by Mel Teshco
Her heart sank. Of course. Once she was in the air with Steele, no car would be able to follow them.
After entering gates similar to the ones Saul had installed at his property—her property—the driver turned onto a barely discernable road, leaving the driver of the car behind them with no choice but to stay on the main road.
Zahlee leaned back, about ready to cry. It was patently obvious now. She’d never see Saul again. She’d never kiss his lips or touch his face, never be witness to the adoration shining in his eyes. Never watch him grow old.
Steele appraised her, his face brooding. His driver maneuvered the narrow lane that took them ever upward to a high summit. From there, they would leave the car and driver behind and use their wings to glide most of the way home.
Her chest ached. Home? She didn’t even know where that was anymore.
After thirty or forty minutes steadily climbing, they turned onto the summit boasting three-hundred-sixty degree views. Steele nodded thanks to the driver and then they were standing alone on the ridge, turning to watch the retreating car’s brake lights come on at a corner and then disappear from sight.
She turned back. A breeze played through her hair, bringing with it the scents of home—wild honey, eucalyptus, wattle and earth.
Steele placed a hand on her shoulder, his expression grave. “I know this might not feel as though you’ve done the right thing, but in time—”
“I’ll love Saul more than ever,” she burst out. She closed her eyes. Despite Steele’s wrongdoing, she didn’t want to hurt him too. She’d done more than enough hurting in her lifetime. But she hated him for taking all choice away from her.
She stiffened at the sound of an approaching helicopter. Steele turned simultaneously as she did at the black speck that grew ever larger on the horizon.
Steele’s muscles bunched. “What the hell is this?”
Hope burst into full bloom as she stared at the shape growing in the sky, a smile spreading across her face. Saul! It was him. He’d had one of his men follow for a reason.
Minutes later a chopper landed, its blades whirring through the air. At the sight of the pilot her heart melted. “Saul,” she whispered, his name whipped away by the rotors.
Steele wouldn’t be going anywhere now, not without taking the risk of leading Saul into Triskellon territory. Oh. My. God. Had Saul set this whole thing up from the moment Steele had stated his intent?
Saul cut the engine and as the rotors slowed he opened the door and jumped out. Head ducked low, he moved fluidly toward them, to her.
His hands clasped her forearms, his gray eyes appearing even darker in his ashen face. “Zee, I wasn’t ever going to let you leave me, not ever again. You know that, right?” he said above the blades’ noisy rotation. “
Her jaw ached from the grin she hadn’t been able to contain from the moment she’d seen the helicopter. “It just occurred to me,” she conceded weakly.
He looked his age just then, looked about ready to break. “Zee, I need you.”
Oh, Saul.
As the rotors finally slowed and stopped, Steele raked a hand over his face, heaving a fitful sigh. “It kills me to admit it, but you two really do belong together.”
Zahlee’s chest restricted. Caution restrained the joy threatening to expose itself as she turned to Steele. “We do.”
Steele nodded, his expression detached. But as he tugged off his jacket and unclipped the buttons on his shirt, his hands were noticeably unsteady. “Then be happy. Go home with your lover.”
Home. She knew now exactly where that was.
She glanced over to Saul. His eyes shone with love, with joy and relief. But he held back, clearly all too aware that things were unresolved.
Steele shrugged free of his shirt. His eyes locked with hers and began to redden. His face contorted with pain as his transformation into gargoyle began. He hadn’t needed to change into human and back into gargoyle for a very long time. The elongation and stretching of his muscles, bones and skin would be near unbearable.
As Steele dropped to his knees, his huge, leathery wings draping from his spine, she clambered onto her knees beside him. This was not the time to ask after his well-being. She had too much at stake. Too much to lose. “Steele, you’re so right. Saul and I do belong together. But I can’t abandon my son. Not again.”
Steele looked up. His chest rose and fell sharply as he sucked in air from the exertion of change. But his large hand that moved to cup beneath her chin was so very gentle when he said, “You’ll see him soon enough. He came to find his mother and I won’t hold him back. Not anymore.”
Her vision swam. “Thank you.”
His nod was almost imperceptible as he climbed to his feet. He looked down at her, his big body with his huge wings silhouetted by the darkening sky. “Zahlee, my feelings haven’t changed. When you need me, you know where to find me.”
Turning and spreading his massive wings, he leaped into the air, into flight.
Saul moved to stand beside her. And as Steele disappeared into the distance of the vista spread out before them, she turned to face Saul. “Have I ever told you…I love you?”
About the Author
Mel Teshco lives in rural Australia with too many animals, too many children and not enough hours in the day to write!
Her loving husband is in training as a real-life hero and waits patiently to retire on the success of his wife’s writing.
Mel welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Mel Teshco
Carnal Moon
Discovering Sofia
Galactic Burn
Kallie Revealed
Moon Thrall
Winged & Dangerous 1: Stone-Cold Lover
Winged & Dangerous 2: Ice-Cold Lover
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