Forged in Ice (7 page)

She pulled off her shirt before I lay down next to her. “Do you think this will be dulled in this world?”

“Sex? Nope. It cannot be.” I ran my fingers over her bare skin. Although there is only one way to find out.”

“I guess there is.” She pushed off my hand and stood up.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She reached around to her back and unclasped her bra. As I took in the beauty of her bare chest she stepped out of her jeans. I snapped myself out of my staring enough to remove my own clothing so that by the time she returned to the bed we were both fully undressed.

“You are perfection.”

“Not perfection.”

“You are.” I ran my lips down her neck, resisting the urge to touch every inch of her. I wanted to build anticipation that we often had no time for.

“Well, you aren’t so bad yourself.” She ran her hand down my chest.

“I am glad you think so.” My lips slid down to her shoulder.

“Is this bad?”

“What?” I paused my lips descent down her body.

“Doing this with the guys waiting downstairs.”

“There is food in the fridge. They will be fine.” She needed me. I reminded myself as I let my need for her cloud any concern over time.

She laughed. “I guess some things are the same in both of our worlds.”

“Plenty of things are the same.” My lips reached her breast, and I greedily took it into my mouth.

She moaned. “James.”

I would never get enough of hearing my name on her lips.

She took me in her hand. “Let’s make sure sex here is just as good for us.”

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of her touch. “That sounds like a great idea.”

She pushed me so I rolled onto my back, and she released me before climbing on top of me. “But this time I need a different view.”

O
ur alone time
ended far too soon, and before I knew it we were back with Talen and Henry standing outside of Ainsley’s small car.

“I can drive.” I reached for Ainsley’s keys.

“No, it’s fine.” She wrapped her fist around the car keys. “I don’t mind at all.”

“Are you sure?” I was not sure if it was possessiveness over her car or a desire to prove herself.

“Completely sure.”

Henry laughed. “She does not trust you with her vehicle.”

“It’s not that.” She slipped into the driver seat, and I closed the door behind her. I gave up the argument easily. I had only been offering because I thought she might prefer it.

I got into the passenger seat of her Honda, and Henry and Talen got into the backseat. Ainsley pulled out of the driveway and onto the road. It was completely dark outside, but the city was lit up with lights. That was one of the biggest differences from Belgard; the entire city went dark at night.

I kept glancing over at her as she drove out toward the coast. Images of the hour we had spent together raced through my head. The sex was just as good in the lost world. And I was falling for her even faster.

The drive went quickly, and Ainsley managed to find the house despite Talen’s lackluster directions. To cut him some slack, he had never been there himself before. At least I could relax a little bit about Ainsley’s health. She should be set for a while. I smiled before getting hit by another round of guilt. I got such pleasure out of our intimacy, yet her life depended on it. She seemed to get just as much pleasure, and I hoped that came from more than the poison’s effect on her body.

Ainsley slowed as we got stuck behind a large truck. It gave me time to admire the tall oak trees lining the road. It lacked the bright hues that were trademarks of Energo’s flora, but it still had a beauty. I turned away from the window to look at the greater beauty.

“Yes?” She noticed me watching her.

“I am just looking.”

“You do that a lot.”

“I enjoy admiring beauty.”

She reddened. “Thanks.”

Henry laughed. “Your lines are actually working?”

“His lines do not need to work. You know what they were doing at the house.” Talen chuckled.

I turned and glared at him. “That is none of your business.”

“As you wish.” He looked out the window. “Turn right at the next street. Milo’s house will be the last one at the end of the street.”

I held Ainsley’s hand as we turned and she headed for the end of the small dead-end street. Her headlights provided some illumination of the thick foliage and large southern style homes, but otherwise the street was completely dark.

She idled at the bottom of the long drive. “Are you sure this is the house?”

“Positive. Go ahead.” Talen directed.

“Okay.” Ainsley slowly drove up the long driveway and stopped. “Will Milo be expecting you?” She turned off the engine.

“No.” Talen opened his door. “He also will not have heard of the chief’s passing. It might be better if you waited in the car.”

“Not a chance. At least one of us is going.” I trusted Talen, but I wanted to hear the conversation.

“I can go.” Henry made the offer I was waiting for. I did not want to expose Ainsley to an Arco I did not know, but I had no intent of leaving her alone in the car.

