Blue Skies on Fire

by Zenina Masters

  Andor let her go. “I will see you at the Open Heart.”

  Teebie grinned. “Tomorrow. Tonight, I have the night off.”

  She left the sauna and part of her felt lighter. She felt giddy. The smile didn’t leave her face for three hours.

  Andy had picked out an amazing scarlet dress for her. The silk panels clung to her and swung out when she moved. Teebie stepped into the Crossed Star as a patron for the first time, and it felt weird.

  She brushed her hair nervously behind her ear and walked up to the bar.

  Spike stared. “Wow, You look amazing.”

  Teebie felt her skin heat. “Thanks. Dira treated me to a day of beauty and a night off.”

  “Well, the beauty you already had, but you look relaxed and cheerful. I think that is actually a real smile.”

  Teebie laughed. “I think it is.”

  “The newbie is over there. He is quite popular.” Spike grabbed a set of bottles and began pouring with expert precision. When she was done, there was a rainbow in a tall glass. “I call this the drunken unicorn. I named it after Mak. He can’t get drunk for long, but when he does, it is hilarious.”

  Teebie grinned and sipped it. “Well, I am tasting the rainbow. That is certain.”

  Spike hooted and laughed, pulling a second beverage out from behind the counter a moment before she lit it on fire. “I call it the fiery djinn.”

  Teebie giggled and looked at the blue goblet with the crimson layer that was burning with blue flame.

  “That is something.”

  “With all the fey in here, I have had to up the alcohol content. This is one of my efforts. It knocks the shifters silly.”

  Teebie waved her hand over it to quell the fire and stuck in a straw. The blue layer had the taste of lemons and oranges; the crimson layer was raspberry.

  “You are focusing rather intently on that drink, Teebie.” Spike’s tone was amused.

  “Am I?”

  “Yes. There is a complete spectacle on the dance floor, and you aren’t even peeking at it.”

  Teebie sighed and turned her head toward the dance floor. It was a spectacle all right. Andor was fending off three women who were fighting to be next to him.

  Teebie watched the jostling with amusement, and before she knew it, the drink was gone.

  Spike cleared her throat. “Can you go and rescue him before he drowns in estrogen or the other males decide to fight for their dance partners?”

  “What makes you think I can break it up?”

  Spike gave her a long look.

  Teebie sighed and headed to the dance floor, moving in between some of the women and men who were watching the slow-motion fight.

  She didn’t say a word to anyone, merely walked up to Andor and plastered her body against his, pulling his head down to hers for a kiss.

  He jolted in surprise for a moment, and then, he recovered and wrapped her in his arms. The music pulsed around them, and he slowly swayed with her.

  He tasted of strawberries and fire. His tongue slid along hers, and soon, their initial contact had become more than slightly arousing.

  Teebie relaxed her grip and leaned back, but he followed her, sliding a hand into her hair and keeping her close. It wasn’t until the song switched to a faster tempo that he released her.

  Her lips throbbed and her body tingled. Teebie looked into his heavy-lidded eyes, and she whispered, “Did I manage to drive off your admirers?”

  He grinned. “You did. You look lovely tonight.”

  “Thank you. It is my first night off in years.” She licked her lips. “So, how did you end up coming to the Crossroads?”

  He blinked. “You want to know that now?”

  “Now, I am one of your admirers, so yes.”

  Andor grinned. “My mother called me in to the house in the frozen north and asked me to seek out a mate. She wants to be a grandmother. When she was done, she sent me down to speak to my father. He is still in his draconic slumber, and so, he is slowly rising. He will be up in a few weeks at the latest.”

  “Your mother, she is a shifter?”

  “No. My mother is a fey. She and my father found me on their doorstep, so to speak. I had been left to die in the ice and snow, and since both of them have an affinity for it, they noted the little warm spot and came out to get me.”

  Teebie looked at him in shock. “Someone abandoned you?”

  “Yes. Five hundred years ago, I was transported to the ice to die or that is the theory. Traces of a magical transport were found around me. I had a good upbringing and my parents love me, so there is no issue there.”

  Teebie chuckled. “I am lucky in Dira. My parents tolerate me, but I am not what they wanted. They wanted a family that could pass for fey. I was a glaring flare of magic that couldn’t be easily explained.”

  “I would celebrate a child with as much power as you have. It is one thing I learned from my parents, you accept what comes and adapt to it, helping the child to become their best. It is the mark of a good parent.”

  She chuckled. “It sounds like you are applying to be the father of my children.”

  The music switched to a slow song again. Andor cocked his head. “What if I am?”

  She was pressed against him, and she knew what the slabs of muscle looked like from the moment in the sauna. There were delineated lines of muscle across his abs, and she wanted to see them bare and gleaming with sweat for a completely different reason than a hot room.

  “I have no idea. I haven’t gotten this far with anyone in a long time.”

  “You consider this far?”

  Teebie sighed, her breasts rubbing against his chest. “For me, it is a dimension and a galaxy away from normal.”

