Pure Elemental (Evelyn Storm Series Book 3)

by Tamara White

  “Dude, it’s not just that. Evie wants to talk to you, but she’s having trouble forgiving you all for putting her in that position. She sees it as you having her murder her own father. She’s feeling used and overwhelmed by everything that happened, but none of you seem to understand that. Instead of giving her the space she needs to grieve her father, you’ve been trying to corner her and demand that she talk to you,” Zach says, angry with their behaviour.

  Maybe I should have talked to them first. Zach has been upset that Evie’s suffering through this without her bonds. He feels she needs them, but he knows she needed the space.

  “Why does she need space to grieve? What we did saved her!” Dane’s voice rises slightly with his exclamation.

  Oh this guy has some nerve.

  “Sit down and shut the fuck up! Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?! Of course she needs time to grieve. Do you have any idea what it’s like to live with the guilt of killing someone you love? Well, I do.

  At first there’s the numbness. You don’t feel anything, then, all of a sudden, it’s like the gates open and an unimaginable amount of pain overwhelms you. You can barely eat and any reminder of what happened sets you off.

  Evie is doing remarkably well considering it’s only been a few days, but you all hassling her and expecting it not to affect her, makes you completely stupid.

  The only reason I’m here explaining this is because tomorrow Evie, Zach and I are leaving for a couple of days. We’re going to her school so she can do her last tests, but I don’t think we should go by ourselves.

  Everything has been confirmed with her principal, and he’s been informed of her situation so he understands the need to do the tests now.

  Evie would like to talk to you before she goes and, hopefully, try to put things behind her. If you would like to come along with her then she’s ok with that, but she wants to talk before any of you make that decision.

  Each one of you need to realize it may take her some time to get through this. Yes, her father hurt her and betrayed her, but he was also a part of her that she thought she would never have.

  Her adopted parents abused her, but she still loved them in spite of that. She did whatever she could to gain their approval, but it was never enough.

  Now they’re in prison and her father is dead.” I take a break letting everyone absorb the information I’m unloading. It may be overwhelming for them but they need to know.

  “Zeke, Evie holds no hard feelings for you, but she’s still confused and frustrated at finding another bond. I explained the gist of why you were helping Max, and she holds no grudge against you for that. She knows the power of love, and knows how hard it would’ve been for you to turn your back on your dead friend for her. She is, however, scared of how the rest of us will react to getting to know you so she’s keeping her distance.

  I suggest you come with us back to the school so you have a chance to get to know each other a bit more. You won’t be at the school with us, but in the afternoon and in the morning maybe we could organize some alone time. So what’d you say? Interested?”

  Zach

  As I watch Christian drill it into them what kind of affect this is having on Evie, I feel a sense of satisfaction. I’d tried to explain to Dane the first day we were back why she was distraught, but he didn’t seem to see why it was such a big deal.

  I guess it’s harder for him to understand seeing as his father and his biological father have both been trying to work things out.

  He may have thought he lost his father but, in turn, gained one, giving him two. Evie has lost the man she thought was her father to cruelty, and now she has to deal with the fact that she killed her biological father. I’d hoped she would be able to see that it was for the best and it might alleviate some of her guilt, but it’s too hard for her to process right now.

  Going back to her school will be the perfect distraction while she deals with all the trauma.

  I hear Zeke agreeing to come with us, and see Christian slap him on the back, “Good choice, my man. You don’t want to deal with a cranky, pregnant woman if you tell her no,” he says with a laugh.

  It’s amazing how close the rest of us have gotten with Zeke over the past few days. He may have taken us, but he’s actually a really down-to-earth guy who made the wrong choice.

  Max had convinced him he’d never have a bonded after falling because the Creator wasn’t that kind. After he had a life altering conversation with the Creator, he realized the error of his ways. It helped that the Creator let him speak to the woman he lost.

  After that meeting he was lighter and happier, more willing to interact with us, and happy to help keep the others away from Evie.

  He seems a little unsure of how to proceed with Evie, which is why we suggested to Evie that it might be a good idea to take him. The Creator has given him back his powers, so now he can mist wherever he wants without the others.

  “What about the rest of us? Does she want any of us to come with her?” Teddy asks us, trying to keep the hope out of his voice and failing miserably.

  I can see the hope on all four of their faces, and I hate being the one to bust that, but they need to know the possibility of her asking them to come along is slim.

  “You guys will have to ask Evie yourselves. I know she didn’t want to take too many of us so try not to get your hopes up. She also has something exciting she wants to share with you so if I were you guys, I’d hurry up and go to her,” I exchange a smirk with Christian.

  Evie’s babies have been kicking up a storm the last few days, and she’s finally ready to share it with them. It’s an amazing feeling being connected to something so magical.

  “Ok we’ll go talk to her,” Mike’s tone is anxious as he gets up and makes his way out of the kitchen. The others all follow him slowly leaving Christian, Zeke, and me behind.

  ‘Evie, I hope you’re ready because I just sent them up. Just call us if you have a problem, ok?’

  ‘Thanks, guys. How are they? Are they upset?’

