by Shea Balik
Since the age of sixteen, Kirill had never stayed in a place long enough to call it home. He may have only been in Miracle a couple of weeks but he already thought of it as home. But if it wasn’t where Harper wanted to be, Kirill would gladly leave it behind to follow his mate.
Harper leaned into Kirill’s hand and turned his head to plant a kiss on his palm before answering. “My home is wherever you are.”
Kirill’s lips turned up into a big smile that he was sure could be seen a mile away. Leaning down he brushed his lips across Harper’s. “You make it so easy to love you.”
Harper gasped. “You love me?”
The wonder and hint of disbelief in his mate’s eyes nearly broke his heart. “How could I not? You, my sweet Harper, are everything I could ever want in a mate. Sexy. Sweet. Caring. Strong. Brave. Sexy.” He’d punctuated each word with a kiss.
Harper chuckled after his last one. “You already said sexy.”
Kirill smiled as he gave his mate another kiss. “That’s because it bears repeating.” This time when he sealed their mouths together, he didn’t stop until they were both breathless.
“Then we’re agreed?” Harper asked when they pulled back.
Still lost in the sensation of kissing him mate, Kirill had no idea what his mate was talking about. “Huh?”
A mischievous smile that told him Harper knew exactly the effect he’d had on Kirill played on his lips. “We’re going home,” Harper clarified. “To Miracle.”
Lighter than he’d been since finding Harper tied to that table about to be raped, Kirill happily said, “Yes. We are in complete agreement. We should go back home to Miracle.”
CHAPTER 16
“What in the hell is that?” After three days of lying around while his feet healed, Nole had finally given Harper the green light that morning to put his shoes back on and walk around. With cabin fever having set in, Harper had threatened Kirill with a lamp – it had been the only thing close by he could throw – to get him out of the house.
When Kirill had said he could sit on a chair in the yard, Harper threw the lamp at him, just barely missing his mate’s head. After that, Kirill agreed to take him into town where they were building Jari’s new diner.
At first, he’d thought it would be exciting but Harper soon learned just how wrong he was. Watching people scurry around hammering, sawing, and cursing, while entertaining at first, soon became as boring as staring at the walls in his room. So Harper had gotten up from the chair Kirill had forced him to sit in and started walking around the town.
When he’d seen the dilapidated town, Harper couldn’t believe Edrick had actually paid money for it. Clearly whoever sold him this bill of goods had laughed all the way to the bank. It was a dump and that was giving dumps all over the world a bad name.
Too afraid to enter any of the buildings that looked ready to collapse if he breathed wrong, Harper had made sure to walk down the center of the main street. Until he came to a sign welcoming visitors to Miracle that lay propped against a leaning post.
That’s when he saw one of Edrick’s friends, Hudson, and Nole walking around the side of the far building. Nole was holding what appeared to be a video camera, while Hudson was carrying a small box just larger than a phone in one hand while waving a metal rod that split into two tines at the end in the other hand. It was just too bizarre.
Nole whirled to face him, but Hudson kept waving that rod while the box in his hand created squealing noises and static. “Harper,” Nole said with a tentative smile.
After Nole had examined his feet, Harper had asked some pointed questions about why Nole hadn’t come back for him. He still wasn’t sure he forgave Nole for leaving him behind, but he understood better why he had. They weren’t exactly friends now, but if Harper wanted to make Miracle his home, which he did, he knew it was time to bury the hatchet with Nole.
“What are you two doing?” Maybe this would be his opportunity. He had no idea what Nole and Hudson were doing but it definitely had to be better than watching a bunch of men curse when they hit their fingers with a hammer.
“Nole,” Hudson said, completely ignoring Harper. “Are you getting this? There is definitely something here.” The excitement in Hudson’s voice was palpable.
Not having any clue what was happening, Harper still felt himself getting energized as Nole turned with camera in hand to where Hudson was pointing the metal rod thing. Then the box in Hudson’s hand went crazy, squealing, making a high-pitched whine that had Harper covering his ears.
