Dead Ice

I hesitated.

“Docs are here, I got Domino. Go.”

I touched his arm, not sure I could get through everyone else for a kiss, and went to one of the other men in my life. I started to hug him, but remembered that I was still covered in drying weretiger goop in time to save his outfit. The kiss turned awkward as I stopped him from hugging me. He looked hurt for a second, then touched my shoulder and said, “What did you do in the cemetery tonight? What’s in your hair?” He laughed and shook his head.

“Long story, but you look too nice to ruin the outfit by smearing this stuff all over you.”

He looked out and saw Domino. “I felt some of it, before Jean-Claude shielded us all. Is Domino going to be all right?”

“I think so, but I keep forgetting that he’s weaker than some of you, so he doesn’t heal as well as you, or Nicky.”

“Or most of us,” he said, and looked worried.

I traced my relatively clean hand down the front of his shirt, where it covered a very nice chest. “What are you all dressed up for?”

“I knew you’d forget, and that’s okay, but today they’re handing out the senior awards at school. Family is welcome to come watch and there’s snacks afterward.”

“I did totally forget, but I thought our deal was that I didn’t come on parent days, since that’s not what I am to you.”

“I’m asking Nathaniel to come as my brother, Nicky too, and Micah, but you”—and he touched my face, tilting it up toward him—“you I want to come as my girlfriend.”

I got all flustered again. All my new resolutions to not blame my fellow survivor for the evil machinations of the Mother of All Darkness fled, and left me panicking again. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. In fact, I’m sure it’s not.”

He touched my face again, which made me stop talking, probably for the best. “I know you have issues with me being a senior in high school, and the age difference, but I’m nineteen, legally an adult. We live together, we’re lovers; if that doesn’t make you at least my girlfriend, I don’t know what does.”

“I don’t know what to say to that.”

He smiled, a little less happy, but still a smile. “Say you’ll be there wearing some fabulous dress so that all the other guys will be insanely envious that I have you in my life.”

“I don’t know.”

“Anita.” He said it the way Micah said it sometimes, or Nathaniel, like You can do better than this. Since when had Cynric been able to do that tone?

“What time today?” I asked finally. It didn’t hurt to get the time.

He told me.

“I have to go back to work with the FBI.”

His eyes got that cautious look that I’d taught him as I pulled away again and again. I grabbed his hand. “Don’t look like that; I don’t mean to be a pain in the ass.”

“Then stop being one,” he said, and he sounded so reasonable.

“It’s not that simple,” I said.

“Anita, I’ve been a good sport about not being the tiger that you put a ring on for the commitment ceremony, haven’t I?”

He had; he really had. “I’m sorry,” I said.

“Don’t apologize, just bring us home a cute girl tiger to share and all is forgiven.” He grinned at me and waggled his eyebrows.

It made me smile. “I can’t promise a girl, but I can promise to look for one.”

“That’s all we’re asking.”

I looked up at him and said what I was thinking. “When did you grow up and how did I not notice?”

“You’ve been too busy trying to shove me in the kid box to let me grow out of it,” he said, voice soft.

“That’s fair,” I said.

“I don’t care if you’re fair, Anita, just say you’ll let Nathaniel help you dress and you’ll be with me today.”

“I’ll try.”

“Try to get away from the FBI in time for it, or try to be comfortable enough to take my hand in front of everyone at school?”

I thought about it, and tried to tell the sinking feeling in my gut to stop it. “How about both?”

He smiled. “Both is good.” He leaned down and I went up on careful tiptoes, balancing with my hands on his chest so I didn’t fall against him and ruin his shirt. We couldn’t touch like normal, but this kiss wasn’t awkward. He whispered, voice low and deep, “I wish I could stay and help you clean up in the shower.”

It tightened things low in my body and made me stumble back to stand flat-footed. The fact that he could have that effect on me still bothered me, but not as much. I mumbled, “Me, too,” but couldn’t quite look at him as I said it.

He laughed, and it was a very masculine laugh. “Later tonight, I’ll help you get all messy again; Nathaniel and I have been working on something.”

“Working on what?” I asked, suddenly suspicious.

“You’ll see, and you’ll like it, I promise; I mean I think you’ll like it.” He looked like he was thinking too hard, then laughed more at himself than me, I think. “I’ve got to run or I’m going to be late for class.” He gave me one more quick kiss and headed for his car. It was a brand-new Corvette Stingray, a deep, rich blue that was somewhere between the color of his eyes and Jean-Claude’s. It had been an early graduation present from Jean-Claude. He slipped into the car like he’d been built to match it, sleek, pretty, and purringly muscular. It was a pretty car, and he looked great in it, and drove it well after a few lessons at using a stick. I still thought it was a ridiculous present for high school graduation and set the bar too high. I mean, what the hell were the rest of us going to get him for graduation? Technically, the car was from a bunch of us, but Cynric wasn’t stupid. The sleek sports car had Jean-Claude’s taste written all over it. Micah and I would both have picked something far more practical. Nathaniel loved the car.