WingSpan (Taken on the Wing Book 1) (3 page)

It’s past one-thirty when Mark finally reaches the short strip mall and gas station north of Duncan. Even though he has half a mind to press on to Victoria to wait for his next load he’s still hopeful she’s waiting for him.

That’s just your arrogant gryphon pride talking, Talon,
he grumbles, though his human half hasn’t given up either.
If she’s here it’s all about her and how she wants it and you know it.

As he pulls in he catches the smallest hint of her on the air. If she was here she’s probably gone but her scent gets stronger as he reaches the end near the pumps. Just past them he spots the front end of her motorcycle on the other side of an SUV. His pulse shoots up as he looks skyward hoping for a glimpse.

Instead she’s curled up on the grass behind her motorcycle. The helmet is perched on the handlebars and her jacket is balled up under her head.

She’s even more exquisite with the gear off.

A small strip of ivory skin fills the gap between the rise of her denim covered hip and the hem of her white tank top. As he kills the engine his eyes partially shift, improving his vision. He picks out a slim line of blue over her shoulder where the top slid toward her neck. Then there’s the thick brown hair piled loose behind her.

Mark checks the contents of the grocery bag at his feet: condoms, jerky and canned fish. The bottled water is already in the small fridge behind the passenger seat.

It’s clear she wants a human encounter and he’s glad he thought to run to the pharmacy for the condoms. He’ll be surprised if she’s not likewise prepared but he’s expected to show courtesy and bring some too.

The conception of a child in human form would be catastrophic for both of them. If by some miracle she survived and carried it to term the child would be human and abandoned. It would be a devastating loss for its dame though these days it was the human adoption system that took responsibility. A century ago its sire would fly as far from the eyrie as he could, leaving the child to the elements and scavengers.

Mark pops the door, steps down the first rungs and jumps the last, his worn cowboy boots striking the pavement at the same time.

Easy
, he warns himself. Females are sensitive to moods even in their human form and if he charges in ready for sex she’s sure to change her mind. One step at a time and let her lead is the only advice he ever received from older males and he prays it’s worth the hundreds of rounds he bought over the years to get it.

She sits and her sudden inhalation tells Mark he startled her but she doesn’t turn his way just yet. Come to think of it, all those older males were unmated. Damn, it’s the only advice he has.

“Hey,” she calls; the tiniest tremor in her voice.

“Hey yourself,” he steps onto the grass only a half dozen paces away. The young woman modestly tugs her top before she turns to face him.

“Sorry I’m late,” Mark tries to take her all in without clawing her up with his eyes. She’s perfectly proportioned, breasts slightly high and arms toned and a face he’d never tire of looking at. In spite of his efforts not to stare he catches her looking him over and tries not to smile as her cheeks turn pink.

Mark knows what he looks like: six foot two and nearly all muscle. He takes a seat behind her in the hopes of looking less intimidating. There’s grass in her hair and he starts taking the little bits out one at a time. Her gentle musk is intoxicating as it mingles with the smell of summer from her hair. After a minute Mark trails his fingers down her back and she cautiously reaches behind to slide a hand under his knee. As he leans forward to taste her skin she moves her head to the side. It isn’t the symbolic submission of exposing her neck he expects but it’s enough to invite him in.

“Shadow?” a man calls from the parking lot. Mark is too focused on his dark haired beauty and curses himself for not keeping an eye out for competition; both gryphon and human. “Damn, Shadow. I thought it was you.”

Shadow looks up. Her hand grips Mark’s leg and tugs him closer. She’s uncomfortable as hell with the little man and pulls her knees together, arching into Mark. He reaches around, putting his hand over her womb in a display of possession usually reserved for mated pairs but Mark is dead set on making his claim public even though the interloper is human.

“Hi, Nuke,” she says. Nuke waves with two fingertips as he palms his pop. His other hand is jammed down the side of his female companion’s shorts. Mark stifles a snort. Nuke’s woman is six inches taller and a hundred and eighty degrees prettier. Judging by the big diamond on her left hand the reason for her attraction to him is clear. It doesn’t keep Nuke’s eyes from wandering.

“You keeping busy?” Shadow asks.

Nuke shrugs and Shadow crosses her arms as Nuke’s eyes drop and linger. He appears to hear Mark’s low warning growl and remembers his manners.

“My uncle got me a good logging gig up island,” Nuke says. “This is Bunny. We got ourselves set up with a nice apartment.”

Nuke makes eye contact with Mark expecting an introduction.

“Talon,” Mark says before Shadow is caught not knowing his name. He can’t decide which one of them is the predator. Nuke thinks he is, judging by how he looks at Shadow but Bunny with the prey name has her attention on a nearby Lexus that smells of the two of them.

Prey indeed.

Shadow drops her eyes with what Mark first takes to be submission to the little shit then he scents deep pain in her, somehow associated with the man. He must be meant for Shadow if simply being near attunes him to her moods. He was always fucking things up with Swift when he guessed wrong but he’s already clear about Shadow. The old rogues never mentioned that and it explains why they were drinking alone at Cooper’s, the Calgary rogue favoured bar. A small layer of golden brown feathers bristles beneath his shirt and he quickly squashes the idea of squashing Nuke, letting them fade. Taking wing with his shirt on is something a child would do.

