Frost Fire

by Emma Layne

  His lips twitched. Blaze had an engaging little grin, and Molly found herself returning the smile before she was even aware of it. She couldn’t help it, the expression was a mixture of little boy mischief, and sensuality, all wrapped up in one.

  No doubt, countless women had fallen for his charms.

  “And what are you doing in my room, dove?” He almost purred the question, taking a few steps closer.

  For some perverse reason, Blaze had insisted on calling her by the nickname. She supposed it could be considered affectionate, but Molly found the pet name annoying.

  “Why do you keep doing that?”

  “Doing what?”

  “Don’t pretend. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

  “Because it suits you, dove. Since we’ve been here, I’ve become quite taken with those animals. They are symbols of peace, of beauty, and I find their soft, cooing sounds comforting.” He made it sound like he’d done a Wikipedia search for the bird.

  “Let me ask again, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

  He thought she’d come here to see him?

  “Pay attention to the context clues.” Molly gestured to the equipment surrounding her, and the lemony scent of furniture polish hanging thick in the air. “I was tidying up, until somebody nearly gave me a heart attack.”

  “I apologize.” And while he said the appropriate words, Molly doubted his sincerity. For one thing, his dark eyes danced. It made her feel like he was in on a joke she didn’t understand.

  Molly never knew what to expect from him, and found their encounters nerve-racking, yet exhilarating. She was an introvert and preferred her own company or a small group of trusted friends. Being in social situations with new people was out of her comfort zone.

  “Its fine, I’m nearly finished anyway.” She unplugged the sweeper, and Molly fumbled with the cord, winding it around the handle.

  Blaze made her nervous and not in a I-have-a-test-in-twenty-minutes way. It was more like the time she’d ridden the Tilt-a-Whirl at the local county fair. Blaze made her stomach jerk, and she got dizzy around him.

  As she rushed for the exit, Blaze stepped into her path once more.

  “Are you quite certain this isn’t a clever ruse? I thought you might’ve reconsidered my offer and wished to be alone with me.”

  All the Smith brothers spoke in an unusual manner, overly formal and archaic at times. It was yet another piece of this puzzle.

  “Nope, I’m only doing my job. Speaking of, I should be going.” Molly bolted out the door before he could say another word. However, she could feel his eyes on her until she turned the corner, almost like a physical caress.

  Molly patted her pocket and skipped off to the next room.

  Soon, I’ll have my answers.

  Chapter Two

  “How’s my brilliant, beautiful, daughter this morning?”

  Molly frowned at her laptop screen. She was Skype-ing with her mother before class. Molly was still dressed in her fuzzy Winnie the Pooh pajamas and had only gotten through half a cup of coffee. After work, she’d had a four-hour study session, and had woken up bleary-eyed this morning.

  This is worse than a hangover.

  At least, Molly imagined it was, she’d never had one before.

  “Why are you being so, er, flowery?”

  She scrubbed a hand over her face, trying to wake up. Molly pondered jumping into a brisk, hot shower before her biology class but the thought of slogging through snow up to her hip bones with damp hair, made her reconsider. During the winter, she preferred to shower at night instead, and had missed her chance to wash up.

  “No reason, honey.”

  “Hmm. You want a favor.”

  “You caught me. I need you to drop by my place and feed Lucifer. And could you play with him for a few moments while you’re there?”

  Molly leaned back in her chair.

  Lucifer was aptly named. He was the meanest cat she’d ever come across. Ironically, Lucifer was a fluffy white ball of fur with big blue eyes. By all rights, he should be adorable, but he was a hellion instead.

  Initially, Leslie had named him Angel, until she’d gotten to know him better.

  In true Jekyll and Hyde fashion, Lucifer loved Leslie but hated all of her visitors. Leslie usually compromised, by shutting him in her bedroom while she had company over. And yet, her mother adored the creature, despite its surly disposition. Maybe she was lonely, and liked having someone else around the house?

  “I have a lot going on. Can’t you get someone else?”

