by Harper Wylde
Thirteen
Nix
“Come on, Nix,” Ryder whined, opening his eyes wide as he pleaded with me. I knew my lips were twitching, but I was holding back the laughter that wanted to break free. “We haven’t been shopping in ages and ages. Some places will have the Christmas decorations up already!”
“If you keep buying Christmas décor, you’re going to run out of money to waste on clothes,” I pointed out.
He gasped, splaying a hand over his chest in mock outrage. “Buying clothing is never a waste,” he declared emphatically.
“He’s right, you know,” Joshua piped up, winking at me from his spot on the couch. Over the last week, the guys had been working hard on their acceptance of Joshua and were frequently including him in their activities—usually with a limited amount of grumbling. “Nothing beats a perfectly tailored suit,” he added, waving a hand across his own attire.
I rolled my eyes at the approving look the pair shared. “I know I’m about to be outvoted, but I’m not sure it’s the best day to go shopping.” I shuddered at the memory of my last shopping trip, with treks in and out of dressing rooms, the crowds, the insane way my heart raced when I spent money I wasn’t used to having.
“How about a date?” Damien suggested with a wink.
I grinned, bouncing slightly on my toes. “I’d love that!” I sent a nervous glance toward Joshua, hoping he wasn’t offended by my enthusiasm after I shot down shopping. “What did you have in mind?” I asked more tentatively.
“I guess that’d be up to your date,” he said, a smile curving his lips. “Joshua, what were you thinking?” Joshua froze, his eyes widening as he stared from one face to the next. Apparently, Damien had mind-spoken his plan to the others, as none of them seemed surprised at the statement, only amused by our shock. Even Killian wore a smirk.
“You’d let me take her out again?” he inquired, his voice soft.
“You are her mate, aren’t you?” Ryder countered, though his grin looked a little forced.
“You’ve had the least amount of time with her,” Theo added. “And it’ll help keep the Council off of us if she continues to be seen on dates for the moment.”
“Are you okay with that?” Joshua addressed me gently.
You’re all really okay with this? I threw the words to Damien, knowing he’d pass them around. Hiro merely arched a brow at me, giving me a wicked grin that reminded me of our conversation from earlier, and a pleasant shiver worked its way over me as I remembered our play. Ryder groaned as memories flashed through my mind and Damien laughed, though the sound was husky. “I’d like that,” I admitted, a blush infusing my cheeks. “I…” I trailed off, breathing deeply as I wrung my hands together, gathering my courage and hoping the guys wouldn’t revoke their show of trust now. “If you’re up for it, Joshua, I’d love to spend some time with you. At the clearing?” I heard a low hiss behind me and hurried to add, “As humans, of course. I’d just like to change the memory I have there.” Joshua nodded warily, before standing up and holding out his hand for mine, which I tentatively accepted. “I know it’ll be cold, but I can help with that. I don’t want you uncomfortable.”
“If I’m with you, that’s an impossibility,” he declared with a smile.
“Don’t screw up again,” Killian warned him. “You won’t like what happens.” I scowled at Killian, but he only smiled at me in return.
“Come on, then,” I urged, still glaring at Kill. “I want to get there before it’s dark. I don’t know about you, but I really can’t see in the dark.”
“I sort of can actually,” he admitted with a shrug. “If I’m shifted at least.”
I stumbled as I put my boots on, staring at him in shock. “Seriously?” I asked, watching him wrap thick layers around himself.
“Well, it’s not true night vision or anything. I just read heat signatures. I haven’t figured out a way to do it in this form yet though, so it’s mostly useless.” He adjusted his scarf and grimaced as if in apology.
“Okay, we’re going to talk about how you define the word useless in the car, okay?” I tugged the door open, letting the cold air wash over me. “Let’s see what trouble we can get into this time.”
The drive to the clearing had been fun, Joshua’s chatter was light and friendly, and I was surprised by how much I truly enjoyed his company. I was grateful when he detoured us around the Lodge rather than going in—as much as I knew I needed to be seen by them, I couldn’t face another scene like the one in the throne room. I was already on tenterhooks in regard to the Council’s insanity, so one more thing would push me completely over the edge.
