Chapter 56:

He woke me up early Monday morning, making me smile as he slowly kissed along the side of my neck before I turned into him and captured those lips with mine. 

"Do you want to come with me this morning?" He asked as he pulled back just enough that he could press another kiss right under my ear, and I grinned. 

"I think you already know the answer to that question, otherwise you wouldn't have already woken me up," I whispered right back before trailing my fingers over his sharp jaw as I leaned back for another kiss. 

I was more than happy to get another chance to see him shift; there was just something about it that drew me in. I always loved how he reacted when I would run my hand over his scales or press my cheek to his. Every single time, he would lean into my touch, almost to the point of accidentally knocking me over sometimes, but I wasn't about to complain. 

Once we came back off the mountains, we ended up grabbing an early breakfast as the kitchen packed all the provisions for our team. They were just opening up the mess hall for everyone else as we left and headed out to the field just beyond the courtyard, where we just sat and relaxed in the grass, waiting for Lexi and Genie to meet up with us whenever they were done.

I leaned back against Xavier's chest, where he had pulled me over to sit between his legs as we relaxed in the long grass. His tall frame gently curled around me as his hand stroked soft patterns over my stomach, making me smile as I happily leaned into his hold. I just smiled as I looked out at where Bane and Nova were cuddling together out further in the field in their large forms. 

As much as I was enjoying him loving on me like this, I could tell that it wasn't just to do it. It almost felt obsessive this morning. He's been tense all morning, but the closer we came to having to leave, the more he wouldn't let me out of his grasp.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, whispering the question to him as I turned to press a kiss right under his jaw. 

"I will be, as long as he doesn't try to put his damn hands on you." 

So that's what this was all about. I just smiled as I gave him a slight shake of my head. "You should know by now that I don't want anyone else, Xavier." 

"Princess, it's not you I'm worried about. Trust me, I already know you're going to tell that prick exactly where to shove it within about five minutes of meeting him, and I'll love every damn second of it. The issue is that he's not exactly known as someone who just asks for what he wants. He has a tendency to get rather pushy and handsy, especially around women." 

I just grinned at him before I turned entirely in his hold so I could face him. "Well then, I guess it's a good thing that you taught me exactly how to use these, huh?" I whispered, stealing one of his knives off his thigh and holding it between us with a grin. He just gave me a devious smile before leaning into me a little further as I pulled his knife back to keep from cutting him, before returning it to its sheath as he leaned in to press a kiss right under my ear.

"Careful, princess. If you start playing with knives with me, you'll end up with far more than you bargained for." He nipped right under my jaw, making me gasp as I tipped my head to the side, giving him more access as my arms found their way up around his neck. Slowly, he continued trailing soft kisses up the side of my neck, and I cursed the Gods as his lips found mine, because I knew we didn't have time to take this any further right now. 

I heard the other two girls coming out of the courtyard, and reluctantly broke our kiss, but wasn't about to pull away from him, not yet. I didn't actually care if they saw us. It's not like they didn't already know we were together, and Xavier made no move to push me away either. No, he only leaned in a little further, laying his forehead on my shoulder as he just held me there. 

Both girls stopped several feet away from us, quickly glancing over our position before raising their eyebrows at me, but I just smiled at them as I lay my cheek on Xavier's shoulder. 

"Are you ready to go?" I asked him, and he sighed out a no, but slowly let me go anyway before we both got up. 

Xavier picked up the provisions before looking down at me once more. "I'm going to start packing everything on Bane. Go catch up with your friends for a moment, Ari. Make sure her Griffin is able to carry both of them." He told me before walking over towards Bane, as I thanked him and smiled at Lexi and Genie, who were both just watching Xavier as he walked off with varying levels of concern. 

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked as I walked up to where they were standing.

"Is he feeling okay?" Genie asked, looking from me to Xavier, and I just shook my head at her. 

"I told you that we were together. Why are you two acting as if he might just decide to eat you?" I asked, once more just looking between the two of them.

"Okay, I think what she's trying to say is that it's one thing for you to say it, but it's something else entirely to walk out and see that terrifying man cuddling you and actually looking damn adorable doing so. Remember, you're literally the only person that doesn't find a man that could literally snap you in half, has a serious tendency for violence, and is touchy to say the least, terrifying." Lexi answered, and I just giggled at her description because she wasn't wrong.

"Yes, I understand that, but at the same time, he's actually rather fun to be around. Not to mention the fact that he's probably the best person to have on our side with the situations that we're about to get into." I told them, and they both just looked at me for a moment before nodding. 

"We trust you, Ari. So if you trust him, then we will too." Genie said with a smile as I smiled back at her. 

"Thank you. Now, will Kira be able to carry both of you?" I asked, looking towards Lexi, and she nodded before Kira shifted into her larger form. Her gray and white speckled feathers gleamed in the bright morning sun as she stretched her wings. "Good, I'm not sure what that castle actually holds, but I've been around him long enough to know that he wouldn't put us in a bad situation unless there isn't any other option. Trust me, and you'll see for yourself." Both of them nodded, and we all walked over towards where Xavier was leaning up against Bane's leg, just simply relaxing for a moment while he waited for us. 

He must have stowed his swords with the rest of our supplies, considering I didn't see the hilts of them peaking over his shoulders as I walked up to him. He reached his hand out to me, and I didn't hesitate in taking it as he pulled me into his arms before making quick work of unstrapping my swords from my shoulders as he took them from me. "I can carry my own swords up, Xavier," I whispered to him, but it only caused him to grin at me. 

"Yes, but so can I, princess." He whispered back as I raised an eyebrow at him, watching as those emerald eyes glinted in an unspoken challenge, and I just shook my head. "I'll take your bags," Xavier called over to the other two, and both of them came a little closer to us. "You'll travel faster without the extra weight." 

Both girls thanked him as they handed him their bags before Lexi climbed up onto Kira's back and gave Genie a hand up behind her. I took a moment to gently run my hand over the smooth scales of Nova's cheek before starting the trek up Bane's outstretched leg with Xavier close behind me. 

Kira scrambled back several paces as Bane stood to his full height, the second Xavier and I were settled in his seat before leaping from the ground in one smooth motion. However, I had to give the huge dragon some props, considering he flew slow enough that Kira was able to keep up with us without much complaint.