Elemental's Domain

by Yvette Bostic

A cool breeze wafted across my bare skin as soon as I entered the room. Braden leaned against a long bench that hadn’t been there before. Two racks lined with dozens of knives and swords covered the surface. He’d been busy while I slept. I crossed the space quickly, and my hand hovered over the weapons. Their blades glinted in the low light, and I couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. Memories of Kellen wielding his own sword during our first battle at Victor’s resurfaced. I’d said then that I wanted to learn how to use one.

  “You’re going to teach me how to use these, aren’t you?” I asked, not looking up at him.

  “That was the plan,” he replied, not moving from his spot. “Pick one.”

  I glanced at him and frowned. His relaxed posture and impassive stare reminded me of the first time I’d seen him. All arrogance. He was trying to be an ass so I could do my thing. Right?

  I slid my fingers over several of the ornate hilts but kept my eyes on his. “Which is your favorite?”

  He crossed his arms over his stomach and his jaw twitched, but he kept a lid on his emotions. “Rapiers and sabers are the easiest to learn and the most common,” he replied. “Katanas are also fairly popular but require a certain amount of poise and agility to wield properly.”

  “But those aren’t your favorite, are they?” I persisted.

  His jaw twitched again. “A heavy broadsword is most effective against the creatures we’re most likely to engage, or a longsword.”

  Resting my hip against the table, I folded my arms across my chest. “Yet you used none of those in yesterday’s battle.”

  I blinked, and he was suddenly in my space, leaning over me. “I am my favorite weapon,” he whispered.

  Chills ran down my spine as his aggression battered against me. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, and yet… “Then what is the best weapon to use against you?” I breathed.

  “You pick, little goddess. They are all the same.”

  I slid away from him and exhaled. How was he emanating so much aggression without changing to his vampire form? I shivered and rubbed my arms, giving the blades on the table my focus. Keep it professional.

  I picked up a short sword, or maybe it was a long dagger. The double-edged blade and sharp tip would ensure I actually cut something, if I could hit him. Would he just let me? Or would he challenge me? I expected the latter. He didn’t seem like the kind of person who would let me win.

  I rolled the hilt in my hand and turned to face him. He nodded and strolled to the middle of the room. He spent the next ten minutes showing me how to place my feet to maintain balance and how to hold the sword. It should have been common sense, but it wasn’t. Everything about it felt unnatural. He assured me it was perfectly normal. He could’ve been feeding me a line of bull and I wouldn’t know the difference. So, I did what he said. Once satisfied, he squared off in front of me, slightly flexing his knees.

  “Shouldn’t you have a sword too?” I asked, holding mine lose at my side.

  “No, most creatures you fight won’t have one,” he replied. “You need to learn to defend against their longer reach and faster reflexes.”

  “Is this really going to satisfy my oath? I’m supposed to be hurting you.” My shoulders slumped as I waited for his reply, but instead, he lunged.

  I couldn’t react fast enough to get my blade in front of me, so I sidestepped, nearly tripping over my feet. Braden didn’t relent, smacking my thigh with his open palm as he darted by. I still wasn’t quick enough to get the sword around in time. I spun and raised the blade, holding the hilt in both hands.

  My vampire circled slow, and I turned with him. Before I could react, he smacked my ass, then wrapped me in a bearhug, pressing my back against his chest. My sword was useless against him with my arms pinned at my sides, and I suspected that was the point he was trying to prove. There was no way for me to stab him without also cutting myself.

  I tossed it to the ground and kicked his shins, which never worked. With my elbows pinned against my ribs, there was nothing I could do. Was there? Before I could decide, he lifted my feet off the ground and slammed into the wall. His forearms took most of the impact, but his hard body pinned me against the stone.

  “You will never learn to fight a vampire without releasing your own monster,” he growled.

  He was right. I knew it; I just didn’t want to admit it. Why couldn’t I embrace my little beast with the one person who could endure it? The one person who wanted to endure it? Because I let my feelings get in the way.

