Elemental (The Keeper of the elements) (6 page)

Chapter Seven

The five of us sat around in uncomfortable silence at the kitchen table. I looked around, eyeing each one of them. Waiting for someone to speak, to make sense of this situation. Amelie shifted and looked at Roland who sighed gruffly and leaned his forearms
on the table, clasping his large hands together.  He cleared his throat while he watched me, “I’m not sure where to begin.” His accent had cleared substantially and understanding him was easier. “The beginning sounds like a good place.” I answered grumpily. Roland’s lips twitched slightly into a resemblance of  a smile as he nodded his head. “You’re right, that is a good place. You are Elemental.” My jaw dropped and I leaned forward. “A what?” My voice squeaked and I looked around wildly. “Elemental.  It sounded like some kind of mental illness. “You are in danger. That’s the bottom line Gem. You were born an Elemental. A keeper to be more specific. The rest of us are just half lings, guardians of the keepers.” Aydan grumbled angrily. My head was spinning. I didnt understand what any of them were talking about. “An Elemental is a person that can control the elements. You are in danger because there hasn’t been a pure elemental that was born in a very long time. There is someone looking for you, to kill you.” Ronnie said as she gripped my hand. I laughed. I didnt mean to, but it just came rolling out of me. Not just one of those ha ha kind of laughs either. This started deep down in my belly, brought tears to my eyes, made my sides ache and caused me to snort kind of laugh. “You’re joking right?” I tried in between snorts.

My laughter slowly started to die down when I realized there was no one else laughing. They were serious. I felt the blood in my veins turn cold and no amount of strange warmth was calming me. “That tattoo,” Aydan said gesturing his head towards my side, “Is a marking. The tracker had put it on you so that he can find you.” Aydan’s eyes were cast down as I watched him. “Well...who is this tracker?” I asked quietly. The four of them exchanged glances. “We don’t know yet.” Ronnie said after clearing her throat.

Amazing. I had no idea what an Elemental was and apparently some crazed guy wanted to kill me. “I’ve got to go.”  It took all my strength to pull myself from the table. I could feel my legs shaking as I walked away. I walked outside, I needed air desperately. The sun was shining brightly and a breeze had just picked up. I looked around curiously, was the breeze really blowing or was I controlling it? I sat on the front step and leaned my face in my hands. An overwhelming feeling started to descend on me and the mark on my hip began to burn.

“Gem?” Aydan said softly as he came outside. “Aydan when did everything change?” Aydan closed the front door quietly and came to sit next to me. He slipped his hand in mine, lacing our fingers. After a moment he finally spoke, “Nothing changed Gemma. You have always been this way. You were born this way. You’re just now seeing it.” I leaned my head on his shoulder and sighed deeply. Suddenly something occurred to me and I pulled away quickly. “This whole time, you knew! You knew I was different!” I stepped back, anger rolling through me like a raging fire. “Yes but..” I shook my head wildly. “ Why? Was us becoming friends just a front!” I screamed. I could feel the hot tears rolling down my cheeks but I didnt care at the moment. I felt so hurt and betrayed. “No! Gemma, it was never that. Yes I was put in place to watch you but I never faked my feelings.”  Was he joking? did he actually expect that after lying to me for so long that I would just accept the answers. For all I knew it was another lie.

I felt the wind kick up and begin rustling the leaves in the trees. Aydan looked up hesitantly before returning his attention to me. I felt the soothing warmth, battling to calm me. “And Ronnie?” I screamed, “Is she even a real friend?” I felt the panic rising and there was nothing I could do. to stop it, Aydan stepped near me and I stepped back. I shoved my hands angrily into my hair. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to run.

The wind picked up more, it seemed to be rising with the panic that was clawing inside my body. “Gemma, you need to calm down please. You can’t control your powers yet.” Aydan spoke loudly over the growing wind. I didnt care about control at this moment. “Calm down and I’ll tell you everything.” He promised. I felt the panic slowly start to subside, like some sort of unspoken agreement that we wanted to know more.

The wind faded to the gentlest of breezes. “Can we sit?” Aydan asked. I folded my arms across my chest and took a step back. “I’d rather stand.” I felt so betrayed. He nodded, his hair flopping into his eyes, “Your mother and father were The Keepers of the Elements. They were pure, whereas most of us are half lings. Your parents were killed by a tracker. I was put into place at that time, to calm you, to help you, guide you, and to keep your powers under control until Amelie could come for you.”  My head was spinning wildly as Aydan continued “The Keepers of the Elements are part of the Fae community.” I studied Aydan as he watched me. I wanted to believe I was more than just a mission. “I..don’t understand?” I stuttered as I slowly dropped down to the ground. Aydan inched closer and this time I didnt back away. “The day your parents died, you expelled a great deal of power to kill the tracker, which caused you to go through your awakening far earlier than you were meant to. It changed your eyes and hair.” His hand slipped into my hair and gently pulled his fingers through the strands. I shook my head, “No I mean, I don’t understand how this could happen.” I felt broken, I felt betrayed and lied to. The familiar burn of tears stung my eyes and a heaviness weighed on my chest.

“People are afraid of things they don’t understand Gemma. They are cloaked in a thick veil so we do not disturb them. In reality there are several creatures that roam and interact with the humans.” Aydan explained. It truthfully didnt matter how much he tried to explain. I was still terrified and still confused. “Look, come over to my place later for dinner. My brother and I were raised in this community. I will tell you everything I know.” Aydan suggested.  I sighed and studied him for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”

Chapter Eight

The house was dark when I arrived. Blaze had something that closely resembled a large mansion and I admit, I gulped nervously. I had heard a lot about Blaze but had only seen glimpses of him as he was arriving or leaving his visits with Aydan. I shook out my hands; something had definitely changed between Aydan and me lately. I’m not sure what exactly, but our relationship felt madly different.

