Witchlock (14 page)

The eggs had been rubbery and the bacon had turned out black. Not just done, but black.
 

She’d pull it all off the heat sooner this time.
 

She killed demons for crying out loud. She could cook a damn egg.
 

She wanted to be the perfect mate and she had no idea where to start.
 

Storm kissed her forehead. His brown eyes softened with a thought. “We need to sit down and talk today.”
 

That dropped the lead ball of worry straight to her feet. Hadn’t she been thinking they needed to talk?
 

Yes. So why the sudden panic?
 

Because if she was honest with herself, she’d been hoping she was wrong about the weird tension and that he’d brush off her concern and Feenix would smile and be crazy about Storm and ... yes, that was all fantasy.  
 

Storm loved her and had always made it clear that he loved her just the way she was.
 

But he’d never
lived
with her.
 

He sighed and looked away.
 

Before he could ask why she was upset again, which he would know with his empathic gift, she said, “We do need to talk. I know you aren’t happy with this arrangement—”
 

His face whipped back to hers. “I didn’t say that.”
 

Truth, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t thought it. She said, “Just get dressed and we’ll talk, okay?”
 

He let out a long breath and kissed her on the cheek. “Okay.”  Then he walked around, searching the room. “Where’s my belt?”
 

She’d pulled out her socks and sat down on the edge of the bed to put them on. She looked around the room, too.
 

She did not want to lose his belt, which should be easy to locate. It had a silver buckle carved as the head of a jaguar, with two yellow diamonds for eyes. Storm had once popped out a diamond to give her to use as the buy-in for a beast match. She’d questioned the value back then and he’d only said it was enough to get them what they wanted.
 

She’d found out later the yellow diamonds were rare and ridiculously expensive, but the buckle? Priceless.
 

His father had given it to him when he was ten, saying he’d had it made by a silversmith in his father’s Navajo tribe. She’d find a nice safe place to put it where he could easily find the belt when he chose to wear it, which wasn’t often.
 

Scanning the area again and not seeing the belt, she asked, “Where’d you leave it?”  
 

He lifted an eyebrow at that. “On the floor with everything else last night. I was in too much of hurry to pick up my clothes.” Then he winked at her.
 

Maybe she was making too big a deal over her perception of the problem. Maybe there was no problem and her insecurities were rising up to choke her.
 

She trusted Storm. Now she needed to prove it by showing him that she wouldn’t react every time a problem arose. They’d eat, talk and get everything out on the table so they could make a decision on how to move forward. Storm would live here and they’d make this work.   
 

He muttered, “The belt should be right here,” and kept looking around, but the room was not that big.
 

Sliding on a boot, Evalle glanced over at the door.
 

It was ajar.
 

She said, “Have you gone out to the kitchen this morning?”
 

Storm’s gaze went to the same spot and he started that way. “No.”
 

He strode out the door and was gone by the time Evalle came to her feet to follow.
 

Storm yelled, “
Are you kidding me!”
 

That was not his joking voice. That was his I-want-to-kill-something voice.
 

Feenix squawked in a high-pitched, terrified screech.
 

Evalle raced out to the living area to find Storm holding his half-eaten belt and glaring at Feenix, who was flying around, shooting out short bursts of fire with each squawk.
 

Feenix would catch the place on fire if that continued.
 

Lanna chased around beneath him. “Come here, Feenix.”
 

This was far worse than the first night Storm had spent here. All of Evalle’s concerns had been nothing compared to this. She glanced at the buckle—or at the thirty percent of it that was left.
 

No way to fix that, so she stepped past Storm to catch Feenix.
 

Standing in the middle of the room, Evalle waved Lanna back and called out in a gentle voice, “It’s okay, Feenix. I’m here. Come to me, baby.”
 

Lanna moved over to the side, for once not trying to interject her advice. She had a good heart, but interference was her middle name.
 

Evalle had saved Feenix from a crazy sorcerer who’d created the gargoyle then decided Feenix was inferior because he hadn’t turned out to be a killer, like the huge, deadly creatures the sorcerer sent out to attack.
 

Feenix had been marked as food.
 

It had taken him a while not to react to any sudden movement.
 

The squawking got quieter. He flapped back and forth across the room for a moment while she kept talking to him in a soothing voice. “Come on, sweetie.”
 

He made one last circle and flapped slowly down to her open arms. She hugged him to her. He shook like a miniature earthquake, complete with occasional puffs of smoke and frightened grunting. He tucked his wings. She stroked his back and cooed to him until the only noise was a low rumble in his chest.
 

When she turned to Storm, no emotion showed on his face, but he was gripping the ruined belt with white knuckles that attested to how difficult it was for him to contain his anger.
 

Feenix lifted one of his pudgy little hands and spit something into it, then deposited that in Evalle’s hand.
 

The second yellow diamond that had been an eye in the buckle.
 

She walked over and placed it on the counter between her and Storm.
 

When Storm didn’t pick it up or say anything, she said, “I’m sorry, Storm. I know it’s not replaceable.”  
 

He broke his gaze from hers, looking away when he took a breath then said, “No big deal.”
 

Then he turned and walked into the bedroom, but not before she’d caught the grimace on his face from the pain that lie had cost him.   
 

Lanna started in, “I am sorry, Evalle. I was listening to iPod music and did not realize Feenix left room.”
 

Evalle turned to Lanna. “It’s not your fault. Feenix is my responsibility. You’ve been wonderful to stay here all week and keep him company.”
 

“And hide from wizard.”
 

