Page 17 of A Fate of Ice and Lies (Fated #1)

“Are they going to send more?” I asked. “I mean, we have to fight, right? This is our home, not theirs.”

He straightened when a young couple, bundled up in several layers of clothes, walked past us. I smiled at them, watching them line up with the rest of the desperate crowd waiting by the food bank.

“I don’t know if there’s anything we can do,” Donnie whispered.

I chewed the inside of my cheek, hoping for some sort of rescue.

“Did you keep your fireplace running?” he asked, not so subtly changing the subject.

“Yep.” I didn’t bother telling him how the fire hadn’t dimmed or gone out once even though I hadn’t yet put new wood in it.

Just like my mysterious blanket, it was a secret I inherently knew to keep to myself.

He tugged my blanket tighter around me and ran his hands over my arms twice before putting his hands back in the pocket of his uniform pants. It was sweet how he looked out for me, especially since he was the only one who still did.

“Keeping your doors locked?” he asked.

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes at him. While many people kept themselves tucked away in their homes, others left to search for food and items to keep them warm. Some went as far as looking in other people’s homes while the homeowners were still there .

Staying quiet, I nodded.

“You have enough to eat?” His eyes scanned the white horizon like he expected something, maybe a dragon or another fae to pop out and charge us.

Or whatever was leaving the large imprints on the snow near my woods.

Which probably wasn’t the craziest thought given everything that had transpired in the past week.

“Sure,” I lied.

“You know you can stay with me and my family, Teddy,” he offered. He kept offering despite the many times I’d already turned him down. “We have plenty of room and can help each other out. I’ll even let Hee-haw sleep with Ry.”

Maybe it was silly to hold on to my small cabin, but it was home and all I had left of Mom.

More than that, though, I felt safe there.

Safer since the snow had started to fall.

While quite a few people couldn’t leave their home because the snowdrifts prevented them from opening their doors, the snow around my home and property never got that high.

My fireplace never ceased, and there was a warm crispiness to my bedroom that reminded me of a summer night.

“I don’t like having you by yourself in the woods,” he pressed with a desolate shake of his head. “It’s dangerous out there, Ted. A lot more dangerous than. . .”

“I’m okay, Donnie,” I reminded him. Probably more okay than his family or the many others in my community.

“Your gun?—”

“One in my bag and the other is in my dresser drawer.” Despite myself, I smiled. “No longer under my pillowcase.”

This time, his lips twitched and broke into the half smile that had once made my heart skip a beat. It only took one shared, awkward kiss to stamp out any romantic feelings I’d once had for Donnie .

“Glad you took my advice.” He nudged my shoulder with his before he turned his attention to the nearby woods.

“I still don’t think I would’ve blown the side of my face off,” I teased back.

“Oh.” He held up a single finger, then reached into the pocket of his puffy jacket, where he pulled something out and handed it to me.

I unfolded the soft cotton material and felt my smile widen when I saw the beanie in my hand. He took it from me to place it on my head, pulling down the sides so it covered my ears.

My grin grew. “Now I can keep my big ears warm.” Or warmish, since the cold still seeped through the thin material.

He tapped my nose before he moved to tug on the bottom of my left lobe.

When he turned his gaze back to the nearby woods, I traced my earlobe, which still felt warm from his touch. His gaze hunted beyond the tree line, and his shoulders bunched with what looked like fear.

He jumped when I touched his rigid shoulder.

“Hey,” I eased out. “Nothing’s there.”

Except I already knew there was. I just hoped whatever it was stayed far away from town.

He angled his head to the side and carefully watched the other two officers before turning back to me. “There are things out there,” he whispered with a quick shake of his head. “Not from our world. More than the fae or the dragon.” His throat bobbed when he swallowed.

I looked toward the woods and took an involuntary step back when a shadow emerged. “What have you seen?”

“It’s not just the prints in the woods by your house but this feeling. ”

His eyes narrowed, and he put a protective arm in front of my chest.

“You should go in the store.” His attention snapped to the others. “Incoming,” he told the police officers.

“In the store,” one of the other officers said. “Everyone, get in the store.”

I watched as the shadow approached, three figures coming into view the closer they got.

That feminine whisper filled my ears as Leanora called the approaching figures her enemy. No, our enemy.

I bit my bottom lip, pushing her out of my head. Still, her words slithered across my mind, making goosebumps rise everywhere.

