Five (Elemental Enmity Series Book I) (35 page)

Heat flooded through me as he attacked my senses. Regretfully, I was not immune to him. I gasped for breath as my pulse raced. My feet slowed against my will.

“Have you ever felt the full measure of passion, Rayla? Has any man ever shown you how special you are? How extraordinarily beautiful you are?”

Not even Zach had affected me so strongly. How was that possible? I closed my eyes, hoping it would give me an edge, and shoved him back. He didn’t relent. He covered me in a flood of emotion.

If only I would give him a chance, I would see he was the best one for me. If only I would open up to him, he would help me understand what we could be together—what we could do together.

“No!” My scream echoed around us, giving me strength. “You cannot have me!”

His onslaught vanished suddenly. When I opened my eyes, bright light blazed through the dim corridor. I squinted from the glare. Then I jumped back.

It was coming from my hand. The light suddenly flickered and died.

Fear radiated from Luke. His voice was a harsh whisper. “
What are you
?”

A Rambo moment came to mind, but I couldn’t bring myself to say, “Your worst nightmare.” I let out a ragged laugh, surprised by the wildness in it.

Jett came rushing into the tunnel. Furor lined his face as he stalked toward me.

I blinked, recognizing something familiar. Memories flooded through me as a protective barrier shattered in my subconscious. I had seen this man when I was a child.

The scene replayed as though it happened yesterday.

I rushed into our small living room to give mom a picture I had colored for her. Pride shone in her eyes as I handed her my masterpiece. She hugged me and pulled me to the floor, tickling me mercilessly. I laughed, writhing to escape her light grip.

She suddenly went rigid, telling me to keep quiet. She picked me up and rushed me to the closet. She covered me in a strange sheer cloth and slammed the closet door, plunging me into blackness. I moved quietly and turned the handle, pushing until a sliver of light made me squint. I peeked through the door. Mom threw herself onto the couch seconds before Jett appeared in a thunderous clap.

He towered over her, blazing like a small sun, blasting her with angry sounding questions. I froze, not daring to move a muscle. I didn’t want him to find me. I had to keep him from finding me.

I couldn’t quite recall what he had asked, but the feeling of the conversation was still fresh. I watched as my mother cowered in fear before him. The blackness of her terror surrounded me in a hazy fog, seeping into my core. He didn’t stay long. The moment he left, Mom grabbed her purse, pulled me from the closet, and raced away from our tiny apartment into the night.

That was the day she took me to visit Aunt Grace, the last day I had seen her. I glared at the reason I feared the dark.

I walked up to Jett and slapped his confused face, hard. My voice was that of a mad woman. “What did you do with my mother?”

He took a ragged step back, touching his cheek. He narrowed his eyes for a moment then smiled broadly. With a look of triumph, he crossed his arms over his massive chest. “I knew you were mine.”

I gasped for air. I wanted to hurt Jett in every way possible. I wanted him to experience the fear and pain he had inflicted upon me. He was the reason I didn’t have my mother. He was the reason my whole life had been incomplete. I was nearly hyperventilating. “Were you the one that killed her?” It was all I could do to not collapse in a flood of renewed grief.

Jett’s dark face frowned in obvious confusion. “Rayla, your mother is as alive as I am.”

My hands flew to my mouth. I choked back a sob. He was lying. He had to be. Mom would have never left me with Aunt Grace if she’d had a choice.

He smiled, spreading his arms wide in placation and took a step toward me. Luke was seething, looking between the two of us. Jett’s gaze slid over Luke. His expression shifted to smugness just before he reached for my hand.

I plastered my back to the wall. “Stay away from me.”

His eyes were soft, full of compassion. “I can take you to her. You can be with her again.”

Luke laughed. “Is that before or after you bond with her?”

Jett spun on Luke. “You had your turn and failed, youngling. You might as well leave. This girl has already been promised to me.”

Luke grunted. “Elementals cannot be promised. It is forbidden.”

Jett narrowed his eyes. “I am the reason that law was passed. It does not apply to me.”

I took the opportunity to scoot toward the door, praying they would keep their argument going. They didn’t disappoint. The cold knob slid against my fingers. I turned it slowly and edged around the door. Soundlessly, I slunk backward until I hit into something solid.

“I specifically remember telling you to stay in your room.” I whirled around. I should have keeled over from the look Zach gave me. “Can’t you ever do anything that isn’t self destructive?”

I flew into his arms, sobbing. I buried my face in his shoulder.

He pulled me away from him. “What happened?”

What was I doing? I stepped back. He was one of them.

Curse my heart
. I clenched my fists. My nails bit into my flesh.

It didn’t work. Impossibly, I was still in love with the man standing before me. Whatever he had done to me over the last week wouldn’t leave me, no matter how much my mind protested.

Luke’s voice erupted behind me, “This girl is different than any Elemental I have encountered.” He looked over at Zach who glared back at him.

