Fire and Ice

“Your father is going to panic,” André said.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “He said that, should anything… happen, your mom put condoms in your room.”

I groaned, covering my face. “He didn’t!”

He laughed and I turned in his arms, opening my nightstand. Sure enough, there was a box in there. I shook my head and closed it again.

We were both worn out from marking each other and making love. I was on my right side, cuddled up with him, the sheets over us. His arm was under my shoulders and I put my head on his chest again.

While we recovered, I reflected on what just happened. It had happened so quickly but I knew it was right. My mom told me several years ago that if you tried to mark the wrong person, you would both experience terrible pain. It happened to Uncle Jamie with a woman named India. That’s when he found out a young woman named Heather he would spend his time with at camp was his true mate.

My wolf was curled up, very happy. That was confirmation enough for me. I was a little upset the first time. I knew we both had sex for lust. It wasn’t until the second time we realized that our feelings had gone beyond lust just a few hours before we even marked each other. I had heard of love at first sight but André hadn’t.

There was a lot André hadn’t heard of.

It broke my heart. I knew he wouldn’t know about having sex. Shit. Even I didn’t when we started. But to know that he didn’t know how to mark me was sad. Now that he had, though, I felt more complete and I hoped he felt the same with me.

Suddenly, he sighed. It was sad and I looked at him.

“I don’t want to go back to London,” he whispered when he saw me staring.

“Who says you have to?”

He frowned. “I…. Well, I guess no one did. I just assumed. I’ve been with just my father for so long that-”

I sat up, my eyes wide, and gripped the sheet to my chest.

“Oh God,” I breathed.

He sat up, too. “What is it, Delia?”

“Your father,” I gasped. “Oh God. He’s going to-”

I didn’t get the chance to answer. Someone tried to open my door but my mom’s magic was working.

“Open this damn door!” Ambassador Lebeau shouted and I started to tremble.

André put his arms around me and kissed the side of my head, looking around for something to do. I had no idea what we could do, though. Now that he couldn’t have me anymore….

That was the part of the research that scared me the most. It wasn’t finding a man that I loved and marking him, it was what the ambassador would try and do to him.

I had no doubt that, if he got in here, André was as good as dead.

I gulped and slid out of bed quietly, glancing at the window. I could make the jump and I knew André could, too, but I didn’t want to run. Besides, if we left the room, we left the protection.

“Open the door!” he shouted again.

Without making any noise, André tossed me my clothes. I struggled into them and he did the same. I backed into the wall as André stared at the door. I could see him shaking as he balled his hands into fists.

“Ambassador Lebeau!” my mom shouted. “Stop that right now! What is wrong? Just because you lost-”

“They’ve fucked!” he interrupted and I blushed at the term.

“What are you talking about?” my dad demanded.

“I’ll kill them both!”

I whimpered in fear. André looked at me and his eyes got angry. He strode to the door.

“Don’t!” I whispered but he threw the door open, glaring at his father.

“I’ll kill you!” he yelled and tried to run in.

My mom’s magic was still working, though, and I grabbed André’s arm, trying to pull him deeper into the room. He shrugged me off.

“Stop it,” André snapped at his father.

The ambassador had been forced back and got up again.

“Don’t you tell me what to do, you useless mutt!” he snarled. “Let me in!”

“No,” I whimpered. “S-Stop it. Leave us alone.”

He turned his scorching eyes on me. “You slut,” he snapped. “You are my mate!”

“No she’s not,” André said.

It would seem having the protection of the shield was giving him strength.

“Delia!” my mom gasped. “Are you okay?”

I touched my neck and felt the dried blood from when he marked me. Her face filled with realization.

“I- Well,” my dad said awkwardly, everyone forgetting about the furious ambassador. “Er…. Did-Did you follow my instructions?” he asked André.

“I think it’s time for you to leave,” he said to his father.

The ambassador curled his lip. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, I would,” he said frankly.

“So would I,” I mumbled and he glared at me.

