Charred Tears (#2, Heart of Fire) (17 page)

“Easy, killer,” Chace said from behind her, sliding a finger through her belt loop to pull her to a stop. “Gunner still has his panther senses.”

Reluctantly, she stepped aside so the large panther shifter could enter. He stood perfectly still in the foyer.

She swiped Chace’s hand away from her pants and waited, trying hard to ignore the solid warmth of him at her back. Her stomach fluttered at the idea of her skin brushing his, even if accidentally.

Gunner moved after a minute, waving them in.

“I don’t sense anyone,” he said. “What are we looking for?”

“There are a handful of shifters in the library.” She pointed down the hallway on their left. “Under a couch. There are hundreds of them in the study.” She indicated the hallway ahead of them.

“I’ll check the library,” Gunner said and started down the corridor without waiting for anyone else to join him.

Shit.
The idea of being alone with Chace was a little too appealing – and distracting.

“This way,” she said and walked down the hallway.

He followed.

Skylar opened the door to the study with some apprehension, recalling how awful her last visit there had been. She expected to smell the scent of death, for she’d last seen a dead tiger and Caleb in the study.

Both bodies were gone, though the destruction of her battle with Dillon remained.

“This is where I got shot,” she murmured as much to Chace as herself. She touched her shoulder. “How did you heal me?”

“No idea. My magic seems to be acting out at will.” By the reserved note in his voice, he had an idea of why.

She eyed him and moved away to the far side of the study. The fight between Dillon and the tiger knocked shelves of the shifter figurines to the floor, and she knelt to start gathering them.

“I can’t believe how many there are,” Chace said from his spot kneeling on the other side of the room.

“I know. At least they aren’t dead,” she said.
Like the slayers you all want to kill.

“I wonder how many of them I know.”

A glance in his direction revealed him holding one shifter up to the light from the window. It was a dragon.

A trickle of jealousy went through her. She returned to gathering the statues and forced her mind away from any thought of wanting something more with Chace.

“If these shifters have been fighting for thousands of years, how long can a shifter’s offspring bear a grudge?” she asked curtly.

“Probably too long.”

“Especially if she’s got good reason.”

“You’re acting moody like my magic cabin,” he snapped.

“Your cabin was at least nice to me. Is it still magic?”

“No. Only the fridge is.”

The visual of a magic fridge struck her as funny, and she laughed.

Chace eyed her.

“Ice cream for me, turnips for you,” she said cheerfully. “Definitely no fried chicken for this dragon.”

“I’m glad someone finds this amusing.”

“Hey, your sudden lifestyle change was your choice,” she reminded him.

“That’s it.” He rose and dropped the pile of figurines in his hands onto a chair. “I’ve been trying to be nice, but I can’t take it anymore. You got something to say, say it, instead of all this passive aggressive bullshit.”

Surprised, she hesitated. He stood in the middle of the study, hands on hips and blue eyes sparking. He was the dragon shifter she recalled, the man with a temper and magic he wasn’t able to control. His fire was a turn on, one that made her skin prick.

“Oh, now you’re quiet,” he goaded with some satisfaction.

Her anger bubbled. “You’re an asshole, Chace!” She rose and met him in the middle of the study, arms crossed. “You fucked up your life and almost mine, because you’re a selfish dick.”

“I can’t change what happened, Skylar.”

“You haven’t even tried to apologize for betraying me, Chace!”

“You said not to!”

“You’re supposed to
try
. It’s how this works!”

He stared at her.

“Oh, now
you’re
the one who’s quiet,” she retorted. “Not even gonna try to suck up with another comment about how pretty I am while angry?”

One minute, she was glaring at him in triumph. The next, she was in his arms.

Chace pulled her into his body, his hungry mouth capturing hers before she was able to offer up any further comment. His warm lips were demanding, his velvety tongue sliding between her lips.

Any thought she had of pushing him away melted under his intensity, and she leaned into him. She knew she’d missed his hard body, but feeling him pressed against her once more made her realize just how much she needed him.

