Envisioned (The Elemental Prophecy) Page 5

  “I had the dreams, too, so I know how you feel. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, but there is nothing that will keep me from you now. I will always protect you. You know that, right?” I asked her, stroking her hair to soothe her.

  “I know,” she said, wrapping her arms tightly around me, resting her head on my chest. We sat in silence, and I buried my face in her neck, taking in her scent. She smelled exotic, like pomegranates and tangerines, a scent that was now my favorite because it would always remind me of her.

  “So, what are we going to do about being away from one another since you don't live here? I obviously can't leave the island without putting us all in danger. I don't even know where you live.”

  “I live in Long Beach, but I was thinking about renting a condo here so we wouldn't have to be apart,” I replied.

  “You don't have to do that—I don't want you to uproot your life because of me,” she proclaimed.

  “I want to. Besides I would do anything for you, mi amante,” I said, kissing her on the forehead. I couldn't believe I was feeling and saying such things. Just last night, before meeting Brielle, I was thinking about which of the girls I was going to take home with me from the club. Monogamy was never my thing, but now I couldn't stand to think of being with anyone but Brielle. Just the thought of another guy even touching her enraged me. I was never the jealous type—I would just move on to the next girl, no drama, no time wasted. I still didn't understand how I could feel so strongly for her, but I definitely knew not to question Fate.

  She blushed, saying, “I don't want you to have to spend extra money because of me…this is all my fault!”

  “Don't worry about money—I have plenty of money. There is only one you, Brielle De Luca. Besides it will be more convenient training you if I live here,” I said.

  “Wait...what? You're going to train me?!” she excitedly asked.

  “Of course—you need to learn how to defend yourself, and I am the best person to teach you, being an undefeated UFC fighter and all,” I said cockily. “I will also teach you more about controlling your Fire Element, and Kimber and your dad can teach you about using your Water Element.”

  “What about Air and Earth?” she asked.

  “We will have to figure that out later. I don't want you to take on more than you can handle—look what happened last night,” I pointed out.

  “You're right. I'm just anxious to take control of my life now that I know all this—how important I am to our race,” she replied, weariness heavy in her voice.

  “You are very important, which is why we have to take it slow and be careful. There are people, like the Elementals last night, that want to stop you from fulfilling the prophecy, and they will do anything,” I said, my anger rising.

  “Why? I still don't understand what the whole prophecy means—what am I supposed to do?”

  “Well, it is said that the One that controls all of the Elements will be able to stop the Apocalypse. 'The Sky will fall to reclaim the Earth' is interpreted to mean that Uranus, the Sky, who was the first ruler and father to the Titans, wants to reclaim his wife, Gaia, who is the Earth, and the mother who created us all. When Uranus and Gaia ruled, many horrible creatures were created because of their union, including Cyclopes and Hekantonkheires, which are one hundred armed giants. Uranus hated his children, so he cast them into Tartarus, which upset Gaia, so she had one of her Titan sons, Cronus, castrate him,” I informed her.

  “Ouch!”

  I chuckled, “Yeah, and from the blood of his castration came more terrible creatures, including Furies, Telchines, and Gigantes. Having Uranus return would not be a good thing—he would release them from the Underworld in order to attempt to overthrow Zeus and the Gods.”

  “What's stopped him from returning already?” she questioned.

  “Well, Zeus punished Atlas, a Titan who led a rebellion against him, by forcing him to hold Uranus up and keep him from merging with Gaia. It is said that Perseus, a Greek man from our race, used Medusa's head to turn Atlas to stone, and he is part of what is now the actual Atlas Mountains. That is the part of prophecy referring to 'the mountains cast from Medusa's gaze,' which is where you are supposed to go with four other Elementals to prevent Uranus from returning,” I concluded.

  “Wow…I can't believe I'm capable of so much power. I'm not sure I can live up to this prophecy. I have no idea what I'm doing,” she said, astonished.

  “I will help you every step of the way, so don't worry—we will get through this together,” I promised her.

  “Thank you. It means so much to me that you're willing to help me even though you just met me. I don't know what I would do without you,” she admitted.

  “We may have just met, but I have known you almost my whole life—you know that, mi amante. Our souls have known each other since time began, and our bond magnifies our connection, so never, ever, doubt what I feel and what I would do for you. I couldn't control it, even if I wanted to, which I don't,” I honestly told her.

  She leaned against me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I just can't believe you're actually mine,” she replied. “Do you know why we have the dreams?”

  “Some Elementals have the gift of prophecy through dreams,” I answered.

  “So, you're saying that what we've been dreaming is really going to happen?” she asked, bewildered and frightened.

  “It's a version of the future. The future is always changing, and I don't plan on letting our nightmares become our future,” I said. “I will do everything I can to prevent it. I won't let anything hurt you.”

  She nodded. “I know…I'm not going to let anything take you away from me,” she said, pausing. I wiped some tears from her cheekbones that had escaped from their beautiful pools of hazel. She looked up at me and asked, “When can we start training?”

  “Well, first, you need to recover from last night, and I have the perfect idea of how we can do that.”

  “And what would that be?” she asked, her expression morphing from upset to intrigued as she anticipated what we would be doing.

