Flight and Fantasy Read online

  She had analysed the flight patterns of her people, and the telekinetic shove from the earth was the biggest portion of their advantage over mechanics. Her suit had fought to use magnetic forces to compensate and she had succeeded with a solid shove of her legs and a surge of power through a coil of wire.

  Anna finally noticed their destination. “The floating platform?”

  The guards looked at her as if she was stupid. “All major celebrations are held on the platform. This one is no different.”

  “Oh. I have not been invited before this.”

  “That much is obvious. I hear that the wingless find the platform uncomfortable.” He didn’t say anything else, but she had gotten the impression nonetheless. Wingless.

  * * * *

  Lights and colours exploded and wings of pure white and black were everywhere. A few dove grey wings were in small bunches in the crowd, but most of the winged were on the dance floor.

  The royal family were arranged at one end of the platform and everyone was wearing a mask and costume. For once, she barely stood out.

  A figure detached from the royal dais and approached her. Denaric. In a mask, he was her equal, even with his wings. He strode right up to her and looked down into her eyes. “If this is what the inventors can do in an hour, we need to increase their funding. They can work miracles.”

  She looked down, but he didn’t give her a chance to demur. Anna was in his arms and dancing before she knew it.

  His hand on the small of her back sent tremors through her, but she tried to keep her mind on matters at hand. “I have never been on the flight platform before. It is nice, Your Highness.”

  He leaned back and laughed. “In masks, call me Denaric. It is far too informal a night for anything more.”

  She inclined her head and smiled, but it was only two rounds on the dance floor before he leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “Say my name, Annanya. I want to hear it from your lips.”

  She opened her lips and whispered it to him, “Denaric.”

  The gleam of satisfaction filled his bright blue eyes behind his mask and his lips tightened below the gold edge of the eagle features. The stylized raptor suited him well.

  “This event is quite large, Denaric.”

  “We hold it every year on the night before the opening ceremonies.”

  “There are few grounders here.” She clung to him as he swung her around another couple and she laughed nervously while she caught her footing.

  “The dignitaries from Orion Rift will be here tomorrow for a tea. Each one will be flown up by a guardsmen. They have no wings.” He smiled down at her with a conspiratorial grin. “Would you like to attend?”

  “I would enjoy that, but I will be at my category showing off my invention.”

  “What is this mystery machine that occupies your time? Should I be jealous?” He drew them to a halt on the edge of the dance floor and kept one arm around her waist.

  “You will have to wait until tomorrow like everyone else. If it doesn’t match my expectations, I won’t be showing it.”

  He laughed. “Not even a sneak peek for me?”

  She smiled at his persistence. “No. Not even you. If something goes wrong, I don’t want anyone beyond myself disappointed.”

  “You were talking with your friend about it.”

  “That is different. With inventors, it is a competition. It is good to rattle your competition. That, and he and I are in different categories.” She took the cup of punch that he handed her and sipped. There was enough alcohol under the subtle fruit to make her head spin.

  “Denaric, introduce me to your lady friend.” A woman in a dark gown with a feline headdress that matched her ebony wings approached.

  “Mother, this is Annanya Fennor. Annanya, this is Queen Amaraic.”

  Annanya found herself face to face with the ruler of Horshell. “Your Majesty.” She curtsied deeply.

  “So, you are Denaric’s flightless attraction. I have to say, you do look lovely this evening, child. Isn’t that curtsey a little painful by now?” The rich amusement in her tone made Anna look up.

  “It is cramping me up a little, Your Majesty. May I stand?”

  Denaric snorted and lifted her by the elbow to a standing position. “No need to curtsy. My mother is masked and most rules of etiquette do not apply tonight.”

  “You have the colouring and physique of Orion Rift. How do you come to be among our citizens?” Amaraic took a cup of punch and sipped at it. A respectfully large space opened around them as the queen spoke to the wingless one.

  “I was a foundling as an infant. The Fennors took me in and raised me with their own.”

  “Where were your people?”

  “I don’t know. No one in the area knows where I came from. My father found me in a field, almost ran me over in a harvester.” She chuckled.

  “That’s horrible. You were just lying there?”

  “Yup. Naked as the day I was born. No trace of anything on my body that could lead to who my people were. The Fennors had daughters, so I joined their little group. When my mechanical traits became evident, my father encouraged me and that is how I ended up fixing your son’s skimmer.”

  She was babbling and couldn’t stop herself. Denaric was behind her with a hand on her ass. His wings were full enough to hide his actions from casual viewing.

  “Ah, so that is how you met him. I did wonder. So, you have something in the competition tomorrow?”

  “Yes, madam. I do.” The hand on her ass was slowly exploring the curve of her buttocks and she was having a hard time keeping her mind on the conversation.

  The flash of silver in the background got her attention and she turned her head to see Nasha swishing her skirts at the nobles, her dove grey wings fluttering to catch the eye.

  “There is my sister. I am sure she will be relieved that I made it to the event after all the fuss.” She turned to her dapper groper. “Would you care to escort me, Denaric?”

