Nexi visited the small town once a week to gather groceries. The houses and buildings all matched the historical gothic design of the castle. The setup of the town reminded her of Incline Village, where’d she vacationed with her family a few years ago—simple and quaint, having things like a very tiny grocery store.
Heading down the pathway toward the garden, she realized now that Haven had opened the doorway, questions did swirl about Kyden. “What can you tell me about him?”
“Let’s see…” Haven tapped her lip, slowing down as they walked. “He’s Finn’s best bud—practically brothers, really. We’ve all been close now for a few years since I joined the Council’s Guard.” Her smile warmed. “I like Kyden, a lot.”
Yeah, he was growing on Nexi, too. “Is he a good guy?”
Haven nodded. “I don’t think they come any better.” She paused, then added, “Expect for Finn, of course.” She laughed before she continued. “Kyden plays tough most of the time, but he lets those closest to him see the soft side of him.”
Didn’t that sum it up?
One minute, big brute. Next minute, total softy. “I like his gentle side.” Nexi stared at a gorgeous purple orchid they passed by before she turned to Haven. “The pushy side of him I could live without.”
Haven smirked. “Better get used to that. Male supernaturals are born with the trait, I-protect you woman.” She brushed her hand over one of the bushes, then added, “Besides, it’s understandable, really. We live in a dangerous world and supernaturals are protective over their mates.” She winked. “As well as territorial.”
Nexi scrunched her nose. “Mate?”
Haven gave her a long look, then she chuckled. “Oh, right, you don’t call them that. What is it….oh yeah, wife or husband.”
“Oh, you mean a married couple?” Nexi asked.
Haven shook her head. “Nope, we call it a bound couple.”
Confused, Nexi laughed. “Okay, if you say so.” However, her biggest concern was that not only did Kyden hold a douche bag streak, but all male supernaturals did. Maybe she’d stick to dating humans.
After a minute of pondering as they continued through the gardens, Nexi realized something seemed off. If Kyden’s brutish personality didn’t keep women away, since apparently that was typical, and she couldn’t see anything else wrong with him… “Why is he single?”
“Kyden’s had a few—” Haven cleared her throat, her cheeks turning pinkish. “He’s not really the commitment type.”
“Great,” Nexi muttered.
“Oh, don’t think of it like that,” Haven said in a hurry. “Kyden’s not a jerk or anything. He just hasn’t found anyone he’s meshed with.” Her eyebrows rose. “You know, the right one, type of thing. He’s not a heartbreaker, if that’s what you’re wondering.” She smiled, nudging Nexi’s shoulder. “Besides, he seems happy when he talks about you. Whenever he mentions you his eyes light up, which of course he tries to deny.”
Sweet and all, but did that mean Nexi was going to give the go ahead for all things hot-and-heavy?
Not tonight.
Maybe tomorrow.
Ready to get off this subject and to clear her thoughts of the sudden hot-and-heavy images rushing through her mind, she asked Haven, “Have you heard anything from Finn about that vanishing vampire?”
Haven’s lips thinned. “Nah, everyone’s going with the theory that a witch is helping him, but no one knows why.”
”Is that normal?” Nexi asked, but quickly thought to herself that nothing in the Otherworld was what she’d call normal. “I mean, different species teaming up?”
Haven shook her head as she brushed her hand over the rose petals as they continued down the pathway. “Usually supernaturals don’t intermingle, except for those in the Otherworld. Most in the Earthworld stick within their race.” She leaned down to sniff a rose before she shrugged and resumed walking down the path. “But what else could it be? How could a vampire just poof from existence?”
Nexi snorted. “You’re supposed to have that answer.” She pointed at herself. “Remember, I’m new here and everything confuses me.”
Haven giggled, hooking her arm in Nexi’s and pulling her in close. “Finn told me the Council is on it now. I know some of the guardians and trackers are out hunting this vamp.” She hesitated, then she smiled. “I’m sure it’ll be solved soon.”
