by Lea Kirk
She bent and pressed her lips to the warm surface. “No matter what happens, I’ll still love you.”
She lowered herself on the edge of the chaise, swung her feet up, and grabbed a home improvement magazine. Had to do something for the next few hours, may as well read.
Within moments, her eyelids grew too heavy to keep open.
Nixy opened her eyes and gazed up at a sky so blue it bordered on sapphire.
“Wow.” She breathed the word out.
The closest she’d ever seen a similar color sky was the summer she’d visited the Rocky Mountains in her twenties. Even then, it didn’t come close to the jeweled tone of this sky.
A whir reached her ears, and some sort of golden beetle flew over her head. She rolled onto her side to watch it, propping her body up with her elbow. The insect circled a patch of tall orange wild grass before disappearing into it.
She let her gaze roam over the unfamiliar garden. It was like a southwestern desert, except rather than pastels, everything was jewel tones. The amethyst and ruby succulents, carnelian shrubs, and short, emerald-fronded trees—all were rich and vibrant.
Even the stone she lay on was a brilliant white, as if it wouldn’t be outdone by its lack of color.
“What is this place?” Another dream, maybe?
“It was my home for almost four hundred sun migrations.”
She sat straight up, searching for the source of the beloved deep voice. Her gaze locked with Kai’s as he approached across a sandy path. He was different, younger than he had been before he’d caught fire in her office. Maybe a couple of years older than her.
Her mouth worked as though trying to remember how to form the words she’d used all her life. But nothing had come out by the time Kai stopped in front of her.
He sat next to her on the lounger, close, but not touching. “How are you, love?”
“As good as I can be after watching you spontaneously combust right in front of me. And you?”
“Eager to be out of my shell.” He grinned. “Eager to hold you…real you…again.”
“Me too.” She sat up and slid her leg over his to straddle his lap. “Because that kiss you gave me in the office…mm-mmm.”
“Agreed.” He brushed her hair back behind her ear.
She frowned at him. “Your clan says they want you back. They want to send someone to bring you home.”
“Pah, just a lot of blustering. My home is on Earth, with you. Once I have rebirthed, our most esteemed elder will be forced to concede.”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “Are you sure?”
“I am. Remember the new baby phoenix you told me about—”
“You heard that?”
He gave her an oh, come on look. “I have heard every word you have spoken since becoming an egg.”
“Wow. I had hoped, but I didn’t know. But, what about the baby?”
“It is my successor. The colony must have a consistent number of phoenixes, and nature has always provided.”
“So,” she wiggled on his lap, “two phoenixes did the wild thing and had a baby?”
His laughter was clear, and the garden seemed to brighten for it. “No. Phoenixes can only mate with their soul mate, and our soul mates are never phoenixes. New phoenixes come from the clans. I came from the Landwalker clan.”
“Wait a minute. You’re telling me that two regular ol’ Bezchians from the Landwalker clan gave birth to a phoenix?”
He nodded once.
“And they just handed you over to the elders?”
“Aye. It is a huge honor to be the life givers of a phoenix.”
“Huh. Well, I guess so.” They were going to talk about that more later. “I wouldn’t be very happy if I had to give up my baby.”
“I was never theirs. An implicit fact all Bezchians are aware of.”
“Still don’t get it. I have a feeling I’m in for some culture shock when this is over. So, how do you know the new kid is your successor?”
“When a new addition comes to the colony, it means that one of us is about leave, or has left already. In most cases, it is because the one leaving has found their soul mate.” He nipped at her chin. “And that is why you must wake up now.”
“Huh?”
“Wake up, Phoenix Vogel.” He took her by the shoulders and gave her a little shake. “Something is wrong, and your help is needed.”
“But—” She wanted to stay here, with him.
“Go!”
Someone was shaking her as she surfaced from the dream. “Wake up, Ms. Vogel.”
“Uhhh.”
“Hurry.” The urgency in the voice cut through the fog of her nap. “We have a problem.”
