Frost Fire

by Michelle Howard

  Shela took Donal’s place and they danced chest to chest, mouths close, hair sticking to their cheeks. Pleasure glimmered in Shela’s golden gaze. She enjoyed the dance as much as Rena, but they didn’t take part often. The flexibility and dexterity took a toll on the muscles if not practiced diligently. Rena didn’t have time to dedicate to the pastime despite how much enjoyment she derived from the history of the story.

  Whenever she pretended to be Ane-mi, her thoughts went to Faris and what they’d had together. She shoved away from Shela and shimmied her hips. Her steps slowed. She rolled her torso as she imagined Faris in bed with her. They way he’d climb over her body and stroke his fingers down her belly to the wet valley below. Rena blinked back tears, stretching her arms high.

  Why did she continue to think of him when he’d made himself clear? Was it Slovino’s words? How else did she explain the continued ache at her core?

  It was during her rotation around the flames that she caught sight of him. Breath caught, she paused and missed a beat of the dance. Donal and Shela covered by converging on her in a flurry of fan slashes. Rena fell back into step, but she couldn’t look away from the fierce light blazing from his eyes.

  ***

  Though it wasn’t easy, Faris held himself still during the dance as Rena’s body called to him. His jealousy rose in counterpoint to the building voices in his head. He bit back the growls trying to rumble forth, his inner Dracol possessive of the female he still considered his. Rena danced side to side with Donal, tormenting Faris. The way their bodies glided together, the thrust and pull as they mock battled and flirted.

  It was a sensual portrayal until Shela as the smarter soldier became suspicious of Ane-mi. The dance shifted when Rena killed them both with a slash of the slender rod she held and ran off to her one true love also played by Donal, who emerged from the other side of the flames to the dramatic drum roll.

  No longer wearing a shirt, Donal’s moves were crisp. The fan snapping about him as he confronted her. First in anger then in fear for what she’d done to reach him.

  Fiery passion exploded as they danced around one another, hips rocking back and forth. They embraced, gazing into one another’s eyes. Slowly, Donal pulled Rena’s vest open. Sweat created a sheen on their bodies. The firelight encased their physiques in a glowing circle. Shadows played about their swaying figures.

  Faris locked his hands to his sides. He couldn’t drag his gaze away despite the anger rising at their performance.

  ‘Tear them apart.’

  ‘She seeks to humiliate you.’

  ‘Rip his throat out in front of her, so she knows your true power.’

  As always, the darkness gained strength during his weaker moments. Faris shook his head as the violence escalated from words to images. Instead of Rena and Donal dancing, he saw the blood spray as he tore into Donal’s chest and dropped his limp body to the ground in front of her. Not even the look of horror on her face could dispel the triumph he felt in the moment.

  Pressing a hand to his chest, Faris focused. Be cold. Had to be cold. Rena finished the dance held in Donal’s arms. The crowd jumped up, cheering. Boisterous applause filled his ears. The two broke apart and Shela joined them to accept the accolades.

  Pulling at the end of his long braid, Faris wondered what everyone would do if he stormed forward and ripped Donal’s head from his shoulders.

  ‘Do it! Do it! They need to know how great you are.’

  Just as he took the first step in their direction, Rena glanced up. Their gazes clashed and held. Faris jolted. The rational part of his brain urged him to flee. Rena’s brows drew together in familiar determination as she left those gathered around her to stride in his direction.

  As she approached, her voice was whisper light. “Faris?”

  ‘She plays you for a fool. Kill her. Strike now!’

  It was the voice of the madness that lent him the strength to do what he needed. Faris pivoted on his heels before she reached him, the hurt and rejection on her face there for all to see if they knew what to search for.

  Another crack formed on his heart to join the other jagged tears. Not much longer now. Soon it would break completely and then where would Faris be?

  Chapter 6

  Sweat ran down Rena’s face in steady trickles which she ignored. The safety shield over her eyes kept her vision from being obstructed and that was all she cared about right now. Beneath her hands, she ran the tool in even lines up then down and over again needing to hold steady for the smoothest blade.

