Spark of Intent

by Harper Wylde

  “Did you always want Hiro?” I managed to get the words out, though I was still slightly nervous of the response. If Hiro and Ryder wanted to be together I didn’t want to be the third that they felt they had to accept so the family wouldn’t fall apart.

  Ryder twisted. “I’m not gay, if that’s what you’re asking. I’m most assuredly bisexual.” His lips brushed my bare knees, just a tease of sensation. “Hiro and I both adore you. I wanted to wait. I wanted someone I could see having a future with. Sex is casual for shifters, and bearing children can be the same in our world. I’ve been encouraged from a very young age to have as many children as soon as I could. I guess this was my form of rebellion. I never found anyone I could see being with longterm. Then I met you.” He reached up, brushing his lips over mine. “I’ve been attracted to the guys. I hoped maybe we would eventually share a mate, even though we hadn’t actually talked about it. We all want you, Nix. In every way we possibly can. I just need you to be patient with me.”

  “Twilight Sparkle, you’re ridiculous. Of course I’ll be patient. Just like I hope you’ll be patient with me. Speak up if you’re nervous or unsure. We won’t judge you. Please though, don’t run off on us again. I think we’ve all learned this lesson. We can’t make this work if we can’t talk it out.” I blushed at my own learned lesson and Ryder groaned at his nickname, but he pushed to his feet.

  With a nod and a sweet brush of his mouth over mine he held out his hand and interlaced his fingers with mine. “Come on, mikró pouláki. Let’s go get breakfast. I’m hungry.” I smiled and rolled my eyes at him. Ryder was always thinking about food, but I hopped down from the desk and trailed after him anyway, simply happy that we were all learning to communicate and navigate this complicated relationship together.

  Thirty

  Nix

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” I gaped at Theo who rubbed a sheepish hand over his neck, the tips of his ears turning slightly red.

  “You know they wanted to take you dress shopping.” He shrugged, as if that explained everything.

  “I know they wanted to take me, but, but…” Honestly, I hadn’t been thinking about the fact that I’d need a dress for the Gala, even though it was this upcoming weekend. After everything that had gone on, the plans we had in place, and the fact that my fight with Kill was still hanging over our heads, a dress really hadn’t registered with me.

  “It’s just for a few hours and you need a dress for the Gala.”

  “Are you guys coming with me?” Part of me was desperate for them to say yes, to know that I had them there if something happened. At the same time, if I was actually going to commit to getting a dress, I kind of wanted to do it alone. I had never dressed up before and I really wanted to shock my guys.

  “We’ll all be there if you want us there, though I doubt the mothers will let us anywhere near the dressing room. I know you’re nervous but if nothing else just smile and focus on Rini. They know you’re shy with strangers, and after all that happened, they just want you to feel safe and know you have support around you.” I knew that Rini’s mother, Li Min, had known I was missing, which meant that the news had traveled as far as Angela as well. After the rescue, they’d had to do some damage control, playing things down so as not to raise suspicion, but both Theo and Rini’s mothers knew the truth.

  Reaching out, he skimmed a finger down my cheek lovingly. “We’re not going to let anything happen to you, Nix. I know you’ve been through so much already.” Taking the hand he offered I let him lead me from the room and down the stairs.

  Damien, Ryder, and Hiro were all waiting in the kitchen as we entered. My chest tightened and my Phoenix cooed in sympathy as I realized Kill wasn’t with us. I had barely seen him since our fight, other than the kiss we’d shared, he’d been staying out of my way. It was hard to find the private time with him to have a conversation.

  “Looking forward to shopping?” Ryder’s eyes twinkled as he teased me and I smiled a little in response—I didn’t like my little pony being so serious all the time.

  “About as much as I’d look forward to a root canal,” I admitted. “You guys looking forward to being dragged around from store to store for hours on end?” Damien and Hiro winced, but Ryder nodded enthusiastically.

  Theo’s phoned chimed and all of the guys froze. Theo pulled it out and waved a hand causing all of the guys to relax. “Just my family.” Ah, apparently that had been the noise for someone passing our border.

