The Soothing Scent Of Earth (Elemental Awakening, Book 2) Page 18

  And then my Pyrkagia reached its goal.

  Wrapping around his stiff erection, stroking across the flattened head, tightening around the thick shaft, and matching the rhythm of my hips.

  "Oh, Aetheros!" Theo exclaimed, his eyes closing as his head fell forward, dark strands of his hair covering his face. "Casey!" he cried out as his own hips started to rock against my Stoicheio, pushing back, seeking further contact, as urgently and desperately as I was seeking further contact from him. "You are a quick learner," he breathed, lifting burnished, hungry eyes to mine. "Let's see how well you fare when distracted," he added, and before I had a chance to comprehend what he was suggesting, two fingers slipped inside my core, then pumped twice, hard.

  Oh. Oh. Yes!

  I writhed beneath his touch, rocked onto his fingers, grinding myself with abandon against his hand, moaning, panting, so close. My Pyrkagia faltered, flickered in my mind's eye like a light bulb about to go out, and in the next instant his fingers were gone.

  "Ah-ah," he chided softly. "Concentrate."

  "Theo," I complained.

  "You want them back, Oraia? Make it worth my while." He purposely rocked his hips, causing his arousal to rub against my thigh. The arousal that was no longer being stroked by my Pyrkagia.

  All right, Athanatos. You asked for it.

  Instead of going straight for the obvious, I made my Pyrkagia run heated fingers over his chest, rubbed seductively across his nipples, and then in a sudden thought, urged that heated bliss up to his neck. To the exact spot he had bitten me in when he claimed me as his Thisavros. For a second I wasn't sure if he would see the significance, or even if my touch with my Pyrkagia side was as delicate or precise as my Gi. But as my Fire burned deliciously against the skin between his neck and shoulder, and a mark began to appear where I concentrated that Fire, his head threw back, as his lips parted on a deep groan and his eyes blazed the brightest shining gold yet.

  "Cassandra," he breathed, his fingers seeking to reward, not so much as distract now. "Harder," he ordered.

  I increased the touch of my Fire, at the same time I said, "Harder," back, rocking my hips up to meet the next thrust of his fingers.

  His head fell forward, eyes alight and almost blinding me, he rasped, "Are you sure?"

  I nodded, arched my back - as my Pyrkagia burned its possession for all to see on his skin - and moaned when he started to pump a steady and slow rhythm inside.

  "Like this?" he whispered huskily. "Or do you want more?"

  "More," I murmured, my head thrashing from side to side, as an exquisite sensation of bliss grew bigger and bigger. Tempting me with delicious explosive release, enticing me with what was to come.

  Theo withdrew his fingers briefly, receiving a complaining mewl of protest from me, and then three fingers slowly edged their way inside. And OK, maybe more hadn't been a good idea, because three fingers were almost too much.

  "Easy," he encouraged. "I won't go too far. But Oraia," he murmured, voice low and seductively purring, "sometimes stretching yourself can feel so damn good."

  I let a small moan of discomfort out, which was soon washed away as his mouth found mine; little nibbles on the edge of my lips, then a deep thrust of his tongue entwining it with mine. I fell into the kiss without a second thought, and before I knew it the burn between my legs had become an ache, and my hips were rising to meet each gentle pump, begging for more already.

  "That's it," Theo whispered against my mouth, pleased with my hunger. "Now the real test, sweet Gi." He breathed hot air against my sweat soaked skin for a suspended moment, the realisation that he was on the edge of letting go himself, just by touching and watching me, almost sending me over. "Stroke me," he rasped, in such an erotic gravelly voice I couldn't contain my reaction.

  I moaned, writhed, bucked and clutched at his shoulders, digging nails into skin, while he pumped his fingers hard enough to make me pant, stretching me beyond any place I had ever been before.

  And he wanted me to use my Pyrkagia to stroke him now?

  "Casey," he pleaded, obviously needing that contact as much as I needed him to go faster, harder, deeper still.

  I willed my attention back to my Stoicheio, bemused to find it within easy reach. I shouldn't have been. Theo was building that Fire inside me diligently, making me burn from the inside out. I was washed in Pyrkagia, I was floating on the embers of its flames.

