Swallowing Fire

by ERIN BEDFORD

  I felt more than saw the guys tense around me. They each inhaled deeply, letting it out with a growl that rumbled through me. I prepared to have my final fantasy fulfilled when I let out a growl of my own … except mine came from my stomach.

  The sexual heat in the room was decimated as the three of them broke out into laughter. Face flushing, I glared down at my stomach. Traitor.

  Firestar offered me a hand, smirking. “Let’s get you fed and then we can work on helping you relax.” There was so much heat in his voice that my mouth went dry just hearing it. I didn’t know what he had in mind, but I knew I would enjoy it … immensely.

  We headed for the dining hall in companionable silence, the guys never once not touching me. It was funny how on the way to the house I had been feeling so trapped by their closeness. Now though, it seemed like I couldn’t get close enough.

  By the time we reached the dining room, my legs felt like they might fall out from under me, shaken loose by the need pulsating between my thighs. When the doors opened, and all eyes landed on us, my face heated. No doubt they could smell my desire, and I fought to push it down.

  The guys were stiffening beside me for a different reason altogether. Gretchen sat at a table near us. The look on her face, a mixture of disbelief and horror, caused a wicked sort of grin to cover my lips.

  Thought you got me, didn’t you? Guess again.

  Before any of us could react to Gretchen, Lord Fafnir and his son appeared before us.

  “Ah, nephew.” He smiled at Jack, but it was forced, making me think he could see the rage burning beneath the surface of his nephew’s face. “I’m so glad to see that you and your mate are well.” Lord Fafnir turned to me and took my hands in his, patting them with an apologetic grimace. “We were beside ourselves when we heard you had disappeared. We are overjoyed to find out you had been found and without a scratch on you.”

  “Thank you,” I muttered, eyeing Jack out of the corner of my eye. We all knew I hadn’t exactly come out unscathed, but how could I explain that to them and not have everything else come to the fore? That wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have.

  Jack finally broke his silence with a menacing growl. “I will not stand to see her here any longer, uncle.”

  “Now, Jack.” Lord Fafnir frowned. “She has done nothing wrong. In some cases, others would still find you in the wrong for casting her aside so easily to take a foreigner into your bed.”

  “And whose fault is that?” Jack snapped, the first display of disrespect I’d ever seen from him toward Lord Fafnir. “None of this would have happened had I not done as you bid. While I have gained from the matter, no one can blame her for being upset at being tossed aside without any explanation from the leader who so dearly cared for her.”

  Hearing Jack talk about Gretchen that way didn’t upset me. I understood. If I’d been in her position, I’d probably have gone a bit crazy as well. To have the man I loved leave me for no other reason than duty would have been devastating. Though, I’d have had the good sense to not attack said new mate or at least make sure she was actually dead when I went after her.

  “What did you want me to do, Jack?” Lord Fafnir sighed. “Nothing I could have done or said would have appeased her.”

  “Well, you can do something now,” Jack snarled before pushing past Lord Fafnir and striding toward where Gretchen sat. “Gretchen, you attacked my mate unprovoked and left her for dead. Do you deny it?”

  Gretchen’s eyes widened, and she scrambled to her feet as the gasps around us made her flush. “Jack, can we talk about this somewhere else? More private?” Her gaze darted around to the waiting dragons, all forgetting their meal to witness the drama unfolding.

  “No, we will do this here, where all can hear your lies.” Jack’s voice was hard and cold as the ice he used. It even made me wince.

  All my sympathy for her went out the window though when she placed her hand on Jack’s chest as if she had the right to touch him. “Please, Jack, you have to understand how I feel.”

  “No,” Jack snapped, shaking her hand off. “I don’t. The only concern I have is for my mate and the safety of her and my unborn child, which you threatened. Now, tell me why I shouldn’t kill you right here.”

  Gretchen’s mouth dropped opened, and her gaze turned to me briefly before locking back onto Jack. “You have to believe me, I didn’t know. If I’d known she was pregnant, I would have ...”

  “You would have what? Made sure to dig your claws into her stomach rather than her back?” The accusation caused the collected audience in the room to gasp.