“Perfect.” I nodded at him in thanks.

“We will not be long.” Talen got out of the car, and Henry followed.

“It’s strange to be back.” Ainsley unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to me. “I thought it would feel better than it does.”

“It is not as though you are back under normal circumstances, and you will still have to return to Energo. Even if we get help from the wolves, it will still take time to ensure you are safe here.”

“Can’t you just say you want me to go back with you?” She grinned.

“That would be too easy.” Although admitting my feelings out loud was never easy. Easier with Ainsley, but it still took effort to pull myself from my usual tendencies.

“How long do you think they’ll be?” She looked at the house that Talen and Henry had disappeared inside.

“I have no idea.”

“Could we go for a walk?”

“I do not see why not. We are the ones with the keys.” I touched her leg.

“Very good point.” She removed her keys and opened her door. “I think we are only a block off from the beach.”

Using the light from her phone we found a path that led to a boardwalk over the sand dunes and directly to the empty beach.

She put her phone away as soon as our feet hit the sand, and we let the moon guide us along the shore. “I love the beach when it’s cold.” She wrapped her arms around herself.

“I can see the appeal during this weather far more than when it is warm. Well, unless you wear one of those tiny swimsuits girls here seem to favor.”

“I own a few bikinis.”

“And that is where I am torn. I would love to see you wearing one, but I would prefer not to have others get to do the same. I am sure I sound possessive, but even after months spent here, I am still of Energo.”

“There is something to be said for the dresses, but not because of modesty. I think people should be able to wear anything they want.”

“And I agree, but that does not mean I want men seeing too much of you.” I refused to pretend to be comfortable with that. I would never stop her from doing what she wanted, but that did not mean I had to like it.

“You are right. That does sound possessive.”

“I never said I would prevent you from wearing anything. No one has the right to dictate those sorts of decisions for another. That does not mean I like the idea of other’s laying eyes on you.”

“Ok, when you put it that way it doesn’t sound possessive.” She smiled.

“I respect you. I respect the decisions you make, but I still want to protect you.”

“You are a gentleman.”

I laughed. “Do you really believe that I am one?”

“You are.”

“Yet I took you to bed before we were united.” Although we needed no uniting. She was mine, and I was hers. It could be no other way thanks to the bond connecting us.

“You knew I was your kindred.” There was no question in her words. “And you knew I wanted it as much as you. You let me set the speed, so that doesn’t change that deep inside you are a gentleman.”

I tickled her. “Deep inside?”

She laughed. “Okay, not deep. It’s obvious from the outside when you want it to be.”

“Are you happy?” I got serious. “I know there is a lot going on, but despite all that, are you happy you are with me?”

“After what we just did, do you have to ask that question?”

“Physical intimacy does not always reflect emotional satisfaction. Although for me it does.”

“It does for me too.” She squeezed my hand.

“And you are feeling okay now?”

“Yes, you need to stop worrying.”

“I care about you.” More than she would ever know. She meant the world, or rather worlds, to me. I would do anything to protect her and see to her happiness.

“And I care about you. Does that mean I should be asking you how you are every few minutes now?”

“You are welcome to check on my well-being anytime.”

She stopped and turned to me. “Level with me now.”

“What do you mean?”

“There is a reason for these questions.” She looked out at the dark ocean.

“You almost passed out yesterday.”

“But that was yesterday.”

I returned my hands to their familiar place on her hips. “And today is today. It is not as though a great deal of time has passed.”

“You are worried about me for more than that.”

I wanted to tell her, but the risk was too great. I might lose her, and beyond that destroying me, it could destroy her. She needed me whether she wanted me or not. “I am not used to having someone to worry about. Let me enjoy it.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I thought your role as Guardian meant you had to worry about Charlotte. That’s enough worrying for one person.”

“That is different.” For me the difference was crystal clear.

“Different how?”

“That is my role. You are correct, but caring for you is not a role.” I took both of her hands in mine. “Caring for you is a choice, and that means worrying about you is a choice. Let me worry.”

She laughed. “Do you realize how crazy that sounds?”

“Do you realize how much I care about you?”

“I love you.” She looked deep into my eyes.

