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  “Ethan,” she whispered loudly.

  No response.

  What was she thinking?

  She shook her doubts away and lifted a small stone from the ground and tossed it at the window.

  “Ethan,” she hissed again.

  Again, no response.

  “Aye, I’ve right lost my mind,” she mumbled to herself.

  That twist in her gut—it’d been more heartache than instinct. And for what? Even if she had found him, he would have only sent her away. He would never allow her to risk everything.

  She rubbed her hand against her cheek and bit her lip, closing her eyes. Why did her heart have to betray her this way? Why could she not hate Ethan instead? Why not despise him for being the one to usher her into this world?

  “Ethan,” she said to empty room above. “I’m sorry. I am sorry, though ye will never know that I came here tonight. I’m sorry that my heart got in the way. Sorry for loving ye.”

  She choked on those last words, then sucked in a resolved breath. This was no good. She needed to move on. But she could not get her feet to move nor her gaze to leave the window. Could not get her gaze to leave that square of hope. So badly she wanted him that she could smell his sweet clove scent on the night air.

  “Ophelia?”

  The voice came from behind her, arresting the space in her chest where her heart would have normally sped.

  It was him.

  She held her breath and spun around. Moonlight lit the sky behind him. He stood unmoving, his gaze covering every inch of her, her emotions swaying slowly from disbelief to desire.

  “Ophelia,” he said, with more confidence.

  He strode over to her, and she threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply. He pressed her back against the wall in the alley, his hands sliding around her waist. He stopped, tilting his forehead against hers, his eyelashes tickling her brow.

  “You’ve come to me,” he said. He kissed her again, as though unable to keep his lips from her mouth. Finally he broke away and pulled her a few steps further down the alley to a wooden door and then inside.

  Neither of them said a word until after he’d led her down the hall, up the stairs, and into a small, bare room that contained little more than cot, end table, and washbasin. He locked the door and turned to her again, shaking his head. “You shouldn’t have come.”

  She stepped up to him, closing the distance between them, and kissed him with the passion she’d been holding back for far too long. She did not know when she would see him again, but she knew she would not give him up, knew she would not sacrifice him.

  He put his hands to her shoulders, as if to stop her, but then held her tight and deepened the kiss, backing her up until her calves hit the foot of the bed. She cupped her hands around his face, breaking the kiss. His skin was paler than usual, his hair unkempt and the circles beneath his eyes dark.

  “Ye are not well,” she said.

  “I will be fine, my love. I will be fine.”

  “What of the work ye are supposed to do?”

  He shook his head slowly. “It is done. There was no calling for me beyond your delivery to the Maltorim. That is it for me.”

  “Oh, Ethan,” she breathed, frowning. “‘ow could ye say such a thing?”

  “I have failed even that, if you are here now. What happened?”

  He had not failed. No matter what anyone said, they deserved the hope they found in each other’s company. “I am with them still! I am sure I can hold my place with them for many years.”

  He pulled back. “You need to return immediately. You cannot stay here.”

  “We are together,” Ophelia said fiercely. “Don’t tell me that is wrong.”

  He stared at her a long moment, unspeaking, and she feared her chest might cave beneath the silence. “You should go. I shouldn’t have allowed this, shouldn’t have entertained these ideas.”

  As he stepped away, Ophelia reached out and grasped his hand to tug him back. “Don’t ye dare say that.”

  He was too close to her now to look at her as a package to be delivered. He could only look into her eyes. He could only face down her soul. Let him try to back away to that, let him try to back away from his own heart.

  “Would ye still be standing here if this was not meant to be? Would not the Universe ‘ave taken ye from me?”

  For a long moment, Ethan stared at her, his pained expression softening. Ophelia knew she was right, and surely he knew as well. The Universe would grant them this one gift in their otherwise dire existence. They would have each other.

  Ethan lifted her onto the bed, climbing between her knees as he lay her back and pressed his mouth to hers. His hands, shaky and uncertain, fumbled to undo her dress. He swept her hair away from her neck, leaving it to fan out its inky blackness on his sheets.

  He removed her gown, kissed her ribs, grazed his lips over her breasts. As he placed kisses along her jaw and neck, she tilted her head back.

  Then, they were falling. Falling through time and space. But this was different from when Ethan had moved her this way before. This time they moved through space as though floating through water toward the bottom of a lake.

  She kissed the space behind his ear, traced her lips against his shoulder. His hands explored her body, the fullness of her breasts, the contour of her hips, the insides of her thighs. As his fingertips traced over her hips, she closed her eyes. Soon she was lost in touch, in the way his fingertips brushed across her skin, lost in this space with him where no harm could come to them and no obstacle could prevent them from being together.

  Ethan’s fingers dipped into her, gently exploring her depths and sending notes of arousal through her body. As Ethan entered her, pressing himself into her body, she gasped. His need swelled with an urgency, his breaths coming heavier. He slowed, stopped, pulled back before trying to press in again, more fully, until his hips pressed flush with her own. For Ophelia, the moment was a surrender, and she knew it was for Ethan as well.

