Storm (Elemental 1)

“I’m fine,” she said.

His eyes narrowed a bit—but not in anger. More like assessment. “What’s going on with you, Becca?”

“My car was just totaled. Sorry I’m not at my best.”

He kept studying her. She kept looking back at him.

Just when she thought this was going to end up being some immature staring match, he said, “You need a ride to school in the morning?”

She shook her head. “I’ll ride with Quinn.”

Thank god he didn’t know that Quinn had no car.

He nodded. “All right.” He started to take a step toward the living room. “Maybe I should stay for a—”

o;I don’t care,” he said.

She grabbed Nick’s hand, too. “Please—this will kill people—”

“He killed my brother.” Nick’s voice was strong, emotionless. But his hand didn’t let go of hers.

Maybe it was because she clutched both their hands, or maybe it was because she sat in water up to her waist. But Chris felt a sudden connection, a link to Nick’s power he’d never felt before. Like the moment he’d fed power into Becca, he felt every drop of water, every particle of his element. He felt the water and the wind, and fed strength into the space around them.

The wind howled, beating at their clothes. The Guide made it to the other side of the bridge, grabbing his end of the guardrail. Chris still couldn’t make out any features in this storm—just focus and control.

Lightning struck five feet away.

Becca screamed.

Then lightning hit the other end of the bridge, almost directly hitting the Guide.

Chris froze.

Another bolt, five feet off. The man darted back, away from the bridge, fighting to keep his footing in the wind.

Another bolt. And another. Lightning rained from the sky, targeting their enemy.

The Guide ran.

“Yeah,” growled a voice from behind them. “Watch that f**ker run now.”

Chris whirled. Gabriel was on his hands and knees, holding on to the bumper of a Chevy Tahoe. His clothes were scorched and his face nearly blackened from smoke, and blood marked his skin, but he was alive.

Nick grabbed him before Chris even realized he was moving.

“Easy, Nicky.” Gabriel coughed. “I mean—me too—but explosion—hurt—”

But Chris didn’t hear what else he said.

Because he was hugging him, too.

CHAPTER 25

Becca ended up in the ER.

The Merrick brothers didn’t.

She’d lost track of them somehow, when emergency personnel stormed onto the bridge and separated them all. Four different men had stood in the rain shouting questions at her, shining lights in her eyes, taking her pulse. Did she know her name? The date? Did she know she’d been in an accident?