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To Freeze Fire

By: LunaMacintrye



'I don't know what I was thinking.' Maybe it was because of the years of isolation, not saying much beyond hello to the occasional stranger she would meet, whatever the reason, she had dropped her guard, and risked losing everything. She had been on the run for too long for everything to come crashing down now.

With a shaky hand, she tried to steady herself using the other to grasp the doorknob during her attempts to unlock it. With a curse on her breath, she managed to get into the hotel room on the second floor, beginning to check the place out. Once in a while, she would get the feeling she should be somewhere. Once she felt reasonably sure she was alone, she began to undress, leaving a trail of skimpy clothes behind on her way to the bathroom.

'Pull it together' she told herself, turning on the water before deciding to remove the black lace bra and thong that was left. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't erase the image that was boiling inside of her. The way he had looked at her. "Oh, for Christ's sake!"

There was no point in waiting anymore. Unable to put it off for a second more, her right hand ducked into her panties, seeking out the piece of flesh there she already knew would be swollen. Making contact, she let out a sigh of relief, then a grunt of dissatisfaction. She quickly kicked off the saturated thong, practically ripped off her bra, and ducked into the shower. Upon impact, the cold water her gasp, her nipples hardening further. Once she had gotten the water to a more pleasant state, its heat began to aid her own. With her back pressed up against the wall, she eased her legs apart, and one finger began to ease inside, while the ones that belonged to the other hand pressed against her clit, moving in firm, and steadily increasing circles. One finger in, she attempted to ease another, it becoming almost too painful. With a frustrated cry, she settled for the one, jabbing it back and forth into her waiting hole with abandon. That image, the one she had put off so long, began to overtake her; that man looking at her from across the room, with those eyes, those wonderful, incredibly sexy blue eyes. An alternate scenario took over in her mind with her fingers going to work, the pressure in her womb building, threatening to consume her. She could see him walking over to her, showing off his incredibly well-toned body with the form fitting white long sleeve office shirt, and asking her name. Her mind skipped to how it would have felt to feel him grinding against her. How it would sound if he called out her name. What it would feel like if it wasn't her finger inside her, but his big, hot...

Her world shattered into a million pieces around her, blackness tugging at her in every direction. Feeling the pulsating convulsions around her finger made her quiver with a muffled moan, her knees beginning to shake, resulting in her sliding down the wall, feeling like she would definitely have to have another go in a minute; the hunger inside her not having fully abated.

Tonight had been the first night she had followed the impulse. It was like a knot forming in the back of her mind, one that would usually result in a headache when she didn't obey. As she went down the stairs earlier that evening, and called for a cab, she started to feel that ache lessen, until at last she yelled the cab driver to pull over. Her pulse quickened when she looked at where she had arrived; A nightclub. She had gone to nightclubs before, not that she had ever enjoyed a minute of it. It was more of avoiding the same places she would have gone before she had run away. In her mind it gave her an extra edge, less of a chance of being found. And hey, free booze was always welcome.

After her fake ID was cleared by security, she headed straight for the bar like always, and ordered a glass of water to start. Sure enough, right on cue, some guy in his mid thirties began to offer to buy her a drink. With a shy smile she looked around the bar, trying to beat around the bush until at last she acted like she was doing him the favor. "I'm sure there's some here that you would rather buy a drink," she said simply with a naive sounding chuckle, "I don't think I'm a good choice."

"If you're not beautiful, I'm a dead man." The auburn haired man said, still grabbing the back of the bar-stool that was next to her like he was debating whether or not she had rejected him. "How about I buy you a drink, and in exchange you give me 5 reasons why you think that your—"

"Darling, is there a problem?" a smooth, yet firm voice asked just from behind this man. The man with auburn hair began to turn a blustering red, and put his hands up in the air as if surrendering to a fight. As he ventured a couple of steps back, she came to see the stranger who had interpreted this exchange for the first time. 

"No, not at all." She struggled to keep her tone casual, her own face turning red. It took her a couple of moments, during which she turned to face the bar, to convince herself she hadn't just been talking to Ian somerhandle. Of course, she knew to be certain, she would have to take at least one more look. And that was a feat, despite everything she had been through, she hardly felt brave enough to do. Behind her she could hear the other man she had previously been talking to apologizing.

"Don't worry about it man, we'll call it an honest mistake." The Ian look alike chuckled, and seized the back of the chair, pulling it out for himself. She could smell the leather of his jacket, and as a distraction, she decided to start chasing down contents of the glass she already had at hand. "Easy there hun," he chuckled, "I dislike assholes just as much as the next person, but that's no reason to get drunk."

"What else do people go to the bar for?" she mutters quietly, almost sounding mute against the loud music in the background. Despite the feeling in her gut telling her not to, she glanced over at the stranger who surely thought himself to be her knight in shining armor, knowing she had to be sure. "Besides, it just water."

The star she had previously thought to have taken a seat beside her, vanished. Although the man who had firmly taken residence in her mind and the seat next to her, was equally sexy, and intimidating in her opinion. "Well that just won't do." She watched the stranger flip out a twenty and tossed it at the bartender, "A drink for my lady friend."

"That isn't necessary," she told him, feeling compelled to be completely honest with him, "I was just about to leave." 

Rising from her chair, she felt more blood rise to her cheeks, and felt her heart stop when his hand shot out just in time to encircle her wrist with almost an eerie precision. "Wait, if you won't let me buy you a drink, can I at least see you again?"

She let out a huff of air that sounded like a scoff. Though she didn't mean it to sound offensive, she knew she couldn't see him again. Eyeing him a moment, she heard him sigh, "How about a name?"

With the same distant expression, she eyed at the way he still had a hold of her. Immediately he let her go, apologizing. "If I can't see you again, and you won't tell me your name, could I at least have a dance?"

If she had thought her face was red before, she was now put to shame, second by second of her delayed response, and the way she bowed her head obviously told him what she had thought he had meant. Immediately he chuckled, boasting, "I meant I would like to dance with you. Would it help to at least know my name?"

Feeling all that clichéd stuff, including weak in the knees, she shook her head, "I—I don't know how to dance."

Seeing this an opportunity since she hadn't said straight up no, he pursued, "It's easy, I'll show you. And I'm Michael by the way."

Before any further words could be spoken, he seized her hand, and began to drag her onto the dance floor. Face to face with him, the music changed, and his hands went to her hips, touching her as no other had been given the opportunity. Before coming into contact, he spun her around, and pressed at once side of her hips at a time, making them sway with his own to the beat, each movement bringing her closer to him. At last her butt made contact with his torso, and she felt something she wasn't prepared for. Though she was innocent in many respects she had watched enough porn to know what lay beneath a man's jeans. And more importantly, what had just touched her.

Before she could dare to pull away, he spun her around again to face him. There was a look in those blue eyes of his, a carnal hunger for something so much more that physical aggression. As if he wanted to bare his mark of her very soul. Without warning, his head bent down, and their lips touched. Unable to stop herself, her body molded to his, like she was made for him, like he had been made for her. 

'What are you doing? You don't even know this man!' It was this thought that made her break the kiss, and step back, leaving him to look somewhat saddened. Out of all the emotions she had expected, this one wasn't one of them, "Your name, please, I must know. If I can't see you again, at least leave me that to remember you by, darling."

"Mia...my name is Mia." She turned, and called for a cab.

After her solo session in the bathroom, she still couldn't believe she had fallen so far. Not only had she allowed a perfect stranger to kiss her, she had told him her real name! After years of three years of running, she had never done this. Not having time for a second session, she decided to go ahead and pack, so she could leave first thing in the morning.

To Freeze Fire Ch. 02



Here is chapter two! Please leave comments. I want to make this story the best it can be. Leaving comments let me know whether or not I should continue this story. Lots of Love, --Luna

*****

She could feel something warm against her neck, something changing the temperature of the air around her, and focusing in on that one spot, burning her. Almost like someone's breath. Her eyes popped open, and she felt a hand slowly move across her hip, coming into view as it traced her rib cage just over the sheet. Those hands were warm, almost too hot. Her left hand traced over the obviously masculine one, and focused, sending waves of cooling thoughts, while her right hand went under the pillow her head still rest firmly on. In one quick movement, she rolled out of bed, and pointed the far from modest blade at the intruder, who still lay prone, "Who the hell are you and what you're doing in my bed?"

The sentence left her lips before she had the chance to realize the first question was already known to her. Those baby blues, pale skin, and shock of black hair had been used in some of her most recent fantasies. 

"If you've already forgotten my name darling, I must be losing my touch..." he smiled, propping himself up on one arm, appearing to be just too damned comfortable to move. Her eyes trailed over his obviously bare chest, the very fine hair there that eventually became more noticeable around the navel region, dipping down beneath the sheet. Her face turned blood red.

"How did you get in here?!" she snapped, not liking the feeling each step towards him gave her. She had to be strong. His good looks were in no way the grounds for making stalking, breaking and entering, and not to mention sexually assaulting her in her sleep, an okay thing. "Get out of here before I call the cops!"

That smug look that had played on his face, slowly ceased, draining away completely as he rose to his feet, taking the white and low thread count sheet with him. "You don't want me to leave. I can smell it."

"E—Excuse me?" She couldn't have heard that right. 

He began to make long careful strides towards her, "Put down the knife." He said softly, "I truly mean you no harm."

It had been to long since she had heard so much affection in someone's voice, and those eyes, god those eyes! He was giving her this look that was so heartbreakingly tender. "You broke into my room."

He nodded, "If I wanted to harm you, I would have had ample opportunity while you were asleep."

She raised one eyebrow, "If you don't want to hurt me, then what do you want then?"

Those baby blues drifted down to his right hand which clutched the sheets about his waist, like he was debating whether or not to let it fall. His eyes returned to her . "You."

The feeling in her gut doubled, making her feel like she was in need of a new pair of underware, as the current pair began to become soaked. It hit her then. What he had said earlier. 'You don't want me to leave. I can smell it.' Had he meant that he could smell her? Smell her getting aroused? The red in her face deepened..

"Get out of my room." She said softly in a strained whisper.

"You don't mean that, darling." He chided, coming one step closer, then another, "I think we both know what you really want." He was so close now. Close enough to touch. Close enough for him to touch her. She kept her eyes on his, even as the grasp of his right hand loosened, and sheet fell, her own hand on the blade getting tighter. "Let me give you what you need," he pleaded, those eyes of his imploring her to give in, one hand reaching to touch her face, "keep the knife if it makes you feel safe, but please for the love of god, let me touch you."

