Flight: The Roc Warriors (Immortal Elements Book 1)

by Sarah Zolton Arthur

  Emotion clogged my throat and I found it hard to catch my breath. Shadow didn’t miss my reaction. “Eaglet?” he asked, stepping closer.

  I shook it off, shaking my head at him and held a hand up to keep him at bay. At the frown formed on his face I redirected my contemplation of him to take in the rest of the room.

  Pelts, large pelts sewn together, covered the bed. Deep gray bedsheets and pillow shams, deeper than the gray of the pelts, coordinated nicely and fit in the space. Though he could have used a few extra pillows. Throw pillows with both grays and matching the wall’s indigo to bring the room together.

  Any furniture in the room had either been stained a dark walnut or covered in black leather. The accents, such as lampshades, too. The tufted broad chair and ottoman looked perfect for reading, sitting cozy in the corner, next to the stone fireplace. I could picture myself reading there on cold winter days.

  “Let’s shower.” I held my hand out for him to lead me into the bathroom. A bathroom the size of five of the one in my room at the boarding house. A bathroom built from soapstone, more talc than mineral, and clear quartz large enough to be unshaped glass blocks. At first glance I thought it was glass. I’d never seen anything like it.

  The whole space looked so natural, like a little alcove cut out of a mountain. The faucet he turned on blended seamlessly with the background. And the water flowed not from a typical showerhead spigot, but rather it cascaded down over a stone edge, a crystal-clear waterfall. Only it rained hot water instead of the normally icy cold of the outdoor waterfalls I’d experienced in the past.

  I let him undress me. And he let me undress him. Then we showered.

  Both of us in fresh clothing, hair dried, we rejoined his brothers downstairs. Bracken and Race sat in the living room talking. A room with walls of a rich burnt sienna, like the setting sun in a tropical sky. Brown leather sofas, two, flanked by two broad chairs similar to the one in the bedroom, only covered in the same brown of the sofa to create a large, yet cozy seating area for drinks or conversation. Then surprisingly, to finish out the space—surprisingly because all the other colors were warm and these popped vibrantly—there was an elaborate Persian rug with all the colors of the room, plus white and red and even blue and green, covering a large area of the hardwood flooring, including under the furniture.

  I got a bright smile and, “Hey, lady,” from Bracken, while only receiving a grunt from Race. That man, I was going to get him to like me whether he liked it or not.

  “Hi, guys,” I replied, giving the room the warmest friendly smile, I could muster. “Can I get you a drink?” I turned to my mate. “Do you have something here to offer them?”

  “Saēna!” Race spat out. “Not a fucking dinner party here, Meena.”

  My smile faltered, yet not willing to show him how much his words hurt when all I tried to do was be hospitable, I quickly regrouped.

  “Race.” Shadow hissed low, almost lethal. A tone I’d never heard come from him, not that we’d known each other all that long. “We have been friends a long time. Never have I lorded over you. Do not make me now.”

  Race, for his part, winced the briefest wince before his eyes hardened.

  The look only angered my husband more. “Do not forget who she is to me, to our people.”

  “We have to go anyway,” said Bracken. “Can you give us a day? To head down the mountain, check out the cabin. See if anyone has been sniffing around. Then we’ll come back to make the plan from what we learn.”

  Shadow looked to his brothers. They both nodded. What they didn’t do was ask my opinion.

  “I—”

  Shadow cut me off, clearly annoyed, challenging me to object, which I didn’t. No, I spun on my heel and marched off into a separate room, the kitchen. Not just a kitchen, a chef’s dream, yet it gave off the same homey atmosphere of the other rooms.

  A copper kettle rested on the stovetop. After a thorough search through the cupboards and finding a canister of tea, elderberry tea (they certainly loved their elderberry here), and honey, I filled the kettle with water and set it to boil.

  Exquisite crockery and stoneware that reminded me of the Chihuahuan desert of New Mexico lined his shelves. If I weren’t so ticked at the man, I’d truly admire his decorative tastes.

