Feather, Fur and Fey Read online

  The pressure of his body against hers brought her griffin roaring to the surface. She threaded her fingers through his hair and turned him, pressing him against the nearest wide tree.

  She felt her wings erupt from her back, and she flapped them to apply more pressure and hold him where she wanted him.

  She held him to her with one hand and the other moved between them to take hold of his erection to stroke lightly.

  His groan made her smile, and she nipped his lower lip. Her tongue roughened as she bent her head to lick his neck. There was a slight tang of salt on his skin, and she pursued it while she used her tongue to explore the tattoo collar that covered him from shoulder to shoulder.

  She could feel the ridges under her lips and tongue as she moved across it, across him from shoulder to shoulder and then down his chest.

  “As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, your skin is getting cold. You need to get inside where it is warm.”

  She flapped her wings a few times to increase her blood flow. She went from cool to warm in seconds. “Better?”

  “You have wings.”

  She paused and leaned back, removing her hand from his erection. “You have no idea what a griffin is.”

  “Beast and bird.”

  She grinned. “Come on, I will show you.”

  She led him out of the woods and back to the meadow. She shifted completely and shook her head as the feathers and fur settled.

  She opened her beak, and her voice came out, gravelly and soft but understandable. “Get on my back.”

  His head was near her shoulder, so it took some climbing for him to get settled.

  “What do I hold onto?”

  “There are thick feathers low on my neck.”

  He gripped those feathers and settled easily. “How can you be speaking?”

  She clacked her beak. “I am really not. It is part of the magic of the mythological shifters. Griffins, dragons, simurgh, we all speak while fully shifted by putting the thoughts into the mind of our conversational partner. You think you hear me, so you hear me.”

  “So you are not transmitting thought, but the thought of sound.”

  “Correct. Most don’t grasp the difference. Now, hold tight.” She took a few long strides and launched herself into the night sky.

  She felt his hands pull on her feathers as she pumped her wings heavily, scooping air as she hauled them skyward.

  Maki got high enough to ride the air currents and was thankful once again that the Crossroads were designed by a dragon. Only another airborne beast could understand her need to fly.

  She took him on a tour of the Crossroads, as only another flyer would ever see it.

  The cluster of buildings was tight, but the wild area was expanding as she could view it. It was wider since her last visit, and there was a lake coming into being next to a mountain range.

  She inhaled and sneezed. The lake was salt water. She could taste it. There were small houses next to the lake in a variety of phases of completion. She wheeled again and took in the mountains and the small house built into the stone; from there, she swept into the valley and noted the river taking shape.

  She could see additional construction on the other side of the Crossroads but dawn was creeping upward and she was not sure of how well Uhrl would take to sunlight.

  Instead of returning to the cabana, she landed in the back of the Open Heart.

  “I don’t know how fond you are of daylight, but you are welcome to use the back door to return to your rooms. Someone will bring your clothing back later today.”

  The moment he dismounted, she resumed human form.

  “Would you join me for a cup of coffee?” He offered her his arm.

  “Certainly. Can you smell that? Teebie is already working on breakfast.”

  “Shall we go inside? My skin does not react well to sunlight.”

  She sighed and looked longingly at the pink of the dawn. “Let’s go inside. I can come out later and bask in a sunbeam.”

  Chapter Six

  Teebie glanced at them and wrapped them in fabric. Uhrl got a kilt and Maki a sarong.

  “Good morning, Aunty.” Teebie came up and kissed Maki on the cheek.

  “Good morning, child. You are looking rested.” Maki winked.

  “I am feeling rested. One of my guests didn’t return, and I was told that he was ejected. Good. He had a creepy vibe about him.”

  Uhrl inclined his head and put his arm around Maki’s waist. “His behaviour was unsuitable. He was here for power, not for a mate.”

  “Fair enough. I sent his bags to the Meditation Centre and that was the last of my involvement. So, coffee? Or would you prefer to get some rest?”

  Maki smiled. “Both. You know me; if I am tired nothing keeps me awake.”

  “Coming up. Have a seat in the dining room. The other drow that came in is with his companion upstairs, and I doubt I will see him until much later.”

  Maki grinned. “Sparks?”

  “Lots of them. You two seem to crackle against each other where you are touching. Should I check the surge protectors?”

  Maki hadn’t even noticed. Her body reacted to every little touch that passed between them; the energy was just part of it.

  “It might not be a bad idea. I would hate to blow out the circuits.” Maki winked.

  Uhrl escorted her to the dining room and held her chair as she sat. “What is she referring to?”

  “When the fey and their shifter first mate, it causes a certain power output. That output has an effect on the lights and appliances. The more ideal the match, the stronger the reaction.”

  He sat next to her, and she looked at his chest and the white pattern that stood out on the skin. His arms had the same wide bands between the elbow and wrist.

  “What does the design on your chest mean?”

  “That I am the eldest son of my family.”

  “Your arms?”

  “That I was a drow knight in service to the king and I commanded one hundred other knights.”

