Emme leaned toward me as she pointed out the parts of the car, including the start button, wipers, hazards, and how we signaled to turn. Her scent washed over me as she flicked her hair back, and it took every ounce of my hard-fought-for focus to not drag her into my lap.
“Are you listening, Tal?” she asked with a smirk, and since I never lied to her…
“You’re a huge distraction in the best way,” I murmured.
The lightest hue of pink tinted her cheeks, and the chocolate and honey tones deepened. “I’m going to be a much bigger distraction soon,” she replied, voice raspy.
I liked that sound. I liked everything about this shifter. Enough to be worried that I might take over my twin with obsession and stalking.
“I haven’t thought of anything else since we decided last night,” I told her, and that blush darkened, spanning down to the tops of her breasts, visible in the cut of her dress.
With a shake of my head, I forced myself to look out the front window, which was dull and uninspiring compared to Emme. “Let’s focus on the lesson so I don’t ravish you here and now.”
Another scent spike, but she sucked in a fortifying breath and ran through drive, reverse, park, and other features like the low range for off-roading. “You shouldn’t ever need that for regular driving,” she added, “since this one is always in four-wheel drive mode and can handle a fair amount of rugged terrain.”
This car had nothing on my beast. “If I get stuck, I’ll just tear the roof off and fly away.”
Another burst of laughter from her, and my cock jerked in my pants. To have my body react so strongly was a new experience, and I found myself curious about what the rest of the day would bring. There were no real nerves, as I knew instinct would guide me in claiming my mate.
But the anticipation might kill me before that moment.
“The doors will still work,” Emme said around her laughter, “but sure, tearing off the roof is always an option.”
I barely heard her over the roar of my beast.
Scent matches were intense, and I drowned in the animalistic needs coursing through me.
“Okay, well, let’s try moving,” Emme said, and she moved away to sink into her seat. “Foot on the brake before pressing the start button.”
Following her instructions helped my focus, and it seemed straightforward and simple. The car moved as soon as I lifted my boot from the brake, and I enjoyed the little jolt forward when I hit the gas. It was smooth, the wheel responding to the smallest adjustment, which kept us on the straight road. It did take me a second to maneuver my boots on the pedals, as everything in here was too fucking small, but eventually I got the hang of it.
After ten minutes I felt confident in controlling the machine, and another ten minutes had me ready for more speed. I pressed my foot harder, and on either side of us the bikes kept pace easily. “I want to try one of those next,” I said, eyeing Slade.
Top speed, brother, I said through our bond.Show me how fast it is.
Emme must have caught some of my curiosity through our connection, as she turned to examine Slade. When he took off in a roar, her breath quickened, and I didn’t need a mental connection to know she wanted to be out there on her Panigale.
Slade’s motorcycle moved like the wind, sleek and black and lethally fast. “Yep, I definitely need one of those,” I decided when he disappeared from sight. I was finally beginning to understand.
“This is one of my happy places,” Emme murmured, watching the world go by out her window, her long legs sprawled out in front of her. “Cars, my mates, and no one trying to kill us.” A sad bark of laughter left her. “At least not right this second. I can’t believe my alleged father is in the house, and he’s half fucking witch and half shifter, just blowing all my conceptions of our races out of the water. How did this even happen?”
“Fletcher would have known more,” I grumbled, flexing the weak wheel again. “His death needed to happen, but it clearly set in motion a chain of events that might be even worse.”
Emme swung in her chair toward me, eyes narrowed. “Don’t you dare feel guilty for the choice you made, Talon Riverson. We had no idea what that bitch-witch had set in motion, and the world will always be better without that monster in it. We’ll just deal with the next challenge, as we always do.” She paused, and took a few breaths, visibly calming. “I do think you should take us to his compound, if Jewels hasn’t figured out how to burn it all to the ground already. There might be clues there.”
“I will take you,” I promised her. “I don’t know what remains of it, but it makes sense to search it in our quest to track the witch. I was never allowed into the underground rooms, but I could smell the darkness from my cage.”
Even when I’d been on board with Fletcher’s plan to take over the cities and return shifters to their former glory, he’d never fully trusted me. I knew the reason why now: Slade. He tried to beat it out of us, but the twin-soul bond trumped all except my bond to Emme.
“Will you show me Golden Claw?” I asked, wanting my last niggling doubts over the way the cities were run put to rest. “I know it’s the largest of the cities, and the closest to mimic how the human world functions.”
She nodded, and I was drawn to the row of straight white teeth working over her plush bottom lip. “Yeah, it’s the largest and most similar to a bighumancity. I just…” She swallowed roughly. “I’m worried that you won’t like the advancements and start rallying for us to bring the old ways back.”
The thought had crossed my mind, but even if I never fullyshunned Fletcher’s vision, I loved Emme more.I would change for her. I would adjust and adapt until she was permanently in her happy place. “I choose you, Sweet Honey,” I said softly. “In a city, in the desert, in the middle of the ocean. Whatever it looks like, I choose you. You have nothing to worry about.”
Her lip popped free, and I was caught in her fucking glorious smile. “Tal! You like me, you really like me.” There was a teasing lilt to her voice, and I recognized that this was her way of joking with me. Such a novel concept, andgoddess, I was completely and totally gone over my omega.
“I love you,” I said suddenly, returning my eyes to the road in time for Slade to race back into view. “I really fucking love you.”
