Just Breathe Part 47

This Elemental ride kept getting better and better. "Ditto, rock star."

Epilogue.

Hervey Bay, Australia Two years later...

After the unannounced Just Breathe show at s.h.a.ggy's, Zoe and Gavin went home to their brand new yacht docked at Urangan Harbour. She loved the upgrade from the small houseboat they'd been living on. Thanks to the money coming in from the band's wildly successful new alb.u.m, they could afford a few luxuries.

They'd come a long way from the little raft they built in the Dreaming to an ocean-borne home where Zoe could be close to her natural Element.

Still Mr. Perfect. Maybe even more so now.

As they traversed the gangplank, Zoe said over her shoulder, "That might have been your best gig ever, though you were a little out of tune on 'Into Your Blue.'" She covered a smile and spun around to gauge his reaction.

Gavin paused, his brow ruffled. "I was not out of tune. Leave the music s.h.i.t to the professionals."

She poked his hard chest. "You were out of tune, and I am a professional. I'm one dissertation away from a Ph.D. in bioacoustics. I know stuff."

He tilted his head, surprise spilling over his beautiful sweat-streaked face. Her stomach clenched. After all this time, he could still melt her into a freaking puddle with that look. Literally. She smiled as she recalled last night's amazing o.r.g.a.s.m.

"Really?" he said. "How did I not know that about you?"

She shrugged and dragged him backward by the shirt through the entryway, her lips close enough to snag his but not touching. "You never asked."

He grabbed her around the waist. She cupped a hand over the semi-hard bulge in his jeans. The kiss achieved lift-off. Along with his erection.

"Okay, maybe I was a little off." A hitch tripped up his ragged voice.

She let go of his shirt and gently pushed him away. G.o.d, the man was perfect through and through. "Just a little. What are your plans after band rehearsal tomorrow?" She headed for the kitchen.

He braced against the door and tore off his boots and socks, the erection producing thick lines of relief under his pants. "Not sure. Why?"

"Well, while you and Mike were signing b.o.o.bs backstage, Adriene and I made weekend plans in the corner. She got a babysitter so we can all go to the movies."

"Sounds good." Gavin wandered into the living area, fell onto the loveseat, and propped his bare feet on the coffee table. "Did I tell you I had a dream about us last night?"

"You're a Sentinel. You can't dream." Zoe shuffled stuff around in the freezer until she found what she was after. She faced him and held up a tub of vanilla ice cream. "You want?"

He nodded. "Okay, maybe it was a daydream."

"Uh-huh." She opened the fridge. Where the h.e.l.l had she put the-there. "Hot fudge?" She pulled out the gla.s.s jar and set it next to the ice cream on the counter.

"Sure." He crossed an ankle over his bouncing knee.

Zoe loaded a couple scoops of vanilla goodness into two bowls, then licked her fingers. She opened the jar of chocolate, popped it in the microwave, and nuked it. "You were saying?"

"This dream is gonna come true." He beamed the s.e.xy half-grin that curled her toes, even after almost two years of living and growing together. His eyes glinted with a hint of mischief.

"What makes you think so?" The microwave dinged. She poured warm chocolate over the tops of the two icy white blobs and gathered both bowls in one hand.

"Because I already saw to it." He straightened as she entered the living s.p.a.ce and set the sundaes on the table.

She handed him a spoon and plopped down next to him, her hair brushing his shoulder. He leaned over and nuzzled her ear. Her Water warmed to a simmer, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. It drove her crazy when he did that.

"Is that enough fudge, or do you want some more?" She lowered her voice.

His cedar scent caught in her nose when he turned his body into hers. Blue teased her Watersight. She could go for a drink. Under heavy lids, she focused on his lip ring. Saliva flooded her mouth. d.a.m.n it, she couldn't resist. Her lips locked on his, soft but thirsty. Relinquishing some of his yummy Water, he closed his eyes, and she gratefully imbibed.

Heaven.

The kiss ended, but the waves crashing in her belly raged on.

He swiped her cheek and settled a hand on her upper arm. Thick, black lashes fanned down. "I love you, Zed, and I want to marry you. Jack said he'd drop everything to come. Killara promised to be there, too. All we have to do is pick a date."

The tide fizzled on impact. d.a.m.n it. She rolled her eyes and exhaled. "Way to kill the moment."

She had a drawer full of 'engagement' rings she refused to wear. He knew how she felt about marriage, yet every few months, he tried some clever ploy to ask for her hand. Flowers, jewelry-he even had her name tattooed on the inside of his bottom lip, the 'O' centered around the metal ring. She'd laughed for an hour the day he came home and rolled down his swollen lip. That thing had taken forever to heal. They had to get really creative with kissing for a while, which in hindsight, was kind of fun.

It was all very sweet, and the tattoo almost got her, but she couldn't bear the thought of them ending up as her parents had. No, it was best to leave marriage out of the equation. Safer.

