Chapter 7 - Above Cursed Winds

Zia straightened from where she hovered midair. “We’ve things to do, Elemental. If you’d follow me.”

Without waiting for a reply, she drew her wings in close to her core as she flipped soundlessly toward the earth, before flaring them again to catch her downward momentum. Jeremiah’s presence followed through the air behind her. Though his psychic signature was less abrasive to her senses now that he’d cooled off, he still bore the same roiling rage within him. He was a mass of undigested emotion with grief, guilt, and unhappiness all waring for the most prevalent sentiment.

The moment she’d sensed him on the edge of their territory, she’d known who he was. There was no hiding his psychic signature from her. When she’d teleported to intercept him, Jeremiah had surprised her by appearing out of thin air.

Her shock had led to her spiteful tongue—until she remembered that he was here to fix her mistake. That she was expected to be courteous. It soured her stomach.

Having spent twelve hundred years learning how to maneuver within the sky, riding the currents was second nature. One powerful pump of her wings after another, Zia propelled herself forward toward the heart of Nero’s territory. They were on the outskirts of clan lands, swathed in darkness, with weak lights dotting the landscape below them.

Raeths needed far less sleep than their human counterparts, requiring only four hours to be fully rested. Most of the Osé clan tended to sleep during the hours of midnight and four in the morning, taking full advantage of the sunlight.

Her ivory and violet feathers caught the wind, the sensation as familiar as breathing. As a Raeth gifted with Flight, her wings were an extension of her being, a literal appendage that was flesh and bone at her back. Unlike arms and legs, her wings could retract into nothingness when she so chose. A handy trick, it helped her maintain her human façade when she interacted with the general populace.

Each powerful wingbeat closed the distance between them and her home, and for a fleeting moment, her mind wandered. Air Elementals were said to be exceptionally swift, and she couldn’t help but wonder if the man could outfly her. Or if he could cause her wings to falter if he wanted to make her fall.

Risking a glance back, Zia saw him comfortably floating a length behind her, a lazy expression on his handsome face. When she caught his eye, his lips tipped up in a telling smirk before his speed increased three-fold.

In a heartbeat, the Elemental was in front of her, pivoting to glide effortlessly on his back.

“Shall we race, Z? See which one of us gets there first?”

“We’re already here, Elemental,” she replied, “but if you’d still like to prove your superiority tomorrow, we can certainly pencil that in.”

Jeremiah feigned insult. “Z, you shame me. What type of man do you think I am?”

“The type that’s cruel to women who’ve made a mistake.”

The retort was quick off her tongue, but she didn’t take back the words, even when his grin vanished, and his features grew sharp once more. A sneer found its way to Jeremiah’s face.

“Can we get on with it? I’ve had a long day, full of annoying people and trying discussions, and I can’t quite keep up appearances any longer.”

“Oh, it gets worse than this?”

Eyes slitting, Jeremiah threaded the needle. “Why should I justify myself to a woman who can’t even decide which color she wants to dye her hair?”

“That’s your best shot?” Zia buffed her nails on her shirt. “A quip about my hair?”

Jeremiah’s dark chuckle foreshadowed his response. “It was either that or tell you exactly how much your incompetence might cost us in the long term. Do you even care that your breach has put heads on the chopping block? That your sloppy security might’ve inadvertently killed younglings not even out of their first year?” He snarled at her. “Once the Citizens claim something, there’s no finding it again.”

A vise snapped around her heart, cold fingers of anxiety gripping her. Every thought had been consumed with the failure, and her guilt in it. Regardless of how many times Nero reassured her it wasn’t her error, she would never stop blaming herself. Apparently neither would Jeremiah.

Eyes blazing, Zia’s wings propelled her toward the air Elemental before she halted with a bare foot between them. Jabbing her finger at his sternum, she snapped, “If you think there is even one second I don’t think about the children who’re in harm’s way because of my mistake, you’re wrong. No one knows better than I what danger they’re in, Elemental.”

Zia tried to ignore the way electricity seemed to spark between them, the way Jeremiah’s gaze grew heated as he studied her features. She tried to ignore the way the scent of warm sunshine permeated her senses as the most intoxicating aroma she’d ever smelled.

With a deliberate shove, Zia’s finger jammed into him while she propelled herself away from him. “Again, I’ve things to do that don’t include babysitting an Elemental throwing a tantrum. If you don’t mind, I’d prefer to show you to your accommodations and go home for the night.”

Silence was her answer.

No words were exchanged as Zia touched down. Something about being near him set her teeth on edge.

She shook off any residual moisture that clung to her feathers before pulling them in toward her back. The familiar heaviness at her back vanished as she willed her wings away.

