Unfrozen (Eternal Book 6)

by Evi Asher

Color suffused his face. “Of course I can.”

  “Okay, then you’re into boys.”

  “I. Am. Not. Into. Boys,” His teeth clenched as he spoke the words.

  “What is I,t then? Death? I’m not good enough for a deity?” Now she really wanted to know, because he was being too adamant and it was hurting her previously insurmountable ego.

  “I’m not a deity, just a reaper.”

  “That.” She poked him in the chest with a finger. “Is not what I asked.”

  He looked down at her finger as if it had grown a head or something.

  “You aren’t poking me?”

  Athera poked him again. “Guess I am.”

  He grabbed the offending finger in one huge fist and looked like he didn’t know what to do with it.

  Athera took a step closer to him. “Your grip is tight. Maybe you should kiss my finger better.”

  He let go of the digit as if it was made of acid, flinging her hand away.

  “Okay. Well, if you don’t want to kiss my finger, you could always kiss my lips. I’m pretty sure we’d both enjoy that.”

  He took a step back. Wow! She was going to end up making the male flee her, but she couldn’t help herself. She was having too much fun teasing him. He seemed to be allergic to sexual advances. Maybe he wasn’t used to it.

  “How old are you?” she asked him

  “As old as time itself,” he replied, and looked almost happy that she seemed to be changing the subject.

  “That explains the old fashioned responses. It’s a new centaury, father time, and women can come on to men now.”

  He gaped at her and she almost burst out laughing.

  She tapped her chin with her finger, as if in deep thought. “True, you are a bit old for me, but I really don’t mind. Apparently I’m into older men.”

  “Female…”

  “Yes? Did you change your mind about kissing me?”

  Grave took another step back.

  He was saved when Angelica’s door opened and Colt stuck his head out.

  “Athera, we need you in here.”

  She looked from Colt to Grave and gave Grave a smile that warned him she wasn’t done with him yet.

  She turned toward the door and took the few steps it took to get there “What’s happening?”

  Chapter Ten

  Her hand was freezing from her thumb where she had put the signet ring all the way up through her other fingers. Ice crystals were forming on the surface of her skin and the signet ring felt as if dipped them in liquid nitrogen.

  Angelica gritted her teeth as they started chattering and bit back a cry of pain. Laz chanted in a low voice, the cadence of his tone forming waves that was making her sleepy despite the pain. She was barely aware that Colt had left the room, but he returned with Athera in tow.

  The phoenix raced to Angelica’s side and took her free hand in her own.

  “What do you need me to do?” she asked Colt.

  “Laz said she needs more heat, and I’m not a phoenix,” he answered, and then moved to Angelica’s other side. He sat on the bed and pulled her body against his chest, wrapping his arms around her to lend her his heat, but careful with the remaining blisters.

  The Oracle stood to one side of the room watching what was happening. Her shoulders were tense—that much Angelica could see—but she wasn’t helping.

  Colt must have been thinking the same thing because he spoke. “Can’t you help him get rid of Michael?”

  Cerise shook her head.

  Angelica bit back another cry of pain from her cold hand. Then she felt the warmth coming from Athera’s hand as the other phoenix started pouring heat into her. She closed her eyes for a moment in pure pleasure.

  “Are you sure?” Colt urged.

  “Yes I’m sure. I’ve got no power over ghosts.” Cerise looked as frustrated as Colt. “Do you honestly think I’d let her suffer if there was some way I could help?”

  “What about Grave—he’s a reaper, doesn’t he have power over ghosts?” Athera asked, and Angelica could have kissed her for being so clever.

  Her hopes vanished when Cerise shook her head again. “He does have that kind of power, but Grave’s powers have been bound. He can’t use them.”

  “Fuck,” Colt bit out.

  A scream escaped Angelica’s throat as the ice pain shot further up her arm.

  “You won’t get rid of me that easily.” Michael appeared standing next to the bed and glowering down at her. “We had a deal. You will take me back to Radcliff, to the mine.”