  “I’m sorry, but my pet sitter quit, and nobody else will do it.” Leslie had exhausted her options. Despite the steep amount Leslie paid, no one signed up for a second gig.

  “Oh, come on.”

  “Please?”

  Leslie was in London at the moment, attending a conference. Afterward, she’d made plans to visit CERN, and Molly was jealous because it sounded like a dream vacation to her. CERN stood for Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, the European organization for nuclear research. The facility had a particle accelerator, and she was dying to see it in action.

  One day soon, I’ll get to do all of these things.

  It was hard not to be impatient. Sometimes, Molly wished her future would hurry up, and get here already. At the moment, her life centered on school work, and, well, that’s about it. Pre-med was a brutal, time-consuming major and she hadn’t even gotten to the real thing yet. Who knows what horrors med school had in store for her? She’d read stories about interns and residents falling asleep in the shower or while driving to work.

  “Molly?” Leslie prompted.

  “Sure, I can take care of it.”

  Although, she’d need a chair, and a whip, like a lion tamer.

  Lucifer loved to plan sneak attacks, where he ran out from behind a door and scratched the crap out of her knees. She made a mental note to wear something beneath her jeans, like a pair of fleece-lined leggings. The last time she’d stayed over, Lucifer had nicked her through the denim.

  “Thank you so much. I promise I’ll bring you back something special from CERN, along with a little extra spending money for your trouble.”

  “I appreciate it. How’s the conference?”

  “Wonderful, I’ve already filled a notebook with useful ideas.” She frowned. “Although I was really looking forward to Dr. Perkins keynote address, and it was cancelled at the last minute. Apparently, he had an emergency of some sort.”

  “What happened?”

  “No clue. I ran into him a couple of times, and his behavior was, well, erratic. I found out from another colleague, he quit his position at the Simmons Institute, and he’s taking an extended sabbatical.”

  “His problem might’ve been personal then?”

  “Perhaps. We’ve met before, and he didn’t seem like himself.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how to explain it, but something was wrong.”

  “Well, I hope you figure it out.” Molly leaned forward. “Since we’re doing favors, I have one to ask of you. Can I use your lab?”

  Leslie owned Black Diamond Labs, the most prestigious private DNA testing and research center in the state. Her mother had made curing schizophrenia her life’s work. The genes involved had been identified, and Leslie was working on gene splicing, which could correct the problem in utero. Molly had an older brother, Marshall, who’d been diagnosed with the disorder right before his 23rd birthday.

  “What for?”

  “I have a project.”

  “Oh? And could you be more specific?”

  “Not yet. I’ve come across a phenomenon I want to study.”

  Molly doubted her mother would approve of the means she’d used to obtain the sample. Since Ivy’s outburst, she’d thought of it differently. Of course, Molly still intended to move forward with her research, but she’d keep it to herself.

  “A genetic anomaly?”

  “Maybe, but I’m not sure yet.”

&
nbsp; “Okay, keep your secrets for now, but tell me, is it a ‘eureka’ sort of finding, or a ‘that’s funny’ sort of one?”

  According to her mother, scientists fell into two camps, ones who had a sudden epiphany, and others who found something peculiar and studied it. Her mother fell into the second group, as did Molly.

  “I’ve noticed something unusual, and decided to investigate.”

  She beamed. “Have I ever told you how proud I am of you?”

  “Yes, you have, but if you want to say it again, I’d be happy to listen.” Molly held her mug aloft in salute.

  Leslie chuckled. “Well, I’m very pleased with all you’ve accomplished so far. I know you’ve worked really hard, and I’m thrilled you’re following in my footsteps. I only wish your brother…”

  She trailed off, but Molly knew what she was going to say.

  “I know.”

  Leslie cleared her throat. “Of course, you may use my personal lab, and when I get home, you’ll share your discoveries with me.”

  She had always been extremely supportive of Molly’s academic career and provided a lot of enrichment outside of the classroom. She’d even sent Molly to several science camps over the years. Molly doubted she would have made it this far without her mother’s intervention and she owed her a debt.

