Air: Elementalist Book 1

by Rebecca Wolf

  “Don’t fuck with me” I said, then covered my mouth with my hands. I hadn’t meant to say it like that. I glanced over at Lucy, but she appeared unphased. “Perfect” said Yasmine and pulled off one of the dresses. It was a jumpsuit. A fitted lace halter top, a belt at the waist, it clung until the bottom of my hips, after which the silk pants flowed when I walked. I tried it on. It had pockets, and yes, I felt like a boss. I looked over at Lucy. There was a self-satisfied smile on her face. “Right, go take it off now, darling.” She turned to Yasmine and gave her a nod. “We will have all this delivered to Aiden’s house, except for the jumpsuit of course, which we will have delivered to Zephyr’s current abode.” Yasmine nodded in understanding and the salesclerk wheeled everything away. I changed back into my paint dress and handed the jumpsuit to the salesclerk. “As always, you have been indispensable, Yasmine,” said Lucy. They gave each other air kisses goodbye. “Zephyr, due come back dear,” said Yasmine, turning to address me, “I look forward to helping with your evolution.”

  Lucy and I left the shop. It was five in the evening and I was now late for work. Somehow I had lost track of the time so completely, that I hadn’t even thought to call Penny to notify her.

  “Well, that was fun!” said Lucy with a warm smile, as she dropped me off at my house. “I look forward to doing that again with you darling!” Her driver pulled away from the curb and after a while of standing there, I went back into the house to change for work.

  Penny gave me a look when I entered the bar, but said nothing. Lewis was the act on stage tonight, so I knew what to expect. Lewis was a magician who, like Penny, was a human shifter with both genders. This worked well for him as he played the parts of both the magician and his assistant. Costume changes were made easier by the scantily clad numbers that the assistant wore. His status was very hush-hush, as most of his tricks relied on the fact that the audience didn’t know that he was also female. Not that there was much of an audience tonight. I sighed, Penny was thinking about selling the place, as the business hadn’t seemed to really recover from the break-in. The intruders had taken all the cash from the register, and broken a lot of the expensive booze that we kept in the basement storage.

  The guards Aiden hired stood dutifully in strategic locations around the bar. Suddenly Aiden strode in and sat on my barstool, “shot of mercury?” he asked when I approached.

  “Really, Aiden? Is this necessary?”

  “I have news regarding our mutual interests, and since you and I have a business arrangement now working as partners, I thought it prudent I sit in your business section.” he raised one eyebrow in challenge.

  “Ok,” I sighed, pouring him a shot of vodka, “let’s hear it.”

  “I have strong evidence that an older fire elemental was responsible for Jerry’s death. Your father is the oldest elementalist and is the head of his house. All the other Elementals in his house are at least a decade and a half younger than him.”

  “You think my father knows about me?”

  “I think it’s likely that if he didn’t before, he does now. At this point I see no further need to continue with this investigation.”

  “Not so fast, Aiden,” I said, “I want to see this proof you have.”

  Aiden pulled out his phone. “There was a street camera that caught this footage at around the known time of death.” He pressed play. The footage was dated on the bottom with the exact date that Jerry had been murdered. There, on the screen was the fire elementalist who sired me, Thomas Cole. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door. When no one answered, he pushed the door open and walked inside. Fifteen minutes later he walked out, and there was a disgruntled look of disgust on his aristocratic face. Definitely the face of a man who had just seen and done horrible things. Damn.

  “What do you think I should do?” I asked him.

  “Nothing,” said Aiden, “I think we should wait and see what his next move is before we act on this. You have the protection of my family in the meantime, and that is not something that he will take lightly.”

  I nodded, leaning back against the wall of the bar as I contemplated all of this. When had my life gotten so complicated? I sighed.

  “We still need to find out who attacked the bar,” I said.

  “Yes, I have some of my security looking into it, I will let you know as soon as they have something concrete to share.”

