Kiss of Frost Read online

  "Just so I'm clear here…" Ann points a finger to Kay. "You tried to break into my shop to find this necklace"—she taps the photo—"because a group of thugs demanded it in exchange for your family's safety?"

  Kay nods, her cheeks tinged pink. I watch her closely, trying to keep a pulse on her emotions as she speaks with Ann. I want to help her; I can't help it. I'm a healer. Everything in me is drawn to broken things and people. But I've also learned over the years to keep my bleeding heart under lock and key and surrounded by barbed wire for good measure.

  Ann pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. That's her tell. There's something she's not telling me.

  "Why wouldn't they just come and get it themselves? Why send you?" Ann asks.

  I've been wondering the same thing since this kid showed up, but I let the question go unanswered for now.

  "I don't know. They wouldn't tell me. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring any trouble. I just want to save my mom and sister." Kay's voice cracks at the end and Ann's features soften.

  "It's all right, Kay. We'll figure this out and help you." Ann picks up the picture with the necklace on it again. "I remember this piece. It was beautiful. And full of magic."

  "Was…" Kay's shoulders shake and tears fill her eyes. I lay my hand on her shoulder and squeeze, hoping the small gesture will offer some comfort.

  "What do you mean, full of magic, Ann?" I ask, dread coiling in my stomach.

  Ann ignores my question and instead answers Kay. "It was clunky and had a lot of stones on it, as you can see. So I had a master jeweler break it down into smaller pieces. A necklace, a ring, and a bracelet. I kept a few of the smaller stones loose though."

  Kay perks up in her chair. "So you still have them? All of the gems?"

  "I'm afraid not. I've only got the necklace. I sold the ring and the bracelet. Everyone loved the stones in them." Ann points to the picture. "You see here? I used the ice-blue ones for the necklace. And the green ones for the bracelet. The red ones went to the ring. The leftover white and purple ones I never figured out what to do with."

  Kay deflates like a punctured balloon and I rub a hand over her back. "We'll find them. For now, we can get you the necklace." I look to Ann. "Right, Ann?"

  "I've been looking for it." She frowns. "I put it in storage when I painted the shop, and I can't find it."

  "Is that what you had Jem and me looking for?"

  Ann nods.

  "Well, I'm looking for it again tomorrow. You can help us look, Kay."

  "I can do that!" Kay practically jumps out of her seat.

  "Do you need a place to stay tonight?" My apartment isn't huge but I've got a spare bedroom.

  "I'm not sure if I should go back to them or not…" She bites at her thumbnail.

  "What did you tell them you'd do?" I ask.

  "I told them I'd be back with the gems as soon as possible."

  "Did they give you a deadline?"

  "Three days and…" Kay stops short and lets out a long breath.

  "And what?"

  "They told me I'd better not fail. I-I can’t imagine what will happen if I do." Energy flows off of her as her anxiety ramps up and I feel raw power flood the room. I wonder if she knows she's a witch. Probably not, but I'll save that for another day.

  Ann taps a finger on her lip, watching Kay closely as well. "What if you tell them you spoke with the owner and she'll be pulling it out of storage tomorrow? Tell them you told me you'd like to buy it so they don't think you told me you're in trouble. It's not a perfect plan but at least they'll know you didn't run off and you get more time." Ann pulls a necklace out of her pocket and I smile. I know the look of black tourmaline well. "Here, wear this. It will protect you."

  Kay holds the rough stone between her fingers. "It's a black rock."

  I laugh. "It's called black tourmaline and it will protect you from anyone trying to do you harm." I pull the long chain I wear every day out from under my shirt. "See? I wear one too."

  "Yours has other stuff." She leans forward and inspects mine.

  "Yeah, I've added a few personal good-luck charms to mine over the years. I'm sure you'll do the same."

  "I don't believe in any of that witchy stuff."

  Ann and I both throw our heads back and laugh. "You will, sweetheart. You will. Come on, I'll drive you home." Ann wraps an arm around Kay and steers her out the door. "Take my keys and wait in the car for a moment. I'll be right down."

