The Elementals Collection

by L. B. Gilbert

  “You did what?” she said, genuinely surprised. “How politically incorrect of you.”

  “I’m actually lucky that I thought of it first,” Alec said wryly. “Everyone spies on everyone else in the coven. But most of the coven isn’t well versed in technology, so I’m still managing to stay ahead of the curve. I can ensure the staff stays away by asking for a lot of errands. How long do you need?”

  “That’s not really up to me.” Diana pursed her lips. “It could take hours. Do you still want to try it there?”

  “Is there a better option? Do you know of a nearby hotel with a really big fireplace we can rent for the day?”

  “No. Do you?” she asked.

  “Not offhand. Do you want me to start looking for one?”

  Diana was conflicted. It wasn’t like she was afraid of going back to the coven house. But going back there after she had terrorized his parents made her feel guilty. That feeling was a first for her, and she blamed Alec. If she hadn’t gotten to like him as a friend, then she wouldn’t care if his parents were afraid of her. But they were likely to be asleep the whole time, unless her attempt took too long. In which case a confrontation was inevitable.

  “No,” she said finally. “The coven house is fine, but if it takes a while then your parents are going to wake up to the bogeyman.”

  “They don’t think of you as the bogeyman anymore. These days it’s more like Godzilla terrorizing Tokyo.”

  “Great. Serin’s going to give me a really long lecture about diplomacy again.”

  “Tell her not to bother. My parents haven’t been able to see past their own interests for a long while. I actually think meeting you has been good for them. It’s shaken them out of their complacency. Maybe they’ll pay greater attention to what the coven members are doing from now on.”

  “Well, I’ll tell Serin you said that. She takes diplomacy very seriously.”

  “Do that,” Alec murmured huskily before pausing. In the distance a door closed. “Listen, I’m going to send the servants off and get back to you when it’s all clear. We should start sooner rather than later.”

  “What if you get caught being up during daylight hours?”

  “The oldest among us can stay awake, but they have to stay indoors. If we’re disturbed I’ll lie and say I’ve gained that ability. I’ve always been advanced,” he said without a shred of humility.

  Amused by his arrogance, she told him to go ahead and make his plans.

  24

  Diana arrived at the coven house within the hour, careful to park her bike out of sight. She walked to the side of the building, puzzling over a Yule log tradition that required the construction of a fireplace larger than her. Especially one built by a group that was so flammable.

  It takes all kinds, she thought, knocking on a side door. It swung open to reveal Alec waiting inside.

  “Did you get rid of the servants?” she asked.

  He nodded. “They are currently running around town trying to find some information on the beetle pin or the woman who wore it. I told them you would come back if they didn’t find it,” he added with a grin. “I thought multitasking would be the most efficient way to go about this. Come on in.”

  With a smirk, Diana stepped inside. The irony of being invited inside by a vampire was not lost on her.

  Alec led her through a hallway that opened onto a grand foyer in dark wood tones, with lots of genuine antiques and expensive-looking paintings scattered about. She stopped to peer at a landscape in a vaguely familiar style.

  He stopped, too. “It’s a Monet,” he said, pointing to the signature. “One unknown to the public. He painted it on commission for the coven.”

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” she murmured.

  “The coven makes it their business to find future acclaimed artists when they’re still up and coming. They commission private works that others aren’t allowed to see. There’s actually quite a number of works from artists that did not stand up to the test of time up in the attic.”

  “Seems like a waste,” she said, following him.

  He turned back. “Well, some of the ones of middling value may have been donated to certain charities,” he said in an innocent tone. “Anonymously, of course.”

  Her lips twitched. “How generous of your parents.”

  “Yes, well, sometimes they are so generous they can’t keep track of their donations.”

  This time she did smile as they walked past the grand staircase and took the corridor leading to other ground floor rooms. From the hallway, she could see a bit of each richly appointed chamber. They were furnished with Persian rugs and antiques from all over the world, although there was a strong preference for Europe.

  The Broussards were clearly sentimental about the old country, and they chose to surround themselves with only the best from home.

  Alec led her into a large parlor that adjoined the ballroom where she’d made her grand entrance. It ran down the entire length of the neighboring room, but was only a quarter of its width.

  Silk and velvet covered armchairs and sofas were scattered in regular intervals. Figurines in jade and onyx, as well as several framed pictures, decorated the tops of delicate tables, the kind with spindly legs that didn’t look strong enough to support them. In the central portion of the room, there was a massive fireplace running along the back wall. A huge set of double doors were meant to open onto the ballroom so the guests could see the blaze.

  Diana’s attention was caught by one of the pictures. Picking up the heavy gilt frame, a corner of her mouth turned up as she examined the image.

  It was a Victorian-era daguerreotype with an upside down vamp hanging from a chandelier like it was a trapeze. There were others of the same vamp posing in his finest clothing on top of the Egyptian pyramids. The one on the side table in front of the fireplace pictured an unknown male vampire in full formal dress on one of those eagle gargoyles on the Chrysler building. He was balanced on one hand, tipping his hat.

