“Corrina?” That soft, warm touch was back, brushing over the surface of my thoughts. The tension between my shoulder blades disappeared. “What’s wrong?”
Not wanting to worry him, I asked, “Why do you call me Corrina? No one does. Not even my mom.”
Another brush of warmth and peace moved through my head. “Because it’s as beautiful as you are.” Embarrassment vibrated down the link.
I smiled into the water from the shower.
“I’m on my way back now.”
“Did you get the car?” I started showering again.
“I’ll fucking steal one later. I don’t want to leave you alone that long.”
My cheeks warmed as he broke off the connection.
I finished up my shower and got dressed. Everything was a jumble in my head. Falk, hellhound, mates, and last night… I pulled on the long sweater. One thing at a time. I opened the bathroom door.
Falk was just closing the room door as he held up a bag. “I brought breakfast. Waffles and sausage.”
Hell, marry him now.
Falk
Finally, after driving all day from Atlanta, we made it to St. Louis. The weather was getting worse. Thick storm clouds covered the sky, making it twilight all day. The wind had eased up a bit the further north we went, but we hit the snow. Reports of road closures were going to make it tricky to get back to Chicago, but we had no choice.
Even with all of that, it was still the best eight and a half hours of my long life. I was able to utilize the telepathic link between us to talk to her while driving. She usually answered out loud, which should have been odd or awkward but was instead familiar and relaxing. As if we’d been doing it for months
Finally, after following the directions from Rina, who had the physical map, since GPS wasn’t working—we got lost three times—I pulled up to the curb. Dried ivy clung to the brick house while several plants were covered by plastic for the winter. But from the amount of plants and the setup, it would be stunning in the spring. Yelling sounded from the house. A kid came barreling around the corner in a snowsuit, laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe. A taller kid rounded the corner and threw a snowball. It hit the first kid in the back of the head. Laughing hysterically, he fell into the snow and kept laughing. I smiled as I remembered doing the same thing to my brother Vano.
The taller kid ran up and hit the other one with another. “That’s for Maddie!”
The front door opened. A woman with olive skin, in a wool sweater with a scarf-covered head came outside and crossed her arms over her chest as she shouted, “William! Richard! Get your sisters and come in for dinner!”
“Okay, Momma!” the tallest called back as he ran towards the back of the house. The smaller boy got up and hurried through the plants to the small front porch. The kid ran inside while the woman turned her head to look at the car
We got out and started towards the picket fence. She walked down the walkway and met us at the gate.
“Can I help you?” she asked. She was stunning. A lovely face with high cheekbones and long lashes. Bright-green eyes watched me carefully.
“Evelyn Dalca sent us,” Rina announced as she stepped up beside me.
I kept my gaze on the female. Gorgons were notorious for being as deadly as they were beautiful.
She smiled with warmth. “How is she?”
“In trouble,” Rina admitted.
Her smile disappeared. “Come in, please.” She opened the gate and turned to lead us up the small walkway. She showed us into a quaint foyer and then into a small family room where the younger boy was pulling off his shoes.
“Richard, darling, dinner is on the table. Tell your brothers and sisters to help themselves,” she said. “Your father is already there, so don’t even think of starting without them.”
The kid grinned, left his shoes on the floor, and hurried out of the room.
She turned to us. “I’m Cali. And you are?”
“Oh, sorry, I’m Rina.” She held her hand out to her. “This is Falk. I work for Evie in her bookstore.”
She eyed me before she shook Rina’s hand gingerly, then gestured for us to take a seat. “It’s nice to meet you. Now, what’s happened to Evelyn?”
“I only got bits and pieces.” Rina sat down while I stayed standing as she explained what she remembered from the short connection she had with her. That Evie was poisoned, and didn’t notice in time to counter it. Now time was running out.
Cali sighed. “That really isn’t much to go on.”
“Tell me about it,” Rina muttered. Down the link, I could feel how tired she was. She needed to get some sleep in the car after this.
