Page 23 of Beyond Fate

Looking back at him, Casimir asked, “You want me to go look for them?”

It was so ridiculous Damon burst out laughing. “I guess I’m flying home in my shirt and socks. I just hope I don’t run into a flock of birds and get a beak in my dick.”

Brows furrowed, Casimir still stood at the edge peering over. “I can go down and search.”

Storming over to the edge, Damon gestured toward the forest down below. “We’re at least a mile above the forest floor. The wind is stronger up here. There’s no telling where they landed.” He narrowed his eyes. “If a squirrel finds my wallet and charges one damn cent to my credit cards, you’ll be paying the bill.”

Damon’s brows shot up when his mate dove off the edge. “Are you insane!” He quickly followed after Casimir in a panic until he remembered his mate had wings.

Casimir flew over the treetops with ease, his delicate wings vibrant and beautiful. Damon laughed in pure delight as he watched his mate spin in a graceful roll then shoot up higher, clearly enjoying the sensation of flying.

Watching as Casimir’s long hair billowed out behind him and his muscular body glistened in the sunlight, Damon felt a surge of tenderness for his mate. His warrior looked so happy.

Hovering with his wings simply flapping, Damon shot after Casimir, rolling with him, then they glided over the treetops together.

Damon just hoped no one saw them flying. Even though the forest was dense, there was still a chance, but there was so much joy on Casimir’s face that Damon never wanted this moment to end. Unfortunately, it had to. The longer they stayed in the air, the greater the risk of a human seeing them.

Or someone seeing Damon’s nudity.

They finally descended to the forest floor. Damon felt exhilarated, especially because he’d flown with his mate. Casimir’s cheeks were flushed, and he had a sparkle of happiness in his eyes.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve flown,” Casimir admitted. “Felt damn good.”

Damon gave his mate a quick kiss. “Finding my wallet before a squirrel does will feel even better.” He wasn’t holding out hope. As high up as they’d been, his jeans could be anywhere.

“Can’t you use some magic to find them?” Damon asked. If not, he had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting them back. Everything could have fallen out of his pants on their way down.

He turned when Casimir didn’t answer him and saw his mate wasn’t looking at him.

Damon closed his eyes. Fuck. How had he forgotten his mate had had his magic stripped from him? “I’m sorry,” Damon said. He’d just made it seem as if he hadn’t been paying attention to Casimir when his mate had opened up to him. “I wasn’t thinking.”

Casimir cleared his throat as he turned to face Damon. “After our magical abilities were stripped, it was one of the council members who opened a pathway to the human realm for us. I honestly can’t even remember her name, but it was her way of thanking us for not blindly following that lunatic’s orders.”

The more Damon learned about his mate, the more pissed he became at how Casimir was treated. Then something dawned on him. “So you’ve been in hiding with no magic to help out even a little?”

Casimir spread his arms and laughed bitterly. “Like I told you, baby. Except for my wings, I’m basically human.”

“Wait.” Damon frowned. “If you can’t wield magic, how did you end up at my house?”

“When Elvine summoned me, she provided a pathway as well,” Casimir said.

Another thought struck Damon. “How do you even know her?”

Elvine was a little over a millennium. By the time she was born, Casimir would have already been in hiding.

“I don’t know her,” Casimir said. “While I was staying at your house, she told me she’d cast a spell for the strongest warrior to help battle Vicino’s undead vampires.” He shrugged. “Crazy it was me, considering my mate and nephew happened to be there.”

Damon was struggling with what was forced on him, but his mate had had so much taken away. That made him wonder if what he’d become was really so bad. He could definitely do without the vampire crap, but he was really starting to love the wings. The ability to create fog was kind of cool, though he still wished he’d gotten laser eyes, but that was the kid in him wishing for it.

He started to say he would ask Elvine to help find his things, but it would crush Casimir that it wasn’t him helping his mate.

“I can’t avoid my family forever,” Damon said, changing the subject. He gestured to his groin. “I also feel ridiculous with just a shirt and pair of socks on.”

Casimir smirked as he gave a soft growl. “I don’t know. I think it’s a sexy look.”

“That’s because you’re my mate.” Damon rolled his eyes. “Between us we have a full outfit. I have the shirt, and you have the pants.” He frowned. “Why don’t you have a shirt on?”

Come to think of it, Damon had yet to see him wearing one.

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