Pure Elemental (Evelyn Storm Series Book 3) Read online

  “Don’t worry, Dane, I don’t listen on purpose. It’s just something that happens, unfortunately. No matter how annoying it is, I can’t turn It off.”

  The Creator takes a seat at the table, and I settle into the seat opposite him. It must be hard to hear people’s thoughts all the time. Especially, when we think the stupidest things. I’d imagine he’d hear a lot of stuff about himself from people who don’t believe he exists. He’d have to be forever isolated so he wouldn’t be hearing everyone’s thoughts.

  “I’m not isolated. I have a whole world to look after. Keeping an eye on the races is my way of coping,” The Creator says staring at me.

  “Dude, can you not do that? I know you can hear my thoughts, but you don’t have to respond to them. It’s way too creepy.”

  “Sorry, I’ll try not to,” he says sheepishly.

  “So, why am I here? If I’m not dead, what’s the deal? And why is Raphael coming? More secret messages I can’t tell anyone, because, if so, I don’t want to know. I hate keeping things from those I’m in a bond with.” I’m still frustrated with the last message from Destiny.

  He laughs before replying “No, no more secret messages. This is about you and your father. Well, your biological father. Though we should talk about the man who raised you too. And Raphael is coming to help you get Evie back.”

  “Are you serious? We’re here to talk about my daddy issues?” I am appalled. Does he think any of that matters when I know Evie’s been taken? The sooner I’m bloody awake, the sooner I can help find her and get her back.

  He sighs in exasperation “Basically, yes. I know you want to save Evie, but it will have to wait. She’s safe for the moment, and the things I have to tell you are key to you helping Evelyn defeat the demons. Your father isn’t a fallen angel, Dane. He’s an angel.”

  No freaking way!

  “How is that possible? I thought he was one of my mother’s bonded? Angels can’t bonded like elementals, can they? Oh god, this is so confusing,” I am flabbergasted as to what to say.

  How on earth is this possible? And how could no one know? What does this mean for me? What does this mean for my bond with Evie? Is this why our bond didn’t form the same way as the others?

  “Angels can bond with elementals. The only difference is that the bonds with angels and fallen angels are so much stronger. The bond you and Evie have now, is exactly how strong the bond is between them. It’s a feeling of home, and completeness, that not many angels or fallen angels feel. So when it happens to them, the amount of love they feel can be overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, my angels are given the opportunity to love and have a family of their own, because I feel it’s not fair to deny them that right, but most angels feel what I offer is enough.

  Spencer was on a mission for me when he met your mother and her other bonded. They all seemed to meet around the same time, so they all connected well. He came to me and told me of the woman he had met, and requested to pass his mission on to another so he could get to know them. I was hesitant to let him leave when the mission was as important as it was, but I consulted with Destiny before making my decision. While speaking with Destiny, she told me it was in my best interest to let them spend time together and have a happy life.

  I gave him two years to spend with them and told him to come back to me if he decided he wanted more time, but he came back to me after one. He didn’t speak of what happened between them until 10 years later, when he overheard Destiny and I talking about you.

  We’d both had visions of you and were interested in why your aura was so strong. You read like an angel, but were being raised by elementals. I knew your mother’s name from when Spencer had first asked to spend time with her, and it all seemed too coincidental. Zoe was not a name I would forget any time soon. We realized he must have conceived you, and left before knowing you existed.

  Spencer took off, and, when he returned, he confessed you were his child. He was able to communicate with you telepathically when he met you, but you had no idea who he was. William caught Spencer watching you and told him to go away. Spencer wasn’t going to leave. He wanted you and your mother. But when he confronted William, William asked if you would really be happy finding out you had a different father when you were just a child.

  He watched you with your father, and decided he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t turn your world upside down, no matter how much he loved you or your mother. Your happiness was his priority. If one day you found out the truth and wanted to know who he was, then he would approach you.

