by Kay, Sharon
She blew out a breath and frowned at the blades of grass in her palm. Pushing her negative thoughts aside, she studied the striations in the smooth green surfaces and visualized its inner structure. After a few minutes of coaxing, a drop of water formed on the end of one blade. The size of a pinhead at first, it grew to the size of a dime before Brooke stopped.
“I did it!” she yelled. She held her cupped hands out for Rilan to see.
“Nicely done.” Rilan folded his arms across his chest. “Do that a few more times, and then move on to the trees and do the same with their leaves.”
“Okay.” This is so cool. Brooke loved a new challenge. Her sister regularly used the entire yard. She got a bowl or, sometimes, the bird bath. It made her tasks seem so trivial.
She wished she could work with the lake. Big, blue Lake Michigan, just a few miles away. But using her power on a large scale, in a wide open area, could draw the wrong kind of attention. “Can we get a fountain back here? Maybe a koi pond? Without the fish, of course.”
Nicole released the winds she had directed at the trees. “Oh, that would be perfect! Brooke can do more. Although, this new trick is awesome!” she said with a huge grin. “But if we got a pond now, she’d still have time to work with it before it freezes.”
“I don’t see why not,” Rilan said. “But remember, all the things you’re doing here can be done on a large scale. I want you to get the principles down first.”
“I just want to know how it would feel to move a huge body of water. Or redirect the flow of a river,” Brooke said wistfully.
She had heard Rilan’s next words a hundred times. “It’s not safe, child. We need to stay within the yard.” Strong warding spells guarded the house and everything around it. Nothing would appear unusual to anyone, human or other, who happened to be nearby. Strong winds, flying water, demonfire—no one would notice.
Brooke nodded. She knew he was right, but that didn’t help her dissatisfaction. How was she supposed to prepare to fight a vicious evil by moving the water around in a bird bath? On the other hand, if she found herself in an area with no water, she was screwed. She would have to rely on her martial arts skills, and her recent training with the Lash demons. Both of which left her under-prepared to fight something like a Neshi demon.
She squared her shoulders. “Okay, on Monday I’ll make some calls about that pond. Until then, let’s keep going.”
For the next couple of hours they worked the air and water, bending and swirling it to their will. When Rilan had Brooke blast a stream of water apart, the sisters couldn’t resist. All those tiny drops begged to be frozen. Nicole lowered the air temperature so fast that Brooke got goose bumps. She shaped the droplets into spikes, and Nicole hurled them across the yard to shatter against the brick exterior of the house.
As they high-fived, Gunnar stuck his head out the back door. “Hey, those could hurt someone. Not me, of course.”
“Of course not.” Nicole grinned at her mate. “Are we done, Rilan? I’m starving. Let’s order pizza.”
Brooke stayed in one of the guest bedrooms that night, worn-out but happy. She came here so often it was like her second home. It made sense to stay here, since she could spend time with Nicole.
She yawned and flung the sheet over her head. Tomorrow would involve more training. And, she hoped, less Kai. The grumpy demon took no interest in her coaching whatsoever. And that’s just fine with me.
CHAPTER 3
KAI DIDN’T SLEEP THAT NIGHT. Good thing sleep, like food, was something Lash demons could skip for a few days if necessary. He’d left the big stately demon residence, confident that Brooke was safer there than anywhere else. Running a patrol through the city, he looked for any supernatural creatures that might be up to no good.
His skin tingled where Brooke had brushed against him that afternoon. He remembered her throwing those knives earlier, one after the other, with lethal precision. Her scent permeated the whole damn house whenever she visited. And knowing she was curled up in bed in a room just down the hall from his own made him twitchy as hell.
He shifted as he paused on a rooftop, his pants tightening. Damn. The woman made him hard even when she froze him out. Hell with her icy exterior—he wanted to find out how hot she ran on the inside.
Frigid façade or not, he had time to spend with her. He and his comrades had recently solved the problem of a rash of demonic stabbings in the city’s rough neighborhoods. The Lash demons’ leader, Arawn, had not yet given them a new task other than to protect the recently-emerged Solsti.
