Just Breathe (21 page)

He sucked until blood pooled just under her skin, then came up for air and made good on the smack to the breast. She gasped. Wetness surged between her legs against his throbbing cock.

Mouths crashed together—biting, licking. She stroked him with an impatient hand, spread her legs wide, and accepted his length in one quick thrust.

She whimpered as his shaft plunged in and out, roughly for a few beats, then gently. He smiled and dove tongue-first into the smeared remains of the ‘breathe’ he’d scrawled on her neck. Her chest caved with a quick exhale.

Flesh beaded with sweat. Arms twisted around his shoulders, hands tugged his hair. Her hips rocked in time with his.

Without a condom, he felt every twitch of her walls as she ground up and down. The freedom was more intense and addictive than he remembered from the car.

Fire bashed his ribs.
Slip your hand around her throat.

He did. Eyes flashing, Zoe was beautiful with his fingers encircling her neck.

She’ll be even more beautiful when you cut off the oxygen. Now, tighten your grip. Slowly, so she won’t fight.

Entranced by the sudden, mad burn searing his chest cavity, urging him toward darker pleasures, he did that too. Her flesh was so soft and tender beneath his rough hands.

Zoe’s face reddened. Her lips parted. She fucked him harder.

Good. Now crush her larynx.

He paused. What?

He came to his senses and yanked his hand away. Zoe gasped for breath, then lunged for his lips. Water flooded his mouth, washing over a wave of shame. Fuck, he’d almost choked her to death. God
damn
Scarlet.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, Zed. Are you all right?”

She laughed. “Way more than all right. That was kinda hot.” She bumped his lips and restarted the pelvic action.

No more letting Fire take control. Much as the passion attracted him, he couldn’t risk hurting Zoe. He shoved Scarlet inside a dark box, flipped the lid shut, and locked it with a Watery key.

I told you, you’re not welcome here.

Scarlet hissed and clawed frantically at her cage.

Gavin’s brain switched to a liquid channel and drowned out her fiery protestations with some of the Water Zoe loaned him. The Fire fizzled and sputtered, then went silent.

Take that, bitch.

“You’re gonna make me come again,” Zoe said.

“I’ll make you come a thousand times.” The rocking platform of his chest rubbed her nipples to hard attention. He lowered his mouth to savor the chocolate-flesh combo. Her deep, sultry groan shook him down to his throbbing balls.

She met him thrust for thrust, tilted her head back, and let go of her held breath. As she climaxed, he folded his fingers between hers. Her parted lips, soft grin, and heavy lids triggered another orgasm of his own. But this one surfed the waves of Water instead of the dancing on the flames of Fire.

“Fuck, Zed.” Lost in her eyes, he dipped his tongue into her mouth, savored the mixture of Zoe and chocolate as he came. The intimate exchange grounded him, bound him to her. Ribbons of bliss electrified his muscles like a shockwave as his release filled her, marked her as his.

With unconditional acceptance, she deepened the kiss and staked her claim on his physical and emotional real estate.

Sold
.

Body, mind, and soul. She
owned
him.

When exhaustion claimed him and the kiss broke, he curled his quivering biceps around her shoulders and squeezed. Her Water raced to welcome him. “God damn it, I love you, Zoe Morgan.”

Breaths slowing, she stroked the blue tattoos on his left forearm, met his eyes, and melted his heart with words he feared he’d never hear her say: “I love you, too, Gavin Cassidy.”

Chapter Twenty-two

As the news of Lana’s ascension ceremony in Hervey Bay filtered through the ocean, Elementals from around the country Waterwalked to the site. Surrounded by her followers—mostly animal Elementals—Lily hung back in the water column and observed the proceedings in silence.

Raindrops and waves distorted the normally calm surface of the sea, thanks to the huge contingent present. With so many Wæters in one place, Aqua’s presence grew stronger. This was good. The equinox was less than a week away, and Lana would need all the Water they could pull together. Even then, it might be too late to keep the Balance, considering the damage the Fyres had wrought in the absence of the Wæter Archelemental.

Without Zoe there to translate—Wyldlings weren’t allowed admission to these sacred rites—Lily didn’t understand what the humans said. But she had witnessed holy ceremonies such as this before. The last one mourned the death of the previous Archelemental. Araluen hadn’t been born yet, so Waterwalking to pay her respects had been easy.

