by Gina LaManna
Ranger X’s hand tightened further, his eyes darkened. “Why would I have set Zin on you?”
“Because I was away on the mainland, and apparently you believe I can’t take care of myself.”
“Do you believe for one second...” Ranger X pulled me distractingly close to him, “that I think that?”
My eyes flashed. I hadn’t wanted to pick this fight, but it irked me even more that he was playing dumb. “I hadn’t realized it until the alley.”
“What happened in the alley?”
“Zin didn’t report back on my movements, yet?” I bit back the sarcasm as the fire crackled and the table filled with celebratory drinks and eats loomed before us. “Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be talking about this now, but it stung a little.”
Ranger X’s eyes gleamed. Dark, glittering piles of onyx off which the fire danced with danger. “Zin told you all of this?”
“No.” My eyes pooled with tears. I wasn’t only ruining my night with X, I was ruining everything. I’d ruined Zin’s night—or I was about to if X believed Zin had squealed to me. “She didn’t say a thing, I swear. I guessed it.”
“You guessed wrong.”
“I wish you’d just let me figure things out by myself.”
“I didn’t stick a tail on you, nor did I instruct Zin anywhere near the mainland. If she’s there, it’s on her own time or as part of a mission.”
“I just assumed... are you saying that this secret mission of hers has nothing to do with me?”
Ranger X squinted. “You’re a grown woman, Lily. I love you. I want to protect you more than I want to breathe. But I didn’t put Zin on your trail. I didn’t think I needed to. I thought Ainsley and Frank would be enough.”
“I looked into my mother’s murderers,” I said. “I know I should’ve told you, warned you, but I knew you’d tell me not to do it.”
“And why would I have told you not to pursue it?”
“Because it was dangerous and stupid and didn’t lead me to anything I didn’t already know.”
“And Zin was there...why?”
“I thought you’d sent her.”
“I didn’t.”
“Then, I guess she wasn’t lying. She said she was there on a confidential mission. I just assumed...”
“You assumed her last mission was my sticking her on you like glue.”
“Basically.” I shrugged, feeling stupid and self-centered. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I jumped to conclusions.”
“I’ve considered assigning you a security detail before.” Ranger X crossed his arms over his chest and surveyed me. “In fact, I did during the Trials because the circumstances were extreme. However, I told you about it. I don’t go out of my way to hide things from you, Lily.”
“Zin was being so evasive about it. Plus, she was there in the alley at the exact right time, so I just figured that was too much of a coincidence. It’s weird, isn’t it?”
“Very strange.” He frowned. “What happened in the alley?”
I hesitated. “I’m not sure you’d actually care to know...”
He offered me a grim smile. “I think you’ve gone too far to backtrack, Miss Locke. Take a seat.”
There wasn’t exactly an alternative to his suggestion, so I sat heavily on the bench. Ranger X came around next to me, too stiff for light-hearted conversation. When his warmth leaned against me as he sat, I pressed into it, closed my eyes, and recounted the full story.
I included bits and pieces of the chase with the blond mystery man from the police station, the Forgotten Ferns from Ainsley’s father, as well as his insights into the Master of Magic. I produced the books from the library onto a nearby chair with a heavy oomph as some sort of corroboration of my facts.
I finished the story with my visit to Miss Hubick and Sammy, along with Zin’s valiant effort to save my life in the alley. “I owe her an apology,” I concluded, feeling glum. “Poor Zin.”
To my surprise, Ranger X threw his head back and laughed. He roared with laughter for so long that tears leaked from his eyes when he stopped.
“What’s so funny?” I asked, frustrated at his response. “I was rude to her, and immature, and I’m sorry. To you, too.”
Ranger X shook his head. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m sure Zin’s on top of the world.”
“But—”
“She’s been itching for a mission. Almost hankering for a fight. After you got into it with those...” he searched for a word to describe Car, Binky and the rest of the gang, and failed. “Those humans,” he spat, “how’d she seem?”
