doors, looking out over the empty meadow. Her claws tapped against the glass, and Drorik came toward her carefully, opening the door for her.
She moved to the edge of the balcony and judged the distance to the ground.
“Wait there, Yval. I will get you to the ground.”
There was a surge of energy, and Yval squawked in surprise as talons picked her up by her arms, and she was soon soaring through the air.
She clawed frantically as panic overtook her, but as soon as she worked up a good yowl, he had put her down and her claws were finally in the grass.
Running wasn’t her best move, but the freedom to sprint along at low level and enjoy the scents of grass, clover, the sweet tang of berries pushed aside her awkwardness and turned it into pure joy.
The scent of meat came to her, and she growled, looking from left to right to find her target.
A tumble of red came from the sky and dropped down with an eagle on top. She crouched and snarled at him, but he leaned down, tore off a strip and tossed it to her.
She eased forward and ate the strip, enjoying the raw taste for the first time in years. When she had swallowed, she crept forward and he threw her another strip while enjoying his own meal. Piece by piece, she eased toward him until they were both eating from the roast at the same time.
She tugged the meat apart with her teeth, and he picked up the pieces she left for him. Their joint feeding did for Yval’s devil that the sex had done for Yval. She was used to his touch now, and he was more useful as a bringer of food than he was as an enemy.
With her belly round and her body exhausted, she waddled away from the shreds of meat left behind, and she collapsed happily on the grass.
Yval was back in her human form in seconds with the taste of raw meat in her mouth. Drorik’s eagle hopped over to her and rubbed his head against the hand she extended to him. “It figures. She has no manners. She shifts into a four-footed form, tries to jump off a balcony and then stuffs me full of food before letting me take over again. I suppose I got off easy.”
She had tears running down her face, and she was smiling.
Drorik shifted to his normal shape, and he rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “Happy?”
“She’s back. I am very happy.” She jumped him and threw her arms around his neck.
He was surprised for a moment before he stroked her back. “If you are happy, so I am.”
In her mind, her beast curled up and enjoyed the scent of its mate.
Chapter Seven
Yval stood next to Drorik after the ceremony. Her hands were still clenching and unclenching as her body fought the roiling energy inside her.
“So, do you want to take a few days to get used to the new power?”
Drorik put his arm around her waist, and he smiled at Teal. “No, we are able to practice at my home. The locals are used to shapeshifting and magic, so there won’t be too much of an issue if we slip up.”
Yval smiled up at him. “I promise to work on his snarling at men. He will get used to it soon. It is an unfortunate side effect of the new beast soul that he is carrying. Apologise to Tony for me.”
Tovin was standing nearby. “Welcome to the family, sister.”
Drorik’s body was suddenly pressed to hers, and she could feel him vibrating with tension.
“Thanks, Tovin. Are you staying here?”
“With my commander on leave, I don’t see me needed to be on duty any time soon. You still have over seven weeks to bang out, so to speak.” He smiled innocently and ruined it by cackling.
“You know, I used to think that the fey were all graceful and polite. I guess you defy all the rules.” She narrowed her eyes at him and smirked.
He sighed and looked to his brother. “She is really the one? You are going to have to put up with that mouth for the rest of your life.”
Drorik cuddled her against him. “She is definitely the one. She is my match in all ways. I wish you luck in finding your own.”
Yval stuck her tongue out
She moved to the edge of the balcony and judged the distance to the ground.
“Wait there, Yval. I will get you to the ground.”
There was a surge of energy, and Yval squawked in surprise as talons picked her up by her arms, and she was soon soaring through the air.
She clawed frantically as panic overtook her, but as soon as she worked up a good yowl, he had put her down and her claws were finally in the grass.
Running wasn’t her best move, but the freedom to sprint along at low level and enjoy the scents of grass, clover, the sweet tang of berries pushed aside her awkwardness and turned it into pure joy.
The scent of meat came to her, and she growled, looking from left to right to find her target.
A tumble of red came from the sky and dropped down with an eagle on top. She crouched and snarled at him, but he leaned down, tore off a strip and tossed it to her.
She eased forward and ate the strip, enjoying the raw taste for the first time in years. When she had swallowed, she crept forward and he threw her another strip while enjoying his own meal. Piece by piece, she eased toward him until they were both eating from the roast at the same time.
She tugged the meat apart with her teeth, and he picked up the pieces she left for him. Their joint feeding did for Yval’s devil that the sex had done for Yval. She was used to his touch now, and he was more useful as a bringer of food than he was as an enemy.
With her belly round and her body exhausted, she waddled away from the shreds of meat left behind, and she collapsed happily on the grass.
Yval was back in her human form in seconds with the taste of raw meat in her mouth. Drorik’s eagle hopped over to her and rubbed his head against the hand she extended to him. “It figures. She has no manners. She shifts into a four-footed form, tries to jump off a balcony and then stuffs me full of food before letting me take over again. I suppose I got off easy.”
She had tears running down her face, and she was smiling.
Drorik shifted to his normal shape, and he rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “Happy?”
“She’s back. I am very happy.” She jumped him and threw her arms around his neck.
He was surprised for a moment before he stroked her back. “If you are happy, so I am.”
In her mind, her beast curled up and enjoyed the scent of its mate.
Chapter Seven
Yval stood next to Drorik after the ceremony. Her hands were still clenching and unclenching as her body fought the roiling energy inside her.
“So, do you want to take a few days to get used to the new power?”
Drorik put his arm around her waist, and he smiled at Teal. “No, we are able to practice at my home. The locals are used to shapeshifting and magic, so there won’t be too much of an issue if we slip up.”
Yval smiled up at him. “I promise to work on his snarling at men. He will get used to it soon. It is an unfortunate side effect of the new beast soul that he is carrying. Apologise to Tony for me.”
Tovin was standing nearby. “Welcome to the family, sister.”
Drorik’s body was suddenly pressed to hers, and she could feel him vibrating with tension.
“Thanks, Tovin. Are you staying here?”
“With my commander on leave, I don’t see me needed to be on duty any time soon. You still have over seven weeks to bang out, so to speak.” He smiled innocently and ruined it by cackling.
“You know, I used to think that the fey were all graceful and polite. I guess you defy all the rules.” She narrowed her eyes at him and smirked.
He sighed and looked to his brother. “She is really the one? You are going to have to put up with that mouth for the rest of your life.”
Drorik cuddled her against him. “She is definitely the one. She is my match in all ways. I wish you luck in finding your own.”
Yval stuck her tongue out
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