Page 79 of Heir

“You can shift back if you want.” She stood up from the ground and brushed the dirt off her sweatpants. “Thank you for showing me this side of you.”

I licked the back of her hand and nuzzled her chest before stepping back and standing up on my hind legs. Slowly, my nose shrunk, my fur receded, and my spine straightened. My muscles, bones, and ligaments all returned to their human size and shape, and I was quickly back in my naked human form.

She blinked at me and smiled. “Now I get why you never want to wear clothes.”

Grinning, I reached for my shirt and slid into it. “They’re just so restrictive.”

“If we mated, would our children be heirs to both the shifters, demons, and the entire realm?”

I loved that she was asking about children. I nodded. “Yes. Our cubs would not only be powerful shifter-demon hybrids—which is incredibly rare, and I’m assuming extremely powerful—but they’d also be heirs to two royal thrones.”

“Cubs . . .” she mused. “They’d be like . . . baby bears.”

“They would be.”

“That’s kind of crazy.”

I pulled up my jeans and padded over to her on bare feet, feeling comfortable enough to rest my hands on her hips. “Crazy good though?”

“Would I give birth to them in bear form?

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think so though.”

“Well, find out for me.”

I chuckled, loving that she was even talking about us mating and having cubs. I still didn’t like that she was saying if we mated, not when but she’d get there. I could feel our bond growing. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I said, “I’ll ask around.” Then I went and grabbed my socks, shoes, and the boxes of pastries, opening up the top box and shoving a bear claw into my mouth, devouring the entire thing in one bite. “You want one?” I asked her with a full mouth.

She smirked and reached into the box, pulling out a powdered sugar donut. “I’m breaking my fast early.” She took a bite, which caused powdered sugar to coat her lips and chin.

“Worth it though, right?”

Moaning, she rolled her eyes and nodded as she spoke with a full mouth like I did. “So worth it.”

I ached to lick the sugar off her lips, but I wasn’t sure we were there yet. We’d already made so many strides today. I needed to let her set the pace. She was grieving, and I didn’t want to take advantage.

We headed back down the path we blazed until we hit the main trail, passing a few people jogging or pushing a baby stroller.

I held the boxes in one hand, but my hand closest to hers was free. I glanced down at where our hands swung in tandem. She noticed.

“What’s up?” she asked.

“Can I hold your hand?”

Her smile was small and sweet but it made my entire body light up and come to life. She reached for my hand. “Yes.”

Nothing could ruin how good my mood was right now. I was smiling like the biggest idiot, but I didn’t care.

She giggled. “Your smile is a little creepy it’s so big.”

“Don’t care,” I said. “I’m just that happy.”

A cold, minty scent wafted up my nostrils just as we turned a corner and Omaera said, “What the fuck is he doing here?”

Well, apparently there was something—nay, someone—that could ruin my mood. I growled as the vampire approached us.

“How’d he know where to find us?” she asked.

“He’ll have followed your scent. It’s as distinct as a fingerprint and as your mates, we’re more in tuned to it.”

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