Five (Elemental Enmity Series Book I) (11 page)

She sounded absolutely flabbergasted. “Why haven’t they taken you?”

A snort escaped my nose. “The moment they laid eyes on me, they decided they could do better.” I was resorting to humor because I had no idea how to answer such a question.

She cleared her throat. “When did you see them?”

“Just now.” I wasn’t about to tell her I had gone to Notre Dame.

“I wish I could come get you. I wish I could do more for you.”

“So you’re just going to let them have me?”

“Once you crossed the sanctuary boundaries, I had no other option. I’m sorry. I know I must sound heartless, but you have to know I would have already been there if I could.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about them when I was home?”

“For one thing, you wouldn’t have believed me. I also promised your mother I wouldn’t let you leave the sanctuary. I’ve contacted an old friend. She will help you as much as possible. The only thing I can say now is stay around large groups of people.”

“This whole thing is absurd, you know.”

“I understand, honey. You don’t want to believe this is real. I wish it wasn’t. I wish I could tell you what you want to hear. Look to your feelings. Logic is no longer part of your world. If you can avoid being alone with them, you may have a chance of escaping to the underground. Look for my friend to contact you. She will know more about what your options really are.”

“I still don’t understand why they would take me, Aunt Grace. I have nothing to offer them. I’m just an ordinary girl.” My anxiety level skyrocketed at the thought of how close they had come to convincing me to go with them. Luke had certainly been persuasive, but what could someone like him really want with me? “If they did manage to get me, where would they take me?”

“I’ve already explained this to you. Your power is dormant. It will awaken during the bonding ritual. The only thing you have going for you right now is that they are forbidden to perform the bonding with you until you are in Lomb—”

Her words were a jumbled mess after that. I caught ‘research’ and ‘mom’ before the call dropped this time. I pulled out a notebook and wrote the words down with what I remembered from our last conversation. Someone was messing with my calls to Aunt Grace. Why? How could they even do that? Was a jamming signal being used to disrupt my reception? I had four bars when I looked.

What did my mom have to do with this mess? Aunt Grace had mentioned her twice. At least I knew why she didn’t want me to come home. It was a sanctuary of some kind. Did that mean the fae couldn’t go there, or just that they didn’t know it existed?

Also, Aunt Grace said that the fae couldn’t perform the bonding with me until I was somewhere specific. Finn mentioned being bound to Cassie. They had to be the same thing, but what was it exactly? What power could I possess that would make fae lords hunt me down? More importantly, if I had one, why couldn’t I feel it? Even if it was dormant, shouldn’t I feel something?

I put my notebook away when Cassie came out of the bathroom. She had already showered.

I had to get ready for the game, but what I really wanted to do was sit down at the computer to see what else I could find out about the fae, especially how I could fight them. Unfortunately, my search would have to wait until later.

“Do you like football?” Zach yelled over the din of the crowd.

He had arrived on time with a single red rose and a winning smile. Cassie had been enamored the moment she laid eyes on all six-foot-five, two-hundred-thirty-pounds of pure muscle of him. In all fairness, I couldn’t hold her ogling against her.

“Cassie is the real fan,” I shouted back.

When he looked over at her, his lips twitched into an amused smile. “I can see that.”

Not to be outdone by anyone around us, she stood on the bench whooping and hollering so loudly I was sure my eardrums were splitting. There was no point in trying to sit down. Every person in the stadium was standing. Some of them did the wave. Others shouted ribald comments at the opposing team. Half of the group around us were drunk or well on their way.

Turned out, the weather was fine, in fact, it was almost balmy now. Standing next to Zach, I was happy about that.

The size of the stadium still had me gaping. I had no idea they could be this big. It housed more people than I had ever seen in my life. Last fall, I watched a few of the games with Cassie, trying to decide if I really wanted to come here. TV didn’t do the games justice. They really were fun in person. I laughed up at Zach and shrugged.

