Breaking the Ice

by B. A. Tortuga

  “Not! Flighty bird!”

  He flew above his lion, managing to do a fair semblance of soaring.

  Liam swatted at him, but never coming close to actually hitting him.

  He sang to his lion, so happy with his mate, his lover, his heartbeat.

  “Stay, lover. Sleep. We’ll go to town and play. It will be grand.”

  “I can’t wait.” He floated down and cuddled right in the soft curve of his lion’s soft, silky belly. When he opened his eyes, it would be time to go play.

  Chapter 6

  Liam put together two outfits that wouldn’t make them look like homeless people. He had clothes, but they were all in storage in Glen Wood. Not here.

  Nothing was here.

  No, that wasn’t true. Kell was here. Kell came here for him.

  He plopped a goofy velvet hat on Kell’s dark head.

  Kell flapped his arms. “What do you think?”

  “Very scarecrow chic, my love. I like it.”

  Kell just laughed, the sound loud and very corvid.

  “Let’s go. We’ll get some good food, explore the town. They have the hot springs even.” Maybe he could put them at the hotel, have a hot shower, a soak in the springs, a soft bed, breakfast in the morning.

  Maybe then they could talk about going back across the river. First, though, he wanted to show Kell a good time.

  They wandered into town, close enough to hold hands, but not actually doing it. Kell gaped a little, and yeah, things were different here.

  There was a quiet to Glen Wood that even a little town like this didn’t have. Even the electricity in Glen Wood didn’t hum.

  Here things buzzed and beeped and roared. People talked and hollered and laughed, and the food smells were everywhere.

  “Wow. It’s so busy. Where to first?” Kell’s eyes were sparkling with excitement.

  “Someplace silly. Let’s get a T-shirt for Nathan.”

  “Can we? One with a wolf on it. That would make him laugh and laugh.”

  “It would. I love it.” There had to be a silly tourist shop on the main drag. “What for Halian?”

  As he asked the question, he saw a big, bushy-haired man’s head turn, golden eyes staring at him.

  Liam stared, then blinked and looked away, moving Kell with him. No way. There was no way that was a shifter. Right?

  “…a coffee cup or something. He’s working with yarn now.”

  “Is he? Oh good.” He looked around, making sure there was no one following them.

  “What? What’s wrong?”

  “Hmmm? Oh, I thought I saw someone.” He smiled. “I was wrong.” He put a hand under Kell’s arm. “There. That shop looks good. It says they have salted caramel.”

  “Salt and sweet! I could lick it off your cock.” Wicked bird!

  “You should. But not here.” He let Kell drag him into the shop, their laughter flying up into the rafters.

  “No. At home. We could explore. I like exploring with you.” Kell looked around the shop, spinning as he looked at everything.

  Liam had to smile. This was why he and Kell had become friends anyway. Kell made him grin every day. Well, almost every day, but that was behind them now. He wanted to kiss that mouth so bad.

  Kell met his eyes. “I’m all yours.”

  “Good. I’m glad.” Another tall man strode into the shop, catching his eye, and Liam frowned. He pulled Kell toward the back. “Who does he look like?”

  Kell squinted. “Maicoh. Does he smell like Mai?”

  Liam nodded and growled softly. “I don’t like this, bird.”

  “Let’s go home.”

  “We have to wait. What if they’re looking for someone? Just act like a tourist. We’ll go eat. Go to a hotel. Then tomorrow we can slip away and go home.”

  “Okay. We can get the presents, then? For the… guys and Angie?”

  “Yes. We just keep power to ourselves.” Names had power. Kell understood already. The joy was not going to drain out of this day. They would talk to the guys tomorrow.

  Kell bobbed for him, eyes sharp and sure. “Of course. So a hotel, hmm? That’s exciting. Can we have steak for supper?”

  “We can. There’s a place called Juicy Lucy. I love it.”

  “Excellent.” Kell’s eyes were caught by a suncatcher, the crystals catching the sunlight. “Oh…”

  “Let’s get that for you, love. To mark our trip here.” And remind them not to fight anymore.

