Saved Elemental (Evelyn Storm Series Book 2) Read online

  I haven’t told anyone of my suspicions yet, because I don’t want Evie to hate me for suspecting her father when he could just be doing what he says.

  I send Jimmy a quick text letting him know that I’ll check it out. I’ve asked Jimmy to help keep the property secure from any threats while Evie is healing. He felt horrible for blindly following the council’s orders, and is more than willing to make up for it by keeping Evie safe.

  As I approach the spot where the alarm’s gone off, I hear voices whispering. I slowly make my way towards them trying to be silent, but it’s almost impossible. I settle behind a tree I know shields me and hope that I’m overreacting.

  While the voices are talking, I lower myself to the ground and poke my head slightly around the tree to see.

  I was right. Evie’s father is there talking to someone I haven’t seen before. I can barely hear what he’s saying but he looks happy about something. There’s a tree a few steps in front of me that’s a bit thinner and it might not hide me as well, but I need to know what they’re saying.

  I wait till they’re talking and laughing before making a move, quickly and quietly sneaking over to the other tree. I sigh in relief and adjust my footing when I hear a twig snap. Freezing and holding perfectly still, I listen to see if they heard me, but they seem too busy talking about Evie to hear me.

  “I’ll get her alone tomorrow, but you need to be ready. Once they know she’s missing, all hell will break loose. Is the cabin prepared?” Evie’s father asks the other guy.

  Now that I’m closer, I can make out his features a bit more. He has dreadlocks hanging past his shoulders, and his skin is the colour of coffee.

  Christian and I each have darker skin, thanks to our father, but this guy looks as if he spends all his time in the sun.

  “Yeah everything’s ready for her. I put three layers of barriers on it, and I asked an angel I know to put a layer to stop her using her elements. She won’t be able to escape. When can we do the sacrifice?” the new guy asks Max.

  Sacrifice? They plan on sacrificing her? What the hell! I need to let the others know. Making my way from tree to tree as quietly as possible, I’m almost out of the forest when I’m tackled to the ground. I summon my water to me and try to surround him in a bubble to drown him while I make my way back to the house, but he just waves his hand laughing.

  How did that not work?

  “Oh, Zachy boy, that won’t work on Zeke. He’s a fallen angel. You have to be much stronger than that to fight him off, and since you and Evie haven’t bonded yet, you’re nowhere near powerful enough,” Max says appearing behind the guy holding me to the ground.

  “Why are you doing this? I heard you say you want to sacrifice Evie. Why? She’s your daughter for god’s sake?” I say appalled that her father is planning to sacrifice her. And sacrifice her to what?

  “Because it’s her fault. If she hadn’t been born Amelia would still be alive! No one wanted Amelia, but because she protected Evie she died. Without Evie, Amelia can come back to me.”

  What? Evie’s dead mother? How on earth can she come back?

  “Dude, can I knock him out now? You can tell him your plans when he’s locked away in the cabin,” Zeke says looking between Max and I.

  Max sighs and nods looking disgruntled. I feel a sharp pain in my neck before darkness descends upon me.

  Chapter 19

  Dane

  Well, safe to say, I may have pushed Mike over the edge of sanity. Yes, I’ve made mistakes but I don’t mean to. It’s not like I walk out of the house going ‘Gee, you know what I haven’t screwed up today wonder what I can do to make that happen?’ He’s right though.

  I always seem to make mistakes when it comes to the guys or my relationships. First Zach, I should have told my father how I felt about him. Then Caroline, I should have stood up for her and stopped the bullying before it got that far, and now Evie.

  I try to be the best leader for the guys because I know Ky can’t handle all the responsibility yet, but maybe I need to start looking at the decisions I’m making so these things don’t happen again.

