by Quinn Loftis
“So there isn’t really a choice.”
Elias shook his head. “Only between light and dark. Once you are exposed to our world, you must pick a side.”
“Why can’t the academy protect them even if they don’t want to go there?” Tara asked.
“We don’t have those kinds of numbers. When a recruit graduates from the academy, they are immediately assigned a region, and their job is to protect that region from the dark ones. Their numbers have been steadily rising, and we couldn’t figure out why. But we think we know now. You and I seem to have solved that mystery without even knowing it.”
Tara’s head was throbbing, and her heart was still trying to beat in a normal rhythm after Elias kissed her. It was her first kiss. Ever. She would probably freak out about that later, but at the moment, she was trying really hard to hold herself together as he basically ripped her world wide open. Now, he was reconstructing it into something she didn’t recognize.
“It was Jax.”
“What?” asked Elias.
“Jax. He was the one that Marked me?”
“Yes.”
“Whoa.” Tara’s world was spinning. But in some ways, she felt like scales were being torn from her eyes. The two biggest questions she’d had over the past five years were being answered. Why her parents had died. And why she couldn’t be injured. “That’s why it felt like I recognized him. I’d seen him before. He Marked me after the accident. And that’s why I wasn’t able to be injured. ”
“Yep.”
“But when? Why don’t I remember it?”
“You were unconscious in the hospital. He came to visit you and performed the spell.”
“Oh.” She looked down at their clasped hands and was momentarily mesmerized by his thumb running across the top of her hand.
“But now I can be hurt. Zuri pinched me. Why?”
“The spell only lasts until you find out about the supernatural world. Now, the protection is gone.”
“I probably shouldn’t test that by trying to stab myself with scissors.”
“I would prefer you didn’t. I’m rather fond of your delectable body,” he said, his eyes running down her from head to toe and back up again.
Tara took a step toward him without thinking about it. The desire in Elias’s eyes was like a beacon to her. She wanted to touch him. She needed another kiss like the one he’d given her when she entered the cell. She wanted him to… “What is wrong with me?” she blurted, forcing herself to break her train of thought. Elias’s breathing had increased, and he was looking at her like she was his last meal. “Elias?”
“I can feel your desire, your need,” he said through gritted teeth as if he was barely holding onto his control. “And considering my own desire and need for you is already off the charts, it’s making things rather intense.”
“Why do I feel like a cat in heat?” Her hands were beginning to sweat, and there was an indescribable ache low in her stomach.
“It’s our bond. Our magic, our souls, and our bodies want to join.”
“Why are we soul bonded? What does it mean?” She needed the answers to those questions, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to hear them.
“Tara.” He said her name as if she were the most precious thing in the world. Elias tugged her and she fell against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her so his hands rested on her lower back. She pressed her hands against his chest and held herself up so she could look at his face. “I need you to know I’ve been enamored with you from the moment I met you. Bond or not, I wanted you. Don’t think for a minute the soul bond is the only thing making me want to be with you.”
Just as before, she could feel the truth in his words. She nodded and waited for him to continue.
“Sometimes, when a person goes through something tragic or traumatic, it causes damage to their soul. If the damage is bad enough, it can affect their life in a negative way. And if they lose some of their soul, then the darkness can claim that piece, and that person will be swayed to the darkness. When that happens to one that is Marked, the elementals create a soul bond for the torn soul. I don’t know if I’m explaining this well.” He sighed in frustration and then surprised her when he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. When he pulled back, he continued. “My soul is meant to complete yours. When your parents died, your soul wasn’t just damaged, luv. You lost some of it. I don’t know how much, and I don’t know who could tell us how much, other than maybe the elemental king and queen.”
“Wait, king and queen? There’s a king and queen?”
“There are four kings and queens. A pair for each of the elements. They are beings of pure elemental spirits. They aren’t seen very often, and they only usually meet with the headmaster and headmistress.”
“Wow. So you’ve never seen them?”
“No. Anyway, when you lost part of your soul, somehow, the elementals chose me to be your soul bonded. If a Mark doesn’t bond with their match, they will be lost to the darkness and become a powerful dark acolyte.”
She tried to push away from him, but he tightened his arms around her. “Don’t push me away,” he breathed out. “Let me help you bear this. I know it’s a lot.”
“How do you feel about being stuck with me?” she said before she could stop herself. All she could think was that the elementals had forced Elias into this serious commitment without asking him what he wanted. She didn’t want a man with her because he had no choice or because he felt a sense of duty.
“I have a choice,” he said, his voice sharp as his eyes narrowed on her. “I’m not a puppet, luv. I have my own mind. They haven’t taken my free will.”
“Haven’t they?” she snapped. “You won’t leave me to the darkness. That’s not the kind of man you are, and I know that just from the short time we’ve been together. You’ll do this bond thing no matter what because of your honor. How is that not taking your free will?” Tears started to fill her eyes, and Tara silently cursed them. She didn’t want to cry in front of him. She didn’t want him to know she felt as though a knife had just been slid through her ribs and into her lungs, and now she couldn’t breathe.
