Spark of Intent

by Harper Wylde

  “Look, I know the guys. They wouldn't resent you. You complete their lives. You bring them together more than anything else in the world ever has or ever could. It’s how matings are.”

  She reached out and squeezed my knee then, garnering my attention, and I looked up and met her bright brown eyes. “However, and I don’t say this to pressure you, but you should give it more time. You might surprise yourself one day and wake up realizing that you want to have little Hiros wandering around. Or little Damiens or Theos.”

  I smirked. “You forgot about little Ryders and little Killians.”

  Her grin turned into a full watt smile. “Pshhh. No, I didn’t. The world can’t handle any more Ryders or Killians.”

  I giggled. “Oh, come on. Cute little mischief makers? What’s not to love?” I teased. My brain conjured up images of tiny little horses and bunnies frolicking around a field, and I nearly snorted as I laughed harder. Tears pressed behind my eyes, and I had to wipe them away when I finally got myself under control. The release was just what I needed to relax. Clearing my throat, I apologized.

  “At least you’re laughing! You were as gloomy as a rain cloud a few minutes ago.”

  Sighing, I relaxed back into the couch. “About that, there’s more.” I picked at a fingernail, hating to delve into this topic. “The other day, Ahmya—” I didn’t even get to finish as Rini cut me off with more venom than I’d expected.

  “What the hell did that bitch do now?” Rini dropped her arms and her brown eyebrows pulled low, the tension in her posture only adding to the menacing look she wore. “No one messes with my friends and gets away with it. I’m so tired of her shit.” Her pink painted nails shifted into dangerous looking black claws before retracting.

  “Don’t worry. I can handle myself.” I reached out and touched her arm, soothing her bear.

  “Oh, I know you can. She just drives me crazy!” The growl of Rini’s sun bear was near the surface, the gravelly tone of it edging out the normal sing-song quality of her voice.

  “Trust me, I highly dislike her myself.”

  “Highly dislike?” The familiar laugh of my best friend was back. “It’s ok. You can say you hate her.” I knew she was teasing—kind of—but I felt that darkness swirling deep within me. My Phoenix squawked as the dark tendrils promised revenge. Revenge for everything. I tamped down on the feelings immediately.

  “I’m trying not to hate anyone.” It was a mere whisper, but Rini heard me anyway. Hell, I was pretty sure she could smell emotions on people with the heightened senses she received from her shifter side.

  Uncurling, she stood and held her hand out to me. “Come on. This talk requires chocolate. Any conversation we’re going to have that revolves around something Ahmya said needs a sugar intervention to counteract every bitter word she spewed.”

  I assessed her hand, and when I was sure she her fingers weren’t shifting into deadly claws again, I took it and let her pull me to my feet. Trudging after her, I went into the kitchen and let her ply me with chocolate.

  “You sure know the way to a girl’s heart,” I joked and pretended to swoon as I bit into a chocolate bar, the carmel on the inside melting against my tongue, making me hum my appreciation.

  Taking a seat at the kitchen table, Rini bit into her own treat. “Ok. Now you may talk.” She smirked and motioned toward the chair next to hers.

  Sitting down, I explained about how Ahmya had invited herself over with her father, and the resulting conversation that had commenced. I left nothing out, including the talk I’d had with Theo just this morning. “The council is going to keep us apart, and I’m not ok with that.” I tried to hold back the contempt for their leadership that had been growing inside me, but the look that Rini shot me told me I hadn’t succeeded very well.

  Holding my gaze, she replied, “Then don’t listen to them. Don’t give them power over your life.”

  I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “That easy, huh? They only rule our entire race.” I ground my teeth and pursed my lips while I ran a hand down my jean clad thighs one more time, unable to sit still. The anger inside me was building, and I could feel the resulting power growing in my muscles, shooting down my arms and heating my fingertips. The remainder of my chocolate started melting because of the building warmth, and I quickly popped it into my mouth and sucked the melted chocolate from my fingers. The desire to use my magic on something was rising, and I knew I needed to reign in my emotions before I set something on fire. Maybe I should go home and head out back for target practice once again.

