got to have some rules, or else catfights break out, slapping and hair-pulling. It gets ugly fast.”
“Can I come?” Liam asked.
Shelly smirked and started to say something, but Ra wrapped an arm around her and placed his hand over her mouth. Gabby realized she’d been about to say something very, very inappropriate, and probably something that would cause Gabby to jump into the water with those huge salamanders.
“Professor Frost,” Ra said in his calm, deep voice, “is there something else we need to do, or should we check in with the other groups around the plant?”
“As entertaining as this is,” Frost said, “we do need to go help out with the engines.”
Gabby thought about something as she looked down at the huge fire elementals. “What about them?” she pointed. “Can’t humans see them?”
Frost shook her head. “They aren’t seen if they don’t want to be seen. We see them because we have elemental magic in us.”
Liam took Gabby’s hand in his and entwined their fingers together. His hand felt cool in her warmer one and she nearly sighed.
“You okay?” he asked her over his shoulder as he led her after the others.
“I’m good. A little tired and I could eat,” she admitted.
“I’ll see what I can find for you in our packs. I know protein bars have gotten old, but I promise when we get back to one of our academies, I’ll get you whatever you want.”
Gabby bit her bottom lip and blinked back tears that were not welcome. She’d become an emotional ninny since meeting Liam, and after his heartfelt declaration of love, it hadn’t gotten any better. He was so attentive and eager to take care of her. And he took her sarcasm and teasing in stride.
It was probably wrong of her, but she just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. He wasn’t perfect. She’d seen that right off the bat with his inappropriate and egotistical comments, but she’d also learned that that attitude was just a front. It was a persona he showed everyone else. Yet Gabby still couldn’t help but think that he would eventually leave her.
She took a deep breath and forced away her negative thoughts. She’d just have to take it one second at a time, as Liam had suggested. He was proving himself to her, one second at a time.
They went down a set of narrow stairs and into a corridor. Fluorescent lights lined the walls and harshly lit up the space.
Their feet echoed in the enclosed space and now and then the lights would flicker.
“Anyone else find the light flicker thingy creepy?” Shelly asked.
“That’s creepy 101 in the Creep Academy,” Gabby said.
Shelly laughed. “Creep Academy. That sounds like a school for future stalkers.”
Gabby tugged on Liam’s hand. “Did you go to that school?”
“That’s what I love about you, babe. You got a wicked sense of humor.” Liam sighed wistfully, not bothered in the least by her question.
“No, for real,” Shelly called back to them. “Did you take some classes on creeping?”
“Dude, Elias went to a town and pretended to represent a fake company to meet his chick. Ra walked right into hell and then bound his soul to a chick he’d never even spoken to. But I’m the creepy one?” Liam asked.
“Okay,” Shelly said as she raised her finger into the air. “I’ll give you one point for that. You three are all creepy. But you’re also hot as hades so that sort of balances out the creep factor.”
“So if we were unattractive our creepiness wouldn’t be okay?” Ra asked his mate.
“Exactly,” Shelly said.
“Yep,” Gabby agreed. “Why do you think Ted Bundy got away with his stalker, creepy ways? Because he was good looking.”
“I watched a documentary on him,” Shelly piped in. “Those girls totally had to have gotten a weird vibe from him. Crap, I got the weird vibe through the television, and the guy is dead. But they overlooked their gut instinct because he was hot.”
“And what is the lesson you learned then?” Ra asked.
“That you might bash me over the head with a crowbar and strangle me, but before that happens I get to enjoy all your yummy muscles and delicious sexiness.”
Gabby snorted and covered her mouth to keep from laughing.
“Ra, would you be offended if I said your woman is messed up in the head?” Liam asked. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. She’s hot, but, seriously, that’s whacked.”
“Hot?” Gabby asked, her hand heating up in his palm.
“Ow,” Liam yelled and jerked his hand away. “Damn,