  With barely a thought, I made my own Fire reach out again and stroke lovingly down his spine. His back bowed, his breathing increased in both volume and pace, and then when I wrapped delicate Pyrkagia fingers around his shaft and stroked, he let a garbled cry of triumph out. His pace between my legs became erratic, increasing the Fire just by mixing things up. Not to mention that the knowledge that he was losing control under my influence was enough to make me lose all hold on reality and blissfully welcome oblivion in the form of release.

  I cried out as the most mind-blowingly intense orgasm consumed me. My body doing God knows what beneath his touch - but I was aware of panting, and biting, and screaming, and writhing - as his body matched my loss of control above me, releasing a shout of ecstasy as we both managed to time our climaxes to perfection.

  Pyrkagia blazed through our bodies. His and mine. Entwined, fuelling the other. And one orgasm became two, even Theo succumbing to a second round, which was just as divine, but this time also sending little jolts of electricity through my skin, making me shake and tremble as though I was having a small fit.

  I opened my mouth to suck in air, maybe to murmur something about that being fantastic, out of this world good, and a third orgasm stole all thoughts. Making it impossible to breathe, much less register what was happening around me. All I felt was the bliss of release, mixed with the sensation of too much, and Theo's body as it collapsed; heavy, sated, replete on top of me. Both finally panting, managing to get much needed air in our lungs as somehow Theo made our Stoicheio untangle, settling the inferno we'd created, easing the Fire back to just a pleasant burn.

  We lay there, limbs numb, chests heaving, eyes closed as the world spun around us. Fire crackled in the hearth, and was matched by the Fire in our hearts and bodies. A minute passed and neither of us had spoken. I think Theo was as spent as me, and as he hadn't lifted his head or opened his eyes yet, I was guessing the room was on a spin cycle for him too. It wasn't unpleasant, but the longer it took for the room to right itself, the more the Fire within me wanted to play.

  I reached out to the Gi in the room, finding that Stoicheio much easier than I had done in the past. I wasn't stroking a hand down the leaves of a plant, nor did I have my toes in the soil of the Earth, but the scent of orchids in the room infused me, settled me, and I soon realised provided me access to my Element without physically having to touch.

  Gi washed through me, stopped the twirling and grounded me to the Earth. My eyelids flickered, as the soothing scent of Earth calmed me and brought me back to the room at last. Talk about out of body experiences. I looked down at the sweating man lying collapsed on top of me and became aware that he was in a worse state than me. The room probably still revolving for Theo. So, I sent a little of my Gi to wash him, too.

  Within seconds his head tipped up, a lazy, satisfied, and I think, impressed smile graced his lips, and he finally settled into a more comfortable position down the side of me. So my body was no longer trapped or crushed by his.

  He licked his lips, gaze scanning what he could see of my body, gold still blazing from his eyes.

  "You passed with flying colours," he announced on a roughened whisper. I wondered if he was as thirsty as me, or if he'd lost a little of his voice when he'd shouted through each of those orgasms.

  I smiled and stroked fingers through his hair, unwillingly to talk just yet. Still enjoying the after effects.

  "In fact," he added, his own fingers exploring, seeking contact, needing that Pyrkagia urge to touch. "You absolutely astound me, Oraia. I have never experienced anything like that."


  "Really?" I asked, the word out before I could stop it. I winced at the faux pas.

  Theo smirked. "You need to ask? Look at me. I'm incapable of moving an inch, nor do I want to. But if someone were to barge through that door right now, I'd be a hopeless protector."

  He hadn't meant to bring gravity to the situation, but our lives right now were precarious, and someone could barge through that door at any minute.

  He sat up, proving his words were a stretch of the truth. He didn't move far, and he blinked a few times, no doubt to clear his vision, so I was willing to bet they hadn't been an outright lie.

  "I have Pyrkagia to burn, Casey. Thanks to you," he added, offering a wink, lifting the tone again with that simple action. "I could still do harm, but I'd rather lie entangled with you and bask in the sensations you've just created."

  "You created them too," I argued, a small smile tipping the edges of my lips up.

  "I was only responding to you, Oraia. You are so delicious. So perfect." He leaned in and nuzzled my neck. "So mine."

