Molten by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online Page B

shuttle.
    “Hello, ladies. Do you have more sites for me to work on today?”
    They nodded, and Meena complimented her on her new clothing. “It is very pretty.”
    “Thank you, do you want the boots back? I like them very much and would be honoured if I could keep them.”
    Meena beamed. “I would like that as well. We have found several sites, but we kept away from them, like you instructed.”
    Loffa grinned. “We made a map.”
    “Then, everybody get some water and let’s get to work. This city can’t repair itself.” Nanette nodded and hoisted the pack that Wren had given her.
    Her band of W’lyn girls began to lead her on a journey through the city that involved bent gates, broken retaining walls and roads that had cracked and she could melt into a flatter surface.
    Each repair was checked off the map with a notation as to what was done and how much time had been spent. When the sun was high in the sky, they found a fountain to wash up in and had a picnic on one of the open lawns of a park.
    Meena ate her sandwich and smiled. “You and Guardian Rand fit now.”
    Loffa laughed, “You said that yesterday.”
    Nanette felt her skin pink, and she knew that Meena knew what she was talking about. It wasn’t fit in the destiny sense; it was a reference to the physical joining.
    Nanette simply said, “It was true then, it was true now.”
    Meena smiled smugly and Loffa was satisfied.
    Nanette exhaled in relief and finished her meal, looking idly at the map. There were half a dozen more sites on this map and probably a few in between. Her fire was still bright, but it was using the bioelectric energy that it was generating from the union with Rand. She took a sip of water and wondered how well her lover was coping.
     
    * * * *
     
    “I have no idea how she deals with this.” Rand grumbled as he sent crackles of power laced with fire across the fractured building, taking out the foundation with a few well-placed strikes.
    Drovin was standing at a safe distance, and Toyo and Loesh were off working on their own demolition.
    Drovin laughed. “We all come to our powers in time. You are just learning to start over with fire, so give yourself a little leeway. At least you can aim again. Those first few were a little dangerous.”
    Rand flexed his hands. “Taking down buildings has never been my favourite pastime.”
    “Have you decided on taking some time off to be with your family?” Drovin gave him a considering look.
    “With the new mating to Nanette, I am not sure that I want to be off base.”
    “You could stay here, with your family.”
    Rand laughed ruefully, “The mansion was crushed.”
    “The caverns weren’t. They sheltered your people once, why not now?”
    “How do you think Nanette would react to living in a cavern for a while?”
    Drovin shrugged. “She and her gathering of repair seekers are right there. Ask her.”
    Rand turned and saw his mate with her gaggle of worshippers.
    He nodded to the cleanup crew, and they moved in to scrape away the rubble now that the site was inert.
    Nanette smiled at him and gave him a shy wave as she and her group approached.
    Energy crackled around him, and he could feel his suit heat as he stared at his mate. She boiled his blood just by walking toward him. This was both dangerous and exhilarating.
    He sauntered up to her and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her lithe body against him, fanning his flames. He leaned in and whispered, “Would you care to meet my family and spend some time living in the caverns?”
    “Oh, that sounds delightful. Where can I hide before that comes to pass?”
    He grinned and squeezed her tight. “No hiding. You need to meet my parents, my sister and my brother-in-law.”
    She squirmed in his arms. “Again, where can I hide? I am not good with families.”
    “Not even your own?”
    She laughed, and it was not a good laugh. “I don’t have a family.”
    He pushed her back to arm’s length. “What?”
    “It is a long