Unchained (Men in Chains 3)

“In my tight, frightened fist, yes.”

“Just wanted to be sure. I can feel my power streaming in your direction, but I needed to know what it was like on your end. As for the journey itself, we’ll be able to communicate telepathically the entire distance.” He switched just to be sure. You okay with that?

She turned into him so that she could look him in the eyes, a half smile on her lips. Because he held her pinned against him, his ever-present desire for her swelled. She was exquisite, and something about the blue of her eyes—or maybe it was the shape of her nose or possibly her smile—hit the center of his brain like a drug.

You’re beautiful.

She frowned slightly. Thank you. I … I wasn’t expecting you to say that.

Right. What the hell was he doing talking to her like that? He pulled himself together. You ready?

Yes.

Good. Let me switch to altered flight so you can feel the difference this time. I’d apologize again for just shooting us both up into the air in Seattle, but you already know why I had to do it.

I do. Go ahead.

He watched her for a second. Her gaze flitted around his room as though studying the space, categorizing maybe.

With the experience of four hundred years, he levitated into the air then switched to altered flight. What do you feel?

Her eyes flitted once more. A soft vibration, and the air appears to have gentle waves through it.

You might want to close your eyes for this next part. We’ll be flying through solid rock.

Really?

You’re surprised?

Well, sure. She glanced toward the doorway. Are you saying this cave doesn’t have an outlet? That you didn’t enter through, like, a front door?

He chuckled. No, nothing like that.

So this isn’t just flying.

We call it “altered” flight because it allows us to fly through anything solid.

Wow. Okay, but I’m not closing my eyes. I want to see this, to experience it.

When he took off, he headed straight up so that she wouldn’t see a solid mass of rock coming straight at her.

It’s like fog or something. And there’s the sky. It’s still dark. Where are we exactly?

South America.

That would explain it. So which direction are we traveling? I’m feeling like we’re going east.

We are.

He felt her excitement so he kept the pace slow for now. Slower would mean less pain, and she could look around at the passing landscape below. Eventually, he’d have to move faster, because at this speed they were visible to other vampires either in the air or on the ground.

My head doesn’t hurt. Is it the chains?

I’m not sure. Are you feeling any discomfort?

No, not really, but I’m holding the chains tight in my fist and I do feel your power like a steady pulse through me.

That might change once we go faster.