“What?”
“I showed you mine. Now, show me yours.”
I looked around pointedly. “There's not enough room for both of us in our animal forms.”
“Move back.”
“But I haven't finished touching you.”
Konstantin chuckled, the sound of it almost savage in his tiger throat. “There will be time for that later. We can't linger, remember?”
I sighed and edged away from him. “All right.”
Konstantin shifted back to his man body in seconds, then lifted his chin at me in a prompting motion.
“I'm not all that exciting,” I warned him as I let the magic rise inside me.
With a rush of wind, my hair swirled around me. Tingles ran down my arms and legs. Bones lengthened, muscles stretched, things contracted and released. With a jubilant cry, my bird surged free, wings spreading wide to brush the walls.
“Holy fuck,” Konstantin whispered as he crawled closer. “Misha, you're beautiful. You're so white, almost blinding.” His hand went to my long neck and slid down it.
I brought my wings forward to brush his arms before settling them. “Thank you. I shine in the sun. People have remarked on it.”
“I've always wondered about those stories where Zeus seduced women as a swan. Now, I understand. Granted, I don't want to have sex with you in this form, but you do look delicious.” He grinned broadly.
“That was a bad choice of words, tiger.”
“Just teasing, baby.” He stroked my breast down to my feet. Then paused. “How many toes are swans supposed to have?”
“Oh! Yes, I'm a mutant.”
“You're a what?”
“Swans have four toes; three in front that are webbed and one in back. I have five.” I held up my foot and curled it in demonstration. “Like a human hand. It's a mutation.”
“Mutation or not, it's very cool.” He lifted my foot as if shaking my hand. “Damn, you're big.”
“Now that's something I don't hear often.” I shifted back to my prime body, then slid off the platform and started getting dressed.
“I like your size.” He got up, kissed my cheek, and tried for a bit more.
I pulled away. “Don't start that. You're right, we have to go. I have to make my report. Nikolay will already be wondering where I am.”
“I know,” Kon's voice went soft and sad.
He got dressed, then picked up my coat and held it open for me. I slipped into the warmth, then moved aside so he could get into his coat as well. Once we were ready, Kon turned off the heater and lights, and we crawled out into the cold night to be greeted by a soft snowfall.
“The storm is dying,” I whispered.
“It knows our time is up.” He took my hand and led me back toward the castle, holding it until the very last moment.
Once we reached the door, we moved apart. Hopefully, we wouldn't be spotted coming in from the garden but if we were, we'd at least be seen with a respectable distance between us.
I went in first, checked that the corridor was clear, then waved Konstantin inside. We split up at the end of the hallway, one last look exchanged before we headed to our rooms. I couldn't show up at Niko's chambers in a coat.
Once my lover was out of sight, I sped up, racing through the hallways to my chambers. Luck stayed with me, and I was able to reach the safety of my quarters without issue. I breathed out in relief as I shut the door behind me.
Then a light came on.
