Frost Read online

  I shifted in my seat, and something poked me in the hip. My cell phone.

  Somehow, it had stayed in the pocket of my nightgown despite the events of the night. Probably because it was the ugly, bulky kind. For once, I found myself grateful that Janet had insisted on cheaping out.

  I didn't have to worry if Charlotte was okay. I could text her and make sure. My fingers hovered over the buttons. What should I write? Pretty sure I shouldn't say, “Hey, been kidnapped yet?” I settled for a simple, "Hey," and obviously, if she texted me back, I’d know she was fine.

  Loki had been singing along with the radio, and now, he paused to stare at me.

  "Don't worry. I'm just texting one of the girls at school. She looks like me, but she isn't tall. Do you think the queen would want her too?"

  "It depends what she wants them—you—for. It sounds like her blood didn't mix well though, so probably not."

  I relaxed against the seat, slipping my cell back into my pocket. Charlotte was fine. She'd probably text back in a minute with the latest piece of school gossip.

  We drove for another hour, and Loki talked almost nonstop about the city of Muspelheim, which was apparently where he'd come from.

  "You should see it. It's amazing." His face was glowing as he spoke, like he was reliving memories.

  "And what does the ice palace look like?" I asked eagerly. "What's it like?"

  His expression went flat. "Cold. It's made of solid ice."

  My mouth dropped open. "Get real! I thought that was just...y’know, like a name or something."

  Loki glanced over at me and chuckled. "You should see your face! I am real. The whole damn thing is made of frozen water."

  I shivered. "Sounds unpleasant."

  "Oh, it is. Horrible place. So cold."

  "I probably wouldn't feel it." I flinched as Loki grabbed my hand and laced his fingers through mine. His palm pressed against the back of my hand, heat radiating from his skin.

  "H-hey..." I stammered, my cheeks burning. "What are you—"

  "Yup, just like I thought." He released my hand. "You're freezing."

  "Well, I'm always cold here. I mean, to other people, I feel cold." I rubbed my palm against my leg as the tingling warmth of contact slowly faded. "And you feel hot."

  He gave me another mischievous grin. "Why thank you."

  "That's not what I meant!"

  "I know. I'm just kidding. My body temperature is actually way higher than a normal human being, and yours is way lower—and still dropping." He regarded me seriously. "You'll have to make sure you avoid contact with people. Wear gloves." His mouth quirked at the corner. "And don't go freezing any more boys."

  It was obviously some kind of joke to him, but the flashback of Adam that came with the thought wasn't at all funny—his skin turning blue, the way he’d shuddered and gone still.

  "So this is permanent. I can't touch people? I can't ever have a normal relationship?" I tucked my hands under my knees, feeling a little sick at the thought.

  "With another frost giant, you could." He grimaced. "Most of them are horrible in relationships though. But you didn't turn me into a Popsicle, did you?"

  "No," I said slowly. "So, your heat counteracts my cold?"

  "Exactly."

  I let that one stew for a while, watching the snow-crusted houses flick past as we drove onward. We were back in Grande Prairie, but we must have been on the outskirts, because I didn't recognize the area.

  "We're here."

  We pulled into a long, winding driveway at the bottom of a snow-laden hill. The van's tires crunched and squeaked on the way up, spinning uselessly a couple of times, and we almost didn't make it. Finally, we crested the hill, finding an empty spot alongside several iced-over cars in the tiny parking lot.

  "It's a bed and breakfast. I know the woman who owns it," Loki explained. "I figure they'll be checking all the hotels, and this place is pretty tiny and out of the way. We'll wait here for a day or two. I'm betting they'll expect you to hightail it out of town right away, so they'll be watching the roads."

  "Okay, great." I paused in the doorway and glanced down. My dressing gown was embarrassingly thin, and it only went to my knees. It was bad enough that I was wearing it in front of him. "Um, Loki?"

  "Crap." His cheeks colored, and he shrugged out of the jacket he was wearing and handed it to me. "Here. Zip that up over your nightgown. It'll kind of look like you're wearing a dress." He chewed his lower lip. "I don't have any shoes for you though. Damn."

  "It’s fine. I don’t get cold." I looked at my feet. Blue toenail polish.

  How prophetic.

  We climbed out of the van and walked to the door together. Sure, they wouldn’t notice a pair of teenagers—one in a dress and no shoes in below-zero weather. Not weird at all.

  Loki rapped on the door. After a moment, there was the soft pitter-patter of footsteps inside, and the door creaked open to reveal a short woman in a yellow dress.

  "Hullo, dear. How lovely to see you again." She beamed at Loki then transferred her bright smile to me. "Nice to meet you, love. I’m Debbie. Come in. Do come in!"

  As we entered, she surveyed me with interest, no doubt taking in the disheveled clothing and bare feet. Whatever her conclusions might have been, she simply blinked and sang out, "This way!"

