Page 5 of The Lost Elemental

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My lungs burned. Because my airway was cut off or I was in the throes of a full-fledged panic attack, I wasn’t sure. A faint buzz spread across my body. I was going to pass out. Then probably die at the hands of some psycho.

I kicked out but met nothing but air. Because there was no one holding me up. There was nothing at all. Just an elemental’s air power swirling around me.

The lights above flicked on.

“What the hell are you doing, Riv? Let the poor girl down.” The voice was deep and husky with a trace of exasperation. But my eyes couldn’t be torn away from the guy in front of me, the one whose power swirled around me.

White-blond hair. Fair, perfect skin. An angular jaw. Every part of him pulled you in towards those hypnotizing pale blue eyes. So light they resembled glaciers.

But they were anything but calming. They burned with a blue heat. The kind you knew would leave you permanently scarred. Surprise lit in the depths of those glacier eyes, and for the briefest of moments, the hold on me relaxed.

But a second later, the air wrapped tighter around me, holding me off the floor, squeezing my throat. I let out a squeak.

“I asked you a question,” he growled.

“She can’t bloody talk if you’re suffocating her,” that rich voice barked.

I wanted to look towards the sound. It was warm like hot honeyed water with a splash of whiskey. It was heat and comfort. But I was too terrified to move a muscle.

“Riven, I will blast your ass if you don’t drop her.”

Without warning, I crashed to the ground in a heap.

“Shit. I meant gently, you asshole.”

The second figure bent to help me up, but I scrambled back, away from both of them. The buzzing still carried through my system. I rubbed my arms trying to clear it. Where the hell was Lainey? Had she been that focused on getting to the auditorium she’d left me in the dust without realizing it?

The second guy held up both hands. “Not gonna hurt you. I just wanted to help you up.”

I looked up into swirling blue-green eyes. Something about them knocked me off-kilter. As if I could get lost in their depths and never find my way out. It didn’t help that the face that held them was one of the most gorgeous I’d ever seen. The only word to describe him was golden. From his skin to his hair. He looked as if he were born on a surfboard.

The last thing I needed was to have my hand in this golden god’s. “I-I can get up myself.” I hurried to my feet, ignoring the way my muscles still buzzed.

A scoff sounded behind Golden God and my gaze shot to Glacier Eyes. Those eyes that somehow managed to be so frigid they burned. “You can’t even manage to stay upright in the first place.”

My own eyes narrowed on him. “If I wasn’t attacked out of the blue, it wouldn’t have been an issue. Clearly, you’re some sort of creeper who gets his rocks off terrorizing women in the dark.”

Glacier Eyes’ jaw dropped open as Golden God burst into laughter. “I like this one.”

“She’s not one of your playthings, Kai. She’s obviously human.”

Kai shrugged. “Won’t know for sure until she’s tested.” He grinned at me. “I think you might have a little water magic hiding in there. I volunteer as tutor.”

I couldn’t help my snort. “Yeah, I’m sure studying is the first thing on your list.”

“Stop fucking flirting, Kai. She was skulking around backstage at the largest elemental event of the year. She’s probably one of those damned terrorists.”

I glared at the guy I remembered Kai had called Riv or Riven. “I’m not some coward who hides in the shadows.” I stalked towards him. “If I don’t like you, I’ll come right out in the open and say it.”

In one swift move, I brought my knee up right between Riven’s legs. Payback for nearly sending me into a vicious panic attack. He caught the motion at the last second, avoiding the worst of the hit, but it still wasn’t pleasant. He folded over, groaning.

A strangled laugh escaped Kai. “Holy shit. I think I’m in love.”

I rolled my eyes and started down the hallway, lifting my hand in a half-wave. “Keep your asshole friend away from me, Golden God.”

“Golden God, huh? That means you like me too.”