Worlds of Frost: Guardians book 3.5

by Lexi Ostrow

  “Not details, no. My career has come calling, and there is a possibility I will have to leave at a moments notice.”

  There was a brief pause. “I see. I hadn’t realized military operations were as secretive as people said they were. But, yes, I can come. Going into this, we said our lives came first. This is your life and who you are outside of your book. I will not hamper your ability to function as I hope you wouldn’t do to me.”

  Her words went a small way to remove some of the anger he felt pulsing through him at the idea his brethren were in danger. She was so cold with her words, and yet, they seemed to hold plenty of warmth to him. He didn’t understand why she was able to have such an effect on him, but he couldn’t deny that, if Guardian to Guardian bonds could heal a broken rift, he was all for them — with Marie or anyone else.

  “Great. I’ll see you in an hour then?”

  “An hour is perfect. I take it you have some sort of a plan for our meeting?”

  “I have an idea. Something that will help us learn one another better and likely strengthen a connection once we are able to see beyond words and pretty faces written to seduce and captivate.”

  “Very well. See you in an hour.”

  A click signified she had hung up, and he pulled the phone away from his ear. If he was going to be any sort of civilized when she arrived, he needed to take a shower and shake off his vile attitude, just until he was activated and truth could be given to the claims of captivity.

  He was pacing like a loon up and down the walkway from the street to his front door. The shower had done next to nothing to cool him off and while he had no idea what type of car Marie even drove. If she didn’t pull up soon, he was going to need to hit the range to blow off more steam.

  The soft purr of an engine drew his eyes upward just in time to see a bright red Golf pulling into his driveway. He didn’t realize his lips had lifted in a grin at the idea of someone so cool driving a car so bright until she stepped out of the car, her white hair braided off to one side.

  “Something amusing?” she asked closing the door with a small slam.

  “Well, yes, actually. Something rather contradictory to your nature. You’re cold all over, not just physically but the image you cast off. Your hair is a brilliant blonde. So light it’s white. Your eyes are the strangest shade of blue that almost appears clear when the sun hits them. The first time I saw you, you were dressed as you are now, in what Stacey would have called cool tones. All light blues and crisp whites.”

  She looked down, likely taking in the long, pale blue skirt and white tank she was wearing. “And that’s against my nature?”

  He shook his head and pointed at the car. “Nope. But a bright red car sure as shit is.”

  Her eyes narrowed, and he could see the tension racing through her body as she stood upright.

  “It was my Word Speaker’s car.” As quickly as the anger had washed over her features, it vanished. “That’s strange, I shouldn’t have been able to be angry about that. That would indicate a sense of connection to him, and that’s gone.”

  She was talking to herself, but he responded anyway.

  “Is there any chance that our painfully awkward getting to know each other situation has changed anything?”

  She shook her head. “Not in the slightest. Those emotions are gone. I believe it caused anger because I realized I am still driving the vehicle. When Zach was first taken from me, I had consciously chosen to drive it to be as near to him as possible. With my emotions toward him removed, I should have moved right back to my unnoticeable navy Accord.” She shrugged, and it was apparent she didn’t honestly care. “Habit, I suppose. So, what exactly do you have in mind?”

  “I want us to see how the other lives. I think if we can get a sense of what we’re still living for, why we didn’t opt to return to our stories when we lost, for lack of a better term, our worlds, it could help to push us closer together.”

  She raised a brow at him. “You realize the mission is not to grow closer together. The mission is to see if a broken link can be repaired.”

  He almost growled at her. Neither of them had been interested in anything romantic, so for her to adopt that it was the connection he suddenly wanted was an unwelcome assumption in his current state of mind.

  “I merely thought that if we had a way to care for one another, it would end this mission.” He didn’t add that it had made him realize he was missing something. If all it took was a few measly texts, it was likely he’d just needed interaction of any kind, and it had nothing to do with her being another Guardian.

  Her scowl relaxed, and she held up her arms in surrender. “You’re right. I’m still learning not everything is connected to a motive different from the one I’m hearing. In my world, in my book, tricks were common among those we were protecting. I suppose, after Zach’s death and my choice to perform the ice ritual, a little more of my world seeped into my mind than has in the past.” She stuck her hand out. “Truce?”

  He felt his face relax as well as he shook her hand. The coldness of it didn’t seem strange, likely because he knew what she was. “Any way you ever freaking warm-up?”

  She grinned at him, the action adding a glow to her face that only amplified her beautiful exterior.

  “When I am not on edge or utilizing my powers, I tend to run the same temperature as humans. Of course, I just overreacted and was contemplating giving you a little frost bite.”

  Shaking his head, he couldn’t stop his small laugh. “For a woman, you’re awfully fucking scary sometimes.” He walked to the garage and punched the code into the box hanging on the wall, stepping back as it began to open.

  Turning, he gestured for her to come closer. “I was thinking, if we could show each other who we are in this and to this world, then it would help us. I know you’re an Ice Demon and a warrior. From our text marathons, I know you won’t touch coffee, you love any detective shows, and you are ready to adopt a Pit from the shelter.”

