elemental 03 - whitecap (10 page)
Read elemental 03 - whitecap Online
Authors: larissa ladd
While a few elementals had tried to force her to marry them, to ally with their families in order to get the clout of her potential position with the elders, Aira considered that she was more likely to face not just people who wanted her power on their side, but people who wanted her out of the running altogether. Now that her grandmother had died, the issue of finding a ruler for the element of air was more important than it had been for the entirety of Aira’s life—that much she understood. There needed to be balance, and with Earth and Fire the only elements with rulers now, the elders would be motivated to fill the vacancy. Aira hadn’t heard whether there was any evidence of an elemental strong enough to take her grandmother’s place as ruler of the water aligned elementals; that suggested to her there was no such person.
Aira stepped out of her bedroom to the smell of smoke. Alarmed, she rushed through the hall, bursting into the kitchen and dining area to see Dylan laughing. Confused, Aira looked around the corner just as she heard the sound of Aiden cussing. The smoke was from whatever he was cooking—the smell of singed pancakes was strong, and Aira coughed slightly before beginning to laugh in spite of herself.
“Well, you woke Aira up!” Dylan said, continuing to chuckle at his brother’s expense.
“I was already awake, but the smell of smoke brought me out here,” Aira said, sitting down at the table and shaking her head. Aiden threw the burned pancake away, still cussing.
“Let the pan cool first!” Dylan told his older brother sharply. “You’re just going to burn the next one if you don’t.”
“Shut up, Dylan, the pan is fine,” Aiden said, pouring more batter into it. Aira watched with amusement as the older elemental tried to flip the pancake too soon, attempting to avoid burning it, and instead making a mess in the skillet. She shook her head and stood, walking over to pour herself a cup of coffee. In spite of knowing that eventually things would have to be discussed between her and Aiden—uncomfortable things—she was grateful for the moment at least, things were as normal as possible. She felt her desire welling up as she moved closer to Aiden and took a deep breath as covertly as possible, forcing herself to focus on the task of pouring coffee, adding sugar and milk, and stirring.
Eventually, Aiden gave in to Dylan’s suggestions and managed to make pancakes that were edible; Aira kept her gaze on her plate as she ate, trying to ignore the lust that simmered deep inside. It was too easy to remember just how it had felt to be in Aiden’s arms, to have his hands wandering over her body. She remembered the smell of smoke, the echoing of her pleasure, the feedback loop that had seemed utterly ceaseless—pulling her back in over and over again. It was too much, she told herself firmly. It would be too easy to give into her desire for him. She needed some space from both brothers; in spite of her restless lust, she had been aware of Dylan’s attention to her—the way he was watching her.
Aira announced that she was going to go outside for a bit, that she needed to get some exercise and air. Aiden commented with concern about the state of her back injury, but Dylan admitted he had administered a little bit of healing the afternoon before, and that it would be good for Aira’s recovery to walk around a little bit. Instead of walking, she found her favorite tree and looked up at her preferred perch, smiling to herself ruefully. Even it wasn’t untainted by thoughts of Aiden anymore; she could remember him climbing up to her, his awkward attempts to diffuse her temper. She shook off the consideration, closing her eyes and calling upon the wind. She began to rise, slipping between branches and finding the part of the tree she had loved since she had first learned how to fly.
Aira settled on her branch and summoned some of the local birds, soothing herself with their peaceful and contented chatter. Things were changing too fast—there was too much to deal with. Aira felt as if she were coming apart at the seams, barely holding herself together. It had seemed easy enough at the funeral to do what was expected of her; she had been strong, barely crying, holding herself together in spite of the lingering pain in her back.
She had only begun to explore what her grandmother had done to her with her last act as an elemental. The flood of energy, of thoughts and feelings transmitted to her, was working its way through Aira still, doing something to the air energy that formed Aira’s core. She understood, dimly, that it had been her grandmother’s dying attempt to help her in finding balance, in finding the stability she would desperately need in the coming months.
But it didn’t seem to be working; Aira felt more unstable than ever. She had only felt close to having a center, to holding everything together, when she had been in Aiden’s arms—and she knew, without a doubt, it would be a mistake to indulge the urge she felt to take him to bed again, to feel that closeness, that connection. They were both unsteady—they fought constantly, over the tiniest things. Any relationship between them would be disastrous. Aira knew she had to find a way to deal with the upcoming struggles, but she decided, firmly, that she would not even give Aiden the opportunity to talk to her about what had passed between them. It would result in nothing but heartache for them both. She couldn’t afford to risk being alone with him; she could feel the steady, constant pulse of lust that their encounters together had started. If she let herself be alone with Aiden, she would end up stalling any conversation out not by telling him she didn’t want to talk about it, but by throwing herself at him—which would only complicate matters further.
Aira shivered, biting her bottom lip and trying to think of how she could possibly prepare for what would come next; the legalities surrounding her grandmother’s estate didn’t bother her. The much larger, more looming problem was dealing with the elders. She had met a few of the elemental elders when she was younger. She knew, from the information her grandmother had transferred to her, that she was viewed with some suspicion by those respected judges of the elemental community. Her essential instability, the strength of her abilities, were the source of concern. Aira didn’t know if she even wanted the position of Regina Sylphaea, but she knew her safest option was to try and assume the role. If she didn’t, there would instantly be a power imbalance. Aira wondered if her grandmother had felt nearly as disturbed by the need to take over her position as the ruler of water elementals as she was at the prospect of what the position might demand of her.
When she began to feel the pain in her back again, Aira reluctantly conceded to return to the house. As she floated to the ground from her lofty perch, she wished—as hopeless as such a wish might be—that she could just go home, without the threat of dangerous politics, or the power vacuum her grandmother’s death had created, weighing on her. She smiled at the thought that she still had Dylan and Aiden to help her protect her. She would have to find a way to deal with the rest. She knew that between the two of them, the brothers would make sure she was safe. She could only hope she didn’t compromise their safety.
* * *
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Aria’s story continues in CYCLONE: Book 4
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Aira is an accident waiting to happen. After her grandmother’s death, she’s more unstable than ever. She can’t forget the pleasure she found in Aiden’s arms or the longing she has for him each day. Thinking she might not be able to pull out of her downward spiral scares her. She’s the most powerful Air Elemental but, to the elders, her instability is a danger to everyone, including herself. Her testing begins and she’s unbeatable until the Elders throw her a curve ball—she’s to decide if her former lover, Alex, lives or dies. Whether or not Alex is executed she realizes she’s sealed her own fate and…this time Dylan and Aiden may not be able to save her.
O
THER
B
OOKS
BY
L
ARISSA
ALPHA HYBRID – CAVERN OF LIGHT SERIES
THE WITCH’S LOVE SPELL SERIES
The Witch’s Love Spell: Novella 1
The Witch’s Love Spell: Novella 2
The Witch’s Love Spell: Novella 3
ABDUCTION – A PSYCHIC ROMANCE SERIES
EYE OF THE COVEN SERIES
STAND ALONE NOVELLAS
A
BOUT
THE
A
UTHOR
LARISSA LADD IS A DREAMER with insights fresh as the frost newly formed on the twig whose snap echoes through the moonlit forest. Since as a child she discovered the storybook world of ghouls and goblins, she's been a devotee of the eerie, the supernatural, and all that raises the hairs on the back of the neck. Her spine still shivers with delight when she huddles fearfully in a darkling corner, enthralled in suspenseful tales from her favorite authors Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and John Saul. Feast your eyes on the scintillating flashes of garish color dabbed forth from her pen.
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