  This would be excellent workmanship, one of her better pieces though Rena stood by every weapon she created. It felt good to bury herself once more in work now that the final festival was over. Tracking time wasn’t important when she worked, so it was a while before she glanced out the small window above one of her work tables.

  The sun had long since dropped and the purple-black hue of the night had set in. Rena straightened from her hunched position with a groan but couldn’t help the smile stretching her lips. The short sword was exactly as she’d envisioned. The perfect surprise gift for Shela.

  Setting it to the side, Rena removed her face shield and ran a hand through her sweat soaked hair. She cleaned and put away all the tools she’d used today. Tomorrow she’d meet Shela and maybe they’d get a little swordplay in to test her craftsmanship.

  Just thinking of her friend’s reaction to such a gift left Rena chuckling to herself. She almost missed the creak of the door and the scuff of a booted foot over the floor. Spinning around in a crouch with a weapon in hand, Rena met the steady gold gaze of the last individual she expected to deliberately seek her out.

  “Faris?” She rose from her defensive posture, curiosity unfurling as she took in his larger than life presence. “What brings you here?”

  Rena couldn’t recall the last time he’d actively sought her out. For anything. It was always her attempting to reconnect. Like she had two days ago. Against her better judgment she’d tried to speak with him when she finished the anemi dance. He’d fled before she reached him and avoided her the rest of the night.

  She swallowed as he came all the way into her workspace, closing the door with a quiet click behind him. He navigated the area easily, staying close to the outer edge where she had tables pushed near the walls to create pathways for her to maneuver around from one project to another.

  As he strolled through, he idly picked up customized handles, a broken dagger. His forefinger traced over a finished axe with its gleaming edge. He whisked it in the air a few times, testing the heft before placing it back in the exact spot before he circled another table to study the other weapons in progress or completed.

  Most of the stuff on display were things she’d done for fun. A few of the weapons had been ordered and awaited pick up.

  She hated the way her greedy gaze devoured Faris’ tall, wiry physique. There weren’t many in their sect who could meet his gaze without looking up. His height lent him an air of arrogance. Not that he needed it.

  After accepting the mantle everything about Faris had become...more. Power hummed on the air in his presence, the pull and tug of energy whipping at her senses. Her skin twitched and her inner Dracol stretched in reaction. Need flickered to life.

  It was always that way around Faris now. She became hypersensitive. Her body recognized his and reacted whether she wished to or not. He stopped to study a particular set of weapons displayed on the wall. Some of her more unique pieces were mounted there and Rena was damn proud of them.

  What did he think of her work? There had been a time she’d have instinctively known. His quiet stance allowed her to study the sharp blade of his nose, the full lips slightly parted. In admiration or dislike?

  His face remained a carved mask in public. Eyes which had once gleamed with laughter and revealed his every thought now stared at those around him with a curious lack of light.

  Nothing rammed home the change in Faris more than the missing emotions. Rena’s heart
clenched, her chest drawing tight. The back of her eyes burned, but she blinked away the visible sign of pain.

  He shifted his weight and reached up to finger the outline of a broken sword. Rings of frozen air puffed out, crystallized and melted with each breath he took. Rena didn’t think he even realized he did it.

  He’d gone without a long sleeve beneath the fur-lined vest and his arms bunched and bulged with muscle as he glanced at her over his shoulder, expression blank. Frozen. Completely devoid of feelings. Rena controlled a shiver. She didn’t know this version of Faris.

  “You’re unafraid to show your mistakes.” His deep voice rasped over her skin. It carried easily without him having to raise it for her to hear across the distance between them.

  “Mistakes are signs of learning. I couldn’t get better without them.”

  Faris cocked his head to the side. The move sent his waist length braid over his chest. “Still the same, Rena.”

  Before she could decide if the statement was an insult or compliment, he continued. “Your work is superb as always.”

  “Thank you.”

