Amid the Clouds (Brave New World Book 1)

Chapter 9

Yes, it was a cloud – no surprises there, given it was called a 'homecloud'. The reason why I was staring slack-jawed was that the blue-pink cloud in front of me looked exactly like a fortress' defensive wall.

This wasn't like looking up at a puffy cloud while lying on the beach, and imagining it had the shape of, say, a human face or an animal. This here was a very high defensive wall with easily distinguishable bricks and two watch towers and–

"You can enter my palace at your own free will, little human," the gargoyle carrying me said with a teasing tone. He had a proud look on his face, but whether it was because of his success at getting me hot and bothered with a single kiss or because of his so-called palace, I couldn't tell.

Either way, as unwilling to give him another reason to feel smug, I was even more unwilling to experience another free-fall. So, when he tried to lower my legs towards the cloud under his clawed feet, I climbed back up his body like a monkey would a tree.

"No, don't!" I wrapped my arms around his neck, which left my cleavage practically shoved in his face. It was simply the only way for me to cling to him, now that he had let go of me. "No more free-falling. I've learned my lesson."

He smiled at me with amusement evident in his eyes, and his tail caressed my back over the cotton tank top. "You will not fall, little human. This is solid ground. I am standing on it with my wings tucked away, see?"

Indeed, his wings were folded behind his back, but I knew better. Just because the cloud was solid enough for him to stand on didn't mean it would be for me. Just like when birds sat safely on power lines that would fry a human upon contact.

"I'll fall right through," I insisted, refusing to let go of him. "This is a cloud, for God's sake!"

He exhaled loudly through his nose. "You do not trust me? Why would I bring you all the way up here just to let you fall?"

This coming from the same person who had let me fall for several seconds earlier just to prove a point.

My suspicion must have shown on my face, because he growled from deep within his chest with what I interpreted as displeasure. Then he pried me off his body so unexpectedly, that before I knew it I was hanging in the air by his tail around my waist.

"I do not have time to argue with you, stubborn little human," he told me.

And let me go.

I opened my mouth to scream... and my feet touched solid ground.

"Holy crap!"

"Save the dirty words for my bedchamber."

I stopped tapping the cloudy ground with my boots and returned my attention to the gargoyle.

Between my surprise at the defensive wall made out of cloud and my shock at being able to stand on a cloud, I had forgotten about his intentions towards me.

"Come, let us not waste any more time." He pulled me gently by the hand and also gave me a little nudge with his tail on my butt.

He didn't sound seductive nor had a naughty smile on. But I was pretty sure he was talking about having me in his bed as soon as possible.

Attempting to sound polite and reasonable, I told him, "Look. I admit you're an amazing kisser. You almost had me undone there with your unraveled technique... But I'm not coming with you to your bedroom. If you won't bring me down to the ground, then fine. I'll stay on this homecloud of yours for the time being. But I won't let you have your way with me. Okay?"

Keeping my left hand in his right, he invaded my personal space until his face was hovering over mine.

It was just now that I realized how much taller he was. I was kind of short, but he would stand taller than even most men. Judging by how my head barely reached his perfectly defined pecs, he was probably two meters tall and then some, and just as wide.