Tangling With Topper (12 page)

The only reason she hadn’t begged Stark to stay was because part of her knew it wasn’t fair to ask for what she wasn’t willing to offer him in return.

Sighing over his innate masculine beauty that she would miss, she watched Stark walk slowly to her. She bowed her head to him, then smiled when he returned the gesture. Respect was a universal sign that spanned both distance and culture. Despite their differences in opinion, it was astounding how much she cared for him after so short a time.

Stark stepped close until his chest nearly brushed her breasts. “It is time for me to go. I will miss you, Topper.”

“I’ll miss you too, Stark.” Topper patted his chest. “You forgot something at the house.” She held a hand out to her side and whispered a chant. His purple diaper cloth appeared in her hand—washed, folded, and pressed.

Stark took the cloth from her and fitted it back inside his wrist unit. He whispered something over it and the cloth shrunk and disappeared beneath the metal band. Topper was the only woman who had ever felt any genuine need to look out for him.

“May I return to visit you?” he asked, setting the rest of his pride aside.

Topper sadly shook her head. “It won’t be possible. The portal is too dangerous. If we keep using it, the men in black will be visiting Magic every day. Eventually, the word will get out and Glacier will be overrun with unscrupulous Earthlings trying to steal advanced technology or whatever else they think they can get by with taking. We can’t let that craziness happen, so you’re going to be the last Glacier traveler to use the portal. We won’t open it again unless it becomes a life or death emergency for Frost and Lacey.”

Stark blinked. He was stunned to hear he was about to take a one-way trip, but what could he do? He didn’t own the portal. Glacier didn’t have any rights to say what happened to it.

“A normal trip here without worm hole assistance would only take six or seven of your Earth years to make in a Glacieran starship. That is not so long. I could return that way.”

“Don’t be silly. We’d both forget each other before you got back here,” Topper stated sharply, shaking her head. “Now you better go, Stark. Otherwise my eyes are going to start leaking and then everyone watching us will panic. You’ve been hell on my public bad-ass witch reputation.”

“You will always own my heart, Topper,” Stark promised, as he leaned down and placed his lips over hers. He just couldn’t make himself believe he’d never see this female again. She belonged to him.

When he raised his head, a stunned silence had fallen over the gathered crowd. Apparently no one in Magic had ever seen Topper be kissed before. It slightly mollified him to know he’d been the only male who’d dared to lay a public claim.

“Be careful while I am not here to help you. Even bad-ass witches need help now and again.”

Topper laughed, even though it wasn’t really funny. “I will, alien. And you watch those green meanies when you release them. They’re not going to be very happy back out in the ice fields after being in a warm desert climate for so long.”

Stark kissed her a final time. Then he walked to the circle and waited while Topper and the other witches opened the portal. With one final nod to Frost, he gathered up the dakkari, and stepped through it before he could change his mind.

It was the first time in his life that doing his duty felt like it was also ripping out his soul.

***

This time the portal released him just outside Polar’s home. Ignoring the loneliness he knew was only going to get worse as his homecoming reality sunk in, Stark stored the dakkari in the transport he’d left there and then returned to Polar’s residence to retrieve his clothes.

They were still folded in a pile exactly where he’d left them in Polar’s office. It all seemed so silly now—that he’d thought he needed to be nude to go to Earth.

But he did not put his other clothes on even though what he was wearing would not serve him well where he was headed with the dakkari. Instead, he just slipped his uniform coat over the Earth clothes the dragon had given him.

He should have been overjoyed to be back safely after completing his mission. Perhaps tomorrow he would be.

At the moment, all Stark could think about was that his home planet no longer seemed like home to him.

“Topper, this can’t go on. You’re acting like a zombie and you know what happens to zombies in Magic. Sheriff Buchan got rid of all of them before he passed on. We can’t have the magicals being eaten for their brains,” Destiny declared, raising her thumb and finger as she pretended to shoot Topper.

Aura frowned. “Stop teasing her, Destiny. Can’t you see Topper’s hurting and confused?”