  “Thank you, mom, I appreciate it.”

  “Anytime. How are your MCAT study sessions going?”

  “I’m getting there.” When Molly wasn’t attending class, doing homework, or working, she studied for her medical school entrance exams, which took up a lot of time. Molly wanted to ace them so she’d have her pick of schools.

  “If you need me to quiz you, let me know.”

  “I will.”

  “How are Amy and Ivy doing?”

  “Fine, although Amy’s been seeing this guy, so she hasn’t been around much.”

  “It’s understandable. Young love can be intoxicating.” Her mouth turned down at the corners. “Since one of your friends is occupied, maybe it’s time you widened your circle.”

  “Mom…”

  “Molly, it’s important. There’s more to life than school and your career plans, trust me.” She cocked her head to one side. “Most parents have to tell their children to take their studies more seriously, and I bug you to have fun.”

  Molly had always been the responsible type. She liked a schedule, and routines, and checking things off her to do list. Molly chalked it up to having a type A personality, but her mother was worried Molly wasn’t socializing enough. Molly only had a few friends, but it’s all she seemed to need.

  Anytime Molly pooh-poohed an idea, her mother trumped the decision with the “doctor card,” and cited some study, which was really irritating in a thoughtful way.

  “Why don’t you ask Zoe Parks to lunch?”

  Zoe was an intern at her mother’s lab, and they’d met several times. Molly liked her, but didn’t see the point of pursuing another friendship.

  “At least think about it.”

  “I will.”

  “I’m glad.” Leslie glanced at her watch. “I hate to cut this short, Molly, but I’m late for cocktails with my colleagues.” There was a six hour difference between there time zones. “Will you text me tomorrow morning, after you’ve checked on Lucifer?”

  “Absolutely, see you later.”

  Excellent. Now I can begin my test, with my mother’s seal of approval, no less.

  ***

  Why did I even come here tonight?

  Later in the evening, Blaze sat at a table at the Flaming Kettle, the only tavern in this town. It was a small establishment with a few wooden tables and chairs, and a scuffed bar, which ran the length of the main room. The floors were also made of wood, and they were littered with peanut shells.

  Only a few locals were out and about, in addition to the brothers. A band played, although Blaze scarcely heard the music.

  I should’ve gone to the hot springs, instead.

  A few weeks ago, the brothers had discovered a small hot springs on the mountain. It was in a jagged rocky place, all but inaccessible on foot. They’d made an encampment there and often soaked their sore muscles after a long day toiling in the mines.

  Blaze was trying to drown his cares in ale, but it wasn’t working. In the past, he’d found drinking and carousing cured almost anything, but he was plagued by dark thoughts.

  Its no wonder, he was distressed.

  Blaze spent most of his time in a dark, and dank hole in the ground, harvesting scandium. The Drakeborne Knights had come to Earth from Iradia on a sacred mission to save their planet. At one time, it seemed like an adventure, but it involved backbreaking labor, and he was bored to death, to boot.

  Tonight, his brothers joined him, but he barely registered their voices. He should be enjoying himself, like they were, but couldn’t, for some unfathomable reason. All he could think about was Molly, and the way she’d appeared in his room earlier, like the answer to a fevered prayer.

  The little minx had rejected all of his advances. He’d gone to great lengths to gain her notice, to no avail.

  Soon, very soon you’ll be mine.

  “Hand me the pretzels, brother,” Crispin said. Since arriving on this planet, they’d discovered all matter of pleasures, including the salty baked sticks. He’d eaten an entire bag by himself once.

  “Get them yourself.”

  “Why is your mood so foul?” Crispin asked, as he reached around Blaze.

  His other brothers, Destrian and Rowan snorted with laughter and Blaze ignored them.

  Crispin’s gaze was fastened on Lucy Perkins, who strummed her guitar on stage, and sang with her band, The Nebula.

