Of Flame and Promise (7 page)

The navigation system led us through a winter wonderland. Snow-covered pines linked their bending limbs to create beautiful archways that beckoned us and invited us through. Any other day, I would have leaned in close to Gemini as he drove, nibbled on his ear, and suggested he pull over to the nearest clearing for a romp in the snow.

Yet it wasn’t just us.

And it wasn’t romantic.

But it was rather memorable.

Except not in a good way.

To say I was losing altitude in the parent department would suggest I was still airborne. I’d doused myself with gasoline and crashed in flames long before this. I should have paid closer attention to Japanese customs—and Gemini should have warned me that his parents didn’t know we lived together.

“I wanted to wait to tell them in person,” he’d said.

“Why?” I’d screamed afterward, my arms flailing wildly.

He rubbed his eyes. “So they could meet you, and better appreciate my decision to live with you despite the fact that we’re not officially mated.”

I’d like to say that was all there was to it, but no. It had been the day from hell. In all the ass-kissing that followed my sisters’ departure, I burned the food. All of it. Even the son-of-a-bitch tofu. So my nice “dinner” consisted of sake and leftover bear organs.

That was bad enough. But it was all in the past, right?

Nope. Not even a little bit. I wouldn’t be me without another humiliating hurrah.

Gemini’s parents were actually quite the adventurers in their prime, and even well into their years. Before the start of the supernatural war, they spent three years climbing the highest mountains in Asia. But they’d never climbed anything in this country outside of Colorado, where they’d raised their son. “Dude, take them climbing over the ravine,” Shayna suggested. “Koda says a werecouger owns a place specifically for
weres
he runs year round.”

I searched the website. The pics of the sprawling and magnificent views of the landscapes, along with the breathtaking images of colorful sunsets, convinced me this was a great idea—though I couldn’t care less about mountain climbing. I recognized what a treat this could be for Gemini and his folks, and how it could possibly salvage what remained between us.

So I saved all the best pics from the site on my phone and dropped another grand on this supposed adventure of a lifetime.

Although his folks weren’t speaking to me, not that they were a chatty bunch, mind you, I offered them my phone so they could scroll through the pictures. I hoped the images would entice them—I mean, how could they not? The scenery was positively spellbinding.

At first, they remained quiet, appearing shockingly uninterested. Slowly, they started muttering in their language and pointing to the photos. For all their pursed lips and unyielding expressions, they seemed to warm then, their excitement appearing to build.

Until they went one back, to a selfie of me and Gem.

In bed.

With my right breast exposed.

And him sucking on the left.

So instead of leaning close to him then, I sat on the passenger side as far away as I possibly could. I glanced his way. His hands remained tight on the wheel, his focus straight ahead, his face still bright red. Good God in heaven, it had been a long two days.

His stare bounced to mine. “I’m sorry,” I mouthed for the gazillionth time.

His face reddened further, but he cleared his throat and said something in Japanese. For a human, his father had quite the bark. He said something I didn’t understand, which reddened Gem’s face even further. Gem lowered his voice and said something more to his folks, his voice firm, yet bordering on pleading.

I rubbed my eyes. I didn’t want to know what they said, knowing it wasn’t good and that it involved me. But I had to ask. I couldn’t have them mad at him. “What’s going on?”

Gemini didn’t answer me right away. “My parents are concerned about the events, and feel perhaps it may be better if they return to their hotel suite.”

“Oh, no. Please don’t.” I angled my body around to face them. Nothing but loathsome energy greeted me. Christ. It was like meeting Mrs. Mancuso’s distant Japanese cousins. “I’m so sorry for anything you might have seen that depicted your son in a negative light. I assure you”—booby flicking aside—“he’s been nothing but a gentleman.”

Their eyes narrowed further and the lips puckered tighter. I was trying to kiss ass. I’ll admit it. They probably saw right through it, his mom being a
were
and both being, well, all sorts of creepy. So I opted for the truth, or at least something they could relate to. I motioned to Momma but spoke to Pop. “You’re mates, right?”

“Taran,” Gemini warned. “Perhaps it might be best to leave them to their thoughts.”

In other words:
Zip it—my parents have already seen me suck on your large yet tantalizing nips.