“And I love you.” The words were new ones for us, but completely natural. “So let us agree worrying is a completely appropriate thing for me to do.”

“But not so much that it gets in the way of everything else.”

“Get in the way of what?” I leaned in. “This?” I pressed my lips against hers, needing to taste her lips after such intense words were shared. I loved her. I knew that in every grain of my being, and saying it to her only made my feelings stronger.

I
had
the biggest grin on my face as we made our way back to the car. We hadn’t been on the beach long, but those words—and that kiss made it seem exponentially longer. Of course afterwards I wanted so much more of him. James was addicting in all the best and worst ways, and I knew there was no way that was going to change. I’d expected the feeling to change when we returned to Charleston. I figured the supernatural pull would lessen, and I’d be back to where I was before we left, but I wasn’t. If anything my feelings were stronger. I wasn’t sure if I should have been thrilled or afraid. I was a mix of both.

James covered my hand with his, and we walked up the driveway toward my car.

“Glad you two finally decided to come back for us.” Henry attempted to keep a straight face, but it quickly fell.

“We were not gone long.” James smiled. Maybe he was as giddy as I was. It was hard to tell because he tried to stay so serious with the others. “But was your talk successful?”

Talen nodded. “We have the details, but it is going to be a longer drive than planned.”

“Where is this wolf?”

“Outside a town called Nawlins?” Talen glanced back toward the house.

“Do you mean New Orleans?” Talen’s accent combined with the nickname for the city was rather comical.

“Yes. That is what it was. He said it is a long drive from here.”

“Yeah, a really long one, but not as bad as California or anything.”

“California?” Talen’s forehead scrunched up.

“Flying would be faster, but my guess is you guys have no IDs?” Those sorts of things were unnecessary in Energo, at least from what I had seen of it. Besides, they wouldn’t have anything issued by a government anyone in the U.S. would have ever heard of.

Henry shrugged. “I had one Monty made for me, but I have no clue where it is.”

“You had an ID from here?” I wasn’t aware that the government gave those out easily.

Henry nodded. “From when I lived here for some time. Monty liked to have things ready in case of an emergency.”

“Monty? As in Charlotte and Kevin’s uncle?” I remembered the empty room.

“Yes.” James looked away at some spot in the distance. “He was always prepared, and he had lots of connections.”

“Ok.” I decided not to ask anything else. Maybe James had been close to Monty too. And I didn’t want to know anything about what these supposed connections were. “I guess we’re driving.”

“We can take shifts driving.” Henry smiled. “I volunteer.”

“You know how to drive?” I questioned.

“No, but I am a fast learner.” He grinned even bigger.

“Yeah… no thanks.” I valued my life and safety. There was no reason to put it at risk by having someone completely inexperienced drive us cross country.

“Fine, can we at least get some food? I have not eaten at one of your restaurants in years.” His disappointment seemed to almost immediately disappear.

“Where do you want to go?” I couldn’t imagine what Henry’s favorite place was.

“Is Basil still operating?” Henry asked.

“Yeah. It’s still there.” Thai was a surprising choice, but a good one. “But it’s late. They have to be closing soon.”

“Then we can get it to go. Charlotte taught me about that.” Henry laughed.

“Does anyone have the currency?” Talen asked.

“You mean you guys don’t want to just dump gold coins on the counter?” I remembered James handing me the strange coin.

“Did you do that?” Henry turned to James.

“I paid for fake ice cream with a coin.”

“Fake ice cream?” Henry’s eyebrows drew together.

“Frozen yogurt. He’s making fun of where I work.” I pulled away from him just a nudge.

“The place you formerly worked.”

“They haven’t fired me yet.”

“They will when you are out another few weeks.”

“Oh well, I hated the job anyway.” Or at least a lot of the customers.

“Yet you were complaining because I criticized the product. It is not as good as ice cream.”

“But it’s not fake ice cream. It’s something completely different.”

“If it does not taste as good, why bother with it?” Henry asked.

I unlocked the car. “Because it’s healthier.”

“Healthier?” Talen looked at me. “In what way?”

“Less fat. People here are obsessed with the fat content in food.” James held open my door.

“You say it like it’s a bad thing.” I took a seat.

James closed my door before going around to his side. “It is not bad, just different than where we are from. We eat the food we grow and raise. It has different results.”

