Emma (Dark Fire) (29 page)

Over forty-eight hours had passed since Emma helped kill the witch. A lot had happened, too much and not enough at the same time. Talk about a puzzling mixture.

The buzz of arguing voices sounded from inside the basement, cutting across the natural music of birds and other odd creatures.

“Hey,” Tyler said softly. Walking up behind her, he wrapped his lean arms around her waist. The gash Andrew ripped across his shoulder had healed. “What’s wrong?”

She leaned backward, enjoying the feel of his body against hers. How could she be so happy and so worried at the same time?

His arms tensed around her and he sucked in a sharp gasp. His head lowered next to her face, kissing her cheek with a brief brush of his lips. “You’re worried about Kayla?”

She turned, looking into his eyes. His gaze sucked every thought from her brain, holding her mesmerized. Such an unearthly color of blue, they never ceased to amaze her. But, honestly, it was the look of adoration in them that still had the ability to surprise her.

“How did you know?” she asked curiously. He had been right, but there was more than one thing to worry about, including the upcoming news conference.

When she posted the video message on YouTube and Facebook, she had hoped it would reach enough people to make a difference. She hadn’t really thought it would go viral but it did, big time. The video stood at over one hundred million downloads and counting.

A grin split his face. “I heard you. Finally, I heard you in my head.”

“Don’t get too excited, you’ll get tired of my moaning and groaning soon enough.”

“Not happening,” he said, snorting his disagreement.

She sighed, wishing she could put it off a little while longer, but she’d put off telling him about Kayla for long enough. “Kayla should already be here,” she said, fretting her bottom lip with her teeth.

His soft growl pulled her up short. “You’ve got to stop that. You’re going to gnaw your lip clean off.”

“I know, but I can’t seem to help it.”

“Well, if anyone gets to nibble on you, it will be me,” he said, kissing her abused lip.

“Yeah, but when you kiss me, I can’t think at all,” she said, laughing as his face took on a smug look.

“Kayla?” he asked, gently prodding her.

She closed her eyes a moment, rubbing her face against his shoulder.

Holding her in his strong arms, he didn’t rush her, giving her the time she needed. The problem wasn’t that she didn’t trust him; she trusted him completely. Honestly, she didn’t know how to explain her reservations.

She looked into his face and blurted, “I think Kayla’s a vampire.”

“Okay,” he said very carefully. She could tell he was trying hard not to utter an immediate denial. “You do remember that until a few days ago there hasn’t been a gateway between Tuatha and Earth for a thousand years?”

“You do remember that a Tuathan can live for a lot longer than a thousand years?” she asked with a touch - perhaps a lot - of sarcasm.

“I wondered where my snarky mate had disappeared to,” he said with a grin in his voice.

“She’s been here the whole time. The snarky-ness just pops out without warning. Now, about Kayla,” she said, glancing toward the glass door of the basement, not wanting the others to overhear her. “You said yourself, she couldn’t have known about the council.”

“Okay, point to you,” he said, holding up a finger. “I’d like to point out that you’d probably be dead if she was a vampire.”

“No way, I’ll never believe that. Kayla would never hurt me.”

“You don’t know vampires,” he said frowning.

“I know Kayla. Before you disagree, is there any other type of Tuathan that can’t stand sunshine?” she asked. It was possible she was wrong, but she didn’t think so. Kayla and her dad had extreme UV sensitive skin.

“Several, including chimera,” he said with a grunt, “but for the most part, they’re more dangerous than vampires.”

“Well,” she said, refusing to admit defeat, “that makes my argument, because Kayla’s not dangerous.”

His groan of frustration was so cute she couldn’t help nuzzling his cheek. Eyes twinkling, she reached for his lips.

“You killed it!” Kyle bellowed from the basement.

They turned in time to see a body flying through the rec room.

Zach hit one of the big, over-stuffed chairs near the far wall, the wall holding the flat screen TV. With a snarl curling his face, he jumped to his feet and darted toward Kyle.

“Stop it!” Emma shouted, darting toward the basement door. She helplessly watched as they grappled with each other, knowing their fight was about to get out of hand. When it did, they’d totally trash the rec room.

