“Elora, I’m not going anywhere,” he reassured her. He carefully withdrew his penis from her tender flesh, then rolled onto his back and turned her so she lay partially atop him.
Her chest ached at his actions. She wanted to believe this was his apology for the last time and this time it meant more to him than sex. Her eyes drifted closed, and she fell asleep with a smile.
Weeks passed, and Elora let herself fall in love with the dream she’d created. It was a dream where they made love and began building a life together in Petersville. A dream where Mason didn’t need his soul to love her, and that the tender kisses he pressed to the side of her neck every morning during her training were filled with a lifetime of feelings and memories.
But Elora’s dreams had never been much more than nightmares disguised by fairy tales.
“The packs are getting low,” Mason said, gazing into the cabinet. “There’s enough for three maybe four more weeks.”
Her heart twisted.
“We haven’t finished searching the north end of the town,” she said, desperation giving an edge to her words. “There might be lots of supplies still there.”
“It doesn’t matter how much stock they have. We’ve been lucky so far with having only the two storms, but the longer we wait, the more snow we're going to battle. We can take the truck as far as it’ll make it, then walk from there. We’ll need the food for the trip.”
From her seat by the fire, she watched him sort through the packs, creating different piles. When he’d apparently finished, he gathered up the two small piles and put them back in the cupboard. He went into the bedroom then came back with the sled bag she’d stored under the bed. He packed the remaining food in the bag then carried it back to the bedroom.
This was the side of him she hated. Detached, methodical, remote. Everything the real Mason wasn’t. As much as she wanted to stay there, playing house, it was just a game. One that couldn’t last forever.
She wanted to be in love with the man he was, but she wasn’t. Not completely. There was a part of her heart she held back from him, one that shattered every time they made love, only to piece itself back together with the memory of who he used to be.
He joined her by the fireplace, sitting between her legs and propping his back against the chair. The old recliner had been salvaged from a large house beside the mining office. Elora had badgered Mason into carting it back to the house. He hadn’t seen the use in another chair. There were only the two of them, and they already had two chairs.
Once it was in their house, and she’d scrubbed it clean, she showed him the benefits of having the overstuffed leather chair. He hadn’t complained about it since.
She loved the chair and would cherish the memories she had of making love with him on it. But if she was honest with herself, the end of his complaining was simply a lack of caring. As far as he was concerned, the chair was there so it was done.
“Five days,” she said, abruptly.
“What’s in five days?”
“There’s going to be a thaw before another storm. It’ll last a few days. If we're going to leave, that’s when we should go.”
“A thaw in the middle of winter?” He looked up at her over his shoulder.
“You still doubt my ability to forecast the weather?”
“You have to admit that at this time of year would be unusual.”
“It’ll come.”
The thaw would arrive and bring with it the end of the game. No more pretending to be happy with a man who would never love her back. No more pretending that the guards weren’t after them, or that Mason’s soul wasn’t trapped within a rune.
Mason got to his knees and turned around. He opened the top two buttons of her shirt then reached in to fondle her breast. Catching her nipple between his fingers, he gave it a firm tug that traveled straight to her clit.
Lifting her hands, she wove her fingers into his hair, tightly gripping the strands. In the weeks since they’d become lovers, she’d learned that he enjoyed the struggle for control. In the end, he would dominate her with his size and strength, but his arousal was intensified when she told him what she wanted, whether with words or actions.
Leaving the rest of her shirt buttoned, he freed her breasts, using the fabric to lift her plump mounds as an offering.
He gripped her wrists and pulled until she let go of his hair. Then he lifted them above her head, the position making her breasts jut out even further and placing them directly in line with his mouth.
His tongue peeked out and swirled around her nipple then lightly scraped it with his teeth before moving to the other.
“Do you want me to fuck you?” he asked, then sucked the nipple into his mouth. His rough tongue pressed it to the top of his mouth.
“No.” She tugged her wrist from his hold, and he let her aching tip pop free from his mouth. She pushed his shoulders until he was sitting back on his heels. She slid from the chair and onto his lap. “I want to love you.”
She could have said fuck. It’s what it was to him. A physical act that meant nothing more than if he had done it by himself, but it had never been that for her and never would.
She had five days before she faced the reality of her quest. Five days before she was done pretending she wouldn’t die for the chance to get Mason’s soul back.
16
“You ready?” Mason asked Elora.
He’d been sitting in the truck, waiting on her for the past ten minutes. He thought she’d been using the bathroom, then he came in to check on her and found her standing beside the bed, staring down at the picture she’d found the day they first arrived.
He didn’t know what she found so fascinating about it. The couple was middle-aged, and neither were particularly attractive.
She placed the photo on the bed and then took a last look around almost as if she were trying to store every detail in her memory. Mason refrained from commenting. She’d been in a foul mood the last few days. The last five to be exact. She’d snapped at him, nearly stabbed him in the stomach during training, and when he caught her crying in the shower that morning, she’d simply shut the door in his face.
