The first night in our house was unquestionably memorable—I would never forget it. Falling asleep in Jace's arms after we had sex in the shower was pure bliss. No nightmares came to me that night, and I awoke thoroughly rested. I rubbed at my neck, which itched slightly, and wondered what the tattoo that was now there looked like. Jace and I were both so distracted that we hadn't taken the time to examine them. I turned around to face Jace, my movements causing his eyes to slowly flutter open. He smirked as he saw me, mumbling, “Good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning,” I replied. God, I could get used to this—waking up to this gorgeous man every morning would never get old. “I wanted to take a look at our tattoos when we get up since we were preoccupied last night,” I teased.
Jace chuckled. “Turn around—I can look at yours now. Then, you can look at mine.”
I complied and gathered my hair to lift it up off my neck. Jace gasped as he brushed his finger across my neck. “Wow…you have the Ultimate Unity symbol,” he informed me.
“What does that mean? I thought I was supposed to get your symbol,” I replied.
“It means 'All That Is'. No other Elemental has ever had that symbol,” he answered, leading me to the bathroom. He positioned us both in front of the mirror and handed me my large hand mirror so I could look at the back of my neck. The tattoo was of two triangles, one standard triangle, the other inverted—the inverted triangle covered the standard one, and they were both a faint silver. I handed the mirror to Jace, and he looked at his in the same manner. His tattoo was identical to mine. He stared in awe at his reflection in the mirror, then at me. “I guess you are special, huh?” he joked.
“What does this mean? I mean I know what it means, but what does this mean for us?” I asked.
“I don't really know—I think only the Oracle and the Elders would know, and I'm not sure either would tell us anything. The Elders won't, and the Oracle might, but only at her own leisure,” he replied.
“At her own leisure?”
“Yeah, she will summon us when it is time. It could be anytime now since you turned 18 and inherited your powers.”
“Well that's just great. I have to just wait around for her to summon me while other Elementals are trying to kill me, and Uranus is planning on reclaiming Gaia? We don't even know when it's going to happen, and I'm not even trained! I feel like I have no control over my own life!” I said, raising my voice.
“Yes you do, but there's no point getting upset over things you can't control, mi amante. Something we can control is beginning your training today if that would make you feel better,” he suggested with a shy smile.
“That's a start, I guess,” I mumbled.
“Well then, get ready. We need some breakfast before we start,” he said, patting me lightly on the butt. I put on a black racerback workout shirt and black shorts, thinking they would be the most practical for training. Jace had chosen the same color palette as me, opting for a black muscle shirt and black gym shorts. He looked divine, his broad arms showing off their sculpted muscles with no sleeves to contain them. He crossed them, smirking at me staring at him. “Like what you see?” he asked smugly.
“Maybe,” I teased. I'm sure he knew I loved every part of him after last night. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face, Jace copying my routine in the adjoining sink. I put my hair up in a tight bun, hoping it would stay out of my face during training. Jace pulled my lips to his, our minty breaths tangling in one another's mouths. I mumbled against his lips, “We will never accomplish anything if we keep this up.”
“Oh, I think we can accomplish quite a bit,” he joked suggestively. The kiss continued, our passion flaring as he lifted me onto the counter. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, my legs around his waist as he groaned into my mouth. He broke the kiss, caressing my face as he said, “We better start training before I won't allow you to leave our bedroom.” He led me downstairs, and I made us some toast and eggs before we went into our backyard to train.
“So, where do we start?” I asked.
“Well, first, we can practice summoning your fire. It's pretty easy—all you have to do is visualize the fire in your hands, like this,” he said, demonstrating. He held his hands out to his sides, slightly raised. His eyes began to shift to a vibrant orange, warning that he was about to utilize his powers. Flames ignited in his palms, and then extinguished from his silent command. “You try,” he instructed.
I mimicked his stance, and visualized fire in my hands. Nothing happened, and I looked to Jace for an explanation. He shrugged his shoulders, “Try again.”
