Page 84 of Gift from the Wing

“I love how you do that,” I say with a playful smile.

“Do what?” he asks.

“You always know when something’s wrong and you do exactly what I need you to, to make it better, even without me saying anything. I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

“That is the tie between beloveds, dear Adored. You probably do it to him as well and don’t even realize it. Plus add in all your other connections the two of you share, I’m surprised either of you can get anything past the other,” Keeper says, scaring the shit out of me as we round the corner in the gardens that connect the south wing and central.

“Where in the realm did you come from?” I ask, placing my hand over my racing heart.

Damn vampire stealth and hearing. I’m lucky to be alive.

“That is dramatic, Adored.”

Tanith snorts in my mind.

“Is it, though?”I ask sarcastically.

“I was coming to see if the two of you wanted to join Tanith and me for her morning flight actually. She must’ve called to the two of you,” Keeper says as he wraps me in a hug.

“We were coming to look for you. She didn’t call for us. We’re going to the healing wing and wanted to know if you’d join us. We could possibly use your help,” Draken tells him, clapping him on the shoulder as he releases me.

“Of course. Help with what?”

As Draken starts explaining to Keeper my dream and Trex’s condition this morning, I walk over to where Tanith is basking in the sun like a spoiled dragon princess.

“Good morning,”I say, laying my forehead to her snout.

“Morning, Adored. You look tired.”

“Thanks, Tanith. You’re supposed to say I’m glowing, radiant, beautiful, you know?”

“Of course you’re all those things, but you always are. Today, you look tired, so I informed you of such.”

I smile, shaking my head at her. The more time I’m around her, it’s obvious why she and Gaster get along so well. Take out their plethora of knowledge, I’m sure they’d still enjoy each other’s sassy-ass company.

“Appreciate it. Your impressions are getting stronger. I’m almost confident you really can read minds but aren’t telling us.”

“Unlike you, that isn’t an ability I’ll ever have, but you’re correct about the impressions. They are growing increasingly easier and more detailed. As yours should be. I believe my growth is because of the two of you, having my bonded back, and spending so much time in this land. The magic is so strong, I can see it.”

I nod along with her. I’ve seen the magic before as well and it is pure, powerful, and I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest that she can see it. The impression thing, she hit the nail on the head.

After Draken filled me in on everything they discussed the day he learned he could feed us his magic, my dragon has been a lot more vocal, if you will. It feels even easier than before to determine her wants and needs. She seems to completely settle now, knowing I understand her better.

“The guys are ready. Do you want us to transport with them or fly?” Draken asks, slinging his arm over my shoulder before greeting Tanith.

“Let’s fly. It isn’t a long trip, and it’ll give the guys time to get everyone together.”

“Sounds good,” he says with a huge smile and I know that’s what he wanted but was giving me the choice. So I chose what would make him happy.

It’s maybe seconds after that, the guys join us, giving me kisses bye before they transport out and we hit the skies.

Draken’s playful maneuvering and twining of our tails always get me going. The guys all want to pick about how I’m wild up here in my flights, but it’s most certainly Draken’s fault. He instigates the playfulness.

As we level out after a few moments of crazy twists and turns, my heart warms as I catch a glimpse of Keeper looking at us with the softest smile. It’s impossible for me to see him in the light I do the other vampires. All the horrors I know to be true, and the ones exaggerated by others, he just doesn’t fit that description. But there’s a nagging question that’s been in the back of my mind.

“May I ask you a question, Tanith?”

“Oh my, this is going to be good,”she says back, cutting me a look with her eyes.

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