Genesis (43 page)

I touched his bare chest and gave a
slight push. His eyes fell to my fingers. Warm skin covered mine
after his other hand moved to support him. No other part of him
touched me, but he might as well have been pressed to every inch of
me with how my body waited for him.

Without much effort I removed my hand
from his. I was trying to understand, but how could I? I didn’t
know what it was like to be in his position. All I knew was how
unfair his actions had been to Faine and Luke.

“
Unfair?” he said. “What is
unfair, love, is having to live the same life twice.” He shook his
head and backed away from me. “I should have never returned to the
courts.”

I inched closer to him and took his
hand again. “I’m sorry. I’m being unfair. I know you’ve been
through a lot, and I appreciate your kindness. I do know this is
hard for you, and I have no desire to make it more
difficult.”

He gave me a half smile and ran his
hand through his thick waves of dark hair. “I know, love. Why don’t
you go back to sleep?”

Sleep? Not after what I’d just gone
through. I didn’t honestly know if I ever wanted to sleep
again.

He sat up and the covers slipped to his
waist. My eyes traveled along his sculpted torso. I shouldn’t be
attracted to him. I shouldn’t feel anything for him at all, yet
here I was dishonoring the commitment I had made to
Heath.

Zach cleared his throat. “I have an
idea. Get up and get dressed.”

I was loathe to remove my covers. He
laughed at me. “I promise not to look…if you hurry.”

“
Why does it matter how long
I take?”

His grin made my heart flip. “We don’t
have much time.”

I smiled at him, and the thing that
surprised me was I meant it. “Turn around then.”

He did. I ran into the closet and the
lights flashed on. My eyes rebelled, but I didn’t give them long to
recover. Within minutes, I was dressed and standing in front of a
smiling Zach. He looked at my sneakers and gave an approving
nod.

We tiptoed through the corridors and
out into the predawn morning. The trees and plants were still lit
with the phosphorescent veins that made the land feel fantastical.
Zach reached for my hand and when our fingers brushed my pulse
exploded. I should have been used to the feeling, yet it got me
every time.

Zach leaned into me. “I know your
secret.”

Secret? My mind raced. I didn’t have a
clue what he was talking about.

He laughed. “Through that trail lies a
sight so inspiring it will make your heart fly.” He had my
undivided attention. “To get there, you will have to traverse the
dark forest of Flannery. You may encounter creatures of
questionable origin, specters too gruesome to name, and a lord who
wants to steal your pounding heart.” He straightened, looking down
his nose at me. “Are you up for such a challenge?”

I laughed and to my surprise, it filled
my soul with tremulous joy. “Try to keep up.”

I lit into the forest, fast as I could
go. He was right behind me, nipping at my heels. His breath tickled
my bare neck. I wasn’t about to let him take the lead, so I put
everything I had into my stride, stilling my breath into tight
controlled bursts.

We ate up the trail like starving
wolves. I reveled in the rush of our run. I reveled in the rate of
my pulse and the hum of my heart. When the strange wisps of love
coursed through me, I let them flow. I did love Zach. He had been
everything to me once, and he could be that way again if I let
him.

The soft glow of morning shone in the
distance. Now I knew his game, and I was all for it.

“
Hurry!” he
prodded.

I laughed, kicking into a faster pace.
I had not raced this fast since Heath…

Oh. Heath. A flush shot through me. I
swallowed.

I was at a crossroads. If I let my
thoughts linger, I knew my road would be rough. If I stopped myself
from thinking about him, would it take the pain away? Would I be
free to love the man behind me?

I had to try. I buried Heath into a
compartment so deep it would take a lifetime to uncover him. At
least I hoped it would. Letting my mind linger one last time on his
angular face, I said a silent goodbye, then I closed the
casket.

Zach caught me around the middle. I
squealed into the awakening dawn as he spun me around and around.
He pulled me up against him, and I let him cocoon me in his arms.
Warm fingers brushed the tendrils of escaped hair from my nape and
cheek. His lips found the hollow of my neck and I sighed, leaning
back against him.

Without warning he bent down and
scooped me into his arms. I laughed at his antics. He carried me
through the arch of the trees and into a magical realm.

The sun was moments from cresting the
rugged mountains in the distance. The blush of morning rising in
the sky that increased its glow with salmon, orange, yellow and all
sorts of colors I couldn’t name. Well, maybe we’d have to fix that.
The lake reflected everything, making the experience almost three
dimensional.

Zach led me to a grassy hill that
overlooked everything. Anticipation ratcheted my already giddy
heart that hadn’t slowed even though it should have by now. It was
because of him.

Even the air was suffused with the
essence of him. He was everywhere all at once, lifting me to a
height I had never known.

Was this how bonding was supposed to
feel?

He guided me down to the grass and sat
me in front of him. I watched his legs stretch along mine,
marveling in the feel of his body as it molded against mine. Or was
that me molding to him?

“
There, now,” he said, his
rich voice startling me in this quiet moment. “Lay back, love. I
won’t bite…this time.”

A tremulous laugh escaped me. I did as
I was commanded, all the while aware of every inch of him. Warm
arms encircled me. I pressed my hand against his, interlocking our
fingers.

This was so new, so real. I’d never
felt so alive in my life, as if my heart beat to the drum of mother
earth. It was if I had been enchanted right along with the
morning.

Zach leaned into me. “What do you
think?”

Think? Was that even possible right
now? “It’s beautiful.”

He caught my chin and turned my face
toward his. “It doesn’t compare to you. Nothing can.”

I tried to look away from his intense
stare, but he wouldn’t let me. I settled for looking at his lips
because I couldn’t bring myself to meet his eyes.