“Your blood,” Rina stated simply. “From your left side.”
Cali nodded. “I expected so.” She got to her feet and went to a small desk and began going through drawers. “Did she tell you why?”
Rina didn’t answer. I signed for her without thinking.
Warm thanks radiated through the link as she answered, “No, we didn’t have much time.”
“Graham. Could you give me a hand?” Cali pulled a syringe and vial from a drawer, then moved back to the armchair.
A tall, silver-haired man walked in, wearing a sweater vest. “What do you need, bunny?”
Bunny? Did he just call a gorgon bunny?
Cali smiled. “Evelyn needs my blood.”
Graham turned to Rina. “Well, Evelyn has changed.”
Rina grinned while Cali chuckled.
“This is Rina,” Cali explained with a smile.
“Nice to meet you.” Graham moved to his wife’s side and knelt down in front of her. “The left, I imagine?” He began to tie a strip of rubber around her arm.
“It seems she’s been poisoned,” Cali said as Graham found a vein.
Graham shook his head. “That woman takes on too much.” He inserted the needle into her arm.
“If she didn’t, I wouldn’t be here,” Cali pointed out.
Graham grinned. “That is true. And that would be a travesty.”
They smiled at each other; it was warm, full of shared secrets and time. I found Rina with a small smile of her own as she watched them. Would we get there someday?
Graham undid the strip of rubber, finished drawing her blood, pressed a ball of cotton to the spot and removed the needle. As Cali pressed down on her arm, Graham filled the vial with blood.
“Momma!” a child’s voice called from the hallway. A little girl around four years old slid into the room on her socks. Her green eyes were bright against her olive skin. She was a beautiful child, but what caught my attention was the bright-green vipers that hung to her shoulders instead of hair. She held one limp snake on the backs of her fingers as her lips trembled.
“What is it, baby?” Cali asked as she scooted forward in her chair. Graham moved out of the way as the little girl came to her mother.
“It’s Iola. She’s not moving,” she sniffed.
Cali smiled gently as she lifted the limp snake. The others on the little girl’s head moved gently, rubbing her neck as if trying to comfort her.
Cali ran her finger over the viper’s head. “Well, if she’s dead, then we’ll have to cut her off.”
Instantly, the snake lifted its head, opened its red eyes and flicked its tongue.
“That’s not nice, Iola. You scared Maddie,” Cali chided the serpent. Maddie gave a happy squeal and rubbed the snake’s belly before she left the room.
Graham sighed. “Only our daughter would name every snake on her head.” He held out the vial to Rina. “This should cure anything in Evie’s bloodstream.”
Rina took it carefully. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” Cali said. “Now, it’s getting late. Why don’t you two stay with us? I’ll make up the guest room.”
“An excellent idea,” Graham added. “The snow has really started coming down outside.”
Rina shook her head. “We need to get back as soon as possible. Thank you so much t
hough.”
Cali waved her hand. “You’re having dinner with us first.” She got to her feet.
“We have a hellhound on our tail,” Rina admitted. “We don’t want to put your family in more danger.”
“Oh, pish. Staying for dinner won’t make us a target.” Cali took my arm and began walking me out of the living room. I sent a desperate look over my shoulder to find Rina smiling on Graham’s arm too. We weren’t getting out of this.
Laughing, Cali filled Rina’s wine glass again.
“So, Perseus wasn’t a monster hunter?” Rina asked as I tried to stop laughing. Dinner so far had been surprisingly fun. Rina was so full of questions about Cali’s species that she barely had anything. We finished eating over an hour ago and even the kids hadn’t left the table. They watched us and laughed at the things we didn’t know about them.
“Oh, goodness no.” Cali set the wine bottle down. “He was our great, great, hundreds of times grandfather.”
But, didn’t he kill Medusa? I signed, confused. Rina repeated my question out loud.
