Born of Embers

by Harper Wylde

  “Let’s try. It sounds fun.” I took a step back so I couldn’t see into the pot he was stirring.

  He grabbed another spoon from the drawer, dipping it in the pot before glancing at me. “Close your eyes! No cheating!”

  I hesitated for a minute, and then complied. I liked games. I opened my mouth, allowing him to slip a spoon between my lips. I heard a low groan from behind me but focused on the flavors in my mouth. “Green beans. Onion. Pepper. Sweet potato. Water chestnuts?” I considered another moment and laughed, opening my eyes. “I give up. I can tell there are at least two other textures, but I’m not positive what they are.”

  Damien laughed as he stirred the pot again. “You did a great job! You missed the zucchini, the eggplant, and the bamboo shoots. Quite a palate you’ve got there.”

  I laughed along with him, following Theo as he motioned for me to sit beside him. “Thanks. The restaurant I used to work in was upscale. It’s really the only way I was able to learn about cooking, food, and flavors. Having that real life experience trumps all the cooking channels on TV.”

  “If cooking class is over, would you like to hear more about what I found?” There was a soft smile hovering around Theo’s lips as he studied us.

  I nodded eagerly, turning my full attention to him. “Yes, please.” I heard Damien mutter something too low for my ears to pick up.

  “We were right that it’s been centuries since a phoenix shifter has been seen. The last known phoenix shifter served on the Council over 300 years ago. Phoenix vary in what powers they have in both their human and shifted form. Typically they fell amongst regeneration, fire, flight, strength, speed, and psychic abilities. Some had healing powers, others were able to force the truth from people. Our old records also say that Phoenix blood is considered very powerful. It can be used for healing and some even said for luck or truth.”

  I considered what he said. It didn’t really narrow down the possibilities for me, but it showed that I wasn’t limited in what my strengths may be. “Anything else?”

  He considered me quietly before he continued. “There’s only one thing known to be fatal for phoenix shifters, to interfere with the ability to regenerate. Iron.”

  Iron? I was really confused. “That doesn’t make sense, though. I’m no science major but I know enough biology to know I’ve got iron in my blood. How does that work?”

  I hadn’t even heard Hiro come in until he spoke up behind me. “Well, there could be several reasons for that.” I whirled, nearly falling out of my chair. He caught me with gentle hands, making sure I was steady before he sat next to me. His hand stayed on my arm and I considered moving it off, but I decided I liked the warmth. “Some may have to do with iron content. Hematite and pyrite, for example, are iron ore. It may not affect you the same way as pure iron might. Additionally, there may be a set mass of iron that is necessary. For example, the amount of iron in, say, a skillet, is going to be different than the amount of iron in your blood. Your blood may have very little iron if you’re anemic. Even if you aren’t anemic, being female it’s unlikely that your blood cells are extremely high in iron, so you’re probably looking at about a 30% iron composition to your cells, or less than 12 grams total in your body.”

  I simply stared at him. “How in the world do you know all of this?”

  He simply shrugged. “I’m interested in biology. I also like to read. Weird things tend to stick with me.” I guess that made sense. Still, it was a ridiculous amount of information floating around his head.

  Ryder spoke up from the doorway and I nearly fell out of my chair again before Hiro tightened his hold on me. Damn it. Why was I so jumpy? He smirked, taking the seat next to Hiro. “Think of it this way. Silver is poisonous to a lot of weres, mostly the non-mythological ones. That’s one thing that legend did get right. However, the average human can consume over 90 micrograms of silver a day in just average food, even more if they’re taking certain kinds of medications or supplements or have the wrong type of diet. If you continue that line of thinking, you’ll realize that a regular bullet is going to be about 7.5 grams. Also realize that due to the fact that silver is less malleable than lead, it is usually mixed with the lead to ensure better accuracy in the shot. Assuming even most of the bullet is then silver, that would be 7,000,000 micrograms of silver shot directly into the were to kill it. Even then, if the bullet didn’t hit a vital organ, is quickly removed, and the shifter gets to a healer immediately, there’s still a possibility they can survive. Do you see the discrepancy there?”