  “Fine,” I hissed, shoving my growing emotions back into their little box.

  A shard of hardened air formed in my right hand. I slid my left hand along his leg, circling towards his inner thigh. Instead of backing away like I expected, he pulled me closer. Not that there was any space between us to begin with.

  “If you want me to fight back, you better give me room to move,” I growled.

  “You’ll have to figure out a way to make room,” his voice rumbled in my ear.

  Arrogant bastard. Could I use my womanly wiles against him? It should surprise him if nothing else, considering I couldn’t seduce a rock, and I’d certainly never seduced him.

  I took a deep breath and pressed my butt against him. He chuckled, and I wiggled my hips. His laughter ruffled the hair above my ear, and his hands slid down my stomach. Was he really laughing at my attempts to be alluring?

  A surge of anger bubbled in my stomach. I knew he was doing it to rile me, so why couldn’t I be angry? Why was I trying to hold back and be nice to him? Why did I care what he thought?

  His hands continued their downward trek, his obvious desire pressing against my ass.

  “I can’t do this,” I whispered when his fingers found the buttons on my slacks.

  “I can,” he whispered back. “If you don’t want it, you better stop me.”

  I grabbed his fingers, but I wasn’t strong enough to pull them away. The top button popped off, and I squeaked in alarm. My zipper drifted down next, and waves of heat ran through my traitorous body. My body wanted his, but I couldn’t have sex with this man. Memories of Logan filled my vision. His passion and understanding. The way he always knew what to say when I was being stupid.

  Braden’s thumbs wrapped around the edge of my panties, and I stomped on his foot. He laughed again.

  “Braden, please stop,” I pleaded, my voice wavering. “I can’t do this.”

  His hands stopped moving, and his warmth behind me disappeared. I leaned forward and rested my forehead on the stone wall.

  What the hell was wrong with me? If I didn’t find a way to get angry and hurt him, we would both die. Wasn’t that enough incentive to get it over with? It should’ve been, but my traitorous heart was getting in the way.

  “You realize the consequence of your inaction?” he asked, his voice echoing across the room.

  I slowly turned and looked at him standing at the doorway to the stairs.

  “I just lost the man I thought was the love of my life, not even a week ago,” I said. “He died because he loved me. And look at me, already thinking about having sex with you like his love meant nothing.” I sank to the floor and hugged my knees. “This is clearly intimate for you, but every time you touch me, I think of Logan.”

  The pained expression on his face broke my heart. No man wanted to hear that, and I should’ve thought for two seconds before I just spit it out. He turned his back to me and put his hand on the door.

  “I’m sorry,” I mumbled. “I promised to hurt you for twenty-four hours, and I couldn’t manage it for ten minutes.”

  I cradled my head in my arms. I’d totally screwed up, and not just my life. There was no way to separate myself from Braden. No way to protect him from my stupid weakness.

  “Maybe we’re doing it the wrong way,” Braden said gently as he sat on the floor beside me.

  “I’m open to suggestions.”

  “Let’s play a little game.”

  “Do you know how cliché that sounds?” I
asked, raising my head and looking at him.

  He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. I’d hurt him.

  “First…” He rested his arms on his raised knees and gave me his full attention. “You aren’t the same person who attacked me in the car a few weeks ago. While I can somewhat successfully compartmentalize my emotions, you cannot.”

  He cleared his throat and laced his fingers together. I wanted to argue with him, but he was right. So much had changed for me.

  “You don’t see yourself the way everyone else does, either,” he continued. “You’re clinging to your old life when you should be moving forward.”

  “My old life didn’t include death and mayhem,” I mumbled.

  “No, but it also didn’t include your elementals,” he countered, “Or the magic you now possess. You have so many unique abilities you should be anxious to explore, but you’re caught up in your past.”

  “Not all of us have had a couple centuries to get over it,” I retorted. “I lost Logan and Kellen, along with any chance of ever having a family. And I belong nowhere. I can’t go back to the mages or the humans, and the fae will kill me if I so much as sneeze.”

