by Siobhan Muir
“Make your decision, Lily. You’re at the crossroads, remember?” He squeezed her hand and met her gaze squarely. “You have to choose to fight to stay in his world or let go of everything for the next one.”
Lily bit her lip. Dying was easy and peaceful, and she’d get to be with Linus. Living would let her be with Zach, but might bring more of the pain she remembered. She wrapped her arms around her knees.
“What would you do?”
“Oh no, little sister. This is your choice, not mine.” Linus shook his head. “You have to choose life with Zach or whatever is beyond the crystals on the horizon.”
The surge of pain and heat flowed through her again and she groaned. “Will going back to Zach hurt?”
“I’m sure it will, sometimes,” Linus conceded. “But here’s the thing. It’s an adventure, and adventures are rarely calm, sedate, peaceful things. Which would you rather have?”
He rose from his perch beside her and took a few steps away before turning to face her. “I’ve hung out here long enough and watched over you for that time, but you’re ready to do this on your own. Make your decision, Lil. Get busy livin’, or get busy dyin’. Either way, the choice, and consequences, is yours.”
Lily stared at her brother, her best friend for as long as she could remember, and realized she didn’t need him anymore. The love hadn’t changed, but she’d grown in confidence while he’d been away.
“I love you, Linus.”
“I love you, too, Lily. What’s it gonna be?”
She rose and gave him her best smile. “I’m not done yet. And I haven’t had enough time with Zach.” She waved the fan, cooling her face. “Which way back to my life?”
Linus laughed and nodded, then pointed over her shoulder. “That way. You gonna be okay, Lil?”
“Yeah.” Lily nodded. “Better than okay. How about you?”
“I’m good. Give my best to Zach and to Mom and Pop.” He tilted his head. “And just say yes, okay?”
Lily raised her eyebrows. “Say yes? To what?”
But Linus winked and waved, then faded into the brightening light. Lily squinted her eyes, holding the fan up to shade her gaze, but everything blazed until she could see nothing at all beyond white. She closed her eyes and hoped she’d made it home.
Chapter Twelve
“Lily?”
Lily opened her eyes and tried to find color, but everything remained white. She blinked, hoping relief would come into focus. Gray and blue shadows flickered in the silvery light as she lay buried up to her neck in… Is this a bed of snow?
She struggled to free her hands from under the cool blanket, but something else held her down. Turning her head, she met Zach’s ice-green gaze, his expression full of intense concern.
“Hi, Zach.” Why did her voice sound so tired? “Where are we?”
“Oh, thank you, sweet Goddess!” He pulled her to his chest, his body trembling with suppressed emotion.
So I’ve been elevated to Goddess status? The humorous thought didn’t quite cover her concern for Zach’s actions. “Uh, Zach? What’s going on and where am I? Are we still in the equipment shed?”
Zach pulled back to look at her with a tremulous smile, two silver tears sliding down his cheeks. “You survived. You’ve made the change and you’re going to be all right. You’re my lucky number seven.”
None of his words made sense. Lucky number seven? “What are you talking about?” She lowered her brows. “You’re gonna have to explain ’cause I’m having trouble following you.”
Zach whimpered and peppered her face with kisses, his relief palpable. “I’m sorry. I’m just so glad your fever broke and you can even give me that confused look.”
Fever? Lily remembered sitting with her brother in a crystal field with the temperature just a few degrees less than a Las Vegas heat wave. So that’s why I was so hot.
More tears slid down Zach’s lovely white face and she struggled to pull her hand out of the snow bedding to wipe them away. “Hey, why don’t you tell me what happened after we made love so I understand, okay?”
He nodded, swallowing hard until he regained his composure. “Do you remember biting me when you came?”
Lily tried to hold back the blush, but a new bloom of heat flowed into her cheeks. “Yes.”
He cracked a watery smile. “You ingested some of my blood and it immediately made you sick. It’s poisonous to humans.”
