Origin of Angels: Elemental Legacy Book 1 (29 page)

I shook my head, not believing how easily he looked to me to lead. It was out of respect, but we both knew how much training I’d had in warfare compared to him. Ignisian games had been designed for honing strategy skills. I gave him a tiny smile. “What do you think we should do?”

He gave a half shrug. “Since our goal was to acquire more Elementals, perhaps we should return to Faeresia.” He looked around the room, his tawny eyes filling with compassion. “There’s no need to keep torturing these women.”

I delved into his mind, since I wanted to keep our conversation private until we made a decision. What about the humans? How do you think they will be received?

He took a bite of a glossy donut and washed it down with milk. The idea is to create a self-sustaining supply of Elementals, right? I nodded. Well, we need the humans to do it.

I laughed at his pun, bringing the eyes of several people to land on Heath and me. Smiling, I reached up to kiss him, hoping the others would lose interest or at least be uncomfortable enough to look away. His hand snaked behind my neck to keep me close. I grinned until he deepened our kiss, making my toes curl and my skin erupt in goose bumps. Man, I wished we could go to the hotel now.

The sooner we got these guys settled the quicker Heath and I could spend some greatly needed alone time. I stood. “What do you all say we blow this joint?”

“And how exactly do you plan to do such a thing?” asked a man from behind me.

Even though it had been a while, I recognized the smug cadence in Alex Wayne’s voice. I turned slowly, not believing he was here as an Order operative. I’d often wondered where he’d landed when the tumult of our battle was over. Now I knew, and I was pissed. I glared while he blew me a kiss and bit his lip. Others had come with him, but really the show of force was pathetic. “Alex, nice of you to finally come for these people. Were you waiting for them to die or just get brain damage?”

He crossed his arms. He’d grown into his baby face a bit, but he still seemed too much of a kid to be leading these men. “We taught them a lesson.” His eyes swept the room in a flash. “What happened to the rest?”

I shrugged. “They got away.”

Shooting a look at the goons flanking him, he smirked. “It’s safe to say you’ll not be doing the same.”

I nearly laughed until more people emerged from the shadows. These were fae — the dark kind.

I COULD HARDLY BELIEVE WHAT WAS happening. I’d wished for this moment for nearly two years — but not now. Not like this. Travis stared at every movement I made, so I forced myself to keep my attention on Valen. I let my thoughts speak for me. I was getting better at suppressing my deepest desires, and since Valen wasn’t striking Travis dead, I was certain my ploy was working. The only shot Travis had was if he were not deemed a threat. I wanted to shout for him to leave with his companion, but she had apparently double crossed him. Of course she had. He was here. If he were anything like me, he wouldn’t know how to drift. From his rigid stance and the hatred in his eyes, he wanted to kill her.

Valen touched my cheek. I’m pleased to see where your loyalties
lie, my love. You may go back to the house. I’ll be along shortly.

I swallowed, my mind working to find a solution which would allow me to remain here. I ran a finger over Valen’s arm. Come with me. Why are we here? Who are these people?

He frowned, his shrewd eyes calculating. You don’t remember this man?

Even though I had managed to suppress my reactions, I couldn’t completely l
ie to him. He looks a little familiar. Why?

Before he could answer, the woman spoke. “Can we get this over with? I have things to do.”

Valen stiffened. “Don’t you always, Ainessa.”

She sashayed to us and gave a slip of a smile. Her hand reached out to touch Valen’s cheek. “I like this look. Whose face did you take this time?”

My breath caught, making me cough. Valen folded his arms, his attention officially off me. “For your in-formation, it’s my own countenance. Unlike you, I have no reason to embellish what was naturally given me.”

Her lashes fluttered.
“A new face and a new attitude. What a surprise.” She shifted looks between the two of us, her delicate brows lifting. “It appears someone has it bad.”

He shook his head as if bored with her. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I listened intently. Somehow, it seemed important. “Come inside,” he said. “We have much to negotiate before we can begin . . . if we continue our plan at all. Things have changed.”

