She and…
The man who owned the Charger stepped out of his car, and though it had been ten years since she’d last seen him, she recognized him immediately.
Gage.
The man she thought she’d spend the rest of her life with. The one person who knew what she was and accepted her with no questions asked.
The man who broke her heart. Shattered it into a million pieces she’d never been able to pick up.
He was the reason she’d cast this spell.
And yet as she watched him interact with Tom, his handsome features revealed to her in profile, she felt a warmth begin to spread through her that she hadn’t felt since the winter began. Her heart sped just slightly, and warmth eased outward, along her arms and into the tips of her fingers.
He was so tall now. He’d always been taller than most boys when they were growing up, but now he was a good foot taller than Tom, with broad shoulders and a sturdy, muscular build. A few snowflakes clung to his blond hair, and she noticed he’d finally been able to grow a beard. Or at least a respectable amount of scruff, as it covered his jaw, making her ache to feel it scratching underneath her fingertips.
He lifted his head up and seemed to sniff the air, the bear inside of him likely catching wind of something. Lily’s eyes widened when she realized just what that was. Gage was looking straight at her. She couldn’t see his expression—couldn’t tell what he felt—but she could see him staring at her through the breaks in the windshield wipers.
And something within her broke anew. The heat fled, snuffed out instantly by the frigid air, fighting against her heater. The wind picked up, throwing slush against her car, and Gage looked up at the thick, heavy clouds overhead, giving her a chance to slam on the gas.
The back of her car fish-tailed, but she managed to correct it with some effort. She drove like her life depended on it—and perhaps it very much did. She didn’t know what Gage was doing here. She didn’t know what was going through his mind or his heart when he saw her, and it was best to convince herself she didn’t care.
In fact, it was best to put as much distance between herself and Gage as possible, and as she vowed not to look back, she did just that.
Chapter 2
Lily.
When Gage first caught the scent, the winter wind whipping it toward him like a taunt, he thought his bear had just devolved into wishful thinking. The animal had been on high alert the second he got near Ridgely, practically salivating for a taste of her. Memories started to surface, floating up to the forefront of his consciousness.
But then he’d glanced up, somewhere knowing exactly where to look. The silver Buick that sat at a blinking yellow stoplight was one he’d never seen before, and in the middle of a raging snowstorm, it should have been nearly impossible to catch a good glimpse of the driver. But he had. Like he’d been sitting beside her, he’d seen her piercing green eyes, her long, fiery red hair, and her expression of complete surprise as she looked back at him.
Tom kept talking, but Gage wasn’t listening anymore. He used the bear’s senses to get closer to her, but all he could hear was the puttering of her exhaust.
The bear pushed him, trying to move his human body. He could feel the pinprick sensation of fur rippling across his arms, and he was thankful he wore long sleeves. Everyone in Ridgely knew what he was, by now, but not all humans were comfortable seeing a shifter going through his change.
The bear didn’t get what he wanted, though. Instead, Lily sped away, and the storm raged even fiercer than before. Sleet flew in from the sides, pelting his jacket, but he hardly noticed. His gaze was fixed on her retreating car as it was swallowed by a haze of white. It would be a miracle if his eyes were still their natural color.
“Gage? You okay, son?”
He could hardly hear the man. His bear let out a bellowing roar that rattled his insides, and when he turned to look at his old family friend, he was sure he looked more beast than man.
Drawing in a deep breath, he fought to get himself under control, eventually shoving the beast back down.
“Yeah, sorry. Bit of a blast from the past there.”
Tom looked toward where the silver Buick had gone. It was a car Gage recognized well. He’d spent a lot of time in the back seat of it, when things were a lot simpler. Unlike him, Lily had saved every penny she earned to be able to afford a car when she was sixteen. His friends had teased him about his girlfriend picking him up for their dates, but he hadn’t minded back then.
“She’s living up there now, you know. At least, I think she is. Susan saw her pack up about a month ago and head into the mountains. She’s only been back to town a couple times since.”
“She’s staying in the mountains? Where the storms are coming from?”
Tom nodded. “I don’t know how she even makes it down here. She must time it just right.”
Something inside of him tensed, squeezing tight as a sudden need to already be in his car, driving up the mountain filled him. If she was living up there, she was stuck right in the middle of it. Put in danger by whatever was causing it, even if that just happened to be the whims of Mother Nature herself.
And Gage couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t let her get hurt. Not again.
Realizing Tom was probably seeing him for the madman he was, he tried to put on his best sane face. “I think I’ve got everything I need to take a look up there. I’ll give you a call as soon as I find something.”
“Just be careful, Gage. I know you can probably stand this weather,” the man said, referring to the polar bear that dwelt inside of him, “but it’s been pretty unpredictable.”
“That’s because it hasn’t met me yet,” he said with his best celebrity grin. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back down here before it’s dark. You and I can catch up.”
Tom laughed, but the concern in the man’s eyes was evident. Gage squeezed his shoulder before leaving, his gaze falling on his car. His baby, so used to the California sun. Barely driven in anything more than a sprinkle. The fact that she was piled with snow that likely covered a few small dents should have bothered him, but all he could think was that he hoped she could handle the weather well enough for him to get to Lily in time.
