Raine (Elemental Series Book 2) Read online

  RAINE

  AN ELEMENTAL SERIES BOOK

  M.M. Roethig

  Raine Patterson is content with being invisible. That is, until the mysteriously handsome Kaden transfers. Drawn to him, Raine finds herself falling for him. Kaden Williams has hated Elementals from the time he lost his father to them as a young boy. Chosen to protect Elementals, Kaden turned his back on his duty, swearing to rid the world of them instead. Meeting Raine was no accident, but his feelings for her throw him into turmoil and threaten to change the way he feels about Elementals. When Raine becomes the target of an unknown aggressor, Kaden is forced to decide which path he will follow.

  “Refreshing tale of love, betrayal, and spectacular feats. Unputdownable with a cast of characters so real, you’d wish they could live on past the pages.”

  ~Elizabeth Mueller, author of Darkspell.

  “It takes a gifted writer to snare the reader from the first page of a story. M.M. Roethig does just that in Raine, crafting a hero and heroine who will capture your heart and have you championing them along, especially as they begin to understand not only who they are but how each fits into the life of the other.”

  ~ Linda Boulanger, author of Dance with the Enemy

  PLEASE HELP STOP PIRACY. PIRACY IS ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL! IF YOU’VE RECEIVED THIS COPY WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT (excepting if you received it from the publisher or the author) THEN YOU ARE READING A STOLEN COPY. PLEASE DELETE AND PURCHASE YOUR OWN COPY THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS.

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  PROLOGUE

  Pain shot through her head as she came to. The events of yesterday were a blur. Raine gingerly blinked her eyes against the blackness. She tried to lift a hand to touch the throbbing pain on the back of her head only it wouldn’t move.

  Cobwebs in her mind slowly cleared as memories fought to come to the surface, but lay just beyond her reach. Confusion made her shake with fear.

  The room was uncomfortably hot and the smell of musty old wood accosted her. She shook her head against the smell and paid with another stab of pain in her head, making her eyes water.

  Raine blinked the tears swiftly away and waited for her vision to come into focus in the dark room.

  The marking on her wrist began to glow, softly at first, slowly growing in intensity until the darkness faded away.

  She knew her fear made her marking come to life. She also knew he would be close.

  Thoughts of him opened her mind and Raine shuddered when her memories finally hit her with full force.

  He tricked her. The one person she thought she could trust betrayed her. He was the reason she was here, and she couldn’t stop the overwhelming despair that threatened to crush her heart.

  With deep breaths, Raine tried to curb the sting in her chest as she took in her surroundings.

  The room was dark with pitch-black curtainless windows in the far corner, which meant it was the dead of night. Outside the window she could make out the shapes of trees, thick trees that blocked the faint light of the moon.

  A blast of heat accosted her directly in the face, making her feel weak. She fought the urge to sleep as she furiously blinked against the warmth that somehow drained her instantly. Her marking slowly faded as weakness enveloped her and it became harder to keep her eyes open. She was going to lose the battle. She could feel the subtle pull of the moon and struggled desperately to hold onto the strength it provided, but she was too weak to pull from its energy.

  A faint light appeared under the door in front of her and she heard faint creaks in the wood just beyond the door that held her prisoner. Someone was coming. She fought against her heavy lids as the door opened and light flooded into the small room.

  A shadow, tall and lean, sauntered into the room and Raine strained to see his face. She wanted to look in his eyes and find the answers to her questions. She needed to know who wanted her so much. She needed to know why.

  The shadow stepped closer and Raine let out a weak gasp.

  “You?” Confusion warred with reason inside her head as her neck gave way and her head slumped forward, eyes closed.

  Laughter followed her into the blackness.

  CHAPTER 1

  Soft cries carried through the stuffy hospital room drowning out the electric buzz from the lights overhead. Machines beeped in time with a tiny heartbeat, one that contrasted with the steady thump in Stephan’s chest. Paige lay panting on the bed, ready to give one last push and bring their new child into the world. Sweat-drenched sheets clung to her body, her hair askew with frazzled curls matted to her head.