  Clearly, he was only half-listening. His brother’s interest in the woman was unusual. He was something of a monk. He had blue eyes, light-brown hair and a penchant for being guarded in his interactions. Come to think of it, Blaze had never seen him with a woman. Most nights, he preferred to stay in, with only his journals for company.

  “You don’t know?”

  Crispin had the power to divine the future. Blaze had the power of touch, meaning his caress could fell an opponent or bring sobbing, soul-wrenching pleasure to a fair maiden.

  Due to their dragon heritage, the brothers had different abilities. Drake blood was unpredictable, a catalytic agent, and it flowed through their veins. Their human DNA had been infused with drake chromosomes, resulting in superior strength, stamina and the ability to withstand the elements, in addition to special powers of their own.

  “I’m a soothsayer, not a mind reader.”

  “Still, you must know something.” Blaze was desperate for some guidance. He hadn’t felt so unmanned by a woman since he’d been a callow youth, and he didn’t enjoy the loss of control. “You don’t understand, I’m not even tempted by these women.”

  There were at least a half-dozen attractive women here, all of them lovely in their own way. Normally, he loved to laugh and flirt, then spend the evening in the company of someone new. It fired his blood, gave him a mental boost, but not this evening.

  Blaze screwed his eyes shut, and then opened them once more, eager to feel even the slightest twinge, but he didn’t.

  Damn and blast.

  He’d come here to drown his sorrows and find a lovely distraction for the evening, but evidently he was doomed to spend the night with his own palm and his heated imagination.

  “Have another drink, little brother. Perhaps it will cure what ails you.” Rowan pushed the pitcher of ale closer to Blaze.

  “I have a better idea. Why don’t you piss off? I wasn’t speaking to you.”

  All three of them chuckled this time.

  Evidently, they were enjoying the sight of him brought so low. Blaze was something of a legend on their homeworld. He’d bedded legions of women, and had no trouble coaxing them into his rooms, until he met Molly.

  Rowan cocked a brow. “I am the eldest, therefore you should do what I say.”

  He
had dark green eyes, and black hair. While the rest of the brothers had difficulty managing their emotions, particularly when it came to anger or lust, Rowan handled it with a cool sort of composure. However, it was a maniacal sort of calm, as though Rowan had his emotions by the throat, squeezing them into submission.

  One of these days, he’s going to explode, and I’ll be there to witness the eruption.

  “Unfortunately for you, Mydon is the Captain of the Guard, not you.”

  “Still, my position demands respect.”

  Destrian looped around Rowan’s neck. “I believe what my brother is trying to say is, drink your bloody ale, you tosspot, and stop wittering on about your feelings.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” Rowan clinked his mug against Destrian’s, and they both chortled.

  Blaze scowled.

  “Unless you’d care for a lesson?” Destrian’s nostrils flared. “If you like, we can step outside, and get this sorted.”

  They all sparred with one another, but Destrian took it too far. There was something broken in him, a need to compete, dominate, as though coming in second place were an insult. While Mydon ruled them with an iron fist, Destrian was the fiercest, most ferocious Knight, and Blaze usually gave him a wide berth.

  “A tussle would suit me fine.” Blaze stood.

  Destrian got to his feet as well. “Then let us adjourn.”

  “Enough, you are attracting attention,” Rowan warned, laying a hand on both of them. “Mydon will have both your hides if you make the news.”

  After reluctantly sitting down, Blaze poured more ale into his own glass. After shooting him a surly glance, Destrian did the same.

  “Let us not fight any longer. Instead, we shall have another toast,” Rowan said, raising his mug aloft. “To the fallen—Tybalt, and Favian.”

  “To the fallen,” Blaze echoed, after he swallowed a lump in his throat.

  Favian, gone from this world far too soon. May you rest in peace, brother.

  Crispin clasped him on the shoulder. “Need to talk?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “Liar.”

  “Back to the matter at hand.” Blaze nudged Crispin once more, eager to discuss something, anything else. “Give me some insight, do I eventually bed her?”