The Elementalist (4 page)

10

~Girl Interrupted~

Alisa

At first, the unfamiliar ringing of Claire’s cell phone was just an annoyance, but when the ringing didn’t stop, I did what any normal teenager would do. I muted it. Later, I noticed I had missed numerous calls. Brecken and I sat on the couch, fiddling with the phone, plugging in his number, when another call came through. I answered it automatically.
Stupid
.

Brecken sat close, watching with an amused smile. He knew it wasn’t my phone or anyone actually calling for
me
.

“Where
are
you?” a strangely familiar voice demanded. I couldn’t place it at first, and then I could.

“Oh. I… um… I’m at a friend’s.”

“Claire, I swear, if you don’t get your butt home right now, you are grounded ‘til Christmas! Do you hear me? You don’t stay out past midnight on school nights!”

School nights? “It’s a school night?”

“Claire,” her mother growled in warning.

Right
. She sounded totally pissed. “Okay. I’ll be home in ten minutes.”

“You’d better be.”

I hung up the phone and slowly lowered it to my lap, glancing at Brecken.

“Is your mommy mad at you?”

His teasing made me smile, and I tossed one of the throw pillows at him. “Yeah. I’d better go. I don’t want Claire to get in trouble… I guess.”

He sat up, his face golden in the dim lights of the living room. “So your name is Claire now, huh? Claire who?”

I frowned, thinking. I hadn’t paid attention to her last name when I looked at her driver’s license. “I’m not sure. Let’s see.” I pulled her wallet from her purse and read, “Balister. Hmm.”

“Claire Balister,” he repeated. “I could get used to that.”

I leaned in close and inhaled his scent one last time before I had to leave, placing a soft kiss on his lips. “I’ll never get tired of this,” I whispered, letting my mouth graze his cheek before reluctantly pulling away.

“Me neither.” He tugged me back down, and I snuggled into the warmth of his arms, wondering if I should brave the wrath of Claire’s mom and stay here.
Better not
. I didn’t know what kind of punishments she would enact, and I didn’t want to ruin my chances of spending all my time with Brecken. If worse came to worse, I wasn’t sure what I’d do. As a guardian, it wasn’t my place to be rebellious and cause trouble, but in a human body, I was realizing that the urge came naturally.

Finally, I got up, but I never took my eyes from him. I soaked him in as he reclined on the couch, his feet bare and his jeans hugging his body in all the right ways. “We’ll have plenty of days like this. I promise. See you later?”

“I hope so,” he said, getting up to walk me to the door.

We indulged in one last, long kiss in the moonlight. I couldn’t believe I was really here, in a real body. I couldn’t wait for tomorrow. I was transferring schools for sure. Brecken lived just over the boundary and went to Ocean Side High School, so no way was I going to finish my senior year at Hill Valley High.

He watched me kill Claire’s car a couple of times, and then he waved goodbye.

My life couldn’t be better.

***

The alarm clock blared early, and I was out of bed before it had a chance to scream at me again. I hurried to shower, get dressed, and eat the lavish breakfast Claire’s mom had made me. Eggs, sunny-side up, pancakes with blueberry syrup, and hash browns. The orange juice was the best part of all, and I relished the way the cold, tangy flavor washed over my tongue. Pulpy. My favorite. I ate it all, savoring every taste bud that burst with delight, not caring one whit if Claire’s perfect body grew ten sizes.

“Hey, Mom?” It still felt weird to say that.

She glanced at me over her shoulder while flipping pancakes. “Hmm?”

“Could I transfer schools?”

“What?” She turned with a look of utter confusion on her face. “Why would you want to do that? Where would you rather go?”

I thought for a moment, unsure how she would react. I still hadn’t received a punishment for coming home late last night, so I figured she was feeling pretty chill this morning. “Well, I want to switch to Ocean Side High.”

Now she really stared, her mouth hanging open in astonishment. “Ocean Side? Are you kidding me? Talk about the wrong side of the tracks.” She laughed and turned back to her pancakes as though I’d made the funniest joke ever.

“So… is that a yes?”

“You’re serious?” She faced me again, but this time, her amusement was replaced with a scowl. “Absolutely not. Don’t even think about it.”

“You won’t even consider it?”

Her expression told me I was monumentally stupid for even asking.
Fine
. I’d transfer without her permission. This was non-negotiable. I was not missing out on my last year of high school with Brecken.

Period.

11

~Tainted~

Brecken

Brecken lay in bed long after Alisa had gone. He thought about the miracle of her coming back in someone else’s body. Why had Raphael let this happen? He couldn’t believe their good fortune, but he’d take it. He missed Alisa’s long, blonde hair and angelic face, but Claire was hot and he could get used to her.

He’d been with a ton of women over time.
Thousands
. Maybe more. As a demon, seduction had been one of his greatest weapons of power. Women hadn’t been able to resist him. Ever. Even now, the girls at his high school would turn and stare, practically drooling as he walked past, completely oblivious as to why they found him so attractive.

Sure, he was good-looking as far as human standards went, but sex appeal was his demon gift. Or at least one of them. He didn’t use it to his benefit anymore, but there were times when he still felt the pull of that desire. How many women, female demons included, had been destroyed when he wielded that power? Too many to count.