  It was a beautiful house full of dark, curling chairs and couches, dusty bookshelves and standing antique lamps with red-tasseled lampshades. We followed Debbie up a long, wooden staircase and entered a hallway.

  "Your room is just here on the left." She smiled warmly at us, reaching out to pat Loki on the hand. "You have a lovely stay, dear. Let me know if I can help you with anything. I'm downstairs within shouting distance."

  "Thank you so much." Loki gave her a charming smile and then turned and placed a hand on the small of my back, ushering me inside the room. "We'll be sure to call if we need something."

  Debbie's footsteps retreated down the staircase as we surveyed our room. It was similar to the living room downstairs—dark, antique furniture. There was even a huge, old canopy bed in the middle.

  "Oh wow. It's beautiful." I sat down on the bed, tracing one finger over the pattern on the worn-out posts. It looked about a hundred years old, but the mattress was firm and comfortable. Obviously not an antique. As a little girl, I’d always imagined myself sleeping in one of these. It was what princesses slept in. "This room is amazing."

  Loki sat down next to me, his eyes bright with amusement. "I'm glad you like it." His knee brushed mine as he adjusted his position, sitting cross-legged.

  I couldn't help noticing how close he was.

  "Cool." He pointed at the nightstand beside the bed. "There's even an old-fashioned washbasin." He brightened, turning toward me. "I have an idea."

  My heart gave a surprised lurch when he grabbed my hand. Again, his skin felt warm against mine. He stood and pulled me off the bed. "Come on. I'll show you something."

  I let him lead me toward the nightstand. Gently, with his hands on my arms, he guided me in front of him so we were both facing the water basin. A white, porcelain jar sat inside it. Blue painted flowers wrapped around the base of the jar and up the spout.

  Loki grasped the handle of the pitcher, reaching around me so his chest pressed to my back, his chin nearly touching my cheek. He smelled like soap.

  Then he tipped the pitcher forward and the water flowed out in a clear stream, pooling in the basin. He stopped when it was half full and set the jug on the corner of the nightstand.

  "Watch this," he murmured, his breath warm on the back of my neck.

  I tried to repress a shiver as his fingers curled around my wrist. Funny how the cold didn’t affect me, but a simple touch was enough to give me goose bumps.

  He guided my hand toward the water in the basin, and I watched, holding my breath, as he skimmed my fingers over the surface of the water. Nothing happened for a moment, and then a cool, tingling feeling swept down my arms, both alien and famili
ar all at once. The surface of the water stilled. A thin crackling noise came from the basin, and I watched in astonishment as the water turned solid in a rapid formation of layers right down to the very bottom.

  I gasped and jerked my hand backward, but Loki held on.

  "It's okay," he said. "It's not a bad thing. Touch it."

  He let my hand go, and hesitantly, I reached out and ran one finger over the shimmering surface. It slid across my skin like silk, water droplets clinging to my fingers.

  "See?" Loki stepped back, his eyes searching my face. "It doesn't have to be a bad thing."

  "I can turn water into ice," I whispered, fearing that, if I said it too loudly, I might shatter this fragile new discovery.

  "You can."

  As the tingling feeling faded, the memories flooded in. Adam's face swam in front of me. Blue, petrified. The room grew fuzzy around the edges. Something squeezed my lungs, and I staggered to the canopy bed and sat down heavily.

  Loki perched beside me on the edge of the mattress. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shock you. I just thought you should know."

  "I just—it will take me a bit." I rubbed my forehead, suddenly overwhelmingly tired.

  He shook his head, smiling ruefully. “I’m an idiot. You've been kidnapped and driven all over the countryside. And then I make you use your ability for the first time since....well, y'know. You should lie down." He leaned over and drew the edge of the comforter back.

  There was no way I was going to argue. The bed looked inviting. As I climbed between the sheets, my eyelids fluttered, and I struggled to stay awake just a little longer. I wanted to keep talking, but I hadn't slept at all last night. Now that there was no immediate danger, my adrenaline was no longer pumping. I could barely stay awake.

  It was also comforting that I’d frozen something without hurting anyone. Loki was right. It was a good thing. The dread seeped away, leaving me almost weak with relief and a little giddy. Probably just lack of sleep.

  "You need some rest. I'll get you some clothes in town. And shoes." Loki stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Anything else you need?”

  I smiled sleepily. "I don't need shoes. I'm like Frosty the Snowman. Just get me a corn-cob pipe and a button nose."

  He snorted. "I think your sleep deprivation is making you delirious. Sleep tight, darlin’."

  The door clicked shut, and my eyes drooped closed. The warm glow of the gas fireplace cast an orange light against my eyelids.

  As I slid into dreams, I had time for one last thought. Darlin’. I think I like it.

  The snow is firm and slick under my feet as I walk to the palace doors. My sword sheds a trail of red droplets behind me, the blood still warm enough to melt a scarlet trail in my wake. The doormen usher me in. The crystal walls of the hallway reflect my face back at me, thin and pale, weary from battle. My white-blond hair has gone black with blood and grime, and servants hurry to whisk my blade away. Someone drapes a gray wolf pelt over my shoulders, pushing a metal goblet of spiced wine into my hand.

