Cloudburst Ice Magic (3 page)

Way to go, Lil. He’s not here to tell, is
he?
Her brother’s voice mocked her gently. She wished her phone
had juice so she could text Zach.
Classy. Say it in a
text.

“Fine.” Her whisper barely disturbed Randy’s
snores. “Then send Zach to me out here in the Rockies and I’ll tell
him in person.”

Careful what you wish for, Lil.

She snorted. “As long as we’re wishing, I’d
like Zach to move to Colorado and be my permanent partner in
everything, including SAR.” Hell, she’d settle for just seeing him
again.

When she’d left to start her training and
job in Colorado, she’d told Zach she needed time to prepare herself
and heal for a long term relationship. Rescuing people in the
mountains above Cloudburst had gone a long way to healing her
psychological break with the world. But when she’d been ready to
see Zach again, fall weather hit the slopes and he’d remained in
Nevada doing SAR.

They’d called and texted every day, stoking
the fire of their relationship over the time apart. His latest
texts hinted at something big he wanted to say, but the information
hadn’t come.

And now I’m up here incommunicado in a bad
storm.

She leaned forward and felt for the stove
and matches. Time to heat up the room again and make some tea to
keep herself awake. She ignored the tears of sorrow sliding down
her cheeks, leaving icy trails in their wakes.

Lily struck the match and watched the little
golden light flare to life. The stove hissed before the gas caught
and she slid the pot of snow onto its surface, watching the blue
flames caress the metal. It reminded her of Zach’s touches on her
body and she thrust the images away.

They’d get out of this somehow and she’d
have her chance to tell Zach her wishes.

Chapter Four

Zach arrived in Cloudburst hyped up on
adrenaline and espresso just as dawn started to light the eastern
sky over the mountains. He’d received no texts or emails from Lily
and his gut clenched at the thought of being so far from her
without communication. He’d gotten a text from Cade to meet him at
the Cloudburst Coffee & Spa as soon as he arrived. He’d texted
his ETA and some of his tension had fled.
At least I got some
backup.
He pulled in to the parking lot of the coffee shop and
parked, searching for Cade among the dawn shadows.

The other Ice Demon slid into sight dressed
like a human, but Zach caught the glint of trailing snowflakes in
the light of the street lamp. Short spiky crystals similar to
Zach’s sprouted from his head and his eyes flashed a brilliant
turquoise as he stepped into the light. Zach rolled down his window
and waved.

“Hey, Snow. How was the drive?” Cade opened
the passenger door and climbed in.

“Long and tense. Where can I leave my truck
before we head into the mountains?”

“Do you know where your friend lives? You
could leave it there.”

Zach nodded and fished out his phone. He’d
saved Lily’s text with her new address. “Looks like it’s a house on
Slipknot drive. Know where that is?”

“Nope. I’ve visited this town, but haven’t
scouted it.” Cade reached for his phone. “You drive and I’ll find
it online.”

Within a few seconds Cade had the directions
and Zach pulled out onto the road. The sun rose, but the thick
clouds over the mountains made the light diffuse and the world woke
slowly. Flakes of snow danced in the breezes teasing the drifts
along the sidewalks in town as Zach drove toward Lily’s home.

“So you promised me a story.”

“And you promised to get me an introduction
to the Ice Demon clan here. Which clan is it?”

“The Oro Creek clan. They’re not a very
large clan, but they can stay here with the elevations holding snow
and ice all year round.” Cade sounded wistful.

“Not a fan of migration?”

Cade grimaced. “No, not really. I’m kinda a
homebody. Problem is my home range gets too warm in the summer
months and all the ice goes.”

Zach nodded. He’d become a homebody with his
mating to Lily. “Have you thought about joining a more sedentary
clan?”

Cade shook his head. “I haven’t found a
place I like better than my home range.” He scanned the town
outside. “This town has a good feel to it, though. Let’s see how it
goes with the Oro Creek clan.”

“Where are we meeting them?”

“Upslope at a sacred tarn. Most of the year
it’s shrouded in mists to keep the temperature even.” Cade’s
wistfulness returned to his voice. “The slope faces north so the
snow stays all year and I’ve heard the matriarch of the clan has
enough power to keep the tarn hidden from all but the most manic
hikers. Turn left here.”

