Page 23 of Frost and Fate
“Eeep!” Aria squealed. “I need to know everything, all the juicy details!” There was another knock at the door. “But first…” Aria jumped up and opened the door, greeting a man with two arms full of takeout bags. “I ordered us dinner! Even if we can’t go out, we are still finding a way to have a girls’ night.” She took the bags and thanked the deliveryman. After setting everything on the table, she began rummaging through. “Where is it, where is it… Ah-ha!” She pulled several bottles triumphantly out of one of the bags. “The owner of Kitsune loves me. I begged him for some sake! It’s not strictly legal to deliver alcohol, but I gave him a big tip.” She winked at Nova.
Another knock on the door surprised them both. Nova stood to answer it but Aria was quicker—duh, lycan. A small gasp escaped her lips when she saw Darren on the other side. That jet-black hair and those honey-fire eyes made her hungry for something more than just the food. The surprised look in Darren’s eyes confirmed he had not expected Aria to be there.
“Look what the cat dragged in.” Aria smirked when he scowled at her. “Lucky you, Darren, you get the night off. I’m on babysitting duty. I’ll protect her from whatever comes her way, be it Collectors or sexy Veil Walkers, though I do hope it’s the latter.”
Darren folded his big arms. “You sure you’ve got what it takes to keep her safe?”
“Wanna fight and find out?” Aria took a step toward him, refusing to back down.
“Calm down, crazy, she’s all yours, for now.” He gave Nova a look that sent a shiver up her spine before turning to head home. For now? That felt like a promise of things to come later. Things Nova had been thinking about since the night before.
After dramatically slamming the door, Aria grabbed her bottles of sake and jumped back on the couch. “Anyways, where were we?” She began dishing out multiple piles of food from the various to-go containers. Sake was poured several times over, and Nova found herself forgetting all the worries and stressors from the day. “I invited Laurie too,” Aria said between mouthfuls of spring roll, “but she’s out recruiting help from the local covens.”
Laurie was such a sweet and calming presence to be around. Nova did miss the beautiful, kind woman. She always felt so comfortable whenever the bohemian blonde was around. Of course this was due to Laurie’s gifts as a Chosen. She was able to manipulate emotions, energies, and auras. This mostly seemed to come in handy when she needed to cheer someone up, or help them relax. The only person who seemed unaffected was the usually grumpy Beta, her husband, Lance.
Nova spoke up, the sake getting the better of her tongue. “I just don’t see it,” she blurted out. “Laurie and Lance. He’s just so grumpy most of the time.”
Aria giggled. “Nova! Speaking ill of the Beta! Tsk-tsk!” Even though Aria was joking, Nova still flushed. “I get it, though,” Aria continued through a forkful of fried rice. “I mean don’t get me wrong, Lance has always been hot…with that blond hair and those toffee eyes, yum!” Aria continued to eat through the remaining takeout boxes—apparently lycans could really put it away. “But the way they met, and what Lance did for her, there is always going to be something special there. Not to mention they’re mates.”
Mates.Aria mentioned that term on their girls’ night.
“What exactly are mates?”
“It’s not super common but like with wolves they have a special person they’re meant to be with. They don’t always find them but it’s extra special when they do. Some people just settle down anyways. Your mate could be on the other side of the world for all you know. So when people do find their mates, it’s a big deal.”
“That’s what happened to Lance and Laurie?”
Aria smiled wistfully. “Yeah, with two lycans you supposedly know instantly. Your wolf knows. Apparently it’s like this electricity, a shockwave that everyone can feel. After that, you’re basically bound to your mate for life.”
Nova frowned. “But Lance and Laurie aren’t both lycans.”
Aria was drinking sake straight from the bottle now. “If they’re not both lycans, it’s different. They don’t know instantly but apparently at some point it becomes obvious.”
Nova thought about Darren. There was so much fire between them. She wanted more, especially after the last time they were together. Could he be her mate?
Don’t be ridiculous,she chided herself.
Nova was so deep in thought, she hadn’t noticed Aria staring at her. The brunette smiled, her blue eyes shining. “Who knows,” Aria added nonchalantly, “maybe your mate is here.”
Nova swallowed.Could it be possible?
“Or maybe you could suck it up and settle for my brother,” Aria added quickly. “Gideon’s always been considered a real beefcake and you know what they say about Alphas…”
Nova gave Aria a playful punch on the arm as her cheeks heated furiously. “Stop that! He is your brother! And I don’t know…there just wasn’t anything between us and—”
“You’d rather be boning Darren.” Aria tossed her a mischievous smirk. “I get that too. He is hot enough to drop a girl’s panties.”
Nova rolled her eyes. “You have no filter, do you?”
Aria grinned. “Oh but he did drop someone’s panties right?”
That one earned her a couch pillow to the face. Aria shrieked but continued to giggle.
Nova was so grateful for her new friend, for everyone here. There may have been people out to get her and use her for some evil, enigmatic plot, but in this moment, she was happy.
ChapterThirteen
Nova awoke the next morning with a terrible headache. She was still dressed in yesterday’s clothes. Flashbacks of takeout and sake bombs came flooding back.I’m going to kill Aria, she thought as she staggered toward the kitchen. Water was the only thing on her mind right now. Using her powers, Nova created a small, packed handful of ice. Holding it to her throbbing head, she crawled out of the bedroom. “Good morning, drunkface!” chirped a cheerful, and seemingly un-hungover Aria.
