Chapter 9
NINE
PYRO
The moment I found Carina gone from the clubhouse, I wanted to lose my mind. I nearly did. I didn’t like the fact she was out there, and I didn’t know where the fuck she was. My dragon nearly ripped right out of my skin to take flight and find her.
It’s not been easy the past three weeks.
I’ve been trying to keep my distance from her.
Give her space and time to heal. Was also working to forge some dragon fire blades that another of our charters ordered.
The Massachusetts Charter ordered a case of blades.
Icer, from the East Texas Charter, commissioned one that is gonna look wicked as fuck.
Fucking Royal called in just this morning requesting one to add to his collection.
But right now, I’m working to finish the ones the Scarecrows up in Ohio ordered.
It’s a lot of work for me, and I haven’t minded it a bit. Inferno has helped a bit as well, but it’s mostly on me and Fire who do the bulk of it right now.
Not to mention the search for Kinley has come up empty. Brimstone came back pissed. She’s nowhere to be found. The lead was a bust. Evelin had been upset and crying about it. Even now, months after what went down, she’s still blaming herself.
To say it’s been a stressful time is an understatement, and not being able to find Carina wasn’t helping. When Francie showed up at the clubhouse, we’d been ready to send out a search party for my mate. Francie was able to slightly calm my dragon as she told us all where Carina is.
Not that it made me happy in the least. I didn’t like the fact she left and didn’t come back.
Clay, who’d been spending time with Inferno at the clubhouse, also wasn’t happy to hear this. The three of us took off to his place and found her eating fucking chili with cornbread. Food smelled good, but I couldn’t think of that. I only had eyes for the woman herself.
Then, sitting with her on the porch swing after she nearly fell to get away from us all, yeah, that wasn’t going to fly, I needed her to talk to me.
Seems I’d been fucking things up with her, and I didn’t know it.
I’ve never had to deal with a woman like this.
I’m used to the horas at the clubhouse. The ones I could fuck and send on their way.
Dealing with Carina is definitely nothing like I’ve dealt with before. She’s going to be a handful and keep me on my toes. I fucking know it.
I was able to at least talk her into going to the clubhouse again.
I know I’m gonna have to talk to her. I’ve already told her parts of me that only Heat and Brimstone know, and that’s definitely something.
I don’t talk about my family and where I come from.
It’s not something I want out there. I keep that shit private for a reason.
Instead of flying over here in dragon form, I drove over here in my truck, planning to get her back to the clubhouse with me.
Damn truck is one of my prized possessions.
Just like my bikes are. I have two of them.
One was the first bike I ever bought, a Triumph Tiger 80.
Loved that thing. I don’t ride it much nowadays.
Mostly, I ride my Harley Sportster Iron 883.
My truck, though, now that’s a 1982 GMC High Sierra.
Custom-painted with modifications to the engine to make it the beast it is, as she sits on a twelve-inch lift.
Carina, being as petite as she is, can’t climb in without help. I don’t have a sidebar for her to use to help brace herself up. With her being on crutches, she can’t even jump up into it if she wanted to. If I wanted to, I could put steps on the truck, but helping her in will have its own perks.
“This truck is yours?” Carina asks, glancing at me from the passenger side.
“Yep. She’s mine.” I reach around her and open the door. “Worked and rebuilt the whole truck myself. Flame did the paint job for me.”
Without missing a beat, I take the crutches from her, place them to the side, scoop her up, and lift her into the seat, making her gasp. Grabbing the crutches, I put them in the back and closed her door.
I’m sure we should have told her family we were leaving, and I could easily do that now through the mind link that formed when I bonded with Carina, but I don’t. My only focus right now is getting her back to the clubhouse.
Hopping up in behind the wheel, I start the truck and glance in her direction. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. Just wish I wasn’t in this stupid boot thing.” Carina sighs and fidgets with her fingers in front of her.
“What did the doctor say?” I ask, putting the truck in gear and circling in the driveway, heading for the road.
“That it was healing. I still have to stay off it for the time being. I go back in two weeks for another X-ray. Hopefully by then, they’ll say I can put some pressure on it. At least I don’t have the cast anymore and can take a shower.”
The thought of her in the shower, water streaming down those perky breasts, has my cock coming alive. More than it already is.
“I should have already known this, but how were you showering before you went to the doctor?” I fucked up by not taking care of her as I should have.
Hell, I made sure the others in the clubhouse didn’t bother her as well.
The only ones who have been in there are Inferno, Francie, and her grandparents.
“I sealed my cast in a trash bag and endured the pain while I showered. However, it eased up with each week. I don’t even hurt anymore.”
“None at all?”
“Well, I guess a little, but nothing like before. Mostly achy.”
I gotta admit, though it’s not easy, I like that she’s talking and being honest with me.
The two of us have to do this, no matter how I originally felt.