  She walked up with a look of shock plastered on her face. “I had always thought they said men don’t listen?”

  Pulling open the car door, he grinned at her. “I read, not listened. Plus, I’m not being a gentleman and opening your door or anything.” He dropped into the driver seat as if to make a point that he had no intention of doing anything remotely chivalrous or that could be misinterpreted.

  A few seconds later, the passenger door closed after her. “I know this will seem odd, but thank you for not opening that door.” She looked at him, her eyes practically sparkling. “I’m enjoying getting to spend time with another who is sort of like me. I don’t have any desire to have that ruined by ridiculous notions or forbidden emotions.”

  Chuckling, he shifted the Jeep into reverse. “Marie, you are something else. That is for certain.”

  6

  “We’ll need to see her identification as well,” the military police said as he lowered his face to look into the Jeep.

  Sean wasn’t shocked. They’d been at threat level orange for as long as he could remember. Though this was probably the first time he’d ever driven onto the base with someone else.

  Without a word, Marie passed her ID over him and to the man. She smiled as sweetly as he’d ever seen any woman do, and he began to wonder what she was like with all her emotions. The woman next to him could be as feisty as any Amazon and yet seemed to ooze charm when she needed it.

  “Thank you, Ma’am. Have a good day.”

  “Thanks,” he said with a nod and pulled forward, past the gate of Nellis Air Force Base.

  Marie was quiet as they pulled in. He supposed there was nothing spectacular about the base. It was like any other base — big, filled with men and women in uniform and appearing useless to anyone who didn’t know what the buildings housed and meant for the service.

  He turned his head just enough to see her. She was looking out the front window, her eyes narrowed.

  “Something the matter?”

  “I’
ve never been on a base before. I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

  “And what are you thinking?”

  “That, minus the obvious soldiers walking around, it looks like nothing more than a college campus.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean it as harshly as that sounds. Just that it’s an area where a lot of people are milling about between large buildings that have a uniform look and there isn’t much else occurring.” She shrugged. “I admit to having watched Army Wives. I expected there to be families all over and events taking place.”

  He laughed and turned into the closest lot. He couldn’t show her much, but he figured she’d like a peek at the few buildings he could show her. “I can’t say you’re wrong.” Turning he grinned at her. “But it’s what goes in those boring looking buildings that counts.” He undid his seatbelt and got out of the car.

  “What else occurs here? Can much happen on a base in this country?” She looked away and around her as she climbed out as well. “I mean, with no wars here.”

  Once again, he laughed. There was something in the way she’d asserted the statement that was amusing, likely because it was familiar. “While we don’t have wars here, per se, there are plenty of battles fought. I don’t partake though, and neither does this base.”

  He gestured around at the buildings. “Nellis Air Force Base has about five thousand acres covered with buildings and a good ten or twenty thousand more for testing and training. From flight training to operations and other things I’d probably lose my wings for telling.” He winked playfully.

  “And you are a rescue man?”

  “Something like that. My unit is what is known as Special Forces. We’re the ones that are dropped in, typically in secret, to do the jobs that need to be done quickly and can get messy.” Talking about himself that way felt strange, but when she smiled appreciatively at him, he found he liked that look on her.

  “So you’re a hero. Just as I was told you were.”

  “I was written to be a hero. I simply followed through when I had the chance.” It was the first time he’d actually said the words aloud — that he wasn’t a hero. Somehow it felt like a weight lifting off his chest, not carrying around the burden from when he was little more than fictional being.

  “I think what you do, from what I’ve read, is very noble. You protect and save those who need you. In my book, I mean, in my mind, that makes you a hero.” There was no praise in her words, just a simple vocalization of what she clearly felt to be true.

  “I’m not certain how to respond to that.”

  She smirked. “Thank you should suffice rather well.”

  She’d made him smile . . . again. She found it strange, the way she kept being able to do that while not trying to at all. She was growing on him as much in person as she had in a short time of texting.

  “I think I can do that. Thank you, Marie. I don’t do what I do for the praise, but I admit having another warrior that isn’t a brother in arms give me such commendation is rather nice.”

  “Well, we are alike in many ways, and I know praise is often hollow, even from those you’ve saved.”

  Her words sunk in and left a pang of emptiness as he realized she was correct. Many that they saved offered momentary thanks and then went on to soak up the fame being rescued offered. But not his unit. Not a single unit like his, really. They did what they did in the shadows most times. Shaking his head, he tried to dispel the darker thoughts, especially given the men and women that might need him soon were fellow soldiers.

  “Come on, let me show you one of those boring looking buildings. Like that one for instance.” He pointed to the building just behind her. “That’s the exchange you always hear military spouses praising.”

  There was a slight pause before Marie followed his lead. “So what you’re saying is, this is the really cheap shopping mall?”

  He shook with laughter. He hadn’t realized how poorly the military was portrayed on some things. “More like the tax free shopping. Which in Nevada, isn’t the biggest deal. Go talk to someone living overseas or in New York. They love it.”

