Elemental: Earth

by L. E. Washington

  “Wow. That’s rough, but you know I’m a lot more interested in your story than in Melissa’s. No offense or slight to Melissa.” Gavin’s large hand gently circled her waist and pulled Tessa closer to him. His other arm closed the circle, and his steady, strong hands clasped together behind her.

  “I’m not nearly interesting enough for you, believe me,” Tessa protested. “And anyway, it’s getting late, and if I know Gillian, she’ll be up with the sun, banging pots and pans, cooking a big breakfast, and ready to start the day.”

  “An early riser, huh?”

  “Yes, in a house full of night owls. You wouldn’t think a girl so sweet could be so annoying, but it’s hard not to kill her in the mornings. Yet, her breakfasts are amazing.”

  Gavin couldn’t help wishing he would be there to cook Tessa breakfast. He couldn’t shake the vision of her pale golden skin against white sheets, a single long leg unwrapped and untangled in the bedding, her lips slightly parted in sleep, and her brown hair tousled from an active night.

  He cleared his throat. “Well, I won’t keep you. And I will see what Dallas and Reed are doing tomorrow and try and bring them around.” He felt the slightest touch of dizziness when he said that, and felt a bit like he was falling.

  “Thanks,” Tessa said. “And thanks for a great evening. It was really nice of you guys to introduce us to Lupe. I hate to think what we could have missed out on if we hadn’t met you on the beach.”

  Gavin couldn’t think straight. He wasn’t going to make himself wait any longer. Bending his head down, he took a finger and raised Tessa’s chin. She automatically rose onto the balls of her feet, stretching towards him. His lips were smooth and strong, yet pliable, reminding her of clay. She smelled and tasted the salt of the beach, the musk of the forest, and the faint hint of the rose. He tenderly compelled her lips to part just a bit more, and Gavin’s tongue tentatively searched for Tessa’s. She felt a short quiver under her feet, just enough to cause her to lose her balance, and unwillingly, Tessa’s lips left Gavin’s.

  Neither could say anything. Instead they stood, their gazes locked, the world fading around them. Gavin saw no black razors of darkness. He felt no tilting or vertigo. She glowed, a clear orange-red stretching to a bright pink fading into a bright white. And this was usually good. Usually.

  Tessa couldn’t stop herself. She reached up and brought Gavin’s head down to hers, her mouth seeking his hungrily. Her mind was reeling and screaming at her to stop and get control of herself, but he was a magnet, a force with which she could not reckon, and while her head screamed at her that she was drowning, her body and her heart laughed at the alarm, feeling no danger at all.

  She pressed her lips harder and opened her mouth more, thrusting her tongue inside, the taste of sweet basil and meadows welcoming her. She moaned slightly and could feel herself giving way.

  Gavin pulled back slowly, wanting to do just the opposite. “Wow,” he said. “Incredible.” The vine tattoos on his arms seemed to be pulsating, but Tessa knew that wasn’t possible. Of course, she felt like most of this was impossible, so at the moment, she wouldn’t be surprised at anything.

  She smiled. “Yeah, um, sorry about that. I got a little carried away.”

  “Oh, you weren’t alone there, Bri. I just know what my orders were tonight, and I’m going to comply with directions and not press my luck.” Besides, he thought, I still have some questions I want answered.

  “Completely agreed,” Tessa said, straightening her shoulders. “I was just testing you anyway to see if you’re the gentleman you claimed to be. I think your mother would be proud.” But now I’m all hot and bothered and pissed off at myself, she thought. “So, as agreed, I’ll leave you here. Thanks again, Gavin. It was. . . memorable. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She didn’t wait. She didn’t trust herself. She opened the door and slipped through, willing herself not to look back. For once she was glad to hear Zinsser’s weasel-voice coming through the computer. At least it would take her mind off of Gavin and get her brain back on the case and her mission. Well, let’s go see if Kommandant has any new marching orders for us, she thought, but as she walked into the living area where Melissa was Skyping, she didn’t think she felt her feet touch the floor.