“Ecstatic,” I admitted. “She didn’t seriously hurt anyone, and she was very responsible,” I added quickly. “But she seemed on a sort of high.”
“Zin was just doing her job.” Ranger X winked. “I only work with the best, and Zin will have been elated she had the chance to use her skills.”
“If you only work with the best, then how’d you end up with me?” I asked. “I have been ruining everything lately.”
Ranger X took my chin between his hands and raised my face until I met his gaze. “Why won’t you believe you’re perfect?”
“Because I’m not!” I pulled back from him and threw my arms to my sides. “Why aren’t you lecturing me? Why aren’t you mad at me?”
“I trust you. Do I wish you’d told me what you were up to? Yes. Would I have asked you not to do it? Probably.” Ranger X let out a shuddering breath. “But I don’t control you. You make your own choices, Lily. If I had it my way, you’d choose to marry me, but you haven’t done that yet, either.”
I froze, solid.
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I shouldn’t have said that. I know you have reasons for wanting to wait, and I respect them.”
“I’m going to shower,” I said. “I think I’ve ruined enough for today.”
“Lily...”
I left, climbed the stairs and went straight into the bathroom. I let my clothes fall from my body onto the floor as I cranked up the water to the hottest it could possibly go. Even the scorch of the heat wasn’t pain enough to dull my senses as I stepped under the flow of boiling water.
I halfway suspected Ranger X to climb up after me, to wash away my tears with a few words, but he didn’t come. I worried then, worried I’d pushed him too far. Worried he’d given up on me. Worried that I’d reached the limits of his seemingly infinite patience.
I savored the shower, then dressed in a satin nightshirt and tugged a robe on over it. I made my way gingerly downstairs, half expecting the room to be empty.
It wasn’t.
Ranger X sat very still, staring deeply into the fire, a nearly untouched glass of wine still in hand. The image moved my heart. It shook me, rocked me, broke me.
I needed the man before me more than anything in the world, and the stresses of everything else had dulled that reminder until I could barely hear it.
I could never let that happen again.
I moved toward him, a few soft steps at first until the last few broke into a jog, thumping lightly across the floor. When he saw me coming, he set down his glass of wine and opened his arms. By the time I reached him, my arms clasped around his neck and he looked into my eyes with surprise. He reacted with the strength of a lion and the ease of a gazelle as he swung me into his lap.
I straddled him in my nightgown, my robe parting open to reveal the still-warm skin of my chest from the shower. While I probably looked ragged and worn, he looked absolutely dashing. Wearing a suit of the finest material—not his work suit, I noticed, but a special one just for tonight—he positively gleamed with perfection. With beauty and loyalty and all of the incredible qualities I could ever hope for in a mate.
“I love you,” I said, and it came out a sob. “I love you so much, Cannon.”
He opened his arms wide as I sunk into them, and he tilted his head so I could nuzzle against his neck. The smell of him was mine, the taste of his skin as I pressed my lips against his cheek wa
s mine. All mine.
He was mine.
“Sweet Lily.” He raised a hand, pushed my hair back. His eyes, dark and dangerous and sharp, swirled hot with concern. “What’s wrong?”
I sniffed, but my heart was pounding too hard, and my lungs were struggling to pull in air. My hands shook as I grasped his neck, twined my fingers through his hair, and held him steady.
“Lily?” He looked alarmed. “What’s wrong? You’re trembling, sweetheart. What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing.”
He pulled me closer to him so that every inch of me ran along every inch of him. His body was hard—his chest, his abs, his thighs. His touch was soft but ferocious, lighting my skin on fire.
“Talk to me,” he murmured. “Dammit, I love you. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“It’s just...” I hesitated, gulped.
He cinched me tighter, ran his fingers through my hair.
“If you’re not sick of me yet,” I said on a hiccup, then paused. “I’d really like to marry you.”
Chapter 17
THE NEXT MORNING BROUGHT happy sunlight through the windows. I laid with my fiancé, a new and foreign term on my tongue, as we rested with carefree abandon. I watched Ranger X sleep for a few minutes, hoisting myself onto my elbow to watch him with a bright smile.
