“Yeah… About that.” He held her gaze a moment, gauging how much he should say. “The Chaolt null our powers when they are nearby.”
“Oh.” A wrinkle appeared between her brows. “Well damn. But you have guns, right?”
“Guns draw too much human attention,” he said, feeling weirdly apologetic. “That’s why we do hand to hand.”
“So if Charlie comes back, none of you will be able to use your powers on him.” She chewed her lip. “I thought you didn’t use your fire yesterday because you were trying to hide it from me.”
“That was part of it. But I’m also a bit of an exception. I still have my powers when they are nearby, but they can be… unpredictable.” And uncontrollable. But he left that part off purposely, because he was trying to make her feel better about everything, dammit. And because he didn’t want her to see him as weaker than the others.
Brooke didn’t respond to that. What was she thinking?
He sensed the Chaolt as soon as they approached her neighborhood. Levi tensed in his seat, looking in the rear-view mirror at the soldiers in the van behind them. By the grim looks on their faces, they sensed them too.
He looked over at her. Her world had undergone a huge transformation yesterday, and he hadn’t done a good job about reassuring her. Maybe he’d keep the fact that the enemy was already near—had never left—to himself.
And the fact that he was itchy with his powers so close to the surface.
He didn’t want to scare her, not in general, and not away from him in particular. Especially since he’d be living with her for the time being.
Alone with Brooke, in her house. For the foreseeable future. How would he handle the temptation?
He tightened his jaw as they pulled up in the driveway of her rental, the others close behind them.
Damn.
He pushed his hand through his hair. This was going to be a long… however long this lasted. A week, a month, he wasn’t sure how long it would take to clean the Chaolt out of Topaz Ridge.
Now that she knew most of the stuff about him, his attraction to her seemed to burn under the surface like his powers did. She was the first human, the first Erratic, to learn about him. Well, and not lose their memories afterward from being drained of their power. And it was like that gave his desire permission to flare out of control the same way his powers did sometimes.
He puffed out a breath as he turned his car off, and she glanced at him. They shared a look for a moment, until he heard the doors on the van slamming shut.
“Ready?” he asked her, brows raised.
“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
He got out before her and met Walker’s eyes. With a tiny shake of his head, he indicated that they shouldn’t say anything about the Chaolt yet.
Thankfully, Walker agreed, and he gave Levi a short nod back. Walker instantly started directing Ajax and Micah to tasks as he walked around to her side.
“Key,” he said, and when she placed it in his palm, he led her to the door.
The chaos buzz wasn’t strong, but with some of his other senses being unreliable lately, he felt like he couldn’t completely trust his senses. He put a hand back on her shoulder, keeping her behind him as he opened the door.
He felt the wild thump of her heart beneath his hand and looked back at her with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Just a precaution.”
She nodded, her eyes direct and bright, and for a second he wondered if her increased heart rate was fear or from his touch. He knew which he wanted it to be.
Lord knows his heart gave a might kick every time she touched him.
He led them into the interior, Brooke flanked by the other three Warriors.
“Stay here,” he said to her, and then he motioned at Ajax to clear the house with him.
When they were done, he walked back to her. “All clear. No Chaolt nearby.”
“Let’s hope that doesn’t last,” Ajax smirked, running his fingers down a sharp blade. “I want them to take the bait right away. I’m itching for a big, bloody battle.”
“Ajax…” Levi glared at him. “Why don’t you go check the perimeter?” He gave him his special glare, the one he saved just for Ajax, who seemed to delight in being an ass. The one with an edge of flame as he moved his stare from Ajax’s face to his very pretty, very flammable hair. He’d been trying so hard to keep the bait from worrying too much about all of this, but if Ajax kept going, all that effort would be wasted.
Walker seemed to understand. “We’ll get everything set up and then meet you out there.” His tone was mild, but with that slight edge that said Ajax couldn’t refuse. Ajax was much smarter when it came to Walker, so he just nodded and left without another word.
Levi let out a slow breath and looked at Brooke, and then down to her bottom lip trapped between her teeth. “Ignore him. Everything will be fine.”
Though he half agreed with Ajax. It would be better, easier, if they made a move right away. He and the other Warriors would clean house, drain her, and then she could go back to living her life.
But on the other hand… He didn’t want her out of his life so soon.
“So you control fire, huh.”
They were in her rental house, standing in the kitchen. All the other soldiers had finally departed after setting them up and explaining things to her.
It left them alone together. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just odd. To be in an enclosed space with a man unlike any other she’d ever met. One she… liked.
He rubbed his neck. “Yeah. Control, and I can summon it.”
She was leaning against the counter, arms crossed. Pretty calm, considering. She didn’t want to think about anything she learned too hard right now, because it was just too much.
Nothing was the way she thought it was a few days ago. And it was just getting stranger.
“How is that possible? Exactly? Isn’t fire just made of molecules like everything else? If you control those… ” She couldn’t even wrap her brain around that.
He nodded, a small smile teasing his lips.
