Breaking the Ice

by B. A. Tortuga

Liam groaned. “That’s a visual I didn’t need.”

  “Owen has two brothers…,” Ash said. “A bobcat could be nice.”

  “I’d squish him.” Angela flexed.

  “And not Martin? Him you might mess up and eat.”

  Angela snapped her teeth, dangerously close to his fingers.

  He laughed. “Toothy mama bear.”

  “I am.” She sobered, lowering her voice. “I had to go across to get supplies. Wolves are still there.”

  “Yeah?” He put one arm around Ash when the wolf shivered. “Both of them?”

  “Three.” She said it dourly. “Big assholes. I was able to avoid them easily, but everyone needs to be careful.”

  “Huh. They won’t manage to make it through, Ash.” He had to believe that.

  “No?”

  “No.” Liam nodded firmly. “I have a theory. I’m going to ask Mother.”

  “Okay. I’m going home, I think. I need Mai.”

  “Hey. Don’t forget these. On the house.” Angela handed over coffee. She gave him a sad look.

  Liam got it. Ash was scared. He had a lot to lose.

  “I won’t let you get hurt, buddy. I swear.”

  “Thank you.” Ash ducked his head. “It was just such a bad pack.”

  “You’re safe. Mai and Nathan and I will make sure of it.”

  “Thank you, my friends.” Ash gave them a little smile.

  “You’re ours now, huh?”

  Ash gave him a hug. “We’re all in this together.”

  “We are. Go on. Your coffee is getting cold.”

  “Thank you, Angie.” Ash whirled and left, dreads flying.

  “This isn’t my fault, is it?”

  “Huh?” Angie looked at him, one eyebrow winging up. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I don’t know! It feels like I’m always guilty somehow.”

  “Well, stop it.” She snorted at him.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Liam saluted, eyes rolling.

  “I mean it. Take your new life and run with it.” Angie shook her head. “You’ve got to breathe.”

  “You sound like the bird.”

  “That just means he’s smarter than you.” She leaned on the counter. “Look, you want to know why and how, talk to Mother Owl. But I figure shit happens for a reason. You’re just a cog.”

  “Yeah. And I love being a cog in this wheel.”

  “I do too. It’s the cycle.” She waved a hand, her jingly bracelets clanking.

  “I have a bird waiting for his goodies, Miss Bear.” He winked over at her.

  “You do.” She handed over the box of pastries and the drink carrier. “Be good. Or don’t get caught.”

  “No. I’ll be solid. I swear.” He needed to find Mother and ask her what the issue was.

  “Good deal.” She waved him out, and Liam had the weirdest sensation he was Goldilocks, taking goodies to Grandma’s house.

  “Lion, I’m naked and in our nest. Come home to me.”

  Oh. Liam hurried. That was a fine incentive to avoid any big bad wolves. His raven, waiting for him, hopefully hard and ready.

  “I have treats. Coffee. The good stuff.”

  “Ooooh. Did you tell Angela hi for me?”

  “Of course I did.” Well, he thought he had. Liam figured it was implied, anyway.

  “Mmm… good. Bears like the niceties.”

  “They do.” Though Angela was far more blunt than even Nathan. She was a hoot. But not an owl. God, he cracked himself up. Liam made it to their home in the trees and climbed.

  As promised, his raven was splayed over the sheets, dark against the white cotton, sweet and needing. He could have pounced, but they had treats that needed eating.

  Then he would play.

  Chapter 11

  Kell stretched tall to hang the new suncatcher his mate had found him. It would make perfect designs over the floor—blues and reds chasing each other as the toy spun.

  He laughed, delighted, and did a little dance. Oh, he did love their nest. His Liam was so indulgent, because he knew his love just needed a place to sleep and eat, but he loved to feather his home with all sorts of things.

  Liam seemed pleased, though. Especially with all the soft places to nap, all the sunlit places with cushions. Kell had worked hard to make sure there were a lot of those. He had dangly things for Liam to play with, too.

  Ribbons and springs, bits of stone and glass and marbles—it was all magical, and Kell loved it.

