Fire and Fantasy: a Limited Edition Collection of Epic and Urban Fantasy

by CK Dawn

  Navi ran us through drills. She was amazingly patient and a very good teacher, demonstrating each stance, shoving our feet into position and correcting our holds. She explained the reason for each move, all things I would never remember, and tried her best to make it as entertaining as possible, which meant she laughed at us quite a bit until we had no choice but to laugh at ourselves.

  But under it all, I could hear an urgency in her words, in her flawless movements. A panic in her eyes. Navi wasn't doing this because she thought it would be an amusing way to spend her time. She was doing it because she was scared.

  Scared for us.

  After four hours, Bryson finally called uncle, and Navi let us quit. I didn't feel any more comfortable with a sword in my hand than I had when I started, but at least I knew the correct way to hold one and how not to stab myself in the foot.

  Sort of.

  Navi tossed us both candy bars. "Your reward for hard work. Wanna do it again tomorrow?" She looked hopefully from me to Bryson.

  "Not really…" Bryson groaned, but I couldn't hurt her. Whatever Navi was doing, torturing us for her own amusement wasn't one of them.

  So I nodded. "Of course. I have to work, though, so it'll be after that."

  Bryson glanced at me out of the corner of his eye like I'd betrayed his greatest ancestors.

  Navi grinned and bounced, clapping her hands. "Yay! I'll bring more candy."

  Because that would make it better.

  "Not sure I'm going to be able to lift my arms to feed myself tonight," Bryson half-groaned as we climbed stiffly into Navi's jeep. Muscles that should never cry were crying. I wasn't going to be able to get out of bed tomorrow, let alone lift the giant St. Bernard that we were supposed to do surgery on.

  Navi glanced at the swiftly setting sun and shook her head. "I'm off to work, but you guys should totally go get dinner without me. I'll take you back to our place and you can grab your car." She looked positively gleeful.

  I shook my head. "I have a paper due I have to work on. Raincheck?"

  Navi's face fell but Bryson nodded. "Definitely."

  Navi kept us entertained the whole way back and once again, I forgot to pay attention to where we were until it was too late and Navi's mystery training center was behind us.

  She bounced out of the jeep and disappeared into the house, the weapons stashed in the back. I got out more slowly because my muscles were all screaming for mercy. Bryson waited when I shut the door, a small smile playing around his lips. "We survived."

  "So far," I quipped. Who knew what tomorrow would bring. The fall air was cold against my skin after I'd been all sweaty and I shivered. "Unexpectedly cold tonight."

  I was so clever with the words. Just call me the queen of seductresses. Or something similar.

  "Here." He reached into the back seat of his car and grabbed a sweatshirt. It was expensive and amazingly soft.

  He caught my hands and waves of heat washed over me, making my knees weak—weaker because there was a lot of knee bending in sword fighting, which I hadn't been prepared for. "I was hoping we'd spend some time—"

  He hesitated, eyes straying to Navi's retreating back.

  "Alone?" I guessed. I remembered not long ago he'd been hoping I'd get out of the way so he could be alone with her.

  "Not trying to kill each other with swords," he said instead, light eyes sparkling. "But I'll make it up to you tomorrow. Before I try to kill you again. Deal?"

  I laughed softly. "Deal."

  Although how I was going to concentrate on my paper now, I had no idea.

  "You could stay," I said without meaning to. "I'll be doing research but—"

  He brought my knuckles to his lips. "I have to check in at work, but how I'm going to get anything done is beyond me." He said against my skin. I nearly melted.

  I leaned forward, swaying toward him and only half-meaning to. He caught me and held me to him, hands on my hips as his lips found my mouth. All the heat, all the electricity, everything that I thought I'd dreamt the day before hit me again, and if anything, hit me harder and I whimpered against him. He nipped at my lip, his tongue dancing across my skin and I opened my mouth for him as he delved inside.

  Forget my paper. I was staying right there.

  His hands slid around my waist, resting on my lower back—or not resting, really. They kept tugging me closer like he felt as I did—I couldn't get close enough.

  "Oh. Haha, awkward. Sorry."

