AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He didn’t typically preen his feathers, but he was extremely filthy and many feathers were damaged. He needed to do a full inspection and pluck the damaged ones. Brand new ones would emerge as soon as they were pulled. Once the water was rinsing clean, he stepped out and began doing just that.
It took ages, and Kes was getting frustrated when he could not see whole sections on the back of his wings. He knew he was going to need help, and Anin was right out in the lounge of his quarters. He heard her emerge a while ago and had been enchanted listening to her movements and sighs while he did the repetitive task of pruning his feathers. It was oddly soothing.
Decision made, he put pants on to join Anin in the lounge. She was straddling a chair meant for winged beings to sit in and read, cocking her eyebrow at him when he entered.
“My, aren’t you quite the indulgent one? You were in there for a rather long time.”
Kes sighed. He never enjoyed asking for help, and she was not making it easy for him. It wasn’t her fault; he usually enjoyed her ball busting. How was she to know he was struggling with the necessity of requesting assistance?
“Well, I had many of my feathers damaged in the attack. It affects my flying, and they can get uncomfortable if left alone.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that.” All sarcasm was gone from her voice. “Feathers seem to be a bit of a hassle.”
Kes laughed, “You’re not wrong.” He took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, I can’t really see the ones on the back of my wings…”
“I can help you. Here, come sit and tell me what to do.” She did not even hesitate and even smiled as she stood and indicated for him to take the seat she had just vacated. He felt like an idiot as he just stood there staring at her. “Well, come on. Walk your bird beast self on over here.”
“Bird beast, huh?” He began walking, the banter between them easing his nerves a bit more.
“Oh yes, the youngling witch who came to inform me you were there waiting to retrieve me, declaredthatyour name, and I think it rather fitting. She also had much to say about your screeching.”
Kes wanted to feel indignant, but he could only find the humor at his own expense and began laughing as he took the seat. “Perhaps I should look into some vocal training, then I can sing like birds. It is truly unfortunate it was not a feature I was gifted.”
Anin threw her head back laughing behind him. Kes had to turn a bit in his chair to keep from missing the sight.
“Okay, okay.” She turned him back around as her laughter ebbed away. “Now, tell me what am I looking for…oh, I think I see.” Her hands slowly caressed through his feathers stopping on a particularly sore spot.
“If you see any broken or sparse feathers, pluck them out. New ones will sprout immediately.”
“Pluck them? Like a chicken?”
Kes groaned. He regretted this already, but then her hands grazed through his feathers once more and he wanted to groan for a totally different reason.
“Kes, I am only teasing. Truly though? Pull them? I do not wish to hurt you. Why are there so many?”
“I promise it will not hurt, if anything it will be a relief. The damaged feathers are the remnants of where the blades entered my body.”
Anin’s hands stalled, and she gasped. She gently touched each spot on his back and wings where Kes could still feel the lingering pain.
“Oh, Kes…,” she said quietly. She then took a deep breath and began plucking the feathers.
Kes laughed when she nearly shrieked at the speed a new feather came in to fill the spot left behind. They went on like that in silence until the task was done a long while later.
Kes was sure Anin thought he didn’t see her take one of his feathers and tuck it away in a fold of her wings, but he had. He would never say anything about it, because something warmed in him at the idea of her wanting to have a piece of him with her at all times. Kes was beginning to wonder if their bond was not more than what the blood oath had created. If he were honest with himself, he had felt a bond there before the blood oath. Kes was beginning to think Anin was his mate, even if it was crazy to think of being mated to a member of the Day Court. He had no idea how that would work.
He wasn’t sure he cared. He wanted her and he would do whatever it took to make sure she was his. She was keeping secrets from him, he had known this from the beginning. He wanted to give her the time she needed to trust him enough to tell him whatever it was she feared revealing.
Dread grew in his gut. He needed to push her for information soon if he were to keep her safe. He had failed once, and he did not want to ever fail her again. He did not think he would survive it.
Thirty Nine
Ciaranwokeupwithone hand clutched at where his little witch’s thigh had been thrown over his hips and held her waist with the other. She was having a dream which had her moving against him in such a way it was taking every ounce of his self control to keep from flipping her over and taking her right then and there. Ciaran’s hips thrust on their own accord when her leg ground against his desperately hard and straining cock. He groaned out in pain or pleasure, he wasn’t sure. He gripped her a little tighter to wake her.
“Little witch, if you keep this up I am going to lose all self control and take you right now, hard and fast.”
She gasped and her eyes flew open. Her pupils were blown and she was panting. Ciaran could feel her dampness through his pants. She tried to pull away, seeming embarrassed.
“No. You are in need. I can feel it.” He inhaled deeply and growled out, “I can smell it.”