  The small birthing room in the hospital looked like a fancy hotel room, complete with a jetted tub full of warm water from the bath Paige was never able to enjoy. A flat screen television flickered with the most recent football score, a game all but forgotten when the contractions grew in intensity.

  “You can do it,” Stephan whispered gently. He wiped her sweat-drenched forehead and smoothed the dark matted curls from Paige’s eyes.

  “On your next contraction, push hard. This should be the last one.” Dr. Carter sat confidently at the edge of the bed, preparing for the big event.

  A new wave of contractions hit as Paige squeezed her eyes closed and gave a gut wrenching groan. She squeezed Stephan’s hand until he thought it would break under the pressure.

  “Don’t push! Stop!” Dr. Carter’s voice rang out in the room, and the nurse, Betty, quickly stepped to his side. They spoke softly as she handed him tools from the medical tray before she beelined for the phone on the wall.

  “Stop pushing, honey. You’ve got to stop,” Betty cooed in an attempt at a soothing voice that instead held an edge of panic as she dialed the phone with a shaky hand.

  “I can’t—it hurts. I need to push,” Paige cried. She clenched her teeth as the pressure bore down on her again. She bit back sobs of pain. Stephan’s heart broke as he watched.

  “The cord is wrapped around your baby’s neck. You have to stop pushing or you will strangle it.” Dr. Carter sounded confident as he spoke, yet there was something in his voice that sent a chill of panic down Stephan’s spine.

  Paige screamed her frustration and gripped the bedrails with white-knuckled fists. Stephan stood frozen.

  “I’ve got it. Push, Paige. Push!” Dr. Carter screamed his order and Paige let out a gut-curdling scream.

  More nurses rushed into the room while Betty finished her conversation in hushed tones and promptly hung up the phone. She rushed back to Dr. Carter to help while the other nurses pulled instruments from the large closet at the other end of the room that housed a warming bed and supplies for each new baby.

  Paige and Stephan were promptly ignored as Betty grabbed the bundle from Dr. Carter. She quickly disappeared into the middle of the swarm of nurses surrounding the infant bed.

  “Doc?” Stephan asked with hesitation after a few moments of silence.

  “I need to get Paige stitched up.” The calm demeanor did nothing to soothe Stephan’s rising fears. Stephan cocked an eyebrow when Dr. Carter finally looked up and caught his eye. “You have a beautiful little girl. But—” Another doctor rushed into the room, cutting off the rest of the sentence.

  Stephan watched as the new doctor went to work with the nurses in the corner of the room and he waited for more of an explanation. None came for several agonizing minutes.

  With a deep sigh, Dr. Carter cast a compassionate glace at Paige who lay exhausted against the bed. She never wavered in her stare as she watched the commotion in the corner.

  “The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck three times. It cut off her oxygen and she wasn’t breathing. Dr. Ericson is the best NICU doctor we have.�
� Dr. Carter’s explanation was full of empathy.

  Paige grabbed Stephan’s hand and pulled him down against her. Her strength was gone, but he had no problem falling against her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

  “I can’t lose her, Stephan. I can’t.”

  Stephan’s voice failed him, his throat swollen with emotion. He closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer as he begged for the life of his little girl.

  >*< >*< >*<

  Miles away a fragile, silvered haired woman lay on a soft bed of white, every breath a struggle. The death rattle had crept into her lungs and everyone knew her time drew near.

  Simon sat vigilantly by her side. Grief and anguish clearly shone in his features. His muddy brown eyes were wet with millions of tears that ran freely down his strong, angled face.

  Dimly lit candles cast dancing shadows around the small, quaint room as the fire popped wildly in the stone hearth on the far wall, filling the room with sweltering heat. Beads of sweat clung to Simon’s forehead. His short-sleeved shirt clung to his torso and revealed the sweat marks along his back.

  A door creaked open, but Simon didn’t turn to look.

