All Fired Up

by Kristen Painter

  “You Vikings always have such a hard time keeping your clothes on?”

  Alrik smirked. “No toga, Vincentius? Or have you decided the attire of the masses suits you better?”

  The man shook his head and smiled at Calleigh. “My apologies for my friend. He has no manners. I am Vincentius, one of Alrik’s…brothers.”

  She looked at Alrik. “Your brother?”

  “Not by blood. Vincentius is a Phoenix.” He glanced around the club. “There are quite a few here tonight.”

  “Really?” She strained to look, even though she didn’t know what she was looking for. “Who? Which ones? Why are they here? Do they usually hang out in clubs?”

  Vincentius laughed. “I see you have your hands full, my friend.”

  “I’m just very curious is all.” She studied the new Phoenix. Freya had great taste in men.

  Vincentius smiled. “Curiosity is not such a bad thing.”

  Calleigh frowned and addressed both men. “If you can show up here, why not just poof back to your own time and fix what’s wrong? Wouldn’t that be the easy way?”

  Vincentius answered. “A Phoenix may only walk the mortal world where another Phoenix has been called. And we rarely have reason. But with an occasion such as this…”

  He glanced at one of the looming ads, eyebrows raised. “We could not let our brother celebrate his achievement alone, could we?”

  “So are you a Viking too?”

  “Hah! Not hardly.” He leaned closer, his eyes twinkling, his voice thick with pride. “I am a Roman Centurion, a swordsman with no equal, feared among men and greatly desired among women.”

  Alrik pulled Calleigh next him and kept his arm around her waist.

  She looked over at her Viking, noting his clenched jaw and glinting eyes. Was he jealous? Did he think Vincentius was coming on to her? Warmth spread through the lower half of her body. She turned back to Vincentius. “So you don’t have any real skills then?”

  The Centurion turned purple. He opened his mouth to reply then snapped it shut and stalked off, shaking his head. Alrik threw his head back and laughed. He wiped a tear from his eye and kissed her hard on the mouth. “I think I love you.”

  “What?” Calleigh’s mouth hung open but she didn’t care. Her head spun and the warmth in her belly blossomed into genuine heat. “You think you love me?”

  He wrapped his arms around her and bent his head so their foreheads touched. The noise and lights and chaos around them disappeared. “I do not think I love you.”

  Her heart sank.

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “I know I do. I did not mean to tell you here, though. It just slipped out.”

  If not for his arms holding her up, she would have melted to the floor.

  “You love me?” Her voice came out weak and wavery but it was the best she could do. He loved her. This incredible man loved her. Down deep beneath the Brad-barrier covering her heart she suspected she might love him too. She just wasn’t sure enough to say it back.

  “I don’t know if I love you yet. It’s too soon for me. I’m sorry.” She wanted to say it, she really did. Just not yet.

  He shrugged gently. “Do not be sorry. It is better if you do not love me. Then you will not miss me when I am gone.”

  “I don’t want to talk about that.” Or think about it. She was plenty aware that her last change hung over her like one of Alrik’s massive ads, impossible to ignore. But this was the story of her life, she should expect it by now. Love always left.

  “Nor do I.” He released her from his arms but kept one hand on the small of her back. “Would you like to meet a few more of my brothers? I would be proud to introduce you.”

  Charmed by the events of the entire night, she just nodded and let him lead her. He loved her and wanted to introduce her to his friends. He didn’t even seem to care that she hadn’t responded in kind to his admission. How much better could her night get?

  She’d only met a few of the other impressively handsome Phoenixes when Seamus came to collect Alrik. Vincentius, seemingly over his indignation, had rejoined them.

  “All right, lad. Let’s go schmooze. Calleigh, as soon as the press bit is over, I’ll send Leona to get you so you can join us.”

  Alrik flashed a look at the Centurion she didn’t understand. “Keep an eye on her.”