“Fyad?” She forced her eyelids open and her gaze went immediately to Kai’s egg. It looked perfectly fine. She swiped the back of her hand over her cheek drool. “What problem?”
“Prime Advisor Rol is back.” Fyad squatted next to the chaise lounge, his black gaze more intense than usual. “He is demanding to see Elder Kai.”
Everything rushed back like a tsunami coming ashore, and fear wrapped its barbs around her heart. “He wants to take him away?”
“That is my fear.”
“Shit.” She pushed herself upright. “Where is he?”
“I left him and Ms. Faulkner at the Silverstar suite. Raven is distracting them.”
“We have to light Kai now, then.” Over her dead body would they get him.
She scrambled off the lounger. There was a stick lighter somewhere in the barbeque cabinet.
Fyad appeared at her shoulder. “It is too early.”
“Screw that.” She yanked open the cabinet to the right of the grill and peered in. Not there. “It’s harder to carry away an unwilling person than an egg.”
Where was the lighter? Kai would want the option to fight extradition. She wrapped her hand around the handle to the set of drawers on the other side.
A large, muscular arm snaked around her waist and swung her away from the barbeque.
“Eep. Dammit, Fyad.” He was holding her up so high she couldn’t touch the ground. Instead, she kicked her feet. “Put me down, you big bully.”
“Not until you listen.”
“We don’t have time for this.” Kai didn’t have time for this.
She wiggled like a fish in a net, but it was no use. It was Fyad’s way or the highway. She let herself go limp. “Fine.”
Fyad set her on her feet, and turned her to face him, his huge hands clamped around her shoulders. “I believe I got away without him following.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“What time is it?”
He glanced over her head to where the clock was. “Two-thirty.”
“Four hours, give or take. That’s less than two years to go. Fifty-seven is close enough to fifty-five.”
“Yes, but—”
A loud screech filled the air, and every hair on her arms stood on end at the sound of a predator cornering prey. Something large and dark hurled to the ground, landing on her grass with a thud that vibrated the paving stones under her feet. Then Rol straightened up from his crouch and regarded her with solid black eyes, no whites showing.
Her heart plummeted to her stomach. Well, crap.
How could she fight off someone so much bigger and stronger?
Rol nodded his head in the direction of the barbeque. “Is that the elder?”
She stepped between him and the egg, and raised her chin. Amusement flashed across his sharp features and she ground her teeth together. He could move her as easily as Fyad had, but that didn’t mean she’d give in without a fight.
Fyad moved to her side. “How did you find us?”
“Hunting vision.” Rol blinked, and his eyes returned to normal—one gray and one blue. “And superb hearing. You left the suite too soon, Fyad.”
“What do you mean?”
“He means—” A familiar older human woman with a cascade of golden curls strode around the corner of the cottage. “—that he should’ve talked faster so you’d all know that I spent the entire trip back to Earth combing through Bezchian law to make sure I could cover your asses if the Firewings tried to lodge a formal protest to your match.” Meryl Faulkner came to a stop next to Rol and gave him a critical once-over. “You sure love your grand entrances, don’t cha, big guy?”
Rol gazed down his nose at Meryl, his eyes sparkling with unspoken mirth.
Nixy frowned. “Can they do that? Take him away?”
Meryl shrugged. “They might think they can, but by the time they find him, he’ll be hatched already. Not a damn thing they can do about it then.”
Fyad crossed his arms in front of him. “How did you find out they were soul mated? I am certain Elder Kai did not know himself until last Monday.”
The sound of a throat clearing pulled Nixy’s attention to Raven, standing at the same corner Meryl had just come around. “That was me. I’m sorry, Fyad, but I used the deep space communicator to contact the prime advisor for help.”
“It is Representative Rol, now,” Rol corrected.