Her eyes watered. In this very place, she’d almost had a panic attack at Dillon’s claim that Chace was dead. She held nothing back but kissed him with the need she felt, her arms wrapping around his neck. She was home in his arms, even if she was still confused about what exactly that meant.

There was too much emotion in his kiss for her to understand all he was showing her. Her own feelings were close to boiling over, and hot tears stung her cheeks.

Chace drew back enough to speak and rested his forehead against hers. The sounds of their uneven breathing filled the space between them. He smoothed away the tears from her face, the warmth of his thumbs sending small bursts of hot energy through her.

They stood in the peaceful moment long enough for her to doubt her reasoning behind keeping her distance.

“I’m sorry for hurting you, Skylar,” he whispered huskily.

“I know.” Unable to untangle her emotions from her physical desire, she struggled for control. “They tried to tell me you were dead.” She squeezed her eyes closed and drew deep breaths, comfortable against his body.

“I’m right here, honey.”

She nodded and took one of his hands, kissing his palm. Even his hand smelled of the delicious mix of bonfire and honey. She breathed him in, loving the combination of his warmth and scent.

“Whatever happens, I’m still pissed at you,” she warned in a quiet voice.

“I’m okay with that.” He lifted her chin.

She opened her eyes to meet his gaze.

“When you think I’ve made it up to you, you can tell me. Until then, I’ll assume you’re still mad and will do my best to help out,” he said.

She gave a strangled laugh, overwhelmed by the emotion blooming in her breast.

“Deal?” he asked.

She nodded and flung her arms around his muscular frame, temporarily finding solace in the man she didn’t know what to do with. He hugged her hard, and she sighed. Sky wiped her tears on the soft material of his sweater and used the opportunity to take a deep whiff of his masculine, slightly sweet scent.

“You all down here still?” Gunner called from down the hall.

“I swear he’s the king of interruptions,” Chace grumbled.

She pulled free from his arms. His hand stayed on her hip until she was too far for him to reach. Affected by his gentle words, Skylar returned to her duty of picking up the shifters.

She wanted …
yearned
to believe him. Her resolve to keep him at a distance was near the breaking point, as fragile as her emotions. She was shaking and turned on, grateful that he’d finally admitting to screwing her over yet wishing they’d had time for more.

She feared he wasn’t yet able to follow through with what he said, no matter how much he meant it.

Her skin burned where he’d touched her, his fingers branding every part of her they reached. She wanted to be absorbed by his heat and smell, to surrender to it and just let the world work its own issues out.

With a deep sigh, she turned her focus to the shifters.

“I found another eighteen in there,” Gunner reported, entering the study. “Wow. There are a ton in here.”

“Yeah,” she said without looking at him. Her body hummed from even the brief contact with Chace’s skin. She struggled to push her mesmerized senses into focusing on her task instead of being naked, wrapped in Chace’s arms.

Barely aware of what she did, she collected figurines until there was nothing else to pick up.

Skylar sat back on her heels, scouring the area around her. Only one remained, and she stood, approaching Caleb’s desk. The figurine was encased in glass. She’d almost forgotten seeing it the other day. It was a dragon, and she picked up the snow-globe shaped crystal housing it.

Why did Caleb put this shifter here? As with all of the figurines, there were no distinguishing marks. It was a dragon – and that was all she could tell.

Skylar dropped the glass jar. It shattered on the Saltillo tile floor. She picked up the dragon figurine and dropped it into her pocket. Confident she had them all, she opened the heavy bag and peered in. The figurines almost reached the top.

“Last handful,” Chace said and knelt beside her. He placed his cupped hands into the bag and released the batch he had.

Sensing her gaze, he glanced up, pausing before moving away. Their burning attraction was back, too intense for her to ignore, too strong for her to know what to do with.

Chace offered a trace of a smile and touched her cheek lightly. He rose and walked away, the warm tingle from his fingers remaining. She watched the way his muscles moved, smooth and powerful, beneath the snug jeans and sweater.

He was the sexiest man she’d ever seen. Every time she saw him, a pang of both hurt and need hit her hard enough to make her breath catch.