  Andor wrapped his arms around her, and they began to move with purpose around the dance floor. “Then, I had better help ease you into the new normal, just for tonight.”

  Chapter Six

  They danced until her feet ached and her throat was dry. Spike had another beverage waiting for her of the non-alcoholic variety.

  Andor kept his arm around her while she drank the fruit juice. When she had had a glass of juice and another of water, he offered to take her for a walk in the moonlight.

  “That is quite the offer. Would you like to roam the shifter grounds, or did you want to see the new grounds that are coming into being?”

  “I would like to walk the new lands with you.”

  She grinned. “Good. I have never tried this with another person.”

  “That sounds intriguing.” Andor kept his arm around her as they walked out into the night.

  “Hold tight.”

  Mist surrounded their feet, and they levitated, moving higher and out toward the edge of the Crossroads and into the new lands beyond.

  She took them to the new freshwater lake near the cascading falls.

  When the mist disappeared, Andor looked around. “That was definitely interesting. I normally fly myself.”

  She cocked her head and smiled. “I am guessing that you are the phoenix.”

  Andor paused. “How did you work that out?”

  “When we first touched, there was fire. That was all you. Your icon was a wing on fire. That was a giveaway. There have been a bunch of clues that include your age. There is only ever one phoenix at a time, but I have never heard of it being male before.”

  He sighed, stepped away from her, and his clothing and body erupted into flames.

  Teebie watched him as his body shifted into that of a bird surrounded by fire. He launched himself into the air, and he beat a slow circle around her, trailing fire in his wake.

  Teebie crafted a blanket out of the nearby stone, and she lay down, watching him fly. It was lovely.

  When he landed next to her, he changed into a very naked man and leaned over her, his body inches from hers.

  “So, do you like my beast?”

  Teebie threaded her fingers through his h
air, smiling at the golden silk. “I think all of your beast forms are lovely.”

  He grinned and brushed his lips across hers. The smiles were forgotten as they linked together, and he moved to cover her, blotting out the moon and stars.

  Teebie sighed at the heat from his limbs. He was warm, and she loved to be warm. She arched her back to rub her breasts against his chest, and he shifted to slide an arm between them, palming each in turn.

  The silk of her dress was caught up between them. One of his thighs slid between hers, and she jerked at the sudden heat and dampness between her thighs.

  Things moved quickly, and when his hand moved under her skirt, her nerve broke. Teebie turned to vapour and misted back into solid form a few feet away.

  Andor was dazed, and a puzzled frown overtook him as he looked down at where she had been.

  “I think this was a mistake.” She checked her clothing to make sure it was where it was supposed to be, and she dressed him with a flick of her fingers.

  Andor got to his feet, and she could see he was trying to come up with something to say.

  “Why is it a mistake?” His voice was low and husky.

  Teebie shivered. “I... you... I can’t do this just for one night. It was a fun thought, but I am not going to rejoice when you find your mate and leave. I think if we continued, that moment would be unbearable.”

  Andor took a few steps toward her, but she backed up. He stopped. “What if I agreed to come and remain here at the Crossroads?”

  “You can’t. You have a place in the human world.” She stuck out her jaw.

  “I have the place my parents have given me. There is no set of duties that I must carry out. With my father rising, I have no responsibilities at all. There is nothing to tie me there.”

  Teebie blinked. “Really?”

  He stepped toward her and gripped her elbows. “Really. If you will have me, I am all yours.”

  “You aren’t just saying that to have sex with me, are you?”

  Andor wrapped her in his arms. “I think that ship has sailed for the evening. Would you care to show me more of the new addition?”

  She rested her cheek against his chest and sighed. “I think that would be a nice way to finish this day off.”

  “Then, Teebie, take us away.”

  Mist coiled around their legs, and she carried them off over to the new mountains, showed him the saltwater bay that was still forming. “Dira always meant for all shifters to be welcome here, but there was not enough power to create this space until now.”

  “It is lovely. All wild and untouched.” He kept his arms around her.

  “That is the idea. Now that we have the space, we need to lay in the staff that will have an affinity for the areas that they are hosting. There will be other towns and new doorways built into the Meditation Centre once folks are checked in and registered.”

  “You already have a plan in place?”

  “It isn’t my plan. I just run the bed and breakfast.”

  He gave her a slight squeeze. “I am sure that you have more than just that in your life.”

  “It comes and goes. Do not get me wrong, I love being part of people’s lives. I love seeing the start of love, even if cleaning up after it is something I leave to my magic.”

  He snorted. “Sex is messy. Done properly, it is also fun.”

  Teebie nodded. “I am pretty sure I had it once. It was Halloween and I was drunk, so I am not really sure.”

  “You aren’t sure?”

  “I was young; it was the eighties; the rest is a blur.”

  He chuckled. “I have had an occasional experience like that.”

  Teebie grinned. “In five hundred years, I would be surprised if you hadn’t.”

  They cruised on their cloud of magic and mist, circling the new geography and finally returning to the town. When she set them down in front of the Open Heart, she smiled. “You can let go of me now.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t want to.”

