Branded by Frost

by Aliyah Burke

  “Me? No, but I can’t promise anything about the group of kids sneaking up on us.”

  “How do you know?” He didn’t hear anything.

  “My sign. Now the question is, do I want to let you take the barrage or should we present a united front and teach them a lesson about throwing snowballs at adults?”

  “I’m for presenting the united front.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him. “I’m sure you are.”

  “There are much better uses for that organ than sticking it out at me.”

  “If I do it again, will you spank me later?”

  His cock came to instant attention. “If you want.”

  “I want a lot but right now, we’re so about to be attacked. Are you ready?”

  “How many are there?”

  She closed her eyes and he saw a light haze over her shoulders. “Four. Two from behind me and two behind you.”

  “Break right and go?” At her nod, they did just that and found themselves embroiled in a large snowball fight.

  * * * *

  “He seems to be settling in well.”

  Aminta looked in the window over the sink as she did dishes and saw Lian’s reflection. She smiled at him as she rinsed the plate in her hand.

  “I think he is. Tomorrow he goes to Taggart for some more training work.” Dex had been there for three weeks now and had no lingering signs of the effects of being poisoned by a demon.

  “How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine.”

  That one eyebrow of his rose, taking her back to when she was younger and he didn’t believe her. She licked her lips and shrugged, aware she couldn’t pull anything over on this man. He’d seen it all and done it all.

  “I’m coming along.”

  “You know this wasn’t your fault.”

  He took off his suit coat and rolled up his sleeves before stepping up to the sink beside her.

  “How is it not my fault? I knew there was danger and I still left him.”

  “But he wasn’t unprotected. Dracen was there.”

  “I know,” she grumbled.

  He took the next dish from her hand and rinsed it before placing it in the dish rack. “Little one, you can’t keep going like this. It is eating you alive. And that means they are winning.”

  “I should have never left him.”

  “What makes you think they would have attacked him if you’d been there?”

  “Isn’t that precisely the point? They wouldn’t have and he wouldn’t have been in that situation.” She flexed her fist in the soapy water before attacking the next plate.

  “No. That is not the point. Perhaps you would have let down your guard. Things happen for a reason. It’s why we left Dracen up there. It doesn’t make you any less of a Guardian that she protected him.”

  “It does to me,” she said, trying with desperation not to let her despair seep into her voice.

  “I know it does. I know it keeps you up at night, and this concerns me.” Lian looked at her. “Tell me something. When Dracen finds her mate and if she isn’t around and is in danger, will you hesitate to save him because she may feel inadequate that she wasn’t the one to do so?”

  “Of course not. That wouldn’t make sense. It’s our job to keep all the mates alive.”

  “Sage advice, I would think, for all Guardians to listen to.”

  “I get what you’re saying, Lian, in my head. But my heart is something totally different.”

  “Aminta Tran, you are an exceptional woman. There is no reason for you to feel that way. I know this. Let it go. You are a sister to many, a Guardian for the world and my daughter.”

  She leaned close to him and kissed his cheek. It wasn’t often Lian got like this. He was a man who loved riddles and making them work things out on their own. “Thank you. For it all.”

  His smile was brief. He wobbled and had to use the sink to hold himself up as his skin paled.

  “Lian,” she cried. “What’s wrong?”

  She grabbed him as he collapsed, lowering him gently to the ground. “Lian’s down! I need Mal in the kitchen, now.”

  The answering cry of her fellow Guardians filled her mind and she knew they would be converging on this location.

  Lian opened his eyes and looked at her. “Do not worry.”

  Like hell.

  They came skidding in the room, Mal in the lead. She dropped to her knees beside him and checked his pulse. “Weak and thready,” she said, her lilt thicker with worry. “Get him to the infirmary.”

  Cale picked him up and Aminta knew why. He would send what healing power he could as they ran him down to Mal’s domain.

  “What happened?” Dracen demanded.

  “I don’t know. He was standing here talking then he went pale and down.” She wiped her sudsy hands off on her pants. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  The alarms went off, indicating a perimeter breach. “Let’s go,” Tiarnán said.

  Dex grabbed her arm as she began to leave. “What’s going on?”

  “My best guess? New Order. Stay here. Billy will be here keeping an eye on Mal and Lian. Help them ensure the kids don’t go out.” She blew him a kiss and ran after the others.

  Outside was dark and the moonless sky had snow heavy clouds not even allowing starlight to penetrate.

  “Move out.” Tiarnán’s order fell.

  She knew the routine and knew where she should be patrolling. Grateful to her sign for keeping her warm, since she left without her jacket, she moved slowly, ensuring not to give it away she was where she was.

  “The alarm was triggered from the northwest section of the property,” Edmond apprised them.

  Dracen’s area. Aminta didn’t relax her guard—They were getting smarter every attack. As she allowed the woods to swallow her, she paused at a sound. I know that. What is it? It faded before she could pinpoint where she knew it from. As she progressed, she heard it again. This time it hit her.

  “Look to the trees. They’ll be coming in from above. I just heard a stealth helicopter.”

