Rainmaker

11

I sit by the fire, my mind still reeling from the fight, from the choice I made, and from the lingering ache of watching Kade walk away.

But Lucas hasn't pushed. He's given me space, letting the tension in the air dissolve as the weight of everything hangs over us. After a while, he stands, walking over to the crack in the floor, his gaze thoughtful.

"We should keep working," he says quietly, his voice cutting through the silence.

I blink, looking up at him. "Now?"

"You got something else to do?" He smirks

I roll my eyes but stand and join him.

Lucas moves closer, standing beside me as we stare at the faint glow emanating from the earth. His presence is calm and reassuring in a way that surprises me. Despite everything, I feel a strange pull toward him—something deeper than his knowledge of magic.

"Close your eyes," Lucas says softly, stepping even closer. "Focus on the elements, like we did before."

I close my eyes, taking a slow breath, and feel the air shift around me.

"Feel the magic, Emily," Lucas murmurs, his voice low and smooth. "Let it flow through you, but don't fight it. Don't try to control it yet. Just... feel it."

His words wash over me, and I focus on the sensation of the magic moving through my body. It's wild, powerful.

Lucas's presence is close, and I can feel the warmth of his body just inches from mine. His voice lowers, becoming more intimate. "That's it... You're doing it."

I let the magic flow through me, but something else stirs—a different kind of energy that has nothing to do with the elements. It's the way Lucas's voice wraps around me, the way his breath feels close to my ear, sending shivers through my body.

I open my eyes slowly, and when I do, Lucas is right there, his gaze intense, his lips slightly parted. The glow from the earth reflects in his eyes, and for a moment, everything else fades away—Kade, the fight, the fear. All I can focus on is him.

"Lucas..." I whisper, but I don't know what I'm trying to say.

He steps even closer, his hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair away from my face. His fingers linger on my cheek, sending a rush of heat through me. "Emily," he says softly, his voice hushed, almost reverent.

 I don't know if it's the magic coursing through me or the way he's looking at me, but I feel like I'm on fire. His gaze drops to my lips, and for a moment, everything else falls away—the only thing that matters is the space between us, shrinking with every breath.

Lucas leans in, his lips brushing mine softly at first, testing, teasing. My breath catches, and the air around us seems to still, the world narrowing to this moment. I don't pull away. Instead, I lean into him, my hand reaching up to curl around his neck as the kiss deepens.

His hands slide around my waist, pulling me closer, and I can feel the heat of his body against mine. The kiss grows more intense, more urgent, as if all the tension, all the magic between us is finally being released. The storm inside me stirs, but this time, it's not out of control—it's alive, responding to him, to us.

When we finally pull away, both of us are breathless. Lucas's forehead rests against mine, his hands still holding me close. "This... feels right," he whispers, his voice low and filled with something deeper than desire. "The moment I saw you, I knew this was right."

I look up at him, my heart still racing, but there's a calm in me now that wasn't there before. Lucas smiles, his thumb brushing softly against my cheek. "You are beautiful."

For a moment, we stand there, the world around us fading into the background. Our connection is undeniable, but there's something deeper here—more than just magic. It's like he sees me, not just the power inside but all of me.