  Reed and Dallas burst into Gavin’s quiet reverie with their brother Giles giving all the details of his encounter with the ‘Amazonian beauty’ a few nights before. Gavin hadn’t been able to shake the image of her, and for that very reason, he’d decided against trying to find her on the beach like he promised. It had been two days already since the encounter, and he was feeling torn with desire to see her again and the cautiousness that had become a driving force in his life. He was always careful. He was always questioning. he’d to protect them from the nightmares of their past.

  “And there’s two more girls?” Dallas asked eagerly. “How perfect is that?”

  Exactly, Gavin thought. How ‘perfect’ is that? A little too perfect. It’s got to be a set-up.

  “This is shady,” Reed said. Sometimes Gavin wondered if he could read his thoughts. Reed’s intuition between the brothers was keen, sharper than the others’. He couldn’t always do it, but relatively often, Reed seemed to read his brothers’ minds.

  “What do you mean?” Dallas asked, still the more naïve of the brothers.

  “Four girls just happen to be vacationing in this town, just happen to be American, and just happen to connect with two of us already. It’s planned. It’s too contrived,” Reed remarked.

  Giles sidled his way in between Reed and Dallas, placing his arm around Dallas’ shoulder and steering him away from Reed. “Little brother, don’t listen to pessimism. Who even cares if it is contrived? These are absolutely gorgeous women. And it is wonderful that they just happen to fall in our laps like this.” Here Giles nudged Dallas, hoping he would get the double entendre. “Why would we reject the gifts of the gods and not enjoy this little bit of nectar and ambrosia?”

  Dallas smiled, but he looked from brother to brother. He always felt pulled between Reed and Giles. The twins were at odds with each other about half of the time, and Dallas found himself trying to be peacemaker, but at times that also felt like he was a prize to be won.

  “Listen,” Gavin said finally. Dallas, Giles, and Reed automatically turned serious. Gavin had always been more father-figure than brother. His wisdom had saved them all countless times, and though he could be brooding and too serious at times, the three brothers agreed that his counsel had gotten them all this far. “I’m not too sure who they really are, but I’m sure that they’re not what they appear to be. I would bet that the Hatch sent them. I don’t like the situation at all, and Reed’s right. These girls are good. They pulled Giles and me in quickly. We’ve got to cut these ties. I don’t trust them.”

  Giles was not happy about the conversation. “Hey, now, I’m not stupid. You’re probably right that they’re plants, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the companionship of these women and still be careful. Don’t you think it’s going to look more suspicious that we just suddenly have nothing to do with them? That will tip them off. Who knows what is already happening? It’s been two days even though you promised to find her the day after Lupe’s. This has given them too much time. If we stay involved, we control the situation, right?”

  “You’re so selfish,” Reed answered. “You’re willing to do anything, including putting us all at risk, just to satisfy your desires. There are plenty of girls who will do whatever you want or need that are not connected to the goons who have tormented us and only want our abilities. Do you really think you can control the situation with this girl when she’s only doing what she’s assigned to do?”

  “Look, I know you’re scarred from Grimm, but you have got to get over that, Bro,” Giles began.

  Reed’s usually bright eyes narrowed, and outside, the sun was suddenly enveloped by a dark cloud that thundered in response. “I told you never to ment
ion her name. Ever.”

  “Giles, just shut up,” Dallas said softly. “It’s alright, Reed. You know he’s just pushing your buttons.”

  “I don’t care what he does. Let him have his little fling and get taken back to the Hatch. It would serve him right,” Reed said.

  “Alright, everyone just calm down,” Gavin rumbled. “We stick together. You all know that. The two of you really need to get over this childishness. It’s been decades, and it’s tiresome.” Reed and Giles wouldn’t look Gavin in the eye, almost like little boys being scolded. They both resented these moments when Gavin made them seem so juvenile and inferior.

  “Giles has a really good point,” Dallas offered, “about controlling the situation.”