Maybe I would have listened to his underlying warning, but their exchange of nods and glances urged me on. “Well, then I’m sure you must have participated in your share of intimate moments.”

“Taran,”
Gemini cautioned again, this time through clenched teeth.

Yikes. For someone who hadn’t been attacked by demons as recently as I had, he was on edge. I threw out a hand. “Babe, my point is your parents have known need, and want, and desire.” I angled around to face them. “Am I right?” Oddly enough, they didn’t answer. “And I have no doubt it’s been beautiful and memorable.” I smiled, really smiled then. “And I love that for you. I hope you can find it in your hearts to love it for your son as well.” My grin widened. Yeah, folks. You’re welcome.

“From the very first moment I saw Aiko, my heart was lost,” Pop said. “I could not find it, until I realized she held it with hers.”

I placed my hand over my chest. “Oh. That’s so sweet.”

His face carried all the warmth of marble and so did his voice. “So I did the proper thing. I surrendered to her hold. I took her as my bride. I welcomed the claim. All within days of our first encounter.” He angled his head in her direction. “She was mine to respect and cherish. Never would I have treated her with anything less.”

Well. I never had anyone tell me “fuck you” without using the actual words, but Pop did a banner job then. “Ah…”

Gemini swiped his brow. Oh, God. For all I thought
I
was looking bad, I was making him appear worse. “Baby, I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

Pop continued, laying into Gemini. “You call her your mate, Tomo,” he said, not bothering to speak Japanese this time. “Yet you have not claimed her, choosing to use her to sate your own needs.”

“Oh, but that’s my fault,” I stammered. “Lord knows he’s wanted to claim me. I mean,
every
time we’re alone—”

Their glares and Gemini’s groan told me I should stop right there before Momma and Pop envisioned way past nipple suckage. So I did.

I didn’t need a shovel. I did fine burying myself deeper without one. “Jesus,” I muttered.

The trees slowly thinned and opened into a large lot. Aside from two other SUVs, we were the only ones there. I couldn’t slip out of the car fast enough, needing air and to fix everything I’d so far screwed up.

I wrenched open the rear side door as Momma tried to step out, causing her to fall to the ground. Not to sound like an ass, but from a
were,
I expected better reflexes than that.

“Oh,
sh
— I mean, oh,
no.
Are you okay, Momma?”

She rose easily enough, and while my name for her offered the barest pause, she didn’t seem any happier with me.

Go figure.

Gemini and Pop hurried around the SUV, the sound of Momma’s tiny body crashing against the frozen ground beckoning them to us. Their widening stares danced from her to me, regarding me like I’d shoved her. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Pop led Momma a little further from my reach. “Perhaps it would be best to return,” he said.

“Please don’t.” It was one thing for them not to like me, but I hated them being angry at Gem. And in all fairness, while I might not be up for favorite girlfriend of the year, I hadn’t had one decent shot. “Look. Let’s take a walk. According to the website, there’s a lookout.” I stomped along in Shayna’s hiking boots to the rear of the SUV and popped it open, retrieving the heavy backpack I’d brought. I hefted it and scrambled back to where they stood, speaking fast. “I brought food for lunch. Hot potato soup and bear-liver sandwiches.” I tried not to cringe. “You like bear liver, right?”

Gemini lifted the backpack from my shoulders when his parents did little more than blink back at me.

“Mother, Father, my mate is trying to please you. Please allow her this opportunity.”

While they seemed to listen, they appeared far from convinced. I stepped forward. “We’ve come so far. At least let’s make it out to the lookout and have lunch.”

Pop turned to focus on the far end of the lot, where a stone and steel rope blockade had been erected to prevent cars from going over the ravine. Further out were more of Tahoe’s magnificent slopes. My breath released in short bursts. The altitude was making it hard to breathe, especially considering how fast I was talking, but I was determined to make this a good day.

I took a few steps forward and motioned in the direction they were looking. The view was impressive, and we were just in the lot. I hoped they realized as much. “In the summer, the snow melts and all you see is green for miles. It’s a different look, and while beautiful, not as spectacular as what you’ll see today if you give it a chance.” I shrugged, trying to sound more relaxed. “Between the war and all the demon activity that’s been spotted in recent days, very few supernaturals venture out. We’re probably the only tourist types here.”

