Kiss of Frost

by Graceley Knox

  "I've got two other tattoos but I never planned on something this big…"

  Beck laughs, lightly running a finger over the raised flesh. "It's beautiful."

  "Does it stand for anything?"

  "Our mate bond. It's a representation of our journey as mates from the time we meet until the time we'll meet again." Beck rolls over, taking me with him until I'm lying on top of him, and he cradles me in his arms.

  Emotion floods me, tightening my chest. Love for this dragon I just met, happiness that I've got a mate who will love me unconditionally, terror that I'll somehow mess it up or he'll find one of my habits annoying, and acceptance that there's nothing I can do to change any of it.

  "Beck?" I press a hand to his stubbled cheek. "This sounds crazy but…" I duck my head, pressing a kiss to his chest.

  "What is it?" He squeezes his arms around me, offering reassurance.

  "I love you." I blurt out the words like someone slapped them out of me.

  Beck smiles wide before dragging me up his body for a kiss so loving and deliciously dirty I'm ready for another round with my mate. "I love you too, mate." His nostrils flare and he growls.

  "I don't think we're going to get any sleep tonight, are we?"

  Beck rolls me onto my back again. "Not if I can help it."

  Chapter 7

  I roll over the next morning, deliciously sore from head to toe from our marathon of sex and cuddles this morning. Beck follows me as I roll to my side, throwing his arm and his leg over my side, and I smile. I look over at the clock. It's two in the afternoon. We'd only slept for about four hours, but if I don't get up now, there's no way I'll sleep tonight. I push at his arm, and instead of letting me go, he pulls me closer.

  "Beck, I've got to get up."

  "Why? Sleep with me a little longer." His tone is adorably grumpy. There's something about a man who just wants more of your time and is unabashed about letting you know it that's both sexy and sweet as hell.

  "Can't. We've got to track down the other stones, tell Kay's family about magic, and get some info out of that mage." I slap at his bare ass. "Up and at 'em!"

  He rolls onto his back, his morning erection tenting the sheet. Desire pools low in my belly but I slide off the bed, determined to tackle my to-do list today. Beck grumbles as I move away from the bed and I chuckle. I jump in the shower, quickly rinsing off before throwing on some jeans and a V-neck T-shirt.

  I poke my head inside the bathroom, my breath catching as I watch Beck in the shower, water dripping off of every hard inch of him. I practically swallow my tongue. "I'll meet you downstairs. I'm starving."

  Beck looks over his shoulder at me. "Yes, I could eat an entire cow."

  I pause. "You mean, like, really? Or just you're really hungry?" Do dragons still eat cows? I thought that was, like, a medieval thing, but whatever floats your boat, I guess.

  Beck rolls his eyes.

  "What? You're a dragon. For all I know, you'll shift and go attack the local farm for breakfast!"

  "I'm a civilized dragon!" He opens the shower door, throwing the bar of soap at me playfully, and I duck, laughing and blowing him a kiss. I descend the stairs to the living room with quick feet, making a beeline for the kitchen. Something smells delicious in there.

  "Good morning, everyone!" I chime as I round the corner. Ann and Kay's mom, Emma, are at the stove, cooking and stirring things, and Kay and Zoey are sitting at the table, munching on some toast. "Hey, girls, morning. How'd you sleep?"

  "Good," Kay and Zoey mumble at once through mouthfuls of food.

  "Morning, sweetie!" Ann looks at me quickly before turning back to chopping an onion. "Sleep well?"

  I blush, my gaze darting to the two teenagers in the room. Talk about an awkward conversation. "Um, yup. Slept great! Is Jem awake?"

  "Yeah, she's in the sunroom looking for pictures of the ring and the bracelet. Can you go give her a ten-minute warning? Breakfast will be ready soon."

  "On it."

  I poke my head into the sunroom, spying Jem surrounded by piles of folders and pieces of paper. She's got some sort of system going and I know better than to step in the middle of a Jem-storm, as I call it. "Hey, ten minutes and food's on the table."

  Jem startles, looking up at me and squinting her eyes. "Jesus H, you scared the shit out of me!"

