Page 6 of Jack Frost
"Spiral?"
"Like, um, whisking myself to a spot. Except it's kind of a whirling, windy thing—you should be able to handle it, now that I've given you the Chill—"
"Would you please stop talking about 'the Chill'?" I shrink away as he steps closer.
"Look, you're the one who came in here and woke me out of my regenerative phase, which is a really stupid thing to do, by the way. You're lucky I was over halfway through the process, or I could have died.Died." He leans forward, his eyes widening to emphasize the concept.
"Sorry," I mutter. "I didn't know. I was kind of desperate. And maybe you should lock your doors—"
"I did."
"Then how did I get in?"
"Good question. Howdidyou get in?"
"I breathed on the door."
His eyes narrowed. "Not just any human can get through a glacial lock. What is it that you do again? Take videos or something?"
"I'm a scientist and cinematographer. I'm doing freelance work right now, but I have a job lined up when I get home, with this conservancy in Asheville—they're a non-profit."
His lips pucker as if he's trying to hide a smile. "So you're a good person. You really care about the planet, not just with lip service, but with your life."
"I—yes. That's kind of why I'm in this situation. I was too involved in my work and I didn't leave the site when I should have. I needed footage of an Adelie penguin hatching."
He grins suddenly, a huge wide smile that shows frosty white teeth. His canines are a touch longer than they should be. If he hadn't already told me that he's not a vampire, I might have panicked.
"I love those little guys," he says. "The emperor penguins are so snooty, but the Adelies—plucky as hell. Tough and stubborn as rocks, too, but in a good way. The chicks are pretty cute, yeah?"
"Yeah." An answering smile pulls at my chapped lips. "Before you whisk me back up to the surface, I need to get my pack. It's got my camera, and the footage." All that equipment was in the insulated, padded center section of the pack, so I'm hoping it will be okay, despite my wild trip down the ice slide.
"Just a minute." He disappears in a burst of white snowflakes that flutter softly to the ground.
A few seconds later he reappears with my pack slung over his shoulder. "This yours?"
"That's the one."
"Okay then. Let's get you back to your people."
"If you could drop me off close to our camp, but not rightinthe camp—I don't want to have to explain any of this to anyone."
"Understood."
"So how do we—"
He grins again, opening his arms. "Give me a hug."
"Do I have to?"
"Only if you want to get out of here."
Making a wry face, I move in and wrap my arms around his lean torso.
"Mmmm. This would be a lot nicer if you weren't wearing so many clothes," he says.
Silently I bless the layers between us. "That's harassment."
"My humblest apologies. Describe to me where your camp is, please. Any landmarks nearby?"
