Frosted Torment (Marked Mortals Saga #1)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

T he smell of bacon frying hit my nose when I opened the bedroom door. Stepping into what resembled a hectic family holiday, angels scurried back and forth in front of me, dressed in identical black pants and gray sweatshirts. They looked like gladiators at boot camp. Voices echoed across the living room into the kitchen.

The screen door off the porch bounced back and forth as they grabbed paper plates filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, waffles, and fresh fruit. Carafes of coffee and orange juice sat at the end of a counter, and my stomach lurched me forward to eat. The twin guards from the previous night stood drinking orange juice together like auto-synced robots.

Chills scurried across my skin when a man seated at the kitchen table looked up from his plate and stopped eating. I swallowed hard as his deep brown eyes bore into me. I offered a slight wave, but he got up and exited through the front door, leaving his breakfast unfinished .

The twins followed him. My mind struggled to process its surroundings, and I understood Dorothy’s desire to get home from Oz. Only, I didn’t see my slippers anywhere. Faces I didn’t recognize, some with different scars on them, looked in my direction as I inched further into the kitchen.

Another man, securing a black eye patch, struggled to focus as purple and blue swelled over his other eye. I wondered if whoever he fought even survived, based on his injuries. Considering what he was, what they both were, the answer was yes.

More fallen ones moving in and out of the house began to look at me, letting their eyes linger. I slunk back until I saw Jossy lounging across a couch, reading a sports magazine. He traded his suit for dark jeans and a white button-down. His lava-colored hair was not in a ponytail, either. He set the paper down as soon as he saw me, with my mouth hanging open in shock.

“How are you feeling?” Jossy stood and walked over to me with his arms open for a hug.

“Not sure yet.” I laughed as I squeezed him. “I like this look on you, though.”

He held his hands out with a tilt of his head. “I can relax here.”

“Where are we?” My eyes took in the warmth of the cabin as a fire roared in the living room.

“This is Vincent’s place, but he likes to serve our meals and hold meetings here in the mornings. Now, let’s get you something to eat.”

I nodded, and he stepped aside and gestured with his arm out for me to walk into the kitchen before him. Lex leaned over the stove, now wearing a sweatshirt and black sweatpants. He stirred oatmeal while an elderly woman with soft copper skin dashed sugar and cinnamon into the same pot.

She turned, her russet eyes sparkling. Deep-set lines caressed her face. She offered a smile, then clapped her hands twice to gain the attention of a few remaining angels. Those who finished tossed their plates in the trash, and others carried their food to the porch.

Wearing a long denim dress and a red and white paisley waist apron, she faced me. “Hi, Noa. Feeling better?”

“I think so.” I pressed my hands against my head. “My head doesn’t hurt anymore, but I can’t say the same for my body.”

“You can thank my grandson for that.” She brightened with pride, and I smiled. Her raven hair, parted down the middle, spilled down her back. She took a paper plate from the bar and filled it with waffles and fruit. “I’m Nevaeh, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you.” I grabbed a few grapes and chewed quickly. Hunger overcame me.

“Likewise.” Excitement sang out in her voice. “Bacon?”

“Yes, please.” I took a bite of a strawberry while she guided me to a seat at the bar where others left plates behind. “I’d like to thank Nakoma. Is he around?”

She watched me and rubbed the gray and white beads around her neck. They seemed to bring back a long-forgotten memory.

“He goes where he’s needed around here, but you’ll get a chance.” The screen door slammed, and Nevaeh patted her hands on her apron and sighed. “You need to talk to them, Jossy. Look at this mess. And slamming doors? I won’t have this house disrespected, no matter their feelings. ”

“They’re processing everything, but I promise I’ll remind them of the rules,” he pledged.

Jossy walked out onto the porch, where voices grew louder in frustration. I turned back to watch Lex fill containers with leftovers and oatmeal. He stacked them into brown paper sacks, then labeled the bags with names. I ate faster, then gulped down two glasses of orange juice, savoring each burst of flavor left on my tongue.

What my mind craved was answers. About myself, the demons that stormed in last night, and my mother. I knew it would be challenging, but Jossy’s assurance about Vincent having all the answers gave me hope.

Something shifted inside me as I pondered it, and fear morphed into courage. I wiped my sweaty palms against my jeans, feeling anxious, and pushed my plate away. Realizing I hadn’t seen Ivy, I looked around.