I did as he requested, with the same end result. I tried again and again, and still nothing. About twenty minutes had passed, and I sighed in frustration, “What am I doing wrong?”
“I don't know. You have to vividly visualize the fire. Feel the heat, see the flames, and will it to be in your hands,” he instructed.
I shook my hands, trying to release the tension I built up from my failed attempts. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, replaying Jace's words in my mind—feel the heat, see the flames, feel the heat, see the flames. I visualized a campfire, flames bright and flickering, and I willed it to be in my hands. A few seconds later, I felt warmth in my hands. I opened my eyes and glanced down at my hands, which were now ablaze with flames. I startled from the sight, gasping and causing the flames to extinguish. I sighed with disappointment, “I suck.”
Jace laughed. “You do not suck. You created the flames after only a few attempts, which is great given you had no prior knowledge of manipulating elements. I think fire is the hardest element to control because it's difficult to picture your hands engulfed in flames since your natural instinct is to put it out.”
“That makes sense. I want to try again,” I stated.
“Determined—that's my girl,” Jace praised.
I once again repeated the instructions Jace had given me in my head. The flames manifested quicker this time, and I was careful to maintain my composure so I wouldn't put out the flames. I looked at Jace, who smiled proudly at me, and nodded his head. I stared in awe at my hands, wondering how my skin was not burned by the flames emitted by them. “What do I do now?” I asked, eager to complete my next task.
“See if you can throw a fireball and hit that rock over there,” he instructed, gesturing to a large rock at the edge of our yard. “Just visualize a ball of fire projecting from your hand and landing on that rock.”
I did as Jace said, picturing a ball of fire shooting out of my hand and hitting the rock. My first attempt shot out, only to land about five feet from me. The next three shot up into the sky. After another half-hour of attempts, I finally hit the rock before slumping to my knees in exhaustion. Jace was instantly by my side, concern etching his face. “I'm sorry, mi amante. I shouldn't have pushed you to do so much so fast,” he said, sorrow flooding his voice.
“I'm fine, just tired is all. I wouldn't have stopped until I hit that rock anyway,” I admitted. I tried to stand, but my vision faltered, and my legs buckled. Jace caught me, steadying me before scooping me up into his arms. “Easy, baby, I've got you. I won't let you fall.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, leaning my head against his chest. “Too late, I've already fallen,” I said.
“Huh?” he asked in confusion.
“For you, silly,” I replied, giggling at my corniness.
He laughed, realizing what I meant. “I love you,” he said, kissing me on the forehead.
I yawned, “Until my last heartbeat.” Using elements was draining, and I wasn't sure how I was going to overcome the exhaustion that seemed to take over whenever I used my powers. I couldn't stop the apocalypse if I fainted during my battle with Uranus. Fear started to build in me at the thought that I wouldn't be able to do all of this, but, right now, all I could focus on was sleep. I closed my eyes, and I felt Jace walking up the steps to our loft. By the time we reached the top, I was fast asleep.
When I
awoke, I saw Jace sitting in the rocking chair next to the window of our bedroom that overlooked the ocean. He rose when he saw my eyes open, relief filling his own. “How do you feel?” he asked.
“Much better. How long did I sleep?” I asked.
“Only a couple of hours. Are you hungry? I can make us some lunch if you are.”
I nodded. Besides exhaustion, using my powers also caused me to be hungry. I carefully swung my legs over the side of the bed and shakily stood. Jace was by my side, ready to catch me if I stumbled. Thankfully, I didn't—I hated feeling weak and helpless, and the blacking out and exhaustion made me feel just that.
After lunch, I received a text from Kimber:
1:13 PM Kimber: Hey, is it safe to come over now? Or am I going to be scarred for life by the sight of you and Jace's naked bodies?
1:13 PM Me: LOL very funny you can come by now
1:14 PM Kimber: K :) I'll be there in 5
“Kimber's on her way over here now,” I told Jace.