  I wait until I hear Kay's footsteps on the stairs and start in on Ann. "Is this what you have Jem and me looking for?"

  "Yes, this is the item."

  "I need a little bit more here, Ann. How did you know someone would be coming for it? What exactly is up with the stones? You said they're full of magic. How so?"

  "I didn't buy this piece. It was given to me by an old friend from Europe. They sent it to me to protect it. To keep it out of the hands of men like the ones who have Kay's family."

  Epic fail apparently. "How did they know you have it?"

  "I got a letter from my friend. It said that if I was receiving this letter, she was dead and that I had to find and protect the stones. That someone was coming for them."

  "Who? Who is coming for them?"

  "They're an ancient sect of mages. Dark magic practitioners. Their only purpose is to harness as much power as they can and hoard it for themselves. Even if that means stealing it from other magical beings."

  "Well, that sounds horrible." Tension forms a knot in the back of my neck and I massage it, trying to relieve the tension. "Does Jem know?"

  "She doesn't, but I'll fill her in tonight. You both need to be on guard. Protect yourselves as much as you can."

  I nod. "And what if we can't find these items in time?"

  "We will. I know we will." Ann rubs a hand down my arm and her touch calms my nerves just a bit.

  "I hope you're right. This is all a jumbled mess."

  "I know. But we'll sort it out in the morning. Kay will help you and Jem look for the stones, and with any luck, we'll be able to get them hidden someplace safe."

  "What about the other stones? In the ring and the bracelet? What if they go after those people who have no idea they're walking around with magical objects on their person?"

  "We'll get them back. Don't worry, I've got a plan. Get some rest."

  "Oh, by the way, Kay saw my altar earlier. I talked a little bit about magic with her but something tells me she has no idea she's magical. We should figure out a game plan on how to tell her."

  "I'll think on it. Make another cup of tea and go to bed. Love you."

  "Love you too, Mom." I wave as she walks out the door, locking it behind her.

  I watch through the window until I see Ann's car turn the corner. Taking a few calming breaths, I drink the rest of my tea and put Ann's and Kay's cups in the sink. Worry for the young girl creates a headache at my temples and I try to breathe through it. We're going to help her. If there's anything magical out there after Kay, the tourmaline will block it. We'll find the stones and get them hidden.

  Another day, another mystery. What else is new.

  Earlier than the ass-crack of dawn, there's a knock on my door and I stumble to the front door to open it, coffee cup in hand.

  Kay stands there with a hopeful smile stretched across her lips and a box of doughnuts thrust outward like she's warding off the she-beast that is me in the morning. "Morning!"

  "Morning." I grumble the words and try to paste a smile on my lips as I scan her for any signs of harm both physically and magically. I don't find any. "Was everything okay last night? No surprise visitors?"

  "I don't think so. I had the house to myself." Kay frowns. "You're not a morning person?"

  "Not if I can help it." I sip my coffee and wave a hand. "Let me at those doughnuts and I'll finish getting ready and we'll be off."

  Kay opens the box and I snag a plain glazed one, shoving half of it in my mouth, not caring that I probably look like a savage.
/>   "Be right back." I stumble back to my closet and quickly toss on a black T-shirt and some of my favorite cutoff jeans. The warm mixture of robust coffee and doughy sweetness hits my stomach and I feel like a new woman as I pull on my black Converse sneakers. "You ready?"

  "As I'll ever be." Kay grabs the doughnuts and I swing my hair up into a ponytail once again. Ready to dive into the dusty mess that is Ann and Jem's garage. At this point I should just invest in pharmaceutical companies to develop a stronger allergy medicine.

  We pull up to their house about ten minutes later and Kay's mouth hangs open at the old New England style mansion. I reach over and gently push her chin up so she doesn't drool on herself. I almost did the same thing the first time I came here. The two-story house looks like it goes on forever in both directions. It kind of does, but I know how intimidating it can be either way.

  "It's an old family house. They're well off, but they work hard to keep what they have."

  "Sure. Okay."

  We walk into the house to the pounding sound of an old rock ballad and I smile. Jem must be getting ready upstairs. She's always blasted music while she gets ready. I used to want to murder her when I wanted to sleep in.

