The Tempting Touch Of Fire (Elemental Awakening, Book 1) (26 page)

Take him deep. Keep him safe. Protect him for me.

Before Aktor's strike could connect with Nico's skin the ground opened up and swallowed him whole. It was fast. So fast, I hadn't thought it through completely. Everything I did was a gut reaction; an action coming from deep inside, apart from my mind and the comprehension of what I was seeing...

Aktor launching the bolt of Fire, the Earth swallowing Nico up at my command.

When the tremors settled, I stood staring into the stunned eyes of the old butler. Neither of us said a word for several seconds. Then he smiled, let out a little huff of a laugh, and bent over at the waist, bowing low with respect.

"Please," I said, unable to face him acting differently around me. "Please don't."

He stood upright again and tilted his head, surveying me carefully.

"You are more than just a
Gi,
Miss Eden." I shook my head to deny it. "I don't know what you are," he continued, ignoring my defiance. "But you are something more."

"I don't want to be," I whispered.

"My dear," he said softly, gently. "When is life ever what we want it to be?"

I started crying, I couldn't help it. Even Aktor knew I didn't belong here. Oh, my heavy heart. How did I survive this? How did I go on knowing Theo lived in this world and couldn't be mine?

Aktor wrapped his arm around my shoulder and helped me across the last of the rubble to the driveway where Nico's car sat. He opened the door and gently, but purposely placed me inside. I wished for his soft touch, but I needed his direct approach. I didn't want to do this. A part of my very core, what makes me
me
, was crying out in desperate agony for me to stay where I was, to not get in the car and face my destiny.

But it was a destiny, in a way. It was something I couldn’t avoid now. Even if lives weren't at stake, Theo was. And if I stayed, his father would punish him. And if I stayed, the
Pyrkagia
would shun him. And if I stayed, the
Gi
or the Alchemists would attack, and Theo would surely be killed in the fall-out.

How bad could it be? Living in a forest. I'd grown attached to the Earth in such a short amount of time. I could find solitude there, I was sure. A vast forest, a dense parcel of land which rivalled no other in nature. Even if the
Gi
didn't feel like home, part of me knew the Amazon would.

I stared blindly out of the side of the car as Aktor navigated the windy road back towards town. I didn't have it in me to ask him where he'd take me. I knew he wouldn't take me anywhere the Alchemists would likely be. He had to have a plan, somewhere we could hide until the
Gi
showed up and I could be handed over. I trusted Aktor. I trusted him to do what I could not do alone.

I tried not to think about the specifics. Hell, I was incapable of thinking about much right then. Just breathing. Just holding back the tears and stopping my body from falling apart in the front seat of that car. I hadn't even left the country yet, but I was already pining for
him
.

Would he miss me? I think he would. I think he genuinely cared. Theo had grown fond of me, but Nico was right. He was thousands of years old. This would not be new to him. He would survive.

Me. I wasn't so sure. But perhaps the memories would sustain me. See me through until I developed a thick skin like the rest of the
Athanatos
. Learned to be a little ruthless too. I wouldn't forget though. Even if he did. I would remember for us both. Because Theo had set my world alight. Had set my heart afire. And there was no way a boring Earth-loving
Gi,
or any other man for that fact, could compare.

I would always love a
Pyrkagia
. Always.

The buildings were coming closer together and I recognised our surroundings at last. Whitford, just south-east of Howick. We coasted past suburbia, the lights in the windows of houses flashing by. Smoke was evident on the horizon, towards where Howick would be. I craved to visit my trees again. I longed to check up on them, to make sure they could survive whatever the Alchemists had done. But either Howick or Epsom were out now. The Alchemists would be there.

I sighed, defeat a weary passenger in my heart. I wasn't ready for this, I didn't want it. But Aktor was right. When was life ever what we wanted it to be?

I sniffed unattractively as Aktor drove through the gates of the Pakuranga Country Club. I glanced around, mildly intrigued. I guessed, if there was a place to wait out the arrival of the
Gi,
a golf course near Howick, but covered in trees and grass, would make sense. At least for me. Even now, Aktor was trying to soothe me, by giving me a place to rest and wait where I could commune with the Earth for support.