And just like that, the naked stranger she had met at the club, began to kiss her. Grinding against in the same way as when they had danced. Only something was wrong with this picture. Some key articles of clothing had yet to be removed. She groaned, hoping it would be enough of a submission for him to understand. Just when she was turning to complete putty, he pulled back, those pupils dilated, "Turn around."

His instruction made her suspicion rise, but another kiss, a raspy whisper convinced her, "trust me."

From each side, his hands framed her hips, while his mouth began sucking and biting at the skin of her neck. 'God, why does this man have this effect on me... I'm not this easy...ahh!'

An irreversible gasp escaped her as one hand suddenly shot down into her underwear, cupping her bare and virginal mound. The heat alone made her desperate to chase this heat, made her hips jump on their own accord. He was only too happy to serve. Taking his middle finger, he circled her clit, exactly the way she liked it. 'How did he...for fucks sake who cares?!'

That same finger, now extremely wet, prodded at her, touching places no other man had. With a bit of pressure, his finger began to move in and out, again and again. He bit hard at her neck, and she cried out as it seemed like his hand was moving too fast to be real. The pressure began to build. It was too much, it was too good. "That's it darling, come for me." He encouraged, not slowly down. The sound of his voice made her tight hole spasm hard around his finger, and triggered a long orgasm. One she felt almost lightheaded from, and leaned back into his arms. "My darling Mia, I finally found you."

Her eyes flew open, wide. A cold sweat enveloped her body, and she was cold. Feeling the chilling sensation of ice against her back, she lifted up into a sitting position, finding her hand down the boxer shorts she had put on before going to sleep. "A goddamned dream," she cursed, getting up, shivering. Every bit of the water and salt mixture, had turned to ice. This happened to many times. Waking up in the middle of the night cold, covered in frozen sweat, afraid of her own shadow. It had been like this for years. This nightmare was different this time; it had started as a dream of this stranger. Her teeth chattering became too loud even for her, breaking her out of the current thought. She put herself together, went to the bathroom, and turned the shower on. While she waited for the water to heat up, she gazed at her own reflection. Her brown eyes and hair seemed ever darker against her pale skin, appearing the perfect image for an Ice queen, blue lips and all. She would warm up, and then she would get the hell out of here.

Tossing the last shirt in, she eyed the grey backpack. It was one the only things that remained from the shadow of a life she once had called her own. Despite her current way of life, she kept it with her. Not only because she thought it best to travel light, but because it served as a reminder of what she was running from. 

With a deep breath, she looked over the place she was leaving as she sprayed it down with air fresher almost to the point she couldn't breathe, and began to choke. This made it less likely someone would be able to track her by scent. And if she had learned anything in the past three years, it was that she couldn't leave things to chance. Right down to covering her scent by bleaching everything she could, collecting every bit of her hair she could, and spraying down the motel with another fragrance, anything that could risk her being found.

Outside it was nearly dawn, the sky barely turning from black to a dark navy blue. Backpack over her arm, she raced down the stairs, as quietly as she could manage, keeping tabs on her surroundings. No one appeared to be up at this hour, which for her, was the exact reason she had chosen to leave now. At ground level, she found a less than humble car. In fact, it wouldn't be amiss to call it a downright clunker. There was a subtle dent on the driver's side, the brown paint was starting to flake away, and the passenger's side had duct tape over where the widow was missing. This hunk of junk Toyota was exactly was she needed.

After peeling the duct tape back, unlocking the passenger door, and sliding into the driver's seat, she was overwhelmed by the scent of cigarettes which stung her nose, and made her all the more eager to find the right wires her hand was currently searching for. After fiddling with it for about a minute, she finally got the engine to start, and headed for the right side roads to take her to the next town. Though eventually she knew she would have to hop on the interstate. Providing this clunker held it shit together, she might actually get to the next town in time for breakfast.

With a whimper like groan, she placed her arms across the steering wheel, and dropped her head against them. Frustrated, she felt like she should yell at herself. Before she knew what was happening, she was voicing her thoughts, "You just had to tell some stranger your real name, you Frigg 'in IDIOT!'

And even despite that, she knew she was an idiot regardless. What kind of person hits the road without checking the god damned gas gage? 'This kind of idiot' she thought shaking her head, causing it to rub against het black leather jacket that covered her arms,

Next move, she needed to think of her next move. Her head lifted from her arms, and stared out the driver's side window. Starting to see the facts for what they were, she had only one choice. Since she wasn't going anywhere without gas, she would have to hitch a ride.

After doing this a couple times to get out of her home town, she had decided she would do anything but that again. 'Stop wallowing' she told herself as she got out of the car with her backpack, eventually coming to lean on the side of the car that had once been t-boned, 'You did this to yourself. Just learn from this experience and never make the same mistake again.'

The thing that bothered her was why she had made it in the first place. Thinking of this only made her think of her solo session in bathroom last night. She couldn't deny how that stranger had his effect on her. A part of her, one that she struggled not to even think about, wanted to see him again. Those beautiful baby blues, and that incredibly sexy body...

With a ragged gasp, she broke herself out of the fantasy. Despite the current shitty situation she was in, there was moisture forming between her legs, and a primal urge to do something about it. As dead as the road was, she could probably get away with it without a soul ever knowing. Her hand trailed up her leg, and slowly curled her fingers around the inside of her thigh. As if on cue, her hand immediately had to hearing a car coming down the road. The tug in her gut not ceasing, she couldn't help but wonder whether to think this as a blessing or a curse. Unable to pass up the opportunity, she put both hands, and started waving at the oncoming vehicle. Halfway hoping it would pass her by, she let out a sigh of relief when it pulled to the side, right in front of the hunk of junk she had been driving.

Putting on her big girl face, she walked up to the black truck, and turned on a dazzling smile. The man who she was confronted with kept his face to the road, wearing large sunglasses, "Thank you so much for stopping. Damn gas gage quit working about a week ago and I thought I had more than I actually did. Would you mind giving me a lift to the next gas station?"

"I happen to keep a small thing of gas in the back for such emergencies, how about we go ahead and put that in the tank." The man offered, "I should have a sufficient amount to get you up the road and to the next pit stop."

This was more than she could have hoped for! "T—Thank you. That would be great."

The man nodded, "I'll step around, and we'll get you set up."

Turning towards the car, she figured it might be a good idea to take note just which side to the gas in. after seeing where it was, she put her backpack on the passengers' seat through the window, and grimaced. After a moment, she felt compelled to offer the man some money for the trouble, so she head whipped around, her body following the movement. Upon the turn, her face was met with a sweet smelling cloth. First reaction being to gasp, blackness tugged at her vision, the last thing she saw being those large sunglasses, wondering who she was staring at as she fell unconscious into his arms.

Everything was dark. With a a headache, a voice rose. "I found her." it said in serious tone. The blackness tugged away just enough for her to make the outside of a man in the driver's seat, holding something up to his ear. "We'll be at the Miracle INN in phoenix. I'll text you the room number and time once we arrive."

She whimpered, the blackness tugging about her again. She needed to stay awake. Somehow she had escape. 'I can't go back!' she thought horrified, 'stay awake, STAY AWAKE!'

Strength fled from her, and she was out like a light.



To Freeze Fire Ch. 03



 I know this chapter doesn't have many scenes with people ripping at each other's clothes, but I felt it was necessary to have a bit of back story. The next chapter is almost finished and should be much more...enticing. Lots of love! XOXO—Luna

*****

There was calmness in the air, a sense of peace. Her eyes were closed, and somehow she knew she was in-between dreams. This was the only place left in her life she felt safe, accepted, at home. The feeling around her began to change, a prickling of ice cold air trailed across her skin, making goose bumps rise. Only now, feeling that calmness fade, did she open her eyes. With a couple of slow motion bats with those dark eyelashes, her eyes closed for a second or two, before they sprung open, and panic began to set in.

The walls were denim blue, having more science fiction movie posters than wall. This room had lost every comfort it once had for her, the beginning to all her nightmares, starting with that icy breath she exhaled, and the tremble that set into her bones as she came to the side of the bed to stand, looking towards the only the door to the room.

"It's time, Mia." A deep, masculine voice bellowed from beyond the seemingly thin piece of wood, followed by a knock, and a twist of the handle, "The sooner you open this door, the sooner we can put this entire mess behind us."

Once more, she felt like she was re-living the experience. Her bottom lip trembled, every muscle in her body locked in fear. 'I—I can't' she thought horrified, tears seeping out the corners of her eyes, feeling so scared that her heart would stop, 'I have to get out of here!'

Her eyes locked on the backpack she had at the foot of her bed, propped up against the white desk, another loud knock came at the door, "OPEN THE DAMNED DOOR!"

Suddenly, she could move, and move she did. She was packing everything she could fit into the weathered grey backpack, and opened the window as quietly as she could manage. While she went to do so, ice started to collect around the door, seeping into the room, crawling along the ceiling and walls. Once it was fully open, there was a loud bang, followed instantaneously by a loud crack. Her head turned to the door, which bowed back, like someone had crushed it in with their weight. More quickly, she turned to the window, trying to get a grip on the seal as she crawled out. 'God, please, I don't want to die!'

Her room had been on the second story, and now, on the roof, the fall was looking like it might cost her far more than what the man who was trying to break the door down, would make her do. In those moments she saw the elderly man she had come to trust, burst through the threshold with surreal strength, her grasp loosened and her back arched, the balance of her footing losing the battle. Before she fell too far, the hand of the elderly man shot out the window, grabbing her by the collar of the shirt she wore. In that moment, she gazed into his eyes, wondering how he could be trying to force her to do this. His attempts to bring her back into her bedroom, turned violent, him cursing her. How they had ended up here, on the ledge with him trying to send her to her death. The hand at her collar had advanced in getting her almost back into the window, as his other one wound in her hair so that she couldn't turn her face away. "You're going to do as you're told. There is no running from this. No alternative. Anywhere you would run, I'd find you."

But he was wrong. She thought of the drop from where she was, to the ground, calculating her chances. There was one place he would never dare follow. What he was going to do to her, was a fate worse than death. She placed her hands over the elderly man's, trying to loosen their hold, "Let me GO!" 

With the last word, the man screamed, doing as she asked, pulling his hands to himself, as hers turned ice cold.. With a gasp, a total look of horror reaching her eyes, she began to fall.