  These guys were absolutely shocking. They could reel off calculations and numbers effortlessly. I wasn’t dumb by any means, hell, I could whip an essay out in no time flat, but math and science required a lot more concentration. “I guess that does make sense. So, it’s basically the iron in my blood that keeps my Phoenix from being completely immortal? Why I need time to heal?”

  Hiro and Ryder beamed at me and Theo nodded, shooting me a small smile. “That’s exactly right. To be on the safe side I would suggest taking vitamins that are free of iron, and maybe even reducing your iron rich foods. I don’t even need to tell you not to wear large quantities of the metal, so if you have any jewelry you’ll want to check it.”

  I smiled wanly. “No, the only jewelry I have is my bracelet, and that’s gold.” I instinctively reached for it, my fingers hesitating when I realized it wasn’t there. “I don’t take vitamins anymore.” I couldn’t stop the face I made.

  Theo cocked his head. I was beginning to think he didn’t realize he did that when he was confused or curious. “Why?”

  I sighed, he asked so many questions! The information he had given me was incredibly helpful though, so I felt I owed him at least a partial explanation. “One of the first times Child Protective Services got called was when I was about six. The school called them. There had been mandatory testing. I was extremely anemic and malnourished. Michael only got a lecture and had to take a parenting class. Instead of being bothered with anything like feeding me, he started forcing me to take massive amounts of vitamins. I still gag at the thought of them. As long as my blood levels for vitamins and iron were within so-called healthy ranges, it didn’t matter that I was insanely skinny. There was always an easily accepted excuse—I was an active child, I was on some fashionable diet, that kind of thing.” I shrugged as I finished.

  Damien interrupted us, yelling for Killian as he deposited plates on the table.

  “Enough serious science talk for now. Let’s just relax. Eat dinner. Maybe watch a movie?” He offered, glancing at me.

  “I like movies.” I admitted, before scooping rice and curry into my bowl. The taste I had earlier had not been enough to satisfy the gnawing hunger building in my stomach. Killian slid into his seat and everyone focused on eating.

  Ryder moaned as he poked at it. “Did you really have to do a vegetable meal? You couldn’t put any meat in?”

  I spoke up in Damien’s defense. This curry was amazing! “Curry is frequently done without meat as many cultures who eat curry have a largely vegetarian or even vegan diet. It’s hot, flavorful, and filling. Stop complaining.”

  Ryder snapped his mouth shut, sulking as he poked his spoon into his bowl. The guys around me laughed at him as we continued to eat in companionable silence.

  “What movies do you like?” Ryder asked, as he scraped the last of his curry from his bowl. For a guy who complained, he had nearly licked the bowl clean.

  I shrugged. “I’m pretty open. I’m not a huge fan of slasher flicks or other super gory horror flicks. Nor weepy dramas. I tended to watch TV more than I watched movies. It was easier to pick back up when interrupted.” The guys exchanged glances as if considering my words. I just rolled my eyes. “Guys, I’m serious. I like Supernatural and I also like The Vampire Diaries. I like Agents of Shield, NCIS, Family Guy, and I like Gilmore Girls. Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I’m a traditional girl. I’m pretty open to suggestions here.”

  Ryder shot me
a grin. “How about 9 ½ Weeks?” The other guys looked at him in confusion, apparently not familiar with that movie.

  I snorted. “I may prefer television to movies but I’m not a complete idiot when it comes to pop culture. I know what that movie is about. It’d be like suggesting 50 Shade of Grey.”

  Killian and Theo growled, both reaching out to hit the back of Ryder’s head.

  Hiro stepped up. “We could do a Marvel movie marathon? Start at the beginning of the cinematic universe and see how far we get?” He looked at me for approval.

  “Hey, a shirtless Chris Evans? I’m totally in.” All of them growled at that. I just laughed. We all headed into the den, grabbing seats on the couches and the floor. They had positioned me on one end of the sectional, and after a heated game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, had decided to switch who sat next to me after each movie. Hiro won the first round and stretched out next to me as we started Iron Man. The guys were all active movie watchers, yelling at the screen, swearing at characters, offering advice and, once Damien brought down bowls of popcorn and Twizzlers, they would frequently throw things at the screens. We made it through Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, and Thor before most of the guys gave up and headed to bed. Hiro had won three out of the four rounds of Rock, Paper, Scissors. I had expected Damien to win the most due to his psychic skills, but apparently Hiro’s mental walls were strong. Damien had won the round for Thor, stroking my hair softly while we watched.

