Desert Flame

by Nicole R. Taylor

  “Shh,” Hardy murmured, pressing his finger over her lips. “No need to worry about it, Emmaline. I’m working on it.”

  “Then you’re not doing a very good job of it.” She spun the laptop around. “Their permits were granted.”

  Hardy straightened and wrenched the laptop towards him, his heart beating double-time. “When?”

  “Yesterday.”

  He scowled and snapped the lid of the computer shut. This whole business stunk of bribes and corruption, but there was nothing he could do about it now. The permits were issued and EarthBore was on the move. He’d have to try to stop them on the ground.

  “Well,” he mused, “then I have my work cut out for me.”

  “You intend to keep pursuing this?”

  “To the bitter end, mon amour.” The vampire nodded, his mind firmly on Solace and his family.

  “And right now?”

  He met her gaze. “Now?”

  “Yes,” she murmured, unfastening the top button of her blouse, “now. Shall we move onto other business?”

  Hardy said nothing as she straddled him…and he didn’t move as her lips found his.

  “Hardy?” she murmured, reacting to his rigidness. “Is everything all right?”

  This was usually the best part of their meetings—and the only part she would remember—but today he felt nothing. His heart was heavy, and he didn’t want her. She was a tool for him to bend to his will, nothing more. When had he become so…unfeeling?

  “You will get up, tidy your appearance, gather your things, and leave,” he told her.

  She jerked back. “Excuse me?”

  “The moment you leave this room, you will forget me,” he whispered, loosening his grasp on her hips. “Forget our meeting, erase all traces of my existence from your laptop and your life. I was never here.”

  Emmaline stared at him with a blank expression, her pupils dilating as his vampiric suggestion sank into her mind.

  “Do you understand?” he asked.

  “I-I understand,” she rasped. Climbing off his lap, she began to move through his instructions with robotic efficiency. She straightened her blouse, slipped on her shoes, and returned her laptop to her leather briefcase.

  When she reached for the map, Hardy grabbed her wrist. “Leave that.”

  Emmaline pulled away, her movement jerky, and turned to face the mirror. She fixed her hair, pinning the loose curls back into place. When she was satisfied, she picked up her briefcase and left.

  Hardy returned to the balcony when the door closed, hoping that the noise of the city would drown out his troubled thoughts.

  EarthBore and the seal were one thing, but something else was in the air…and it wasn’t the tail end of the cyclone.

  His melancholy was seeping into his soul and the things that’d once brought him joy only served to show him how damned he really was. His predatory behaviours had delighted him long ago, but age had made him weary, and wisdom had only served to reveal the harsh reality of what he truly was. An undead predator.

  His new life had begun in the depths of a mine and now…perhaps, it would end in one, too.

  Eloise sat on the step of her van, her toes buried in the red sandy dirt. The motorhome fit perfectly under the awning Kyne had built outside their dugout, and the shade offset the sun just enough that sitting outside wasn’t completely unbearable. But the weather wasn’t what had her stomach squirming—it was the date.

  She’d always longed for and despised Valentine’s Day. One half of her broken heart had desired true love—and the flowers and fancy restaurants that went along with the spirit of celebrating romance. The other half was bitter with resentment, her curse keeping everyone away, lest she turn them sour with a simple touch.

  That’s why she wasn’t hoping for much this year, despite everything she’d been through. Solace wasn’t exactly the fine dining mecca of Australia, and Kyne was a miner who lived for opal and other precious rocks.

  Besides, from the look of sheer panic on his face the other night at the pub, she knew he hadn’t planned anything. He probably hadn’t realised it was Valentine’s Day, considering he’d gone to Lightning Ridge and rented a huge drill. The chaos with the seal dominated everything they did, so she couldn’t blame him for taking today to get his mine started again.

  How could she be disappointed? Kyne was amazing, kind, strong…understanding. Besides, she was the one who’d destroyed his old mine, so maybe this could be her Valentine’s present to him.

