Gathering Water (20 page)

“Absolutely. Want me to tell Ellis and Connor where you’re going?”

“You’re a life saver. Yes, please. Can you give Cash his keys back for me, too?” I handed him the keys after we both stood up, and I had to pull my dress down a little since it had ridden up while I was sitting on the floor.

While Dove made my excuses for me, I went outside to wait by his truck. It took about five minutes, but he came around and opened the passenger side door for me when he came back out. Luckily, he didn’t wait to close the door after me, since climbing up to the bench seat was problematic in a dress.

“Do you want to talk about it? Is it about your mom?” He asked after his truck roared to life and we’d driven a few miles down the road.

“Yes and no. I’m sad about her… but I always knew she was gone. You know? Like, if she could have, she would have been there for me. But…” I hesitated.

“But what?” He pushed, just a little.

“But my dad. He’s not dead. Why hasn’t he been around? Why hasn’t he come to me yet?”

“Maybe he doesn’t know,” Dove said, optimistically.

“That’s what I used to think, but I was just being stupid. If he didn’t know about me before, he definitely does now. It’s not like the Elfennol world isn’t abuzz with news of me.” The tears started back up again. “Why doesn’t he want me?” I would get angry later. But just then all I could feel was hurt, the kind of hurt that only an abandoned child can understand. It’s a soul-crushing kind of pain full of insecurities and self-doubt.

Dove stayed quiet for a moment, digesting what I’d just said. We pulled into my driveway, and he cut the engine.

“Come here.” He patted the seat next to him. It was an older truck, and I was able to scoot over so I was next to him. He reached over and lifted me onto his lap, wrapping both arms around me and keeping eye contact with me until I relaxed enough to melt into him. I don’t know why he was always there for my emotional breakdowns, but I was glad he was. I pushed my face into his neck and clung to him, not sobbing, hardly even crying anymore, just taking in what he was offering.

He pulled me back to look me in the face.

“
I
want you.” His voice was low and melodic, and the way he said it didn’t seem sexual just… genuine. Dove brought his hand up to the side of my face, thumb brushing a stray tear from my cheek and the warmth of his fingers spreading around my neck. He pulled me slowly forward, stopping the motion when we were just inches away from touching. I could feel the heat of his breath on my lips and was mesmerized by the metallic glint in his eyes.

“May I?” he asked, and the arm that was still wrapped around me moved me just a little closer.

I couldn’t speak to answer, so I closed the distance between us, pressing my mouth against his and bringing one hand up to the back of his head, losing my fingers in his thick hair. He groaned, opening his mouth slightly as he kissed me back.

It was a kiss I felt down to my toes and my skin came alive everywhere he was touching me as if I were Tempering Water. His hand dropped from my face and hooked around my legs, pulling me close enough that our bodies pressed together. I didn’t lose myself in his kiss, but was found; I saw myself as he saw me: not damaged, or broken, or incomplete because of my past, but stronger and better because of it.

His hand lingered above my knee, pushing my dress up the smallest amount before he moved it and wrapped his arm around my waist to link his hands behind me. He pulled back before I did, leaving me gasping for him as if he were air.

“I need a minute.” His eyes were wild and his hair tousled. I’d felt powerful before, but the look on his face in that moment made me feel potent in a way I hadn’t experienced before. He leaned his head back with closed eyes and took a few steadying breaths to regain composure. When I tried to climb off his lap he tightened his grasp around me, and lifted his head to look at me.

“Sorry. It was either stop then, or take a cold shower.” His tan face was red. ”So, would you like to go out sometime? Without Cash?” he asked, hands shaking slightly.

I couldn’t help but laugh a little. “I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to ask a girl out before you kiss her.”

“That’s not an answer, Della,” he reminded me with a low voice and a small smile on his lips.

I froze, no longer caught up in the moment, and didn’t know what to say. Luckily Dove had a cure for that, because he pulled me in for another kiss when he felt my body tense above him. It was short, barely more than a peck, but still managed to take my breath away.