  Colt surged forward, but Laz was there first, putting his hands on Colt’s arm and stopping him before he could get up. “You can’t hurt him, man, don’t try.”

  “Don’t talk to me, damn it, chant.” Colt jerked out of Laz’s grip and gently laid Angelica down as he stood up.

  “It’s no use. It’s not working. His power over her is too strong, and we’ve already tried to take off the ring. It won’t budge.”

  Michael laughed.

  Angelica felt a surge of anger at the sound, and hissed, “How could you make me believe you were nice? Why didn’t I know what a bastard you really are?”

  “You saw what you wanted to see, little phoenix. I didn’t have to do much.”

  Colt looked like he wanted to rip the ghost to pieces.

  “Take me back to the mine in Radcliff, and I will allow the ring to be removed.” Michael faded out.

  “Fuck!” Colt turned and balled a fist.

  “Don’t hit my walls again, Colt.” Cerise warned.

  He dropped his hand and started cursing in earnest.

  Angelica dropped her head back against the pillows, feeling drained. “What do we do now?”

  Colt turned toward her and grumbled, “We go to the mine, get rid of the asshole, and make sure he can never leave that place again.”

  “I will open a portal directly there,” Cerise offered.

  “No. We have to make a stop first. I’m going to need some extra muscle. I want to fetch Jericho at the village.”

  Angelica was starting to feel better now that Laz wasn’t trying to get rid of Michael. The ring had returned to room temperature, and the ice was leaving her hand.

  She cleared her throat and pushed herself up to a sitting position on the bed. “There is something I need to tell you about Kate first.”

  “We know…she tried to kill you.” Athera let go of Angelica’s hand and sat back in the chair looking smug at her deductions.

  “Very good, Sherlock, but did you know that she is actually Malta, the head of the breeding center?”

  Silence filled the room. Colt, Laz and Athera stared at Angelica as if she’d turned into a gorilla.

  Colt was the first to speak. “Malta…The woman you said raped me and…”

  “Yes.” Angelica cut him off before he could say the word and watched him carefully, but his expression was closed down, his anger apparent in the way his fisted knuckles turned white.

  “Who is Malta, and what’s this about a breeding center?” Cerise asked.

  “Never mind,” Colt said.

  “Let’s leave it at she’s a bad person.” Angelica told Cerise

  “Why is she here, why the disguise, or maybe I should ask, how the disguise, the way you described her and from what I remember, she looks nothing like Kate.” Athera sat forward in her chair.

  “She says her father was some king of magic user. I wasn’t really listening,” Angelica admitted. She’d been too angry to care at that point in time.

  “Why is she here?” Laz asked.

  Angelica looked over at Colt. She wanted to spare him this, but he had to know. He had to be prepared.

  “She wants Colt, and she will do anything—including murder—to get him.”

  She saw the muscles of his cheeks bulge as he bit down on his teeth. “Everybody out,” he hissed.

  “But…” Athera started.

  “I. Said. Out.”

  Athera scrambled out of her
chair and followed Cerise and Laz out the bedroom door. She threw one look back at Angelica and shrugged, mouthing, “I leave him to you.”

  The door closed behind them with an ominous bang.

  “How long have you known.” Colt looked at her, and there was a touch of the old hate in his eyes.

  It made her angry, and she launched herself up from the bed. “Oh, no you don’t.” She shoved him, her palms hitting his chest, but doing nothing to move him.

  “You will not think I had anything to do with this. I’m done with you laying shit at my door.”

  Colt glared down at her.

  “I didn’t know until she threw me in the damn crevasse, or right before—I don’t remember exactly, it was a stressful time—either way, you aren’t blaming me for this. It’s bad enough that I gave you my virginity and you don’t even know it!” She wanted to hit him again. Her hands itched to smack the hate out his gaze.

  His shoulders sagged and he sighed. “I know.”

  She didn’t hear him at first. “I gave you a gift and you didn’t….What?”