As if mimicking the sound of impact, a loud bang occurred. She was no longer stuck in the reoccurring nightmare, but she was back in bed. Sitting up so fast, she nearly dislocated her shoulder when something caused her movement to come to an abrupt halt. With a painful gasp, her eyebrows came together, and she looked over to her right hand, which was cuffed to the metal headboard. Reality began to set in. She wasn't in the motel. At the very least, not the one she had lived in the past month.

Along with the wicked headache, and her stomach growling, a sense of fear awakened inside her. She couldn't remember where she was. She looked to her right where, through a window and thin curtains, she could see the sun had set, barely lighting up the sky. What was the last thing she had...?

She had met a gun in the bar. 'I met Michael, and I made the mistake of telling him my real name.' she shook her head, remembering she had packed and left town, but the car she had stolen ran out of gas. There had been a stranger at the side of the road. Images flickered of something sweet smelling being placed over her nose and mouth, and then of her being in the back seat of a car, hearing the same man talk, "I found her," the man had said, "We'll be at the Miracle INN in phoenix. I'll text you the room number and time once we arrive." 

And just like that, shit got real. The man of her nightmares came floating back. "I can't go back." She whispered looking around the poorly lit room that was of the simplest motel accommodations. One of which, she didn't feel safe even lying on the sheets. On that matter, she felt at least somewhat better knowing she was still in her clothes, which it should serve as proof nothing too awful had been done to her. If what she thought was going on, was actually happening, she knew the elderly man would have it no other way. 

The man from the side of road, and most likely, her abductor, was nowhere to be seen. Not to say that he might not show up at any given second, or hiding out nearby, which meant she had not a second to spare.

Taking a deep breath, she placed her free hand on the chain of the cuffs, tried to take everything she was feeling inside, fear and hope alike, and released that energy in the form of ice which collectively formed of the chain, and up the cuffs on either side. 'Here goes nothing.'

Exerting all her force, she yanked her right hand away from the headboard, and with a mechanical sounding crack, she was free. Once again, she went back to assessing her situation, laying out her options before her. Her escape options were this, a window to her right, and a door in front of her. Carefully, she walked a few steps towards the bathroom, to ensure she was alone. The light was off, and the door open.

She quickly darted across the small room to the window, checking her exit through the door. One, maybe two seconds passed for a man to come walking down the sidewalk, under the awning, and stop directly in front of that door. Before she could move, something caught her ears and not hers alone. The man, no longer wearing sunglasses, turned his dark brown eyes to another who seemed to be approaching, the one who whistled.

"You've got to be freaking kidding me." She rasped, backing away from the window. All of her exits were blocked. And since she had no way of escape, she was left with only one other option. Scanning the room, she quickly searched for something she could, if need be, defend herself. From inside, the familiar sliding of a key-card could be heard. She had run out of time. Unplugging the small lamp from the wall, she flipped off the other light switch off to the room, and took a stance against the wall, waiting for whoever dared to enter.

She had turned into a statue, standing unmoving as two men entered the suddenly darkened room, they're faces eclipsed by shadows their own bodies gave from the bright yellow light outside that hung under the awning 

"Have a habit of keeping your guests in the dark, do you?" a voice said gruffly, even mildly annoyed, and familiar. Since it didn't appear to be the elderly man she had in mind, she figured he must have sent this low life to collect her.

"I left the lights on." The man from the side of road barked, "There's a switch along the wall here somewhere."

Oh, Mia knew where the switch was alright. And as she felt the air rush towards her from the person who began to reach out, she took the glass object she had at hand, and brought it down of their head as hard as she could. The sound of glass shattering, in synch with a groan filled the room, followed by the sound of someone falling to the floor, almost deadweight. Her hands empty, she made her way for the door, crying out when arms circled around her waist, stopping her in her tracks. Placing her hands over the strangers, she turned cold, the man who held her began scowl, and quickly turned. Suddenly, she was free, and falling. Before she had a real handle on what had happened, her head came in contact with something hard, and that barely gave a fraction upon impact. Blackness tugged at her, threatened to take over. She shook her head as the light switch was flipped on, the loose feeling only increasing. 

Across the green carpeted floor, the glass from the lamp as scattered about. With a shaky hand, she reached for a sizeable piece, when a foot shot out and stepped on it hard. Crying out, she looked up to her abductor, with pure hatred, wishing she hadn't held back. She should have used every bit of energy she had to freeze this asshole solid, even if it meant taking her with him. Her brown eyes drifted from him, to the other man in the room, who was already on his feet, and quickly locking the door. When he turned, she felt like she was going to be sick.

All of this was happening because of her. Because she had met him! She would know those baby blues anywhere, as if his perfect body wouldn't be enough to be permanently etch him in her mind. The Ian Somerhandle look-alike had tricked her. Foolishly, she felt tears sting at back of her eyes, thinking of the kiss they had shared in the club. It was far worse that means for physical hunger, it had been used to get to her. To get what he wanted to know. 

The foot on her hand impossibly exerted more force, and its owner spoke as she cried out, "Price just shot up." He said, appearing to be addressing Michael. "Little bitch may have cost me one of my fingers."

"I think not." Michael stated calmly, "The instructions were clear. You were not to harm her in anyway. You were not successful. There will not be any negotiating the price."

The man retracted his foot immediately off of her hand, his face filling with blood, "But she froze my hands!"

"And she cracked open my skull." He shrugged, taking a couple of fingers to his head, just above the temple where a thin line of blood began to slide down the once seeming flawless ivory skin. "In fact, seeing how you tried to crush her hand there, gave me on a little insight on how terribly you must have been treating her since she's been under your care. I'll be taking her with me now." Those blue eyes flickered down to the wounded hands, "I suggest you get that checked out."

"Hey, what about my money?!" the brown eyed math seethed, "You're not leaving this room with her until I get it!"

"You really don't know who your messing with here, pal. As I said before, there will be no negotiations." He whispered softly, helping her up off the floor, leaving her no choice but to lean on his incredibly compact frame when the room started to spin. As much as she hated being close to him, this was her best option of getting out of here. Especially since this guy didn't seem to want to hurt her. "I suggest you leave with your life while you still have it."

Halfway to the door, her feet started to give out, and suddenly she was in his arms. 'God, he even smells good.' She thought, turning her head into his chest to inhale the scent deeply, 'I must be really sick. I would have to be to getting turned on by this.' 

Despite the fact, she felt herself grow wet, her nipples turning hard. The ease in which he picked her up was almost eerie. A thousand and one scenarios flashing across her mind, curious to all the things he could do to her with those strong hands of his. Just like in her dream. All of that, ceasing to matter where she heard an all too familiar mechanical click, and Michael stopped walking. The voice of her abductor reached her ears once more, "I'm getting my money, one way or another. But you have it all wrong, friend; it's you who should leave with your life while you still got it."

Michael sighed, causing her to feel all the tiny vibrations when it turned to a growl towards the end. Bringing her right back to where she started, he lay her on the bed. While pulling back, he dropped a whisper at her ear, one that caused a shiver to run up her spine, "Close your eyes, you shouldn't have to see this."

"I know enough about sizing people up to know you're not carrying a gun." The brown eyed man muttered confidently, smiling even, "And since you've made it perfectly clear you have no intention of paying me, it seems only fair I get compensation in...other ways."

His eyes turned to hers, with that grin growing even wider. All the excitement drained from her, being replaced by fears of rape and death. Michael's eyes turned her, and tapped with his index finger just below his eye, signaling to her. She nodded, and shut her eyes tight, feeling the overwhelming need to trust him. Like he was about to do something he didn't want her to see. 

Michael's voice could be heard despite that, "You are right about me not carrying a gun. What you don't understand is this; I don't need one."

The brown eyed man chuckled, and a moment later, abruptly stopped. The room around her grew hot, heating her chilled skin, a crackling reaching her ears. Then she could smell it, something was burning. Her eyes cracked open in search of a fire, to see the blue eyed man at the end of the bed, and the other man gone. She lifted herself up a bit, expected to find her abductor dead on the floor, instead she found a pile of fine powder, appearing a charcoal grey. 

"Where—where is the other guy?"

"It's time to leave," Michael said sullenly, marching towards her. Before she could dare to ask what that smell was, she was being swooped into the arms of the man of her dreams, and being taken to the man of her nightmares.



To Freeze Fire Ch. 04



Clenching her jaw, she spoke through her teeth, "Where are you taking me?"

"Something tells me you've been waiting for this day to come," he whispered gently, "Which means you probably already know the answer to that question."

Involuntary heavy breaths escape her lips as she turned her head to the window. Water began to fall from the sky, hitting the windshield, sending rain bands over the glass. They had left Phoenix approximately four hours ago, and now, they were on the edge of Texas. If they were heading back to where she used live, it wouldn't take another four for them to arrive. While contemplating ways to escape, she felt a curiosity within her, rise. "How much did he pay you?"

"I run across guys on a daily basis, care to be a bit more specific?" his head turned towards her briefly, revealing the dried blood leaking down from the top of his temple. Man, she had clocked him pretty good. Though now, under the circumstances, she was happy that she hadn't been successful in knocking him out. The man with the brown eyes would have most certainly had his way with her.

"The guy who hired you to find me," she clarified, using a annoyed voice. Maybe it was that gas station sub she had be forced to eat for dinner or his genuinely irritation attitude, but she growled the next question, "How much did he pay you?"

"A generous amount" he said smugly, "Even by my standards."

"Did you happen to ask why he was so willing to spend this 'generous amount'?"

"The why' is never really important in this business. However if I had to guess, it was for the upmost discretion. I ask only the questions that supply enough answers for me to get the job done."

"What did he tell you about me?"

He raised a brow, looking away from the highway for a split moment. "Why don't you ask what you really want to know. It would save us both some time."

As if they didn't have time to spare. The most pressing question she had in mind, got pushed to the side, the others filling the void. The grey colored body powder at the foot of the bed, and the smell of something burning filled her vision and overwhelmed her sense of smell. "Back at the motel, neither of you guys seemed surprised that I could freeze things."

"Was there a question in there somewhere?" he taunted. Even though they were still practical strangers, she was given clues here and there that he was an over-confident ass. 'The cute ones always are.'

"The question was why. And for that matter, what did you do that made the other guy at the motel run off so quickly?"

"I specialize in retrieving individuals with...interesting abilities; some of which could be deemed harmful to the reputation of those who live hidden among the human population. As for that ordeal back at the motel, it's best you don't know the details," he said turning off the highway onto a more broken down road, "Anything else?"