  Evie sounds worried and I feel so bad. She’s just barely ready to handle them, and her anxiety is getting high again.

  ‘They’re ok. Dying to see you, obviously, but apprehensive on how you feel about them. Just take it easy, and tell them the truth. Maybe hearing it from you, they’ll understand just how much you’re hurting. We’ve got to get going, sweetie. We have to organize our stuff to take with us. Is there anything else you want to take with you?’

  There’s a moment of silence where she doesn’t respond before finally answering, ‘I only want to take my bracelet. It’s the only thing left from my parents.’

  Christian and I sigh, looking at each other. I understand she misses her dad, but she is making him into a martyr in her head. She seems to be focusing on the good and blocking the bad out. Hopefully, once the guys acknowledge how much they hurt her, she might accept what happened.

  Chapter 9

  Evie

  My nerves are going crazy. It doesn’t help that the babies are kicking up a storm, which they’ll all feel soon. We have to talk about what happened and find a way to get past it.

  Dealing with my grandfather was easy, but dealing with the guys? I’m not sure how that will go.

  The talk with my grandfather went extremely well, all things considered. We talked about what happened, and how he knew what was going to happen, but he didn’t realize how much I would lose with the death of my father.

  We also talked about my father, and how his death meant he might actually be at peace. From what my grandfather explained, he just couldn’t cope with the loss of my mother so he started to gradually lose his grasp on reality.

  He lost her and me at the same time, then was kidnapped and had no way of protecting me. The torture he suffered was to find out where other fallen and angels were, so it was pretty severe.

  My grandfather talked to my guys’ dads and found out his escape was actually sooner than we knew. He got away a year before
finding me, and, from what they all remember, he had already started to lose his mind around month five. He started requesting to work with them and the demons, and the demons that possessed them allowed their partnership.

  He thought Max wasn’t my biological father and that he had lied to the others on the council, but when he realized I was his daughter, and, still, Max wanted to sacrifice me, he knew he was nuts.

  The toll the torture, and my mother’s death, took on his mental and emotional state were obviously severe enough that he thought the only way to be happy was to get my mom back.

  The only way that would have happened, though, was with the loss of my own life, and those of my babies. My grandfather made me feel better knowing that even though he was so insane in the end, the Creator most likely accepted him into the afterlife to be with my mother.

  It eased some of my own pain knowing that, at least, if I was unable to help him myself, he was in a happy place with my mother.

  “Are you sure they’re ok?” I ask my grandfather once again.

  He sighs, coming to sit on the bed next to me, rather than on one of the chairs that are scattered around my bed for visitors. It was cute knowing Christian had set the chairs up so the others could come in and watch me sleep, so they were close to me.

  “I’m sure, but, if you would like me to, I can talk to the Creator about seeing if you can talk to them? Maybe then you will stop worrying so much and focus on your babies,” he says, chiding me.

  “Yes please,” I say with a sigh of relief. I can’t help the feeling of needing to know they’re together. It’s hard to focus on anything when I’m feeling all this guilt and pain.

  “Ok, I’ll go do that now. Hopefully you’ve talked to the boys by the time I get back,” he hints with a wink at me.

  He chided me when he first came in for not giving the boys the time of day, but I just couldn’t. Being around them made it all come back.

  Christian said it was most likely a flashback, and that it’s totally normal for someone to go through that after trauma, but it still doesn’t stop me feeling guilty about ignoring them.

  I get up and walk around my new room, hoping to alleviate some of the back cramps that have started. According to Christian, it’s perfectly normal to have cramps in your lower back as the pregnancy progresses, something to do with strain on certain ligaments. Hopefully, it goes away soon, but at least the walking helps ease the pressure.

  Feeling the babies moving around again, I smile to myself. They are super active, and it feels like they’re constantly fighting for room. If I had to guess, I’d say they were both boys based on how hard they’re kicking me.

  I start humming Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to help them settle down. It feels so natural to hum and rub circles over my belly that I get lost in the moment and almost jump out of my skin when hands cover my own.

  I look down to see the slight colour of Ky’s aura and know it’s him holding me. The babies start kicking wildly again at the feel of his energy. The first day back home I noticed they responded anytime one of my bonds were close. It was if they knew they were family.

  I move my hands placing his directly against my stomach at the same time the babies kick fiercely, taking my breath away. Ky jumps and startles, stepping away, “What the fuck was that?”

  I turn and start laughing at the expression on his face. It’s an expression of horror and wonder, which makes him look completely ridiculous.

  “That was the babies kicking,” I say pointing out the obvious after getting control of my laughter. It takes my mind a moment to realize it’s not just him, they’re all here.

  Dane, Mike, and Teddy are watching with looks of wonder on their faces, and I suddenly lose my happiness and feel horrible. Zach and Christian have been staying in here and feel the babies every night, but none of the others have felt them yet.

  I look to each of them gathering my courage, “Do you want to feel?” Teddy and Mike step forward straight away with huge smiles on their faces, but Dane stays back looking apprehensive. I sigh, and gesture him over with a smile. Teddy and Mike are hovering over my belly uncertain where to touch, so I reach out and guide their hands to my stomach.