  He hummed, getting out his duster thingee. The only problem with all his things was they did collect dust, especially in the canyon like this.

  Still, it was worth it, to feel the constant happy purr of his mate, like an eternal call.

  Not that he would hear it today. Somewhere out there, a dog was barking. Like crazy.

  Like crazy and close. Damned close.

  Kell moved to the window and looked down, blinking as he saw a black-brown-and-white basset hound, ears flapping in the wind. She was running and bouncing and baying at the base of his tree.

  “Sadie?”

  Her barking took on a kind of joyful hysteria. Yes. She was a tracker. She’d found him.

  He hurried down, frowning deeply at her condition. She was skinny and rough, with burrs and ticks in her coat. “Oh. Oh dear. Come on. Let’s help you out. This doesn’t work for me, and your momma has got to be so scared. First food, water, then bath, because ew.”

  She wagged madly, and he had to carry her up most of the way, her stubby legs not up to the climb. Sadie licked his face, and he laughed. “Oh, I did miss you.”

  He cleaned Sadie after he gave her water and food, keeping her in the kitchen until all the pests were gone. She was so much perkier without all those bugs! Bless her heart.

  “I need to get you home, ladybug. I know your mom is in hysterics.” That woman loved that dog to death.

  She barked again, every time he said mom, in fact.

  “I know. You came looking for me, and it’s the same but not.”

  He put on his coat and hat and wrote Liam a note, letting him know he was going to take Sadie home and he’d bring doughnuts back. Then he made a makeshift leash and grabbed his gloves.

  “Come on, you. We need to get you back to mom. She’s going to shower you with love and treats, and I bet she shores up the fence. I’ll come visit, I promise, but you can’t come looking for me anymore.” He gave her scritches. “Unless you get lost over here. If you do, I’m your bird.”

  Liam might eat her.

  They got out of the tree and headed for the bridge, which would be the best way to get her back since she couldn’t fly.

  He talked to her, idly, as they wandered over the bridge. He remembered that she liked him to mumble and groom her. She was such a sweetie, wandering along and sniffing everything.

  There were signs everywhere—Lost Dog. Reward—so he kept walking toward the house. “She misses you bad, pup.”

  Sadie borked at him, dancing, and he laughed. “I know!”

  He got Sadie to her house, the basset baying loud and long as soon as they turned into the driveway. He didn’t dare let go of the makeshift leash until Sadie’s mom appeared in the doorway, joy lighting her face.

  “Sadie! Oh my God.”

  He let her go and turned away, because he didn’t want Sadie’s mom to worry over him. He heard her calling to him, but the reunion was the important thing. Not how she’d gotten home. Listen to that happy howling.

  “Wait! Please! Where did you—” Her words cut off. “Dude! Wolves! Get in the house!”

  Wolves? He whirled around, searching for what she might have seen. Sadie’s barking increased to a fever pitch, but she was inside now, safe behind a closed door.

  “Come on, brother raven! Please!” The panic in her voice had him running, the sound of growling on his heels. His mind raced, because how did she know? Any port in this particular storm. She opened the door for him, then slammed it again and locked it.

&
nbsp; He panted, eyes huge. “Are you okay?”

  “I am. I’m Jaymi. They were coming for you. I thought they took Sadie.”

  “She was looking for me and she got lost. I’m sorry.” Was this their fault? His and Liam’s? He knew the pack was looking for Mai and Ash, but was their foolishness enough to put all their friends in danger, allowing the wolves to find a way through the veil?

  “No. No, the wolves chased her, and they were pissed that they couldn’t find her.”

  “Oh no.” He reached out to her instinctively. “I’m so sorry.”

  She bobbed her head, and he could see it now, the mountain jay fluttering behind her eyes, loud and sleek and bright purple.

  So pretty. They were all drawn to the veil, no matter what side…

  “Well, she’s a smart puppy. What do we do now?”

  He could hear the wolves on the front porch, growling and pissed.

  “I don’t know.” They could fly, but they couldn’t leave Sadie there. They couldn’t.

  He sighed, going to look out the window.

