wound up with a different anatomy than the rest of the female population, but I don’t carry my vagina,” Shelly said, her face scrunching up as if that was the most appalling thing she’d ever heard.
The guys, who’d been silent up until that point, all choked on laughter.
Gabby pointed at Shelly, “What she said. No vagina lugging here.”
Zuri looked at Tara. Tara’s eyes widened. “Oh, are we supposed to declare out loud that we don’t, um, well, carry our girl parts? I just sort of thought that was a given.”
Zuri rolled her eyes and looked at Frost. “You drew the short straw of having to deal with them. Sucks to be you.”
“In their defense,” Frost said, “it is pretty ridiculous to think of a woman carrying her vagina around like a handbag.”
That sent the entire group into a fit of laughter, which caused Zuri to glare daggers at them.
When they’d finally collected themselves, they continued on their way. Tara was sure she would remember the conversation at random times later and lose it all over again.
They walked for about five minutes, up and down several steps on the metal bridge, then finally stopped. Tara had warmed up a little since Frost kept them going at a brisk pace.
Professor Frost turned and looked out over the landscape of machines, storage tanks, and giant pipes that comprised the water system. She pointed to the other side.
“The rest of the soul-bonded couples are over there,” Frost said. “Ra, Shelly, Gabby, and I are going to send our fire down into the gorge. The fire couples on the other side will do the same.” She turned and looked at them. “Your mates will be pushing their power into you to help strengthen your own. Shelly, you and Ra can still share power. You just need to be touching.”
Shelly raised her hand as if she were in school. “I’ve never made this fire power in me actually work. Sooo, I’m thinking I’m not going to be a whole lot of help.”
Ra cupped her face as he looked at her. “Just feel me through our bond. I will guide your power.”
She nodded and took his hand, linking their gloved fingers together.
Frost looked at the joined hands and then pointed. “Gloves are going to have to come off. Skin to skin is best.”
Liam opened his mouth to say something, but Gabby pointed at him and shook her head. To Tara’s surprise, the water elementalist snapped his mouth closed, though he did wink at his mate.
Her attention was drawn from them when Elias spoke up.
“What are we supposed to do?”
“Zuri is going to take you to the engines. You will be helping thaw them.”
Shelly released Ra’s hand and hurried over to Tara. She wrapped her arms around her and squeezed tight. Tara returned the hug.
“Stay safe,” Shelly said softly.
“Unless we make the engine explode, I think we’ll be okay,” Tara pointed out.
Shelly released Tara, and then rolled her eyes. She headed straight for Gabby and hugged her and said the same thing. Gabby patted her awkwardly on the back, causing Tara to smile.
With a final wave, Tara and Elias followed Zuri away from her friends. She prayed they, too, would be safe.
Chapter 16
Gabby watched Tara, Elias, and Zuri walk away. She felt Liam’s hand on her back. He’d run it up under her coat and shirt so their skin was touching. “They’ll be fine.”
“I don’t think this was what Frost had in mind when she said skin to skin contact,” Gabby murmured.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He smirked at her. “Babe, if you think I’m going to miss the opportunity to touch your skin, with the blessing of a professor, you’re nuts. She didn’t specify what skin.”
Gabby sighed. There was no reasoning with him.
“Besides,” he continued, “you probably need both your hands to shoot your fire at the water.”
She couldn’t argue that point. She looked at Ra and Shelly and saw that they’d linked their left and right pinkies together as they held their hands out toward the freezing gorge. Their free hands were held out as well. Gabby’s attention was pulled from the couple when she saw a large flash on the other side of the water and then fire running down into it.
“Let’s begin,” Frost said as fire suddenly shot from her hands. She looked like a human flamethrower.
Gabby held her hands out and focused on her power. Pulling it from her center, she felt the heat engulf her arms