Air: Elementalist Book 1 by Rebecca Wolf (christmas read aloud .TXT) 📗

“Our kind, sweetheart,” he corrected, “and it was your negligence, NOT my deceitfulness, that caused your ignorance. If you had taken the time to investigate my background, my status as an elementalist would have easily been revealed.  You never asked, and I never felt the need to be judged based on my pedigree.”

I let out a frustrated guffaw. “You made a conscious decision to hide your element from me. I know how hard it is to suppress elemental usage in public. You never ONCE let your elemental affinity show. On what planet would I ever assume that a self-proclaimed farmer was a fire elementalist?”

“I never claimed to be a farmer. You inferred that simply because I grow produce.”

Oh my God. He was trying to get off on technicalities.

“How do I know I even know you? I should take your word for it?? How much of what you presented to me was a lie based on what you thought I would find attractive? Would you have EVER volunteered in a soup kitchen if I hadn’t been there?”

“Regardless of my intentions, I STILL volunteered my time and donated my resources! Give me a little credit.” He said, an angry spark filling his eyes.

“NO, Aiden, intentions DO matter, and you INTENDED to deceive me. Relationships are based on trust and you have broken mine! How is this not clear to you??? I don’t want to see you! I want nothing to do with you! Don’t show up at the soup kitchen, don’t show up at the bar. Goodbye Aiden.” I pushed off into the sky praying he would let me go. He did, and I cried while flying the rest of the way home.

Chapter 12

I was very drunk. I wiped the bar counter vigorously, then, whipping the rag over my shoulder, began muttering angrily to myself as I organized the bottles on the back shelves.  Penny entered the room with Jerry in tow, and after watching me for a bit, said, “Jerry is here to see you….you ok Zeph, babe?”  Penny walked closer and tentatively put a hand on my shoulder.

“DON’T CALL ME BABE” I yelled angrily at Penny, brushing her hand off my shoulder. “DO I LOOK LIKE AN INFANT TO YOU??  I turned to Jerry, eyes snapping in anger “YOU THINK YOU CAN TREAT ME LIKE A BABE?? You think you can fool me with your disarming demeanor and aww shucks expression? JUST TRY CONTROLLING ME, Jerry, I’LL SHOVE THIS BOTTLE SO FAR UP YOUR ASS YOU’LL BE PEEING ALCOHOL!” I exclaimed, brandishing a bottle of Jack Daniels in his direction.

“Zeph, what the hell is going on? Are you drunk?!” Penny asked in confused alarm.

“He knows what’s going on!” I seethed pointing at Jerry in condemnation, “he set me up and ratted me out to that fire elementalist.”  Penny looked over at Jerry. “You did what?!” she said her voice turning suddenly deeper as she morphed into her other form. Jerry backed up a little and lifted his chin stubbornly. “Hey, it’s just business Penny, you KNOW how it goes.”

“Penny, did I ever tell you I find you to be a very attractive male?” I interjected distractedly.

“Anyway, he wouldn’t hurt her, he just wanted to preposition her,”  Jerry continued as they both pretended I hadn’t said anything.

“That sounds ALOT like prostitution Jerry.”

“Prostitution?? Nonono, not like that, he wanted to get to know her, that’s all I meant.”

“That’s what they all say,” Penny growled stalking angrily towards Jerry. “You know how many vulnerable women have been hurt by middlemen like you?? Get out of my bar Jerry, you’re no longer welcome here.” Jerry lifted up his left hand, waving it like a white flag of surrender. Looking closer, we now realized he held a manilla folder.

“Zephyr, this folder is from Mr. X. It contains incriminating evidence against you and your little smuggling business. Mr. X understands that you don’t want to see him, so he has sent me by proxy to inform you that if you don’t come and negotiate an alliance in the next two weeks he will turn in all the evidence he has acquired to the enforcers. In addition, he would like you to keep in mind that smuggling carries a sentence of up to fifteen years in jail.”

“SON OF A BITCH! YOU double crossed me twice!” I yelled enraged, “don’t think I don’t know who provided him with all that evidence, you slimy sniveling fungus!Oh, and you can stop calling him Mr. X, Jerry,” I continued. “Because of your deceitfulness, I am now on a first name basis with Aiden,” I sneered.

“Aiden?” Said Jerry puzzled. “Mr. X’s name isn’t Aiden, it’s Jonathan.”

“Johnathan?” I said, swallowing back the bubbling nausea as it tried to climb up my throat. I was suddenly feeling stone cold sober. “Jonathan Cole?”

“Yes. Jonathan Cole. Who the hell is Aiden?!”

Oh my God.

I felt the blood leave my face and my hands began to tremble. Jonathan Cole. My half-brother was trying to blackmail me into a mating. My only solace was that he probably had no idea we were related.

“Zephyr, how about you go sit down for a bit while I handle this,” Penny interjected, helping me to a seat before turning to Jerry and saying vehemently, “If I EVER see you again, you will WISH for death when I’m through with you.”

Jerry turned and left, giving us the one fingered salute above his head as he went.

“I always hated that guy,” said Penny.

“What am I going to do Penny?” I asked plaintively,

“... Hey Penny, have I ever told you I think when you’re male you’re very attractive?” I slurred again, “how come we never dated?”

“Let’s revisit this conversation when you’re sober,”  she said in amusement. Picking me up she continued, “let’s get you tucked in on the couch in my office, I’m gonna have to call Allen to fill in as bouncer again so I can be the bartender tonight.” Penny gently put me on the couch and tucked me