Elemental (The Keeper of the elements) (13 page)

Fear and pain filled his eyes. “Gemma…you’ve walked right into his trap.” He said sadly. His fingers trailed along my jawline and at the moment I didn’t care if it was a trap. I would die happily now. “We need to leave Aydan, please just come with us. Please” I begged. He just smiled sadly and pulled me into his arms. I should have begged harder, I should have dragged him kicking and screaming. Instead I melted into his embrace and took a deep breath of his scent. “I love you Gemma. I’m so sorry.” He whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. His cheeks were wet with tears and I reached up, my fingertips wiping away the wet tears from his face. A sob broke through my chest and my hand flew to my mouth to muffle the sound. I was aching, my heart throbbing painfully in my chest. “Please don’t cry..” Aydan whispered. “Gemma…Aydan, we have to go.” Roland prodded urgently as his eyes darted around the quiet house.

Aydan looked up, his look akin to defeat. “Roland, I am truly sorry, there will be no escaping. Blaze knows you are here. He is only playing with you.” Roland’s face fell and instantly his eyes sadly went to me. Aydan tilted my head so that I was looking into his eyes and my lips were level with his. “Do you want me?” he whispered. Without hesitation I answered, “Yes” He smiled that knee weakening smile that I had fallen in love with when I was eight years old. “Then release your energy , feel out mine.” He whispered as he leaned his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes and let myself fall into him. I was vaguely aware of yelling but nothing could pull me from this moment.

A warm tingle began in my fingertips and spread rapidly at his touch. He intertwined his fingers with mine and gave them a gentle squeeze. I could feel his energy and I pushed mine out to meet his. The energy exploded into a white hot explosion and I gasped, my eyes snapping open. The house shook around us causing things to crash from the walls.

“I’m impressed little brother.” His voice sent cold chills down my spine as the white hot blinding light receded around us. “Getting her to bind with you right before I kill her.” I looked up panicked at Aydan, studying his face for betrayal. All I could see was pain. “You bound her!” Roland growled angrily. “You knew I wasn’t going to be getting out of here Roland!”

“You had no faith!” Roland yelled back. “Ha! You had no chance.” Aydan said sadly. Quickly I grabbed Aydan and beckoned the wind. I felt it swirling around us as I prepared to use it full force. Blaze snarled angrily and an explosion of hot air erupted around us, throwing me to the floor. Flames began to lick up the walls. My wind vanished in fear as I looked up nervously. Roland was yelling but I couldn’t make out the words. Aydan stood by, his face blank and emotionless. “Aydan!” I screamed over the chaos. Aydan glanced down at me with confusion. “Fight it Aydan!” I screamed desperately. Aydan’s blank expression told me I was too late. Blaze smiled cruelly at me and shook his head as he crossed his arms against his broad chest. His cold eyes looked almost black as he stared at me. He smiled a devious half smile, “Well . this is all fun and all but I think it’s about time we end this silly game, don’t you?” Blaze taunted. I shook my head and slowly backed up until my shoulder hit against Roland. “Why though, I don’t understand why kill me?” I asked, honestly confused. I wasn’t raised in this life nor did I understand it. “Why? Because of revenge. Because of hatred. Because your parents ordered the death of all Dhampirs, including my mother and my wife.” He snarled angrily. My mouth dropped open and my heart skipped, “your…mother?” I looked between Aydan and Blaze, He chuckled,” yes your darling love is half elemental and half Dhampir” So this whole thing was out of nothing more than revenge. “I understand you’re upset but I wasn’t even born! How can you take this out on me?” I tried, slowly grabbing Roland’s hand behind me. “How can I take it out on you? Because your parents took away the one thing that I truly loved. Now I will do the same to them.” He extended his hands and a large orange orb of fire formed in the area between them. He bellowed angrily as he expelled it towards me. I screamed and jumped to the side, pulling Roland with me.  The fire ball consumed the wall behind me. I looked up just as Roland clapped his hands, the house shook violently, the floor caving in underneath Blaze. Roland looked at Aydan with a terrifying look of determination. “Please Roland!” I begged. Without thinking I sent wind flying towards Aydan, throwing him from Roland’s path. I jumped to my feet, shooting a wall of water where the floor collapsed. Men dressed in black began to clamber into the room each in their own state of confusion. The room was well beyond chaos at this point.