  “A nice lunch on the beach, and then looking at houses. I made an appointment with a realtor first thing this morning after everything that happened. I do not want to chance anything happening to you, and me not being here to protect you,” I concluded.

  She smiled, the worry on her face erasing, “That sounds perfect—I can't wait! Get out so I can get ready!”

  “Aww, can't I stay?” I joked.

  “No! Now get out!” she laughed.

  I pouted as I walked out. As I closed her door, a feeling of dread washed over me. What if I couldn't protect her? What if she was taken from me? Neither of us would survive it, and it would be all my fault. I wish I could talk to the Oracle about the dreams, and if there was a way to prevent them. There was no way I was letting them become reality.

  I excitedly got ready after Jace left, still contemplating everything he had told me. Was I really the One the Prophecy spoke about? I didn't feel like I had the power of four Elements inside me, let alone the blood of the originating Gods of those Elements. When was the Prophecy supposed to occur? How was I supposed to stop a God? Of course I would think of all these questions after Jace left.

  I needed to find out more, but for now, I was too excited that Jace and I would be having our first “date.” I was even more excited that he would be moving to Avalon to be with me. However, another part of me felt guilty that he was forced to move here because of his bond with me. I felt like he was stuck with me, and I wondered if he would really choose me if he had the option.

  I looked in the mirror and gasped—had Jace just seen me like this? I looked terrible! My hair was a mess of frizzy, weighed down curls, and my make-up that was so flawless the night before was the total opposite now. My eyeliner and mascara were smudged under both eyes, which were puffy and red. My foundation and concealer were non-existent, and my eyeshadow was rubbed off. I was going to kill Kimber for not cleaning me up before Jace saw
me.

  I quickly showered, washing away the residue from the night before. I thought about how wonderful it was to have found Jace, but how terrible it was to have been attacked. I was certain that I would be experiencing both of those feelings more frequently from now on, and I realized my life was going to be completely different. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that yet, especially since I had been relatively comfortable with everything that had happened thus far. I don't think I was reacting the way a normal eighteen-year-old girl would, but obviously I am not normal. I always knew I was different, but that was an understatement given my newly discovered knowledge.

  After I finished showering, I blow-dried and straightened my hair before putting on a pink sundress with a pair of sparkly gladiator sandals. I applied some light make-up and some subtle shimmering lip balm to soften and accentuate my lips, hoping Jace would be kissing them soon.

  I walked downstairs, where Dad, Kimber, and Jace were sitting in living room. Jace stood up and walked over to me, a huge grin plastered on his face. I shyly smiled, remembering that he had seen me in such a horrific state earlier, which embarrassed me, making my cheeks blaze with heat. Dad also rose, coming over and hugging me tightly as he said, “I'm so glad you are okay, sweetheart. I don't know what I would have done without you.”

  “I've been hearing that a lot lately,” I joked.

  “Very funny,” Kimber shouted from the couch.

  “Jace told me your plans. Are you sure you are up for it?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.

  “Yes, Daddy, I'm fine. I think I need a day out after all this madness,” I replied.

  “Fine, but if you start feeling tired or dizzy, I want you to come straight home, OK?”

  “I will, Daddy, stop worrying about me. I'm an adult now,” I reminded him.

  “You are still my baby, and nothing will ever change the fact that I will always worry about you,” he said lovingly.

  “I love you, Daddy. I will be fine—I'm protected on the island, remember?”

  “Yes, but knowing you, you will try to sneak off again,” he retorted.

  “I won't, Daddy,” I promised, giving him my innocent face.

  “Alright then, have fun. Not too much fun, though,” he said, directing his eyes at Jace.

  “Dad!” I exclaimed, exasperated and mortified with embarrassment. I grabbed Jace's hand and led him out the front door, yelling, “See you later, Kimber!”

  As we walked down the sidewalk towards the beach, Jace threaded his fingers through my hand, something that felt so natural, like his hand was made for mine, which I guess it technically was. He was the best part of all this madness, and I knew that he was keeping me grounded—without him, I would surely go insane from all that I've learned. “I'm really sorry about my dad. I haven't really brought boyfriends around before so he's super defensive,” I honestly admitted.

  “Well, I'm more than a boyfriend so don't worry about that,” he said, pausing. “Have you never had a boyfriend before, or what?”

  “Oh, I have had plenty of boyfriends—I just never brought them around,” I answered.

  “Why is that?” he asked.

  “Well, my dad has always held high expectations for me—he wanted me to focus on school, not dating, so I didn't want him to be disappointed in me for dating and ...” I stopped, not entirely sure how to discuss my sexual experience with Jace without being completely embarrassed.

  “And?” he said, urging me to finish what I was saying.

  “Having sex - I didn't want him to think less of me for having sex so young. He thinks I'm still a virgin, and I'm far from it,” I said, almost regretting it. I never regretted losing my virginity and having sex because it made up a part of who I was, which I didn't regret at all. I was a firm believer that every experience taught me something, even the experience of having sex. Still, I didn't like the thought of disappointing my dad.

  “How far from it?” Jace jokingly asked with a goofy smile on his face.