Zach turned the wheel. “Will we meet the
matriarch or one of her representatives?”

“The clan’s small, so I suspect we’ll be
meeting her. Make sure you’re in your true form when we go.”

“Will do.” While he loved being with humans
and all their brilliant colors of life, being in his own skin
relaxed Zach. “What’s her name?”

“Icedora Mistweaver. I’ve heard she’s one of
the oldest Ice Demons outside of Europe. Been here since the Silver
Times.”

“Since the last Ice Age? Holy shit, that’s
ten thousand years ago.”

“Yeah. She’s seen it all.”

“Wow.”

“That’s the address on your phone.” Cade
pointed to a sweet little house with a two car garage and an
evergreen wreath on the door. “Think you should park in the
driveway?”

“Yeah. Snowplows.” Zach set the parking
brake and pulled his sweater over his head. “So when do we head
out?”

He shoved open the door and stepped into the
cold spring morning. The air here held more moisture than in
Nevada, but still carried the welcoming bite of snow and ice. Zach
scanned the neighborhood before he shucked his boots and pants. No
need to frighten the humans with his nudity.

“As soon as you’re ready, we can head
upslope.” Cade had undressed and left his clothes in the cab of the
truck.

“Okay.”

Zach closed his eyes and let his disguise
fade. The air shifted around him and a sense of relief settled on
his skin as he reached his true form. He stretched his arms and
twisted his back before ruffling the short crystals on his head
with his taloned fingers.
Goddess, it’s so good to be in my own
skin.

“Looking good there, Snow.” Cade nodded to
Zach’s physique. “You’re pretty ripped. You work out more than
usual?”

“No. Human gyms stink and I have to wear
clothes. I just spend as much time as I can climbing the crags.
Gotta keep in shape for rescues.”

Zach reached in to throw his clothes on the
seat, but paused as a ripple of magic flowed over his skin.
Iridescence wavered in the air around the house for a moment and
Zach inhaled, searching for scents.

“Wow, someone set some pretty powerful wards
on this place.”

Cade narrowed his eyes and swung his gaze
around the area, before sniffing the air. “I didn’t see them when
we drove up, but yeah. Think your friend set them?”

Zach shook his head. “No, she doesn’t have
that kind of magic. This is…earth magic. Like witches or the
Morukai
shamans use. They must have been here before she
moved in.”

“She?” Cade’s generous mouth curled into a
smirk. “The friend you’re trying to rescue is a she?”

“Yeah, you know, female of the species?”
Zach shot Cade a dry look as he shifted into his true form. “She’s
an SAR operative and just happens to have breasts.”

“Aw, come on, Snow. There’s gotta be more to
it than that. You promised me a story and I got you the intro you
wanted. So spit it out.”

Zach sighed as he locked the doors of his
truck. He tucked the keys under a derelict flowerpot on the front
porch and tried to find the words to explain Lily without giving
too much away.

“I met Lily Sinclair on the slopes of Mt.
Charleston the Christmas before last and helped her recapture a
sense of purpose in her life.”

Cade sniffed the wind and pointed toward the
forest. “The Tarn is this way.” He raised an eyebrow at Zach.
“Sense of purpose? Sounds like she was suicidal.”

“Yeah, exactly. I pulled her out of an
avalanche chute where she was planning to freeze to death.” Zach’s
gut still clenched at the thought of Lily dying in this avalanche
chute, but he shoved the fear aside. “I gave her a chance to see
all the good she could do and find a way to drag herself out of her
death wish.”

“Damn.” Cade shook his head, the long
crystals hanging over his shoulders tinkling as they moved. “That’s
crazy. And you pulled her back from it?”

“Yeah.” It had been close, but he’d
convinced her to live.
And then I mated her.

“How?”

Zach paused and listened to the wind as he
sorted his thoughts. “I gave her a reason to live. I reminded her
of the magic in life and that she’d be hurting those she loved if
she left them in this way, especially on Christmas.”

The air currents had changed and the mist
thickened around them as they hiked through the trees. Snow
cascaded down in little flakes, each singing its individual song
along its path. Zach wished Lily stood beside him to hear them.

“I think we’re getting close.” Cade pointed
through the mist. “The lake smell is getting stronger through
there.” He grimaced. “What was she doing so miserable on Christmas?
Isn’t that a happy time of year for humans?”

