Page 49 of Elemental Healer

“Hello, Jeff.” The blonde woman with a kind smile came forward and gave me a hug, an act no other Elemental had done, and it put me on edge. “Relax, nephew. I mean you no harm.”

Lilith lived by the same rules as I did. She could not lie. Only that knowledge allowed me to relax.

"Lady Love." Carmon and Drew nodded their heads while Nathaniel and Victor bowed low to the Elemental. Tessa took my hand and gave a hesitant curtsy.

"Lady Healing and Love, let me have a good look at you." Lilith moved into the room to see Tessa better, and I looked to Cal and Drew, confused.

"Aunt Lilith, no offense, but Tessa and I aren't bonded yet, and she's not a Lower Elemental. I figured she'd only be a Lower Healing Elemental anyway since I hold all the powers of Love."

Lilith's smile was indulgent at best. "Sweet Jeff, where is your Love element?"

"Uh, inside me?"

"Where else?" Was this a trick question?

My hand was squeezed, and I looked at Tessa. She raised her eyebrows expectantly. "Noodles, it's been a long day."

My girl only looked amused as she placed her hands on my cheeks. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." The word was airier than my masculinity would have liked, but I didn't care the moment I felt the magic inside of her pass into me. I closed my eyes as my Love element reacted immediately, racing to the magic and entwining itself with the pink power coming from Tessa. I didn't know how I could tell its color, but just as I could tell both of my elements were red, I could tell that Tessa's was pink.

"Open your eyes, Jefferson." My name on her lips was my undoing every time she said it, and I obeyed her without question. If she continued to use that name, I'd give her whatever she wanted.

Her eyes were a beautiful purple, the color of the lilacs she smelled of. Her lips were soft and full, and I didn't ask before pressing mine to hers. The power between us reacted again and began a dance that drew us closer together.

I wanted badly to deepen the kiss as I had in the bathroom last night, but I was too aware of the company around us. That didn't stop me from enjoying what I could. Her fingers were in my hair, and my thumbs were rubbing circles onto her side.

The power within flared bright as it came to a stop. I pulled back a little to stare into Tessa's eyes once more as I examined the power inside me. Red and pink were joined together, and even with the color differences, I couldn't find where one began and the other ended. They truly were one. Tessa and I were one.

Happiness hit me, and the emotion was so strong it took me to my knees. Happiness changed to worry, and Tessa crouched at my side.

"Noodles," I gasped out, "I'm going to need you to tone down the emotions for a second."

Confusion was now front and center.

"Lord Jeff, you hide your emotions behind a wall like your brothers." Lady Love stepped up to me and knelt down, her hand going beneath my chin so I'd look at her. "Open the gates to your emotions. Open them to your Consort only."

She released her hold, and I closed my eyes, envisioning the wall I'd erected to keep my brothers out of my emotional business. Tessa's magic now wandered where it wanted within me, and I imagined my wall next to her magic. I took one of the walls and made it transparent so her magic could flow through. No link could pass through, but my girl's magic would have the pleasure.

Tessa gasped. I knew she felt what I did from her, so I sent her my happiness as well. However, I held back bombarding her with my emotions, something she didn’t yet know how to do, so I wouldn’t overwhelm her. Emotions still hit me hard, but she was learning quickly to not broadcast them.

"I can feel your emotions." Her voice was awed, and I opened my eyes to see her. Tears sparkled in her eyes but didn't fall.

"As I can feel yours."

"But how?"

"You have part of my Love element in you. That's the only thing I can think of." I looked to Lilith for an answer. She stood and moved to sit beside Cal.

"Jeff, Tessa, sit on the couch. I have a bit of a history lesson to give you. There is danger, and some of you need to go back to your people, but this needs to be told. Tomorrow at the meeting I will give this history as well, but it will be more brief.

"About four thousand years ago, I took a mate. He and I were happy, we still are, and our happiness was only added upon when I birthed twin daughters. Eventually, like us, they found mates and began having families of their own. Unlike you boys, my girls only showed evidence of having control of my element.

“Over the years, with each child in every generation, the Love element changed. Soon it could do things no one ever thought it could. My descendants soon began finding their Consorts through the element. It has been that way ever since.”

The astonishment Tessa was feeling was a tiny flame compared to the inferno of shock alight within me.

“Our magic is the Love element?” Nate stuttered out from the couch beside us.

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