  Shaking her head, Gretchen tried to cling to Jack’s chest. “No, no. I didn’t mean it. I was just so angry, and then there she was looking so smug at having what I didn’t. I just lost it. I tried to save her, though. Did she tell you? When she fell on the ice, I tried to get her, but it was cracking too fast. Tell him!” Gretchen’s eyes were wild as she pleaded for me to collaborate her story.

  I remembered Gretchen coming onto the ice, but it wasn’t to save me. If anything, it was to shove me further into it, to make sure I never got in the way of her and Jack again.

  Jack’s eyes went to me for a half a second. I shook my head, my eyes going to the floor. I didn’t like this. He should have done this in private, not before everyone. How humiliating.

  “He has to do this in public,” Raiden whispered into my ear, holding me close to him. “Casting someone out from their nation requires a large audience, to make sure she never tries to come for him or his again.”

  “It’s still not right,” I muttered, leaning into his embrace.

  “It has to be done,” Lord Fafnir murmured with a reluctant sigh.

  “I cast you out,” Jack announced, his pale gaze firmly on hers before moving to those watching. “Let all here bear witness that I, Jack, nephew to the great Lord Fafnir, deny all existence of Gretchen of clan Norse. No longer will she walk in my sight or come near those I care for.” His eyes then landed back on Gretchen who visibly wilted beneath his penetrating stare. “You are dead to me.”

  “No, no.” She shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. “You can’t do this. What about all that we had? All that we were? You can’t just forget about me. I won’t allow it.”

  Her words fell on deaf ears when Jack turned his face from her as if she didn’t exist. Even when her hands grabbed at him as he moved away, he didn’t react to her beyond merely shaking her off. She really was dead to him.

  As Gretchen collapsed to the ground in the middle of the dining hall, wailing like a banshee, a part of me felt bad for her. I know that I shouldn’t have. She had tried to kill me, tried to take what was mine, but no one should have that done to them. A fate worse than death, it was.

  Eventually, Gretchen’s brothers came to her side, helping her to her feet as they tried to usher her from the room. The rest of the hall had long since gone back to their meals, pretending the crying woman didn’t exist. Unfortunately, Gretchen hadn’t learned her lesson. Before her brothers could escort her from the dining hall, she ripped away from their grasps and stalked toward us.

  “The dagger,” she gasped out as her brothers caught her, pulling her away from us. “Please, just let me have the dagger. Just this one thing. Please!”

  My hand instinctively went to the dagger sheath I had strapped on, though the dagger no longer sat in it. I’d have given it to her if I had it, but it was missing still. Her eyes went to where my hand touched, and her face fell.

  “I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I don’t have it. It was lost in the woods.”

  Nodding her head in acceptance, Gretchen allowed her brothers to take her away, leaving the hall to go back to their meals.

  Jack stood next to his cousin, murmuring too low for me to hear. I tried to meet his gaze, but he wouldn’t look at me. Frowning, I turned to Firestar. “Find it, will you? The dagger.”

  “Why?” Firestar shook his head. “You shouldn’t care a lick about that woman. She
tried to kill you. If anything, you should want the dagger for yourself, not to give to her.”

  Pain welled in my chest, and I clutched my hand to my heart. “You’re a man. You don’t understand. To love someone and not have them love you back is one thing, but for them to completely refuse your existence after having been loved by them ... it’s pure torture. She will never find peace from this.” I shook my head in sadness. “The least I can do is give her something to hold onto.”

  “You’ll just make it worse for her.” Raiden squeezed me to him. “You should want her to forget about him and you, not give her something to remember you by, to hate you for.”

  “Maybe I deserve it,” I muttered, my own eyes filling with tears. “It’s my fault she’s like this. I took Jack from her, after all.”

  “No, it’s not.” Jack stepped in front of me, his hand tilting my face up. “That woman brought it on herself. You are too tender-hearted for your own good, and it will get you killed. Now, forget about her as I have.”

  I chewed on my lip and nodded slightly. I couldn’t, though, no matter how much he told me to. I couldn’t just forget about someone whose life I had ruined because, although she had made bad decisions, it was ultimately my fault.

  They ushered me to a table and put food on my plate. I wasn’t hungry any longer. I pushed my food around and pretended to eat, but my mind was on the devastation I had just witnessed.