Solsti. Brooke and Nicole’s species. They, along with their other sister Gin, possessed the ability to control the elements. Though the Solsti hadn’t existed in hundreds of years, their myth was well-known in the supernatural world. Four females linked by blood would wield extraordinary power, becoming the goodness and strength needed to defeat a looming evil. One more heinous than their world had seen in centuries.
And Brooke and Nicole had run around the city like protectors for the downtrodden, flinging their power around with no knowledge of their destiny or of the menacing creatures they could’ve encountered. Who knew how long they would’ve continued tangling with human thugs if Gunnar hadn’t seen them one night.
Kai shook his head at their bravado. Or foolishness. He still hadn’t decided what he thought of their little excursions into the city’s ghettoes. At least they understood the potential danger now.
Like a shadow, he leaped to another rooftop in the west side Austin neighborhood. This was one of Chicago’s toughest areas, but he detected no supernatural activity. Two human gangs snarled at each other in a nearby alley, but they weren’t his concern. Arawn ordered his Lash Watchers to help maintain the secrecy surrounding creatures of their own kind.
He headed east, keeping to the rooftops, and scowled at the city’s calm. A brawl tonight would have helped relieve the tension caused by the curvy brunette sleeping in his house.
Cruising through Brooke’s neighborhood, he stopped on her roof out of habit, and to make sure nothing lurked around her building. He shook his head at his urge to ensure her safety. Her lush curves and sweet scent were driving him crazy. She’s fine—she’s at my house, for fuck’s sake!
He continued his patrol, stopping at the last building west of Lake Shore Drive. Red streaks of dawn colored the sky above the huge lake. Soon the burning orb of the sun would rise from the shimmering water, which today was dotted with small white-capped waves. Growing up in a cloudy, gloomy area of Torth, Kai never tired of the majesty of Earth’s life-giving star.
Not that I’ll ever admit something that sappy. He grinned as the sky turned pink and he felt the first warm rays on his skin. Time to head home.
As Kai approached the house, he sensed that all the occupants were awake. He heard the beeps and simulated firepower of a video game, and the chatter of two female voices. Nicole and…he paused, listening closer. She was talking to their other sister via video chat. He could tell by the metallic hum the computer gave whenever they linked up.
Rhys had set up the video program at the bank of computers in the great room. Nicole, and Brooke when she was around, held loud, enthusiastic chats with Gin on a regular basis. He’d been surprised the first time he walked into the room to find them all laughing so hard they had to wipe tears from their eyes.
The joy that lit Brooke’s face took his breath away. Around her sisters, she put up no defenses. Her body language projected no scowls or sarcasm, unless she was joking. Her gray eyes flashed with mirth, and her smile radiated easily from every pore. Unguarded. The way she looked in her sleep the other night. Why couldn’t she smile at him like that?
Ah hell. They had gotten off to a bad start, and he was partly to blame. Well, maybe more than partly. Fuck if he knew how to fix it.
Kai strode through the back door and into the kitchen. He grabbed a water bottle and opened the door to the basement, where he intended to work out his excess energy. As he jogged down the st
airs, his ears perked up and a warning tingle spread over his skin. He slowed to a stalk.
Hearing a distinctly feminine grunt followed by a sigh, Kai opened the door and froze.
Pinned beneath Brenin on the blue mats lay a very sweaty Brooke. Tendrils of chestnut hair escaped her braid and clung to her flushed face. Breathing hard, she let her hands drop to the mats from their perch on his shoulders.
Kai’s blood ignited in fury. What the fuck? Brooke’s lower body was trapped by Brenin’s powerful hips, their legs entangled. They were too close. Kai moved into the room, ready to yank Brenin off her—
She grinned up at Brenin and narrowed her eyes. “One of these days, demon, I’m gonna take you down.” Her tone was playful. As playful as her smile.
