Blizzard of Heat (4 page)

She left her building, and Tyr stopped in place. Her hair was twisted up, and then, it cascaded down over her left shoulder.

Her cloak was a midnight blue that made her cool-blue eyes sparkle and her hair look shades darker.

Tyr looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. “Cwen, you look amazing.”

She grinned. “Do your thing and open the door. This outfit isn’t designed to stand around when it’s minus thirty.”

He gathered her up and tucked her into the town car, moving around to sit next to her. “You look...”

“Amazing. Yes, you mentioned. Thank you. You look lovely as well, but you always look lovely.”

The driver snorted with laughter. It was the first sound that she had heard him make. The odd thing was that the sound wasn’t human.

Tyr took her hand and he sighed. “Stop laughing and drive, Arthur.”

They sat together in comfortable silence as they drove to the venue.

Tyr blinked. “How did you get this place for the office party?”

“It was ladies’ night, and I was there with Deanne and Dana after my first day at work. There was a guy who was trying to set fire to the place, and I tackled him. He was the ex of one of the servers, and he was trying to punish her for claiming that she always had to work by burning down her only means of income. He was a charming fellow. Anyway, I brought him down and held him for the police. He had kerosene and a barbeque starter, which are not normal accessories for those who want to attend a nightclub.”

“Did you have to testify?”

“I made a statement and he confessed, so no.”

“What happened to him?”

“Oh, he had to spend a week getting psych evaluations. He swore that I sprouted horns when I took him down.”

Tyr laughed and got out of the car, walking around to open her door. She accepted his help getting out, and they stood outside one of the most prestigious nightclubs in town.

A few cabs pulled up and other office staff gathered. With a deep breath, Cwen walked forward, hauling Tyr with her. The familiar face of the owner greeted them, and the doors of
Sparkle
were thrown wide for their private party.

Appetizers were carried through their gathering, and when they were all in, the door was marked with the
closed for private party
sign.

The music started up, and the Legal Aid lawyers and employees began to party into the night.

It was around eleven when phones began to go off around the room. Cwen didn’t carry her phone with her, so she had to look over Dana’s shoulder. “What is it?”

“Weather warning. We need to get home right now. There is a blizzard coming in.”

Cwen groaned. “Right.”

Everyone had been drinking, so they started calling their cab companies. Every single one had several hours of waiting lists.

Cwen looked to Tyr, but he was already in action. “My driver can take four of you at a time. Cwen and I will stay until the last.”

The crowd bunched together into sets of four and began to evacuate. Arthur was going to be busy.

The mood was dampened, but Cwen hauled Tyr to the dance floor. “That was generous of you.”

He swayed with her and smiled. “It was an excuse to be the last one to leave with you.”

“We will have to help the manager and staff get home.”

“Arthur will take care of it.”

“What is he?”

“He is my assistant. He comes when I call and I don’t need to use a phone.”

She smiled as he pulled her tightly to him. “I see. So... magic?”

“Yes. Would you expect anything else?”

She sighed and continued dancing. Behind them, the others were tense and nervous, babysitters were being contacted and arrangements were being made for the next few days.

It was a disappointing end to a great party, but Cwen kept dancing.

When a dark figure appeared at the edge of the dance floor, Cwen realized that everyone else was gone. “Hello, Arthur.”

He bowed, and she caught the gleam of the lights on his cheeks. He was made of snow.

Tyr was swaying with her, slowly and with great attention to keeping her pressed against him.

“Tyr, I believe everyone else has gone home.”

He sighed. “I know. I am just enjoying this.”

“Arthur is waiting.”

“He came inside?”

“He did. We don’t want to let him melt, so we should be going.”

Tyr grinned. “He really is in here, isn’t he?”

“He really is.”

She snorted and cool air rushed in between them as he released her.

Arthur looked at Tyr and frowned.

“Arthur says we won’t make it far. There is already a foot of snow on the streets. My place is close, but we would not be able to make it to your home. Will you stay the night with me?”