Lily blinked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know.” His eyes filled with contrite sorrow. “I swear I knew nothing about it. None of the Ice Demons in my family have ever mated with humans, and I’ve never heard of anyone choosing a human mate.” He pushed some of the hair out of her face with tender fingers. “I’m sorry, Lily. Had I known, I would have been very careful with you.”
She nodded. It was in the past and she’d survived. “It’s okay. We didn’t know. How did you break the fever?”
Zach bit his bottom lip. “I didn’t. I brought you to the Matriarch of the Oro Creek clan and she allowed us to stay at Mistweaver Tarn while you fought the fever.” He gestured to the room around them. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
Lily followed his gaze and took in the arching columns and lacy snow coverlet. Nothing seemed to melt when she touched it, yet she rested surprisingly comfortable encased in powder. Even wearing so little.
“Hello, am I naked under here?” She lifted the blankets on her and they rose as if woven together. “Why don’t I have frostbite or hypothermia?”
Zach took a deep breath and gave her a hopeful smile. “When you ingested my blood, part of what made you so sick was your body’s attempt to assimilate it. Either your body would try to purge it by the fever or it would change with it and survive.”
“Change? Change how?”
He took her hand and traced the veins and ligaments on the back with one talon. “You’ve become half ice Demon.”
Lily blinked a few times, momentarily shocked silent.
“It’s the only way you could have survived. And it will make you more impervious to cold while out in the weather.” His words came in a rush to reassure her.
Half ice Demon. Her mind filtered through the possibilities. “Does that mean I’ll be able to shift my appearance, and turn all white and crystallized?”
Zach paused, his mouth closing with an audible clack of teeth. “Uh, no, I don’t think so. But you should be stronger and unlikely to freeze to death.” He tilted his head. “And your eyes are more silver now than gray.”
“Really?” She struggled to sit up and the snowy quilt dropped to her waist. “Is this really snow wrapped around me?”
“Yes.” He grinned as his gaze strayed to her breasts and back. “It was the only way to keep you from overheating and dying.”
“I don’t feel cold at all.” She ran her hands over the quilt. “It feels like real lace.”
“It does.” He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “So are you okay with being half Ice Demon? I truly didn’t mean to poison you or make you change. Had I known, I wouldn’t have let you bite me.”
“I’m okay with it, Zach.” A smile crept over her lips. “This’ll make me a better SAR professional, won’t it? I can already sense the storms. Now I’ll be able to withstand them better, and get people out easier.”
“Yes, probably.” He shook his head with a perplexed smile. “You’re not mad about this?”
“Why would I be? This is kinda cool. Although I don’t think I’ll be biting you again anytime soon.”
Zach laughed. “I’m pretty sure you’ve built up antibodies against it and it won’t harm you now. But I’m okay with no biting.” He winked. “Bondage, maybe, but no biting.”
“What?” Lily blinked and Zach laughed harder. “Does that mean I get to tie you up?”
“Hmm, maybe. But first you have to do something for me.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”
Zach leaned forward until his forehead rested against hers. “Ma
rry me. Be my wife, my mate, and my kinky bondage lover all rolled into one.” Cool green eyes met hers. “Will you marry me?”
Linus’s parting words floated through her thoughts. Just say yes, okay?
You sneaky bastard. She swore she heard Linus laugh.
“Lily?” Zach looked like he held his breath.
“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you. Just don’t go back to Nevada, okay?”
“Not unless you come with me.” He growled around his grin before he kissed her, thrusting his tongue in her mouth and setting off fireworks throughout her body.
Lily moaned and kissed him back, her nipples hardening against his chest. Zach dug his fingers into her hair and deepened their kiss, taking his time to savor her lips and tongue. When they came back up for air, he grinned, flashing his long canines.
“You’re beautiful when you’re all riled up, princess.” He lifted her hand to his lips then paused as he examined her fingers. “It looks like more than your eyes have changed.” He held up her fingers. “You have little talons now.”
Lily gasped and pulled her hand closer to look at her nails. The tips curved gently over the ends of her fingers and came to mild points. She raised her gaze to Zach.
“Do you think they’ll be strong enough to use for climbing?”