  “Yeah, he does,” Gavin agreed. “I hadn’t thought about that. I just can’t seem to get my head around the situation. It’s. . . weird. I’ve never been so. . . uncomfortable. I can’t get a great read on the girls. None of my warning signs are visible with Tessa, and I’m pretty sure she’s the ring leader. The only one I can clearly understand is Dara, yet she seems to be the least connected to this group somehow.”

  “Well, I say let’s meet up with these lovely ladies.” Dallas tried to lighten the mood. “It’s not fair to let Gavin and Giles have all the fun when there is enough to go around.”

  Reed sighed. “I’m game for trying to control the circumstances. I think it will be best for us to try and steer this into the way we want it to go. I also think we’ll be able to get as much information from them as they think they will get from us.”

  “I hear what you’re saying,” Gavin conceded. “I think they have a lot of information on us already, though. I told Tessa I would bring you all to meet up with the girls on the beach a few days ago. Maybe we try today, take some lunch or something. But look, I want all of us to be careful. And Giles, don’t get too involved physically yet. We need to keep ourselves focused and on top of things.”

  “Oh, I was planning on being on top of things,” Giles grinned. “Are you telling me not to use one of my greatest gifts to possibly get information?”

  Sometimes Gavin just wanted to relax, laugh at the cockiness and security of his brother, but he’d already cast himself in this role--caregiver, protector, the stable one. “Yes. I’m telling you-- no sex. That goes for you two, as well.”

  Gavin looked over at Tessa’s tanned and toned body wrapped in the almond-colored sheets. Guess I should practice what I preach, Gavin thought. But then he thought of the last few hours, smiled, sighed, and decided that whatever happened in the upcoming hours or days, she had been worth it, for she had quenched a thirst that Gavin didn’t even realize he had.

  I’ll never hear the end of it now, Gavin thought. At the cantina just a matter of hours before, he’d warned Giles and Dallas again that they were to keep their heads and keep their clothes on. Now look at me. Gavin glanced down as he thought it and noticed the vine tattoos snaking up his powerful arms were a verdant green and seemed to pulse. There even seemed to be a bud or two attached to the vine, and he knew he’d never had that happen before.

  The afternoon was perfect, and the girls glowed with excitement when the four brothers approached. Melissa couldn’t keep her eyes off of Reed, and Gavin felt a surge of mixed emotions. Gavin wanted nothing more than his brother to find some peace and fall in love again, dissolving the walls he’d hidden behind for so long. But they’re the enemy, Gavin thought. Well, at least they work for the enemy. They’re here to manipulate and trap, and then what will that do to Reed to have his heart destroyed a second time? Gavin knew he would have to keep tabs on this situation, but he also knew how hesitant and protective Reed was of his own heart.

  The brothers treated the girls to a picnic lunch complete with bouquet of wildflowers and cold beers. Tessa seemed to be sizzling with an unseen electricity, and though he was drawn in to her, Gavin was still wary. He thought about the brothers’ previous agreement to play along with the attraction. “Beat ‘em at their own game,” is how Dallas had put it. At least that was what he was saying before he met Gillian. She was compact at 5’1” and all muscle. Her bouncy red curls seemed to be a visible indication of her personality, and she was a perfect match for Dallas. They automatically fell into step and were already finishing each other’s sentences and speaking their own language.

  When Gillian suggested a game of volleyball, Gavin’s stomach dropped. “We didn’t really wear athletic clothing,” he began.

  Reed chimed in. “These boots are not going to be the best for playing volleyball.”

  None of the four brothers were skilled when it came to organized sports. While Gavin remembered some games at the orphanage and then the Hatch did their best to provide instruction regarding basketball, baseball, and football, playing it was another issue. Their skills at analyzing the games were sharp, and their memory for stats and records set and broken in the sports world was unlike anyone else’s. Bookies hated them. The house always lost money when Dallas and Giles laid bets. (Gavin and Reed preferred not to take those kids of risks. They would rather drive their motorcycles at top speeds and jump them off dunes and man-made structures.)

  So, the innocent challenge to a game of friendly volleyball panicked the brothers more than Gillian could have known.

