“I love your hips,” she said. “Men’s hips are a very underrated part. I like the way the bones curve. And your shoulders. It all works together, the big shoulders tapering down to the hips. And the wings—”
He didn’t move, but she could feel his withdrawal trembling in the air. “I love your wings, Carter. They’re beautiful and strange. They make your skin look whiter and your hair look blacker. You really do look like a dark angel, but you still look like you. I loveyou,Carter, claws and eyes and wings and all. Just like you love me, poochy belly and all.”
He didn’t reply, but his expression now held doubt rather than outright disbelief.
She reached up to his shoulders and pressed him down so he again knelt on the floor, black wings outstretched.
“I love your hands,” she said. One by one, she lifted them to her lips and kissed them. Fen flexed his hands to make the claws come out, and one by one, she kissed them too.
“Careful,” Carter said, but he didn’t stop her.
They were hard and cool on her lips. She was careful to avoid the sharp tips, but having to take that care gave her a delicious thrill.
“Danger is sexy,” she said. “The right kind of danger. I’m not afraid ofyou, Carter. I could never be afraid of you. But being careful with your claws… Well, that’s hot.”
“It is?”
“It is and I’ll show you,” she said. “I’m going to go behind you, and I’m going to do some things to you, and maybe sometimes I’ll usemyclaws. Watch out for it.”
He swallowed. His voice was thick as he said, “All right.”
Fen circled behind him. Her bare feet were silent on the floor. His wings stretched out before her, very black against his light skin. She knelt and began kissing up his spine. His muscles shuddered and jumped beneath her lips, and his wings trembled.
She kissed and nibbled and licked between the wings, then she turned her attention to the wings themselves. They had a different texture from the rest of his skin, thicker and slightly velvety. He trembled and gasped as she kissed and stroked them, and that made it harder for her to stay in control of herself. She felt like a living flame of desire.
Her mouth was on his shoulder, her hands on his wings, her naked body pressed into his. She wanted him so much, all of him. Her sharp teeth nipped his shoulder, and he jumped and gasped.
“The right kind of danger.” His voice was very low, almost a growl. “You’re right. Come around to the front.”
“Only if you believe I want you exactly as you are.” Her voice was shaking, jittery. She too was trembling.
“I believe you.”
She slipped around to the front. His eyes were back to their usual hazel. It was a beautiful shade. But she had little time to admire it, because he caught her by the shoulders and stood, pulling her to her feet. Then they were kissing with a passion so fierce it struck her like a tidal wave. She couldn’t believe she’d managed to draw it out so long before. Where had that patience come from? She had absolutely none now.
He ran one hand down her side in a possessive gesture, then lifted her off her feet. She wrapped her legs around his hips and sank into his welcome hardness. His wings wrapped around her as he thrust, a living robe of black velvet.
“Fen,” he growled. “You’re mine.”
“Always,” she managed to gasp. “Always, Carter.”
And then she was lifted again by a rush of ecstasy. She was weightless. She was flying. She was loved.
Chapter 29
Carter held Fen close,marveling. For the first time in a while, he felt lucky—eyes and claws and wings and all. He still wanted his body back the way it had been. All else aside, the wings were almost impossible to hide in public. But against all odds, he had the love and acceptance of the most amazing woman in the world. Nothing could damp down that joy.
They showered and got dressed, enjoying every moment of each other’s company, then returned to the living room. He lay on the sofa, his wings draping down to the floor, and Fen snuggled up beside him.
“So,” he said. “About Balin. After you left, I was going to summon him and agree to be his Dark Knight so Eunice would fix me, then go back on it later. But there’s a couple problems with that. One is that it’s just kicking the can down the road. The other is that some of my teammates tried that too, but the wizard-scientist told them to prove their commitment by killing someone.”
“What about a different sort of trick?” Fen suggested. “Kerenza told us you were a special case and her powder might not work on you. But it worked on Norris. I bet her antifreeze charm will work on the Defenders—and their non-shifter mates. Could you give everyone their charms, summon Balin, have the non-shifters jump Eunice so she’s distracted, have the shifters jump Balin, tie them up or something so they can’t mess with us, and threaten Eunice till she fixes you?”
He bit his lip. “Were you including yourself in the non-shifters who attack a gargoyle?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, of course. I could bean her with a rock if I didn’t have to worry about Balin. Dali’s a Navy vet, so she can fight, and Tirzah could operate an attack drone. We could take her.”
Carter’s chest was hot and tight with pride. His Fen was planning to take on a gargoyle with a rock! And, admittedly, some very formidable backup. Much as he hated to imagine her charging into danger, he loved how brave and smart she was.
