Whisper in the Dark

by Charlene Perry

  Gideon is already strapped into the saddle with his legs bound. There are straps circling the base of Tarek’s wings, front legs and neck. It all looks well engineered and sturdy, but there is definitely no passenger seat. Gideon scoots his ass back, a clear invitation for me to sit in front of him. Tarek settles low to the ground, his forearm creating a step for me to hoist myself up.

  Gideon reaches a hand down, but I ignore it and climb up on my own. As I swing my leg over, he grips my hips and guides me to settle into the tight squeeze between him and the front rise of the saddle. There’s a modified pommel, like curved handles, and he grips it tightly with his left hand while his right snakes around my waist, holding me tightly against him.

  I’m trying very hard to focus on the dragon between my legs. The wall of hard, warm male against my back is making that a lot more difficult than it should be. And because I have zero self-control, I move my hips just a little. His breath hisses as he grips me a little tighter, and the unmistakable ridge against my ass grows a whole lot firmer.

  “Are you ready?” he says it with a voice as husky as a daydream, and I can only nod.

  A few jarring steps later, and Tarek walks off the edge. My stomach is in my throat as we drop, but he quickly levels out into a smooth glide. A faint chill ripples across my skin as we pass through the invisible bubble of the Solar’s atmosphere.

  I’m currently, at this very moment, riding a dragon.

  The pure exhilaration of it nearly blows my mind. Then I'm hit with the realization that Gideon's arms are the only thing keeping me attached to said Dragon, and I'm pretty sure my heart has forgotten how to beat.

  “Are you okay?”

  His mouth is close to my ear, his lips nearly brushing my skin. My entire body is electrified. I don’t even know if I’m terrified or just having the best thrill of my life. Maybe it’s both.

  “I’m good.”

  I hope I sound more confident than I feel.

  I squint my eyes against the wind, taking in the view of Moridian sprawled about thirty thousand feet below us. Mismatched buildings and an overlapping gridwork of roads stretch out until they meet the ocean. Shining, modern offices and decaying slums alternate with comfy suburbs and packed downtown districts. It’s a city that started small, and grew beyond capacity until it spilled out over its own borders to overtake the landscape.

  Tarek banks to the right, and I grip the saddle tightly even though Gideon still holds me firmly in place. In this direction, Moridian tapers off until it ends at the feet of Morwood Forest. The vast, protected woodlands stretch out beyond the curved horizon. They shelter wildlife and more than a few criminals hoping to lose the law without losing themselves.

  Tarek banks again, and we’re coasting on the wind back to Solar One. The floating city stands out in stark contrast to the ground city below and the natural simplicity of the forest. A flash of light in the distance catches my eye; a shuttle is taking off, bound for one of the dozens of other worlds Earth does business with.

  It’s beautiful, I suppose. All of it. I just find it hard to accept that the technology exists to keep the rich and powerful in such opulent surroundings, while the majority of humanity still struggles with poverty, overcrowding and disease.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Gideon speaks against my ear.

  Wait for me here?

  That just might be my least favorite sentence. She makes it sound like a question, but what choice do I have other than to do as she asks?

  The limits of my self-control are tested as I watch her climb the body of that ugly dragon. Then Gideon puts his hands on her. He guides her into the saddle and tight against his own body. The fact that she’s enjoying being in his arms is written all over her face, and she confirms that by flashing a playful grin as she moves her hips against his.

  When he leans in to speak for only her to hear, I nearly shift. Let him see my human form. Let him know that Whisper doesn’t need his attention or his body. I have everything she needs to keep her safe and happy.

  They walk off the edge without a backward glance. I snarl and growl and claw at the hard ground, furious at how helpless I am to follow.

  But that’s not true. I’ve never taken a winged form, but that doesn’t mean I can’t.

  I try to focus on the form I want. I cycle through the birds I’ve seen up close, but none of them seem quite right. I remember the creature Gideon described. The phoenix. I’ve never taken an imaginary form before, and my attempt at summoning a dragon was a clear failure. This one feels different. I can picture the black feathers, the strong beak and tapered talons. I can feel the way the air enters my lungs, and the way my weight balances on two legs.

