by Dawn, Autumn
“No. I’m multitalented,” he said with satisfaction, grunting with mock pain as she hit him.
“We didn’t even practice safe sex!” she said with horror.
“It was definitely safe sex,” Raze said lazily. “I drained your fire, tucked it away in your gem. Unless you access it, you won’t be able to ignite anything while you’re shopping, which is safer for everyone.”
“Why you!” Their wresting match ended when Raze rolled them into the lava. “Cool down, hot stuff. Your guests will be wondering where you are.”
“Jerk,” she muttered, embarrassed. She hissed at him in annoyance when he smacked her rump as she bent for her dress. “Knock it off!” She was more embarrassed by her own behavior than anything. He’d gone after her with a vengeance and she hadn’t even whimpered. He’d been in her when she’d determined she wasn’t ready, but by then she didn’t want to stop. She should be angry, but he’d pleasured her well.
He would have stopped if she’d said no.
She narrowed her eyes. “You would have stopped, right?”
“If you really meant no? Of course,” he said seriously. “You’re my wife. I reserve the right to seduce you, but you’ll never be forced.”
Mollified, she found their guests and apologized for the delay. Raze’s wolfish look and lazily trailing hands didn’t help matters. She saw Tremor hide a grin.
“No problem,” he said, sharing a look with Cara. “We all get sidetracked occasionally.”
“Right,” Kira said, eager to change the subject. “So where is this elemental mall? Do we take the car, the lava, or what?”
The men exchanged grins and Raze waved his hand. A ring of fire sizzled the air, expanding into an oval door large enough to comfortably accommodate a tall man. A mix of elementals and mythical creatures walked the cobbled streets on the other side.
“I wanted our house close to shopping,” Raze said impishly.
Kira gaped, stunned. “You…is that a centaur?” Sparkly pastel lights danced in a profusion of towering flowers. There were so many plants, the city center looked like a park. Spices and cooking smells mixed with the smell of dozens of different creatures.
“It’s overwhelming the first time,” Cara commiserated. “The worst part is that these two are old, so they have to open the portal to this dimension for us. Tremor says it’ll be another ten years before I’m able.” She narrowed her eyes. “Sometimes I wonder if he’s making that up to curb my shopping.”
“Your shopping is fine, darling. Your safety is my only concern and I wouldn’t jeopardize that by leaving you unable to shift.” He placed a hand on her back and gestured for her to precede him.
Extremely tall lily-of-the-valley bells lined the streets, glowing gently like streetlights in the overcast air. As they got closer she saw some of the zipping lights were dragonflies. White birds with crazy long tails mixed with blue jays and cardinals in the tree lined streets, adding their song to the noise, and water from a recent rain gleamed off the cobbled street.
“Your bank card will work here,” Raze said, placing her hand on his arm. “Buy anything you like.” The air on the other side was drier and the smoke smelled of grilled food. “The occasional elemental eats meat or earthly foodstuffs, and water elementals enjoy fish and seafood, but those stalls are mostly for the fae folk or MC, “mythical creatures”.” He indicated a striped booth serving skewered meat.
Cara stopped by a stall and bought a batch of basalt balls and tar babies, which contained real rock and tar. She began to offer some to Kira and grimaced. “Better not. Delicious as they are to me, they won’t do you much good. Let’s see what junk food they have for fire elementals.”
Raze grimaced as Cara lead the way to another booth. “Just don’t eat too much,” he advised. “We were going to have lunch and it might upset your stomach.”
Cara ignored him. “So what sounds good? They’ve got pop rocks, red hot gummies, lava bursts, dynamite…”
Kira grinned. “I have no idea. Why don’t I get one of everything and see what tastes good?” She didn’t see any chocolate and she wasn’t into hard candies, but she enjoyed the pop rocks, which actually sparked in her mouth. More, she adored Cara’s enthusiasm as she showed her around.
“This place is so cool,” Cara gushed about a shop selling hair doodads and nail polish. “The polish and hair clips stay put while you shift.”