I walked slowly up the cement driveway, stepping quietly. I felt like I was disturbing something precious. My heart was beating frantically in my chest and I had no idea what I was going to say. So much had been dumped on me the last few hours. Roland had flown back to France. Amelie was always watching me with sad expressions, and Ronnie had hugged me tightly as if she was afraid she would never see me again. I backed up a little, needing to collect myself again. I couldn’t understand why I suddenly felt so nervous.

This was Aydan White. The same Aydan that would throw mud down my shirt when I was nine years old. This was the same Aydan that I grew up spending the night at each other’s fosters. This was the same Aydan that pulled me through the bedroom window of one of my fosters and slept with me, shielding me, in a park when I was terrified of the man. Then it hit me. Things had changed between us a long time ago. It had grown from a childish friendship to something much more than that. It grew into something real. Into something protective and into something passionate. I was in love with Aydan White, no matter how much I tried denying it.

I took a deep breath and walked back to the door, knocking on it confidently.  Somewhere in my self-discovery I must have found confidence buried deep as well. I waited and my confidence faltered. What if he didn’t want me the way that I wanted him? Wasn’t it not too long ago that he had sat there and made our friendship perfectly clear.

Aydan opened the door and stepped aside to let me in. I hesitated briefly before following him inside. “I thought maybe we could have an awful movie with ice cream and marshmallows.” He said with a wide smile. Instantly my mood brightened. Growing up when either of us were in a foul mood we would rent the worst movie we could find and eat a five gallon jug of ice cream covered in oversized marshmallows. Not the most healthiest of things but definitely enjoyable.

Aydan linked his hand with mine and I briefly closed my eyes to savor the warmth. Aydan started tugging me along a large hallway and I eyed it appreciatively. It was covered with lush green carpet filled with gold swirls and the walls were painted in gold and cream paint. Large artwork hung on the walls, watching us as we made our way down the hall. “My gosh Aydan…it’s gorgeous.” I whispered with awe. Aydan chuckled, “I knew you would like it. My brother is an art collector and dealer and makes a lot of money.” I nodded slightly, remembering the discussion earlier. “Is he really your brother? Or just another front?” I asked. Aydan flinched. There was no mistaking the hurt tone of my voice. “Gemma, I’m sorry I hurt you. I never meant too.” I nodded and struggled to smile.

Aydan led me into a large bedroom that was nearly two times the size of mine. “Yeah it’s a bit overwhelming.” He said with embarrassment as he shut the door. He shuffled his feet and I suddenly felt hot
.
Just friends. Just friends. Just friend
s
. I repeated over and over in my head as I avoided looking at him. Instead, I looked around his room, lightly brushing my fingertips over trinkets that rested on his dresser or his night stand. A photograph caught my attention and I rushed to pick it up.

Sweat beaded at my temples and instantly my mouth went dry. My hands were trembling as they held the black frame that surrounded the glossy photo. “Gemma? Are you alright, I can feel you panicking.” My necklace was growing hot but as I stared at the five faces I seemed frozen.  Aydan studied me for a moment, his chest heaving, almost like he was getting hits of my panic.  “Why are you so scared?” Aydan asked as he reached up and placed his hand on my cheek. I couldn’t focus, I could barely make sense of anything. I just pointed shakily at the picture.

Aydan’s brows furrowed in confusion as he took the photo. “It’s my family. My mom and dad, you know about them.” I did. They had been killed when Aydan was small and from the sounds of it, it wasn’t a lie because as he touched them, his fingers lingered on their faces. “My brother and I and then our sister. But she is also dead.” He said sadly.

I didn’t have a chance to feel bad for his loss, because in the picture, albeit a bit younger, was then same man from my dream. I pointed, my fingers shaking nearly uncontrollably. “That…that man…” I whispered. My eyes were straining to stay focused. “He was in my dream….the night I got the tattoo.”

I had never seen Aydan so pale before. He dropped the photo, shattering the glass in the frame. “You’re sure?” He asked, a slight tremble to his normally smooth voice. I nodded frantically. “Positive.  He had long hair pulled tightly in a ponytail and those dark eyes.” I recalled. Aydan shoved his hands through his hair in frustration. “Gemma, are you certain, no doubts?” He prodded. I nodded again. I had never been surer of anything in my life.

“You have to leave. Now.” Aydan demanded. My heart sunk, and the tears welled up in my eyes. “What, no why?” I begged. “Please, I don’t understand.” Aydan looked around panicked as he peeked out the windows. “He isn’t home yet. Listen to me carefully okay? Wait for me. When you hide, wait for me okay.”  His eyes were nearly burning holes into me as he waited for my response, sweat had accumulated on his top lip.

“What do you mean?” I asked timidly. His face was just inches from mine, I could feel his breath on my cheeks. “You are the reason I live. You make me whole Gemma.” He said as he cupped my face in his hands. “I love you.” He whispered, his voice deep with emotion.

I couldn’t move. I could barely even breathe. Happiness and panic were battling for control of my body and there was nothing I could do but blink. My heart felt like it was somewhere inside my through and my stomach was somewhere by my knees. An overwhelming rush of emotion hit me harder than a tidal wave. “You mean everything to me Gemma and I will not let him get to you. Understand me?” I nodded, feeling more like some kind of puppet than a girl. “If you don’t go, he will kill you.” Aydan said sadly.