  “You want to know my number?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Your number? What does that have to do with sex?” he replied.

  I laughed, saying, “I mean the number of guys I've been with, silly. That's how my friends and I refer to it—more discreet than coming out and asking, 'Hey, how many people have you had sex with?'”

  “Oh,” he replied, laughing loudly. “In that case, yes, I want to know your number.”

  I chewed on my lip nervously. I didn't want Jace to think I was some hoochie, but I'm sure with his fame and lifestyle, he has had his fair share of girls. “I've been with four guys,” I said nervously.

  “And you just turned eighteen? Shame on you,” he joked, tickling my sides.

  “Stop it! I hate being tickled!” I exclaimed, which only made him tickle me more. I elbowed him in his gut, which was nicely firm, managing to knock some air from his lungs. I took off running towards the beach, which I could now see from where we were. Jace quickly chased after me, picking me up laughing in his arms once he caught up to me.

  “No fair, you're a trained athlete,” I whined as he put me down, brushing the hair from my face, and kissing me gently on the lips as he did so.

  “Your turn now—what's your number?” I asked.

  “Honestly, I don't remember. I've lost count,” he admitted, looking embarrassed.

  “Oh my God, you man-whore! How can you not know your number?!” I teased.

  “Many drunken nights and one night stands,” he replied.

  “I hope you've been tested—I've seen the type of girls you attract,” I joked.

  “Yeah, girls like you,” he playfully retorted.

  “I am nothing like those girls! I can't believe you think that of me,” I said, feigning hurt.

  He stopped, pulling me to him so our bodies were against each other, and everywhere he touched me tingled. He tilted my chin up with his finger so I would look him in the eyes as he said, “Brielle, you are more amazing than anyone I've ever been with—part of me was missing until I met you, and it's because my soul was missing yours. I never believed in the twin flame stuff because I didn't think I could feel the way I do about you with anyone. I never wanted that until you.”

  I felt heat rushing to my cheeks and tears pooling in my eyes. He didn't want to be in this whole twin flame situation, and it was all my fault that he was stuck with me now. I broke our embrace, turning away so he wouldn't see my devastation. He wrapped his muscular arms around my waist, pulling me in to his torso before he kissed my neck, sending shivers up my spine. He turned me around to face him, his expression shifting to concern upon seeing my tear-stained face, “What's wrong, mi amante?” he questioned.

  I took a deep breath to compose myself. “I'm sorry that you have to be stuck with me when you didn't want any of this. When you didn't want me,” I choked.

  “What are you talking about? Did you not just hear what I said? I wasn't complete until I found you. All I ever wanted, ever since the dreams began, was to find you. You're my heart, my soul, my everything now. Don't you feel the same? Can't you feel it through our connection” he asked, searching my eyes with his.

  “Of course I do! I always hoped I would find you one day, and I'm so glad I did, but I feel like I've taken your whole life away from you. You don't even have the choice of whether you want to be with me or not—you're just forced to because of our twin flame bond!”

  “I want you, bond or not! I wanted you before I even met you—none of the other girls have ever compared to you, and you were only a dream before. Now that you're a reality, there is no choice for me to make—it's always been you!” he said with conviction.

  “What about your career? Your home? Your family and friends? Your life? You have to give it all up because of me!” I sadly pointed out.

  “I don't care about all that—you are my life now, and I couldn't be happier,” he said, caressing my face. “I don't want any life without you in it, Brielle.”

  Jace then cupp
ed my face in his hands, kissing the tears off both cheeks before bringing his mouth to mine. He kissed me urgently, desperate to show me the truth in his words. I parted his lips with my tongue, deepening the kiss, oblivious to our surroundings. All I wanted was Jace, and our connection simmered inside me, the heat rushing throughout my body as we kissed. I pulled him closer to me, wrapping my arms around his neck as his hands caressed my hips and sides. He snaked them around to grab my ass, which caused me to jump and break the kiss.

  “I'm sorry, I just don't want to start something we can't finish. We are right in the middle of the sidewalk in my town,” I said.

  “You're right—it's just hard for me to resist you,” he replied, nibbling on my bottom lip.

  I giggled, “Stop it. I have very little willpower right now!”

  “I'm glad I have the same effect on you that you have on me,” he teased.

  “Did you really mean what you said?” I asked, ruining our moment. I just had to know he really wanted me, that he wasn't forced to be with me because of the bond. I knew I would be crushed if he didn't truly want to be with me.

  “Every word,” he replied, looking deep into my eyes.

  “I'm not a burden to you?”

  “Not at all,” he laughed. “I can't wait to spend the rest of eternity together, cliché as it sounds.”

  I sighed, full of relief. “I feel the same way—is that crazy? I barely know you.”

  “We've known each other for a long time, mi amante. The dreams connected us before the bond did. I've been attached to you long before I met you—I feel like I've known you my whole life,” he responded. He was right—the bond was something that wasn't meant to be fought, even if I wanted to, which I didn't. Even just standing next to him, my body ached to be closer, to touch him, to feel him pressed against me. It was like he had some sort of gravitational pull on me, like a magnet to metal. He just felt like home to me.