She bit her tongue, unable to ask the real question she had inside of her. "Where are we going? I thought..."

"It's going to be daylight soon, and I'd like to get settled in before that. I'll finish the drive to Maine tomorrow. And with any luck, you'll be back home before midnight."

They pulled into a modest bed and Breakfast, and he turned towards her. "When I told you to close your eyes back in Phoenix, you listened. For a split moment you trusted me. I'm going to try to extend the favor. We can go inside her, and pretend to be a charming couple under the agreement you won't try to run away, or we can go to a motel down the street and risk getting bedbugs. Now, what's it gonna be?"

She nodded, her face turning a darker shade. "O—okay, um. I'll pretend to be your..."

His handsome face filled her vision, and blood continued to fill her cheeks as he smiled while she struggled to find the right word, "Girlfriend will suffice."

When they entered the small lobby, she found herself in unfamiliar territory. It surprised her just how home-like this place was. It took her back to a time in her life where things had been so simple. Back when she had a family, a home. The woman who had taken on the position of a receptionist, was equally as warm and welcoming, giving her the safe assumption that this job meant something to her, perhaps it was even a family-run operation. 

"Good morning, and welcome to Giselle's Bed and Breakfast. How may I be of service?" Michael quickly finished approaching the front desk, flashing a dazzling smile at the grey eyed lady that appeared to be in her mid-twenties, relatively closer to her age. Her eyes seemed to turn concerned when she realized the spots on his shirt were red, and by all rights, blood. Then, her eyes went to his face, her lips parting at the dried blood.

"Hi, there, my girlfriend and I have been on the road for most of the day. You'll have to excuse our ragged appearances; a car hit us and took off a couple of towns back."

"Did you need me to call for an ambulance?" the girl offered, concerned. 

The man with the baby blues shook his head, saying, "No, thank you. Nothing serious enough to be of alarm or concern; it's just a couple of scrapes and bruises that will mend. We would report it but we are kind of on the way to my mother in Maine. She's in hospice and we don't know how long she has. We would have bought a plane ticket but I'm afraid we couldn't get enough money for tickets. So, we just needed a room to crash to recharge the old batteries." Michael smiled sadly, his acting skills very believable. "If at all possible, one with a queen bed please."

The receptionist nodded politely and handed him a key card after he paid in cash. As it would happen, they got the last room with one bed. 'ONE BED?' she thought horrified, 'I can't sleep next to him!' She had never slept next to anyone. Let alone a badass, incredibly sexy, bounty hunter.

The fear snaked through her, making her think of all the things that might happen to her if she dared close her eyes on their way to the room. Once inside, he tossed her backpack next to the bed, and eyed her. The current situation needed to be lightened. Searching for something to say, to take her mind of his heated gaze, she turned away from him, looking in another direction. Observing the light glow from the window, she watched as he shut the curtains, drawing them too.

Her mind went back to the club, how they had grinded against one another, teaching her how to dance. Making her want him, in a way she couldn't fully understand, would have been enough to make her tell him her name. It was what he had done after, that seemed unforgivable.

"Why did you kiss me?" She couldn't even look at him while she asked it. Her voice sounded like a wounded school girl, making her seem weak. The facts she had been going over since they had left phoenix began to be formed into words, "There was no reason for it."

"I would hardly think that kissing a beautiful woman such as you requires an explanation." 

The pace of her heart became that of a hummingbirds, 'He thinks imp beautiful?' The way the thought of that made her heart race, ready to swoon like a little girl, she mentally shook her head at that, 'Snap out of it. Why would you even believe that! You don't know this guy. Not to mention he's taking you back to that place. You have to escape, by any means necessary.'

Without warning, Michael approached the bed, and took off that fitted white tee he wore, which she had realized had blood drops around the collar area on the right side, and placed it to the area around his temple. Blood filling her cheeks, she went to the bathroom first, as a distraction, only to find a first aid kit. 

With clammy palms, she took it into the bedroom, finding Michael at the foot of the bed, half naked in all his glory, the muscles of his abdomen making a knot forming low in her stomach. Maybe this was going to be easier to do that she had originally thought. 'When he's asleep, I'll leave this place and never look back.'

"I'm sorry about your head," she said, sitting beside him, avoiding looking over more than absolute necessary. "I found this in the bathroom. If you want, I'll make sure it doesn't need stiches."

Those baby blues turned to her, one dark eyebrow cocking up, "What's this, your attempt to convince me to let you go?"

She shook her head, "It's a nice thought that it would be that simple. But I think we both know you aren't going to let me go. Besides, I really don't want to wake up next to a corpse."

"We've been on the road for hours, if I was going to bleed out, don't you think I would have done so already?" he asked cynically, "Besides, if I were to die, it would solve your problem now, wouldn't it?"

She rose from the bed, leaving the first aid kit on the bed, "You still could have had a concussion. But whatever, I was just trying to return the favor."

Standing up, she was about to take her first step to the bathroom, her only source of privacy, when a hand shot out, and linked around her wrist, "Look, I didn't meant to be rude. Please sit back down."

Those large fingers that held her from moving another inch were warm, really warm. It instinctually made goosebumps form up her arms, and eventually came to cover her entire body. With a ragged breath she set back down and opened up the first aid kit. "I know you're not a risk of bleeding out, but it still doesn't mean you shouldn't have it looked at. Like I said before, you could have a concussion or even need stiches."

A low rumble came from his throat, causing her to jerk back in surprise, hearing him say, "Not likely. But if you want to have a look, be my guest."

Standing up, she went ahead and prepped some disinfectant and gauze, having already washed her hands in the bathroom. Now, she looked at her best options for cleaning the wound so that she might assess just how bad she had hurt him. Her eyes were drawn to the way he had his legs spread out, an invitation she was going to be forced to take. Materials at hand, and to his surprise, stepped between them, eventually causing him to spread them wider. 

"Darling, if you wanted to touch me, all you had to do was ask" he winked at her. A protective reflex sent her glaring at him, those brown eyes full of fire. Rolling his own, he then kept them on her from there on out.

Feeling her body betray her while her hands touched his face, turning his head at an angle where she could see the place the blood appeared to have come from. The slightest exposure to that abnormal warm skin made her nipples harden, a new pair of panties becoming required. 

"So," he whispered roughly, his voice sounding strained, "Exactly what favor is this returning?"

"That guy that had me at the motel, you stopped him from hurting me..." She reminded him, taking some damp gauze and cleaning up the area around the wound, "Despite what the reasons were, I am grateful. If you hadn't of made him leave, he would have probably..."

She shook her own head, fetching another piece of gauze, her lips becoming set into a grim line. There was no probably about it. That guy who had kidnapped her would have raped her. She could sense it. Returning with a fresh piece of gauze she ventured to her main target, she found he had moved his head out of position, so she had to touch him, once again. He smiled at her aggravation at this, and said in a believable tone, "A man should never strike a woman, no matter what the reason is. And above all, a man should never try to force himself on her. The man who all but threatened to rape you won't be a problem anymore."

Hearing his words, she only understood about half of them. She was being distracted by the wound, or rather, the lack there of. "That's...impossible..."

She turned his head to better lighting, not bothering to let go, this time, despite the feelings it gave her. The lamp had shattered, the blood was his, and she knew she had hit him. Despite this, besides the mess on his shirt, and gauze, there was no evidence she had. Without warning, there was a warm pressure on the back of her thighs, urging her forward, though she had no place to go. After almost jumping out of her skin in surprise, she looked down to the man, whose eyes, had dilated. All that remained of those heartbreaking eyes, was a thin blue band, filling with something she didn't fully understand, but knew had to be lust. The pressure moved upwards, so that he was no cupping her bottom, on hand on each cheek with more hand to spare, his fingers touching. The aided pressure caused her torso to be pressed up against the lower part of his chest, causing her back to bow so that his face wasn't buried between her breasts. His head which turned upward, had those lips, parted, making her knees tremble a bit. But it was when felt something twitch beneath the jeans of his pants, on the outside of her leg, which caused her to gasp.

A smile fused with desire occurred on his face as his hands let her body, trailed around to between them, one coming to rest on her hip, and the other sliding on the inside of her thigh, up the length of her skirt.

'Oh god, if he touches me there, I'll collapse.' she thought, making her back slid straight, sending him face first between her mounds, anything to stop him from seeing her expression. She felt dirty for letting him do this to her, dirty for wanting him to do this to her. She felt a warm finger graze across her grey lace panties, knowing it would come back soaked.

Without warning, his hand retracted that hand, and placed his index finger into his mouth, recovering a shutter from her. "Mmm, darling, you taste better than you smell."

Her knees buckled, but he was there, holding her up, tilting her back until she lay ontop of him, one leg straddled on each side of his hips. That twitching piece of flesh beneath those jeans of his became ever closer to her aching hole. 'Shit, I can't believe this happening. Are we really going to....?'

Those eyes of his seemed to pierce her soul the moment she made the poor decision to look up. Within those eyes, something animalistic lurked, ready to eat her alive. All of the sudden, her world began to spin, and with a sharp gasp, she was suddenly staring at the ceiling over his shoulder.

His hands, which seemed to be everywhere the moment before, now anchored on her hips, his fingers slowly, caressingly made their way to the button that tied her skirt together. those eyes asked for permission, which she replied to by first licking and biting her lip, followed by attempting to undo them herself. Michael wouldn't allow it. Now given her permission, he all but slapped her hands away, stroking the insides of her thighs, then back up to where the button of her skirt lay, teasingly. When she thought she could take no more, he lifted her onto his waist, leaning back so that she straddled him, bringing her in close, stealing a kiss. Those lips were as soft as she remembered, and his scent, oh his scent! It was inxoicating beyond any coherent description. Those fire hot hands of his, snaked up and under her shirt, and with one quick motion, yanked it over her head. With this out of the way, he pushed her back to lay on the bed, seizing the opportunity to look at her partially unclothed for the first time; only advancing this new found view of her, as he finished unbuttoning her skirt, and pulled it down and over her hips.

Those large hands framed her hips once more, one straying down, and into her underwear. The first touch of those warm hands against her mound made her hips buck, her face flood with embarrassment from the way her body reacted to his presence and touch. The middle finger on that hand circled that already swollen piece of flesh, touching her in a place no other had. And she was just letting him, the strokes being soft at first, then gradually harder, and quicker. 'It's too much....too good'

"Never too good little one," Michael rasped, making a shiver run up from head to toe. 

