Cleansed By Water: Book 3 of the Nature Hunters Academy Series

By Quinn Loftis and Kelsey Keeton

Nothing is stronger than the power of a soulbond, even the end of the world.

Gabby Gellar is a fire elementalist with an attitude. She has been told so many times by her parents that she's worthless she no longer questions that truth. Pushed away by the only people she's ever loved, Gabby shuts everyone out. Friends, acquaintances, buddies, chums, and especially romantic relationships, are kept at arm's length, or further if she can help it. Gabby knows she could never be good enough to be anyone's girlfriend, much less someone's soulbonded. So why does the thought of a certain water elementalist have her out of bed well past midnight, pacing and cursing, trying to deny the part of her that's silently calling to him, reaching for his magic, thirsting for it like a dying man in the desert. Dammit!  

To Liam Nash, life is merely a joke, something to laugh at and enjoy. An endless stream of amusements made even more amusing by the water magic he uses to manipulate the world around him. Liam never thought he'd actually have a soulbounded. He was content to be unattached, a flirt, a perpetual bachelor ... but that was before he met Gabby. Now, he was certain she was his soulbonded, as sure as the sun would rise tomorrow.

Unfortunately, the sun's rising is no longer a sure thing. With half of the royal elementalists imprisoned in the underworld, the earth's climate has been thrown into chaos. Temperatures are steadily dropping, volcanoes are spontaneously erupting, and earthquakes are becoming commonplace. If the light elementalists have any hope of rescuing the planet from the dark forces seeking to destroy it, the elemental academies will have to work together. That means an overeager water elementalist and a reluctant fire-wielder are about to be thrown together and asked to save the world. Could the bond between Liam and Gabby be the very thing needed to rally the forces of light to victory?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Quinn Loftis Books, LLC
• Release date: Aug 11, 2020

Quinn Loftis

Quinn Loftis is the author of twenty novels, including the USA Today bestseller Fate and Fury. Her passion is writing character-driven and humor-filled fantasy and paranormal novels, and she believes in happily-ever-afters (but makes sure to evoke every emotion she can before getting to them). Thankful to God and her amazing fans for allowing her to live out her dream, she resides in western Arkansas with her husband, three sons, two dogs, and a cat that thinks he's a dog.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

D ammit, dammit, dammit. Gabby growled as she paced. It was late, ridiculously late. She had no business being out of her dorm room after hours, but she couldn’t sleep. Her mind simply wouldn’t shut off no matter how much she cursed at herself. 

Why did she have to meet Tara? And why did the girl actually have to be cool? Friends. They were not something Gabby had a use for. She didn’t do close relationships. She’d learned long ago that people couldn’t be trusted, no matter who they were. Her parents had taught her that.

Don’t go there, Gabby, she snapped. The last thing she needed was to remind herself about the people who’d brought her into the world but hadn’t bothered to care about her. Love was not an emotion she was familiar with, and that extended to friendships. Her heart could only handle so much pain. 

DAMMIT! She yelled and threw out her hand. A ball of fire erupted out of it, illuminating the night and striking one of the targets standing innocently in the middle of the training field. 

Gabby had never felt that she fit in anywhere. She had always been that girl. The one who stood off to the side, unsure of her place in the world. She kept to herself because she was embarrassed by her body. Not just because she was so thin, or at least she had been when she was younger, which was a result of the lack of food kept in her house. It wasn’t that her parents refused to buy food. It just wasn’t a priority when scarce resources would be much better spent on important things like drugs or alcohol. As long as Gabby could remember, the majority of her nourishment had come in the form of the occasional stolen candy bar or bag of chips from the convenience store a block down the road. Not exactly three square meals a day. But that was secondary to the real issues Gabby tried to hide. What embarrassed her more were the bruises. She hid them well enough. But she knew someone would notice if she allowed them to get close enough. 

Thanks, Mom and Dad, she said bitterly and flung a few more fireballs, one after the other. She was sweating, and her clothes stuck to her skin. Gabby hoped she would wear herself out to the point of exhaustion and that she’d be able to sleep without her demons attacking her in her dreams. Just once, she needed a good night's sleep. 