  He pointed to the small glyphs inside the wide design that told the tale.

  “And now you run a business.”

  “It was easier to control heavily armed knights.” He smiled.

  She snickered and asked another question. “Why the aversion to daylight?”

  “It is to light or heat. We can’t regulate our body temperature, and our skin absorbs heat with a rather single-minded purpose. We pass out and burn.” He shrugged. “After the first time, you get very good at planning your day.”

  She winced. “Well, if we go through balancing, that might change your reaction to sunlight. I love it. If the ceremony messes with my love of sunlight, I will make your life a living hell.”

  “You are very sure that we are going to go through with this.”

  Coffee floated in and settled in front of each of them. A muffin landed between them.

  Surprised, Maki stared into his red eyes. “You are not?”

  “I am unsure. It seems too easy.”

  She broke the muffin in half and handed him half before biting into hers. She mumbled. “Easy my ass. This is my third time here, and they are more than willing to keep mailing my ass to the Crossroads in an effort to fix me up. If you are not my match, I am not going to find one. I have known it was you since that first night.”

  Cream and sugar floated in, and she doctored her coffee according to her mood.

  “I am not insulting you; I have been on my own since the middle ages. Lovers have come and gone but none have made their way into my heart.”

  Maki was hurt. “If that is how you feel, then we should—”

  “Until now. You showed me yourself without asking for anything. No gifts, no courtship, no games. You let me see your world as you see it without asking or expecting anything. That is not something I have experienced before.”

  She blushed. “I just wanted you to understand how I see the world. Day or night only changes my access to certain m
agics; the world beneath me is always at my disposal.”

  “When we return to the human world, I want to show you the tunnels and the world beneath.” He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles.

  She twisted her lips in amusement. “Eat your half of the muffin or I will.”

  His other hand lifted the muffin to his mouth, and he took a bite. He dropped her hand in favour of focusing on the muffin.

  She laughed then sipped at her coffee. “They are the highlight of my visits, aside from being with Teebie herself.”

  “Why do you have a bond with her?”

  “Her bloodline contains a griffin. My griffin carries the memories of all who came before her. Every descendant resonates with me, every child, grandchild and so on. If they have griffin in their blood, I know it, and since griffins rarely—if ever—mate with another shifter, I find the bloodlines in the strangest places. I have to protect them all.”

  She saw the realization on his features before he said it. “Your friends. The party. They were all descended from griffins.”

  “Each and every one of them. They are attracted to a new griffin; they will always move to be near them, and they will never know why.”

  “So, the griffin is a static soul?”

  Maki nodded. “A singular consciousness that waits until it is needed, and then, it enters the world via a shifter family. It is a true random shifter; it chooses its host.”

  “Would you get in trouble for telling me this if we didn’t mate?” He sipped at his coffee.

  “Nope. My status as griffin allows me certain latitudes. If I blurted it out in the middle of a mall and then changed shape... then, I would have an issue.”

  She finished her coffee and yawned. “That said, I think talking is done for the day. I am exhausted.”

  “May I escort you to your room?” He rose to his feet and pulled back her chair as she stood.

  “Please, though if I know Teebie, she has already adjoined our rooms.”

  Teebie’s voice floated in. “Ten minutes ago. Sleep well, Maki.”

  Maki held onto Uhrl’s arm as they mounted the steps and walked toward her room. She wouldn’t doubt that Teebie had put a sedative in either the coffee or the muffin. The djinn didn’t like it when Maki didn’t get enough rest.

  “You are crashing hard.”

  She nodded. “I am. This isn’t like me.”

  “Perhaps you have been up longer than you thought.”

  “Or the transport here took more energy than I planned on.”

  They paused by her door, and it swung open at her touch.

  A few steps inside proved that there was indeed a connecting room attached where none had been before.

  She stumbled to her bed and sat down. “Well, this is a bit of a let-down. I had hoped to crawl all over you and then do it again.”

  He helped her slide between the sheets, and he stroked her hair. “A worthy goal for another night. I will see you when you wake.”

  He pressed a kiss to her forehead, one to her cheek and a slow kiss to her lips.

  Maki kissed him back until warm darkness pulled her under.

  * * * *

  Uhrl felt a curl of guilt go through him, but he didn’t want his private time with Maki to end so soon. Using his magic to shadow her mind had been easy once she had mentioned her attachment to daylight.

  She had a lineage that spanned longer than his, and he needed to learn about her. If Teebie was descended from a griffin, she would have records or stories about them. All he needed to do was get dressed and return to the main floor. He had research to do, and he wanted some time to do it. Knocking Maki out had been his only chance.

  * * * *

  Teebie woke her up with the clatter of a tray and the scent of herbal tea. “Come on, Aunty. You have slept long enough.”

  Maki woke, and her mind was crystal clear, not at all what she was expecting. “What happened?”

  “Based on what occurred right after you went to lie down, your drow knocked you out. He wanted to learn about the griffins, and I think it made him come to a decision.”

  Maki sat up and reached for the cup and saucer that Teebie was holding out to her.