Raven nodded. “Right. And he’ll be the Bezchian Intergalactic Trade Guild’s spokesperson on Earth once the trade agreement is ratified.” She wrapped her arms around her middle and focused on Fyad. “Are you mad?”
The corners of Fyad’s mouth rose in a slow grin and he spread his arms. “I am proud of my little reporter.”
A silly grin blossomed on the young woman’s face and she ran straight into his embrace.
“Well, Ms. Vogel?” Rol folded his arms across the wide expanse of his chest. “None of us have had the honor of witnessing the rebirth of a phoenix. Is it really time to light him now?”
“Not exactly.” She quickly explained the logistics of years and days, and Kai’s wishes on the matter, as Fyad and Raven backed her up. “So, we should actually do it between seven and eight this evening.”
Meryl made a fist pump. “Yes. This’ll be over before anyone is the wiser. Would you be okay if we stayed?”
“I guess.” After all, it wasn’t every day that a phoenix hatched on her barbeque.
The afternoon passed by in a blur of conversation, and eventually dinner—served on Nixy’s best paper plates. The whole time her gaze kept being drawn back to the fluttering flames, which seemed brighter and more active than the flickers they had been.
“Earth to Nixy.”
She turned her attention to Raven. “Huh?”
“It’s seven fifteen.”
“Oh.” Oh, my goodness. It’s time.
She launched herself toward the hearth, accompanied by the amused chuckles of her friends. It was wonderful how that sound lifted her spirit. Or, was that because Kai would be with her again in a few minutes? She pulled the top drawer of the built-in cabinet open, and there it was, her stick lighter. In fire engine red, of all colors. How appropriate.
She drew it out, wrapped her finger around the trigger, and pulled it back. Click. The little yellow flame danced on the black tip of the lighter. She stepped closer, and lowered it to the underside curve of the egg.
Nothing happened. “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon.”
Fwump!
Purple and red flames engulfed the entire egg. A collective ah came from the rest of the group as she took a step back from the heat.
Wow. It really is beautiful.
The mesmerizing flames grew taller, nearly as tall as the brick chimney; then sparks shot straight up into the air, snapping and cracking.
Rol stood up. “Everyone, step back.”
Nixy’s feet refused to follow the order, and somehow that didn’t concern her. Not with the stunning pyrotechnic display ramping up in her barbeque.
“Come on, Ms. Vogel.” Fyad’s meaty hand closed around her biceps and tugged her toward the house wall.
“But, why—”
BOOM!
A scream escaped her as she was thrown face down, pinned to the patio stone by Fyad’s weight. Chunks of bricks, mortar, and flaming eggshell rained down around them. Above her, Fyad made an occasional grunt of discomfort.
Then, it was over. The silence was almost complete, except for the sputtering hiss of dying embers.
Fyad’s weight disappeared, and she roll over and sat up and took in the carnage.
“Holy moly.” Her brick barbeque looked like Godzilla had taken a bite out of it, and there was debris everywhere.
Raven and Meryl peeked out from under the protection of Rol’s wings.
“Well, shiiit,” Raven breathed.
Nixy’s attention riveted on the figure crouching, head bowed, in the middle of what had once been her barbeque.
“Kai.” She’d barely whispered his name, but he jerked his head up and locked onto her gaze. Her heart seemed to do a loop-de-loop in her chest at the intensity of love in his deep violet eyes. “Oh, my.”
All the lines and creases on his face had been smoothed away. Now, no more than a hint of crow’s feet crinkled the corners of his eyes, and laugh lines bracketed his mouth. But where were his beautiful wings?
The sadness of his loss blanketed her. “Kai, your wings are gone.”
Kai rose to stand, and wings of flame unfurled in all their magnificent glory. If not for the bright red headfeathers, he could be an avenging angel. One who was unconcerned that he was naked. Her gaze flicked down his body, then back up—whoa. Naked, and ready for action. She shifted her butt from one side to the other, but it did nothing to relieve the pulsing need between her legs.