  “Really? You mean it? We can hang it in… our house?” The question was soft, full of intention.

  “Yes. Right in the kitchen window. Or maybe the bedroom.” Theirs. He loved that idea so much. He touched the back of Kell’s hand.

  “Yes. Yes, please. There’s nothing I want more.” Kell fluttered for him.

  He added the suncatcher to their pile. Oh, he loved to put that look on Kell’s face. Liam lived for it, in fact. That was why he’d been so devastated when Kell had told him to leave.

  But his bird had come to him, had come to find him and love on him.

  Hell, Kell had brought him hamburgers. Amazing raven man.

  Liam had it so, so bad.

  By the time they moved to the register, the big wolf was gone. The smell of anger stayed behind, though.

  “I don’t like him already, Liam,” Kell whispered. “Not at all. They sent all our… friends… away.”

  “I know. Why are they here? They live in the desert.” He traded cash for the bag of stuff and got his change. “Food?”

  “Can we go get a fancy coffee and a pastry?” Kell took the bag from him, leaning. “We have to warn them at home as soon as we can.”

  “Of course.” Kell was right. His instinct was to run the other way and lead the wolves off, but he knew Kell wouldn’t go back without him, and he was selfish enough to not want to leave his lover now ever again.

  “Yeah. But first we see fun things and be tourists, right?” Kell squeezed his arm tight.

  “Yes! We should see that fancy hotel.” There was a really famous one up the hill.

  “Okay. I want to see everything with you. I want us to see everything together.”

  “Me too!” He slung his bag over one arm, then took Kell by the elbow. “We’ll have a run together once we get home too. I mean, you fly.”

  “Yes! And we can share a bed. Snuggle through the hard part of the winter.”

  “Oh.” His cock twitched, trying to harden. “Yes. I mean, I loved napping with our friend bear, but for you and I to have a nest? A den? Together…”

  “A place of our own to wait out the snows, to hunt together.”

  “Yes.” He slid his fingers down to twine with Kell’s, sort of shielding the motion with his body. They couldn’t afford to draw attention, but he had to touch. He wanted what Kell was offering, more than anything. He wanted to believe in them.

  He had to. There was just nothing else that would make things right in his life. Kell was it for him.

  And you’re it for me, lion. You always have been.

  Pastry and coffee! He could smell the scents coming from the hotel. They would have it there, sitting on the big verandah.

  They laughed together, moving toward the hotel, the river burbling behind them. They climbed and climbed, first the hill, then the stairs, and then even Kell was humming over the pastries. They got seated, ordered coffees, then looked at the little menu. “We should get the tea assortment.”

  “Yes. I like assortments.” Kell grinned at him, eyes laughing. “I love when we order all the cookies at home.”

  “Yes! So does Angela.” They laughed together because Angela yelled at them a lot. Such a bear, that lady.

  “We can build an amazing lair together. Nathan is holding my things for me.”

  “Mine are in storage. We’ll have to stay with friends for a bit. Maybe Angela or Martin will have us.” He would never feel right asking Nathan, though he had the most room. He’d been too unkind. He needed to make it up to Nathan and Halian firs
t.

  “Your home is still yours, mate.”

  He blinked at Kell. “What?”

  “I couldn’t let you lose your den.”

  “But… Oh.” He reached over to touch Kell’s hand. “Thank you. We’ll make it ours. Add you a room with all windows.”

  “An aerie up high for painting and roosting.”

  “Yes. A place to hang your danglies and admire the colors they make.” He could do that. Maybe he would make a perch there for him too. Something shaped like a big tree limb.

  “Yes. A place we can be together.” Kell took his hand. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry it took me so long to tell you how important you are.”

  “I am too. I’m sorry I was such a grouch and didn’t try harder.” He squeezed those fingers, so happy in his soul.

  “I don’t mind that you’re a grouch. You’re always good to me.”

  “I want to be.” He rubbed his thumb over the back of Kell’s hand. Their tea cakes came, and they laughed with delight, both of them digging in.

  “We should tell Angie about this. She’d love these little cakes.”

