SkyFall (Taken on the Wing Book 2) (23 page)

“
Steady,
”
he
instructs and she spreads her knees for balance. The soft, damp forest floor
cools them. God, there are still spots before her eyes as the heaviness passes
from her limbs. The pain down her back peaks then numbs and she can imagine the
scrape from her fall at the cliff top or perhaps she
’
s only aggravated the injury from the
tornado. No time for it now. Soon she
’
ll
lay in and have ten days to recover.

Cloud decides it
’
s mostly cuts and scrapes as the heat
from Soar
’
s body both soothes and warms
them.

“
Are
you naked?
”
She asks as he presses the
head of his erection against her ass.

“
Hold your shoulder still,
”
Soar says and she does. He helps, his
left hand holding her elbow still.
“
Take wing with me.
”

It
’
s
then she understands the purpose of the sheet he had tied around his hips.

“
Don
’
t hesitate,
”
he orders and the feel
of his heart slowing with the accompanying drop in blood pressure triggers her
own shift.

Cloud moans under the weight of her
wings. The flight muscles down her back protest the change and she holds her
breath as they tear further.

As soon as the big bones are solid Soar
grabs her left wing. Cloud concentrates on the feel of her longer female tail
extending. It rests between his legs and twitches at his calves revealing
discomfort she can
’
t hide.

“
I know, little gryphon,
”
he whispers. She holds her shoulder tight
to her body as Soar folds the wing and binds her in the sheet, two corners tied
around her waist and the other two under her arm.

With the pain eased, she
’
s ready.

“
Please,
”
she
begs.

Soar lifts one knee, planting his foot
then lifts her leg and places her thigh on his. Her season is the only time he
will ever take her from behind. The combination of where his cock hits her and
the placement of her tail will trigger ovulation which, according to Shadow, is
the most un-be-God-damn-leivable painful thing ever.

As he pulls her tail aside she pushes
closer.

“
Still,
”
he orders and she does.
He holds her with one arm as he strokes himself once, twice then tugs her
closer seeking her moist entry.

As Soar chins the sheet from his mark he
slides his cock halfway inside her and the forest spins around them. Then
again, he seats himself deeply and for a moment Cloud
’
s body rebels against the unnatural
intrusion from behind but then he moves, hardening further with each thrust. He
eases up only a little as he presses her winged back to his chest and she gasps
as he finds the right spot deep inside. Soar
’
s other hand reaches around, pressing
firmly low on her belly and increasing the pleasure.

Cloud angles her good wing forward and
out of his way as Soar beats his in the small clearing, their power rocking
them together.

He whispers in the old words of the
males. The complete language escapes her but she knows some of the words.
Earth,
dame, fertility.

Children.

Soar
’
s fevered voice matches the intensity of
their movements then fades to a whisper as if he were overcome by the moment
before building again.

Mark him
, Cloud thinks to herself and throws her
head back. She can only reach a spot high on his neck, plainly visible to
anyone and she hesitates. He
’
d been so private about them
before but it
’
s like he knows what she
thinks.

“
There, so everyone can see,
”
Soar
’
s ragged voice flames with the same
passion building in her.
“
Hurry.
”

Cloud
’
s teeth ache as they sharpen and she
feels herself stir to orgasm. Soar nears release as well as he thrusts
repeatedly, deep and hard.

As she feels herself slip over the edge
she bites him just below the ear.

Her own cry explodes as Soar thrusts home
one final time. An all consuming orgasm takes them both at once, shattering the
stillness of the forest. Soar holds her as Cloud's muffled whimpers replace his
roar, she licks at his wound, driving her saliva deep inside and soothing the terrible
sting.

The last waves of climax echo between
them as Soar withdraws then he
’
s before her, opening the
sheet and pushing the sling aside to reveal her adornment. Interlocking scales
pattern the gold, their edges not rounded but pointed instead and curving
under. Soar takes her hand and after layering their fingers together they touch
it together.

“
So amazing, Soar,
”
Cloud murmurs. Smooth cool metal runs
under their palms as they stroke down over her breast then rough as they
explore back up. Soar adjusts the sheet, binds her wing tight to her body and
places the knots so she doesn
’
t have to lie on them.

As he lays her down in the cool brush,
Cloud tucks her head into his chest and he wraps an arm around her, cradling
her close. His other goes to her stomach, low over her womb.

After a few rough breaths the world
becomes solid. He watches her expectantly.

“
Little
gryphon,
”
Soar whispers and she manages
a smile before the first un-be-God-damn-leivable cramp hits. Painful at first,
then just a pleasant ache and Cloud bursts into tears, just as unable to cope
with the gentle discomfort as she would have been with the pain.

The moment is too much.

