We were now almost halfway through, and the writing was denser, concerned with Stasis Bureau operations and things of that nature. Some of it was pretty nasty, and I was glad to persuade Iris to do something that would take her mind off of it.
We also had a few serious discussions about Winfyre and being fake mates. It wasn’t bad at all, and in many ways, it was a relief. I laughed at myself for worrying—Iris was easy to talk to—and when I told her so, she’d dimpled with delight.
Over the next few days, too, we found time to arrange the study. First the furniture, then the research materials, which we then tried to organize because Iris’s bulk of notes was getting unwieldy. That proved easier than dealing with the table. My impulse purchase ended up causing us some problems, as it was too big for the study.
We spent a day shuffling around furniture until I decided to swap it with the dining room table and also bring in a circular end table that had always sat unused in the front hallway.
That worked out nicely. The dining room table, which I’d never sat at or used, fit perfectly in the center of the room. And the end table went between the two chairs in front of the fire. We’d gotten some old-fashioned wing chairs that had been rescued by Reagan’s cousin Shelby.
As for the impulse buy, that went where the dining room table had gone, only we set it vertically along the windows at Iris's suggestion. Sitting down side by side at one end, we had a perfect view of the valley and woods. It was tall enough for even me, and Iris had laughed at that, then proposed we christen it that night. Unfortunately for us, the christening ended up being literal, as a bowl got upended as we brought it over, and we had to spend a good twenty minutes cleaning up the sauce.
The next day, we made trips from my room to fill the shelves of the study with the piles of books I’d had scattered around my room. Iris had laughed upon seeing them and poked me in the ribs, calling me a secret bibliophile. I’d replied that she’d never asked.
By the time we were done, it had a homey and lived-in look. Iris had spruced up the shelves with her own little touches. Vases, little pieces of art, and other tchotchkes. In spite of the dark wood and somewhat severe, hard angles of the room, she’d managed to infuse it with warmth and color.
It’s very Iris, I thought as I stood alone in there the next morning and looked around.
The whole room had something of her personality. Several of the shelves still needed to be filled, and we could probably fit another table in there.
This was nice, doing fun and simple stuff like this. For the first time in almost six years, I wasn’t rushing off or consumed by Winfyre’s problems. I felt like I could breathe.
I was happy.
Heading out to the kitchen, I started making breakfast when I looked up and saw a few flakes spiraling down. Grinning to myself, glad I’d gotten up before the crack of dawn, I rushed to get outside and proceeded to knock my coffee off the counter. The mug smashed spectacularly, and I sighed, bending down to pick up the pieces. Hurrying to throw those away, I was mopping up when I heard footsteps and looked up to see Iris had appeared.
She was half-awake and looked a bit annoyed, holding back a yawn as she stood there. “Kal. What the hell are you doing? What happened?”
“Hey,” I said and stood up, tossing the rag on the counter. “I wake you?” She nodded. “Sorry.”
“Fine, it’s fine,” Iris said and turned around, heading back into the hallway. “Wanted to make sure that you didn’t hurt yourself and that no one was breaking in. Night.”
“Hey, wait,” I said and grabbed her elbow. “Throw a coat and hat on, and your boots, too.” Darting back into the kitchen, I grabbed the thermos and set it down on a different table we’d set up in the hall. “You’ll like this, I promise.”
“Why are you so energetic?” Iris grumbled.
“You’re rubbing off on me.”
“Kal, the sun isn’t even up.”
“I wanna show you somethin’,” I said, pulling on my own coat and hat, then yanking my boots on. Iris looked more awake now, and curious. “Hurry up.”
“Fine,” she pretended to huff, and threw her warm layers on, shoving her bare feet into boots as she followed me outside. “Holy jeez—it’s freezing, Kal.”
“Exactly,” I said and tugged her over to a break in the trees. “First snow.” Handing her the thermos, I stuck my hands in my pockets and breathed it in. “Always try to enjoy every snow, right when it starts. Reminds me of my dad. He loved the wintertime, loved everything about it.”
“That’s so nice,” Iris said and shuffled a little closer. “I’m sure he’d appreciate it, too.”
