Page 93 of Between Soul and Vessel
I couldn’t help myself.
It didn’t matter if the next group of riders were coming for us. It didn’t matter if she had just revealed to me that she had some long-lost sister. All that mattered was her.
When she tried to pull back, I bit her bottom lip, forcing her to stay connected to me. A low, possessive growl emitted from deep within my chest, the sound more animal than man.
No, I spoke firmly through the bond, even though I knew she couldn’t hear me—something I would rectify the first chance I got. I kissed her again and again, her lips so soft, so plush against mine. She was heaven and earth and everything in between. And I couldn’t get enough.
As I kissed her, my left hand faced down, and a shadow chain shot from it, faster than a bolt of lightning. When it wrapped around the gryphon’s leg, there was a slight tug, briefly jerking us down, but my wings held firm, keeping us suspended in the air.
This time when she broke the kiss, I let her. She looked down, eyes searching.
“Folkoln’s got her, and I’ve got the gryphon,” I reassured her. “But most importantly,I’ve gotyou.”
Beautiful blue eyes returned to mine. Creator above, how I had missed those eyes. How I had missedher.
“You bastard,” Sage whispered, her brows pressed firmly together. Then, her expression softened. “What tookyou so long?”
I looked at her in disbelief, an amused grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Out ofeverything, that’s what you have to say to me?” I teased, unable to help myself.
Her eyes filled with emotion, one I knew well—regret. “Von, I’m so sorry about—”
“No,” I interjected. “That can come later. Right now, all that matters is that you are in my arms. Breathing and alive. We’ll figure out the rest.”
A low-pitched roar emitted from above us. It was the sound of a stallion letting out a final warning before battle. Our faces jerked upward. A winged horse flared its nostrils as its rider charged straight for us. Five more riders behind it.
Six azure daggers, made from densely packed water molecules, formed around us. They shot forth, five of them finding their mark. The rider who managed to dodge the one corrected her altered course and started for us. Sage conjured another dagger, sending it straight for her. The horse swerved to the side at the command of its rider, but it wasn’t fast enough, and Sage’s dagger chewed into the rider’s thigh.
She let out a scream, falling off her mount, and plummeting to the earth below. The horse chased after her, wings flapping, neck straining.
“Impressive,” I said to my mate, unable to keep myself from placing another kiss on her lips.
Softly, her fingers traced the length of my cheekbone. “How many nights I dreamed of touching this face.” Theydrifted over my mouth. “These lips.”
I leaned into her touch. Savoring every second of it. Of her.
“Hey, lovebirds, we’ve got company,” Fallon, now in her raven form, hissed from beside us.
I sighed, looking at the next wave of warriors coming for us, swords raised.Fools. The lot of them. Wings powering up, I flew us closer to the ground, allowing for the gryphon to be placed against it first. My shadows disappeared and I descended the rest of the way.
After we landed, I stole one more moment with Sage.
I brushed my thumb over her bottom lip. “I’ll be back for these shortly.”
I let her go and took to the sky, conjuring Death Weaver.
Sage
Agust of air crafted from the powerful downthrust of Von’s incredible wings sent my hair twirling as he shot from the ground. In his wake, amber and sandalwood clung to me, wrapping me in his rich, masculine scent. I had missed the smell of him so much.
Missedhimso much.
Vatara let out a small noise, and I rushed to her side. I ran my hand over her beak, petting her. “Lift your wing for me and let me see.”
Slowly, she did as I asked. I brushed my hands along her neck, stroking her softly as I moved down to her lifted wing.
Walking under it, I ran my hand through her silky feathers, feeling for the arrow. Finally, I found it. In comparison to the massive wing, four times the size of me, the arrow didn’t look much bigger than a sliver, but it waswhere it had landed that impacted the gryphon’s ability to fly. It was right at the elbow joint.
Gently, I wrapped my hand around it. Her watchful eyes connected with mine, and I said, “I’m going to remove it now. This might hurt.”
