lower lip. “I have waited far too long for this.”

I shivered under his touch. My entire body ached with need. He was stronger than I had anticipated. My will faded into the distance like a faltering sunset. If I waited much longer, I would be gone, and some girl I wouldn’t recognize would emerge.

My eyes stung with restrained tears. This was it. I would never see my family again in this life. I would never get to laugh with Cassie. I would never feel Zach’s embrace. I thought it funny he was among those I would miss. I said a silent goodbye.

Luke’s cerulean gaze scanned over me warily. I smiled at him, imagining he was Zach. I licked my lips invitingly. He studied my expression but didn’t come nearer, so I pulled his golden face toward me.

His lips brushed mine then pressed firm. He groaned and pulled me flush to him. It had to be soon. I couldn’t resist much longer. I felt him at the door, knocking. He wasn’t supposed to do it this way, but I had counted that he would cheat.

I opened the door, gave him a sultry look.

And slammed it in his face.

He dropped me as though scalded. I gazed up at him, sucking in a lungful of stifling air.

My chest hurt. Every breath was agony. Why was I still breathing?

His brows furrowed as he slowly shook off his stunned expression. With pure determination on his face, he reached for me again.

I scrambled away. “That proves it,” I hissed. “You have no claim to me. I should be dead.”

His mouth turned in a disgusted frown. “How could you do that? Am I that repulsive?” His eyes were bright with unmistakable hurt as he backed away from me.

I stared dumbfounded. He was reacting as any man would. I had expected him to leave with a shrug void of any real emotion when his bonding attempt failed.

He stood a few feet back, legs in a wide stance, and crossed his arms.
Why was he just standing there?
He studied me for a while then he narrowed his eyes and stepped toward me again. “I feel you, Rayla. You have my element within you. Do you not recognize the connection we have?”

“I…” I didn’t know what to tell him. I could feel him as well, but I didn’t know him. His emotions scared me. He was full of passion for me, for life, for his people, but there were darker feelings, as well: jealousy, rage, hate, depression, even self loathing. How could he expect me to want to be with him?

He reached a hand out to me. “It has to be the tunnels. It will not be the same when you are in my land.”

I jumped to my feet. “Leave me alone!”

He spoke in a monotone, “I cannot do as you ask.” The heat in his eyes turned cold with resolve. “You will be mine one way or another.”

I set my shoulders. “I do not love you. I don’t know anything about you.”

My words made no difference in the hard set of his shoulders or his unwavering expression. “The dark court needs you. I need you. Love can come later.”

He was from the dark court? What did that mean? Besides I already loved Zach and look where that had gotten me. I felt something other than attraction for Luke, but I didn’t know what it was. Sympathy, maybe? This was way more complicated than I wanted to feel. I slunk away from him. “I can’t go with you.”

For every step he came closer, I retreated two. I had no idea what to do now.

A heavy weight encircled my throat. I jerked it off. Pearls the size of grapes clattered to the ground. I had never seen anything so pretty. The weight was back instantly. I reached up and slid my fingers wonderingly across the necklace.

He smiled warmly, knowingly. “I can give you riches untold, but so much more than that.”