Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond(23)
Author: Kim Harrison

He laughed, the masculine rolling sound seeming to soak into the corners of the kitchen like water into the dry sand bed of a stream. The house had been so empty of it, and hearing it again was painful as our lack was laid bare.

"Your father was a rascal," Pierce said, not aware I had been struck to the core and was trying to blink back the unexpected tears.

"You say that like it’s a bad thing," I quipped. Why is this hitting me so hard? I thought, blaming it upon my recent hope to talk to him again.

"Oh look," I said, my hand diving in to pull out a familiar spell. "What’s this doing in here? This is my mom’s."

Pierce took it from me, our fingers touching a shade too long, but his eyes never flicked to me. "It’s a ley line charm to set a circle, but unlike the ungodly rare earth magic equivalent, you need to connect to a line to use it."

"My mother is terrible at ley line magic," I said conversationally as Pierce collected all the discards and dumped them in, my mom’s included. "My dad used to make all her circles for her. She used to set this when she still made his earth magic charms for him."

I saw him stiffen when I reached back in the box, took out my mom’s amulet, and placed it around my neck. "I can tap a line. It will work for me."

"No," he said, facing me. "You aren’t coming. I’ve forbidden it."

My breath came out in a scoff. "You forbid it?" I said, tilting my head up. "Look, Pierce," I said, hand going to my hip. "You can’t forbid me anything. I do what I want."

"I have forbidden you from accompanying me," he said as if that settled it. "I’m thankful for what you have done, and that you’re letting me borrow your father’s spells shows how gracious and honorable your spirit is. Now prove it and stay home as you should."

"You little chauvinistic pig!" I exclaimed, feeling my pulse race and my knees start to go weak. Trying to hide it, I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the counter. "I can help you, and you know it. Just how are you going to get there, Mr. Man From The Past? Walk it? In the snow? It’s got to be at least fifteen miles."

Pierce didn’t seem to be fazed by my temper, which ticked me off all the more. He calmly shrugged into his long coat and folded the box closed. "May I still take these?" he asked, eyebrows high.

"I said you could," I snapped. "And I’m coming too."

"Thank you," he said, dropping the last into a pocket. "I will try my best to return your father’s belongs to you, but it’s unlikely."

He turned to go, me tight behind him. "You can’t just walk out of here," I said, my legs shaking from fatigue. Damn it, I hated being like this. "You don’t know where you’re going."

"I know where he was before. It’s unlikely he’s moved."

We were in the hall, and I nearly ran into Pierce when he stopped short at the door, eyeing the handle. "You’re going to walk?" I said in disbelief.

He opened the door and took a deep breath of dry, chill air. "I’ve a mind to, yes."

The cold hit me, and I held my crossed arms close now for warmth. "The world is different, Pierce. We’re out, and it’s harder to find just one of us now."

That seemed to give him pause. "I will find him," he said, and he stepped out onto the snowy stoop. "I have to. My soul and the girl’s both depend upon it."

"You won’t find them before the sun comes up," I called after him. God, what is it with men and their pride?

"Then I expect I should run."

Then I expect I should run, I mocked in my thoughts, then came out on the stoop. "Pierce," I said, and he turned. There was a whisper of hidden heat in his eyes, shocking the words right out of my head. I blinked at him, stunned that it was there and directed at me. He wasn’t amused at my temper. He wasn’t bothered by it. He respected it, even as he told me no.

"Thank you, Miss Rachel," he said, and I stumbled back, my eyes darting from his for an instant when my heel hit the frame of the open door. "I can’t endanger you any further."

He leaned in, and I froze. My heart pounded. I found my hands against his chest, but I didn’t push him away.

"You are fiery and bold," he whispered in my ear, and I shivered. "Like a fey filly who knows her own thoughts and won’t be broke but by her will. I don’t have a mind to be delicate about it. If I did, I would court you long and lovingly, living for the hour when I would earn your trust and your attentions. I have but this night, so my words must be bold at the risk of offending you and being handed the mitten."

"You didn’t," I said, not knowing what my gloves had to do with it. Tension had me stiff, but inside I was a quivering mix of anticipation. "I’d give anything if you’d kiss me," I said. "I mean," I said when he tilted his head to look at me, his eyes wide in shock, "I’ve kissed guys before. It’s like a handshake these days," I lied, just wanting to know what his lips on mine would feel like. "Almost required if you’re leaving."

He hesitated, and my shoulders slumped when his fingers began slipping away.

"Ah, the devil take it," he said suddenly, then rocked back. Before I knew what he was doing, he curved an arm around my back, setting his free hand against the doorframe by my head. He leaned in, and as I took a startled breath, his lips found mine.

A small noise escaped me, and my eyes flew wide. I stood there on my porch in the cold and electric light, and let him kiss me, too shocked to do anything else. His lips were cool, but they warmed against me, and his beard was soft. His hand at my back kept me to him, protective and aggressive all at the same time. It sent a tingling jolt to dive to my middle, settling low and insistent.

"Pierce!" I mumbled, nearly driven to distraction by the sudden passion, but when he threatened to pull away, I wrapped my arms hesitantly about his waist. Hell, I had been kissed before, but they were bad kissers, all groping hands and sloppy tongues. This was . . . exquisite, and it plucked a chord in me that had never been touched.

He felt it when my desire rebounded into him, and with a soft sound that held both his want and restraint, he pulled away. Our lips parted, and I stared at him, shaken to my core. Damn, he was a good kisser.

"You are a most remarkable woman," he said. "I thank you humbly for the chance you have gifted me to redeem my sins."

Redeem sins. Yeah.

I stood there like an idiot as he took the stairs with a purposeful gait until he reached the shoveled walk. Unhesitating, he turned to the left and picked up the pace to run.