“You destroy anything in this room and you’re both banned from coming back!” she hollered over their growls.

Both teens froze. Shocked that they listened to her, her jaw literally dropped.

They looked at each other and snarled. Turning, they stalked toward Emma.

Tyler swiftly pulled Emma toward him, away from the doorway.

The teens stormed outside. The instant they reached the deck, Kyle hit Zach with a wicked right hook. The fight was on. Back and forth, they traded punches.

“Aren’t you going to stop them?” Emma asked.

Female laughter answered her before Tyler had the chance. “Why should he? A good brawl will get their bloodthirsty behavior under control. At least for a little while,” Jenna said with a grin. The blonde chimera turned her attention back to the computer in front of her.

“What did he kill?” Emma asked, watching the girl move the arrow expertly across the screen.

The day before, Emma decided the Tuathans needed a lesson in technology. Yeah, that was a big mistake. She didn’t think they quite understood the details, but they took to the computer like a fish to water. They’d been fighting over it ever since.

Jenna shrugged. “Zach’s turn was up, but he was being a stubborn butt. Well, the mouse stopped moving across the screen and I might’ve hinted that the poor thing was dead.”

“Might’ve?” Tyler asked, chuckling with laughter. “What did you do?”

“Me?” Jenna asked, raising her innocent face. A glint of mischief darted through her mint-green eyes. “Why would you think that?”

“Let me guess,” Emma grinned, pointing to the front of the computer toward the USB port, “that came loose.”

Jenna nodded her head. “Yep, that little black button thing slides out really easy.”

“Hello?” a soft female voice hesitantly called out.

“Lily!” Jenna cried excitedly. Jumping up, she deserted her hard won computer.

Tyler’s sister stood on the stairs, long midnight hair floating to her hips. She looked uncomfortable like a party crasher at a member’s only gathering.

Jenna charged up the stairs, wrapping the other girl in a fierce hug. “I tried to see you, but that stuck-up healer told me no.”

“I know, I’m so sorry, but I didn’t hear about it until this morning. With Pastor Jonathan so busy helping the injured people at Scrimp Shaw, Master Healer Turner took over my recovery. Maverick,” she said, glancing behind her to the scowling cadet who was shadowing her every move, “told me.”

“She thought everyone hated her,” Maverick said, a snarl twisting his handsome face.

“What?” Jenna and Tyler demanded at the same time.

“Healer Turner said I should stay away from everyone until tempers calmed down, because the witch made everyone hate me,” the girl said, nervously twisting her fingers in the loose fabric of her black sash.

“That’s crazy! What that witch did was not your fault,” Emma said, following Tyler up the stairs. “That sadistic piece of trash hurt you more than anyone.”

“Yeah, she did hurt me, but you’re Tyler’s mate, and the witch looked like me when she tried to kill you,” Lily said rapidly, not pausing for breath, her eyes filled with unshed tears. “When I found out everyone was here, I wasn’t going to come to your house, but Maverick said he thought I’d be welcome. Then no one answered the door so if you’d rather I leave, I will. I won’t be angry or anything.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Tyler snarled.

“I agree. Lily,” Emma slipped past Jenna and touched Lily’s arm, “you’re always welcome in my house.”

“Thanks,” Lily said shakily. Stepping forward, she gave Emma a fleeting hug. She trembled. After the horrid time the girl had gone through, meeting and touching a stranger had to be difficult. “Welcome to the family.”

“Enough chit-chat,” Maverick growled, “go sit down, before you fall down.”

She pursed her lips, but started down the stairs without an argument. “With Lester and his gang of vampires still on the loose, Mom refused to let me out of the castle without an escort. Everyone meet Maverick, my new guard dog.”

“If it’s all the same to you, I prefer cadet,” he said. Dressed in black with a blue sash edged in a thin ribbon of black, he followed Lily and Jenna down the stairs. Seeing the bi-colored sash, Emma’s eyes widened in question, wondering who the fury’s mate was. She would’ve sworn his sash had been a solid blue a few days before.

She wished she’d seen them land, because she was dying to see a fury’s wings up close. No doubt asking Maverick to shape shift, just so she could see his wings, would be a serious no-no.