  I rocked foot to foot, glancing towards the door and waiting for the influx of people to overtake us. “Nix!” Rini bellowed from the driveway. “You’re not escaping this one! Let’s shop.” I groaned at my friend’s enthusiasm and glanced pleadingly at my guys, only to receive chuckles in response.

  “Buck up, private.” Damien clapped a hand on my shoulder and then ruffled my hair. “We’ve been dragged on many shopping expeditions over the years. You’ll survive it. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a cookie out of it too.”

  “I better at least get two cookies.” I grumbled irritably as we headed to the door. I raised my brows in surprise, glancing between the full SUV in front of us and the ring of guys standing at my side. “Are we taking two cars?” I was finally a little hopeful. I could ride with my guys and spare myself at least that little bit of female bonding.

  “Come on, Nix,” Rini whined. “We’ve got to hit a dozen stores today to get the perfect outfit! We have to go!”

  “I figured I’d just ride with the guys, since your car is already full.” I tried to keep it casual, leaning back into the friendly arm Ryder tossed around my shoulders. Theo’s mom and Rini’s mom both stepped from the car, mouths tight as they studied our group. Uh-oh. I glanced among my mates, hoping for an answer as to why the moms looked so unhappy. I obviously wasn’t the only one who had noticed as my guys began to straighten, shuffle their feet, and rub at their necks. Something was definitely going on.

  “Theodore. Did you tell your girl you’re coming with us?” Angela raised her brow, studying our group.

  “Theo, Mom. I haven’t been Theodore in years,” Theo grumbled slightly, pushing at his glasses.

  “Well, Theo, did you?” Li Min interjected.

  “You know I always love to shop.” Ryder tried a sweet smile but the women failed to acknowledge it, their gazes locked on Theo instead.

  “We told you we wanted her for a girls’ day. Girls, Theo. That invitation wasn’t for all of you.” Angela sounded exasperated as she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “You know we just want to keep Nix safe.” Damien tried to soothe the agitated women, who quickly turned their irritation onto the new target.

  “Damien LaCroix. Are you insinuating that myself, Li Min, Rini, and Molly are not enough to keep this girl safe for a day of shopping in Anchorage?”

  Damien spluttered, glancing at his brothers. “No, ma’am. She just means everything to us. We don’t want to take any chances.”

  “What chances, exactly? Are you expecting kidnappers to show up in broad daylight in the middle of a crowded shopping mall and try to remove her from us?” Her tone softened as she studied us and the way my fingers had threaded into Theo’s and Damien’s. I wasn’t use to maternal temper. “I know you want to keep her safe. We all want that. At this rate though, you’re going to smother her.” I felt Ryder wince beside me. “Now you have to let her live her life normally. She hasn’t had much of that and she deserves it. Shutting herself into this house with all of you is not normal, even by shifter standards.”

  Hiro strode to me, framing my face with smooth hands. “It’s your call, Nix. If you want us there so you’ll feel more comfortable, we’ll come.” He sent a small smile to the women currently rolling their eyes at him. “Despite the maternal wrath.” My sweet Hiro. It felt like Angela was right though. I always had an escort, and the few times I hadn’t had one was when I ended up injured—or worse. My mind screamed to stay with the guys, to avoid any danger. I didn’t want to live in the
ir shadows, however. My Phoenix chirped her agreement, sending a wave of heat to my fingers, as if reassuring me that she was there to help protect us as well.

  “Thanks guys. I’ll be okay. It’s just shopping, right?” I tried out a smile, though it was a little weaker than I had planned.

  “Come on, then!” Rini was nearly bouncing, waving her hands to try and motion me over to the car. She shoved me into the backseat and dove in after me, nearly squashing me into a giggling Molly. “Let’s shop!”