  Amaraic smiled and waved them off. “Go and show each other off. Enjoy your evening, my dear.”

  Annanya smiled as she resumed the dance floor. Nasha’s face was worth every unsure moment she had experienced getting ready for this evening.

  “I need to be going soon. The display starts early.” She swayed against him and smiled in a happy haze of lust and a touch of alcohol.

  “You wouldn’t leave me so soon?” His laugh was deep and he held her close.

  “An inventor keeps odd hours. I have been up since before dawn. It is time for me to be seeking a bed.”

  He leaned in and whispered, “I would have you join me in mine.”

  “I don’t think I could stand the heights.” She smiled and brushed her fingers against his cheek.

  “I sleep in the tent on the grounds. You are merely a walk of shame away from your own bed.” His words were persuasive.

  “Are you sober enough to fly?”

  He pressed his erection against her and waltzed her over to the edge of the platform. With a flare of his wings, Denaric launched them into the night sky and together, they glided to earth.

  She was safe in his arms as the silent wind fluttered her hair and blew past them. The silk of her skirt fluttered wildly around her legs and she fought the urge to giggle madly as he landed and simply kept his grip on her as he carried her past the guards into the depths of the royal pavilion.

  “How does this come off?” Denaric was tugging at the metal corset.

  She leaned back and flicked the two levers on the left side of the garment under her arm. It popped open and left the thin damp fabric of her improvised dress clinging to her body.

  She shivered as he slid the gown off her shoulders to pool around her feet, but the glow in his eyes warmed her considerably. Her nipples tightened and her inhalation lifted her breasts to him in offering.

  He was not slow in answering the invitation. Her winged prince leaned down and took a nipple in his mouth, kneeling in front of her for bette
r access. She threaded her fingers through his golden hair and when he looked up at her through those incredibly blue eyes, she bit her lip and stifled a moan.

  His hands stroked her back as if delighted to find smooth skin without the distraction of wings. She shivered in his hands and held his mouth to her breasts as her thighs became slick with the evidence of her arousal.

  He slid one hand between her thighs, parting them gently and slipping one finger between her folds and teasing his way inside. Annanya yelped in surprise and clutched his shoulders. His finger retreated and then re-entered in a smooth motion that made her rise up on her toes.

  His teeth held a nipple firmly and she dropped back to flat feet under the threat. A second finger joined his first and he hooked them forward, searching for something. When he pressed on a spot on the front of her channel, the breath left her lungs and her knees buckled.

  He stroked that spot with deliberate pressure until her eyes went wide and a high wail came from her lips.

  Bright sparks flew behind her eyes and the world spun around her as her channel gripped his fingers. She came back to her senses on the bed and Denaric was quickly divesting himself of his clothing.

  His wings framed his golden body in a dark halo as he approached her. She trembled with anticipation as he crept toward her with the intensity of a hunting jungle cat. She reached out and stroked his feathers, reaching around him to touch the base of his wings in a slow stroke.

  He groaned and the heated rod of his erection left a trail of liquid up her thigh.

  Annanya kissed Denaric before she could change her mind and arched her hips against him in invitation. He reached down and fitted himself to her as he pressed kisses to her neck.

  She held perfectly still as he rocked against her, sliding in tiny increments into her depths. When he reached her hymen, he stopped and looked down at her in surprise. “Annanya?”

  She stroked the base of his wings hard while wrapping her thighs around him and his hips jerked forward, breaking through.

  She winced and fought the tears of pain that rippled through her. Amidst the pain, she felt a defiance. She had chosen the man of her first time and he was beautiful, fun and charming. When she left the exposition, she would have this memory to remind her of being desired for once in her life.

  Denaric wasn’t moving inside her, but he was fighting for breath. He retreated cautiously and thrust back into her with the same care. Sweat was slicking his torso, which brushed against her breasts as he rocked into her and withdrew in a slow rhythm.

  Pain took a back seat to pleasure as he trailed kisses down her jaw line to her neck and over to the other side. When he started to move inside her in earnest, he pulled back and met her stunned gaze with his own.

  He reached between them and rubbed at her clit, building her rise to climax in under a minute. She opened her mouth to shriek, but he claimed her mouth with his own and took the sound into his body.

  His groan was given back to her the same way and he slumped over her, his wings covering them both. He lay there for a few minutes and then rose to dampen a cloth in water. He washed his cock and then returned to her with a fresh cloth and removed the blood from her thighs.

  He tossed the cloth to the side of the bed and rejoined her, cuddling her against him spoon fashion. “You should have told me.”

  She closed her eyes and then muttered, “You figured it out.”

  “I could have made it easier for you.”

  “It was wonderful. I am sorry to have importuned you. I will go.” She tried to move out of his embrace, but he held her still.

  “You are going nowhere. I have you and I intend to keep you.” He nuzzled her neck and trailed light kisses across her skin.

  “I am not yours to keep, Your Highness.” She settled more firmly into his embrace, the silky softness of his wings a lovely blanket.

