I’d let the snowy currents take me and paused to gauge her reaction from the frosted windows outside town hall. Sylvie stood dumbfounded and alone in the middle of the dance floor, still searching for me as if I’d return. The confused anguish in her gaze carved an icicle into my chest. Winter’s blessing knows I wanted to continue what we started, to deepen the kiss and coax her somewhere private to exploremore. I needed her to want this—to go searching for me, asking for us to continue the mate-ship.
Her delicate fingers traced over her lips, and only when Aella approached her, shaking her shoulder, did Sylvie seem tocome to her senses. She muttered something to Aella and took another glance around the room. When her gaze flickered to the windows, I hid out of sight, the ice creature itching at my skin, yearning to show more of itself. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold it back, it’dneverfelt this insistent.
After several more minutes had dragged on, and Sylvie stopped looking for me, I began to lose a tinge of hope. She chatted with Flora and Aella, even took a few moments to dance with them, gleefully laughing and singing. If it weren’t for the occasional glances over her shoulder and some grins that appeared forced, I may have worried she’d forgotten me entirely.
The ice creature forced itself from my forearms, icy stone and glacial skin replacing them. Grimacing, I pushed off the building, making for the woods and preparing to seclude myself until it calmed down—ifit calmed down. Nanok was there to greet me, his large black nose sniffing the air, searching behind me, and huffing when he didn’t detect a certain someone.
“She isn’there, Nanok. And I don’t needyoureminding me of that.” Wincing in pain from fighting the creature, I gripped my chest, willing my heart not to completely freeze over.
Nanok huffed again and shoved me with a massive paw, nearly toppling me over. Anger flooded me, and the sharp ice spires that protruded from my creature’s forehead forced their way out. Pointing at my bear, I flashed him a seething glare. “Don’t push me right now. Can’t you see what’s happening?”
Nanok whimpered and stepped back, but soon his large eyes brightened, and he sniffed the air emphatically. I stilled because I smelled it too—sugar and watermelon. Taking a deep breath, I pulled my sleeves farther down my arms to cover the icy patches of skin that I couldn’t dismiss.
Sylvie traipsed through the snow, a cheery smile plastered to her beautiful face. One hand held the skirts of the elaborate dress I’d made for her, the other clutched something to herchest. Her wings flapped behind her, accelerating her steps, and once she reached me, she was out of breath, and her hair no longer had its teased volume. She’d kicked off her shoes, running barefoot with porcelain feet wiggling snow between her toes. If she were anything but what she was, her feet would be nearing frostbite.
“Hi,” Sylvie blurted, gulping and trying to catch her breath. “I—oh, did you add to your mask?” She eyed the new spires that had inconveniently sprouted from my head.
Choosing to skirt around the question, I held out my hand for her to take. Once her skin slid against mine, that delicious warmth soothing me, I let out a contented sigh. “Why didn’t youflyhere?” A tiny smile crept to my lips.
“Tried,” Sylvie breathed out, shuffling through the snow to get closer to me. “Fell a lot. I really need to practice.”
Her violet eyes sparkled as the full moon lit the snow collecting on the tree branches. My creature, my cock, and my soulyearnedfor her.
Biting the inside of my cheekhardto tame the monster, I pulled her closer and pointed at what she hid in her hand. “What do you have there?”
“Oh,” she said, her voice so delicate the harsh winds surrounding us almost carried it away. “You seemed a little down at the ball, and I get it. It’s me?—”
I opened my voice to protest, but Sylvie pulled her hand from mine and lightly pressed it over my mouth. Keeping my gaze locked with hers, I skimmed my tongue over her skin, slipping it between two of her fingers.
She hitched a breath, watching me, and gulped. “You were right, Jack. I am scared.” Sylvie revealed what she’d been hiding—a white cupcake with blue and white frosting speckled with silver dust. “Which is why I made this forbothof us to eat.”
The ice creature rumbled in my chest. I lifted her hand from my lips, shifting my gaze between the delectable, magic-laced treat and the nerves dancing so obviously in her eyes. “You’reofferingme food?”