  When his ute came barrelling into the yard outside the dugout, she was thankful he parked downwind, so the dust cloud that followed the car didn’t blow into her van. She made a mental note to add considerate to the list of his endearing qualities.

  As he got out, he saw her on the step and strode over with a massive grin on his face. He’d obviously had a good day, considering his clothes were coated with rust-coloured dirt. A matching layer smeared his face, except for the outline where his safety goggles had sat. He shook, sending a cloud of dust into the air, and Eloise made a face.

  She waved the debris away. “How did your hole go?”

  “Got down to the level. That drill is a beast. Chewed up everything in its path and spat it out.”

  He looked extremely pleased with himself, and she couldn’t help it when her heart softened. She was going to hate it when he was out at Black Hole Mine for days on end, but seeing how happy it made him, she knew she had to stop giving him a hard time about it. Kyne was an earth elemental and being underground was like oxygen to his powers. How could she keep him from that?

  He sat on the step beside her. “How was the workshop without a vampire hovering over your shoulder?”

  “Quiet,” she replied. “Weirdly so.”

  “You miss Hardy that much?”

  She shrugged. “I kind of got used to his silent presence. He’s just…there. He’s the kind of person who doesn’t require conversation to be around. It’s kind of nice.”

  “An introvert’s dream come true,” Kyne said with a chuckle. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a black rectangular box. “Here. Got you something.”

  She straightened as he held the box out for her. “Huh?”

  “Take it.” He pressed it into her hand. “It’s no big deal.”

  Eloise looked down at the box, realising it was of the jewellery variety. Considering it was Valentine’s Day, it was a massive deal. She tried her best to play it cool as she eased the lid open, but she could already sense the precious metal and stone that lay within—a side effect of being an elemental.

  A silver chain snaked across a black velvet pad and flashes of red, purple, and blue caught the light. She gazed at the pendant, recognising the circular piece of black opal within the simple swirled, polished silver setting. It was the first proper bit of opal she’d cut and polished besides potch, and the same one Kyne had given to her the night she’d decided to stay in Solace. Not knowing what to do with it, she’d kept it hidden in her van…or so she’d thought.

  “What’s this?” she asked, confused.

  Kyne laughed and shook his head. “You didn’t realise it was gone, did you?”

  “You stole it from me?”

  He plucked each end of the silver chain out of the box in her palm. “Only to have it set. Here…” He motioned for her to turn around.

  Eloise scraped her hair forwards over her shoulder as he lowered the necklace over her head. Her heart fluttered as the opal settled on her chest, and she felt her powers respond to the stone.

  His fingers brushed her skin as he fastened the clasp. “How’s that?”

  “Perfect.” She lifted her head and ran her fingertips over the opal. “You didn’t forget, did you?”

  Kyne ran his thumb over her cheek. “Not for one second.”

  “Thank you. I love it.” Her smile widened. “What now? Are you hungry?”

  “Yeah, but first things first, I need to change out of these dusty clothes.”

&nbs
p; She mussed her hand in his hair, sending grit flying. “And wash this mop of yours.”

  “Got a bucket?”

  She leaned back. “A bucket?”

  He unbuttoned his shirt and wiggled his eyebrows. “The plumbing’s not hooked up yet, and I don’t want to fill your grey tank with dirt. Just splash me with a bucket of water and she’ll be right.”

  Eloise laughed. “You’re so low-maintenance.”

  Kyne wriggled out of his shirt and smirked as her gaze moved downwards. “Like what you see?”

  “Happy Valentine’s day…” She laughed again, but as he moved to the button on his jeans, she felt heat rush to her cheeks. She hadn’t seen him naked before. Well, all the way down to his boxers, but not the rest, and he’d definitely not seen any of her… Uh… They’d kissed and slept together, but not slept together.

  “Get that bucket, would you?” he asked, not noticing her embarrassment.

  “Gimme a sec.” She went to the back of her van, glad for a little cover, and opened the rear doors. Finding a bucket, she slammed the door closed and hopped back inside, where she turned the shower on and propped the bucket inside the little cubicle.