Lex glanced up while wiping away remnants of breakfast from the counter. “She’s not here,” he offered with a smile.

“Not to worry. Ivy will be along.” Nevaeh’s tone indicated there were other important things to take care of besides me.

I forced a smile as she filled a percolator with freshly ground coffee. Two thermoses sat on the counter, and when she looked over, her eyes gave me solace. When the coffee finished brewing, I stepped down from the bar chair to join her, and she pointed to the thermoses. She took them with a smile as I pretended to keep my nerves in check.

Lex reached for a coffee mug at the back of the cabinet next to us and poured a fresh cup. He handed it to me.

“Cream and sugar?” he asked pointing to each on the counter .

“Wow, your choice to give me this and live for another day is impressive, Lex.”

I nodded with a smile and gestured with my coffee cup. The intense aroma of vanilla wafted toward me, causing my body to collapse in contentment.

He dropped two spoonfuls of sugar into my mug, followed by a dash of creamer. Handing me the spoon, he said, “It’s the only high you’re allowed to have.”

“And you love reminding me, don’t you?” I shot a disgusted glance at him before reclaiming my spot at the bar, as Lex chuckled at my expense.

My unease about the situation only grew stronger. I debated whether to reveal the truth about the man in my head. He could be a demon for all I knew, but in the end, I kept quiet. My eyes flickered from Nevaeh, who gazed out of a tiny circular window above the sink, and back to me.

She reminded me of my grandmother, whom I’d never met but had only seen in pictures. I’d never met any family on my mom’s side and knew nothing about my dad. Not even photos of him existed.

Ugh! My memory box. I’d have to figure out a way to get it back.

I sipped my coffee and Lex walked past me, then winked. He carried the paper bags full of food and the thermoses out to the porch, then returned to wash the dishes.

“Lex?” I blew into my coffee mug, cooling it before taking another sip. “What turned you into such a domesticated, er?—”

“Angel?” He chuckled, nodding toward Nevaeh. “No one says no to her. We earn our keep and keep our lives. ”

Nevaeh flapped her hands at him, then gave him a side hug. “Do you like the coffee, Noa?”

“It’s fantastic, thank you.” I raised my mug with a smile.

“It’s my own special blend. It’s a hobby, but I have a few coffee bean plants in my greenhouse on the property. I spend a lot of my time in there these days.”

“And the vanilla?”

“A supplier ships those to me in bulk.”

“Nice!” I ran my finger around the edge of the coffee mug, inhaling again, then I smiled.

Jossy closed the front door and walked into the kitchen to plant a kiss on Nevaeh’s cheek. “Her coffee is one of many reasons we keep her,” he chirped, and she swatted him with a dishtowel. “They’ll be on their best behavior now.”

A twinge of jealousy stung my heart as I watched how close they were. I was close to my friends, too, or at least I thought so, but their connection with Nevaeh was different. I began to miss my mom as I watched them.

In that instant, a husky voice trailed down the hall from the other side of the kitchen. “What do we have here?”

A man rounded the corner, taking up most of the doorway. My mug slipped from my grasp and fell to the floor, but his quick reflexes caught it before it made a mess. Not a drop spilled, and he flashed me a gentle smile as he placed it back on the counter.

He towered over me like a bear with thick, inky waves of hair that hovered over the top of his broad shoulders. I wanted to grab it and run my hands through the sheen of it. Drawing a deep breath, I inhaled the heady scent of mountains and cedar that clung to his skin .

He helped me down from the barstool. “We didn’t get a proper introduction last night. I’m Vincent.” He extended a hand and I shook it, my pulse quickening at his touch. With a gentle hand on my back, he guided me to the couch. “Let’s sit.”

Vincent looked back at Nevaeh and gestured to the porch. When I glanced outside, two enormous wolves materialized on the porch. Their fur was as white as snow, threaded with glimmers of copper and flame. What struck me most was their staggering size as one occupied the entire doorway, its fiery orange eyes boring into me.

My body quivered as Vincent cupped my chin. He tilted my gaze up into eyes that blazed with the same feral intensity as the wolves. The door clicked shut, sealing off the beasts outside.

My throat tightened as I pointed a shaky finger toward the door. “What are those?”

