Page 25 of Burning Ice
Kylix’s eyes narrowed. “We’ll head to the office.” He reached for his jacket.
“Moargan wants you at his place first,” Helianth said. “He’s with Yure and the tech team. Looks like a software breach.”
Kylix nodded once. “Fine. Let’s go.”
He turned to Mirel. “Our trip will have to wait.”
A pause. Thought flickered behind his eyes before he spoke again. “Vandor, grab the pillows. He’s coming with us.”
Vandor hesitated, surprised. “Yes, sir.”
“Move.”
8
He had lost his mind.
He saw it in the way Vandor followed up his orders in a robotic, uncomfortable way, collecting the golden and black pillows like holding a drowning kitten, while expertly avoiding Kylix’s gaze. The man could kill any criminal without doubt, but this was out of his comfort zone.
As it should be. They were soldiers, not baby cuddlers.
“You’re bringing your little fling?” Helianth frowned when he took in Mirel. “You even let him dress in your Invar suit?”
“Not my fling. And he’s cold without it.” Kylix hesitated. His veins flickered with fire when he took the chain and cuffed Mirel’s wrists. He had no explanation why he’d decided to bring Mirel along. He simply knew he had to. Had to stay close to him.
He told himself it was logic, not need. Keeping Mirel near meant watching him, containing risk, nothing more. Yet every time the man moved, Kylix felt the air tilt. The silence between them itched. When he reached for the collar, his fingers lingered too long. He felt the pulse under the skin, quick and defensive and alive. It made his own heart answer like a match to flame.
Vandor saw it. He looked away fast, the perfect soldier pretending blindness. It only made the shame worse.
Straightening Mirel’s collar, Kylix leaned in and breathed in his scent. Then, because he couldn’t contain himself, he flicked his tongue out and dragged it over Mirel’s throat, up to his earlobe. “Behave,” he murmured.
Mirel shivered, golden eyes flaring with something between rage and shame. Kylix looked over his shoulder and saw he’d only managed to finish one single piece of bread so far.
“Vandor, pack up the food too.”
“Yes, sir.”
They left the Waltr and moved into the darkening light. It wasn’t late, but winter had struck upon them, frosting the streets lightly. Cold hissed off the pavement. Lamps burned with haloed light, snow granules drifting but not settling. Mirel’s breath smoked. Kylix’s did not. For the first time he noticed how the air refused to bite him. Fire bled from his veins into the atmosphere, warding the cold like ownership.
“The suit has heat-reactive fibers. It should regulate your body temperature.”
“T-thank you.”
Kylix hummed, satisfied, then glared at Helianth’s baffled look. “Report to me.”
“A call came in when I was with Enzo.”
“And where were you with Enzo?”
Helianth had the decency to look embarrassed. “In the office. But?—”
“You shouldn’t have been in the office. You got badly injured.” And Kylix had felt himself horribly guilty for it.
“I know, but I was bored. Besides, if I hadn’t been there, you wouldn’t have known, right? With your multi-slate being on mute and all.”
Kylix clicked his cousin’s cheeky grin away. “Fair enough.”
“Are you going crazy?” Helianth whispered.