  “She would. She could do a fancy tea once a month. Oh, wouldn’t Martin love that?” Their marmot friend did love to nibble.

  “He’d be over the moon. I think Mother would too. She likes dainty food sometimes.”

  Liam snorted and leaned close to whisper. “When she’s not eating mice, you mean.”

  “Exactly.” Kell fed him a bite of lemon cake. He liked the tart far more than the sweet, but it was the salted caramel tart that made his eyes roll. “Mmm. Salt.”

  “I thought you’d like that one. I like the strawberry too.”

  “Fruity.” Too sweet for him, but he was a cat and Kell liked fruit as well as meat and such.

  “Mmm.” Kell licked cream off his lip. Now milk and cream Liam could get behind. He liked the clotted cream stuff on the scones. It was almost like butter.

  He wondered how Kell would taste, with sweet cream painted over the lean, lovely body.

  Kell gasped, gaze flying to meet his. “Naughty kitty.”

  “Yes. I am. You have no idea.” And he was feeling naughtier by the minute.

  “I don’t. I’m ready to learn. I want to know every wicked wish.”

  “I do too. I want to see you, to have a place where we can be warm and safe and love each other slowly.” Their nest was lovely in the cave, but it wasn’t easy. He wanted to feast on Kell for hours.

  “Soon. Tomorrow, yes? We’ll get our things in the morning.”

  “Yes. I’m not sure we could make it that far upriver today.” Liam knew they were waffling. Go now and warn Maicoh and Ashkii, or stay overnight.

  “We can run over the bridge. Run as fast as we can.”

  “Okay. Let’s go.” What did they need to go back for? He popped the last caramel tart into his mouth.

  “Yeah? Okay. We’ll make sure they’re not watching, and we’ll go as fast as we can. Once we’re across, we’re safe.”

  Liam wasn’t so sure about that. Honestly, Mai had come across without even knowing it was a different place. So had Halian. It was more about knowing where to move through, more than how, and they didn’t need to borrow trouble.

  So they would just hightail it, and hope for the best.

  “I was so scared something awful happened to you.” Kell looked at the table, and Liam swore he could see his mate fluttering his feathers. “I mean more awful than me.”

  “You weren’t awful. I deserved it.” Liam sighed. “I was ready to give up, I admit. I was so lonely.”

  “I missed you. I couldn’t rest. I need my lion. I need you, lion.”

  “Good.” He smiled, feeling his lips quiver a little. “I’m with you now.”

  “Yes. Yes, mate. Together.” There was a satisfaction in the curve of Kell’s lips that he’d never seen before.

  He laughed out loud, the roller coaster amazing. He was nervous about seeing the pack, but so happy to be with Kell. To be going home.

  To make them a home.

  Together.

  He was vibrating.

  “Let’s eat the rest on the way to the bridge.” Kell took his hand, then rose to tug him to his feet.

  “Good idea.” They stuffed their pockets, and he left money on the table, plenty to cover food and tip.

  “Is it safe? Do you see them?”

  “I don’t.” He sniffed the air. Liam didn’t smell them either. “Do you see them? Your eyes are sharper.”

  Kell slowed, the dark eyes going completely black, sharp, as the raven stared. Meanwhile, Liam strained to hear, since that was his best sense. Was anyone talking about the veil? He didn’t think so, and there was no prickle of being watched on the back of his neck.

  “Now, mate. We go now, together.”

  He moved as soon as Kell spoke, both of them hurrying to the bridge by the river. The sounds of miniature golf and splashing began to fade as soon as they started to cross through, the veil welcoming them home.

  They hit the middle of the bridge, and suddenly it was like they were moving in slow motion, pushing against a resistance that surprised him. When they fell through to the other side, Liam was panting, mouth hanging open.

  “Maybe that’s what she means,” Kell said.

  “Who?”

  “Mother Owl. She says the veil is closing.” Kell looked worried. “She says we’re going to find fewer ways in and out.”

  “Oh. Well, we’ll figure it out.” That meant fewer other people could come in. Maybe they were reaching some sort of critical mass in apex predators.