'Shit did I say that out loud?' in another second, it didn't matter; she could not for the life of her bring herself to care. All thoughts were pushed from her mind as that finger, which was now more for moist, dipped into her core, and pushed its way in. Unlike her fantasies, it wasn't pleasure that made her tremble, it was pain. Just one of his fingers was much larger than what she was used to, making her tight around it, stretching her, enabling him to feel every clench clearly. His head pulled back, looking her in the eye as he attempted to pull that finger out. Just when she thought he might leave her, she clenched her muscles tighter, he dove back in. 'Lord, this man is going to tear me apart!' her thoughts screamed, 'God, how I want him to.'

"So tight, darling, so tight..." He groaned against her throat, nipping away until he reached her ear, "I can't wait to feel you around me."

The pace of finger stopped, and suddenly, she felt something in addition pressing at her entrance. Immediately she knew what he was about to, what he would realize. She tried to pull away from him, to give him some kind of warning, when that additional finger tried to make its way inside her. All at once, he seemed to realize what he felt just beyond that one finger; a barrier. With the difficulty, he let out a harsh cry, "It's not possible." He whisper was strained, and his face softened, the hand on her hip going to her face, "We may have a problem here."

Her face, which hadn't lost any of its lustering red, eyed at the shape of man's hand still buried there, his finger at a standstill, though still embedded. The sight made her clench in voluntarily which in turned caused him to groan. "It's not possible," he said again in disbelief, "How can you be a virgin?"

"W—what's that supposed to mean?" she stammered, "You try being on the run for as long as I have and see if you have time to meet someone that was worth...."Her voice trailed off, she couldn't dare finish that sentence. His smug smile had already taken the stab at her heart, making her eyes tear up with anguish. "Don't look at me like that."

"Your offer is precious, darling." He whispered, moving his finger again, slowly, in and out, running into the same resistance, "Oh, little one, this would be very painful for you."

His words said one thing, his fingers another. The words he had chosen seemed specific, he said it would be very painful, not it will be. Those brown orbs searched his, "If you want to stop, then why are you..." she gasped as he continued at a faster pace, the hand he held to her face, coming down to rub through her panties. Her eyes squeezed shut, the pain ebbing to something she could almost touch, almost reach, almost...

Pulling his hands away, he retracted to the end of the bed, and commenced to undo the buttons for his blue jeans. The dark denim slid over his hips, keeping himself clad in some dark red boxers that came to shape the large curve of him, straining against the fabric. as he crawled over her, and settled between her legs once more, she could feel his hard on pressing up against her underwear,, nudging its way between her lips, fighting its way to get in. "I'm not going to take what you offer me."

Anger flooded through her, a sensation of emptiness because of the lack of his finger. "Y—you're going to leave me like this?"

"On the contrary, I'm going to make you cum so hard you're going to be thinking of me every time you think about pleasing yourself from now on." Her muscles clenched around nothing, making her realize just how empty she was without his finger. "Call me old fashioned, but I think losing one's virginity should be with someone you care about." With the stretch of his hand, his finger deviled back into her, faster and warmer before; a gradual heat that made her feel as though she were on fire.

'Oh god, oh god' her eyes clenched tightly shut, 'How is that even possible? How can his finger be getting hotter?'




To Freeze Fire Ch. 04



"Please..." she whimpered, he being only too happy to add what she was missing. His other hand went to work, fingers rubbing her clit, doing the same as the one inside her, warming up, getting hotter and hotter.

The feeling in her gut grew too tight, like a star going super nova, until finally, she exploded. The moment, she cried out, and finally began to whimper, his hands withdrew, going to her legs, pulling them to frame his hips. Just when she thought she had finally found heaven, he began to grind against her, that fire that seemed to burn along his skin entrapped her, left her breathless. As his hips began to thrust, quite literally knocking the breath from her, once, twice, and three times; she began to lose count, his hips becoming a blur, manhood rubbing against her saturated underwear.

Beyond coherent though, she bit down hard on her lip, shut her eyes and moaned. Though his eyes had closed in the heat of things, her eyes remained open, etching every expression on his face to memory. His thrust seemed to grow faster, more uncoordinated until, in one pelvis breaking twitch, Michael cried out above her, followed by a warmness between her legs. 'He just...It's running down my thighs...'

"Do.." her voice trailed off, trying to find her thoughts again, "Do you smell something burning?"

The smell twitched at her nose, getting stronger. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a wisp of a flame on the comforter, and before she could properly react, Michaels hand clamped down over it, extinguishing it.

Her eyes shot back to his, and she began to choke, "ugh, what the hell is that?! It smells like...burnt rubber in here now."

"Darling, if you don't smell rubber burning, you haven't been with a real man."

Rolling her eyes, "I'm serious. What is that smell?"

"So am I" he said with a sinful smile. Her lack of humored expression must have gave him a hint, urging him to continue on, "Let me put it this way, you don't want to find out."

But she did. Why was it every time she was around him, that harsh scent of something burning reached her nose? What was it about him that made her yearn to know more? Was it his lack of surprise that she could freeze things? Or those baby blues that had been scorched into her mind...

Her gaze shifted from her side, to the man who still lay heavily upon her. Both of their desires being sated, reality began to set in. Awkwardness took her, and didn't seem to touch him at all. Passing the moment, she found herself suddenly absorbed in the dark wisps of chest hair, which tapered down, where their bodies met. Those clearly defined muscles that made his stomach made her core spasm, an internal shutter go off.

"Enjoying the view?" Michael asked in a throaty whisper, causing her to look up, expecting to find him smiling. She did not. His gaze was filled with the heat. The same that caused her skin to burn, and her breath catch. Looking away, she unintentionally buried her face into one of his arms that propped himself up over her.

Feeling a bit foolish that her attempt to make him fall asleep hadn't worked, not yet anyway, she cleared her throat, and tried to move out from underneath him, only making her rub against him in a way she knew was counterproductive. Annoyed that she couldn't accomplish the task alone, and looked up at him, "Do you mind?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." He vouched, "I find I rather like the feel of you beneath me. The ice had a rather nice effect, shame it didn't last very long."

Her blood ran cold. Looking down at their bodies, she knew the water there was far too high in quantity to be sweat from their efforts alone. She had covered them both in ice, and it had completely melted before she was aware of it. 'I'm not even cold' she thought mortified, 'How is that...?'

"What are you?" she spat, something wasn't quite right about him at all.

"You really have no idea?"

She shook her head, "Why don't you enlighten me."

When he made any attempt to tell her, looking into her eyes as if to read her soul she shoved at his chest, "Get off of me."

"I can't let you go." He said suddenly, as if would give permission for him to continue laying there. 

"I didn't—"

"Oh but you did" he countered, "Don't think for a second I was fooled by your little...display. No matter how pleasurable it might have been, I can't let you walk out that door."

Foolishly, her eyes began to tear again. "Then you'll be sending me to my death."

At last, he rolled off of her, seeming to take all the heat with him. "Being a bit dramatic aren't you?"

Unable to even look his way, she turned on her side, feeling cold. It was much more than a physical feeling as it seemed to penetrate her very soul. "Get some sleep, we leave at sunset."



To Freeze Fire Ch. 05



She couldn't bring herself to look at him. There were too many things that had transpired the tireless night before. So many things had happened to her, that, if she were to be complexly honest with herself, she would admit that she hadn't completely wrapped her head around it all. 'Stupid, I'm so freaking stupid' she cursed herself. 'It would be my luck to have a bounty hunter sent after me that picks and chooses when to grow a conscience'

Rubbing her wrists, she could still feel the metal around it from where Michael had cuffed her to him after they changed clothes. Many times throughout the night, she had purposely tried to break free, as she had done in Phoenix. She only made herself cold in the process, the ice only reaching midway up the chain, never to any avail. The moment she had been set free, she darted into the bathroom to be alone with her thoughts.

Going over the things that had occurred in the past 24 hours, two things stuck out in her mind. One was how he was so very determined to return her to the grey headed man. And two, how reluctant—no—that was the wrong word—how he had straight up refused to take her virginity. Now, she was thankful he hadn't. If he had taken her, and everything still had happened the same way, she couldn't live with herself. The sense of betrayal would be that much more. 

She stared at the mirror, looking at the bruises she had on her hips. He was strong, though at the moment in time, she couldn't for the life of her recall him using enough force to cause them. For her first experience with a man, she kind of thought of them as battle wounds, that would fade with time. Something even worse though, may take their place if she didn't find some way to escape his clutches.

Turning on the shower, she slid her lace underwear down her hips and to the floor next to her shirt and skirt she had already taken off. Her bra followed the items in a heap at her feet before she edged her way into the water. She thought this may help somehow. Taking a shower, using fragrant soaps , in doing so washing away all traces of him. It didn't.

If anything, the warm water caused her to think of his hands, his lips, and his kiss. Her hand strayed down on its own accord, almost coming in contact with her clit when there was a sudden rapping on the bathroom door. Blood flooded her cheeks, her whole body going ridged. "Y—yes?"

"You didn't say you were taking a shower." Michael thundered from the other side of the door. 

The desire that had began to fill every cell of her being, flowed to anger. "Since when do I need you permission?" she asked cynically, throwing the words at him as if they were punches.

The bathroom door opened, his bellowing voice informing her, "Since you became my responsibility; my captive. Take ....your....pick."

Her eyes went wide, jerking the shower curtain to the wall as far as it could to hide herself, "H—hey!" she yelled, "Just what the hell do you think you're doing! GET OUT!"

From the other side of the shower curtain, she could hear him clucking his tongue, like she was a disobedient child, "You're really going to be that modest after our little session earlier?"

"You didn't see me naked earlier!" she retorted. 

"Not for a lack of wanting to." He grumbled, with obvious dissatisfaction.

"Just get out, or I'll scream." He seemed to take her words in for a few moments, as though he was weighing out the options, consequences if she did. She did the same by questioning herself if this may be her way out.

"If you scream, I'll kill everyone that hears you." He muttered in a cold sounding voice, a shiver running up her spine considering she had always associated him with heat. "Just hurry up, we have to leave in ten minutes."

A few footsteps prior, she heard the door to the bathroom closed. Alone, she thought of what she had been doing moments before, what she had wanted to do. Despite the shit being scared out of her, she still felt the desire to end the ache within her.ten minutes would surely be enough to...

