SkyFall (Taken on the Wing Book 2) (24 page)

Soar offers a respectful nod to the
fellow predator and takes off, one hand full with the warm, heavy bag of
honeycomb and the other vibrating with a dozen angry bees.

He pauses to retrieve the rabbits he
gathered then returns to find Cloud limping back to their small nest.

“
I couldn
’
t wait,
”
she
smiles, a little sheepish knowing he won
’
t
approve but she really couldn
’
t if she went by herself.

“
I have something for you, little gryphon,
”
Soar holds the zipper bags behind him,
out of sight, and she leans to
see.
“
Uh uh. You
’
re always impatient for surprises.
”

She laughs but her voice is throaty and
weak and it
’
s more than just morning
roughness. Soar doesn
’
t look too closely at her
shape, afraid she
’
s lost weight.

With her good elbow in hand, Soar helps
her kneel then she drops her butt to her heels and shifts sideways, partly
seated with the weight off her ankle. It
’
s
nearly the same size now as her good one though he can
’
t tell if there
’
s been any improvement in the bad wrist
since it
’
s wrapped up in the sheet
supporting her wing.

“
Close your eyes,
”
Soar orders and Cloud does though they
pop right open, holding his with her full attention.
“
I
’
ll go get a blindfold, little gryphon,
but I can
’
t promise you
’
ll enjoy it as much.
”

Cloud harumpfs and this time she keeps
them closed. He puts the bees on the ground between them and opens the honey
covered bag. It had been overfilled and the golden liquid leaked out, coating
its already sticky surface. Doesn
’
t matter. If the venom helps
he
’
ll carry her to the lake to
bathe before settling her in for the night.

“
Open your mouth,
”
he whispers. Her lips still hold their
pink colour and they flush darker so he kisses her as he coats a finger in
honey.

“
Mm,
Soar,
”
she breathes and pinches her
eyes shut even tighter to be good and earn it.
“
More.
”

He traces honey over her bottom lip and a
large drop runs down her chin. It
’
s followed by her tongue and a
small gasp of surprise. Before he can get more her lips seal around his finger
and draw it in.

Soar
’
s groin tightens as she sucks it clean
and he joins her, licking up what her tongue missed and occupying her mouth
while he breaks off a large piece of comb. Once it
’
s between his teeth he presses it to her
lips. She accepts, chewing happily as a small amount of honey leaks past her
lips.

“
Wow,
”
she sighs and opens her eyes. Cloud spots
the plastic bag and hooks her finger in.

Soar knows what
’
s coming and closes his eyes but doesn
’
t open his mouth.

Cloud
’
s sticky mouth covers his and Soar
decides as soon as she
’
s well he
’
s going to see how much honey she
’
ll let him use.

“
Naughty, naughty gryphon,
”
she tisks and instead of offering the
honey to eat she strokes her fingers over his neck and follows with her mouth.

“
Fuck, yeah,
”
Soar
moans as her lips stick to her mark just under his ear.
“
So not fair.
”

Yeah, there won
’
t be sex for three more days and if she
keeps this up it will be a sticky, uncomfortable wait in his black leather
armour.

She shuts him up with honey covered
fingers in his mouth, sliding them in and out as his tongue curls around.

“
Good breakfast,
”
she whispers, tracing
around his mark with her mouth.
“
You are the best mate ever and
I will tear anyone who argues to pieces.
”

Her gentle praise as she nudges his chin
higher fills him with pride so deep nothing will ever match it.

“
I have something else,
”
he swallows as he gets control and Cloud
lets him go as if sensing more sexual play will only heighten his frustration.

When he picks up the other bag she leans
away and looks at him with alarm.

“
Field medicine, Cloud,
”
he explains. Her lips
unstick with a pop as she starts to speak then she closes her mouth as she gets
closer to the bees. She
’
s curious as she studies them
and is careful to keep her distance. The bees do the same, clustering on the
far side of the bag to stay as far from her as possible. Funny things.

“
Oh
my gosh,
”
she exclaims. Up close she can
see the holes their stingers made in his skin.

“
The price of collecting them, I
’
m afraid,
”
Soar
admits with a sideways smile. She laughs but her concern doesn
’
t fade.
“
The
venom is good for pain and enough will help you rest. I
’
m a menace to these little guys and their
venom doesn
’
t bother me anymore.
”

“
How many times have you been stung?
”

“
Today or in my lifetime?
”

“
Forget I asked,
”
she shakes her head.