She’s my mate, and I know the legend. I know that unless she accepts me, takes me in her body, not just the bond, we haven’t completed it yet.
She could technically still choose someone else, which would suck for me because it leaves me without being able to find someone else for myself.
How fucked up is that? The fates of the Gods have really fucked with us all.
I’m going to have to figure out how to fix the fucked-up way I’ve dealt with this whole thing with her.
I’m not about to be celibate for the rest of my damn life.
My dragon won’t let me give up on her, not when he wants her as much as I do.
The scent of her alone fills the truck, making me crave her all the more.
Ten minutes after leaving her grandparents’ house, we pull up at the clubhouse, and I park the truck in my usual spot, considering I live here at the clubhouse.
I could easily find a place, and I should do that.
I don’t want Carina to have to live in my room here.
She needs to have a place where she can make it her own.
I know she’s not had that since she lived with her grandparents.
Clay had told me. Inferno too. Carina, though, she mentioned it somewhat, and I want to know more about what she does.
“Wait for me,” I tell her, turning the truck off and opening my door. I don’t worry about the keys. No one will come near it here at the clubhouse. They’d be stupid to try considering all the security we have around here.
Rounding the hood, I get to her side as she opens the door. I grab her crutches out of the back and help her out. I’d carry her all the way, but I have a feeling she wouldn’t let me do that without arguing.
“Come on, Sweets, let you get inside.” Tucking her to myself, I guide her toward the door.
Inside, I spot Heat sitting on one of the couches with a hora in his lap. He’s not paying attention to her as he watches the game on the TV. Brimstone is on the other couch, stretched out.
Both men cock their heads as we make our way in their direction.
“Pyro,” Heat greets, his eyes shifting to Carina.
“Prez.” I nod and look to Brimstone. “VP.”
Heat taps Kaley’s thigh. “Get lost.”
With only a huff, Kaley does as she’s told. Out of all the girls around here, she’s maybe one of the only ones that doesn’t act catty and does what she’s told, even when she doesn’t want to.
All the horas know what they’re getting into when they start hanging around. They know the score and know they most likely won’t become more than what they’re at the clubhouse to do. They’re free pussy ready and willing.
“Take a seat,” Brimstone says, shifting to make room. “About time you joined us in the main room.” He quirks a smirk at Carina.
I sit and pull her down on my lap, turning her to rest her leg on the couch next to Heat’s thigh.
“Out of the cast and into the boot, huh?” Heat chuckles.
“Yeah, for at least two weeks with the crutches.” Carina sighs. “I wish I hadn’t been in that accident. Then I wouldn’t be stuck in a stupid boot and would be in Shiverborn.”
I clench my teeth to keep from growling at her mention of being anywhere else.
“What exactly is it you do, Carina?” Brimstone asks.
“I travel to different locations all the time, stay for a while, and write up articles for my blog and magazines. I was heading to Shiverborn because it’s supposed to be something magical, according to rumor.”
Oh, it’s magical, all right.
It’s where my mother is from. I know it well. It’s beautiful, but not a place I’d ever want to visit again.
“So, you pretty much live a nomad life,” Heat remarks, cocking a brow.
“Nomad life is pretty good for me. Makes me money, pays my bills, and lets me see all over the world.” Carina shrugs. “Sucks that I have to wait to keep going. I don’t like staying in one place for too long.”
“You got your new phone, and your laptop survived the crash.” That was a fucking miracle. “You could still write something. Doesn’t have to be about Shiverborn,” I tell her.
“Like what?” she asks, twisting her head in my direction. Brows furrowed.
“You could write about our area. You grew up here,” I suggest. “We might not get a hell of a lot of snow, but that doesn’t mean there’s not things to do this time of year.”
“True,” she says far too slowly. “But I haven’t been in the area in years and so much as changed.”
“Then it’s perfect for you to write an article about,” Brimstone says, shifting forward slightly, bracing his arms on his legs.
“I’m sure Pyro will help you. Or even my sister. She’d love to help you out with it. I know she could use the distraction.”
I get what Heat’s talking about, and Evelin would definitely enjoy spending time with Carina. With Kinley being gone and nowhere to be found, things haven’t been easy for Heat’s sister. The only one that seems to be able to really put a smile on her face is Fire.
“Your sister’s Evelin, right?” Carina asks, relaxing further into me.
“Yeah, you met her.”
Carina nods and smiles at Heat. “If she doesn’t mind helping me, that would be good.
I can’t really drive anywhere right now, and since I won’t be in Shiverborn, I might as well write the article about the area.
” She tilts her head back to me and smiles.
“You’re right, there’s a lot about this area that could go into the article and on my blog. ”
I grin back at her and dip my head, closing the distance to kiss her. It’s the first time I’ve actually kissed her, and damn if it’s all I can do to keep it chaste and not devour her mouth the way I want to. But she’s still healing, and I won’t take the chance of hurting her.