As Lana spoke her vows, presumably swearing to uphold the responsibilities of her new station, Lily skimmed the emotional currents among the attendees. The smiling human supporters beamed with happiness, trust, and peace. Lily’s followers—including several notable human Elementals such as the Tongans—projected regret, worry, and sadness. They seemed careful to avoid Lily’s eyes.

She glanced at Araluen. How long would it be before her followers got riled up again? With the Wæters racing against the clock to secure their goddess’s position, the last thing anyone needed was more political intrigue. Or secret groups sneaking around, spreading dissension between the two factions. They’d never maintain Balance without a united front. Though she regretted disappointing her followers, what was done was done. She’d made the right decision by staying with her calf.

Mum, why do they gloat? The humans don’t like us, do they?
Despite the little one’s physical disabilities, Araluen was very perceptive. He used his inner eye to see what his blindness hid. Lily admired his capacity for empathy.

The humans like us fine. They just don’t understand us. We’re different. They resist change.

But they’re Wæters. Aren’t they supposed to welcome change?

She smiled inwardly.
Yes, Araluen. But when change comes from within, it’s much easier to accept than when it comes from without. None of it matters. The humans got their wish for Archelemental.

Araluen faced her.
But the whales are unhappy.

She stroked his barnacled chin with a flipper.
We will be fine, love. We always are.
She caught the gazes of a few of her followers surrounding them. She sensed through the darkness of their Water that they worried about the new leadership. Lily did, too, but this was the only option.

If I ever become an Elemental, I’ll work to make things better for
all
Wæters. Not just the whales.

Unless you learn to speak their language, you’ll need a translator to do that. They’re hard to find. But not impossible.

She reached through the ocean in search of Zoe’s song and caught hold of a string of notes. She followed the swirling tendrils of contented music back to the bed where Zoe and Gavin lay in each other’s arms. They seemed to be enjoying the rain as much as the Wæters frolicking here in the bay did. Warmth flooded her. Zoe and Gavin deserved the love they’d found.

Lily smiled. She’d see to it they got a few more days of rain to keep Zoe from having to work.

Lana spoke more words, and the humans shouted in unison. Lily took this as the whales’ cue to bow, a signal of their acceptance of the new Archelemental. A few whales and the Tongans held their heads steady. She couldn’t speak to the Tongans, but to the whales, she said,
Show respect to your new leader. You don’t have to like her, but you must serve her. As I will.

Grumbled protests shook the water, but they inclined their heads. With long, black hair fanning in the currents, the Tongans floated in the water column, arms crossed, wearing identical expressions of disgust.

Underwater cheers bubbled to the surface.

Let us begin submitting our tithes,
Lily said to the humpbacks.

She and Araluen approached Lana. Summoning every drop of Water she could part with, Lily pushed the Element to the tip of her flipper and offered it to the new Archelemental. Lana swam forward and touched her.

The transfer jolted the human into a mini-seizure that lasted about fifteen seconds. Judging by her wide-eyed expression, Lana hadn’t expected Lily’s Water to be so abundant and powerful. When contact broke, Lana’s hand clamped to her chest, eyes rolled back, and her mouth slackened. Her skin shot bright blue beams of light everywhere, blinding those around her. Both humans and whales dove away, eyes shut tight.

Now Lana knew how little power she’d actually had before. And how much stronger Lily was. Exhausted from the release of so much energy, Lily bowed her head. Lana returned the gesture, blue blazing out of her, lighting up half a kilometer of ocean.

The human had grown bigger, stronger. Aqua sparkles danced across her skin. After a long moment of recovery, Lana met Lily’s eye and nodded. The blue dimmed enough to allow others to return and present their tithes.

Worry weighing heavy on her heart, Lily swam away with Araluen close behind. She left her Water and all hope for the future of their race in the inexperienced hands of a woman who was ill-prepared to command either.

* * * *

Scarlet sat at Eidan’s precious Council chamber table, surrounded by his precious bishops, listening to their precious, high opinions of themselves and the fantastic job they’d been doing by terrorizing the Wyldlings.

