Chapter Eight
Luke kept an eye on the weather and when it was clear the next day, excitement ran through his veins. He wrapped his arms around Grey. “We can go flying today.”
“But...what if I fall off?”
“There’s a spot for you that’ll be perfect. You won’t fall.”
He could feel his pet’s doubt and worry and excitement, all blended together.
He turned Grey in his arms and cupped his face. “Trust me.”
“I do. I’m just... This is a new one.”
“You’re dreaming about flying, though.” Luke rubbed their noses together. “I’d go by myself, but I don’t want to leave you home alone. It’s an amazing thing, anyway. You should enjoy it.”
“I want to come. I don’t want you to go without me. I’ll get bundled up.”
“You don’t need to wear anything if you don’t want to. I’ll keep you warm.” He knew once they were connected nothing could reach his boy. He started to strip himself, so as not to ruin his clothes.
“It’s bitter cold out there, Luke. I’ll get frostbite. You must not feel it.”
“I’m a dragon, remember? I’m built for it. And that will extend to you. You don’t have to believe me, though. I’m not going to force you to ride me naked.”
“I’m not freezing my nuts off, you crazy old man.”
“Your loss and I’m only old compared to you.”
“How old are you?”
“I don’t know exactly. Maybe nine hundred years old.”
Grey looked at him with wide eyes. “Wow. That’s... How could I ever be someone you wanted to talk to?”
“Don’t you know you’re fascinating?”
“Like I have anything to offer you. You’re...you’re a fucking dragon.”
“And you’re my soul mate. That makes you pretty special.” Luke grabbed his arms and tugged Grey in for a kiss. Grey pressed closer, emotions a swirl around him. Goddess, he really could do this forever.
He slowly stripped Grey down, then led them outside. Grey didn’t have to strip down to skin, but he didn’t want his bonded getting all decked out for winter—he’d never feel all the wonderful things like that.
Grey followed him, staying close.
“You ready for another encounter with my dragon side?” He made sure Grey was steady, then took a couple steps back.
It took only a thought, his wings sprouting from his back, his body expanding, changing.
Grey stared at him, shivering violently. “Hey, toothy wonder.”
He snorted, the steam from his breath rising up in the air. Bending, he offered his leg for Grey to climb up. You can do this.
“Okay. It’s cold, huh? And you’re stunning.”
Thank you. Climb on and you’ll have my warmth.
God, I hope so. “You got it.”
Trust me. He snorted out more steam and waited patiently for Grey to climb up onto his back.
Grey got up, shaking against him. What if I can’t do this? What if I can’t straddle him? What if I fuck this up?
You can do this. You were made to do this. Lean in against my neck. Grey should warm soon.
“Like this?” Grey leaned down against him, relaxing with a sigh.
There, perfect. See?
“Yes. Yes, you’re so warm.”
Yes. For Grey. Are you ready to fly?
Yes. “I guess so.”
Hold on! He took a few steps and flapped his wings, letting them find the air and take them up over the trees.
“Oh...” Grey held on tight.
Yeah, oh. He chuffed happily, keeping them above the tops of the trees as he flew through the air.
All of Grey’s worry faded, replaced by a wild fascination, an utter joy.
Magic! You’re magic, Lukas-meine!
He vocalized loudly. He was magic.
Grey leaned down against him, warming his cold cheeks.
Luke flew up into the sky, then came down, twisting as he did, doing acrobatics in the air. Yes, he was showing off for his soul mate.
Grey laughed for him, praising him.
He loved flying, but Grey’s added joy made everything even better.
It felt delicious, the weight of his soul mate on his back. He flew all the way to the treeline, to where the ground stayed frozen. He dipped down to fly right above the snow, rushing along.
Finally, he turned back, headed toward the forest, toward home. He didn’t want to push Grey too far. Not on his first flight.
What would happen if I let go? Would I fall?
I won’t let you fall. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.
I hear you, all deep inside me. I hear you.
I know. It’s a good thing.
They got closer to home and he slowed, circling down toward the treetops, and Grey sighed.
“This was amazing, Luke.”
This is yours. He settled his feet on the ground and folded his wings back around Grey.
