Page 34 of Virgo Queen
My entire being is riveted on my mates.
Mallory angles her flight away from the soap opera playing out on our front porch. In breathless silence, she soars toward the dark tangle of forest that lurks behind ourdomus.That’s a strategic choice. A Mallory choice. A smart choice that keeps her invisible to the bystanders out front.
In fact, I get the very strong sense she doesn’t wanna be noticed.
At all.
Of course, thatmodus operandi, when you’re Mallory McSnicker, is nothing new.
I break into a jog along the cliff and beeline toward the forest like I’m pulled on a towline. I’m only wearing my shitkickers and a pair of leather pants, but I’mÍslendingar, for Freyja’s sake. I can handle this mild Mediterranean winter.
I gain the concealment of the trees right as Mallory spirals through a low sweeping descent and alights on an open patch of earth. The minute their feet hit the ground, Jean-Emilien scrambles out of her arms, then whirls around to face her.
“Mallory,chere…” he breathes, more or less human, but husky with shock. “You… how…?”
I don’t bother with thehey how are ya’s. I shove roughly through a tangle of skeletal branches right into the grove, throw my arms tight around both of them, and drag them hard against my chest with a growl. I breathe in deep and fill my lungs with their familiar scents of patchouli and moss and soft spring rain. Jae’s half-naked form is sandwiched between us like an accordion.
Fokk,we’re all half-naked.
My ripped shirt barely clings to Mallory’s front. Under my desperate hands, both my mates are icy to the touch, shivering with adrenaline and nerves. I’m determined to protect the hell outta both of them.
The downy softness of Mallory’s wings tickles my arms. Over Jean-Emilien’s bent head (because he’s scenting her neck and hair with protective fervor), her wary eyes meet mine.
By starlight, those wide eyes of hers aren’t gray anymore. They’re pure silver.
Just like her wings.
“Hjartfólgin.What are you?” I breathe, gently, like she’s a sparrow I could startle into flight.
“No one can ever know,” she says, just as softly. Her shimmering gaze searches my face like a spotlight. “I mean it.”
“Ah,chere.” Jae stops frantically scenting her neck long enough to voice a breathless chuckle. “Who will we tell? Who would ever believe,oui?”
“I know how to keep a secret,” I say gruffly, because isn’t that the truth. “Pretty sure right now the whole school’s one hundred percent focused on the fighting dragons in our front yard.”
“Right.” She sighs. “Dragon shifters in a rage beat my new power-of-flight parlor trick hands down. But it’s nothing Zara can’t handle.”
Mallory’s wings fold gently against her back. With a rustle, the feathers melt into the tattooed skin of her back and vanish.
Her entire body sags with exhaustion. Now the adrenaline rush is easing, she’s crashing hard. Jean-Emilien too.
He almost fuckingdied.
If he did, he woulda taken my heart with him.
My arms clench around both of them, biceps flexing, until Mallory squeaks. I know I’m crushing them, but I physically can’t bring myself to ease up.
Hel.I coulda lost them. I came so fucking close to losing them.
Jae shifts his weight so he can wrap one arm around me and one around Mallory. After a careful pause, her delicate limbs fold hesitantly around both of us.
Clearly, she’s afraid we’re gonna push her away.
Likethat’shappening.
Ever.
But we’ll deal with our whole relationship—because the three of us definitely have one, whatever thefokkshe’s thinking—later.