“You sure you’re okay with this?” I questioned again, even as I called on my Phoenix so I could push waves of heat over him. Since he was bundled up, I didn’t send out too much, hoping not to drain myself. He sighed as he felt it wash over him, offering me a smile that made his blue eyes light up.
“I love it. I like having a spot that’s for both of us,” he divulged as he we hiked in.
“Good. Me too.” I breathed in deeply, letting the cool, crisp air seep into my lungs and clear my head. “I know this is supposed to be a date, but with so many of us in the house, it’s rare to get any time alone,” I commented, as we paused in front of the waterfall. “I just, I wanted to take a minute to apologize to you again. I never should have put you in that position, taunting your snake that way. I know what it’s like to be used, and I did it anyway. I’m so sorry, I really am.” My words were tumbling out by the end, my hands wringing together as I tried to make him understand just how deeply this experience affected me, and how much guilt I carried.
“Nix,” Joshua began on a sigh, reaching out to grasp my arms. “Calm down, honey, so I can get a word in edgewise here.” His words were teasing and I swallowed hard, nodding to indicate I understood. “First, you don’t have to keep apologizing. You have apologized more than enough already, and I understand far more than you know.” He sighed, trailing his fingers lightly up and down my arms in a soothing motion. “I know you haven’t been here for very long, but you keep forgetting one of the most important things—you’re no longer human, honey.”
I scoffed at that and he smiled, chucking my chin with his finger. “I’m well aware I’m not human. If I was, I’m not sure I would have considered being with so many men at once.” Heat flew into my cheeks as I said the words out loud.
“It’s not just that though.” He tugged on my arms, pulling me down to settle on the rocks, brushing aside the snow that had piled up. “We’re all about protecting those who mean something to us. You’ve seen some of the most horrible parts of our culture, being thrown into the Council like this. But there are aspects you haven’t seen. Just like your mates protect each other, or Rini’s mates protect her. There are frequently fights here, interactions that would be considered extremely violent to humans, even overreactions. But if we feel that those we care about are in danger, there aren’t limits. I didn’t lie before when I told you I was proud of you.” He stroked a finger down my cheek, tapping my lips as I tried to interrupt him. “They’re your mates, and I don’t think any less of you for doing whatever you needed to, to take care of them.” His eyes were soft as he added, “The same way I hope you’ll do for me one day.”
I winced at the blatant hope in his eyes. “Joshua, about that. I really like you, way more than I should to be honest.” I watched the water breaking over the rocks and the thin sheets of ice reflecting the afternoon light back into my eyes. “My mates are encouraging me to see what can happen between us, and it’s the only reason I’m moving forward. I would have denied what my instincts are telling me, because they’re my choice, they’re everything I’ve ever hoped for in a future.” I turned my gaze to his, begging him to understand as I clasped his hand. “They are my choice, were my choice before I knew anything about mates or fate. And I’m never going to regret that. If you move forward with this, with me, there is going to be so much you have to give up or leav
e behind.” I chose my words carefully, nearly drowning in his ice-blue eyes. “If you go into this only because we’re fated mates, you’re going to end up regretting us, and that’s not a future I want for myself or for you. I want you to choose me, choose us, because otherwise, we have no real hope at a future, soul mates or not.”
Joshua sighed, his fingers feathering lightly over my cheek. “Nix, I chose you the minute I saw you. When you told Griff off, I was lost. It may be twisted, or amusing to you, but it’s true. My heart knew you were mine from the beginning. You’re strong, sweet, and so damn smart. How could I not choose you? I’ll find my role here, I just need you to give me the chance. If I have to leave everything behind, have to bleed for you, I will, and I won’t regret a second of it.”
