Krysta blew him a raspberry, then grinned when he chuckled.
“She isn’t difficult,” Sean said. “Male immortals just don’t like having female Seconds because they’re old-fashioned and can’t bear the idea of a woman dying while protecting them.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I’m good with it,” he said, straight-faced, then laughed when she hit him. “Just kidding. I don’t like the idea either, but Chris thought that—after living with you for the past six years—I might be more amenable to fighting alongside a woman. And, since I’m a healer . . .”
“You can heal any wounds she incurs on your behalf. Cool. I say go for it. Especially if she’s hot.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
Not really. She just wanted him to find the same happiness she had.
Étienne appeared in the doorway. “How do I look?”
Krysta froze. Holy crap.
She had only ever seen him naked, in sweatpants, or in his hunting clothes. This . . .
She gave him a long, leisurely look from his neatly combed hair to his feet, encased in shiny shoes that probably cost more than a semester of Sean’s college tuition had.
His tall, broad-shouldered form was beautifully garbed in a black three-piece suit with silver pin stripes. A bright white shirt stood out starkly against his naturally tan, clean-shaven jaw. As she stared, he lifted his chin a bit and reached up to adjust a black and silver tie.
Daaaaaamn, he looked good.
“You’re drooling,” Sean drawled.
She nodded, never taking her gaze from Étienne. “Daaaaaamn, you look good.”
He grinned. “I do?”
“Really good. Like . . . edible good. In fact, Sean, if you wouldn’t mind giving us a few minutes alone . . .”
Étienne’s brown eyes flashed amber.
Sean sighed. “No offense, but this is one of the reasons I want my own place.”
She smiled, still drinking in her fiancé. “You look hot.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“It is for me,” she professed, looking him up and down again.
“I’m not overdressed, am I?”
Probably, but she wasn’t going to say anything. She wanted to spend the rest of the night, as Sean said, drooling over him. She’d just go put on something dressy herself to even things out.
“No. I haven’t changed yet. I’ll be ready in a couple of minutes.” As she moved to squeeze past him in the doorway, she rose onto her toes, looped her arms around his neck, and took his lips in a long, passionate, I-wish-I-could-strip-you-naked-and-have-my-way-with-you-right-here-right-now kiss.
He groaned when she pulled away.
“I mussed your hair,” she murmured and left him gazing after her with glowing eyes full of desire.
And adorably mussed hair.
Forty minutes later, his hair was once more tamed, she was squeezed into a little black dress and heels, and Sean wore slacks and a dress shirt. Together, the three strode up the sidewalk in front of a modest middle-class home parked on a nice-sized plot of land in the country outside of Carrboro.
When they reached the front porch, she turned to smile up at Étienne and did a double take. “Everything okay?”
“Yes,” he said, fidgeting inside his suit jacket and smoothing a lapel. “Why?”
“Your eyes are glowing.”
“They are?”
“Yes.”
“Oh. Okay.” He closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. His lids lifted. “What about now?”
“Still glowing.”
He swore, then closed his eyes again. Breathed deeply.
Sean caught her eye and raised his brows.
Krysta shrugged. No bulge strained against the front of Étienne’s slacks, so it wasn’t lust.
He opened his eyes. “What about now?”
“Still glowing.”
Again he swore and repeated the process.
“Sweetie, you aren’t nervous, are you?”
“Of course not.”
On the other side of him, Sean mouthed, “Yes, he is.”
This time, when Étienne’s lids lifted, they revealed warm brown eyes bereft of the glow. “Now?”
“You’re good.”
He nodded. “Thank you.”
She rang the doorbell.
Footsteps approached from inside. The locks turned. The door swung open.
Krysta donned a bright smile. “Hi, Mom!”
Wings spread, Zach rode the breeze, swooping and twirling as he raced the motorcycle eating up the asphalt below.
The slender figure guiding it nearly scraped her knee on the pavement as she leaned into a curve, taking it far too fast. Her long, midnight braid flapped and danced in the wind, bouncing off the sheathed shoto swords strapped to her back.
Garbed all in black, she wasn’t wearing her long coat tonight and, no doubt, would have generated a great deal of attention if any other drivers on the road could keep up with her long enough to notice the multitude of weapons she bore.
Slowing, she turned onto David’s drive and stopped before the security gate.
Zach’s gaze lingered on her long legs, outlined nicely by fitted cargo pants, as she straddled the bike and typed in the code.
When the gate swung open, she shot forward once more.
Zach swept his wings down, propelling himself forward and following her progress through breaks in the trees that formed a canopy between them.
Completely distracted, he nearly crashed into a large owl. Feathers flew as the owl panicked. Talons threatened. Zach banked, reversed, dodged, and lost sight of Lisette. By the time he caught up with her, she had stowed her helmet away and was striding up the walk to David’s front door.
He waited until she entered, then spread his wings and gently floated down to the rooftop.
A heavy weight slammed into his middle, knocking the breath from him, breaking several ribs, and lifting him from the roof.
North Carolina vanished, replaced by icy tundra being swept clean by a blizzard.
Zach grunted in pain as his back slammed down into a glacial surface as hard as stone. Several bones in the wings he hadn’t had time to retract broke, snapping like twigs. Ice pellets peppered him, stinging like needles and abrading skin left bare save his usual leather pants.
Squinting against the white, he focused on the figure kneeling above him, face dark with fury, eyes glowing gold.
Seth.
“What—?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t know?” Seth bellowed over the howling winds. “Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out?” His large hand closed around Zach’s throat and held him down.
Zach tried to teleport and couldn’t. Seth must be doing something to block or hamper his gifts.
“I warned you,” Seth said. “I warned you I’ve been exercising and growing my powers while you and the Others sat on your asses. Did you think I lied?”
When Zach opened his mouth to respond, Seth lifted him and slammed him against the ice again, breaking more bones in Zach’s wings.
“Just tell me why!”
“Why what?” Zach growled as agony overwhelmed him.
Lightning streaked through the sky and struck the glacier a few yards away.
He had never seen Seth so enraged.
“Don’t fuck with me! Why did you restore Donald and Nelson’s memories? Why did you help the mercenaries prey upon my Immortal Guardians?”
Zach shook his head, unable to speak past the fingers clutching his throat.
Roaring, Seth rose to his feet and waved an arm in a circle.
The wind ceased blowing. The snow it had been carrying fluttered down to the ground, settling upon Zach and decorating his eyelashes as silence engulfed them.
Shit. Seth could control the weather?