  I start to reshape, gritting my teeth against the discomfort. A sudden stab of pain accompanies the sound of cracking bones, fading away almost immediately as I stretch my wings. I move and test my muscles and joints. I twist my neck from side to side and try my weight on first one leg, then the other.

  When I look toward the distant shape of Tarek and my Whisper, my eyes focus in with such detail I can see the smile on her face. I wobble to the edge, expecting to feel a rush of fear at the prospect of jumping into thin air. The avian instincts kick in, and I take to the sky as if I were born to fly.

  The wind around my body feels like freedom. I can’t imagine why I’ve never tried this before. I dip and circle, learning the limits of my ability. Movement from below catches my attention, and the urge to hunt pulls at me.

  I push it aside, focusing on my reason for taking this form. Tarek has begun to turn, making a lazy circle back toward the Solar. A few strong pushes with my wings, and I’m well above them. Twisting in the air, I swoop down to fly level at their left.

  Tarek doesn’t acknowledge my presence, not that I would expect him to. I’m bigger than any other bird, but still small next to a dragon. Gideon spots me first, and the surprise on his face is almost as satisfying as the shock that lights up my Whisper’s eyes.

  I open my beak, letting out a predatory shriek.

  Well, I guess we don’t have to take the teleport home tonight.

  Tarek lands in my front yard, his big body taking up most of it. Lights pop on at some of the neighbor’s houses, and a few of them even venture out onto their doorsteps to get a better view. Gideon unstraps his legs before hoisting himself off. He slides to the ground with practiced ease before he reaches up to offer me a hand, and I don’t even consider playing it tough. I’m not sure if I’ll ever walk again.

  “It’s normal,” he reassures me, his tone almost clinical as he grips my waist to help me stay upright. “It took me a couple weeks before I stopped falling on my ass after every flight.”

  I laugh at the image of him being so awkward. I probably laugh a bit more than the situation calls for, but I’m still high on the adrenaline and pure wonder of what I just did.

  Tarek settles down to rest on his belly. His green scales capture the last slivers of evening light, giving his hide a metallic, rainbow hue.

  When the giddiness wears off, I glance around for any sign of Damon. He was incredible. When that huge, black raptor joined us... I don’t think I’ve ever felt such pride. How could he have mastered a phoenix so quickly? It blows my mind.

  We’re almost at my door, and my legs are starting to behave more like my own limbs again. Gideon still has a hand on my arm, but he removes it when he sees I’ve gotten the hang of walking again. I stop, turn to face him, and can’t for the life of me form any words. I open my mouth to try, but then his lips are on mine. Soft. Gentle.

  Damon’s face appears behind my eyelids. His human face that I’ve been trying all day not to think of. I didn’t hear him arrive, but I know he’s watching. He’s always near, always watching me. It just feels different now.

  I push just lightly against Gideon’s chest, knowing that’s all it will take. He immediately backs away enough to give me room to take him in. His pale green eyes are a shade darker. His lips are parted, chest rising an
d falling with heavy breaths.

  “I need this job, Gideon. I need it fair and square.”

  He steps back farther, biting his lower lip as he shoves his hands into his pockets. He’s adorably awkward, and ridiculously sexy. I should be climbing this man like a tree and begging him to come into my bed.

  But I can’t stop thinking about Damon. I’ve been fighting the thoughts all day. Now I’m home and we’re about to settle in for the night. In our bed. The same as we’ve done every night for years.

  “I’m sorry. That was out of line.”

  I feel a stab of guilt. I’m not just helplessly attracted to this man; I also actually like him. That’s a rare combination.

  “No, it’s fine. Really.” I tuck back the hair that’s fallen out of my elastic. “I... you know I...” Fuck, I’m so awkward at this. Whatever this is.

