Heroines and Hellions: a Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection

by Margo Bond Collins

  Suddenly, I felt like a horrible person for keeping him up so late when he had a regular job to get to.

  Seeing my face fall, and probably totally misunderstanding why, he came toward me and grabbed my hand once again. “But I love that I’m here with you now. So stop with the pity party and get your ass over here,” he said with a tug on my hand, forcing a smile out of me that I wasn’t expecting. “C’mon. I want to at least hold you until you fall asleep.”

  And that was really unexpected too. For him to want to hold me, make me comfortable, so that I could get some rest, made me feel special… desired. Then again, his definitions of want and need probably differed greatly from mine. But I was going to live in the moment and stop thinking about it so goddamn much.

  I removed my jacket, immediately realizing my charm was still in the pocket, and reached in to grab it. The cool metal felt great in my hand… powerful… essential. Tossing my jacket on the heaping pile of clothes, clean mind you, I kept a tight hold on my snowflake, allowing the metal and gems to dig into the soft skin of my palm.

  I sighed, a feeling of relaxation overwhelming me. It wasn’t sedation or exhaustion… it was just simply happiness and ease.

  And then, I looked down at the hunk of metal my dad gave me so many years ago, wondering why it was so damn special that someone would want to steal it. Just because it was special to me didn’t mean it made sense that others would want it too.

  Then again, I had to think about what it meant that my father gave me a snowflake pendant. He clearly knew of our powers long before the shift, but how much did he really know then? Just what we were going to be capable of was the only thing he knew or was there more to it?

  Branton stepped behind me, his front pressing into my back ever so slightly as I stood there staring at the hunk of metal in my hand, the edges sharp and intricate in design.

  And that’s when I noticed it.

  22

  There. Right there at the edges of the snowflake, beyond all the clearish-blue gemstones, was some sort of… plug? It was almost as if this snowflake was the male counterpart to something else. Like it could fasten to something bigger. A key?

  I shook my head. I was probably delirious with exhaustion. I needed sleep. Yes, need, not want. I also knew I needed to keep my pendant close. If this was, in fact, some sort of key, I had to find out long before an enemy did.

  I stood there, Branton’s lips playing at the sensitive parts of my neck, trying to think of how to keep it on me at all times… even while naked. Because, yes, I was part human and all woman… my thoughts were going there. That was when I remembered another necklace I had buried somewhere on my dresser. I could swap out the chains.

  I didn’t warn him as I broke our connection, darting toward my messy dresser in the hopes I could find it easily. The gods knew I was the world’s worst housekeeper, and now Branton knew too. I rummaged through the plethora of receipts and random perfume bottles before I finally came across the necklace I was looking for. It was something Dean gave me a long time ago, the pendant a cheap-looking heart that had tarnished only months after he gave it to me. The chain was still in perfect condition though—a bit longer than my last one, the length causing the snowflake pendant to fall mid-belly on my long torso. But, it still worked in a pinch.

  Branton was patient, watching me as I adjusted the pendant and slipped the chain over my head, my hair an immediate tangle at the back of my neck.

  “It really is special to you, huh?” he asked, his voice nothing but adoring. There was no judgment, and for that, I was thankful.

  I nodded, looking back down at the snowflake that hung around my neck. “Not only is it special to me, but clearly, someone wants it. Why they want it is still beyond my understanding, but I’m not going to let them take it if I can help it.”

  I could feel his appreciation, an energy slowly snaking around me like a fog with a purpose.

  At the sound of him clearing his throat behind me, I turned to see Branton still standing there waiting for me in a pair of cute boxer-briefs featuring his thighs and so much more.

  I liked sans pants Branton.

  “C’mon. You still need rest,” he said, gesturing toward the bed.

  “You expect me to rest with you looking…” I eyeballed his gorgeous legs… “like that?”

  He extended his arms out in a defensive stance. “What? I can’t lie down and get comfortable right along with you? That’s just nuts.”