He never claimed to be an expert on women, but he didn’t think there was a man alive who could figure out what was wrong with her. He would have guessed she was on her monthly, but they’d been having sex each day since her last one so he knew that wasn’t the problem.
“Let’s go,” she said, taking a deep breath.
They settled in the truck, and he pulled onto the road leading out of town. He glanced in the rear-view mirror and watched their little house disappear. He couldn’t say he’d miss it, but it had been a comfortable stopping point. Maybe leaving the house was messing with Elora’s mood. She’d enjoyed dressing it up with the things she’d found around town. Shit, she’d even made curtains for the bedroom from an old blue blanket from the mining office. He’d made the mistake of laughing, wondering who they were hiding from in a ghost town. A lonely twenty hours followed.
Melting snow dripped from the overhanging trees, and he switched on the wipers. She’d been right about the thaw, a fact he was still having a hard time believing. He’d never seen a shift in temperature like this before. It had been well above freezing for the better part of a day, and there was no indication that it was going to end anytime soon, though Elora assured him it was simply the calm before the storm. Her predictions gave them three days to get to Dawson City and find Juki.
They’d driven two hours before he realized Elora hadn’t said a single word. Neither had he, but that wasn’t unusual. The last time she’d been this quiet had been the morning they made it to Stebbins. At least then he’d known why she was so upset.
“If we push and bypass Dawson City, we can make it to the area where Juki lives tonight,” he said.
“Mmhmm.”
“Should I be offended that you don’t want to speak to me?”
There was a long pause before she answered. "No."
He shrugged and focused back on the road. Even with the thaw, snow blanketed the road, and if they really wanted to make Juki’s by nightfall, they couldn’t afford to end up in the brush or with a flat. He switched on the audio and music filled the cab. He didn’t care for music. There was an expectation from others when you listened to connect to it, or at least enjoy the songs. He did neither. But he knew Elora liked music, so he’d suffer if it helped drag her out of her funk.
The silence continued, but he could tell the music affected her because, after a few songs, she began shifting restlessly and opened Tina’s journal, flipping the same few pages back and forth.
“This isn’t going to work,” she said out of the blue.
He looked at her then back to the road. “What?”
“There are no giants. They're myths, legends, from thousands of years ago, before science explained them away.” Panic rang through her voice, and he finally understood why she’d been so quiet. “Even if there is an entrance to the Underworld, how could we rely on a story from Tina about a friendly giant? Tina. She used to tell me stories about unicorns and fairies.”
He flicked off the music. Apparently, it wasn’t working the way he thought.
“Slow down,” he said.
“Do you know what a unicorn is? A horse with a glowing magical horn.”
“That’s not the same thing as the Giants.”
“You should go back to Ironshore. You can tell Gregory you killed me. That should earn you a pardon.”
“Doubtful.” He shook his head, trying to make sense of her thoughts. “If you asked Tina today about unicorns would she swear to their continued existence? Have you risk your life looking for one?”
“No,” she responded hesitantly.
“Yet, she did with Juki. She truly believes he’s a giant and can help us.”
She slammed the journal shut and dropped her head into her hands. “I know.”
“So why the doubt?”
“I ... I think I should go alone.” She held up a hand to stop his objection. “You didn’t want to come with me. You didn’t want your soul back. You probably still don’t want it back. There’s a chance that if we make it to the Underworld, we could die. You shouldn’t have to die just because I can’t give up on a dream.”
Mason snorted. “You think I’d be here if I hadn’t decided to get the Soul Rune? Whether I want my soul or not, the magic the rune contains can’t be left for just anyone to find.”
A defeated laugh burst from her, and she went back to staring out the window, Tina’s journal forgotten on her lap. He left the music off, and eventually, she fell asleep.
They reached the outskirts of Dawson City, and Mason pulled to the side of the road. The change in motion woke Elora who rubbed her eyes and looked around.
“Where are we?”
“Just west of the city. We're safer skirting it. There’s no way to know if the Tank forces will be looking out for us.” He gestured to Tina’s journal. “Can I look at the map?”
She handed him the folded paper, and he studied it carefully then looked up searching for landmarks that might match what the hand-drawn map marked. There was a mountain in the distance that seemed to match a jagged drawing on the map. Satisfied he’d gotten at least some of his bearings, he placed the map on the seat between them and put the truck back into drive.
“Your driving’s better today,” Elora noted.
He snorted. “Couldn’t have gotten much worse.”
“Where are we headed?”
“Juki’s place looks to be south of the city, but east of that mountain. We’ll follow this road until we find one that works better.”
For a plan, it wasn’t much, but any plan he made with Elora in mind never worked out anyway, so he was determined to go with his gut on this.
It was another hour and three different roads before the mountain appeared west of them and by then, the early darkness of winter was upon them. Elora turned on the interior light to look at the map again. Her eyes darted up and down, trying to catch any formation that would match the map.
“Stop!” she yelled, and his foot slammed on the brake sending the truck into a fishtail on the fresh ice.
“Shit,” he muttered. “A little warning next time.”