Putting an arm around Iris was becoming instinctive. But we were friends and partners and roommates and fake mates. It wasn’t a big deal, and it was cold out.
“When I was really young, maybe two,” I said, “there were a few bad weeks where I wouldn’t sleep. And this one night, my dad was struggling to stay awake, or maybe he wanted to try something else, my mom doesn’t know…but he swaddled me up and threw on his winter clothes, then went outside for a walk.”
“Did it work?” Iris asked as I paused, throat a little thick. I’d never told anyone this story before. “Kal?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. “At least not until it started to snow. Then I shut right up.” Holding onto her a little more tightly, I went on, in a lower voice: “Became a tradition for the two of us while my dad was still alive. Going outside at all hours to go for a walk in the snow. Drove my mom crazy, but I loved it. Loved the way the world was hushed, and the lights glowed…” I cleared my throat. “Anyway, you can go back in.”
Iris, being Iris, slipped an arm around me in response and shook her head. We stood there quietly, passing the coffee back and forth until the sky began to lighten.
“Hey, Kal,” Iris said, and I looked down at her. Her cheeks were rosy, and snow was in her hair, which I brushed away. She shivered and moved closer. “I’m happy you woke me up.”
“Me, too,” I said.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Kal
I was standing in the bathroom, fixing my hair and checking over my outfit. I hadn’t seen my Nan in a while, and she liked us looking sharp. Apparently, my Pop, God rest his soul, had been fairly dapper back in the day. Perhaps that’s where Corinna had gotten her flair from.
Either way, being somewhat less of an obstinate ass in some ways, I wore whatever my baby sister suggested. Yesterday, a delivery of clothes had come with instructions. So, I was now wearing a light gray sweater and nice jeans. Corinna had sent up a light cologne, and I wore that, too.
There was a light knock on the door, and I saw the smile that tugged into my cheeks as I went over to answer it. My breath caught as Iris looked up at me.
“Wow, Iris, you look…” I fumbled for words as I gripped the door frame.
“I know, I need the mirror,” she said, and I stepped back, ushering her in. “Corinna sent this, and I don’t know. Do I have time to change?”
“No,” I said, staring her down. “Why would you change? You’re a goddamn vision.” Her cheeks went pink, and she plucked nervously at her wine-colored dress. It was long sleeved, with a loose collar and a gray belt around her waist. Her tights sparkled a little when she walked, too. “My sister knows what she’s doing. Goddamn genius.”
“Thanks,” she said and glanced in the mirror. Her hair was pulled back, save for a few loose curls around her face. “You look nice, too.”
I nodded without really hearing her. The two of us standing here gave me a strange feeling. An ache of what could be, I supposed. Knowing Corinna, she’d chosen these outfits to play us off each other. I didn’t look half bad by her side.
For the first time in days, I had a sudden swoop of anxiety in my stomach. Iris had finally cracked that stubborn page in Orion’s book this morning. All too soon, she’d be done. The house would be empty and quiet.
I don’t want her to go.
As much as I hadn’t
wanted a roommate, never mind a fake mate, the thought of her leaving was a hundred times worse. I watched my jaw set hard, and my brow furrow.
I couldn’t deny the protectiveness anymore, not since the night Versk had gone after her. Even now, my face twisted into a scowl. But now I couldn’t deny the possessiveness, either. For the most part, besides a few dreams that had required long showers, I’d kept it under control.
I watched the intensity grow in my gaze as I stared at myself. Why couldn’t she stay here? She should stay here. She was safe.
Is she safe from you?
Sometimes it scared me a little, that bone-chilling savagery that seemed to lurk inside me. That accounted for all the ice and cold precision. That would demand retribution if Winfyre was threatened. Never mind my brothers or family.
Or Iris.
You can protect her, but can you keep a hold on the predator indefinitely? Fall out of—?
“Kal?”
“Huh?” I asked and met her eyes. Iris was gazing at me in concern, and my entire body relaxed. For her, I could do anything. “Sorry, I was thinking about Winfyre problems.”
“You wanna talk about it?”
