Branded by Frost

by Aliyah Burke

  She whimpered and pushed back to meet his thrusts. Aminta dropped her upper body to rest upon the mattress. Dex’s large hand sprawled along the small of her back, holding her in place as he worked his thick cock inside her. Their wet skin slid against one another as the cool air had her nipples tightening even further.

  “Shit,” she wailed, digging her fingers into the comforter beneath her. She undulated her hips in time with his motion. Together, they found and rode out the age-old ritual, more intimate than anything else in the world.

  He slipped his other hand around to flick the bundle of nerves between her legs. She trembled as pleasure poured free, coating her yet again.

  “Once more,” he said, manipulating her clit further.

  “Dex,” she gasped.

  “Come on my cock, Frost. Once more. I want to feel you gripping me with this tight pussy. Once more and I’ll give you what you want.” He pulled back until all that remained inside her was the large head of his shaft.

  “More,” she begged in her rasped voice. “More.”

  “Yes, more. Just come for me once again.”

  He kissed her spine then dragged his tongue along it. She mewled and thrust back, desperate to take in all she could of his thickness. He obliged her, slipping it back into her core, filling her completely.

  Back again, a hesitation, then he plowed forward without warning. The force of the thrust jolted her forward on the bed. A cry of pleasure escaped her as she came, body exhausted, she still rose to meet his increasing speed. He pistoned into her, unrelenting, shooting her back up the mountain to the precipice where he didn’t even make her wait, just launched her over.

  Her pussy milked him as he came deep inside her. Exhausted, she allowed herself to collapse fully on the bed. A contented purr left her when his larger, warmer body covered hers.

  “I think days should always begin like that,” she muttered.

  “I don’t know how much energy I would have to do any rescuing if you drained me like this every time.” He kissed behind her ear, withdrew then got them under the covers.

  She was grateful their wet bodies hadn’t totally soaked the bedding. “I think I need another shower now. I’m all sweaty again.”

  He wrapped her tight in his embrace. “I like being sweaty with you.”

  She smiled and closed her eyes. “Tell me we don’t have to go in today for training.”

  “Sorry, babe. I wish we could just stay here but we’re working with a new team today.”

  She whimpered. “New team?”

  “Yeah, a dog and handler team.”

  She perked up. “Truly? Why didn’t you say so? Let’s get dressed and get up there.” She kissed him and scampered from the bed. She took a three-minute shower just to get the smell of sex off her—not that she minded, but didn’t think it was professional. He still lingered in bed when she came out from her room, dressed and with her hair nearly dried.

  “Really?” she said, gesturing in his direction.

  “This is why I didn’t tell you. I never would have been able to wake with you if you’d known. We don’t have to be there for another two hours. What’s your fascination with dogs anyways?”

  “I’ll see you over there then if you’re going to mope about. And I love how they work.” She blew him a kiss and headed for the door, grabbing a cinnamon raisin bagel along the way.

  Turning up the collar of her coat, she was glad her hair was confined below the hood and protected from the windy snow. Even so, she was ready to get out of the cold. She opened the door, stomped the snow off her boots then walked down the hall.

  Teague popped his head out of his office. “Got a minute, Frost?”

  “For you, boss? Always.” She tore another bite off her bagel and ate it as she went in and claimed a chair. “What’s up?”

  “You know about Mason missing.”

  She chewed slowly. “I spoke to the cops when they came by. We did some searches but came up with zilch. Did something new come in?”

  “No. I was hoping maybe he’d reached out to one of you.”

  “Nope. Last time I saw him was the day of the water training.”

  “Cops have no leads and we don’t have anything to go on either. The man vanished. I—and the cops—think it was his decision, since all his personal belongings are gone as well.” Teague leaned forward. “Anyway, since we’re putting it down as he just up and quit, leaving without telling anyone, we’re revamping living situations.”

  “Okay.” She popped in the final piece.

  “I’m moving you from your cabin to room with this new person coming in.”

  “Okay.” No more nights with Dex? That’s gonna suck big time. She kept her expression composed.

  “You don’t have any complaints?”

  “Should I?”

  “I heard from Colton, he found you and Dex in the hot tub together.”

  She stared at her boss, a furrow in her brow. “So, is this now the Middle East where men and women aren’t supposed to be in the water together? Did I miss the memo that said I can only be in one with women?”

  “I was under the impression you two were a couple.”

  She crossed her arms. “I fail to see why that’s relevant. Even if you thought that, you’re still moving me from the cabin, so what difference does it make?”

  “I’m confused. Are you a couple?”

  “Is that all, boss?”

  “Never met anyone so close-lipped before.”

  “Is someone moving into my room at Dex’s or do I have a bit of time to get my things together? I know we’re training with this new team today.”

  “Tubbs is going to move in with him.”

  “Okay, I’ll have my things to the new cabin by nightfall. I don’t have that much anyway.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Nope. See you in a bit.”

  She touched her head and left the room. Going to the main room, she opened the door where she paused. A fit woman was working with her dog. She looked up, brown hair shining in the light.

  “Hi,” she said with a smile.

