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Bryce has faced demons, archangels, the asteri and princes of Hel. She’s led soldiers into battle and even walked between worlds. It’s safe to say, that there is very little now she considers daunting.
But traveling to Nidaros by car?
Damn near impossible.
There was a reason Randall and Ember usually traveled their way, even when she was in college. Bryce never liked the stress of packing and travel. She loved her city with it’s public transport, short walking distances and overall convenience. Nidaros was nearly six hours by car.
She’d begged Hunt to fly them there but he’d look at her bemusedly. “You think I can fly us there faster than a car can take us? I’m flattered sweetheart, but that’s not happening.”
Bryce pouted, but he’d found other ways to make it up to her.
It was nearly time for them to depart. She’d rented a car and had the back nearly loaded with stuff. All that remained was a small square of empty space where hopefully Rhun’s luggage would fit. He was supposed to have met them at their apartment half an hour ago, but as usual, he was running late.
After her eleventh trip up and down the stairs of the building, all she had left to do was get Syrinx settled in the back seat, then they were off. Unfortunately, the gathering clouds overhead had other plans.
A light rain began to fall just as Bryce got the agitated chimera to the threshold of the building. Syrinx made a low whining noise in the back of his throat and pulled backwards on his leash.
“Oh come on,” Bryce pleaded. “It’s just five steps and you’ll be in the car. I have your bed and some treats for you. Let’s go, please?”
His ears pricked at the mention of treats, but as a slew of water sputtered from a gutter and splashed onto the concrete, his resistance flared in full force.
Hunt materializes beside her. He has his Sunball cap in place and their bag of snacks tucked under one arm. “Uh oh, it looks like it’s raining.”
“No kidding,” Bryce hisses as one of their neighbors walk past them, eyeing their disgruntled companion warily.
“Is that the car we are taking?” Hunt frowns, “I thought the company was sending us the large SUV?”
Syrinx yowls rise to a new pitch as a clap of thunder sounds overhead. He nearly slips his collar, but Bryce ducks down and catches him around the middle before he can bolt. “No you don’t. You are getting in the car.”
“I don’t think my wings are going to fit.”
“We’ll roll the seats back,” Bryce locks her arms around the squirming creature. He throws his head back and nearly clips her jaw with his skull. “Calm down,”
“Roll the seats back? That’s cute.”
More screeching, Bryce nearly loses her grip but she takes a stumbling step towards the car.
Hunt runs a hand through his short locks. “This is fine I guess. I can fly part of the way, or maybe hold onto the roof like spare luggage?”
Bryce almost has Syrinx to the car when a stray paw catches her shirt and cuts a hole right through it. Frustrated, she squeezes him tighter. “Hunt! Stop it.”
Silence.
“Sweetheart,” Hunt croons. “Did you just call our pet by my name?”
Syrinx growls at the term pet, but it’s all Bryce needs to shove him in the back seat and shut the door. “Maybe.”
Bryce goes to open the passenger seat but Hunt places his hand on the door and pushed it shut. “You’ve called me a lot of things. Alphahole. Bastard. Ass. Yet somehow, I take the most offense to this.” There’s a glint in his eye that sends a thrill though her.
“Then I must be losing my creativity,” Bryce pushed a lock of wet hair behind her ear. They are both soaked and if Hunt thought cramming his wings into the back seat would suck then spending the next few hours in damp clothes was worse.
Arms wrap around her waist to keep her from walking back into the building and a smile ticks at the corner of her lips. “Aren’t you going to ask me why it’s worse?”
Bryce turns in his arms, “Tell me Your Highness, why is it worse?”
“Because Syrinx can’t do this,” he bends down and when his lips press to hers, a flush of warmth spreads through her body. All the stress of traveling, the frustration, it all melts away. Hunt’s scent floods her senses and she melts into him happily as he deepens the kiss.
Bryce pulls away with a gasp, “You are right. I’ll never make that mistake again.”
“We need to go upstairs and change,” Hunt tugs at the back of her damp, ripped shirt with the arm he has wrapped around her. “‘Maybe we can have a little fun while -”
“Oh, come on!” Ruhn fakes a gag as he spies them. Bryce hadn’t even realized Hunt had her pressed against the vehicle and one of his hands had wandered a little too low on her thigh. “You guys knew I was on my way. Why the hel are you rubbing up against the car we will be spending the next several hours in.”
“Sorry,” Hunt smiles, not sorry at all.
Ruhn glares. “You aren’t the one who has to look at the smudge-outline of your sister’s ass on the window.”
Oops.
“Sorry Rhun,” Bryce smiles. “Now that you are here, would you mind sitting in the car with Syrinx. Me and Hunt have to go dry off.”
“What-“ Ruhn starts but Hunt, always in-sync with with her, was already pushing her back into the building. “No. You guys. Go one at a time. The smell.”
Her brother shouts his protests, but as they cross the threshold and Hunt whisks her up into his arms, she knows Ruhn is just going to have to deal with it.
“Let’s go see what other names you have for me, Quinlan.”
Bryce nuzzles her face into his neck contentedly, “I think I can come up with a few.”
Later on they would be crammed in the car together. Hunt smushed in the backseat with crammed wings and a yowling Syrinx. Ruhn keeping his eyes firmly on the road, a new car freshener dangling from the rearview mirror. But the satisfied smirk Hunt had put on Bryce’s face would linger, and for once, she thought a road-trip had finally gotten off to a good start.