  Spencer has been anxiously waiting to meet you, but I’ve held him off the past few days as I know what you’ve been going through. When you passed out after being stabbed, I brought you here so we could talk, and now here we are. So, I guess the big question is, do you want to meet him? He’s waiting for me to call him if you want to meet him.”

  Um, ok. I don’t know whether to be angry or proud. He knew I was his child, but he let me grow up with dad, because he thought it was better for me and mom. I’ll definitely be giving him a piece of my mind for leaving mom, though.

  He and the others left her thinking she wanted only my dad. How did they not feel it through their bonds? And why hasn’t he tried to contact her, especially after finding out about me? She has missed them all for so long. She may not admit it, but she would be happier with them in her life. I wonder if he would help track down her other bonds?

  “Ok. I guess I’m ready,” I am nervous as hell. There’s no way to know how this will change my life.

  Chapter 2

  Zeke

  How did I get stuck doing this? Oh, that’s right, for love. All my years as an angel I never thought I would need more in my life, except my family, until I met her. Alyssa was a human that needed protection from the demons in her town. The Creator gave me the task of protecting her since I was the one most suited for the role. I doubt he intended for me to fall in love with her, but after months spent getting to know her, how could I not?

  After a year of protecting her, the Creator said my time was up, and that the demons had given up on her so I could return home, but that was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to spend my life with her and she wanted the same. She didn’t know what I was, but she knew I wasn’t normal.

  We were together for 2 years before they got her. I thought we were safe, so I eased up on protecting her. Alyssa lived her life doing what she wanted most, and I got a job to help provide for her. I grew lax in protecting her, which caused her death.

  I wallowed on the earth and demanded the Creator send her back to me, but he couldn’t. The demons took her soul, and there was no way to get it back without crossing into the underworld.

  It’s been 100 years since I lost her, and, now, I finally have a chance to get her back. I can’t screw this up.

  Max and I met in strange circumstances. He’d been kidnapped and escaped from his captors, but he was a wreck. He’d bonded with an elemental, and when she died, it caused him unimaginable pain. He wanted her back, and no matter how many times I tried to tell him it was impossible, he refused to believe it.

  He planned for months before finding out that if you were to exchange the soul of the one taken for one as bright or brighter, you can get them back.

  Max told me if I helped him, he would bargain for Alyssa’s soul too. I didn’t like the idea of sacrificing two people for my own selfish needs, especially to demons, but Max found someone to sacrifice that had a bright enough soul to return both Alyssa and Amelia in exchange for the one soul.

  The hope I felt knowing Alyssa could come back was nothing compared to the hope I felt when I saw Evelyn. Max had me watching from the forest, ready to take the one strong enough to sacrifice once the drugs kicked in. He explained she was extremely powerful, but she was easier to manage due to her condition. I had no idea what her ‘condition’ was, but I knew once I saw her.

  She’s pregnant. I wasn’t ready for it. Knowing we had to sacrifice someone was hard enough,
but the girl is pregnant! Not only is she pregnant, but I believe she may be Max’s child. They all had tea out in the gardens, and, as I snuck closer to hear them, she called him dad. He gave her baby outfits and she squealed in excitement. She hugged him and said ‘Thank you, dad’, so he’s definitely her father.

  Maybe he’s not her real father? Otherwise, why would he want to sacrifice her? And why is he giving her baby gifts?

  And how do I deal with these new feelings? It’s not like I can change my mind about sacrificing her because I have feelings for her. Max would think I’ve lost it, but I know what I felt. Watching her squeal, and smile so happily and carefree eased the pain in my heart. I just wish there was a way to find out why I feel like this. Maybe it might be time to contact the Creator? He might be able to tell me what to do. He hasn’t abandoned me after I left him, but he still gives me my space. I may not work for him anymore but at least he’s there for me when I need it.

  Yes, I think I need to contact him. I need to know I’m doing the right thing.

  Christian

  I’m going to kill Max. I don’t care that he’s my bonded’s father. That bastard needs to die.

  I’m lying on a couch, and I have no idea where I am. The drugs have left all my muscles stiff and cramped, so I stretch them out before standing, and let out a loud sigh of relief when they relax.