“I suppose I can squeeze you into my schedule,” I said as nonchalantly as I could, unsure if he heard me over the thunder of blood rushing through my veins and heating my face. I got off his lap then, trying not to be embarrassed as I looked over at him.

“Good. I thought you were going to make me have to convince you,” he laughed, then got out of the truck and walked around to open my door and help me out of the cab. “Do you want me to stick around until Cash gets here?”

“No, I could use a few minutes alone,” I told him, as we walked up the front steps to my door.

“Okay,” he looked a little disappointed by that. “I’ll call you later after I work out some details for the big night. Plan for Saturday though, okay?” The disappointment was replaced by a shit-eating grin at the thought of our date. His enthusiasm was adorable and made my headspin. When we reached the door he leaned down and stole another short kiss from me, then seemed to float down the stairs, while I just looked after him like a schoolgirl with a crush.

With a sigh, I walked into the house but something wasn’t right. My shields went up while I eased myself into the living room, knowing that there was someone lying in wait for me.

“Hello Della,” I heard a masculine voice say. His back was towards me, and he was looking at the painting of my mother that I had re-hung over the mantel in a place of honor. He turned to face me, his dark blond hair catching a stray ray of sunlight, but I didn’t need to see his face to know who was before me.

“Hello Derek.” The warmth I had just felt in Dove’s arms was gone and I felt made of ice as I addressed my intruder, eyes catching for a brief second on the armlet that circled his forearm, “Or would you rather I just call you Dad?”

Torn page from the diary of Llewellyn G. Deare

August 22
nd
, 1969

Dear Journal
,

I just finished a Reading session with Water. I’m hopi
ng if I write down what I saw it will calm my nerves. This was a remarkably clear vision, one of the future, and I was able to hold it for only a minute, but I’m afraid that the small glimpse will haunt my dreams for the remainder of my life.

There is a cyclone, similar to the one I used with Anise all those weeks ago, but immeasurably larger. It was not just of Air, but you could see the energies of the other three elements. In the center, the eye, standing on a round patch of dead earth is a girl. She’s young, about Anise’s age, and strewn before her are the bodies of her enemies. I say enemies, because it is clear by the emotions on her face that they are no friends of hers. She is frightening. Her Shield, which is shown in my vision as if I were Tempering Fire, is made up of Spirit. That in itself is terrifying, since a person able to control all five elements is unheard of and would be extraordinarily powerful.

But the most horrible part, and I can barely write this, is that her Shield is dripping with the blood of the fallen before her. Beading up and dripping down, as if on glass, leaving her clean underneath. It is her cleanliness that is so terrible, since it is surrounded by the evidence of so much destruction.

I cannot tell if the fallen are the Clades. I cannot tell if she is acting the part of a defender of our realm. I only see the destruction around her. I can only tremble in fear as her image will not leave my mind.

Gathering
-

Absorbing energy from the elements (fire, earth, air, water, spirit).

Tempering
-
An internal use of elemental energy. Used to enhance/strengthen depending on which element.

Bending
-

External use of elemental energy. Can create or manipulate elements.

Reading
-

Use of elements to ‘see’ the past, present, or future. Can’t wait to learn more about this! Could my mom could do this?

Shielding
-

Using elemental energy to protect from physical or metaphysical attack. Can also Shield with actual element (ex: Shield made of actual Fire)

Elements:

Earth
- Can be found on the ground. Dirt, mud, sand, etc… Energy looks yellow and brown when Tempering Fire.

Tempering
:
will make you stronger and faster

Bending
:
create and manipulate earth/dirt, make mini ‘earth-quake’, create objects.

Water
- Really? Water… The ocean, rain, anything liquid. Can I Gather from watermelon? Energy is greens and blue-greens when Tempering Fire.

Tempering
:
works on blood. Makes skin
WAY
more sensitive and helps with healing

Bending
:
create and manipulate water, make waves… what about drowning someone on land, or controlling rain clouds? Ask Cash!