  Bryson growled under his breath as I pulled away, my arms still around his neck. I wasn't even sure when they'd snaked up there but they sure didn't want to let go now. Terrie tripped past us, swinging the garbage cheerfully.

  I cheerfully could have strangled her with it right then. She's never taken the garbage out in her life and she chooses to now? Of course she chose to now. It's Terrie.

  I bit my swollen lip and couldn't for the life of me tear my eyes from his mouth. "I guess I better go."

  "Yeah." He half-groaned. "I guess so."

  I leaned up on my toes, pressed against him, and kissed him once more, long and more desperate than I understood, before I slipped out of his embrace and followed Terrie inside. He leaned against his car, arms crossed over his chest, and watched me until I got inside, a small smile playing across his mouth.

  Nine

  Bryson

  Navi trained us harder the next day. At least it felt harder, but it could have been because all my muscles had died in a fiery death the day before.

  And then we did it again, the day after that. And the one after that. And over and over until everything in me wanted to die and take Navi and her swords with me.

  It was interesting, working with both of them. I admired Navi's professionalism, her knowledge, her skill. She was gorgeous and I was attracted to her because I was a red-blooded male, but then there was Konstanz.

  Konstanz caught on much quicker than I did. She was lightning on her feet and a fast learner. Her hair caught the sun and dazzled me. Like dark honey gold. More than once I was lost in watching her move and nearly got my head chopped off.

  Or, you know, whatever the equivalent would be if the swords were real.

  It was during those training sessions that I realized what it was. My crush on Navi was just that—a crush. But Konstanz was all-consuming. If I wasn't careful, I would fall for her. Really fall. Really hard. My father had pretty much forbidden that from happening.

  Good thing I lived clear across the country from him.

  I dodged another blow and fought back, Navi yelling orders on where my feet should go like that mattered when I was fighting for my life. I obeyed, and Konstanz nearly killed me. But if I ignored her, Konstanz nearly killed me again. There was no winning.

  "You okay?" Konstanz asked when we stopped for a break. "You seem distracted."

  Navi was at the door, talking to someone although I hadn't heard anyone pull in. I took Konstanz's hand and brushed her knuckles across my lips. "Little bit," I murmured against her skin.

  Her eyes widened and that beautiful mouth I couldn't get out of my head opened in a silent O.

  "Tonight, you come have dinner with me. Yes?" Well, that could have come out better.

  She smiled. "Okay."

  Alec would be gone. He was always gone on the weekends. She wouldn't have class the next day and I knew she worked on Saturdays but not until later. I could have her all night.

  I'd been obsessed with that thought for days.

  We finished practice. Navi seemed preoccupied and let us escape early, which my muscles thanked her for. She disappeared after we got back to their apartment. Konstanz peeked up at me through her hair. "I just have to shower and change and I'll be ready."

  I almost asked her if she wanted help. I realized last second that that was quite forward and she wouldn't be as amused as I meant it, and caught myself.

  Progress.

  "I've gotta run grab groceries for dinner anyway. I'll be back in a bit."

  She grinned
. "Promise?"

  "Hell yes," I whispered because there honestly wasn't a force on Earth that would keep me from coming back to her.

  I left her at the door, her kiss on my lips, still scorching my soul, and had to force myself to walk away from her. Knowing she was inside, stripping off her clothes, climbing into the shower. The water on her body—

  I nearly wrecked my car.

  I was in the checkout line when she called, having managed to not only drive to the store, park my car but also remember everything I needed for dinner. I was pretty proud of myself given my inability to concentrate lately.

  "Hey, gorgeous."

  I heard her smile when she answered. "Hey."

  I loved that smile.

  "I—uh—I have a problem."

  My heart sank. "Oh?"

  "I got called into work. A surgery had complications and they need a tech there. I'm on my way now." In the background, I could hear the car, the radio playing quietly. "I'm so sorry. Tomorrow?"

  Dammit. What could I say? I felt like throwing my groceries on the ground and chucking my phone across the store, but that wouldn't accomplish anything. "Yeah. Tomorrow works too. Let me know when you get home safe, okay?"