  “I don’t need anyone to watch me, I’m not twelve. Now go and be fabulous.” She kissed his cinnamon-scented mouth before he left, raising her uncle’s eyebrows once again.

  How would she explain his disappearance to her family once he was gone? They would think she’d picked another loser and she didn’t want them to think of him that way. She wouldn’t be able to stand it if they ran him down in front of her. Maybe she could say his student visa ran out?

  But Seamus already knew the truth of that. Alrik was no student. She sighed deeply. So much to think about.

  “You love him.” Vincentius’s words pulled her back to the present.

  “What?”

  “I have seen many women watch their men going off to war. The look in their eyes is always the same. I see it in your eyes now.”

  She stared at her drink. “That’s silly. Alrik isn’t going off to war.”

  “But he will be leaving.” Vincentius shifted to lean against the bar. “There is no shame in loving the Viking. He is a good man. If you love him, you should tell him, before you no longer have the chance.”

  She glanced at the Centurion. There was no judgment in his eyes. “I don’t know if I love him yet. I haven’t had great success with love in the past. I want to be sure this time.”

  “That I understand.” A cloud of emotion crossed the Phoenix’s face, disappearing as quickly as it had arrived. “Just do not wait too long. You know he cannot stay.”

  She twirled the swizzle stick in her club soda. “Yeah, I know. But I don’t want to think about that right now.”

  “Think about it soon. If Freya has her way, she’ll confine him to Valhalla again until his talisman is next found.”

  Vincentius introduced her to a few more Phoenixes and kept her engaged with light conversation. She got the distinct feeling he was taking the “keeping watch over her” thing too seriously. She excused herself to the ladies room, but not before he made her promise to return immediately. Who did this guy think he was? She nodded but kept her fingers crossed.

  Once out of sight, she slipped away, down to another section of the club called The Vault. The building the club was in had once been a bank and the vault really had been just that. Beyond the heavy steel door and large bolts, the room was surprisingly spacious. A DJ spun thickly-layered rhythms, their pulse hypnotically timed to the violet light strobing the air.

  Swaying softly she danced by herself, eyes closed, letting the magnetic beats flow through her. Her body wanted to move but she didn’t want to miss Leona when the girl came to get her. She wanted to be with Alrik as much as she could. Her head bobbed in time to the music. Leona could find her on the dance floor, couldn’t she?

  A warm hand on her arm drew her out of her thoughts. She turned. Even in the dim light of the vault, the blue eyes she looked into were astoundingly brilliant.

  “I am Dimitri. You are Alrik’s charge, are you not?”

  “Yes, I am. Are you…”

  “A Phoenix? Yes.” He smiled. “I can see why the Viking is so taken with you. You are quite a fair creature.”

  She felt her face flush and hoped it wasn’t noticeable under the pulsing club lights. These Phoenixes sure had unusual taste in women. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you.”

  He tossed a head full of cornsilk curls and smiled. “Would you mind if I danced with you? I love this modern music.”

  “Sure, why not?” One dance and then she’d head back up to look for Leona. It wasn’t every day a hot guy was willing to dance. Would Alrik dance with her? That would be nice, pressed against him—

  “What is your name, little one?”

  Little o
ne? The endearment made her grin. The lighting in the club must be worse than she thought if this guy was calling her little. “Calleigh.”

  “Calleigh.” He repeated, rolling her name off his tongue so sweetly she smiled again. Maybe there was some sort of Phoenix charm school these guys went to.

  They started dancing. She was impressed. For a guy she assumed was at least several hundred years old, he could move. “You’re pretty good.”

  “Thank you, so are you. Very graceful.”

  Graceful? Imagine that. “I used to teach dance. Irish step dancing.”

  Dimitri nodded. “Your training shows.”

  “Thanks.” Sweat trickled down her back. “I think that’s enough for me, I’m getting hot.” The last thing she wanted was runny mascara.

  She started for the door but he caught her hand.

  “Just a little while longer. I have not had such a wonderful partner in many years.”