  “I said, I know. I found the blood on the quilt, I’m sorry, Gelibean.” He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. She was too shocked to fight him.

  “But I need you to know something.”

  He put his chin on her head as he spoke, and she could feel the vibrations of his voice through his chest.

  “Even when I thought you were my rapist, I’d forgiven you. I wanted to make things work with us, especially after that night. I want you in my life. When I found out that I was wrong…” His voice trailed off. He cleared his throat and spoke again.

  “I’m sorry for what I did to you, for the way I treated you, and I need you to forgive me, even if I can never forgive myself.”

  Oh, boy, I’m a goner, what woman wouldn’t be?

  “Colt…”

  “Let me finish, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “It’s impossible to hate you, Geli. I gave it up a while ago. The draw between us is too strong—how I feel about you is—you are my true mate. I know it and I think you know it, too.”

  She kept quiet, letting him finish, and wanting to soak up the warm glow his words were leaving in her body.

  “I should have made your first time perfect, and I’ll always regret that, but I’m asking you to give me the rest of eternity to get it right.”

  Oh, gods…she felt tears burn her eyes, tears of joy.

  “I—” she said.

  “I thought you were going to let me finish?”

  He wasn’t finished?

  She didn’t say anything and he took that for acceptance and started speaking again.

  “You’ve become someone I can’t and don’t want to do without, Angelica.”

  He went quiet and she thought he was finished speaking. She was going to suck up all her courage and tell him how she felt.

  “Gelibean?” The once hated nickname had become the sweetest of endearments to her ears.

  “Yes?”

  “I know you deserve better than what I’ve given you, but if you give me a chance, you won’t regret it.”

  Of course, she would give him a chance. She’d give him a million. She’d said she’d have enough love for both of them, and she meant it. What he’d said now was more than enough for her.

  He pushed her a little bit away from his chest and pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger. He lifted it until she could look into his eyes.

  “I love you, Angelica.”

  She couldn’t breathe for a second. Had she heard him right?

  “Sorry, I don’t think I got that last bit.”

  He laughed and bent his head to give her a quick kiss on her lips.

  “I said, I love you.”

  Her legs felt week and her heart was thrumming in her chest. Her pulse raced and she struggled to catch her breath, but she could feel the smile on her face, one so broad that her cheeks might split. She would say the words she’d been wanting to say for a while. “I love you, too.”

  Colt let out a whoop of joy and picked her up, swinging her around before putting her down gently again, as if he’d just remembered she was wounded.

  “Are you sure, because you don’t have to say it just because I did.”

  Angelica laughed now. “Yes, I’m sure. I’ve been sure for a while, you stubborn male.”

  He looked down at her with such joy in his eyes. “Say it again.”

  “I love you.” She grinned up at him, and his grin matched hers.

  Then he bent his head and started kissing her and the world faded away in the hunger the kiss ignited.

  “What are you going to do to Malta?” Angelica asked.

  They were standing on the outskirts of their village. Cerise had opened the portal, and Colt had Geli’s hand in his. He hadn’t moved very far away from her since she’d said she loved him, and he was still in a happy daze about it.

  It was hard for him to believe she could love him after the way he’d treated her, but if he was lucky enough to have her love, he wasn’t going to waste it. He was going to make her the happiest female alive.

  The fact that he had to deal with his real rapist now was the only dark pall over his happiness.

  “I vote we make her take a dirt-nap,” Athera commented from their left, and Colt saw Angelica roll her eyes.

  “You’ve been watching movies on this side, haven’t you?”

  “Many, many movies,” Athera agreed with an irreverent grin.

  “Go back to your cabin, and we’ll come get you when I’ve sorted this out,” Colt instructed.

  Laz started walking without argument.

  Athera wasn’t going to give up that easily. “No way. I want some vengeance, too. You can’t have it all.”

  “Athera,” Angelica said, and there was a note in her voice that Colt had never heard before. His female had many sides. He was looking forward to getting to know them all.