  “Thank you, Aiden,” I said, turning to serve some customers who had been waiting at the bar.

  “Zephyr, can we start over?” Aiden asked suddenly, taking my hand and rubbing light distracting circles on my palm.

  “I need both hands to mix drinks,” I said, staring pointedly at where his hand held mine.

  “We’re going to be stuck with each other for a long time,” he said, tapping my palm with his index finger before letting me go. “I think we should try to at least be friends.”

  “I’ll think about it. “I said noncommittally, “but the time to talk about this isn’t when I’m at work.”

  Aiden turned and left after having a conversation with my security detail.

  Penny and I got home at four in the morning, and we both crashed hard. The next few days were much of the same, with no updates from Aiden regarding the attack at the bar. My arm was feeling much better at this point, and if I didn’t have a scar as proof, the whole thing would have felt like a bad dream.

  Chapter 19

  Penny and I decided to have a besties day in. We lounged in our pajamas, and I caught her up on everything that we had happened. From Aiden’s mother whisking in, and manipulating me into getting a whole new wardrobe, to discovering that my dad had murdered Jerry.

  Penny didn’t know if she should be jealous that I had a whole new wardrobe, or horrifically impressed by Lucy’s skills, getting me to do what she wanted. She was also slightly terrified about the idea of my father knowing about me. “I never thought I would say this to you, but It’s a good thing Aiden has a security detail on us, babe. Who knows what that Bastard would try to do if you didn’t have protection.” I didn’t point out that the way he probably found out about me in the first place was through this fiasco of a marriage to Aiden. Whatever.

  We did our nails, and applied homemade facials, and when we were done, we felt the strain that had been weighing on our relationship dissipate. All the stress had really messed with us. I was glad we took the time to rebond. A day later Aiden called me on the phone.

  “I have news,” he said. “How about you come to my house and I can show you what I have found about the attack at the bar?”

  I didn’t protest. I got Penny and the two of us got into the armored SUV, our security detail following behind us. At Aiden’s house we went into a private office. There sat an enforcer looking nervous and about ready to bolt. If it hadn’t been for Aiden sitting in the massive desk across from him, I’m not sure he would have stayed long enough for us to meet him.

  “Pete has something to tell you,” Aiden said, his dark eyes seeming to bore holes in Pete’s face.

  “I actually think I made a mistake.” Started Pete nervously, “I probably didn’t hear what I thought I did.”

  “Yes, he did hear it. And Pete wants to share it, don’t you Pete?” Commanded Aiden, a spark of fire igniting in his eyes.

  “Uhhh. yeah. Ok.” Said Pete, paling visibly at the look in Aiden’s eyes. "I overheard a buddy telling Ben that now that y’all had broken up, if they scared you into selling to Ben they could make a killing together. They could stop their crappy jobs as enforcers and use their contacts in the force to help evade the extra taxation on alcohol.” Penny gripped my arm so tightly it felt like it might snap in two. “They’ve been intimidating customers away from your place, hoping the lack of income would solidify the decision for you.”

  “Do you have a way to prove this?” Penny asked steadily, her voice a lot calmer than her grip would indicate. “Well, not as of yet, but from what I know they plan on making you an offer sometime in the
next week or so.”

  “Thank you.” said Penny. Turning to Aiden she asked, “what are the chances that you will back me in a confrontation?” Aiden looked directly at me as he replied, “high.”

  “Good. Please inform our security detail of your stance on this matter.” We turned heading to the front door.

  “Won’t you stay for lunch?” He asked, but I could tell it was more of a demand. We looked at each other. We couldn’t turn him down and risk him reneging on his support. Penny nodded at me, “sure,” I said to him, and we settled in to spend a few more hours there.

  Half a week later, Ben showed up with his task force partner, David. They called Penny over to their table after drinking a couple of pints. “Penny, I heard about the break in, I’m hurt you didn’t call me. I would have helped.”