“Okee, time to go.” Meryl grabbed Rol by the hand and led the bemused Bezchian out of Nixy’s backyard.
Fyad stood and brushed himself off. “Welcome back, Elder Kai. Come, Raven, I need help attending to my back and wings.”
Seconds later, it was just her and Kai.
Naked Kai.
Yummy naked Kai with a full-blown hard-on, walking toward her like a man with a purpose.
He stopped in front of her and extended his hands. She automatically placed hers in his, and in a blink she was on her feet, her face inches from his.
He curved one hand around the nape of her neck, and smiled. “Hello, Phoenix.”
Never had her full name sounded so good to her ears. It was enough to melt her girly parts. “Hi there, handsome. Nice wings.”
The flaming appendages disappeared, and a small gasp popped out of her. “What—”
“It seems I am able to turn them on and off at will.”
“Well, that’s cool.”
“Nixy?” The concerned female voice sent a cringe through her, and Kai’s mouth twitched.
She leaned to one side to see around him.
Mrs. Lentz peered over the back gate. “Everything okay, dear? I heard an explosion.”
“Yeah, sorry. Just a, um, science experiment gone wrong.”
Mrs. Lentz’s gaze lowered to Kai’s butt, then back to her. “Can’t wait to read the lab notes for this one.”
Heat burned her face, but Mrs. Lentz grinned and turned back toward her house. Well, that was interesting—and awkward.
Kai dipped his head until his lips were centimeters away from hers. “I may owe you a new outdoor barbeque.”
“The old one sucked, anyway.”
Then his mouth was on hers, nipping, tasting, exploring, as her senses whirled into chaos.
Chapter 15
Nixy sat back in her chair, not breaking eye contact with her supervisor across the desk. On the one hand, it was a relief to have the truth about the application out there finally. But now, the ax was going to fall.
The expression on Jordan Jones’s face was one of incredulity. “Well, Nixy, that’s…unexpected. I was coming to offer you a promotion, not fire you.”
“You were?” Did not see that one coming.
“Yes.” Jordan shook her head with a dry laug
h. “I buy that you submitted the application by accident, but there will be those who will think I’m playing favorites.”
Yes, there was that. “So, what are you going to do?”
“Good question.” Jordan tapped her finger against her full lower lip, her wide brown eyes narrowing as though weighing all her options.
Some people might have a problem having a supervisor twenty years younger than themselves, but Jordan had always been fair and impartial. Which didn’t guarantee that Nixy would have a job after today. Still she sure didn’t envy Jordan’s predicament. It must suck being the boss sometimes.
Jordan nodded. “I can’t give you the promotion now, you know.”
“I didn’t think so.”
“The best I can do is suspend you, with pay, as a disciplinary action. But, you will be able to return to your current position here in, say, two weeks. What do you have to say about that?”
Nixy blew out a relieved sigh. “Thank you for not firing me?”
“You’re welcome.” Jordan rose from her chair and gathered her jacket and briefcase. “That should give you time for a quick honeymoon to Bezchi.”
“I…oh…. Wait, did you just do that on…?” It was an ongoing battle between them, Jordan trying to get her to take vacation time and Nixy not wanting to be alone.
“No idea what you’re trying to say there, Nixy, but I do need to go.” Jordan flashed her a subtle grin.
Guess I don’t have any excuses anymore, with Kai around.
She pushed out of her own chair and extended her hand. “Thank you, again, Jordan.”
Jordan gripped her hand firmly. “I can’t afford to lose a dedicated employee like you, you know. We’ll talk again once you get back. In the meantime, Adam can pinch-hit for you, I’m sure.”
“I can’t think of anyone better suited to manage the store.” Putting a plug in for Adam could cost her a well-groomed assistant, but he was more than ready to be made a full agent.
One corner of Jordan’s mouth quirked up. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Then she headed toward the door.
“Oh, and Nixy.” Jordan turned at the door. “Congratulations on your mating. I’m really happy for you.”