His expression remained unruffled. “A special type of wolf.”

“Are they yours?” I whispered.

“Yes,” Vincent chuckled. “They help provide security here.”

“Those aren’t ordinary wolves,” I murmured in disbelief.

Vincent shook his head and chuckled. “You’re right. They’re not.”

We sat on the sofa. The fabric of the couch was smooth and cool against my skin. As I leaned against the arm, my fingers grazed over the armrest, feeling the slight give of the material. Jossy and Lex sat across from us on the hearth of the oversized stone fireplace.

“Was it one of those wolves that came out to greet me last night?”

Nevaeh brought over a tray of coffee and handed us each a cup. “Would you like more, Noa? ”

I waved a hand at her. “No, thank you.”

Nevaeh poured one cup, then doctored it with cream for Lex. Jossy drank his black. Once we were comfortable in the living room, Nevaeh grabbed her coat from a hook by the front door. She then stepped outside to give us privacy.

“Yes,” Vincent told me.

“Why was it angry with me?”

“Akta wasn’t angry with you.” Vincent rested his eyes on me with a half-smile. “The chaos wound him up, then after you fell and had your episode, it concerned him,” he clarified.

I wasn’t sure I believed his explanation, but it seemed plausible. “Where did they come from?” I asked.

Vincent’s voice hinted at a sound of regret. “Some of us begin to die as soon as we touch the earth,” he said. “We don’t know why, exactly, but there’s a ceremony we can perform that allows us to save them. The wolves are fallen angels, too.”

My skin prickled with goosebumps as I tried to process his words. “Although I’m not surprised, that’s amazing.”

Vincent’s brows crinkled between his eyes. He eyed my wrist, his gaze lingering on my bracelet. His eyes flickered with a million fireworks as they searched mine for an answer I didn’t have.

Air seemed to catch in his throat, and he blinked the colors away. “I haven’t seen that in ages.”

“You’ve seen this before?” I held up my wrist, and Vincent reached out to touch it. He inched closer, then pulled his hand away.

“It was your grandmother Sasha’s,” he confirmed as his lips formed a tight smile. “It’s ancient. Someone gifted it to her many years ago. ”

“I’ve always wondered where it came from.” I stroked the etchings with my finger and smiled. “My mom gave it to me before she died.”

Vincent’s shoulders tensed a fraction, his focus shifting from the bracelet to my eyes. His throat bobbed when he swallowed. “It’s nice to see it has stayed in the family.”

My eyes narrowed as I watched him lean back against the couch. I was happy to know the bracelet had meaning and wasn’t something my mom found at a yard sale. That it meant more than junk.

I hunched forward, adjusting the sleeves of my flannel shirt, ready to dive into my past. “Can we discuss what’s going on here, please?”

“Straight to the point. I like that.” He placed one foot over his knee and stretched his arms across the back of the couch.

My voice trembled when I addressed him. “Vacation doesn’t last forever.”

Vincent’s gaze softened as he spoke. “This will be over soon.”

Jossy placed his cup on the serving tray in the middle of the coffee table, then sat in a recliner next to me. “We hope.”

“You’ll stay for a couple of weeks,” Vincent began.

I shook my head and waved my hands. “No way. I have responsibilities.”

“Your safety is a top priority,” Vincent said as he inclined his head sideways. “Ours too, for that matter, so you can’t leave until this is all sorted.”

My heart felt like it was about to beat out of my chest. “Nothing was safe about the demons penetrating the wards last night,” I insisted .

“All fixed up.” He smiled, but his eyes seemed to hide something when I looked at him.

I looked over at Jossy, then at Lex. They both nodded in agreement before I said, “How do you plan on fixing me?”

Uncrossing his legs, Vincent edged forward. “It won’t be easy, Noa, so patience is key.”

Despite the turmoil inside me, I held my voice steady. “I know there’s power locked inside me, and there’s a demon master looking for me.”

“His name is Maros.” He rubbed his eyebrows with his finger and thumb.

“I killed one of his Baneful Lurker demons.” My breath shuddered, but pride swelled inside me at the thought.

“He’s a typical demon thug who wants your world for his own,” Vincent remarked. “Maros and my brother Vallen plotted this together.”

A heavy awareness settled on my chest. “But they’ll torture me if they find me,” I said after a moment.