I huffed out in exasperation. If only Leanora’s character spoke to me when I wanted to sit down and write. But like the evil witch she was, she came to me on her terms, which was usually when I was asleep or too busy to jot down ideas in my dream journal.

“Ted,” Donnie said, urging me, trying to usher me into the food bank.

I scowled. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure.” He rested his hands on my shoulders and, again, turned me toward the store. “But I can’t do my job if I think you’re in danger.”

I pointed toward the food pantry. “Because some broken glass separating me from whoever is coming will keep me safe?” I crossed my hands over my chest. “I’m not going anywhere, Donnie. This is my town too, and I have a right to know what’s going on and what kind of threats I’m facing.”

A few of the other people around us grunted their agreement. A wave of relief swam through me when Collette went inside with her daughter. Before going in, she turned to me with a quick nod before kissing the top of her daughter’s head.

I was torn between following them in to make sure Collette stayed with Victoria and standing my ground with whoever was heading toward us. But surely, she wouldn’t leave her daughter now when we were all so vulnerable.

Donnie sighed. “Can you. . . just get behind me? If they’re fae, stay quiet. Don’t draw attention to yourself.”

When he reached his hand toward me, I clasped it, watching as three men made their way toward us. Behind them, they each pulled what seemed to be a cart on two wooden planks that worked as sleds.

My heart raced as they neared, and it wasn’t until Donnie shifted that I realized I was digging my nails into his hand. I loosened my grip and forced a slow breath from my chapped lips.

“The one in the middle is Elias,” Donnie whispered without turning his attention from the men.

“You know him?” My voice came out rough, but I didn’t dare clear the sudden thickness that rested in my throat.

“He’s the fae in charge of Colina and the surrounding towns.”

“What does that mean?” I hissed out. And why hadn’t he or Ryenne told me about him before?

The man, or fae, towered over us, including Donnie, who stood just over six feet tall.

His eyes, the most brilliant shade of violet, stared at Donnie’s and my joined hands, and he flared his nostrils.

Uneasy, I wiggled my hand from Donnie’s grasp, but he held firm.

The fae’s gaze locked on my blanket that I tugged closer to me.

“It seems the female doesn’t want you holding her,” Elias said .

Heat rushed over my neck and cheeks, and I suddenly felt hot enough to melt the snow. A guttural growl emanated from Elias, and when Donnie shifted, I held his hand tighter, using both hands to keep my grip on him this time.

Elias’s eyes darkened so quickly I wasn’t sure if I imagined it, but then they softened, and he turned his lips to a small, reluctant smile. “I apologize.” He bowed his head. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

I jutted my chin out at the fae, whose gaze was terrifying and exhilarating. Just like Commander Hudson, Elias’s skin was flawless. So perfectly white he could have been carved from the snow.

He tipped his chin back at me, spreading his full lips into a breathtaking smile. His long fingers ran over his square jaw that he then pushed through his long black hair.

Where his hands were ungloved, I noticed his friends—warriors, companions?—wore gloves that looked similar in color as my blanket.

As if he’d heard my thoughts, he reached for my blanket, but before he made contact, I took a retreating step back. His fist clenched before he dropped it to his side.

Enthralled, I ran my eyes over the long, corded muscles of his arms to his broad shoulders. He was lethal, but somehow, that knowledge set me at ease. Power radiated off the carved muscles of his body, but I didn’t have anything to fear from him.

So focused on Elias, I forgot about everyone else around us until Donnie brushed his lips over my right ear.

“Go inside, Ted,” he pleaded.

“Teddy, is it?” Elias asked, his voice like sinful silk.

On a hard swallow, I nodded.

“I have gifts for you.” His smile widened to show two sharp fangs, but it was the dimples on either side of his mouth that drew my attention.

He extended a hand to me in invitation, his smile dropping when I didn’t take it.

“Come now,” he said, his tone gentle.

One of the other men, or fae, reached into one of the carts behind them and threw a small red object in the air. When he caught it, he bit into it with a satisfying crunch. Juice spilled down his chin, which he quickly swiped away with the back of his hand.

My eyes widened, my hesitation forgotten as I left Donnie’s side to peer into the carts filled with food. Tomatoes, peppers, apples, grapes, potatoes. They were all there, along with other fruits and vegetables.