  I nodded and smiled. “Uh huh. That’s why.”

  “All right, dirty bird. Let’s see how you get comfortable,” he said with a chuckle, his muscular arms folding over his chest, straining at his t-shirt that was still in place. Good. I didn’t need any additional distractions if he expected me to be a good girl—and relaxed—his word, not mine.

  I kept my eyes on him, other than my slight glance down to the amulet that still hung around his neck. I needed to make sure he was protected from my… unpredictability. Never looking away, I unbuttoned my jeans and hesitated. I’d been gone for… what… almost two days? The gods knew I needed a shower something fierce, and I was just about to strip in front of my boyfriend for the first time.

  Boyfriend.

  The word was odd, even in my mind. The frosty freak has a boyfriend.

  “What?” he asked as he noticed my reluctance.

  “I just… well… I kinda need a shower. I’m not even sure when I had one last.” I blushed at the words. Something so human, yet still embarrassing at times, was your biological needs before anything else. With colder than normal body temperatures, I didn’t really sweat or smell like normal humans, but that didn’t mean I could forgo a good cleaning session every now and then.

  “If it’ll make you comfortable so you can rest, then get to it,” he said, his body standing between the door and myself.

  I put all hesitation aside and sauntered toward him, placing one soft kiss on his lips. “As long as you join me.” I smiled sweetly. No way could he refuse my sweetness, right? Maybe? I could only hope.

  “I was planning on it.” With that, he tapped me on the ass and gestured for me to lead the way.

  I did as I was told, leading him out into the hall toward the bathroom. My house didn’t have a master bathroom like many of the modern homes, but I was okay with that, especially now that I didn’t have a roommate.

  Upon entering the bathroom, I noticed Calder’s shit was still all over the place… which meant… “Damn,” I whispered.

  “What?” Branton asked, his concern clear in his face.

  “It’s nothing. It’s just clear that Calder hasn’t moved out yet, even though I told him I wanted him gone. I guess me disappearing meant he could take advantage,” I said, my thoughts getting angrier by the second at his blatant lack of respect for me and my wishes.

  “Why’d you want him to move out? I thought you were happy with him as a roommate?” he asked. He was genuinely curious, and I had to think back on whether I told him about my dad or not.

  The answer was no. I never told Branton about my father, or the fact that Calder brought him back one night. Did I want to get into it now? If I did, we were both likely to get zero sleep.

  I sighed, the deep exhale somewhat soothing to my nerves. “Truth is, Calder stepped over some boundaries he had no business approaching. I might need the rent money, but not bad enough to sell my soul.”

  My vague honesty earned a simple, curt nod from him, and I was beyond thankful he didn’t press any further. All I wanted in that moment was to rinse the nasty grime off my skin and melt into my mattress.

  …until I spun around after turning on the shower to find a gloriously naked Branton.

  Glorious was an understatement.

  He was damn good at helping me forget about all my troubles. Each curve on his toned body was a new memory etching its way into my mind, pushing all other thoughts from my head in an instant. Steam rose in the small space, the haze wrapping us up in warmth, despite the natural chill
that encompassed me. The water was very likely too hot for a warm-blooded man like Branton. Yet, if it meant he was going to join me, I was willing to deal with less than scalding water.

  Never hesitating, I reached in and turned the water temperature down ever so slightly, wanting him to be comfortable with me in every way possible. I knew it sounded silly, even in my head, but I suddenly felt nervous, wondering if I could actually make him happy—satisfy him instead of torturing him with my cold-blooded heart.

  “Shh…” he hissed, the sound coming out gently between his teeth. “No more thinking.” Branton didn’t even wait for me to argue before he reached out and gathered the hem of my tank in his fists.

  I let out a shaky breath and raised my arms above my head, the feel of his warm hands gliding up my sides so delectably wonderful, it sent a shiver of desire up my spine.

  Hot to cold.

  Fire to ice.

  Red to blue.