“You should make ads for the farm to table movement.”

“The what?” All three guys asked at once.

“Forget I said anything.” I started the car and waited for everyone to get buckled. “Let’s get dinner.”

“Now that is a good idea.” James rested his hand on my leg.

B
asil was crowded
when we arrived. I glanced at the time on my phone. It was after nine. The restaurant closed at ten. We were cutting this close.

A loud laugh caught my attention, and I noticed a group of men and women in suits. What if I ran into someone from work? We were only a few blocks from the office, and people often worked late. How would I explain my absence? “Uh, I might wait in the car.”

“Why?” James asked with alarm.

“Because I might see people from work. The office is not far from here.”

“The fake ice cream place?” Henry asked.

“Nope. My other job. At a law firm.” The job I wanted to keep more.

“Oh. Two jobs? That must have been tricky.” Henry rubbed the back of his neck. “I only have one job and it keeps me on my toes.”

“It kept me busy, but neither job was like yours. Being a Guardian is harder.”

“Not harder, just different.” James held open the door of the restaurant. “But there is no reason to worry, Ainsley. If they see you, they see you.”

“I don’t want to get in trouble. I left them hanging.” And if I did move back eventually it would be nice to at least have references, even if I didn’t have a job.

“Ok.” James let the door swing closed. “We can go back to the car together then.”

“No. We can do this quick.”

“Ainsley?”

I started at the sound of the familiar voice of my favorite attorney from the office. Rachel. I’d been caught already.

“Hey.” I turned to face the last person I wanted to run into. “I know this looks awful.”

But she wasn’t even looking at me anymore. Instead she was staring at Henry. “Henry? What? What are you doing here?” She put a hand to her chest and all color drained from her face. Then she turned to James. “And you too? James? I thought. I mean you all just disappeared. I thought. Henry…”

She stepped out of the way to let a group walk out of the restaurant.

“Rachel.” Henry paled, and his eyes widened. “Is that really you?”

“How do you all know each other?” Talen looked between Rachel and Henry. I was thinking the same thing.

“We dated, but that was a lifetime ago.” Rachel still had her hand on her chest and her color hadn’t quite returned.

“I did come back for you.” Henry took a small step toward her. “I came back for you. I never intended to leave you.”

“When?” Rachel crossed her arms.

“I came back a few months after I left.” Henry stuck his hands in his pockets. “But you had moved on.”

“I never moved on.” Rachel’s mouth fell open. “I can’t believe I’m telling you this, but why not? You deserve to know how much you destroyed me.”

“Destroyed you?” Henry stumbled back a step as though Rachel’s words had wounded him. “I would never hurt you. You destroyed me. I was ready to give up everything for you, to turn my back on what I was born to do, but you did not care. Your words were all lies.”

My head spun. What was going on here? How did Rachel know Henry and James? I was so confused. My real life was colliding with the fantasy world I’d been living in. “How do you know these guys, Rachel?”

“I can ask you the same question. Why are you with them?” She turned to me. There was an angry insinuation in her gaze.

“And I can ask the questions too. How do you know Rachel?” Henry turned to me. “Did you lie to James? Do you know more than you have admitted?”

“Hey.” I shook my head. “I have done nothing wrong here.” I was willing to accept the blame when it was earned, but this time it wasn’t. I was more in the dark than anyone.

“That is what you are saying.” Henry crossed his arms.

“Ok, someone start talking.” My curiosity had become something more once the accusations started to fly.

“Why don’t you start?’ Rachel pointed to me. “Since you seem to be the one in the middle of this.”

“Me?” I put my hand to my chest. “How am I in the middle?”

James put his arm around me. “You do not owe an explanation to anyone. We can leave if you want.”

Rachel’s eyes widened. “Wait. You are with James.
With
him?”

“Yes.” James pulled me even closer to his side. “Do you have a problem with that?”

She nodded. “I have a problem with all of this.”

“I am sorry if I inadvertently hurt you,” Henry bowed slightly to Rachel. “I never wanted that. We will leave and let you have your meal.”

“What?” Rachel shook her head. “Are you kidding? Have a meal? I’ve been waiting years for a chance to see you.”

“You have your chance now.” There was a note of hope in Henry’s otherwise defeated voice.