He cupped the back of my head, pulling me close to him, his eyes remaining on mine as they assessed me, waiting for me to make my choice—to pull away from him, from us, or move forward. Even as his lips softly brushed mine, our eyes stayed connected. His lips teased across mine once, then again, until I relaxed with a sigh, leaning into him and closing my eyes as he deepened the kiss. His hands went from gentle to possessive as he gripped my neck, angling me exactly where he wanted me for his mouth. He pulled away with a quick nip, flashing me a grin and breathing deeply as he laid his forehead against my own. “I’m not quite sure that’s what you meant by keeping me warm, but damn if it didn’t do the job,” he teased softly, kissing my forehead and pulling back again. “Nix, one thing my father has taught me from the cradle, is that mates are the most important blessing we could ever receive.” At my grimace, he shook his head, tapping my chin softly as he added, “I know you don’t trust the Council, and I don’t blame you for that. I don’t either. I’m sure my dad has made some bad decisions. I don’t know exactly what’s in his head to explain or justify them to you, but I can’t believe the man who taught me to trust my heart above everything else is truly bad at the core. As far as our mating goes, however, I think he’d want me to be happy, no matter what it cost me—or him.” He kissed me again, quick and hard. “You’re my happiness, Nix, I swear it to you. And I will spend the rest of my life proving it to you, if you’ll have me.”
“Well now, isn’t this cozy.” The cloying voice had me whirling, taking in the pair that stood at the edge of the clearing, framed by snow. Ahmya shook her dark hair back over her shoulder, fluttering her lashes at Joshua as Councilman Ishida studied us quietly. “Joshua, we haven’t seen much of you lately.”
“I’d hoped you’d realized there was a reason for that,” Joshua snapped, glaring at the female. I arched a brow in surprise—Ahmya was one topic of conversation that had yet to come up, and I hadn’t expected him to be as negative toward her as he was. “Councilman Ishida, as you can see, I’m on a sanctioned outing at the moment. If you have need of something, address my father. I would request that you leave us be.”
Ahmya’s pretty face contorted into a pout, and Ishida stroked a soothing hand across her shoulders. “That’s not exactly appropriate, son,” he chastised with a shake of his head. “You should know better by now.”
“You’ve been ignoring my calls,” Ahmya continued, puffing out her chest to a ridiculous degree, making me nauseous as I realized her father watched her closely. Something about the pair of them was just not right. Magic tickled the air, making me hiss, and Joshua sighed deeply.
“We’ve been through this, Ahmya. Your power doesn’t work on me,” he informed her, speaking slowly. “You’d be wise to stop trying before I ask my father to intervene.”
“And you would be wise to stop bringing your father into our affairs, son,” Ishida snarled, his eyes flashing now. “He is not the only Council member. You’ve made promises to my daughter and you will keep them. A child born by the pair of you would increase all of our statuses.”
“Whatever she has told you, I’ve made no promises,” Joshua replied with a glare, his hands balling into fists as he stared down the older male. “I made my intentions clear at the Gala when I bid on Nix.”
“Why is it always her?” Ahmya’s words were an angry shriek, startling me enough that I nearly fell into the water. “Everything was fine before she came. I had Hiro, I had you, I had my pick of anyone I wanted! Suddenly she’s here, and you’re all fawning over her like she’s got a golden vagina or something special. Well, maybe you won’t like her so much anymore when I tear off half that pretty face.” Her words were a snarl at the end, and I stared wide-eyed at Ishida, expecting him to corral his daughter. We had known she wasn’t all there, but something inside her seemed to have snapped, seeing Joshua and I together must have been the sour cherry on top of her proverbial ice cream sundae full of crazy. Yet, Ishida made no move to rein her in, merely cocking his head as he studied first her, then me.
Joshua’s breath was so low in my ear I could barely hear him, the waterfall masking most of the sound as he said, “I’ll draw Ishida away. Ahmya’s not much of a foe, her temper gets the better of her, just like it does her father. Shift and find my father, he’ll know what to do. Ahmya can’t do anything with you in the air.” His hand was gentle as it stroked over mine. “Don’t do anything foolish, Nix. I can’t afford to lose more date time with you,” he whispered, standing up before I could protest. “So, Ishida, I hear you prefer to be called daddy,” he called out, and I groaned as Ishida’s roar split the icy air. This was really not going well…
Fourteen
Nix
The air filled with magic as Ahmya’s growl joined that of her fathers. Ahmya’s hands lit up with fireballs and I groaned, not relishing the idea of a fight. “We really need to start picking better dates,” I warned Joshua with a shake of my head.
