I can’t stop laughing with him tonight.
He taps his chin playfully, pretending to be deep in thought. “Let’s see. My mom—well, you know what I mean—and your dad (again, you know what I mean) are hooking up. Pardon me. I mean, getting reacquainted, although I’d lay money down that they go on an official date within the next few months. It’ll take them awhile, you know. There are a lot of strong feelings in their history, some very hurtful ones, too. A lot of water under their bridges that they need to cross. Yet I digress. J and Callie dated, even though they were, in essence, brother and sister (at least that’s how Astrid sees us, anyway). Cal is lusting after her mom’s old boyfriend’s son, who is virtually your brother, although she’d rather stab him than admit that out loud. He’s pretty hot for her, too. You dated both me and J.”
My lips twitch. “Anything between you and Callie to admit?”
“Believe it or not,” he says slyly, “we made out once. And I can attest it was like kissing my sister. How Jonah managed it for years is beyond me. I had to gargle with mouthwash afterwards.”
I resist the urge to ask if he ever felt like he was kissing his sister when his mouth was on mine. And then I have to resist the flood of memories of kisses we shared that were so hot I nearly lost my mind. “What about you and Will? C’mon, C. You can tell me the truth. It’ll make the incestuousness complete. Did you two hook up in Alaska?”
He’s calling me C again, which warms my heart considerably. “Nope. Not a single kiss. Not once.”
He’s skeptical, but jokingly so.
“I mean, he’s kissed me on the head or cheek before, but that’s hardly romantic.” I clear my throat. “You and Callie actually kissed? When was this?”
He wags a finger at me and tsk-tsks, purposely ignoring my question. “I’m disappointed in you. You’ve let me down here. Our circle is incomplete. You must go up to Will right now and lay a big, wet one right on his lips.”
Yeah, right. I kiss Will in front of Kellan, and there’s no doubt a fight would break out, even though they’ve begun to be friends. Just like I think would happen with Callie if I ever witness another kiss between her and either Jonah or Kellan, even though I love her. Still, I find myself shaking my head, grinning like I’m drunk or something.
This is what Kellan does to me.
“How about Cal, then?” He motions towards our friends, clearly arguing, yet walking mere inches away from one another. “Willing to go kiss her?”
“Ha! You wish.”
The light in his eyes is impish. “I do, actually. It would be incredibly hot; the memory might just get me through many a lonely night.”
“Oh my gods. Kellan.”
He breaks down in boyish giggles, and I swear, I once thought Will’s laughter was pure, addictive happiness. I was wrong. Kellan’s is, and there’s no comparison.
Exhausted from the third Elders mission I’ve been on since coming back to Annar, I practically collapse onto my bed. Ever since Russia, we’ve failed to take any of the Elders out; it’s like, once these Magical ancestors see I’m there, they disappear without a trace. After today’s failure, Zthane put a temporary halt to our missions until the Elders Subcommittee can reconvene to discuss the situation. Until then, the Guard’s attention has switched to implementing protective measures for the identified Métis colonies on the various planes.
Erik and Cameron are down at Guard Headquarters nearly every day discussing the situation. A new Council Subcommittee is currently forming to help build and strengthen diplomatic ties. It’s a slow start—there is unfortunately deep-rooted bias on both sides, but conversations are taking place. It certainly helps that Karl has thrown his full support behind Zthane and Erik’s initiatives.
I’ve offered my support, too, but as I’m still on an unofficial time out from the Council, it doesn’t mean much yet. Every day I work toward changing that. I may not be going to Council meetings yet, but I faithfully read the minutes (even when they nearly put me to sleep). I vote, even though it’s via computer. And I strategize with Zthane and the rest of the Guard about the best ways I can be used to get the Elder problem under control.