  "Yes sir," she said softly.

  Dejectedly, I paid for my groceries and left.

  Navi came to our apartment to sleep the next day because Reese and Terrie seemed to be having a contest on who could be the loudest. "Is Konstanz awake yet?" I asked as she stumbled in.

  She yawned, utterly exhausted. "No. She had surgery last night and then I—I woke her up when I got home so she's sleeping in." She gave me a sly smile. "But she doesn't sleep past nine, ever. If you left now…"

  I didn't have to be told twice. I grabbed a sweatshirt and was gone before Navi had disappeared into my room.

  Reese let me in. The noise level was insane, as Navi had said, and I didn't know how Konstanz slept through it. I could practically feel my ears bleeding after two minutes inside. "Tell you what," I yelled, getting both their attention. "You turn your—" racket "—noises down and I'll make breakfast. Bacon? Eggs? Do we have a deal?"

  Reese's eyes narrowed. "Pancakes too?"

  "Pancakes, too." Anything to get them to shut off the noise so Konstanz could sleep.

  She met Terrie's eyes and they had a several second long silent conversation. I was starting to wonder if they could read each other's minds—I'd heard of people doing that, especially twins—when Reese suddenly stuck out her hand. "Deal."

  The music was turned off. Reese curled up in the chair and read her magazine—business, not beauty—and Terrie sat at the counter and watched me work. She didn't help because helping wasn't Terrie's thing. But she watched, occasionally tossing out semi-harassing comments about my muscles.

  Konstanz padded out, hair still in a messy bun. She was in shorts and a tank top like someone had forgotten to tell her it was fall. But was I complaining?

  Definitely not.

  "Those aren't your muscles to drool over," she snapped half-heartedly, too exhausted to put any venom in it.

  I raised an eyebrow. "Whose muscles are they to drool over, then?"

  She met my eyes defiantly. "They're mine."

  I grinned. I couldn't help myself. I kissed her on the forehead and murmured against her soft skin, "That's my girl. Hungry?"

  "Starving."

  I made Terrie set the table. Konstanz poured the juice and Reese helped me dish everything up and through it all, I replayed her words over and over in my head. Mine.

  Mine.

  Mine.

  "So," Reese said as we ate. "Konstanz's birthday is tomorrow. What are we doing to celebrate?"

  "Your birthday is tomorrow and you didn't tell me?" Shit. How was I supposed to find a perfect gift and plan something impressive in that much time?

  She shrugged. "I don't like birthdays." To Reese, she said, "I'm spending the day with my parents. Their rules."

  "Then we get the night," Terrie wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

  "Navi works at night," Konstanz pointed out. "And it's a school night."

  "Navi can take the night off." Reese nodded like it was settled. "Bryson, you have a bunch of single friends, right? Invite them. That'll distract Navi. And Terrie."

  Konstanz pursed her lips, considering. "It might not be a bad idea. Give her something else to think about for the night."

  "So you want me to gather all my single friends with one day's notice?" I sat back, crossing my arms over my chest. Konstanz peered up at me, eyes pleading and there was no way I could refuse that face. "Okay. I'll see what I can do."

  Konstanz squealed and kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you!"

  I sent a mass group text and spent the morning planning while on the couch with Konstanz curled against me, watching Saturday morning cartoons. She had to work that day, which left me time to go shopping.

  Except I never wanted to leave that couch and also, I had no idea what to get her.

  I'd have to recruit help.

  When Konstanz left for work, I went back to my apartment and waited impatiently for Navi to wake up. The second she stumbled out of my bedroom, I pounced. "I need help."

  "What?" she asked flatly. She was not a morning person. Even when morning had been several hours ago.

  "Tomorrow's Konstanz's birthday. Did you know that?"

  She glared at me. "Of course I know that."

  I crossed my arms over my chest and glared back. "And yet you didn't tell me."

  "She doesn't like birthdays."

  "She mentioned."

  "We're having a party tomorrow night. Can you sneak out of work for a bit?"

  She yawned, regarding me. "Probably not."