  Firestar sat at my side and seemed to notice my lack of appetite. He placed his hand on mine, applying pressure until I looked at him. With a knowing look in his eyes, he said, “If it eases your pain, I will find the dagger and deliver it to her.”

  “Really?” I asked, my eyes lighting up. “You’d do that for me?”

  “Of course, I’d do that and more.” Firestar lifted my hand to his mouth pressing his lips to it before pointing his fork at my plate. “Now, do something for me and eat.”

  Picking up my own fork, I smiled. “Gladly.”

  After dinner, I was ready to fall asleep where I stood. The guys seemed to be lost in their own thoughts and thankfully weren’t in the mood to talk.

  I’d had about as much thinking as I could handle for one day. Any more and my brain might implode.

  Stopping before our bedroom doors, I started to go to mine, but stopped and turned to Jack. I couldn’t leave things like they were.

  “Do you want me to stay with you tonight?” I asked, wrapping my arms around myself. I half-wished he’d say no, but the other half wanted to be sure he was okay.

  Jack shook his head, his hair swaying in front of him. “No, I think tonight, I’d like to be alone.”

  I nodded. “I understand, but if you need anything ...”

  “I know.” Jack stepped toward me and cupped my face in his hands. His lips brushed mine softly, and before I opened my eyes, he had already closed the door of his bedroom.

  Sighing in dejection, I wrapped my arms around myself. “Anyone else feel like today just kind of sucked?”

  Raiden gave a dry chuckle and slipped his arms around me. “Don’t worry, it’ll get better. Just give him time. And you ...” He ran his hands up and down my arms in a comforting gesture. “… need to get some sleep. Our daughter has had a trying day.”

  “The mother has had a trying day,” Firestar corrected Raiden as from his spot against the wall. “One that we should end as soon as possible. How is Maya even standing right now?” He shook his head in disbelief.

  A tired chuckle tumbled out of me, and I shifted out of Raiden’s arms to punch Firestar in the arm. “I’m tougher than you give me credit for, you know.”

  “Ain’t that right.” Raiden snorted. “To deal with Mr. Hothead and the Ice King, I’m surprised you don’t want to stab yourself.”

  “Hey! You’re no prize either, Mister Never Can Be Serious,” Firestar growled. “You’d laugh at your own mother’s funeral.” Silence fell over the hallway at Firestar’s comment. His face dropped as he realized what exactly he had just said. “Raiden, man. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “No, don’t worry about it.” Raiden waved him off, a wry grin on his lips. “My mother’s a bitch, but I still love her. Guess we all have our own hang-ups.”

  “And rightfully so.” I hugged him closer to myself. “Now, if you two don’t mind, I’m going to go bury myself in my bed. If I don’t come out by noon, don’t send in a search party.”

  Raiden chuckled and pressed his mouth to mine before going to his respective room.

  Firestar pushed off the wall and took my hands in his. “I meant what I said. I’ll find that dagger for you. At least one of us should have some peace of mind.”

  “Thank you.” Swallowing thickly, I pressed my face into his chest inhaling deeply. Cinnamon and firewood, the smell of home. If I could bottle up my guys’ scents, I would be a billionaire in the human world.

  “Now, go get some sleep. We’ll see you in the morning.” Firestar ushered me toward my door, smacking me on the butt as he did.

  I shot him a playful glare but broke down in giggles as I stepped into my room. Glancing around I sighed. Alone at last.

  I went about my usual bedtime routine before slipping under the covers. Burrowing down into the plush mattress, for the first time in a while I was truly happy. Everything with my mates was good, not perfect, but good. We were getting men to rescue Raiden’s father, and we had a daughter. Besides, Ned’s head on a platter, nothing could make me happier.

  Thank You for reading!

  Curious about what happens to Maya, Raiden, Jack, and Firestar next?

  * * *

  Find out soon!

  Author’s Note

  Dear reader, if you REALLY want to read the next Starcrossed Dragons novel- I’ve got a bit of bad news for you.

  Unfortunately, Amazon will not tell you when the next comes out.

  You’ll probably never know about my next books, and you’ll be left wondering what happened to Maya and the gang. That’s rather terrible.

  There is good news though! There are three ways you can find out when the next book is published:

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