An icy trickle hit my scalp, running down my hairline. I wiped it away. The sickening sweet smell of alcohol jolted my senses.

Zach’s humorous expression morphed instantly into a scowl. He turned around and glared at the guy standing directly behind me, who was the most likely candidate as he was the only one waving his beer around while he laughed and shouted obscenities.

Zach leaned toward the man. “Tone it down, you blooming sot.”

The shirtless zealot banged his cup against his gold chest. “Who you calling a sot, douche-bag?” His expression turned from anger to confused concentration when he looked down at me. He might have been working on solving the mysteries of the universe for all I knew, but somehow I doubted him capable. After a moment of staring, he clutched a fistful of my hair hanging over my shoulder and pulled it, along with my head, toward the dark amber liquid in his other hand. “Whoa, your hair is the exact color of my brew.”

Zach raised himself to his full height, grabbed the guy by his goatee and yanked hard. “You will apologize to the lady. Then you will find a different place to be.”

The fight drained from the man’s features having been replaced by a bewildered look. “Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I just haven’t seen hair that color before.”

He must not have gotten out much. Cassie had always told me my hair had amazing honey highlights, but it didn’t look any different to me than anyone else with light brown hair. “It’s okay,” I said. “Beer’s good for the scalp, right?” I laughed nervously, wanting the intensity sizzling between the two men gone.

Zach glanced at me then to the guy. “You’re a lucky suck,” he said, shoving him backward. “Get out of here.”

The man stumbled away through the crowd, dazed. Zach turned back to me, his face as serene as a monk.

“I wish you wouldn’t have done that,” I said near his ear. “He didn’t hurt me.” I balanced on my tiptoes to get closer. He needed to understand that I didn’t like him fighting over me.

He frowned, running his fingers through his hair. “That idiot would have ruined our date, love.” Shaking his head, he reached out, tilting my chin toward him and up a little more. “I’m not willing to let someone like that keep us from having fun together.” He caressed my cheek gently, sending shivers through me. “He’s probably off clinging to a tree losing his lunch. I did him and the rest of us a favor.”

I squinted at him, not sure what to think. Embarrassed, I glanced around. A few people were looking. “Well, I don’t like fighting.”

He shrugged innocently. “Who does? I merely pointed out that he should be somewhere else.”

I scanned the crowd for the man feeling absurdly guilty. He was already gone.

Their call hit me before I saw them. My pulse raced. My gut clenched. My scar itched. My breath stuck in my throat. I stared, turned away, stared again.

Didn’t change anything
. The fab-four were still in the isle a few rows below us. Women all around me craned their necks, gawking in utter disbelief.

A pretty girl who had been laughing and goofing around with her friends turned to watch Luke and ran right into Taylor. He looked down at her. Irritation radiating from him, he brushed her aside. From the look on her face, she would have gladly traded places with me. Oh, how I wished she would.

They scanned the crowd again as though they were searching for someone specific. Uh, maybe me? I slumped lower, trying to disappear behind the guy in front of me.

“What’s wrong?” Zach asked, bending toward me.

I ducked even further, whispering, “See those four men?”

He indicated some guys three rows down. I shook my head.

“There.” I pointed at them, immediately regretting the gesture. I didn’t want to bring any attention to myself.

“You mean the wannabes looking like they are the shi—”

I reached up, swiftly covering his loud curse with my palm. “That is exactly who I meant.”

His stubble tickled my skin as he smiled. Taking my hand gently into his, he exposed my wrist before he placed a lingering kiss where my pulse thumped wildly. Was my reaction to his touch or because those men were so close? His words were strong and sure. “They cannot harm you, lass. Not so long as I am near you.”

I searched his unusual, mesmerizing eyes. “Why not?” There was no doubt hidden in shadow. A soothing sensation pulsated through me, wiping away my fear as if it had never existed.

He grinned, and then his expression heated. He pulled me nearer.