Topper snorted. “I am not confused. I mind-wiped the men in black like you taught me and then I had a perfectly good time white water rafting over the weekend. My hair is now purple again. See? There is nothing wrong with me.”

“At least nothing a well-hung alien couldn’t fix in about an hour,” Fortune declared.

Aura fisted her hands on her hips. “I can’t believe you’re harassing Topper over sleeping with him. This is our fault, Fortune. If we hadn’t decided Topper needed someone, the green meanies wouldn’t have gotten through the portal, and Stark Naked would never have shown up on Earth to retrieve them. I told you we shouldn’t have sent out that distress call to his intergalactic floozy of a goddess.”

“Icela is not a floozy, but please don’t talk to her again. And stop calling him Stark Naked or none of you will get dinner,” Topper said firmly. She set bowls of steaming butternut squash soup in front of the three of them. “This is your first course. Eat your soup before it cools down. It’s better hot. The squash will set your palate.”

Topper frowned when the Fates sighed collectively and lifted their spoons. It didn’t make her feel any better knowing she and Stark had been nothing more than live pawns in an interplanetary matchmaking scheme. She hoped Icela proved more helpful to Stark than the Fates were being to her.

She spooned up a slaw she’d made from raw brussel sprouts and pine nuts. Stark would probably have enjoyed it. He seemed to enjoy her cooking as much as the Fates did. Thinking about his praise, her sigh filled the kitchen as she put small dishes in front of her three guests.

“Raw vegetables to help with clarity. Eat and be well.”

“
Blessed be
,” the Fates answered in chorus before moving on to eat the slaw.

Topper stopped cooking and let the blessing bring her a measure of peace. “I have the best life any witch could ever wish for. What other witch can say the Fates come to dinner? None. So what if I miss him… a little? Any woman would miss a man capable of giving her as many orgasms as she could handle. There probably aren’t five human men walking this planet who have that sort of bedroom talent.”

Fortune snorted. “You’re probably right, Topper. It was very generous of you to pass him back to all those horny Glacieran females who are no doubt standing in line this very minute to take a turn on Stark Naked’s talented man stick.”

Topper turned and slammed down the entrée in front of her mouthy, irreverent Goddess friend. “Baked cod with mango salsa. It’s a little spicy. Eat it and shut up. I made no promises to him.”

“Nor accepted any in return,” Aura said flatly.

Topper slammed another entrée down. “It would not have been fair to accept Stark’s promises. He can’t come back. You know I can’t open the portal again without risking the whole town.”

“You could have at least offered to wait the few years it would take him to get here in a spaceship. What would it have hurt to have given him some hope you’d be here if he found his own way back? It’s not like you were getting any bedroom action before Stark Naked came into your life,” Destiny declared, jumping when a plate of food was slammed down in front of her. “Thank you, Topper. It looks delicious.”

Topper fisted hands on her hips and glared at all three meddling goddesses. “This is not high school and Stark isn’t captain of the football team. He’s a freaking alien. What part of him having a life on another planet don’t you get?”

“He’s dreamy,” the chorus of Fates said. Then they glanced at each other and giggled.

“This discussion is not helpful,” Topper declared.

“What would help you, dear?” Aura asked.

Topper slid into a vacant chair at the table. She stared at the far wall. “I just need to forget him—that’s all. How attached can you get to a man in just a few days anyway?”

The Fates looked sideways at each other. “
Stubborn as always
,” they said in chorus.

Unable to handle the torture a moment longer, Topper put her face down on the table and groaned into her hands. “Okay—fine. I wish Stark hadn’t left. I wish he could come back. I wish a lot of things, but I know that’s not realistic of me. Why aren’t you telling me everything will be okay like real friends are supposed to do?”

“We’re not that kind of friend, dear. And screw reality,” Aura said, earning funny looks from her sisters. She waved a hand. “You know what I mean.” At their nods, she smiled at Topper. “Icela mentioned something about ice crystals dancing as the true test of couple compatibility on Glacier. Did you conjure up some ice crystals for Stark Nak… I mean, your hunky alien?”

“No. You three pretty much kept me from conjuring up anything for him. Thanks to you all, Stark thinks I’m the wimpiest witch that ever was born.”

