Page 19 of Elemental Healer

Jeff’s eyes had widened in surprise about my mom but had narrowed and hardened into stone at my promise of vengeance. Hatred poured off him as it did me.

“What makes you think my brothers and I will let you get away with killing us? We could stop you in a heartbeat.” Pompous jerk.

I smiled my most evil smile and let my hands rest on his chest before grabbing his vest and pulling him close so I could whisper in his ear. “You have a beautiful niece and nephew on the way, Jeff, and some very nice sisters-in-law. Right now, my plan only includes you and your brothers. Don’t push me.”

My threat had been whispered, but that did not make it any less terrifying to the man as he pulled back from me, shaking his head.

“Don’t you dare harm them.”

The malice in the threat wasn’t there this time. Fear had coated his words.

I shrugged and pushed his hands off me. “I’m not interested in harming the peace talks again, so I can’t kill you until after they’re done. Until then, I own you, Lord Healing and Love. And you should know that I hate you. This is not going to be a pleasant few days, or few weeks if that’s how long it takes.”

He growled and hit the wall as I walked away with a smirk. Everything had worked out wonderfully after all.

My head spun and my feet dragged as I walked into the room already filled to capacity. Alex’s sneer in my direction no longer frightened me. The face of the Witch who’d taken up residence in my nightmares now terrified me during my waking hours. How could Nate have betrayed us like this and brought her? He knew who she was. Tessa’s mother had been one of his best friends.

As I stood at the table behind Nate and Tessa, I thought back to that night almost sixteen years ago. It hadn’t been our fault, but it seemed that Nate hadn’t explained the situation to Tessa, or she just didn’t care. Her pain and anger had festered for a decade and a half, turning a probably happy woman into a blood-craving crazy person.

Her yearning to see the peace talks through was a blessing, but I knew she’d be true to her word. She wouldn’t let life be easy on me, and I feared what she had planned.

If only my stupid Love element would get its head on straight and not want the woman’s magic to curl up inside of me again. What had happened in the elevator?

Carmon’s voice in my head broke my train of thought.Jeff, you good? Everyone else good? It’s almost showtime, so keep your heads on straight. We’ve got Borgman and Nash from the Council here.

Ernest Borgman was a pain to work with and thought himself above everyone else. His graying hair gave away his age while his goatee was his way of staying stylish—according to him. Silvia Nash was a small, mousy woman with mousy gray hair. She was relatively new to the Council, so I didn’t know her well. All I did know was that she had no backbone.

These two Council members were not the two I would have sent to this meeting. Kinkaide was a lot better at this sort of thing, and Tullis got things done. Borgman was going to drag us through the mud and enjoy the power trip.

Jeff, are you good?Carmon asked again, derailing me from my thoughts.

I’m alive.That was the only answer he would receive from me. I was not okay. I was not fine. In fact, I was nowhere near fine or okay. As Elementals, we rarely were sick, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d thrown up. My body ached, and my stomach kept rolling. There was a trash can to my right, about fifteen feet away. It should probably be closer. I did not want to embarrass my brothers and myself by throwing up on the carpet. Though, most of the people here knew something was wrong with me.

You are a fool.Carmon had forgotten one horrible thing about Alex. He was an Elemental with a link to my mind.You have disgraced our family. Pathetic is what you are. Did I teach you nothing in all those years during your childhood?

Your teachings were worthless.

Alex’s eyes blazed with hate as he swung them over to look at me. Not reacting to his temper tantrum would make him even more mad, so I ignored him. It wasn’t hard. My stomach churned too much to concentrate on much of anything around me.

One day, this will all be over. One day, your brothers will not have your back.He laughed then and it sent chills up my spine.You’re in for a long, miserable day. Serves you right for not finding the poison before you ate it. I’m going to watch you suffer, and I’m going to enjoy it.

And I’d thought yesterday had been bad.

“Welcome, everyone.” Lady Life took that moment to step forward and start the meeting. Her silver gown fell to the floor, and her long brown locks were curled loosely, falling to her waist.

The room fell silent as everyone gave the most powerful being in our world their attention. My brothers stood behind the chairs of those they protected, but I’d been forced to lean against the wall behind the Witches. Sweat ran down my back again, and my temperature began to spike, sending chills throughout my body until I shivered.

Jeff,Drew’s voice was the last I wanted to hear.Red’s complaining of contractions. Can you tell if she’s started labor?

Tessa and I were going to have a long talk later.

Drew, I’m afraid I can’t do that right now.

What?I flinched at his yell in my head.

Drew, I got drugged, poisoned, okay? I’m not going to die, but please…It was pitiful to beg, but I had nothing left to give.

Then again, I did. My stomach rolled and I rushed to the trash can, grabbed it up, and headed out the door to the bathroom. When I’d finished, I lay on the bathroom floor, the cool tile not touching enough of my skin to cool it down.

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