“Good, Zane is on his way, too,” he replied. I stiffened, slightly apprehensive of a stranger coming to our home. “Remember, you are protected while on the island. No one can harm you. I wouldn't let anyone touch you anyway, so you have nothing to fear,” he reminded me.
“I know, I just ...” I trailed off, the doorbell interrupting my thoughts. As I jumped up to get the door, I heard Kimber banging and yelling on the other side, “Open up, bitches!”
I laughed as I opened the door, “So eloquent, Kimber—what a way to greet your best friend. You got here quick.”
“I was at my dad's boat in the harbor. So, are you ready for some training?” Kimber asked, stepping inside. I closed and locked the door behind her as Jace walked up.
“I think she's had enough training for today.”
“I'm fine. I want to train some more,” I insisted. Jace frowned, knowing this was an argument he would not win.
“Trouble in paradise, already?” Kimber jokingly asked.
“I almost blacked out again today, so Jace is just a little worried. I'm all good now,” I assured her.
He crossed his arms, sternly saying, “Fine, but we take it a little bit at a time. If you feel drained, we need to stop. I don't want you blacking out again.”
“Yes, Dad,” I answered sarcastically. Jace rolled his eyes at my mocking as we walked outside to the backyard. The smell of the salty sea breeze from the ocean reached me when we stepped onto the patio. I could also see the edge of the harbor from where we stood, the blue water glistening in the sun, reminding me of how much I loved the view. The sun's rays warmed my skin, and the breeze cooled it in contrast pleasantly.
“So, I guess we can start by seeing if you can manipulate water in the basic ways. Try letting it stream from your hands like I did the other night. Hold them out like this,” she instructed, stretching her arms out in front of her, palms down, just as she did when she put the fire out in the alley. “Think about a waterfall in your hands,” she continued.
I did as she instructed, and opposite of what happened with the fire, water fell from my hands on my first attempt. “Huh, I wonder why it happened so easy this time—it took like twenty minutes last time to even get a flame,” I pondered.
“Maybe since you have already summoned water before, it came easier to you. Like I've said before, I think fire is the hardest element to control, so that could be another reason why it's easier,” Jace offered.
“Since it was so easy, let's move on to something more difficult,” Kimber stated. “Try making it rain—think about the water molecules in the clouds, and call them down to your will,” she continued, as if it were a common thing to do. I stared at her baffled for a few seconds, but remembered this was an everyday thing for her. I did as she asked, thinking about the clouds above us becoming heavy, full of water, and cascading down to the ground. Nothing happened for a few minutes, but I refused to give up, so I concentrated harder on rain pouring from the sky. I trained my eyes on the sky, focusing on the clouds, still white and fluffy. I became frustrated, adamant to complete my task, as I continued to strengthen my concentration. I thought of a thunderstorm, rain pouring, wind blowing, and after a few seconds, the clouds darkened, and thunder crashed in the distance. The rain began to pour down, soaking us all, the wind whipping the trees around us. Jace and Kimber stared at me in disbelief, shock and wonder dominating their features. This concerned me, so I cleared my mind, banishing the thoughts of the thunderstorm, which immediately began to recede back into the clouds. The sky morphed from a deep gray back to its trademark blue, betraying the fact that a storm had even happened. I approached Jace, and asked, “Did I do something wrong?”
He shook his head, “No mi amante, I've just never seen anyone control the weather like that before—your power is astounding.”
“But Kimber told me to make it rain. Can't all Water Elementals do that?” I asked.
Kimber answered, “Not like that—we can cause a moderate rainfall, but we can't cause a full blown storm, Brie.”
I sighed—why did I have to be such a freak? Jace's phone rang, interrupting my pity party. He strode up to me and kissed me, saying, “You are not a freak. You are amazing.” It was my turn to stare at him in shock as he answered his phone, a big grin plastered on his face. Did he just read my mind? I know that was an effect of our bond, but we didn't fully complete the bond yet, so how was that possible already? I hadn't heard any of his thoughts yet, so I didn't know what to think.