  He started walking toward the exchange, aware of the fact he couldn’t hear any sound of her following. He looked out of the corners of his eyes and was shocked to see she was.

  The warrior in her must make her light on her feet. He marked it down under the impressed with her column in the list he’d mentally been creating. So far, that side was decidedly longer than the negatives about her — she was closed off and feisty. Not that feisty was all bad.

  They walked in, and he noticed a distance lack of concern on Marie’s part. There was nothing he could think to say to her, so he walked in silence as they perused the rows. Somehow, walking beside her made everything seem less impressive to him. Something he wasn’t used to. Before his release, in his book, women had fallen all over him when they’d found out what he did for a living. Even out of the book, the few women he didn’t immediately shoo away were always more than happy to gush about him being a military man.

  But not Marie.

  In fact, it seemed as if she couldn’t care less about him in any fashion. And why does that bother you? The thought caught him off guard, and he growled low as he stopped walking. Because if you cannot connect, you fail the mission. Get it together.

  “Are you all right?” she asked, tilting her head to the side and showing actual concern in her expression. “I don’t know much about you, but I’m fairly certain for you to utter such a sound is not the best.”

  Anger was bubbling just beneath the surface. He hated feeling insignificant, and somehow this woman was doing it without even trying. He shoved his hands into his pockets just as someone he knew waved at him and jogged up.

  “Nice to see you, man.” Carver looked at Marie, and a grin lit up his damned face. “Shit, I didn’t think my boy could ever be convinced to start the dating game seriously enough to bring someone to base.”

  “We aren’t dating.” Marie spat the words as violently as a snake hissing before an attack.

  Carver raised his hands in mock surrender, still smirking because he was clearly missing that he and Marie were nothing. “All good. I know plenty of women who have been trying to get to know this man for the better part of two years. Tanner Carver, part of his unit.” He stuck out a hand which Marie cordially shook. “You ready for that call?” Carver asked, his tone turning grave.

  “If it comes.”

  Carver nodded. “Well, I’ll let you two get back to it. Make sure you keep your ear to the ground. Go time will be short if he gets the confirmation we’re waiting on.”

  Sean immediately felt overwrought with guilt at his actions. He should have been doing nothing save for making sure his gear was ready. Instead, he was dicking around with a woman because his nature made him want to succeed at all costs.

  Marie could feel the waves of tension cascading off Sean as strongly as if the emotion was hers. She wasn’t certain, but she thought she felt the smallest bit of concern for Sean. Even before Zach, Marie hadn’t made it her priority to pay attention to other’s emotions. When she’d been released and had fallen in love with the helpless shelter dogs, she hadn’t experienced that compassion drip into the human realm.

  Yet, for some reason, she found herself upset that Sean was experiencing such obvious anger. Which is likely because he’s a Guardian, she thought with a shake of her head as they started walking through the aisles again. Sexual or not, the connection with a Word Speaker was immediate and intense. It stood to reason that something similar could be experienced between Guardians — for all their uniqueness.

  “Is everything okay?” She blurted the words as they walked down a row of colorful sweats.

  He paused, confusion marring his face. “Was it that obvious?”

  She shrugged. “You emote fairly clearly. Something that I admit I wasn’t expecting. The men in my world were closed off unless it involved passion. From what little I’ve read and seen on
TV here, they portray military the same way.”

  He stared back at her, a strange shift of emotions rolling through his eyes that she couldn’t completely identify.

  “I can’t speak for all, but compartmentalizing when we do what we do makes it much easier to cope. The problem is I’m mad at myself.” He started to walk again, a clear signal to close the subject.

  Silently, she followed beside him. Searching her mind, she retraced the past hour or so, trying to find anything that could have burdened him with such anger. From the moment she’d arrived at his house, he’d seemed tense but in good spirits. He’d even seemed hopeful that learning more about each other’s place in the world would help their quasi-assignment. Yet, with a small interaction, that had changed, and that didn’t make sense to her as the man he’d been speaking too seemed to be a friend.

  As much as she wanted to ask, she knew there were some boundaries left uncrossed. At the moment, this was one of them. They were little more than acquaintances.

  Then why do you even care? The question slammed into her so hard she stumbled, her shoulder slamming into Sean’s arm.

  Warmth spread over her forearm as he wrapped his hand around it, steadying her from falling. Embarrassment crept through her, and she found the sensation disgusting. However, she wasn’t upset she’d almost fallen, rather that she’d admitted to herself she cared in some way about a man she hardly knew. About a man at all.

  “Sorry,” she muttered and tugged at her clothes, righting them. “You have good reflexes. Fast.” She’d meant it as a compliment, though it sounded stupid.

  “I was written that way after all.” He gave her a sideways smile that didn’t match the lingering anger in his eyes or the deadpan tone of his voice.

  Again, she felt the urge to push him, to ask the questions she had. Again, she found herself annoyed that she wanted those answers.

  “Do you think that being—” she lowered her voice and leaned closer to him as they moved “—what we are affects how we interact?”