Fire And Ice

Two years ago...

I used the shadows as a cloak as I tracked the demon down the litter-filled alleyway, taking care to stay out of sight. I was wearing all black so that I blended in to the shadows and I’d shoved my white blonde hair under a black beanie hat so that the distinctive colour wouldn’t give me away.

The demon strode down the alley, as I stalked him, readying myself to attack when he was least expecting it. It appeared as a man with a muscular build, bright red hair and vivid green eyes, but I knew that it was just a disguise. He was just hidden behind a shield, the horror of how he truly looked lurking below the surface.

I’d seen my fair share of demons in their true forms, and I’d killed my fair share too. Tonight was no different.

The demon abruptly halted by a door set into the wall on one side of the alley and I withdrew my dagger from the sheath hidden beneath my sweatshirt, preparing myself to attack. I was about to step out of the shadows when someone grabbed my arm, halting my movement.

I twisted in the direction of the new threat, even as I mentally cursed myself for not being more vigilant. I pulled my arm free of the person’s grip as I vaguely noted that it was a boy. He looked around 17 years old, one year my senior. His ice blue eyes were fixed onto my face, wide with surprise and awe and I could see strands of white blonde hair trailing from beneath his black baseball cap.

I glanced over my shoulder to determine whether I still had time to attack, but the demon had vanished, as if he’d never been in this alleyway to begin with. I turned back to the guy, my eyes narrowed, a scowl on my face, rage pumping through my blood, building with every second.

I was about to let rip at him when the aura radiating from him smashed into me like a tidal wave. Like a wave of ice penetrating my senses. I’d never met anyone like me before, but I instinctively knew that this guy shared my element. We were the same.

I stumbled backwards, my eyes wide with surprise, my words caught in my throat.

I’d met other elementals before, but never one that shared my element.

“I thought I was the only one.” I whispered, my voice rough with wonder.

The guy blinked at me, his look of awe morphing into a smile.

“That’s what I thought too. What’s your name?” He asked, speaking for the first time. His voice was deep and held a slightly icy tone, which I knew came from his powers, because my voice was the same.

“Frost.” I said, instinctively trusting this guy, although I didn’t even know him. I’d felt an inexplicable connection with him from the moment I’d sensed his power. I’d thought I was alone in the world and now I knew that I wasn’t the only one.

An amused smile flitted across his face, two dimples appearing on his cheeks, fascinating me.

“That figures. I’m Perry.” He said.

An unexpected smile spread across my face, completely surprising me. I never smiled at anyone. I always kept my distance, remaining as cold as a glacier, never letting anyone get close. Suddenly all of my carefully constructed walls were falling because of Perry, because we were the same. I wasn’t alone, not anymore.

“You cost me that demon.” I said, some of the anger I’d felt a few minutes ago leaching into my voice.

He frowned, looking a little confused. After a moment of silence, his gaze landed on the dagger in my hand and a look of realisation lit up his face.

“You’re hunting demons? Who do you work for?” He asked, his voice full of curiosity. I frowned, my eyebrows furrowing as I tried to decipher what he meant when he asked who I work for. I didn’t work with or for anyone. I did this on my own. What made him think that I was working for someone?

“I don’t work for anyone. I track them and kill them on my own.” I said.

His eyes widened with surprise, a frown creeping onto his face.

“You have no one to watch your back? No one to go to if you’re in trouble?” He asked, sounding alarmed by the thought of me being on my own.

I shrugged my shoulders as I slid my dagger back into its sheath, instinctively knowing that Perry wasn’t a threat. I somehow knew that he wouldn’t hurt me, though I had no idea how I knew that.

“I’m good at what I do. I’m always careful. I never take on more than I can handle. I don’t need anyone else because I never get into trouble.” I said, my tone full of confidence, because I knew that every word I said was the truth. I’d been hunting demons for so long that I’d honed my tracking skills and I’d learned how to follow them undetected. It also helped that I was fast, which meant that by the time they noticed me, I already had my dagger stuck in their chest.

Perry shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“If you come with me, you’ll be safe. I can help you, Frost. You don’t have to be alone anymore.” He said, his tone gentle, a slight pleading note beneath his words.

I was instantly tempted to do what he said. The thought of being around people again, of knowing that I wasn’t alone, was almost like a drug that urged me to give in.

“Where?” I asked. I trusted him but I didn’t know any of the people he lived with. I couldn’t trust them, so I needed to get all of the information I could before I made a decision.

He looked pleased that I hadn’t turned him down right away, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, which made my heart stutter. No one had ever wanted me around. No one had ever cared about me before.