Zoe leaned forward and grabbed her bowl. She pulled up a leg, gave it a one-armed hug, and waved her spoon in a circle between them. "We've been through this a million times. You know I love you more than Vegemite, but I'm not marriage material. I'm happy with the way things are. Let's not complicate our lives with a stupid, outdated tradition."

He lifted his hips and pulled out a folded piece of paper from his b.u.t.t pocket. He waved it just as she had done with the spoon. The grin returned.

"I dreamed we went to Greece. We got married in one of those white buildings with the blue trim. Jack, Killara, Mike, and Adriene were there. We swam with the whales. Lived happily ever after..."

"Greece?" She'd always wanted to go to Greece. He promised on their first date he'd take her one day. Her heartbeat picked up speed.

She reached for the paper. He s.n.a.t.c.hed it away.

"Uh-uh-uh." He shook his head and actually tsked. "I need your answer first."

Oh, that d.a.m.n grin.

Shoulders sagging, she blew out her breath slowly. "You make it hard for me to say no."

Somehow his grin got c.o.c.kier. "Is that a yes?"

"That's a maybe. Sixty-two percent chance." She returned the bowl to the table and straddled him, arms on his shoulders, gaze glued to his lips. She tangled her fingers through the spiky hair on the back of his head.

He arched a brow. "Only sixty-two?"

She shrugged innocently and wiggled her a.s.s against his crotch.

The paper dropped to the couch beside them. A flight itinerary. Brisbane to Athens.

d.a.m.n it. Make that eighty-two percent.

Hands slid up the inside of her shirt. He hardened between her legs.

Greece. She never expected him to make good on that one. Or even to remember his promise.

The hunger in his dark blue gaze and the Water racing through her blood made it hard to think.

G.o.d, she really did love him.

She rested her forehead against his. The invisible, Elemental strings binding them together tugged at her heart. In a slow motion daydream, his blue surged, a strong but gentle tide. Warm lips embraced her cool ones. His Water glutted her mouth, cascaded down her throat, and crashed over the rocks of her soul, nourishing it. Her body swelled, accepting his gift. She took only what she needed, then pulled away.

But he stopped her, held her closer, deepened the kiss. The Water poured in full spate from his hands, his heart hammering against her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and his metal looped, tattooed lips.

She swallowed one more gulp of the sweet, filling shot of blue and tore herself away from the kiss.

"Okay, I'll think about it," she mumbled breathlessly against his mouth. Would she ever.

He grabbed hold of her gaze and didn't let go. "You do that."

Burying his face in her neck, he undid a line of b.u.t.tons down her chest, twisted the shirttails in either fist, and yanked her against him. Goose b.u.mps puckered her skin. So much for her resolve.

On the side table, their little wooden falcon caught her eye from his perch on the birdhouse they'd made for him. The magical threads between it, Gavin, and Zoe glowed brighter than ever. The bird winked at her. It was always so pleased with itself. Zoe smiled, and her Water crested again.

Just breathe, she told herself as the rising combination of love and desire threatened to drown her in the best possible way.

"Now..." His lips b.u.mped into hers, the deep vibrations of his voice rendering her helplessly giddy against his irresistible charms. "About that hot fudge..."

Glossary of Terms.

Aer or Aer Elemental noun-An Elemental whose body is composed of at least 50% Elemental Air. Aers tend to be intelligent and manipulative. Their auras are mostly yellow.

Aero noun-G.o.d of Air. The youngest of the four Elemental G.o.ds who rule Earth. He is made of pure Air and represents intelligence, creativity, concentration, manipulation, and focus.

Air noun-The Element that keeps humans mentally stable, focused, and attentive. A shortage of Air can cause information processing difficulties. A severe deficit can induce a vegetative state or death. Air manifests as yellow in auras. Note: When referring to the Element itself, Air is capitalized, not to be confused with atmospheric air in general.

Aqua noun-G.o.ddess of Water. The third of the four Elemental G.o.ds to appear on Earth. She is made of pure Water and represents fluid emotions, healing, intuition, introspection, and wisdom.

Archelemental noun-A powerful Elemental who rules a region of the world. There are seven Archelementals affiliated with each Element (seven Waeter Archelementals, seven Fyre Archelementals, etc.). An Archelemental collects and delivers Element t.i.thes to his/her G.o.d on the equinoxes. Advised by a Council of Elemental bishops, the Archelemental mediates disputes, administers punishments and rewards, and is the final authority on all Elemental matters in his/her region of the world.

ascension noun-An Elemental's rise to eternal communion with his or her G.o.d. Ascension is the ultimate state of perfection that most Elementals strive to attain.

aura noun-The colorful energy that surrounds Wyldlings, Sentinels, and Elementals. The hue of an aura provides clues to mental, emotional, psychological, and physical states. Sentinels are trained to interpret auras.