  "Come on, we can start looking for the gems in here." I lead Kay into the sunroom and we both plop down in front of boxes, digging right in. About a half an hour later, Jem stops short as she enters the room, her gaze focused on Kay.

  "You must be Kay. I heard all about you from my mom last night."

  "I'm grabbing coffee. Be right back." I walk away, keeping an ear on Jem and Kay, and head for the liquid nirvana.

  "So let me get a look at you." Jem's lyrical voice carries into the kitchen and I take my time doctoring my coffee. "How old are you?"

  "I'm seventeen. Why?" Her tone is edgy. Either from stress about the situation or anxiety of wanting to get to work, I'm not sure which.

  "I'm just curious. You're very powerful for someone who isn't eighteen yet."

  "Powerful? I don't know what you mean." Kay's face is scrunched in confusion when I enter the room and I jump into the conversation.

  "I don't think she knows, Jem." I give her a pointed look and her mouth forms a perfect O before snapping shut.

  "Never mind, my mistake." Jem smiles wide and looks to me to save her.

  "Do you want any coffee, Kay? Or do you need anything before we dive back in? I grabbed you a drink." I ask the questions quickly, hoping to distract her.

  "I just want to get my family back," Kay whispers.

  "We know you do. So let's get back to looking." I hand Kay a water bottle and settle down beside her, keeping an eye on her as we work. Jem turns on some music, this time at a lower volume, and we go through box after box, each one full of a whole lot of not what we're looking for. Scrying for the necklace had only gotten us to the garage. Past that, it was up to us to find it. Magic isn't always exact despite what everyone thinks.

  "Ha! I think I've got something!" Jem shoves the box she's digging through away from her and holds up a black velvet pouch.

  "Well, let's see it. Don't keep us in suspense." I eye the object in Jem's hand, the magic pouring off of it raw and unlike anything I've ever felt before.

  Kay practically vibrates with excitement and nods her agreement.

  Jem unties the knot at the top of the pouch and shoves her hand inside. Slowly, she pulls out a silver necklace with blue stones on it. The chain is long and sprinkled with the ice-blue gems, and I watch, entranced, as she reveals the beautiful piece. There's a larger stone that lies horizontal in the middle surrounded by smaller blue ones, each of them shooting out of the middle one like a starburst of ice.

  "Let me see that." I reach out my hand, unable to control my actions. There's a pull deep inside me to touch the necklace. Something wild and uncontrollable.

  Jem hands it over, and as soon as my fingers wrap around the pendant, a chill goes up my arm and down my spine.

  "It's beautiful. Whatever kind of magic is trapped inside of this is powerful." I hold it up closer to my eyes so I can watch as each stone shimmers in the beams of sunlight in the room. My breath puffs out in front of me like it would on a cool fall morning and I frown. That's odd. "Does this feel cold to you?" I hold it out to Kay and she touches the middle stone.

  "Yeah, a little cool. It's probably from being in storage for so long?" She says the words as a sort of question and I nod.

  "Who knows. We found it. So now we just need to find the white and purple ones so you can bring them as much as possible at once."

  Kay nods, keeping her gaze locked on the necklace.

  "Do you feel something, Kay?" She seems entranced but I don't want to add to her stress by letting her know that she's also a witch, and a very powerful one at that. Hopefully our continued hints will open up her mind a bit more to the prospect when the time comes to drop the bomb of witchy powers.

  Kay shakes her head. "I don't know what you mean."

  Jem opens her mouth to respond but I cut her off. "Never mind. I just meant like intuition. Let's grab some lunch really quick and then we'll keep looking. Kitchen's that way if you want to poke around. If you see anything you like, grab it. Our house is your house." I smile reassuringly at her and wait until she's out of the room.

  "What is it?" Jem asks.

  "I don't know. There's just something about this that I can't put my finger on." I purse my lips. I press my thumb against the edges of the outer jewels and curse when a sharp edge cuts my skin. "Shit. Little bastard is sharp." I pull my thumb back, blood smearing across the large center stone. I put my thumb in my mouth and suck on it. The coppery tang of blood in my mouth makes me scowl. I wipe the blood off the necklace with my shirt and place it on the table. "I need a Band-Aid. Can you grab me one?"