I wanted to say thank you to him, but my tongue was stuck to the roof of my dry mouth. It meant a lot to me that he cared enough to do this. Despite the gravity of what was about to happen, Theo's butler showed how much I meant to him. Even if I was to be but a fleeting visitor in his life.

The car rolled out onto the course itself, just like a golf cart, but no doubt doing more damage. I smiled at Aktor's lack of consideration for the golfers, who'd go to play a round tomorrow and frown at the tyre treads down the fairway. I shouldn't find it amusing, but really, what were a few tyre tracks when compared to
Pyrkagia
dying and my heart being broken?

We came to a stop on the seventeenth hole. I tried to decide where on the course it would be as we stepped out onto the green, surrounded by trees and bush and nature. We were hidden from the road here. We were as safe as we could get for now.

"The very centre of the course," Aktor announced, coming around the front of the car to where I stood. "Hopefully it won't be too much longer."

Part of me agreed with him. Get this over with fast, so we can all move on. But part of me broke at those callous-to-my-heart words. Soon I would be a memory. One to add to the multitude that Aktor and Theo have in their minds already. Aktor will seek seclusion and quiet to digest it.

And Theo will seek a diversion, to distract instead.

Why do I do it to myself? I shook my head. It's not as though I'm a glutton for punishment, but my mood was not helping out in the keep-positive-thoughts department right now.

I leaned back against the car and stared up into the night sky. It's hard to see stars in the middle of Auckland normally, but the smoke from the fires made it even worse. I knew they were there, just like I'd known the sea was there when I couldn't see it, but only hear and smell it instead. And it's not as if I could hear and smell the stars, I just knew. Sometimes you
just
knew; no explanation, no reason why. You just did.

Just like I knew when Theo had arrived.

I turned slowly and watched him stride across the grass towards us. His face was set in hard lines, his eyes blazing gold. I shifted uneasily, a frown forming on my brow. Why was he here? Things were obviously pretty bad, if the news reports and smoke in the sky hadn't given it away, his apparent mood did. He was angry and had retreated inside himself, placing that mask of blankness on his face. But it wasn't impassive, although still a mask, this time it was irate.

"What news?" Aktor asked, pushing off from his lean on the car when Theo came within hearing distance. Acting as though seeing Theo here was totally expected as well.

"One moment," he shot back at Aktor, his eyes on me.

Before I could take evasive action his hand came up and cupped the nape of my neck and his lips crushed down on mine. He pushed me back until my rear met the door of the car, and then his other hand wrapped around my frame and he really let the kiss go.

I was so startled, so relieved, so surprised and yet so elated, that he was kissing me, I actually kissed him back. And just as I realised what I was doing and was about to push hard against his chest, he pulled away.

Then stole my anger by resting his forehead against mine and closing his eyes as if in agony. My hand came up and cupped his cheek without thought. I couldn't stand seeing Theo in pain.

"Are you all right?" he asked. I nodded against him and watched as he withdrew, gave me one last long look and then turned his attention to Aktor. "What happened? I tried the house, but when there was no answer came straight here."

I stared at him. How did he know we were here?

"Nico happened," Aktor said, voice dark, but pain lanced across his face. Part of that pain was for Theo.

I don't think I ever expected to see such a devastating look on Theo Peter's face. It was as though Aktor had punched him in the stomach. Blood left his cheeks and he even doubled over slightly; eyes wide, mouth open in shock.

"Why?" he whispered.

"For
Pyrkagia
," Aktor said softly. "He tried to reason with her." At least Aktor wasn't telling Theo about the fact Nico had aimed to kill. Theo had enough to digest for now.

Theo's eyes shifted to mine on Aktor's last words, I held his gaze, saw the question in them, but didn't offer an answer straight away. Instead, I said, "He really was sorry. He just wanted to stop his people from being killed."

"Where is he now?" Theo demanded, the hard look back on his face.

"Cassandra has buried him in the Earth," Aktor replied.

Theo suddenly smiled at me, it didn't quite reach his eyes, but it did banish the dark haunted look for now. "Well done, little
Gi
. Such talent." He reached out and stroked my cheek, his face softening further with every glide of his thumb across my skin.