  The second the words had been communicated, a shadow dropped from the trees five feet in front of her. She attacked without hesitation, shoving a spike into his chest, piercing his body armor as if it were a sheet of paper. His warm blood poured over her hand as she lowered him to the ground and searched him for a radio.

  Locating it, she put it in her ear and clipped the receiver to her waistband.

  “Move toward the house,” a female voice issued the command.

  Again, she hesitated, for it was a voice she knew. Her eyes narrowed as it hit her. “Haley is giving the orders. I don’t know if she’s here but it’s her voice coming over their radio.”

  “The bitch is mine,” Cale snarled.

  No one argued that. It was his right, given what she’d done to Taylor.

  “They’re moving to the house, according to the radio,” Aminta said.

  “Well, well,” a male said as he snagged her around the middle. “Aren’t you just a tiny thing? I bet I can have my way with you then kill you and none would be the wiser.”

  Aminta curled her lip in disgust. “I bet you can’t,” she retorted, seconds before driving two stakes into his ribs from the side. He dropped her as he fell, dead, to the ground.

  She heard it again, the chopper. Staring at the sky, she swore when she couldn’t make it past the canopy and darkness. She had good sight but not as good as someone else.

  “Tiarnán, I need you,” she cried. “I’m heading deeper into the woods.”

  “They’re heading for the house, Aminta. Why are you going the other way?”

  “Just meet me. I need you.”

  She ran faster, unwilling to let the sound vanish. Soon enough, Tiarnán’s long legged stride ran next to her.

  “What do you need?”

  “Your eyes. You have better sight than I do. Up in the sky, do you see a chopper?”

  Without slowing, he launched himself up in
to the nearest tree and climbed. “Yes. Circling counterclockwise toward the south.”

  “How far away?”

  “Half a mile.”

  She ran. “Direct me.”

  He did and when she finally made it out herself, she thanked him. Climbing the tree, she crouched at the top branch and waited for it to swing by her. Her power rippled and she hoped she had enough to get her up to the skids of the chopper. Mist covered her and she knew it was her sign protecting her from discovery.

  She leaped from her spot and reached for the skid nearest her. A man sat at the door and she stabbed him through the neck then tossed him out. Once inside, she killed the man hanging out of the other side then moved toward the pilot.

  “Set it down,” she ordered, holding the katana blade at his throat.

  “Fuck you.”

  “No thanks, not my type. Set her down.”

  “No way. The only way you get control is to kill me,” he said cockily, lifting the bird higher in the air. “And if you do that, you’ll crash.”

  “Wrong,” she informed him, arrogance lacing her own tone. “I’m a pilot, so I don’t need you.” She sliced his neck with the blade, yanked him out of the seat, and dropped him on the floor in the back. The helicopter was falling fast as she slid behind the controls.

  Wiping the blood off both hands, she grabbed the yoke and leveled her off. She couldn’t wait to check out this bird once it was securely in the hangar at Tennesol Winery.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Dex walked over the snow-covered ground, his boots crushing through the thin layer of crust with ease. They’d gotten four inches of new snow last night.

  Beside him, keeping an even pace, strode Altair. They were out looking for a Christmas tree. Some of the children had joined them as well and walking among them were Billy, Cale and Tiarnán. The women hadn’t come along and he wasn’t sure why.

  Altair and he had begun hanging out in the evenings—playing cards or whatever. Usually they held their own counsel but he truly liked the man.

  “Where is Aminta?” Altair’s question broke the silence. His voice sounded as if rarely used, a bit on the raspy side.

  “I left her heading for the hangar.”

  “I understand.”

  “How long did it take you to settle in?” He gazed around, wondering if the others could hear his question.

  Altair shrugged. “I was a soldier. Settling in is relative. Roz is my home so that is all I need.”

  While the words might have been simple, they were incredibly heartfelt. Well said. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and wondered how long it would take him to settle in. He still hadn’t and it bothered him.

  The first excited yell from a kid had him smiling. He’d not been out to cut a Christmas tree in a good many years. The final decision took a bit but once they’d picked it, Tiarnán got to work cutting. Interacting with the children was the only time he noticed the large man ever appeared relaxed and to be having fun.

  Since nothing was currently required of him, Dex leaned against a tree and watched the goings on. After a while, once Cale had demanded a turn, more cheers came and he turned to see Roz driving up in a sleigh led by a team of horses and with two larger ones tied to the back.

  “Someone here call for some hot chocolate and a ride back?” she called out.

  She halted the horses and hopped down. After greeting Altair with a kiss, she served up the hot cocoa. He wandered over and got himself a cup as well.

  “Thanks,” he said.

  Her grin was brilliant. “My pleasure. Nice tree this year. I see Cale is trying to prove something to himself.” She shook her head. “I don’t know why Tiarnán lets him do that—he knows the man can’t cut in a straight line.”

  Dex chuckled. “What’s with the other horses?”

  “They’re bringing back the tree. Tiarnán will drive the sleigh and I’ll bring the team and tree back.”

  “Cool.” He took over the hot chocolate dispersion so Roz could be with Altair.

