Mated (The Queen's War #1)

Chapter 40

Counting off the crates as she went, Perci walked through the armoury in the legion's barracks. With a clipboard in hand and Iknaya following closely behind, she checked off the items on her checklist as she saw them.

The blacksmiths and tailors in the city had been very busy and stockpiles of weapons and armour had been brought through the portal from the Citadel in their thousands. Since she was so out of her depth with it all, Perci could really only help organise the legion's equipment.

"Okay, it looks like that's the last of the shipments from the Citadel." Perci pushed back her hair over her shoulder and handed the clipboard to Iknaya who tucked it away into the satchel she wore.

"That should be the last of the admin for today." Iknaya said.

"Good, this baby has been giving me hellish morning sickness and all I want to do is lean over a toilet." Perci grumbled.

"I don't envy you." Her bodyguard snickered.

"You don't want children?"

"Maybe someday. Nikolas isn't in a rush." Iknaya's eyes lit up at the thought of her soulmate and Perci couldn't help but smile at the dreamy look on her face. "We decided to wait until things settle down and we move to Gehenna. We'll bring the subject back up again then."

"I don't think Lucan has high hopes of that being any time soon." Perci sighed.

"No one does." Iknaya shrugged.

They exited the armoury to full beaming sunshine and dozens of legionnaires either sparring or resting on the grass. Perci smiled at the ones who would meet her gaze and walked through them to the stone gate. Tall hedges separated the enormous barracks compound from the rest of the city and two demons manned the entrance. Both gave her a respectful bow as she passed through them.

Perci opened her mouth to ask Iknaya about her plans for the rest of the day, when the shadow of wings blocked her sunlight. Smiling wide, she looked up into the eyes of her soulmate as he landed and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. When he pulled away, she'd momentarily forgotten about her morning sickness and the fact they had an audience.

"You're back early. I wasn't expecting you until this evening." She touched his cheek and he kissed her palm.

"I didn't want to stay away too long."

He slid his arms around her waist and lifted her until she had to wrap her legs around his waist or risk hanging like a ragdoll. Her embarrassment at the public display of affection roared to the surface, but Lucan didn't let her rosy cheeks stop him from conquering her mouth. She barely registered the fact her beautifully wicked mate was ascending into the air whilst simultaneously sending her body into overdrive. Finally when she had to pull away to breathe, she touched his lips with the tips of her fingers. They'd risen high enough above Undercity that no one could see exactly what they were doing, but still she found herself blushing.

"It seems you still haven't managed to shake your human sensibilities." He chuckled into her neck where he peppered kisses up and down the slender curve.

"Sometimes I think you do it on purpose." She accused, breathily.

Her smouldering mate said nothing and instead grinned at her whilst squeezing the handfuls of her arse he had in his hands. Then tilting his body forwards so she had to grip him tightly, he glided down towards the city walls. She rested her head in the nook of his shoulder and closed her eyes.

The feeling of being in Lucan's arms as he flew was easily her favourite thing to do. In some ways she was glad that the females of her new species didn't have wings. She carefully fingered the wing slits of the specially made shirt he wore, being careful not to disrupt the rhythmic beats of his wings and simply breathed in his magnificence.