He’d never slept in so late—not since I’d known him. He’d also never slept so closely against me. Normally, we’d fall asleep cuddled together, foreheads touching, and then roll to our respective sides as slumber settled over us.
Last night, we’d slept curled together, intertwined as one. Waking to kiss, to caress, to hold one another. To simply look into the other’s eyes and smile, to wonder how we’d gotten so lucky. To merely be awake—because to go to sleep meant that we’d be apart, and the thought was unbearable.
I scooted back down, my arm over X’s bare chest as he began the gentle process of easing into consciousness. A yawn, a groan, an arm thrown across my chest. I laughed softly, pushing the arm back where it belonged; it was simply too heavy. Like having a tree trunk land across my torso.
“Good morning,” I told him, dotting a necklace of kisses below his chin. “How’d you sleep?”
“Sleep?” He crooked an eyebrow, his voice raspy. “Did we sleep at all?”
Another giggle. “Sorry,” I said, clasping a hand over my mouth. “I don’t know why I keep laughing. Something’s wrong with me.”
“I know,” he said with a mock gasp. “It’s almost as if you’re happy.”
“Happy?” I feigned uncertainty. “I don’t know, maybe, I suppose. I guess.”
He grinned. “If you’re not happy yet, I can think of a few ways to improve your mood.”
I laughed, squirming underneath him as he gained energy and pulled me to him. He nuzzled against my neck with touches that sent shivers throughout my body. When he began rubbing my shoulders, I sighed. “Okay, yeah. You can do that. That feels nice.”
He flipped me over as if I were nothing but an omelet that needed turning and began the tedious work of rubbing out the tension in my shoulders. There weren’t many spots he’d missed after last night, but...
Ranger X cursed, breaking the mood.
“What’s wrong?” I tensed as his fingers stopped moving. “Did I say something?”
Moments later, I heard it. The opening of the bungalow door downstairs.
“I locked it,” X said. “It must be Gus.”
“I thought you told him to stay away until noon.”
“I did. Does Gus listen to me?”
I shook my head. “He doesn’t listen to anyone, if that makes you feel better.”
X barked a laugh. “I hate to admit it, but I should be going, anyway. I have to report to HQ before noon.”
I crawled into a sitting position on the bed, pouting as the thin strap of my nightgown slipped down my shoulder. “How can the world go on normally when we have so much to celebrate? Can’t we take a break from all the business to just enjoy this moment together?!”
“Life’s unfair, isn’t it?”
Disappointingly, X slipped a black t-shirt over his thick bare chest, letting it settle over his waist and looking like an underwear model as he stepped into a pair of dark jeans.
“It is so unfair,” I said, still pouting. “We didn’t even get to talk much since I got back from the mainland.”
Ranger X’s glance was loaded. “I don’t know about that. I said all that I needed to, and you, well—” he gave me a dark grin—“had a few words of your own.”
“Cannon!” I blushed. “How dare you!”
I leapt for him, but he nimbly caught my arm and twined it around his back, placing it firmly behind him. I inched it down until I could squeeze his butt. Then, I squeezed it again.
He gave mine a pat back before pulling me into a more serious embrace. He lingered, sensual, as his kiss danced over my lips. “Aren’t husbands supposed to tease their wives just a little?” His breath, fresh somehow, and minty, smelled delicious. “I’m just practicing, sweetheart.”
I couldn’t think of anything smart to say, so I poked my head forward and devoured his mouth in a kiss. Which turned out to be better than any witty retort because it ended up in a return groan from him, and then a topple of limbs and bodies as we collapsed back into bed.
“I hope you’re decent!” Hettie yelled from downstairs. “I broke in because nobody answered my knock. Lily, you there?”
Ranger X and I froze, still entwined. “Your grandmother breaks into your house?”
“Not regularly,” I said with an apology. “She must need something.”
“Well, I need something too.” His eyes hungered as he held me pinned to the mattress. “Can I see you again tonight?”