  “If he does that again, I am going to trace the design on his chest with my beak.”

  Teebie grinned. “Well, he is asleep right now, so I am sure you could have your way with him.”

  “Not until I brush my teeth. Bleah. Coffee breath.”

  “Hence the herbal tea.” Teebie winked.

  “Bring me the sandwich and I might not remember that on your birthday.”

  The sandwich floated over and settled on the coverlet next to her.

  “What was he interested in?”

  “The relationships of the griffin and how she dies.” Teebie cleared her throat. “He focused on that.”

  “Of course he did. Once he knew that the griffin recycled itself over the generations, he knew that she died. I am imagining he was not a fan.” She winced.

  “He was not, but he looked very determined when he came upstairs.”

  Maki ate her sandwich and washed it down with the tea. “Good. I just have enough time to roll around in that sunbeam over there before he will rise. Here, I thought I would already be mated and on my way home.”

  “I am glad you have stayed, but I want you to find someone.” Teebie got to her feet. “Talk to you later.”

  Maki didn’t see her leave, but when she got out of bed, Teebie was gone.

  She wandered over to the sunny spot in her room and sat in the sunlight, drinking it in through her skin.

  Her body turned the light into magic, and the whole world felt brighter.

  When she felt fully charged, she brushed her teeth, dropped her sarong and walked to the connecting door. Whether he was having second thoughts or not, she wasn’t and this was all about her. Her griffin wanted her mate.

  Chapter Seven

  His room was filled with shadows, but his bed was right where it should be. She found him in the darkness and sat at his side, admiring the contrast between his natural colour and the markings on his skin.

  “Were you just going to stare, or were you going to take advantage of me?” His coal-bright eyes opened.

  “I thought I would wait. There are so many accusations of coercion out there today. I wanted to make sure that you were awake and willing. No sense in forcing my attentions on the unwilling.”

  His erection tented the blankets over him. Part of him was willing.

  He sat up and flipped back his bedding. “I am willing.”

  She looked down the expanse of his chest that lead to the pillar of his erection. She reached out and curled her hand into a fist, pulling her hand back.

  He smiled. “You don’t want me?”

  “I don’t want you passive; I want you participating.”

  She sighed and turned away from him. It was too bad that he seemed content to let her lead.

  Arms wrapped around her, and she was pulled onto him. He grunted as she fell.

  He kissed her and then whispered, “I wanted to see how far you would go.”

  “It is fun to want someone, but it is better to be wanted in return.” She whispered it in reply, loving the sparks that flew between their lips.

  He nuzzled her cheek and whispered in her ear. “Wanting you is done; I am going to have you.”

  Her beast loved the way that sounded, and she squirmed against him for maximum contact with his cool skin.

  The sparks between them pricked at her skin. He flipped her to her back and rubbed his body against hers while she twisted against him.

  Power built between them like an increasing static charge. When Uhrl reached between them and stroked her sex, seeking the opening, a jolt ran from his fingers into her core.

  She heard her cry of surprise, but it wasn’t pain that caused the reaction. Pleasure seared through her from the inside out.

  Uhrl’s eyes glowed, and he bent his head to nibble at her neck before he
brought his teeth into the mix. His fingers moved steadily inside her as he bit at her shoulder.

  She felt her magic surge to her skin and containment snapped in a bright wave of energy. Her orgasm lit the room while she thrashed against his hand.

  He waited until she stilled and then began to move his fingers within her again. While his hand slowly thrust and his fingers curved to explore inside her, he leaned over her breasts and took each nipple into his mouth in turn.

  Maki’s senses were overwhelmed with fire, cool skin and electric caresses. She dug her hands into the bedding next to her and heard the fabric part.

  Whether it was eagle or lion claws didn’t matter, she wasn’t going to grab him while she was out of control.

  He pulled his fingers from her and circled her clit with the pad of his thumb.

  She gasped, and her hips started to rise and fall with his motions.

  When he finally set the head of his cock against her, she sighed in relief before gasping at his inward thrust.

  Instead of an electric tracing, St. Elmo’s fire rippled across them as he moved against her, and she rose to greet him.

  They rocked and thrust against each other, fire coated them and clung, waking nerves and sending electric caresses to places rarely touched.

  His tattoos glowed brightly with blinding white energy in contrast to the blue surrounding them.

  When her beast started to commit to the mating, Maki’s light swirled with gold.

  Uhrl stroked her clit again, and the tension in his expression showed his controlled focus. Maki met his gaze with her own as the power rushed, tangled and released throughout the room.

  She shrieked, Uhrl shouted and power blazed out between them.

  Bedding caught fire for a moment, lamps melted and Teebie was going to kill her. Maki smiled. It was totally worth it.

  She snuffed the last of the fire with a flick of magic. Uhrl was lying on top of her, his head against the pillow next to her. She touched his hair slowly, stroking it when he didn’t pull away.

  He mumbled against her skin. “If we lose that by balancing, I don’t want to formalize anything.”