“That signed copy ofWired?”
“You got it.” She peered over his shoulder. To her amusement, Precious, who was perched on his shoulder, also peered down at the screen. “Who’s next?”
“I want Fiona,” said Carter. He shot her a glance as if he expected her to object, but it didn’t surprise her. She was part of the Protection, Inc. west coast team, so either they invited her or they disinvited the rest of the team.
“She can come.” Fen supposed it would be healing for him to have her there, though she did hope that would be it as far as his exes were concerned. She certainly didn’t plan to invite any of hers. “But I’ll tell you who Idon’twant: my parents.”
“Good. I don’t want them either. They don’t deserve a daughter like you, and they don’t deserve to attend the wedding of the century.”
Fen grinned. The phrasing was from the article inVanity Fair, but she liked to think that it really would be. It was certainly lavish enough.
She glanced around the room. It was their shared home office; she had one for Little Bit and he had one for Howe Enterprises, but they used a third for joint projects. It was currently devoted to wedding planning, with idea boards and wedding dress design proposals and sample menus. Even with the boost in her ability to focus that she’d gotten from her ADHD diagnosis and medication, it was somewhat overwhelming. But she enjoyed big complicated projects with big payoffs, and it was fun to collaborate with Carter.
So many changes,she thought.A new shift form for him. A new diagnosis for me. Getting pets. Getting married. Joining a team. Leaving a family. Finding a new family.
New perspectives. New love. A new future, together.
“It’s a beautiful night,” said Carter. “Want to go for a flight?”
“You bet!” She jumped up, and they took the elevator up to the roof.
The air was a little chilly, but she’d thrown on a warm angora sweater. It was black, of course. She didn’t need to change anything else, as she was already wearing black pants. She’d be invisible against the night sky.
Fen caught his hand. “Hey… After we get back, want to be a sexy genius inventor?”
“If you’ll be a sexy genius businesswoman.”
“Deal.”
They kissed for a long moment, and then Carter stepped back. He shifted into his beautiful chimera form, using his color-changing ability so he’d blend in with the night sky. He stretched like a cat, the muscles rippling under his velvety midnight pelt, and stretched out his black wings. Fen settled herself on his back, gripped with her knees, and locked her arms around his neck.
Carter sprang aloft, his magnificent wings beating. Together they soared beneath the stars.
Chapter 34
Burn it.The words came in the crackling roar of a forest fire.Burn it all.
Roland ignored the voice of his phoenix. This wasn’t a time for fire and fighting, but for happiness and love. Everywhere he looked, he saw proof of that.
Fen was radiant in her wedding gown, and Carter was so happy he bordered on unrecognizable. His dragonette perched on his shoulder like a sleek golden accessory, while her sugar glider peeped incongruously from her cleavage as they waltzed together.
Pete and Tirzah were also dancing, improvising to make it work with her wheelchair. Batcat clung to Tirzah’s shoulder, her furry wings outstretched for balance and her yellow eyes enormous.
If I could get a magical pet, what would I want?Roland wondered. He liked animals, which was just as well considering the zoo the Defenders office had become—and that wasn’t even counting the magical pets, he thought with an inner grin. But his career in the Army had made it impossible to have a pet, and no magical animal had chosen him.
He supposed he could get an ordinary pet now. A nice big dog, maybe. He could take it for runs in the morning, and it would get along with Merlin’s Blue. But if he had a pet already, would that drive away that hypothetical magical animal that might otherwise choose him?
“Cake bite?” A waiter offered a tray of bite-sized miniature wedding cakes, copies of the actual one down to the smallest detail.
“Thank you.” Roland took one, trying to remember where he’d seen the man before. Then he recalled the Defenders’ first case, and a very small alligator shifter in a pink princess dress. “You’re Angelica’s dad, right? Sorry, I’ve forgotten your name.”
“Sam,” he said, smiling. “Carter put out a call in the shifter community for waiters, or people who at least had some waiter experience. I haven’t been one since college, but I owed him one. Also, Angelica really wanted to come.”
Roland followed Sam’s gaze to the window. Out on the beach, a number of little animals were playing at the waterline. He spotted a hamster, several tiger cubs, three seal pups, and a very small alligator. They were supervised by two dads, a mom, and a sea lion.
Out in the water, an enormous prehistoric fish swam with a pair of delighted teenage girls on his back. Pete’s daughter Caro and her friend Raelynn rode hands-free, showing off their skills like they were on a bucking bronco. Raelynn’s step-mother stood on the shore videoing them on her cell phone. The last time Roland had spotted Norris out the window, he’d been giving rides to the younger kids. Much like Merlin, the Dunkleosteus shifter was clearly in his element entertaining youngsters.
A pang went through Roland as he watched the young folk play. He’d never intended to stay single all his life. He’d always thought some day he’d meet a woman, marry, have kids, and settle down. But time had passed, and he’d never met the right woman, and…
