“I can hover.” I bite my lip. “But only for a few seconds.”
Slowly, he unfolds his arms and crosses to the large window, unlatching it before turning to offer me an ink-covered hand. “I’ll always carry you, dragonfly.”
I barely manage to hold back the ‘are you sure?’ that threatens to break free. He said he wanted to get used to touching me, which means I have to trust his confidence that he can do this.
Still, I keep my movements slow and predictable as I take his hand and let him pull me against his chest. Hisnakedchest, because he only ever wears that sleeveless and shredded coat, which now that I’m this close to him, I notice doesn’t even have buttons to fasten it. My eyes trace the lines of his abs, and I force myself to look away.
The last time I accidentally got turned on by Bree, he ran from me.
This must be the most of his skin I’ve ever touched at one time, and I have to swallow back the urge to press my face against him and revel in the buzz of contact with my mate. One of his arms traps me against him by the small of my back while the other reaches up to his shoulder to caress the valravn tattoo there.
His black wings explode out of his shoulders in a cloud of ink, and I gasp as they beat powerfully, lifting the two of us into the air with enviable ease.
My attention should be on making sure he was comfortable, but instead I find myself fascinated by the way the houses are getting smaller and smaller beneath us.
“This is amazing,” I whisper, staring around the sky with wide eyes. “You can see so much from up here.”
It’s surprisingly cold. Without thinking, I burrow closer to the warmth of Bree’s chest, only to freeze as his wing beats stutter.
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he grates out, after a long second. “I should’ve realised it was too high for you.”
“It’s amazing,” I correct. “I can’t wait until I can do this. Though… I’ll need to remember a coat next time.”
“Your wings will never take you this high,” he corrects absently. “Different wing structures have different limits.”
“Oh.”
He chuckles under his breath. “Don’t sound so disappointed. I’ll fly you whenever you wish, and your wings will make up for the altitude limit by giving you much greater manoeuvrability.”
“I had no idea,” I murmur. “But I suppose it makes sense.”
I can’t help a secret smile as I imagine what it will be like when I’m finally confident in the air. Will Bree play with me in the sky? Chase me?
My mind almost falls into thoughts of how that scenario might lead to us both sweaty and naked, but I shut it down. I may want him terribly, but not until he’s ready.
“We’re almost there.”
I nod against his chest, breathing in his muted honey scent. “Will we fly back?”Please say yes.
Being tormented by his closeness is worth it for this amazing feeling. I can’t wait to do this whenever I want. I chuckle under my breath as I imagine Drystan standing below me with his arms crossed, demanding I come down from the sky in his grumpy voice. Maybe I’ll even oblige him every now and again.
“Yes. Keep your knees loose. We’re landing.”
It’s rougher than I expected. I let out a smalloofas we drop onto a stone balcony in the market district just in time to hear Lore cackle, followed by a distinctively male snarl.
“I’ll go first,” Bree mutters, pushing through the stained-glass doors.
I let him, partly because I think he needs a second to decompress after the prolonged contact, even if it was only for a few minutes. Then Caed lets out a hiss of pain.
That’s it. I’ve had enough of hearing my mates suffer today. Without waiting, I let the Call lead me through a small but warmly furnished parlour and into the hall.
Bram and Madoc are hovering by the open door to a tiled bathroom, but both of them bow as I approach. Neither of them seems to know what to do with themselves, and I can’t blame them.
They’ve just broken my Guard out of prison. Only he’s not really my Guard, he’s just a Fomorian with an execution date. I can’t imagine either of them is feeling particularly charitable towards him, and Madoc would most likely rather be home with his mate and daughter.
“Go home,” I tell Madoc quietly. “It’s almost Khloe’s bedtime, and she’ll be missing you.”