  My hand came up and found the Pyrkagia mark I'd left on his neck. It hadn’t disappeared and I wondered how long it would stay. Athanatos heal most injuries, I couldn't see this one lasting longer than a day. But for now, I enjoyed the sensation of the raised outline of my possession under the tips of my fingers.

  "Thisavros," Theo murmured, his own fingers tracing what was left of his mark on my neck. "I never knew it could be like this," he murmured, almost to himself. His eyes were glazed as he stared transfixed at his mark, repetitively tracing its outline on my skin.

  I almost asked. The words were on the tip of my tongue. Was I his first and only Thisavros, or not? But I didn't. It would have ruined the moment. Like he said, we couldn't have other Thisavros when already claimed like we were. What was the point in bringing up the past?

  I searched his face for an answer to the question I didn't have the courage to ask. But he seemed blissfully happy, content, maybe a little in awe. No secrets lay there. Well, none that I had any right to be seeking.

  But no matter how I tried to just sit back and enjoy the tender moment, to just relish the post orgasmic bliss, the question still hungered to be answered. Still begged for me to seek the truth.

  It took a moment for me to rationalise what I was feeling, and even then all I could come up with was... jealousy. I was infinitely jealous of Melita. Because even though I didn't know for sure that she'd been his Thisavros, I was certain that she'd been his first.

  His first real love.

  His first broken heart.

  His first lost treasure.

  And an emotion I had never suffered in my life took root deep down inside. Jealousy burned almost as hot as Fire. Would it consume me? Would it ruin everything Theo and I had?

  God.

  I hoped not.

  Chapter 18

  But I Loved More, That He Loved Them Too

  "Peru?" I asked, once we'd redressed and settled in to eat some snacks Theo had managed to buy at the reception to the camp grounds we were staying in. The little woodsy cottage was one of twelve, set at the back of a pretty camping ground, behind the main communal building, the reception/owners' cottage, and the powered sites for tents and camper-vans.

  If I couldn't find the courage to ask the one question dogging me, then I'd focus on our real problems right now. Namely, where to from here and the unknown of the Aeras.

  "I don't agree with Aktor," Theo replied, snagging the biscuit I was reaching for and swallowing it whole when I frowned.

  "Hey!" I complained.

  "What?" he mumbled around a mouthful of crumbs. He swallowed thickly, clearly feeling every little bit of that chocolatey goodness and cleared his throat. "You snooze, you lose," he added, taking a sip from his soda can.

  "You have no manners," I pointed out, picking up another biscuit and nibbling.

  "I'm famished," Theo explained. "Someone wore me out."

  A laugh escaped before I could stop it, making biscuit crumbs rain down on my top.

  "Who's lacking table manners now?" Theo teased, reaching over and swiping crumbs off the corner of my lips. He licked the evidence off his fingertips with an exaggerate sigh.

  "Can we concentrate?" I asked in a fake beleaguered voice. I liked him too much in this playful mood to really complain. And I think he knew it.

  "Impossible," Theo remarked, sitting back in his seat and eyeing me through half lidded eyes. "Not when I'm already imagining round two."

  I arched my brow at him, but couldn't stop a smile. Round two was a given, once we'd replenished. Even now I could feel his Pyrkagia burning to reach out and touch mine. It was only my constant touch with the Earth grounding me that made it possible to ignore it, and not send my own Pyrkagia back to tangle. Tangling Stoicheio I'd discovered was quickly becoming my favourite pastime.

  "We've got nowhere else to go," I pointed out, refusing to drop the topic. We'd have to move on tomorrow, or risk the Gi finding us here. For now both Theo's and my Pyrkagia Stoicheio were shielding us, but as Theo had pointed out as we dressed, sooner or later a Gi travelling past would wonder why he was thinking lustful thoughts on the BR-230 outside a camp site.

  With time we'd be discovered. So one night to replenish and regroup, and then we'd have to go... somewhere. But where?

  Theo ran a hand over his face before answering. He looked tired, if not a little sex happy as well. But the tiredness I saw around his beautiful eyes was not from sexcapades, but stress. It had been a hard three months for him too.

