Page 18 of Vicious
I shook my head. “I wish Iknew.”
“Was it these chains repellingit?”
“I don’t think so. Ghosts can’t sense me when I’m breathing in iron, but when I’m not, they’ve never acted like the fashion police. They’ve never cared before what I wore or if I had chains in myhair.”
“No.” A worry line narrowed the space between his eyebrows. “I don’t suppose theywould.”
"Maybe it was just a fluke," I said, shrugging, but the level of conviction in my voice likely couldn't foolanyone.
He took my hand in his but soon traded his concern for a wicked grin. "Dare you to reach in my coatpocket."
I laughed. "You don't need to use weird pick-up lines on me, Mase." I leaned in to inhale his musky, spicy smell and to graze my upper lip across his stubbled chin. "I'm alreadyyours."
He closed his eyes briefly with a smile. "I said coat pocket, not pants pocket, pervert. Now go on and reach inthere."
A present? I wriggled my fingers in the air, a nervous flutter dancing through my chest, and plunged my hand toward his pocket with no idea what I mightfind.
"Slowly," he barked. "It willbite."
"Is it alive?" I tiptoed my fingertipsinside.
A long, thin shaft of metal cooled my skin. Something clinked together like chains, and I brought the items out. An ice pick—a shiny silver one looped to a beautiful, delicate chainnecklace.
A brilliant grin split across my face as I looked up at him. "My favoriteweapon!"
He tipped my chin up with his thumb and kissed me gently. "MerryChristmas."
I jerked away with a gasp. I’d completely forgotten about the whole gift exchangething.
"And look..." He dug in his pocket for another, similar chain and two small plastic tips. “These are covers for the ice picks so you don’t accidentally slice yourself open. I was always worried that would happen. And when you snap the ice pick off the chain, the broken ends automatically join back together again. So, this one is for your old ice pick. But this one…” He took the newer one and clasped it around my neck. "This one is fromme."
"Mase..." I gazed down at the lethally sharp ice pick dangling down my metal corset while the backs of my eyes scorched. It was within easy reach of stabbing all kinds of things, and it was absolutelyperfect.
He pushed one of the plastic covers onto the tip and dropped the other in my palm. "Now you have an ice pick for both hands, my fugitive collegegirl."
My heart pinched at his thoughtfulness. He was always looking out for me. And what had I gone shopping for on Orin? A Mind-I, new hair, and iron, all forme. Sweet Feozva, for someone trying to save humanity, I was doing a shit job of being a human, let alone someone who deserved Mase'saffection.
I blinked up at him. "I didn't get you anything because I'm a selfish dick. I'm sosorry."
"A selfish dick, huh?" He gathered me in his one good arm and hugged me to him. "Then I guess I love selfish dicks. Not sure what that says aboutme."
"I'll make it up to you," I said, melting intohim.
“You don’t have to,” he murmured. “You’re all Ineed.”
I kissed him gently, my chest swelling with warmth, and then grinned up at him. “Now, both my ice picks will be in easy reach, and I'll never be without them. I can’t wait for some stabbyfun.”
“Okay. Well, it’s been nice knowing you.” He pulled away, his blue and silver eyes shining withamusement.
I hooked a finger into his belt loop and dragged him right back. “I loveyou.”
He touched his forehead to mine and smiled. “I love youtoo.”
Ellison cleared her throat loudly behind the double doors of the kitchen. “All body parts should be tucked and stored away in three, two, one.” The door opened, and a gray eyeball peeked through before she barged in. “Let’s go,M—”
The ship heaved underneath our feet. The walls vibrated so hard my teeth clattered together, and our new table shivered across the floor. The three of us stared at each other a second before Mase dove for thedoor.
“That felt like we’ve been hit,” Mase said and disappeared into thehallway.
