Leo Jackson, my baby-faced, blue-eyed surfer with the wild blond curls. He stated the obvious and then seemed genuinely surprised when we laughed. He didn’t like conflict and went out of his way to avoid it, taking the path of least resistance just like his primary. He hated teleporting so much, it became a joke. He’d do anything for the group and was the first to volunteer as the sacrifice so the rest of wouldn’t have to, and I loved him for it.
Bryan Gunderson, my straitlaced nature lover with amazing hazel eyes and the cutest dimple whenever he flashed that crooked smile. He was the biggest of the group, his barrel chest and massive arms intimidating and arousing at the same time. He was also the quietest of the group, always contemplating perception over reality as he walked the line so as not to be labeled dark like the other men in his family. He kept us all grounded, centered, and focused on what really mattered—each other—and I loved him for it.
I was suddenly far too warm and felt the need to fan myself. Being this connected with my guys overloaded my senses and made all kinds of parts of me heated and tingly. A fine film of sweat broke out on my upper lip and forehead. I’d call water to cool my core, but I couldn’t call while holding Bryan’s hand without hurting him since he couldn’t control the element.
“Katy? You okay?” Bryan squeezed my hand when I realized I had my eyes closed. When did I do that? How did I see all my guys if I couldn’t see at all?
When it hit me, I literally stumbled back, nearly breaking our contact. This, right here, was what Cressida kept trying to tell me. Open your eyes. It wasn’t in the literal sense. It was figurative. She wanted me to open my eyes, see the world around me in a different light, open my heart and mind to what I couldn’t see with my own two eyes. She wanted me to feel.
Mind totally blown.
All these years, I’d hidden from my feelings, tucked my emotions deep so as not to leave myself vulnerable. I’d had enough painful abandonment and rejection in my life. It was why I’d kept the guys close but hadn’t completely let them in. The thought of losing one more person close to me terrified me.
Without risk, there is no reward. It was something my dad used to say. He’d convinced me to remove the training wheels off my bike using that phrase. He’d gotten me to try new things, risk hating it or getting hurt, and earn the reward at the end. Sometimes the reward sucked, like the scraped knees every time I fell off my bike, but I would never have learned how to ride a bike without taking the risk.
It was time to remove the training wheels.
I’d been playing it safe for too long. I’d made a vow after losing my mom to stop waiting around for the dark elementals to make their move, to take the party to them. Pretending to support Graves and his epically bad decision to allow dark elementals into the Council was the final straw. The time had come to take a stand. I’d risk it all to protect my world. The guys, they were my world. The reward, regardless of what happened to me, was knowing they’d be safe when all this ended.
Bryan narrowed his gaze as he studied me. He saw me, really saw me, when the others didn’t. He connected with me on another level, more than element to element. Yes, we shared a primary, but it was more than that. Our souls were intertwined, woven so tightly together, we were one.
He seemed to read my mind and offered the hint of a reassuring smile. How did he do that? How did he always know the one thing I needed even when I didn’t?
“Dude, you’re pushing your fire to me. Stop it. I don’t need your help controlling my element.” Leo looked sideways at Clay.
“That’s not me.” He regarded Rob. “It’s you. You’re practically setting my hand on fire, man.”
Bryan winced. “Ouch. Leo, pull it in. I can’t call fire.”
“It’s not me. What? It’s not!”
“I’m not calling anything either.” Rob turned to me. “Is that you?”
I shook my head and widened my eyes when each one of our right hands began to glow.
“Don’t break the circle,” Renee instructed. “You might feel a little heat.”
“A little?” Bryan bared his teeth. As the only one of the group without the ability to call fire, the element hurt him way more than it hurt any of the rest of us. I squeezed his hand and kept my attention on him. If he showed any sign of becoming magically enhanced over this, I’d break the circle. Then I’d break Renee.
But soon enough, the glow faded, and Bryan’s beautiful expression returned to normal. I let out a sigh of relief.
“It is done.” Renee, who’d been chanting in the center of our circle with her arms bent at the elbows, palms up, relaxed and nodded at where we were connected. “You are all now one.”
Whoa. What? Did we just get married? We all exchanged wide-eyed, confused glances.
“Sweet.” Clay held up his hand and showed us all his palm. “Matching wards. I showed you mine. Show me yours.” He waggled his eyebrows.
We all groaned at yet another sexual reference.
“Check it out.” Leo lifted his hand to display his ward.
“That was unreal.” Bryan stared at the ward now gracing his right palm. “And a little painful. What about you, bro?”
Rob checked his palm and snapped his brow