  “Hello. I’m Aminta. Most people call me Frost. I’m the pilot.”

  “I’m Michelle.” She gestured to the German Shepherd dog at her side. “This is Havoc.”

  “May I pet him?”

  “Sure thing. Go ahead, Havoc. Go say hi.”

  The large male trotted over to her and rubbed against her. She dropped to her knees and gave him a good rubdown. “He’s beautiful. How old?”

  “Five.”

  “Aren’t you just a handsome man?” She patted his head and stood. “So, are you doing a lot with the helicopter or do you go out on snowmobiles?”

  “Both. And skis.”

  The women shook hands.

  “I guess we’re rooming together. I’ll have my things moved in by night.”

  “You’re okay with dogs?”

  “Love them. Not a problem. Besides, he’s a teammate now.”

  “Thanks,” Michelle said. “We haven’t been in a helo for a while, so today will be a good practice for us.”

  “I aim to please. If there’s anything specific you need me to do—land so you get the full force from the wash, hover so you can jump. Whatever, let me know. How long have you been doing this?”

  “Seems like forever.” She bent and took the ball from Havoc before sending it across the room. Like a rocket, the dog was after it. “I met my fiancé when I was in SAR previously.”

  “You’re engaged?”

  A sharp laugh. “Not anymore, it didn’t work out. But by then the bug had gotten in deep. So I stayed with the work.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, but glad you stuck with it.”

  “I was a bit hesitant to come back here when they said they were sending me here.”

  Aminta took the ball and chucked it this time for the dog. “Why is that?”

  The doors on the other end opened and in stepped Celia an
d Dex. Michelle gasped. “Dex?”

  Dex couldn’t believe his eyes. The new person coming in was none other than Michelle Vanderson. “Michelle, holy shit.”

  He stepped in and caught her as she ran into his arms. Hugging her tight, he kissed her cheek. Beyond her he saw Frost. Her expression was closed but he knew she was trying to figure all this out. He put the woman back and looked between her and Frost once more.

  “You two have met.” He gestured to the woman at his side. “This is Celia. Celia, Michelle.”

  Michelle hooked a thumb over her shoulder. “Havoc is the one after the ball.”

  Frost neared them after throwing the ball once more for Havoc. “You two know each other?” she asked.

  “We worked in SAR together a while back.” Dex grew serious. “Michelle, there’s something you should know.”

  “What’s that?”

  The door opened again, admitting Colton. Michelle’s gasp coincided with Dex saying, “Colton’s here.”

  Havoc returned to her side, correctly reading the instant increase in tension. Dex stepped to Frost’s side.

  “I worked with her.” He stared at Frost.

  “I didn’t ask,” she replied.

  “I know.” Dex tipped her face up and kissed her. “I won’t hold it against you.” He winked. “No secrets, remember.”

  Colton and Michelle were staring at one another. Teague walked in and asked, “Is this going to be a problem?”

  “No.”

  They both replied at the same time.

  Colton met his gaze and in the depths, Dex could read the cry for help. “Let’s train then, since we all seem to know one another.” He looked at Teague. “They want to get some helo training in, if that’s good.”

  “Fine by me,” Teague said. “You know I just want everyone to stay safe.” He walked over to Michelle and said something too low for anyone else to hear. Dex concentrated on Colton’s face. The anger that sprang up didn’t surprise him, nor did the jealousy.

  “Get to it,” Teague said, making his way to the wall. “I say we start with the wall. Then we’ll get to the helicopter.”

  * * * *

  Dex scowled as he looked around his cabin. Tubbs had moved his things in while they had been working. He was the dispatcher, didn’t go out on anything and never had to participate in their training. The man wasn’t exactly clean either.

  Damn it. I miss Frost.

  * * * *

  Aminta walked out of her new bedroom. I miss Dex. There had been something comforting about having him around her. Wiping her hands down the legs of her Timbers' sweats, she strode to the kitchen. The timer dinged and she shuffled to the oven, swiping the oven mitts along the way.

  “Perfect timing,” she muttered to herself.

  She opened the door and inhaled deeply. She loved the smell of beef and cheese macaroni.

  “Colton and I were engaged.”

  Aminta carried the hot dish to the table after closing the door behind her. She’d arrived at that conclusion, given the reaction to one another they’d displayed in the room. She was eternally grateful it hadn’t been Dex she’d been engaged to.

  “I gathered.” She set the dish on the hand-woven hot pad. “Are you okay working with him?”

  Michelle took the salad from the fridge, avoided Havoc and joined her at the table. “I’m a professional. As long as I can keep my anger in check, I’ll be fine.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve waited for an opportunity like this one for a long time. I’ll be damned if I let my cheating ex be my reason for having to give it up.”

  “Damn,” she said. “I’d hoped he was better than that.”

  Michelle shrugged. “Maybe he is now. He wasn’t then.”

  They sat and began dishing up food for themselves.

  “Do you think he’ll make trouble for you?”

  Michelle grinned and pointed at Havoc. “I doubt it.”

  Aminta joined her in laughing. “He’s such a teddy bear. You have a remarkable dog.”