  I move into the throne room with little fanfare.

  The members of court linger around our queen, casting curious glances at one another as I enter. Several of the noblewomen regard me with unconcealed hostility. Jealousy is never attractive, regardless of station or class.

  The queen looks up, her cold features alight with pleasure. “My daughter, you have returned to me."

  Chapter Nine

  I sat up with a shout of surprise, my legs tangled in the heavy comforter. Loki stood just inside the door, eyes wide. "Are you all right?"

  "It was a dream." I looked up at him, embarrassed at my dramatic reaction. Apparently all his talk of ice queens had triggered some pretty strange nightmares.

  Loki’s features were shadowed in the room's dim light, his dark curls messy and decorated with melting snowflakes. The tips of his ears were bright red, and he had a grocery bag in each hand. He must have just walked in the door.

  "You look cold." I smiled, banishing the ridiculous dream.

  "It's freezing out there." He shook his head, spraying wet droplets across the room. He reminded me of a puppy—an adorable, brown-eyed puppy.

  "Hey!" I scrubbed at my face. “Quit splashing me.”

  "Oh, sorry. Am I making you cold?"

  I wanted to wipe that smug expression off his face, and my touch couldn't hurt him, right? "Not at all, but I can make you cold." Impulsively, I reached out and touched my fingertip to the side of his neck.

  He laughed, dropping the grocery bags to grab my hand. "That doesn't work, remember? I'm too hot for you."

  "Oh." Now, it was my turn to look smug. "You're hot for me?"

  "Not what I meant!" Loki wrapped his fingers around my wrist, and my eyes grew wide as the heat in his palm suddenly increased.

  "You can make yourself even warmer?"

  "Yup, and you should be able to make yourself colder."

  "How do I do that?"

  He stood up and made his way to the door, stooping to pick up the bags. "Don't know. For me it's as natural as breathing. I'm not sure how you work. You frost giants are a different breed."

  "That sounds flattering." Even though I tried to keep my tone light, my heart sank.

  If he didn't know much about my power, he probably couldn't teach me. And I needed to learn how to control it before I hurt anyone else.

  Loki deposited one of the bags beside me on the mattress. "I got you some clothes. I hope they fit."

  I rummaged through and found a fuzzy, white sweater on top of neatly folded jeans and a pair of leather boots. The sweater was ridiculously soft in my hands. "I'll go try them on."

  I left him sprawled across the bed, playing games on his phone. Then I shut the bathroom door before dropping the bag near the sink. After pulling my nightgown off, I shrugged into the sweater. It was a bit itchy, but it fit okay. The jeans were actually the right length, which was surprising, and when I slid my feet into the boots, I wondered how he’d known my shoe size.

  He’d guessed just by looking at them? I wasn’t sure I liked that.

  My reflection in the mirror above the sink revealed that my hair had nearly slid all the way out of its ponytail, so I tugged it out and looped the elastic around my wrist. Had my hair gotten lighter? I took a strand between my thumb and index finger, nearly going cross-eyed trying to examine it.

  "Okay in there?" Loki's voice made me jump.

  "Uh, yeah. Be right out." I stuffed the empty bag into the garbage and then slipped out of the bathroom, nearly hitting Loki with the door, since he was leaning against the wall beside it.

  He stood up straight, grinning. "It fits. Do you like the sweater? I knew it would look good on you."

  "Thanks." My cheeks went hot. "It fits nicely. It's really warm."

  "Not that you need warmth. It does look good on you though."

  I did a little spin and tried on my best model pout. "Is it high fashion enough for Grande Prairie?"

  "They'll never know what hit ’em."

  "But I won't need it once you take me to California." I fidgeted with the hem of the sweater, still thinking about leaving without telling Uncle Dave. I hadn't gotten a text message back from Charlotte, either.

  I went back into the bathroom to retrieve my phone, which was still in the pocket of my nightgown. The screen was disappointingly blank.

  "No call from your friend?"

  "Not yet." I frowned. "Hopefully she's just busy. She'd be at school right now, and I did text her ridiculously early this morning. Maybe she just hasn't got it yet."

  "Hey, look." Loki had wandered over to the armoire in the corner of the room and opened it, revealing a television set. "Looks like we won't be completely bored out of our minds."

  "Great." I flopped back on the mattress, staring at the tops of my new boots. I was too lazy to take them off again. "I'm starving. What's in the other bag?”

  “You’re in luck.” He grinned. "I think of everything."

&nbs
p; ~ * ~

  We watched some ridiculous talk show and ate grocery-store tuna sandwiches and chocolate cupcakes. For most of the day, we stayed indoors. Loki claimed that we needed to lie low.

  When it started to grow dark outside, the inevitable finally had to be addressed. The single bed had been bothering me for a few hours. We’d been flirting all day, but when it came down to it, I was a coward.