SkyFall (Taken on the Wing Book 2) (10 page)

She gets to her hands and knees, still
trying to stay out of reach, but she slows when she gets one foot underneath to
stand.

It
’
s
all the advantage Lawrence needs.

Two and a half years of formal lessons
from Master Sky never gave her a chance to experience the dirty tactics of the
real world; predators and big males with the patience and desire to play with
their opponent. Cooper tenses as he watches Lawrence
’
s other boot come down on her trailing
leg and the thud reverberates through the room. The bone holds but Cloud cries
out as she rolls away.

Lawrence
has her. His big arms loop under her
wings, pinning her arms at awkward angles. The hold he has on one wrist will
snap it when he increases the pressure. Cloud scratches at his head but her
fingers only leave red lines on his sweaty skin and don
’
t breach the surface.

“
Surrender or I
’
ll break it,
”
he whispers but Cloud fights. With her
weight on her good foot she dangles in his grip, face screwed up as she scrapes
her heel down his shin. Lawrence knows what
’
s coming and jerks her up a little higher
so she can
’
t stomp on his foot.

“
Surrender, Cherry,
”
Lawrence
tries again and her forearm flexes.

“
No,
”
she whispers.

Then Cooper feels it. His skin tingles in
response to her dragonkin influence. She
’
s
going to use it on Lawrence. Damn, if she doesn
’
t know she
’
s dragonkin then how the hell did she
figure that out?

“
You
don
’
t want to hurt me,
”
Cloud growls, the strength of her influence
makes Cooper
’
s testicles quiver before they
draw in for their own safety and he holds his coffee before him like a lame
shield. Although he
’
s not influenced by the words,
he knows the power she wields over Lawrence.

For the briefest moment Lawrence struggles
with the decision whether or not to let her go and Cooper realizes her magic is
untrained and weak.

“
You
okay, Cherry?
”
Lawrence
asks as he releases the hold on her arms
and lowers her to the floor. He only sounds concerned. There
’
s no hint of second thoughts for either
challenging her or letting her go.

Cooper realizes he holds his cup too
tight when the lid pops off. Black coffee slops over his thumb and makes a run
down his wrist to soak the inside of his shirtsleeve. Lawrence has never backed
down during a lesson and this time it looks like nothing more than a failure of
character before the rest of the guard.

“
I
’
m fine, Lawrence,
”
Cloud holds her chin steady. Yeah, she
isn
’
t proud of what she
’
s done but Cooper sighs in relief. If she
knew she
’
s dragonkin then she
’
d be proud of winning a battle of wills
and avoiding a deadly decision but she isn
’
t. Her lips press together with emotion
as she lifts her chin and closes her eyes in respectful surrender. She knows
she just made the guard master lose face in front of his rangers.

“
Lawrence
, a word,
”
Cooper
says with an appropriate amount of sternness but Lawrence flashes him a dirty
look. Cloud flinches when Lawrence takes her wrist. He probes along the bones
for damage before he moves on to her ankle.

“
Lawrence,
”
Cooper hisses as he kneels with the pair.
“
What the hell got in to you?"

“
I didn
’
t want to hurt her,
”
Lawrence
replies. He holds Cloud
’
s calf and foot like a newborn and tests
her ankle
’
s range of motion.

“
Bullshit.
”

Lawrence
stops what he
’
s doing as he understands what Cloud did.
Without a word he puts her leg down and gives her chin a gentle nudge up.

“
Bitches,
”
he shouts as he strides
to the far side of the room. The three heads muttering together snap around and
the others nearby step clear.
“
You
’
re
not leaving the room until I
’
ve broken something.
”

Lawrence
’
s rangers know better than to scatter.

“
You
don
’
t need to see this,
”
Cooper says as he helps Cloud to her
feet. They stop long enough for him to slip his phone into his pocket and grab
the laptop but the grunts and solid smacks of body blows fill the room before
they
’
re out the door.

Cooper insists on waiting in the hall
while Cloud steps in to shower and change. Then she
’
s going to his suite? Cloud limps across
the room on an ankle that feels like the broken ribs from a year earlier except
she has to walk on the angry bones.