"So, once she dealt with him we came here as planned," Aktor said, finishing his side of the story.

"You planned for us to come here?" I asked, looking between the two men.

"A back-up plan, in case things went south quickly and we lost contact with each other. We would rendezvous here, regroup and decide our next move," Theo explained.

Oh. I'd been expecting Aktor to hand me over to the
Gi
. I'd almost resigned myself to not seeing Theo again. I was suddenly very mad.

"And you didn't think to let me in on that plan?" My hands had made it to my hips as I glared at him. Receiving a small tilt of his lips at the edges in return.

"There's that Fire," Theo murmured. I made a growling sound and resisted the urge to stamp my foot. "But tell me,
Oraia
. Why are you so angry?" He stepped closer, fully intending to touch me or embrace me or make me melt, I was certain. But I sidestepped and kept space between us. Why? I'm really not sure. Considering this may have been the last few moments we'd have together I was being an absolute fool. But I was a disgruntled one.

"I thought..." I couldn't say it. I couldn't voice my fears. They'd been too real. They'd cut too deep already.

"Casey," Theo murmured, somehow reaching me before I could dodge, and cupping my cheeks in both hands. He bent down and looked me in the eye. "How could you doubt that I would come for you?" He seemed genuinely hurt that I had.

Damn the man, but he confounded me. I sighed and leaned my cheek against his chest, letting him pull me closer and kiss the top of my head. His hands ran over my body, seeking that touch the
Pyrkagia
crave. And I noticed that I wasn't above
Ekmetalleftis
quirks. I'd already inhaled deeply to capture his scent.

We stayed like that for several seconds, but it was obvious Aktor was desperate for any news.

"All right," Theo murmured, squeezing me comfortingly, but refusing to letting me go. "This is what I know. The Alchemists have called our bluff and contacted the
Gi
."

Aktor swore profusely, but Theo just waited for the older man to get it out of his system before he went on.

"It is purely out of spite. The negotiations broke down."

"Negotiations?" I asked, pulling my head up to look at his face.

"From time to time the Alchemists approach and try to convince us to share information again. We can usually handle these attempts to entrap us, but this time they had ammunition."

"Ammunition?" I asked, voice flat. I was guessing exactly what ammunition they had.

Theo shifted slightly, as though uncomfortable about what he was about to divulge.

"Yes," Theo acknowledged my unspoken statement. "They knew about you. I don't know how, but they threatened the elders. And the elders attempted to plead ignorance, but something pushed the Alchemists over the edge."

Aktor stopped pacing and lifted his head to look at him, eyebrow arched.

"I truly believe they are becoming more unstable," Theo said, directing his words to the older man. Aktor frowned. "With time and exposure to our elements anything is possible."

Aktor nodded. "It is a frightening thought," he agreed.

"In any case," Theo continued, never stopping his soft caress of my side as his arm wrapped around me. "They have alerted the
Gi
to our 'duplicitous involvement' in hiding Casey for over twenty years."

It wasn't true. It just wasn't true. It couldn't be true.

"Casey," Theo murmured, his head dipping down to look directly into my eyes. "
Oraia
." That one word held such a depth of agony in it. "They truly believe you are this princess." I shook my head back and forth, it was all I was capable of doing. "There is a chance that they are right."

"No!" I managed to gasp and pulled back, escaping his warmth and touch.

Theo looked distraught, but didn't make an attempt to follow me. I started pacing behind Aktor, placing the old man between me and Theo. Which was ridiculous, because one look at the butler and you knew he was in full agreement with his master. I chose to ignore that, just needing some space from Theo's heat, in order to think.

This couldn't be true.

Theo spoke in low words to Aktor, but I heard every thing he said.

"Now we face off against the Alchemists, who are appearing more and more deranged, as well as an enraged
Gi
regiment, who believe we stole their long lost princess."

"Bloody hell," Aktor muttered. "What now?"

The all important question. Did this news change things? How could it not?

I stopped pacing and raised my face to look at Theo. Who was looking at me with such longing, such desire, and yet such incomprehensible pain. I sucked in a breath at the emotions flowing across his face. There was no mask now. He was open, raw with intense feelings that were slowly crushing him in their weight.