  “Thanks. He’s special for sure. Now, tell me about you and how long you’ve been with the team.”

  “I’m just temporary until Teague finds a pilot who can be up here full time.” She forked some food into her mouth.

  “That sucks. I was thinking you and I were going to get along great.”

  “Still hope we do,” Aminta said with a smile.

  “I’m sure we will. Fill me in on the team and what’s going on with you and Dex the hottie.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Dex woke to an unfamiliar sound. Sitting, he listened for it again. The scraping didn’t belong on the wood floors. He left the bed and went out into the main part of the cabin. Nothing out of the ordinary, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still off.

  He stood in the kitchen, illuminated by one light, and surveyed the dirty dishes Tubbs had left in the sink. This is going to have to change or I’ll kill him. The noise came again, only this time it sounded like from the roof. His instincts screamed at him to leave. Get out. Go somewhere else, that whatever was out there wasn’t anything he wanted to face.

  He was the only one there—Tubbs was at the station, monitoring the lines overnight. Someone knocked on the door and he jumped slightly before recovering. He made his way to the front and swung it open.

  Teague stood there, snow coating his shoulders and hair. “Gonna let me in or do I get to stand out here?”

  “Sorry.” He stepped back, shutting the door after his boss walked by him, the chill dotting Dex’s skin with goosebumps. Dex cast a glance up to the ceiling and wondered if everything out there was okay. “What’s up?”

  “Thought I was going to wake you, Dex.”

  “Should I say sorry?”

  Teague waved off his question and withdrew a file from the inside of his coat. “I need you to look at these.”

  “What are they?” He walked toward the couch.

  “Potential pilots.”

  Two words that cemented his feet. “We have one.”

  “I wish I could keep her but she’s only on loan and really needs to get back. Her life isn’t up here but back in Oregon. So, since Taggart has been after me to let her return, I have been going over other applicants. I’ve narrowed it down to these final three. I’d like your opinion on them and their skills. We’re looking to sign on two of them, so in case something happens to one, we have the other here already.”

  He perched on the arm of the sofa. “Why? You didn’t ask my opinion on Frost. Just sent me down to get her.”

  “Do you need to be so moody?” Teague tapped the sheets. “Take a look.”

  Muttering under his breath, he reached for it as he slid from the arm to the cushion. He flipped the file open and stared at the first paper.

  “What the hell is that noise?” Teague asked.

  “Not sure. It woke me up a little before you came.” A male pilot who’d been in the service for eight years.

  “Do you have mice?”

  “Nope, although with Tubbs’ cleanliness issues, we may have some soon. I can’t live like this with him, Teague. I need him out.” Many service accommodations.

  “You want your own place, Dex, rent one in town. You want to live without rent, stay with Tubbs.”

  “Great,” he said. Next sheet. Another male with combat experience. He continued to read about him and what he had as far as abilities. “Why aren’t you asking Frost for her opinion?”

  “You know the team better than anyone. I don’t want another situation like I had with Mason. I want someone who will be there, stable, and not flip out at a point.”

  “We all have the potential to lose it, Teague. You know this. We’re human.”

  “Not during a fucking rescue you’re not. You’re superheroes, which is why we’re so successful.” He stretched his legs out before him and tossed his coat over the back of the chair he occupied. “Are Michelle and Colton getting along better?”

  “They work fine. Not
sure about when we’re not on a rescue or in training. I doubt they’re friendly to one another.”

  “Don’t blame her for being pissed—he cheated on her with her twin sister. All I care about is if they can work with one another.”

  “Shown the ability to do so, thus far at least.” This one is a woman. Flew helicopters in Canada. He looked at Teague. Both turned their gazes up at more scratching.

  His boss got to his feet and reached for his jacket. “Give me a flashlight. I need to know what that is.”

  “No, don’t worry about it. I’ll go check it out.” He closed the file folder. “Just let me get something else on.” He jogged to his room and drew on a sweatshirt and thick socks. Back out in the main area, he put on some boots and found his flashlight. “I’ll be right back.”

  He panned the light along the roof. Snow fell heavily and he squinted against the flakes. Nothing so far, and he moved toward the back of the cabin. Along the wall there, on the outside of his bedroom, he discovered claw marks containing only three lines.

  Tracking the sign up to the roof, he gasped and stumbled back. A woman sat there naked, petting the heads of two demons. Her long purple hair tumbled over the edge and hung past her feet. Its color changed even as he stared to a brilliant shade of red.

  “Shouldn’t you be screaming for help right now, human?”

  “No. Who are you?”

  She leaned forward, sniffing the air. Her breasts dangled free and his stomach churned when one of the creatures bit one and lapped hungrily at her blood.

  “You carry the rancid odor of a mate. But I have been told the hybrid bitch hasn’t found her artifact yet. So perhaps if I kill you, she never will.”

  Anger replaced the fear and cold. “You’re an odd one to be speaking of rancid odors, given you’re snuggling up to those two rank things.”

  She canted her head to the side and lovingly stroked their heads. The other demon also begun to drink her blood. “You’re making a mistake. Their smell is the smell of power.”