  “He’s finally asleep,” Lizzy said as she placed a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Goodness, Simon. It’s so hot in here. You’re drenched.” Lizzy walked to the window and cracked it just a bit. “There, that should help.”

  A swift breeze penetrated the room and Simon sighed in relief as the cool air swept over him. Despite his attempts to keep from complaining, he welcomed the draft if only for a moment.

  “Liz, honey, please close that. Aria is freezing.” Simon looked at Lizzy with pleading eyes. “She shivers uncontrollably and I can’t make her stop.”

  Lizzy wore a long sleeved nightshirt that clung to her round belly and showed off her tanned, bare legs. Fuzzy socks acted as a barrier against the chill of the hardwood floor and Simon smiled when he noticed them. Her long blonde hair hung haphazardly around her shoulders in a messy ponytail tied at the nape of her neck. A few stray curls fell around her face, accenting her youthful complexion. Simon could see the sparkle from the fire in her green-blue eyes and the outline of her body as she came to kneel in front of him.

  Lizzy grasped his hands in hers, closed her eyes, and kissed his palm gently.

  “Sweetheart, she’s dying. No matter how warm you make the room, she’s not going to recover.”

  “I know. It’s just . . .” Simon closed his eyes, unable to continue.

  “Simon. It’s her time to go and we need to let her. You served her well, but it’s time. It’s our time, too. We can finally move on and have the life we want.” Simon closed his eyes and touched his forehead against hers. He inhaled deeply and then kissed the tip of her nose as she continued. “Your stewardship as Guardian is over. Let’s celebrate her wonderful life and concentrate on our boys and our life.”

  Lizzy placed both hands on either side of Simon’s face and forced him to look into her eyes as she stood and moved between his legs. She leaned over and placed an urgent kiss on his lips. The kiss was full of need, love, and, Simon suspected, great relief. She was under the impression that everything would change now, and he wished he could give her that, but knew it was impossible, even now.

  “I need you, Simon.”

  Simon growled his appreciation for her words and snaked his arms around her expanding waistline. He pulled her close and kissed her belly before he spoke softly to his unborn babe. Lizzy ruffled his hair and kissed the top of his head as he murmured to their child.

  A bright light swept through the room as if a flash of lightening suddenly erupted from the hallway. Lizzy froze in place as understanding hit. Terror shone in her eyes and she ran.

  Simon let out a sigh of resignation. He knew what the light meant and expected it. The same happened to him once, too, changing his life forever.

  He turned his gaze to Aria lying still on the bed. Her faded blue eyes peered expectantly back at him, a tiny smile on her lips. After days of being unable to talk, Aria whispered through a bone-dry throat.

  “Train . . . him . . . well.” She coughed. “I . . . am . . . proud.”

  Aria closed her eyes and let out a long, satisfied sigh as her body went slack against the bedding. A thin wisp of light rose from her shell and gently danced toward the open window, swirling and spiraling up to the stars. Her spirit was now free.

  “Eryk, no!” Lizzy’s desperate cry broke the silence. Despite the pain in his heart, Simon stood and placed a kiss on Aria’s forehead before he followed the panicked screams.

  Simon knew why Eryk was here. Kaden, only three years old, was now a Guardian.

  >*< >*< >*<

  Paige clung to Stephan as they watched the flurry of activity around their little girl, still blue on the table in the corner. Dr. Carter removed his gloves while new nurses worked to clean up the soiled linens from the recent birth.

  “Would you like me to crack the window? It might help relieve some tension to let some fresh air in.” Stephan gave a quick nod and Dr. Carter moved to open the window. “You’re lucky to have this room. All the other rooms have sealed windows,” he said as he slid the pane easily to the side. Stephan felt a wave of fresh air filter through the crack.