“You’re right, everything that is matter is made up of molecules. But just like—” He looked around and grabbed some fruit out of her fruit bowl. “Just like this banana, and this orange.” He held them up at eye level. “At their smallest level, they are made out of the same things. Molecules and atoms. But one is still a banana, and one is still an orange. Fire is still fire, and not a banana or an orange.” Putting the fruit back and returning her gaze, he said, “And I can control only those specific combinations of particles.”
She blew out a breath that lifted her bangs. “So you’re a human telekinetic that can only control fire.”
He looked away, flexing his shoulders as if they were stiff.
“Will you show me?” she asked quietly, though her arms were still crossed in a protective gesture.
“You’ve seen it a few times now,” he replied.
“I know. But I’m still having a hard time believing it. It sounds so… insane. I’m still wondering if I went crazy after the fire.”
Or died in it.
His eyes landed on the tea kettle on the stove behind her. He walked over and grabbed it, taking it to the sink and filling it. She backed away when he put it back on the burner, her eyes on his every move. He turned the knob about a quarter of the way, and quickly walked to the other side of the kitchen.
He stopped suddenly and turned like a gunfighter. “Pow,” he said, his fingers pointed at the stove.
She turned haltingly to look behind her. A small, cheerful flame burned under her tea kettle. She turned back to him, blinking owlishly. “You turned the stove on.”
He grinned, hands in his back pockets. “I ignited the gas, the same way the electric ignition would have. Only with my own spark.”
One eyebrow cocked. Voice flat, she said, “Seriously? You turned the stove on.”
“Yeah!”
Both eyebrows went up now. A guy who could control and
make fire, and he just lit the stove. Handy, maybe, if the burners ever stopped working on their own.
“Hmm. Okay, umm… ”
Levi huffed. “Not impressed?”
She gave a half shrug. “I just… I was hoping you could show me something a little more… ” Gesturing with her hands, she cocked her head to one side. “I don’t know. Impressive?”
He held her gaze a long time, and she was sure he could see the nervousness she was feeling. Both because they were living in the same house for the time being, and… he was a man who could control fire. So weird.
Slowly, he held up and opened his palm. A little blueish flame appeared there, flickering just like a candle flame. Expression incredulous, she walked over to him. He held his hand still as she looked at it from several angles, even looking underneath.
“Wow.” It wasn’t big or bright, but it came from his hand.
He brought up his other hand, and bounced the flame from palm to palm like a ball. Then he engulfed one entire hand, and took it down again to a single center flame.
“Okay,” she said, “That’s cool.”
He grinned at her, bouncing it again from hand to hand. She almost rolled her eyes at how proud he was, but at least she didn’t feel as nervous anymore.
“Give me your hand,” he said quietly. Hesitant, she held out her hand, palm up, mirroring his. He moved in close and cupped it gently in his own. The little blue flame leapt from his outstretched palm to hers. She flinched, but there it was hovering warmly, just above her lifeline.
“It doesn't burn. I mean, it's warm, but it's not burning me,” she said, breathless.
“I'm controlling it.” Slowly the flame divided into two, then four, then six. One flame stayed in the middle, and the rest began rotating around it.
“Amazing,” she whispered, watching the tiny dancing flames. She looked up at him, smiling in awe.
He was so close that her face almost brushed his. She could see the reflection of the dancing flames in his eyes. Because he was looking at her, not them.
There was something there. Something sweeter, hotter, than the flames she held in her palm. She looked down at them, and a nervous giggle escaped. She held fire in her hands, and yet she was more aware of the man standing next to her.
Slowly the flames diminished, snuffing out one by one until there was just a single one left. When that one too, was gone, they just stood there, his warm hand still cupping hers, thumb rubbing slowly over her knuckles.
She should move away, take back her hand. Not stand there looking into his amber eyes. He lifted her hand slowly to his lips, pressing a small kiss to the center that seemed hotter than the flames had been. She licked her lips, mouth suddenly gone dry.
When his gaze dropped to her mouth, her breath stopped. She didn’t know whether she should move toward him or away. Away seemed like a good idea; after all he was a guy who could control fire. Toward him seemed like a better one. Especially with the way he was looking at her, all heavy-lidded, eyes smoldering.
He was still holding the hand he’d kissed in his, his body almost wrapped around hers. Before she could think about it too much, she leaned forward and closed the two inches that separated them, pressing her lips against his in a light kiss. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Before she could pull away, his fingers threaded into her hair and his lips landed on hers again, harder. His kiss was hot and hungry and burned her from the lips, down. She was lost, until the loud whistling of the teakettle reached her ears with it’s shrill warning.
What the hell are you doing?
She stepped back from him quickly, fingers against her lips, her other hand curled over where he’d kissed it. She gulped for a breath, for equilibrium.
“So, how about I get you some tea?” she asked, a little too brightly, the smile feeling pasted on her face.
Day One, and she’d already kissed him.
She was in serious trouble, and not from the Chaolt.
Chapter Nine
Brooke bolted awake, a loud cry fading into the dark room around her.
Nightmare.
Just another nightmare.
She put her head in her hands and her elbows on her thighs as she took deep breaths and tried to calm her heart. It was beating so hard it hurt.