  Though what did I expect, falling into bed, into life with a man I barely knew? Maybe love wasn’t enough.

  It might be good to get out of the city for a while, hopefully get the chance to clear my head.

  My whole life I’d lived alone, even in the homes. I’d put myself through college, found a job I loved. What I was not, and being honest with myself never had really ever been, was a child. Yes, I found it sweet he cared, but he couldn’t go making decisions for me. If something made him uncomfortable, we needed to talk about it.

  The mug of hot tea rested in front of me on the large butcher-block island countertop, my hands wrapped around it for warmth as I leaned against the counter breathing in the steam when he walked in. It took everything in me not to look in his direction. Even if pissed at him, the man was still seriously hot.

  “You found the tea,” he said.

  “Oh, should I have asked your permission first?” My words came casually, but he got my meaning. Even though I was refusing to look at him, staring at my mug as if waiting for it to perform tricks, his head snapped in my direction. I caught it from the corner of my eye.

  “Excuse me?”

  I took a sip of tea. “Maybe you should write me a list of when I am and not allowed to think for myself or make my own decisions, Aerie-Lord.”

  “Excuse me?” he asked louder, more forcefully.

  “Actually, I’d have appreciated even being let in on the conversation when we’re discussing me.”

  At that point, being around him any longer might have made me say something regrettable. To avoid this, I pushed off the island and walked out on him, storming up the stairs, but instead of going back to the master, I peeked into the other rooms until finding a guestroom. That was where I deposited myself on the bed.

  The door closed and locked behind me.

  Chapter Nine:

  The Storm Before the Storm

  “Meena.” His words came sharply, close but muffled, which meant, just as I thought, he’d gone to the master room looking for me. “Meena?” he called again. It was prudent to note he called me “Meena.” Not “eaglet” or “dear one.”

  Nope. I didn’t care.

  Through the door came the sound of doorknobs jiggling. Louder, which meant closer. Until… the knob on the guestroom jiggled hard. He expected it to open. It didn’t.

  “Meena, open the door.”

  Just the sound of his voice grated my nerves more than PMS. “I’m sorry, Aerie-Lord. Maybe you and your superior brainpower can talk me through it.”

  The doorknob stopped jiggling, then the hallway fell silent. I thought maybe that would be the end of it. But no. Minutes later, something scraped at the door right before it popped open.

  Shadow strode in with screwdriver in hand, walked to the bed and scooped me up, my belly to his shoulder, flipping me over in a fireman’s carry.

  From there we moved back to the master where he shut the door with his foot and dropped me on the mattress.

  “We sleep here.”

  “Yes, Aerie-Lord,” I agreed in an obviously, because I wasn’t trying to hide it, false meek voice.

  “What is with the attitude, Meena?”

  Seriously?

  He wanted to do this, fine, we’d do this. “You cut me out of an important decision-making conversation. I’m a fully capable adult.”

  “You certainly are not acting like one now.”

  “Yeah.” Sarcasm dripped from that one word. “Because you took that away from me. So, I figure if you want to treat me like a child or subject you have to make the decisions for, I’ll act like one.”

  “That makes me the bad guy for wanting to keep my mate safe? My mate who decided she had to go ba
ck down the mountain where wolves actively tried to take her from me?”

  “No, what ‘makes you the bad guy’ is when you cut me out of the decision-making process.” I used air quotes for the words I threw back at him.

  His body jolted to a rigid stop and he glared at me. “You’re human,” he said bizarrely. “A witch, but human.”

  “Yes, I’m well aware, Shadow. That’s something we learn pretty early on.”

  “Call me ‘Copper,’” came his even more bizarre response.

  “What?”

  “Call me ‘Copper.’ I liked when you used that endearment. It belongs to me, only me. Given by you. My dear one.”

  At his declaration, I forgot to be mad any longer. I forgot to be mad and he waited, like he actually wanted me to call him Copper right then.

  “Cop-per,” I said tentatively.

  He closed his eyes and breathed out. “Once more,” he demanded.

