“Ooh, I love jealous Tabby.” Major rolled off the bed and grabbed his jeans. He didn’t bother with anything else, and that was okay with Tabitha. Nikita was hiscousin and had already seen Major half-naked since their family went camping and swimming together, and Carleigh and Harlow deserved to get an eyeful of his fabulousness. At least the top half.
Once Tabitha was dressed, she removed the ruined sheets from the bed, and when they reached the kitchen, she tossed them in the garbage.Nothing to see here. Major turned off the alarm and held the door for her. Like the manor, the garage was fitted with a biometric scanner. Tabitha placed her hand over the sensor, and the locks disengaged. She pushed open the door and flipped the switch just inside. The overhead lights flickered on, illuminating the large space that once housed several expensive vehicles. Now it held nothing but an old lawnmower, a weed eater, some garden tools, but mostly dust and cobwebs.
Major stepped past her and dropped his jeans. He moved several yards away and held out his arms.
“Wait. Will we be able to communicate?”
Major smiled his movie star grin. “Absolutely. Ready?”
Tabitha nodded, then held her breath. Major winked and within seconds, he was the most stunning creature she’d ever seen. His Gryphon stood over ten feet tall. His Eagle’s eyes focused on her, his head swiveling as she circled around him. His Lion’s paws in this form were massive, as were the talons on his front legs. He swished his tail, letting her look her fill. Where most of his feathers were white, those of his wings were red, indicating his fire element. For some reason, she hadn’t expected them to be the same as when he was in his Eagle.
“You are stunning.”
“Thank you. If we were somewhere private, I’d take you for a ride.”
“You can carry me? I wouldn’t be too heavy?”
The Gryphon squawked at her.“You doubt our strength? Shame on you.”
Tabitha lowered her eyes. “Sorry, my Gryphon. I do not doubt you whatsoever. One day in the near future, I hope we can take that vacation we talked about. Whether it’s Italy or Greece, there will be privacy for you to shift and fly. I would love for you to carry me on your back then.”
Major switched to his Lion and rolled to his back. Tabitha knelt beside him, rubbing his belly. The big cat purred, his tail swiping the concrete floor, while his paws dangled in the air. His golden eyes blinked at her, and eventually, he yawned.
“Nope. No cat naps,” Tabitha joked. The beast’s chest rumbled, and she giggled at his pouting. “You can sleep in your feline form tonight, and I’ll give you all the belly rubs you want, but for now, we need to get moving.”
Major rolled to his feet, butting Tabitha with his head. She ran her fingers through his fluffy mane. “Gorgeous.” Major licked her hand before returning to his human form. After putting his jeans on, they returned to the house. Tabitha finished the laundry, and Major put fresh sheets on the bed. He then packed their bags and took them along with the cooler of perishable foods to the SUV while she did one last check to make sure the house was ready for locking up. Tabitha whispered goodbye to the house before walking out to their vehicle and climbing into the passenger seat.
Major reached for the push-button starter, his finger hovering. “Ready?”
“Absolutely.”
Chapter 23
Major called histwin on the way to his house. When Marshall answered, music mixed with loud voices sounded through the phone.
“Hey, Maymay. What’s up?”
“Tabitha and I are finished with our job, and Mason gave us the rest of the week off. We’re headed to my house, and I wanted to invite you over so I could introduce the two of you, but it sounds like you’re busy.”
“Nah. Kayden and I stopped by Ripley’s for supper. Now we’re hanging out with the demons. You know what would be a great idea? If you brought Tabitha here. We could all meet her at the same time.”
“Why do I get the feeling there’s more to it than that?”
Marshall chuckled. “Because you know me so well.”
Tabitha patted Major’s thigh. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Marshall.”
“Oh. Uh, hi. Um, I didn’t know we were on speaker.”
“Sorry about that. If we show up at Ripley’s, do I get to defend my mate’s honor?”
Marshall laughed again. “Why do you sound thrilled about that?”
“Because I am. There’s somewhere we have to stopfirst. We’ll see you soon, yeah?”
“I can’t wait. Nahla!” Marshall yelled as he hung up.
Major eyed his mate. “And just where do we have to stop first?”