She stiffened, her dainty hands balling into fists. “We have an accord, Valen. I didn’t come here for more chatting.”

“Why are we here?” asked Travis. Our eyes connected, but I looked away.

Valen measured Travis in one sweep of his cool gaze. “Do not speak, boy. You are lucky I do not strike you dead where you stand.”

Travis’ lips twitched into a grin. “I’d like to see you try.”

Instead of going berserk, Valen frowned. “You know of your heritage now.”

Travis nodded. “Yeah, and I’m not too keen on you ordering me around. What is going on?”

I stared at my bondmate, wondering the same thing. He sighed. “It seems you have unique abilities, and since you and Emily have been acquainted before, we thought you might ...” his voice trailed off. “I can’t allow it to happen now.” His eyes flicked to Ainessa. “Take your charge and go.” He guided me toward the house, and I allowed myself one last look at Travis.

He beamed at me as if the light in his universe had been flipped. “Emily
… your name is Emily.”

Ainessa growled. “It appears we do have things to discuss.”

Not wanting to draw attention to my ragged heartbeat, I leaned closer to Valen as if for support. I let my mind wander to thoughts about who these people were and why they were here, but I didn’t focus overlong on Travis.

Valen’s grip tightened. “It will be all right, my love.” He shot compulsion into the endearment so strongly it set my knees to buckle. When I stumbled, he righted me.

By the scuffling of shoes against cobblestone, the others followed. What could Valen have agreed to? What did he intend to do with me? I wouldn’t let my mind focus on Travis for more than a split second.

We reached the house, and Valen led everyone to the game room. He sat on the sofa facing the windows while Ainessa guided Travis to the other. He eyed the toys on the carpet and looked right at me. Did he know he had a son?

Valen’s head snapped my way. So you do know him?

I nodded, letting my eyes fall to my lap. Valen took my hand. Then he addressed the others. “First of all, things have changed, and I no longer have the desire to pursue our original course.”

Travis grunted. “Would someone tell us what the hell is going on?”

Ainessa fingered her long hair, letting the curls fall over her shoulder. “Do you remember this girl, Travis?”

He looked at me, his body rigid. “Yes. Why?”

Ainessa addressed Valen. “Show him.”

Did she mean Blade? Valen squeezed my hand and nodded. I couldn’t understand what they were doing or what they could possibly hope to accomplish by letting Travis know he had a child, unless it was for blackmail. Travis wouldn’t stop looking at me now. His dark eyes roamed over every part of me as if memorizing each detail. I leaned closer to Valen, who wrapped his arm tighter around me. The last thing I desired was to put Travis in danger, but all I wanted was to soak him up as he was doing to me.

When footfalls clattered in the hall, I craned my neck to see. A woman entered the room carrying Blade. Travis stood. He looked at me, then back to our son. His face was ashen, and his hands clenched at his sides. I waited for someone to speak, but Valen and Ainessa looked at me as if I were the one who should introduce Blade. I extracted myself from Valen’s side and took my boy from the fae. My heart beat soared at the thought of Travis knowing the truth.

I walked closer but stopped a good distance away. “Travis,” I said. “This is Blade, your son.”

His face paled further as he swallowed loudly. On steady feet, he came to us and lifted his hand to Blade’s hair. To me, he lowered compassionate eyes. His spicy scent swirled around, which nearly undid my control. “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“Lambert certainly did,” I said, straightening and letting the rest speak for itself.

He offered his arms. “May I?”

Blade stared at his father, and his chubby arms lifted. “Daddy,” he said without hesitation.

My breath hitched, but Travis was the one to choke. He took our child gently, cradling him against his chest in a passionate hug.
“Yes, Blade. I’m your Daddy.”

When I looked over my shoulder, Valen seethed with venom.