“Well… ah,” Nuke says with a sideways look at Bunny. She appears bored; rolling her eyes under thick fake lashes. “Good to see you doing better—”

“Yeah, bye Nuke,” Shadow cuts him off.

Mark wonders, better than what? She’s far more distraught inside than she lets on and he rubs her shoulder with his free hand. Shadow deflates as Nuke and Bunny walk away.

“Hi, Talon,” she says as the mismatched human pair drives off.

“Hello, Shadow,” he answers. He knows her gryphon name: subtle and secretive. Calming. It’s an appropriate name for this female who appeared out of nowhere and into his life.

His female. Talon is going to make sure of it. No man like Nuke is ever going to upset her again. He’s surprised with himself. He’d always thought taking a mate was about genes and temperament. A male wanted a healthy mate to be a compassionate and patient dame to his children but right now children are the last thing on his mind.

All he wants is compassion for Shadow; not to possess but to be proud that she chose him.

As she straightens up he takes his hand from her stomach.

“There’s no, um, story to Nuke,” Shadow says like she knows the idea of the two of them together makes Talon’s skin crawl. “Nothing.”

When she turns to him she tucks her feet in and holds her head high before flashing him a brilliant smile. Damn, she takes his breath away. The top is cut low and the sight of her skin and exposed neck makes him want her even more. Whatever the story is with Nuke it isn’t sexual.

Then her hands are on his legs and she’s only a dozen inches away, studying him like he’s a puzzle. Below her furrowed brows her eyes watch as she feels the muscle in his arms. Shadow’s delicate and persistent touch works its way up over his shoulder.

“You’re big,” she winces. “Sorry, that sounded stupid.”

But he doesn’t let her pull away. He takes her wrist and puts her hand right back where it was.

“Where I call home, I’m not considered all that big.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

Talon turns his head to the side, blocking access to his neck. As bad as he wants her, he’s not going there just yet. When he turns she’s even closer and he lets her touch his cheek as her mouth opens. The mere wisp of her lips over his is torment and he tears up a handful of grass she can’t see.

Before he can come up with any plan to figure out how he’s blown it, her lips seal over his and he gives in as her fingers slide over his carotid. The vibration of her nails on his half-days stubble rams straight into his groin.

I’m yours
, Talon surrenders as her tongue tries his lips and he opens to meet her hot prying challenge with his own.

Shadow straddles his thighs and he takes her hips but her hand tightens on his throat as she takes control, remaining in the dominant position above. Talon stops pulling and instead slips a hand under her snug tank, palm over her flat bare stomach, to show the distance between them is his choice, not hers.

She seals the kiss around his tongue and yelps at the sound of metal crashing to the pavement. In what seems like an eternity he’s pinned her protectively to the grass, already certain it was an aluminum boat falling off a camper and not her sire come to kick his ass.

“Talon!”

Shadow’s hands fist his shirt and she has to be aware of his erection and every other part of his body holding her down. Her pounding heart and wide eyes say she was completely in to him when the boat fell.

Then she laughs as Talon lets his head fall to hers, close to the warmth of fading fright on her cheeks.

“I planned that,” he jokes. “To get you in my arms.”

“You didn’t have to,” Shadow says.

Chapter Three

Shadow looks up at the driver’s seat high above. After Talon hinted at the forest she reminded him he promised a look in the truck. So be it. Other than the old guys never having felt a female’s moods following her lead seems to be working.

“Climb up,” he urges and she grabs the handle inside the door. Talon takes advantage of the moment to watch the shape of her ass. She favours her left leg but has no trouble getting into his seat. She sticks her feet out, coming far short of reaching the pedals as she runs her hands over the big wheel.

“I can’t see a thing,” she cranes her neck up.

“Watch your toes.” Talon shuts the door and lets himself in the passenger side. She’s already found the handle to release the driver’s seat and swung it around to face the sleeper cab.

“You live in here?”

“On longer trips.”

He’s only on the seat for a moment before dropping to his knees and mirroring her approach to him. With his hands on her knees he watches her reaction. Her body language says she’s committed in contrast to her scent which betrays caution. Damned if she hasn’t changed both every couple of minutes. No wonder females are such a mystery. They’re impossible to figure out. Just when you think...

But his train of thought is interrupted as she moves to the edge of the seat and slides her knees around him. This time her arms come over his shoulders as he claims her mouth, letting out a soft rumble from deep inside. The breeze can no longer carry her scent away and Talon can’t resist. As her head falls back he slides one hand up over her breast, noting the feel of her heavy lace bra through the thin knit of her shirt. He finally has access to her exposed throat, dragging his teeth over it as he accepts her display of surrender.

“Come,” Talon says, startled by the thickness of his voice. She stands but as he backs up to the bed she stops, feet rooted to the floor. She’s afraid. It’s fight or flight for his little gryphon. She’s going to bolt but first she’ll say something; a little gem of advice to explain how things went so horribly wrong.

“Everything about you feels like danger,” Shadow eyes the door.

That’s what I am
.

“Look,” he keeps his hands at his sides to look as non-threatening as possible. “If this isn’t what you want, if you don’t feel comfortable with me, it’s okay. I understand.”

“That’s not it,” she says.

Talon’s eyes snap up and he realizes he’s been looking at the floor pretending she’s already gone so his disappointment isn’t so painful.

“I just…” she sighs. Her brow furrows like when she felt foolish for calling him big. “Promise you’ll get between me and anything that comes in the door.”