Fire Stones (The Fire Wars #2) Read Free Page B

the identity of Vesta, love of the god Mars. When I was with Chance, everything else seemed to disappear – my old life, my status as Mackenzie Evers, girl-next-door: I felt different. Special. As if I could really be the goddess he thought I was. His lips were so hot on mine; I could feel my blood scorch with the fullness of his passion. I tangled my fingers in his dark, wavy hair, wanting to pull him tighter still closer to me. Our clothes were wet – soaked, even – from the rain, and the moisture from our clothes mingled with the heat and the sweat of our passion, so that we lay together, entangled, our clothes still on but largely rumpled and rearranged, in perfect silence. Chance stroked my hair, his lips against my forehead. I felt so small in his arms, I thought – he could encircle me so easily.
                “When we're like this,” he sighed, “It makes me want to protect you. Normally, when we're together – you don't need any protecting. I've never met a girl as much my match as you are, Mac, my goddess. Equals – twins of fire. But right now, with me, I suddenly want to wrap my arms around you and shield you from the world.”
                I laughed darkly. “I don't need much shielding.”
                “You don't know what's out there, Mac. A lot of danger. A lot of things you'd never even know to dream. Things so beautiful that the greatest artists and poets couldn't even begin to imagine them. And things so terrible...” his voice trailed off. “I want to protect you from that.”
                “But if seeing those terrible things means seeing the beautiful ones as well?” I looked up at Chance. “Isn't it worth it – taking that risk?”
                “Only you can decide that,” said Chance, kissing me sweetly. “But now, my love, the sun is almost setting – and I promised my father I'd help him set up with the banquet tonight.” He laughed. “A mundane role for Mars, no doubt. But he's been at me since I've been back about not doing enough for the hotel...”
                Once more Chance's arms were around me, and once more we flew. This time he didn't need to support me; I was able to navigate the fog and clouds of my own free will, holding Chance's hand for pleasure rather than protection. The rain had stopped, and the splendor of sunset was spread out before us. We swam through the sky, beams of orange and pink, purple and yellow light surrounding us in a miasma of beauty, the clouds like great heavy gemstones in the sky. The air was balmy and warm, now, and in the aftermath of the rain a rainbow spread itself across the sky.
                “Look, Mac!” Chance flew us through the rainbow; colors surrounding us on every side. “I told you – beautiful things.”
                I flew through the heart of the rainbow, watching the splendid light refract upon the ocean waves. This was true happiness, I felt – more than anything I had ever experienced before. Only a few days ago I had been a normal girl, living in a normal world. Now I knew that things would never be normal again.
                Chance dropped me off at last at the cottage I shared with my mother. A far less palatial residence than Chance's rooms at the Cutter Imperial Hotel, but a charming bungalow it was nonetheless, with panoramic views of the sea. My mother was at work again – her job as Events Director at the Hotel seemed to require round-the-clock attendance at the Hotel – but I didn't mind the time alone. It gave me a chance to sit and reflect on what had happened – and to look over the Book of Vesta.
                Yet somehow my mind could not concentrate upon the words of the book. They seemed to blur and fade before my eyes; my head began to throb. I couldn't stop myself from looking out the window, watching the misty evening unfold before my eyes. I had seen this view many times before –