  “Now that you’re awake, can you come check out Evie? I’m not sure what happened, but she’s still unconscious,” Zach says, scaring the crap out of me. I didn’t even realize he was in the room.

  I look over to where his voice came from to see him lying in a foldout bed on the other side of the room, cradling Evie.

  “Shit! Is she ok?” I rush to check her and the babies over. Her pregnancy is progressing fast, and her stomach is growing the more she sleeps. I don’t know what drugs they used, but I need to be careful. Some drugs out there will harm the babies.

  “I don’t know. Max brought you both here about an hour ago, and I’ve been holding her ever since. I can’t seem to let her go without feeling like I’ll lose her,” he says sadly, looking at her.

  I know how he feels. When I saw her pass out, I had never been more scared in my life. As I went under, my last thought was that I failed both her and Josie. I should have protected them. I must have dreamt of Josie because I still hear her voice in my head. Maybe it’s my mind’s way of reminding me what I have to lose if we don’t get out of here?

  “Have you tried getting out yet?” I ask while checking Evie’s vitals. It would be so much easier to do this if I had a stethoscope at least to try and listen to the babies, but I guess we’ll have to wait until she wakes up to see how she’s doing.

  “Yeah, I’ve tried. They put barriers around the whole place. I don’t know what or who they’re protected against, though, so you should give it a try too. Who knows, maybe they haven’t protected it against you? How did they get you? I thought you and Evie would be on high alert once I went missing. What happened?” he strokes Evie’s hair subconsciously.

  Maybe he’s finally sobered up and wants to give their bond a chance? He needed to wise up and stop being an ass. He was just pushing her away. I just didn’t want us being kidnapped to be the stressor to make him realize what he was going to lose.

  I’d better try this bloody door. All my fingers are crossed that they were stupid enough to not put a specific barrier around it. From what Raphael explained to me, the barriers placed on certain places have to be specific or anyone can get in or out. Like the elemental jail, no one who intends harm can leave. I don’t know what the criteria would be for this place, but hopefully, it won’t keep me in too.

  Damn it! The door is a no go. The barrier keeps flaring when I attempt to break through. Our only option is to hope the boys get here soon. They should have noticed we went missing by now.

  “Sorry, dude, it’s a no go on the door. Maybe Evie can try it when she wakes up? As for us being on high alert after you went missing, we weren’t. We didn’t know you were missing.

  We were having tea in the garden because Evie had a bad dream, and I wanted to reassure her everything was fine. Turns out that was a lie. They drugged the tea, and Evie lost consciousness pretty soon after, hitting her head on the table. I held off for another 2, maybe 3 minutes, but I passed out too. She’s probably going to lose it when she wakes up. She just got her father back and now he’s betrayed her. I just wish I knew what he had planned,” I tell him, pacing the room.

  This shit sucks. Evie’s pregnant and needs constant monitoring, but we’re stuck here where I can’t do anything. What happens if the stress triggers early labour? This just plain sucks.

  “Max told me before they took me, that they planned to sacrifice her in exchange for her mother. That’s why he wants her. He’s obsessed about her mother dying and wants her back, so he plans to sacrifice her in exchange for her mother,” Zach says woodenly.

  What? Sacrifice? What about the babies? What will happen to them? Is he planning on keeping her here until she has them, then sacrificing her? Or does he plan to sacrifice her while she’s pregnant?

  “That evil, lying, son of a bitch! When I get my hands on him I’m going to wring his neck,” I shout furiously.

  Coughing, followed by gasping, alerts us to Evie waking up. My shouting must have woken her.

  “What’s going on?” she wheezes while struggling to open her eyes.

  “I’m sorry. I tried the best I could to fight them taking us, but we were drugged. We’ve been taken to a cabin, and Zach’s here too,” I keep my voice soft because I don’t want to frighten her any more by shouting.

  “What about my dad? Is he ok?” she asks softly, her eyes fluttering open.

  Yeah, I don’t want to be the one to tell her. I’ll leave that for Zach.

