Page 72 of Heartsong
Smooth as could be, Frey landed right in front of her. His feet had barely touched the sidewalk before he’d snatched her into his arms and jumped back into the air.
A high-pitchedeepescaped her before Anna clamped her mouth shut. Her heart kicked painfully in her chest, and her head sloshed to the side as Frey gained height and then banked to the left.
Cold fog rushed past them, thick against her mouth, and she could hardly breathe as he flew and flew and flew. For a moment, they broke above the fog bank. Anna gasped, the night cold and clear around them, thousands of crystalline stars shining down and the moon a big pearl ringed in blue. Then the fog swallowed them again.
“Put me down!” she hissed. “Someone willsee!”
He ignored her words, ignored her fists, full of his shirt and tugging. When she managed to kick his shin, he adjusted his hold so he had her under the back and legs.
She squirmed in his arms, not so much trying to get away (she wasn’t that dumb) but to let him know shewasn’t happy about this. Anna was considering biting him when his wings curled forward like big sails and he went from horizontal to vertical. His legs somehow found the ground through the fog, and they landed in a grassy area at a light jog.
It was a park, trees lining it several deep and a concrete pathway cutting through the middle, but she couldn’t quite tell which one in the fog.
With the ground in sight, Anna really did start wriggling.
“Frey, put medown.”
“No,” he growled.
She growled right back.
Fuck this. Fuck today. And fuck him, too!
She did her best impression of a fish, arching her back and kicking her legs, but his arms only clamped down tighter.
Her head falling off would’ve been a mercy with how hard it pounded from the altitude changes on top of everything else. Anna just wanted to lay still—no, she wanted to go home and get her shot. So she struggled in his arms, determined to break free.
“Let. Go. Of. Me!”
She gasped when his face got right in hers, his nose wrinkled in that way it did. Fangs flashing, he growled, “Never.”
A trickle of fear slithered down her spine, and her heart made a painfultha-thump. Tears threatened, and she shook her head even though it was agony. Shoving at his chest, Anna finally worked a leg free.
Finally, with a hearty, long-suffering growl, Frey let her go.
Anna stumbled away, catching herself after a few paces, and glared at him.
“Why must you always fight?” he demanded. “I’m the last one you should be fighting and yet it’s me you fight hardest!”
“You’re the only one who grabs me and flies to strange parks at night! What theactual fuck,Frey?”
“You left! Again! You knew all the dangers, knew how I felt about it, and you left!”
“Because I need the job!”
“There must be other jobs, ones that don’t put you in danger.”
“What the fuck do you know about getting a job? I need the money and—and you know what, I’m not having this argument again. You say I knew how you felt, well what about how I feel, Frey?”
“How do you feel, Anna?” He stalked toward her, all heaving chest and bright, angry eyes. “I would love to know how you feel, but you won’t share it with me. You share nothing of yourself with me.”
The accusation struck Anna square in the chest, but she refused to show it.
“How do I feel? Angry, Frey. I hate being manhandled and grabbed and taken somewhere I don’t want to go. I want to be home right now, not in some random park in the cold.”
“You would not listen to me. You were reckless and late and I had to make sure you were safe.”
“I wasfine. I can take care of myself, Frey. I’ve been doing it long before you.”