  Gavin felt Tessa’s eyes on him. He knew she was testing them to see what they would do. While Gillian had most likely proposed it to be friendly and have some fun, Tessa knew that this would be a good way to verify their identities. She had their files, their bios, and probably a record of their deepest, darkest secrets. Who knew what all the Hatch had recorded? He looked over at Giles to see him taking off his motorcycle boots.

  “Alright, little lady. We’re going to see what you’ve got,” Giles began the taunting. He grinned, removing his t-shirt over his head to reveal the broadest shoulders and best biceps any of the women had ever seen.

  It seemed everyone’s mouths were a little agape, but for different reasons. The brothers couldn’t believe what Giles was doing. He knew they didn’t know how to play. Wasn’t he going to expose them for who or what they were and play right into the hands of these messengers? The women, on the other hand, were struck by the intensity of Giles’ beauty. They could sense a heat and glow coming from his bronzed body unlike anything they had ever experienced before. Looking directly at Giles, the surroundings beyond seemed to waver like a mirage in a desert.

  Reed and Dallas looked at each other questioningly. Then Reed turned back to Gavin, searching his eyes for some sign or message. Gavin saw that Dallas had already removed his shoes and shirt and was down to a white tank top and shorts. Dallas was always ready for a challenge. He seemed to pick up games and sports much easier than the other three. He was a little younger and more agile, and he envied the sports superstars back in America. He often wondered if he could have gone that direction had they stayed. . . not to mention that Dallas was easily swayed by Giles. He adored the aggressive cockiness of his older brother and often tried to emulate it. When Dallas exhibited this overconfidence, however, it came across as less harsh and more innocent, tempered with his natural righteousness.

  Gavin felt very uncomfortable, and he could tell that Reed did too, but because they had been at odds for so long, Reed would rather unite with his brothers to rebel against Gavin than take sides with him most of the time. Gavin could see Reed hesitate here, knowing that this time it wasn’t some silly issue at stake but rather their lives.

  Tessa decided she needed to step in and help Gavin make a decision. “You aren’t going to play in those jeans and boots are you,” she asked in a purr. She had sidled up to Gavin and was tugging at his shirt and belt buckle to suggest he take them off. He looked over to Reed and received the slightest shrug of a shoulder. Then they both began to remove some of the heavier outer layers.

  Stupid, Gavin thought. This is incredibly stupid. Why are we doing this? Nothing about this is going to turn out good. The vine tattoos
on his arms spread to his shoulder blades and met in a complex design of a tree that took up most of his back.

  “Wow!” Dara rose to trace the vines to the tree on Gavin’s back. “This is awesome! How intricate. What is this, like, the Tree of Life?”

  “Something like that,” Gavin replied. He looked over at his brothers. “Let’s go,” he scolded. He really wanted to leave, get away from this situation completely. he’d noticed some small kids and their mothers and a few local merchants had turned their attention towards this small gathering. He knew that Giles had been a bit flamboyant in his presentation. He always was, and now they were getting a bit more attention than Gavin wanted them to have.

  “Girls against boys,” Gillian proposed.

  “That’s not fair,” Melissa protested. “Look at all that muscle and height. They’ll barely have to move and still kill us.”

  “Hey, I’m taller than all of you!” Dara remarked. “And Gillian’s our little pro-player. We’ll do fine.”

  “Pro?” Dallas started yelling. “How is that fair?”

  “Oh, please. I’m not a pro. I played in college, that’s all,” Gillian blushed.

  “Don’t be modest,” Dara said. “Not only did she play in college, but she played in the Olympics. They won the silver that year.”

  “What? That is sooooo cool!” Dallas was even more enamored now. “I figured you were pretty athletic. You just have a great build and terrific muscle tone.”

  “Are we going to play, or are we going to write biographies and make googly eyes?” Giles interrupted.

  “Yeah, let’s get this game going,” Tessa agreed.

  Gavin pulled the brothers into a huddle. “What the hell are you thinking?” he whispered harshly to Giles.

  “Oh, come on. It’s nothing but a little game. We’ve watched it enough to fake it,” Giles responded. “Ease up, bro. Have a little fun every now and then. There are no suits on the beach. I checked already.”