“I almost had you,” he hissed. “If your father wasn’t such a-”

He stopped, though. I knew it was because of the battle that my father won. I stepped behind André a little and he put his arm around my waist.

“Let me in,” his father said in a surprisingly calm voice. “I wish to… congratulate my son for finding his love.”

I blinked. “Really?” I whispered.

“Yes, really,” he said but André didn’t move. “I would… like to hug him.”

Before I could let him in, André covered my mouth. His eyes were hard.

“Don’t,” he interrupted. “Don’t do it, Delia. He’s lying.”

“But André,” I breathed, putting a hand on his arm. “Maybe he really wants to make amends.”

He shook his head. “No he doesn’t. I know him, Delia.”

I bit my lip, looking between the two vampires. I wasn’t sure what to do. The ambassador’s face was one of remorse, though, so I walked forward.

“You can come in,” I said and André shouted just as the ambassador grabbed me by the throat.

I gasped in shock, the world starting to go black. I scratched at his hand desperately but he was dragging me down the hall, shouting threats. My mind, though starting to slow from lack of oxygen, though about André. It thought about how cruel his father has been to him. How André has finally found happiness and he was taking it.

My wolf, already on edge from going through puberty, took over.

I transformed, shocking the ambassador into letting Delia go. I stood over him, snarling. His eyes were terrified as I leaned in. I wanted to rip his throat out, to make him suffer for all he had done to my mate.

“Wait!” Logan shouted and I growled. “Don’t. Stop, little cub. Please. You don’t want to make Delia do this.”

He tried to kill her!

“I know,” he breathed, trying to get me off of him.

The ambassador was now frozen in fear. His lips were moving as if he was trying to speak but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

“Come on,” my dad said soothingly. “Calm down. There’s someone who can help us but you can’t harm the ambassador. If you do, everything will crumble. War will happen and that’s not what we want. Come on. Let Delia go.”

I snapped at the ambassador and his fear finally consumed him. He fainted. I transformed back, feeling weak.

“Dad?” I said, swaying a little as I stood up. “I don’t- What happened?”

“Delia!” André cried, running to me.

“André,” I breathed and my dad let him hold me. “What happened?” I repeated.

“She took over,” my dad explained as I leaned into André. “Your life was in danger and she fought for you.” He leaned over the ambassador. “Let me tell you, she’s more terrifying than your grandfather is when she’s mad.”

“I’m tired,” I said with a yawn.

“I’m not surprised,” he sighed. “All right. Your mom is calling Tiberius now. Marie is resting.”

“What happened to Marie?” I asked.

“She tried to fight her father,” he answered, looking sad. “I’ll let André explain. Right now I need to get the ambassador somewhere he can’t hurt anyone. André, get her to bed.”

“Of course,” he said and helped me walk.

I felt stronger with him and held onto his arm tightly. Somehow, we had ended up in the kitchen so we had to climb up the stairs. By the time we reached my bedroom, I was almost asleep.

My mom was in there changing the sheets and she kissed my forehead while André got me into bed.

“I’ll be back,” he said. “I need to-”

“Stay with Delia,” my mom interrupted and he looked at her. “She needs you. Both of them need you.”

He sighed. “Are you sure? It’s my fault this happened….”

“No it’s not,” I argued. “Please stay.”

He nodded immediately and got in on the other side of my bed. I curled up next to him and heard my mom leave.

“You’re terrifying when you’re a wolf,” he told me, stroking my hair.

“I don’t even remember transforming,” I said. “Who is Tiberius?”

He sighed. “You’ll meet him when he gets here.”

“I’m going to help you,” I yawned and he stared at me.

“With what?” he asked.

I moved closer and brushed my nose on his. My wolf curled up, too, content.

“Your wounds,” I whispered.

His eyes softened. “I imagine you’re tired,” he said. “You should get some rest before tomorrow.”

“Why?” I yawned but put my head on his chest. “Your dad’s locked up downstairs.”

“That may be so but it’s not over,” he said darkly. “Just sleep and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

“Okay,” I mumbled and fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.