“That won’t be a problem once you’re dead,” Ahmya snarled.
Ishida didn’t even bother raising his hands, but I felt the air grow dense and tight as energy sparkled around us. “Do I want to know what that was?” I asked Joshua quietly.
Joshua was pale now, his eyes wide as he took in our foes. “He erected a barrier.”
“To protect himself?” I questioned, holding up my own hands in preparation for the fireball that Ahmya was tossing between her closed fists. I may be fireproof, but Joshua definitely was not.
“No,” Joshua answered shakily, his hands clenching and releasing in rapid motions. “To keep us in. To prevent anyone from stumbling on to us or hearing us. Nix, I don’t know if it’s possible at this distance, but see if you can call to Damien.” His words were urgent now as he took half a step forward, making himself the target.
Damien! My mental voice was a shriek as I tried to reach him, though I knew it was a long shot. When there was no response, I figured his range couldn’t yet span this distance. It looked like it was just the two of us. “Nothing,” I murmured, my shoulders sagging. Only a quick movement of my hand snagged the fireball Ahmya threw before it could singe Joshua, and I swore.
“I’m going to have to shift, Nix,” Joshua told me in a rush. “I can’t battle him in this form—almost all of my strength comes from my Basilisk.”
“It’s simple, Joshua,” Ahmya taunted, as she threw another fireball our way. Her father’s face was contorted into a snarl, and he had light glowing around his hands in a similar show to his daughter’s fireballs. Crap. I should have paid more attention to what powers the various kitsunes held. I knew nothing besides barriers, fire, and forest. Hadn’t Joshua said something about being immune to her power? “Agree to mate with me, to father at least one child, and we’ll let you walk away from here. You know your father would be thrilled by the pairing, the whole Council would. You’ll walk away from all of this, and I’ll teach this trumped-up, little bitch her place.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Joshua called across the clearing. “Being a notch on your bedpost doesn’t really do it for me. It would be a change for you though, wouldn’t it? Finally sleeping with a man who wasn’t controlled by your powers?”
“Huh?” I asked blankly, unwillin
g to believe what I thought that sentence implied.
“Shut up, Joshua,” Ahmya retorted with a grimace. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t have to use my powers to get men to sleep with me.” She shot me a knowing look as she sneered, “Just ask Hiro. Not that you’ll be able to, but you can catch him in the afterlife, I’m sure.”
“Someone care to explain?” I muttered.
“Ahmya has a rare kitsune talent that many don’t know about,” Joshua explained, despite her hiss of irritation. “Any male whose alter is below her can be affected by a little seduction trick of hers. It works much like calling fire does for you, she can call their libido forward, make them desire her.”
“Like I need to use it,” Ahmya scoffed, waving a hand down her body to indicate her curvy frame.
“Damien caught her trying to use it on Hiro when they were just entering their teens. It may have worked if he didn’t have the others to strengthen him and help him learn to control his kitsune.” Fury tinged his words and my Phoenix snapped her beak, fluttering her wings inside me as she tried to get at the other female.
“You’re telling me she tried to drug Hiro? To, what, put him under a siren’s spell so she could sleep with him?” Shock, disgust, pity, and fury rolled through me as my own buried memories battered against the wall I had erected for them.
“If the dramatics are through?” Ishida drawled. “You’ve become nothing but an annoyance, Annika. I had hoped you would bend to the will of the Council, but it is clear that you have been amongst humans for too long. I would rather see the loss of the phoenix species from our world than see my own daughter put below her station due to your presence.” Light blasted from his hands and only Joshua’s quick movement saved me, knocking us away from the crater that now smoldered where I had been standing.