It troubled Gabby that the girl, Tara, was threatening to cross that clearly defined line of arm’s-length acquaintance into a full-blown friend, which would put her in a place she didn’t belong, a place where she would inevitably cause Gabby more pain. But Tara wasn’t really the thing keeping Gabby up tonight. The real cause of Gabby’s worries was him. The water elementalist who was too handsome for his own good. The second she’d heard his voice, the air had fled Gabby’s lungs. Then she’d looked at him, their eyes had met, and she’d felt something inside of her reaching out for him. It clawed at her insides, desperate to get close to him. Apparently, according to the professors, it was possible that different types of elementalists could be soul bonded. The thought that she and Liam just might be such a pair was buzzing at the back of her mind like a pesky fly she was refusing to acknowledge. 

Gabby wasn’t surprised to find out that it was the darkness in one person that would draw the light in the other to them. Professor Fernis had said there were some students who came to the academies missing a part of their soul because of the trauma of their past. Gabby’s life had certainly been traumatic … and painful. Also lonely and full of anger. How could her soul possibly have remained intact after that? For all she knew, she wasn’t missing merely a part of her soul. She could be without the whole damn thing. Gabby knew there was darkness in her. It was always there, deep down, waiting, biding its time. She didn’t know what it was waiting for, and that was the most terrifying thing of all.

When her magical energy was spent, and she no longer had the strength to raise her arms, Gabby sat down on the ground, fell back, and looked up at the sky. She sucked in huge breaths of air, enjoying the quiet of the night. She loved it when everyone else was fast asleep, and she wasn’t surrounded by the constant hum of chatter from other people—people who had all their crap together. The night was the only time she had any semblance of peace. But tonight, it wasn’t enough.

She rubbed her hand across her chest, trying to ease the ache that had begun growing inside the minute she’d first heard Liam’s voice. 

Dammit. Gabby growled for the hundredth time. Apparently, her vocabulary had dumbed itself down to that one word. She’d been saying it either in her mind or out loud ever since she’d met the water elementalist. How in the world was she supposed to focus on her training at Terra Academy with him around? And how was she going to keep herself from getting too close to Tara when she so desperately wanted a friend? Just admitting that to herself was beyond something she thought she’d ever do.

Somehow, in the three years she’d been at Crimson Academy, she’d managed to keep her distance from her fellow students. It was probably why she was batshit crazy—that and the fact she still carried the rage her parents had beaten into her. She’d learned a long time ago there was a certain look she could keep in her eyes that caused other people to keep their distance from her. A hardness, an edge that was easy for Gabby to maintain because her emotions had spent so much time being ground against the whetstone of her parents’ indifference. When she realized the power of that look, she’d decided to go big or go home. She owned it as much as every great psychopath throughout history had owned their crazy. And Gabby didn’t apologize for the way she was. Why should she? She’d been a kid—a helpless child when her parents had starved her, beaten her, and verbally abused her. At first, she’d so desperately wanted their love that she would do anything to try to earn it. 

Gabby had cried, begged, and promised to forgive them and love them if they would just love her back. Once upon a time, she’d been a small girl with hope in her eyes. But that hope had been ripped out of her until nothing but a giant hole remained. Something had to fill that hole. That something was the crazy. 

Now, her mind was a chaotic wildfire. The only time it didn’t race was when she was using her magic or training. Apparently, violence was her jam. It quieted her mind. Go figure. 

As her mind filled with the memories of a childhood she’d been desperately trying to forget for nearly seven years, tears ran down her cheeks. 

Gabby rarely let herself cry. Her parents didn’t deserve her tears, but the lost little girl inside of her did. So, in the quiet of the night, with everyone else peacefully sleeping in their beds, Gabby let herself mourn the things she’d lost or never had. Her innocence had been stripped away before she was five years old. The world that she should have been protected from had been welcomed into her home, and she’d been thrown right into the middle of the storm. 

Her body shook as sorrow attempted to suffocate her. She tried to suck in air, but her lungs were so tight she couldn’t get anything inside.

Gabby rolled onto her side and drew her legs up, wrapping her arms around them and burying her head into the tops of her knees. She didn’t try to silence the sounds. She couldn’t have even if she wanted to. The pain was too much. She didn’t know what was going on between her and Liam. But meeting him had opened the dungeon she’d shoved all of her past into, the dark place where her pain could at least be contained. Now, the locks on the dungeon door had been broken and the emotions were fleeing like prisoners escaping the gallows. Her brief encounter with Liam had caused the magic inside of her, and something deeper, to cry out with such need that she’d had to turn to the rage to keep herself together. 

But she couldn’t hold it together any longer. In order to be able to face Tara and Liam again, she was going to have to put all of it back in the dungeon and relock that shit—even tighter this time. There was no other choice. She might even have to request being removed from the training program, though it would put a hole in her pride to do so. 

