Winter Fire: an Urban Fantasy Novel (Coldharbour Chronicles Book 3)

by Richard Amos

  He scowled at me.

  Ah, well. It was worth a try.

  “We’re always happy to help,” Rose offered. “This is … awful.” The goblin shook her head, brown hair wild and unkempt, shoulders slumped with exhaustion.

  Bliss slapped me on the shoulder. “Nice clean up.” Man, that hurt like hell! She had some super-strength.

  Eric smiled. “Yeah, nice one.” He spoke so softly.

  “Thanks.”

  He nodded and jogged over to the van.

  “Right,” Bliss said.

  Just like that, Bliss grabbed Greg and kissed him. It was a full on snog-fest, lips and tongues and groping, and over quick.

  I was a bit too close to the action.

  “Gotta go. Oh, wait.” Bliss ran back to the truck and brought over the rocket launcher. “Here, take this and blow shit up over there.” She handed over a case of ammo for it. “Got another one in storage.”

  Greg took the heavy weapon from her. Bliss gave him a peck on the lips before striding off.

  Greg was left open-mouthed, gazing after her.

  I pushed under his chin and closed his mouth.

  “Well, I think she made her feelings clear,” Nay said.

  Greg’s mouth fell open again. The werewolf truck roared off into the night.

  “As wonderful as all this is,” the white eye guy added, “I think you all need to get over the bullshit and get back in the game.”

  I spun to face him. “You—”

  His power grabbed me and held me tight, sealing my lips together. “No, you listen to me. I’ve come here to help, end of. I don’t want to hear about budding romances and feelings. It’s bullshit.”

  Dean was on him, holding his head in a grip that could swiftly become a neck-breaking move. “You let him go right now or this is over.”

  “I thought you were the one with more sense,” the white eye guy replied.

  “You’ve come to help, cool, but don’t use your power on Jake. You hear me? You help and that’s it. Let him go.”

  “I could fling you across the road, fae boy.”

  “Bring it on,” Nay added. “My fucking butt cheeks hurt, and I’m not in the mood for you. Trust me, you don’t want to cross the line any further than you have.”

  “I could whip him away right now.”

  “Just release him!” Rose snapped.

  The white eye guy chuckled. “Brave little goblins.”

  “I’ll cut your balls off if you touch my wife!” Randy retorted.

  The white eye guy roared with laughter. “Cool down, short arse. I’m just after some appreciation.”

  “Then let’s get to it,” Greg said.

  “Fine.”

  I was released. Dean let the white eye guy go.

  “Well?” I asked. “You said something about you and Nay doing something together.”

  “What?” Nay wondered.

  He smiled. “You know magic, I know magic. Together we can make it rain.”

  Was he serious? I took a step forward. “You … what?”

  “Like the wind spell, Jake,” Nay answered. She was staring at the white eye guy as if he were under a microscope.

  The spell that’d tapped into all of our energy that she and Karla has cast. It’d been intense the way it sucked all the wind out of me.

  “The river and the sky,” the white eye guy said. “Make an endless cycle of water to air, the rain—”

  “Not stopping until we say it can,” Nay finished.

  “All over the city, Naomi,” he said. “You ready to do this?”

  “I’m ready,” she replied without hesitation.

  “Then to the river.”

  I stopped her. “Nay?” I had no doubt in her abilities, but that didn’t stop me worrying.

  She gave me a massive hug. “I’ve got this,” she said into my shoulder. “I’m gonna be out for a couple of hours—we both will.”

  “No … no …”

  “Babe, you don’t need to worry. We’re gonna put out the fire.”

  I squeezed her so friggin’ hard. “You’re amazing. So amazing.”

  She patted my back and ended the embrace. “Wait here. See you when I wake up. Dean?”

  “I’m with you.”

  She headed over to the river bank with Dean and the white-eyed bastard.

  Greg threw an arm around me. “She really has got this, mate. I promise.”