Nexi couldn’t help but notice that while Haven portrayed confidence, on the inside it was another story completely. Confusion and tension swirled within her soul sister, only adding to her own. If the vampire had even bubbly Haven unsettled, Nexi was sure as shit concerned.
Glancing out to the lush garden, she inhaled the calming scents. “So, where exactly are you taking me?”
“To the witches circle so you can watch Zia call on the Elements.”
Nexi skidded to a halt, sending a rock beneath her shoe skipping down the path. “Say what?”
“I keep forgetting you don’t know any of this.” She yanked Nexi forward and added in a soft voice, “Okay, here’s a crash course in all things witchy. Our magic is gifted to us by the Elements—Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Spirit. A witch is given one Element to use defensively, but we normally get something from at least one other, too.”
Nexi might’ve been shocked, or even skeptical, but really, the time to be surprised ended the moment she awoke to the Otherworld. Now she realized how cautious everyone had been around her, only telling her what she needed to know at that moment. She figured they didn’t want to overwhelm her. “You have the Earth Element, I already know that, but what’s your other Element?”
“Yep, Earth is my most powerful gift.” She glanced up at the sky, where stars sparkled in unfamiliar patterns. “And like you saw, I can manipulate time, because it’s attached to the Earth. If I’m mad enough, Air will show itself and I can use it, but I have to be very angry for that happen.”
Nexi tried to picture what Haven would look like pissed off, but she failed miserably. “Well, the time thingy you can do is cool.”
Haven lifted a lazy shoulder. “My magic comes in handy, especially with catching the bad guys, but trust me, it ain’t nothin’ to get revved up about. Wait ‘til you see Zia in action.”
They strode past a small, rocky pond where fluorescent fish swam beneath a flourishing field of lily pads. “What kind of witch is Zia?”
“Spirit Witch, like your mom was.” Haven’s voice rose in awe. “Which means she can manipulate all of the Elements.” Nexi’s eyes widened, and Haven added with a short nod, “Exactly. Her abilities are impressive. Plus, they’re the only ones who have the ability to heal injuries.”
Nexi looked away from Haven, realizing they reached the end of the path, which stopped at a wrought iron gate overrun by green leafy vines. Its beautiful floral accents peeked through the foliage, but the intricate design paled next to what rest beyond the gate.
Before Nexi lay a meadow filled with rolling hills, plush green grass, and a large creek bisecting the scene. Wildflowers littered the ground and trees ringed the field. Some were birches and willows, but the smaller ones she’d never seen before.
“Where are we?” she gasped.
Haven smiled. “Guardians have the Guardians’ Hall for training. Witches have the Witches’ Meadow.” She glanced in front of her. “Oh, look, they’re starting.” Then she rushed forward.
Nexi hurried after her, catching sight of Zia, Mistress of Witches, standing in the middle of a large circle of witches, all holding hands. They were dressed in everything from skirts to jeans, which Nexi took to mean that witches didn’t have a uniform like the guardians did. Haven dropped down on the grass, and as Nexi sat in next to her, Zia glanced over, smiled, then looked to the witches around her.
“May the Elements protect and connect us together.” She raised her hands to the sky. “From the north, we summon you, Earth.”
Beneath Nexi, the ground rumbled and she threaded her fingers into the grass. “What’s happening?”
Haven looked all too comfortable with her arms behind her, palms resting on the ground. “Earth’s responding.”
“Right.” Nexi rolled her eyes. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Glancing out to the group of witches, she relaxed her hands against the now quiet ground as Zia called, “From the east, we summon you, Air.”
The wind picked up, the trees swayed from the wind, and goose bumps pimpled her skin. Before she could recover, Zia continued, “From the south, we summon you, Fire.”
An earsplitting sizzle sounded, and a ring of fire formed around the witches, blasting warmth in a breeze that lifted Nexi’s hair. She gasped and scrambled back, but Haven grabbed her arm.
“It won’t hurt them.” Calmness seeped from Haven and her calm traveled through their bond. “The Elements protect witches.”