That gorgeous megawatt smile. Which she shared with everyone except him.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Brenin replied, lingering atop her a second too long for Kai’s liking. Hell, any amount of time was too long. Regret spiked through him as he remembered his surly silence when Brooke’s training regimen had been discussed.
“What kind of training’s going on here, anyway?” Kai growled, stepping closer. Brenin rolled off Brooke, offered his hand, and pulled her up. She crossed the room to take a long drink of water, never glancing at Kai.
“Hand to hand, today.” Brenin looked Kai up and down before pinning him with a don’t-bullshit-me look. “Got a problem with that?”
Kai returned the stare, assessing his friend. Reading the challenge in Brenin’s eyes, he found the outlet for his anger.
“You and me. Let's go,” he said in a low voice. He removed his shirt and stalked to the weapons area. He grabbed two swords and turned to Brenin.
“It's your punishment.” The other demon shrugged, tossing his own shirt to the floor and taking the hilt that Kai offered.
Brooke crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t tell me you two are seriously gonna do this.”
Kai didn't respond, letting his mind slip into the cold calculations of battle, which held no room for emotions or jokes. His senses registered Brooke's presence as she slid down to sit against the far wall of the room, her lilac scent lingering on the mats.
He faced Brenin. They sparred occasionally for practice, and had fought enemies together for decades. They knew each other's fighting style, had both learned in Arawn's training camp. But Kai was the only one who had been forced to regularly fight for his life for the sole purpose of entertaining others.
Kai flexed his muscles, anticipating Brenin's first swing. Blocked it. Brenin was one of the fastest demons he’d ever seen, and he unleashed a flurry of strikes in a blaze of flashing metal.
At first, Kai only had time to block and duck. Then he twisted away, only to dart back and strike Brenin's shoulder.
Brenin didn’t make a sound when a stream of blood bubbled from the wound and ran down his thick bicep, but his blue eyes glowed bright with provocation. All Lash demons’ eyes radiated light when in battle or experiencing strong emotion. A small number of Lash could mask it.
A tiny intake of air reached Kai’s ears. Brooke. Was she pissed at him for drawing blood?
Brenin hissed and lunged forward. Kai darted to the side, avoiding the blow, but Brenin's fast reflexes had him ducking a second later. The other demon hooked his foot around Kai’s calf and yanked, knocking him to the mats. His knee landed on Kai's chest.
“Yield,” Brenin growled, the point of his sword resting against Kai's throat.
Kai had been in this position more times than he could count. He hadn't survived Drant's arena for nearly a year by yielding. “No.”
Brenin's eyes flashed blue, then narrowed. “Fucking. Yield.” His voice was low and full of menace.
Kai's next move was honed by months of combat, by opponents and crowds who cheered enthusiastically for his death. He fought any way he could, even if it meant fighting dirty. In a blur of movement, he slid his body up as he twisted to the side. Brenin's blade grazed his neck, but a trickle of blood was a small price to pay to get out of a defensive position.
He had just enough room to grab Brenin's knee and flip him to his back. Pushing his leg to a wrenching angle, he pressed his sword to Brenin's neck and snarled, “Yield.”
“Fuck,” Brenin muttered.
Kai twisted his kneecap.
“Kai, stop!” Brooke jumped up from her seat on the floor and ran over to them.
“Dude, I yield.”
Kai released his hold and got to his feet. He offered Brenin a hand, but the other demon brushed it off and stood.
Brooke glared at Kai. “Was that necessary?” Her tone held as much venom as a cobra.
Shit, she did not just defend Brenin. Forcing down his emotions, Kai shrugged. “He’s fine.”
“Motherfucking son of a bitch,” Brenin said, hands on his hips.
Kai grinned. “Round two?”
“You’re on,” Brenin said. “That was a good move. Not that we usually find ourselves on the wrong end of a sword.” He paused and raked a hand through his long hair. “You should teach the girls.”
Kai shrugged. The other demons in the house knew of the time he spent as Drant’s slave, but Kai didn’t like to talk about it. And he was in no hurry to divulge that information to the women.
