Fire's Flame [Elements Book 1] Read Free

slapped at her face and though Ventus was in his element, it was plain to see that the girl saw him in his human form. She buried herself against Ignis who cuddled her close. Outside was now abuzz with firefighters and Ignis spun round with the girl, using his brother to fuel his fire. The girl was lifted into the air as the brothers carried her away in what appeared to be a dark billowing cloud.
    In a distant field, she was set carefully down unharmed. She was only a child. There was no risk of exposure. No one would ever believe such a tale of man-fire or man-wind, and most assuredly not smoke-man. In a few years, she would doubt the incident herself. Ventus tickled the girl under her chin; he was fond of humans, especially their young. He loved to watch them play with kites and beg for a gentle breeze at night in the stifling heat. He was a wanted element at times.
    Other times, Ventus was less wanted when his liaison with a spurned lover sent him into a tailspin—or hurricane, or tornado in his case. Ignis never did understand his brother’s fondness for human females. As far as Ignis knew, no mortal had ever seen an element in human form while in their natural state of existence—until this small child. He often wondered if his brother had tried their primitive lovemaking. It was curious to watch when humans had sex; they did it often enough in front of a burning blaze, the flames adding sizzle to their heated bodies. There was no real passion or sparks as far as he was concerned. Entities were boring—it was the elements that gave raw wonder in all they did. Ignis wanted no other than the sun. Any other than Sun would fear Ignis’ fiery erection.
    Ventus tugged playfully at one of the child’s curls making her smile and he left on a gust of blasting wind, opening a portal into the element dimension. Ignis squatted down before her and held her tiny shoulders with his hands. His gaze was firm.
    “You must never play with fire, my little flame,” he told her.
    “But how will I ever find you again?”
    “My little flame, fire can be a very good thing or it can be a very bad thing.”
    “Nothing about you looks bad. You are very handsome.”
    Bright eyes gazed upon him in adoration. Like he was her hero—he supposed he was. Ignis sighed. Damn, the little thing has a crush on me. Now what?
    “When will I see you again?” she asked. “I will won’t I?”
    Ignis nodded. He realized she would. Maybe she even had before and that was why she hadn’t been afraid. “Have you seen me before?”
    She giggled and nodded. “When I saw the fire, I knew you would be in there. I have seen you many times, but thought I was seeing things. I wanted to prove you were real. I just wanted to see you. You can’t be bad when you make yummy S’mores.”
    Hmm, can’t argue with that logic. “Then it’s our secret. Do you understand little flame? No one must ever know of me.”
    “I won’t ever tell, not anyone,” she solemnly promised. She hugged him tight, uncaring of his fiery loincloth covering and once more Ignis felt… something …
    * * * *
    And she had never told anyone about what had occurred in the burning building. Ignis was positive. Time and again the child drew him back. She had been a beauty in her teens, he had been right; she was almost thirteen when they had first met. That night, after he had saved her, she had called to him using a mere candle. Foolishly he had gone. She had only wanted to see his face, what could be the harm?
    Her little girl crush on Ignis grew with leaps and bounds as the years moved forward, until it was no longer a crush but mature passion. She had spurned every human male and Ignis knew she was waiting for him. She saw him in each of his fires when it was he who began to seek her out. He told himself he only felt responsible for her because he had saved her life. He had spared many lives.
    Why did she draw him to her?
    Ignis watched as Flame—the name he called her—wandered