  He should know as she’d slaved over the very sword he carried into fights. One of her earlier pieces, Rena thought he’d only meant to humor her. At some point, she expected him to let Cass craft him one better, but Faris still carried her original piece, imperfections and all. A part of Rena wished he’d let her make him another, one that truly reflected the skill she’d gained over the years.

  His mouth curved “You’ve always been talented.”

  Ignoring the way her loins grew damp in his presence, Rena folded her arms over her chest. It had the benefit of making her feel tough while hiding the way her nipples hardened when he tossed a half-smile her way. “Why are you here, Faris?”

  Repeating the question did the trick and he stopped his slow progress around her workspace. He turned to lean his hips against the shelf behind him. His eyes sparked in an odd pattern, going from deep amber to a shade of gold bright enough to blind.

  “It’s been a long time since I visited my own weapons master.”

  Rena’s pulse jumped. She licked her lips and shifted her feet. His tone was serious, yet the deep voice she loved was devoid of any true caring. “It’s the way you wanted things.”

  “Yes.” His sigh was rough before he continued. “The sects are coming together in light of recent concerns.”

  Why was he telling her this? Rena removed her heavy gloves and ran her hands down the sides of her pants to dry her sweaty palms. “I’m aware the kings have been meeting a lot.”

  At least two or three times in the last year. Rumors spread in low whispers, questioning the reason. Perhaps the sects were under attack from an unknown source. Recent events would lead credence to the claim.

  With another exhale, Faris nodded and slouched further, the shelf rocking back into the wall from his weight. He didn’t seem to notice. Rena’s heart softened against her will. The pose shouted his fatigue though his face gave no sign of it. But this wasn’t a strange male Dracol to her. This was Faris. Once upon a time, she’d known him better than anyone else.

  Rena relaxed her stance and dropped her arms to her side. A warning blared in her mind, but she ignored it and crossed to him. She placed a hand on his bare forearm and asked once more, “Why are you here though?”

  The top of her head only reached his chin. He tipped his head down, gaze latching onto hers. At last she witnessed a tiny crack, a sliver of warmth heating his gaze. Faris placed a rough palm over the back of her hand and held tight. “I...I needed to come.”

  With those words her heart leaped in her throat. Rena ruthlessly squashed the surge of emotion. Too many years and too much hurt stood between them for her to ignore it all with those four words.

  “What do you mean?”

  His gaze flared, going bright again then settled to the familiar amber tones.

  This close Rena detected new lines at the corners of his eyes, his lips pinched tight and strain evident on his face. “Faris?”

  He lifted his other hand and touched her cheek with a single finger. He stroked his way over the bridge of her nose then down to the dip of her upper lip. “Soft.”

  Rena’s brows creased. Faris had confused her many times—his abrupt ending to their relationship, his refusal to acknowledge her love. Never in all that time had he crossed the clear line of distance he’d created by touching her intimately. Until now.

  Rena gripped his wrist, halting the odd caress. She dropped her voice to a low growl he couldn’t mistake. “Don’t play with me.”

  Ignoring her warning, he leaned forward and kissed her parted lips. Rena slapped both hands to his chest. Protest or caress? She wasn’t sure because Faris slid his tongue along hers and groaned. He gripped her waist and jerked her forward.

  Warmth filled Rena. Her body relaxed and molded to his, her curves to his angles. Being in Faris arms was better than she remembered. The jut of his cock prodded her mid-section. Rena raised a leg to hook around his thigh, trying to climb him for better contact where she wanted to feel him.

  As if reading her thoughts, Faris lifted her with an ease she admired. He ground his cock right against the juncture of her thighs, hitting the perfect spot. Rena broke the kiss on a gasp and her hips arched.

  Faris fed her need, turning them around so her back met the wall shelf with a gentle thud as he loomed over her. She wrapped both legs about his waist, her hands in a solid grip on the base of his braid. She used the silver rope to drag his face closer.

  Faris’ eyes sparked with an inner fire. He had loved it when she pulled his braided hair. Back then. The memory doused a bit of her passion. She stared intently, trying to figure out what this was. Triumph reflected from the golden orbs and pierced the haze of her desire. Then warm lips crashed back onto her mouth.