What would Alisa think if she knew? Would she still want him? He was tainted goods of the worst kind, but not only that, he was one of the original tainters. He had caused the downfall of civilizations with his power over lust and passion.

He rolled over and faced the wall, trying to forget those past times. That wasn’t who he was anymore. Those memories were a misery to him now. He was a changed demon. No, a changed
man
. He had no desire to destroy anyone’s life.

This time, he wouldn’t fail, and he certainly wouldn’t ruin anyone’s life.

12

~Adam~

Alisa

Before I left for school, I stood out on the front porch, searching Claire’s purse for her keys, when I noticed a man on the sidewalk, staring at me. It seemed as though he had appeared there like magic, but I couldn’t be sure since my attention had been on the purse.

He looked like a normal guy, probably in his forties, dark hair with graying temples. He smiled kindly, so I smiled back, thinking it must be someone Claire knew.

“I’ve been sent to help you,” he said with a smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners and when he spoke, his voice was soothing, like honey cascading down a sore throat. I was drawn to him immediately.

“You have?” Surely, he thought he was talking to Claire. “Do I know you?” He couldn’t possibly know who was really inside this body.

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “No. You don’t, but I’ve been sent to… get things straightened out and on track.”

Still, I held back. Could he really be speaking to
me
? My hopes rose just a bit. “So… you know who I am?”

“Of course.” He cocked his head, still smiling.

There was nothing about him that would indicate he was from any sort of celestial location—no aura, no brightness—so I hesitated in assuming he was an angel, but there was something magnetic about him and the whole conversation felt surreal, so I dug deeper. “Okay. So… you do know my name?”

“My, my. Aren’t we a suspicious one… Alisa?”

I gasped, not realizing I had even been holding my breath. Questions rushed from my mouth in a torrent. “Did Raphael send you? Does he know what happened? Is this an accident or a gift? Where is Claire’s spirit?”

He raised his hands and shushed me gently. “One question at a time. Let’s walk.”

He took my arm and draped it through his, just like Raphael used to do, and it completely calmed me. “Let’s address the issue of Claire’s spirit first. She’s still inside you. Pushed down, sleeping, so to speak. You haven’t felt her influence at all?”

Shaking my head, I told him no, so glad to finally get some answers.

“If you feel her, you must tell me. Alright?”

“Okay. How long will I be here… in her body?”

“Until your work is done.” He grinned like this was something that happened every day, that everyone went through it, and wasn’t I silly for not knowing? “We are instigating a new program in Idir Shaol, and you get to be one of the first to try it out. You’ll help us iron out the wrinkles.”

“I will?”

Nodding, he patted my hand. “Yes. We want all guardians to work from inside a human body from now on. Like I said, we’re trying something new.”

We walked in the bright sunshine. A warm breath of freshly cut grass wafted on the breeze, and the scent of roses tickled my senses. I found myself taking deep breaths, soaking it up. It was a perfect morning. A perfect moment. “Why didn’t Raphael tell me this himself?”

“Have you seen him lately?” he asked, his left eyebrow arching.

“No. It’s been a while.”

“Yes. I would suspect it has.” He heaved a heavy sigh, shaking his head. “There’s a lot of work to be done, and he has been called to a higher position. He won’t be around much. I’ve been placed in charge, so you will work with me now.”

I frowned, and he smiled reassuringly. “It will be all right. I promise.”

I tried to figure out what this all meant for me. I felt lost and wasn’t sure what my job here was. Was I still a guardian? If so, whom did I guard? The girl whose body I was stuck in? That didn’t seem right.

Realizing I didn’t even know this man’s name, I stopped walking and turned toward him, frowning. “Um, I forgot to ask—”

“Adam. You may call me Adam,” he said, seeming to have read my mind. “You can consider me
your
guardian, if you like.” He bowed at the waist and squeezed my hand, appearing regal. Stately. Strong and in charge. So much like Raphael. I wondered why I’d never met him before, but as they said, it was all about delegation.

“Um, I have another question.”

He waited patiently, his expression serene, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. I wished I felt the same way. “Can I visit… um, any old friends while I’m in this body?”

“Oh, hmm. I don’t know. We don’t want to upset the balance of anything.” His eyebrows pulled down with his frown, but then he nodded slowly as though a very interesting thought had just entered his mind. “Was there anyone in particular that you wanted to see?”

“Um… well, yeah… My old boyfriend, Brecken Shaefer? My old charge? I’d planned to spend some time with him.” I held my breath, certain he would say no. I knew Raphael didn’t want me involved in Brecken’s life anymore. He’d told me so himself… more than once, but I hoped Adam would give me a different response since he was in charge now.

For a moment, he seemed genuinely surprised, and then his eyes widened with expectation. “You mean Bretariel, the Undoer?”

It was my turn to frown. I hadn’t heard that name used for Brecken in a long time. Not even Raphael used it. Bretariel was Brecken’s demon name, and he wasn’t a demon anymore. “Well, yeah, but I’d love to see my family too,” I said slowly. “It’s probably against the rules, but—”

“Yes!” he answered quickly, interrupting me. “Of course you may! Feel free to spend as much time with him as you like. In fact, spend every moment of this trial period with him if you feel so inclined.”