Grey hugged him tight, held on to him. He shifted back into a man, Grey now clinging to his back. Putting his hand on Grey’s arm, he kept his boy in place and went inside into the warmth.
“Are you tired? That had to be hard.”
“Just hungry. It’s easy to be my dragon. Even easier with you here.” He felt like he could take on the world.
“You want some brownie? Some ice cream?”
Luke’s stomach growled loudly. Well, he couldn’t deny that, could he? “Yes, in fact I do.”
“I’ll get it.”
“No, I can do it.” He wanted Grey to get properly warm again after their adventure.
“Hush. Just chill.”
“Did you just hush me, Pet?”
“Yep.” Grey headed toward the kitchen.
He blinked a few times, a little stunned. Then he followed Grey, unconcerned that he was still naked. It was warm enough in here. “Nobody hushes me.”
“I just did.”
Bad pet.
“Nobody hushes me,” he repeated, stepping up behind Grey and pressing against the long, still too lean body.
“Shh. Be good. Have a brownie.”
“I’d rather have you.” Luke nibbled at Grey’s neck, the only place he could find skin.
He felt the sudden, sweet flare of arousal. He hummed, hands gliding along Grey’s belly.
“I was going to feed you.”
“You still can.” He nibbled at Grey’s neck some more and pulled up the T-shirt so he could stroke those abs skin on skin.
“After you eat. I want to make sure you’re fed.”
“I like having someone to look after me. I’m going to get spoiled.” He didn’t stop touching.
“I have to pull my weight.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. I’ll have to look up how to cook a chicken.”
“You know you don’t ever have to do anything around the house. It’s not a requirement of staying here or anything like that.”
I want to be worth something to you. “I know that.”
“You’re worth everything to me. Everything.”
“Thank you.” Grey reached for him, cupped his jaw.
Humming, he leaned in to the touch, nuzzled into it, and sighed. His mate. It was a good feeling, having someone looking out for him, caring for him.
“I’ve got you. You’ve worked hard. Rest.”
“Okay. I can rest here. With you.” He breathed in, enjoying Grey’s scent, and then he drew Grey into his arms and held on, rocking him.
He didn’t want to spend the rest of eternity with Grey feeling like he had to work to be worth anything to Luke. Grey was the most precious person alive. Grey was the one who completed him.
It didn’t take Grey long at all to put what was left of the brownies on a plate for him and add two scoops of ice cream. Good man. Grey was already understanding that his food needs were not your average person’s.
“Take the bowl to the couch and we’ll eat it together. I’m gonna grab a couple of chickens from the freezer to thaw so we can cook them.”
“I can do it.”
“Sure.” He could indulge Grey’s need to cater to him—he understood the imperative to care for his soul mate. “The chickens are in the big chest freezer on the right of the door in the storeroom. You could pull a dessert out of the little chest freezer next to it, too, if you wanted.” Luckily, he always stocked more than he thought he would need, in case. It was why he had so many freezers.
“Okay. Eat. I’ll be back.” Grey grabbed one crutch and disappeared into the kitchen, thoughts buzzing softly.
Soon Grey wouldn’t need the crutch at all, and he suspected that it was currently in use only because Grey wasn’t ready to let it go yet. It would take time for him to trust in the changes. In the healing.
He was quite hungry, so he went ahead and took a mouthful, enjoying the cold and the chocolate together in his mouth. Really, they’d taste better in Grey’s mouth. The thought made him chuckle slightly. Grey put him in a good mood.
He’d eaten all the brownie before Grey came out of the kitchen. Luke frowned. What was his pet doing? He could hear a buzz of thought, but that was all.
“Did you have trouble finding the chickens?” There were a ton of them, filling a third of the freezer they were in, all the way to the bottom. They should have been easy to find.
“Hmm?”
“What took you so long?” he asked instead. Was there something wrong with his pet? Grey.
He could feel the pleasure that answered him. “I was looking at the cookbooks.”
“You don’t have to go to any trouble, you know. I’d be happy with having them thrown in the oven for an hour or two.” He gave Grey a toothy grin. “I’d be willing to eat them raw, even. Or I could always fire them up myself.”