Gabby had no idea how long she let herself fall apart. Eventually, out in the open of the training field, exhaustion allowed her to escape her agony, and the oblivion of sleep overtook her.

CHAPTER 1

Liam's gut hadn’t stopped churning since the moment he’d watched Gabby leave through a portal to head back to Crimson Academy. It was irrational, but he had wanted to grab her by her sexy pigtails and pull her back to him. There was a part of him that knew she belonged by his side. The thought of her out of his sight, let alone thousands of miles away at her own academy, made him crazy. It didn’t matter that she was really just a portal away. It still felt too far. 

He’d not slept longer than two hours the entire night. He wasn’t sure when he’d see Gabby again. With the new information they had received from the royal elementals concerning the witches and demons plotting against them, and the earth plunging into a freaking ice age, he wasn’t sure if the inter-academy training would continue. And if it did, would they still meet at Terra Academy? Would he still see her during the training sessions? 

Liam was pretty sure if the answer to those questions was no, then he was going to be raising some serious hell over it. The moment he’d laid eyes on Gabby, he’d known there was something different about her. He’d never reacted to a girl the way he was reacting to her. It wasn’t just that she was beautiful, hot as hell, feisty, and crazy. It was something more. When he was around her, he felt complete, whole, and settled. 

The craziest part was that he hadn’t even realized something was missing, at least not consciously. He’d always been restless, but he’d just tossed that up to having a touch of ADHD. It was his personality type to stay on the move, constantly doing something. Did he like stirring up a bit of mischief? Absolutely. Life was too short to be boring. But until he’d met Gabby, he hadn’t realized that none of that stuff really satisfied him. He just yearned for more as soon as the high wore off. Now, his restlessness came from an entirely different sort. A girl—one single girl—was causing his distress, and that’s where things took a turn for ‘what-the-hell-ville.’ 

He dressed quickly for the day, knowing he and the others would meet for breakfast. How the hell he was going to keep from teasing Ra and Elias, he had no clue. The fact that they’d gotten some lovin’ had him seriously jealous. He prayed to Mother Gaia that Gabby would be there. Liam was desperate to see her again, even if she wouldn’t look at him or only gave him scathing remarks. He didn’t care. He’d take any crumb she graced him with. He’d wear her down eventually. It might take some time, but he could learn to be patient. Especially if she was what he suspected—his soul bonded. How in the seven levels of hell had he managed to get a soul bonded? He certainly didn’t deserve one, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

Sporting his school-issued training uniform, he descended the stairs to Hydro Academy’s training rooms. There, a portal that had been set by the professors for those students training at Terra Academy awaited him. He went through and headed for the dining hall of Terra Academy, the school for earth elementalists. He figured if he wasn’t supposed to be there, an oh-so-helpful professor would let him know. 

Liam didn’t see his crew, so he took a seat at a table and waited. He forced himself to sit still. He tried talking himself out of teasing Tara and pissing off Elias. It was a tossup who would win: the devil on his left shoulder or the angel on his right.

Shelly tried not to blush as she stood in Ra’s dorm room, waiting on the clothes he’d gone to retrieve for her. She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to look at him again and not feel her skin heat with embarrassment. She knew that he knew … well … everything. At least about her body anyway. And as awkward as that was, she didn’t regret it at all. 

Last night had been the most amazing night of her life, and she’d felt his emotions for her. She knew his love and adoration were real. She knew he found her to be incredibly attractive, and he desired her. Shelly knew it because she could feel it through the strange bond they now shared. It was beautiful, wondrous, and incredibly overwhelming. The intimacy in the bond was almost more than the intimacy they’d shared in his bed. 

The door opened, and Ra stepped in holding a stack of red material. This is the training uniform for our academy, he said. They also were able to get you some necessities. He held out a bag. She had trouble tearing her eyes away from his face to look at it. He was beyond beautiful in a masculine way that few guys were. 

Thank you, she said as she took the items. I’m going to shower. She motioned toward the shower as if he didn’t know where it was. Gah! I am so out of my element right now.

Ra stepped closer to her and took her face in his hands. This will become more natural over time, he assured her. "It was our first night together. Waking up next to someone shouldn’t feel normal. Especially after what we shared. It’s all right, Mery," he said gently.

She nodded and then held still as he pressed his lips to hers. He didn’t deepen the kiss, which was probably a good thing considering she might have jumped him, and then they’d be late to breakfast and the meeting that Terrick had informed them all the night before that they’d need to attend. Shelly knew it was important because he’d said they would be planning how to deal with the missing Royals and the sudden changes in climate that were a huge threat to, well, basically all life on earth.