  “Fine,” the other phoenix female said, but her tone was sulky. “But I expect a play by play.” She turned and walked away.

  Angelica looked up at him to ask, “What are you going to do, Colt?”

  “I’m not sure, yet. Let’s go to Jericho’s cabin and find out.”

  He led her, still holding her hand down the familiar path to his best friend’s cabin, where the enemy had taken up residence to taunt him.

  Angelica was quiet as they walked and he wondered if she was worried that he would kill Kate—or was that Malta. He had to admit to himself, he was tempted to, but not because of what she’d done to him.

  He wanted to kill her because of the way he’d treated his precious mate due to Malta’s actions.

  He’d almost messed up the best thing that had ever happened in his life because one female had taken advantage of him and hadn’t been honest enough to do it as herself. She’d drugged him, kept him blindfolded and used him like a toy. All of that, he could let go, but he’d thought it was Angelica, and because of that, he’d treated Angelica like the enemy. That, he couldn’t forgive.

  They reached the cabin just as Jericho was returning from somewhere.

  “Colt,” he called out and walked over to embrace Colt in a hug.

  “So glad you are okay. Kate told me what happened.”

  “Really?” Colt’s tone was cold and Jericho stepped back with a frown.

  “Yeah, what’s up, bro?”

  “Is Kate here?” Colt asked.

  “Yeah.” Jericho’s brows drew down even more. He waved a hand toward the house “She’s in the cabin. Why are you looking for her?”

  “I’ll tell you inside.”

  “Okay.” Jericho still looked confused, but he led the way up the steps and pushed the door open letting them into the cabin before closing it behind him.

  “Kate. We have visitors,” he called out.

  “Oh, who…” She stepped out of one of the rooms and stopped when she saw Angelica. “You’re alive.”

  Colt f
elt Angelica tense next to him and wanted to rip Kate apart.

  “No thanks to you,” he spat out and let go of Angelica’s hand so he could take a couple of steps forward.

  Jericho got between him and Kate, holding out a hand to stop Colt from advancing further. “What are you doing, bro? It looks to me like you want to hurt my female.”

  “Damn straight I want to hurt her. I’m going to kill the bitch.”

  Jericho looked so shocked that Colt took a step back. “Why don’t you come clean, Malta?”

  Jericho looked from Colt to Kate and back again. “Malta? What?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She straightened her spine and lifted her chin.

  Angelica stepped forward. “I’ve got an in with a very powerful Oracle. Do you want me to get her here and have her force you to reveal yourself?”

  Colt tried to stop her. “Angelica—”

  “No. Let me get this out.”

  She pinned him with a look and he held up his hands. He wasn’t going to piss his mate off for Kate’s sake.

  “Your real name is Malta, and you are a phoenix. Why don’t you tell Jericho all of it? How you raped Colt in the phoenix realm, how you came here in disguise when we escaped so you could get him back. How you tried to kill me.”

  “What?” Jericho said, his face a mask of disbelief.

  “It’s all a lie, baby. I didn’t do any of that stuff. My name is Kate and you know me,” Malta pleaded with Jericho.

  Her last statement threw Colt over the edge. Dodging past Jericho, he grabbed Malta by the throat and lifted her, slamming her back against the cabin wall.

  She tugged at his hand, but she couldn’t break his hold.

  “Colt! What the fuck? Stop it!” Jericho darted forward and grabbed Colt’s hands, trying to pry them away from Kate’s throat.

  The lack of oxygen was messing with her disguise. Colt could see her image flicker. Jericho saw it, too and stepped back.

  Then he shook his head. “Colt, please, stop. I know she’s guilty but…I think I love her.”

  The words were like a bucket of cold water over his head. Colt dropped Malta. She crumpled down onto the floor gasping for oxygen, her hands on her bruised throat.

  “She doesn’t love you, bro,” Colt told his friend, though it nearly killed him to say the words.