And I do. Or I think I do.
What is happening in my life right now? Yesterday this asshole was my enemy.
I swallow hard.
“Can’t we just poof to another realm?” I wave my hand, indicating the disappearing trick they like to pull on me, hoping the answer has changed since the last time I asked. “Blaze us away, Latham.”
Torben just stares at me like he’s not sure how I’ve lived so long without common knowledge of their hellish world. I arch a brow right back, propping my hands on my hips, unwilling to back down from what seems like a perfectly logical question.
“Realm rules, Love,” Latham explains apologetically. “You have to physically cross through them. It’s not possible to ‘poof’ from one to the next, even for us. Besides, I told you our magic won’t carry you outside the mortal realm.”
“Lawless fucking place,” Aric mutters like the Realm of the Living is somehow worse than Hell. He catches me watching him, and the corner of his lips pull up in a half smile that draws out that dimple I want to lick. It distracts me enough to make the new information I learned take an extra moment to sink it.
“Magic rules,” I mutter. But it makes sense.
“You know of them?” Aric questions as Loki pounces around his feet chasing the light floating snowflakes, making himself the cutest little kitty who ever lived. It’s kind of fun to see Aric take a liking to my cat. He knows how much the furball means to me, so now Loki means something to him too it seems.
Or maybe he’s just a big softy on the inside. Like…deepinside. Past the scary exterior of that serial killer charm he holds.
“I know about them from the books I read. Every story is set around some set of magical rules that often only serve to make shit difficult.” I wave a hand all Vanna White style toward the ledge I’m getting ready to leap from.
Fuck. I’m really doing this, aren’t I?
“Are you ready?” Torben stomps forward, running out of patience, but there’s a tension to his shoulders, a tightness he carries around with him like a new weight has settled there.
“I’m never going to be ready, so we might as well just do it.” I shrug, knowing it’s true.
Aric whistles for Loki, who comes trotting over like he didn’t just try to kill the guy the other day. Latham twists his wrist, and a duffle bag with a soft lining appears in his hand. Aric takes it and splays it open on the ground like he’s preparing a fine bed for the Queen of England or something. My cat curls up in the bag, happy for the free ride, and Aric zips it completely shut this time. Loki mewls his frustration, but it’s like he knows this is the safest option, because he quiets after minimal protest.
“I’ll go first,” Latham offers. “That way you can see what happens. Hopefully it’ll help you trust us.” His confession warms me to the core. He wants to make this easier on me, and I appreciate the hell out of him.
“Okay.” I nod.
With a sexy smirk and a wink, Latham walks casually past me. He strides to the edge as he faces me with that alluring look of calm confidence. Then he gracefully launches himself off the ledge.
A scream rips from my throat. I… fuck. He actually jumped! A tiny part of me thought they were joking. That they’d turn around and laugh about how they had me going. We’d walk jovially back down the mountain and have a nice brunch with the ice giants in their temple of doom.
This… this brings reality crashing down around me like sharp, dagger-esque hail.
I scramble for the edge and watch Latham dive into the churning sea.
“Your turn,” Torben demands. It’s clear he doesn’t trust Aric to make me jump.
“Come on, Love.” Aric holds out his hand and I take it.
My fingers tremble in his large grip. He’s gentler now than he has been this whole time as he pulls me back a few steps.
“You’re so fucking tiny. You’re going to need to run to launch yourself.” His gaze rakes over my frame skeptically, but I’m not a weakling. My wolf rumbles her agreement and lends me her strength, ready to show up the arrogant, sexy asshole next to me.
The challenge shores up my resolve as I narrow my eyes on him.
Smirking wickedly, he murmurs, “There she is.” Then he’s tugging on my hand, and I’m running next to him.
He doesn’t back down. He matches me step for step, and I love that he won’t let me do this alone.
I love that he cares despite how hard he doesn’t want to.
Snarls bounce around inside my head as my wolf’s power fills every fiber of my being. Aric’s dark chuckle is all I hear as my foot breaches the edge of the cliff. Muscles bunching, I kick off the edge and propel myself into the air with more strength than I’ve ever possessed.
