Chapter Thirty-One

Iris

"So, Orion kept tabs on Sierra, Laia, and Reagan," Luke said, pinching the bridge of his nose and staring out at the winter afternoon. "As well as on Winfyre and other inhabitants."

“To say the least,” Deena grumbled, rumpling up her hair and resting her chin on her palm. As always, she was half-awake and nodding over a cup of coffee. “Beylore and Iris can get into the gory details, but he had a nasty rap sheet on us. Not so much the Coven, and not Beylore, but still. That would have come with time if he hadn’t been swallowed by an Excris.”

“I hope that’s what happened,” Reagan murmured. She was sitting on the window seat next to Luke, cuddling Caleb to her chest, and she reached over and took his hand. He looked down and then up at her, something unspoken passing between them.

I flexed my own hand, looking down at the scar across my palm and aware of Kal’s presence as though it were an extension of my own. Two seats down, he lounged back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. Laia was sitting between us. Luna had been, too, but then she’d clambered onto his lap and was now drawing with impressive vigor.

It had been two days since I’d woken up in my bed with my hand dripping blood between two of Kal’s. Two days since he'd looked at me with an intensity that made me shiver when I remembered it, a way of making the world and the roomful of excited people fall away. Two days since he’d kissed my hand and set my soul on fire.

I ran idle fingers over the smooth skin of my knuckles and tried not to make a face.

Also, two days since Kal and I had had a moment to ourselves or caught each other’s eye. Although I had an unconfirmed suspicion he was keeping an eye on me at all times, day and night.

The faceoff with the Unseen had left Winfyre rattled. Not only was it the first breach in years, but it was also the first to ever go undetected by Xander, the other Alphas, or the patrols of Winfyre. It seemed Xander’s lack of knowing was what truly shook the people gathered in this room: Beylore and a handful of Coven Riftborn, the pack and their mates, and a small, intent woman named Yana.

The latter had been delighted to meet me, giving me a sly smile when we met, looking me over, then beckoning me closer to whisper, “Your hips can handle him, dear.”

Cheeks going fire-red at the memory, I brought my attention back to the room. We had no way of confirming whether Xander’s saying of the words to reveal the Unseen extended to his sense of the wards being crossed by foes or keeping them out. Everything was a mess.

Part of me felt hellishly guilty and responsible, but another part was calm and determined. Everyone, it seemed, had thanked me for figuring out those words and facing down the Unseen. Luke and Tristan were of the mind that they’d been sneaking in for years, gathering up loose bits of information and bringing them back to Orion.

But there was no way to tell, and Xander wasn’t so sure. He thought if the Unseen were truly that powerful, then Winfyre wouldn’t have made it this far. No, he was convinced there was a different purpose with regard to those creatures. Something that had to do with me.

Or perhaps their friend, Brody Sampson.

The day after the Unseen incident, since I was back on my feet, I got back to work. Kal had grumbled about it but humored me, while Beylore and her Riftborn chipped in.

When I found that name, it had struck a chord. Instead of saying it out loud, I’d managed to get Kal and Xander alone before telling them about it. Their faces confirmed my fears. Brody was their friend, and they knew of Orion’s obsession to learn about how he’d died.

Now there was a tacit agreement not to mention it, but it hovered in the air and put a pall over everyone. We were almost done with the bulk of the translations; thanks to the team effort, we’d put together a grim picture of Orion’s ideas for shifters. He had not been idle with his time while he’d worked for the Stasis Bureau. Or when he’d led the Bloodfang.

However, we’d come across Orion’s ideas for unleashing the “Bloodlust,” a lengthy process, it seemed, which was both a blessing and a curse. But now the Coven could get to work on unraveling it, something they’d been struggling with for weeks.

Today was a wrap-up of everything we’d learned, and next steps. Xander wanted me to finish the translations, go over the book again, and rest. Kal would assist me. Meanwhile, Luke and Rett were going to train and deal with the shifters regarding the Unseen, making sure they were prepared. Sierra and Tristan were going to contact some old friends to see if they’d heard any rumors. Reagan and Laia were going to quash any that might crop up in town.

After another round of discussion, Eliot, who had been napping on Tristan’s shoulder, woke up and proclaimed he was hungry. Laughing, everyone got up and left the study for the kitchen, with Luke and Rett offering to make sandwiches.