  I leaned back and stretched out my legs only to realize my pants were still undone. Heat rushed through my core as my face flushed. Damn.

  “I’m sorry,” Braden mumbled. “The only thing that seems to provoke you is the threat of turning you into this. That’s not what I want.”

  I fixed my wardrobe but didn’t look at him. I knew what he meant. When we’d both entered into this oath weeks ago, things had been so different. Both of us had been different. Neither of us could have anticipated this. And if we didn’t find a way to fulfill our oath, we were both going to die.

  “So, tell me about your little game,” I suggested, moving away from the uncomfortable emotions rolling around us.

  He lowered one knee and stretched it out before him, drawing my gaze. Then he shifted to face me, taking on a ‘GQ’ pose I couldn’t help but smile at. I mimicked his pose.

  “The objective is to avoid getting bit,” he said.

  “Okay, so what happens if my avoidance sucks?”

  “You have to bite me back.”

  “What?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about biting him. I clearly remembered the last time and everything it brought with it. Would it be the same without Aviur in the room playing with my desire? Would we share emotions again? I hoped not. I needed to be able to fight him. But he knew that, too.

  “Your bites should satisfy your oath,” he said finally. “I’ll make sure you’re also learning how to counter my attacks and defend yourself. And I won’t limit any of your assaults. Feel free to use whatever weapon you wish.” He reached over and ran his thumb along my jaw. “Any damage you do to my body will heal. Don’t be afraid to hurt me.”

  I eyed him warily. As much as I hated to admit it, Braden was right, everything he said made sense. Even the part about letting go of the past.

  “You’re not worried about swapping blood?” I asked.

  A genuine smile lit his too-beautiful face. “It’s a little late to be concerned about that.”

  “I suppose so.” I rose to my feet and nearly brushed my hands on my slacks. “Shit. I really like these pants.”

  “Then don’t let me bite you,” Braden purred, already standing next to me.

  “You’re not biting my legs, are you?” I asked, suddenly worried about what I agreed to.

  “If you’re imposing limits, you better say so now,” he replied, pulling his shirt over his head. “Because I have none.”

  “Keep your pants on,” I snapped as he pulled the belt from his waist. “You can only bite exposed skin, and I’m not taking anything off.”

  “Fair enough.” He crossed to the center of the room and I followed.

  Chapter 27

  “Are you ready?” Braden asked.

  “Nope, but I don’t have a choice,” I replied, “so bring it on.”

  His chuckle soothed some of my apprehension. We’d make this work. After all, both of our lives depended on it.

  “You have some training, correct?” he asked, rolling his bare shoulders and lowering his stance.

  “A little,” I replied. “Logan tried to teach me.”

  “Then let’s see what you’ve learned.”

  He started a slow circle around me, just as he had before. I followed his movement, trying to keep my eyes on his and not lose track of the way his body shifted. Logan had tricked me all the time by leading me in one direction with his eyes and striking out from the other side. I was determined not to fall for it.

  He stutter-stepped, then lunged, but it was slow. Way slower than he was capable of. I cringed and batted at his arm, spinning to my left to avoid his grasp. He laughed at my attempts to shake off the throb in my fingers from the impact.

  “Did you hurt your hand?” he asked, darting around and smacking my leg. The impact stung, and I cursed.

  “Yes!” I snapped, twisting in the opposite direction hoping to catch him as he made his loop. I didn’t. His open palm slapped my butt and I yelled, mostly in frustration. At least he wasn’t biting me. He probably wouldn’t until I released my little beast. Why the hell was I waiting?

  When he left another handprint on my ass, I welcomed the familiar red haze and my monster. A low growl echoed across the stone room, and the hair on my arms raised with the tingles racing down them.

  I glanced around but didn’t see Braden anywhere. He hadn’t left; I could sense him nearby. Another tingle ran down my spine, and my claws slid into view. For the first time, I paid attention to the sensation, watching the sharp little talons emerge from my fingertips. A firm tug was all I felt, the same dull ache running through my limbs.