Cwen scowled at him. “Is this a ploy to get me into your bed?”

“The invitation, yes. The snowstorm, not my doing.” He grinned.

“Fine. Whatever keeps Arthur safe.” She winked at the driver.

He grinned.

They got ready, and the manager came to them. “Sorry that it ended up this way, Cwen.”

“You did a great job, and this will be a party to remember. Everyone is home safely. Did you need a ride anywhere?”

She shook her head. “No, I am fine. I live two buildings over. I will just lock up after you, and everyone can hunker in until the snow is over.”

Cwen shook her hand and then pulled on her gloves. Arthur settled her cloak on her, and she used the velvet wrap over it all to keep the breezes out. Tyr got his coat on, and they were soon ready.

“Merry Christmas.” Cwen winked at the manager and headed out with her two-man escort.

The night was lit with the fat flecks of snow that were blowing down around them. Tyr tucked her into the car, and Arthur slid into the driver’s seat. When Tyr was next to her, his arm around her holding her close, they began to creep forward into the snow-covered night filled with skidding cars and stumbling pedestrians.

It took ten minutes to move six blocks but that was enough to get them to Tyr’s home. The brownstone was on a quiet street that seemed to be obscurely tucked into the bustling downtown area.

“Somehow, I pictured you in a high rise.”

Tyr grinned. “I am an old-fashioned kind of guy.”

He got out and walked around the car, opening her door and helping her out and into the teeth of the blizzard. He sheltered her with his body as they approached the door. The moment that she glanced back at Arthur, both he and the car were gone.

Tyr opened the door and bustled her inside. The cessation of the press of wind nearly made her fall over. She swayed violently before she got herself under control.

She removed her wrap and cloak before bending over to get her boots off her feet.

Tyr removed his coat and footwear before taking her outerwear. “Boots?”

She grinned. “I am practical if nothing else. No one looks under a gown this long. They saw silvery toes and assumed that I was wearing pumps.”

“How did you enjoy your time with the humans?”

It was the first time they were truly alone. He dropped his human glamour, and she checked out the points of his ears and the gleam of his skin.

She reciprocated with her horns and the tawny cast of her own skin.

“Wow, I didn’t think that you actually had horns.”

Cwen smirked. “And I always thought that pointed ears were a rumour. See, we are both learning.”

He snorted. “Can I get you some coffee or tea before the power goes out?”

“Coffee. I don’t get enough of it at the workshop.” She wrinkled her nose. “We have to ration it.”

“Won’t it keep you awake?”

She grinned. “That is what I am hoping.”

He smiled and led the way to the kitchen where he put a cup and a puck in a single-cup coffeemaker and pushed a button.

She watched as the dark, steaming liquid filled the mug, and when it was done, she took the mug with a happy sigh.

“Cream or sugar?”

“Sure, but I will drink it any way I can get it.” Cwen waited while he pulled out the accessories from the refrigerator and cabinet, respectively.

She put a teaspoon of sugar into the coffee and a few splashes of cream.

He prepped a cup of coffee for himself, and they waited until the machine stopped pumping and snorting. With his own mug in his hand, he smiled. “So, do you want to start a fire or did you want a tour?”

“Tour and then fire.” She smiled.

So, he took her by the hand, and he showed her the uppermost level with the small deck that looked out over the white-whipped city.

He showed her the bedrooms, the small study, and then, they were back on the main floor, settling in the living room next to the huge fireplace.

Cwen was sitting perched on a huge cushion as she watched Tyr load wood into the fireplace. “When was the last time you lit a fire?”

“It has been over sixty years, but I think I can manage this.”

She watched, and the flames slowly curled around the wood until the logs turned black.

Tyr sat back and sighed. “I might be out of practice.”

“May I?”

He nodded, so she grabbed a poker and adjusted the logs so that air could move between them. The flames went from struggling to flickering in seconds.

“Well, it seems like you are better at starting a fire than I am.” Tyr sat back on his own pillow.

“Everybody has their strengths. Mine is an annoying analysis of the situation coupled with decision-making skills.”