My heart beat violently. My breath came in shallow bursts. Blood rushed through my veins like the Colorado River in spring. All thought of danger fled my mind as he leaned in closer, his breath warm upon my skin.

What was I doing? I didn’t even know this man, and I was going to let him kiss me?

I wasn’t stupid. My eyelids fluttered down moments before his lips collided with mine, warm and soft. The scent of him sent my equilibrium on vacation as dizziness overwhelmed me. Well, maybe it was from lack of oxygen. I didn’t care. My body floated almost weightlessly as if the lightest breeze could have carried me away to heaven.

A group of students erupted in cheers behind us. When he finally released me, I felt as if I was staring at him from opposing rims of the Grand Canyon instead of mere inches away. Giving me a roguish grin, he placed a steadying hand at the small of my back.

Good thing, too. I could have easily fallen over.

When I finally recovered, I blanched. The four lords stared straight at me, yet it was as if they couldn’t see me. I waved at Luke. He turned away. Either he was upset by the scene he just witnessed, or he hadn’t spotted me at all. Jett glanced back a couple times before he disappeared into the crowd. Man, that was close. I drew in a long breath.

Maybe I had been wrong. Maybe they were after someone else. Heavens, I hoped so.

Cassie gave me an odd look. I didn’t think she was jealous, but I couldn’t decide what she was trying to convey with her expression.

Worried the lords would return, I was distracted through most of the game. Thankfully, I didn’t see them again.

Zach kept me tucked securely by his side, whispering jokes in my ear. He even sang a few songs. It helped a little. He had a beautiful voice.

Excitement erupted in the stadium near the end of the game when the opposing team intercepted the ball and made a touch-down. Even with that paltry attempt at a come-back, we won by twenty-four points. Cassie could hardly contain herself by the time we left.

We met up with Natalie and Sam near the library. They were all smiles. From the secret glances they shared, I had a feeling they hadn’t actually caught much of the game.

“Natalie, this is Cassie,” I said when I thought she finally was ready to listen.

Natalie’s gaze slid over my best friend briefly. “Hey, good to meet you.” With that out of the way, she turned her attention to me. “A bunch of us are getting together at Roger’s place. You guys want to come?”

“Sounds good,” said Zach immediately. His eyes darted to mine as though it just hit him that he had spoken for me. He gave me a charming smile. “That is, if Rayla wants to go.”

I had no idea if I had met Roger the other day or not. I shrugged. “How about it, Cass?” She was the one without a date.

She gave me a peevish look that told me it was about time I thought about her predicament, and then turned toward Natalie. “Will there be any single men there?”

I didn’t know why she was so mad at me. I couldn’t help it Zach hadn’t brought a date for her. I didn’t run the universe, and I didn’t know anyone to set her up with, either.

“Sure, lots,” Natalie said. “In fact, you might like Roger. He’s a bit strange, but absolutely a hottie.”

“Hey,” Sam complained.

Natalie ran a seductive hand up Sam’s chest. “He doesn’t come close to comparing to you, babe.”

His shoulders relaxed, but he didn’t lose the hurt in his eyes. “Well, as long as we’re clear?”

She smiled sweetly for him. “As glacial water.”

Zach was searching my face when I looked up. Was he worried I would think Roger was cuter than him? Like that could ever happen.

“You mind if we ride with you, Sam?” Zach asked. “I don’t have enough room for both Rayla and Cassie on my bike.”

Sam smiled. “No problem. Meet us in fifteen in the lot. I have to get a couple of things for Roger.”

Natalie went with Sam. We started for the car.

“I didn’t know you owned a bike,” I said to Zach, swallowing the lump of anxiety in my throat. I was not going to freak out…yet. “You wouldn’t be talking about a Schwinn, would you?” Motorcycles terrified me now, and it didn’t slip my notice that Zach easily fit the description of that mysterious rider or the man in the woods. The only thing that made me discount the notion was that as attractive as he was, which was more than yummy, he didn’t pull me toward him like a swirling black hole. I didn’t have to fight to be me.