Forged in Ice (6 page)

I
t took
effort to drag myself out of bed that morning. All I wanted to do was stay with Ainsley in my arms, but that was not an option. I needed to discover how my father had achieved influence again and destroy it, before it destroyed Ainsley.

Ainsley had wanted to stay in bed too. “Please. Can’t we wait another hour?”

I kissed her forehead. “I wish we could.”

“Please.” She ran her teeth over her bottom lip, and if I had any doubts before, they were gone. She knew exactly what effect that motion had on me.

“None of that.”

“Of what?” she asked innocently.

I laughed. “That.” I forced myself from the covers. “I will see to our breakfast.”

“And here I thought you could never resist me.”

“I cannot. That is why I am standing so far away.” I stepped into my clothes, grateful that I could still muster some self-restraint.

“Can you explain all of this again?”

“Which part?” I moved into the kitchen, hoping she would follow. I was unsure if my resistance was strong enough to handle seeing her in the bed again.

“Who Talen is, and why we’re meeting him at the gate.” She stood in the doorway with the blanket wrapped around her.

“You do not sound excited about returning to your world.”

She shrugged. “I’m not really returning. Besides, I was just starting to get used to being here.”

“You are right.” I set aside the fruit I had been cutting. That and bread would have to do for the morning. “You are not really returning.”

“Who is this Talen guy?”

“He is an Arco. His true form is of a snow white wolf. A large one.”

“Uh, a werewolf? First zombies and now werewolves?”

“There are many things here and in your world you would not believe.”

“In my world?” Ainsley crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m guessing that’s why we’re going back now?”

“Yes. Talen thinks there are wolves that know how to defeat the darkness. We need to get rid of it so you are safe.”

“I’m glad you’re willing to take me.”

“I want you with me.” I always wanted her with me, but that was only part of my reasoning.

“Good.” She disappeared into the other room and returned a moment later in the same jeans and t-shirt she had arrived in. I forced away the momentary disappointment. She would be coming back to Energo with me. This was not the end of anything.

A
fter a quick breakfast
we met up with Talen at the castle. Ainsley had been quiet since getting dressed, but I assumed it was nerves and did not press.

“So this is the girl.” Talen grinned when we approached.

“This is Ainsley.” I linked my arm with hers.

“Pleasure to meet you.” He took her free hand and kissed it.

She startled. “And you are the wolf?”

Talen narrowed his eyes at me. “Wolf? Is that how you described me to your woman?”

“I forgot the official term.” She looked down. Surprisingly she did not appear to mind him calling her mine.

Talen smiled. “I do not mind it coming from you. I like to give James a hard time.”

“We all like to give James a hard time.” Henry walked over. I had selected him to accompany us, and I hoped my choice was a wise one.

“Guys are weird,” Ainsley mumbled.

I laughed. “So are women.”

“Sometimes.”

I took her hand and helped her onto my horse. “You are even more beautiful than yesterday.”

She looked down at her chest and then back at me. “I am?”

“Yes. You get more beautiful every day.”

“You sound like you actually believe it.”

“Of course I do.” I mounted my horse behind her. “I would never say it otherwise.”

She leaned back into me. I inhaled her sweet and intoxicating scent before we made the ride over to Rawlins.

I focused on her scent and the feel of her body against mine as we rode. Despite everything, I knew I was the luckiest man alive.

All too soon we left the horses and started the short walk toward the garden just inside of the gate in Charleston. We left the horses in Rawlins since we were not positive how long we would be away.

“Thanks for picking me.” Henry babbled next to me as we made the short walk to the garden.

“You have experience in the lost world. Theoretically you should be able to blend in.” He had lived there for a year before Charlotte moved to Energo.

I led the way back toward the garden I now knew every inch of. So many of the turning point moments of my life had been shaped by journeying through the lush flower garden.

“Is that really the only reason you chose me?” Henry stayed behind the rest of us as I had asked him too. I wanted to ensure Ainsley’s safety.

