Oleander (Elemental Desires Book 1), page 28
“Food!” Skyler shouts behind me, and I spin around to catch him opening the fridge to find it fully stocked once again. “This is incredible. . .” he quietly gasps.
I chuckle at his enthusiasm for our magical refrigerator. Skyler makes me feel valued and needed, and I love that he prefers my cooking to anyone else's. “Want me to whip us up some lunch?” We have the rest of the day and tonight to settle in, but classes start first thing in the morning.
“You better believe I do, baby.” Skyler kisses my lips briefly before retreating to his bedroom to unpack. Even though we keep our belongings in our own rooms, we always choose a bed to sleep in together. Sometimes it feels unreal to cuddle with another living being every night, like I don’t deserve it. But when I close my eyes, usually with his heartbeat pressed to my back, we chase the bad dreams away for each other. And it’s perfect. We can’t erase all that we’ve been through, and I wouldn’t want to. It makes us stronger, and most importantly, it came with Skyler.
As I gather the ingredients for a simple lunch of potato and leek soup, I smile at how far my life has come in one short semester. I was so alone before when I locked myself away for five long years. And now, I have my boyfriend—my best friend, my right-hand man—in my bed every night.
It truly is magic.
Since my mother thinks I’m wasting my time at the academy, it didn’t take much to convince her to allow me to skip a few of the boring, introductory-level classes that I’ve mastered.
Skyler was also allowed to skip a class after winning the Hunt and showcasing his own magical prowess. Our first lesson of the day is Advanced Magical Combat on the sophomore level, right along with Zephyr, Hawk, Leo, and Flame. At least, I’m hoping my twin shows up today. I haven’t seen him in over a month, and I’m starting to worry.
We stretch our muscles, and I shake my hands out, preparing to call upon some of my magic. I gaze around the room as the sophomores begin to warm up their own magic. There are quite a few Fire Fae in this class, and I watch in amusement as a Water Fae next to one of them extinguishes his flame with a swat of her hand. Steam comes out of his ears, and I roll my eyes at the literal hothead.
A gust of air whooshes by me, and I grab Sky’s arm, steadying myself as I spin us around. We’re temporarily blinded by flashing lights and tiny white orbs swirling around a female with long periwinkle hair. She disappears in the blink of an eye, and I have to stifle my gasp. I’ve never seen an Air Fae vanish like that before. The air where she was standing shimmers with magic before she reappears.
“Damn. Invisibility power,” Skyler says in awe, voicing my exact thoughts. I’ve never seen anyone with that amount of strength and control before.
My fascination is dashed away when I see my brother’s honey blond head enter the gym. I’m not waiting until the end of class to talk, so I make a beeline for him, Skyler hot on my heels. I grab his shoulder, roughly spinning him around. “Flame. Where the hell were you for winter break? We missed you at the Solstice dinner, and Mother has been worried sick.”
“I was traveling, brother. Don’t worry about me. Seriously.” He shrugs my hand off his shoulder and stalks away. I glance at Skyler, who doesn’t look convinced either.
We once again take our spots next to our friends while Flame skulks in the corner as usual. I shake my head, wishing he would cheer up and quit being angry all the time.
Coach Slate storms into the gym, and we all groan, not looking forward to another semester with the jerk. “Yeah, yeah. Happy to see all of you, too! Now, stretch!”
Gaia prances in next, immediately getting an attitude with Slate just to push his buttons. “Why do we need to stretch if this is magical combat, not physical combat?” She rolls her eyes, strutting past our professor in bubblegum pink shorts and a matching tank. “Sky!” she squeals, running over to him and jumping up with a big hug. She wraps her legs and arms around him like a cuddly koala, and I can’t help but smile at the adorable image they paint.
I’ll admit that I may have slightly abused my power by requesting that both Gaia and Nerine join the rest of our group in this sophomore-level course. But I won’t be sorry because now that I finally have close friends, this class sounds like it will be a lot of fun.
“It’s so good to see you, Skyler. Hi, Oleander!” She waves at me, and I smile back.
“How was your break?” I ask, genuinely curious.
Before she can answer, Slate shouts at us yet again. “Stretch!”
“Ugh! He’s starting already?!” Gaia growls and spins on her heel to complete her warm-ups.
Suddenly, the double doors at the front of the gym bang open, and we all turn around to see who’s coming in late and disrupting class.
