Elemental

By Serena Pettus

Nicolas Mondragon has searched for eight hundred years for his destined soul mate, to no avail. It would seem that he was doomed to spend his very long life alone, until his brother claims to be bringing home a girl he believes is fated to be Nicolas' soul mate.

Mandy Wright leads a rather dull life--if you disregard her telekinetic talents--so when her best friend insists that she come home with him for the holiday break, she grudgingly agrees. However, an attack shortly after her arrival there causes her to use her abilities, leaving her in a delicate situation.

Nicolas is determined to see that no harm comes to the woman meant to be his for eternity, but his enemy proves himself to be quite crafty. The brute is stalking their home, attacking villagers, and keeping everyone on high alert. Now the brothers must determine whether the attacker is out to teach Mandy a lesson for having challenged him, or if he's after more...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Serena Pettus
• Release date: Jun 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386525325

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Serena Pettus

Paranormal Romance

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Copyright © 2015 by Serena Pettus

ISBN-13: 978-1517639686

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate this book to my family and friends. They have supported me in my pursuit of a writing career, and it means the world to me!

I love you guys!

Chapter One

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Sitting alone in a small campus café was no fun at all. Watching the other college students milling about, talking animatedly about their holiday plans and all of the last minute shopping they still had to do was starting to wear on her. Add to that the depressing thought of spending the holidays alone—again—and you had the makings of a good pity party. Mandy Wright knew there was no help for it though. No money in the bank meant she would be pulling extra shifts over the holiday break to pad her account for the coming semester.

Speaking of the coming semester, her textbook was still lying on the table before her, yet she hadn’t managed to read a single page. Mandy was working on a double major in Mythology and History, and was always looking for ways to get ahead if possible. She was just beginning the first paragraph in the chapter when a shadow fell over her table.

So, what are your plans for the holidays? Ah, there was that familiar Romanian accent she loved!

Mandy raised her head from her textbook to regard her dear friend. Sadly, she had no family to spend the holidays with. She’d never known her parents, having been abandoned at a hospital as an infant, and her foster parents weren’t exactly winners either. As soon as she’d turned eighteen, and the state funding for foster care discontinued, they had no further use for her. As for the holidays, she spent those alone. She always had.

I don’t have any plans really, she replied, breaking away from his intense gaze. Geez, just saying it aloud amplified the loneliness that she’d been feeling more keenly lately.

Jonathan Mondragon had a strong presence that was difficult to ignore. In truth, he intimidated and awed her all at once. He was known on campus as the sexy foreign god by the women and as the go-to-guy for the men.

They had met in one of her Mythology courses when they were paired up for an assignment last year, and ever since that time, he’d become a very dear friend.

You’ll come home with me, then. And a very pushy friend as well. I want you to meet my brother.

Again with the brother? Jonathan seemed hell-bent on the two of them meeting for some reason. You know I can’t do that, Jonathan, she chided. I need to work, and I intend to get ahead on next semester’s classes if possible.

You need a break, Mandy. He was always scolding her about how hard she worked.

Mandy sighed, You know I have to work, Jonathan. I don’t have the luxury of a scholarship and I’m close to having my tuition for the coming term, but I need to work these next two weeks to wrap it up. The holiday hours, and overtime she would score with everyone being out of town, would cap of the bills she had, and may even leave her with a little something left over for once. It was something she simply couldn’t pass up.

She watched him wince and braced herself, knowing that expression meant he’d already done something. And if he was dreading what he was about to say, then Mandy knew she probably wouldn’t like it either.

Now don’t get mad. If this was his lead, then the conversation was sure to suck. But I’ve spoken to your boss and managed to have your shifts covered for the break.

Mandy’s head spun. She felt ill. Good grief, she needed that holiday pay to finish off the last of her payments for this term. "You what? she shrieked. Jonathan, you know I’m broke! I can’t afford to take time off just because it’s a holiday..." Her words died on a gasp as he slid a bank deposit receipt across the small café table.

Mandy stared, unbelieving, at the small piece of paper. How? When? Why? She couldn’t believe the balance showing in her account. There had never been that many zeros on that side of the decimal point before!

I want you to take a break, Mandy. You’re wearing yourself down. His beautiful obsidian eyes captured hers and held her captive. It was impossible for her to deny him anything when he looked at her like that. His eyes reflected a loneliness he rarely allowed to show, and yet she’d sensed it often. Sensed it, because it mirrored her own. You’re coming with me to my home. I need you to come with me today to have your passport expedited as well.