I lingered, walking around the table to Orion’s book and flipping through the familiar pages. When I came to the page that had almost meant my death, I stopped and read it over.

Oddly, it didn’t bring up any strong emotions.

Ever since that incident, I’d been calmer. My memories of that day were fragmented and painful, but I was still here. I’d survived an assault of some of the most dangerous Excris, almost drowning in my own fears. They weren’t gone, but they didn’t control me. I knew that if there was a next time, I would be ready. And better yet, I had Kal, sure and steady, a warm presence at my side.

Now I wanted to make sure it didn’t happen to anyone else.

“You’d never know you were laid low only a few days ago,” Kal said.

I smiled to myself before I looked up. He’d stayed behind, now across the table from where I was standing. As cool and casual as he might act, I knew I’d landed a stubborn shadow of a bodyguard. Last night, I’d almost stepped on him in the hallway when I’d gotten up to use the bathroom.

No matter what I said or how patiently I explained that there was zero likelihood of those Unseen coming back, especially now that they’d lost the element of surprise and we knew they couldn’t cross into dwellings—or that they’d probably used a lot of power to get into Winfyre undetected and were being scoured for across the countryside—Kal would give me a patient and gentle smile I both loved and hated, and continue on as he had.

“What’s that face?” he asked in a husky voice, tipping his chair back and folding his arms behind his head. The muscles of his chest expanded and contracted slowly under his plain gray shirt. Yet my skin was tingling at the understated sexiness. It kept catching me off guard and spinning me into oblivion. I almost wanted him to ignore me again. “Gonna tell me how to do my job again, honeycomb?”

I bit my cheek. That damn nickname. That damn voice. That damn physique.

“What is your job? Hovering?” I asked before I could stop myself.

Kal and I hadn’t had a minute alone like this, and yet he’d been in the corner of my eye for days. Something was different in the air between us. It was driving me crazy. And I couldn’t say for sure, but I thought Kal noticed it, too, but had no intention of saying a word.

Instead, he’d simply suppress a smile with a glint in his eye. Like now.

“You.” His eyes closed. “You’re a lot more work than I anticipated.”

I huffed out a breath. “I could say the same to you.”

This time, Kal did smile and lowered the chair legs. Then his gray eyes opened. He slowly stood, and I straightened, staring him down as he rested his hands on the table and leaned towards me. We stared at each other for several moments, neither willing to break first. Cool tingles broke out along my skin, and I finally raised my eyebrows.

“Mmh.” Kal’s smile was getting under my skin. Then he had the gall to turn around and walk away, without saying a word. I threw up my hands and stuck out my tongue at his retreating back. He glanced over his shoulder, and I froze, pulling my tongue back in. “I’ll just be in the other room.”

It took considerable self-restraint not to throw a book at his head.

 

The next few days passed in a blur of work and running around. Eventually, it was just Kal and me in the house, although both of us were so busy, we had scant time to talk. If Kal wasn't there, though, someone else always was. Including a nice day spent with his mother, sisters, and stepfather. Kal even came home that night, and we all had dinner together. Then another day with his Nan and Corinna. It was getting harder and harder not to wish that Kal and I…

I cut those thoughts off. Kal was a good, cherished friend who’d saved my life countless times. I can’t ask for more.

Finally, one afternoon, I was on the final page of Orion's book, flipping it back and forth between my fingers. There was still a lot of checking to do, but it was still a relief to get to this point.

Getting up, I stretched and went to the window. Snow had fallen overnight, but most of it was melted now in the bright sunshine. Kal said it would be another few weeks before it would stick, then keep sticking and get deeper.

It hit me that I needed to wrap this up and travel south before traveling was next to impossible. While I was sure Winfyre would let me use the Hopper, I still had no desire to. No, I needed to wrap everything up and probably try to leave within the next two weeks.

I should tell Kal, I thought and twisted my hands together. Going into the living room, I found him half-awake on the couch, eyes closed and a book on his chest. His hair was tousled, and I had the sudden urge to curl up on top of him, run my fingers through his hair, and—

Whoa. Easy now.

Walking to the back of the couch seemed like a safer bet. I rested my elbows on it and bent over him a little, forcing myself to smile. Kal cracked an eye open and sighed.

