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"What's this?" He points to a red pin on the coast not far from here. I squint, trying to remember what I know about the small village.
"Ithinkthere's some sort of inn here..." I tap my finger on my chin, trying to remember. I catch him watching the movement, and I twist in his grip, winking at him. "Ah! I remember. The Polar Bear Bed and Breakfast. It’s a neutral location because it falls outside of most boundaries. Perfect. I’ll bet you we can access the news there too." For the first time, something inside of me whispers to leave him. He has spent so long training for me, fighting for me, I can’t ask him to face my mother.
But then, he smiles at me, his lips turning up in the corners, and I put the thought aside. "I'll follow you anywhere, Elva. It sounds perfect."
* * *
There isn'tany food in the abandoned cabin, but we can shower and replenish our funds. I add the cabin owner to my never-ending list of people to pay back. This must be some kind of hunting lodge because there isn't even a bed. We are lucky it has running water.
“Nathan, I need to see your shoulder,” I say once we take separate showers. It was a damn shame, but we need to sleep.
"I'm fine, Elva,” he says, shaking his head. Droplets fly off his red-gold hair as he grimaces. “Seriously, it was just a fracture…maybesome minor scratches."
I fold my arms in front of my chest and scowl at him.Stubborn Summer Fae bastard.
“Minor scratches don’t require Black Opals to heal,” I say.
He frowns when I mention the opal. His shoulders droop, and he turns his back to me. “Fine,” he mumbles, resigned, as he pulls off his sweater and hands it to me. I can't help but admire how his muscles ripple, that golden skin almost glowing in the dark cabin.
I run my free hand down his shoulder. "Does this hurt?"
He shakes his head. I try another spot.
"What about this?"
Again, no.
I giggle, an idea forming in my mind. I can't remember the last time I made a sound like this. It feels so foreign and yet... so natural to do so with Nathan. He tenses under my fingers. Before he can turn around, I nuzzle his shoulder with my nose, lightly grazing his skin with my teeth. He tastes like sunshine.
"What about this?" I breathe, deepening the pressure just a touch.
He takes a shuddering breath, then two, before shaking his head. "No," he rasps, his voice husky. "That does not hurt."
"Good," I say, handing him his sweater before laughing and pulling away. "Then let's go."
"What, now?" he asks, confusion and desire warring in those beautiful eyes.
Tilting my head, I smirk playfully. "I think you said there would be a million more times for this.”
He grumbles.
“I don't know about you, but I'm starving,” I say.
He runs a hand through his hair, his gaze never leaving mine. "Fine," he grumbles. "But I'm going to get you back for that."
"I would expect nothing less," I say, blowing a kiss towards him as I head into the snow.
* * *
The Polar BearBed and Breakfast lives up to its name. It's an ancient two-story building set in the middle of the forest, itswhite walls accented with silver around all the windows and doors.
Snow-covered pine trees surround the building, and a shoveled walkway leads invitingly up to the front door, painted a cheery yellow and adorned with a large wreath. Even though the Winter Solstice is months away, it looks ready for the holidays. A pillar of grey smoke is spiraling up from the chimney, carrying the tantalizing smell of freshly baked bread and meat.
We shifted a few minutes ago up the road, and now we are walking in companionable silence hand-in-hand up the pathway. I lift my hand to knock, but the door swings inwards on silent hinges before I can.
"Oh my goodness, look at the two of you. Aren’t you just the sweetest Fae couple?" A high-pitched voice comes from inside the house. It’s too bright for how miserable the word around us has been. "Jeremiah, we have guests!"
I look down, my eyes widening as I see the source of the voice. A Vampire stands in front of me, her long black hair braided down her back as she gestures for us to come inside. Her skin glimmers as the skin flits on her. Despite the tales humans like to tell in their movies, Vampires are fully capable of being in the sun, but their skin shimmers like it’s made of thousands of pieces of glass.
