Elemental Flame Read Online Free PDF Page B

after Crwys and I split. Robin was stable, good looking, sweet and so not deserving of the hell knowing me had put him through. The Leviathan that raised me had sent out Changelings, back in October, to kill the parents of the children they were exchanged for. It was all just a ruse to flush out something Dionysus wanted.
    But one of those Changelings had been a duplicate of Kathy. It attacked at dinner one night, narrowly missing the littlest girl, but eventually killing their mother, Robin's sister, Rose. And then it attacked Robin. Robin killed the Changeling in self-defense, but he thought he killed his niece. The shock of that, plus the Changeling's poison took its toll on him. For a while it looked like he was going to muddle through without his niece and sister, but his emotional state caved.
    Luckily, we were able to find those children and Kathy was returned. But our relationship had been one of the casualties.
    And now he was here, with Kathy, nearly two months after we called it quits.
    "You…you look good," Robin tilted his head to the side. He'd cut his hair shorter. He looked good. A bit thinner, but in better shape than when I left him.
    "You look good yourself," I refocused on Kathy. "And how are you doing?"
    "Oh, I'm great. Sammie, is this your magic shop?"
    "Yes it is."
    "This place is awesome!"
    I smiled at her before I looked back at Robin. "Is there something I can do for you?"
    "It's not me that wanted to come. I mean…I wanted to come. I wanted to call you, but I heard you were having trouble again and I didn't want to get involved with magic stuff so I just…" his voice trailed off and he licked his lips. "Kathy said she had to see you. She insisted to the point where she was skipping school to find this place."
    "Kathy!" I put my hands on my hips. "You shouldn't do that. We do have a phone."
    She rolled her eyes. "Uncle Robin wouldn't let me call. And besides, I have to give you this in person."
    "Give me what?"
    Kathy took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Several seconds passed before she said, "Pain…there is always pain…need…a lifetime of loneliness….why haven't you come…why haven't you searched for him…no death, no life, no forward, no backward…search for the curse. You have to follow the curse." She staggered a bit, and then breathed deep and smiled. "Whew. Now maybe I can get some sleep."
    I stood still. Very still. I could hear the pack humming again. Finally, I glanced at Ivan at the computer with Kyle beside him. They both looked wide-eyed and confused.
    "What's wrong, Sammie?"
    Licking my lips, I thought about what I was going to say. "Where did you get that?"
    "From the voice in my dreams. He's been there since Uncle Robin took me and my sister out for Valentine's Day. I haven't been able to sleep since."
    "You have a voice in your dreams. Does this he have a name?"
    "No. But he's in pain. A lot of it. And he's asking for you, calling for you. I'm surprised you can't hear him."
    I felt my chest grow warm and realized the scar was heating up and glowing. Luckily the shirt and hoodie I was wearing covered the light. "Kathy…do you know who he is?"
    "No. But I know what he is. And he's the last of his kind."
    "What is he?"
    Kathy clasped her hands over her chest and her eyes sparkled. "He's a Dragon!"



FOUR
    " A Dragon ?" Kyle said to my right. "What's she talking about? A fairy tale?"
    It wasn't a fairy tale. It wasn't fiction or fantasy. There was only one person in my life whom I'd toyed with the possibility, but until a few minutes ago, believed it was impossible. My Elementals knew the truth. I suspected Grey knew as well.
    And now Kathy.
    I gripped the side of the counter to my right as I composed myself. I was pretty sure whatever miasma of emotions I was feeling also played out on my face.
    "Sam? You okay?" Robin leaned forward, his gaze piercing. I knew this without even looking at him.
    I swallowed and cleared my throat. "Guys…Robin…can Kathy and I have a