  “Mike, I’m sorry. That’s all I’ve got right now. I’ll make it right, but until then can you cut me some slack? This situation is new to me as well, you know, and I’m just trying to do the best I can with the circumstances. Right now, we need to focus on what we can do to defeat the demons and help Evie. Hopefully, if we find a way to stop them, no harm will come to Evie and the babies,” I say to him with my heart on my sleeve.

  I love each of the guys as if they were my family, and I can’t handle them being mad at me. Mike’s just trying to make me understand the ramifications of what I’ve done, and believe me it’s hitting home. I know, however, that there are more important things to deal with, and I trust that Zach will keep her safe while we’re occupied.

  “Ok, but this isn’t over. We’re going to have a long talk later, and you’re going to explain what the hell is going on in your head. We can’t keep going on half-truths, now not when Evie’s safety is in jeopardy.”

  Mike stares me down for a minute, before turning back to the council and waiting for them to start speaking again. I step up beside him, and at least I don’t feel his hostility anymore.

  Thinking about my father and what he’s doing has made me angry, but Mike’s right. Evie is the most important person in the world and I don’t want to risk her safety if my father really does intend her harm.

  Teddy

  Now that the boys have sorted out their feelings, maybe we can work on this plan. Victor said the barrier is weakest during the new moon, and thinks that’s when the demons will cross.

  “What I’m thinking, is we gather as many elementals as we can, and create a defence in layers. Have our Earth and Air elementals on the outer ring, and create a kind of canyon stopping them from accessing the barrier. From what I remember, they need to be right at the barrier and spill demon blood to break the last bit of light holding the barrier closed. If we have Water elementals and Fire elementals as the layers they have to get through before accessing it, then we may be able to stop them or weaken them. Hopefully, it will discourage them from trying to break the barrier. The barrier needs to be broken at midnight on the new moon so if they miss it, they’ll have to wait for the next one. The full moon is in two weeks. That gives us two weeks to prepare everyone. Remember, we don’t have to fight off the demons, just hold back the possessed long enough to miss the new moon.”

  Richard has laid out his plans pretty well, but I don’t see how it will lead to a permanent solution.

  “If we distract them long enough this new moon, then what happens next full moon and the one after? And the one after that? It doesn’t seem like a long-term solution if they can do it any new moon? We’re better off using Evie’s power to destroy them all. If anything, Dane has showed how much of an effect Evie’s powers have over the possessed,” I say looking over at Dane with a smile.

  I’m still proud of the way he handled the guards when we got to the mansion. I still haven’t been able to tap into her powers, yet, but I hope I can use them the same way as Dane. We really need to learn how to use each other’s powers, it would be so cool.

  “Well, uh, about that. I have no idea what that was. I wasn’t tapped into the bond when the power unleashed,” Dane says looking from me to Mike and Ky.

  What does that mean? If he wasn’t tapped into the bond how could he have tapped into her lighting.

  Dane

  Victor marches over to me so fast, that by the time I realize something’s wrong, I’m backed into the corner.

  “What’s he talking about? What lightning power did you use?” he demands grabbing me by the shirt.

  This is the tough council member we all grew to fear. Why does he care about some fluke power thing that happened when we rescued Evie? It’s not as if I can use it again. I’ve tried to but nothing happens.

  I describe what happened when I heard Evie’s scream, explaining
how for a moment I was no longer in control. The guys all looks confused, but their fathers are exchanging looks between each other, and you can tell they’re having a silent conversation.

  “What is it? What do you know?” Teddy asks them.

  We know when they’re hiding something. Growing up working for them has given us a few clues of what to look for, although does that really count now that they’re no longer possessed? Was it the demon’s personality, or theirs we grew up with? This shit is fucked up.

  “Dane, you may want to sit down for this,” Victor says, while Richard sighs taking a seat, followed by Neil.

  Whatever they know is going to be bad. I can feel it. Sitting down in one of the other chairs, I wait for Victor to speak, but it’s Richard who changes my world.

  “Dane how much do you know about your mother?”