As he followed the road that led out of Ridgely and toward Zephyr Mountain, he was thrust headlong into the storm. After visiting Ridgely long enough to leave a mark, it seemed like it had retreated, and Gage was quickly catching up with it. Even his amped up engine couldn’t compete, snow piling onto his windshield, making a complete joke of his tread, and causing him no end of frustration.
When the car lodged itself into a divet, making a loud whirring sound as he tried to push through it, he was forced to consider an alternative.
Tom was right about one thing. He was uniquely qualified to handle this weather, but he needed to prepare himself.
Popping the trunk, he pulled his hood up and went around back. His teeth chattered, his fingers burning with the severe cold as he tried to move quickly, shoving his equipment aside to get at the emergency bag kept near the spare. He dumped everything out of it except the flare, then shoved a spare change of clothes into it, along with an extra pair of boots, his phone and a hunting knife.
Tossing the bag out into the snow, he stripped quickly, throwing everything into the trunk. First his jacket, then his sweater and shirt, along with his pants, socks, and boots.
“Fuck,” he growled, the cold slicing against his bare skin.
He was going to regret this instantly, he knew, but he quickly stripped off his boxers, closed the trunk, and then let the bear overtake him before his human form succumbed to the elements. Massive paws sank into the snow, his hulking form sturdy against the howling, frigid winds, layers of thick fur keeping him warm. His nose raised to the air, his eyes adjusting to the blanket of white, and he ambled down the snow-covered road, following the path Lily had taken up the mountain.
* * *
Lily had driven up the mountain without any caution
whatsoever. It was a miracle she made it back to the lodge in one piece, but at least when she glanced in her rear view window, she didn’t see a sleek black Charger tearing up the road behind her.
Letting out a soft sigh, she bundled herself in her coat—as if it would help at all—and grabbed the spellbook that was still wrapped in the blanket, tucking it under her arm. Looking up at the lodge, she couldn’t help but resent it. It had been her sanctuary of sorts, yes, but it wasn’t her home. It wasn’t the place she belonged. The place her family had lived for generations. She’d been chased out of her realm home by her own magic, and now there was a chance she would die within the cold, mostly unfamiliar walls of the hunting lodge.
But not tonight. Tonight she would stubbornly cling to life and to hope. She would find a way to open the spellbook, and then all she had to do was cast the spell to reverse the damage she’d done.
It should be easy for a witch who’d been trained by a young age by her parents, both especially gifted magic users. And under normal circumstances, it would be. But these weren’t normal circumstances.
Making her way up the stairs, the moisture from the snow and ice bowing them in the center, she headed onto the porch and considered her next feat: Getting inside the lodge with minimal damage. She’d started to adjust to the cold, her body almost seeming to embrace it sometimes, but she knew she couldn’t survive the night if she was left out on the porch.
Unfortunately, the lock was frozen solid. Shards of ice blocked the keyhole, the tumbler was stiff and unwilling to turn, and the door was practically sealed shut because of it. She would have to use magic to get inside. Closing her eyes, she let out a steadying breath, feeling the steam as it tickled her face. She drew on that warmth, trying to pull it inside of her, channeling it to her fingertips as she put her hands near the lock. Magic spread through her like a warm ray of sun, reaching the very tips of her fingers and extending toward the lock. When her eyes opened, she saw the ice melting, water sliding down the surface of the wood.
But she couldn’t manage to keep the spell going. She stumbled, darkness sliding in from the edges of her vision. Bone deep exhaustion overtook her, and all she wanted to do was drag herself to bed and sleep for a week. Instead, she gripped the door handle to steady herself and yanked it open, dislodging the last remaining ice crystals.
When she shut it behind her, the wood was already sealing itself in place again, and Lily slumped against it, trying to catch her breath. Her heart sped momentarily, but only in effort to keep her upright. As soon as she seemed to get herself under even minimal control, it slowed again, the beat even fainter than before. Tears of frustration pricked the corners of her eyes, but she didn’t dare let them fall.
This whole thing was ridiculous. Casting the spell in the first place had been the mistake of a foolish girl, but running from the very cause of it? Running from a man who shouldn’t hold any power over her any longer? That seemed even more foolish.
But if she was being honest with herself, she wasn’t necessarily afraid of Gage hurting her. He’d done that well enough some ten years ago. No, she was afraid of what she might do to him. Her emotions were a jumble. Anger. Sadness. Longing. And every one of them seemed to manifest in an icy torrent. She could survive it because she’d somehow acclimated to it over the years, but Gage wouldn’t. Even in bear form.
Pushing herself away from the door, she turned to it and raised her hands, hoping she still had the energy to cast one last spell. Murmuring an incantation and hoping the words would ease some of the burden, she attempted to create a barrier that would keep Gage out.
But the magic sparked and fizzled, never reaching its target. Lily slumped over, robbed of her ability to stand on her own two feet. She barely managed to grab onto the couch, pulling herself around it and sitting down. She was panting, her chest heaving with exertion.