  It’s not like I can tell him about Damon. Or about the fact that my Commander just tried to murder me, and I need this position so he can’t get at me to finish the job. I might like the guy, but I don’t know him well enough to trust him with information that could put an even bigger target on my head.

  “You don’t need to explain,” he says, rescuing me from my brain-mouth glitching. “You did good today. Even if I don’t particularly enjoy your methods. You got the job done.”

  “Thank you.”

  He looks back at Tarek, who has possibly fallen asleep on my front lawn.

  “I’ll pick you up in the morning?”

  I can’t stop my grin at the thought of riding Tarek again. “Sounds good.”

  I stay on my front step, watching until Gideon and Tarek have flown out of sight. It’s only then that I catch a flicker of movement in the shadows, a flash of red eyeshine in the porch light as Damon’s panther materializes out of the darkness.

  Understanding

  “So, how did it feel to fly?”

  I’m doing my best to act normal, casual, like there’s nothing different about this night. Digging through the fridge for some inspiration serves as a good excuse to avoid looking at Damon. It’s not quite distracting enough to keep my mind off the two bullet holes clearly visible in my white kitchen island. It’s definitely not distracting enough to keep the memories of last night from replaying on loop in my head.

  I’m perfectly safe in this house. With the door locked and Damon by my side, there is nothing and no one that could get to me. Knowing that’s a fact doesn’t stop my stomach from twisting and turning painfully in my gut.

  “I’ll be able to take dragon form one day soon. You can fly with me then.”

  “Well, don’t rush it...” I close the fridge and lean my forehead against the cool exterior. “Damon, you can’t do this. You can’t take human form.”

  “I don’t like it when he puts his mouth on you.”

  My jealous panther. Oh, hell.

  “Damon...” I turn around, ready to explain to him in no uncertain terms why he can’t do this again.

  He’s standing just a few feet away, hip against the island, thick arms crossed over his broad, bare chest. I can’t breathe. I’m a sexual person. I have a strong libido and a dirty mind. However you want to describe it, I admit it. No arguments here. But I can not, I will not, be attracted to my Shifter. Damon. My cat.

  “Thank you for finding pants, at least.”

  He looks down at the loose, black pants that sit low on his hips and do nothing to conceal the fact that he is very well endowed. Not that I’m looking, or care, it’s just impossible not to notice. Plus, last time he was naked and... I am not looking at, nor am I thinking about Damon’s penis.

  “I shifted a saddle once for a horse form. That night we got stranded up in Fentondale. Same concept with clothes, I guess.”

  “That’s good.”

  I’ve lost my interest in cooking, it seems. Times like this I wish I liked take-out. I pull my hair free of the elastic, shaking it out into messy waves. What I want more than anything right now is to be asleep. It’s been a long twenty-four hours.

  I check my comm for the millionth time today. I don’t know why I think Charles might send me a message. The only message I’ll be getting from him or whoever he works for will be one I don’t see coming.

  I’m safe in this house. I’ll be safer once I’m an Elite.

  I glance at Damon, but look away when I realize he’s still staring at me. His usual indifferent, even aloof observations are replaced by a mask of concentration. He’s thinking thoughts and feeling emotions he’s never experienced. He’s thinking about me, figuring me out. I can sense his curiosity. His judgement.

  Maybe I’m the one overthinking this.

  He’s still my Damon, same as always. Changing his form doesn’t change who he is. It’s me that’s projecting my issues onto him. Just because his current form seems like it might just be inspired by all the physical traits I drool over in a man. Just because I can’t stop the primal side of my brain from responding to his appearance. That doesn’t mean I should suddenly change the way I treat him.

  “Are you okay, little one?”

  He’s been calling me that familiar endearment ever since he first took his panther form, but like everything else, it feels very different when he’s in that body.

  “Yeah, of course. I’m just tired. And I’m worried about you. What if this is hurting you?”

  “It’s not.”

  He takes a step forward, but I quickly retreat toward the hallway.

  “I’m going to bed.” I’m already halfway to the bedroom. “Now that you have thumbs, you can cook for yourself.” I laugh at my own joke, but it sounds forced.