“Later,” I said and turned to her, tilting her chin up. “You look beautiful, Iris. Don’t worry, and let’s go.”
“W-wait,” Iris said, and I let go of her chin, resting my hand on her shoulder. “I know our game plan for the story and sticking to the facts, but what about…” She bit her lip, and I had to let out a slow, controlled breath so I didn’t walk her back into the shower and demonstrate how much I thought about her in there. “What about PDA?”
Iris was so serious, I knew I shouldn’t laugh, so I nodded and swallowed, asking in a rough voice, “Like what, you think we should…” My eyes went to her lips, still being bitten by small white teeth. “I think we’re comfortable enough around each other now, Iris. You put me at ease and don’t mind my arm around your shoulder, right? Or holding hands?” She nodded. “All right, don’t worry.”
“Right, sorry,” Iris said and hugged herself.
“Unless…” I drawled, and my hand slipped around, splaying across her back. Fire licked through my veins as Iris’s pupils dilated, and she braced her hands on my chest. “Do you think we need to sell it more?”
I thought Iris would laugh or push me away, chiding me about being late. Instead, she went very still, and I suddenly had the sense that she'd vanished behind a wall. My hands fell to my sides, and I stepped back, suddenly feeling like an unforgivable ass.
“Iris, I’m sorry—I went too far.”
“No, no,” she said and laughed lightly, patting my chest. “I was thinking about deceiving your family like this. It’s not you.”
That made me feel even worse, especially since she wouldn’t quite meet my eyes. For the first time, this charade didn’t feel like an irritating and necessary fetter; it just felt unnecessary.
Before I could puzzle that out, Iris tugged on my hand and smiled up at me. “We should go.”
Still, that disquiet wouldn't leave me as we walked down to my mother’s and stepfather's house. It itched at my soul and distracted me. Neither of us spoke much until we got closer.
Iris suddenly seized my arm, and I stopped, staring down at her. “What if I embarrass you?”
“Have you met Fallon and Rett? Or Tristan?”
“I mean it, Kal, what if I—”
“Stop.” I took her face in my hands and brought her gaze up to mine. “Breathe. You are a smart, capable Riftborn. Besides, if anything, my family is going to be baffled as to how I have such a beautiful and brilliant woman on my arm.” Iris’s lips twitched. “See? Feel better?”
She nodded, and I felt relieved. Maybe Iris was off because she was nervous.
“Please don’t worry," I said, leaning closer. "My family is a hell of a lot nicer than me."
“You’re nice,” Iris said sternly.
I could’ve hugged her. She kept me in check, reminded me of my humanity.
Resting my forehead against hers, I closed my eyes and murmured, “See? That’s what I mean.” Her skin was so soft and warm. “But I mean, Iris, if you really don’t want to do this, you don’t have to. I want you to be happy and comfortable, not stressed out on my account.” I sighed. “Again.”
“We’re past that, and we talked about that, Kal,” Iris said, suddenly sounding a bit stern and more like herself. “You’re right. It’s…”
“Is it something else?” I asked. “Do you want to go somewhere and talk?”
“Oh, Kal,” Iris whispered, and her hands squeezed my wrists. “You are too good to someone like me.”
“Someone like you?” I asked and pulled back so I could see her face. Our eyes met, and electricity snapped. This time, there was no mistaking it. “Iris, you know I—”
“Kal?” came an incredulous shout, and I gritted my jaw. “Iris?”
Iris let go of me and stepped back, but not before I caught her hand. I gave it a reassuring squeeze, stepping forward and whispering, “I could spend a whole lifetime trying to be worthy of someone like you.” Her eyes were wide, and I smiled at her, then turned. Laia hurried up, Rett and Fallon in her wake holding Eliot and Luna. “Hey, red. Iris is a bit nervous about tonight. Talk to her?”
“Oh, honey, I get it,” Laia said, instantly all sympathy. “You look lovely, and there’s nothing to worry about. It’s not the Llarys. The Deacons are so wonderful and understanding. I don’t know where they got Kal from.”