  "For Konstanz, Navi."

  She sighed. Her head fell to her chest in defeat. "We can't do it before it gets dark?"

  I dug through my fridge and found her Pepsi. She didn't drink coffee, she didn't drink alcohol, but she seemed to go through an obscene amount of Pepsi a week. I hid them in the back, behind the juice because Alec drank three things—water, alcohol and coffee. He'd never accidentally run into her Pepsi safely behind the apple juice. "She'll be with her parents before then."

  She gratefully took the Pepsi. "Right. Their stupid rule. No wonder she hates birthdays. Okay. I'll see what I can do."

  "I have another favor."

  She winced. "What?" She sounded less than thrilled.

  "I need to go shopping."

  She heaved a long-suffering sigh. "It's cold and I left my jacket home. I'll need to run back to the apartment first."

  "You can borrow a sweatshirt. Is that okay? They're softer than yours."

  She scowled at me. "Fine."

  We spent the day shopping. Navi was like a secret weapon. She knew every book Konstanz had read, knew what genre she loved, knew her style and what perfumes and lotions and spa treatments she liked. By the end of the day, I had an insanely expensive gift Navi was positive Konstanz would love.

  Secret weapons were a very good thing.

  Ten

  Konstanz

  I had never loved birthdays. Mom's rule — I spend every birthday with my parents, and while I loved them both dearly, they are…taxing. To say the least. They don't get along. They can't say a civil thing to each other. My mother is amazingly critical and has zero tact and my dad thinks little jokes about me getting fat are funny. He's the reason I stress every time I eat anything with more than 100 calories. My sisters didn't seem to have this problem with them, or they just never spent much time in their presence, I don't know. We weren't close.

  So yeah, I dreaded my birthday.

  But the party that night sounded fun. Getting to hang out with some of Bryson's friends. Hoping someone would distract Navi, at least for a few hours.

  Spending the evening with Bryson. That, I could look forward to.

  I just had to survive my parents first.

  I made it through breakfast, through mid-morning while they talked about thei
r dog, and through lunch, but by noon I was about to lose my mind.

  It was then, like an angel, that Navi showed up.

  She came bearing gifts and cake. My mom had store bought cake, but Navi had made hers. Given Navi's hatred of all things kitchen, it meant a lot.

  "Hi there!" she breezed into the house, carrying bags in one hand and the cake in the other, and kissed both my parents on the cheek. "I hope you don't mind me barging in. I needed something to take my mind off work."

  And of course they didn't mind. She was charming and adorable and everyone loved her. I almost cried grateful tears. She took the awkward and uncomfortable and turned it into delightful. We played cards, we ate cake, we laughed and opened presents. Navi even somehow wrangled the gift receipt from my mom for the plaid pink and purple sweater she got me that I would never wear and Navi knew it.

  She was exhausted. I could see the circles under her eyes—my dad made sure to comment on them—and she was in pain. I could see that, too. She should have spent the day sleeping but she was there. With me. Because she knew how much I hated it. Was it fun for her?

  Hell no. It wasn't even fun for me.

  And yet, there she was.

  It was just after the sun set and we were cleaning up that she got weird, staring at nothing even with my dad standing right there talking to her. Her face paled and she nodded. "Okay."

  My dad paused and looked from her to me in confusion. No "Okay" had been required for his story.

  She flushed, realizing her mistake, and forced a smile. "Sorry. I just—" She waved her hands around her head and laughed. "I—got lost in my own train of thought. I have a work emergency." She hugged my dad, hugged my mom. Hugged me. "Happy birthday, K. I'll see you in a few hours."

  "Are you sure?" I asked. Work emergencies didn't usually wrap up in neat little packages like that.

  She nodded as she backed away. "I'll fight the hounds of hell to be there with bells on."

  Her smile, though, was still forced and it didn't reach her eyes.

  Bryson had decorated the entire apartment. And when I say decorated, I mean he hired someone to come in and professionally decorate and cater it. He was always vague about what he did for a living and I suspected he may have mob ties or something, but he clearly came from money. The car, the clothes, the meals delivered daily.