“Dammit, woman,” Elias growled as he released her but quickly grabbed her face in both of his hands. His face was an inch from hers as he spoke. “I want you to listen to me and listen good. When I met you, you knocked the wind out of me, and I’ve been trying to catch my breath since that day. I think about you constantly. When I’m with you, I can’t get close enough. And when I’m away from you, I count the seconds until I’ll be with you again. You’re interesting, passionate, funny, feisty, and beautiful inside and out. I would think those things of you without the damn bond. But you know what? I’m glad the bond is there.”
“Why?” she asked, sounding breathless to her own ears.
“Because it ties you to me. I’m selfish enough not to care if it takes your choice away because I want you that bloody much. If you run from this, I will give chase. I am yours and you are mine, and I’ll be damned if I let another man have you.”
Tara’s mouth dropped as she looked into his fierce gaze. He was completely serious. He would come after her, and he wouldn’t stop until she was his. “I…” She stopped because she didn’t know what to say.
“Do you want me? Would you be okay if I was with someone else?”
A jealous rage filled her so violently that she physically jolted, nearly dislodging herself from the hold he had on her face.
A slow, sexy smile spread across Elias’s handsome face. “I’m going to take that as a bloody hell no to the second question.”
She reached out and pinched his nipple, hard.
“OW! Shite, that hurt,” he said as the smirk fell away, and he frowned at her.
“Don’t be an ass.”
The frown was gone in an instant, replaced by a look of desire so potent that the breath fled from Tara’s lungs. “I can’t help it that it pleases every part of me—my soul, my magic, my heart—t
hat you want me just as badly as I want you.” He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. Tara felt a warmth flowing inside of her as if her blood were heating. The emptiness inside of her was suddenly gone, replaced by Elias. She didn’t understand it, but she could feel him inside of her, soothing the hurt and giving light to the dark places.
“What happens now?” Tara whispered as she closed her eyes and leaned into him. His hands dropped to her hips and pulled her closer.
“Now,” Elias said, his voice gruff with emotion, “you let me love you.”
Her body tensed and she started to pull back, but he tightened his grip on her and kept his forehead pressed to hers.
“Don’t flip out over the L word, princess.”
“You can’t love me, Elias. You hardly know me.”
“I love what I do know. And I want to know more so I can love that, too. Just give me a chance to show you we are meant to be together. Give the academy a chance to teach you and give you the power to avenge your parents’ deaths, and I will be by your side every step of the way. Don’t let fear rob you of us.”
His words hit her like a ton of bricks. She couldn’t gather her thoughts because all she could hear was Elias’s voice in her mind telling her to let him love her. She gasped when he put his arms around her and lifted her. She automatically wrapped her legs around his waist. He whipped around, nearly slamming her against the wall, but she didn’t feel any pain because his hands protected her head and back, taking the brunt of the force. Then his hands dropped to her hips, pulling himself closer to her.
He was looking at her, his eyes running over her face, stopping on her lips and then raising to her eyes. Tara could feel his breath on her face, and her mouth watered to taste him again. His fingers dug into her hips as he held her tighter. Tara bet there would be bruises there later.
Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she let herself touch him the way she’d been wanting to since she met him. Her fingers sank into the hair on the back of his head, gripping it tightly and then loosening so she could run the strands across her skin.
Elias’s head dropped back into her touch as his eyelids dropped halfway closed. A deep, throaty sound rumbled out of him, causing her to tighten her thighs against him.
His hands slid around her, one low on her back and the other up her spine, until he had her hair wrapped around his fingers. He slowly pulled her head back, and when she raised her eyes to look at him, he was so close their lips touched every time one of them took a breath.
“It might not be wise for us to be alone together,” he said, “especially in a locked cell.”
“Wh—” she started to speak but it came out in a squeak, so she swallowed and tried again. “Why is that?”
Elias’s eyes dropped to her lips again. “Because there’s nothing to stop me from doing this.” He bit her bottom lip and tugged on it until there was a bite of pain. When he released it, he ran his tongue across it as if to soothe the sting. “Want to see what else I want to do?” he asked. There was no hint of a smile as he spoke.
Tara’s stomach was churning like a freaking whirlpool, and her heart wasn’t sure if it should stop beating or jump into sprint mode. “I’m thinking I should say no.”
Now his lips moved ever so slightly. It was only the hint of a smile, but she saw it. “That depends.”
“On what?”
“How much clothing you want to keep on. Are you hot? Feel the need to shed some layers?”
“Please say yes,” said a male voice that didn’t belong to Elias. Tara jumped in surprise. When she turned to look through the cell bars, she saw three males standing there watching them. They all looked to be around the same age as Elias. She felt heat run up her neck and imagined her face was the color of a tomato. She wiggled, attempting to get Elias to put her down.
His attention was still on her. He hadn’t turned his head even for a second. “Luv, I’m going to need you to stop moving. Now.”
Tara froze at the tone in his voice.