  Get a grip, Eloise, she thought. It’s Kyne. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. He’d never hurt you.

  Once the bucket was full, she turned off the tap and took a deep breath. Turning around, she faltered, her eyes widening as she copped an eyeful of Kyne’s bare arse shining pale in the afternoon light. It hadn’t seen a lot of sun, that was for sure.

  “Bloody hell,” she cursed.

  The elemental turned, giving her a direct view of his front. He grinned at her, enjoying the flush on her cheeks, and spread his arms wide. “Well then, do your worst.”

  Eloise grimaced and pushed her embarrassment down. She stepped out of the van, brandished the bucket…and hurled the contents at him, adding a touch of elemental magic for good measure.

  As the water flew through the air, the wind lifted it high and her power increased the volume, so when it smashed into him, it was a torrent that coated the miner from head to foot.

  “Bloody hell!” He stumbled a step and wiped his eyes. “That was a tsunami, not a little splash with a bucket.”

  “You said ‘do your worst,’” she told him with a shrug.

  “Eloise Hart, you’re full of surprises.” Kyne ran his hands through his hair, then he laughed and launched himself at her.

  She dropped the bucket with a squeal as the naked, dripping miner gathered her into his arms. “Kyne! You’re drenching me!”

  “And who’s fault was that?” They laughed as they embraced, and his hand settled over her thrumming heart. “Eloise…” His smile faded and a look she’d only ever dreamed about filled his eyes.

  He kissed her, his touch deepening as her fingers threaded through his damp hair, but she was awkwardly aware of his current state of undress and tensed.

  “We don’t have to if you don’t want,” he murmured, picking up on her unease.

  Her gaze lowered. “I-I don’t want to disappoint you…”

  “Disappoint me? Jesus, Eloise…” Kyne pressed his hand underneath her chin and forced her eyes to return to his. “You could never disappoint me. Ever.”

  She studied him for a long moment, frozen on the precipice. It wasn’t just sex to her, and it wasn’t because it was her first time. She was an elemental who could manipulate spirit. She’d caused so much trouble simply because she hadn’t understood or been able to control her powers. Things had been going great. She was learning. But sex…? Maybe it was a step too far.

  “If you’re worried about your powers, don’t be,” Kyne murmured, holding her close. “We’re both elementals, and you haven’t done anything to me.”

  “So far,” she whispered.

  “Don’t underestimate me…or yourself.” He smiled and kissed her again.

  Eloise breathed deeply. She wanted to. She was ready… If it was going to be anyone, she wanted it to be Kyne.

  “Okay.” She placed her hands on his chest and moved them downwards, growing braver with every inch. “But I’ve never done this before.”

  “I know.” He lowered his lips towards hers.

  “Kyne?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you.”

  He smiled and ran his hands through her hair. “I love you, too.”

  Chapter 5

  Vera stood behind the counter at the Outpost, mobile phone in hand. For once, everything seemed to be going well. The town was quiet, Drew wasn’t being insufferable, and the seal had been dormant since Christmas. No bleeding magic, no crazy conspiracies, just…summer romance.

  She grinned as her phone pinged with a new message. It added to the already long thread that she’d been chatting on all morning, and her heart fluttered.

  Holy, Sergeant Andrew Clarke, she thought. You naughty boy!

  Just as she was trying to think up a new adjective to put in her reply, the door opened and sent the bell ringing.

  Kyne strode in, followed by a gust of hot air. His blue eyes sparkled as he took off his hat and set it on the counter. He had an aura around him that made her smirk, and she fired off a quick reply to Andy.

  He looked her over. “What’s that sly grin for?”

  “I’m texting Andy.”

  “Ah, I see. The guy still clueless about his adventures in Solace?”

  She glared at the elemental. “He is, thank you very much for the reminder.”