I’ll shower after you, Ra said as he stepped back. 

Shelly forced herself to walk to the bathroom so that she wouldn’t beg him to kiss her again. She was trying to limit her shameless hussy acts to only a couple a day. It was a lot like counting carbs. She couldn’t get started too early or she wouldn’t have any left for the evening. 

The hot water cascading over her body felt fantastic. She was sore in a delicious way but sore nonetheless. She didn’t dally, mostly because she wanted to be with Ra. Being separated, even by a wall, annoyed something inside her. She assumed it was the soul she shared with him. It was as if it didn’t like having any space between him and her. Shelly wondered if he felt the same way. At some point, she would have to pull up her big girl panties and ask him. Communication and all that crap. Ugh. She sighed. Relationships were so exhausting, even when all you were doing was thinking about how to navigate one. 

By the time she was clothed, hair dried and French braided, she was practically ripping the door off of the bathroom just to get back into the same room with Ra so she could physically see him.

As soon as his eyes met hers, she felt his burning need and his relief. He stood from where he sat on the bed and picked up his own clothes. As Ra walked past her, he lifted his hand and ran a finger down her cheek and neck. He leaned in close and took a deep breath.

You smell delicious, he murmured. 

Thank you, Shelly said breathlessly. She forced herself not to gaze after him longingly as he entered the bathroom. She waited to hear the door close. The sound never came. She heard the water of the shower come on, and she whipped around. Her mouth dropped open as she realized Ra had no intention of closing the door. 

Aaaalll right, she breathed out. Dude was not self-conscious in any way, which she’d learned the night before. But in the light of day, she was still surprised. 

Apparently, the shameless hussy inside of her refused to be stifled. Suddenly, Shelly’s feet were moving. She didn’t stop until she was two steps past the threshold of the bathroom door. She turned her head to gaze through the glass door of the shower. Ra’s arms were above his head as he leaned back into the spray of the water. It cascaded down his very impressive frame. 

Shelly sighed and leaned her shoulder and head against the wall. 

The glass was quickly fogging, allowing her only glimpses of him, but oh how titillating those glimpses were.

You can join me if you’d like, Ra said, not bothering to glance at her. He just went about his business, washing his hair and then his body. 

She swallowed thickly. No, thanks. I’m good.

Perhaps you weren’t able to entirely wash your back earlier. I can offer some assistance.

I appreciate your generous offer. But I think I got it all. Besides, the view from here is not one I’m willing to give up. Looks like my filter isn’t working today. I guess I’m going to shamelessly word vomit all over him while stalking him. Super healthy, Shell, super healthy. 

When the water turned off, she nearly squeaked as the door slid open. She backed out of the room before he could step out. His laugh caused her to grin. I am so ridiculous. 

A few minutes later, Ra was dressed in the same uniform and looked delicious, like a red apple she wanted to take a bite out of. Good grief, someone slap me now.

Ready? Ra asked and took her hand. 

Shelly nodded. She loved the way he touched her without hesitation. He obviously felt like he had every right to touch her whenever he wanted. And she couldn’t lie: it was hot. 

He opened a portal and they stepped through. A minute later, they stood in what looked like an upscale school cafeteria.

This is the dining hall at Terra Academy, he explained.

It’s nice.

Yeah. Each academy is amazing in its own way. Ra looked around and then pointed. "There’s Liam. I’ll warn you now, Mery, he’s going to want to get a rise out of you. Just ignore him. Or kick him in the balls. I don’t care. If he embarrasses you, I will deal with him." His voice was dark and full of promise.

Shelly patted his arm. I’m a big girl, Ra. I can handle a pervert.

He chuckled. Of that, I’ve no doubt. But, there is only so much I will tolerate when it comes to you.

Shelly looked up at him and smiled. My hero.

His lips twitched as if holding back a smile. Always.

They took a seat at the table across from Liam. He smiled at them, and Shelly knew the dude wasn’t going to be able to hold his tongue, no matter the consequences. 

You two look surprisingly well-rested.

Apparently, exercise is a great precursor for a good night's sleep, Shelly said without shame. Oh, she might blush and act demure with Ra because he was hers and knew her intimately. But with guys like Liam, she had no qualms about dishing back whatever was thrown at her.