  She chuckled. “Did you tell someone where you were going?”

  “I left a note.” Oh, Liam. He could get hurt coming to look for Kell… Not that Liam couldn’t take on a few wolves.

  “Then someone will come for you. I mean, you can fly from the attic…”

  “I won’t leave you here, unprotected.” He couldn’t.

  “Oh, that’s sweet but—” The door bowed a little when a wolf hit it.

  “Get some food and water,” he gronked out. “We can barricade in the attic.”

  She nodded, and tossed him a case of water, grabbing dog kibbles and bags of chips and jerky and grapes. They raced upstairs, Sadie’s nails clicking madly on the stairs, her bays still ringing out.

  Goddess. Please.

  The front door broke in with a terrible crash.

  “Liam! Love! Help us!”

  Chapter 12

  Liam sat with Mother Owl in her aerie, which was much simpler than his, like a tiny English cottage perched in a tree. She was making tea, and he was trying not to get impatient.

  He was ready to ask her about the wolves. About the veil closing.

  He needed to understand.

  Mother, of course, was going to make him insane, with her fluffy, feathery, sharp-beaked fucking patience.

  He sighed, the sound almost a growl, and she looked over her shoulder at him, even her human head moving too far on her neck. “Cream? Sugar?”

  “Just lemon, if you have it.”

  “I do.” Finally, blessedly, she settled, teacup in hand. “What do you need, Liam? You never visit.”

  “I know. I’m worried, Mother. There are wolves in Glen Wood. Looking to get over here.”

  “I don’t think they can, Liam. Magic is a self-sustaining thing, and we have all the predators we can support.”

  “So, what? This is why they’re so mad? They are. They’re patrolling over there.”

  “That’s a question for the wolves. I assume, having known a pack or two, they want Maicoh. The others aren’t… made for creating strong cubs.”

  “Right. I guess they want him back. So I was right, then. We can only do so many apex predators… So. So if the bobcats wanted to mate, for example… They’d have to leave?” How sad.

  “I’m afraid so, but I imagine they’ll move together. They’re very attached.” Her eyes crinkled at the edges. “There are many pockets for us. The one near Boulder is young, hip. A place where kits could play and find a mate.”

  “There’s more?” Then he must have found Glen Wood because of Kell. “That makes me feel better.”

  “They’re scattered, but yes. There are more pockets of magic, more out West than in the places totally eaten up by people.”

  “Oh good. Good.” That had him breathing a sigh of relief. “So the veil isn’t closing for us. We’ll be able to get supplies?”

  “It will be harder to find ways in and out, but yes.” She nodded. “Some like Ashkii are… unique. They slide in and out of the world like it’s water.”

  “Martin did that. The other day. Just whoosh.”

  “Yes, but you should be safe, staying. Just wait them out.”

  Just wait. Right. He could—

  “Liam! Love! Help us!”

  “Kell is in trouble.” Liam clutched at his head, the words ringing in his head. “Coming, love. Coming!”

  “The wolves have us! They’re coming in!”

  “I’m coming!” He ran, well, climbed down first. “I have to help him.” He would get whoever he could on the way, but if he had to go alone he would.

  He ran to Maicoh’s cabin, the big wolf meeting him outside, eyes flashing, Nathan running toward him.

  The three of them could take on anyone, but before they hit the veil’s edge they had three bobcats as well. The triplets. Good men.

  “They’ve set the house on fire, Liam!”

  “Fly out!”

  “I won’t leave her with the puppy!”

  Puppy? Her? What the fuck?

  “Where are you?”

  Suddenly he could see the smoke, the little cabin at the edge of the river, just as clear as if he was there.

  “Blankets! We’re coming. Get something wet and put it over your mouths!” A dog. Kell had said something about having a dog as a friend… Oh God.

  He ran for the bridge, coming right up close before Martin waved them down. “This way! Hurry. Come this way.”

  They followed Martin as he ran around to the river, sliding down the bank to become his marmot self. Hopefully they could follow. Nathan was… large.