The whoosh of air behind her signaled Jeremiah’s presence, his landing as soundless as hers. Zia teleported the condo’s key into her palm, the cool metal biting into her skin. She slid it into the door handle, fidgeting slightly before the lock clicked, while her every sense was focused on the man at her back.

His presence was a brand against her senses, and Zia couldn’t quite figure out the undercurrent that ran beneath her skin. Her mystifying response to him was as foreign as his Elemental abilities, and she didn’t like it.

Zia let herself into the condo and flipped on the lights, throwing the key onto the wooden table in the foyer before striding into the kitchen.

Sleek onyx countertops and brand-new appliances, gleaming with cleanliness, greeted them as they walked in. Jeremiah dropped his camelback on the surface and opened an empty cabinet.

“Should I be expecting room service, or do I have to pray to the Raeth goddess of hospitality for a cube of cheese?”

“This townhouse isn’t kept stocked,” she replied blandly. “I’ll have food sent over tomorrow morning.”

The man had the audacity to stick out his lower lip. “But I’m famished tonight. I doubt I’ll live until the morning.”

A twitch started under Zia’s eye. Concentrating, she teleported a bunch of bananas and three granola bars onto the island. Extending her palm outward toward the food, she raised her eyebrows to confirm if the offering was enough.

“The goddess has come through.”

“How sweet.” She pointed to the back door. “Our lighthouse is only a half mile away. Don’t run off or you’ll find yourself with a broken neck at the bottom of the rocky drop off.”

“Noted.”

“I’ll come to retrieve you in the morning. Don’t wander around; don’t leave campus. I don’t trust you around our young, and I won’t hesitate for a moment to put you six feet under should you threaten them.”

“That’s more Gideon’s poison than mine,” came his idle reply.

“Get a good night’s sleep, Elemental. We’ve work to do tomorrow.”

Spinning, Zia strode past him without giving him the benefit of a goodbye, intent on leaving this place before he managed to worm even further under her skin.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t keep from breathing in the warm sunshine of his scent as she passed by. It seemed cruel that such a tantalizing and joyful smell was forever tied to the male she loathed. The door shut behind her, and she took to the night without a backwards glance.

She had a far more important man waiting at home.

* * *

Rain pelted Zia’s windows, rousing her from sleep earlier than she’d expected. Raindrops created a symphony of sound against the glass, chorused by the sweet patter atop her roof. It tried to lull her into a state of calm she hadn’t experienced since the initial breach, but the nagging sensation of anxiety still raced beneath the surface.

Following the Heat, nearly every mated female Raeth had become pregnant. Almost immediately, Nero had fielded requests for admission to his clan, the formerly clanless mated pairs seeking the protection, establishment, and community of clan life for their child.

With all the incoming couples, the clan had bloomed from just over four hundred Raeths to well over six hundred within half a year. Their expanding number meant their current footprint on the island required re-evaluation and expansion. Nero contracted builders from other immortal Houses and dens worldwide, but the problem wouldn’t be solved quickly even with the extra hands.

Everyone coveted the assistance, not just Nero’s clan.

Zia had offered her beautifully furnished house to a mated pair who’d been with the clan for several hundred years. The couple had always made due with their small condo, preferring to travel worldwide before the woman had become pregnant. Following the Heat, they’d been in need of a larger home, and Zia couldn’t think of a better place for them. She’d lived there for thirty years, kept it updated and clean, but didn’t need it like they had. She remembered very well what it was like to have a newborn.

She found herself in need of a new place to put down roots, but the home they’d settled on hadn’t been anywhere near completed, inside or out. Fortunately, with the siding recently installed, it was finally resistant to the elements. And just in time: a rare Hawaii hurricane was approaching, and Zia had a smattering of preparations to finish before it arrived.

Rising from the bed, she quickly took a shower, huffing when the water turned ice cold halfway through. Something about the plumbing had yet to be completed in her master bath, but she simply hadn’t had the time nor the knowledge to sort through the endless pipes and wiring below.

By the time Zia finished her shower, the rain had stopped.

Calling out a goodbye to her Boo, Zia stepped into the temperate morning heat. The rain had stopped minutes earlier, and mist was still rising from the pond just across the way. She squared her shoulders, knowing where her first stop would lead her.

Jeremiah’s condo wasn’t too far away, only a quarter-mile walk, but by the time she’d knocked on his door, a nagging feeling already churned in her stomach.

The man set her teeth on edge, his presence electric against her senses. As much as she fought the feeling, anticipation shimmered over her skin at the thought of seeing him.