  “The pictures are part of a long-running joke,” Alec said, noting her interest. “The old wives’ tale about vampires not having a reflection is partly true. We don’t have a reflection in daylight, as you know, only at night. That’s one of the mysteries of our kind I wanted to solve and never could. But we can be photographed, day or night as long as there is no flash to blind us. When this was discovered, there was an explosion of vampire photography. It was a huge fad for a while.”

  “That is both weird and amusing. Mostly weird,” she said, studying the picture. A thought occurred to her. “Do you have a reflection now? In the daytime?” she asked, studying the other photographs.

  Alec was arranging the kindling in the fireplace. He hadn’t been kidding. It was massive and would suit her needs nicely.

  “Yes, I do. I didn’t know the ritual would have that side effect. It was never mentioned in any of the records I found on past Daywalkers. Maybe because there weren’t as many mirrors in homes back then and it wasn’t as much of an issue. But it is now. If there’s any light outside, any at all, I have to stay far away from mirrors if there is even a small chance another Supe is around. Or anyone who might recognize me,” he finished in a half-hearted grumble.

  He was about to strike a match when she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “No need.”

  “Of course,” he said, backing away. “Why exactly did we need so much fuel? It didn’t occur to me earlier when we talked but can’t you sustain a fire indefinitely?”

  Definitely a very smart man.

  “Yeah, about that. See, I need you to keep the fire going while I’m gone.”

  “Gone? Where are you going? Are you missing something you need for your ceremony?”

  Diana turned away from the fireplace. “No. I meant I am going away. I’m going to use this fire to transport myself to a bigger one. There’s a pretty big wildfire in Colorado right now. I saw it on the news. If the Mother is looking anywhere, then that’s where her attention will be
turned.”

  She paused. “It’s kind of a big if,” she admitted. “If the Mother is falling asleep, then there’s not much that will rouse her. I need you to keep the fire burning on this end so I can get back. It won’t sustain itself once I leave. Which is why you need to keep it burning here.”

  Alec’s eyes were wide and he stared at her with a starry eyed expression before blinking rapidly.

  “You can do that? Use the fire like a Star Trek transporter?”

  “Yeah, nerd. But not as reliably, I’m afraid. Fire has no memory, no consciousness. I can use it to get someplace, but I can’t see who might be there. I could travel to a wildfire but might end up surprising some firefighters. And our anonymity is too important to mess with. If I am seen by an outsider, or caught on film, then there would be hell to pay.”

  “And the others can do something similar?”

  “Yeah, but Earth and Water can’t go very large distances without taxing themselves too greatly. There are limits.”

  “But Air can travel long distances?”

  She nodded. “It’s a big advantage for the Air Elemental. Sometimes I get a lift from her when we’re close enough to each other.”

  “And you’re sure it’s safe? Going out to the fire? You would be concerned about being seen if this fire wasn’t already massive and out of control. What if a tree falls on you? The ground gets unstable. Are you sure it’s a good idea? And why would the Mother have an eye on this fire? Don’t they stem from Her inattention, not Her focus? She doesn’t start fires, does She?”

  Diana sucked in a breath. “It’s more like She doesn’t stop them.”

  “Oh.” Alec looked rather crestfallen.

  She knew how he felt. Mother Nature could be a bitch. “Look. These fires are part of a greater whole. There are cycles she set in motion when the Earth was new. It’s all a part of the process. It’s better if you don’t think about it.”

  “Does She know about the people who make their home in the fire’s paths?”

  “She knows. Or at least we think She does.” Diana’s voice was gentle.

  “And She doesn’t care?”

  Diana moved in front of him. “Honestly, I’m not sure. But I don’t think She can change the way things are now. I like to think She would if She could.”

  “I see. Right,” he said, going back to stacking wood.

  “Sometimes being privy to the secrets of the gods just. . .sucks,” she commiserated before glancing at the fireplace. “I’ll try not to be too long, but I’m not actually sure how much time I’ll need. If you run out of fuel, it’s okay. I’ll make my own way back.”

  His lips firmed. “I will keep it burning as long as it takes,” Alec said. He removed a tarp from a pile of wood next to the fireplace. “I had Daniel get an entire truck of the stuff. It’s pulled around back.”

  “If vampires could join the Boy Scouts, there’d be a joke here.”

  “The Boy Scouts are a little after my time.” He sighed. “Please be careful. I’m serious about the falling trees.”

  “I know. Here, take this,” she said, handing him her new phone. “I know it’s desert-proof, but I don’t think it’s going to survive what’s coming.”

  He nodded as he took the phone, and she turned to the fireplace. With the flick of her hand, she sent the fire to the kindling Alec had arranged so carefully. An inferno roared to life with a great whoosh, the flames taking on the bluish-purple tint that they always did around her.

  Taking one last look at Alec, Diana walked into the blaze.

  25

  The fire swirled, blazing hotter and higher until it covered Diana. It curled around her like a living thing.

  Alec could see why primitive man had created the myths of fire gods and goddesses. Diana in all her glory was an awesome sight—but before he could blink, she was gone.

