Scorched_Earth_B_N Page 16

  As she picked her way across the lava field, anxiety churned in her gut. She didn’t want to leave the only sure source of food she knew. It would probably be a couple of days until she could eat as she traveled back, and she was already weak. She’d visibly filled out since dining on lava, but she knew how fast she could waste away. Besides, she hadn’t even tried to find the women who’d done this. She only had his word that it wasn’t reversible.

  There was a lot she didn’t know. Why was he so angry? And what was with the jewelry? If he didn’t want to be tied by them, why create them? Wedding jewelry...it didn’t make sense. Maybe the items were stolen from him. But why? And why did the Fates pick her?

  All that stuff about love…well, duh! She wasn’t about to expect a psychopathic freak of nature to love her. She wasn’t feeling his charm, but he knew stuff. Maybe he knew a way she could travel away from fire and not waste away.

  She bit her lip, but discarded the notion of staying. She would have to manage on her own. She couldn’t stay with a man like him.

  Driving away from the lava flow was torture. She focused hard on her goal of returning the rental car. She longed to turn around, to return to the fire where she would be safe. She felt as if every moment away were cooling her, like a coal that broke from the main fire.

  Halfway to the hotel, she was forced to discard the idea of looking for the Fates. She felt weak, moody. Hungry. The black clouds moving in mirrored her emotions, making them worse. The heat from the sun might have helped.

  By the time she checked into her hotel, the sky was dark with angry storm clouds. Kira lay on her bed and tossed. She could feel the lava calling her. She could feel him.

  Temptation welled. Instinct told her where to find the lava. She could turn to spark, and was hungry enough it sounded appealing. Now that she’d fed from it, the need for volcanic energy tugged her relentlessly. Worse, it was something she needed. She’d die if she didn’t feed.

  She opened the balcony doors. Damp wind hit her face as she watched the tossing ocean. A sizzle of lightning lashed the sky, burning with an energy she could nearly taste.

  She drew a fast breath. Could she feed off lightning? It was a kind of fire.

  Instinct slammed her; she couldn’t control herself. With a thought, she became spark; a confusing shower of stars that shot into the sky, searching for lightning. A bolt shot over the sea, and she raced for it. A wash of energy filled her, and she exulted; she’d fed! It was strange stuff, and it made her feel drunk, but she didn’t care. She wouldn’t have to go back to the lava! There were other ways to survive.

  The first drops of rain were a nuisance; she shook them off, but as the rain thickened, she faltered. Fire and rain didn’t mix.

  Worried, loopy from the lightning buzz, she peered at the island, trying to get her bearings. She’d moved too far from land; she wasn’t sure which hotel was hers, and the rain was torrential. She lost altitude.

  Desperate, she locked on the lava’s call, fought toward it. She sensed it, a bright flame in her consciousness. As she flew closer, she saw its glow in the darkness.

  But she was getting tired. The rain froze and stung. She floundered, like an exhausted swimmer in deep water. The rain fought her, tossing her in the air. She was losing the spark form, growing heavy. Would she become human again, or merely snuff out? The beach drew closer, but not close enough.

  Just as she thought she would die, a rush of fire shot from the island, caught her in its heat. She felt relief as she recognized the energy. Fire had saved her.

  They swept over the dark rocks, Fire sweeping her effortlessly along. She trembled with shock and chill when they coalesced in human form within his cave. He held her in his arms and swore as he crossed to the lava pool. “No sense at all! You had nothing to eat, but left it until you had to fly back in a storm? If you were coming to me, why didn’t you use your human form? Are you suicidal?” He lowered her beside the pool. Only then did she notice her hands and arms were covered with large black spots. She recoiled. “What happened to me?” she cried, frantically brushing at the spots. She looked diseased!

  “What did you think happens to spark in a deluge? Hold still.” His eyes snapped blue flames as he channeled energy from the fire into her body. When she struggled, he snapped, “What is it with you?” Then suspiciously, “Why does your fire feel so…you’re lightning drunk!” He snatched his hands away and glared. “You risked death for a taste of lightning?”

  She shivered, cowed by her brush with death. “I was hungry.” It sounded wretched, and she lowered her eyes in self-disgust. “I didn’t think about the rain.”

  He exhaled hard. “Worse than a child,” he muttered, sounding aggrieved. He fixed her with a hard stare. “Well? There’s food. If you haven’t managed to die yet you probably won’t.”

  Chastened, she turned her attention to the fire. She ached, but the flow of fire felt good, healing. It soothed the shivers that wracked her body, faded the dark blotches to light shades of gray. Unfortunately, when finished feeding she still felt terrible.

  He saw her gingerly touch her head and snorted. “Lightning headache. It affects a fire elemental like too much wine.”

  That was an understatement. Her head throbbed, and it made her wonder. “Have you ever tried it?”

  A touch of smile curved his mouth. He looked reluctantly amused. “The young do many foolish things.”

  She grinned. “So you did. I feel better about it now.”

  His smile vanished. “Do not. I was stronger than you are. Another attempt might be your last.”

  She sighed and stumbled to her feet. “Don’t worry. I’ll leave lightning drinking to moonshiners. Is there anything else I should avoid?” She massaged her temples, trying to ease the pain. It felt as if someone was electrocuting her brain, and she swayed.

  He grasped her arm to steady her. “We can discuss that later. It’s best if you sleep now.”

  All but blind, she allowed him to lead her. She sat obediently on the bed because it was better than falling over. “I don’t think I can sleep. Do you have any medicine I could take? I have some ibuprofen in my hotel room.”

  “Human medicine won’t work on you now.” She heard him rustling around. A cork popped, and she smelled a sharp, astringent scent. She jerked away, opening her eyes to see the vial he held under her nose. “Ugh! What is it?” It burned her nose, but her head felt better immediately. With less pain came crushing fatigue.

  He didn’t answer, simply drew the covers back and took off her shoes. “Let’s hope you get less sand in the sheets this time.”

  She growled, but quietly. Her head wasn’t a hundred percent yet. Besides, it felt good to lie down. She let him cover her with the blanket, but felt obliged to warn him, “This is temporary. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  He didn’t look impressed. “If you can walk out of here tomorrow, I may even let you.”