  I don’t wait for his response, just hurry into my bedroom and close the door behind me. I’ve never closed him out. He sleeps every night in my bed. It’s never felt weird.

  I look around the room, and all I see is me. My clothes, my books, my favorite shade of deep purple on the walls. There’s nothing here that’s Damon’s, and yet this is just as much his bedroom as mine.

  A scratching at the door brings me out of my thoughts, and I open it without hesitation. Damon saunters by on four legs, brushing against me as he goes. With an effortless leap he’s on the bed, stretching out along the bottom as he does every night.

  This feels perfectly normal. He’s the same creature I left in the kitchen, yet just because he has this form, I can’t even imagine being uncomfortable around him.

  “I’m sorry, Damon,” I say on a sigh as I stash my weapons in the bedside table and convert my clothes into flannel sleep pants and a tank-top. “I just can’t wrap my head around you looking like a human. I’m worried that it’s hurting you. You’re supposed to go crazy trying to adapt to a human brain. And even if they’re wrong, it’s still completely against the law... if you get caught... I just don’t want to lose you.”

  Instead of answering, he starts to purr. If I wasn’t already bone tired, that sound would still knock me out. I crawl under the covers and welcome the gentle wave of sleep that washes over me. My blissful departure is cut short, as I’m pulled back to alertness by the press of teeth on my shoulder. Human teeth.

  “I can’t stop thinking about the way he touches you. The way he kisses you.”

  Damon’s words send a shiver down my spine. His hand slides over my waist, pushing the thin material of my shirt out of the way until the heat of his palm covers my stomach. I’m trying not to react, but I can hear the unsteadiness in my own breathing. He pulls me back against him, grinding a thick erection against my ass. I can’t control the moan that slips through my lips, though I immediately wish I could take it back.

  The sound seems to encourage him, and he presses against me even harder. His face is buried in my neck, his hot breath against my skin as his breathing becomes just as unsteady as mine. His hand moves from my stomach, sliding under the waist of my pants.

  “Damon, no...”

  My protest is weak, and he ignores it as his hand slides lower. His fingertips quickly find the sensitive nub tha
t makes me reflexively buck against him. He moves his finger in firm, fast circles, and I can’t even process what’s happening before I’m on the brink of climax. He bites my shoulder as I bite my pillow, muffling my cries as I shatter under an intense orgasm.

  As I come back down from the high, my entire body is hyper-sensitive. His wide hand is back on my stomach, keeping my ass pressed firmly against the hardest cock I’ve ever felt. His face is buried in my hair, his breathing rough, almost growling with every exhale.

  How the fuck did he know how to do that? I’ve rarely met a man who knows where to find my clit, let alone what to do with it. I can’t even...

  “Whisper.” His ragged voice is filled with need, and I suddenly realize what should have been obvious.

  He knows what I like, because he’s always here. I make him wait outside the room when I bring someone home, sure, but how many nights have I been on my own, giving myself a quick release? He’s never paid much attention other than to express mild annoyance. But he’s never felt it before, never been able to relate. He knows what I need, but he doesn’t know his own body at all.

  He grinds against me again, slow and firm.

  I am so going to hell for this.

  I reach behind me, sliding my hand between us and under his thin pants. When I close around the base of his thick shaft, he sucks in a breath and the hand on my stomach grips me almost painfully tight. I stroke along the smooth length of him as his entire body trembles.

  Quickening the pace, I’m rewarded by his guttural, deliciously masculine moan.

  I think I’m shaking, too. His heavy length in my hand and the sounds he makes are bringing me back to the edge. I squirm just a little, trying without success not to think about how incredible it would be to ride him while he has his first orgasm. His first sexual experience.

  I keep up the quick, steady rhythm, turning just enough so I can see his face. His eyes are closed, teeth bared. His body tenses, every muscle flexing as the hand on my belly curls into a tight fist. In the next breath, his cock bucks and pulses in my grip. He buries his face in the pillow to stifle the feral roar that rips from his lungs.