He didn’t reply immediately, his expression both hopeful and wistful. "My family home."
“Oh! Did you ever call and tell them what was going on with you?”
He shook his head. “I never got up the nerve. They left me some messages after our press conference, but I made sure to call them back when I knew they’d be asleep, so I could avoid having an actual conversation with them. But it’s about time that I did.”
“And you want to show off your chimera, right?”
Carter shot her a wry glance. “Actually, I want to showyouoff.”
“And your chimera.”
“And my chimera,” he admitted.
Fen knew how much this had to mean to him. She wanted to support him, but the idea of visiting his family was a little nerve-wracking, considering how fabulously well it had gone when he'd visited hers. But that was her family. He'd said his was different. If he wasn't going to let himself be caught up in old fears, neither was she.
“Okay. Let’s go meet your family.”
His smile could have lit up the sky. "Oh, good. They’re going to love you. I can’t wait to introduce you. Just so you’re prepared, they can be a bit overwhelming. But if you don't mind going to kind of a messy house and being swarmed by a whole lot of people who really do mean well…"
"As opposed to going to a house straight out of a magazine and not being swarmed by two very proper people who are also absolute assholes?” Fen inquired with some bitterness. “I think I can cope with some swarming."
“You deserve so much better than that. I hope someday you’ll feel like my family is your family. If nothing else, I have a grandma who’s a fantastic cook."
She abruptly realized that she was starving. "Sold."
Carter kissed her. "I can't wait to fly with you."
He took a step back and transformed into his beautiful chimera form. Fen had to take a moment to admire it anew. It was extraordinary. Magnificent. Unique. His snow-white wings made her understand why the eagle was America’s national symbol, and his black-spotted coat was an irresistible temptation to touch. He stretched like a cat, his wings flaring, then turned and nuzzled her.
Fen settled herself on his back in front of those enormous wings. His body was slimmer than that of a horse, easier to grip with her thighs and knees. She leaned forward and locked her arms around his neck. His fur was so soft and velvety, and his body was warm.
His prehensile tail curled around her waist, holding her safely in place. It was covered with the same fur as his body, but unlike a cat’s tail, it could grasp and hold.
“Excellent use of the tail,” she told him. “I feel completely safe.”
He made a soft sound of feline smugness, and his wings and fur turned to a beautiful sky-blue. His muscles tensed beneath her as he leaped into the air. She let out a gasp of excitement and delight.
Fen felt like she was in the world's greatest fairytale. She had a magnificent flying steed who was also her true love—her Prince Charming. Well, she amended with a smile, sometimes Carter could be Prince Cranky. But she didn’t want him any other way.
They flew high in the sky, the world stretching out beneath them. His eagle’s wings beat steadily, and sometimes he caught an updraft and glided. For the first time, she understood why people were obsessed with flying. She knew now why Carter had become a pilot. In the air, it felt as if you were in a beautiful dream, free from all worries and cares, high above it all.
And now they were sharing this wonderful thing together, as they would share everything together from now on. Fen bent down and pressed a kiss onto the top of Carter's velvety head. She felt the vibration as he began to purr.
After several hours of sheer glory, they reached a big ranch house nestled in a forest of cedar and pine. As the chimera began to spiral downward, his color changed from sky-blue back to his usual snow leopard’s coat. Once he was low enough to be heard, he let out a distinctive rasping roar.
People began to run out of the house, and animals emerged from the woods. Carter took his time circling down, letting them get a good look at him. Fen waved at them all. By the time he landed, the gathered crowd consisted of six people (one holding a baby hedgehog), two snow leopards, and a baby elephant.
Once Fen climbed off his back, Carter folded his wings and shifted back into his human form.
“Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad! Hi, Grandma!” Carter raised his voice to be heard over the hubbub. “I’ll explain everything! But for now, I want to introduce Fen Kim. She’s my mate!”
The hubbub hit deafening levels. Everyone flung themselves on Carter and hugged him, then flung themselves on Fen and hugged her too. Even with Carter's warning, itwasa little overwhelming. Especially since the snow leopards stood on their hind legs and flung their paws around her shoulders, nearly knocking her down
"Easy, easy," said Carter, steadying her. "Fen's not a shifter."
No one went easy. Carter finally grabbed one of the snow leopards by the scruff of its neck and said, “Emma! Take Fen inside and get her out of this madhouse and into some new clothes, will you?”
The snow leopard promptly transformed into a woman with black hair like Carter’s, but tied back into a messy ponytail. Emma was stark naked, but neither she nor anyone else took any notice of that. She grabbed Fen’s hand and hustled her inside. The living room had multiple coatracks scattered about, and Emma grabbed a bathrobe from one and tossed it on.
