My love has concrete feet
My love's an iron ball
Wrapped around your ankles
Over the waterfall
Everly
Never have I ever feared my own death.
Not really.
How my life was going to end was not something that concerned me. I had only hoped that in the end, I would be happy. That, somehow, the monster who had tormented me my entire childhood would be gone. And I would have a moment of peace.
That's all I ever wanted.
Until Zeke.
After I felt the embrace of his once-in-a-lifetime love, death began to scare me. It became too real. Too finite. Because, in the end, I did watch my monster get destroyed ... but
unlike what they show in movies, I didn't experience flashes of my life as my breathe faltered. I only saw Zeke, my family, and my friends. A torrent of sweet memories rushed past me, and no matter how hard I tried to hold on, they slipped away.
Leaving me with the look of torment in my lover's eyes. The last thing I witnessed was his fear and his heartbreak.
"Everly."
My eyes pop open at the sound of my name and I find Doc, standing by the pool underneath the Magic Springs waterfall. This place has revealed its true, magical identity. As if it's been baptized in silver glitter, everything — the rocks, trees, water, and sky — sparkle with the refraction of light from millions of tiny diamonds.
Reaching out to touch the glimmering bark of a nearby tree, I catch a glimpse of my hands. They're like a vapor of my once solid form, as if I am a ghost.
Joining Doc at the edge of the water, I kneel down to stare at my wraithlike reflection. "This isn't what I expected."
"It rarely is." Doc sighs, bending to pick up a dark, smooth stone and throwing it towards the waterfall. The rock kisses the surface of the pond several times before being swallowed, disappearing beneath the water. "A stone may skip a long way, but it will sink eventually." He looks down at me. "Such is life."
"So, I'm dead."
"No." He smiles. "You, Everly Anderson, are still very much alive."
"But—"
"Your body is absent of life. This is true. But that is just a vessel. Who you are ... what you are ... is right here." Doc holds his hand out for me to grab.
"But how?"
"You were shot by a dragon-scale bullet, Everly. A fatal wound to shifters."
"No. I mean ... what is this place? Why did you bring me here?"
"This is the Veil. It's what separates the physical world from the ethereal. The place where the Creator pours His magic."
"I thought the water from the springs—"
"The water, like your body, is just the vessel. It delivers magic throughout the physical world. Thereby keeping everything alive. Without the Veil, there'd be chaos."
"This fight with the hybrids, its not just about getting rid of the Elementals, is it? They want to destroy the Veil."
Doc nods his head in agreement. "The offspring of the Creator's daughters want to control magic. This has always been our struggle."
"And the previous Elementals ... they've died protecting it?"
"They made sacrifices, yes."
Stepping away from him, I feel the magnitude of his words hit me. "Then, are we fighting in vain?"
"No."
"How can you say that? The battle of good vs. evil, Doc? Do you honesty think we will be victorious?"
Squaring his shoulders, Doc looks down at me with smiling eyes. "In nature, water decides when it starts and when it stops. The storm goes where it wants and it's power comes from within. You are the storm, Everly - nothing can hold you back."
"But I should be dead right now. Why save me when others were left to die? Did you bring me here to show me what I'm fighting for?"
"I was not the one to bring you here, Everly."
"Then who —"
"I did."
Turning around, I'm met with familiar green eyes. "Seri. I almost didn't recognize you without your black fur."
The corner of her mouth tilts with amusement. "That's right. I guess that means I've saved you twice tonight, right?"
"I didn't even think you liked me."
Seri grabs my hand and extends my arm out. "Do you see this, Everly?" My Elemental symbol is still prominent on my fading skin. "This mark means that you are part of my family. Which is something I don't have a lot of and I will do everything I can to protect my family."
A tugging pulls on my phantom heart
"Thank you."
Seri releases her hold. "Besides, it was either save you or suffer through ghost-you haunting me. And my life is loud enough without your incessant chatter."
"Right. I guess that means I owe you. So, how do I get back?"
Commotion from the trail above the waterfall draws our attention. Familiar voices grow louder just before I see my mate, with me in his arms, race down the path.
"Ezekiel!" My brother's voice booms. "What the hell are you doing, man?"
Zeke walks past us and toward the water. "Bringing her back."
Seri chuckles. "See, Doc. I told you he'd figure it out."
Thea, Bel, and Caylin approach in awestruck wonder. "Bloody brilliant," Caylin whispers.
Danny snaps his head towards the redhead.
"You don't seriously believe this will work, do you?"
"I believe in Everly," she replies.
Momma, still in wolf form, bumps Danny's hand with her head and whines. His jaws clench before he focuses back on Zeke. "I ... I do too."
Edging my way toward my mate, I see that the fear he had before has been replaced by faith. A hope Zeke exudes as he steps into the water, carrying me until he is standing waist-deep and my body is floating. "Come back to me, Angel."
"I'm here, Zeke."
My bare feet connect with the water and a strange sensation develops. It's as if I've stepped into a carbonated pool and all of the bubbles kiss my skin. I make my way to Zeke, who has his head tilted up and his eyes drawn close. "Please," He whispers under his breath.
The movement of water quickens as the fluttering and fizzing intensifies. Light surrounds me and washes through my form. As it grows brighter, my eyes shut and I'm left feeling like I'm being pulled in all directions. Everything feels cold and that coolness intensifies until it becomes a scalding heat. The overwhelming fever converges at my center, gathering at my core like a red-hot poker.
All at once, I take a lungful of air and open my eyes.
"Angel," I hear Zeke whisper.
My focus is blurry, but I reach up to touch his face. "Holy moly."
He lifts me out of the water until I can bury my face into his neck and tears pour out of me. Taking a big, deep breath I inhale forest, spearmint, and his wolf — it's the best scent in the world. Squeezing with all of my strength, I pull back and find tears welling in his eyes. "I thought I lost you," he murmurs.
Tracing my fingers along his jaw, I lean in and kiss his soft lips. "We're not going to lose each other, Zeke." I rest my forehead against his. "You're my mate. That means, I get to keep you forever."
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As always, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the conclusion to Everly's Element. Please leave a comment and don't forget to vote. I will love you forever and like you for always!!
Musical inspiration for this chapter: Heavy by Florence + the Machine.
Stay tuned for the Epilogue: After the Storm.
Remember: your words fuel mine! X O X O
Your friend and Shifter For Dummies Expert,
Bon