I could easily stand there forever, but Jak seems to know that my feet are going numb from the cold because he lifts me easily into his arms and carries me back to the sled, where he tucks me once more beneath the furs. I must look as disappointed as I feel at the early end to our evening because the corner of his mouth hitches and he trails his clawed fingers gently along my cheek before tipping my chin so that I meet his eyes.
“Come, my queen, let’s return home while the magic of the night may travel with us and be carried in our hearts while we rest in comfort.”
My lips twitch. “And merriment?” I tease, surprising a chuckle from him.
“And merriment,” he agrees, brushing a kiss to the tip of my nose. “How did you know?”
“An excellent guess,” I respond around a stifled giggle.
Little does he know that merriment does not require any of his festive magic. I can feel it bubbling within me in excitement at his nearness and the happiness that just being with him exudes. That same happiness that he always inspired. It wasn’t the treats, the cozy atmosphere, or the good food. It was always Jak, even when I could not see him, that made me feel alive and happy.
So why not take it to the next level? He has clearly demonstrated his own feelings, but he seems shy and uncertain of how to express them or where to go with them. So why not lead the way? Why not unapologetically accept what we both want?
“The solstice lights the lamp of hope and promise,” I murmur to myself as Jak picks up the tethers to the sled and begins to pull, starting us forward once again. “This fire that has been lit needs not to be extinguished. Time to let it grow and enjoy our own blessings for a change.”
With my plan firmly in mind, I settle back into the sled with a thoughtful smile as I take in the glorious sight of the frost demon in flight. Frost even seems to dance and swirl with the movement of his wings.
I wonder what will happen when the heat turns up?
Chapter 14
Jakfros
Ifeel warm; so incredibly, impossibly warm. It is making my magic erratic, fueling to a higher point to where I can feel the frost flowing off me in waves without the constant, sucking draw of the season draining it from me. It is sublime, but I want more of it.
A small, nervous pant escapes from between my lips as I glance back at Shawna. Her cheeks are rosy from the cold and her face is pale, but her eyes sparkle at me, making my pulse quicken. How can I be so affected by a human? Does Shawna have some kind of special magic of her own? I have heard tales of species who can seduce males by drawing on his desire. If not for the fact that I am quite certain that she is human, I might have wondered whether she has hidden her true nature from me.
It cannot be normal that her scent fills my nose with every breath, no matter how sweet the environment is, or how open and clean the air. No matter where I am, she fills my senses, and it is reaching a point of being concerning. I do not even know what possessed me just moments ago. My ice queen? Did I truly call her that? Did I truly dare to insinuate the true depth of my clawing need for her? No matter how much I wish to claim that I was possessed in those moments, I know the truth—and that is perhaps most frightening of all: that I, a frost demon, am no longer in control of the situation. I have fallen into my own trap.
I covertly glance back at her again to watch the way she tips her head back to admire the snow-laden trees, revealing the soft flesh of her neck. This demonstration of vulnerability stirs my hunger to greater urgency. I lick my lips, ravenous, her decadent scent filling me as I fasten my eyes on her pulse. She is brimming over with vitality even now, and still it is too soon for the feast.
Another pant escapes me, this one more ragged than the last, and I tremble as I push my wings harder. I do not dare look back at her again as I glide between the trees. I cannot afford the distraction while I am pulling the sled behind me. The soft chime of the bells at my waist with every beat of my wings sings to me far too sweetly of the forbidden, teasing me and tempting me to let go and to embrace everything that the Dark Ones have put before me. I do not think Shawna realizes the true depth of what I desire. I do not wish for merely the Yule feast of pleasure. My ice queen is mine and I want to keep her beneath my wings, not unlike those witches that demons have taken as lovers and mates over the ages.
But what if I cannot make her happy to remain with me?
Other demons have acquired their mates through various trials that bonded them together. What Shawna and I have is a winter holiday paradise that would lose its enchantment quickly. The matter of the forbidden set aside, as I am caring less and less about such technicalities, she would not be content to remain in a perpetual atmosphere of festivities. But what else do I have to offer her when every interaction with mortals has been motivated by one purpose—the Yule Feast? What do I have to offer beyond the comforts of a passing holiday?
My wings flap a little faster with my rising anxiety, and I dart between the trees with an increasing speed that I did not dare previously. I am not even aware of it until Shawna’s gasp of something akin to fear brings me back to reality and Iimmediately check my flight, bringing it to a more reasonable pace before glancing back at her apologetically.
“Did I frighten you?” I call worriedly.
To my surprise, she shakes her head and gives me an impish grin. “That speed was something else, but I understand your eagerness to return to the cabin. To be honest, I am impatient too.”
Her smile turns embarrassed, sending a sensation singing straight to my groin even as my heart patters an erratic tempo within my chest. I am yet again charmed by her warmth, vulnerability, and softness that I am finding it a bit difficult to string two thoughts together, much less function. It is truly a miracle I am avoiding the trees so effortlessly. But maybe that is the luck of the witless fool that follows his heart.
