Gates of Rapture (Guardians of Ascension 6)

Once the power could be brought without physical contact, Thorne moved everyone outside to continue the in-flight practice. Leto even suggested that he be the guinea pig for the first folding experiment. He and Thorne argued, but in the end Leto prevailed when he said, “The hell if I’m allowing any of the Militia Warriors to be hurt because of this. And you know I’m strong as hell and powerful, which means that if anything goes wrong, I’ll heal fast. Get Horace over here if it will make you feel any better.”

Grace watched him stare Thorne down. Marguerite hooked her arm through Grace’s. “We have two tough hombres, don’t we? Sweet Christ, is it bad of me to want to see them get into a fight? Thorne’s closing his fist. Look at his arms. Those muscles.”

Grace could not have cared less about her brother’s arms, but Leto’s shoulders were hunched and bulked up. Her mouth watered. She blinked several times.

Giving herself a shake, she approached the men and grabbed each by the wrist. “Hey, knock it off. The last thing we need is the two of you locking horns.”

The men backed down, which meant each took a few steps away from the other. She met Thorne’s gaze. “I happen to agree with Leto. And just in case, Horace should be here.”

“Fine,” Thorne said. He whipped his Droid Ascender from his slacks and started hitting the screen. A moment later, he said, “Hey, Carla, we need Horace at my position at Apache Junction Two, and, no, no one is hurt, and, yes, I do know he’s probably asleep, but get him to me anyway as quick as you can, at this position. I’ll let security here know.”

He tapped again and spoke to security. “Horace is coming to my position.”

Grace wasn’t surprised when about two minutes later, Horace materialized next to Thorne. He squinted against the bright sunshine.

“Sorry to disturb,” Thorne said.

But Horace bowed slightly. “No problem, duhuro.”

Thorne opened his mouth as though to say something then simply shrugged, smiled, and clapped the tall, thin healer on the shoulder. “Thanks for coming.” He then explained what they were doing.

Horace’s eyes grew wide. “I’m ready if you need me, but I really hope you don’t.” A fold could trash a pair of wings, even the strongest wings.

Leto removed his shirt, which caused Grace to put a hand to her chest and to weave on her feet. She didn’t think she’d ever get over what the man looked like.

He met her gaze but shook his head. He looked so serious, just as he should given the circumstances. And she knew she wasn’t helping because she knew that he could feel all the desire she was presently experiencing. The next moment, she felt his mental shields slam into place.

At the same time, she started setting up her own blocks like mad because all she could think about was what it had been like the night before with Leto at the villa, his body slamming into her from behind and both sets of wings mounted.

As he turned away from her, however, she was lost all over again as his wings unfurled. They arrived in a blue flurry of movement and suddenly all four panels of his unusual, exquisite wings were just there. He drew them in to close-mount and shot into the air.

Thirty feet up, he unfurled and flew above them, turning in a slow arc and flying over them once more.

She put her hand to her chest. In flight, he was, as Endelle might have said, f**king magnificent. He began to plow through the air, even making another full loop that must have been a hundred yards in diameter. She didn’t move as she watched him, and she sure as hell couldn’t have looked away. She wanted to be up there with him.

A hand gripped her arm. “Hey.” Thorne’s voice broke through, and she turned to him startled.

“What?” she asked.

His stern expression softened. “Didn’t you hear me calling to you?”

She shook her head and pointed into the sky. Thorne’s gaze followed. “He’s your breh.”

Grace turned once more to watch Leto make another pass. His cadroen had come loose, and his long black hair flowed behind him. “Yes,” she said. “He’s my man.”

She heard Thorne chuckle, though she wasn’t sure what he found amusing. “Shall we see what happens when the triad folds him out of the sky?”

Oh, that. “Yes, of course.”

She turned to Grace and Marguerite. The latter sent the word scorpion into Grace’s mind, the telepathic link formed, and the obsidian power flowed.

Thorne’s thoughts were suddenly present as well. Leto’s ready. Fold at will. Bring him next to Horace.

Grace went into split-self mode, took possession of Fiona, then focused on Leto, now a hundred yards above the triad. She thought the thought.

She could feel the fold happen. The next moment she separated from Fiona, returning to herself. She wasn’t surprised when Leto appeared beside Horace, smiling, his hair wild, his blue eyes shining with pleasure and triumph, and his full-mount wings completely intact.

He met her gaze. “The fold felt like being wrapped in cotton and just set on my feet on the ground. Beautiful.”

Grace went to him, unable to contain all that she felt. She slid her arms carefully around his waist, and like a dream, his wings enfolded her. What a miracle all of this was, being here with Leto and her brother and with obsidian flame, feeling Leto’s arms around her. She felt overwhelmed and blessed.

She remained like that for a long time, just savoring him, savoring life, savoring the love she felt for him, the soft movement of his feathers over her skin. He was safe and uninjured, and he was hers.

Of course, the practice had to continue, but she thanked Thorne for letting her have that moment with Leto.

The rest of the morning involved practice and more practice, folding individual Militia Warriors in flight, then groups of them just to make sure that if the triad had to fold the spectacle handlers out of the air, it could be done safely.

After that, Grace took to the air and worked with Marguerite and Fiona doing the same thing all over again, but bringing their obsidian power online while in flight, then folding more Militia Warriors also while in flight.

The success of the venture was mind boggling.

With the most critical issues settled, the final trial run had been set up. The entire obsidian flame triad, including their brehs, was now in flight, and Grace would perform her final feat before tackling the spectacle review at eight.

It was now three o’clock in the afternoon, and Grace flew beside Marguerite and Fiona. Leto, Jean-Pierre, and Thorne flew behind each of them, for protection and for support. Thorne was taking no chances with this part of the practice.