Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“Sure. Let me see what I can do.”
Harrison nearly choked on the breath he took to stop the Air Weaver, but it was already too late. Hale zipped up into the sky as if he were made of the wind. As he rose, seeming to pull more on his powers, his appearance grew more translucent. He was becoming the wind he commanded, and it scared Harrison to death. Judging by his trajectory, Hale was heading straight for the darkest and most foreboding of the clouds.
He was vaguely aware of some of their group heading off to the protective awning at the front of the hotel, but Harrison couldn’t move. His eyes remained locked on the churning clouds and whipping winds. Where the hell was Hale?
A flicker of lightning followed a low roll of thunder brought Harrison’s heart to a painful stop. What if he were struck by lightning? Would they even be able to save him if he fell from the sky?
He glanced at the remaining Weavers who stood by watching and waiting for Hale’s return. Calder was frowning at the clouds. The Water Weaver could possibly use the water standing in wide, deep puddles to cushion Hale’s descent.
Grey was also there, his arm wrapped around his mate’s slender shoulders. “Grey! Can you still feel him? Or hear his thoughts? Is he okay?” he demanded.
The Soul Weaver shook his head. “I can’t hear him, but I can feel his powers in the storm.”
Harrison clenched his teeth against the need to snap at Lucien for even suggesting this insane idea. They were already stopped for the night. What did it even matter if it continued to rain? This stupidity was needlessly risking Hale’s life. Wasn’t it enough that he was likely going to die trying to seal this rift?
“This is taking too long,” Harrison snarled. “If he gets too weak, he could fall.”
“He’ll be fine,” Lucien murmured.
“You don’t know that! It’s not like any of us could fly up there and save him!”
“Baer could—” Calder replied, but Harrison cut him off.
“And where the fuck is he?” Harrison threw out his arms. The Animal Weaver had carried his mate inside the hotel, leaving the rest of them helpless to rescue Hale if he was in trouble.
“Hale has this under control, Harrison,” Grey stated in a low, calm voice. There was something in his tone that held a note of warning. Or maybe wishful thinking.
Minutes ticked by and the rain started to slow at last. The wind picked up, chilling him to the bone as the water soaked through his clothes, plastering them to his skin. He shivered and his teeth chattered, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t look away from the clouds. They seemed to lighten and thin, but the blue sky still didn’t peek through. This was enough. The light drizzle was enough. Hale needed to come back.
There was a flicker of something below the clouds, moving closer. A shape that looked almost human. As it came lower, the shape solidified into Hale. The second Harrison could begin to guess where he was going to land, his feet were moving.
The soles of Hale’s sneakers had barely touched the ground when Harrison pulled him tightly into his arms.
“Har—” Hale brokenly squawked, his arms trapped against his body.
“You scared me to death!” Harrison might have shouted directly in his face. He wasn’t entirely sure any longer. He slammed his mouth over Hale’s, pushing his tongue inside. There was only the need to be sure that he was safe and alive. The need to claim him and protect him, even if he didn’t have the power to fight off what lay ahead. At least let him give his own life first. Or maybe there was a way to make a fucking trade. Anything so that Hale was alive.
A hand cradled his cheek, lifting him above the haze of his panic. Hale steadily gentled the kiss, making it softer and sweeter until he pulled far enough away to whisper, “I’m safe. I’m right here. I’m safe.” Harrison continued to kiss him between each brief sentence, not ready to let him go.
“I guess it was a really good thing that we stopped for the night early,” someone teased from behind them. Harrison was too lost in the feel of Hale finally in his arms to care what was said. But it did remind him that they were stopped at a hotel. Clay was getting rooms. Privacy. Warmth. They were both soaking wet, which was a damn good excuse to get Hale naked.
It was only the collision of those fragmented thoughts that gave Harrison the strength to loosen his hold on the man.
Grabbing Hale’s hand, Harrison stepped back and quickly looked around. One of them had opened the tailgate of Lucien’s SUV. Harrison pulled Hale over, pausing only long enough to grab Hale’s bag before marching them across the parking lot and into the hotel.