He laughed. “I don’t know, but when you’re better, we can find out.”
A soft cough interrupted them and they both looked toward the entrance of the cave. A short woman with white dred-like crystals tied back in a beaded leather thong stood waiting at the door. She wore robes of shifting white, like the mists on the glacial lakes Lily had visited in the Alps, and she nodded to them in greeting.
“Good evening. May I come in?” The voice held patience, time, and wisdom all rolled up in a melodic package.
“Oh, please, Matriarch. I want you to meet my fiancée, Lily Sinclair.” Zach beamed as the woman approached the bed in an oddly sinuous fashion, as if her body heard rhythms beyond Lily’s hearing. “Lily, this is Icedora Mistweaver, Matriarch of the Oro Creek clan.”
“Hello. Very nice to meet you.” Lily hoped she’d offered a proper greeting. The woman looked and sounded important. “I’d get up, but I’m afraid I’m not properly dressed.” Lily crossed her arms over her exposed breasts and tried not to blush.
Icedora smiled and her brilliant blue eyes twinkled. “I’m just pleased to see you up at all. We were concerned you wouldn’t make it through the fever. But I see Zach’s love for you and his prayers to the Goddess were answered.”
Lily swallowed hard. “I guess I came pretty close to dying, again.” She grimaced and shot an apologetic look at Zach. “Sorry.”
“You’re safe and strong now, princess. That’s all that matters.” He cupped her jaw and kissed her lips. “Well, that and you marrying me. Everything else is graupel.”
“Did I hear that correctly? You’ve accepted his proposal of marriage, Lily?” Icedora’s smile widened. “That’s delightful. Will you be staying in Cloudburst?”
Lily looked at Zach and raised her eyebrows. “Will we?”
He huffed a laugh. “I was packing up my stuff to move here when I got your text. You must not have gotten my email.”
Excitement warred with chagrin. “My phone died and I haven’t been home for forty-eight hours.” She couldn’t quite kill her grin. “Were you really leaving Las Vegas for Colorado?”
“Not for Colorado, for you.” He shook his head with a deprecating smile. “I’d planned on picking up a ring before I arrived and surprise you with a romantic dinner and a proposal. But you and I don’t seem to do things in typical ways.”
Lily tossed the blankets off and threw her arms around Zach, ignoring her nakedness. “Oh, thank you, Zach.” She hugged him tight, her heart filled with relief and joy. “I knew Mt. Charleston was your home, but I just couldn’t go back there.” She pushed him back to search his eyes. “Are you really okay with moving here?”
“I am.” He nodded then glanced at Icedora. “That’s if the Oro Creek clan doesn’t mind a couple of new residents.”
“We’d be happy to have you.” The Matriarch inclined her head, the crystal dreds tinkling softly. “There’s a matter of a small ceremony, but that’s easily taken care of when you’re feeling up to it.”
She smiled and took her leave, the scents of iced granite and heather sifting through the air in her wake. Lily turned her gaze back to Zach, inhaling his spiced chai scent and feeling at peace for the first time in months.
“So, about that ceremony.” He grabbed both her hands and pulled her closer so they sat nose to nose. “What do you say adding a little wedding to it?”
“I’d say that sounds perfect.” Lily grinned, but it faded when she remembered where they were. “Uh, what are we going to do about the rescue crew coming for us tomorrow?” She bit her lip in chagrin. “I’m not really up for hiking back to the shed tonight. And I promised Randy I’d radio in every few hours to let them know we’re okay.”
Zach sat back, his expression thoughtful. “I’ll head back to the shed, grab our gear and the radio, and bank the fire in the stove so it doesn’t set everything alight. We’ll check in and let them know we’re fine and will walk out when the weather clears, but they’ll need to get the extra gear.”
“But they’re coming for us tomorrow.”
“Oh, I seriously doubt that.” He gave her a smug grin.
Lily raised her eyebrows. “Why?”
“Because the Ice Demons have a wedding to celebrate and that should make the Spring Fling even more exuberant. I figure the weather’s going to get worse. At least for humans.”
