Newblood & the Ice Princess by Kimber Li

Author:Kimber Li
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Elves Fae Fairies, vampires, shifters, Alaska, Norse Mythology
Publisher: Kimber Li
Published: 2019-01-12T00:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

Ophelia was careful not to disturb her sister as she walked between their beds. She’d woken from the first half-way decent night’s sleep either of them had since the night before their father went missing.

Movement in the window caught her attention. She stopped and saw a flash of light blond hair and dark green coat in the tree on the other side of the street. “Brandon?”

He was gone.

Ophelia went downstairs. Shoving her feet into her mother’s too-big boots and pulling on her mother’s too-large coat, she stepped out onto the front porch. “Brandon?” She wrapped her arms around herself.

He peeked around a bare cottonwood tree.

Ophelia stepped down the porch. “Brandon, it’s all right. I thought we were friends. You don’t need to sneak around.”

He hesitated and stepped out from behind the tree.

“It’s okay. You can visit whenever you want.”

Brandon walked toward her, looking both ways before crossing the street, like a good boy.

“I see you found some gloves.”

“Yes, a gift from Mrs. Langdon.” He held up a brown-gloved hand.

“Oh, I forgot, I have something for you too. Be right back.” Ophelia went back inside and found the red-wrapped present still under the tree. She came out again to find Brandon stopped at the edge of her yard. “Come, sit down.” She gestured to the porch swing.

He followed her to it and sat down, rather stiffly. “You’re feeling better.”

She drew a breath and let go. “Everyone’s been taking such good care of us. I knew people really respected my dad, but I didn’t realize how much they loved him. Makes me feel good, you know, proud of him. Still, Mrs. Cox says she thinks I’m burying my grief and one day I’ll just explode. I am not looking forward to that.” She set the little red box in his hands. “Merry Christmas.”

Brandon studied the present. “I always loved Christmas. We had a tree with fake candles. They flickered.”

“Must’ve been pretty.”

“Yes, very pretty.” He reached into his pocket and presented her with a black velvet box. “This is for you, if it’s all right.”

“Thank you.” Ophelia accepted the box and raised the lid on its hinges. Nestled inside, a gold pin, tarnished and worn, glimmered up at her. “Oh...”

“My mother was a nanny for a duchess.” Brandon lifted out the pin and showed her how it came apart to reveal a needle and thread. “You see? She could mend their clothes if they ripped them while playing at the park.”

She looked into his shining eyes. “Oh, Brandon, this is too precious.”

“Please. I want you to have it.”

“I’ll take good care of it, I promise.” Ophelia studied his face; not certain she was the one he wanted to give it to. The scent of peppermint filled her thoughts and she couldn’t imagine why.

“I know. I’ve seen how you look after your things.”

Ophelia tapped her gift to him. “Are you going to open yours?”

Brandon smiled a little, his biggest one so far. But he never blinked. After loosening the white ribbon, he lifted the lid and found the gold cuff inside.

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