Page 92 of Above Cursed Winds

The mating had had the same transformative effect on him. The change to his psychic signature was impossible to miss. Nero had confirmed it yesterday, just out of earshot of the Elemental: he’d nearly returned to his original signature, before Gideon’s near demise. While it wasn’t a carbon copy of the first, it was almost a mirror image. The snippets of hope she’d experienced since he’d arrived, the bubbly nature and sharp wit she’d sampled briefly, were returning in force.

And there had been more obvious changes, too. When she and Jeremiah had mated, the Osé clan mark had appeared on his right pectoral. Now, Jeremiah officially had two allegiances: to Paracel and the Elementals, and to Nero and the Osé.

Now, Zia would be going to Paracel, not as a representative of her clan, but as Jeremiah’s mate. Nervously pulling at the hem of her sweater, she felt Jeremiah’s fingers slip through hers.

“They’re going to love you, Z. Besides, you’ve already met them.”

“Yeah,” she replied, unconvinced. “And the last time I saw them, I’d just let locations for all their territories leak to a terrorist organization. Really great first impression.”

Jeremiah’s chuckle made her fist connect playfully with his shoulder, where he captured it and planted a kiss lovingly on each knuckle. “If they don’t like you, I’ll just steal breath from their lungs until they behave.”

“Lovely. Another thing they can blame me for.”

Laughing like the fool he was, Jeremiah suddenly picked her up. Instinctively, her legs wrapped around his waist and her fingers sunk into her scalp. His lustrous red strands came loose as she claimed his mouth, needing the warmth of his kiss.

Growling back at her, Jeremiah pinned her against the wall, letting the sculpted muscle of his torso push into the soft curves of hers. And then his mouth was roaming to her neck, the hard bite of his teeth skimming along the sensitized flesh. He kissed a trail up the slender column toward her chin, worshiping her like the prize he assured her she was.

Sighing softly, Zia dropped her chin to breathe in the scent of sunshine that clung to his skin. It never failed to ignite a fire in her, and it succeeded in completely stoking the flames that already licked over her skin.

But they had someplace to be. If they continued down this path, she’d drag him back to their bed for another three hours. Groaning, Zia’s fingers tightened in that lustrous red mane.

“We have to go, Jeremiah.”

“Kill sport,” he muttered against her neck, gently scrapping his teeth along her skin once more before pulling back. “However will they know you’re mine if I don’t leave a mark?”

Zia’s eyes widened. “Don’t you dare!”

Letting out a mock scream when his teeth sunk in along her neck, she dissolved into a fit of giggles as he finished his primitive mark. Pressing a kiss into the same spot, he tossed her a ravishing grin.

“There. I’m ready to go now.”

Zia playfully swatted his chest. “You’re a caveman.”

Five minutes later, they’d collected Myko, and the boy was positively bouncing on his toes. He’d been chattering nonstop about the Elemental town, spouting off facts Gideon had clued him into while they’d been here.

Listening to him with undivided attention, Jeremiah grinned as Myko began a philosophical conversation about how Raeths and Elementals had to have had a common ancestor.

Nero’s telepathic knock sounded on her psychic door, and her reply was instantaneous. We’re ready when you are, sovereign.

I’ll follow in a few. Wrapping up some things with Nolan and our resident futurist.

Even though Zia frowned, she responded, Of course. Thank you, Nero.

Weightless for all of two seconds, Zia blinked to clear her vision. All three of them had landed within the magnificent dome in Paracel. Copious amounts of ivy sprawled up the walls and large wooden beams spanned overhead.

Though she’d been there several times before, she had never quite gotten over her awe. Jeremiah didn’t need to recover from any wayward wonderment. Instead, he was greeted by a contrite Rukia who shoved him as soon as he’d solidified.

“What the heck, Jeremiah?”

Scrunching up his nose, the wind Elemental’s expression twisted. “What now?”

Another shove. “You dissolved into your element? What kind of stupid code ran in your head to justify that ridiculous move?”

“I—”

“No!” Straight white teeth gleamed at him, and Rukia drew water from the air and suddenly drenched him, head to toe. “Only Gideon is stupid enough to do that trick. What if you couldn’t reform? What if you’d been left floating aimlessly above our heads forever? Like Casper?!”

Soaked, Jeremiah wiped water from his face while Zia suppressed a giggle and Myko laughed, utterly delighted with the antics. He shot his family a chagrined glare before returning his focus to Rukia.

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