Topper studied her arms. Faint patterns were still visible there, but every day they faded a bit more. She had no doubt one day they would just disappear forever.

“Ice crystals appeared whenever Stark touched me. I think it was one of his powers.”

“No wonder he was so good in bed with you. You’re his perfect mate,” Fortune declared.

Destiny put down her fork. “Sisters—I am not happy with this situation,” she said quietly. “Something simply has to be done.”

“
No
—
Gaia forbid
,” Topper declared, rising quickly. “Don’t do anything more. Things are bad enough. Let me go get your dessert.”

Heart pounding in fear they would get involved and prolong her agony, Topper hurried to the refrigerator to retrieve the chocolate mousse parfaits she’d put in it to chill earlier. She pulled out a fourth one for herself because right now she needed all the endorphin rushes she could get.

***

The beeberg had not been happy about having to choose two new mates. The scratches she’d put on him as he freed her from her cage hadn’t made Stark any more sympathetic to her plight.

But then he wasn’t feeling very sympathetic towards any creature at the moment. He was too busy feeling sorry for himself. He’d been home only a short while when he realized Topper had let him go without offering a single word of affection.

“Polar was right. I should have delegated. Then someone else would have met the frustrating witch instead of me.”

Stark sighed and started back into his residence when a voice stopped him.

“Do not blame yourself completely, warrior. Part of you meeting the witch was my fault. She looked so nice and the Fates of Earth gave her such a glowing recommendation.”

Stark turned and looked into the caring eyes of the most beautiful female he’d ever met. “Topper was very nice. She just didn’t fall in love with me. That is no one’s fault.”

Icela blinked.
“It is harder to believe in such love when you have spent your entire life alone. When my warrior showed up for me, I had a very hard time accepting we were meant to be together. It was only when he decided to stay that I finally believed him.”

Stark shook his head. “She did not want to come home with me, Goddess. Her people… they need her. Topper was right about that. I understand her sense of duty to them.”

Icela looked around.
“It looks to me like you’ve done all you can for the people of Glacier. Do you not think your mate’s people might be able to use your warrior talents? It’s not like you couldn’t go to her planet to live. Your protégé, Frost, is already living there.”

Stark froze. “Are you really suggesting I leave Glacier? After all you’ve done for me?”

Icela bowed her head in a single nod.
“I am suggesting you should serve where you are needed most. Your warrior talents are needed on Earth to guard the portal from those who would misuse it as the witch rightly declared. I do not wish the doorway to be closed. Neither do the Fates. Our planets were connected for a higher good. And the witch… even though she makes you unhappy at times… she is your perfect mate.”

Stark ran a restless hand through his silver hair. “But the Directors…”

“
Do not make all decisions for my planet
,” Icela declared, her voice echoing in the icy mist.

Stark swallowed. “Topper won’t open the portal again. She said she wouldn’t.”

Icela fisted hands on her hips. Stark’s eyes grew wide when a large male suddenly appeared behind her and placed his hands over hers. Stark met the famous warrior’s stare, lifting an eyebrow when the male smiled widely at him.

“Our Goddess can open as many portals as she pleases,” he said softly, whispering the words near her ear. “She most certainly can open one for you in a location far enough from your mate’s town to fool those who would attempt to misuse it. I happen to know she would do this for someone who has honored her all of his days.”

So Icela could open a portal and would if he said the word? Stark looked around. Could he trade the ice fields of Glacier for the melting sunshine of New Mexico on Earth? At least he’d have Topper in his life—if she would have him.

“Speak your mind, Warrior Stark. Do you care for the Earth witch as you have no other female?”

Stark sighed and nodded. “Yes. I care for her like no other.”

“Do you wish to spend your nights in the Ice fields or in her bed?”

Stark smiled. “I wish to spend the rest of my days and nights with her—wherever that is.”

“
Then serve us both
,” Icela declared, waving her hand.
“Go and prepare. The portal will be ready for you tomorrow. It will not be precisely fixed, but you will be within a few Earth hours of your real destination. That should suffice for your necessary deception.”