  Evie

  Ugh. My head hurts so much. Why are they speaking so loud? So not helping. I just want to drift back to sleep. Wait. When did I go to sleep? I was supposed to have tea in the gardens.

  Oh my god. Not again.

  I’m sick and tired of being taken from my guys. Where the hell am I?

  I open my eyes and take in my surroundings noticing Zach is holding me. Why is Zach here? I thought he was at his house? Maybe I’m at his house? No if I was, the guys wouldn’t be angry, and Christian and Zach wouldn’t be panicking. The room is suffocating from their fury and panic, so I need to know what happened. Maybe something else has happened to cause them to be so angry. And where’s my dad?

  I ask Christian “What about my dad? Is he ok?” He avoids my gaze without answering me. I look over at Zach, dreading the answer.

  “What, is he dead? Someone please tell me!” I demand.

  Christian climbs up beside me and hugs me to his chest. “Evie, your dad isn’t dead, but when I’m finished with him, he will be! He betrayed us. He brought us here.” Christian’s voice is heated, unlike the gentle hug he is giving me.

  “No, you’re lying! He wouldn’t do that!” I say in denial. “My father wouldn’t hurt me, he loves me. He even got his grandchildren outfits and helped out with the nursery. There must be some mistake.”

  “I’m not lying, honey. You passed out on the table, and I looked to him for help because I felt the drugs taking over me. He sat there smiling. I protected you as best I could, but the drugs were too quick in my system, and I didn’t last long enough for the guys to get to us. I’m sorry. Zach says your dad plans to sacrifice you in exchange for your mother,” Christian says sympathetically, while Zach holds my hand in comfort.

  I can’t believe my father would do this. Why? Am I not good enough? He would rather have my mother back than me? And what about my babies, his grandchildren?! What happens to them if I’m sacrificed? Oh god, the guys must be worried sick.

  God, the guys! I reach for the bond and smile that it’s still intact.

  ‘Dane, Teddy, Mike, Ky? Can anyone hear me?’

  There’s a moment of silence before their voices overwhelm my
mind and make me laugh in joy. At least this time my bond is still active.

  ‘Oh thank god. We couldn’t reach you for a while. Are you ok?’ Mike’s tone is worried.

  ‘Are the babies ok?’ Ky asks, concerned.

  ‘Where are you?’ I can feel Teddy’s determination to find me in his words.

  ‘Yes, we’re fine. I’m a little sore, but I think that’s just the drugs wearing off. The babies are fine and I don’t know where we are. Hold on a second and I’ll ask Zach,’ I shut them out while I ask.

  “Hey Zach, do you know where we are? If I tell the guys, they can come get us,” I explain.

  “Sorry, Evie, I only know we’re in Cleveland somewhere. I’m guessing in a forest, but I’m not sure where exactly. I didn’t wake up until I was in the cabin,” he says regretfully.

  ‘Sorry guys, Zach has no idea where we are, but he’s guessing around Cleveland. Can’t you just come here and search the forests in Cleveland for us?’

  ‘If you had waited and let me explain, we already know where you are, Evie. You’re in the Cleveland Nature Preserve. There’s an old cabin there that used to be used by the rangers, but it hasn’t been used in 10 years. We think that’s where you are.’ Mike sounds exasperated by me, but I’m glad he knows where we are. Hopefully, we’ll be out of here in no time.

  ‘Oh, sorry.’ I say sheepishly, ‘How long until you get here?’

  There’s a long silence that has me dreading the answer.

  ‘Well, we just have some things we have to tie up. We also have to figure out how to get through the barriers. Plus, there’s Dane…’ Teddy just stops after saying his name, unsure of how to go on.

  But what about Dane? And why are the others panicked?

  ‘Guys, what about Dane? What going on? Dane, why aren’t you answering me?’ I ask, feeling my frustration grow. Why isn’t Dane answering me? Surely, he can’t be angry at me for being kidnapped? I can barely feel him. His bond is so weak, it scares me. What’s happening?