“That, too, but you might have been more comfortable somewhere else.”
 

“This was good place to stay. I like being with you and Feenix. And Storm.”  Lanna had spent the past week with Evalle, because Quinn had needed time away to mourn Kizira’s death and a safe place to leave the young woman.
 

Lanna reached for a wide headband, which she pulled over her head then up over her curls, not taming them so much as containing the mass. She’d put on a pair of jeans that rode low on her hips, and a bright red sweatshirt.
 

Evalle had gotten used to having Lanna around, but she needed more room for this many people. Still, Evalle said, “You’re always welcome.” It was true.
 

“Thank you, but I am too many wheels.”
 

Evalle cocked her head until she realized what Lanna was saying.
 

“You mean a third wheel?”
 

Tugging the headband until she had it the way she wanted it, Lanna said, “Yes. Third wheel. You and Storm need your time and I am ready to go. Cousin is back in Atlanta.”
 

“Quinn’s back? You’re sure?”
 

“Yes, I feel him.” But she didn’t look happy about it.
 

“What’s the matter, Lanna?”
 

“Cousin is sad, very sad.”  She studied on what she was saying and added, “Dark.”
 

That did not sound like Quinn, but the man had watched the woman he loved die in his arms. Evalle would be dark, too, in his place.
 

In fact, she’d be just as dark inside if this didn’t work out with Storm. He’d made her his mate.
 

Could he
un
mate her?
 

The question she should be asking was—would he?
 

~*~*~*~
 

Storm took three deep breaths to bring his blood pressure back down so his head didn’t explode.
 

He looked at the belt buckle his father had given him.
 

In fact, his father had sent a request back to a relative in their Navajo tribe in Arizona while Storm and his father still lived in South America with the Ashaninka people.
 

Yes, it was something with deep sentimental value, but his father had taught him to care for people, not things.
 

He traced a finger over what was left of the ruined piece of art and swallowed hard, trying to let go of how much he cared for this buckle.
 

The silver and diamonds meant nothing to Storm, only that it was a tangible reminder of his dad.
 

It might be easier to let go of his anger if Storm believed it had been an accident, but the gargoyle had snuck in here and taken his belt out of the bedroom.
 

One of the diamonds was still in place, staring at him like a macabre, one-eyed mask.
 

Storm had to get out of here and clear his mind.
 

Evalle’s empathic gift was not as strong as his, but she would know what he was feeling. Even he couldn’t hide his anger right now and the longer he stayed here the more it would upset her.
 

His phone buzzed.
 

He checked the text from Tzader:
I need you to go over what happened with hunting the troll killer. It would be simpler if we did it at headquarters. No point in bringing Evalle out during daylight. You can relay any new information to her.
 

At least now Storm had a reason to leave. That had to be better than saying he needed some air to clear his head. He sent back an affirmative.
 

Then Tzader added:
Quinn’s on his way to headquarters and wanted to know if you would bring Lanna with you.
 

Storm replied:
Yes.
 

He stuffed the belt and his clothes back into the duffel and left it in the corner, then grabbed his leather jacket and shrugged it on.
 

When he reached the living room, Evalle was still walking and humming to Feenix, who’d snuggled even closer.
 

Storm asked Lanna, “What do you need to do before you’re ready to
go?” Storm glanced at Evalle then looked away. “I’ve got to leave for a bit.”
 

Evalle swung around to watch both of them. “Why?”
 

“Tzader texted me about coming into headquarters and asked if I’d bring Lanna. Quinn will meet us there.”
 

Lanna gave Evalle a smug look. “I told you Cousin was back.” Then she picked up the handle of an old rolling suitcase. “I am packed.”
 

Evalle eyed Storm. “I didn’t get a telepathic message, but Tzader texted
you
?”
 

He could see how that might not sit well with her. “Because he needs me to debrief everyone on the troll killer hunt.”
 

“I’ll go with you.” Evalle started toward the bedroom and Feenix’s wings flapped quickly. She stopped and patted him again.
 

Maybe getting out of the way would help her calm Feenix down, too.
 

Storm added, “Tzader said it wasn’t necessary for you to come out in daylight to make this meeting since I can catch you up on anything when I get back.”
 

“Did he
specifically
say not to bring me?”
 

“No, but he just doesn’t want to have you travel in daylight when you don’t have to.” Why was she being so edgy about this? He’d think she would be glad to avoid the sun and headquarters, which meant interacting with Sen.
 

Hell, Storm would just as soon pass on this meeting.
 

“Fine.”
 

He hated that word. It was the most dangerous word in the female language. “What’s wrong?”
 

She glared at him.
 

What had he said wrong?
 

Evalle glanced at Lanna, then back at Storm. He got it. They had an audience. There was nowhere for a private conversation unless he cast a spell to protect their words, which he didn’t have the time for right now even if Evalle looked receptive, which she didn’t.
 

He had a stop to make before he went to headquarters, and that stop had become even more important now.
 

He grabbed his keys off the counter, causing them to jangle.
 

Feenix lifted his head at the sound and looked from the keys to Storm’s face. Feenix hadn’t touched silver keys that had been left out in the kitchen, yet he’d gone for Storm’s belt in the bedroom.
 

Evalle cleared her throat and said, “Don’t forget the other diamond.”
 

Storm picked it up only because he didn’t know if it would bother her
more if he left it sitting there. He had never questioned his instincts around Evalle, but at the moment he was off balance and didn’t like it. “I’ll be back in time to pick you up and meet Adrianna.”