  When finally they lie still, Ethan whispered in her ear. “Are you all right?”

  “I am,” she said.

  He grinned widely. “Oh, Ophelia. I could die that I didn’t think of this sooner.”

  The realization swept over her as well. Here, they were safe to be together. When moving through time and space—when they were here in the inbetween—time did not exist. She could spend days with him and still return to the Maltorim’s asylum within hours.

  For all of Ethan’s ability, she could return to Maltorim minutes before she’d even left, if she so chose.

  “I will not live without ye,” she said, pulling him closer.

  “I will never ask it again,” he promised.

  To no longer have to deny her feelings sent a rush through Ophelia, and in that moment, Ophelia’s heart fluttered in her chest. The heat between them intensified, and even the serpent’s mark on her neck burned once again with ferocity. But she didn’t care. Not now.

  In these moments, she was human again.

  Human, and very much in love.

  If it were up to Ophelia, she would remain in his space, suspended for eternity with Ethan, her love, her sweetest downfall.

  Phoenix

  A Hollows Ground Novella

  By J. A. Culican

  Phoenix © copyright 2016 J.A. Culican

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without the express written consent from the author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or in a review. Trademark names appear throughout this book. Rather than trademark name, names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.

  The information in this book is distributed on an “as is” basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither
the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

  The characters, locations, and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities or resemblance to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Dragon Realm Press

  www.dragonrealmpress.com

  “The heart in man signified the heat or the element of fire, and it is also the heat; for the heat in the whole body hath its original in the heart.”

  ~ Jakob Bohm

  Energy zipped around me as I swiped my finger over the scanner. Kane whirled his hand over my meal with a gush of wind, extinguishing the flame that enveloped my breakfast. With a wink, he dropped the wrapped sandwich on the glass counter just as he did every day.

  “Gemma girl, the day you order something different is the day I know the end is near.” Chuckling, Kane turned to start on the next order.

  With a shake of my head and a tilt of my lips, I grabbed the foil wrapper and scooched through the waiting crowd shouting their orders. The Shades of Hollows Ground were up and ready for their day. I joined them as they hustled through the streets, turning Kane’s words over in my head as I found the familiar path that would lead me to work. Today wasn’t any different, that much was true; today was special, but it was not the end. Today was just the beginning.

  Dark purple swirled through the sky as the moon woke. The magic in the air was at war and I was one of only four beings that knew what was going on. My heart fluttered at the thought of the inevitable. The hard cement of the city sidewalk turned to dirt and the busy bustle of the morning rush was left behind as I entered the peacefulness of the outskirts. Old pine trees surrounded me, securing me on my path. The purple lights in the sky bled into blue the farther I walked. By the time I reached my destination all that remained above was an eerie violet haze.

  Around the last bend in the path, large cliffs came into view. I stepped up and rested my hands on either side of a boulder that sat at the mountain’s base. The scanner buzzed and unlocked the cave that only I was allowed to enter. The boulder that sat between my hands quickly disappeared allowing me entrance. Caves like this resided all over Hollows Ground, many old and unused. The residents walked by daily without a thought, unaware of just how special the caves were.

  Sulfur greeted me as I dropped my breakfast by the mouth of the cave. My bag fell from my shoulder and joined my breakfast. It hit the ground with a thud causing dirt to wisp around my ankles. Most found the smell rancid but to me, it was the smell of home, comfort, and security. Even though I was issued a house within the city, this was where I spent my time, where I found my peace. Bright pink and blue crystals met me as I took a seat on the biggest and brightest of the bunch. This particular crystal was my first, my present to the city of Hollows Ground on my thirteenth birthday. The heart of my phoenix lived within it. From that day forward I was a servant to the gems around me, the only one able to control the magic that lived here. The magic that kept our city beating. Each day I visited my cave and each day I created a new crystal.

  My eyes shut as my magic flowed through me. The fire in my veins expanded and exploded from me to form a new crystal. The small hairs on my arms stood on end as energy made its way around me, seeking a home. Sighing, my eyes opened and darted around my cave, searching for my new treasure. With trembling legs, I headed over to my daily toll. My hand glided over the smooth gem as my eyes took in its odd color. Today was not the day for an anomaly. Today of all days I needed to keep my element in check.

  Lights twinkled around the cavern as I squatted, coming eye level with the bright red crystal. Red. Never in my time as a phoenix had I created a gem of this color. A harsh breath left my lips as my dark pink hair fell across my eyes. Red. The implications of an unknown could be catastrophic. The magic in this cave kept Hollows Ground alive. Everything that existed here was because of the phoenixes. Without our magic, we would be forced to live with the others, forever in danger. Hollows Ground was our safe haven, the only place where one with magic could truly be free.