“Yes, he did. To save their children.” Cali took a sip of her wine. “One of the villagers had seen Medusa’s snakes and ran to tell the others. Perseus was in the village. He heard the mob forming to kill his wife and children. So, he hurried home. Explained the situation, then he and Medusa hatched a plan. Their children ran, while he distracted them with Medusa’s head.”
I shook my head and signed. I would rather have killed the villagers instead.
Rina snorted and repeated what I signed.
Graham chuckled and raised his glass. “Hear, hear!”
Everyone chuckled.
Rina shook her head at me before turning back to Cali. “But that was his wife.”
Cali nodded. “And he loved her deeply. But their daughters’ lives were at stake. Our great-many-times-grandmother wouldn’t let anything threaten them. The story is that it was her idea.”
“Did he ever see his daughters again?” Rina asked hopefully.
She shook her head. “Because of what we are, they ran for a good six months before stopping in a seaside village.”
Rina shook head. “I can’t imagine that…”
“You get used to it. If your snakes get spotted, you run.” Cali pulled off the scarf and revealed her long snakes held back in a tie. “Thankfully, they’re smart and know when to stay low. Otherwise, our species would have been wiped out or still hiding in caves in the most remote parts of the world.”
“But…” Rina’s face lit up as if it was Christmas. “How intelligent are they?”
I bit back a smile. Rina’s excitement rolled down the link and slipped to me. She really loved learning about all of this. Her excitement bubbled out of her.
“Extremely,” Cali answered. “It has to do with how long they grow. The longer they are alive, the more intelligent they become.”
Maddie, the littlest girl, tugged on my shirt. I turned to her. She mouthed something I couldn’t catch so leaned down to hear.
“Do you have wings?” Maddie asked, her eyes hopeful.
I smiled down at her as I nodded.
Her eyes grew wide. “Can I see?”
She looked so excited that I couldn’t find it in me to say no. I pointed at Maddie’s chest, then across the table at Graham.
Maddie understood instantly. “Daddy! Daddy! Can I see Mr. Falk’s wings?”
The other kids chimed in with yeah and please.
I chuckled as Graham tried to get them to calm down. “All right, all right. If Falk is okay with it. We can go out back—”
Every child dove out of their chair and raced to the back of the house, leaving us laughing.
“Coats and boots!” Cali shot after them with a smile on her face.
“Yes, Mom!” one of the boys called back.
“Stop pushing, Rick!” William grunted.
Cali sighed.
Graham turned to me. “You’ve just made their year. They’ve been asking why their mother and sisters didn’t have wings like in some of the myths.”
Cali got to her feet. “I kept telling them, we never did.”
Everyone got to their feet and bundled up. The couple took extra-special care making sure the females were covered and warm. Even their brothers asked if they had their gloves. I hid a smile as everyone began going outside. My fingers brushed Rina’s, sending warmth through me.
Her fingers wrapped around mine as she looked up at me. “You’re sweet to do this.”
My cheeks heated. “Kids are curious.”
She smiled before squeezing my fingers and heading out back.
I stepped out onto the back porch. Cali and Graham were lecturing the kids on keeping their hands in their pockets and to stay in their spot. I moved out a ways so I wouldn’t leave a mess. Pulled off my shirt and in a breath and with a quick flex, I pulled my wings out of my back. Blood and sinew burst out of my back and dropped into the snow, steaming. I unfolded them until they reached their nineteen-foot wingspan. The kids oohed. I watched Rina’s face as she really saw my wings for the first time. Her face was soft as her gaze moved over the raptor feathers. Then grew hotter when she ran them up my bare chest. She met my gaze. My body throbbed at the look in her eyes.
Cali and Graham shushed the kids.
“There, you’ve seen his wings,” Cali said. “It’s time for bed.”
The kids whined, but they headed in with their parents after saying thank you. I didn’t move, I couldn’t; my body was heavy and aching. Moving might have killed me.
