Building From Ashes
Page 49

“Can you travel by plane? Can I?”
“There are a few very special planes that can take our sort. Gio has one, but I avoid it. Horrid thing.”
He saw her shake her head out of the corner of his eye just a moment before a furry face poked between them and nudged his shoulder. “Settle, Madoc.”
The wolfhound was only a puppy. Still, he calmed down and Carwyn saw Anne lift a hand to scratch his ears. A small snorting sound came from across the car. He glanced at Brigid’s near-laugh. “What?”
“Why did you bring your dog?”
“Oh, he was missing me. Just a puppy and I left him all on his own for too long. Sister Maggie would have devised some medieval torture if I hadn’t taken him off her hands. For me, not the dog.”
Brigid looked back. “That is the largest puppy I have ever seen.”
“He’ll be almost as tall as you when he’s full grown.”
She shook her head. “Dogs.”
“Not a cat person, are you?”
“Not an animal person.”
“Shh.” He frowned. “You’ll hurt his feelings.”
Madoc gave a mournful sigh from the backseat as they went over another bump in the road.
“Your friend, Gio. With the plane? He’s a fire vampire, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“And he’s around five hundred years old?”
Carwyn nodded. “I believe so, yes.”
She was silent for a few moments. “Has he ever killed anyone?”
“Not by accident, if that’s what you’re asking.” He caught her eye and winked at her. “Though, he had quite the reputation as a mercenary for a couple hundred years. Fire vamps tend to be the biggest bully on the block. Get a good handle on your element, and you won’t find many foolish enough to challenge you, Brigid.”
He could tell by the smile that curved her lips that she liked the idea of that. Ah, his combative Brigid. He knew once she got accustomed to the idea she’d like being a force to be reckoned with. She played with the end of her scarf where it lay against her neck. Carwyn tore his eyes away.
“Does Gio have all his hair?”
Carwyn said, “It’s a bit of a sore point for him. His woman likes his hair longer, and he’s always burning it off in places.”
“Great.”
He glanced at the grey scarf that covered her head. “Don’t be too sad. Your hair will grow back, and at least you don’t have an oddly shaped head.” He reached over and palmed her scalp as she batted his hand away with a curled lip.
“Stop!”
Carwyn laughed. “You could have some strange lump on it, love. Now that would be embarrassing.”
She was trying very hard not to smile. Stubborn girl. “Does your friend have a lump on his head?”
“No, but he has a mole shaped like the island of Cyprus behind his left ear.” He caught her biting back the laugh. “I don’t think he even knows about it. Don’t have the heart to tell him. He’s too vain.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I am. Too much seriousness in the world as it is. It’s my mission to bring levity.”
“So that’s your mission, heh? I’ve been wondering what the flowered shirts were for.” In the blink of an eye, a dark look fell across her face. “I never wanted this.”
Carwyn took a deep breath. He had sensed the heat in her, simmering below the surface. “Don’t be too angry with Deirdre. She acted out of grief. If you’re honest with yourself, you know Ioan would have done the same. She couldn’t stand the idea of losing you.”
“When things… when things were bad, I thought, ‘At least it’s not forever, Brigid. At least this life is short.’” He saw her blink back tears. “Growing up with Ioan and Deirdre, I knew better than anything that human life passed quickly. And I always thought, when the dreams were bad. When the dark parts were a little too dark… I thought, it’s not forever. Life isn’t forever.”
“But now it is.” His heart ached for her, and he resisted the urge to pull the car over just to hold her for a bit.
“I suppose it is.” She reached over and patted his arm. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to wander out into the sun.”
His voice was hoarse. “Don’t you dare.”
“I am going to miss it, though. The sun.”
“I can’t blame you. I still miss it. Even after a thousand years.”
“I always thought—” She broke off with a private smile.
“What?” He wished that she could still blush. She would have been.
“I always thought maybe that was why you liked those horrible Hawaiian shirts.”
Carwyn looked at her. Then glanced back at the road. Then looked again. He burst into laughter.
“What?” Her eyes were wide. “Well, is it?”
She was brilliant. He could barely talk for gasping. “It probably is! I’ve never even thought about it before.”
“They certainly don’t do anything for your looks. You’re far more handsome in non-florescent colors.”
His grin only got wider. “You think I’m handsome?”
“What?” She scowled. “No, you’re… horrid looking.”
“You think I’m handsome.” His heart pounded. “You said so.”