I flew to a sitting position. “Hold on a second.”
“Lily, what’s wrong? Why do you look terrified?”
“X, I didn’t stop to think last night! Where are we going to live? I have the bungalow, you have your hut. Are we going to have kids? What about a wedding? Do you people invite families? Would your family come? Are witches allowed to elope? What does a paranormal wedding look like? I don’t know anything!”
Ranger X hesitated. “You people? You do know you’re one of us, right?”
“I just mean...I know what human weddings look like. What about paranormal weddings?”
Ranger X backed away, the mood apparently broken now that we’d reached logistics talk. “My job was to ask for your hand in marriage. I believe it’s your mo—er, grandmother’s job to help plan the rest.”
The word hung there like an icicle. Mother. Eventually, I shook it off and forced a smile. “Just wait until Poppy and Mimsey and Hettie hear. They’ll be overjoyed.”
Ranger X winced.
“About that,” I said. “What do you think about waiting a few days to tell people? I don’t want to steal Zin’s thunder as she’s announced Ranger, and with all this business about the Master of Magic...”
“Let’s wait until the weekend,” X said. “Zin will be a Ranger by then. Everything else will be sorted. And if it’s not sorted, it can be put on hold.”
I sealed our agreement with a kiss. “Thanks for understanding.”
He returned it, then glanced longingly at the window as if he’d prefer to climb down the wall rather than face my grandmother.
“Hettie’s not so bad,” I said, bunching a robe around me as I tottered toward my closet. I stepped inside, grabbed some clothes, and eased the door shut again before I changed. “Come on, she must need something.”
“There’s my granddaughter!” Hettie opened her arms as I appeared on the bottom stair a few minutes later. “The happy couple, I should say. The very happy couple, judging by the look on X’s face.”
Hettie’s gaze swept over the half empty glasses of wine on the table, the overturned blanket near the fire that looked too unkempt to be innocent. She landed on our faces, studied them for a minute, then decided to stay silent with further c
ommentary.
“Well,” I said to X, awkwardly clearing my throat. “I’ll see you tonight then. Oh, by the way, did you learn anything about the Soul Suck from the press conference?”
“You two didn’t have enough time to talk about that yesterday?” Hettie asked, straining for innocence with her raised eyebrows. “Y’all must’ve been busy.”
I turned red. Ranger X turned pale.
“We did find something peculiar,” he said. “Oddly enough, the spell had traces of a foreign substance on it. Completely foreign.”
“What do you mean foreign?” I asked. “And how does a spell have traces of things on it?”
“All spells leave some sort of a tiny trace. Usually, they’re pretty standard, and we don’t put a lot of time into analyzing them. This time, not so much. We found elements of a regular Soul Suck, but there are signs it wasn’t conjured by a witch or wizard.” Ranger X paused. “We’re no longer looking for who launched the spell, but what.”
“Who else can perform magic?” I asked. “Outside of witches and wizards.”
“All paranormal creatures have some level of magic in their veins—that’s what makes them paranormal.”
“Right, but—”
“But this was completely unfamiliar to the normal patterns—I’m sorry, I don’t know more yet. I’m headed to look deeper into it now, and I’ll let you ladies know if I find anything further.”
“What’s this?” Hettie ignored X, sliding a piece of paper on the table toward her. “Oh! The Sixth Borough. Who’s going to the Sixth Borough? I really need some Gerbil Geraniums, and they have the best bargain shopping in their marketplace.” Hettie raised a hand and whispered to me. “They’re supposed to bring good luck to any who plant them. That, and Tiger likes to eat them. They’re flowers that taste like rodents. Weird, huh?”
“Very weird,” I said. “What’s the Sixth Borough?”
“The address.” Hettie held it up. “Surely you’ve heard of it—it’s the largest hidden magical city in the world! Next to The Isle, of course. But the Sixth Borough is denser, more highly populated. New Yorkers, you know how they are, my little formerly human granddaughter.”