  Her enthusiasm didn’t seem to dim as we hit store after store, though mine began to wane after the third dress I tried on. I wasn’t used to shopping with other women, especially ones who happily took on the mother role for me. I was gushed over in some dresses as they exclaimed how lovely I looked or how a color suited me. They weren’t afraid to tell me a dress didn’t look good, but their words were always gentle. The experience was surreal and my head was spinning as I was shoved into yet another dressing room, my arms full of the dresses they picked. The group sounded like a bunch of happily chattering birds, cooing and calling as the door to the dressing room shut, blocking them all from my view. I could only shake my head at their energy.

  At least I wasn’t the only one searching for a dress. Molly was pushed into dressing room after dressing room the same as I was. After rejecting all of the dresses in this store’s stack, I happily sat on the chairs in front of the dressing room with the others while we waited for Molly to try on all of her choices.

  “Ohhh.” Even through the dressing room door I could hear Molly’s excited murmur. The others chuckled as well, all of us waiting to see what her dress looked like to elicit such a noise. She swung the door open, stepping out in a waterfall of varying shades of teal reminiscent of a warm, tropical ocean. Crisscrossing bands of fabric held up the strapless dress that hugged her from chest to waist before the fabric gently flowed to the floor. Swoops of gold and silver decorated the dress, creating an effect that looked like a shimmering, capped wave. The fabric shifted to sheer and opaque as it pooled around her toes like the ocean’s edge as it broke against the sand.

  “You look like a water fairy.” The words slipped out as I studied her, and she lit up with a glowing grin.

  “Mom?” She faced her mom, her smile widening at the tears tracking down her mother’s cheeks.

  “You look perfect, my baby.”

  My chest tightened for a moment, wishing I could have this moment with my own mother, but I kept my smile in place, enjoying the warmth of the moment as Molly twirled back and forth in front of the mirror.

  “We can put your hair up in a twist.” Rini was bouncing in her excitement, cocking her head as she studied Molly. “Put beads and seashells in it. Oh, maybe a starfish!” The others murmured their agreement as Molly went to change so they could make their purchase.

  “We’ll find yours too, hun.” Li Min sent me a soft smile. “Just you wait and see.”

  Even after four stores, they still tried to slip choices that weren’t exactly me into the pile and I could only chuckle. I assumed Rini was the one who had stacked the neon orange mini dress into the pile. Angela seemed to prefer lace and water colors, similar to Molly. A flash of red caught my eye and I slid a floor length silk dress from the stack, my heart beating rapidly as I held it up to study it. My Phoenix chirped her appreciation. The scarlet red of the silk was nearly the exact same shade as her feathers. The corseted top of the dress laced up the back and a single strap over the shoulder emphasized the deep v of the daring neckline. I slid the silk on, letting it heat up against my skin. The top of the dress clung tightly to my frame, emphasizing my curves before fanning out in a cascade of flowing, floor-length silk. My skin glowed and my hair looked nearly ebony as it tumbled over my bare shoulder. I opened the door slowly, hoping they loved it as much as I did, unable to keep the smile from my face.

  “Oh, sweetheart.” Angela’s eyes welled with tears as she pressed her clasped hands to her lips.

  “You look just radiant.” Li Min gushed, her own eyes damp as she studied me.

  “Do a twirl!” Rini bounced, clinging to Molly who nodded just as enthusiastically. I spun slowly so they could get the full effect, letting the silken skirt billow out like wings as I twirled. “Oh, Nix, it’s perfect!”.

  I grinned even wider, stroking my hands down it.

  “It really is. It’s exactly what I needed.” My guys were going to lose their minds seeing me in this dress, and hopefully it would give me the confidence I needed to get through the Gala in one piece. I ducked back into the dressing room, careful not to snag the fragile material as I undressed. I winced when I checked the price tag and swallowed through the doubt. This dress would almost completely empty the little bit of money I had left in my account from Florida, but I hoped it would be worth it.

  I came out with the dress carefully draped over my arm and we headed towards the checkout, Rini wrapping her arms around me for a quick hug. “I knew we’d find you the perfect thing!” I could only laugh.

  “Wait, dear.” I paused, glancing at Angela. “Gaspard gave us strict instructions. You weren’t to pay for your own dress. It’s his gift to you.”

  I gaped, completely stunned. “I couldn’t accept that! I have enough to cover it.”