  I murmured my goodnights as I watched Hiro, Ryder, Theo, and Damien, one by one, head for their beds as the clock on the wall passed the midnight hour. Killian and I had decided to stay up for one more movie. Apparently, we both loved the Avengers. Killian sat on the couch next to me as the movie began, and picked up where Damien had left off, stroking my hair gently and twining it around his fingers. It felt absolutely amazing. I lost track of the movie, despite the way we laughed together, as I simply absorbed the way his fingers felt in my hair. I leaned into his hands, relaxing into his touch. It was such a unique experience for me to enjoy touch. My Phoenix and I were lapping up every bit. What I wasn’t used to, however, was the heat that I felt running through me causing my body to tingle with anticipation at every touch. Closing my eyes I leaned further into him, breathing deeply as I enjoyed the way the heat licked across my skin.

  Twenty-Nine

  Killian

  I had no damn idea how we had gone from sitting next to each other on the couch to her laying with me, tucked into my side with her head on my chest as we finished the movie. I wasn’t about to knock my good fortune because having her there, it felt fucking good. Her hand was resting just above my stomach and I was trying — hard — to keep my breathing even and my mind focused on the movie instead of her curves pressed against me, so that something else didn’t get too happy — and I wasn’t talking about my Puca. Yeah, too late. I just prayed she wouldn’t notice.

  Having acknowledged the little fucker — and this time I was talking about my Puca — I felt him start jumping around in my mind, pushing against the hold I had over him. He wanted her to notice him, to have the chance to impress her. I ground my teeth together and leashed him further. No fucking way would he embarrass me right now. Fuck, when had watching a movie become so damn complicated?

  She wiggled against me and let out a small contented murmur. Good. I wanted her to feel comfortable and in control. Both my arms were propped under my head as I tried to appear as non-threatening to her as possible. I would keep them there for the rest of my damn life if it helped her feel more at ease around me, but I wanted to see if she could tolerate a little more. Slowly, I shifted the arm that was closest to Nix out from under my head and gently lowered it around her, settling my hand on her hip. I felt her tense and take a deep breath. As she blew it out I felt her melt against me, her muscles becoming fluid.

  Turning our attention back to the TV screen, we watched the Avengers kick some ass. Ass. Damn it. My fingers itched to reach around and palm those perfect curves. Clenching my teeth together harder, I resisted. Instead I gently rubbed my thumb back and forth over her hip. Without thinking about it I slipped my thumb under the hem of her shirt to rub against soft skin before realizing what I had done. I froze. Fuck!

  In a low, soft voice I asked, “Is this alright, Nix?” Shit. My voice sounded much huskier than I had meant it to.

  Relaxing against me again, she nodded on my chest. A string of curses went through my head. That could have set me back further than I was willing to go. Talk about tempting fate. I started sliding my thumb back and forth again over that silky, golden skin. Holy fucking hot damn shit. I was touching her, and not in a friendly way. No, it was much more familiar than that.

  She wiggled against me as I trailed my thumb a little higher, caressing her side a little now, my strokes getting longer. Repeating the motion I heard a small giggle slip out of her as she wiggled some more. Holding back a groan, I smiled instead.

  “Ticklish are we?” I teased in a low voice.

  “Nope.”

  My Puca was excited and I couldn’t contain the mischievous grin that broke across my face. “Why don’t I believe you?”

  “That’s your problem, not mine.”

  “Mmhmm, then you won’t mind this.” I trailed my fingers lightly over her skin eliciting more stifled giggles. “Or this.” I tickled her outright. Laughing she pressed her body into mine, trying to get away from my hand. Her leg brushed against my arousal and I hissed at the pleasure that shot through me. Oh fuck! Before I could remind myself why I was taking everything so slowly I reached out and gently hauled her up on top of me in one fluid motion. Oh double fuck! What did I just do?