“Yes.” I did not have many other men to choose from, and Henry had grown on me over the years. Charlotte had convinced me to start viewing him as a younger brother, and that helped. He had grown up a lot, but there was still an immaturity to him that grated on my nerves.

Henry fell into conversation with Talen, and I turned my attention to Ainsley.

“You all right?”

“I’m fine.” She adjusted her hand in mine.

“No one is going to hurt you.”

“I know.” She smiled in a forced way.

“Then why are you nervous?”

“A lot of reasons.” She made no attempt to add to her statement so I let it go. I was already learning that sometimes Ainsley appreciated silence.

We reached the garden and followed the path through the dense and brightly colored flowers and plants.

“What car are we going to drive?” Ainsley asked as we neared the wrought iron gate.

“I know you are disappointed there are too many of us to fit in my Aston Martin.” I inserted my iridescent crystal key into the small keyhole.

“I am. We could take my car if you guys are okay squeezing in.” She waited while I stepped through first. It was early evening in Charleston, and the sun was on the way down. It had taken me a dozen trips into the lost world to get used to the opposite pattern of time.

“I will check the area around the house.” Henry jogged off to do a perimeter check. He was already proving useful since I preferred to stay with Ainsley.

Ainsley glanced around the yard as if checking to make sure nothing had changed. Each of the live oaks with dangling moss were still there, as was the old fountain.

“Anything is fine with me.” Talen was uncharacteristically quiet. Maybe he was less than thrilled about returning to the lost world, but my bet was it was something else.

“You were close to your chief.” We had time before Henry finished his scouting, so I decided to ask. Losing your leader was never easy, but this seemed more personal.

“Very.”

“He was family to you.” He had to be. Talen was not one to get easily swayed by emotion.

Talen nodded. “My grandfather.”

“Your father is the new chief. So you are next in line.” Things started to fall into place.

“I am.”

“Yet you are coming with us?”

“Our leaders do not stay back in battle. We have the same mentality as your people.”

It was true. Even Charlotte would put herself in danger if the need arose. I had nearly died trying to save her because she did.

“Still, I appreciate your sacrifice of missing any ceremonies.”

“The safety and security of my people defeats any need for a ceremony.”

“What if this wolf doesn’t want to see us?” Ainsley asked. “I mean James said they are your bitter enemies or something?”

“Not bitter, but there is bad blood in the past.” Talen withheld the details. “By asking for help I am showing deference. That will solve any problems.”

“Do you really shift into a wolf?” Ainsley blurted out. “Like completely?”

“Like totally completely.” He laughed.

She made a face. “Don’t make fun of me.”

“I could not help it. Do not take it personally.” He frowned.

“Easy for you to say,” she mumbled.

I gave Talen a look. “I would tread carefully.”

“And there comes that protective side. I was wondering where it was hiding.” He grinned.

“You take joy out of watching me right now.”

“I would have never expected you would find anyone you were willing to change for.”

“I have not changed.” I felt my anger rising.

“Sure you have. You are not nearly as reckless as normal. Your life has value.”

“His life has always had value.” Ainsley put a hand on her hip. “How could you say something like that?”

“I only mean he used to act and think things through after. He is methodical right now. It is a compliment and a statement as to your effect on him.”

“Oh. Well, he has a good influence on me too.” She smiled.

Henry walked back over. “But he is still James.” He laughed. “Do not forget that.”

“Is that a warning?’ Talen cocked his head to the side.

“Mostly. I will be treading carefully.”

“Is it all clear?” I turned to Henry. “Not that discussing my personality is not of tantamount importance.”

“It is all clear. I used my key to enter and the house is clear too. We are fine.”

“Thank you.” I nodded to him. “Now that we have that settled, we need to discuss the next stage of our plan. How are we going to find this wolf?”

“I will check in with one of my men in this world.” Talen explained. “He will know for sure where to find him.”

“You are so sure your people are keeping tabs on these other wolves?” Ainsley asked. “No offense.”