  “It’s tradition for the Elder of the family to prepare the shifter being presented.” Li Min explained, her voice so low I could barely hear it as she leaned in to whisper in my ear. “It provides better matches if you are attired correctly.”

  Angela slid the dress from my loosening grip as I tried to protest. She smiled as she did a quick check of the price. “Don’t worry, dear. This is nowhere near the top of the budget he set for us. We still have plenty of money left for shoes and accessories.”

  I could only sputter as the others began to chatter happily about the best places for us to check. “Isn’t that a little much?” My voice was weak, as I glanced between the happy faces. “The dress is bad enough but you want to get shoes too?”

  “Of course!” Molly tugged on my arm. “You can’t go to the Gala with shoes that don’t match your dress! They’ll laugh at you.” I started to giggle before realizing she was completely serious.

  “Alright.” I sighed. “Shoes it is. I don’t need accessories though. My mom—” I trailed off, taking a deep breath to continue as I looked into sympathetic eyes. “—she had this gold bracelet. I can wear that.” My Phoenix hissed at me. My confusion must have shown on my face as Rini rubbed my arm.

  “Hey, it’s ok. You don’t have to show us.” Her voice was warm and gentle.

  “It’s not that. It’s just, I’d honestly kind of forgotten Theo had my bracelet.” Which did make me feel a little crummy, I realized. It was the only piece of my mother that I had left, and I had been so focused on my guys I hadn’t insisted on getting it back. “My Phoenix doesn’t seem to like it for some reason. It makes me edgy.”

  Rini chuckled, giving a small shrug. “Well remember, they’re very elemental. She may not like how it looks or feels.” My Phoenix squawked in irritation, and I tried to soothe her before turning my attention back to Rini.

  “That doesn’t feel like it. She really doesn’t like it. Maybe the guys will have figured it out by now… ” I trailed off as we left the shop, my arms now full of the dress bag that Angela had brought back from the counter.

  “Hey, you got something!” Ryder’s enthusiastic voice startled me and had our group turning to look behind us. A sheepish Ryder was being glared at by Hiro, Damien, and Theo. “I couldn’t help it! She hasn’t had a single bag and now she’s got a dress! I want to see it.” He sauntered over to me as Angela and Li Min grumbled. I hugged the bag protectively to my chest.

  “No way. It’s going to be a surprise.” I ignored his pout as I glanced over my guys. Everyone but Killian was here—again. My Puca had been distant and introspective, and I missed him. I pushed past the pain in my chest and the tears that wanted to well in my eyes as I asked, “Why are you here
? You said you weren’t coming.”

  “Well, I needed new shoes.” Ryder tried for innocence, batting his lashes in an exaggerated movement that he knew gave him away. I laughed as we wound towards the shoe store that Angela had picked out.

  We wanted to make sure you were alright. Hiro’s voice was sweet and a little hesitant. It was good to see you laughing with them. I smiled in his direction. It was nice that they’d come to watch out for me, even though they had assured me I’d be safe without them. My heart warmed.

  “Theo,” I called over my shoulder and he loped up beside me. “We haven’t had much of a chance to talk. I never found out what happened to my bracelet.” I ignored my Phoenix’s squawk of irritation. He froze for a moment then sighed.

  “Mom!” The word jolted me as I wasn’t expecting the volume. As she glanced back he waved between the two of us. “I promised her a cookie. Why don’t you look for shoes for Ryder first and then we’ll meet up?” His mom waved her hand in understanding as Theo towed me towards the cookie stand.

  “Well, I won’t turn down a cookie.” I followed happily. My stomach was rumbling after all the activity I had done today. My eyes widened as I studied the case and I turned pleadingly to Theo. “Can I get a cookie cake slice?” He chuckled and ordered for us before directing me towards a small table out of the path of traffic where we could speak quietly. “I assume you wanted to talk to me privately for a reason?” I nibbled on the desert enjoying the decorative chocolate icing as I waited for him to open up to me. From the way he played with his glasses, I knew it wasn’t going to be something simple.