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“It’s still in the picture.”
She gaped in his direction, slowing down. When he didn’t, she stumbled over some rocks and had to grab a low-lying branch to steady herself, then catch up to him. His hand was on her wrist next, proving that being preoccupied didn’t distract him. “So, how am I flying? I don’t have a plane, and I don’t have a pilot. Unless you have a dragon shifter…”
“I don’t have one,” he mused. They did know one, but that person was states away. “But you will fly.”
His statement was so confident that it flummoxed her, but Daria was left with no choice but to match his pace as he continued his trek. He was distracted. He was also brimming with purpose, bringing her to a direction that was already becoming familiar. Before they could reach either the vampire or the shifter territory, he stopped.
“Let’s do it here.”
“Do what?”
“Just stay still and hold on. I got you.”
That was all the warning she got before hands wrapped around her and pulled her in—a gesture she had felt before, but hugs from Charlie had always been brief and lately, rare. This one wasn’t as he embraced her so tightly, she could only hug him back out of instinct.
“Charlie?”
He didn’t speak. Seconds later, she sensed it: energy not hers nor his, but flowing out of him in gentle waves and spiraling around them. One of his arms let go, but the other braced around her waist and kept her secure. Then they were floating.
“What? When?” she blurted out, her mind spinning.
“An old friend lent me some energy. You can fly with just a vial of Fae magic—depending on the kind of Fae, of course.”
“Who—”
“I can’t reveal names, but let’s just say I owe the Spring Court a favor.”
Spring Court. His cousin and the connections that came with it.
She relaxed, knowing there was nothing to fear from that court and Naya, who was half-Fae and half a part of the Bennetts. Higher and higher they went into the sky, where troubles faded and it was only him, her, and the cool, lovely air as they were steered into a direction that matched where she would have wanted the plane to fly. Then reality crashed.
“You are going back, right?”
“Nope.”
She blinked. “Are you coming with me?”
“I can’t leave you alone, Daria,” he said, a touch exasperated. “I won’t.”
“Charlie…”
“Quiet now. The clouds will take care of us.”
She snapped her mouth shut as they neared the vampire territory and felt the moist air feather around them. She shivered as the cold hit her immediately. Then warmth wrapped her up tighter as Charlie adjusted her in his arms and just…coated her, his body so big and hard. This high up, there was no choice as she let herself sink into him, a steady inferno that gave her what she needed.
His head touched hers, tucking her in. She shivered once more and felt hands brushing her sides as if to sayI’m here.Don’t worry.Tingles erupted at how good it felt, coursing into areas that startled and made her instinctively pull back. But he seized her right back in, misinterpreting her movement as alarm for their flying condition and wordlessly telling her that he had her back.
It shouldn’t matter as much as it did. It should be attributed to his need to make it up to his best friend and nothing else. But the tingles kept coming, anyway, and there was nothing she could do but ride the wave and absorb it all. She buried her head against his chest—a bad idea as a cleaner, warmer scent replaced the pine and soap as if he had prepared specifically for this. Her hands fisted on the back of his shirt as a wordless sound lodged in her throat…and then it was over.
“Five seconds.”
They landed on shaky feet, both not used to flying. Dazed, she released him immediately and felt more tingles erupt when his hand reached for her elbow, so attuned to her needs that her body tightened. Daria took a few seconds to compose herself, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply.Best friend. This is the norm for best friends.
Best friends do not abandon their work lives just to go on an adventure with their best friends.
Oh, they absolutely do.
Whatever. Focus on the goal.
