Home Away from Home
1843 Words
Ian
When Darby and Dr. Myers start talking medicine, it confirms my earlier suspicion that helping out in the hospital, learning modern medicine, might be something Darby enjoys. Then Kasey interrupts, and no one can get a word in edgewise.
Though she looks a bit nervous leaving without me, I know within moments, Kasey will have her feeling at ease—it’s one of her gifts—she’s the perfect hostess.
But when I reach the packhouse and see how withdrawn my mate has become, I’m exceptionally worried.
“Our rooms are down the hall to the left. Ivan and Kasey and their girls have the rooms on the left side of the hall, and the rooms on the right are ours.” I talk soothingly to her, but the anxious expression doesn’t leave her face. In fact, it seems to get worse when I open the door to our room for her.
I ask through the pack link.
Jack replies quickly.
Once Tessa’s inside, I close the door. Darby stops in the middle of the room, looking distinctly uncomfortable. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why.
“Darby, I can see you’re upset. Tell me what’s wrong and I’ll fix it.”
Before she can speak, there’s a knock at door—Townsend, with the tray I asked him to bring. He makes quick work, then disappears quietly, and when Darby glances at the tray, she exhales a little sharply and visibly relaxes some.
“Sorry for the interruption. Tell me what’s wrong.” I wrap her in my arms, plant a kiss on the top of her head, inhaling her scent deeply. Darby all but collapses against me.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to alarm you, but I don’t think I can stay here, Ian.”
“Here? As in—with me? In Candlewood? I don’t understand.”
“No. Just here—the packhouse. It’s like a cage.”
I tip her chin back so I can see her face. “A cage? What do you mean?”
“The metal. All the metal. Without you, I’d be trapped in this room.”
As soon as she says it, the pieces fall together and I’m suddenly aware, there is a lot of metal in everyday furniture and buildings that was missing in her valley. Most of my furniture is on metal frames, the furniture and door handles, the window casings, even switches for lamps. In fact, the champagne glass that I offered her had a metal stem.
“The jeep. It burned you. Is that what touching metal does to you?”
Darby shrugs in my arms. “Yes and no. It’s not all metal—iron, in particular, and its alloys.”
“And it’s alloys? Well, that’s—that’s steel. It’s in everything in modern construction. But your copper tub—that was okay. What else?”
“Silver, gold, platinum. Those are fine. Glass, ceramic, stone, wood.”
When she mentions ceramic, inspiration hits me. I beam down at her. “I know how to fix this—at least temporarily—until we can get things replaced here in the packhouse. Let me grab a bag.”
That turns out to be harder than I expected. Now that I’m aware of the issue with metal, I see it’s ubiquitous—every pair of pants except drawstring or elastic waist sports pants has metal zippers or buttons, jackets except for my pullover hoodies without cinching in the hood, even the grommets for the laces in shoes. Looks like Darby isn’t the only one going shopping tomorrow.
And finding a bag? That was worse. It took several minutes of careful examination before I finally found a cheaply made backpack I’m sure I never meant to keep buried at the bottom of my closet that was nylon and plastic exclusively. Stuffing some t-shirts and sports shorts into it, I exchange the trainers David had brought me for a pair of flimsy, shoddy flip-flops—the only shoes I have made without metal.
I didn’t know what to do about Darby’s faery clothes—though they were less obviously strange on her than they had been on me. In fact, she looked like she’d just left the gym in a tank top and yoga pants, though the mid-calf moccasin type boots are at odds with that image.
She’s still standing in the same spot when I emerge from the closet. “Are you cold?” When she nods, I toss her one of my hoodies. Snatching some toiletries from the bathroom, I collect her and head for the door.
Jack is waiting at the packhouse door when we get there.
“Don’t do this, Ian. It isn’t safe. Think of your mate.”
“What isn’t safe?”
“He’s taking you to the hotel, Darby. But it’s not safe. I know you know it.”
Darby looks up at me, her peridot eyes boring into my head. I can see her remembering our discussion about the arrow while we were still in her valley. “Is there less exposed metal than here?”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Jack snaps.
“Surrounded like this, the metal suppresses my magic—cuts me off from the source. But if there’s less metal, then I can ward. I can even make you sensitive to the warding.”
“What does that mean?”
Darby’s eyes dance upwards and she bites her lower lip, thinking of a way to explain. “It’s a bit like an alarm, I guess. If something attempts to breach the warding, you feel it. Here, I’ll show you.”
I can’t help the low snarl that escapes me when Darby lays her hand on Jack’s forearm where it’s crossed over his wide chest, even though the touch only lasts a few seconds. After that, she extends her palm flat towards the brushed metal handle of the front door.
At almost the same second I see her face screw up, flinching, Jack leaps towards her. With his arms wrapped around her from behind, he crashes backwards to the floor, Darby toppling onto him.
“Holy s**t!” Wide-eyed, he flings his arms out to the side, releasing her. “Sorry, Ian. It’s just—wow. You have to feel it.”
I extend a hand to Darby, helping her to her feet, then the other one to Jack. He eyes her warily, like he did after her explosion in her kitchen, then shakes his head.
“I still can’t condone this. Her hand was six inches from the handle. Even fast as I am, it’s not enough time for a were to keep her from being ported.”
“Don’t be silly, Jack. That ward was for metal.” She rolls her eyes. “Obviously for vampires and dark-magic I’d make it larger.”
Jack quirks a brow. “How large?”
“The first wards were in the forest well beyond the rim of my valley.”
I nod. “Good enough for me. Jack, we’ll need to do some shopping in the morning, and I’ll get Townsend’s staff started on replacing handles.”
“Not quite, Alpha.” He faces Darby again. “I want whatever wards you use to connect to both me and Ian, and David’s team I’m sending over there.”
“Fine.” I wrap my large hand around Darby’s dainty one and reach for the door. “See you in the morning.”
**
David
I can’t help my laugh.
**
- Writer
