Fire and Ice

I scoffed. “It’s just a car.”

André shook his head. “No. Definitely not.”

“Why not?”

He arched a brow at me, pushing his hair out of his face.

“I grew up in a time where transportation was two horses and a carriage.” He pointed at my car. “That is nothing like it.”

I pouted. “Please? For me?”

He wrinkled his nose. “Isn’t there anything else you could want for your birthday?”

I bit my lip and stepped closer. “Maybe,” I whispered.

Our eyes met and he held my hands. His touch was cold which didn’t surprise me too much; he was a vampire after all. His eyes slid down to my lips and my breath quickened. He leaned forward and I could feel our lips barely touching.

“It’s time to wake up,” he whispered, his lips brushing mine so gently that I almost didn’t feel it.

I sighed. “I don’t want to.”

“Wake up, Delia.”

“If I do, André, you’ll be gone.”

“Delia,” he said but his voice changed to my dad’s. “I’m not André. Wake up.”

My eyes blinked open and I rubbed them. My dad was standing by my bed, smirking at me. I blushed a little then sighed.

“Perhaps I should give you your birthday gift later,” he said, still smirking. “It sounds to me like you’ve had one already.”

I shook my head and got out of bed, brushing by him to my closet.

“Thanks for the birthday wish,” I said and dug out some clothes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. He stopped me from trying to have him leave. “Did something happen?”

I puffed my cheeks out. “More like something didn’t happen.” I ran a hand through my hair. “His father was cruel to him yesterday so I thought he could do with some cheering up. I asked him to meet me in the courtyard. He never showed up.”

He smiled gently and hugged me.

“When vampires feed, it makes them tired,” he explained. “It could be he had just fed and needed to rest.”

“Then why wasn’t he at dinner?” I argued.

“Just get dressed, sweetie,” he said. “Kelly and Jamie are here.”

My eyes brightened. “Why didn’t you say that to begin with!?” I demanded, pushing him out the door. “Leave! I need to change!”

He laughed. “All right, all right. I’m going.”

I shut the door and changed into my birthday outfit: black jeans, black flip flops, and a red t-shirt. After brushing my hair, I ran downstairs. I could hear Kelly talking. Jamie’s back was to me. I put a finger to my lips.

When I was close enough, I jumped on Jamie’s back. He laughed and spun in a circle. I giggled happily.

“Uncle Jamie!” I said and hugged him normally.

“Happy birthday, short stuff,” he said, hugging me back.

I hugged Kelly and she ruffled my hair. I swatted at her hand, only vaguely aware of the Lebeaus watching us from the living room. Kelly’s mate, Olivia, came in and I hugged her, too.

“We made you something,” Kelly said and Olivia passed me a box.

I opened it eagerly and gasped. It was a black choker with rubies dangling from it. Kelly and Olivia had a small side business of making and selling jewelry. It all started when they made my mom a necklace and she got so many compliments that they were tasked with making more.

“Oh, it’s beautiful!” I said. “Put it on!”

Kelly laughed and stood behind me, fastening it behind my neck and I beamed at it.

“You’re the best,” I laughed, hugging her and Olivia again.

“Oh birthday girl,” my mom sang and I turned.

She was in the living room with the Lebeaus. I hadn’t noticed her there so I rushed over and hugged her, avoiding André’s eyes. Whatever my dad said, it still hurt that he didn’t at least send me a note back.

“Your father and I have your gift out back,” she said and I giggled.

“Then why are we standing here like lumps on a log?” I demanded, grabbing her hand and my dad’s.

I dragged them out the back door and gasped happily. They had transformed our backyard to resemble a forest landscape. Lately, my wolf had been going through what my grandpa claimed was puberty for wolves and all she wanted was to get out of the house.

My dad was nervous about letting me run free, though. When his wolf went through it, he was overcome and had to be locked in the house until the month passed.

“This is amazing!” I said. “Oh, I can’t wait to run through it!”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” my mom asked and I giggled.

She, my dad, and I all transformed and bounded into the trees. I barked happily, jumping between the two of them. My dad was large as a wolf, a trait passed down through our family for the alphas. My mom was a little smaller than he was. His fur was black like his hair and my mom’s was a strange shade of red, just like her hair. I was different, though.

My fur was pure white. We didn’t know why. No one seemed to have an answer; not even Grandpa. They didn’t know why my eyes were silver, either.

We should get back to our guests, my father said as we broke for water.

Must we? I asked, digging nervously into the dirt.

It will be fine, he assured me as we walked back. Besides, they have a gift for you.

I followed reluctantly. When we got back to the house, we all transformed back into humans. The ambassador was beaming at me, holding a box.

“A white wolf,” he commented. “You don’t see that very often.”

“No, you don’t,” I said politely.

“We give this to you as a family,” he said, holding out the box while his son and daughter stood behind him.

André had his eyes fixed in the air above my head and Marie was frowning at the ground. I accepted the box, pulling my hands away when Louis held them a little longer than was necessary. I pulled on the ribbon and bit my lip, deeply insulted.

It was a dog collar.

My dad looked over my shoulder and snatched the box.

“Ambassador, I’d like to speak with you in my office,” he said through clenched teeth.

“What? You do not like my gift?” he asked innocently. “I heard it’s… all the rage among wolves.”

I was doing my best to not lose my temper. It was getting hard, though. Not only was I insulted, my wolf was, too.

“Calm down,” my mom whispered in my ear.

“Excuse me,” I whispered and stepped around them, going upstairs to my room.

Kelly was waiting outside of my door but I shook my head and shut it. I climbed into bed and grabbed the nearest thing: my pillow. I tore it into shreds, the memory foam tearing into puffs. I yanked my curtains off my window and tore those as well.

My back straightened when I smelled him. My wolf lifted her head, sniffing the air. He knocked but I didn’t answer.

“May we please come in?” André asked through the door.

We?

I hid the mess and opened the door. The two siblings stood there, a gift bag in their hands.

“This is from both of us,” Marie whispered, holding out the bag. “And we wish to apologize for our father’s-”

I just opened the gift bag and laughed a little. It was a new art kit and I smiled at the two of them.

“Thank you,” I said.

“About our father,” Marie tried again.

“My Grandma V will be here soon,” I interrupted. “Please excuse me.”

I put the bag on the floor and was about to go downstairs when a cold hand took mine. I stopped and turned. Marie was gone but André stood in front of me, looking sad.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“It’s not your fault your father is rude,” I mumbled, trying to get my hand back.

“That’s not why I’m apologizing and I think you know that,” he said. I looked up at his face. “You have to understand, though, that my father…. He’s given me orders and one of them I am afraid to break.”

“Why?” I asked, my heart beating faster.

For the first time since we met, André met my gaze. I was mesmerized by the blue. Unlike his father’s, his were warm and inviting. My wolf pushed inside me, making me stand closer to him.

His eyes were conflicted. They swept the hall for a brief moment before he leaned down and kissed me. I gasped in surprise. Before I could kiss him back, he disappeared down the hall towards my father’s study.

I put my fingers on my lips, my heart racing and my wolf curled in content.