Page 10 of Jilted By Jack Frost

When his gray eyes finally flick up to meet mine, he cracks a grin that doesn’t quite seem as welcoming as I think he means it to. “Hello,” he croons. “I don’t think we’ve properly met yet. I’m Gabriel.”

Chapter five

Violet

Gabriel sits on the couch, long legs stretched out before him and crossed at the ankles, studying me as I fight the urge to squirm from where I sit at the foot of the bed.

His expression is polite, his pale fingers laced and resting on his lower stomach. Nothing about him is directly off putting, or concerning, or anything like that.

But there is something in his eyes that sets me on edge. Not that I think he’s here to murder me or anything, to take care of a problem before it—I—become one. But him being here feels more like a test than it does like an introduction. A test to see what I can do for him, or maybe Jack, or maybe their kingdom. I don’t know.

I just know that I’d really rather he leave, but I’m too curious about what he’s doing here in the first place to ask him to go.

You know what they say about curiosity and cats, I remind myself. Yet it isn’t a plea for him to go away that leaves my lips.

“I’m guessing you’re here to do more than just stare at me.” The words come out even. Smooth. Not at all like his general presence has unnerved me.

He smiles. “Indeed. The staring is merely a bonus.”

My lips flatten and the words are out before I can really think them through, or think about the fact that I’m alone with a strange man in a strange world, and I would not be missed. I would not be found.

“The staring is about to make me suffocate you with my pillow.” I don’t bother taking them back, even as immediate regret courses through me.

Which turns out fine enough, because Gabriel just laughs, clearly not taking me seriously.

His voice is light with amusement. “Jack told me you had a mouth on you. I thought he was being dramatic. He’s not used to people doing anything more than bowing and saying whatever they must to please him.”

“He was being dramatic. I didn’t say anything offensive.” At least I don’t think I did. I don’t remember most of what I said to him earlier today—probably because I was too busy trying to function past the shock of learning that I had somehow fallen into an entirely different realm, and that I was standing face to face with the famed Jack Frost. Who was, apparently, an asshole.

“No need to worry, darling Violet,” Gabriel says, his voice soft as silk, light as a feather. “I’m not offended on hisbehalf. I am, however, entertained on my own. As Jack’s advisor, I have spent a good part of my life listening to people say whatever they feel will gain his favor. I am cheered by your lack of doing the same, despite every reason you may have to do the opposite.”

“So, you’re here to pay me compliments. Interesting contradiction to the insults of your…”

Gabriel chuckles. “I believe your people call them kings. Here, Jack is known as a Lord.” He pauses, waiting for me to speak again, but continues when all I do is stare at him blankly. “And no, I’m not here just to compliment you. Those are a bonus.” He winks.

“Okay,” I say slowly, raising an eyebrow. My mouth is running full speed now, my filter left at the proverbial door. “So, if you’re not here to kiss my ass, could we move on to whatever it is youarehere for?”

A bell-like laugh rings from him. “You’re delightful, truly.” He pauses, and when he speaks again, his voice is far less jovial and a hell of a lot more serious. “If you are not one for small talk, Violet Jones, then I will simply say it: I need your help.”

I freeze, body stiff as a board for a long moment. “No, you don’t.” My tone is wary, but strong. Like I’m all at once disbelieving and trying to hypnotize them out of Gabriel’s memory.

“I assure you I do,” he replies, leaning forward, arms braced against his thighs now. “You said you are a nurse. You know how to fix things that are irreparable. I think you would be valuable here. Just as you are clearly a smart woman, if that mouth is any sign.”

He smiles at his own little joke and continues on. “Listen, Violet: we need your help. Our entire realm does,really. It has been… uncharacteristically warm lately. On a minor scale, yes, but soon people will begin to notice. They will feel terror. And where there is terror, there are uprisings. We cannot have that.”

He pauses for a moment before continuing. “Jack and I have been searching for the cause of this… change in temperature, but to no avail.”

“Yes, it’s global warming,” I deadpan. “We’re fighting the same thing.”

Gabriel’s lips flatten. “It is not man-made evil we struggle against, Violet Jones. We take care of our things even if your kind does not. No, what we’re working against is a far greater pain in the ass—Magic. Likely old magic, since it’s taken us so long to figure it out. Jack tolerates me searching alongside him at the best of times and throws me out at the worst of them. I am not the kind of help he’s willing to accept. But you… I think you might be.”

“Because who wouldn’t trust the word of a woman from another planet over their advisor?”

“You are not just any woman. You are his mate. He is predisposed to trust you, even if he wishes he would not be.”

His mate. That word again. That sense of possession behind it. I still have no idea what the fuck it means here, why they say it like it’s some precious jewel. I do know that I won’t be asking Gabriel about it. I’d rather ask Cora—or maybe even Jack himself. He’s probably the best person to go to, if I want to know why he feels he gets to stake any sort of claim on me at all.

“More than that,” Gabriel continues, “But you are accustomed to warmth. You understand it better than any of us possibly could. I think your insight would bevaluable, just as I think that the heat that radiates from you must mean something.”

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