  I laugh. "Sorry, I thought I made noise as I was coming in."

  She shakes her head. "I'll be in in a few. I found the entries in the ledgers for when the items were sold but now I'm sorting through all the invoices and inventory sheets." She looks around at the piles surrounding her. "I didn't realize Mom sold so much at the shop. Like, I mean, I know it does well, but fucking hell."

  "Want some help?" Part of me hopes she says no, but another part of me feels guilty for not diving into the stacks of paper with her.

  "Nah, I've got this. I think you and Beck should see what you can get out of that mage after we eat some grub." Jem rises from her seat on the floor and stretches. "You have a good night last night?" She wiggles her eyebrows and I roll my eyes at her.

  "Not that it's any of your business, but yes, I did." My blood warms at the memories and I smile dreamily.

  "Oooh, must have been one hell of a night!" She squeezes my side, pulling back with her jaw dropped. "Um, what is that?" She points to the new mating mark I've got across the top of my chest and down my arm.

  "Oh, it's nothing." I brush her off, not quite sure how to explain it to her. It feels personal. Like it's something only Beck and I should know the true meaning of, but Jem's my sister and I love her to bits.

  "Nothing? Are you kidding? That's, like, a giant tattoo! Where have you been hiding that?" She pulls at my shirt, exposing more of the design, and whistles.

  "It's not a tattoo. It's a mating mark. Beck says it represents our journey as mates." I poke at the design, shrugging, some part of me still unwilling to share it with anyone just yet.

  "Looks like you guys have a long and exciting journey ahead of you." She smiles at me. "I'm happy for you, Ivy. You deserve true love and happiness."

  "Thank you." I hug Jem, praying to the gods and goddesses that she gets her one true mate one day too. I'd never thought that I'd find my own mate. I'd started life with a neglectful mother, a nonexistent father figure, and one hell of a chip on my shoulder. I'll forever be grateful for Jem standing up for me one day in the school yard, shoving some spoiled little rich girl and taking me home with her to Ann like some sort of lost puppy.

  We wander back into the kitchen and I'm drawn instantly to Beck as he lounges against the wall. He's got his feet crossed at the ankles and his arms folded across his chest. The muscles bunch and I flash back to the look of them flexing as he thrust into me last night. He looks more than comfortable in a room full of women. I sidle up to him, tucking myself into his side. He kisses the top of my head and contentment balms my soul.

  "You know; you look way too comfortable being the only guy in the room."

  Beck laughs. "I'm used to being outnumbered by females." His expression falls. "Or, well, I was when my family was together."

  I rub at his chest, trying to offer him as much reassurance as I can without words. "We'll get them back, Beck. I promise."

  He glances down at me, his mouth in a grim line, and my heart hurts for my mate. "I hope so, little witch. I hope so."

  We all settle in to eat and I notice how quiet Zoey is, barely saying more than a few words, while Emma and Kay chatter back and forth with Ann and Jem. She keeps darting glances at Beck before hiding behind her curtain of pin-straight hair. After breakfast, Ann breaks off with Emma and Jem, pointedly glancing at the girls. I nod. I'll entertain her and Kay or something.

  "Hey, Zoey, Kay, you want to change into some new clothes? I'm pretty sure I've got some stuff in my closet that will fit you."

  She perks up in her chair, looking to Kay. Kay smiles at her. "You can say yes." Zoey nods, a smile splitting her face in two.

  I keep my frow
n to myself, wondering why Zoey didn't verbally answer me. She seems shy but there's got to be something else going on here. "All right, come on you two. Kay, you're a bit taller than me but that just means we'll have to raid Jem's closet." I wink.

  "Sweet!" They follow me up the stairs, Beck leading the way. He plops down on one of the couches in my sitting area and closes his eyes.

  "I'm going to catch a quick nap. Shout if you need me."

  "We're trying on clothes, Beck. I think we're okay."

  He grunts a reply before draping his forearm over his eyes. The girls and I giggle before heading into my giant closet. Part of the benefit of working for Ann when I was younger meant money to spend on clothes, and since we were always shopping for vintage stuff, I've got a closet to die for over here.

