Page 58 of Ice

I turn around, rage twisting my gut.

I still hate this fucker. Interrupting me now, he’s pretty much guaranteed to get a blast of heat coming his way.

He looks at my hand. The fire ball inside it grows larger.

“Is there any news?” Nico asks, fear twitching in his eyes even though he doesn’t step back or try to run from me.

I meet his gaze, and as I stare at him, the anger starts to fade.

The kid is broken.

He and Sam are alike in that way too; they are both struggling to deal with their new lives. We’ve all been through shit. And this is theirs. They’ll get through it. But somehow, I can’t make it worse.

So, I drop the fire, take my flask from my pocket, and flop down on the sand.

“Nova’s been kidnapped by Zephyra. Vampire Queen. FHB dealer. She wants Nova’s blood.”

Nico sits beside me and combs his fingers through his shiny black hair. “Rev told me.”

“Zephyra has Rev’s aunt. Rev’s aunt is the only one who can create the elixir that will save Mack and disable the scepter which, by the way,the AMA have got their hands on.” I sigh and my jaw twitches. “It’s a fuck up.”

“I know,” Nico says again, shaking his head.

I hand him the flask and he takes a long swing.

“But they’ll get Nova back. And Rev’s aunt. The guys are…”

“That’s the plan.” I take another drink. “At least, I think so. Last time I spoke to them it didn’t seem like anyone had much of a plan.”

“The scepter – how did the AMA win the auction?” Nico asks.

I turn to look at him. “You mean your Bureau buddies haven’t told you already?”

“They’re not my buddies.” Nico rubs his thighs awkwardly and looks down at his feet.

“You’re working with them.”

“I’m working for them because they made it pretty clear that if I didn’t, I’d be locked up.” Nico sighs then adds, “And because I need to do something to make up for what I was before.”

A pang of surprisingly strong sympathy tugs at my throat. I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Listen, kid. You have to let that go. We’ve all done fucked up shit. You changed. You’re different now. No use being hung up on the past. And you shouldn’t let the Bureau wring you dry, either. They’ve only got their best interests at heart.”

“I thought Annalise was your friend?”

“I trust her more than anyone else at that place, but she’s still working for the bigger players.” I meet his eyes and pass back the flask. “All I’m saying is be careful. That’s all.”

Nico nods, then gets to his feet and offers me his hand. “Why don’t we go drink in a place where we don’t get sand up our ass cracks?” he says, trying to smile. For the first time since I’ve known him, he’s talking to me like he wants to be buddies.

I’ve got enough buddies.

But seeing as they’re all half way across the fucking world, I shrug and say, “Okay, fine. But you’re buying.”

28

KIM

I’m picturing Kaitlin on our wedding day. It’s the image that comes to me most often, even though she was perfect every day that I knew her. Every day from the day we met in preschool. Her with her thick blond hair, tight curls, and big goofy smile.

She was missing a tooth.