  More confident now, I did as asked. “Lie next to me, Copper. Let’s talk.”

  The last word hardly left my mouth before he dropped down onto the mattress alongside me and curled me into his arms, my cheek resting against his chest, my hand to his firm, flat stomach.

  In the next breath he used his free hand to guide my face to look up at him, where he gently tipped his down to touch his nose to the tip of mine and ran it delicately up the bridge, then back down. The eagle’s kiss.

  That was mine.

  “Do not be angry with me, eaglet,” he said. “What I say will irritate you, but if you search your mind, you’ll understand I am right.”

  Well, that wasn’t a great start to this little heart-to-heart. Talk about a sneak attack—giving me an eagle’s kiss to get me feeling all squishy for the man. I let out a long breath. “Okay, let me have it.”

  “Not as bad as you think.” He laughed softly and I felt the rumble through his chest against my fingers. “Many humans have been known to me over the years. Until recently, within the last fifty years or so. Some in charge have turned hostile toward my people. From what I gather, immortals in general.”

  “Are there many other immortal races?”

  The rumble in his chest deepened. “I see you wish to distract me from our talk, but as you’ve bound yourself to an immortal life at my side, you should know.”

  “I’m sorry? I’ve bound myself to an immortal life?”

  “Yes.”

  “But how? I don’t—”

  He pressed a finger to my lips. He freaking pressed a finger to my lips to shut me up. I pinched his nipple hard in retaliation. This only resulted in a third, even deeper, louder laugh through his stupid, toothy grin. “When you carry our child, small amounts of blood will cross from the placenta while he or she grows inside you. As I will be the father, the child will carry on my immortal lineage, passing those specific cells along to you to multiply.” He paused to swallow and seemingly to consider his next words. “Nature will not allow my people to die so young and thus ensures a viable birth by protecting the host. You. The mother.”

  What he said made sense. “You have to knock me up to keep me alive?”

  “Always so eloquent, my dear one. But yes, you get the idea.”

  “Wow… just, wow. That’s utterly amazing.”

  I felt his arm tighten around me, as if hugging me. “Well, yes. It is.”

  “Why don’t humans know about immortals?”

  “Some do,” he said, shifting us farther up the bed so our heads hit the pillows. Though he turned us both on our sides to face one another. His hand draped over my waist, he looked peaceful. “Human stories have surfaced throughout the ages. Most of those have some basis, even the tiniest shred, of truth. Tales told by mortals who have stumbled upon their immortal brethren.”

  “Meaning werewolves, vampires, and mermaids are all real?”

  “The world is vast; we share it with many. Some good, some bad. But mostly they wish to be left alone to live their lives, raise families.”

  Hmm… that made sense too.

  “And you think humans won’t accept them?” I asked.

  “No, eaglet. They want to possess us, use our strength and power against other humans to gain control. We have treaties in place to keep us out of human affairs, but they have made their intensions clear over the years.”

  “Not all humans. I don’t want to use your powers against other humans. I just want to use your body for my nefarious purposes on a regular basis.” I tried to joke, but the words couldn’t belie the seriousness of the moment. A smile once again found his lips as he continued to watch me.

  God, the longer I stayed with him, the more beautiful he became. My heart filled even fuller. I wished every girl could find her Roc.

  “Don’t you think there might be other humans destined to be mated to other immortals?”

  “Since many species large and small mate for life in both our worlds, I think that is true.”

  “Okay, well, wouldn’t not knowing about you guys potentially keep some of those matings from occurring?”

  “You found your way to me. If you had not, I would have found my way to you. Our souls sought each other out. We both felt it from the beginning. Theirs will too. What is meant to be is, as they say, meant to be.”

  I wasn’t convinced on that one. But who was I to argue? I hadn’t even reached thirty yet. Still a year off. He’d been around for hundreds of years. He’d probably know better. Which meant instead of arguing it out, I changed the subject.

  “Alright, back to the beginning and you pissing me off, what does you not letting me in on decision-making have to do with me being human?”