  “We will. We’ll build a greenhouse. That will help.”

  “It will. There’s a lot we can do.” Angie would need supplies, but she got them now somehow without too much fuss. She had to know something they didn’t.

  Hell, Kell managed to function totally without money, Ash brought his money in from the river. He’d come to Glen Wood with his.

  Nathan put products out into the other world, but who knew? He did it on the internet. Maybe that crossed the veil all the…

  “Home!” Kell grabbed him, kissing him silly. That was a good antidote to thinking too much.

  “Right. Home.”

  “If you’re stuck, isn’t it best to be stuck here?”

  “It is. This is where we belong.” They had their house, and they would make Kell his aerie and he would love his mate into a puddle.

  He’d been a fool to leave. He should have apologized and stayed, taken his lumps.

  “Stop it.” Kell took his hand. “Did we lose our bag?”

  “Oh.” He turned in a circle. “I must have dropped it. I can go back.”

  “I’ll go. Be right back.” Kell turned back, the beloved body going fuzzy and unfocused for a second.

  “Don’t! Don’t get lost!”

  “I won’t, love.”

  A terrible feeling came over him, and he waited, pacing, his cougar-self wanting to break free and run after his mate.

  A rustle sounded behind him, and he spun.

  “Liam! You’re home!” The little man with the big eyes and nervous mouth smiled at him. Martin.

  He fought for a smile. “Hi, Martin. Kell had to go back for something, and I’m a little worried.”

  “Oh? Oh, shall I go find him? I know he doesn’t cross often, and it can be confusing.”

  “Would you?” Martin crossed all the damn time. He lived on the banks of the river itself and knew the veil better than anyone.

  “Of course. Two shakes.” Martin pushed through like it was nothing, so maybe it was them, the apex predators.

  He would ask Mother Owl once he got his mate back and safe and they were together for a few days and maybe had a lot of sex…

  Maybe. If the house was still his, they had a huge bed waiting.

  Liam peered across the bridge, his anxiety rising. Something was wrong. Something bad—

  Martin popped out of nowhere, and there was his Kell, carrying a bag of gi
fts.

  “Sorry! Sorry, it’s different out there!” Kell looked worried, shifting immediately and coming to perch on his shoulder.

  He took the bag up off the ground, flicking at Kell’s beak when he poked at Liam’s ear.

  “Thanks, Martin. We got you something.” He dug in the bag and pulled out a box of tea. “Here. It’s the kind they serve up at the hotel.”

  “Thank you!” Martin gathered Kell’s clothes and handed them over. “Welcome home!”

  “Thank you, friend. We’ll see you again soon. I need to go air out my house. Can you send the others? We need to talk. Something is wrong.”

  “Of course. I’ll have Nathan gather Kell’s things for when you’re ready too.”

  “Oh, thank you.” He put a hand on Martin’s shoulder. “You’re a good friend.”

  “I try. I’m good for the ones that don’t want to eat me.”

  He chuckled. “I never cared for marmot.”

  Martin laughed, but the sound was a little nervy. “Well, have fun. Bye, Kell.”

  Liam turned, Kell pecking at him again. “Will you stop that! I was nice.”

  “Silly kitty. Home. Home, please. We’ll air it out. Together.”

  Yes, love. Thank you for coming to find me.

  He was excited, the feeling curling in his belly. This was the first day he and Kell would live together in their house.

  He couldn’t wait.

  Chapter 7

  Liam’s den was a cabin in the trees, with ladders and ropes, hammocks and swings for kitties to play on. There was a part of it that said, “stay away” too, though. You had to climb or fly to get in, and you had to be brave, to trust in the skyways to get you across and not dump you down the cliffs and into the river.

  Kell adored it.

  It was made for them.

  He loved the idea of a little glassed-in sunroom perched on the side of the house, with a nest for him and all his danglies and sparkles all around.

  The house was dusty and quiet, but whole and safe. They had snacks and bedding, and the rest they could get tomorrow.

  Now they needed to air everything out and then warm the house with a lovely fire. Yes. Liam liked a nice crackling fire, so he would make sure it happened.