“Really?” Relief flooded through me, and all sorts of possibilities filled my mind. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized how desperately I wanted to see Brecken again. “And it’s all right with Raphael?”

Adam gave me an ingratiating grin and shook his head as though I’d asked him the silliest question ever. “Raphael isn’t in charge anymore. I am. And I say it’s fine.”

13

~In Dreams~

Claire

Darkness sheltered her like a soft blanket. Claire felt no emotion and no physical sensation. She was bodiless. Weightless. Motionless. Thoughts drifted through her consciousness like lilting shadows, but they didn’t stay. Nothing mattered but this peaceful, quiet existence…

14

~Taking My Life Into My Own Hands~

Alisa

Before class started, I went to the office, claiming to have lost my schedule printout, and since it was the first week of school, the secretary believed me. Her head bobbed as she smiled and printed me a new one, asking about my summer vacation, as though she knew me. I played along, hoping the printer worked fast.

Throughout the day, I attended Claire’s classes, but I was bored stiff and ached to be with Brecken. I was wasting time, and I couldn’t care less about Claire’s schedule. So what did I do? What any red-blooded teenager would in this predicament. 

I ditched school.

Claire’s cute VW Bug puttered softly as I drove across town to Ocean Side High. I waited until I heard a bell ring, and then walked down the hall, waiting to see his beautiful face. I stopped to ask a kid if he knew where Brecken Shaefer’s locker was. He did, and steered me in the right direction.

I waited there, my arms crossed over my chest, until I saw him through the sea of students. He caught my eye and his smile, which had been a scowl before, widened in surprise and delight.

He hurried over and grabbed me around the waist, lifting me, his lips finding mine possessively in front of everyone. Even though I loved the attention, and there was nothing better than Brecken’s mouth on mine, I blushed in embarrassment. I’d never been big on PDAs, but why not enjoy a moment like this? Brecken was mine, and I didn’t mind everyone knowing it. He decided to skip the rest of his classes, and we bounded out of the school, hand in hand.

“We have the whole day free,” he said, his eyes twinkling in amusement. “What do you want to do?”

I thought for a moment, and then I knew. “Let’s go to the beach. I haven’t been there in ages.”

“The beach it is.”

We hopped in my car—or more accurately, Claire’s car—and headed west a few blocks. Ocean Side High was not far from the beautiful waves that rolled up onto the sand. Brecken spread his jacket out for us to sit on, and we entwined our fingers together. I couldn’t believe I was here… with Brecken! It was a dream come true, and I was determined to enjoy every minute of it.

“So how have you been?” I asked, feeling out of the loop. We hadn’t talked much last night, and I’d been gone a whole year. I had no idea what was going on in his life. “I can’t believe how big your sisters are.”

He nodded and smiled sentimentally. “Yeah, they are.” Turning, he looked deep into my eyes. “But it’s been really hard.”

I drew his face close, brushing his lips with mine. “For me, too.”

When he pulled me closer, I laid my head on his shoulders. He told me that his relationship with his dad had improved and about having to repeat his senior year, which I already knew about. We barely touched on his memories of being Bretariel, the Undoer, and how difficult it was to have this knowledge again, and how he wished he could forget. My heart ached for him, what he’d been through, and what he had to deal with now.

He was so strong to keep going in spite of everything. We reminisced about my time as his guardian and the funny arguments we used to have. He’d never listen or obey, and I’d always nagged him.

“Remember Lamia?” I asked as the sun started to set over the water. The time had flown by in an instant. I couldn’t believe it was already evening.

“How could I forget?” he answered. “She’s a hideous soul.”

I nodded in agreement. “I heard she’s in some prison now. Some place I was never allowed to go.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Probably Gehenna. It’s a horrifying experience that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Even Lamia.”

I thought about that, not believing Brecken could be so kindhearted after what she’d done to us. In my head, I imagined this Gehenna place was the perfect prison for her, but I didn’t say it out loud. The worst place I’d seen was Soul Prison, and that had been bad enough. I shivered just thinking about it.

When it grew dark over the ocean, and the crashing waves were no longer blue, but black, I drove Brecken home. After we’d pulled into his driveway, he pulled me in close one more time. He brushed his lips against mine, inhaling deeply.

“I’m going to miss you so much.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I answered with a chuckle. “I’m transferring to Ocean Side.”

“What? Seriously?”

Grinning, I nodded. “Yep. See you at school tomorrow.”

With a yelp of happiness, he hugged me again and then hopped out of the car, spinning in a circle, his eyes sparkling and his smile wide. I couldn’t help but laugh at his giddy antics. “I love you, Alisa Callahan! You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me!” He stuck his head back in through the window and kissed me soundly. “See you tomorrow.”

He danced all the way up to his front porch, doing a perfect impression of Fred Astaire. At his front door, he bowed low, his arm across his stomach, and clicked his heels. Happiness bubbled inside me, and I couldn’t have wiped the smile from my face if I’d been paid a million dollars. I drove home in a state of bliss.