  “It’s just him, Greg. I can’t …”

  “I know, mate. I know this is hard.”

  The man who stabbed my husband’s heart was yet again helping me and my friends.

  “He wants to save the city, to save us all.” The words stung my tongue.

  “For now,” Greg replied.

  “Dean’s there,” I said. “Dean’s with her. Shouldn’t we be there too?”

  “Dean’s got magic mojo, mate. He’s the best person to be down there.”

  “But he’s not a witch.”

  “He can still help her if she gets stuck.”

  “You mean tap into him? We can all do that, like last time.”

  Greg sighed. “I don’t understand it either, but she wanted him. She knows what she’s doing.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I need to just shut the fuck up.”

  He tightened his hold. “It’ll be okay.”

  A tug at my jeans. I looked down at Rose. “Hi.”

  She hugged my leg. “Oh, Jake. The fire … so much fire.” She sobbed into the denim.

  Randy came and rubbed her back—an expected move from Mr. Perma-Grumpy.

  “It’ll be alright, luv,” the goblin man reassured his wife.

  She just sobbed and sobbed.

  “It will, Rose,” I added. “It has to be.”

  The city was burning, so many people had died. Bloody hell … The reality of it was overwhelming.

  A flash of blue energy and the night became that little bit darker. The metallic tang of rain was on the air. A raindrop hit my cheek, then another.

  Blue magic swirled around Nay and the white eye guy, who’d joined hands. Tendrils of that power shot into Dean and drew pink up into the blue vortex that started to form. It twisted up and up until it erupted into powerful, blue pulses, flooding the sky.

  The downpour came, heavy and drenching. I was soaked to the bone in mere seconds. Every drop was cool and incredible, filled with hope. It would flood the flames. It was a much-needed mercy.

  Nay and the white eye guy collapsed, Dean a second later. We were running.

  Greg was on Nay, scooping her up. “She’s out cold.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “Don’t worry, Jake.”

  “Get her to a sleigh,” Rose ordered. “Randy and me will drag the white eye man.”

  “Can you manage?” I asked.

  “You just worry about the fae,” she replied.

  I crouched down to Dean. His hair was wet and stuck to his face. He was awake, eyes closed against the deluge.

  “Jake …”

  I brushed the hair from his face. “Shhh … it’s okay.”

  “It’s raining,” he whispered.

  God, he was so beautiful. “Don’t fight it. If you need to then … pass out.”

  A hand curled around my hand ever so softly. “I’m sorry … for … messing with your head …”

  “Dean …”

  Greg returned. “I’ve got him.” He lifted the fae man into his arms and carried him to the sleigh.

  I watched him go, glued to the road as the rain fell harder.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The sleighs tore through the rain, passing smoking buildings ruined by the dragon fire. Canopies, erected over the sleighs by Randy, protected us from the downpour.

  I sat with Dean’s head on my lap. He was wrapped in a foil blanket, covered by a red thermal one. He’d fallen into unconsciousness, his steady breathing reassuring.

  Greg was looking after Nay in the other sleigh driven by Randy, the white eye guy strapped in there
too. Rose guided us through the city.

  The smell was awful. So much of it had burned. Those poor people.

  The magic and tech would now be working overtime to restore order to the lie of Coldharbour. But it would need more, require Dean and Nay’s combined skills to really help bring the façade back up and soothe the residents once more. And the goblins—they’d have to weave whole new buildings and repair streets.

  I found myself stroking Dean’s hair as I was lost in thought about the future of this city. I stopped myself, suddenly very aware of what I was doing. I’d insisted on being with him in this sleigh.

  He’d been sorry for messing with my head, but I’d done the same to him—as he’d let me know. Fuck.

  Deep breath, deep breath.

  I continued with the hair-stroking. It was soothing, and maybe it was helping him over in the land of dreams.

  Dreaming of me?

  I closed my eyes, taking more deep breaths. The world needed to stop spinning for a while. I sent a silent plea for that to happen.