They both turned to look at Brooke, whose eyes widened under the weight of their stares.
“Whadaya say, Sprite?” Kai asked.
“No.”
He raised an eyebrow and pinned her with an incredulous look. “What?”
She dusted imaginary dirt off her yoga pants. “I said no. You don’t need to teach me that.”
“You may be a Solsti, but you've got a lot to learn. I'd say you can only go up from where you are.”
She huffed out a disgusted breath and shot him a withering look. “You're a day late and a dollar short, demon.” She marched across the mats between him and Brenin, and out the door.
Silence filled the room for all of two seconds before Brenin shook his head. “Why are you such a dick to her?”
“Why the fuck do you care?” Kai shot back.
“Usually when there’s a hot female around you’re trying to get in her pants, not trying to piss her off every chance you get.”
Kai glowered at his friend, then shifted his gaze back to the door Brooke had just slammed.
“And,” Brenin continued, “She’s not just any cute piece of ass. She’s a fucking Solsti. Not exactly the type of woman you want to piss off.”
“You think she’s hot.” A growl rumbled up from Kai’s chest.
Brenin snorted. “Hell, yeah. And so would any male with blood in his veins. But I’m not the one she’s interested in.”
Kai's head snapped around to glare at Brenin. “Fuck you.”
“I'm serious. I've spent enough time with her over the last few weeks to notice. Whenever you're around, she’s tighter than the trigger on your Sig. One minute, she’s laid-back, and the next, she’s on lockdown.”
Probably because she wants to rip my head off. “No shit?” he asked.
“No shit, bro.” Brenin winked and nodded at the door.
Intrigued, Kai couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to Brooke's fierce emotion. He grinned at the prospect of thawing his ice princess. He loved a challenge, and Brooke sat smack-dab in the center of his crosshairs.
Brooke stomped up the stairs, hissing out an irritated breath as she shoved the door open. Another day, another insult. What the hell is his problem?
She stopped short of running into Nicole, who cradled a cup of fresh coffee in her hands. Her sister took one look at her and set her drink down on the island.
“What happened?” Nicole asked.
“Kai happened,” Brooke growled. She grabbed a glass from the cabinet and held it to the water dispenser on the stainless steel fridge door.
Nicole folded her arms across her chest and frowned. “I didn’t realize he was home.”
“Yeah, well, he’s b
een home long enough to interrupt my session, monopolize my trainer, and insult me. Again.”
Nicole shook her head. “I’ve never seen him act like that around the other guys.”
“That’s because they’d beat the shit out of him.” A small part of Brooke wished she was strong enough to do the same.
“Do you want me to talk to him?”
“No!” Brooke said, louder than she intended. “I don’t want him to know…that he got to me.” Her voice trailed off. Why do I care what he thinks?
Nicole tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, studying her.
“Look, I can handle one overgrown demon with a bad attitude,” Brooke said, before her perceptive sister could ask another question. A smile crept across her face. “I soaked him with his own water yesterday.”
“That was you? I noticed him walk through here with wet hair!” Nicole grinned at her and took a sip of her coffee. “Nice work.”
“It felt good.” Brooke gulped her water and nodded, then headed out of the kitchen, feeling better. “I’m gonna take a shower,” she said over her shoulder.
She climbed the stairs to her guest room, which had its own bathroom. Stripping off her sweaty tank top and yoga pants, she turned on the water and climbed in. As the spray pounded down on her back, she recalled something their mother used to say. “Don’t let negative people rent space in your head.” Ellen had been so sweet and positive.
Brooke sighed. She couldn’t believe it had been seven years since they’d passed away. They had so much love to give, taking in four small girls who had lost their birth parents in a fiery car accident. They hadn’t even hesitated, despite the medical problems facing her youngest sister, Alina. Then Alina’s body had failed her.
Brooke pushed aside the old hurts. She, Nicole, and Gin were all the family they had left. Well, and Gunnar, now. The dark-haired demon put a light into Nicole’s eyes that Brooke had never seen before. He was funny and polite, unlike his friend.
