Chapter 11 

A thin sheen of ice completely covered the Mustang's broad windshield by the time Vycandor and I climbed back in the car. The sudden drop in temperature gnawed at my bones. I couldn't help but think about Thomas lying frozen in Vycandor's bed – locked in a cocoon of ice as his body worked to heal itself. The sooner this was all over with, the sooner he could be rescued from his icy prison.

Pressing the palm of my hand against the glass, I sent out a pulsating wave of heat to defrost it, before glancing up at Jade. “Get in.”

She shook her head firmly, jet black hair swishing back and forth from the movement. “I don't do cars.”

A sound of frustration erupted out of the back of my throat. “What do you mean you don't do cars?”

“Just that,” she insisted. “I maintain a strict policy.”

“Which is?” I urged.

“Simple. I never put my life in anyone else's hands. No exceptions.” Leaning down, she made serious eye contact with Vycandor and sneered, “Especially his.”

“Like you know how to drive,” Vycandor replied with a growl.

“Better than you. At least I have a driver's license,” she added.

I shot Vycandor a withering look. “Wait. You don't have a driver's license?”

He gave a shrug. “Never needed one until today.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” Jade supplied with a scowl, “that he's never even been behind the wheel of one of his own cars before. He just collects them. Ain't that right, Vy?”

Vycandor gripped the shiny red steering wheel hard. “Chaos doesn't look any worse for wear under the circumstances. Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about you.”

“Right back at cha, Vycan-dork.”

The way she drew out his name made him almost lunge out of the car. I grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him back in. “Put a cork in it.” Glancing over at Jade, I demanded, “We need to go. Now. I don't have time for this shit. You two can have a cat fight later.”

She stepped closer to the car, green eyes flaring like rockets. “You got a mouth on you, Sparks. Real sassy. Want me to fix that for you?”

I smiled at her threat. This is the part where I was supposed to be intimidated.

I wasn't.

Little did she realize if she wanted to talk smack, I could give it right back. Under normal circumstances, I would've made her pay dearly for that comment. Since I needed her help, I decided to play nice for once.

“Thanks for the compliment, but I'm good. I've always considered myself a sass master. Besides, payback's can be a real bitch.”

Furrowing her brow, she hissed, “You're crazy.”

I laughed at that, before lowering my voice to a warning. “Silly kitty. You ain't seen me crazy yet.”

Jade nodded to Vycandor, folding sinewy muscled arms over her full chest. “I suppose Sparks here has angelic powers just like you, huh?”

I gasped, surprised that Courtney had allowed him to share the truth with someone. Thomas would've sooner ripped my tongue out. And enjoyed it. These two obviously shared a lot more than I first thought. I wasn't so sure I liked it. In fact, I knew I didn't like it. Not one little bit.

Vycandor grinned devilishly. “Chaos may be an angel, but her badassedness will blow your mind.”

Jade gave a disapproving sniff. “We'll see about that.” Cocking her head to one side, she snarled, “Follow me. Think you can keep up?”

Without waiting for a reply, she crouched down and lunged over the hood of the Mustang. I twisted around in my seat to watch as she lithely shifted in mid-air. By the time her razor sharp claws came in contact with the near frozen ground, all I could see was a huge black panther heading for the intersection.

Vycandor started the engine, whipped it in reverse, and tore out of the parking lot – tires squealing. He did his best to follow closely behind Jade, but the way she kept darting in and out of all the stalled vehicles cluttering the narrow country highway, made it nearly impossible to see anything except a sleek black streak.

Keeping up with her turned out to be next to impossible.

“Did you see which way she went?” Vycandor growled, crawling to a near stop.

I scanned my eyes down a narrow dirt road choked with weeping willow trees to search for any movement, and pointed out the window. “There. She's going up to that house.”

Vycandor turned in the direction. At the end of the long dirt road was an imposing arched gate. Over thirty feet high, it had massive wrought iron bars topped with sharp staves that were attached to ivy covered brick columns. The entire ominous structure screamed KEEP OUT. Especially the three black ravens that circled protectively overhead in the twilight haze, while a sinister mist covering the entire driveway beyond the gate slowly oozed out from between the bars as if attempting to swallow us whole. 

“Look,” I said, tapping him on the shoulder.

Vycandor followed my eyes to an ornamental sign sculpted entirely out of white twisty letters and read the words they formed out loud. “Patrick Estate.” Meeting my gaze once again, he replied, “Is that his last name?”

I nodded, cracking my knuckles. “It sure enough is.”

“Where's Jade?” he whispered.

“I don't know, and I'm not tryin' to stay here to find out. This ends tonight.”

Turning off the engine, we both climbed out of the car. Vycandor walked around to the passenger side door. Taking my hand in his, he lifted it to his cherry red lips and pressed a tender kiss on the tip of my long since healed finger, before pulling me close and kissing me deeply. When he finished, I blew out a freezing cold breath that lingered in the air like a fog.

I suddenly realized I hadn't just been kissed. I'd been ice kissed.

Feeling more than a little bit wobbly, my legs felt like they were filled with jelly. “What was that for?”

“No matter what happens,” he replied firmly. “I just want you to know that we're in this together.”

I wasn't sure if he was asking me, or telling me. Right then I neither had the time, nor the inclination to find out.

Balance returning, my fingertips sizzled with energy. “C'mon. Let's go blow some shit up.”

“I know you don't mean that,” Vycandor balked.

I didn't bother to reply. I sure as hell meant it. I really, really did.

It was time for a little payback...uh, scratch that...more like time for a lot of payback.