  “For beings with such limited lifespans, your lot have no problem rushing into uncertain situations without thinking it through first.”

  “You mean we’re brave.”

  “No, I mean headstrong. And you, my dear eaglet, are very persuasive.”

  “I’m persuasive?”

  “Everything about you. And as you, I’m assuming, do not yet carry our child, there are many ways in which you could be taken from me.”

  “If I promise to be mindful of the situation, will you promise not to speak for me?”

  “I—” he started to answer when his phone rang. Instead of finishing with me, he answered it. A look of relief flashed over his face as he did. That might have been a saved-by-the-bell moment, which didn’t fill me with joy or mirth by any means.

  The call went quick. “My mother wants to train with you before we leave. Although I imagined spending the day snuggling with you, I feel she is correct. With the wolves and ravens after you, harnessing some basic magic is time best spent.”

  I caught on something he said. “Ravens?”

  “You called them ‘turkey buzzards.’”

  “But they’re huge—like turkey buzzards. And ravens don’t get that large.”

  “Welcome to the world of the immortals. Have you ever seen an eagle grow to match the Roc?”

  “Um… well, no.” I got what he was saying, but he didn’t have to laugh at me, which was exactly what he lay there doing. “Quit making sense.” I demanded on a huff.

  His answer was to stare down at me for long moments, gaze drifting over my lips, my cheeks, nose, and forehead, finally landing on my eyes.

  “If given one wish, it would be that my brothers find mates as smart and beautiful, as peaceful and fun-loving as you. You are everything I need you to be.”

  Right. With wetness brimming my eyes, I leaned in to kiss him with everything I had to give. All the emotion channeled through me into that kiss.

  “When we get back from the mountain, we will have our wedding.”

  “I’d love nothing more. Thank you, Copper.”

  To stay lying there, talking—gah! —if only. Unfortunately, we had to get moving. Though he certainly looked pained as he pushed up from the bed.

  “Must we?” I asked as he tugged me up to standing.

  “Will you cancel the trip down the mountain?”
r />   “No.”

  “Then yes, we must.”

  Yes, I knew that, too.

  My new mother-in-law waited for us in the courtyard of the castle. It was more than a courtyard, an exquisite garden with sculpted topiaries and hedges of vibrant green and deep, muted aubergine leaves cut in the shapes of eagles, not to mention the potted plants in earthen urns. The space had a very old world feel, and by old, I meant ancient. Less English garden, more gardens of Babel.

  Shadow walked with me, hand in hand, to greet her. The way she smiled so broad and proud at me, I wished she’d been my mother growing up, except for the fact that my mate wouldn’t be my mate now.

  “Son.” Avalon tipped her head in a slight bow, then gestured to an area off the paved walkway. “Why don’t you take a seat.”

  He nodded and walked to a sturdy, weathered wooden bench to sit.

  “Why did the sparks stop once Shadow and I got together?” I asked to get the ball rolling.

  “The sparks are an outward manifestation of what you had been feeling internally for my son. Your body’s way of guiding you to the right choice.”

  “Are you saying my mate no longer feels a spark in our relationship, Mother?” Shadow teased. “It has only been a day.”

  “Enough,” the older woman warned him, although her eyes narrowed, her mouth tipped up in one corner. Then she turned back to me. “Your feelings for my son are different now. Deeper, more intense. Those can manifest, too, and I’ll show you how if you like. But I feel our time should be spent elsewhere.”

  She looked between Shadow and myself, choosing to focus on me first. “Natural witches take their power from the natural world around them.” Then to Shadow she added, “Meena must ground herself, closing the circuit. Pulling the magic the earth has on offer while giving of herself in return.”

  Just as I always imagined a real witch to do, she kicked off her shoes and tossed them by Shadow’s feet, nodding at me to do the same. Obediently, I bent over to pull off each boot and one at a time tossed them to the future king. “Feel the exchange of power, Meena,” said the queen. “Our magic is like the tide. Ebb and flow. Feel it.”