“Yes. You always need to know where to find your enemy.”

“This whole going to your enemy for help thing is strange. Sorry, but it’s true. Showing deference or not, I don’t get why they’re going to help.” Ainsley met Talen’s eyes. I was impressed with how well she was taking everything.

“It is amazing what a common enemy will do to band people together. I have never seen such cooperation between nations as when my father was at his worst,” I explained. “Sometimes parties must put their differences aside in order to tackle a far greater problem.”

“Got it.” Ainsley nodded.

“Are we ready?” Henry gestured toward the back of the house.

“Yes. We can go inside if you are sure you were thorough in your search.”

“I was.” Henry straightened up.

“Good.” I watched Ainsley’s face carefully as we headed back into the house she had been living in until a few days earlier. There was no relief on her face, no sense of relaxation. Part of me had expected her to run inside, to run away from my world. But she did nothing like it. She walked in slowly, and she remained glued to my side.

“How long do you think we’ll be back here for?” She asked as we walked through the hallway toward the kitchen I would always think of as Charlotte’s kitchen.

“In the house, or in this world?”

“This world. Do I need to pack more?”

“Maybe a day?” I had no clue, but I liked to at least pretend to have answers. “You might want to take a small bag. I will take one as well. I have some stuff here.”

“I have extra clothes in my old room. You can fit into Kevin’s stuff,” Henry turned to Talen. “Are you willing to change?”

“I suppose I must change.” Talen cringed. “I learned a lesson last time I was here. It is not worth attracting attention. You have ridiculous rules.”

“The rules aren’t ridiculous. Well, some of them are. I’ll give you that. But most are there to protect people.” Ainsley walked around the kitchen as if it were her first time there. Maybe she had expected things to be different.

“There are better ways to protect people.” Talen hopped up on the counter to sit instead of sitting in a chair. His informality surprised me.

“Is your car up front or in the garage?” Henry asked.

“Up front. I wasn’t allowed to use the garage because someone else was storing their car there.”

“And you know why. You love that car.” Her love of fast cars endeared her to me even more.

“I do.” Ainsley smiled “Where is this contact of yours, Talen?”

“Out on one of the islands.”

“Wait.” I put a hand on the smooth kitchen counter top. “An Arco is living by the beach?”

Talen shrugged. “It is not as if any of Charleston is truly cold, and he was required to stay within a few hours of the gate.”

“Still sounds funny to me.” Beach and arctic wolves did not mesh.

“Lots of things about you seem funny to me, but I don’t voice them.” Talen smirked.

“I’m going to get packed.” Ainsley headed toward the steps.

“I can go with you,” I offered immediately. Henry may have searched the house, but that did not mean I would let her go so close to the office that had been ransacked unescorted. “Not that you cannot do it alone, but I would prefer to accompany you.”

“As long as you admit you are coming because of your own issues.”

“I will admit whatever I need to.”

Henry’s laughter followed Ainsley and me up the two flights of stairs to the bedroom she’d been sleeping in before we had left for Energo.

“And here we are. Back where it all started.” She stopped in the doorway of the bedroom.

“I scared you that night.”

“You did.” She turned toward me. “A lot.”

“Without intending to.”

“I would hope not.”

I put my hands on her hips. “But it all turned out well.”

She laughed.

“What?”

“We’re back because there are crazy evil people and zombies. Someone is after us. And it all worked out well?”

“I mean with us.” I pulled her against me. “It all worked out well with us.”

“It did.” She wrapped her arms around my neck. “That part is good.”

“Only good? Last night you were calling me yummy, and today you are telling me we are good? Maybe bringing you back to this world dulls your feelings.” I was only half teasing.

“It didn’t dull anything.” She pulled my lips to hers.

I hungrily responded, moving my lips against hers before pushing into her mouth.

We stumbled into the room. I closed and locked the door behind us before gently pushing her down on the bed. She looked up at me with large eyes. “You really shouldn’t challenge my feelings.”

I pulled off my shirt. “Or maybe I should.”