  “Oh, I would have,” said Penny nonchalantly lying through her teeth, “but Zephyr’s Fiancé offered before I could place the call.”

  “And how’s the business treating you?”

  “We get by,” said Penny with gritted teeth.

  Ben looked around markedly, as if noting for the first time the lack of customers. “Looks like its been pretty slow lately. It must be stressful running a bar in a town like this. People destroying property, stealing your hard earned cash. David and I have a lot of experience with that already on the task force. We’re thinking maybe you’ve had enough. Maybe you would rather take a boatload of cash then try to salvage your business here.”

  “That is so kind of you to offer,” said Penny, a little too sweetly, “but you see, Ben, I know it was you and your buddy Dave here who tried to make my life running this bar a nightmare. I know that you planned on buying it because you thought you could make more profit by getting around the normal taxes that a bar would have to pay for alcohol. Even three months ago, you might have been able to force me into selling the place. It’s just your luck that my bar has the backing of an elementalist house now, a house that is keenly interested in keeping me on as the owner.”

  “You don’t know any elementalists,” sneered Ben, finally dropping the facade. “I dated you for six months, and you never mentioned any sort of connection, and you told me EVERYTHING. My God, really your droning was painful to listen to.”

  “You see those six security guards around my bar?” Penny raised a hand and motioned them over before continuing, “they are provided to me with the blessing of the Ember family.”

  Four guards came over and encircled their booth.

  “This is what’s going to happen now.” Explained Penny, “you two are going to provide me with the same techniques you were going to employ to avoid the alcohol taxation. In return, I won’t tell the fire elemental that you were trying to poach a business that he is strongly associated with. You got me?”

  Ben gripped the bar table with white knuckles. Dave swallowed hard. “We got you.” They said finally. “Good.” said Penny, “I will notify Mr. Ember that we have found a lucrative business arrangement with the two of you.” They got up swiftly looking eager to hurry out. “Thank you, gentlemen,” said Penny, taking her time before rising as well. “Oh, and I better see an increase in my clientele. I want my old bar crowd back.”

  Penny headed back towards the bar. I gave her a fierce hug when she got to me, “you were brilliant!” I said. Penny looked at me for a moment. “I just wish I could have scared them off on my own, instead of hiding behind another man’s shadow.” She sighed, “I hope working here hasn’t been keeping you back. You could have so much power if you allowed yourself to.”

  “Are you kidding?” I asked, incredulously, “working for you is the best thing that has ever happened to me! My job is an enjoyable way that I choose to earn a living, but we are more than our place of employment.” I gave her a gentle shove, “besides, the work I do smuggling is meaningful., and this job facilitates that. That makes this job meaningful too.”

  “Aww shucks,” said Penny, smiling at me. “So I guess this means I owe Aiden an apology for thinking he murdered Jerry, huh?”

  “I guess so.” Said Penny with a half smile. “I guess he’s not a complete villain after all.”

  “maybe just a partial villain” I said, unwilling to forgive him completely. I resolved to call him tomorrow with an update on everything that had transpired.

  When I called him the next afternoon, he was very gracious about everything. I felt like I owed him for his assistance with the bar, so when he invited Penny and I out to eat for lunch the following day, we accepted. We met up with him at a cute little Asian bistro. We talked about all sorts of things, both mundane and interesting, and I felt for the first time that maybe Aiden and I could be good friends if I let us. Aiden got up to use the bathroom and Penny turned to me “Hey, would you be Ok with me asking him to let me see the footage of your dad? I’ve always been curious what he looks like.”

  “Sure, That’s fine,” I said, feeling relaxed after eating excellent food, and having enjoyable conversation.