  “Well, I have to use the ladies room, so it is either let me go or watch your shoes.”

  He released her so fast, she staggered. Laughing, she headed up the stairs and into the Open Heart. His footfalls were right behind her.

  She headed for the restroom on the main level, and when she had attended to nature, she walked toward her quarters. Laughter and soft voices were murmuring below.

  Teebie sighed and sent her magic to make up a spare room for herself on the upper floor. Dira was home again.

  She rubbed her neck and walked until she found Andor building a fire in the sitting room.

  “Well, it looks like I have been ousted from my bed tonight.” Teebie sat on the couch and unbuckled her shoes, so she could pull her feet up next to her.

  His fingers flicked and the wood sprang into a cheery blaze. “How so?”

  “Dira and Mak have taken over my bedroom. I have made up the attic suite for myself.”

  “Is it nice?”

  “It is a long, empty room and a washbasin.” Teebie chuckled.

  “Why don’t you make it more habitable?”

  “I only craft what I need. I will go up, get some sleep and get ready for tomorrow when I am up and running.”

  He got up and settled next to her, absently pulling her feet into his lap and giving her a foot massage.

  Teebie was so surprised, she didn’t say anything.

  “If I promise not to make any moves on you, would you stay in my room this evening? There is more than enough room for two in that enormous bed.”

  “That isn’t... I mean, you are paying for the space. I don’t want to get in your way.”

  “I don’t think I will sleep if I know you are above me in a barren space.”

  “I promise that I won’t be above you.” She arched her back as his thumb ran along the bottom of her foot. Her pedicure massage hadn’t had the same effect as he was having with his hands moving across her feet with strong strokes.

  He smiled and continued to work on her feet.

  She cleared her throat. “How did your parents meet?”

  His smile turned into a grin. “My father was raiding the ice fey, and they decided to sacrifice one of their own to him. So, they took my mother out, staked her down while she cussed them out and left her on the ice shelf where the dragon had been sighted. He flew up to her, broke her chains and carried her away, warming her as best he could while he flew to his home.”

  “He took her straight to his lair?” Teebie raised her brows and twisted as he found a sensitive spot under the curve of her toes that seemed to be connected to her sex.

  “He did. Meridith told him that she was the offering of the ice fey and that if he stopped raiding them, she would remain with him, and he did.”

  Teebie blinked. “Well, I suppose that it was a fair bargain. What do they do now?”

  “Diamond mines in the frozen north. It is surprisingly lucrative, and Kyrok has a knack for finding deposits.”

  “So, his lair is lined with diamonds?” She let out a low moan as he gave the arch of her foot a long stroke.

  “It is. We supply a select number of jewellers, and they are the only folk I need to visit back in the human world. I would only have to head back there for a few days at a time and only then when my father is in his dragon form.”

  “How often does that happen?”

  “Every ten to fifty years. It is never a big deal. Everyone just assumes that I am fey. Mother takes care of the day-to-day running of the business, but she doesn’t like to leave Father.”

  Her feet were throbbing and so was her sex. She had heard about the connection between a good foot rub and arousal, but this was her first experience of it.

  She was aroused and sleepy, but she still asked him, “Have you gone looking for your birth parents?”

  He gave her a long look. “I did. There was nothing left of the village. I stopped looking at that point.”


  Teebie leaned her head against the back of the couch. “That is sad.”

  She let out a jaw-cracking yawn.

  He smiled. “I think it is time to get you to bed. Come on.”

  He scooped her up and carried her up the stairs, down the hall and into his room. He settled her on her feet and frowned. “Do you sleep in anything?”

  She shook her head slowly. “Not usually.”

  “Good.”

  He unfastened her dress, and it slithered to the floor. He let out a low groan and pressed his forehead to hers. “Do you always wear scarlet lingerie?”

  “Usually. It is hard to find things that complement my skin tone. Scarlet seems to be a winner.”

  He cleared his throat and murmured. “Oh, yes.”

  Her bra was unfastened, and it sprang loose. He eased it off her shoulders and down her arms. When his fingers returned to her waist, they were shaking. He hooked them into the edge of her red panties and eased the fabric downward.

  When she was naked, she waved the bedding back and stepped out of his shadow and slid between the sheets. Andor was looking at her like there were a thousand thoughts in his head and none of them involved her cuddling up in bed without him with her.

  “This is not how I planned this evening.”

  She snuggled down into the bedding and smiled. “I was going to bake a pie today, so this is much better.”

  He opened and closed his mouth, stomping over to the other side of the bed before he stripped and crawled between the sheets.

  Teebie turned toward him. “Andor?”

  “Yes, Teebie?”

  “You were right. There is plenty of room in this bed, and we don’t even touch. Good night.”

  The noise she heard wasn’t something human, but she grinned and waved the lights off, plunging them into darkness.

  Chapter Seven

  Teebie lay awake long before dawn, and she focused on prepping those apples for the pie.

  A deep whisper crossed the ocean of bedding. “What are you doing?”

  She turned her head and blinked at the fiery-red gaze that was looking at her. “I am peeling and slicing apples.”