She bit her bottom lip and nodded. She didn’t like to talk about it, and the mysterious man’s presence still clung to her skin like smoke. But if anyone could help her, it would be the elementals.
“Do not let them get to you,” he said softly. “They can be a bit much at times, but you can trust them.”
“I think they’re getting toyoumore than they’re getting to me.”
He drummed his fingers on the table, then his eyes tightened on something over her shoulder. She looked behind her and swore her heart skipped a beat.Thiswas what she imagined the all-powerful elementals to look like.
Aidan, Kai, and Jade strode toward them from the other side of the dining room, all looking stunningly unapproachable. Even if Rynn hadn’t told her about each of them and the elements they controlled, it would’ve been obvious the instant she laid eyes on them.
Aidan was sharp in tight gray pants, shining boots, and a black shirt that hugged his sculpted figure. A gray cloak hung around his shoulders and billowed behind him in the cold wind from the open door. He had lined his dark eyes with gold kohl so they appeared to flicker with the fire of his element when he moved, contrasting against his rich, ebony skin. It lent him an air of devastating fierceness. He smiled mischievously at Isla, stroking his short-cropped black beard.
Next to him stood Kai, who was the epitome of a sea goddess. Her long, blonde hair cascaded in waves down her back to her waist. Her choice of clothing reminded Isla of Bri’s latest fashion obsession: a sapphire two-piece outfit that showed several inches of her tanned, toned stomach. She wore minimal makeup, but it wasn’t needed to enhance her dazzling blue eyes and heart-shaped face. Aidan’s hand rested lightly on Kai’s elbow, and Isla had to admit they made a striking couple.
To Aidan’s other side was Jade. As powerful as the other two looked, Jade’s presence was all-consuming. She was dominant, solid, and ferociously beautiful in a white tunic with billowing sleeves tucked into brown pants, and a matching vest that laced up over the front of her shirt. Her full chest and generous curves drew the eye of many men and women at the bar, while her shoulder-length, reddish-brown hair framed her bronze face and strong jaw.
But it was her eyes that captured Isla’s attention. They were a bright shade of amber, with dark flecks that became clearer as Jade drew closer. Staring into them made it feel like the very ground beneath her feet trembled.
Isla felt her mouth pop open. “That’swhat they look like after thirty minutes of cleaning up? I barely washed my hair this morning,” she whispered across the table to Rynn.
“I thought you said they were not getting to you?” he said with a mocking lilt that was very uncharacteristic of him. “They are only trying to make an impression. And you look beautiful,” he added quietly.
Butterflies erupted in her stomach at those words, and the rest of the room faded away as he looked at her.
A chuckle shattered the tension. “Are we interrupting?” Aidan came to stand beside them.
“Not at all. Just waiting on you,” Rynn said smoothly, waving his hands at the extra seats around the table. Aidan sauntered over to Isla’s chair, took her hand, and kissed it. He let go and sat in his own seat, smiling at her with laughter in his eyes.
Without warning, Aidan’s expression fell from amusement to…something else. Confusion and anger shone in his eyes as he narrowed them at Isla. She squirmed under his stare, put off by the sudden shift in the air around her. It was growing warmer despite the chill from outside, and drops of sweat slid down her back.
Abruptly, Aidan stood. He towered over Isla as he set his hands firmly on the arms of her chair. She jumped back in her seat, the scent of smoke and honey encircling her, overwhelming her.
“Who are you?” he hissed, sparks flying across his eyes.
What was happening?
Rynn growled across the table, and, in an instant, a rush of solid wind flew at Isla’s side, twisting her hair around her face and blowing Aidan several feet away. Rynn was in front of her within seconds.
Kaitsked. “Boys, you’re making a scene.”
She was right. Patrons all around the bar gawked at them; those closest to their table had leaped from their seats, preparing for a brawl to break out.
Aidan’s eyes skittered around the room. He stood taller, straightened his cloak, and cleared his throat. Rynn did not move an inch. Isla didn’t know what was going on. Had she done something wrong?
“Now, would you like to explain what that was all about?” Jade asked, crossing her arms.
The bystanders warily went back to their dinners and drinks once it appeared their scene would not be escalating. Although his body language was casual, Aidan’s eyes glimmered heatedly between Rynn and Isla.
“I don’t think Rynn has been entirely forthcoming about his new friend here.” His voice was full of suspicion. “I tried to use my abilities on her, and she didn’t even react. It’s like there’s a block in her mind against it.”
Isla gasped. “Did you try to set me onfire?”
“Not his elemental ability,” Rynn said, shifting his head to look at her. His face was still full of muted rage. “Do you recall the various mind-related powers we spoke of?”
She nodded, swallowing.
“Aidan can get inside your head and cause you to feel things that aren’t actually happening to your body,” Rynn explained. “Physical sensations such as pleasure or pain, even when no one is touching you.”
“Except it didn’t work on her.” Aidan cocked his head. “Curious, don’t you think?”