  No words were exchanged as Stephan stood next to his wife with her hand firmly gripped in his. In an effort to keep up his façade of strength, Stephan turned his eyes to the newly opened window when he felt the sting of tears threaten to overwhelm him. As he looked out at the sky, he saw a swirling mist dance through the crack into the room. It moved with purpose in the direction of the infant warmer where the NICU doctor worked furiously. Stephan’s gaze followed the glowing mist through the room. He was surprised to notice the other occupants remained unaware of the light that penetrated the gloom as it danced lightly over his daughter.

  The magical fog spun and dipped in the air before hovering above his oxygen-deprived child. As suddenly as it came, it danced out the window and lifted to the heavens.

  Instantly, machines beeped noisily and the doctor’s voice pitched in excitement. “We’ve got her back. We’ve got her back!”

  “Doctor. Look at her eyes.” Betty’s high whisper reached Stephan’s ears.

  “No time, get her to NICU, stat,” the doctor screeched as the other nurses wheeled the baby from the room.

  “Betty, what about her eyes?” Paige asked quietly.

  “They were the most incredible blue I’ve ever seen. And the pupil looked like a drop of rain.” Betty walked from the room in a daze.

  “Oh, Stephan,” Paige cried. “Not my little girl, too. I didn’t want this life for her.” Sobbing uncontrollably, she clung to her husband and buried her head in his chest.

  Stephan silently comforted his wife as he offered up another prayer, this one of thanks for saving his daughter. He didn’t care if she was a born Elemental. His little girl would live.

  >*< >*< >*<

  Stars peppered the darkened sky high above the treeline. It was a peaceful night with a subtle chill in the air that hinted at a change of season. In the distance, a dense white cloud whirled high in the midnight sky, making its way to the tall, stone cottage house in the distance. As the cloud moved, it covered the starlight, drowning out the twinkling lights in its wake.

  A soft moan ripped through the quiet night sky as the mist condensed on the balcony near the ceiling-to-floor glass French doors. A tight whirlwind swirled mercilessly on the porch until a small figure of a woman appeared out of the darkness.

  Inside the cozy cottage, Elzar closed his book and calmly placed it on the stand next to the oversized leather couch where he sat. The fire alight in the hearth gave a quick flicker followed by a wisp sound before the flames dimmed. He knew of his pending guest even before she materialized.

  Casually, Elzar stood with a confidence that came from years of hard-earned life lessons, and released his breath in a loud exhale. He padded barefoot to the balcony door. Dressed only in a pair of comfort
able knit pants, Elzar opened the door on his waiting guest just as the last tendrils of mist drifted backward, revealing the woman inside. Elzar made no effort to cover himself against the chill in the air as he strolled outside.

  “Isa, what brings you here?” Elzar said under his breath, his annoyance not far from the surface.

  Isa’s long hair jutted from her scalp in every direction. Once a vibrant blonde, her hair was now pale and streaked with dull grey throughout. Hands, frail and wrinkled, reached up to smooth down the matted mess while she smiled a toothless grin at him. Dressed in a long, flowing silk gown that blew gently in the breeze, she looked at odds with herself as she abandoned her hair to fidget with the sapphire ring encompassing her right middle finger. She looked ancient, appearing much older than Elzar even though she was, technically, younger than him. Her paper-thin skin lay in folds around her face, and her eyes had a layer of film that stretched across her pupil.

  Isa was a witch and her years of witchcraft had taken its toll. The results were not pretty.

  Without speaking Isa sauntered to him like a cat stalking its prey. She lifted her chin toward his face and placed her hands on his hard, bare chest while she closed her eyes. Her frail hands rubbed against his skin, lingering on the scars that stretched the length of his chiseled chest.

  After long moments, she stretched up on her toes and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, missing his lips only when he turned his head at the last moment. Her bluish lips lingered for a moment before he felt her smile and step back. She dropped her arms to her sides and waited.

  With repulsion he couldn’t hide, Elzar looked down his nose at her and stared into her pale eyes.

  “Invite me in?” With a smile that looked more like a sneer, Isa slowly licked her chapped lips and looked at the open door leading to Elzar’s study.

  Without a word, Elzar turned and motioned for her to follow.