Chapter 5
Unfortunately, the path to the outlands didn’t go past Aunt Nutmeg’s house. I would have killed to have a chance to change and get the milky water out of my hair. However, it would have been all for naught.
My boots sunk into the thick, muddy ground. We had officially moved out of the forest and into the licorice swamp. Which meant that Percy brooding behind me was the least of my worries.
“Could you hurry up?” I snapped, grimacing as my boot popped out of the sludge. “I don’t want to be here longer than I have to be.”
Percy chuckled. “Afraid of something, ice —?”
I shot him a look.
He coughed and corrected himself. “Bianca.”
“That’s what I thought. No, I just don’t want to run into—” My foot caught in the mud, and I let out a scream as I started to fall forward. My arms pinwheeled as I tried to grab on to something.
A thick warm arm wrapped around my waist and jerked me back. I bent my head back until I could see the underside of Percy’s jaw, my back pressed up snuggly against his hard front. I swallowed and tried to soothe the rapid beating of my heart.
“Thanks,” I breathed out.
Percy peered down at me for a long moment before he grunted. “No problem.”
I blinked and pushed myself away from him and down to where my foot had been sucked into the mud. My nose scrunched up as annoyance beat down on me.
This was going to take forever. Time frame notwithstanding, I didn’t want to run into a certain vampire who had a yearning for my best friend.
If I was a weaker, less confident person, I would be jealous of all these men vying for my best friend’s attention. As it was, I loved Tara and wanted only good things for her. That meant keeping all the crazies away from her.
“Hey, why do you like Tara, anyway?” I jerked at my foot until my boot popped out of the mud. I wrapped a layer of ice around my boots so my feet moved through the swamp with easier.
Percy didn’t answer me for a moment. “Tara was nice to me,” he said at last, his voice quiet.
I arched a brow at him. “That’s it? She’s just nice to you? Man, you’ve got to lift your standards. If that’s all it takes to get your love and devotion…” I shook my head. “That’s really… kind of sad.”
Percy was silent. If I didn’t hear his thumping steps, I wouldn’t have even known he was there.
I almost felt bad for the guy. Sighing, I planted one foot in front of the other focusing on the ground. “Look, I didn’t mean that. Tara is great. Honestly, if it wasn’t for her I’d be hiding up in my ice house with no friends…”
I huffed a laugh. “Not that I have many outside of Tara anyway. She’s kind of like the sun, you know?” I smiled at him. “Everyone wants to be around her, even an ice witch like me. She kind of… makes everything come alive, you know?”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” a cultured voice said from ahead.
My smile dropped as I jerked my head toward it. “Blackthorn. I can’t say I’m happy to see you.”
The vampire pushed up off the tree he was leaning against. The pink of his skin stood out against the dark brown of his suit. His tongue slid out and licked the pointed edges of his fangs as his beady eyes swept over me. He pushed a long fingered hand through his long black hair and cocked his head.
“Now, this is not a picture I ever expected to see. The ice witch and the beast. Quite a pretty picture you make together, I must admit.”
I tensed as he walked toward us, and my fingers crackled with magic. I still hadn’t replenished the amount I’d expended at the river, but I couldn’t think about that now. Blackthorn was crazy, but he didn’t usual bother me unless Tara was here.
“Tara’s not with me,” I pointed out with a sniff. “Not that it would matter. You lost your chance with her.”
Blackthorn frowned and sighed heavily. “Yes, I know all about her wedding to the prince. A pity.” The amount of pain in his voice almost made me feel sorry for him. Almost.
Then I remembered all the obsessive stalkerish things he’d done, and I got over it.
“Look, I’ve got places to be. So, if you don’t mind…?” I tried to step around Blackthorn and focus on getting out of the swamp.
Blackthorn stepped into my path. Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy.
Percy let out a low growl. “Move.”
“Now, now,” Blackthorn cooed, waving a hand at Percy as if to calm down a dog. “I’m not going to bite. Not unless you want me to.” He flashed me a fanged grin and a wink. “I just want to talk.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and stared him down. “I’m listening.”
“There’s a woman.”