Rett, Fallon, and I laughed, while Iris let out a weak chuckle. Luna was reaching for me, and I took my goddaughter from Rett while Fallon and Laia reassured Iris. Rett was throwing me strange looks that I pointedly ignored as we walked up to the house.
“You smell good, Uncle Kal,” Luna chirped, and then she whispered in my ear, loudly, “Is that pretty lady, Miss Iris, my new auntie?”
“Luna, sh,” Rett said and reached out to put a hand on the redhead’s waves. “Not now.”
“Dad, mommy said—”
“You’re here,” my mother cried, throwing open the door and ushering us in. My aunt Ellie appeared behind her, and Luna let out a shriek.
“Granma!” She tried to wriggle free, and I handed her over to Ellie as we went inside. Luna was notorious for bouncing from person to person. As first-born of the new generation, she was bound to be spoiled a little. “Look at the pretty new lady, Miss Iris.”
Iris was in the thick of Deacon relatives, my mom with her arm around Iris, Eliot on her hip, and Corinna on the other side, with Charlotte grinning shyly up at Iris from David’s left. I tried to get to her when I was suddenly hustled back onto the porch by Rett and Fallon.
“What the hell?” I growled at them. “Iris is alone in there, and—”
“Yes, so they won’t notice for a moment,” Fallon interrupted and glanced at Rett. “What did we just interrupt back there?”
"Nothing," I said. Heat rushed up my neck, and I averted my eyes. "Iris was nervous about tonight." Silence. Eerie silence, considering my cousins. “It was a pep talk.”
“Hell of a pep talk,” Rett muttered, and I glared at him.
“That’s what you’re going with?” Fallon asked, and her blue eyes ran over me. “No, you’re…” Suddenly, her breath caught, and I was being hugged within an inch of my life. “Oh my God, oh my God, yes—I knew it, I knew it.”
As Fallon drew back, beaming, Rett asked, “Knew what?”
“Look at him,” Fallon said and stepped back, as her younger brother scrutinized me.
“Will you two stop it?” I asked and tried to go back in but was blocked by Rett. “Knock it off.”
Rett let out a laugh, and his whole face lit up. “I see it.”
“Don’t even pretend you don’t know what we’re talking about,” Fallon warned.
“Shit,” I muttered and rubbed my face, trying not to smile. “Fine. Maybe, I…”
The door banged open, and we all jumped. Nan was standing there and
scowling, her glasses gleaming. A tall and willowy woman with short cropped hair and blazing blue eyes, she gave us all a stern look, and we trooped inside.
“You,” she barked and jabbed a finger at me. Then her face relaxed. “Come here. I haven’t seen you in so long, Kallen. You look so handsome tonight.”
Bending down and hugging her, I smiled as I said, “I know, Nana. I’m sorry.”
“Mm, well, busy man,” she said as she pulled back and held my hands. “And happy. I can already tell, she’s a good woman, that Iris. She’s perfect for you.” I nodded as Rett and Fallon smothered laughter. “Sweet as can be but won’t take any of your crap.”
My face went red as my cousins broke out laughing.
“She’s a rare one, Iris,” I said and swallowed hard. “Changed my life.”
I watched as my Nan’s eyes got bright, the laughter from behind me stilling, and my body freezing up. I couldn’t believe I’d said those words. Nor could I take them back.
“Oh, Kallen,” Nan said and embraced me again. “That does me good to hear, you’ve no idea.”
After Nan had fussed over us, she chivvied us into the living room. Rett and Fallon were snickering again, Rett observing under his breath how I couldn’t let Iris go now or I’d risk breaking our grandmother’s heart. Fallon kept whispering, I knew it.
Finally, I managed to break away from them and find a relatively safe spot with Charlotte and Corinna after I’d said hello to various Deacon cousins, aunts and uncles. Iris was ensconced on the couch with my mother and several aunts, with Nan and my great-aunt Annie pulled up close.
Iris was chattering along, making them laugh and telling stories. I watched her for several moments as Charlotte snuggled up next to me, and Corinna talked to another cousin. Then I felt eyes on me and looked over to see Rett and Fallon grinning evilly and whispering to each other.
Ice Bear's Bid (Northbane Shifters Book 4) Page 21