A part of her coveted his snide comments and ridiculously grouchy attitude. As if she was looking forward to verbally sparing with him again and fielding his attacks on her character.

Hard pass.

As soon as the door swung open to reveal the object of her weird focus, Zia glowered. His eyes were already dark with heat and animosity.

“Couldn’t resist crawling back to me, huh?”

“You flatter yourself.” Zia brushed a nonexistent fleck of dust off her form-fitting tee. “While you may believe you are fate’s gift to women, I can assure you, I’ve made my bed elsewhere.”

“Bringing up your bed so soon, Z? If I didn’t know better, I’d think your invitation a bit premature.”

“If you didn’t know better?”

She scoffed, then consciously reminded herself that Jeremiah was here to help. The Elemental had flown to Oahu to fix her mistake, and frankly, she needed the assistance. Shoving her own distaste for the man down, she attempted to shrug off his animosity.

“Let’s head to the dome. We can start work on the breach. I’m certain you’re just as eager as I am to get started.”

“Oh, very eager.”

Pivoting on her heel, Zia fought off a shiver. Whether it was due to rage at his continual enmity or something else, she couldn’t tell.

Regardless of the early hour, her clansmen had begun to venture out, and the pathways were beginning to fill. One or both parents rolled along strollers on the wooden walkways. Zia fielded more than a few greetings.

Jeremiah’s presence was met with both tension and suspicion. With their clan’s most vulnerable still teething, few clansmen would allow their guard down around him. The only thing that tempered the response was Zia’s presence. Having the clan’s second in command track his every movement was the only reason there were tight smiles instead of swords.

As they drew closer to the property’s central compound, the heavens opened once more. Fat raindrops spattered down from overhead, and Zia grimaced. While she could easily remedy her hair with a bit of mousse, she was a woman after all, and rain was the enemy. Looking behind her to see how the Elemental was faring, she saw Jeremiah was perfectly dry, the water dripping down from what she imagined was an air shield.

“Did you want to share my air umbrella, Z? You have to say please.”

“I’d rather choke down rocky mountain oysters.” At his grimace, she turned around, a satisfied smile lightening her features. “In here.”

Tilting her head toward the central compound on the property, Zia passed through the doors and out of the rain. She didn’t bother holding the door for him; his air shield could have that honor.

She was surprised to find Key with her full attention focused on their arrival. Rising from her spot on the chaise lounge, the Foreseer moved to intercept them.

“You must be Jeremiah.”

Extending her hand, Key’s mouth curled into something almost seductive. A noise of pleasure rumbled from the Elemental. He took Key’s hand with a decisive shake, his eyes running up and down her frame appreciatively.

Instantly, Zia’s skin felt too tight.

She frowned at Key, seeing her for what felt like the first time. The other woman’s light blonde hair, nearly white beneath the lights, was spiraled up in a sophisticated updo, loose curls framing her stunning features. Her deep amber eyes glinted as she regarded the Elemental, streaks of lightning shattering through her irises. By all accounts, Key was gorgeous, an otherworldly beauty. Zia felt dull and plain next to her.

“And who are you?” Jeremiah’s deep voice purred, breaking Zia’s train of thought.

“Kiyonne, but all my friends call me Key.”

Key’s gaze swung over to Zia, and she donned her mysterious smile. Though her friend’s gift had saved lives and shaped the future, it could be infuriating at times. More often than not, the Foreseer kept her own counsel, revealing little. Placing trust in her obscure metaphors and veiled tips was trying.

“Lovely to meet you, Key.” Inclining his chin, Jeremiah looked around at the compound. “I must say, I’m rather impressed.”

Still irritated from his stunt with the air shield, she couldn’t keep it out of her response. “What were you expecting? A mud hut with a couple of twigs for a computer?”

Jeremiah chuckled. “No, I suppose not.”

Key’s laugh twinkled beside her, reminding Zia that they weren’t alone, and she needed to maintain the appearance of neutrality.

“Let’s go, Jeremiah.”

Resisting the urge to beckon him onward with a cluck, she waited while he bid goodbye to Key and turned his attention back to her. Satisfied he’d follow, she swept into her office moments later. After she’d flipped on the lights, she gestured to the desktop computer sitting on the credenza behind her desk.

“That’s the one.”

Jeremiah nodded, becoming suddenly focused and professional. It was the first time Zia saw traces of the genuine man he usually hid behind the cocky façade. “Show me how you usually log in.”

Zia went through the motions, powering on the computer before using her fingerprint and password to unlock access to the hard drive. Finally, she booted up the list of files that’d been stolen, glancing at him for what he’d ask for next.

“Is there a possibility that someone shapeshifted to your form and stole them that way?”

Zia froze.