Skylar dropped her gaze to the figurines.

“We have our own army,” she assessed. “It would be cool if you all were this size normally. I could take you everywhere. Insta-ride home from the mall.”

At their silence, she glanced up. They were both eyeing her, as if suspecting she was serious.

She snorted and rose, lugging the bag across the study to reach them. Chace automatically leaned down to take it. Their hands brushed, and warmth crept through her body and up her face. The small touch was enough to leave her rattled again.

Flustered, she released the bag and started forward, the sudden need for air overwhelming any other thought. She didn’t notice the hallway or glance toward the library where things went bad the other night. She didn’t register anything until she was standing in the warm, early afternoon sun.

Skylar took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She climbed into the driver’s seat and started the SUV. The others got in as well.

If nothing else, they were leaving with the figurines. She willed herself to think of this as enough.

No one spoke as she pulled out of the driveway and drove to the highway, merging onto the four-lane road.

“Um, where are we going?” she asked. “I don’t think we should return to the hotel.”

“Gavin can’t move the bar until dark,” Gunner answered. “Your place?”

Her face felt hot again at the memory of the last time she’d been at her apartment. Chace had been there, too.

“I guess. I need to stop for food first.”

“Pizza,” Chace said instantly.

“Wings,” Gunner replied.

“Easy enough.” She hid a smile. “You have something against things that can fly, Gunner?”

“Don’t all cats?”

“So I bet you like fried chicken.”

“Definitely.”

“I thought so.” She grinned and glanced at Chace.

He rolled his eyes.

Gunner’s innocent admittance left her more satisfied than she expected. She went through a drive-thru pizza place then hopped back on the road.

“Meat lovers,” she said of Chace’s choice. “Why am I not surprised?”

“What kind do you get?” Gunner asked from the backseat.

“Pineapple, peppers and bacon,” Chace answered for her. “Sweet and spicy. Definitely no surprise there.”

Gunner smiled at her through the rearview mirror. She said nothing, hating how easily Chace got to her.

Skylar ate as she drove. The shifters were quiet, and they spent the next two hours in silence on the trip south to Tucson. At long last, she turned into her apartment community.

“Sky, you mind if I take your truck out for a bit?” Gunner asked. “I need to get some clothes somewhere. Been wearing the same thing for almost three days.”

“That’s fine,” she said. Silently, she willed Chace to go with him, not yet sure she was ready to be alone with him.

“I’ll go with you, Gun. I could use a change, too,” Chace said.

Thank you!
She almost breathed a sigh of relief. Skylar pulled up to the curb near the stairwell leading to the third floor and got out of the SUV.

The doors to Gunner and Chace’s seats opened. Chace waited for her on the sidewalk, the bag of figurines in one hand.

“I’ll walk you up,” he offered. “These are heavy.”

“Thanks,” she murmured without looking at him.

“Hurry up!” Gunner called, sliding the driver’s seat back before he was able to get in.

Skylar led Chace up the stairs and paused outside her apartment, fishing the key out of the case on her cell phone. She opened the door and stepped in, holding it open for Chace.

His faint scent lingered in the air from the last time he’d been present in her apartment.

She glanced around. She’d left most of her weapons on the kitchen table, and they were in disarray from what she and Chace had done on top of the table. The memory made her stomach flutter.

“You can just set them there,” she said and indicated a spot on the floor near the door.

He placed the bag on the floor and closed the door.

Skylar glanced him, expecting him to be in a hurry. Or maybe,
wishing
he was. It was hard to keep in mind how he’d disappointed her, betrayed her, when he stood so close.

“If you want, I can stay,” he said, the offer in his voice clear.

She froze for a second then turned to face him.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she murmured.

Chace studied her in the indirect light of the tiny foyer of her apartment.

“I’ll make it worth your time.” He smiled slowly as he said the familiar words she’d used against him more than once, a cunning gleam in his eyes.

Yes.
Her body was already caving, before he even touched her.

“One kiss,” she said. “Then you’re gone.”