“I could use some of those,” Kara said, excited. “Do they sell fireproof clothes, too? I’m so bored with wearing one dress all time: I feel like a cartoon character.”
“I know this great little boutique,” Cara said, dropping the barrette and grabbing Kira’s hand. She started running, dragging Kira through the throngs of shoppers as if death were on their heels.
Kira lost track of the men in a dizzying whirl of clothes and shoes. She squealed when she caught sight of her first fireproof jeans and actually hugged a flirty pair of shoes. She felt absolutely giddy and girly, completely refreshed by the additions to her shopping bag. It was only when she noticed that their purchases were getting heavy that she remembered Raze. He stood outside the shop window in deep conversation with a group of men. “Who’s he talking to?”
Cara glanced outside and frowned. “Looks like the locals figured out who our husbands are.”
“So?”
Cara considered. “Raze hasn’t taken you out in public yet, has he?”
“He said he wanted me to have time to get used to my new state,” Kira explained, realizing the reasoning sounded off. “Is there something I should know?”
Cara looked around to make sure they were alone in the corner of the shoe store. “You know they’re really old, right? In theory, elementals can live thousands of years, but things happen. Those two have lived a long time, and they have powers and knowledge others would kill for. They were kings in their time.”
“Kings?” Kira wasn’t thrilled about that. She didn’t want to share Raze that way.
“Yes, and their imprisonment left a vacuum. People were shocked that they could even be imprisoned. Anyway, wars were fought over who would take their place, but no elemental king since has been powerful enough to rule long.
“There are other things, too. Elementals are disappearing. Nobody’s sure why, but they know the South Wind is power hungry. She wants the place once held by her imprisoned husband, and there are rumors she is even willing to broker a deal with the Oracle to get more power. It’s a dangerous thing when elementals get greedy: all of nature suffers.”
“When they lose their temper, too,” Kira added soberly. She thought of the way the volcano responded to her temper and shivered.
“Exactly. Prison took the edge off Tremor’s arrogance, thank God, but his uncle says he used to be a hellion. He had power, but was too wild to be a good ruler.”
Cara pretended to examine a shoe and waved the sales clerk away. When they were alone, she continued, “Anyway, the big wigs out there don’t care that they’ve been in prison, because when you’re royalty, that kind of thing doesn’t leave much of a stigma. They know that Raze and Tremor are powerful natural leaders and they figure it’s only a matter of time before they take up their former roles.”
Kira made a sound of distress. She barely knew anything about being a fire elemental and nothing about being a queen. She didn’t want this. She tugged experimentally, hopelessly on her bracelet. There was no out clause.
Cara rubbed her arm in sympathy. “It’s hard sometimes. You’ve just got to tell yourself that our guys are worth it.”
Kara stared grimly out the window, looking away when she caught Raze’s eye. Was it? Even if she hadn’t been able to choose?
Raze strode into the shop, looking around to see what disturbed her. “What is it?”
Kira didn’t want to discuss it there, so she gestured to her bags and tried to smile. “They’re getting heavy.”
He watched her for a moment, then gestured at the floor. A ring of fire opened up, allowing t
he bags to drop through. “They’re in our room now. Did you still want to eat here? We can go back if it’s too much.”
“I promise you’ll enjoy the food at the restaurant,” Cara said, looking meaningfully at Kira. “It helps if you do your best to roll with it.”
Raze shot her a look. “Kira isn’t required to ‘roll’ with anything that distresses her.”
Over his shoulder, Kira saw Tremor bristle at the reprimand to his wife and raised her hands before harsh words were exchanged. “That’s really sweet, but it might be better if I was less sheltered. Cara’s done this before, so I assume she knows what she’s talking about. Also, I am hungry. Is there a quiet restaurant nearby?”