  "Yeah, one sec." Jem heads out of the sunroom toward the bathroom.

  "And Jem?"

  She stops and looks at me over her shoulder. "Yeah?"

  "I think we should wait to tell Kay about her magic. She seems freaked out every time we mention anything magical and right now I think she's got enough on her plate."

  "So we should stop hinting about it?" Jem asks.

  "No, I think we should keep dropping hints and asking her questions so we know what she is and isn't aware of. She saw my altar last night and Ann and I joked that she'd know what magic is soon enough, but I don't want to freak her out. She's got enough to worry about without realizing she's magical."

  "Agreed. I'll be right back."

  I look down at the necklace on the table, trying to filter through all of the vibrations that I'm feeling. I trace the smooth surface of the stones and I feel like I touched a live wire. Powerful, potent, and dangerous.

  Chapter 3

  The sound of glass breaking and tinkling against the tile in the sunroom makes us all jump at the kitchen table, where we were finishing lunch, and I stand up, pushing Kay toward Jem. "Keep her here. I'll check it out."

  I grab a knife from the block on the counter and draw up my mental shields in case it's a magical attack. I crouch low before peering around the corner into the sunroom. My breath whooshes out of me in a hiss as I take in the man standing in the middle of the room.

  The giant naked man.

  He circles around, looking just as confused as I feel. One hand in his straight blond hair, the other on one of his muscled hips. I grab a piece of glass that landed close to where my foot is and I throw it to the other side of the room, hoping to distract him so I can slip in behind him. It works. I get as close to him as I can and press the knife into the lower part of his back. Hard enough to let him know I mean business but not hard enough to break the skin.

  "I hope you've got one hell of an explanation for why you're in my house and, more importantly, why the hell you’re buck-ass naked."

  A low growl sounds and I watch as his chest expands, trying not to lose focus on the task at hand. He's sculpted like something straight out of Rome and one of the temples of gods. His skin is tan
ned, like he's spent the past year naked on a beach, and his shoulders are broad. Every inch of him is muscled perfection and he moves like a giant cat. Sleek, powerful, and deadly.

  He slowly turns his head and pierces me with ice-blue eyes from over his shoulder. "I was just about to ask you for a similar explanation." He lowers his gaze to the knife pressed into his flesh. "Where am I? And why do you have a knife at my back?"

  My breathing speeds up at the sound of his husky voice. It's like whiskey over ice, smooth and cool at once. If he could bottle that up and sell it, he'd be a freaking billionaire.

  "I'm asking the questions here." I push the knife into his back a little more, trying to show him I'm not backing down. "How did you get in here?" We've got the entire property warded for protection and typically anyone uninvited or unexpected would set off an alarm. We had no prior warning to the crash of glass in the sunroom.

  His bowed mouth twists into a frown and his entire face darkens with anger. "The last thing I remember, some he-witch was cursing me to live inside some blasted stone, and now here I am, naked as the day I was born, talking to a tiny female holding a blade at my back."

  I scoff. "Likely story. Did they send you?"

  "Believe what you will, but my words are truth, tiny female. I don't know these people you speak of."

  "The men who took Kay's mother and sister hostage for this." I reach down, grabbing the necklace off the table, and hold it in front of his face. "You're saying that you've just happened to show up when all of this is going down?"

  He growls again, and his eyes change from ice blue to a greyish white and I step back. "I would never harm a woman or child." He eyes the knife still thrust out in front of me. "Even when they are holding a weapon on me." He narrows his gaze. "Who would do such a thing?"

  I've got no idea who would do such a thing. As a matter of fact, I have no idea who would talk the way he's talking. I look him up and down again. There's something different about him. Something I can't quite put my finger on.

  I grab the blanket on the rocking chair and throw it at him. "Can you cover up, for Christ's sake? We've got a child here." His power is swirling around the room and again my body feels like I've shoved my finger into a power socket. I don't know who or what he is but he's powerful as hell. More powerful than most.