“They’re watching us,” she whispered.
“Look at me,” he said. “Only me.”
Her eyes bounced from the three other guys and back to Elias several times until he growled at her. Then they stayed on him.
“We are not leaving this cell until you tell me you will give this a chance.”
“You would hold me captive?”
“You bet your arse I would.”
“I can see why you are so smitten, E,” the same voice spoke again. “She’s stunning.”
“If you want to keep your eyes, I suggest you find something else interesting to look at,” Elias barked.
The guy laughed. “Oh man, this is going to be fun. The unflappable Elias Creed has a weakness.”
“Say it, princess,” Elias said, ignoring the other male. “Say you’ll give us a chance.”
Tara stared into his eyes and thought about everything he’d told her. There were still so many questions she had, and those wouldn’t be answered if she walked away. “Okay. I’ll give us a chance.”
His breath rushed out of him as he spoke. “Thanks, Mother Gaia.” Then he bit her lip again, but it was fast, lasting a second before he pressed his lips to hers. He pushed closer and her mouth opened on a gasp. Elias took full advantage and plunged into her mouth. He kissed her as though his life depended on it. He sucked in, pulling oxygen from her lungs, and then breathed out, filling her with his air. The world had completely disappeared under the ministrations of his mouth and his hands that held her so tightly.
“As much as I do not want to stop you two because, honestly, that is hot, we have a situation outside.” That bloody voice interrupted them again.
Elias practically ripped his mouth from hers and lowered her to the ground. He turned to face the bars and pushed her behind him at the same time. “This better be life and death, Liam, or so help me I will kick your arse from here to the gates of your academy.”
“I’d like to see you try, bro. But no worries, since it is life and death, we can save the ass kicking for later. There’s an acolyte outside that says his name is Tucker. He’s demanding that Tara come out in exchange for a blonde beauty named Shelly.”
Tara pushed Elias out of the way and lunged at the bars.
“Tara, don’t,” Elias yelled, but her hands were already wrapping around them.
The pain was immediate and nearly dropped her to her knees. She released them and stumbled back. Elias caught her in his arms, and he hissed as he lifted her damaged hands.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” he huffed.
“Let go, Elias. I need to see Shelly,” she said as she tried to pull her hands away.
“Let me heal them and then we can discuss what Liam has told us.”
“Why are you so calm?” she snapped. “Tucker has my best friend. You just told me that he is on team dark and a killer.”
“He’s not going to hurt her, at least not until he decides we aren’t going to comply and hand you over.”
“Oh, we are going to comply,” Tara told him.
He ran his fingers over her palms, and the light and heat once again healed the damaged skin. “Over my dead body,” he said, his voice hard and unbending. Then he pressed a soft kiss to each palm. He released one hand but laced their fingers together with the other. Then he stepped up to the bars and faced the three guys.
“Tara, this is Liam, Ra, and Aston.” Elias introduced them. Liam winked at her. Ra gave a slight nod, and Aston lifted his eyes briefly to meet hers and then looked away.
“Not to be rude, but I don’t care. Get us out of here, Elias, and take me to Tucker and Shelly.”
“Damn.” Liam laughed. “She’s feisty. I like it.”
Ra walked over to the bars and wrapped his hand around one of them. His body tensed as if he were in pain, but he didn’t release his grip. A moment later, the door swung open. Tara saw the lock on the door was completely melted. Whoa.
Elias led h
er from the cell and out into the corridor. They moved quickly, and Tara had to practically jog to keep up with their longer legs.
“Does he have anyone else with him?” Elias asked.
“Two other acolytes,” Liam said.
“And an elemental,” Ra spoke for the first time. His voice was deep and rich with an accent she couldn’t place.
“What elemental?” Liam asked. “I didn’t see one.”
“You have other senses besides sight,” Ra said. “You need to learn to use them if you want to be superior to your enemy.”
“Don’t start with your lessons, Ra,” Liam growled. “Just tell us what the hell you’re talking about.”
“I’m talking about hell,” he said, his voice calm and even. “There’s a fire elemental. And he isn’t a slouch. Looks like a being of hellfire to me.
“Seriously?” Aston asked. His voice was softer than the others. “What would something like that be doing topside? Hellfire elementals usually don’t leave the underworld.”
Tara’s eyes widened. Underworld? She mouthed to keep from blurting out some unladylike expletives.
“It appears the dark elementals are being quite cooperative with one another,” Aston said. His words came out slowly, as if he gave each one of them careful consideration before releasing it.
“Since when did the dark elementals start being team players?” Liam asked.
“They’ve been working together more and more,” Elias said. He motioned for the others to go up first and put a hand out to stop Tara, ensuring none of the other three would be behind her. “Jax said they’ve realized that working against one another trying to fight against the light elementals was shooting themselves in the foot. They’ve somehow figured out how to put aside their desire to dominate everyone so they can become one army against us.”
When they finally reached the top of the stairs, Tara was sick with worry. Elias squeezed her hand, and she looked at him as they hurried down the corridor.