She made a point of polite conversation with Tremor as they walked in the gathering dusk until the covert stares of their fellow pedestrians became too much. She caught eyes watching from the shadows and more overt glances in the glow of the lily lights. “Are they staring because you’re long lost royalty or because we used to be human?”
Raze glared accusingly at Tremor and absently tamped down the surge of heated irritation on Kira’s part. Thanks to his earlier precautions, there wasn’t much there. “I’d hoped to discuss it with you later in a more relaxed environment.”
“How thoughtful. This will be a business lunch, then,” Kira said firmly. She worked hard to keep her temper in check as they entered an elaborate glass fronted restaurant complete with gothic gargoyles and living crystal landscaping. Even the potted trees inside were composed of delicate glass with tinkling leaves. A waterfall fueled a stream full of glowing fish and plants that wound through the dining area and gentle lighting illumined the booths overhung with yet more trees.
“It feels like the outdoors,” she said approvingly, noting the harpist in the corner.
“Wait until you taste the food,” Cara said.
She was right. The food was light, yet filling and deliciously smoky, spicy. The conversation was even more interesting.
“So you were a king,” Kira said to Raze. “But you aren’t now? Or are things going that direction again?”
Raze frowned over her complicated wording. “My nature isn’t easily discarded, my dear, but you don’t need to worry that I’ll demand the same of you. My calling is that of king and ruler, but many wives do not feel need to fill that role. Consider the wives of your human politicians.”
“I am,” Kira muttered. “I’m not eager to be a political bride.” She ignored the fact that she wasn’t fighting being his wife anymore; she’d brood over it later.
“Be whatever you chose to be. I’ve never needed assistance to run my kingdom, though any input you offer will be carefully considered. I value your opinions.”
“Even though I’m a few thousand years younger than you?” she asked dryly.
Tremor coughed, then shot a chiding look at Cara. “Darling, there’s no need for violence. I wasn’t going to be impolite.” His gaze turned wolfish as he slowly raised a bite to his mouth, managing to make the act of eating utterly sensual.
Cara flushed.
Kira focused on Raze. “Thank you for considering my feelings, but from now on I’d like it if you didn’t shelter me too much. There are so many things I don’t know about elemental history, politics or even your past. Ignorance is often deadly.”
“I’m not averse to teaching you,” Raze said with a smile. “Your intelligence is one of the things I like about you.”
Kira nodded. “Tell me about the South Wind. Cara said something about her teaming up with the Oracle. You didn’t happen to tick her off, too, did you?”
Tremor snorted. “Hardly. Despite the rumors, Raze has better taste than that.”
Raze shot him a quelling look. “Long ago, the North Wind was married to the South Wind. They produced the East and West Wind, their son and daughter. One day the South Wind was bored and took up with a minor elemental. When the North Wind found out, he raged, causing the Ice Age. He was imprisoned in ice as punishment, where he remains until the Fates choose to release him.”
Kira’s eyes narrowed. “Let me guess: they’re just waiting for the right woman.”
Raze put a finger to his lips, indicating she should listen. “His children visited him, longing for his release. They found the Fates and forged wedding jewelry for their father’s future wife…”
“I knew it!” The women exchanged angry looks. “Some other poor sucker is going to get burned.”
“Or torn apart,” Cara agreed. “I wish I could warn her.”
Tremor offered a solicitous hand to his wife. “I’m grieved by your pain.”
Raze twined ankles with Kira. “No one knows who she is but the Fates. Meanwhile, the South Wind wishes to subsume all the Northern wind elementals. She’s tired of being the adulterous wife and longs for a new title: Queen of the North. It may suit her purposes to ally with the Oracle for a time. Ultimately, it’s a doomed alliance.”
“Their goals are too dissimilar,” Tremor agreed. “The Wind wants to rule elementals while the Oracle wants them dead.”
“The Wind will be happy to see any elementals who oppose her dispatched first, though,” Raze added.
“Like you?” Kira whispered. Her heart constricted with concern.
“Easier said than done,” Raze soothed. “Are you done with your meal? You look tired.”