  Those blue eyes were so intense. It was hard to look away. “Okay, just a few more minutes.”

  He smiled and spun her, pulling her close against him with a laugh.

  The beat took over and she lost herself in the dance until he twined his fingers with hers playfully. “You are so lovely, Calleigh. The kind of woman who deserves so much out of life.”

  She just smiled, feeling slightly awkward and not knowing how to respond to his compliments. But she felt no reason to pull away. He was a Phoenix and they considered themselves brothers, didn’t they?

  His hands slid down to her hips. Distant alarms went off in her head but she silenced them. It was just dancing right? And it felt so good to be wanted.

  Warm breath tickled her neck, his lips brushed against her skin. “You smell so good, little one.”

  Slightly dizzy from the heat, she looped her hands around his neck to steady herself. He smelled good too and those eyes…

  “Yes, put your arms around me, little one.” And then, he kissed her.

  His lips were warm and soft but demanding. The alarm bells sounded again, this time louder.

  He was kissing her without permission. And she was liking it.

  Startled, she pulled back. “You can’t do that unless I ask.”

  He stared into her eyes. “Feel down deep and you will see you wanted that very much. You enjoy dancing with me, letting me touch you. Look deeper and you will find an even greater desire for me.”

  She tried to look away but couldn’t. Those eyes. Her body responded to his words but something wasn’t right. She needed to get away. He shouldn’t have his hands on her. Anger flared along her spine.

  “I have to go to the bathroom but I’ll be right back, I promise.” She tugged out of his grasp and the moment his hands were off her, a cold chill swept through her.

  What had just happened? How had he been able to kiss her without her permission? And why had it felt okay? She shivered and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. The thought of Dimitri’s kiss grossed her out. She wanted to scrub every inch of her skin.

  She needed Alrik, whether he was done with the press or not. Something weird was going on. With a glance behind to make sure Dimitri wasn’t following, she headed up the wide granite stairs to the third floor of the club.

  A throng of people went by, her uncle in the midst of them.

  “Seamus!”

  He turned at her call. “There you are. Did Alrik find you? I was going to send Leona but he insisted on going himself.”

  “I’m trying to find him. Is he still on the third floor?”

  Seamus shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. If I see him I’ll tell him you’re looking for him.”

  She kept moving towards the top, figuring she’d start there and work her way down. Having a few floors between her and Dimitri seemed like a good plan anyway.

  Based on the heavy wood paneling and brass light fixtures, the third floor had probably been meeting rooms and offices at one time. Now, the large front room was decorated like a hunt club, complete with billiard table and mounted animal heads. Thick velvet curtains and an equally thick bouncer delineated the VIP loft. If Alrik was in there, she’d need Seamus’s help to find him.

  She kept going, passing through a huge white-tiled bathroom, sinks and toilets still intact, that served as the third floor’s main bar.

  Beyond that, more converted office space. The walls had been taken down and the mammoth room converted into a giant, communal bedroom. Five white-canopied beds were spaced around the room. Groups of people sat chatting and drinking on the beds like it was the most normal thing they’d ever done in their lives.

  She hurried past each bed, checking for Alrik. Not there. She continued on to the second floor.

  The offices here had been stripped and turned into mini-lounges in shades of plum and burgundy and cerulean. Instead of walking through them, she scanned each one from the long hall that connected the rooms with a back staircase that offered another route to the first or third floors.

  She had just checked the last office when she heard laughter coming from the backstairs. She stuck her head through the door to get a better listen.

  Between the stair railings, she saw a couple standing on the next flight of stairs down. The man’s back was to her but she knew it was Alrik. The smell of cinnamon was intense. The blonde she didn’t recognize.

  The chill she’d felt from Dimitri’s kiss returned. The woman was breathtakingly beautiful. Thick ropes of pale blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders in perfect ringlets. Her eyes were the same startling blue as Dimitri’s and her porcelain skin shone like moonlight.