  Large, but obviously insanely determined and not scared of cold water. At all. That big body splooshed right in after Martin, then Mai. He was last, making sure everyone got through, though he wanted to charge to the rescue and leave the rest behind.

  Miraculously, they popped out not far from the house on the river he’d seen in his head, and the smell of smoke made him yowl with rage.

  Nathan, Mai, and the kits went for the wolves, and he ran to get the girl and the dog out. “Here, Kell. Fly!”

  “Not yet. I’m beating out flames on the stairs. Help. Help, love.”

  Bursting inside, he found smoke, but no flame on the main floor. Had they tossed something through a window? He filled a huge pot he found on the stove with water and sloshed upstairs, where he found one side of the house burning briskly. Right. Attic stairs. He was naked now, so burns were bad.

  He ran to help Kell, pouring the water out over the flames at the base of the stairs.

  “Liam!” Kell’s joy was a palpable thing. “Help me. You have to take Sadie. Then her mom and I can fly.”

  Kell disappeared, then came back, meeting him halfway. He carried a heavy, short dog wrapped in a blanket, her leash on his wrist.

  “Where’s the girl?”

  “She’s flying. Mountain jay. Hurry!”

  “Going!” Liam took the leash and dog, then whirled and ran. He would get the dog to Martin, then join the fight with his friends.

  Kell headed back up the stairs, disappearing behind the smoke.

  He had to trust his lover. Had to. He scampered down the stairs, dodging new flames springing up. As soon as he made it outside, he saw Martin, hiding out down by the bank.

  “She can’t swim,” he growled when he handed off Sadie the dog. “Keep her safe.”

  “Take the dog, get her across. There’s a bird…”

  A huge purple jay swooped down and took the hound’s leash in her feet.

  “Go.”

  Martin went.

  Liam shifted back to his cat, headed back to help his friends. He found them, one on Maicoh, two on Nathan, and he took one’s ass end out with one hard swipe.

  That allowed Nathan to take out the other one on him, and the triplets gave chase when Mai’s opponent turned tail and ran.

  Go away! He screamed, Nathan roaring with him.

  Mai made an eerie sound that
seemed to say, “Don’t come back,” and Kell swooped down to him, gronking madly.

  “Are you all right, love?”

  “Leave. I want to leave this place. Where’s Jaymi? Where did they go?”

  “Martin took them across the river. He took them where the pup didn’t have to swim.” They would be at Nathan’s by now.

  “Let’s go. We need to go.” He’d never heard his bird so frightened, so panicked.

  “Owen and his brothers…”

  The bobcats loped into view just then, and Nathan turned on him and Mai, driving them toward the river.

  “Yes. Through the veil. Home. Home.” Kell flew above them, gronking and crying out.

  Nathan and Mai took up the rear, but they were all driving the same way, wanting to get home before more wolves came back or some human shot them.

  They ran and leapt and flew, the veil thick and hard to push through, the Glen Wood calling to them. Ash was standing in the middle of the icy river with Hali and Angie, screaming to them.

  They splashed right into their home side finally, Nathan roaring back one last time in warning before scooping Hali up and running. Maicoh snarled at Ashkii, who snorted and bounded off.

  Kell swooped down to splash him, but they had to see the lady and her dog settled first. Her house had just burned down.

  She was sitting, bare on the bank, and Angela took off her coat and wrapped Jaymi up. “Come with me, little bird. You and the pup. We’ll warm you up.”

  He fought for his human side, going to his knees as he shifted. “Can you help her for now, Angie? Her house burned down. We’ll all get together tomorrow to make a plan.”

  “Of course. Her and the pup can stay with me. She’ll be safe and warm.”

  “Thank you. Jaymi, thank you for saving my mate.”

  “He’s good to Sadie.” She began to sob, and Angela started walking her toward the coffee shop.

  He looked at Kell, who fluttered. “Home, love. She needs to rest and I need you. We’ll help her in the morning.”

  Liam couldn’t think of an argument, so he got his fur back on since it was damn cold, and ran.

  Kell circled and swooped, his agitation in his flight. Bless him he had been imprisoned and almost burned alive. Liam would love that worry out of him.