Well, if she couldn’t ask Maverick, she’d ask Jenna. The girl didn’t seem quite as ashamed of her fury ancestry as she did of her vampire.

Emma’s new cell phone chirped. Grinning, she jerked it out of her hip pocket and hit answer. “It’s about time you called me.”

Tyler stopped on the stair below her.

“I need to talk to you without your Boy Toy and his friends listening,” Kayla said as a way of greeting.

Emma rolled her eyes. “How do you know Ty and the others can hear? Maybe I’m all by myself.”

Kayla snorted. “Yeah, right, next you’ll be telling me a dragon and fury didn’t just walk in.”

Emma snapped her mouth shut on her comeback. Eyes narrowed, she headed up the stairs at a trot. There was only one way Kayla could know Lily and Maverick walked in two minutes earlier.

Tyler was a step behind her as she flew out the front door.

Her best friend stood in the shadow of the overhang. Thin gloves and a lightweight hoodie hid her fair skin. “You never listen to...”

Emma grabbed her in a bear hug. “Don’t fuss. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”

Kayla returned her hug with as much enthusiasm, wobbling a bit as her bad leg nearly gave way. “No more than me, but then I’m not the one with a mate mark running up my arm.”

Emma grinned, tugging Kayla toward Tyler. “Come on. You’ve got to meet him.”

“Yeah, maybe that’s not such a good idea,” she said hesitantly.

Emma turned, and sure enough, behind Tyler stood his entire clan. No wonder her bold, fearless best friend looked like she was ready to bolt.

“They don’t bite.”

“Speak for yourself,” Kyle grumbled.

“Em,” Kayla said, her husky voice quavered, “There’s stuff you don’t know about me.”

Emma snorted. “You mean like being a vampire? Totally doesn’t matter. You’re still my best friend.”

“She’s not a vampire,” Tyler said, moving closer, he gently squeezed her shoulder.

“You’re not?” Emma asked, glancing at Kayla’s tense face.

“No.”

“But sunshine burns you.” She frowned as Kayla shifted closer to the edge of the porch. “Stop, right, there.”

“I don’t want you stuck in the middle,” Kayla said with feeling.

Jenna choked-out a frightened curse.

“Jenna, what’s wrong?” Kyle demanded.

“First-gen,” Jenna whispered in a horrified voice. “She’s a first-generation.”

Snarling, Kyle and Zach surged forward.

“No!” Jenna screamed, “she’ll kill you!”

Faster than Emma believed possible, Tyler shifted to wér. Stepping in front of Kayla, he stopped his two growling clan brothers from attacking.

“Okay, someone start explaining what’s going on,” Emma ordered, glaring from one side to the other. Kayla’s grim look of anger stopped her cold.

“I’m chimera,” Kayla said, in the heavy silence. Pulling her hood down, fine blonde hair cascaded around her shoulders.

“You mean you have wings and I’ve never seen them?” Emma asked in a huff. “Someone tell me why chimera insist on hiding their gorgeous wings.”

Despite the tension, Kayla chuckled. “You never change.”

“Of course not,” she agreed with a smirk.

“Changing the subject won’t make the problem go away, not when I’m a first generation.”

“So? I just don’t get it. You’re chimera and so is Jenna, but she acts terrified of you, and those two want your head on a platter,” Emma said, nodding to the snarling boys.

“If you could feel the power she’s throwing off, you’d be just as frightened,” Jenna said, inching forward. “According to history, there was only a handful of first-gen chimera. Every single one had too much power and was utterly insane.”

“Yeah, my family has a colorful history.” Kayla’s lips quirked as everyone, except Emma, tensed.

“No fighting, not here.”

“I agree with my mate. First-gen or not, she’s Emma’s best friend.” Tyler’s jaw clenched. “As long as Kayla doesn’t attack first, she’s officially under my family’s protection.”

Kyle and Zach growled their disagreement.

“Kill joy,” Kayla murmured, humor lacing her huskily spoken words.

“Thanks,” Emma said quietly, touching his arm.

“Chélah, I can do no less. My family is yours and your family is mine,” he said, gently brushing his lips against hers, sealing his words with a kiss filled with love.