Another explosion rocked the building sending more debris crashing down around us. Roland came along side me and grabbed me from behind. His strong forearm creating a barrier around my waist. “We have to get out of here!” Roland screamed above the noise. My eyes frantically searched the room , looking for Aydan. I couldn’t leave him behind. I wiggled free of Roland’s grasp and clawed my way over the scattered garbage. “Aydan!” My voice broke as I found him, covered beneath plaster, burnt wood and garbage. I pulled his hand to my face and tilted his head so his eyes were looking at me. Confusion masked his handsome features. “Do I know you?” he asked innocently. “It’s me Gemma…” I begged as tears cut paths into the dirt smeared along my cheeks. Aydan’s eyes seemed to be fading in and out. At one point he was with me and at another I had no idea where he was. “Aydan…” his name came out as a broken sob. I thought about a life without him in it and instantly I felt the panic rise.

Aydan’s eyes shifted from confusion to anger. “You…you’re the one that had them killed.” He whispered. I shook my head terror nearly consuming me. I knew I should fight him as his hand came around my throat. I knew I should attack him but my heart just wouldn’t let me. I couldn’t expel my energy to fight him. He dropped me hard to the ground and extended his hands, a large white orb growing in between his palms. I pushed backwards, fighting to get away. My mind was screaming at me to run. Without thinking, I grabbed a nearby vase and flung it at him. My heart nearly stopped as I watched it sail through the air. Fear gripped at me as I waited for the impact. He moved to the side just as it sailed alongside him and clipped his shoulder.

Aydan glared at me angrily as I continued to shoot objects in his direction. All of them sailing past him uselessly.  I honestly wasn’t trying very hard. I couldn’t seem to bring myself to harm him. He countered with a large glowing orb that connected hard with my stomach and threw me into the wall behind me.

Chapter Twenty Three

I jumped up desperate to escape his advances. I ran only a few steps before his body collided with mine, sending us both to the ground. Flames had consumed most of the room at this time and the heat was borderline unbearable.
My eyes urgently scanned for Roland as I slowly realized I wasn’t going to be able to save Aydan. Finally they landed on him a few feet away in hand to hand combat with Blaze. Black smoke was starting to fill the room and my lungs.

I was coughing and choking as I frantically tried to breathe. “Roland!” I screamed as fear began to grip me. I could see no way out and all I could imagine was a painful death. Roland shot a wave of energy, hitting Aydan and forcing him back against a crumbling wall, stone buried him and my heart ached as I stood by. I fought the urge to rescue him and instead searched for an escape. Blaze’s men started to move in, effectively blocking us in. Colored explosions began rocking the building and I was beginning to get concerned about how much more the building could take.

Roland gradually made his way over to me, shooting energy at anyone who tried to advance. I felt a hand touch me and I let out a small scream, “If you would just listen to me I could keep you alive. You would make a very nice pet.” Blaze’s icy tone sent chills down my spine. “It really is a shame my brother won’t remember that he loves you. It’s going to be quite fun to watch him kill you.” He laughed. My heart clenched in fear. I tried to back away but he had a tight hold on my body. “Roland!” I yelled out in panic.

Blaze dragged me out the only doorway that wasn’t dripping with flames and onto a small balcony. At first I felt relief as my lungs sucked in clean air, but my relief was short lived. I could feel the unstable balcony sway beneath us. He raised his hand above me, a blue sparkling orb growing between his fingertips. I closed my eyes and every little moment Aydan and I shared growing up, every touch, every smile, every innocent laugh flashed through my mind. This must be what they mean when they say your life flashes before your eyes before you die. Everything important in your life is replayed so that you may savor those happy times just before there are no more happy times. All my happiness was Aydan. A sob ripped out of my chest and I felt the energy crackling beneath my skin. I wanted more happiness. I wasn’t ready to let it all go. I pushed with a loud growl, all the energy in my hands into Blaze’s chest, sending him flying a good twenty feet in the air. As he was coming down Aydan aimed for me, shooting a silver orb my way. I arched my back, throwing myself over the edge of the balcony and plummeting to the ground below.