“And a lovely pair of horns.”

She reached up and patted them. “Yeah, they are cute. I was fortunate that they didn’t reach their full size until I turned one hundred. These could have gotten me burned as a demon or a witch.”

“Are they gold?”

“No, they are more of a bronze.” She sighed and leaned back on one hand.

Tyr shifted and moved toward her, touching her horns and coming in for a kiss. She smiled against his lips and stroked one of his pointed ears.

He shivered, and he bore her back to the floor. Cwen chuckled and dissipated her horns.

“Aw, why did you get rid of them?”

“I am saving your hardwood.”

He took her hand and pressed it to his crotch. “You are a hero.”

She laughed. “I meant your flooring.”

Her fingers took in the shape of his erection through his trousers. It jerked a little at her touch, and she focused on how she felt about sleeping with an elf.

It all boiled down to she was tired of being alone in a crowd. This was her moment to have a connection that went beyond the superficial.

She settled under him and gave herself up to his kiss, his touch and the hand that was dragging her skirt upward.

When he found her wet and slick, his head jerked back in surprise. “You aren’t wearing any underwear.”

“I am a reindeer, of course not. I don’t age, nothing sags, so why bother?”

“I am not complaining.” He grinned and leaned back, pulling away from her to remove his clothing.

She leaned up on her elbows to watch him as his skin was exposed inch by inch.

His dark-gold hair gleamed in the firelight. The darker hair that led a trail down his abdomen widened into a thatch of silk that framed his erection. She could see scars on his torso and arms, and it led her to believe that he had not always been a lawyer.

He extended his hand to her, and she took it. Standing up sent her head spinning, so she leaned against him and he held her tight.

Tyr slid a hand to the back of her neck, and he pulled her head back so she was tilted upward for his kiss. His other hand unzipped her dress, and he pried it off her shoulders.

She helped, and soon, the fabric was in a heap around her feet. He eased her onto the wide sofa and came down on top of her.

She slid her knees to either side of his hips, and she waited.

He cocked his head. “You haven’t had sex before.” It wasn’t a question.

“Nope. No pressure.” She gave him a wry smile.

He sighed. “This won’t be like I have been imagining it, but that can happen later.”

“You are planning on a later? We won’t be out in this world much longer.”

As they spoke, he was pressing into her with the utmost care. Her body might be ready, but it wasn’t used to this activity, and he was taking the care needed to spare her injury.

“I don’t think that a return to the workshop should necessitate a return to the status quo. I am sure that the other elves who have been sent out and have located their reindeer are thinking the same thing. We had no idea what you were. I do not know if that was for your benefit or for ours.”

He moved into her with careful thrusts, and she lost interest in the conversation. There was an ache, a sharp twinge, but then, pleasure began to increase when their dance truly began.

Each cascade of pleasure ran through her and registered in her memory. She had no idea where the sensations were taking her, but she let them lead the way.

The sense of urgency was familiar to her. Every season that she went into heat, the urgency took over. She had no idea that this was the desired treatment for that instinct. It was definitely effective if frustrating.

Tyr went up on one arm while his hips continued to rock into her. He caressed her breasts with his free hand before sliding his hand between them to stroke her clit. The urgency built suddenly, and she wrapped her legs around his hips, arching into his thrusts.

After several minutes of struggle, her urgency snapped and waves of hot pleasure ran through her limbs making her twitch and jerk under him. Her channel clasped at his cock, and he shoved into her hard and fast until he groaned in his own release of tension.

He relaxed onto her, and she caught him, holding him tight.

Sweat stuck them together. She drew designs on his back.

When Tyr finally lifted his head, he blinked. “I think you killed me.”

“No. Wounded at best. I didn’t even leave a mark.”

He smiled. “I don’t mind marks.”

“As you said, we can leave that for later.”

He nipped her lips and grinned. “Shall we retire for the night?”

She sighed. “No.”

“What then?”

“I need to go out in the storm. I can hear folks calling, and I can do something to help them, but I need help. Will you come with me?”