“Yes! Did you tell him?”
“We did,” Gold said as Ice disappeared. “He’s waiting on the roof.”
She sprang from the bed, grabbing a pair of jeans. “I can’t believe this.”
“You must always have faith, Kate.”
She paused after pulling a sweater over her head. “Thank you.”
He nodded. “Well done with the demon. The warriors were impressed by the couple you and Nathaniel make.”
She smiled. “And you can accept the blame for that.”
“Yes, I do accept the credit,” Gold said and disappeared.
Kate raced into the hall and bounded up the stairs. She shoved the roof door open and rushed out. Bathed in moonlight, Nathaniel waited with silvery wings spread behind him.
She didn’t hesitate. She ran and launched herself at him. He caught her, folding his arms and then his wings around her. Silky feathers brushed against her.
“Wow,” she said, sliding her cheek over them. “Feathers feel really amazing against bare skin.”
He kissed her hard on the mouth, crushing her body to his. After a moment, he lifted her and set her away from him.
“Hey,” she said, reaching toward his bare chest.
“Wait,” he said, taking a step backward. “Don’t distract me, Kate.”
“Distract you from what?” she demanded, very much wanting to touch him.
“From our handfasting ceremony.”
“Oh,” she said, smiling. She clasped her hands together behind her back and nodded. “Then go ahead and marry me, Nathaniel, so you can finally take your wife to bed.”
He smiled, sliding a length of ribbon from his pocket. “I have a marriage bed ready for us. It’s high on the ridge of a mountain among the clouds. There’s a light dusting of snow, but so long as you stay close, my body will keep yours warm,” he promised.
“A mountain ridge,” she murmured. “Where better for an angel to make love than among the clouds? It sounds perfect, Nathaniel,” she whispered. “Just like a dream.”
Human Error
EILEEN WILKS
Chapter One
There were worse ways to spend the holidays. Even leaving out nuclear winter, Benedict could think of several. Like in a hospital. On a battlefield. At a Humans First rally—no, that was the same thing as a battlefield. At least it had been in October, when he’d lost six men himself and too many others had died, including . . .
“Good grief. Don’t look so grim.”
“I’m not grim,” he said automatically. He had the sense to shut his mouth without explaining that he’d been cheering himself up by comparing visiting Arjenie’s family to spending time with tubes in his veins and other places. Never mind that the visit came out ahead. It wouldn’t sound right.
She didn’t say a word. This was unusual enough to get his attention. He stole a glance away from the unfamiliar road.
The woman in the passenger’s seat was slightly above average height, definitely below average weight, with black-framed glasses, a narrow face, and long red hair so extravagantly curly it seemed to have a life of its own. She was shining with happiness. And his. She was his, and beautiful beyond words, and he’d cross the country on foot if that’s what it took to give her such joy.
Everything in him softened. He reached for her hand. “Grim, huh?” It was foolish to drive one-handed, even for someone with his reflexes, when he didn’t have to. But missing a chance to touch her was surely a greater folly.
“Not so much now.” She squeezed his hand. “They aren’t going to eat you, you know. They’re good people.”
He smiled because he knew that was true, and it made him happy that she had good people standing behind her. People who’d stepped in, opening their home and their arms to her when her mother was killed. But good people wouldn’t be happy about her relationship with him. Perhaps, as she claimed, they wouldn’t have a problem with him being lupus. Most human families would, but Arjenie was sure her people weren’t like that.