It had been a long day, so Kira agreed to go home, promising Cara that they’d see a movie soon.
Raze opened a portal and they stepped directly from the restaurant to their living room.
“You’ve got to teach me how to do that,” Kira said admiringly, imagining where she’d go.
“As soon as you’re able,” he promised, “though you’ll stay out of trouble better if I can keep tabs on you.” He smiled teasingly and kissed her.
“Hm,” she said when she came up for air. “Have you ever thought of finding the North Wind and setting him free before the Fates can mess with some unsuspecting girl?”
He gave her a stern frown. “Don’t think of messing with them, wife. They are called the Fates for a reason and could easily foresee and stop your meddling.”
She sighed. “I still hate them.”
“Have I not consoled you?” he asked seriously. “Am I not worth some pain?”
She shuddered as she thought of burning alive. “Ask me in ten years,” she said hoarsely.
He rubbed her back soothingly. “Very well. Ten years from now, we’ll celebrate our first decade with wine, food and friends. I’ll gift you with precious things and make sweet love to you. One way or another, I’ll wring a confession from you.”
She snorted. “Ruthless dictator.”
His teeth flashed in a dazzling smile. “I like to get my way.”
“So about this South Wind. Are you in a position to do anything about her? Do you even need to?”
“Walk with me,” he invited, leading her out to the garden.
She glanced at the grass, wondering about the golems hiding there. They might be effective, but they gave her the shivers.
He led her to a bench under a palm and gestured to the moon. “Pretty tonight. I missed it while I was imprisoned.”
“I guess you missed many things.”
“Yes. But boredom was the worst. It’s terrible to have an active mind and nothing to do. We would play mental chess, solve riddles and make up sagas to pass the time. I often thought of what I’d do if I were released.”
“What you would do, or who?” she asked grumpily, remembering the fire fae.
He grimaced. “Be serious. Your position as my wife is unassailable and you have my loyalty. One of my favorite pastimes was building kingdoms in my mind and administering them.”
She grimaced. “Sorry, but ugh! It doesn’t sound fun at all.”
“To each his own. Now I’m free and needed. The Oracle and the South Wind must be dealt with. There are few with the strength to do so. I am one and willing to help. Would you have me reject my people?”
; “Of course not! You need to do what is right.”
He kissed her lightly. “What is right is that I lead my people. Once I thought that war would be the answer, but there is something to modern stealth warfare. Many lives can be spared if we can find a way to defeat her private guards. You noticed that they carry elemental swords? We need something to neutralize them.”
“Any ideas?”
“A few. We’ll be busy investigating them, and I’m afraid they’ll remain secret even from you for now. It’s safer if you don’t know what’s going on.”
Kira winced. “You know that’s going to nag at me. I’m very curious.”
“I’ll find ways to distract you,” he said, brushing a kiss over her temple and down her cheek. “Let me think…”
Chapter 6
She visited her mother the next day. Though the doctors hadn’t figured out what had caused her collapse, she was awake and aware…and bitter. “It attacked me,” she whispered.
Kira’s jaw tightened. “After you sent it to kill my husband.” She still had trouble thinking of Raze like that, but no other word fit. As far as her mother was concerned, it didn’t matter.
“He’s a devil.”
“And you’re a murderer.” Hard words, but true. She was done kowtowing to her mother’s vitriol. “We won’t press charges and I hope to forgive you someday, but you are no longer allowed in our home. We’ll see that you’re cared for until you can go home.” It hurt, but it was for the best. She’d spent hours wrestling with her feelings to arrive at this point. Louise was never going to accept Raze or what her daughter had become.
She drew a deep breath. “You have your retirement, insurance and social security, which is just as well, because you won’t get another dime from Raze. If things had been different, I suspect he would have treated you like a queen. It’s a shame you ruined that.” It wasn’t the only ruined thing, but Kira would learn to live with that in time.
“He’s turned you from me,” Louise said bitterly.