Soar strokes her belly to ease her pain
with his touch and watches her tears fall. Before the first drops from her
skin, his tongue catches it then follows it to the source. He kisses her eye
dry as another burst of fresh tears pours forth.

“
I know,
”
he
whispers.
“
It hurts.
”

“
No, it doesn
’
t,
”
Cloud hiccups as her breathing settles.
She opens her dry eyes and watches her mate. Soar
’
s lips are still damp with her tears.
“
Nothing could have prepared me for how
good and whole I would feel now.
”

“
Me too, little gryphon. Me too.
”

They lay together as the sweat dries from
their skin. Cloud
’
s damaged flight muscles hurt
far more than the weak pleasurable cramps throbbing deep inside. In ten days
she
’
ll try and shift. If she can
’
t then she
’
s expecting their twins. In the meantime,
Soar will give her everything.

It was deep night when Soar returned to
the camper for blankets and his daggers. By dawn he
’
d hunted for her breakfast. Her tears
hadn
’
t caused him pain like what
Talon described after mating with Shadow but her magic was protective and her
tears had made Talon
’
s bones unbreakable.

Painful indeed.

Soar knows Cloud
’
s magic is in trust and although she hasn
’
t yet admitted to being a royal gryphon
he feels her trust in him. With each meal he brings her and each night he
remains awake at her side her trust in him grows. Part of him is proud she
’
s pleased with his care. The other part
of him feels worse. He dreads what it will be like when her trust disappears
and that moment will come when she finds out her expulsion from Sky
’
s was entirely his selfish doing.

In three days Cloud will try and shift.
Although neither has said it he knows what a delicate thing gryphon conception
is. Cloud has been battered and injured and the chances are faint but he stays
awake and hunts and guards her in the vain hope it will be enough to overcome
her physical condition. There is nothing more he can do. When a female is lying
in she is never relocated and in fact the only time he allows her to walk from
the place they mated and the shelter he built is so she has some privacy to
toilet.

This morning he follows a bear, not to kill
since they could never eat a whole bear in three days but because he suspects
she
’
s looking for something very,
very good. Something Soar wants first.

In spite of Soar's excellent care, Cloud
deteriorates each day and he suspects her pride won't allow her to admit how
much she hurts.

He
’
s
already found a lake with trout and a few spots for rabbit. They had venison
the first day and Cloud had been ravenous but each day since then her appetite
retreats as the dark circles under her eyes advance.

In three days he
’
ll take her home to be healed and until
then he
’
ll keep her comfortable.

Soar watches the bear from a spot on a
rock. She
’
s beautiful and brown, not old
enough for cubs but fat and healthy. Through his shift blackened eyes he
watches her prize. The bee nest is active. Nestled in a fallen tree, its
occupants fly in and out, constantly busy.

The bear complicates his task.

Since he first left his birth eyrie in Oregon, Soar can't pass a bee nest without satisfying his sweet tooth and if his mouth wasn
’
t watering already he
’
d still brave their little stingers for
what they can do for his mate. Soar has been stung so many times over the years
he
’
s quite immune to their
medicinal effects.

With a sigh, Soar stands. He brought with
him a couple of plastic zipper bags from the campervan and needs to beat the
bear to the nest. Once he steps from his ledge he glides. He flares his wings
as he slices silently toward her. Even armoured for protection, Soar
’
s natural claws won
’
t match her strength or thick fur. His only
options are surprise and size if he wants to bully her away. She
’
s only twenty feet from the hive when he
lands before her. With a roar, Soar extends his wings.

She pauses and licks her lips. He
’
s never sure how another big predator
will perceive him. Prey animals scatter since they instinctively react to his
presence but a big hunter like this takes the time to think. When she doesn
’
t move, Soar takes a step toward her and
rattles his wings. He can
’
t allow himself to show any
submission or the bear will either attack or go around, whatever it takes to
claim the hive.

This one sits back on her butt.

He takes another step and she shakes her
head then with a snort she turns and retreats, thinking twice about her snack.

Soar doesn
’
t bother to chase her. His mate will wake
soon and he doesn
’
t want to miss the shine of
the sun on her hair as the dawn light finds its way into her shelter.

The bees trail into and out of an opening
in the old tree and Soar quickly removes a chunk of the dried and rotten trunk
to expose the warm comb and release an angry swarm. His wings beat, stirring
the air in an attempt to confuse them but many find purchase on his legs and
head and he curses as their stingers penetrate his skin. Once he fills the
larger bag with dripping sweet honeycomb he scoops up a dozen bees into the
other. When it
’
s nearly zipped shut he puts
his lips to the opening to blow air in and earns a sting from one that does not
want to treat Cloud. He seals the bag and turns to see the bear patiently
waiting her turn.