Elemental: Earth by L.E. Washington Page B

phone had buzzed consistently for an hour, and she was not hearing it. While he knew he couldn’t unlock the keyboard, he’d a sneaking suspicion that it wasn’t one of the other girls. The sense of danger was so thick, he decided it best for him to leave. After all, the boys knew that it was ultimately a set-up. The fact that Tessa kept plying herself with tequilas may have actually granted him a little more time, so Gavin quickly dressed, kissed Tessa lightly on the cheek as he brushed back her dark tendrils of hair, and then left, softly walking into the darkness. His phone vibrated in the back pocket of his jeans as he walked his motorcycle down the sandy gravel drive so as not to wake those sleeping. It was a message from Dallas asking where he was. Gavin used the voice commands to text back.
    “Leaving the bungalow period. Heading to my crib period. You question mark.”
    A few seconds later, the phone buzzed and the image of a dandelion blowing in the wind popped up on the screen. Gavin slid his finger over the screen and then put the phone to his ear, still managing to walk the bike away from the house.
    “Where are you?” he asked in a low voice.
    “At Lupe’s,” Dallas replied. “I left Gillian at my house for a second. Something’s up. Shadows around the windows prompted me to walk outside. I distinctly smelled old cigarettes—lots of them—when I got outside. I locked up the house and came over here.”
    “Were you tracked or followed?” Gavin would hate himself forever if anything happened to Lupe or the kids. She’d always told them that if they were ever in trouble they should use her cellar to hide, but they should never tell her if and when they were there.
    “No. I’m sure of it.”
    “Do you think you could go back and get Gillian out of there? Perhaps get her back to the bungalow?”
    “Maybe,” Dallas began, “But what if they’re there for me. . .for us? Wouldn’t I be walking right back into their trap?”
    “You know how to handle that,” Gavin whispered. “I’ll help you out. I’m heading towards your cabin, but you won’t see me, so don’t look for me.”
    “Gotcha,” Dallas affirmed and hung up the phone. He crawled up from Lupe’s cellar in the still-dark early morning hours. He hoped fervently that Gillian hadn’t awakened to find him gone. Kicking off his boots and dropping them back down the cellar steps, he stretched his legs, and then took off running at a speed unlike any runner. The mile between Lupe’s and Dallas’ beach cabin was just enough distance for Dallas to create the disturbance he hoped for, even though he’d need to run past his own house to really do some damage. He ran down closer to the shoreline hoping to involve some ocean spray and was able to entice the waters to dance. As he passed his own cabin, the hurricane shutters trembled on the structure and the cattails bowed to his presence. A single shadow grabbed at something that went flying, and then Dallas felt a violent tremor underneath his feet, and he laughed at his brother’s timing as the shadow figure fell to the ground and crawled for a ways towards a car parked on a side road. Dallas watched with amusement as the figure leaned up against the car. At least he’s smart enough to seek some shelter and not try to open the door in this crazy chaos, Dallas thought. He slowed his running as he approached his door, and the trembling earth calmed to a mere shiver.
    Dallas entered the bedroom and saw Gillian, exactly as he left her only more beautiful in the calm surrounded by the chaos. He kissed her ear, her cheek, her throat. He nuzzled his face into the red springing curls and inhaled her scent-- jasmine and vanilla. She smells good enough to eat. . . again, Dallas thought, and before he could control himself, he was licking the nape of her neck and kissing her shoulder and the side of her breast, hoping she would awaken to appease this need for her.
    She turned towards him slowly,