  “Nearly there,” Rose said.

  Wand Towers—twin residential tower blocks—sat in the distance. Thankfully they’d been left untouched by the fire. The goblins had a home there, at the top of Tower 1. It was a better option than heading to the mansion right now. We had to be out here in this, ready to head right back out to the beast gates when Nay and Dean woke up.

  And the white eye guy …

  Some twenty minutes later, I was inside the Goblins’ flat. It was full of trinkets and treasures in cabinets and on shelves. All sorts of things—carriage clocks, glass flowers, books, all in no particular order.

  The walls of the living room were wallpapered in green and gold stripes. There was a door that led to their bedroom, where Nay and Dean slept together on the double bed.

  The white eye guy was laid out on the green sofa. I sat in an armchair of the same color, eyes locked on him as his chest moved up and down.

  Rose was in the kitchen down the hall making tea. Randy was in the bathroom. Greg sat on the other armchair.

  On the coffee table sat a fashion magazine called Noir, me on the cover of it. Damn. She really did have a stash of them—my number one fan. In the picture, I had on jeans, unbuttoned, looking all moody, standing in some posh house in Malibu, California. I remembered that house well. It’d felt too cold to me, completely lacking any character like some of the others I’d seen over there.

  I flipped the magazine over.

  The rain pounded the windows, not relenting. That was some spell to make it rain like that. I’d been wondering about floods in the city, but then what other option was there? I couldn’t worry about that. It was friggin’ stupid, even if valid. The rain had stopped the fires, and would stop any further attempt at another dragon strike if the beast warmed back up again.

  I needed to think about something other than all the things spinning in my head. “So, how’s your lips?” I asked Greg.

  He chuffed. “Tingling.”

  “That was some kiss.”

  “I’ll say, mate. When this is over I’m going back for seconds … and thirds.”

  “You should.”

  He nodded. “How about that kiss back at The Mermaid, then?”

  I blushed. “Yeah, erm … yeah.”

  “Seems like there’s no need to come up with a plan to break the moodiness between you two now. A natural progression has taken place.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know what to say, Greg. I really don’t.”

  Rose returned with the tea on a tray. “There you go, darlings.”

  “Thanks.” I took my cup. “We really appreciate this.”

  “Don’t mention it.” She patted my knee. “I’ll make some bacon sandwiches if you like?”

  “That’d be great,” Greg said.

  “Coming right up.” She returned to the kitchen.

  I sipped my tea. It was wonderful and hot and hitting the spot as only a good old cuppa could.

  “He really likes you,” Greg said.

  Thank God I’d swallowed or the brown liquid would have spilled down my chin.

  “We’re confused,” I responded.

  Greg rolled his eyes.

  “What?”

  “Look, I know you are. But you didn’t run from him kissing you. And I saw you stroking his hair.”

  “Exactly. Confusing.”

  “All I’m saying is this, Jakey. Don’t let something be wasted by lack of communication. What if there’s something good there?” He leaned forward. “I know it’s hard for you because of Michael, but I also don’t want to see you be unhappy forever. Granted, this city is the worst place for love, but love makes us human.”

  “Does it now?”

  “Don’t bloody take the piss.”

  I sighed. “I’m feeling things for him. And processing them in my own stupid way. You’re right, I didn’t run from that kiss. I wanted it, I wanted more. And that stung. I hate so much that it stung.”

  “This ain’t simple, mate. I know that.”

  “We’re gonna have to figure this out at some stage.”

  Greg nodded. “Too right, you do. Just don’t dance around stuff. When the time is right, talk. Put it all on the table. If it’s nothing than just a bit of a snog and a flirt, then cool. If Dean’s just curious, then cool. Let him go back to doing his thing, and move on. Don’t let it destroy your friendship, and don’t let it destroy you.”

  “He really wasn’t happy when I asked him if he was bi,” I said.

  “Emotions aren’t always easy to label.”

