Chapter Five

 

 

 

 

Evangeline enjoyed the power that Faerie circled around her as it quenched her thirst. The headache was all but gone as the exhilaration of the land filled her to the brim. It was heaven. Pure and organic. Nothing in her human world compared to it. Now, nothing ever would. That, she knew was for certain.

The invasion of her private moment had jolted her out of the clouds. Jack hadn’t attempted to hide himself from her, and now stood in plain sight, watching her with utmost scrutiny. Evie felt naked under his gaze, not the kind where her clothes were being stripped away, but like she was a student in a class caught daydreaming and failing miserably. She brushed the self-conscious fear away like cobwebs that stuck to her skin and made her feel icky. He was intense and she knew she had to get to know him.

“You need to pull more of the earth’s energy rather than from the air. It’s sturdier, less volatile.” His voice sounded out across the tiny clearing they stood in. The sun streamed down the canopy in spikes, warming her face and throwing shadows across his chiseled one. Black, wispy hair fell across the cusp of his eyebrows, partially hiding his features. Stark, blue eyes stared back at her but a hint of a smile was nowhere to be found.

“What?” She was stunned. Not knowing what to do. The stranger approached her and held out his hand, showing how it burst into a wave of flames and cracked with electricity. It made her gasp and back away, unsure what to do. His eyes watched her calmly as his intrigue danced across his face.

“It won’t hurt you, I wouldn’t let that happen.”

“What are you?” Evie’s fear receded with his words, and traded places with curiosity. The flames danced along his skin in a vibrant blue-white. It was entrancing, called her like a moth to a light. She’d never met another faery, ever, and this man was one. A true and real faery. She unwittingly reached out to touch him, surprised when he pulled away, extinguishing the flame.

“I’m a Teleen. A fire and lightning faery−it’s what I’m made of.” He smiled, flashing a set of perfect white teeth. “Well, I told you my name. So…what, can I ask, is yours?” His eyebrow lifted in questioning.

“I’m Evangeline, but my sister calls me…”

“Evie?”

She furrowed her brow at him, wondering how it was that he knew that. “Yes, have we met?”

Jack shook his head as he gave a short laugh, clearing his throat and pulling of his pack strapped diagonally across his chest. “No, but I’ve seen you and that fire elemental witch at the edge of the woods over there. Didn’t mean to pry, just happened upon you two practicing one day, not too long ago.” He winked, sending a thrill through her. She felt her heart hammering away in her chest. “Evie is nice, I like it better than Vange or Angela.”

“Oh, thanks,” she stammered. Her focus was off completely, this strange being had tilted her world the moment he had walked into the clearing. She felt an odd attraction toward him, feeling her cheeks flush as she watched him pull out a flask of water and gulp down some mouthfuls. His movements were fluid and his physique was of someone who had spent many a day outside hunting or running. Not an ounce of fat on this one. A perfect man, in every way.

Evie pulled her eyes away. Held out her hands and called her flames into being, letting the fire flicker on her fingers. Hers was not blue, like his, but the orange/yellow of a normal fire. The colors danced across her skin, feeling warm and comforting as she maneuvered it.

She glanced toward Jack, bringing her brown eyes to meet his deep, blue sea ones. The moment felt suspended, even the air seemed to calm into an odd stillness that embraced them. The overwhelming scent of pine and mulch circled around, fueling the magic of the moment. They continued to stare, lost in each other’s eyes.

The feeling suspended time. Evie felt lightheaded and snuffed the flames out, breaking their connection. What was that? No man had ever held her in such a frozen shock. But, this was no regular man after all. The boys at school paled in comparison to him. The confusion he caused her made her want to run, but her feet were cemented to the ground and wouldn’t budge. Jack’s staring didn’t help either. It was like he could see all of her soul, every last bit of it.

“Well, it’s been a pleasure meeting you, Evie.” He smiled, picked up his pack and headed toward the edge of the clearing.

“Wait!”

Jack came to a stop, turned his head slightly and brought her into his periphery. The sides of his mouth twitched up and his eyes betrayed his eagerness to do just what she had asked.

“What is it?”

“Will I see you again?” Evie bit her lip, praying that the request didn’t make her look desperate or needy. She didn’t really expect anything, but the chance to speak with the Faery was just too good to let it fleet by without a word. To never see him again already made her insides ache. No, she had to see Jack again, even just to speak and ask him about Faerie. Just for a little while.

“Most likely, I’m usually out here everyday hunting around morning and late afternoon. It’s nice out here. It’s purely exhilarating in Faerie, you’ll see.” Jack closed the distance between her and held out a small blue orb, it shined in the late morning sun, swirling inside like smoke and lightning flashing within it. “Take this and just call my name into it, I’ll hear you.”

Evie held out her hand and he placed it gently into her palm, his other hand cupped hers underneath sending a jolt of pleasure up her arm and into her chest. Letting go, he turned and disappeared, running so fast that his body became a blurred streak as he vanished into the forest.

Evie was left breathless. Jack was fascinating in every way. She smiled to herself, knowing that his coming back was like hitting the jackpot. ‘Jack’ was just who she’d hoped to find, a faery with an affinity to fire, like her. A kindred spirit in a sense. How lucky could she have been? Breathing in deeply she turned her face up towards the warmth of the last rays of sun, peeking over the canopy of rustling leaves before the forest blocked it out. This was paradise at last. And it was finally hers.