Sylvie blinked and re-emphasized the cupcake in her grasp. “Well, yes. You take a bite, I take a bite, and things should settle. It’s a clarity spell.”
She wasn’t aware of the implications of being fed by your mate meant for our kind. Why would she? An internal battle on whether to make this known to her, or use it to my advantage to tether her, raged within me.
Closing the remaining distance between us, I wrapped a hand around her forearm. She was so delicate compared to me that I could’ve circled one of my hands around herstwice. Slowly, I brought the cupcake toward my lips, flashing a glint in my wintry eyes in hopes of keeping her captivated. A smile edged the closer the icing got to my mouth, and I opened it, my canines enlarging—anticipatory and feral.
The ground rumbled at our feet, snapping me and Nanok’s attention straight to it. Sylvie backed away, the snowy dirt beginning to split apart. Harrowing cackles and chatters emanated from the hole before dozens of creatures wielding icy blades, rows of razor barbed teeth, and skin bulging with sharp icy spikes crawled from it.
Frost goblins.
Sylvie peered at me with terror, her eyes wide as the full moon hanging above us. The crack grew larger, separating us. Several goblins scurried toward her. She held the cupcake above her head, using her magic in spurts to keep them at bay.
When she looked at me, yelling an agonized, “Jack!”, there was no more hiding the ice creature. Iteruptedfrom me.
If it weren’tfor Fintan bursting through the tree line to my aid, skewering several goblins with his antlers as they neared me, I might have taken several swords to the stomach. What Jack turned into—the gradual process as the icy armor climbed up his arms, torso, and head—had me staring in awe and fear, but mostly inadoration. Jack’s skin turned a pale blue, layers of armored icy plating shifting over his chest and stomach. Several lethally sharp icy spikes protruded from his shoulders, down the sides of his arms, and continued the length of his forearms. He was much taller than me before the transformation, but now hetoweredover me. Jack’s hair and beard were replaced with icy sculpture renditions of them, spiking on his head and pointing down his chin. Two larger spikes extended from his forehead like a horned helmet, and his eyes were glowing pools of cerulean.
Fintan slid in front of me, blocking my view of the beautiful monster Jack had become, and it snapped me back to what was happening. Dozens of small frost creatures ran chaoticallyaround us, some tugging and tearing my dress skirts. Not only was the fear of them harming me running loose in my mind, but they were destroying my dress—such a simple garment, but atreasurethat Jack had created for me.
The cupcake was still in my grasp, and I made it disappear into an invisible pocket created from the snowfall for safekeeping. Hiking my dress, I used my wings to launch myself skyward, landing on Fintan’s back and grabbing onto the back of his neck for dear life.
Nanok raised on his hind legs, growling and baring his massive canines. The once docile polar bear raged with carnal fury, his eyes taking on the same icy glow as Jack’s, as if they were connected somehow. While Nanok swatted leaping creatures, Jack created ice swords protruding from his forearms, slicing them in the air in front of him, dismembering all who crossed their paths, misting their dark blue blood.
As much as I’d love to admit that I knew what I was doing in a battle, I hadn’t the first clue. Sending bursts of my magic to stagger them away was one thing, but how to wield a sword, or make those spur of the moment life defying decisions? Just because I was magical, just because I was fae, didn’t mean I’d suddenly become a renowned fighter no sooner had a hilt graced my palm. I didn’t feel ashamed that Fintan wasn’t charging me through enemy lines to attack them, though I certainly bashed any available heads that wouldn’t knock me off my stag. Fintan was protecting me, making it harder for them to attack or grab me as we tried to flee.
Nanok and Jack were watching each other’s backs. Jack used his blades to take out those closest to him, others who were wise enough to try and flee back to the hole, he’d launch flying icy daggers at. They had so many in their backs by the time the creatures hit the ground, they looked like frosted porcupines. We reached a clearing with Jack distracting most of the horde.