Liam’s brow rose. Care to elaborate on the type of exercises you two took part in? I’m thinking of maybe taking up a new workout regimen myself.

Shelly’s eyes lit up with what she knew was a wicked glint. The delicious, carnal kind that I’m pretty sure you aren’t old enough to hear about. Wouldn’t want to corrupt your young, innocent mind. Ra’s hand rested on her thigh, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. Shelly didn’t know what it meant, but she didn’t feel anything through their bond except amusement. 

Liam chuckled as he shook his head. You got you a keeper, Ra. She’s feisty and gorgeous.

And I’ve got wicked good aim with my foot. It’s like a heat-seeking missile when I send it on a mission to kick the crap out of a dude’s junk.

Liam’s eyes widened. Noted.

Ra spoke up. Shelly, I don’t know if you were formally introduced to Liam. He’s a student at Hydro Academy, a water elementalist in training. He’s one of my brothers, by choice, not blood. Despite his lack of filter or couth, he would protect you with his life because you are mine.

Shelly held out her hand to Liam. Very nice to meet you. Anyone Ra cares about is someone I care about.

Liam shook her hand. Thank you, Shelly. It’s very nice to meet you as well. I’ll probably give you crap. But I mean no harm.

I’m not easily offended.

He winked at her. Good to know.

Ra pulled her hand out of Liam’s and entwined their fingers, resting their hands on his side of the table with his arm settled over hers. 

I just got a text from Elias, Liam said. They’re on their way down.

Shelly straightened up at the news. It would take everything inside of her not to snatch Tara’s hand and drag her off somewhere private so they could go into a major sharing session. She would force herself to be still and not act like a crazy stalker BFFF. Yeah, just keep telling yourself that, Shell.

Do I look different? Tara asked Elias as she stared at herself in the dresser mirror. She was already outfitted in her black training uniform and ready for the day. Now, she waited impatiently for Elias to get dressed. Waking up in Elias’s arms had been heaven. What had followed had been even better. 

What do you mean? Elias asked as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He tugged her back against his bare chest and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Tara kept herself from purring … barely.

I mean, like … can you tell I’m no longer … you know… She motioned with her hand up and down her body.

Elias smirked. You mean will other people be able to tell that the gate to your garden has been opened?

Tara elbowed him in the stomach. Seriously?

He shrugged. It sort of fits. You have a lovely garden—

Tara reached up and covered his mouth with her hand. The garden is going to be locked up tight for maintenance if you keep talking.

She could feel him smirking and saw the mischief in his eyes. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say he didn’t actually believe her. When Tara removed her hand, Elias grabbed her wrist and nipped her palm with his teeth. I’m pretty sure I could convince you to let me have a special pass.

Tara rolled her eyes and pulled out of his arms. Shouldn’t you get dressed? We’re meeting our peeps for breakfast. I want to see Shelly before we have this meeting. I assume there won’t be any time for girly talk afterward.

As you wish, he replied and yanked his pajama pants off and kicked them across the room, leaving himself completely nude.

Tara crossed her arms. Am I supposed to be impressed?

"You were impressed last night … and this morning."

Well, I wasn’t thinking properly, of course, with everything going on. And that was before you made that silly garden comment.

He took a step closer. Really? Because I seem to remember you saying I had an impressive spade. And that you wanted me to plant my seed deep in your fertile soil.

She rolled her eyes. Do you realize how silly you sound right now?

What can I say? I’m a master horticulturist. 

You’re a dweeb. Now, put your clothes on.

As you wish, he repeated, finding his own uniform and pulling it on. He took her hand and led her from his room. As they walked, Tara’s mind wandered over the information she’d learned in the past twenty-four hours. Her head was packed like an overstuffed suitcase, and she wondered how she could handle any more surprises. Was there a point in which her little human brain would simply explode from too much overload? She felt a tug inside and glanced over at Elias.

Quit worrying, he said softly. We’re going to be fine.

Quit eavesdropping on my emotions, she grumbled back. 

Sorry, love. It’s part of the package.

Tara didn’t respond because they’d just stepped into the dining hall, and she saw Shelly sitting at a table with Ra and Liam. 

She let go of Elias's hand and ran across the room. When she reached the group, Tara grabbed Shelly and pulled her out of her seat and into a tight hug. Tara had never been a hugger. But once your BFFF had been to hell-literally-it seemed like something worth adding to her list of okay emotional expressions. 

How are you? Tara asked as they pulled away from each other.

I’m excellent, Shelly said with a huge smile. There was also a nice little red glow in her