  “I know. Just … why me?”

  “Why not you?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Promise me you’ll talk to him, and make him talk to you.”

  “I will … we will.”

  “Thank God that sniping at each other died a quick death.”

  I took another sip of tea and nodded.

  “Who knew this would happen, Jakey. When we found out about you coming with the power of the goddess … I didn’t realize we’d be getting a bit of romance.”

  “Makes you want to vomit.” The white eye guy’s one eye was open, fixed on me. “And really annoying.”

  “Welcome back,” Greg said.

  The man sat up, stretching. He was still in his long black cloak. There was a smell of coal tar soap about him.

  “Any tea going?” he asked.

  Rose appeared in the room. “I’ll brew you one.”

  “You’re the best.” He blew her a kiss.

  She mumbled something and was gone.

  “So, Jake,” he said, swinging his legs round and planting his boots on the green carpet. “Remember when I said you’d end up feeling really bad for head-butting me?”

  “Yeah? And what?”

  “Think about it for a minute.”

  The white eye guy had … helped in a major way. He’d made it rain, an action that was so far removed from evil. Without him, it wouldn’t have happened, and the fire would have spread as far as here by now.

  Oh, crap. Maybe I shouldn’t have head-butted him. But I’d been fuming at what he did. Why the hell was I even feeling guilty?

  Bollocks! This was so unfair.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  He leaned in closer, open palm at his ear. “What was that? Think my eardrums are being deceived with the unbelievable.”

  “You bloody heard me.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll take that.”

  Rose returned with the tea and handed it to him.

  “Thanks, Rosey.”

  “Call me that again and I’ll pluck that eye out of your head,” she retorted and stormed out of the room.

  I could smell the bacon cooking.

  “Yes, please, on the bacon sarnie front!” the white eye guy called.

  “Can’t you just be gracious and not wind up the goblins?” I asked.

  “I’m always gracious, Jacob.”

  I stood up. �
��I can’t sit in here with you.”

  “Jake,” Greg said. “Come on, sit down. You,” he pointed at the white eye guy, “keep your mouth shut from now on. Got it?”

  He shrugged. “I’m bored now.” He got up and swept out of the room. The front door opened and closed.

  I leaned back in the armchair to see down the hall. “He’s gone.”

  “For the best. He’d have started a war in this living room.”

  My phone buzzed. It was a message.

  You’re welcome. Now go kill that bitch.

  Enjoy your tea first though :-p

  WEG Xxx

  I showed Greg the message.

  “He loves him some game playing,” he said.

  “Yep.”

  On my last bite of my sandwich, Nay came out of the bedroom.

  “Hello, darling,” Rose said. She was sitting on the sofa, knitting a pink cardigan and had been talking about how much she’d love to visit Japan.

  “Hi.” Nay’s short blue hair was all over the place.

  I got up and hugged her. “I’m so happy to see you on your feet.”

  “Thanks, babe.”

  “Come sit.” I helped her over to the sofa next to Rose.

  “I’ll get that kettle back on,” Rose offered and went off to the kitchen. Randy was in there doing whatever he was doing, not once coming into the living room.

  “Dean’s still sparko,” Nay said.

  “How you feeling?” Greg asked.

  “I’m good. Nice to hear the spell’s doing well.”

  “Brilliant,” I said. “So bloody brilliant.”

  “Thanks, babe. Where’s the white eye guy?”

  “Gone,” I answered.

  “Will take me a while to let this sink in,” she added. “Me and him did a spell together, with the help of Dean.”

  Rose came back with a cuppa for Nay.

  “Thank you, Rose.”

  “I’ve put some more bacon on. Fancy a sarnie?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Be right back, darling.”

  “Why Dean?” I asked. “With the spell?”

  “I needed some glue to make the cycle stick. It probably would have, but Dean’s fae magic is good glue, like superglue. No offense, but you and Greg would only be like that primary school glue—nowhere near enough hold.”