'You're really going to risk him walking in on that?' she shook her head, finishing lathering her skin and hair with suds, cleaning every portion she felt had been exposed to him. One place she couldn't reach. And she didn't mean her pride alone.

Stepping out of the bathroom, she reached for the yellow towel on the rack to the right, first taking to the ends of her hair, and gradually patting herself dry. She was about halfway finished when she realized something was terribly wrong with this picture. The floor was bare. Her clothes were gone.

"God—Fucking---Damn it" she cursed, wrapping the towel around her, tucking it in at her chest to one side. She opened the door a fraction, sticking her hand out, "Give me my clothes."

"If you want to talk to me, you had better come out here." He whispered serenely, almost into the crack in the door, "Hard of hearing after all that yelling you just did, ya know."

"You're fucking crazy if you think I'm coming out there in only a towel." She all but growled.

It would appear he had an answer for that too. "Well, if you'd like, you can leave the towel in the bathroom."

"I thought you said we were leaving in ten minutes!" somehow, she thought pointing out this detail would be enough to hand over her clothes he had stolen. However, it had the exact opposite effect than she had hoped.

"I'm well aware." He said, "Which is why if you don't come out here in the next thirty seconds, I'm going to be coming in to put your clothes on myself. And I can't promise your underthings will go on first..."

'crap, crap, crap!' what was she going to do? She said the first thing that came to mind, "What happened to not forcing women to do things they don't want to?"

"20, 19, 18..." he began to announce in a booming voice.

'Fuck me,' her thoughts screamed, "Ok...OK!"

She opened the door, and walked through the threshold, leaving behind the only partially safe place she knew. His eyes were focused on the towel immediately, a crooked smile pulling one side of his lips higher than the other. Standing there, she bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling, holding a hand out, "My clothes please?"

His eyes scanned the full length of her, as if remembering every detail for his demented mind to repurpose. "No."

"E—excuse me?" she rasped, her voice steadily becoming strained the moment she stuttered. He couldn't possibly have lied to her just to get her out of the bathroom. 'Oh yes, that's exactly what this shit hole did!' her thoughts screamed, her vision turning red with anger, "You said if I come out you'd give them to me!"

"Recall, dear one," his smile widened on that one side, pulling the other to better match it, "I told you that if you wanted to talk to me, to come out. Having me return your clothing to you was never a part of the bargain." 

"Oh!" she fumed, "Who the f—"

"I want you to answer a question" he interrupted, "If you answer truthfully, I'll give you your clothes back. And you have to explain, no simple yes or no."

Her eyes went searching for her backpack, wondering why she was even entertaining the assholes amusement and sense of control over her. It too was missing. 'Fuck!'

She bit down on her lower lips almost hard enough to make it bleed, "What is your question?"

"Normally I don't ask these things, but you seem quite certain that upon your return home, that you will be harmed. I'm curious as to why. What caused you to run away from home three years ago?"

The blood drained from her face, a light headed feeling taking over. Why on earth did he have to ask that question above all others? It would have been less painful for her to drop the towel and let him see her bare, than to let him inside her head.

"Why does it matter?" she muttered looking to the floor, feeling suddenly more naked. A part of her mind enlightened her of what this could mean. A possibility of why he would be asking such a question. The proposition looked like her only way out, "All you have to do is finish the drive to Maine, and you'll never have to see my face again."

"I'm the one with the leverage here." He signaled waving her bra slowly, "Answer the question."

Rolling her eyes, she sighed, "fine."

With a deep breath, she leaned against the threshold, "On my eighteenth birthday, my father took me out of town, saying that he wanted to go night fishing like we used to before..." her voice cracked and she shook her head, he didn't need to know the specifics, "Anyway, when we got to the lake, the sun had just set, and I could see someone on the back, looking straight at me. When we got out, the stranger started to approach us. He announced that he was there on behalf of a man named Zael, who was ready to honor the agreement my father had arranged. Before I could get my senses about me to ask what arrangement he was talking about, he grabbed my hand, and slipped a very expensive ring on my ring finger, and it all came together." She lifted her eyes, meeting his unreadable expression with a tear filled gaze, "My father arranged my marriage complete stranger. When I turned eighteen, I was no longer his problem."

He said nothing, made no attempt to hand her clothes back, as was the agreement. Like he was staring at her, but not really seeing her. A feeling crept up on her, more than embarrassment than to have revealed such a private and hurtful moment of her past that had scared her, but one of fear. There was this look in his eyes that reminded her of how people look right before they would have a seizure, or in shock, this blank, vacant looking thing.

"Michael?" she whispered, leaning back off the threshold, moving one step at a time towards him, repeating his name even louder followed by snapping her fingers, "Hello, is any one home?"

It took her crossing the entire room before getting his attention, though he at last, looked down at her. She made a grab for her clothes, and the moment she made contact with his skin, she knew she had made a mistake. 'His skin is so hot!' she thought, 'It's like he has a high fever?'

"Why...?" she began to ask, looking up from his hand, to his face where she only had a split second warning before his lips closed over hers. Moments passed, and still he made no attempt to grab her in any way. Her eyes closed, and she could hear him drop her clothes to the floor, then his hands on her face, kissing her so thoroughly she went weak in the knees quickly

He placed her hands on his chest.

"How do we keep arriving here, Mia?" he sighed, dropping his forehead to hers, the tone sounding helpless, concerned. Was it possible he felt this crazy attraction towards her as well? A shiver went up her spine; it was like she was hearing him speak for the first time, saying her name like that. Then everything shattered. "I have to take you back."

She pushed at his chest, and picked her clothes at their feet, darting as quickly as she could away from him, retreating from battle. 

Something inside her felt abandoned. God, why did she always feel like crying around him? There was something wrong with her. There had to be. 'It's the way he looks at me,' she thought, 'when he gets close to me...'

"Maybe you father can be reasoned with, Mia." He offered as she closed the bathroom door to have some privacy, she commenced to get dressed, crying like a child, careful not to inhale to quickly or do anything that would otherwise tip him off she was doing so. "You have been gone for three years after all. Surely your old man would try to hand you off just like that."

She yanked her shirt over head, yanking the bathroom door open, "You tell me, you really think that grey headed man would pay you god knows how much to have a family reunion?" she shook her head sure. "You met the man yourself, but let me tell you, if he paying you that handsomely, it's not because he wants to see me. It's because this Zael person wants to seal the arrangement, or pressuring him about it."

"The grey headed man...he's your father?" he sounded shocked. It gave her a certainty that she had gotten her point across, that the man, who was her own blood, was a monster; uncaring about her well being, cruel. 

"I haven't referred to him as my father even to myself, for years, until tonight so that you could know who he was." She shrugged by him, almost knocking him out of her path. Starting to search more efficiently for her backpack, she found it stashed under the bed. "Since you bent on taking me back to my father, and collecting what I can presume my dear old dad is withholding on your dues, all I ask is that you give me the chance to defend myself. Don't take me back empty handed."

She unlocked the door to their room, tossing her backpack over her shoulder. He went out before her, and after returning the key to the room, they sat in the car, silent for a time. It was like he couldn't believe what she was saying, about her attitude about this. 'I can't show him how terrified I am about this. It might ruin the only chance of getting out of this alive. She had been right all along. He wouldn't release her, but he might supply her with what she may need to escape again.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked raising a brow, "Weapons? You really think you can use something like that against you father if he threatened your life?"

"Anything I may need to get the hell out of there. And that man quit being my father the moment he traded me to a stranger. Since you deal with people like me on a regular basis, you have some idea of what I'm up against I take it," she pointed out, "Your reaction to my story told me that much. Its bad, you pretty much froze up on the spot"

He started the car, "I have an inkling." He admitted in a growl sounding voice, like she had insulted him, "And offense doll, but I'm afraid a half human isn't going to cut it."

"H—half human? What are you talking about?"

"Your father told me about your human mother."

Her mouth fell open. Her mother hadn't been...? Eyes going wide, she suddenly found a reason why her father had been cruel to her all this time. She wasn't like him, at least, not fully. 

Michael, always so observant, gauged her reaction, "You didn't know?"

She could only shake her head, taking slow deep breaths. He continued on while she caught her breath, "You're not going against just your father this time. It was a miracle you escaped the first time around. A mistake I'm sure he won't be keen on repeating. When I was contacted and met with the grey headed man, he had some of Zael's men around."

Strapping herself in, the man beside her began to head down the road making his way to her final destination. The initial shock starting to ebb away, the fact of her being stuck between two worlds, being replaced with a question, "These men, are they like him?"

Her voice sounded wounded, and she hated herself for it. She prepared herself for the worse, feeling a rush of relief over her when he responded, " No, Zael's men are not ice mages" he said, continuing on after just a few moments, "they're vampires."



To Freeze Fire Ch. 06



The black truck pulled into the drive thru of a burger stand at the side of the road. They had been on the road for hours, and now, roughly about 8 at night, he had apparently decided that it was time for dinner. Though her stomach growled, and her limbs were even weak from not eating for so long, she had no appetite. So when he inquired what she wanted, she told him she wasn't hungry. 

Her belly quickly protested, growling loud enough for him to hear. 

'Traitor,' she growled internally back at her stomach. Rolling his eyes, he ordered one deluxe hamburger, a small fry, and a coke. After receiving the goods, he pulled around into the parking lot, and handed her the bag of food and drink. Thinking she must have heard incorrectly, she checked the bag again. There was only enough food here for one person. "Aren't you going to eat something?"

She looked over towards him, finding his arm starched so that his head was cradled in his left hand, his elbow propped up near the window. Keeping his head faced in front of them, he answered quietly, "Not hungry. Go ahead and eat."

Unable to ignore the ach in her stomach any longer, she commenced to be a good little captive, doing as she was told. Throughout the time it took her to eat, he said nothing. In fact, they still sat stationary while long after she had finished eating.

There was another, more odd ache that rose in her chest when she thought that he was just going to give her over to her Father, knowing what fate she would be doomed to, armed or not. Her feelings, as irrational as it was, were hurt. What was even worse, she realized, was the thought of not being able to see him again. Not being able to feel the rush, and even annoying embarrassment she felt around no other. 

Her head turned to him, "What are thinking?" No answer. He kept staring out through the front windshield, in a way that reminded her of when she had told him about her past. She scoffed, feeling annoyed to think that she out of them two of them, had crossed the line. "Okay, don't tell me. But since we are so close to my Father, if you don't mind, I would like to stop and get something I could defend myself with."