  The slight scent of sandalwood was my only warning before a pair of fangs sank into the back of my neck, just missing the edge of my shirt. They didn’t linger long, though.

  “Tag,” Braden whispered in my ear, running a finger along the tip. “You’re it.”

  I spun around, but he was already gone. So, it was a game of tag. I assumed he would stand there and let me bite him. A tiny thrill ran through me. His idea was actually kind of brilliant, but I’d never tell him that.

  I slowly turned in a circle but couldn’t see him. The dark stone walls and lack of natural light created plenty of shadows for him to hide.

  “It’s awfully difficult for me to bite you back when I can’t see you,” I said, hoping he’d give away a general direction. He didn’t.

  I drew in a deep breath, looking for his scent. It lingered all around me, not really helping. I pulled on my connection to him, something I’d tried not to do since the very beginning. He tugged back, to my left, directly across the room from the door. I almost jerked my head that way but stopped myself, trailing in the opposite direction instead.

  I stopped at the door and drew in another breath. A little sandalwood, but mostly ocean and dampness from the rocks. I followed the stone wall, letting my fingers glide along its cool surface. How much patience did the vampire have? Would he try to move again before I reached him, or would he ambush me when I got there? I suspected the latter, but it was my turn to find him. I tugged at our connection again. He hadn’t moved.

  “You know, I thought you were going to stand still and make me bite you,” I said, making a slow circle towards him. “Does this make me the hunter and you the prey?”

  A thought popped into my head, something that hadn’t happened in ages, and a smile spread across my face. A sense of apprehension drifted toward me from Braden’s shadow.

  “Did you really mean it when you said I had no limits?” I asked. “Because this little girl is not a very effective predator.”

  I ran through my list of known predators. Which one would Braden fear? None, but which would make him hesitate? I stopped a few yards from the hiding spot he still hadn’t moved from.

  “I’ll assume your silence means you have no objections,” I said, givi
ng him one last chance to reveal himself. He didn’t, of course.

  I slid into a shadowed alcove and let my fae magic wrap around my body. The familiar form of my snake took over. I slid towards Braden, keeping close to the wall and floor, hoping he’d be looking for my four-foot-ten human not the ten-foot serpent slithering at his feet.

  My snake’s color-blind vision trailed up his legs, taking in his muscular chest and the frown on his handsome face. He felt me, but he hadn’t looked down. Using my vampire speed, I swirled around his body, wrapping my coils tight against him. I wasn’t quick enough to trap his arms. Clawed fingers gripped my scales but didn’t puncture as I slid through them.

  I stopped with my mouth at his neck and flicked my tongue at his ear. It shimmered for a moment revealing the point he hid so well. I hissed at him.

  “That was rather unexpected,” he said, letting his hands run down my snake’s body.

  I shivered and squeezed him tighter.

  “I wasn’t expecting to get bit by a snake,” he continued. “Is this the same one Gordon described to me?”

  I shifted around to face him and flared my cobra’s neck. He smiled, not at all afraid. Damn. I dropped the magic and wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands immediately grabbed my waist, keeping me from falling.

  Not allowing myself to think about it for fear of changing my mind, I sunk my fangs into his neck. His whole body shuddered as I clung to him, and a wave of longing and passion assaulted me. My own desire flared, sending waves of heat throughout my body. Holy shit! I couldn’t do this again. There was no way to control this kind of need. Yet somehow he did.

  I pulled my mouth away and ran my tongue along my lips. A tiny amount of his blood slid down my throat, and I frowned at the punctures marks I left on his skin.

  “You have three seconds to run before I come after you,” Braden whispered, drawing my attention to his red eyes and growing fangs.

  “I can’t move with you still holding onto me,” I breathed.

  “Three.”

  “Oh shit.” I pushed against his chest, like that ever worked.

  “Two.”