Balance noun-The concept of equilibrium within a living thing. Balance is achieved when Earth, Air, Fire, and Water co-exist in equal parts. Sentinels must be well-Balanced to perform their duties. They can shift their Elements to maintain Balance in stressful situations.

breach noun-Jumping behavior in which some or all of a whale's body clears the water. Chin breaches, tail breaches, and full breaches are common among humpback whales.

calf noun-A baby whale.

Dreaming, the noun-A parallel world that exists alongside the realm of reality (Realis) where people go while sleeping, unconscious, or in an altered state. Though the Dreaming is the collective unconscious of the human race, events that transpire there affect people in real ways. Most Wyldlings are unaware of the Dreaming, but some (see lucid dreaming) are able to influence objects while asleep. Sentinels consider the Dreaming their home. They fight to protect it and its Wyldling visitors from damaging outside influences such as Elementals.

Dreamsense noun-A kind of sixth sense possessed by Sentinels that makes them aware of Element shifts in the surrounding area.

Dreamsong noun-The ancient language of the Sentinels.

DTAG noun-A Digital Acoustic Recording Tag is a device used by marine biologists to collect information on whales and their environment. The DTAG fits in a human hand. Using a carbon fiber cantilever pole, researchers attach the suction-cupped tag to a whale's back. The DTAG remains in place up to 24 hours. It records audio and tracks the whale's depth, pitch, roll, and heading. When the tag pops off, it emits a radio signal so researchers can locate it. Data is downloaded to a computer and a.n.a.lyzed.

Earth noun-The Element that keeps humans physically stable, grounded, and healthy. A shortage of Earth in humans can cause sickness or disease. A severe deficit can induce outright death. Earth manifests as green in auras. Note: When referring to the Element itself, Earth is capitalized, not to be confused with earth in general (dirt or land).

eclipse verb-To exert destructive power of one Element over another. Earth eclipses Water, Water eclipses Fire, Fire eclipses Air, and Air eclipses Earth. Eclipsing Elementals can cause serious harm to shadowed ones. Intense exposure results in death and returns the Elemental to his/her G.o.d.

Element noun-One of the four basic building blocks of life on Earth. Every living thing contains Earth, Air, Fire, and Water Elements in varying degrees.

Elemental noun-A half-corporeal, half-magical being. Elementals can take earthly and pure Element forms, or a combination of the two. They siphon their Element from Wyldlings for sustenance. Any human (or animal) can become an Elemental once his/her body acquires 50% or more of a single Element.

Erthe or Erthe Elemental noun-An Elemental whose body is composed of at least 50% Elemental Earth. Erthes tend to be physically strong, dependable, and rigid in their thinking. Their auras are mostly green.

Fire noun-The Element that keeps humans psychologically stable, pa.s.sionate, and lively. A shortage of Fire in humans can cause psychological disorders. A severe deficit can induce psychosis or cause the spirit to die, which leads to physical death shortly after. Fire manifests as red in auras. Note: When referring to the Element itself, Fire is capitalized, not to be confused with fire in general.

fluke noun-A whale's tail. When pumped up and down, flukes propel the animal forward through water.

Fyre or Fyre Elemental noun-An Elemental whose body is composed of at least 50% Elemental Fire. Fyres tend to be pa.s.sionate and short-fused. Their auras are mostly red.

humpback whale noun-The fifth largest whale in the world. Humpbacks are baleen whales-filter feeders that eat small fish and krill. They average 40-45 feet in length and weigh about 40-45 tons. These highly intelligent whales are known for their acrobatics (breaching, pec slapping, and lobtailing) and the haunting "songs" the males sing.

Incendius noun-G.o.d of Fire. The second eldest of the four Elemental G.o.ds who rule Earth. He is made of pure Fire and represents pa.s.sion, chaos, l.u.s.t, hunger, and violence.

Law of Balance noun-Rainbow Serpent's mandate that the four Elements on Earth remain Balanced. Sentinels are charged with upholding the Law of Balance.

lobtail or tail slap noun-A behavior in which a whale hangs upside down in the water and slaps its tail flukes at the surface, creating a loud noise. It may be sign of aggression, a means of stunning prey, or even a way to communicate with other whales.

lucid dreaming verb-A state of awareness and ability to control one's actions while dreaming. Many lucid dreamers remember events from dreams when they wake up.

pec slap or flipper slap noun-The act of slapping a pectoral fin hard on the water, creating a loud, gunshot-like sound. Whales may exhibit this behavior to show aggression or to communicate with other whales.

pectoral fin or pec fin noun-One of two front, arm-like appendages on a whale. Also called flippers.

Rainbow Serpent noun-Though depicted in Aboriginal Australian Dreamtime stories as male, Rainbow Serpent in Sentinel mythology is the mother of life on Earth. She not only shaped the land and seas, but she also helped create humans and continues to watch over them. She employs Sentinels to help her enforce the Law of Balance among the G.o.ds and Elementals.