"You're half human." He stated, seemingly off topic at first. "And as such, you shouldn't have inherited your Father's abilities. But somehow, you did. You ask me for something to defend yourself with, and the sickest part, is the most powerful thing you have on your side, I could never give you."

Her eyebrows came together, "I—I don't understand."

"And that's exactly why you don't stand a chance. There are rules about half breeds Mia, they are normally gotten rid of the moment they are born," his tone sounded on the verge of anger. "When your Father told me he had chosen to keep you around, there was no reason to inform me what you were. Yet he did. You had no idea about being part ice mage until I mentioned it earlier, did you? You probably can't even control it which is the only reasonable explanation as to why you think you would need something to protect yourself with."

If she could turn invisible, she would have chosen to do so now. "The morning after I turned 18 has always haunted me. It's probably the second most vivid memory I have. When I got back into the car to catch my breath after my Father told me about the engagement that evening on my eighteenth birthday, I had stolen his keys. Like a complete idiot, the place I chose to drive to was back home. A guess, a part of me thought he was drunk. That maybe if I went to sleep in my bed, when I woke up, everything would be back to the shitty norm. But then, the following morning, he woke me by hammering on the door with his hands. I knew I couldn't live there anymore. I couldn't marry a stranger. So I packed up, and climbed out onto the roof from my window. When my Father made a grab for me, I place my hands on his, and it was like a current running through me. His hands turned blue, and he released me. Then I fell from the roof.." She tried to keep her voice from trembling, though she couldn't erase the fear she still felt the moment she started to freefall, and thankfully land on a seemingly soft bush that slowed her down. "It was the first time I had ever froze anything. From that day on, I was on the run, not knowing what I was. Or what I did to deserve it."

After a moment, Michael started the car, and they were back on the highway, heading in the direction her old house was in. It was over. Her father would either kill her for running away, or worse, she would live to see the day where she was wed against her will. 

They spent all twenty minutes on the road before he turned on a dirt road, leading them somewhat nosily to their destination. Beside him in the passenger's seat, she remained silent, thinking over what he had told her. 'They're not Ice mages,' he had said, 'They're vampires.'

At last, approximately a mile down the dirt road, the car came rolling to a stop in front of a paint chipped building. "What are we doing here?" she asked, breaking the silence, "I thought you were taking me home."

Those beautiful eyes of his remained on the house, his jaw clenched as he spoke the following words In a whisper. "Don't speak until we get inside, and I give you the okay. We may have been followed."

Watching his example, she got out of the car, and approached the house. Before they had reached the door, she spotted something metal that reflected the moonlight in his hand. Once on the porch, she realized it was a key.

The itch to ask if this was where he lived, threatened to come out, but she remembered his warning. That they may have been followed. And if they had...

If she thought the outside of the house looked like it was in bad shape, the inside was by far, worse. There was cracks in the molding along the walls, which had also been tagged by numerous gangs who attempted to claim territory, almost all of the tiles on the floor were cracked, some uprooted completely. 

Closing the door behind them, she followed him into what looked like it would be the master bedroom, which only contained an endtable that was missing one leg, propped up against the wall,beneath a small window, and a very soiled carpet she couldn't tell the original color of. She watched somewhat baffled as he began to pull at the carpet, revealing a hidden handle in the floor.

He proceed to pull on the handle, lifting the small door section out and away from the floor, and gestured at her, like he wanted her to go down. She raised a brow, mouthing, "I can't see a thing."

Rolling his eyes, he crawled into the passageway, near silent thuds making his footsteps echo down what appeared to be a staircase. Looking up to her, he gestured at the door he had lifted from the floor, that was pointing up on its hinges, offering her a pale hand. she grabbed it, ignoring the feelings touching him gave her as she, with some diffucultly lifted it over them. As the seam of the door meet the carpet, thelast ray of moonlight, and her vision, was stolen from her. She could feel his fingers tightening on hers, guiding her through the dark as if he had memorized the topography of the walls, and knew exactly where to step.

Being submerged in this darkess only made the thoughts that had been running throughher mind the moment their skin had touched, come alive. All of the things he could do to her in such darkness, heightening the frightening and unforgiveably erotic nature of how he carried himself. Biting her lower lip, she tried to keep her wits about her, her nipples hardening despite the feeble attempt.

Without warning, he came to a stop, almost causing her to trip and fall on him. Ahead of them, she heard something shift, and latched onto his hand tighter when a rush of air hit her face softly. Shortly after this, he moved them forward five more steps, befoe stopping once more.

"Stay here," he whispered, releasing her hand, "I have a couple of oil lamps down here. I'll light them."

Reluctantly, she let go, and bit her lower lip. Sure enough, true to his word, not thirty seconds later, a match was struck, and she turned around to see an oil lamp being rekindled. As he turned up the wick, light flooded the room, and she began to look around. 

Just beneath the house, they stood in a medium sized room, with a door at each end. One, where they had come in, and another she had no clue where it lead. This room, completely differed from the condemned living space above. It was approximately 13X16 feet, with light grey walls, a dresser, and a linen covered object she was sure was a queen sized mattress. Even the floors were fairly clean, telling her someone had been here in the last few weeks. 

"Do you live here?" she asked coyly, as he took the oilcloth off the mattresses, revealing an obviously worn comforter and pillow.

He raised a brow, and didn't respond. Instead, he pointed to the other door, she had been curious about, "The bathroom is in there. Its best to keep the door closed in the closet space next to it, once I turn the generator on."

She watched with her eyebrows coming together as he proceeded to edge towards the door they had come from, "Why are you telling me this?"

He didn't respond, seeming to conceal all emotion, causing her to guess by her surroundings. There were no weapons, nothing she could defend herself with. At least, not that he was pointing out to her like he said he was going to go. Which opened the possibility of one thing to her. "You're not taking me back to my Father?"

"You asked for something to defend yourself, and this is the best I way I can figure out how to presently. We'll be sleeping here tonight. I have some things I need to figure out before any decisions are made." He said, as if it would answer all of her questions, opening the door he stood by,

"What decisions?" she asked in a small voice, trying to get him to look her in the eye as she moved her head downwards.

Instead of rendering herself successful in the attempt, he kept his gaze deliberately elsewhere as he spoke, "I'll be back soon."

"Wait a second." She growled as he shut the door behind him, leaving her unattended, alone In this room. Her hand reached for the door handle, and tried to turn it.

It didn't budge.

Stuck? She tried again, and then more forcibly tried to turn the handle. "Your locking me in here?!"

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "Where I'm going I can't take you. And I can't risk you leaving, it's too dangerous for both of us. I'll be back soon."

"God damn it Michael," she yelled, "Let me out of here!"

There was no response, but she could hear the echo as his footsteps took him up the passage, and up to the ground level of the house. Confusion of his motives made her tense, and claustrophobia, which had previously never been a problem, set in.

After she was reasonable sure he was gone, she attempted to freeze the handle, but couldn't get the ice to spread past a couple of inches past the handle. The attempt of recreating what her father had done all those years ago was a lame attempt, but she still, for the sake of knowing, she had to try.

She took a seat on his bed, wondering if she would live to survive the next couple of days. She was sure, she would be at her Father's this eve. What Michael was delaying the inevitable for, she wasn't sure. He had nothing to lose by handing her over, and so much to gain.

The thought of them being so close to her home, only made fear sneak into her veins, making her wonder if Michael was going to get her Father. And what was worse, she had no chance of fleeing. 

She woke to the sound of footsteps, making her abruptly take in her surroundings. She was in the basement of an Abandoned house, where Michael had left her. Not so far away, she heard at footsteps made their way down the stairway, making her blood boil. She was mad far sooner than she was afraid about what his return could mean. He had been gone long enough for her to cool down, and fall asleep. So much for "being back soon."

The anger she felt began to leave as she stood up, and heard the footsteps on the staircase again, only she could also hear another set, right outside the door. She watched, now fearfully, as the person on the other side turned the handle. Michael had a key, and wouldn't need to turn it to know it was locked. Which meant only one thing as far as she was concerned. The person on the other side of the door, was not Michael.

She made a quick dart to the opposite door, and despite it being dark, she locked the door, feeling safer here by a thread more, than out there. She crawled inside what she knew had to be the tub, laying down so she would possibly be out of view to anyone who came peeping inside. 

As a foolish notion, she pulled the curtain around the edge, giving her less of a chance to be discovered. Though something inside her warned that if these people were going as far to track her down in the middle of nowhere, it was reasonable to think they wouldn't overlook checking every part of the house. Including the tub she lay in.

Her whole body tensed as a huge splintering bang, filtered through the room. Instantly, as she tucked herself flatter against the cold enamel surface, wishing she could somehow sink into it fully, disappear. Fear of being caught made her skin chill, face coating her entire body. She bit down to keep her teeth from chattering, trying her best to keep silent as the people who had destroyed the door, were now inside where she had laid asleep before awakening to the noises they made.

"She was here not so long ago," a male voice stated, making her heartbeat race ever faster, "The bed is still warm."

Footsteps just outside of the bathroom drew closer, and closer until she could hear the handle being twisted, and then to her horror pop open. She shut her eyes for a split second. Inwardly she knew it was fear that kept her eyes from closing again, needing to see her impending doom. The outside light from the bedroom cast a shadow of the man now inside the bathroom, on the shower curtain. From it, she could see no visible weapons in his hands, and all she had to do, was reach out, freeze him. He was for her taking. But it was the unknown variable of the other person in the bedroom that kept her from bolting with this plan. The other person could have weapons, or worse...

She began to brace herself, trying to calm her fast beating heart when the curtain was pulled back, she was then staring in to the eyes of stranger. With a thick swallow, she regarded him with a fearful gaze as he reached for her, a smile playing on his lips. "Hello Mia," he said loud enough for the other person in the bedroom to become aware he had found her. "Let's walk out of here together, so no one gets hurt."

Looking over the dark hair and pale complexion of this man, there was no doubt in her mind about what he was. When his hands touched the bottom of her chin, all her suspicions were confirmed. These people were vampires. Creatures that could snap her neck in one touch. Even so, the fact that they thought she would go easy, amused her. Part of her was sure they wouldn't be allowed to harm her, because her Father obviously wanted her home so she could marry.

She wasn't sure what possessed her to do so, but suddenly, she spat in his face, the saliva turning to ice sprinkling cold shards shattering in his face, as she told him wistfully, "You can go to hell. I'm not cattle to be sold off to anyone, and I refuse to be taken as such."