  “We’re going to have some serious fun making purple,” I blurted out as I turned and watched him drop my top on the floor. His face looked bewildered, and I suddenly realized what I’d done. I actually said the words out loud, officially confusing the poor man and making me sound absolutely insane in the process.

  He didn’t say anything, just stared, his eyes wide with confusion.

  “Sorry. That was meant to stay in my head,” I said. I kept my composure, never letting him know my slip-up bothered me as much as it did. As far as I knew, he was attracted to my confidence and take-no-shit attitude. I couldn’t exactly ruin that by saying stupid shit, or recanting my stupidity when I let it slip.

  “Purple’s a mighty fine color,” he whispered just as he reached for me again, his warm finger hooking beneath my chin, forcing me to stare back into his beautiful honey brown eyes. I was thankful he didn’t ask me to explain my crazy.

  He made sure his protection amulet didn’t touch me as he leaned in for a kiss, his lips melding with mine so naturally, one would’ve thought we weren’t an abomination to nature.

  A frigid beast like myself had no business putting someone’s life at risk for a few stolen moments of lust.

  “Stop thinking,” he muttered against my lips. His words drew a smile from me, even though I knew we were playing with fire.

  And ice.

  I couldn’t help it. I had to taste more of him. With very little finesse, I snaked my fingers into the hair behind his head, grabbing hold and pressing him to me. I was expecting to feel the sear of his amulet against my skin, but instead, all I could feel was his passion for me—our bodies speaking to each other as if we were long lost friends.

  Pulling away, he turned me toward the mirror so that he could stand behind me and give attention to the hooks on my bra. I moaned with overwhelming relief when the straps fell from my shoulders, the underwire no longer digging into my breasts.

  They were free.

  And the freedom was glorious.

  It didn’t matter how shitty of a day a woman was having—the few seconds immediately after taking off a bra was pure bliss.

  After a few momentary breaths, relishing in the feel of air hitting my nipples, I finally opened my eyes and stared at our reflections in the mirror.

  We were a pair—that was for sure.

  There we stood, his height almost a foot taller than mine, both wearing pendants that seemed to clash in almost every way imaginable.

  Mine was the color of ice—silvers and blues adorning the jagged edges of the snowflake.

  His was the color of fire—the ruby sheen sending off warning flares for me to stay away from its round confines.

  Yep… we were a pair all right.

  Branton didn’t waste any more time getting me under the water, his coaxing and care for me so very different from my norm. I wasn’t used to someone taking care of me—washing my hair, gliding soap along my body, massaging my back—it was all pure bliss.

  I was very surprised I hadn’t gone horizontal yet. It was very likely I’d end up falling asleep standing upright in the shower with all this attention.

  I was also very surprised he didn’t advance on me in a sexual way. He stayed a gentleman the entire time, caring for me and washing me until he finally shut the water off and held the curtain open for me, ushering me out.

  Within moments of stepping out of the shower, a soggy, naked Branton grinning at me like a fool, I heard someone calling my name.

  Again.

  And again.

  “Shit! It’s Sade!” I said to him in a yelling whisper while tossing a towel at his face. Leave it to my sister to fuck up a good thing.

  I left him standing there laughing while I wrapped a towel around myself and scurried out of the bathroom. I shouldn’t have been surprised to run right into a wall of fire, barely getting the bathroom door shut in the process.

  “What the fuck, Sade?” I asked with shock.

  “Don’t you dare ask me what the fuck! You disappeared for two days and didn’t even think to call us and let us know you were alive?” she yelled, her gloved hands waving in the air frantically as if she were flagging down a taxi.

  “Shit,” I mumbled. “Sorry. My phone was dead, and I hadn’t charged it yet.” It was a partial truth. The other part was stashed away in my bathroom.

  As if I summoned him, Branton opened the door and poked his head out.

  Just great.

  “Oh, hey, Sade,” he said cheerfully. My jaw dropped when he stepped fully into the hallway wearing only a towel, which showed off his beautiful, toned body and that delicious Y-shape leading down south.