  “The Council shouldn’t have any say over matings,” Rini grumbled, standing and puttering around the kitchen. Her back was turned to me but the tension in the room was thick and growing as we both skirted around the topic at hand… neither one of us outright saying our peace. I could tell that Rini had issues with the Council’s authority as well though, and knowing I wasn’t alone in my feelings actually helped me to feel better. Less alone. At least one person I knew was on my side. I exhaled loudly and ran a hand through my long black hair.

  “I agree with you. I don’t want to have to worry about their approval over my relationship with the guys. How is that even fair? What right do they have to tell me who I can and can’t mate with just because of what our creatures are. That’s such… bullshit.” I finished eloquently.

  “Matings are natural things. Nothing but pheromones and fate should have any say.”

  “Fate? You believe in that?”

  She looked longingly out the back window, staring into the trees beyond. “You have no idea.”

  I considered what she said, but it went against everything I’d been taught as a mythological shifter. Matings were about strategy and careful planning. Finding compatibility and furthering species that could become extinct. From a logical standpoint, I could understand what the Council was trying to do, but from an emotional one? My connection with the guys had nothing to do with science, and I didn’t particularly care if we made more phoenix or not. Maybe that sounded selfish, but the connection I felt with each of my five men went so much deeper than anything I could explain or logic away. They were a part of me. Family. The most important people in my world. I didn’t think our genetics mattered much to them either. I’d claimed them. They were mine, even if it wasn’t something we’d openly talked about lately. My Phoenix gave a resounding cry, agreeing wholeheartedly to my internal declaration.

  Rini and I worked side by side in companionable silence after that, tidying her kitchen and prepping dinner for her and her bears. She insisted that I didn’t need to help, but keeping busy helped me think. It was unlike Rini to be quiet for so long, but nothing felt forced or awkward, so I simply enjoyed the moment. After a while, she disappeared, coming back into the kitchen with a stack of books piled high in her arms. Dumping everything on the kitchen table, she started leafing through paperbacks, dog earing pages.

  Every time she folded a perfect triangle at the end of a page, I wanted to cringe and hand her something to use as a bookmark, but she seemed determined in her task, and I gave up looking for scraps to hand her. Instead, I washed and peeled an insanely large amount of potatoes. Rini’s bears could out eat even my guys—and they could eat a shit ton of food. I’d never seen more ravenous creatures. Once I’d tried to tease Barrett about stocking up for his winter hibernation, but he hadn’t appreciated my humor as much as Ryder had. Grinning to myself, I finished my task and washed up.

  Well into the afternoon, I knew it was time to head home. I had a stack of homework calling my name and my own dinner to prepare with Damien. Just the thought of him had my worry rushing back. He hadn’t exactly been forthcoming with his feelings, and I was trying to give him time and space, but I was worried about him. It wasn’t like him to shut down for so long. To shut us all out. To shut me out. Not since I’d known him, anyway. It was just another reminder that despite our deep feelings, we were still getting to know each other.

  I dried my hands and walked to the front
door with Rini. Steeling myself for the contact, I reached out and gave her a hug. “Thank you for today.”

  Letting out a weary sigh, she pulled back and said sheepishly, “I’m not sure how much help I really was. Sorry I got all introspective.” She gave me an easy smile—her trademark look.

  “It’s not like I was any better company.” I shrugged. It was the truth.

  “Oh, wait!” She rushed back to the kitchen and grabbed a large stack of books, balancing them precariously on top of one another as she carefully carried them to the front door. “Here.”

  “What in the world do you expect me to do with all of these?” My eyes widened at the number of small paperbacks she was trying to hand off.

  “Read the pages I marked for you, of course.”

  “Please tell me that you didn’t fold all those pages for me? That’s like, sacrilege on the poor books, Rini! Plus, I can’t start a book from the middle!”

  “Of course you can!” She foisted the books into my empty arms, and I could do nothing but scoop them up lest they clattered to the floor. “Less talk, more action, girl. Think of it like homework. I’m serious. Read the pages I marked, alright?” She seemed intent that I read them, so I finally gave in and nodded as she ushered me out the door while holding it open so that I could pass through.