There was a quick rush of air, signaling movement, that being the only warning aside from the cold finger tips at her neck.

The moment he took ahold of her throat, there was a blur, and she was sudden in the air, choking as she lifted by her throat from the tub. She could feel the Ice race down from her arms, collecting in her hands, and without meaning to, she felt the energy slip from her fingertips, and pass onto the creature who held her suspended midair.

There was a loud scream as the vampire yanked his hand back, tossing her out of the bathroom, and into the bedroom. Like a rubber ball, her body bounced once before thudding to the ground where she stayed, the breath knocked from her, her head exploding with pain.

Darkness tugged at the corners of her eyes, and as she lifted her head, she felt the room swirl about her. She turned to face the men who approached her, as the one who once threatened to harm her, shook his hand.

"Little bitch tried to freeze my hand." He cursed, "Zael neglected to tell us she had the Ice Mage ability."

"Most half breeds don't." the other man said softly, "It sounds like an honest lack of knowledge on his part."

She found herself backing against a wall, trying to find something to defend herself with. Finally she came across the oil lamp. If she used that, half her light would be gone, and not to mention the possibility of burning to death held little appeal. But if it was that over going home, she knew what she would chose.

"She's too dangerous conscious." The man who held his frostbitten hand growled, licking his lips, "Perhaps we should weaken her. Besides I haven't fed in a couple of nights, and im starving."

The other shook his head, "Zael was clear. She is not to be harmed in anyway. If we knock her out, we might be able to get away with saying she did that to herself trying to get away."

"Fine," the frostbitten one said, "but I get to knock her out. You hear that, little girl? There's no sense in running anymore. Nothing is going to stop this peace treaty from going through. Least of all some half human brat."

The other gestured his hands towards her, inviting him to approach her, and the frostbitten one, did so. Just as he drew close, the world starting to go black, making her slump to the floor. Fighting to keep consciousness, she saw as someone else, perhaps a third vampire charged his way towards them, from the entrance.

It took her a moment, as knives, and blurs came about, that it was her defender, her captor. Michael suddenly became apparent, and still as one of the two vampires on either side of him, crumbled to ash. Just before the ashes wafted into the air, she caught sight of how Michaels hands rested on his forehead, falling to his hands as they became nothing, and turned towards the other remaining. 

Another blur, and Michael was suddenly behind this vampire. The screams of the vampire were short lived as her saviors hand came up, and a crack echoed down the hall as he snapped his neck, flames emerging from his palms, making the same scent of scorched flesh reach her nose, she had first inhaled back in the hotel room, where Michael had saved her from her kidnapper.

Surely thinking her eyes must be playing tricks on her because of her desperate attempts to stay awake, in addition to the concussion she was sure to have suffered, she let a little gasp, when she closed her eyes, opening them to find her laying on Michaels lap on the bed.

Instead of fear, she was staring at him in wonder. Wonder concerning two proximate things, one being why he looked like the monsters he had just saved her from. And two, why he held her like she might break in his hands. Softly, so softly. 

One hand reached up, grasping his chin, while taking her thumb, and pulling down his lower lip slightly to get a better view. "Why didn't you tell me you could control fire?"

"You didn't need to know." He said shamefully, like she had just caught him doing the most deceitful thing imaginable. "And if I had been able to control myself, I would have kept it that way. But now, I guess the cats out of the bag."

Minutes passed in which she tried to keep herself awake, filling the time with questions she couldn't fathom actually voicing aloud. "W—what are you?"

"I think you have some idea, or you wouldn't have asked."

"I need to hear you say it." She whispered softly, wincing as he brushed the bump already swelling on the top of her head. "It's more than being a able to control fire You move different than them, quicker. you burned them as they tried to touch you before they could even try to defend themselves. How?"




To Freeze Fire Ch. 06



His hands on her froze in place, "Have you met many Fire starters?"

"No" she replied in a quiet voice.

"Then how would you know what's normal for what Fire starters are capable of?" he retorted.

She tried to lift herself off his lap, meeting his hand trying to keep her down. Giving him a daggered look, he rolled his eyes, and attempted to assist her instead. By doing so, she ended up in a sitting position, her head against his shoulder while she attempted to lose the pounding in her head.

It was gradually getting better. What had hurt the most when she fell to the floor more than anything was the bruise she had received from when her and Michael had met for the first time, getting hit. She had more concussion like situations in the past week than she had in her entire life. 

"Before I met you my life was allot less complicated." He said as she slid her hands up his chest, to the top of his collar bone. "I took jobs, and delivered, no questions asked. Now, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. "

Her hands continued their journey to come to rest on either side of his face. "Is it the money?" she asked, her teeth clenched together, "the thing that's driving you to do this?"

He released a deep breath, "No. There are other jobs, plenty of opportunities for a man of my skill."

"Then what?"

"We shouldn't have ever gotten close to one another. It was a mistake." His words sliced through her life a knife, her eyes dropped in synch with her mouth, "It's not like that darling. There are things that you don't know about me. Things if you knew, you wouldn't be letting me hold you like this."

"Tell me." She said, her voice steady, holding his face so that he had to look her in the eye, "If you might decide to take me back, despite feeling something between us, I need to know why."

A new vulnerability crossed his features, "I knew from the beginning what you had been running from. Not because of what the old man told me..." he took a hopeless breath, "But because I know the man who you're going to be forced to wed. Once you told me his name, there was no longer any doubt in my mind. And if I don't take you back, he could reveal things about me that could cost both of our lives."

"How do you know this Zael?" she muttered, "What in the world could be bad enough to cost us our lives?"

"I'm not only a fire starter, Mia." He muttered softly, "My Mother became romantically involved with a fire starter, and nine months later gave birth to me. When her husband, Zael's Father, discovered the truth of my parentage, he ordered us both to be burned alive. I barely made it out."

"How old were you?" she gasped.

"Almost nine, starting to develop abilities vampires shouldn't have."

"Christ!" she exclaimed, "Wait...if Zael's Father was your Mother's husband, that means that..."

"Yes, I am half vampire. But its much worse than that darling." Without warning, he started to chuckle, "Zael, your fiancé, is my half-brother. it would appear I followed in my Father's footsteps trying to steal away what isn't mine."

"I don't belong to anyone." She clarified, trying to get a hold of the fact the man she had kissed, been fingered by, was a halfbreed like her. 

"Zael won't see it that way." He pointed out, "The moment your Father made a deal with him, you became his property."

"How could my Father do this to me?" she cried out softly, "I was barely eighteen! I hadn't even been kissed for Christ's sake!" His hands tightened on her hips, causing her to redirect her rage and hurt, "How would you being his brother cost us our lives?"

"Remember what I told you about halfbreeds?" he pointed out, "To make matters worse, Fire starters are an enemy clan. Because I have needs like theirs, for most of my life, I've been able to hide amongst them without raising suspicion. I had hoped that the secret about me had died with his Father, but apparently he could still tell everyone. If that news gets around, they will kill every potential witness to them letting me live. Including you."

Reality came crashing down around her, making her heart ache. Every time she had something in life, it seemed to be ripped right out of her grasp.

She lifted her face, bringing her lips to his, understanding the fierce and irrational need to protect him. The anger she had boiling inside her that she had regarding him taking her home, seemed to wash away with his confession.

Now that he had explained to her a part of his past, she felt even closer to understanding why he was the way he was. The fact that the past was still a fresh wound on his heart, made tears sting at the back of her eyes, especially when she knew that she would only be adding to his pain. He pulled her into his embrace, and she inhaled deeply his scent, which made her knees tremble.

"I can't stay here." She whispered, into his shirt, admitting the truth. It wasn't just about her anymore. "Your brother already sent more people here looking for me. And I won't let any more people die, vampire or not, because of me."

He pulled back, shaking his head, "Mia, I don't think you understand how dangerous vampires are. You were right the night you initially tried to talk me out of taking you back. If I take you back, I might as well sign your death certificate here and now."

"The vampires that broke in here tonight said that the arranged marriage was a part of a peace treaty. My Father may be a monster, but honor is something he holds himself to. If they killed me, no matter how much he despises me, even he would find that as a violation of it." She protested, feeling waves of hurt wash over her when she saw the look in his eyes. She realized then that he must have thought that death was preferable than staying here with him.

"I don't want to leave you, Michael." She promised, "As sick as it may be, I've felt more alive as your captive, than I have since my Mother died. But the thought of you dying because of me, is too much to think of. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

"We all are guilty of the unforgivable." He looked down, his jaw tensing, "We could run. I have property up in Ireland where no one would ever be able to find us."

She smiled, tears filling her eyes, "You would want me to run away with you? Michael, this whole deal is crazy..."

"You make me that way," he smiled back, his signature one sided smile, "Before you came into my life I was actually a sane and half civil man."

She chuckled, it fading into a weak smile as he stroked the side of her face with the back of his hand, then turned it around so he could hold her head more securely. "And now you aren't even half civil?"

One eyebrow shot up, accompanied by that wicked smile of his, as he claimed her lips once more. He pressed against her, encouraging her to lay back, and when she did, coming to lay between her thighs. The pressure in her lower belly began to build. She could already feel her panties becoming soaked. she felt his hand teasing her breast, his fingers finding her nipple, hardening it. "Would a civil man be doing this?"

She scoffed, shuttering beneath him as he pulled her nipple into his mouth through the fabric, "Being civil...is overrated."

He chuckled, and brought his hands under her shirt, making her moan as those warm hands touched her chilled skin. "God, Mia. You have no idea what that sound does to me." He growled, nipping at her throat gently, teasing her hardened nipples under her bra. "I want to be inside you so fucking bad. But you deserve better than this. Your first time should be special, with someone you love. You deserve better than to be taken in the basement of a condemned house..."

Now feeling his hard cock pressing against his jeans, as he rubbed up against her, she couldn't think of anything else. "Please, Michael. I want you to be my first. Please touch me. Show me what to do."

It was his turn to groan, "Mia as much as I want to..." he groaned again, "I can't. The only reason I left you here tonight was so that I could..." he paused like what he meant to say was difficult, "I haven't fed since before we met. And if we..." he shook his head, "I won't be able to control myself."

She blinked in double, "You mean you will bite me?"

"I'm afraid that would be the least I would do to you. It's not safe for me to even be this close to you since I have fed in a while."

Her face turned a bright red, and she looked down, "Then feed."