“I should hate you.”

“But you do not?” Henry watched her.

“No.” A few tears slipped down her face.

“This is moving, but we must go. All this time wasted, and we did not even get food.” Talen scowled.

I glared at him. “Clearly these two have history.”

“Loads of it.” James ran his fingers down my side.

“Tell me something. I have to know.” Rachel looked at James.

“Yes?”

“Is Charlotte all right? Is she alive?” Rachel whispered the last few words.

“Charlotte?” My confusion grew. “You know Charlotte too?”

Rachel’s face broke into a smile. “You said know. That is present tense. So she is okay?”

I looked at James for help. “Why wouldn’t she be okay?”

“Because she went missing...” Rachel wrapped her black sweater tightly around her.

“She’s great. Pregnant.” I hoped it was okay for me to be sharing that info.

“Pregnant?” Rachel’s jaw dropped. “With whose baby?”

“Her husband’s…” It wasn’t nearly as racy as Rachel was acting like.

“She’s married?” Her jaw fell even further. What was Charlotte like as a teen? Was she ultra-nerdy or something?

“Yeah… to Liam.” James grinned.

“What!” Rachel screamed. Several people walking by stopped and stared. “Liam? Seriously?”

“Yes.” James laughed. “Funny how things work out.”

“But where are they? Why did you all leave?” Rachel’s face fell as she lost her temporary excitement. “I lost all of my friends at the same time.”

“Not all of them,” Henry said bitterly.

I was completely and utterly lost. Had Charlotte left for Energo without saying goodbye? But Liam’s mother wasn’t concerned, so they had to have told somebody.

“What are you talking about?” Rachel’s brow furrowed. “Is this about that whole I moved on thing?”

“Yes. You and Roberts.”

“What? What are you talking about?” Rachel stepped toward him. “I didn’t date Roberts.”

“I saw you together.” Henry’s lips pressed into a firm line.

“Together? You mean talking or something? We helped each other through things after our lives got insane. Do you realize how many times I was questioned by the police?” Large tears spilled from her eyes. “And they thought you guys did it by the way.”

Henry reached out for Rachel, but at the last minute he let his arms fall to his sides. “Did they hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No. But it was scary. I was only a kid and my whole life fell apart.”

“What did the police think we did?” James asked.

“Killed the Calloways and Liam,” She dropped her voice. “That or Monty. Is he with Charlotte and Kevin, too?”

Henry shook his head. “No.”

“Wait, what happened?” She tilted her head slightly to the side.

“He died to protect those he cared for,” James said solemnly.

“Oh my…” She put her head in her hand.

“There is so much I was never allowed to tell you, Rachel. So much you are better off not knowing.” Henry spoke wistfully.

“But she knows?” Rachel pointed to me. “She knows everything I don’t.”

“Ainsley knows because she is somehow part of it. We do not know why.” Henry’s eyes were fixed on Rachel’s.

“Well, I am part of it now.” Rachel puffed out her chest. “Nothing you can do about that.”

“We need to go.” Talen scowled. “You can finish this reunion on your own time.”

“I am coming with you.” Rachel set her jaw and stood tall with her arms crossed.

“But I assume you are meeting people. What about them?” Henry asked.

“That shouldn’t concern you. Where are we going?”

James laughed dryly. “You cannot actually mean to come with us.”

“And why’s that? I’ve been to Europe.”

“Europe?” I froze. “Why would we be going to Europe?”

“She thinks I was a foreign exchange student from Europe…” Henry looked down at his feet.

“You weren’t?” Rachel yelled.

“Not exactly.”

“What about the accent? Is that fake too?” She stepped right in front of him.

Henry shook his head. “No, of course not.”

“Of course not? If everything else was made up why wouldn’t that be?”

By this point there was an entire crowd of people watching us. “If you don’t mind squishing in you can come with us.” I started toward where I parked.

“Where are we going? I’m not asking again.” She followed right behind me.

“New Orleans.” Maybe I shouldn’t have been sharing that information, but then James or Henry should have stopped me. I was so confused and overwhelmed I needed to get out of there.

“Why?”

“We need to find a wolf.” I opened the passenger door for her. “You can sit up front.”

James mumbled something, but I ignored him. I wasn’t sticking her in the back with her ex.