“Raw chicken is bad for you, but it’s handy to have my own personal grill.”
“Raw chicken might be bad for humans, but it won’t make me sick. And you’ve got dragon in you now—you’ll not get sick from it, either. It tastes better cooked, though.” He’d totally concede that.
“There is absolutely no raw meat in my future, man.”
Luke chuckled at the adamant tone. “You sound very sure of that.” He grabbed hold of Grey and tugged the man into his lap.
“I am.” Grey chuckled. “How was your brownie?”
“Good. Help me finish the ice cream?” He scooped up a spoonful and brought it to Grey’s lips. As soon as Grey had taken it in, he pounced, licking his way into Grey’s mouth to share the sweet.
Greedy! The word was followed by warm mental laughter.
For you, yes. The ice cream he could take or leave. Grey was special, though, and he would always want more.
Grey smiled for him, then moved to lean close, cheek on his shoulder.
“So you’re going to learn to cook for me? You don’t have to do all the cooking. I can sear meat. And unlike many of my brothers, I don’t mind having fresh vegetables with my meals.” Some of them thought vegetables were akin to poison. He liked things that came out of the ground. Especially root vegetables. His stomach growled at the thought.
“Are you still hungry? I’ll go get you the rest of the brownies.” Grey stood, a little wince crossing his face. “You want more ice cream?”
“This was the rest of the brownies, remember? And I can wait until the chicken is ready.” He rubbed his hand along Grey’s bad leg, hating that his pet hurt. “It’s time for your massage. I bet everything’s a little sore from flying, isn’t it?”
“I’m fine. Really. The chicken is really frozen. I’ll go work on defrosting it.” Grey’s thoughts were suddenly a jumble, worried and unhappy.
“The chicken can wait. There’s stuff in the freezer that cooks up from frozen. We’ll eat that and let the chicken thaw overnight. Cook it tomorrow.” He would have to remember to take stuff out of the freezer the day before. Especially if Grey wouldn’t eat anything raw. He assumed raw but frozen was still a no-go. In the meantime, something was bothering Grey and by extension, that meant something was bothering him. He got up and nudged Grey. “Lie down so I can give you your massage and you can tell me what’s bothering you.”
“I’m fine.”
Luke snorted. “You can pretend all you want—I know something is up—I can feel it. And we have the rest of eternity for me to ferret it out of you. I don’t think you’re that stubborn, though, so tell me already.”
“I’m tired.” And hungry. And worried. And I need a hug.
Growling, he drew Grey into his arms and held on. He would totally heat up a couple boxes of chicken fingers, then massage Grey until he’d melted and was asleep. “I can help with all of those but the worry, because I don’t know what you’re worried about. That you have to tell me. And you do have to tell me.”
“You’re amazing. How do I...how can I even give you anything you want? You need?”
“Of course I’m amazing. I’m a dragon. You, on the other hand, are amazing without being a dragon. You’re my soul mate. You complete me. No one can compare to that. You make me laugh. I see you and everything inside me takes notice. You’re better than a roomful of anyone else. I’m boring. You’re extraordinary.” Besides, it wasn’t a competition.
Grey chuckled. “Right.”
He hugged Grey tighter, as if he could push his own belief right into his soul mate. “It’s the truth.”
Grey let him hold on, and slowly he could feel his pet beginning to doze. Standing right there in his arms. Whether Grey believed it or not, at least he trusted Luke enough.
Humming, he lifted Grey and carefully laid him on his belly on the couch. Then he slowly massaged him, working to ease those poor muscles, ease Grey down deeper and deeper.
When he got to Grey’s injured leg, Grey whimpered in his sleep, but Luke was careful, starting gently and slowly working his way up to really digging in. Grey sighed and settled, sinking into the couch like he was a part of it now.
The scars that marred the tattoo were fading. He couldn’t make it out completely yet, but there was definitely more of the crest visible than there had been. He rubbed it a few times, humming with the tingles that he felt. The tingles that had Grey moaning, his lips curved into a smile.
There was the promise of eternity in the touches, and the promise that said eternity would be incredible in Grey’s smile.