If they were on to her she wouldn
’
t see Lawrence coming and besides, the
big bald male treats her like favoured kin, not a spy. And Cooper's unexpected
warmth can be taken in more ways than one. Mostly though, Cloud figures she
’
s not only in trouble for calling
Lawrence off but Cooper
’
s also figured out she
’
s a royal gryphon and there
’
s nothing she can do about any of it
other than come clean.

“
Oh,
crap,
”
Cloud pauses the hairbrush.
Cooper
’
s eyrie has no royal female.
No Dame to sit at his side and bring life to this man-made eyrie in the sky, if
such a thing is even possible. Could that be where things are headed?

Cloud pulls the shoulders of her shirt
back to bring the front up higher and winces at the twinge in her swelling
wrist. When she
’
s sure nothing shows around
the neckline she lets herself out.

Yet again Cooper
’
s demeanour changes and this time he
leans casually against the wall. With his jacket open and hands in his pockets
he comes off as overconfident and Cloud
’
s
more certain than ever that he
’
s interested in her as Dame
material even if it
’
s just a business arrangement.

“
Let
me assist,
”
Cooper offers her an elbow.
Cloud reciprocates by holding hers out to him and he laughs, lacing his elbow
over her hand.
“
Hold it.
”

“
Okay,
”
she
’
s
grateful for the support and it only takes a few limp-free pain-laced steps for
her grip to tighten as she gets the weight off her ankle.

“
How much trouble am I in?
”
Cloud asks. She might as well get right
to the point. Maybe she can get out of having dinner with him.

“
You
’
ve done something unconscionable?
”
His tone is light but there
’
s a sternness that suggests maybe she
has.

“
Well, no,
”
Cloud tries as Cooper
presses the up button for the elevator.
“
Maybe, yes?
”

“
Which is it?
”

The door slides closed behind them as
Cloud hops around on one foot.

“
It
’
s not a big deal if you
’
ve already figured it out.
”

“
I see,
”
Cooper
mutters as his arm relaxes.
“
We
’
ll
eat then we
’
ll talk.
”

“
Okay.
”

“
Take a seat on the patio,
”
Cooper instructs as they step from the
elevator.

Patio is another new word and she
hesitates, looking for something obvious or better yet something with a label
but nothing she thinks could be a patio presents itself.

“
Through the glass doors, Cloud,
”
Cooper calls as he disappears.
“
There are some chairs. Put your foot up
and I
’
ll get you some ice.
”

The glass doors are more than thirty feet
away on the other side of a huge room filled with dark colours and carved wood.
Stone sculpture covers every surface. Although it doesn
’
t feel much like a cave, Cloud can
’
t get past the knowledge she
’
s not in a real mountain. She makes three
steps down and passes an immense sofa that would fit half a dozen winged
gryphons before she slows, her eyes settling on a four foot tall drawing of a
very familiar man.

With the patio and the doors forgotten,
Cloud hobbles closer to the picture.

“
It
’
s you,
”
she
announces as Cooper approaches.

“
You should sit,
”
he says as his cold fingers take her
elbow. In his other hand he holds a couple of ice bags.

“
The hair is different,
”
she compares.
“
And the jaw is a little small but it
’
s you.
”

“
Seems to have been the fashion then. The
picture is fifty years old.
”

“
Did you make it?
”

“
No,
”
Cooper tugs and Cloud watches the picture
as he leads her out into the heat and blinding light of August. Thunderheads
stack up miles to the south and Cloud stops. Even up on the roof and so close
to shelter, instinct kicks in warning her to keep her distance.

The soft pat of a palm on fabric draws
her attention. Cooper sits on a bright red padded chair opposite an identically
coloured lounge.

“
Fifty years ago my life changed forever,
”
he says. His voice starts out bright,
reflecting the intense sun then darkens with the storm clouds that have already
changed shape.

“
Was a female involved?
”
Cloud immediately
regrets her insensitivity but he doesn
’
t
seem to notice, instead taking too much time arranging the ice on her ankle and
offering the smaller bag for her wrist. She can
’
t help but hope he already has a female
and dinner is just an attempt to make up for her injury.

“
I knew right away that choosing her would
force me into exile with my family. We
’
d
already had a falling out over ideological differences, several in fact, and I
was certain choosing her would bring me death or exile. I was exiled and I
’
m not yet sure that I still don
’
t face death.
”