Again, they didn’t speak. I tried not to swear, but it was hard. I wasn’t one to beg, but I all but fell on my knees then. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” I insisted. “I can’t give you much, but please let me give you this memory.”
And hopefully erase the one with my ankles fastened around your son’s waist.

Gemini stalked to my side. It was clear from his expression that he was humiliated, but I also saw a small speck of pride. He slipped his arm around my waist, holding me close. “Honorable Father and Mother, despite what you may feel, and the doubts that plague your mind, my mate only means to please you.”

Momma and Pop considered me, very much the way feral dogs consider the rotting possum on the side of road—not too tasty, but necessary nonetheless. Both bowed in stone-faced and unimpressed unison. If I didn’t know they were husband and wife, they’d make one freaky-ass set of twins.

“Very well, Tomo,” Pop agreed.

A young man with strands of dirty-blond hair spilling from his beanie jogged over. “Hey, folks,” he said. “I’m Lex.” He sniffed and grinned. “Wolves?” At Gemini’s and Momma’s nods, he turned to me, his smile widening. “And something else.” His smile lessened at Gem’s growl. “Ah, sorry, boss. But you can’t blame a coug for looking.”

“You’re wrong. I can,” Gem snarled back.

“Um, yeah. This way,” he said.

I wasn’t sure why Gem growled as ferociously as he did. I
was
“something else.” Probably a tramp in his parents’ world, but in his defense my poor wolf wasn’t in the best mood.

“Shall we?” I asked, tilting my head where Lex was motioning. “A picnic, and maybe some climbing if you’re up for it?”

“We make no promises,” Pop said.

Gemini tossed the pack over his shoulder and linked his bare hand with my gloved one. Like Pop, I was dressed in full arctic wear since neither of us possessed the furry inner beasts of our partners. We started out at a fast walk, which Lex quickened to a trot.

For an old man, and a non-
were,
Pop kept pace behind us well enough. Gemini snaked his arm around me, helping me maneuver up the steep path that led out of the lot and further up the mountain.

As the incline grew more severe, I gripped the back of Gem’s light ski jacket. It wasn’t just the harder terrain that caused me to hold him—he would never let me fall. What I needed most at that moment was to feel close to him.

I wasn’t scoring points with his folks—I knew that. I worried how it would affect us during their visit, but more importantly, what would become of us once they were gone.

I glanced over my shoulder. Where Gem held tight to me, his mother did the same for his father. The grace with which she plowed through the thickening mounds was as natural as the steady leaps of her inner beast. I smiled. For all their sternness as rather stoic personalities, their love was as pure as the surrounding snow.

They didn’t return my smile, but yeah, that didn’t surprise me. Still, their closeness was something to see. I’d like to think my parents’ love would have held strong. But having lost them so young, it wasn’t something I would ever know. If nothing else, seeing an elderly couple this devoted was a gift. Claiming and marriage aside, I wanted this with Gemini. But it scared me to want it. Mostly because I knew too many things could take it away.

Love, peeps, didn’t guarantee forever.

Gemini leaned into me, reminding me he was still very much there. “I’m going to lift you,” he said.

The air thinned with every step I took. I wasn’t outdoorsy by any stretch, but I did Zumba, and more recently my share of strip aerobics. I was in good shape. That said, I never shook my ass this high up. “No,” I said.

“What?”

He’d practically laughed at me. I couldn’t blame him. My breaths were labored and the stomps through the heavy drifts caused my thighs to burn. But I needed to push past it and keep going. “I said no,” I insisted.

For once in my life, I didn’t mean to be difficult. But seriously, the thought of looking weak just then made me dig my heels in. Gem’s parents struck me as people who’d want someone strong at their son’s side. It was what he deserved and something I desperately wanted to be for him. “Don’t look at me that way, babe. I can’t allow you to pick me up.”

The corners of his mouth tilted up, and for the first time that day, I saw the adoration that had been lost since his parents’ arrival. “And I won’t allow my mate to trek through snow this thick and risk harm.”