  My Mother? Why is he asking about my mother? Is he trying to tell me my mother isn’t my mother? I know she is because I’ve seen the video of my birth.

  “I know she’s my mother, but what I don’t understand is why you’re asking about her?” I ask frustrated.

  “No, I mean about her bonds. What do you know about her bonds?” Richard asks clearly exasperated.

  “Yeah, she told me all about her bonds. She had four bonded, but she ended up choosing my father because otherwise he’d leave, and she loved him so much that she didn’t want to lose him. She hasn’t spoken to the others, because dad was jealous. What does this have to do with my powers?” I explain what I know of her bonds and ask why this matters. It’s not as if her bonds could help us now. She hasn’t spoken to them in years.

  Richard sighs and looks at Victor before nodding at him to let him continue explaining.

  “I’m sorry, Dane, but that’s only partially true. Your mother had four fully formed bonds, but it didn’t play out quite like that. Three of them were with your mother almost a year before she met your father. She had bonded with all of them already, and bonded with your father not long after they met. Your father knew the situation between all of them and was ok sharing her. Anyway, your mother fell pregnant four months after adding William to their bond. William was adamant he was the father of her baby and told your mother. According to the time she fell pregnant, only he could be the father because she hadn’t been with the others for a couple of weeks.

  He then gave your mother an ultimatum. She could have the others, but he would take you when you were born, or you could be a family without the other three involved. Your mother didn’t want to lose you, so she chose your father and that was that.

  Richard and I had some doubt that you were really William’s child, but you looked so much like him growing up, we didn’t question it. This is all happened before we were possessed.

  There is a moment that I remember from being possessed that I told the others about after Evie got rid of our demons. Spencer, one of your mothers bonded, showed up and confronted William after a council meeting. We didn’t hear what went on, but I walked in on the end of the argument. Your father threw a punch at Spencer, but before it could connect, lightning sparks shot from his body knocking William out. My guess is that William lied to your mother, and Spencer is your real father,” Victor says with sympathy.

  Kylan

  Speechless. That’s the only word that describes how I feel right now. I imagine Mike and Teddy feel just the same because this shit is seriously mind blowing. Demons, angels, babies born in three months, more bonds, and now Dane’s father is not his real father? What’s next?

  “No, you’re wrong! My mother would have told me!” Dane’s shouting, and I don’t believe my eyes.

  I gasp and take a step back. Dane’s body is glowing with blue light. Like Evie’s lightning, but it’s swirling around his body as if it has a mind of its own.

  “Dane, man, you need to calm down. Look at your body,” Mike says calmly trying to get him to stop whatever’s happening.

  At least my dad has some sense and has started backing away, unlike Mike who’s getting closer.

  “What are you doing? Get away from him before you get hurt!”

  Wrong move, Neil. He tries to snatch Mike away from Dane, but he should know better. You don’t get in between an elemental and the thing keeping him calm. Dane lashes out, and his power builds like a bomb about to go off.

  “What on earth’s going on in here?!”

  Oh no. The last person we want in here if he’s losing control is Evie. She waltzes right in and tries to walk past me before I grab her around the waist holding her back.

  “Oh no you don’t, princess. Dane’s just found out some bad news and has no control over his new power,” I say, while she stares at the light swirling around him.

  “What news? And what new power? He’s just tapped into mine, isn’t he?” she asks the room looking to each of us before staring back at Dane.

  Teddy steps up beside me and tells her “His father is different than who he thought. It’s not William, but some guy named Spencer. He also found out his mother was bonded to three others and gave them up to keep him. Now we’re all wondering if Spencer’s a fallen angel, because Dane has a new power he’s losing control of. When we rescued you, lightning shot from him when he heard you scream. It looks like it’s taking control of him.”

  Well, at least he summed it up quickly. I still have no idea what to do about Dane though. He’s just standing there with a vacant expression on his face, but every time Mike goes to move away his power flares again.