PLUNGING THROUGH THE THICK FOLIAGE surrounding me, I raced away from the woman I loved. Rage filled me until it pulsed with my heartbeat. How could I have been stupid enough to let Faine into my life again? She’d been nothing but trouble from the moment I laid eyes on her. Even now, a cold shudder rippled through me at the thought of losing her again, but I’d pushed her into Luke’s arms. I’d given her the go ahead, when long ago, I’d refused her desires.

The vegetation blurred with my vision, until I couldn’t see far enough in front of me to take another step. Fists clenched, I covered my eyes, wishing I could wipe Faine from my life for good. She couldn’t love me and kissed Luke with so much passion. Even though my eternity without her kept her fresh in my memories, it seemed she’d forgotten our bond completely. How could I blame her? I’d ordered her to do it. Hell, I should have been surprised when she recognized me. She’d spent an entire mortal life without me and in another man’s arms. What was one more?

Someone tracked me, making plenty of noise through the jungle. “Are you done throwing your hissy fit?” asked Luke. “What a douche. You really hurt Faine’s feelings.”

Power pulsed under my skin, aching to explode to the surface. “Go away. I told you I was done with her.”

“Sure,” he said, his inflection mocking. “Okay, I guess I’ll go claim my prize now.” He stomped around as if leaving, but I knew better. When I looked at him, I let a long glare say what I couldn’t voice. “Seriously, dude, when are you going to pull your head out? All you’ve done for the last thousand years is pine after the girl, and the minute she shows up again, you push her away. How stupid are you?” I belted him, making him stagger back. He had it coming, and the pain felt good against my burning skin. He shook his head and offered the other cheek. “If lambasting me will get you to see reason, go ahead. I’ll recover, but I doubt your relationship will.” I clenched my teeth, not sure I could reply. “You should have seen her face. In fact, you should.”

He sent me a mental image of Faine’s tear-filled green eyes—of her fleeing in the opposite direction. I swallowed, promising myself I wouldn’t cave to his tactics, but the mere thought of her crying sent my heart into a tailspin. “She’ll leave me, Luke. I can’t go through it again. It’s better for me to let her go now…before I’ve lost my heart and mind completely.”

Rubbing his jaw, he inched closer until I had nowhere to look but at him. “Denying your love won’t erase it. Trust me. I know.”

I shut my eyes, not wanting to see the pain etched deep into his soul. The man had loved deep and often, and what he’d received for his efforts was loss and longing. I didn’t want to end up like him, not ever again. I’d thought I’d found love with Rayla after so many years without it. I loved her still, if I let myself dwell on it. How could a heart go on after loss?

Luke sighed. “You’ve got what I’ve always wanted. She could no more be mine than Rayla.” He waited, so I looked at him again. His face was steeled with resolve. “Think about it before you screw things up so bad you won’t have any options at all.”

With his piece spoken, he left. The rage had faded to resentment which was now turning to regret. Luke was right. I was stupid. Who cared how long I had Faine with me? I had her. I shouldn’t waste the time picking fights. She shouldn’t have kissed Luke, but her heart had been in the right place. If I’d been thinking clearly, I would have asked her what exactly she saw in her vision.

Straightening, I shoved thoughts of losing her away. If the time came again, I’d deal with it. Loss was part of being fae. We dealt with death in different ways than humans, not because we didn’t know what happened after this life but because we did. The eternities were filled with wonders we could no longer reach. Faine had left those wonders to return to this bland world
— to return to me. The kind of devotion it would take to descend into this pit once one tasted of the divine should not be questioned.

It didn’t take me long to find her once I linked with her thoughts. Luke was right. She was hurt and afraid she’d lost me. If I had let myself sense her true emotions during her previous a
ctions, I would have never questioned her. She sat on the edge of a boulder, staring out into the wide expanse of the ocean. The surf crashed against the rocks below while the slight breeze played with the fine strands of her dark hair.

“I’m a fool,” I said, hoping it’d be enough to start a conversation if not spu
r her forgiveness. She straightened, wiping her cheeks. “I should have listened to you. As always, my pride got in the way.”