  I rub my hands together, "Okay, who's first?" Both girls stare slack-jawed at my giant walk-in closet. It could be another bedroom. Half of it is used for stuff I want for my own house one day, but still, it's epic. "Go look around, grab what you want. Nothing is off bounds."

  Kay nudges Zoey forward and she goes, her head turning in every which direction as she tries to decide where to start. I grab Kay's elbow, pulling her aside for a second. "Hey, is Zoey okay? I think I've only heard her speak three words. Should we get her to a doctor or something?"

  Kay shakes her head. "She's okay. She's painfully shy and she has a bit of a stutter. So she doesn't talk much around new people. She gets bullied a lot. She'll warm up."

  "Okay, let us know if there is anything we can do to help."

  "Just keep trying. She'll see that you're a safe space. My mom's been trying to figure out how to homeschool her so she doesn't have to deal with all the jerks at school, but she's got to work too." Kay shrugs.

  "Well, you've got us as a support now. Maybe Ann can help or Jem and I. You guys are going to have to adjust a bit, too, with learning magic. We want you protected."

  "I don't know how Zoey is going to take it… She hates being different already."

  "I get it. It's tough being a teenager, but it gets better. Trust me." I tussle her hair before pushing her farther into the closet. "Now go see if any of my clothes will fit you."

  About two hours later, a full-on fashion show that involves dragging Beck into the sitting area of the closet and modeling outrageous outfits for him and more laughter than I remember having in such a short span takes place. Both of the girls are laden down with clothes, and happiness radiates off of them.

  We run into Emma and Ann in the living room, Emma's dazed expression dulling the girls' excitement.

  "Mom, are you okay?" Kay asks, eyeing her closely.

  Emma perks up, a forced smile on her face. "Of course, honey. Let's see what we've got here!" The girls show Emma their spoils and I walk over to Ann, who seems relatively unworried about everything happening all at once.

  "How did she take it?"

  "She's unsure despite the fact that Jem gave her one hell of a show. But I think she's just struggling to process everything happening so quickly."

  "Can't blame her there."

  Beck walks up behind me, placing a hand on my hip, his presence behind me like a solid barrier of love and protection.

  "No, I can't blame her. But I hope she accepts it so we can get Kay and Zoey trained up. Kay seems to be okay with it now. But Emma told me that Zoey has been made fun of a lot in school for having a stutter…" Ann trails off.

  I nod. "Yeah, I asked Kay about it. She said she'll warm up."

  "Hopefully she does. I offered to help Emma homeschool her and Kay so they can learn magic as well as earn their high school diplomas. I think under the circumstances it's the best option. She's thinking about it." Ann waves a hand over her shoulder. "Jem's still looking for the photos and invoices for the ring and bracelet, but her piles are getting smaller and smaller, so she's close. I think now would be a good time to visit our friend downstairs."

  I look up at Beck over my shoulder. "You up for that?"

  Beck's eyes change from crystal blue to a light grey and he draws in a deep breath. "I'm ready. I remembered who he was and how I know him."

  Chapter 8

  "You did?" I turn to face him, shock rolling through me.

  "Just this afternoon when I lay down. His name is Desmond. He's the second-in-command to Dayphis, the head mage of their coven. He also helped Dayphis cast us into the stones and torture us."

  "Sounds like a real piece of work." Ann frowns.

  "Sounds like a total jackass." I growl the words, my instincts riled at the thought of someone hurting my mate.

  "You must stay calm when you talk to him. He's a master manipulator. He will use it against us and we'll get nothing from him," Beck cautions.

  I sigh. "I know. Doesn't mean I like it, but I know." I bump my hip into his. "Remember, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to make him talk."

  "Are you thinking about giving him something?" Ann asks, tilting her head.

  "Nah, I don't think he'd accept anything without one of us drinking it first. I'm going to bring a copal candle down there with me." I head toward the wall of cabinets in the kitchen. It's full of pretty much any oil, herb, candle, crystal, or anything else we could need for a spell or potion.

  "Aah. Good choice. He won't suspect it."

