After several long beats of silence, he sighed. “Are there any other surprises I should know about?”
Lyrica considered that for a moment. “None that I can think of right now, but I’d like to retain the right to amend that statement later.”
He huffed out a laugh. “Noted. Come on, princess. Do you still want to walk, or would you rather take one of the hover-carts over to the domes?”
“I would rather fly there.”
“What? No! Absolutely not,” he refused emphatically. “You know I’ve only been up in the air a few times since I got my wings. I won’t risk taking you up with me until I’m sure about what I’m doing.”
She rubbed her hands over his chest in soothing circles. “I know you won’t let anything happen to me.”
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“How am I looking at you?” She stared up at him, trying to hold back her smile. Victory was within her grasp…she could feel it.
Gabriel muttered a vicious curse as his wings shot out of his back. His traitorous body wanted to please her even as he wished he could refuse. She made it impossible to deny her anything, though.
“Take me flying, Gabriel,” she whispered. “I trust you. You can do this.”
He paced away with his hands on his hips, then stomped back. “We can try this, but there are going to be rules.”
She smiled sweetly. “Of course, mate.”
His eyes narrowed. “I know you’re going to be trouble whenever you smile at me like that.” Cursing under his breath, he carefully lifted her into his arms. “We’re going to stay close to the ground in case something happens, and we’re going to land a safe distance away from the domes to minimize the risk of hitting anything. And you will hold onto me the entire time.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and cuddled close. “That won’t be a hardship.”
Against his better judgement, he flapped his wings, letting them carry them both off of the ground. His hold on her tightened as they rose up. Nerves shot through him as his feet left the ground, and he fought to keep his muscles relaxed. He was still concerned, but instinct seemed to take over. His massive wings expanded, flapping slowly as they effortlessly carried them up into the air.
The sun was setting in the distance, creating a kaleidoscope of colors in the sky as evening faded to the dark of night. True to his word, he stayed close to the ground instead of taking her higher like she wanted. She didn’t seem to mind, though. The sound of her laughter was carried on the breeze, and it made him proud to be able to give this experience to her.
“This is amazing!”
It really was, he thought. Flying was exhilarating, and he was glad to be sharing it with her. He had been so lost in his own head the first few times he had attempted to fly that he hadn’t had a chance to enjoy it. Although he was still terrified that he might fuck up and do something wrong, he began to get used to the way his powerful wings worked. It was easier to relax with Lyrica’s calming influence flowing into him through their bond.
The short flight was over all too soon, and Gabriel tried not to stiffen up as he prepared to land. He had to remind himself over and over again that his wings were an extension of himself, not separate beings. They were his to command. With that in mind, he willed his wings to lower them back down to the ground slowly. Relief swept through him as his feet touched back down on the ground, and he managed to come to a stop with only a slight stumble.
She pressed her lips against his in a soft kiss. “Thank you for this. This first flight together will be a memory I always treasure.”
“Anything for you,” he said, meaning every word. “Give me some time to practice, then I’ll fly you to the stars.”
“You already do that every time you touch me,” she whispered, rubbing her cheek against his jaw.
Once it was safe, he lowered Lyrica’s feet back down to the ground, then he took her hand and led her toward the security entrance. The two guards on duty stared at him with wide eyes, and their mouths dropped open. Normally, he would have stopped and chatted with them for a bit, but he just waited until one of them stumbled back over to the controls to open the gate for them.
Gabriel nodded his thanks before strolling through the entrance holding Lyrica’s hand. He made a mental note to thank his parents for contacting security to let them know he’d been on his way over. If they hadn’t, he was sure the guards wouldn’t have opened the gate for them so quickly. But if that was a taste of how people were going to react to him from now on, it was going to get old pretty damn quick.
Back in the day, his mother’s family had started the business with one greenhouse, and it always made him proud to see what it had grown into over the years. Each dome was made of treated glass panels, some of them in various colors to create the perfect environmental conditions for whatever was growing inside. Some of the domes were giant in size, while others were much smaller. The one he was taking Lyrica to was located in a cluster of specialized domes that were separated from the rest of the structures.
As they walked past the first few domes, Lyrica turned to look up at him. “Why didn’t you tell me our mating would cause you problems here in the Capital?”
He’d been waiting for her to ask. “A few regents might have some issues with us