He was utterly frustrating at times, but the best and sweetest friend she’d ever had. He was a rare find in this day and age, having such a giving and carefree nature. She was amazed he’d befriended her at all, since she was the official loner on campus, but he’d not given up on her and eventually broke down a few of her walls, moving right on in.

Jonathan, this is too much. Mandy shook her head in exasperation, tears welling up in her eyes. I really don’t deserve to have you for a friend.

You’re right, because you deserve so much more, he replied softly. He took her hand in his and gently brushed his thumb over her knuckles. You’ll love my brother, Mandy. I think the two of you will get along quite well, he claimed in that thick accent of his.

You’re still trying to fix me up with him, aren’t you? Is this why you’re so adamant about my going home with you?

Partially, he confessed. The fact that you’re working and studying yourself into the ground is the major factor, though.

I know, she huffed. In all honesty, she had no doubt she could ace her exams in the coming week, but she had no social life outside of her time spent with Jonathan, so she studied. Thank you, Jonathan. This will be the first time I’ve actually traveled anywhere.

You’ll love it, he promised, excitement shining in his eyes. I’ve already got our tickets, and once we get your passport then we’re home-free.

Mandy couldn’t help but smile when he beamed at her. He was simply too handsome for his own good.

Jonathan sat across from her in the tiny café, his raven hair looking as silky as ever, with a few longish strands falling over his brow. He was lean and muscular, though not bulky, and never failed to cause a stir whenever he went down to the pool, or the gym, or really anywhere for that matter.

Mandy couldn’t help but be attracted to him physically too, but she found she couldn’t actually see herself pursuing him romantically.

All right then, Mandy said as she closed her book, Let’s get this done with. You said that I need a passport?

Yes, we’ll head over now and get the records you’ll need to obtain it. In about ten days it should arrive and then a few days later we’ll leave. His excitement was clear to see in his sparkling eyes and Mandy noted the women in the café all openly staring at him. Yup, too handsome for his own good. I’m so glad you’ll be coming with me. I hate to think of my brother spending the holidays alone.

You should always spend the holidays with the ones you love, she spoke softly, suddenly feeling a little out of sorts. Did she really want to be the outsider at a family holiday function again? She remembered her childhood Christmases and how she was always ensconced in her room for the duration of any parties that her foster parents threw. Her gifts always came from yard sales or thrift stores, and only so that if any social workers asked what she got for Christmas, she would have something to tell them.

I can see the wheels turning in that pretty little egghead of yours. I love you like a sister, Mandy, and I want you to spend the holidays with me and my brother in the mountains. He took her books in one hand and rose from the table, extending his other hand to her. Let’s go, honey—we’ve got a lot to do.

* * * *

Jonathan was beyond excited over the upcoming trip. Mandy was slowly becoming more accepting of his gifts to her, though still a little skittish about the coming flight. She was simply the sweetest, hardest working person he’d ever met. The fact that she was exceptionally easy on the eyes didn’t hurt anything either.

She was a bit of a loner, and the men on campus weren’t sure how to approach her, which suited Jonathan just fine. He wasn’t too keen on the idea of having to chase suitors away from his brother’s destined mate. Mandy’s glorious spiraling red hair was like a beacon, the copper highlights shining in the sun and drawing the eyes of males and females alike with looks of lust and envy. Her eyes were an enchanting shade of green that reminded Jonathan of the spring fields near his home. Between the red hair, green eyes and creamy complexion, Mandy could easily pass as a Supernatural herself. She’d certainly bewitched half of the men on campus. If it wasn’t for her bookworm-ish nature, she would have been bombarded with date requests, but her intelligence seemed to intimidate the majority of the men.

Jonathan knew Nicolas would no doubt admire her drive to educate herself, since he was constantly taking courses online in various fields. He figured that Nicolas was probably doing it because he was bored and simply looking for a way to occupy his mind.

His brother was looking forward to them spending time together over the long break, and had been glad to hear that Jonathan was bringing Mandy home as well. Nicolas was skeptical about the possibility that she could be his, but Jonathan was certain she was his brother’s destined soul mate and he was determined to see that they met.

As Elementals, Jonathan and his twin, Nicolas, were very rare in the