Emmy sat on the upper deck in the wind on the return trip, just breathing the air and watching the living panorama of sea and sky. Seabirds skimmed low over the waves, and white gulls rode the wind in easy arcs while murres dove straight down like arrows — more penguin-like birds that aren’t.
A golden eagle appeared out of nowhere, broad wings catching the light as it dropped fast and hard, snatching a fish from the surface before lugging his haul back toward the cliffs, clenched in its talons much as her dragon flew away with sheep in Faerie — and she ate mostly sheep while in dragon form because her father was paranoid about the wildlife being poisoned. There are toxins that don’t hurt mammals but will kill dragons. That was how her father’s entire family had been killed. All the natural dragonsandthe shifters — except for three shifters who’d been away at the time.
Felix came outside with a blanket, and the two curled up inside of it together, comfortable in the silence between them, just enjoying the day. They saw otters again,but no more whales.
Emmy slept on the bus ride back, her head against the window.
And when they arrived back at the coterie house, she went to the feeding room and bent over the feeding station to wait for Byron to enter the room, fuck her ass, and feed from her. She’d been on his schedule, and he’d said he could wait for her, rather than get someone else earlier in the day.
Over time, she’d come to appreciate the coldness of it. And really, if she was a being who had to feed from people, maybe she wouldn’t want to talk to her food all the time, either. Some, she probably would, but likely not all of them.
Byron just wanted her blood and a handy place to stick his dick and, oddly, she understood him more than some of the other vampires.
After a shower, she made her way to the kitchen, where two huge pots of chili awaited — one with three kinds of meat, the other vegetarian.
She added crackers and cheese to her large bowl, and then dug in while she watched the huge wall monitor, where Spence showed them the pictures he and others had taken. Photos of the wildlife, and people watching the wildlife as well as just hanging out and enjoying each other.
Someone had gotten a candid of her and Rhea that she wanted, and of her shooting Felix a bird while she held her tongue to the glacier shard, and she texted Spence to ask him to send her both.
Later in the evening, Toby sent her a picture he’d taken of her and Felix under the blanket, and it made her smile.
And then she thought of all the times Felix had made her laugh. Offering his services as a “rabbit” when she talked about her thesis project, and then later, getting her to lick the piece of glacier.
On top of making her laugh, he could keep up with her intellectually, and their D/s dynamic was precisely what she needs in a submissive. When with him, she felt powerful and desired.
Could this be what falling in love felt like? If so, it was probably the closest she’d come to it.
But then she considered her future. What would come after grad school, when she was actually working as a genetic engineer? It was hard to see him fitting into her life outside of the coterie house. Maybe he could, but forever was hard to see.
But right now? He was perfect, living just across their shared bathroom. The future was just going to have to figure itself out.
Chapter 13
Zander knew the moment Spencer returned, and telepathed,Downstairs. Now. My office.
Of course, Sir. Just a stop in the bathroom and I’ll be down.
A peek in Spencer’s head told him he needed to pee, but he also needed to lube his asshole. The rule was for Spencer to always be ready to take a dick up his ass, but it made sense he hadn’t been able to on the trip.
Make it fast. Disrobe and lean against the wall upon entering.
Yes, Sir.
Spencer gave instructions to the flock while security parked, and then told them his attention was required downstairs, and left as soon as the doors opened.
As promised, a quick stop in the bathroom, and then he was in Zander’s office, undressing with quick efficiency.
Zander waited until Spencer was turned toward the wall, his waist at a one-hundred-and-twenty-degree angle, arms over his head, palms flat against the wall.
He ran a hand down his boy’s side, over his flank. “Missed you today. I can see the highlights in your head. I look forward to seeing pictures.”
“I love you, Sir. I wished you could be there with me.”
Zander removed his pants, lined up behind his boy, and thrust in hard enough to make Spencer gasp, reveling in the way Spencer’s asshole spasmed and relaxed, trying to accept the invasion. He pulled back and shoved in again, forcing Spencer to brace hard.
“Who do you belong to?”
“You, Sir! I’m yours!”