Lily laughed. “Yeah, that might make things a little dicey for mountaineering.” She squeezed Zach’s hand. “Will you be able to carry our two packs without help?”
“Yep.” He kissed her forehead. “Get some rest, princess. I won’t be long and I plan on snuggling with you for the rest of the night.”
“Snuggling sounds wonderful.” She settled back into the powder sheets with a sensuous wriggle and Zach’s eyes flared with lust. “Hurry home, Zach.”
Chapter Thirteen
Zach smiled to himself as he loaded the last of his and Lily’s gear into the back of her Jeep. It has been a wonderful few days. Memories of her dressed in a flowing, form-fitted gown with ice crystals woven into her hair still hardened his cock. The dress showed off hints of her aureoles and the tantalizing wedge between her thighs as she walked. His body had reacted then as it reacted now, with a full blown hard-on. Lily had raised her eyebrows at him as a brilliant grin wreathed her lips, but she’d said nothing.
Fortunately, none of the other Ice Demons thought anything of it. He wore nothing but his natural form, and she’d only been dressed for her own cultural norms rather than those of their new clan.
Despite his body’s reaction and his hunger for Lily, they’d spent a quiet wedding night as she recovered from both the fever and the exhaustion of working to rescue the hikers. But the days and evenings afterwards had made up for the rest. Lily bloomed as an Ice Demon hybrid and the sex had been phenomenal. Best Spring Fling ever.
As promised, he’d recovered their gear and radio, and Lily had checked in periodically so her partner didn’t worry. The rescue crew had rested easy when they’d explained their situation and in light of the rough weather, had left them in peace. They’d hiked out from Mistweaver Tarn when the storm settled.
And tonight we’ll make our own little storm at home. He definitely had plans for his new wife as soon as they returned to her house.
The thought of Lily as his wife warmed his chest more than he thought possible and his gaze fell to his left hand as he pushed open the doors to the Cloudburst Resort’s SAR equipment room. He’d left Lily talking to Randy Montesque, reassuring the older man that they’d been fine during the harsh weather. More than fine. Randy hadn’t believed her, but Lily showed no signs of distress. Even the remnants of the fever had retreated and she damn near glowed. Or
maybe that’s me seeing how fucking sexy she is now that we’re married.
Looking around, Zach didn’t spot them, so he continued his path toward the main foyer of the lodge. The resort teemed with people out on holiday. He and Lily had made it back on a Monday afternoon and the café and Soggy Miner Bar already had good crowds for Spring Break. Zach looked for Lily around the foyer, but moved on toward the Copper Café when he didn’t see her.
“Zach? Zach Snow?”
He turned his head and plastered on a courteous smile when Caroline Benedict waved at him from one of the tables. “Hello, Ms. Benedict.”
She excused herself and hurried to his side. “You look like you made it down okay. I can’t believe how long you had to stay out there. How were your nights in the equipment shed?” She tilted her head with a coy smile.
His mind replayed the sex, Lily’s fight for survival, and their wedding. “Good. Uneventful.”
“So, how about that drink? You still have that girlfriend to worry about?”
A real smile curled his lips. “Nope.” As Caroline’s expression turned hopeful, he added, “She’s my wife now.”
“What?” Her face froze, not quite smiling, not quite frowning. “What are you talking about?”
“You asked me on the slopes if I was married. I said not yet.” He lifted his left hand where the Matriarch had tattooed a shining ring into his ring finger. “That’s why I came to Colorado this weekend before I got the call. I was going to propose.”
Caroline’s gaze zeroed in on his hand. “Oh. And she must’ve said yes.”
“Yep. Worked out pretty well.” He nodded and spotted Lily emerging from the Café with Randy. “I hope the rest of your vacation is relaxing, Ms. Benedict. Glad you’re back safe. Stay out of trouble, now.”
Zach gave her a fleeting smile as he walked toward his wife. I have a wife now. The thought made his insides tingle. Lily caught sight of Caroline over his shoulder and her smile faltered a bit, but it returned when he wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her forehead.