When the door burst open, she screeched in surprise, her body still reacting with fear. But then her heart started pounding for a completely different reason.
“Are you okay?” Levi was breathing hard in her doorway, a long, lethal blade gripped in each fist. He stood there with the hall light behind him outlining every muscle on his body. And they were all on display, with the exception of a very few hidden by his boxer-briefs.
She just blinked for a second, the view of all of him at once melting her already-addled brain.
“Brooke?” he asked, stepping towards the bed.
“I’m okay,” she gasped, finally using her words. “Nightmare.” She didn’t even remember much of the dream, except for the fire. There was always fire. And that was probably to be expected after what she’d been through.
“Can I get you something? Water?”
She licked her lips to dampen them, realizing that her mouth was indeed dry. “Please.”
He stared at her a moment, and then turned and left the room.
When he was out of her view, she clenched her eyes shut. But no, that image was never going away.
He came back with a glass of water in his hand quickly, knives nowhere in sight. And since she hadn’t moved from where she clutched the blankets, he brought it all the way to her.
Eyes up, she berated herself, slowly raising them to meet his over the glass. “Thank you.” She took a big gulp while trying to find a safe place to look. She finally settled on his shoulder, tattooed with huge black swirling lines that melded closer together down his arms. They were like tribal fire tattoos, only in reverse. The designs were made by his tan skin in between all the black ink. “I didn’t know you had tattoos,” she murmured, taking another sip. She’d only ever seen him in his leather jacket, or long sleeves. Except…
The memory of him walking towards her on fire flashed before her eyes and Brooke inhaled sharply, the water going down the wrong pipe and leaving her coughing and sputtering.
He sat down beside her on the bed and thumped her on the back until she quit choking.
That was the only other time she’d seen them, when they’d had flames coming from the bare patches of skin. When she’d thought she was hallucinating.
“They’re my glyphs.”
He continued to rub her back, probably waiting for her breathing to return to normal. But it never would now with him even closer, touching her, the heat of his hand reminding her that she only had a thin nightgown on.
“Glyphs?” she asked, taking a more careful sip, taking the opportunity to let her eyes wander a little further than the point on his shoulder. He had nice biceps and forearms too, under all that ink. Her fingertips tingled with the desire to touch them.
“Yeah. Because of the powers I possess, I have these markings on my skin.”
“Oh, so they aren’t tattoos? You were born with them?” She gave into the urge and touched the hand right by her hip with just one finger.
His head tilted and he watched her finger stroke over the line where the black skin ended at his wrist. “You could say that,” he murmured, voice husky.
It wasn’t until she met his eyes, so hot and close to hers, that she realized how intimate this was. Both of them in scant night clothes, in the middle of the night, alone. And she was touching him.
She snatched her hand back and looked away, a blush of heat creeping up her neck. She didn’t want him to think it was some kind of invitation. Even if she wasn’t sure herself whether it was or wasn’t. It just wasn’t for right now.
“Thanks for the water, Levi. I’m okay now.”
He took the hint and got up.
“Okay. I’ll be back if you need me.”
“Thank you, Levi, but I won’t. I’ve had them ever since the fire, and they’re usually not that bad. I’ll be okay.”
He nodded. “Sleep well then,” and he closed her door.
She lay back down on her pillow and stared at the wall. It was going to be hard to go back to sleep, but not just because of the nightmare.
Levi.
Oh my god.
She squeezed her eyes shut. He’d always been attractive to her since the moment he offered to open the post office door. But this brought it to a whole new level. He was so hot.
She snickered into her hand at her unintentional pun, but it was true. He was hot to her in every single way. But what did he think of her? Despite all his burning gazes, she wasn’t sure. Were those just a side effect of having fire inside him? Maybe she should find out.
Maybe it was time to stop resisting and start tempting.
Brooke’s bedroom door finally clicked open late in the morning. Not that he’d been waiting; his shift had started almost twelve hours ago. He needed less sleep than a normal human unless he was drained from using his powers, so it was no hardship. And it was easier to help Brooke out after her nightmares if he was already awake.
She'd had them every night since the first one ten days ago, and usually he'd find himself awakened from sleep by her whimpers and screams. With sleep fogging his brain, it was easy to think that somehow a Chaolt had gotten into the house and was trying to hurt her. The first few times he'd run in there with nothing but one pair of boxers and two knives. But now he was used to them enough to put some clothes on, grab her a glass of water, and sit with her until she fell back to sleep. But it was those moments when he was weakest. He'd want to touch her, hold her, kiss her.
More.
Then he'd go back to his own bed, wrestle down the urges, and wake the next day crankier and with less control.
The worst part was, he could feel himself beginning to slip. A few mornings ago, she'd walked from the bathroom to her bedroom, head and body wrapped in a towel. That little flash of skin up to her hip as she went by—he'd melted the handle right off his coffee cup. Thankfully it had been lukewarm, because dammit, he tried to avoid using his powers for something as trivial as heating his coffee, but it still required a change of clothes.
Burn (Elemental Hearts Book 1) Page 9