  Beck scratches his cheek. "I'm unsure what copal is…"

  "It's a resin from trees in either East Africa or Indonesia. It's popular in incense." I rummage through the candles, looking for the right package. "For our purposes, in its pure form, we'll put it in a bowl and light it."

  "And this resin will make him tell the truth?" Beck's tone drips with doubt.

  "Yes. But I'm also going to add a bit of dried althea to aid with persuasion."

  "Althea I have heard of, but not for truth."

  "Easy, big guy. I'm not combining it with rose hips. It won't serve as an aphrodisiac." I check the final place the resin could be, on the top shelf of the cabinets. I look behind me for a stool but don't see one. "Beck, can you grab this for me?" I bat my eyelashes at him, overdoing it and pulling a smile out of him.

  "Which one? This one?" He holds up a purple candle in one hand, the amber-colored copal in the other.

  "That one." I grab the jar of althea in one hand and snatch the copal from Beck with the other. I scrape the copal into a copper bowl and sprinkle the herb on top of it. "Too bad you're not a fire dragon. I'd ask you to light it." I slap my knee, cracking myself up, as I search the drawers for a lighter.

  "Ha-ha."

  I find the lighter, light the copal and althea, and lead the way to the door to the basement. "You ready for this?"

  Beck turns the handle on the door and pushes it open. "As I'll ever be."

  Whispered cursing greets us as we descend the steps. Tricky little fucker must be trying to break the wards. I hope he singes his fingers with his attempts. Petty, and probably bad for my personal karma, but I can only be so nice for so long and this guy is pure evil.

  I scuffle my feet so he knows we're here and the whispers cease. I hold the bowl in front of me, pretending to use it to light my way. I place the candle on the table across from the cell and take a seat in one of the empty chairs. Beck stands next to me, his arms crossed over his chest, and we both stare at the mage, patiently waiting for him to speak first.

  "I never thought I'd see you alive again…" Desmond trails off, stepping closer to the bars separating us from him.

  "Surprise." Beck's tone is flat, his face blank. I so badly want to reach out to him but I don't want to show any softness in front of this monster.

  "How did you get out?" Desmond cocks his head to the side, eyeing Beck up and down. "You couldn't have done it without help."

  "Don't worry about how he did it," I chime in. "Worry about how you're going to convince us to let you go after what you've done."

  Desmond laughs, the sound ugly. "You're not going to let me live. I know how this game works."

  God, I wish he was right, but he's
not. I raise a brow. "That's where you're wrong. We don't take lives. Tell us what we need to know and we'll let you go without dropping you on the doorstep of the police."

  He scoffs. "You think I'm scared of the police?"

  "Nah. I think you're scared of Dayphis. He's your boss, right?" I tap a finger to my lips. "Think about it. If you end up in jail, he'll have you killed in hours. Probably after having someone torture you for the fun of it to find out what you told us. If we let you go, you've got a chance to run."

  Desmond rubs at the back of his neck, shifting from one foot to the other. My stomach turns at the thought of this man out in the world, free to do what he pleases. Even if we strip him of his magic, something is innately evil about him, right down to his core. He'd probably end up being the inspiration for an episode of Criminal Minds.

  "What do you want to know?"

  "How did you find Kay and her family? Who else knows about them?"

  "Everyone in our coven knows about them. We've been searching for years for those with dragon's blood strong enough to allow us to control the dragons we captured long enough to release them and take their magic for our own."

  "How many are in your coven?"

  Desmond's eyes quickly dart to the left and I wait to see if the copal and althea will do their job. He purses his lips, his expression pained. It must be working its magic, because he looks like he wants to lie but can't. Good. Prick.

  "There are thirteen of us including Dayphis, who is on his way here—"

  "When is he due to arrive?" Beck steps forward, fury flashing in his eyes.

  Great. The boss and most powerful of all of them is headed this way. I can't imagine he'll be happy about not having Kay and her family to help control the dragons he thinks he's got in these stones.

  "The day after tomorrow."

  I look to Beck, shocked that they would move so fast. But then again, greed is an incredible motivator. What are their plans? If they no longer have Kay and her family at their disposal, what will happen next? I replay Desmond's answer to my question and scowl. "You didn't tell me how you found Kay and her family."