  Starved, Rena took everything he gave then matched it with fervor, moaning deep in her throat. Faris, to her surprise, increased the pressure of his mouth on hers, ragged breaths mingled with rough kisses. “Yes. Kiss me, Rena. Touch me.”

  Rena dropped his braid and ran her hands over his broad shoulders, the curve of his upper arms and down the opening of his vest. Faris held her with one hand at the hip and used the other to grip the front of her shirt. Their gazes caught and stilled.

  No longer empty, Rena read every drop of passion and need reflected back in his eyes. She swallowed and relaxed back against the edges of the shelf pressing into her back. “Do it.”

  Faris took her at her words and ripped the shirt down the middle, the sound loud along with their gasping breaths. Her breasts bounced with the action, her pointed nipples crinkling in the moist air. A low rumbling snarl rose from his chest and Faris latched on to the right one, sucking the tight bud on a hard draw.

  “Yes! Oh, Goddess yes!” The wet heat of his mouth shot pleasure straight between her legs, causing moisture to leak. Her lower region swelled, a driving need to be filled pulsing with each pull of Faris’ mouth.

  He switched to her other breast and Rena thumped her head back. Her body wanted to slide to the floor in a puddle, but the rock solid frame pinning her upright wouldn’t allow it.

  Faris pumped his hips at a steady pace, shoving Rena fast toward release. On a drawn out groan, he released her nipple, but only to kiss and lick his way up her chest, over her collarbone and coming to a stop at the base of her throat. She tensed in anticipation and he didn’t let her down. Faris sucked and bit. Hard. Leaving no room for any thought save coming right now.

  Her body craved that final edge, the final touch in the right spot in order to burst into a million shattered pieces. As she pushed at her clothing, her desperate bid to remove everything separating their bodies was hindered by the lack of space between them.

  She whined and clutched his head to her. Faris planted drugging kisses up her neck, his lips dragging to a stop by her right ear lobe. Every pant resounded like a blast in her ear. Each hot breath sending shivers up and down her spine. Re
na squirmed and twisted about.

  “Relax, I’ll get you there.” Matching action to words, Faris slowed his frantic thrusts. He nibbled at her neck then licked the inner circle of her ear. “Haven’t I always made sure you were satisfied, Rena?”

  He had. Others hadn’t been as diligent, but never had Rena left Faris’ bed without being satiated and weak with pleasure. Why had she bothered with other males? Why had she thought any of them could match what she’d had with Faris?

  “Rena?” He lifted his head, the questioning tone bringing Rena back to the present.

  She caught trailing strands of silver hair that had slipped from his braid. The front was baby soft and never stayed confined. It used to be a point of frustration for him, but Rena had always thought it lent him an air of sweetness amidst all his hard edges.

  Faris nudged her head up with his jaw until it rested against her temple, his hands at her hips stroking softly. “Rena, are you alright?”

  More than.

  That didn’t mean she should do this. Sex with Faris after all this time could only lead to heartache. She stared into the swirling depths of his eyes. But this was her other half, how would she be able to walk away? Rena inhaled and pushed down any feelings of doubt or fear. “I’m fine.”

  She smoothed back the hair falling over the side of his face, tucking the silver length behind his ear. Her Faris. He’d always been hers.

  “Do you want me to stop?”

  The question was asked calmly, his voice icing over with chilling precision.

  No, no, no. She wasn’t going to lose him again. Not yet. And if this was as close as she’d get to the old Faris, Rena was taking it. “Fuck me, Faris. The way I like.”

  He detonated in her arms. There was no other way to describe how Faris tightened his hold on her and whirled them around as he dropped to his knees with her cradled in his arms. Rough yet careful, he lowered her to the floor. For all his swift action, his hands grew tender as he removed her destroyed top then pulled her pants and underwear from her legs and tugged off her boots. The attention to his own clothing was less gentle.