Rina walked over to my right and looked closely at my feathers. A light brown near the shaft, then a gradual darkening toward the end of the long, thin feathers. They were shaped for speed and agility in the air. But none of that mattered when she reached up and ran her finger along the crest of one wing. The breath left my lungs as every nerve in my body fired. That single finger stroke doubled me over.
“I’m sorry.” Rina backed away. “I didn’t realize it would hurt.”
I straightened, grabbed her hand and pulled her against me. My rigid cock pressed into her soft stomach. Her eyes met mine and grew a little wider.
It didn’t hurt, I sent the thought, laced with heat. There was no point in trying to hide how much I wanted her. Her soft curves molded against me, her breasts pressing into my chest. My hand eased up on her hand as it shook. Her eyes met mine. My heart slammed at the desire in those hazel depths. My gaze moved to her lips. Would she taste just as sweet in the real world? I dipped my head and captured those soft lips with mine. She made a soft noise that had me pressing harder. Her lips parted. Honey and almonds rolled over my tongue as I cupped her face with one hand. I kissed her as if I had all the time in the world because nothing mattered more than the next stroke of her tongue. Her next breathy moan. Her hands moved to my chest, burning my skin with her touch. When I reached the edge of my control, I lifted my head and brushed my nose against hers. “Too soon?”
“No. Perfect.” She opened her eyes and met mine. “You feel like home.”
My heart pounded in my ears so loudly, I almost didn’t hear the shouting from the house. I lifted my head, hoping I was hearing things.
“Get the kids!” Cali ordered from inside.
No. No. No! “Stay here!” I pulled my wings back into my back and bolted for the house. I jerked the door open and ran through the kitchen. By the time I made it to the living room, it was too late. The front of the house was in flames. Shouting upstairs got my attention. I grabbed Rina’s bag and darted toward the stairs. I ran up them two at a time. They were in the girls’ room at the back of the house.
Cali’s face was hard as she turned back to the door, her snakes hissing with their fangs showing.
I held my arms up, showing I was unarmed.
She stopped hissing as she pulled Maddie to her. “Are the stairs clear?”
I stepped into the hall. The stairs were burning; one of them cracked as I watched. I came back in and shook my h
ead. I gestured to the window behind them and headed for it.
“Okay, kids, we’re going to climb out on the roof,” Graham announced. “Falk, can you get them down?”
I nodded as I opened the window and climbed out onto the roof.
“Girls, you first.” Cali’s voice was calm. “Boys, you’ll be next.”
Graham picked up Maddie and helped her climb out to me. “The girls are more sensitive to temperature.”
I nodded that I understood as I picked Maddie up. Her little arms shook as they wrapped around my neck. Graham helped their second daughter, Lilly, out onto the roof. I wrapped my arm around Lilly and lifted her. She grabbed onto my neck a second before I dropped into the yard. I set them down and gestured away from the house. Lilly grabbed Maddie’s hand and pulled her away from the house. I leaped back onto the roof where Cali and the boys waited. Cali wrapped an arm around their youngest boy as Graham climbed out onto the roof. She dropped down to the grass below. Flames were now in the girls’ room. I gestured to Graham. He muttered under his breath as he climbed on my back. I dropped down to the grass with one of the boys in my arms. Graham was off my back in a heartbeat. I set down the oldest boy and straightened. We joined Cali and the girls. Everyone was safe.
I searched the area, only to find an empty yard. My heart dropped. “Rina!”
Rina
“Rina!” Falk’s bellow was unmistakable in my head. Head aching, I forced my eyes open. It was dark…stuffy, carpeted…an engine… My head was killing me.
“Here…” I sent, trying to understand what was going on. The last thing I remember was standing in the backyard and… Oh yeah…
“Where are you?” he demanded.
“I don’t know.” Rhythmic thumping came from under me. “In a car. The trunk, I think.”
“I need more than that, Rina.” His rage boiled through me.
“Falk.” I shifted my arms and realized I was handcuffed. “You need to calm down, you’re swamping me. Let me work.”
Run (Books Of Stone Book 2) Page 17