  “You have to let me try. He won’t hurt me and I’m the only one here that can help with what the fallen angel part feels like. One of you should also get my father though, just in case I can’t help,” she says to us, her eyes never leaving Dane.

  “I don’t know Evie, he looks too dangerous for you and the babies. How about you go find Max while we keep him contained?” Teddy asks hopeful she’ll stay out of harm’s way.

  “I wasn’t asking for your permission, guys. I’m going to help him whether you like it or not. Only my father and I know what it feels like to have that power inside of us,” Evie says, pushing away from me and going straight for Dane.

  “Dane, honey, can you hear me?” she says, as she gets closer to Mike and Dane.

  She’s doing better than any of the others have so far. The power surrounding him hasn’t flared at all since she tried approaching him. If anything, it seems to respond to her.

  “Dane, I’m just going to take your hand, ok? Then Mike’s going to stand back with the others while I stay here with you. It’s going to be alright,” Evie says slipping her hand into Dane’s.

  He must still be in there because the moment she touches him the light swirling around him eases and responds, covering her too. I only hope he’s in there to stop himself from hurting her.

  Evie

  All the guys fear Dane, but I don’t understand why. It’s the same thing that happened to me when I lost control of my powers. Why are they treating Dane different from how they would treat me? I have to try and get through to him.

  Mike’s backed away, and now that everyone’s safely out of the way I reach into Dane’s mind.

  Dane, can you hear me?

  Evie? What’s happening to me? I can’t get control of my body. It feels as if I’m possessed.

  Poor Dane, he’s so afraid. I know exactly how he feels. Having powers you can’t control inside of you is a nightmare.

  You’re not possessed. If you were I’d be able to feel it. Honey, you’re just afraid. You’ve found out some stuff that has shocked you, and you’re trying to protect yourself from the pain. Just like I did, remember? Will you let me help you?

  Yes, I’m scared. In the span of a minute, my whole world has been turned upside down. What if I go back and they all hate me? And how do I talk to my mother? She lied to me!

  Did you ever think she didn’t know who your father was? Think about our situation and it will help put it into perspective for you. The only way I know who the babies’ f
athers are is because I have the power to see your auras and the babies. Our babies have the same colour aura as their fathers, but how could your mother know? You should talk to her before you judge her, when you don’t know why she didn’t tell you or if she even knew.

  Dane sighs in my mind and his power eases.

  You’re right. I need to talk to her. Thanks Evie, I have control now, but how do I stop all the power?

  You know how I had to find my inner light? Why don’t you try? It’s a place filled with light that will instantly feel like home.

  If his father’s really a fallen angel, then it should work similar to how mine did. I don’t understand why he’s not in control of his body, but if I had to guess I’d say he is trying to protect himself. Being told your father is not really your father is a huge deal. It was a big shock for me and I’d imagine it’s equally shocking to him. Hopefully, finding the light inside will help him just as it has me.

  Chapter 20

  Dane

  The light inside me is not what I was expecting. Evie talks about the light inside her all the time, but it’s so overwhelming. It’s such a peaceful place, and, for the first time in ages, I feel completely at ease. The power seems to be crawling back inside my body, and I feel myself gaining control of my body.

  Evie’s gripping my hand tightly and I look over at her to see her face pinched tight in pain.

  “Evie what’s wrong?” I ask, grabbing her as she clutches her stomach.

  “Christian!!!” I scream out, panic consuming me.

  Evie’s gasping in pain, and the others surround me while I collapse to the floor with Evie curled up in my lap crying.

  “I’m so sorry. Christian’s coming and everything will be ok, I promise,” I reassure her hoping that I’m not wrong.

  Christian

  Once we got back inside, Evie left me because she could hear the guys shouting upstairs and wanted to make sure everything was ok. I stayed down here waiting for Zach so I could talk to him, but he still hasn’t come back inside yet. Must be trying to fix the sensors he’s been talking about.