Hudson glanced over to the small screen on the video camera. “Are you getting anything?”
The screen was that of the back corner of the house. All Harper could see was the peeling paint and a small broken window near the ground that most likely led to the basement.
Nole shook his head. “No. But maybe when we go back over it frame by frame we’ll pick something up.”
Suddenly Hudson pointed at the screen. “There. What’s that?”
Harper blinked and stared at the exact same image they’d been staring at. Peeling paint. Broken window. A house that appeared to be leaning too much to remain standing much longer.
Once more, Nole shook his head back and forth. “I missed it. Sorry. Do you want to keep looking or go back to the house to go over what we’ve filmed so far?”
Harper was confused. What in the hell were they filming?
Hudson’s eyes shone with glee. “Are you kidding? We’re finally onto something. We need to keep going. Whoever this is, they are trying to get our attention.”
Huh?
“What are you two talking about? Who’s trying to get your attention?” Harper was starting to question their sanity. There was no one around and he sure as hell would have seen if someone had been trying to get their attention just now.
It was Nole who answered him as Hudson studied the house in front of them. “Hudson believes Miracle is haunted by the victims of a serial killer.”
Harper blinked at Nole. When he didn’t know what to say, he blinked again.
These people believed in ghosts? Maybe they really were crazy. “Ghosts?” Even as he said it, Harper wondered what kind of an alternate reality he’d just entered. Then again, after three days of staring at the walls of his bedroom, he was bored out of his mind. Chasing ghosts was definitely better than anything going on in Miracle at the moment. “Can I help?”
As if he suddenly realized Harper was there, Hudson pulled what looked like a radar gun the cops used to catch speeders off his tool belt. He flipped a switch and the screen turned various colors. “This is a thermal image. When you see a lot of green, blue, or violet, let me know.”
Nodding, he took the device and pointed it in the direction they had been searching. His eyes widened when he saw a blob of green and blue that looked like a small child. “Uh, Hudson?” Harper really hoped he was seeing things.
“Harper, it really isn’t that hard,” Hudson said as he walked closer to the house and the small figure Harper was staring at on his screen.
Sure enough, when Hudson got closer, oranges and reds filled that part of the screen. The blue and green figure took a step back and Harper would swear it tilted its head back as if to look up at Hudson.
“Hudson, you really need to see this.” Without taking his eyes off the screen, he said to Nole, “I hope you’re recording this because I’m telling you there is what appears to be a child standing right next to Hudson and he’s staring up at him.”
Hudson froze as if afraid of scaring the ghost. “Where?” he whispered.
“To your right.”
But before Hudson could turn in that direction a roar split the air, shaking the building they were standing next to. Then the blue-green image disappeared.
Harper cried out in dismay. “Damn it. He must have been scared because it’s gone now.” Irritated, Harper lowered the device and rushed to where Hudson was still standing. “I’m telling you, he was right here.” Harper pointed to the spot h
e’d seen the figure.
“It’s okay,” Hudson said. “At least we know we’re on the right track.” The man’s excitement wasn’t at all diminished even though the ghost was gone. “It’s obvious he wasn’t afraid of us if he let me stand right next to him.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure after that roar. He might associate us with the sound,” Nole commented. “Who made that racket anyway?”
As if answering the question, they heard another roar, but this time it was Harper’s name being yelled. “Never mind,” Nole said, shooting a glance at Harper. “Question answered.”
Guilt ate at Harper. He hadn’t meant to be gone from his designated chair that long, nor had he meant to stray from the main street so Kirill would easily be able to find him. The panic in Kirill’s voice said just how terrified he was to find Harper missing.
“Um.” Harper handed the thermal imaging thingy to Nole, who was standing next to him. “It’s been fun, but I better go before I end up grounded.” He was joking but he feared that was exactly what was going to happen when Kirill found him. “Maybe I can join you next time,” he called over his shoulder as he ran back to the street.