  “Listen! I think we need to do something fun soon! Let me know when you’re free for a girls’ day out, alright?” She bounced on her toes, excited about the idea. I grinned around my stack of novels and agreed, enjoying having my enthusiastic friend back.

  I said goodbye and left Rini on the porch, picking my way carefully across the yard to Hiro’s side. I found him with his coat off, sleeves rolled up as he helped Barrett sand the rocker. It was a good look on him, and I simply took him in. Strong muscles bunched in his arms as they moved in rhythm over the wood. He looked relaxed, lost in his task as he was, and I simply breathed in his scent as it mixed with the wood dust.

  “Aren’t you cold?” I asked quietly so as not to disturb them.

  Looking up, Hiro looked surprised that he hadn’t noticed me standing there.

  “Not at all. The movement keeps me warm.” He gave me his signature gentle smile and put his tools away, saying goodby to Barrett. “Here, let me help you with those.” He held out his hands, taking most of the my stack of—I looked down to study the covers—romance novels? What the hell was Rini up to. I liked to read, but I’d totally admit I was more of a TV watcher. I loved movies and good TV series, but I’d make a concerted effort since these books seemed to be important to her. Suddenly, I was curious about what kind of content she flagged for me. My cheeks heated and I hurried to the truck, climbing in. I wanted to sneak a peak but didn’t dare with Hiro so close by. Not that he’d judge me if Rini had flagged naughty scenes. Somehow I knew that Hiro wouldn’t mind a little bit of literary smut. Hell, he wouldn’t mind a bit of literal smut either. My cheeks got even warmer as I realized I wouldn’t mind a little naughty time with Hiro either.

  As he climbed into the driver’s seat of the Hummer, he inhaled deeply and groaned. “You are killing me today.” His gaze heated as it slid over my body in a predatory way. “You have no idea what you do to me, do you?” He nearly groaned again as he turned the car on.

  I wasn’t sure how to answer, so I fiddled with the zipper on Ryder’s jacket. The material now smelled like a mix of our scents, and I breathed it in, enjoying the combination. I wondered if Hiro liked it too.

  He chuckled from the seat next to mine and put the car into gear. “Let’s go home.” I couldn’t agree more. I missed all of us together under one roof, and I longed for the feeling of family we’d had. As we drove down familiar roads, I sent a plea into the universe that everything would go back to normal soon, but then Damien flashed through my mind and something inside of me worried that nothing would ever be normal again.

  Five

  Damien

  I stared at the cookie ingredients I had spread out in front of me. I knew I had to talk to the guys and Nix soon; I couldn’t keep hiding from them. Hiding was all I wanted to do though. I had only gotten a glimpse into my father’s head, but that glimpse told me all I needed to know. He knew Michael, he was lying to me, and that meant I, in some convoluted way, was responsible for Nix’s predicament—for all the torture she had received. It’s not like cookies would help to soften the blow, nor would it help me in figuring out what I was doing about a family who was betraying me and the woman I was falling in love with. It was, however, something to keep my hands busy.

  I grumbled when the doorbell rang, wiping my hands on a rag as I cast out a mental wire, searching to see who had made their way through not only our wards but Theo’s alarms. Instead of thoughts I found—static? That was unusual. Okay, it was just flatout weird. I had never gotten static from anyone before. I widened my search strand, keeping my own shields tightly in place in case I was up against someone else who could search minds. I sent a whispered thought to Killian and Ryder, knowing they were on the property. I didn’t want to extend myself more, just in case.

  Guys, someone’s at the door. Mental static. Possible intruder.

  Focusing harder on the person on the doorstep, I pushed past the static and got—humming? Oh my God. This guy was actually singing “The Song that Never Ends” on a loop in the back of his head. What kind of idiot had that playing non-stop?!

  This guy’s mind is—odd. Approach with caution. Nix isn’t home so I’ll go ahead and open the door. Back me up.

