The Hidden (Shadowed Wings #1)(48)

“Now, show me your moves, big guy!”





17





I fan my face as Sutton takes my hand and drags me off the dance floor. I’m flushed from laughter and movement, and smiling from ear to ear.

“I’ll grab us a drink,” he shouts over the noise, and I nod and point to where I’ll wait for him.

I weave my way over to our meeting point and release a relieved breath as the cloying heat of the fires dissipates, and I’m greeted by cooler air on the outskirts of the partying crowd. I spot the top of the cliff castle between the trees, and I give it my back as I turn and scan the crowd for Sutton. I spot him, two steins in hand, and wave him over.

“You’re an excellent dancer,” I offer as I accept the stein he hands my way and take a huge gulp. The sweet cold drink tastes amazing, and I moan at the flavor that explodes all over my tongue.

“Me? I was just trying to keep up with you. I thought you said you didn’t know these dances,” he tells me as he gulps his whole mug down in three seconds.

“I don’t, but they weren’t hard to pick up at all. They remind me of this dance I once saw in A Knight’s Tale.

“Who has a tail?” Sutton asks confused.

I laugh and wave the question away. “There were a lot more steps, but it reminds me of a more lyrical version of line dancing, which is a dance that people do where I come from. Although, I think the way my people dance most of the time would probably traumatize the entire Eyrie,” I admit, and I chuckle at the thought of the look on everyone’s face if I went out on the dance floor and twerked.

“How so?” Sutton asks, his eyes lit up with amusement.

The moon’s light plays with the golden highlights in his long hair, and I find myself momentarily distracted. “What?”

“Why would the Eyrie be traumatized by the way your people dance?” he clarifies.

“Oh right. Because typically, if you were to go to a club or something, you’d find a lot of people grinding on each other.” Suttons confused look makes me smile. “That’s a dance where the couple writhes and rubs up on each other like they’re having sex, but they’re not actually having sex,” I explain, and I track Sutton’s tongue as it darts out and wets his lips.

“Even our slow dances are way more intimate,” I tell him as I take his drink out of his hands.

I set both of our mugs on the ground and then step into Sutton. I grab his large hands and place them on my hips, and then I reach up and wrap my hands around his neck. I have to stand on my tiptoes, and Sutton bends down a little to make it easier for me, which makes me laugh.

“Fuck, you’re tall,” I observe as I pull his body flush with mine. I feel his breath hitch, and I like knowing I have this effect on him.

“You’re beautiful,” he answers back, and he groans a little when I play with the hair on the back of his head. “So once you get in position, then what?” he asks, tightening his hold on my hips.

Heat fills me, and I run my gaze from his eyes to his lips. “Then you just sway,” I explain, showing him how to move his weight from one foot to the other. “You spin in a little circle, swaying like this, and just feel each other.”

“I think I like the way your people dance much better than the way mine do,” he admits, and I laugh.

Sutton leans down to close the distance between our lips. I smile in encouragement and close my eyes.

Finally!

His full pout barely skims mine before he pulls away suddenly. I open my eyes, a sound of protest sitting on my tongue, but I blanch when I see Zeph shoving Sutton away from me.

Are you fucking kidding me?

Sutton looks confused by Zeph’s actions. He’s pushing back as if to defend himself from his leader but not escalating things beyond that.

Zeph bellows, “Mine,” in Sutton’s face, and his sage gaze widens with surprise.

“I didn’t know, Syta, I would never…” Sutton defends, and then he throws up his hands in surrender. He shoots me a disappointed look and then turns and walks away.

What the fuck?

“Sutton!” I shout out and try to go after him, but Zeph steps in my way.

Pigeon wakes up inside of me, and my vision changes as I get ready to shift and let her deal with this asshole.

Zeph grabs my neck and leans down into my face. “Mine, little sparrow!” he growls at me, and I’m completely floored when I feel Pigeon practically melt into a puddle of mush inside of me.

“Pigeon, what in the actual fuck are you doing?” I demand, but she’s already backed off, and I know I’m not going to get any help from her in dealing with this prick.

“Sutton!” I shout out again, but he just walks away, shoulders slumped, leaving me to deal with Zeph all on my own.

My chest aches with the rejection, and I turn my furious gaze on Zeph. “That is the second motherfucking time you’ve been a raging, cock block, douchebag! What the hell is your problem?” I yell at him, shoving at his chest, more pissed than I have ever felt in my life. I want to kill him.

“You will not look at, let alone entertain, another gryphon again!” he shouts at me, and I see fucking red.

“You will not fucking tell me what I can and can’t do, let alone who I can and can’t do. I am a grown ass woman who likes sex, and I’ll fuck whoever I want! And there isn’t shit you can say or do about it!” I scream back.