Jace hung up as he said, “Zane just arrived. He's on his way from the harbor, so he should be here in a few minutes.”
“Who's Zane?” Kimber asked.
“Jace's best friend—he's an Earth Elemental, and Jace asked him to help train me,” I replied.
“I wonder if he's hot,” Kimber contemplated. Leave it to her to worry about hot guys when the end of the world was looming on the horizon. I looked at her incredulously, causing her to ask, “What?”
I shook my head, laughing softly, “You never cease to amaze me.”
“Yeah, I kinda have that effect on people,” she said, only half-joking, causing me to burst out laughing. I heard Jace and another guy's voice, who I assumed to be Zane, and our laughter subsided. I regained my composure, focusing on the source of the new voice. A tall, attractive, black man stood next to Jace, his eyes a light green, contrasting beautifully against his milk chocolate skin. He was leaner than Jace, and extremely toned, not having an inch of fat anywhere on his body. His hair was buzzed almost bald, and he had a gleaming, white smile. I heard Kimber inhale at the sight of him, and I smirked; guys never took Kimber off-guard. I stepped forward to introduce myself, “Hi, I'm Brielle, and this is my best friend, Kimber.”
He took my hand, firmly shaking it, “I'm Zane. I've heard a lot about you from Jace.” He smiled warmly at me, and then looked to Kimber. Their eyes locked, and I could see the attraction immediately. Zane extended his hand to Kimber, who almost hypnotically placed her hand in his. Instantly I could see the pleasure emanating from their shocked faces as they touched. After a few seconds, Zane cupped Kimber's face in his hands, leaning down to kiss her lips. I looked up at Jace, who was now standing next to me with a stunned expression on his face. He looked at me and nodded, answering my unspoken question. We were witnessing our best friends recognizing their twin flame.
“Well, this is interesting,” I said. I proceeded to clear my throat to interrupt Kimber and Zane's now full-blown make-out session. They both turned to look in my direction, and a smile radiated from both of their swollen lips. Zane spoke first, “I would have come sooner if I knew this was going to happen. I would've never thought I would meet my twin flame, especially only a few days after you met yours.”
“Now I know why you two couldn't keep your hands off each other the other night,” Kimber joked. Brielle giggled and Zane chuckled slightly. “That feeling is amazing,” she continued.
“Just wait until you have sex,” Brielle blurted out, immediately
becoming red and covering her mouth with her hand, which caused all of us to erupt in laughter. She seemed so innocent, yet I knew she was anything but.
“This has to mean something right? What are the odds of our best friends being twin flames?” Brielle asked. “Maybe they are part of the five in the prophecy.”
“Could be—it would make sense, especially being that Kimber, Zane, and I control three of the four elements. That makes me think that the fifth would be an Air Elemental based on that theory,” I answered.
“I wonder who it is, and how we are supposed to find them,” Brielle contemplated aloud. “I don't know any other Elementals but you guys.”
“I don't know, either. We have to take this one step at a time. Right now, let's focus on training,” I stated.
“So, where do we start?” Brielle asked Zane. He pulled away from Kimber reluctantly to approach Brielle.
“Well, the easiest thing to do would be to shake the ground. Just visualize a small earthquake beneath you,” he instructed. Brielle closed her eyes, obeying his directions. Sure enough, the ground trembled softly beneath her, causing her face to light up with delight. “I did it! This time was easier than the last. I think I'm getting the hang of this,” she chimed happily.
“Good, now let's try lifting that rock over there,” Zane said, referring to the rock Brielle had hit with her fireball earlier in the day. She did that with ease, as well, the success adding to her happiness. By the end of Zane's tutorial, Brielle had moved large rocks, uprooted some small trees, and caused a small earthquake that spanned the whole backyard. I couldn't believe how amazing and powerful she was as I gazed at her proudly. Zane praised her after they were finished, saying she was a natural. He walked over to me, leaving Kimber and Brielle chatting and giggling. “She's picking up everything pretty fast,” he said.
Envisioned (The Elemental Prophecy) Page 10