Good on ya, mates! Great show! Group hug!

Idiots.

When she became Archelemental, there’d be none of this sitting around buggering each other with pats on the back and
plans
. She’d rule as a true Fyre should—by action, not bloody
talk
.

She glanced at Eidan and held back a sneer. He thought he was so powerful. Invincible. Staring down his nose, he nodded at one of the bishops wanking on and on about the Fyres’ Dreaming offensive, strategy this, Realis bullshit bombing that. What a fuck. She couldn’t wait to devour the condescending bastard.

Once Gavin’s Fire stoked the flames inside her, she might be able to take on a couple of other Fyre Archies across the globe after she finished this arsehole off. The bitch ruling Asia would make a great second target. Scarlet would be unstoppable against—

Her Fire’s screech minced her thoughts.

She barreled over in excruciating pain and clutched her middle, afraid she might lose the contents of her stomach.

What the hell?

Eidan raised a brow. A half-smile quirked his lips. “Something wrong, Scarlet?

Sitting at his right, Sinnder tossed his grin out beside Eidan’s. A pair of laughing, hungry hyenas eyeing their next meal.

Teeth clenched, she gasped for breath.

Something had cut her fiery connection to Gavin, and Scarlet had a pretty good idea what. Heat steamed off her head, out her ears, nose, and mouth. “I’m fine. Apologies, Archelemental.”

The smug bastard had the nerve to chuckle before redirecting his attention to the Council. Sinnder’s smile slid off. His eyes narrowed, dissecting her. An uncomfortable chill climbed the ladder of her hot spine.

Conversation among the bishops resumed. She closed her eyes, reached deep inside herself, grabbed Gavin’s Fire by the tail, and whip-cracked it as hard as she could. It lay there, soggy, like a wet opossum playing dead.

Their link had been doused by Water.

That little cunt.

No. Zoe couldn’t have him. Gavin was
hers
.

God damn it.

She scanned her peers’ faces as they snuck glances at her. Someone had to get rid of Zoe. She couldn’t do it herself, but if she spun her justification the right way to Eidan, he’d see to it Morgan got cremated permanently.

At a lull in the discussion, she faced him, ready to toss out a lie that might persuade him to her cause.

Eidan’s fists balled on top of the table, and he turned six shades of white. His lip twitched. What was wrong with him?

Like an automaton controlled by an invisible master, he rose from his chair, smoothed his expensive, pinstriped suit, and patted the lapel over his heart. He bowed his head. “The Wæter Archelemental has risen. She’s already accepting tithes.”

The bishops exchanged outraged protests.

“Who is it?” one of them asked.

Eidan tilted his head as if listening to some low frequency chatter the rest of them couldn’t hear. Incendius must have been speaking to him, communing through Eidan’s Fire. Fascinated, Scarlet leaned closer.

Translucent, red-tinted flames darted outward from Eidan’s skin, hair, and clothes, electrifying the room with fans of Elemental Fire. Scarlet’s body thrummed with the energy. Judging by the in-seat wiggling and surprised expressions, everyone felt it. Yet, Sinnder remained curiously still.

Something was up with him. She didn’t like it.

A moment later, a slow smile burned across Eidan’s lips. His irises warmed to the color of blood. The heat from the god’s presence dissipated in a column of crimson to the high, domed ceiling, leaving the room ice cold. “Lana.”

Murmurs rose, hands rubbed arms, and feet stomped under the table. Scarlet met Sinnder’s stern, unreadable gaze.

Eidan laughed, the rough sound so unfamiliar, Scarlet did a double take to be sure it was he who’d made it. “So, the Wæters finally have their Archelemental, but it won’t do them any good.” Apparently unaffected by the sudden chill, Eidan dropped into his chair, crossed his legs, and cupped his hands together like a girl at a tea party. “The stupid fools waited too long to make the wrong decision. They don’t have a chance of gathering enough Water to maintain the Balance before the equinox. The Dreaming will fall in no time. Incendius is pleased.”

Sinnder slowly shifted his focus from Scarlet to Eidan. “Then, it should also please the god that plans for the Realis terrorist attacks are laid.”

“Oh? Elaborate, Sinnder.” Eidan’s Energizer Bunny smile marched onward.