Page 16 of Frost and Felines (Saltwater Grove #5)

16

KIERAN

T he crash outside made the lobby windows rattle. Kieran's head snapped up from where he had been reviewing the daily itinerary with Mallory at the front desk. Through the glass windows, he saw sparks dancing across fallen power lines.

"Everyone stay inside!" He vaulted over the desk, pressing a hand to Mallory's shoulder as she started to follow him. "Stay here."

The bitter December wind hit him as he burst through the front door. A massive utility pole lay sprawled across the parking lot, its wires still crackling with live current. If it had fallen just a few feet to the left, it would have crushed Mrs. Chen's minivan - with her kids still inside.

His tiger instincts bristled at the near miss. This wasn't just petty sabotage anymore. This was getting dangerous.

"Oh dear, what an unfortunate accident." Gregory's smooth voice drifted from down the sidewalk. The chaos witch stood there in his expensive wool jacket, not a hair out of place despite the wind. "I do hope your insurance covers Acts of God."

"Cut the crap, Gregory." Kieran's voice came out in a growl. "You could have killed someone."

"Such accusations." Gregory pressed a hand to his chest in mock offense. "I'm merely a concerned neighbor checking on the commotion."

The front door swung open, and Mallory stepped out despite his command for her to stay put. "We should call Sheriff Blackmane."

"No." Kieran shook his head. "I've got this handled. Please go back inside."

"Kieran." Her voice held an edge of frustration. "This isn't just about broken pipes anymore. Someone could have died."

He turned to face her, catching the determined set of her jaw and the calculating look in her eyes. She was planning something - he could practically see the wheels turning behind those ice-blue eyes.

"What are you thinking? Other than calling the authorities." he said softly.

She glanced between him and Gregory, then back at the downed power line. That clever little smirk he had grown to adore tugged at her lips, but uncertainty flickered in her expression.

"I might have an idea," she said carefully. "But I'm not sure you're ready to hear it."

"Try me." He stepped closer, blocking Gregory's view of her face.

She opened her mouth to respond, but hesitated for a moment, casting another wary look at their unwanted audience. "Let's go back inside and call the utility company first. Then, meet me in my suite," she said, low enough so only he could hear.

Kieran soon ushered Mrs. Chen and her family back inside, his protective instincts on high alert. After making the necessary call to the utility company, he paced the lobby, ensuring guests stayed clear of the windows and stayed inside until the crew arrived to handle the downed line.

"Please remain indoors and in the common areas away from the front of the building," he announced, his tone holding that natural authority that came with being both an alpha and an owner. "We'll have this sorted shortly."

Once the utility workers had the scene secured, he made his way to Mallory's suite. His knuckles had barely grazed the door when she called out.

"Come in."

She stood by the window, wringing her hands. Her familiar scent of rain and ozone clung to her - a smell he had noticed since day one but had never quite placed until now.

"So," he said, closing the door behind him. "What's this brilliant idea of yours?"

"I need to tell you something first." Mallory turned to face him, those ice-blue eyes filled with apprehension. "I'm a storm witch."

The corner of his mouth lifted. "I had a feeling you might be. The weather's been matching your moods a little too well since you arrived."

"So you knew?" Her eyes widened.

"I suspected. The day you handled those arguing guests? Thunder rolled right as you approached them." He stepped closer, drawn to her nervous energy. "It's pretty impressive, actually."

"Well, I know some protection spells," she said quietly. "Strong ones. But my magic... it can be overwhelming. Dangerous even."

"Hey." He grabbed her fidgeting hands in his. "I trust you. And I've seen how capable you are. Whatever power you've got, I know you can handle it."

Relief flooded her features. "You're not... worried?"

"Worried?" He laughed. "Mallory, you're magnificent. Having that kind of power and still choosing to help and protect people? That makes you even more amazing in my book."

A smile formed on her lips. "So you think I should try the protection spells?"

"Absolutely." He squeezed her hands. "Show Gregory what happens when he messes with The Hearthstone's power couple."

"Fake power couple," she corrected, but her smile grew wider.

"Right." Kieran ignored the way his heart skipped at her smile. "Let's see what you can do."

Kieran led Mallory through the back door of The Hearthstone, his tiger senses on high alert for any sign of Gregory or his wife. The winter air nipped at his exposed skin, but his focus remained on Mallory as she surveyed the building's perimeter.

Her platinum hair whipped around her face in the strengthening wind. The air crackled with electricity, making his fur stand on end beneath his skin. His tiger prowled closer to the surface, drawn to her raw power.

"I'll need to place anchors at each corner," Mallory said, pulling crystals from her coat pocket. "The spell should recognize magical signatures specific to chaos and rune magic."