There was a moment of silence. A single minute of peace before the scream tore from my throat. My eyes fixed on Aydan’s face peering over the ledge, his stormy eyes full of hate and anger. He wasn’t the same Aydan. He wasn’t the man that I loved. I had only fallen a good thirty feet when I caught myself in an updraft. The wind wrapped around me like a warm blanket and twisting me to face the other way . Before I could escape something hard landed on my back and sent me flying back to earth. I landed with a large smack, the air being forced out of me and my back clenching in pain. Strong hands wrapped around my wrists. “Spoiled little brat.” Aydan spit angrily in my ear. His voice had even changed, whereas it use to hold a tone of playfulness it was now only firm and heavy. I clawed and fought and threw anything I could get my hands on at him, but it was no use.

He laughed at my pathetic attempts as he grasped my face painfully. I screamed out as I felt my insides start to boil. Aydan just laughed wickedly, his eyes burning with hatred. My vision was fading in and out as my screams increased; and then, all of a sudden, it was gone. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath. I sat up and gasped as I saw Aydan’s body slumped against the crumbling building. Roland stood over me studying me a moment. “Roland!” I screeched as I clambered to my feet in a mad rush to get to Aydan. Roland’s large hand came down on my shoulder and his panicked voice filled my head. “No. We need to leave Gemma!” He yelled as the top floor of the building collapsed. “You killed him!” I bellowed as I struggled against his strong grasp. “No Gemma, I didn’t. He will live.” He promised. I could only hope he was right because there was no way this man was releasing his grip on me. Another section crumbled and this time screams filled the air. It was chilling to hear.

Roland turned and I felt the wind start to pick up to take us away. I didn’t even notice the movement until it was too late. At first there was shock and then came the pain. Blood poured out of the tiny hole that was now in my side, just below my breast and parallel with my armpit. I looked up and met his eyes sadly. “Aydan…” His name slid easily from my trembling lips. The only thing holding me up was Roland, every ounce of energy had left my body and I could barely stay focused. Aydan’s lips twisted in a wicked grin, “Please, Aydan…remember me…please.” I felt a warmth tingling in my belly and I tugged it forward, I took slow methodical breaths so the blood flow wouldn’t increase. Roland was yelling but I couldn’t hear him, I could only focus on Aydan and my breathing. “Aydan, remember…sitting beneath….the stars, remember how ….you said….we had….to open our eyes, to see….what was in front of us…” My breathing was labored and my vision started to go hazy. “Remember….loving me…” I whispered as I forced the tingling warmth out and towards Aydan. It swirled around him, like testing dangerous waters before slamming into his chest and causing him to jerk. His eyes clouded over and his jaw went slack. Then after a moment, he blinked and his face registered shock, “Oh god…Gemma.” His eyes looked at me, stopping in a panic when he saw the blood soaking my shirt and accumulating in a puddle on the grass. “Gemma…no no no no…” He whimpered as he rushed over and dropped to his knees. He pulled up my shirt and pressed his hands firmly to the wound. Warm sticky blood seeped over his fingers and down his wrists. “We have to go Gemma. The whole place is about to blow!” Roland screamed. Just as Roland was about to go, the ground shook beneath our feet and Blaze stood before us. His clothing was singed and his hair a mess. His eyes were filled with the most anger I’ve ever seen. His hand shot out sending an orange orb the size of a cantaloupe towards Aydan. There wasn’t even time to react. It hit and threw Aydan a good ten feet. “When he wakes, his memory of you will be completely lost.” Blaze growled menacingly. Before I could say anything, Roland scooped me into his arms and shot off the ground like a rocket, pushing us high into the air. “No! Aydan!” I screamed as I fought against his hold. “Roland let me go!” I demanded as I kicked and squirmed and fought. Blood poured out of my side and I felt myself steadily weakening. “I can do it! Please Roland.” I begged as the two of us got further away.