  Her breath heaved as she laid across my body, stiffening as she looked down at me. I lifted my hands off her as fast as humanly possible, placing them up next to the sides of my head where she could see them.

  “Fucking shit. I’m sorry, Nix. I shouldn’t have grabbed at you like that.” I huffed as I tried to get my body under control. I knew she could feel my lust for her against her thigh. There was no hiding it now.

  I watched as she breathed deeply, each breath pressing those beautiful breasts against the neckline of her shirt. I wanted to fucking bury my face in them. No. Stop. Fucking. Thinking. I slammed my eyes closed. I tried to focus on her in other ways. How royally fucked was I?

  She felt tense, and I couldn’t damn well blame her. I never should have put my hands on her like that. What the fucking hell had I done? She would probably never trust me again, not for a while anyway. Our first time truly alone—the car and the outing to the mall didn’t count as alone time—and I had messed it up massively. You fucking idiot. The raving went on as I kept my eyes closed, not able to convince myself to open them and see a look of hurt or distrust in her eyes.

  Before I could crucify myself any further, I felt her hands clasp around my arms. One hand on each wrist, she applied pressure, pushing me deeper into the couch. Oh my fucking God! Soft lips met my scruff covered jaw as she slowly slid herself up my body to get a better angle. I let out a low groan and tried to keep absolutely still. She needed to feel in control and I would unquestioningly give that to her.

  Her lips on my skin felt like fucking heaven. Holy. Shit. I wanted nothing more than I wanted her. In this moment. For fucking ever. My Puca was in complete agreement.

  Lifting her head, she hesitated, her lips hovering above my own. I could feel her breath brushing seductively over my face. I was already high on her sweet breath when she gently lowered her lips over mine, skimming them against mine slowly. When she pulled away, I lost control and chased after her, not even close to fucking done. I caught her lips on a groan, drawing her back into the kiss, this one heady and hard as I nipped at her and sucked on her lower lip. More. I needed more. I licked at her lips, and when they parted on a gasp I took full advantage, sliding my tongue into her mouth over her own. The sweet taste of her invaded my senses as the kiss deepened. Running my tongue back and forth against h
ers, I set a rhythm that she quickly matched. It drove me mad when her own tongue tentatively stroked into my mouth, growing bold and exploring. A moan rumbled up my throat as she took over the lead, growing more daring, her hands tightening on my wrists, her mouth angling to take the kiss deeper. My Puca was vibrating with energy and I lost all track of him as Nix and I kissed each other into oblivion. As she pulled back to catch her breath I heard her suddenly start laughing.

  My eyes flew open and narrowed on her joyous face. What was she fucking laughing at? Following her gaze, I couldn’t help the bark of laughter that burst out of me.

  “The fucker.” I smiled as I watched an illusion of fireworks exploding around the room. Blue, green, red, and white lights shimmered down all around us as the show went on, rivaling even the best grand finale firework shows.

  Her smiling face looked back down at me. Goddamn, was she beautiful. Her lips were swollen and pink from our kisses, there was color high on her cheeks and her hair was fanning around her face as she stared at me. “He’s not wrong,” she whispered.

  “No, he’s not.” The husky voice came from the staircase, causing both of us to whip around. Damien stood in the shadows of the stairway, leaning back against the wall with his legs crossed, his eyes bright with hunger as he studied us. “That was quite a hot show.”

  Nix was frozen, her mouth open as she stared at Damien.

  What the fuck? I mentally shouted at Damien. Why the hell had he interrupted?

  You want her with all of us, eventually, right? Let’s see how it goes. He responded cooly.

  She glanced down at me, then back at Damien, and swallowed hard. “Um, is there a reason you’re watching us?”

  He outright grinned. “That’s a dangerous question. I assume you don’t want the answer that first pops in my head. I was heading down here for a drink and I didn’t want to interrupt. You seemed to be enjoying yourself.” The last part of his sentence came out as a husky purr. He started down the stairs towards the kitchen, not bothering to hide his arousal from her.