  “Just checking,” he fired back. “Hardy’s so secretive about his vampire-ness that it wouldn’t surprise me if his mind control trick had an expiration date he didn’t tell us about.” He nodded towards her phone. “Did you do anything for Valentine’s?”

  Vera shook her head and slid her phone into her pocket. “No, we decided it was too soon for that kind of mushy stuff. We’re being casual.”

  “Cool.” Kyne jammed his hands into his jeans pockets. “So…”

  Vera looked him over, her magic tingling as his power crackled like an empty chip bag. “You’re being…awkward.”

  “Am not.” He pouted.

  “Are so,” she retorted. “I can feel your magic, and it’s all crinkly. Out with it.”

  He grimaced and squirmed, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “Last night…” He couldn’t seem to get it out, but Vera already knew. It was Valentine’s Day yesterday, the prefect time for new lovers to have a roll or two in the proverbial sack.

  Her mouth dropped open. “You and Eloise—”

  “Shut up,” he snapped, his scowl deepening.

  “Why are you so antsy?” Vera scowled and shook out her hair. “Let me guess…you had…performance issues.”

  “I did not!”

  The witch laughed at his pouty reaction. “Then what’s got you so worked up? You’re a man, take it like one.”

  Kyne ran his hand over his face as his cheeks reddened. Vera had never seen him embarrassed before, and it was cute and hilarious all at the same time.

  “Bloody hell, just spit it out already,” she exclaimed.

  “It was good. Great actually… But, uh…at the end…”

  Vera made a face. “Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.”

  “Eloise had a vision,” he blurted. “Well, we both had it.”

  “A vision brought by orgasm, interesting.” Vera raised her eyebrows. “And you both climaxed at the same time? I thought that was a myth. Usually the man goes first, then forgets about the woman. Did you know—”

  “Bloody hell, Vera.” Kyne ran his hand over his face again. “I know what I’m doing. I—”

  “I’m thrilled for Eloise. She needs some thoughtful male attention in her life.”

  “Vera. I came to you about the vision, not sexual education.” He narrowed his eyes and leaned over the counter. “And not a word about this to Eloise, you hear?”

  She looked him over. “You should’ve led with that.”

  “She’s your friend.”

&nb
sp; She rolled her eyes and dismissed him with a flick of her wrist. “I’m just playing with you. Get a grip, Romeo.”

  “Are you going to help me or not?”

  “Okay, okay.” She waved her hands at him, her silver rings clacking together. “What was the vision?”

  Kyne leaned back and glanced out the window. He was making sure no one was coming, and she had to give him points for trying to protect Eloise’s modesty.

  “It was that black mountain she told us about,” he said.

  Vera straightened, the tone of their conversation doing a complete one-eighty. She’d seen it too, back when Eloise had first arrived in Solace. She and Drew had broken into her van so she could trigger a vision of her own.

  “What was it doing?”

  Kyne snorted. “It…loomed.”

  “Loomed?”

  “It bore down on everything around it like some sort of poisonous beacon. It was black, like…nothingness. The sky was blue and the trees around the mountain were so green… All the surrounding colours were so intense, it was like nothing I’d ever seen before.” His frown deepened. “It was like I could reach out and disappear inside the darkness of it.”

  “When I saw it, it looked like volcanic rock to me,” Vera mused.

  “Yes.” Kyne snapped his fingers. “Like lava that bubbled up out of an ancient volcanic vent and solidified there.”

  “A lava tube…”

  “The mountain wasn’t just a heap of rock,” he went on. “It was alive. The darkness grew tentacles that stretched into the sky.”

  “Tentacles?” Her eyebrows rose and stayed elevated. “That’s some serious porno vibe.”

  “Vera.”

  She made a face. “Well, it is.”

  “Do you think it could be another entity?”

  She hesitated. “We don’t even know if there is one underneath the seal. We don’t know anything about it.”

  “Except what Andante told Eloise about the heart of the ocean.”

  Vera sighed. Not this crazy old woman again. “I know Eloise vouched for her, but she’s never made herself known to us before. I’m not buying what she’s selling.”