She pointed at a grouping of trees on the right-hand side about a half mile from the road. “It’s there.”
“That wasn’t on the map.”
“No, but there’s a sign.”
He squinted searching the trees for a sign but couldn’t spot a sign.
“I don’t see anything.”
“It’s most likely concealed from you.”
“Me?”
“Well, from anyone in the Tank.”
“What does it say?”
“Juki Bar.”
“You gotta fucking be kidding me.” Turning off the engine, he grabbed his bolt from the back and checked the charge. Then he grabbed a flashlight and mounted it to his weapon. He flicked it on before looking at Elora. “Stick close.”
“Haven’t I proven I can take care of myself?”
He grunted and climbed out of the vehicle. He knew she could defend herself, but that didn’t mean he wanted her in a position where she’d have to.
She was already walking toward the trees with her aura spear in hand when he got around the vehicle. He jogged to catch up with her.
When they reached the edge of the trees, she motioned him to follow her.
“How can you be sure this is the way?”
“The arrow on that tree,” she said and cocked her head to the side. He looked over and saw a crudely carved arrow.
The further in they walked, the harder his gut clenched, screaming at him to get the fuck out of there.
“Soulless men aren’t welcome here,” a voice boomed from among the trees.
Mason spun, his ax held ready at his side. Elora placed a hand on his arm, giving him a look that silently told him to settle down.
“We're looking for someone. A friend,” Elora said.
“Soulless men have no friends, neither do the folks 'round here take to the Tank.”
A rustling came from the left, and Mason turned toward it, using his free arm to push Elora behind him.
“Stop it,” she hissed and batted at his arm.
She moved to step around him but froze when a shadow filled the woods before them. It came closer until a giant man stepped from the trees. He had to be nearly seven and a half feet tall, framed by muscle and a layer of fat that made him more than twice Mason’s size. Wild, straggly, black hair poked out from beneath his toque and blended with his long beard. It was easy to see how he could be confused with the Aklajuk giant or even with the giant’s true form—the grizzly bear.
“For a witch, you keep odd company,” the giant said. “What’s your business?”
“We're looking for Juki. Is that you?” Elora’s fingers gripped the back of Mason’s coat. “My aunt Tina sent us. She said you could help us.”
The big man’s eyes narrowed, and Mason braced his feet. He’d fought plenty of men, some with many more pounds than himself, but this guy was massive. It would take more than a few well-placed punches and elbows to bring him down.
“Come with me.” The giant turned and headed back into the shadows.
Elora rushed to follow, leaving Mason with no choice but to trail after them. What had appeared to be a small grove of trees had become a labyrinth that seemed to stretch for miles. Most likely another concealment spell.
Finally, they came to a large stone building. Everything about it was over-sized, from the steps to the entry and the furniture inside.
A long bar top ran the length of the back wall, and five tables with chairs were scattered around the spacious room.
The man pointed to a table near the fireplace. They sat, and instantly Mason regretted it. He felt as if he were a child again, powerless as he waited for his father, the big man, to speak. It suffocated him, and he stood, walking behin
d Elora’s chair and resting his hands on her shoulder.
“I am Juki. Tina really sent you here to see me?”
Elora nodded, and Juki leaned back in his seat, shaking his head. The movement jiggled his necklace, and Mason realized it was made of bones and human teeth.
“I ain’t seen her in a good two dozen years or more. Kinda thought she might have passed on after when she never came back.”
“She settled in Ironshore when I was a baby.”
“She fairing okay?”
“She is. Or was when I left.”
“These parts ain’t such an ideal destination, so why’d she send you here?”
“She thought you’d be able to help us.”
“What happened?” Juki asked him in his rumbling voice.
“The Ice Witch stole my soul. Turned it into a Soul Rune.”
“Niobe,” Juki grunted.
Elora sat down, leaning toward the man. “You know her?”
“Amautalik are well-known soul stealers, though typically for pleasure. But her blood is mixed with that of humans and witches, so her reasons are her own.” He shrugged. “With no soul, there is little magic she can conjure that would work on you.”
“She’s in the Underworld,” Mason said.
“A soulless man desires his soul.” Juki gave a bellowing laugh. “No wonder Tina sent you to me. She thought my love of tragedy would encourage my assistance.”
“Please,” Elora begged.
“No.”
Elora sputtered and jumped to her feet. “You don’t even know what we need help with.”
“There’s only one reason, Tina would send a soulless man to my doorstep. No.” Juki lumbered to his feet, towering over Elora, his teeth bared as he snarled at her.
Mason grabbed Elora and yanked her behind him. He let his ax sway in his hand and readied himself for a fight.
But Juki’s fierce expression faded, and he sank back into his chair. He grabbed a mug of thick black liquid and gulped it down, keeping his eyes fixed on Mason’s. When he drained the mug, he slammed it back on the table and wiped his dripping beard with his sleeve.
Winter Souls: an Adult Paranormal Witch Romance: Sector 10 (The Othala Witch Collection) Page 16