"Should?" Kieran arched his eyebrows.

"Magic isn't an exact science." She shot him a look. "Unless you'd rather I didn't try?"

"No, dear. By all means, show me what you can do." He grinned, enjoying the way her cheeks flushed at the endearment.

Mallory moved to the first corner, kneeling to press a crystal into the frozen earth. The wind picked up, swirling around her like a cocoon as she whispered words in an ancient language. Lightning flickered in the clouds above, responding to her call.

Kieran's breath caught as he watched her work. Power radiated from her in waves, wild and untamed. His tiger purred in appreciation. This was what a real witch looked like - not the manufactured perfection of Vivian Simmons, but pure, natural force.

"The anchors will trigger defensive strikes if they detect hostile magic," Mallory explained as she placed the second crystal. "Lightning, wind gusts - nothing lethal, but enough to discourage them."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side." Kieran followed her to the third corner, staying close enough to catch her if she stumbled in the deepening snow.

"Too late for that." But she smiled as she said it, the kind of smile that made his heart flutter.

When the final crystal was placed, Mallory stood in the center of the building's shadow. She raised her hands, and the wind roared to life around them. Lightning split the sky, connecting with each crystal in a blinding flash before sinking into the ground.

"There." She lowered her arms, swaying slightly. "That should hold them off for a while."

Kieran steadied her with a hand at her waist. "That was incredible. You're incredible."

"It's just magic," she mumbled, but he could see the pleased flush in her cheeks.

"No," he said softly. "It's not 'just' anything, it's who you are. And it’s remarkable."

Before long, the inn's kitchen filled with the sweet aroma of vanilla and cinnamon as he measured ingredients with mechanical precision. His movements were sharp and tense, lacking their usual fluid grace. Every few minutes, his gaze darted to the windows, searching for any sign of Gregory's interference despite Mallory's protection spell.

"You're going to break that measuring cup if you grip it any harder," Mallory said softly, placing her hand over his. The touch sent warmth through his skin, easing some of the tension in his broad shoulders.

Charlotte looked up from her bowl of cookie dough. "These snickerdoodles have survived three generations of Strikers. They'll survive whatever those two try to throw at us."

"Your grandmother would be so proud," Amy added, rolling dough balls in cinnamon sugar. "Though maybe not of how you're mangling her recipe with all that brooding."

Kieran growled low in his throat. "I'm not brooding."

"You absolutely are." Mallory bumped his hip with hers. "And you're getting flour everywhere except in the bowl."

She was right - a fine dusting of white covered his black t-shirt. His tiger bristled at being called out, but the playful light in Mallory's eyes made it impossible to stay irritated.

"Whatever happens tomorrow," she continued, her voice pitched just for him, "I'm not going anywhere. We'll handle it together."

The simple statement loosened something in his chest. "Thank you. For everything."

"Don't thank me yet." A mischievous smile curved her lips as she flicked a pinch of flour at his face. "I haven't shared all my secrets."

Kieran blinked, surprised by her playfulness. Then he grinned, slow and predatory. "Oh, it's like that, is it?"

Before she could retreat, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him, thoroughly dusting her sweater with the flour from his shirt. Her shriek of laughter echoed through the kitchen.

"Children," Charlotte scolded, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "The cookies won't bake themselves."

"You started it," Kieran murmured in Mallory's ear, loving how she shivered at his proximity.

"And I'll finish it too." She twisted in his arms and dotted his nose with cookie dough.

The kitchen dissolved into chaos after that - flour flying, dough being stolen, and laughter bouncing off the walls. Kieran's heart swelled watching Mallory throw her head back in genuine joy, all traces of her usual reserve gone. This was who she really was under all those careful walls - bright and beautiful and free.

Kieran paced around his suite late that night, his tiger restless. Mallory's scent still clung to his clothes from being near her earlier, making his heart race. He paused at the window, watching the snow drift past in the darkness.

"You're being so ridiculous right now," he muttered to himself. "You know she needs time."

But his tiger disagreed, suddenly becoming impatient, wanting to claim her, protect her, and shower her with the affection she deserved. The way her eyes lit up when she laughed today in the kitchen had nearly undone him. Her walls had crumbled just enough to show the vibrant woman underneath.

He flopped onto his couch with a groan. "She's not ready. She's still grieving Eli. How many times do you have to remind yourself?"

The sound of her laughter echoed in his memory, along with the way she had felt in his arms, soft and warm and perfect. The tiger in him purred at the thought.

"I'm in love with her," he admitted to the empty room. The truth of it settled in his chest, both terrifying and liberating. "Completely, totally in love with her."

A crack of thunder outside made him smile. He wondered if she was thinking about him too.

"Soon," he promised himself. "I'll tell her everything."