  Eventually—once Tiarnán had taken over again—the tree was felled to a chorus of yelling. Crumpling his cup, Dex placed it in the trash bag before heading toward the fourteen foot tree.

  “Rope?” he called out to Billy. The man tossed him what he needed. “How much excess, Roz?”

  She approached and told him. Dex swiftly tied the ropes on and laid them out. As the children clambered up in the sleigh, Roz left to bring the team over.

  “You riding with us, Dex?” Cale hollered.

  “Roz?” he asked the woman securing the ropes to the horses and their gear.

  “I’m good. Altair will walk back with me.”

  The man waited off to the side, eyes focused on his woman.

  “Okay. See you back at the house.” He turned. “Coming.”

  Once he sat, Tiarnán got them moving. Dex hopped off a way before the barn and walked to the hangar.

  He entered and strode across the clean floor toward the helicopter and the woman working on it in the middle of the room.

  “If you can track it back, Edmond, that would be awesome. I have… Yep, exactly. That sounds great so… Yes, as soon as you can…”

  He came around the front and saw her ass as she rooted around in the cabin. Dex crossed his arms and stared. She backed out and not even the coveralls she wore took away from her sexiness.

  She gave him a smile and held up one finger. He nodded in understanding, acknowledging the Bluetooth device in her ear.

  Her hair, she’d drawn back into a ponytail. The dark blue suit had grease on it, as did a few places on her face. It didn’t even show her small waist, yet he didn’t care. If she wore a burlap sack or not, his woman was fine.

  “Hey,” she said, snapping her fingers before him.

  “What?” He captured her hand and kissed the one clean spot he discovered.

  “You were standing there with a foolish grin on your face. What thoughts are running rampant through your mind?”

  “How hot you look in this shapeless suit.”

  “Perv,” she teased.

  He kissed her on the cheek. “When it comes to you, hell yes. What’d you find?”

  “Someone with serious bank is backing them. Guns aren’t hard to come by but to get the tech this bird had—” She whistled. “Gonna set someone back a pretty penny.”

  “Will it give you a lead?”

  “Should.” Her head disappeared back into the cabin. “I have Edmond on it. He’s running down some leads right now on some of the tech things I’ve pulled.”

  Dex stared at the line of removed tech that stretched out on the floor. “Can they track it back here?” He frowned at the dark stain on the floor of the chopper.

  “Not by anything”—she grunted—“I’ve found thus far. We thought about it though and will be ready for them if they decide to come attack us here.”

  “Right,” he said somberly. “What’s more blood.”

  She stilled. “It’s war, Dex.”

  I know. “I’m in the business of rescuing people, not killing them.”

  A thump rang out before she faced him fully once more. “And I’m in the business of doing everything I can to keep the world alive. When I’m not out rescuing people.”

  “Sometimes I wonder,” he muttered.

  Her eyes flashed dangerously before she returned to ripping out whatever she was removing next. His cell rang and he looked at the screen.

  Taggart.

  Stepping back, he accepted the call. “Yessir?”

  “We have a rescue. Can you be here within the hour?”

  “Sure thing.” He hung up.

  “My keys are in the dish on the table by the bedroom door. I have the blue Subaru Forester.” She never once turned around.

  “I’ll see you when I get back.”

  “Whatever.” A slight hesitation followed, as if she were debating on saying something more. Yet nothing came.

  He pivoted on his heel and strode t
o the door where he stopped. Clenching his fists, he whirled back and made his way, determined, across the floor. At the helicopter, he drew her out by the back of her suit, slammed a hand along the side of the bird as she turned and took her mouth in a demanding kiss.

  She held herself stiff for all of five seconds then she melted into him, hands twining around his neck. He put his forehead to hers.

  “We’ll figure this out, Frost.” Another kiss.

  “Be safe.”

  “I will.” He left her there and took her car to meet the rest of his new team.

  * * * *

  He sat in the chopper as it knifed through the air. He’d done training with the group but this was their first rescue. All men in this group, including the pilot. He stretched out his legs and cracked his neck.

  “How many water rescues have you got under your belt?” The man beside him, Todd, asked.

  “Quite a few,” he replied. “How about you?”

  “More than I care to count. We had a lot of them in the Coast Guard. Granted, rescuing people off the coast of Florida in those warm waters is a big difference then jumping into the icy waters up here.”

  “I suppose it would be.” He hated how he was suspicious of his team members. What if one of them is New Order and they will try to kill me out there? I can’t think like this. We’re a team and we work together. Of course, that’s how it was supposed to be with Mason as well.

  Despite his mental pep talk, he still hadn’t let it go as they hovered over the sinking craft. Snapping the hook on his harness, he gave a thumbs up and they began lowering him. When the cold air smacked him in the face, he was finally able to push it all but the rescue to the back of his mind and give it his complete attention.

  * * * *

  “Where’s your other half?” Roz asked, as she flopped down on the sofa beside her.

  Aminta shrugged. “Off on a rescue.”

  She watched the boys playing pool, trying not to think about what had happened last time he was on one.

  “Everything okay between the two of you?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “You are extremely withdrawn, Mina. What’s going on?” Roz bounded up. “You know what? Come with me.”