  Sade looked him up and down before finally allowing a devilish grin to spread across her infuriating face. She hadn’t even said anything yet, and I already wanted to punch her.

  “Well, he-ey,” she said in that annoying way she had when she was trying to be sassy. “I didn’t know you two were hooking up. That’s… well, that’s… yeah, I can’t even fake it. That’s weird.”

  “What’s so weird about it?” I asked, my stance getting defensive as I crossed my arms over my towel-clad chest and stared at my sister.

  “Oh, c’mon. A mutt with a purebred warlock? It’s weird,” she explained while pointing between the two of us. “Plus, if I thought you’d end up with a witch, my money would’ve been on Dean.”

  I turned to look at Branton. “You’re untouched?” I asked in shock. He just started at me like I should’ve known this little bit of trivia about him.

  It was rare to come across a genetically pure witch. After generations upon generations of sancti, human DNA would often find its way into a bloodline. So, for Branton to even entertain the idea of choosing anyone but a witch as a mate was just plain stupid.

  I shook my head. I shouldn’t have been worrying about all that shit now. Now, my only worry should’ve been to find Dean.

  Closing my eyes, I put my hand up in a hold-the-phone gesture. “Wait, more importantly, I should be focused on finding Dean.”

  “Finding him? He’s been one of the ones out looking for you,” Sade said, her voice sounding both confused and shocked.

  Long gone was my defensive stance. Now I needed more information, even if I had to shake it out of her.

  Grabbing both of her arms, I felt frosty drips of water fall from my hair and drip onto my shoulders as I asked, “When did you last see him?”

  She looked at me and then at one of my hands secured on her arm.

  “Aggressive much?” she asked before shrugging out of my hold. “I saw him just about an hour ago. He was driving me around.”

  My eyes went distant. “I wonder how that nasty echo creature got his memories then.”

  “What? An echo?” Sade questioned. She was on full alert after a word like that.

  Nodding, I tried to strategize my words carefully. “I was nabbed by a glimmer and held captive by an echo who chose Dean as his face of choice.”

  Clearly, I was bad at strategic games. I hated my enemies had a leg up when it came to tactics.r />
  “Damn,” Sade said with a hushed curse. “Well, you do know that doesn’t excuse the fact you haven’t called, right? If it weren’t for Veli, I would still be out looking for your ass.”

  “Gods forbid,” I said with a dubious roll to my eyes. “What did you all expect to accomplish by driving around town looking for me? Were you whistling out the window and calling me like a dog?”

  She scoffed and said, “You’re such a child, Kirsi. Dean wore a truth amulet and we visited places we thought you might go or people you might know so we could get more information. We both knew you wouldn’t just take off like that. Something had to be up for you to just vanish.”

  “There’s no such thing as a truth amulet, is there?” I turned to Branton expectantly, hoping he’d have the answer.

  He shrugged. “Actually, there is. I’m surprised little Dean was able to do one though. That’s higher level witchcraft.”

  It didn’t come as a surprise that Branton didn’t like Dean. What did surprise me though was the fact that we were both standing in my hallway in towels discussing all this crap with my sister.

  “Sade, do you mind?” I said, gesturing down to my towel wrapped tightly around me and pressing my boobs flat.

  “Not at all! I want to know what’s going on with you two,” she said with a sly grin while leaning up against the wall and crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Nope. Not happening,” I said, turning my sister in the direction of the staircase and gently nudging her to go.

  “But, you will tell me later, right?” she hollered as she was half way down the steps.

  I just shook my head and waited until I felt her essence leave the house.

  Alone again.

  Finally.

  23

  With the worry of Dean’s safety out of my head and a shower out of the way, I was finally able to concentrate on Branton.

  And, of course, nerves reared their ugly head in that moment. I shouldn’t have been nervous. Hell, we were just in the shower together. But, now, it seemed expected that we hook up. And while I wasn’t at all shy, the idea of hurting him was almost too much to bear.