Zach nodded as he followed his friend.
“Yeah, normally. But her twin brother was killed a few years ago on
Christmas Eve. It took the wind out of her sails for a long
time.”

“Damn. Kinda makes me glad I don’t have a
twin.”

“We’re all glad you don’t have a twin,
Cade.” Zach chuckled.

Cade flashed a grin full of canines. “Shut
up.”

The mists ahead of them shifted and cleared
into an archway manned by two hulking Ice Demon guards who would
have been poster children for the Abominable Snowman. Their
shoulders would have been twice of Zach’s and their canines
stretched almost to their chins. Zach stood at six-two, tall for
his clan, but these two made him feel like a dwarf.

“State your name and business in coming to
Mistweaver Tarn.” They spoke in the Ice Demon native tongue, but
their accents were old and Zach had the odd sensation of stepping
back in time.

Cade drew himself up to his full height,
which still only came to the guards’ chests. “I’m Cade Cliffrose of
the Western Peaks clan and friend of the Oro Creek clan. I’ve
brought Zachary Snow of the Sandfoot clan for an introduction to
the Matriarch.”

“Be welcome, Cade Cliffrose. Please observe
all protocols until properly introduced.” The guards stepped back
and gestured them through.

Cade inclined his head and Zach followed him
under the archway, his mind churning.

“You didn’t tell me you were from the San
Francisco Peaks area.”

Cade winked. “You never asked outright. I
did say my home range melts every summer.”

“I never would’ve guessed you were from
there.” Zach grimaced. “Everyone I’ve met from the area seemed
really full of themselves.”

“Yeah. That’s why I leave most of the time.
Gotta go back every now and again to talk to family, though.” Cade
shrugged. “Granddad likes to pretend he’s a god or some shit like
that. Drives me up the crags.”

The terrain shifted from wooded turf to
grooved, glaciated stone and they stopped at the edge of a
mist-shrouded lake. Zach couldn’t determine how large it was, but
the scents emanating from the water and surrounding rocks suggested
deep age. Some of his tension bled away from his mind and his
shoulders relaxed.
Damn, Lily would love it here.

The thought of his mate brought all his
concern back and Zach scanned the misty world around him for anyone
beyond Cade.

“What are we supposed to do now?”

“You don’t get out much, do you?” Cade
snorted. “You wait patiently. Hopefully, the Oro Creek Matriarch is
in the mood to be timely. If you’re too impatient, she could make
you wait hours.”

“But Lily and the others don’t have hours.”
Zach tightened his hands into fists to keep his temper from
exploding. “The Spring Fling is going on now and she could be
buried at any moment.”

“I know, Snow.” Cade’s mouth flattened.
“Just keep cool. The more calm you are, the faster she’ll see
us.”

Frustration mixed with fear made waiting
difficult and Zach tried to occupy himself studying the ice
formations along the lakeshore to keep the emotions at bay. He
remembered his mother once telling him to picture an ice flow. It
moves, but so slowly its movement is difficult to track.
Be an
ice flow. Move forward so slowly no one knows you’re moving. Yeah,
easier said than done.

After a thousand heartbeats, a figure
approached them from the surface of the iced lake. She stood
shorter than most Ice Demon females and walked with curiously
sinuous motion as if related to an eel or a snake. Brilliant blue
eyes took in all the details of Zach and Cade as she stopped on the
shore before them. The emotional scents of age and wisdom filled
Zach’s nose, and he found himself bowing before he even noticed
he’d moved.

“Welcome back, young Cliffrose. How fares
your family?” The Matriarch’s voice reminded Zach of sifting trains
of snow over smooth rocks, both soft and relentless.

“They are well, thank you, Matriarch.” Cade
executed a graceful bow. “Please let me present a friend, Zachary
Snow from the Sandfoot clan. He requested an introduction because
he needs to visit your demesne.”

“Ah, so I see. Thank you for bringing him,
Cliffrose. Please, find refreshment after your journey in the ice
fields.” Though her words were gracious, they held true
command.

Cade shot a look at Zach before he bowed
again and followed a path opening in the mist away from the lake.
Zach fought to keep calm. Each passing moment put Lily and the
others in greater danger. He’d received no texts or emails, and the
lack of communication drove him crazy.