  After a minute of watching, Dane finally joins them touching the top of my stomach.

  “Hey, I want to feel it again,” Ky says, with a pout, adding his hand to my stomach. Jeez there’s no room left now. This time next week, though, my stomach will be twice as big if it keeps growing like this.

  I wait and neither of the babies kick. I laugh at their cheekiness. They kick all day, every day, but the moment all of them are touching my stomach, they stop.

  “Maybe one of you should talk? They respond when one of you is near, so maybe having one of you talk will get them to start up again.”

  Teddy looks sceptical, before shrugging his shoulders and talking to my stomach. “Hello? Is anyone in there? Ok, that just felt weird.” His words are met by a kick. “Whoa!” he gasps, stunned that one of them responded.

  “That’s so cool,” Mike says, a huge smile lighting up his face.

  Watching them staring down at our babies in awe, I feel complete. This is how it should be. We need to work this out, because I don’t want our babies born into a world where their parents are fighting. They deserve more from us.

  “Sorry, guys, I need to sit back down. I can’t stand too long these days without getting tired.”

  “Oh sorry, Evie.” Mike looks contrite and lifts me into his arms placing me on the bed. I giggle at how quickly it happened, and how shocked the others look watching him. He swooped me up before the others even got a chance to pull away from me so they’re still holding their hands where they were in thin air. It’s so cute.

  “It’s ok, guys. I was stretching when you came up. My back aches a lot from the pressure of them, so I need to move around. Yet if I move around too much, it can make it worse or it will hurt somewhere completely different. Pregnancy sucks.” I add a pout for good measure.

  “Why didn’t you say something sooner? I’m trained to give remedial massage, Evie, and with my powers I can heal any muscles that are cramping.” Dane sighs, before climbing up behind me on the bed and slowly rubbing my back.

  “Oh god,” I moan. The pressure feels amazing on my back. I close my eyes and sigh, enjoying the moment.

  “So Zach and Christian told us some stuff and said you wanted to talk. I admit that when we got back, we didn’t realize why you were so upset. All we knew was we had saved you, but you wanted nothing to do with us. Now that they’ve explained it a little more for us, we can understand why you’re hurt. I’m sorry we didn’t realize what that would do to you,” Teddy says.

  I watch him and look to the others. I open myself to their emotions and they’re feeling sincere. They honestly didn’t realize how much of an effect it had on me.

  Dane however feels a mix of emotions that I don’t understand. Confusion, fear, anger, sadness, worry, and wonder. All of it together must be overwhelming him, yet he isn’t talking.

  ‘Dane? Do you want to talk about it? I can feel all your emotions.’

  H doesn’t say anything, so I move away hoping to motivate him into talking. We need to get this all out in the open.

  I watch him waiting for him to speak but he just stares at his hands.

  “Dane?”

  Sighing he looks up at me.

  “Evie, I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry. I know you’re hurting right now. You believe it’s your fault, and I’m sorry about that. The thing is, though, I’m not sorry about Max. If I had to do it again, I probably would. He was holding you and our babies captive, threatening you with knives, and you expected us to do nothing? The Creator told me if it came to it, we would have no choice but to destroy him. I know you think you killed him, but it was all of us. Each of us knew what we were doing by putting our power through the bond into you.

  There’s nothing we can do now, but I’m not going to apologize for saving you. The way it ha
ppened, yes, I feel bad about that, but not about choosing you over him.”

  Dane finishes his speech and looks at each of the others before settling back on me. I don’t understand what he wants me to say. I understand his point, but that still doesn’t make it ok.

  “I think you need to realize that you still made the wrong choice. Sure, looking back, even I know there were very few options you could choose from, however you were all communicating. Do you think I can’t tell when you’re all projecting?! The least you could have done, was given me some heads up. Something simple like, ‘Hey, Evie, about to send a shit load of power. Have no idea what will happen to your father, but good luck.’ Instead I got no warning. What would have happened if it didn’t work and he hurt us anyway? Did you even think of that before doing what you wanted?! You made a decision, and I know Christian and Zach told me that the Creator told you what to do if you had no choice, but I just have trouble believing that was the only option.”

  I finish my rant and try to calm my breathing. I didn’t realize how much I’d been holding onto. Truthfully, it feels great to get it all out of my system.

  “Sorry, I think I just had a lot of pent up frustration. I’ve been thinking about all of this for days. I couldn’t talk to any of you while I was so angry. I’m not mad, just frustrated it had to end like that. He was my father. I should be sad that he’s dead, but I’m not. I’m glad he can’t hurt us anymore, but I feel like I should be more torn up about it.”

  I sigh and lean back into Dane’s arms. It feels so much better letting all my worries go.

  “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. I guess with everything happening, all I focused on was saving you and the babies. I didn’t really think about how it would make you feel. I’m sorry,” Dane places a gentle kiss against my temple.

  “Ok, so enough doom and gloom talk. Let’s talk about this trip you’re planning, Evie,” Mike says, with a look that speaks volumes. I guess he’s not too happy.