  Aiden came back, and after asking him, he pulled out his phone for us to review the footage. There he was, Thomas Cole, going in, and then a little while later, coming out with that disgruntled grimace. The video stopped. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed what appeared to be a prior clip of related video footage right next to the one we had just watched. I was curious. Maybe there was more incriminating evidence on that footage that someone else had missed. Why wouldn’t Aiden show me both clips? A feeling of dread sank its claws deep in my stomach. Before he could stop me, I pressed play. “Wait,” Aiden said in alarm, fumbling to turn it off, I swept it into my hands with a powerful gust of concentrated wind and flew a few feet away, pressing play. I had to see what was on that clip. The feeling of dread intensified.

  At first there was nothing, Then, about one minute in, Lucy Ember appeared in the footage with two security personnel. She walked up to Jerry’s door and knocked. A moment later the door opened, Jerry peeked his head out, and then moved out of the video’s line of sight. Lucy and her security walked inside.

  OH. MY. GOD.

  I looked up at Aiden. He met my eyes, his face expressionless.

  “I thought you said full disclosure?” I said, my voice deadly calm.

  “I fully disclosed what I thought you should know.”

  “You lied to me, you told me that my father had done it!”

  “No, I never said that. I said that your father likely knew about you now, I didn’t actually say that he had killed Jerry. You inferred that all on your own.”

  “You implied it, though! You mislead me by leaving out vital information!”

  Aiden swallowed hard, “I was trying to protect the two most important women in my life.”

  “By not telling me your mom is psychotic??”

  “I TOLD you she was overprotective, she considers you family now. She felt that Jerry was a liability. Frankly, I think it’s a good thing she took care of him when she did. If she hadn’t, your father would know everything about you right now. This gives us time to strategize.”

  “I can’t believe you’re rationalizing this! I can’t believe you’re siding with your mother on this!!”

  I turned to Penny, who was looking between us open-mouthed. “Penny, we’re leaving.” I turned around and walked out, Penny following close behind me. I felt completely blindsided. His mother had seemed so sweet and kind. How could a woman like that have tortured and killed Jerry in cold blood?? This was exactly the reminder I needed of what happened when you got involved with elementalists. People around you started dying, and it was considered NORMAL. I couldn’t live like this. It was a week before the wedding date. I looked over at Penny. Penny would help me, Penny was the only one I knew I could trust at this point.

  Chapter 20

  It was the day of the wedding. I got ready on autopilot, partly because there were so many people involved in getting me ready. Partly because if I let myself think about it, I was likely to panic and do something stupid. According to Luc
y and Penny, brides suddenly became inept at doing pretty much anything by themselves. Apparently, I needed a posse of professionals in order to look my very best. Whatever. Lucille was paying for it, and I had dedicated the whole day to doing obligatory nonsense.

  I had never seen an elemental wedding, and as it turns out, it was for good reason. No one was allowed to be present besides for the mating couple and their officiant. Both Aiden and I were given explicit instructions for how to proceed. Aiden seemed somewhat familiar with the protocols, but I suppose I should have expected that, with him having grown up in the society.

  As was apparently customary for elementals, Aiden and I approached each other, alone, from opposite ends of a circular room. The circular room represented the planet, the opposite ends represented the difference in our elements, and we walked alone to show there was no outside coercion to our union. Hah, what a joke.

  We met in the middle by the marriage marker and turned to face the priest. The priest had us interlock our hands together, and he bound them at our wrists with a strong cord. He removed a ceremonial knife from his robes and moved to cut us where our hands intertwined. The knife hovered above our hands as though he was hesitating. Just before he made the cut, he looked intently at Aiden and commanded, “do not let go.” He quickly made a superficial slice between our index fingers and our thumbs. Aiden grasped my hand in a viselike grip. I watched my blood as it trickled towards Aiden’s, as though pulled by a magnetic force.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” He said, right as our blood intermingled. I felt a blast of pure unadulterated fire enter my veins through our interlocked hands. OH MY GOD, THE HEAT. It was too much to bear! It surged quickly through me, from the tips of my hair follicles to the pads and soles of my feet. I’m not going to make it! I thought to myself, no longer sure where my body ended and Aiden's began. I felt my own element build up and release, triggered by my fight-or-flight response.