  As she drifted off, she thought she heard, “We will see about that.”

  “Your Highness, there is a message for your companion and you are needed on the platform. The Orion Rift delegation has arrived.”

  Annanya bolted upright, but Denaric’s wing stayed between her and the guard in the doorway.

  He was holding a folded parcel that seemed to be her coveralls. “What is the message?”

  “They have moved up your category because of the incoming storm. You have half an hour to make it to the display area.” The guard nodded and placed the coveralls on a chair near the doorway.

  The instant he disappeared, she turned to Denaric and gave him a quick kiss. “I have to go.”

  He laughed and ruffled her hair. “Take your mask off first. I will see you later. Have a flawless exhibition.”

  Blushing, she removed her mask and splashed water on her face. The coveralls went on quickly and she found her security tag in the pocket. She may be barefoot, but she was set for her day.

  She turned to wave goodbye to Denaric and he was standing and stretching. The perfect image to leave her with. She muttered a quick goodbye and ran for the storage area, flashing her card to the guard on duty and making her way to her storage section. The knots were intact and she sighed in relief that her creation had not been tampered with.

  With no thought to her potential audience, she stripped off her coveralls and pulled on her flight suit. The wings were stabilizers, but they added a certain style to the whole creation. Annanya was listening to the wind pick up, but she was confident in her creation and its ability to fly.

  With her registration tag on the outside of her suit, she test fired and was relieved when she lifted a few inches off the ground.

  She moved toward the exhibition grounds, ignoring the laughter and mockery aimed her way. The suit was white with gold banding, designed to use electromagnetic force to lift her from the ground.

  “Annanya Fennor. Final call for Annanya Fennor.” The loud speaker announced it and Anna broke into a run.

  She skidded to a halt next to the registrar and handed her entry pass to him.

  The mocking look she received was unmistakable, but she took the stage slightly out of breath.

  “Ladies and gentlemen of the exhibition, I present to you my flight suit for the flightless. It uses electromagnetic propulsion and the wings are both cosmetic and used as stabilizers.”

  The panel of four were looking at her suit with expressions varying from interest to contempt.

  “May I demonstrate?”

  They nodded.

  She pressed the toggles on the generator and lifted from the ground to a gasp from the crowd. She lifted herself fifty feet in the air, did some aerobatic manoeuvres and returned neatly to the stage.

  Applause followed and she waited until they subsided before she continued. “The suit has a power supply that will last for two hours. It can be adapted to fit those who have lost the ability to fly or for those born without wings entirely. Thank you for your time.”

  More applause followed and the contempt was gone from the one judge who had worn it. He had a contemplative expression now.

  “Who assisted you with the design?” One of the judges looked at her with an assessing glance.

  “No one. I learned propulsion systems as a child and have been tinkering as long as I have been able to remember. My family is all winged, so I have had ample opportunity to watch and make sketches of wing patterns and aerodynamics.”

  “Thank you, Miss Fennor. We appreciate your creation.”

  Dismissed, Annanya left the stage and wandered around the exhibition grounds. A few folk came to her and asked about the suit, several took pictures. That made her smile. All of the inner workings were protected from the elements and prying eyes.

  The wind jolted her a few times. Striking her wings and sending fliers tumbling above her. She watched them in the sky and then turned her attention to the flying platform where Denaric was meeting with the dignitaries from the Orion Rift. The platform was rocking in time to the blasts but when a particularly vicious blast struck it, it t
ilted ominously.

  The wind did not die down, but started a horrible rocking that must have petrified the occupants of the platform. Many of the winged jumped off and then were sent ass over teakettle into the sky, eventually gliding to safety. Fabric fluttered loose as those on the platform fought for balance.

  Annanya fiddled with her gear and her visor snapped across her eyes, enhancing her vision. The tiny fluttering of fabric was a woman with platinum hair. “Damn it.”

  There was no time to waste. She powered up her suit and shot toward the platform. The woman had people trying to pull her back onto the platform, but the wind was not letting up. Her repulsor field was working to keep her straight, the wind simply moved around her.

  She moved faster when the woman was dangling by one arm and surged up to catch her as she began her fall.

  Annanya grunted as she gripped the woman and she deposited her back on the platform. The guards were looking queasy. “Where is your control panel?”

  Only one pointed, but that was enough. She unclipped her wings and sprinted to the control panel. With precise control, she started to lower the platform, keeping it completely level.

  “Do you know what you are doing?” Denaric’s voice was behind her.

  “More than anyone on this platform. We are going down. Have everyone gather in the centre and each wingless person needs to cling to a winged one.”

  He pressed a kiss to her neck and she smiled at the caress as she held the controls in a slow and controlled descent.

  Their drop was slow and it took all of her strength to keep the platform dropping evenly. She didn’t have time to check and see if everyone was safe, she simply needed to keep an eye on the dials as they dropped altitude.

  It took them three minutes to land, but eventually, they were safe on the grass of the exhibition ground. She powered the platform down to ride out the storm and went to check on everyone.