  "You know as well as I," he started, "that differing branches of Ekmetalleftis do not mix."

  Yeah, I knew only too well. My reception, when just Gi, in Pyrkagia territory had not been nice. Theo and I were still considered enemies, and I wasn't entirely sure if me now being part Pyrkagia, part his branch, would have changed that. The Pyrkagia Rigas was a foreboding and unforgiving man.

  God, I just wished life was normal again. Back when all I had to worry about was whether my customers liked their deli sandwiches, or planning the next social outing with my best friend. Sonya. Oh, how I missed her. And yet I knew I couldn't get back in touch.

  Sonya was human, and as such had no idea what I was, or what I could do. Even when my Gi Stoicheio had made plants move and wave hypnotically in her presence, she'd not picked up on anything unusual. Likewise, the eye colour change Athanatos experience when tapping into their Element was lost on Sonya, too. And although she would always be my best friend, there was a gaping big whole in our relationship now, because of all of that.

  I sighed, Theo eyes came up and settled on my face.

  "Are you tired, Oraia?" he asked, voice soft and tender.

  It felt like I'd been tired for months. I nodded, but we had to discuss this before I could get any sleep.

  "I think we should go to Peru," I announced and then it was Theo's turn to sigh. "Think about it," I urged. "We can't go back to Auckland. You admitted yourself that the Pyrkagia Council has misinformed you of what an Aether is. Aside from you being exiled and me being persona non grata, there are no answers to be had there."

  He nodded slowly, but didn't say a word. Waiting for me to get to the hammer blow.

  "We need answers, Theo. I'm scared."

  "Casey," he said, leaning forward and reaching for my hand. I let his fingers capture mine, but I shook my head.

  "My grandfather said I was special." I laughed, it sounded bitter. "Not that I subscribe to that point of view, but the Earth's call for help. There was something to it." I closed my eyes and tried to envisage again what I'd felt when the Earth had been calling for me to save it. "This happened for a reason," I whispered. "And it's not over yet."

  Theo's fingers clenched mine in support.

  "Gramps always said there's power in knowledge. It was one of those lessons he repeated while I was growing up. Like believing is a tangible thing. My brother Mark and I would be sitting in his wood working shed, listening to his stories, and I
swear not a day would go by when he wouldn't repeat those lines to both of us. Knowledge is power, Casey. Belief is a tangible thing, Marcus. Balance is essential for life to prosper, kids."

  My eyes closed again, tightly, as all the sayings my grandfather forced on us came rushing back in; the sound of his voice so real. "Know yourself and you can't go wrong. Rise above your mistakes, but never forget them."

  I sighed, opening up my eyes and looking directly into the concerned ones of Theo's. "Let the solid Earth ground you." God, I'd forgotten all of these. Where had they gone? "Let the light of Fire guide your path." How had I not remembered them? "Let the clean Air take away your fears."

  Tears began to well in my eyes. He'd known, even then as a child. My grandfather had known what would happen one day.

  "Let the cool Water revive you." My voice cracked. I'd thought it already, that Gramps had abandoned us to his wretched cause. But now I knew it was only me he'd abandoned. Because of what I was to become.

  "There's one more," I said, swallowing down the tears. Gramps didn't deserve them.

  Theo moved to pick me up off my chair, then promptly sat down again with me in his lap. His hands stroked my sides, my arms, up into my hair. Trying to soothe, to calm, to help me get the last saying out.

  "What is it?" he whispered in question.

  I cleared my throat.

  "Let Essence give you the courage to sacrifice your soul."

  Theo tensed, so did I. Because as a child I'd never understood it. The others made sense, but this one, always said with a grave face and sad eyes, held little meaning. That's why I'd never tried to repeat it to myself. That’s why I'd confused 'Essence' - something remotely understandable - with 'Quintessence' - something that a child had no hope of reasoning through.

  "Let Quintessence give you the courage to sacrifice your soul," I corrected. It had to be said, I needed to acknowledge it. We needed to hear the words aloud.

  "Fuck," Theo murmured, a word he rarely used, but when he did, he meant it.

  "I've got Earth to ground me. I've got Fire to guide me. You know what will happen next," I said into the stunned silence that followed his expletive.