Oh hell. This changed everything. Didn't it?

"Casey," he said softly. The space between us disappeared, even though he hadn't taken a step towards me. I was held captive by that look in his eyes, on his face. I was his in that moment, despite anything that had passed.

My hand came up to his now faded mark on my neck. I hadn’t meant to. It just did. Theo tracked my movement and I watched as his chest rose and fell with each evermore harsh breath of air.

"You are my
Thisavros
," he said quietly. "I will lay down my life to keep you at my side."

I closed my eyes feeling a type of pain I never knew could exist. Bitter-sweet, so very bitter-sweet. He hadn't marked me again, but he didn't need to. I was his in his heart and I'd wear his mark on mine; on the inside.

His hot breath washed over my face letting me know he was standing before me. I opened my eyes and stared up into the face of the man I loved, who seemed to love me. His hand wrapped around the back of my neck and he lay a sweet, chaste kiss across my lips.

"Nothing can change that," he whispered, eyes flashing gold like jewels in the night. "Not the rules. Not the fact that you are
Gi
and I am
Pyrkagia
." He paused for breath. "Not even distance."

My eyes closed again on those last words. He'd die to keep me, but if he failed and I was taken to
Gi
, I would still be his.

"Oh, Theo," I murmured.

"Never forget," he whispered into my ear. "You do not need to wear a mark of mine, just know it in here." His palm rested over my heart, the heat seeping right through my skin and wrapping around it. I lay my head on his chest and sucked in a breath. It was shaky.

"What do we do now?" I managed to ask.

Theo wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my head.

"If we run, we could draw them away from
Pyrkagia
."

"But they would never forget
Pyrkagia's
role in all of this," Aktor pointed out, being the unwanted voice of reason. I felt Theo nod above my head.

"If we run, we confirm
Pyrkagia's
involvement and set my people up for a very long battle ahead." He shifted and lay a kiss in amongst my hair.

"What’s our other option?" I asked, heart heavy.

"We go and talk to them," Theo said, voice low, but definitely not even. "We explain your side of the story, we seek their understanding and permission for you to stay."

Aktor made a sound and Theo stiffened. I guess his sound was the equivalent of a scoff. I had to agree with the butler. We were screwed.

I couldn't, in all good conscience, ask Theo to run with me. He and Aktor were right.
Pyrkagia
would suffer for our betrayal. I couldn't live with that. But the chances of talking the
Gi
out of reclaiming something precious they thought lost for twenty years, were slim. You didn't need to be a mathematician to work out those odds.

And we couldn't stay here, on the golf course, and plead ignorance. Fires burned. Trees were being crushed. The Alchemists would only entangle themselves further creating a war the
Pyrkagia
couldn't win.

The right thing to do was go to the
Gi
. But I felt like I was sticking a knife in my gut by doing it. I was just waiting for that blade to twist.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"You would know better than us," Theo murmured his reply into my hair.

I took a deep breath in at his words and then pulled gently from his arms. It took a little effort to look up at him, uncertain what visage of pain would greet me. But he was trying valiantly not to show any concern. Not his complete impassive mask, but a faux expression of calm that I knew underneath he didn't feel at all.

I crouched down and dug my fingers into the soil, letting the Earth wash over me, soothe me with its scent and touch.

They are here,
it said softly, sadly. Why it would be sad the
Gi,
its
Gi
, were here, I did not know.
They are angry
, the Earth advised.
They are reaching deep, searching for something. We cannot stop them. You
must
try.

"Do you need my blood?" I asked, more than a little alarmed at the Earth's request.

Yes
, it whispered,
but not yet. Save your essence until it is truly needed.
I breathed a sigh of relief, which was short lived.
They have found it.

"What?" I said, glancing around the course-way expecting to see
Gi
jump out from behind the shrubbery at any moment. Theo and Aktor sensed my distress and started looking for threats as well. Heat warmed the small space we were standing in, their
Stoicheio
ready for attack.

Be ready
, the Earth whispered.
Once it starts, we cannot stop it without you.

Oh hell no. That did not sound good.