He turned the water on and set all eight heads to flowing. With her still clutched in his arms, he shifted her to one arm with her feet dangling off the floor. He flipped on the row of lights above the broad mirror but turned the dimmer down low. He took her straight to the shower, fearing she was cold. He took long brisk steps as he carried her down the hall to his bedroom. He moved to the entrance, shoved the massive door aside, and once in the foyer slammed it shut behind him. “It’s daytime here,” she murmured through chattering teeth. His woman was completely nude, soaked, and shivering. The moment Medichi felt the front patio of his villa beneath his heavy battle sandals, he didn’t wait to speak with any of the warriors materializing around him. The vibration began, followed by the long, swift glide through nether-space.

She had dreamed of Antony’s home for weeks. She looked up into his face as he petted her cheek. A long roll of thunder powered over the land. That’s all that matters right now.”Īs Medichi rose and encircled her in his arms, lightning set his face aglow. He retreated into the mist when he saw Antony and the other warriors.

But as the powerful ripples that formed her wings from nothing began to settle into her muscles, Rith appeared at the top of the dome, his wings barely moving. They moved to form a protective circle all around her, facing outward, swords drawn in case the enemy attacked.Īt long last, her wings finally retracted. The warriors didn’t pay attention to her. She closed her eyes and with the wind whipping her wings around began what turned out to be a painfully slow process of bringing her wings into her back. She put her hands on his back, splaying her fingers. In the glow of each bolt of lightning, the scars of his back were visible, a sheet of silvery lines and ridges. When he set her on her feet and she begun unfurling her wings, he lowered himself to his knees, still facing her, and put his arms around her in order to shield her chest and support her against the wind and rain. He turned into her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers. She touched his cheek just to make sure he was real. Who cared? She was outside the prison she had endured for three months, and she was still alive. “I … I’m not wearing anything.” Then she laughed. “You have to draw your wings in before we can fold out of here.” Her nakedness was covered by her wings as he set her on the ground.

Wings of fire by caris roane