“Of course there is,” I muttered and threw my head back with a sigh. “What about her?”
Blackthorn stared off to the side as if remembering something pleasant. “I don’t know her name. Small tiny thing. Could break her like a twig.”
I winced. That didn’t bode well.
“Big brown eyes, almost doe like.” He smiled and shifted his eyes to the ground. “She has this mousy colored hair she can never quite keep out of her face. She tries, though.” He chuckled to himself, seeming to forget we were even there.
“Okay…” I drew out, exchanging a look with Percy. “And what did this poor woman do to earn your attention?”
Blackthorn’s gaze flicked back up to mine. “She saved my life.”
My mouth formed an ‘o.’ So it looked like Blackthorn had a new obsession. At least, I had some good news for Tara. Though I didn’t know if this woman would be appreciative of Blackthorn’s affections.
A flash of a woman the same description Blackthorn had just given me flickered in my head. I’d seen her in town. She was the one who told me about Percy. Blackthorn wasn’t lying, she was a twig of a thing. Hardly someone who could protect herself from a vampire like Blackthorn.
I placed my hands on my hips. “And why would I help you? You already made one woman’s life a living hell. I wouldn’t wish you on my worst enemy.” I glanced at Percy. “No offense.”
Percy grunted as he shrugged his large shoulders. “None taken. I agree. No one should have to deal with this undead freak.”
“Ouch.” Blackthorn placed a hand on his chest feigning hurt. “Isn’t that the moon calling the sun bright?” [5] He smirked at Percy’s glare. He rolled his eyes back to me and pursed his lips. “I don’t want to hurt her. I just want to help her. But to do that, I need you to help me.”
I rubbed a hand over my eyes as a headache started to form behind them. “Fine, but can it wait? I have a pressing matter with the council of —” I clamped my lips closed at Percy’s interested look. “I mean, I have something to do. I promise I’ll come find this woman for you. But I really have to go now.”
I tried to push by him. Blackthorn grabbed my arm, his nails biting into my skin. “How can I trust you?”
Percy snarled. “Get your hands off her.”
My lips twisted to the side in confusion at Percy’s reaction, then focused on Blackthorn. “You can’t. But you can trust that I want you as far away from Tara as possible. If this woman will keep your attention off her, then as much as it pains me to put her in the path of your unhealthy obsession, I will do it.”
Blackthorn gave me a long, lingering look before releasing me. “Very well. I will hold you to your promise. And if you don’t…” He licked his fangs once more.
I waved a hand at him as I walked past. “I got it. Blood. Violence. Strong language. The whole gist. Let’s go, Percy.”
Percy stomped after me. His presence was a growing agitation pressing down on me. We didn’t say anything until we were out of the swamp and stepped onto the hard, dusty ground, filled with cracks and tiny sprinkles of plant life. A dry wafting of wind blew through my clothes, drying what was left of the dampness.
I spun around and pointed a finger at Percy. “What’s your problem?”
“Nothing.”
Grabbing his arm before he could pass me, I jerked him to a stop. “No. Come on. We’re about to walk right into the beast’s lair, so to speak. We can’t focus on that if you have a bug up your ass. So spill already.”
Percy stared down at the hand on his arm. I tightened my hold and stood my ground. His gaze dipped down to the ground and then back up to my face. “You’re a good friend.”
“What?” I frowned and dropped my hand.
“I mean, you just offered yourself and some stranger up to Blackthorn for Tara.” He closed his eyes and then lifted his head to the sky.
“Well…” I started, not knowing what exactly the problem was. “Tara’s my best friend. I wasn’t about to let Blackthorn keep bothering her. And this woman… well… I’ll deal with that when the time comes. I have more pressing matters at the moment.”
Percy lowered his head and looked at me, his gaze staring straight into my soul. “I don’t think I’ve ever had someone who would do that for me.”
I offered him a small smile. “Well, you’ve still got time. Who knows? You could even wear someone like me down to caring for you.” I patted him on the shoulder and stepped into the outlands before grinning over my shoulder.
“But I wouldn’t hold your breath.”