  He glanced at the pile of firewood. Better to be safe than sorry. Using vampiric speed, he went outside to bring more wood from the truck.

  Alec’s tension and excitement dissipated as the minutes stretched into an hour. On impulse, he searched for news coverage on the fire on his tablet. Given the scale of the fire, there was a lot to choose from. He scanned the various media outlets for signs that Diana hadn’t been discovered doing whatever it was she was doing.

  Or that the body of small redhead hadn’t been found buried under a fallen pine tree.

  Shut up, he told himself sternly before tossing a few more logs onto the fire, wishing he could have gone with her. But that would have been suicide. On impulse, he called his man at Defense. He was in luck. A government satellite was monitoring the fire.

  Once the feeds were forwarded to him, Alec sat down in front of the fire to look for signs of unusual activity. After several minutes, he noticed a small disturbance in one of the feeds.

  Alec peered at his screen. The video was live. It looked like a satellite image of a hurricane…except it was made of fire. Enthralled, he watched as the edges seemed to draw in and the center got denser.

  What was Diana doing? Building up a tower of fire? One that could be seen from space? It looked small on his screen but in reality it was probably massive.

  The firestorm was localized to one small valley. Passing a hand over his face, he sincerely hoped no one else was watching. It wasn’t likely anyone would be able to get close enough on the ground to spot Diana, but he still worried about her.

  Alec knew that was ridiculous. She could take care of herself. But the feeling remained. It was second nature now. Diana had swiftly become the most important person in his life. And if that wasn’t a kick in the pants, he didn’t know what was.

  The fire in front of him was getting lower. Kneeling closer, he placed two more logs inside and studied the strange fire. The flames still had Diana’s signature color, but otherwise, they behaved like a normal fire with no intelligence or form. Which probably meant he was sitting too close to it, but he didn’t care. It warmed the coldness inside him. Maybe that was why he wanted to be around Diana so much. Even though he could walk under the sun now, he was still cold inside—except when he was with her.

  A loud popping sound shook him from his reverie as the fire snapped and the logs shifted. Instinctively, he reared back, but not fast enough. A large spark flew out and caught him on the hand.

  For a second panic flared but before he could react, the ember died out on his skin. Bewildered, he rubbed the spot. It didn’t hurt at all.

  What the hell?

  Senses on high alert, Alec stared at the fire before slowly reaching out to take hold of a glowing ember from the bottom of the fireplace. Picking it up, he held it in front of him until the glow faded and he was holding a bit of charcoal. There was no pain.

  By rights, as a vampire, he should have been fiercely burned, but he had felt nothing at all.

  He dropped the charcoal and studied his fingers. There was nothing, no redness or swelling. No burn marks of any kind. How was that even possible? At the very least he should have smoldered a bit.

  Could it be? Alec shifted his eyes to the flames and tentatively reached out until the fire enveloped his hand.

  “What are you doing awake?” his father asked from behind him.

  Alec snatched his unburned hand out of the fire and spun around. He had been so engrossed he hadn’t heard his father come in. Standing up, he hoped Alden hadn’t seen what he’d been doing.

  “Hello father,” he said formally, inclining his head in a gesture of respect.

  It wasn’t strictly necessary since the head of his house happened to be his parent, but he did it nevertheless.

  “What are you doing?” Alden asked, taking in the piled wood and the fire.

  Caught red-handed, he decided not to lie. “I’m helping Diana with a small matter.”

  “What?” Alden was confused. “Who’s Diana? You aren’t referring to the Elemental, are you?”

  Alec didn’t answer.

  “You are joking, aren’t you?” His f
ather’s eyes were wide, his face twisted as if he was smelling something unpleasant.

  “No. I’m helping her. Or rather, she’s helping me restore the honor of this house,” he said, annoyed. “We’re conducting an investigation into the disappearance of those children. We’re looking for them together,” he said, picking up the poker and stirring the fire with a rough slashing movement.

  “There is no reason for you to be involved!”

  Unbelievable. “A child of one of our retainers was also taken by the circle, in case you’ve forgotten. I’m going to get him back or kill the circle trying.”

  His father rubbed his face with both hands. “You should leave it to that. . .thing. The Elemental is involved now. You don’t have to help her. She can manage on her own. You’ve done enough.”

  “Honor won’t be satisfied until those children are returned and the circle is dismantled or destroyed,” he said from behind gritted fangs.

  His father sneered. “That’s not the way these things work. You can’t honestly tell me the Elemental even wants you around. She probably doesn’t appreciate your interference. Just leave things well enough alone. You should be focusing on this coven for a change, and your place in it. You have neglected your duties too long,” he said, drawing himself up to his full height.

  Since Alec was a little taller, it didn’t intimidate him. . .anymore.

  “Whether you like it or not, I am fulfilling my duties,” he ground out, repressing an urge to roll his eyes. “The ones I value most. I know you don’t agree, but seeing to it that our family’s retainers aren’t used or abused is my highest priority.”

  “Pretty words when you neglect everything else,” his father said.