Page 26 of Daddy Frost

“I didn’t notice him when we arrived.” He waited until Kalen straddled the motorcycle and settled onto the seat before climbing on behind him. Right in front of him was sheer power. Delta felt it flow effortlessly from Kalen, from the deep, rich timbre of his voice to the way he moved and even in the hellfire way he kissed.

Raking his gaze over the cut of Kalen’s muscles, Delta appreciated how they strained against the leather vest, how his bulging biceps stretched against the material as if the leather was struggling to contain a beast.

After spending time with the guy, he now wanted to unravel the mystery that was Kalen Frost.

“I hadn’t noticed him either,” Kalen said. “He must’ve hung back so he wouldn’t make his presence noticeable. I don’t know if we pulled in at the same time or if he got here while you were playing with the kids and I was being tortured by Jeremy.” The loud rumble of the engine silenced anything else they might have said to each other.

Or so Delta thought.

“Hold on tight, darling. We’re about to fly.” Kalen mounted his phone and opened a navigation app before they backed out of their parking spot.

“Wait, what?” As they slowly approached the exit of the ice cream parlor, Delta gripped the guy’s waist, unsure if he was trembling from fear or excitement.

Kalen looked both ways before he took off, causing Delta to shriek and cling harder to him.

“We’re gonna crash!” he shouted, wondering if he would actually see his life flashing before his eyes at any second.

“I’ve never laid down a bike in my life,” Kalen shouted back.

Delta was too terrified to look behind him to see if the gray sedan was following them. He was too busy trying not to die, but when he glanced at one of the side mirrors, he saw their pursuer gaining speed.

And so had Kalen. He made a last-minute turn down a side road then another immediate turn before opening up and riding at speeds that shaved two decades off of Delta’s life. Still, the sedan kept pace, though it was now lagging far behind them.

Kalen took a sharp and sudden turn, causing both them and the motorcycle to lean dangerously close to the ground. Delta braced himself for impact, positive they were about to crash. The laws of gravity seemed to be defied as they leaned at an impossible angle.

This was it. Their lives were about to end. Done. Finished. Finito. Lights permanently out.

But somehow, Kalen managed to pull them back up, and they rode up a grassy slope next to an old, overhead railroad bridge crossing that looked like it hadn’t been used in years. Weeds sprouted up everywhere, their tendrils twisting through the weathered steel beams and wrapping their way around the concrete supports. The metal and cement were stained and streaked from years of exposure to the elements.

Kalen didn’t stop until they reached a bunch of overgrown bushes and clusters of trees, using them as cover before killing the engine.

The sudden silence rang through Delta’s ears, along with his heavy breathing. He realized he was gripping Kalen’s vest so tightly his knuckles had turned white, but he was unable to release his death grip.

“Wait for it,” Kalen said quietly, as if they were playing a game of hide-and-seek rather than trying to outrun possible death.

“You’re completely insane! You were going ninety!” Delta exclaimed in a harsh whisper.

“Sorry for the slow speed, but I have my mate with me, so I’m being cautious,” Kalen replied calmly.

Ninety was slow to him? What did he consider fast, the cosmic speed limit?

As if reading his thoughts, Kalen added, “If I was alone, I would’ve pushed one-twenty or more.”

The guy had a straight-up death wish. Delta opened his mouth to respond but shut it when he saw the gray sedan race by on the road below.

Any lingering doubts he might have had before vanished. They were definitely being followed.

“This makes no sense,” he said to Kalen who had yet to start up the motorcycle again.

“What doesn’t make sense, muffin?” Kalen glanced in the direction the car had gone.

“Whichello is a demon. Why would he use a car? And even if he sent someone else after me, why would they need a car if they’re not human?”

“I hate to break it to you, but demons use humans all the time. And if that guy isn’t human, then the best way to blend in is to avoid standing out.” Kalen started the bike before skillfully maneuvering down the incline. He turned in the opposite direction, speeding off until they were sure they had lost their pursuers.

Despite being terrified during their hair-raising ride, Delta couldn’t deny how Kalen had expertly handled the motorcycle, as if it were an extension of himself. The same way Delta could handle a soccer ball.

It was all muscle memory and years of riding experience, executed with flawless precision.

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