  I opened the door to a tall, broad shouldered man with a dopey grin. His eyes were a bright green, crinkled at the corners as though he never stopped laughing, his hair a red so dark it was almost black. He looked to be a little younger than me. A lost student, perhaps? At his feet was a large, black bag and my Gargoyle hissed, my skin itching where his wings wanted to tear through at the potential danger.

  “May I help you?” I solidified my stance, breathing deeply to try and identify him. He smelled like—Kill?

  “Hi there! I’m Ciarán. Nice to meet you.” His grin widened even further as he stared at me.

  “Well, Ciarán, that doesn’t tell me much I’m afraid. What are you doing here?” My Gargoyle was still hissing at this odd man, despite his familiar smell. Crossing my arms over my chest, I made sure to block the doorway and stared the stranger down.

  “Aw, not so friendly, huh? You’re supposed to give your name when someone gives theirs! That’s okay, Americans, I get it.” He bobbed his head at me, still grinning from ear to ear, apparently waiting for me to answer before he’d continue. His words had a Scottish lilt to them, but it was clear he was plenty Americanized.

  “Damien.” The word was terse, made gravely by my Gargoyle’s irritation.

  “Ah, the Gargoyle. Should’ve known, guarding his home and all that.” My Gargoyle roared, irked by this stranger who apparently knew me.

  “If you know I’m a Gargoyle, you know better than to trespass on my property.” That stupid song was now on maximum volume in the guy’s head, so searching his thoughts was nearly impossible. All I got was the song or static, neither of which were helping my mood.

  “Trespass? This is just a friendly visit since I was in the neighborhood! Why, I even brought presents!” Moving with lightning speed, I whipped the bag from his feet, booting it to the side to prevent him from reaching for any weapons it might have hidden. “Hey! Well, that’s not very nice. Not my fault if you smashed the cookies. You’re supposed to carry a guest’s luggage, not kick it, you know.” He flashed that annoying grin in my direction. I was ready to punch this guy.

  “What are you doing at my home?!” My voice was more Gargoyle than human at this point, a gravely roar as I spit the words at him. His smile simply widened, his posture still relaxed though he seemed to be able to tell I was contemplating violence.

  “Told ye, didn’t I? I’m here for a visit!”

  “I don’t know you, so how could you be here for a visit?”

/>   “Ciarán?” The incredulous word came from the trees edging the house, and I stopped myself from leaping onto our “visitor” and pummeling an actual answer from him. Instead, I faced Killian.

  “You know this lunatic?” My Gargoyle remained present but backed off slightly. If Kill was close, Ryder should be too. I wouldn’t be guarding my home alone.

  “He’s my little brother.” The words were reluctant as Kill faced off with the tall man on our porch. Huh, probably should have guessed that from the the looks and smell, I realized. I rubbed frantically at my temples as the song the idiot was broadcasting switched over to “We Are Family.”

  “Brother dearest!” Ciarán flung himself down the steps toward a fuming Kill who attempted to move out of his way and was just slightly too slow. Ciarán hung on him, rubbing his face against his neck and chest like a puppy. Killian’s face was growing redder as he tried to pull his brother off of him, with no success, as Ciarán clung to him like a vine. Despite the pounding of my head and my wariness, I couldn’t resist the smile tilting my lips up.

  “Get the fuck off of me, you loon!” Kill pushed harder at his brother who simply evaded him, flowing like water around the pushing hands and continuing to nuzzle his brother.

  “I’ve missed you, brother dearest! I’ll need to send you more pictures. Shame on your friend for not recognizing me after all the ones I’ve sent and all the stories you’ve told of me.”

  “When you said you had a little brother this wasn’t exactly what I pictured, bunny boy.” Ryder stepped from the trees, humor evident on his face as he studied the two.

  “Bunny boy! Oh, what a nickname! Do you think they would call me horse boy if I asked?” Ciarán finally released Killian from his hug only to scoop up Ryder next, continuing his enthusiastic greeting. “Hello, friend of my brother. Who might you be?” Ryder’s mouth was open in astonishment at the stranger currently rubbing against him like a cat.