He just hoped they’d be able to break him out from whatever room Kirill locked him in.
CHAPTER 17
It had been two days since Harper had disappeared and Kirill’s heart still hadn’t stopped racing. Sure, he had only gone for a walk and ended up helping Hudson and Nole chase ghosts, but that didn’t change the fact that every hellish scenario had gone through Kirill’s mind in the three minutes and twelve seconds Kirill didn’t know where his mate was.
Was he being a tad overprotective? Definitely. But Kirill just couldn’t seem to stop the feelings from consuming him to protect Harper at all costs.
Nole warned him it would only get worse until he mated fully with Harper, but Kirill just didn’t see that happening anytime soon. Harper was making great strides in overcoming his hesitation with intimacy, but they were a far cry from the few kisses and touches he’d allowed so far to having sex.
As much as Kirill would love to complete the mating bond with Harper, he wouldn’t push his mate. If this was all Harper could give, Kirill would be happy, so long as he had his mate by his side.
That didn’t mean he didn’t long for more, but Kirill just didn’t see it happening. Not when his mate still jumped at everything. Kirill used to believe Jari was skittish but he had nothing on Harper. The man literally jumped at his own shadow on a daily basis.
“You won’t believe it,” Harper said as he rushed into the house. “We found the ghost again.” Harper’s hands waved around excitedly as he talked, something he was doing more and more as he became comfortable in his surroundings. “I mean, I can’t be sure it’s the same one since he’s a bunch of thermal colors but I think it was him.”
How someone who was so scared over the slightest thing loved chasing ghosts wasn’t something Kirill understood. Then again, if it made Harper happy, which it apparently did, he was all for it. “Was he able to communicate with you?”
According to Harper, Hudson was convinced the ghosts of the town were still there because their murderer had never been caught. The odds of the guy still being alive seventy years later was slim, unless he was a shifter, but Hudson wanted to give the ghosts some form of closure even if it was just the knowledge that person was no longer alive.
Harper’s lips twisted into a frown. “No, but I think it’s because we don’t know how to hear what he’s telling us.” A slim shoulder rose and fell, his hands falling to his sides and slapping against his legs dramatically. “If he’s even trying to talk to us.”
Harper gave a huff before he started his usual pacing. He was like the energizer bunny when he got going on a topic he was interested in. “I mean, how do I know if his lips are moving? Hell, maybe he doesn’t even have a voice, he is a ghost after all.” Harper stopped in his tracks and whirled to face Kirill. “Maybe that’s it,” he said as if Kirill had a clue what he was talking about. “What if he uses some kind of telepathy and we just aren’t open enough to it?”
His mate shook his head as if dispelling the thought from it. “Not that it matters. I mean, I hope we can talk with him one day, but even if we can’t, it’s been fun trying.” With that, Harper pulled out the chair next to Kirill and collapsed into it in a true Hollywood starlet fashion.
Kirill smiled at his mate. He really was starting to come out of his shell and show his true colors. Kirill had to admit to loving every new discovery. It was like getting to unwrap a present each and every day.
“Why don’t I take the rest of the day off and we spend some time together?” He hadn’t planned to ask, but Kirill wanted some of his mate’s happiness all for himself. Selfish? Maybe. But it would be nice to get some time with the fun Harper after the many nights he had listened to Harper scream from the nightmares that plagued him.
Harper’s smile turned downright wicked as he slid from his own chair to straddle Kirill’s lap. Kirill froze. He was too afraid he might break whatever spell Harper was under. Since that kiss in the woods, Kirill could count on one hand the times Harper initiated any kind of intimacy from him.
It was always Kirill who kissed him, held his hand, or just gave him a hug. To have Harper not only start this but actually climb onto his lap was huge and Kirill wasn’t about to do or say anything that would ruin it.
