Secret Heart: Other Realm, Frost Family Series, Book 3

Lock 16

Kazuo called A, with the Organization, letting the boss know that he was taking a year-long leave the next morning. A wasn't happy, but he didn't try to argue, not with The Death God. He wished Kazuo well on his vacation and hung up, surly. Kazuo blinked, staring at the phone in his hands. Well then...fuck you too, A, he grumbled internally. While he'd been on the phone, Willow was struggling to make breakfast. Besides already having to throw up when she first started this morning, there was also the problem she was having with the stove...

While she cooked, a very sudden blast of cold air would occasionally blow out the fire of the gas stove, which would make the stove freak out for a minute before beginning to settle down again...and then, about two minutes later, the wind would reappear. Besides scaring Willow shitless with the cold, it was also highly annoying. "Baby, I am trying to cook here!" she warned, glaring down at her flat stomach. "I appreciate that you want to make sure I don't burn myself, or whatever is going on in that silly head of yours. But Momma's got to eat!" She fiddled with the stove for the fifth time, fighting for it to come back on. When it finally did, she glared back down at her belly. "Now, I'll be just fine, so you calm down, you hear?"

Thankfully, her message somehow seemed to go through. Kazuo wondered over, staring down at the sausages Willow had been trying to cook for awhile now. "Are those still gonna be okay?" he wondered.

Willow turned her head a little to nod toward him. "I'll just let them cook a little longer...Where's the meat thermometer?"

Kazuo moved around the kitchen, locating the drawer with the thermometer. He held it out to Willow, who nodded in thanks. He moved to her side, eyeing her belly apprehensively. "So, how's the baby feeling today?"

Willow glanced toward him as she flipped the sausages on the skillet. "Better, now that she's realized that I'm not in any danger of burning myself," Willow muttered.

Kazuo blinked, eyeing his daughter this time. "And...um, how do you know the baby is a she, pray tell?"

Willow rolled her neck to pop it, shrugging. "Did I say she? Well, I honestly don't know. I guess I just can't imagine having a boy. I feel like I'd have a girl, don't you agree?"

Kazuo wasn't completely convinced, but he decided to drop it for now. "Alright...So, have we decided?"

Willow swallowed, keeping her gaze on the skillet of sausages. "No, not yet," she answered in a mumble.

He glanced at the microwave face clock. "Well, we have an hour before we need to leave." He reached out his hand, rubbing her back briefly. "Love you," he murmured, moving away to go through the door to the living room.

"Love you too," Willow called after him.

He made sure to prop the door open. "If you need any help, just call me." Done making sure the door would stay open, he went through the doorway to sit down on the couch, flipping on the TV switch. He imputed 83049 on the remotes' channel. The TV flickered for a few seconds and then the very special-and secret-TV station granted access to his TV satellite. From in the kitchen, Willow listened in.

"This is Jimmy Valcan with the American Human World News," a very familiar, deep, gravely man's voice boomed from the living room. "It's been a little over a week since His Lordship, the Lord of Winter, returned back to the Other Realm. He came in the beginning of summer, bringing with him a freak month of wintry weather. Unfortunately, it appears his presence hasn't completely disappeared, as we are still seeing heavy snow clouds hanging over Canada and the upper north regions of the U.S. Here, we see that the snow clouds have been traveling further south at a surprisingly alarming rate. Reports suggest that the Heir of Winter might have also been traveling with His Lordship, which may explain for why the weather has been quite fierce this time around. With the rumors here in the Human World about the Heir of Winter being, in fact, a hybrid, it appears the Frost family has once again produced a magical power house."