“What fresh hell have you cooked up for me today, Iris Lisay?”

“What—I-I haven’t!” I exclaimed. “It’s the exact opposite. Why do you keep thinking I’m doing those kinds of things?” I could never quite tell if he was teasing when he asked me questions like that. Kal said nothing. “So, guess what?”

“No.”

With an irritated sigh, I went to straighten up, but Kal’s hand landed on my folded arms. With one hand, he easily spanned both forearms and pinned them to the back of the couch. Gray eyes glinted, and he grinned, nodding at me to go on before he’d let me go.

“I’m almost done,” I said, trying to wriggle free. “Last page.” He sat up, nodding and looking impressed. “Probably be out of here within a week or so.”

The grip on my arms went tight, then relaxed, and I stood up, drumming my fingers on the back of the couch as Kal stood, one knee resting on the couch and his hands on either side of mine.

“Out of where?” he rumbled.

“Back to Nordrem,” I said, and Kal let out a bark of laughter. “Listen, I appreciate—”

“No,” he interrupted, and I blew out a breath, counting to ten. “Hell, no. You’re not going back to Nordrem or the Greyclaw.” He gave an impatient shake of his head and pushed away from the couch, standing and stretching. Damn him for being so tall. “What are you thinking? You’re staying here, with me, where it’s safe.”

“I know Winfyre is a better—wait, did you, what—” I was tripping over my own tongue. “Stay with you?” Kal nodded and let his arms fall to his sides, cocking his head at me. There was a gleam in his eyes like he dared me to fight him on this. A hysterical urge to laugh was rising instead. “In this house—like what, roommates?”

“Sure.”

“Kal, no. If I stay in Winfyre, I’ll go…” I started to say and trailed off as Kal looked away, trying to hide a smile. “What the hell—what did you do?” He shrugged and strolled into the kitchen. “Kallen Deacon, I am not staying here. I should live somewhere else.”

“You already live here,” he called back.

I followed him, breathing hard and not sure why I was so infuriated. Maybe it was this nonchalant, dominant side that I couldn’t seem to win against. Or maybe it was because deep down, this was what I wanted, and Kal knew it, so he thought it amusing that I was pretending not to.

Kal was pulling out a bowl of food, and I snatched it from him, holding it behind my back. “I need to eat,” he said. “You should know I eat kind of a lot. Don’t worry, roomie, there’s plenty for the both of us.” I dropped the container onto the counter and grabbed his wrists. One eyebrow rose. “Not to point out the obvious here, but we’re a bit outmatched, blondie.”

“You’re up to something,” I said. “Why do you think I’m living here?”

“Because you are,” Kal said. He was distractingly warm and smelled good, better than usual, in fact, with a spice under his winter scent. “Are you smelling me?”

“No,” I said and shoved his hands away. “Kal, you have no say in this. I do.”

“What do you need?” he asked and put his hands on my shoulders. “I told you that you could ask for anything. You never did.” I felt my mouth bunch up. “You like it here. The quiet, the books, your study, and whatever else you want.” One big hand went to his chest. “I’m just a fringe benefit.”

Dammit. I knew under that ice, Kal would end up being too disarming and devious for his own good. I didn’t realize he’d also have an infuriating and endearing bossy side. Part of which I knew was called for since I’d almost been killed by Excris a week ago.

But right now, I hated being right. I also hated that I loved it. And that I was enjoying myself, the fire in my belly and the way Kal’s thumb rested on my collarbone.

“So?” Kal prompted. “Is there something you needed?”

You know I won’t ask, I yelled in my head, and Kal all but dimpled. Batting his hands away, I growled, “Alpha or not, you can’t dictate where I live.”

“Actually,” Kal said meditatively, “that’s one of the few things I do make a call on.”

“You can’t,” I said.

“Watch me,” Kal said and tapped me under my chin. “Want lunch?”

The next day, I found three giant chests in my room, all neatly packed with everything I’d owned from the Greyclaw. As I was going through them, fingers drifting over the fragments of my life that I’d managed to hold onto, Kal had come to the door and leaned against the frame.

“You’re unbelievable,” I told him.

“And you’re welcome, honeycomb,” he replied.