“
Okay,
”
Soar unties the sheet and she holds
still. Her shiver isn
’
t from the chill of having it
removed. Cloud
’
s heart and breathing speed up
and a little colour drains from her cheeks. The extra pain she
’
s in with her wing unsupported will be
temporary. He drops the sheet and opens the bag enough to remove a little
squirming bee from it.

“
But,
”
she protests.
“
Isn
’
t it dangerous for the babies?
”

It
’
s
the first time either one has dared mention the possibility of success. Cloud
believes they
’
ve conceived and he doesn
’
t want to ruin it for her.

“
Why do you think I have three younger
sets of siblings?
”
Soar asks.
“
My
sire always treats my dame to ease the pains. Swears by it.
”

“
Does it hurt? I
’
ve
never got a sting.
”

“
No worse than my kiss,
”
Soar
teases.

“
I thought so,
”
she scolds but she hides her nervousness.

“
Lean
on me.
”

Cloud does and he feels she got stickier
than he thought. With his arm around her and her left wing in his left hand, he
moves it enough to get under it and presses the bee to her skin. It
’
s disobedient and he has to drag it over
her skin several times before it stings her then he drops it aside and leaves
its little venom sack pumping.

“
Ow.
”

“
We
’
ll start with three.
”

“
Oh.
”

Soar quickly wrangles two more and stings
her several inches above and below the first. She doesn
’
t comment and gets heavy as her breathing
slows.

“
How
’
s
that?
”

Cloud giggles then hiccups.

“
That was fasht,
”
she slurs and starts laughing.

“
You
’
re a pretty cheap date, little gryphon,
”
Soar hurries to rewrap her wing before
she falls over. Euphoria isn
’
t unheard of when gryphons are
treated with venom but he
’
s never seen it. Her half-open
eyes blink once and she dozes as Soar lowers her down. She doesn
’
t stir when he positions her on her good
side and covers her up. For the past week she
’
s been the most sleepy awake person he
’
s ever seen and now that she
’
s relaxed he can as well.

As Soar leaves the sheltered nest the sky
darkens and he looks up just in time to see two red armoured gryphons disappear
past the tree tops.

“
Oh, shit,
”
he
hisses. They head toward his campervan and Soar runs after them as he checks
his weapons. He
’
s no match for two members of
the Will, possibly dragonkin, who with their mere words could make him stand on
his head and bark like a dog.

Soar stumbles to a stop as he enters the
clearing. He knows the lone dragonkin and the other is nowhere to be seen.

“
Conflagration,
”
Soar drops to a respectful knee. Over the
past few years the two have become friends, frequently drinking together at
Cooper
’
s, but today Soar wears the
black leather of Sire Lev
’
s guard and Con wears the Will
’
s reds. This is business. Although Con is
Cloud
’
s age, he acts for the Grand
Council and any slight to his authority insults the Council.

“
Master Soar,
”
Con acknowledges. He
’
s in his gryphon form. Once, Con
drunkenly admitted to being dragonkin and followed it up with a brief and even
drunker shift. Soar doesn
’
t remember much about it other
than the smooth leather of his wings and the gold tint of his skin.

And the black eye he received for calling
Con a bald gryphon just before Con fell over laughing in agreement.

“
Where is your friend?
”
Soar demands as he gets to his feet.

“
Keeping
a respectful distance.
”

“
And your business?
”
Soar wants to get the Will away from his
female.

“
I felt it better to see you alone
considering our relationship,
”
Con admits.
“
But you already know I
’
m not here for drinks.
”

Soar acknowledges with a terse nod. With
his head turned he can listen for any noise coming from Cloud
’
s direction.

“
I will be brief, Master Soar,
”
Con
starts.
“
Daniel Cooper was taken into
custody a week ago, the night Calgary was hit by the tornado. He has something
that belongs to the Council and Aledaar has tired of Cooper
’
s games. Cooper was involved with a
female. She disappeared and I am here to take her before the Council for
questioning.
”

“
She
’
s laying in, Con,
”
Soar growls.
“
I
’
m sure even your orders don
’
t include disturbing her.
”

“
The matter isn
’
t
urgent,
”
Con appears bored but Soar
’
s experienced eyes detect tension.
“
And even if it were we would not disturb
the female you acknowledge is involved with Cooper.
”