“
In all my days on Earth, I
have only loved once…until you came along. You shattered every
barrier I had created. No other Elemental had lived up to the
spirit of my first love, but you have changed all that. You have
reinvented me, shaped me into a man that can only love
you.”

I twisted and cupped his flushed cheek.
Sweat dripped from his hairline in tiny rivulets down his face and
along my fingers. I moved my fingers over his forehead toward his
chin. He caught my hand and touched his lips to my palm.

I closed my eyes, letting my body
anticipate every zing of electricity his movements created. Taking
in a breath, I shivered. His lips found mine, and I melted into
him, becoming a part of him, letting him take me to an
indescribable height. He groaned, pulling me closer. My skin
exploded in tingles as he traced my neck with his tongue. His
breath came in my ear, catching then releasing. He tugged the edge
of my shirt and slid the rough edge of his fingers along my
abdomen.

I stilled.

He pulled back. “Is this
okay?”

My heart fluttered and my breath
stopped. I dipped my chin in a slow nod.

He smiled, his blue eyes flaring with
desire. I found myself on my back. He lifted his shirt over his
head and placed it under mine. Then he lay beside me.

Every inch of me burst into lightning.
I inched closer, running my palm down his chest. The slight dusting
of hair tickled my fingers. I got caught up in the beauty of him,
exploring the hills and vales of his body. I stopped at his belly
button and looked at him.

His breath was so shallow, I could
barely hear him breathing, but I could see the effect I had on him.
This was a power I had never known. Well, not never, but I wanted
the power this time. I wanted to make love to him. He was my
future. I couldn’t allow myself to focus on things that would make
us both miserable.

I gave him a shy glance, not really
knowing how to start this. All I’d ever focused on was stopping
myself from making a mistake.

His gaze met mine. The intensity sent a
shockwave to my bones.

That’s when I noticed the tiny green
line circling his blazing irises. I took a second glance just to
make sure. It was still there. My stomach turned to
acid.

Muscles hardening, I scrambled away
from him and leapt to my feet. My body surged with the power inside
me. Never had I connected so strongly with the elements. Both my
hands lit up in blinding white light. My breath still hitched in my
throat. I could hardly believe what was happening.

She got him too. Ainessa had
Luke
and
Zach under
her spell.

His eyes flew wide. “It’s not what
you’re thinking, love. I know how it looks, but she doesn’t have
control of me.”

I shook my head at him. “I can’t trust
you.”

He stretched his hand out toward me.
“Rayla, please. Come back to me.”

I took a step away from him. “I can’t
risk it.”

His muscles tightened and he stiffened
straight as a stick before his body convulsed. I knew what was
happening, but I still didn’t want to believe it.

A wicked smile stretched across his
handsome face. Zach no longer gazed back at me. His voice came
different, no longer holding the light lilt I was used to. “So
surprised?” He stood, taking his time as if we had all
day.

My fear for him tore from my throat.
“You have to fight her, Zach!”

His body stepped closer. “I’m afraid
Ammon’s not here right now. If you’d like to leave a message please
hang up and try your call again.”

My brows rose; she was trying to be
funny. Well I sure as heck wasn’t laughing. “Why are you doing this
to your own brother?”

“
Ha! I’ve already told you
he doesn’t deserve to be called that.”

Still, she had never said why. “I don’t
know what happened between you two, but you can’t be that cold.”
Something strange crossed Zach’s eyes. He was fighting her—I could
see it. Maybe if I gave him some time. “I don’t see why you think
you need my power. You seem to have plenty on your own.”

“
I know what you’re doing,
Rayla, and it’s not going to work. Ammon cannot break my connection
at the moment. I’m sorry to interrupt your little tryst, but I
needed to speak with you. I tried earlier yet was sent away for my
efforts. When you did not accept my gift, I had no other
choice.”

Full of disbelief, my eyes narrowed.
“You’re gift?” I shook my head. “I should have known.” I’d
considered it, but the note had thrown me off. I’d been slipping up
a little too much lately. I should have never come here. I should
have fled with Heath. As if a rushing tide, my feelings for him
flowed through me, lighting my body with his fire. “I really have
nothing to say to you, Ainessa. You may have gained acceptance
within the fae courts, but you will never have it from
me.”

Zach’s face twisted in anger. “You
self-righteous little twit. I don’t care what you think or what you
want. You are nothing more than a means to bring fae into true
power. I know your secret.” I seemed to have many secrets I wasn’t
aware of lately. “Human blood does not flow in your veins. It is
only a matter of time before I will know who your sire
is.”

A shiver hissed over me. “Why should I
care about that?”

She scoffed. “No point in playing the
fool with me. When I have him, I’ll no longer need you. I will
create my own race to rule.” Her ring flared to life, rivaling the
blue sky above. “Few things remain between me and my new world. You
think you are powerful, yet you know nothing of power. You’re
precious humans will succumb to me, just like you will.”

She reached for me, but I skidded away.
“You’re insane.”

“
Most genius is labeled as
insanity, Rayla.” Her compulsion slid up against my mind, seeking a
crack in my armor. “Think of it: a world we could control together
without the restraints of a creator who does not care.”

Yeah, ‘cause she’d make such a great
god. Um, no thanks. “I don’t want to be a god, Ainessa. I just want
to live my life, free.”

She threw up a hand. “Freedom! So many
claim to want freedom, yet those same people will stand in line to
have those freedoms stripped one by one merely for money or false
power or fame. I used to have hope for the human race, but it has
withered away in recent times.”

Anger flared inside me, charring my
veins with acidic fire. “You don’t get to decide what happens to
humans or anyone. I will slit my own throat before I will let you
have my power.”