67. Rune
Rune
Vameer’s giant hand is palming my ass, holding me to him. But I still keep an arm hooked over his shoulders as we look down.
And down.
It’s sometime in the afternoon. We’re somewhere over where Vameer says we’ll find his brother. And I’m eternally grateful that I don’t have a fear of heights.
My vampire explained how his gravito works.
That flying is actually called jumping. And even though it still feels like magic, when I focus on the way it feels—the pulse of the power, the weight of it in my chest—the idea that it’s basically an isolated and controllable gravitational pull makes sense.
I’m tempted to push against the feeling inside my rib cage, testing to see if I really have it too, like Vameer thinks I will. But since the backpack I’m wearing is filled with clothing, not a parachute, several hundred feet in the air is probably not the place to experiment.
My mate takes a deep breath, his chest pressing against mine as he does.
I loop my other arm around his neck and lift my eyes to meet his.
Watching him swallow, I lean in and press a kiss to his cheek. “He’s going to be so happy to see you, Honey. Please stop worrying.”
Vameer wraps his other arm around me, holding me tight. “I know… But I made him worry. For all that time.”
“Because he cares about you. The sooner we go down and see him, the sooner you can assure him you’re fine.” I run my hand down his hair, over his shoulder, loving the feel of it between my fingers.
Vameer swallows again.
“My big, sweet Honey Bear.” I repeat the motion. “We got this.”
The side of his mouth pulls up. “Thank you, Mon Coeur.”
Then we drop.
I yelp at the suddenness. But Vameer’s power stays wrapped around us. And a moment before we reach the ground, we slow.
Vameer’s bare feet touch the earth first, then he lowers me. “Do not wander away.”
Standing beside him, I look up at the building in front of us.
It… looks familiar.
I glance around, taking in the brick buildings. The paths between. The few people I can see walking, wearing backpacks.
We’re on a college campus.
I tip my head back and look at my vampire. “What’s your last name?”
He inhales, and I notice a hint of fresh mint and flowers on the air.
Then he answers. “Vadas.”
The door to the building swings open.
And Volik Vadas steps out.