Luke went on unaffected. “We have to take her to Tabitha. She should be the one to decide which of us will bond with Rayla.”

Zach went rigid. “I have already claimed her. She has the fifth element.”

Luke spread his hands. A ting of fear slid over his gaze.

Before Luke could say anything, Jett spoke out, “We do not dispute that, brother. However, she has the fourth and the third, as well.” He smiled down on me. “There is also the fact that this girl has been promised to me. She is the first daughter of Alithea.”

I glanced up at Zach. He glared at me. Oh, this was my fault now. What did I do?

Zach slipped a protective arm around my shoulder. “You can’t prove that. Alithea insists she did not have a child.”

Jett moved in front of us. “How would you know? You haven’t been to court in forty years.”

Zach pulled me behind him. “Rayla still has to withdraw from school and make an excuse to her friends.”

Jett’s deep laugh reverberated over the walls. “Her only human friend has been taken by the Order. There is no one left for her to say goodbye to.” An amber glow erupted from Jett’s outstretched hand. His eyes narrowed to slits. “We will not allow you to be alone with her.”

I stepped out from behind Zach, hands on hips. “He isn’t the one that tried to bond with me.”

The three of them looked sharply at me. Zach hissed, “What are you saying?”

Try as I might to get him to react, Luke looked as stunned as the rest of them. “Luke gave it a go just before you two showed up.”

Zach shot me a dubious expression as if he was staring at an exaggerating child. “You are alive.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m aware.”

“She is mistaken,” said Luke over the top of me. “I did attempt to compel her.”

Of course he would deny it. I knew better. I shrugged. “Whatever. I’m going to my room.” I started for the door that led to Le Mans Hall.

Zach caught my arm. “That part of your life is over, Rayla. We must go. Taylor awaits us in the borderlands. It is not safe for him to stay long.”

“But—”

He took my hands. His eyes were full of sorrow. His voice was soft as a light snowfall. “It has been decided.”

Jett turned toward Zach donning a stunned expression. “I honestly didn’t think you had it in you.”

Zach gave Jett a curt nod and pulled me into motion. I didn’t struggle this time. What was the point? Even if I got away, they would find me. As it was, my whole family was in danger because of my stupidity. I wasn’t going to make it any worse for them. Aunt Grace had been right to protect everyone else.
I
was the one that did this. I needed to accept that. I only allowed myself one glance at the door to my dreams. That life belonged to another girl.

We emerged near the shack. Taylor sat on an old stump with Jessica on his lap. Her laugh sounded genuine. She touched his arm, gazing lovingly at him.

Would she ever remember what she had lost? Would she mourn the man that would never see her again? Did she even remember Adam?

I slid my fingers over the snuggly tucked note in my front pocket. Sister Mary Margaret mentioned that most Elementals wanted to be taken. Had their mothers prepared them for the bonding from birth? Did they grow up believing this was an honor? It seemed the kinder solution to me.

Jett was right. I no longer had ties to humans. Cassie had some sort of fae gift that sounded eerily similar to the first of my kind. My family certainly couldn’t be counted amongst the ordinary. Were Jenny and Sarah Elementals, as well? What about Travis? How did he fit into this? And then there was Uncle John? Was he part of the Order?

I couldn’t imagine it. He worked so hard all the time. We barely made it most months. Besides, he was one of the kindest men I knew or could ever imagine. How were Aunt Grace and Uncle John part of the resistance?

I was way more worried about what was going to happen to them than I was about me. My life had skipped to an alternate track without me even noticing.

Taylor and Jessica joined us on the narrow path. Jett led the way. We walked along like a funeral procession. There was no happy chatter to be found in this group. At least the birds seemed happy. Their song should have soothed me, but it seemed nothing could penetrate my heart.

The woods grew thicker the further we went. Although light spilled through the leaves occasionally, the luscious canopy completely occluded the sky. The glow was different in this space, as though there was an alternate source of light than the sun.

The tension in the men spilled over into me. Something was wrong, but they acted as if it wasn’t. I felt like a tattered rubber band about to break.

We walked single file. Zach was in front of me and Luke behind. Jessica followed him and last of all Taylor.

Or so I thought. I turned to ask Jessica how she was doing, hoping to spark some resistance within her. Luke tried to block my view, but it didn’t work.

The most beautiful woman I could imagine glided behind Taylor. She was nearly as tall as the men. Long blonde hair flowed down her slender body toward her waist. Her pale skin glowed faintly as though backlit by a flame. Her bone structure was delicate, but she was muscular. Her eyes were a mirror image of Zach’s with the same odd dimensionality, only they were bright green, not blue.
Ainessa
.

She smiled at me. It wasn’t exactly friendly.

The look she gave me was no different than those of her male counterparts. Shivers ran down my spine. She wanted what I had to offer.

I turned away sharply. Luke placed a hand on my back. I wasn’t sure if it was meant to reassure me or to claim possession.