  The woman’s laugh was lush and musical. Calleigh wondered what the joke was. Alrik put his hands on his hips and shook his head. She wished she could see his face.

  As the woman’s laugh faded, she stepped closer to Alrik. He dropped his hands to his sides but didn’t move away. The woman traced her finger down his arm, saying something Calleigh couldn’t hear. The look in the woman’s eyes was perfectly readable. She was hungry and Viking was the meal she was after.

  Alrik shook his head again and replied but his deep voice was lost in the thumping beat of the music.

  Calleigh leaned over the railing as much as she dared. The lighting wasn’t so great but the woman’s eyes looked like they’d gotten a little brighter. Maybe even like they were glowing slightly. Weird.

  The blonde’s hands cupped Alrik’s face. He made no move to pull away and the ache in Calleigh’s gut amped up. I should have told him I loved him.

  The woman smiled, her eyes sparkling. She leaned into Alrik and kissed him.

  The kiss hit Calleigh like a punch to the stomach. She choked out an exhale and the woman’s eyes opened. She looked up, making eye contact with Calleigh without taking her mouth off the Viking.

  Calleigh jerked back. She’d seen enough. Her stomach heaved. She was going to be sick.

  Why didn’t I tell him I loved him back? He must be hurt. Angry. She reeled down the hall, blinded to everything else going on around her. Would it have mattered if she’d said the words? She’d said them to Brad and it hadn’t made any difference to him.

  Maybe Alrik didn’t really love her. Maybe he said that to all his charges. Maybe he was just trying to get a request for sexual favors out of her.

  She pressed her hands over her face. Had he seen Dimitri kissing her? She hadn’t wanted the other Phoenix to kiss her, hadn’t asked. He’d just done it. Surely Alrik would know she’d never ask another…why would he do this to her? Especially after all she’d been through with Brad.

  Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you. Maybe Alrik was no different than Brad. Just using her to get what he wanted. Well, she could think of one thing Alrik didn’t want and he was about to get it. Calleigh was done being everyone’s fool. She took a deep breath and calmed herself enough to deal with the trip home.

  It was time to make her third change.

  The subway clacked and rumbled over the tracks, the lights flickering
as they rode home. Calleigh was much quieter than Alrik could remember her being. Maybe she was tired. It was just as well. Freya’s ambush on the stairs had not put him in a good mood. He could still taste her sickening kiss. Undoubtedly, she would punish him for shoving her away but he would deal with that when the time came. Right now, he just wanted to rid himself of her memory and concentrate on the incredible woman beside him.

  “Are you tired, Calleigh lass?”

  “Yes.” She answered without looking at him. Actually, she had not looked at him since they left the club. And she had barely spoken to him since she had insisted they leave. Perhaps someone had said something to upset her. The thought angered him. He would gladly pummel anyone who had ruined her evening.

  Perhaps her tiredness was why she’d been so short with him. Of course, if he fully understood women, Dagny probably would never have gotten the best of him. Maybe it was Calleigh’s time of the month. That could be. Women often got upset during that time. At least he knew not to ask about that.

  Whatever the case, he would find a way to make her smile when they got home. If she wanted to be held, he would wrap his arms around her for as long as she desired. If she wanted to be kissed, he would relish the chance to replace the feel of Freya’s lips with Calleigh’s sweet ones. If she wanted to relax in a hot bath, he would fill the tub himself and wash her hair.

  He smiled to himself. Love had turned him into weak-kneed boy and he did not care. This woman was worth all the taunts the other Phoenixes might throw his way.

  She was even worth the pain that losing her would cause. He would carry the memories of her for the rest of his days, wherever they might take him.

  Of course, she had not said she loved him, but he understood. He could wait for her to be ready.

  She shot a quick glance in his direction. “Quit staring at me, would you?”

  “As you wish.” Poor lass. Obviously, she was in serious need of care.

  They walked home from the subway stop in silence but he let her be. The thin line of her mouth made him wonder if she was in some sort of pain.