Page 96 of Shifter Marked and Claimed

I nodded and quickly accepted the items. The snow pants were big, but not enough to slip into with boots on. Vedar watched me with amusement as I took turns hopping on one foot to dress myself. When I was finally done, though, I felt confident I wouldn’t freeze as quickly.

He tugged me into his arms and tried to rub his cheek against mine. The goggles got in the way, and he growled slightly.

Grinning, I tipped my head back to look up at him.

“We’re going to need to wait on the holding and rubbing until after I’m out of these clothes.”

A click-storm erupted from him.

“Yes. You will swim with me in the pools without your silly human clothes. Your skin will rub against mine.” A growl erupted. “Yes.”

I swallowed hard. “That didn’t come out the way I meant it to. Let’s focus on rescuing Chloe before Zoe completely freaks out.”

He stepped away from me and changed his form, his gaze never leaving me. The moment the spines formed on his back, I didn’t wait for his invitation to climb aboard. He clicked gently under me as I settled into place.

“No clicking,” I warned before tucking my chin into my jacket.

He chuckled and jumped into the air, eliciting another squeal from me.

The clothes helped keep me warm enough that he could fly faster, and when I ducked low between his spines, the wind barely touched me.

Snow-covered trees rushed by in a blur beneath us, a beautiful landscape blanketed in silence. I was in awe that this was the view he enjoyed each time he took flight. The freedom of it called to my soul, and I could have flown for hours, happy to explore from my perch on Vedar’s back. An ache filled my chest at the realization that Vedar was mine just as much as I was his and that I might be able to do this again and again.

My gloved hand brushed over Vedar’s scales in appreciation of the beautiful creature he was, and he briefly clicked.

“When we are home, my treasure, you will touch me again,” he said into the wind.

Right. Focus.

With the goggles on I was able to keep my gaze fixed on the horizon, watching for New York’s telltale glow.

It didn’t take long before I saw it in the distance. My stomach twisted with fear and uncertainty. It’d been weeks since I’d seen the city. So much had changed since Zoe and I had run away from Joey. He’d sent creatures to get us. If anything, that showed he was more determined than ever to pull us, kicking and screaming, into the fate he had planned. And that terrified me. Not enough to stay hidden away in Vedar’s house while Joey beat Chloe, but it still terrified me.

Vedar turned his head and looked back at me then started to set down a good distance from the city.

“I’m not cold,” I yelled, patting his back. “Keep going.”

He climbed upward once more, his golden eyes pinning me with a long stare before I focused on the city ahead.

Instead of landing in the suburbs, he climbed higher, exhaling a line of smoke as he flew. I grinned, imagining how it might look from below. How many people would look up at the night sky and think we were a weird looking airplane?

“I can’t tell where we are,” I called out, staring at the houses far below. I rattled off Chloe’s address, and he veered to the left. The properties went from nice yards to almost no yards at all. The houses were still nice enough, though.

The smoke cover he exhaled grew thicker around us as he descended in a slow spiral. Unlike the prior landing, he shifted into a man before we touched down and caught me in his arms.

“I’m not a fan of that landing method,” I said.

He simply plucked my goggles off and started rubbing his cheek against mine.

“I felt your fear. You are safe, Kelsey.”

With a sigh, I rubbed back, relishing the smooth feel of his skin while breathing in his scent. His arms tightened around me when I trailed my nose down the column of his throat.

“Why do you smell so good?” I whispered against the base of his neck.

He chuckled and clicked at the same time.

“We are bound. As such, you desire the one who will care for you like no other…Love you like no other.”

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