Without the barrier, she’d have to rely on the ice to keep him away. But when she heard the creak of the stairs on the porch, the wood giving way to a massive weight, she knew exactly who was outside.
The desperate call of a bear only confirmed it.
“Stay back!” She yelled, her voice hoarse.
She was answered by another call, and then a loud thud. Turning to look, she saw the door shake, ice crystals clinking to the floor, snow dusting the entryway. Wood cracked and splintered, and she gritted her teeth, wishing she could use her magic to zap him right in the ass.
“Don’t you dare break that door!”
Silence was her answer that time. Not the sound of a bear or the pounding of one throwing itself against her door. Just the howling wind that raged around the lodge. And then she heard a very human swear.
“I’m about to freeze my balls off out here, Lily.”
His voice was so familiar, such a comfort to some part of her that for a moment, she was lost in memory despite the crassness of his words. Her fingers dug into the arm of the couch and she considered her options. If she left him out there, he would freeze to death. Likely within a few minutes. But if she brought him inside, she was sure she could do much worse damage to him.
The handle jiggled, and he hissed and cursed again, obviously struck by just how cold it was. She let out a soft sigh, her conscience getting the best of her, and approached the door, using the last of her energy to melt the ice yet again.
Gage wasted no time, swinging the door wide and closing it tight behind him. Just as before, it practically fused to the frame. Lily’s balance teetered, her knees threatening to give out, but Gage was there in an instant, his strong arms engulfing her, holding her up.
For a moment she allowed herself to be weak. For a moment, she allowed someone else to take care of her. She drew strength from his warmth, both metaphorically and literally. It seemed to permeate her whole being, warming her skin and touching deeper within her, chasing away some of the chill.
“Jesus, Lil, you’re freezing.”
He rubbed her covered arms, trying to impart more warmth into her. She almost told him not to bother, but for the fact that it felt so good to be in his arms again; to be touched by him, even in so innocent a manner as this. That was, until she gained enough awareness to realize she was pressed against bare skin. He was stark naked.
“You have got to be kidding me,” she said, taking a generous step back from him.
She fixed her gaze on a speck on the wall, suddenly becoming very interested in it. For the first time in what seemed like years, the warmth of a blush suffused her cheeks. It was such a strange, foreign feeling now. Her entire world was cold; frozen. And yet here in Gage’s presence, she’d felt warmth.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she caught his lopsided grin.
“Don’t worry. I brought some clothes.”
She heard the rustle of cloth as he evidently rummaged through whatever he’d brought, and she idly wondered how he’d gotten clothes here. Had he just carried them in his mouth? The thought of a polar bear with a change of clothes held delicately in its giant maw almost made her laugh. Almost.
“All right, I’m decent. Still freezing my balls off, though. You ever think of cranking the heat in here?”
“Very funny,” she said flatly, finally returning her gaze to him.
It was dark in the lodge, the storm blocking out the sunlight. She hadn’t started a fire or lit a candle yet. She hadn’t even tried to turn on the lights, suspecting the power was already knocked out.
At least my electric bill won’t bankrupt me this month, she thought bitterly.
But even in the darkness, she could make out his features. Gage had always been handsome to her, but he’d grown into an exceptionally good-looking man. Hard lines made up the planes of his body and his face, including a strong jaw covered in blond scruff, chapped lips that still looked too enticing for her comfort, and beautiful pale blue eyes that were so very close to grey.
She wasn’t given much of a chance to study him, which was probably for the best. He walked through her icy fortress,
searching for something. She almost asked, then she saw him stop at the thermostat. She shot him an incredulous look as he tried to fiddle with the frozen buttons.
“Did you really follow me all the way up here just to check on my thermostat?”
Her treacherous heart was split in two with the thought. On one side, hope sprang up within her. Some girlish notion that he’d come back for her. That he’d come to tell her he’d made a mistake all those years ago. But on the other side, she was reminded of the fact that he hadn’t expended this much effort for her before; there was clearly a logical explanation.
Gage raked a hand through his damp hair, dislodging a few stray ice crystals. The tips of his fingers were losing color, she noticed, and she already wanted to chide him for coming up here.
“In case you hadn’t noticed, the town’s kinda frozen. I came up here to look into it.”
Something clicked in her mind, the pieces fitting together. Gage had developed quite the career for himself over the last five years or so. Ever since paranormals were exposed to the world. He was the Paranormal Problem-Solver now. The man who traveled the country, answering calls and charging a generous fee for his services.
He wasn’t here out of concern for her. He was here on a job. She was his problem to fix.
Just like that, the shred of hope she’d felt vanished, swept away into the icy abyss. Her fingers clenched, digging lightly into her arms. Her posture became rigid as if she, too, was frozen.
“So what is it? Vengeful spirit? This place was always kinda creepy.”
It was, but that was beside the point.
“I think it would be in your best interest to turn around and go back to town. I already have the problem well under control.”
“Oh yeah?” He looked around, his gaze falling upon seemingly every inch of the lodge’s common area. “Because it looks to me like you’re holed up in an igloo here.”
Shifters in the Snow Page 29
