Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 139076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Winter cautiously placed his arms around Fox and slowly applied pressure. He was dying to hold his man, but he didn’t want to cause him any pain. The moment he’d realized he was trapped where he sat on the sofa, stark terror had consumed him. He hadn’t been able to protect Fox. Hadn’t been able to do anything but watch. Winter closed his eyes and focused on the sound of Fox breathing. He was content to never again move from that spot.
But he was drawn out of the moment by the sound of a happy sigh.
He opened his eyes to find Zelda watching them from where she still sat in the back seat.
“You’re both adorable. Positively adorable.”
Winter frowned. He didn’t know whether to be pissed at the old witch for dodging them for so long or if he should be grateful that she’d stepped in to save their lives.
Fox loosened his hold on Winter and turned to look at Zelda, a smile playing on his lips while he swayed on his feet.
“And you look dead on your feet. Understandable,” she said with a nod. “Some water and juice will help get you going again. Can’t rest yet. We’ve got to get some things worked out.” She waved her hand at Fox, beckoning him over. “You help me up those stairs. These old bones of mine are slow-moving. Winter can go unlock all his fancy security doodads.”
Winter didn’t want to let him go, and he certainly wasn’t too keen on letting Zelda into his place, but she did save their lives. And if he were being honest with himself, he suspected the witch could get into his place with or without the security system turned off.
Hurrying ahead of Fox and Zelda, Winter unlocked the door, propped it open, and jogged to the kitchen, where he fixed Fox a tall glass of iced water. He was heading toward the door again when Fox and Zelda appeared. He closed it behind them and stood back while Zelda urged Fox to sit at one of the stools lining the breakfast bar. Winter placed the glass in front of Fox, fighting the urge to gather him in his arms again.
He took a step away and looked at Fox for the first time since they left the cabin. The back of his arms, T-shirt, and down the legs of his jeans were streaked with blood and slashes. His heart broke while fresh anger poured through him. He wanted to return to the cabin and shatter the frozen bitch who had hurt him. He wanted to burn her cabin to the ground with her inside, then slip into the world of the dead and torture her fucking ghost for a few decades.
“I’m fine, I swear,” Fox said. His voice sounded lighter and firmer than it had, as if he’d regained some of his strength.
“You were stabbed so many times,” Winter whispered. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Fox’s temple, still afraid of touching him.
“Trust me, I know, but Zelda healed me. Here. Lift up my shirt.”
Winter stepped aside as Fox grabbed the hem of his T-shirt. Winter helped, lifting it completely over his head. He’d expected to see hundreds of long, deep ugly wounds, but instead there were just tiny red lines. Some looked a little angrier than others, but he would have said all of them were easily weeks old. Very carefully, he smoothed his hand over Fox’s back, and his boyfriend didn’t flinch in pain. He sighed happily, leaning into his touch.
“Oh thank God,” Winter sighed. He grabbed Fox from behind and held him tight, pressing his face into his sweaty hair.
“No, thank Zelda. She fixed me. Though, if you want, I’ve still got some tender cuts on my ass you can kiss later,” Fox said playfully.
A scoffing noise pulled Winter’s attention to the kitchen, where the witch was placing a pale green tea kettle on the stove. He couldn’t remember having a tea kettle. Or the delicate cup and saucer that sat on the counter next to the stove.
“Such a naughty boy,” Zelda murmured.
“I’d thank Zelda if she’d just shown up when we started looking for her weeks ago. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have found ourselves on that bitch’s doorstep in the first place.” Winter snarled, his arms still tightly wrapped around Fox.
“Oh, my God. What the fuck?” Fox moaned, but Zelda just laughed.
“It’s okay. He’s like his brother. All the Variks can be hotheads when someone they care about is threatened. Rafe got snippy with me over his Philippe.”
Fox hummed happily in Winter’s arms, but Winter was not charmed. “Can you please tell us what the hell is going on? Do you know about this stupid prophecy? Or even who made it?”
“And did you make that protective shield that blocked the fire?” Fox added.