  My charge was fire, the element I inherited from the last fire phoenix. Even so, my crystals were always a shade of pink or blue as was every other crystal ever created. It was believed to be the color of our souls, or so we were told.

  My hand stroked the stone one last time before I stood, dread creeping into my thoughts as I considered the implications. With a shudder, I turned my back on the bloody gem and returned to the entrance. I plopped myself to the ground with a sigh and picked up my breakfast. Usually, I was ravenous after my magic stabilized, but today the idea of eating anything made my stomach twist. The foil crinkled in my hand as I forced myself to eat the sandwich. I needed my strength for the ceremony later. Today of all days I needed to be at my strongest.

  My eyes caught the glint of my new crystal from across the cavern. What would the others think? How would I explain it to them? Was it an omen of what would come? I shook away the thought. Today was the day of beginnings. A day we would say goodbye to one phoenix and welcome a new. A Shade would come into their magic today and what a magic it was. The magic of creation and balance.

  A balance I prayed to the Goddess I didn’t just screw up.

  “The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire.”

  ~ Pamela Hansford Johnson

  I inhaled and exhaled slowly as I attempted to center myself. The air was saturated with magic. It wasn't often all four phoenixes were in such close proximity to each other. We tended to stay in our designated quadrants where our caves resided.

  My footsteps echoed through the temple. Three sets of bright blue eyes turned my way as I found the last empty seat. The four of us sat in a circle around a small fire that represented our phoenixes and their journey into the next life.

  Each phoenix was responsible for keeping the balance of one element—earth, water, wind or fire. Our foursome consisted of two males and two females. Always in balance, that was our motto. Everything we did was to keep each other in check.

  Today we would say goodbye to our water phoenix. Stella had been a phoenix for the past eighty-five years. At the ripe age of ninety-eight, she was ready to set her wings free and transfer her energy to another. For the past few months she had struggled with her daily tolls, producing smaller crystals every day.

  “Thank you all for gathering today.” Stella met each of our eyes before continuing. “I have sacrificed my life to the promise of the phoenix. To making Hollows Ground a place where all magic wielders can feel safe, where no harm will come to any of our kind.” Her voice cracked as she took a second to compose herself. “Today, a new water phoenix will be born. I know with my whole heart that you all will open your arms to her and guide her through this transition. For that reason, I will rest easy tonight.”

  Stella wore her pink and silver hair pulled back in a bun. Her oversized blue gown gave off the impression she was swimming in a vast ocean. Her eyes glistened as a small smile graced her lips. She was ready to move on.

  This was the first transfer ceremony I would be part of since I was the youngest phoenix. I knew the basics of what would happen today, but the others told me the rest was hard to explain. I would need to experience it to truly understand. My stomach ached from nerves and sweat beaded on my forehead. Today would be a part of Hollows Ground history. The red crystal flashed in my mind and I wondered if I should bring it up. We were all here, in one place for once. My eyes glanced between the other two. Arrum and Jaiden were roughly the same age, around ten years older than me. Neither looked my way as they stared into the fire. My eyebrows scrunched at the heavy silence. I followed their gazes to the fire.

  The orange in the fire began to swirl. Slowly at first and then a bit faster until it was a tornado sucking in the other colors around it. Fire flew from the pit, crashing against the ceiling. No o
ne moved or took their eyes from the growing tornado between us. My legs trembled in fear as sweat rolled down my face in rivulets. My fingers dug into the seat beneath me as the fire above inched its way around us, encasing us in a dome of fire.

  Stella slipped from her chair and fell to her knees with her hands crossed over her body. She threw her head back and closed her eyes. Her hair had fallen from its bun and it now floated behind her.

  Light formed at her knees as she rocked to the movement of the fire in front of her. The light crept up her sides in a cocoon-like embrace until concealing her.

  The fire flashed red and orange as it continued to feed and grow. No smoke broke our fire barrier, reminding me that it was the work of the magic that lived within Stella’s phoenix. Fear that had consumed me mere seconds ago dissipated as the realization sank in. Everything around me was magic and no magic here could hurt me, thanks to the balance amongst the phoenixes.

  Sparks rained from the ceiling in white stars, extinguishing as they hit the ground. The whirling fire emitted a humming sound, a melody I’d never heard before that grew louder the faster the fire raced.

  A flash blinded me as my hands flew to cover my eyes. Slowly, I cracked my fingers open. Darkness. The funnel of fire was gone as was the bright light that had enveloped Stella. My hands fell to my lap. Silence brought my fear back to the forefront as time seemed to stand still.

  A sudden explosion blew from the floor in front of me causing me to jump and tip my chair backward. I scrambled off the floor and righted my chair, then stood facing the now calm fire. It was as if nothing had happened. As if it had been just a slip of consciousness. I tilted my head towards Arrum who still sat to my right. He kept his head bowed and his hands clasped on his knees. Jaiden was in a similar pose on my left. My eyes fell on Stella’s chair. It was empty. There was no sign that Stella had ever been here.