Air
- Anything with air in it. Note to Self: Remember to Gather the bubble’s from Cash’s coke as revenge for waking me up early. Energy is all shades of Blue when Tempering Fire.

Tempering
:
enhances vision, hearing, and sense of smell. DO NOT USE TOO MUCH ENERGY!!! It will overload your system!

Bending
:
create and manipulate wind and air, create tornadoes. Can be used to suffocate someone. Easiest element to bend. Most useful for daily life.

Fire
- Any flame, but also anything electrical. Keep stocked up when going away from electricity, CAN BE HARD TO FIND BIG SOURCE IN NATURE! Energy is shades of red and orange when Tempering.

Tempering
:
allows you to see/sense/feel energy; it “lets you see beneath what’s there, to what’s real”. Makes everything beautiful.

Bending
:
create and manipulate fire (or heat!), can make fire’s burn hotter. Connor said I can start on fireballs with combat training!

Spirit
- Is found in all living things… Not much info about this. Maybe I can get one of the Elfennol to tell me more.

Elfennol
-
non-human beings that rely heavily on Spirit element to live. They can also Gather from it, and use it’s energy-force as an offensive ability. Able to see aura’s, and also have some healing abilities. Immensely powerful and are from another realm… what does that even mean? Must ask Cash. Often have ‘deserters’ who join with the Clades, but are our allies against them. They have an underwater military outpost about 30 miles southeast, and a city ‘Eurybis’ a few hundred miles further south. Note to self: Look up location of Bermuda Triangle.

Clade
-
Technically the same being as Elfennol, but have gone ‘to the dark side’. Want to Gather life from our world until it is essentially destroyed, because they believe this will make them uber powerful/immortal. No Clade has ever switched sides… why not?

Acknowledgements

First, I’d like to thank my writers group (Go Rebels Writers!). Without y’alls support and advice, finishing a book would still be a ‘one day’, instead of a ‘today’.

I’d also like to thank Rachel Higginson, a true mentor and inspiration. Thanks for all the sage advice, and for answering all my stupid questions. Seriously, you’re a role model.

My designer, Bruce Gore, who created my outstanding cover. Words can never repay… so hopefully I’ll make a little money! Haha.

Also to my amazing group of Beta Readers, including (but not limited to) Jessica Yount, Kyle Greenwood, Chad Moore, Justin Wilson, Debbie Manor, Pete Schneider, Kathy Szabo, Kristin Wheeless, Christy Coleman, Bethany Corrieri, my heart-sister Katie Gore, my mother-in-law Daryl Wilkinson, both my super-smart grandparents Dinah and Cledith Oakley ,my Aunt Amie Wilcox, and cousin Gena Wilcox. Your feedback MADE this book what it is. Thank you.

And of course, my cousin Loni Wolfe, who always answered the phone to help me talk out any new story ideas and plot issues. Seriously, you have NO idea how much help you were!

About the Author

A Tidewater girl born and bred, my first friend and love was the Atlantic. Growing up being told the legends about Pirates and American Natives common in coastal VA and NC, coupled with being an only child, did wonders for my imagination; I've had one foot in fantasy-land ever since, a trait my dear husband heroically endures (and one I secretly hope my daughters have inherited). We moved inland to Nashville while I was entering tweenhood and not a day goes by that I don't miss my childhood playmate and her crashing waves. Nashville has her perks though, namely the love of my life and our two sweet girls. Our insane mutt-dog and the stray cat that refuses to leave our porch aren't too bad either. I love fairy tales A LOT, teen movies (preferably with dancing or singing), read entirely too much, and am constantly late.

Feel free to email me at:

[email protected]
, or visit my blog at
www.reganclaire.com
,

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/reganclairepage

Goodread
s:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7731179.Regan_Claire

Keep an eye out for the second book in the Gathering Water series

Tempering Earth, coming Fall 2014