“Then we need to find a son of the Light,” Ruby states. Stepping towards Elina, Ruby says excitedly “Simeon!” Grabbing Elina’s hand she asks, “How do we call him Elina?
Polly says what she has been thinking, “You can’t call him to her.”
They all turn to look at her, and Jake asks “Why not?” Looking at Elina, Polly sighs.
“Every time he is with her, the pull will grow. It places his soul in danger, Jake. Being with her marked him as well.”
Elina feels sick sitting on the couch. Her head is spinning. How will she save Elsbeth, and how will she ever see Malach again. She knows what Polly means; she felt it in her soul today. Malach was struggling to overcome his feelings and she is not sure she wants him too.
Elsbeth listens from the hallway with a look of horror on her face. Simeon, she thinks. He would come for her, and she would not be strong enough to push him away. She returns to her bedroom and starts to pack a small bag. She would get the stones and provide the protection for as many of them as she can. Grabbing her tablet, she looks up the directions to the mine and writes them down. Changing into jeans, a turtleneck and sweater, she pulls on hiking boots and decides to leave a note for Jake.
“Gone to the mines, please understand I am tired of being a burden. I want to help in the only way I can. I will be back soon, Love Beth.” Grabbing her keys, she slips quietly down the hall, hearing the murmuring voices of the others. Stepping out into the cold night air from the back door, she heads to the jeep. She screams when a hand clamps over her mouth as she reaches to open the door handle.
“Going somewhere?” Hunter asks in a lethal voice. Releasing Elsbeth, he flips her around and presses his body into hers against the door of the jeep, holding her in place.
“Are you crazy? You almost scared me to death!” she screams at him.
“Well, maybe somebody should scare you. Where do you think you are going alone, at this time of night?” Hunter demands of her.
“I don’t have to answer to you, release me!” She says struggling against him. Leaning his face close to hers, Elsbeth goes suddenly still. Sensing her fear, he is disgusted with himself, but wanting to make his point.
“Elsbeth, you have no business going anywhere alone. What do you think your brother would do to save you? He risked his own life for you. What of the others? They have treated you like family and this is how you repay them?”
Looking at him, she struggles against the fear and tears, “I am doing this for them, Hunter! I want to help, do something besides sit in terror all the time.” Dropping her head to his chest, she weeps for all she has lost.
Pulling her into his arms, he lets her cry and stares up at the stars. When her tears subside, he says, “I will take you to the mine in the morning, Elsbeth. Will you let me help you?”
Sniffling and embarrassed, she says, “Why, why do you want to help?”
Carefully he wipes a tear that is easing its way down her cheek, and looks into her eyes. “I feel drawn to you, Elsbeth. I find I want to be near you and chase away all your demons.” Slowly leaning in Hunter softly kisses her full mouth. Hunter’s long black hair blows gently in the breeze and mingles with her own. Freezing, afraid to move, Elsbeth doesn’t even breathe.
“I can’t give you what you seek, Hunter,” she whispers against his mouth.
“No? Maybe I can change your mind,” he says as his tongue flicks her bottom lip. Turning her head slightly, she leans into his kiss. Confused, Elsbeth feels the heat of his tongue and strength of his body and she longs to feel normal again. She decides to stop thinking and enjoy. Sighing, she smiles when his grasp tightens pulling her closer. Releasing his tongue, she finds her hands tangled in his long, black hair and uses it to pull his mouth closer.
Breaking away from her, he looks into her smiling, blue eyes and growls, “Elsbeth, you taste like heaven.” Grabbing her hair, he pulls her head back and captures her mouth again. One hand grabs her pulling her closer, and she feels the hardness of his body against hers and the panic creeps in. Starting to struggle, she pushes at him and whimpers as the nightmares claim her mind.
No longer seeing Hunter, she hears the demon Asa’s voice saying “You tasssste ssssoooo good,” as his tentacles dig deeper into her flesh, and the screaming in her mind causes her to fight.
Hunter feels her panic and senses the demon coming for her. With his arms wrapped tightly around Elsbeth, he begins to chant, calling on the spirit of fire to protect them from the demon closing in. The rhythm of the chant breaks through the terror in Elsbeth’s mind and she stops fighting him. A wall of blue flame leaps up around them, protecting them from the demon lurching its way through the woods. Burying her face in his chest, Elsbeth refuses to look at the monster calling her from beyond the flame. Closing her mind to the noise around her, she listens instead to the rhythm of his heart.
The stench from his rotting corpse permeates the night air. Chunks of decaying flesh hang from his bones and he closes slowly in on them. Reaching the wall of flames, he looks into Hunters eyes and screams in rage. The demon strikes at the barrier around them, shrieking in hunger. The sound echoes through the surrounding woods.
Elsbeth jumps in Hunters arms at the noise, shaking in terror. “Don’t let them take me again, Hunter.”
Stroking a hand up and down her back, he says “You are safe here, Elsbeth. He can’t cross the flames.”
Drawn