“Coach Slate is gonna be pissed,” Skyler chuckles next to me, but I’m distracted. The stale air thickens, clogging my throat and nearly choking me.
How? Am I hallucinating?
Inky black hair is swept away from angry, drawn features. But those eyes. Those cerulean blue eyes are ones I’d recognize anywhere.
River.
My lungs seize, paralyzing my breath. Traumatizing memories attempt to push their way to the surface, but I’ve come too far to allow that to happen.
He’s here? He’s really here, at the academy, in our Advanced Magical Combat class?
I guess spring semester is starting off with a bang. And we probably won’t get the drama-free second half of the year that I was hoping for.
Fucking fuck.
Everyone here knows River, and they all look as stunned as I feel. A soft murmur moves through the gym, and I peer over my shoulder, watching as the crowd parts for Flame. The shock and hope on my brother’s face are clear, but when I glance back at River, the cruel smirk on his lips is so unlike the sweet boy I remember as a kid that I’m actually worried for my brother.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Flame’s voice nearly breaks, and it seems to bring some sort of twisted joy to River’s eyes. His dark hair is slicked back, and his skin is eerily pale as if he hasn’t seen the sun in years. Silver hoops line both of his ears, all the way to the tips, as well as a single hoop that hugs his bottom lip right in the center.
“The Shadow World,” River growls in a sinister-sounding whisper that’s meant to chill us to our bones.
And he succeeds.
Flame’s face loses all color, and a bitter coldness skitters down my spine, making me shiver. Skyler puts a comforting arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.
He’s lived in darkness and fear for five years?
I can’t fathom it.
River tilts his head back when no one says anything, laughing loudly and showing off multiple scars on his neck.
No. . . puncture wounds.
Shock ricochets through my body, stealing the air from my lungs and the thoughts from my brain.
Vampire bites.
It’s clear he’s been fed upon many, many times. Used. The idea alone hurts my soul to its core, and pain burns deep down into my very essence. River was our best friend when we were kids. Before we had a clue what it truly meant to possess magic.
“And let me tell you. Fae are quite the prize over there.”
“What did your parents do?” Flame gasps in despair, and if he’s feeling anything like I am, then his heart is absolutely breaking for River.
“They did what the queen made them do,” River sneers in a raspy voice. “Leave.”
My stomach drops to the floor like a lead weight.
“No,” Flame says uselessly.
I feel so helpless.
“Yes. She even opened the portal for us. Thoughtful, right? We had no choice.”
A shudder ripples through me, and Skyler tugs me even closer.
Could my mother truly do something like that?
I guess I speak the words aloud because River’s cruel eyes turn to me, and he answers my question.
“Yes, dearest Oleander. She would. And she did.”
My insides churn, the nausea threatening to make me sick.
“It’s okay, babe. Everything will be fine,” Skyler whispers into my ear, but his words are hollow. He has no idea of the storm that’s just arrived in Auroria.
“Well, class,” River’s calculating eyes scan the crowd, sizing everyone up. “I’m gonna change, and then I’ll be back in five to show you how we roll in the Shadow World.” A crooked grin tugs at his full lips, his intense gaze landing on my brother. “Flame. Let’s spar, baby!” He winks before hefting his duffel bag over his shoulder and heading for the locker room.
This next semester is going to be trouble. I can feel it.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I had so much inspiration for this book, and it really brought me back to the excitement of romance with such an otherworldly setting. I had a lot of fun writing about plants, nature, and fighting evil creatures! I adore these Fae boys and can’t wait to tell more of their stories.
Silver Grace with Bitter Sage Designs created all The Loyal Boys covers, and now she’s designing the beautiful, ethereal covers for each book in my Elemental Desires series. Oleander is so stunning, and I cannot wait to reveal the rest!
I need to thank my two beta readers, Elizabeth and Morgan, who were such a big help in not only beta reading, but also just cheerleading for me the entire way.
Thank you to my editor, Molly, for always helping me polish my words!
As I’m sure you can guess, Flame will be our next fairy boy to fight for his happily-ever-after with his childhood best friend and now enemy, River.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Charli Meadows is an obsessive reader, avid Bookstagrammer-turned PA, and now an author herself. Lover of all things romance, she plans to write a little bit of everything but make it sweet and spicy.
You can usually find Charli working her boring corporate job or at home playing video games and tending her plants. When she’s not reading, writing, or daydreaming about books, that is.
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Charli Meadows, Oleander (Elemental Desires Book 1)