“And just what do you plan to do with me, mate?” Harper said invitingly.
Kirill ached to pick his mate up and take him into the bedroom to show him exactly what he wanted to do but he wasn’t about to push Harper into another flashback. So he leaned forward and brushed their lips together. “I was thinking a little touching. A little kissing.” He punctuated each statement with a kiss. “Maybe lick every inch of your body.”
Kirill kissed Harper, not letting his mate think too hard about his last statement. He lapped along Harper’s lush lips, savoring his mate’s taste.
Just as Harper parted his lips on a moan there was a hurried knock followed by the screen door opening. Both of them groaned in dismay even as twin footsteps could be heard, announcing they were about to have company, again. Kirill was glad that his mate was acclimating to Miracle and the many residents that now lived there but he would also like some privacy to get to know his mate better.
Nole and Jari rushed into the kitchen both talking over each other excitedly not even seeming to care that they’d interrupted Harper and Kirill kissing.
He was about to growl for them to leave when the most heavenly sound reached his ears. Harper’s laughter was like a balm to his soul, calming the beast that raged within him to claim his mate now.
“Guys, guys. One at a time.” Harper said as he turned in Kirill’s lap so he was facing his friends.
It wasn’t what Kirill wanted but at least his mate hadn’t scrambled to get off his lap. Wrapping an arm around Harper’s waist, Kirill tugged him closer until Harper’s back was against his chest. Satisfied with the arrangement, Kirill went back to listening to the duo.
“So, will you do it?” Jari asked.
Nole rushed to say. “You have to. I still dream of those pies you used to make.”
Huh? “What pies?”
Jari and Nole stared at him as if he were an idiot. “Haven’t you been listening?” Nole asked as he put his hands on his hips. “Harper is one of the best bakers in the world.”
“That’s a bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?” Harper quipped. “I mean in Mauston, maybe, but the world?”
Nole huffed. “Hey, I’ve traveled all over the United States and I can tell you, I’ve never had an apple pie as good as yours.”
“Apple?” Kirill perked up at hearing one of his favorite pies. “How are you with blueberry?”
The back of Harper’s neck turned pink. Kirill reached his hand around to Harper’s chin and forced his mate to look over his shoulder at him. The same pink was there staining his cheeks. It was so adorable. He just
wished they didn’t have an audience to witness it so he could kiss his mate senseless.
“It was my favorite pie to make,” Harper admitted. “I used to bake blueberry pies at least once a week, just so I could perfect the recipe.”
“Please say yes,” Jari said. “I love to cook and I do okay with baking rolls but it isn’t my favorite. We could arrange for you to own part of the diner and you can decide what bakery items you want to make each day. The only things we would always need on hand are rolls and sliced bread for meals.” By the end, Jari had his hands squeezed together tightly under his chin as if pleading with Harper.
“And you were just saying this morning that you wish you could contribute to Miracle in some way but you hate building things,” Nole said. “This would be perfect for you.”
Kirill had no idea his mate felt he should be contributing. He probably should have guessed, but he’d been so fixated on making sure his mate was safe and happy that he hadn’t thought to actually ask Harper if he was happy. “Is that something you want to do Harper?”
“You wouldn’t mind?” Harper asked meekly. It killed Kirill to think his mate thought he would hold him back from doing what he wanted. But he knew it wasn’t him, but Abdiel who had somehow put that idea in his head.
“Why would I mind? If baking is what you want to do, I will support you completely. I’ll even be your first customer.” He chuckled. “Just be sure to make one of those blueberry pies for me.”
The smile that graced his mate’s face was enough to let Kirill know he’d said the right thing. “I love you,” Harper blurted out. Those brown eyes got as wide as saucers when his mate realized what he’d said.
“I love you too, my petal,” Kirill said.
Relief filled Harper’s eyes. “Can we put our time together on hold?” Harper asked. “There’s something I want to do with Jari first.”