“My mentor is waiting for me in a car a few blocks away. Come with me and I’ll tell you everything once we get there. He can explain too, as he knows a lot more than I do.” He said, then he did something entirely unexpected. He held his hand out towards me, his gaze on my face, judging whether I’d be threatened by the act or not.

I felt my heart stutter again as I slid my hand into his without hesitation and he began to lead me back down the alleyway. I walked beside him, following his lead, for a few blocks until he led me around the side of a dilapidated building. I immediately felt suspicious of the location, but my mind calmed when I saw a car at the edge of a small parking lot, the colour so dark that it almost blended in with its surroundings.

Perry led me to the passenger side door and released my hand to open it before sticking his head in and muttering a few words that I couldn’t hear before he straightened and smiled at me.

“Get in. I’ll sit in the back.” He said, waving a hand towards the passenger seat before he pulled open the back door and climbed in, shutting it behind him.

I hesitated for one second before I climbed into the passenger seat, pulling the door closed behind me. I turned to take in my surroundings and my gaze immediately fixed onto the person sat in the driver’s seat.

I noticed that it was a man. He looked around 20 years old, making him 4 years older than me. His build was muscular but lean, the black sweater he wore clinging to his torso and outlining his muscular abdomen and chest. My eyes trailed up to his face, taking in his square jaw, his full expressive lips, his angular cheekbones and then his eyes. I’d never seen eyes like his before. They looked almost gold, but there were strands of amber woven through them, only extenuating their uniqueness. His hair was auburn, with different shades of red swirling within it as if there were a fire trapped within the strands. It looked soft and it brushed the bottom of his ears, curling and sweeping over his forehead, almost hiding his eyes.

I was completely captivated by this beautiful man, my heart suddenly beating a mile a minute. I’d never been attracted to a guy before. That definitely changed the day I met him.

When I continued to stare, the corner of his mouth kicked up into a breathtaking half smile, which only made my heart beat harder and faster in my chest.

“She’s a water elemental, like me.” Perry chimed in from the back seat, reminding me of his presence. I felt my face flush, which was another first, as I diverted my gaze to the dashboard in front of me, feeling incredibly embarrassed by my fascination with this guy.

“I know. I can feel the aura radiating from her.” The unfamiliar voice startled me. It was deep and like fire licking against my skin, making me breath catch in my throat. When I turned my gaze back to the guy, whose name I still didn’t know, I saw that his gaze was still fixed on me, an intense expression on his face. He wasn’t showing any emotion at all, but I could tell that he was trying to figure me out.

“I’m Rowan and I’m a fire elemental. What’s your name?” He asked, his tone marginally gentler, making me feel a little more at ease. As soon as he told me that he was a fire elemental, I could suddenly feel the aura of heat and flame emanating from him, filling the car with an uncomfortable atmosphere.

As if he sensed my discomfort, he reached over and opened his window halfway, letting in a rush of cool air, making me breathe a sigh of relief.

“I’m Frost.” I said, my voice quiet and reserved. I didn’t know this guy so I had to be wary until I know whether I can trust him.

“Has Perry explained anything to you?” Rowan asked, gentle curiosity in his tone.

I was about to shake my head in negation, but Perry informed him that he hadn’t explained anything before I could even make a move.

I couldn’t hide my smile, because I already felt a close connection with Perry. I already saw him as a friend, or maybe even an annoying, overprotective older brother.

“I’ll start from the beginning then. We work for something called The Elemental Order. It’s our job to hunt rogue elementals and demons and make sure they don’t harm humans. Perry is a novice hunter, while I’m the leader and mentor of our group. There are different factions of us all over the world and I’m the leader of this particular faction. I train the novices and all of the missions have to be sanctioned by me. You following me so far?” He asked, stopping for a moment to ensure that I was getting all of this. It was a lot of information to take in, but I was following every single word, so I nodded my head.

“We sometimes find people like you. Elementals who have no family and no connection to our world aside from their powers. When we find them, if they would like to join us, we train them and ensure that they’re not alone. We ensure that they have a home and that if they want to, they can become a hunter for The Order.” He said. He kept his gaze fixed on me as I processed those words. After a few minutes of silence, I swallowed hard, my brain fighting my heart on this decision. My heart wanted me to go with them, to be around others like me, to no longer be alone. My brain was saying that I couldn’t trust these people, that I had no idea who they were or if they were even telling the truth. I was completely torn, uncertain of what to say or do.

“Would you like to join us, Frost? We can keep you safe. You won’t be alone anymore.” Rowan said, his tone warm and inviting.

It took me another minute to find my voice to answer his question.

“Yes. I want to join you.” I whispered, my heart rejoicing at the thought that I’d finally found somewhere that I could belong.