Gryphons Quest (19 page)

For a moment, Gryphon wasn't sure he'd let it end. That anyone would challenge him for Heather angered him beyond control. He moved the blade across the man's chest and over his heart.

"Stop it, Son. He's yielded." James came quickly down the platform and grasped his son's sword arm.

When it appeared that he would be ignored, James placed his hand on Gryphon's shoulder and attempted to pull him away. "Stop, now"

Gryphon turned to the crowd. "Anyone else?" he shouted.

Those nearest to him quickly moved away. Gryph glared at them in contempt and slowly backed away from Valerian. He watched as if in a daze while his father ordered others to take the injured challenger to the castle and have his wound tended. When the elder O'Connor turned to face him, Gryphon stared into his father's face.

"I don't know what in bloody blazes is going on either, Son," James answered Gryphon's silent, expressive plea for an explanation. "Come on."

They mounted the steps to the platform, and Heather rushed forward and threw her arms about him.

He dropped his sword to the stone beneath his feet and held her. She tilted her head back and gazed up at him, and he was lost.

"Handfast them quickly before someone else challenges," James pleaded.

"After what your son just did, I don't see that happening." Shayla smirked. "Still, that's what she's here for. Best to get on with it."

She pushed the couple apart, clasped their hands together and held them with one of hers. From her pouch, she drew a long silver ribbon and wrapped it around their joined hands. "Before the Goddess and all creatures, I bind you in one heart, mind, body and soul. Blessed be."

When Gryphon stood, trance-like, and stared at Heather, Shayla impatiently pushed them both toward the steps." Goblins teeth, man!" Shayla groused. "You've got her. You're handfasted. Now, take her away someplace so the rest of us can get on with the Samhain celebration."

Without even glancing at Shayla or his parents, Gryphon took Heather's hand, strode down the steps and into the woods.

SIXTEEN

He walked until they were some distance from the clearing then dropped her hand and stopped. He didn't want to face her. Gryphon was afraid she wouldn't be there, that she was some illusion and this was another of the Sorceress' ways to punish him. And, if she wasn't real, this particular retribution was worse than killing him outright. Shayla had been right when she'd said, 'I'll give you something to worry about.'' If he turned and Heather was gone, he'd go mad.

Heather placed her hand on his back. "Gryph?" she whispered.

He swallowed hard and slowly turned toward the sound of her voice. Moonlight poured over the tiny glen where they stood. She pushed the hood of her robe back, and something deep inside him broke loose. Gryph roughly pulled her into his embrace and held her as tightly as he could. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling his cheek with her own. The warmth of her soft flesh told him she was real, and he held on for a very long time. His mind wasn't able to grasp the whys of the situation. She was real, and that was all that mattered.

Finally, Heather pushed herself away far enough to gaze up into his face. "Guess you're wondering what a girl like me is doing in a place like this?"

He began to breathe hard. For the first time in his life, Gryphon actually believed he was going to have what people referred to as an anxiety attack. Words left him as he stupidly tried to get his brain and his vocal chords to connect. His experiences had never left him ready for such a situation.

Heather put her hands on either side of his face and smiled. "I missed you so much. I couldn't wait to see you again."

Gryphon pulled her head against his shoulder, held her again and groped for words. "I don't...why...how..."

She smiled. "That's about as inarticulate as, I've ever heard you." She pushed away and disconnected from the embrace. Gryph was really having a hard time with seeing her in the Shire, and her heart went out to him. Here was a man used to having some control of the situation, and Shayla had pulled a rug right out from under him and the rest of the Order. Later, they'd laugh about this. Right now, it wasn't funny. Not for him. She could only guess at what was going through his mind. Since for the moment he couldn't seem to pull himself together, she'd have to do the talking.

"Shayla brought me here to be with you."

He put a shaking hand to his head and tried to speak again. "You can't...you can't be here. It isn't safe."

"It is now." She nodded in the direction from which they'd come. "Shayla is back there explaining a few things to the rest of the Order. About the rune stones and what happened in New York. "

He grabbed her by the shoulders as his panic finally found a voice. "You aren't one of us, Heather. You can't be here."

"Maybe you'd better sit down," she spoke calmly and pushed him backward. His knees buckled as he came up against the downed trunk of a tree. He sat and looked at her. The dazed expression wasn't like him and she started to worry a little. Now, it was her turn to help him through a crazy situation.

"After you left New York, the Sorceress came to see me and she gave me a choice. I could stay there or come here." She paused, took his hands and slowly continued. "She wants to bring outsiders into the Order. I'm the first, Gryph."

"Why?" He shook his head when the question came out a little too harsh. "I...I mean...why is she doing such a thing, and why now?"

"Simple matter of numbers. In a hundred years, the Order won't be here if you don't bring in some new people. You can't inbreed, and that's what it'll come down to. As to why she's doing this now, I think she finally found someone she could trust to bring in and a way to do it."

"She's using you to see if her crazy plans will work?" His gaze moved around the clearing, and he stood and started to pace. "They'll never accept you. If they won't regard me as one of their own, what in the name of Herne does she think they'll do to you?"

She shrugged. "Nothing."

He abruptly turned. "You're not in New York anymore, or haven't you noticed? Just because Shayla, Sorceress of the Ancients, wants something doesn't mean everyone will abide by her decisions. That's exactly why I've had to go after some of our own people on occasion. What in the name of Danu does she think she's doing? No Sorceress has ever done anything like this." He raised his hands in exasperation and continued to stalk around the glen. "No Sorceress in our history has ever..."

"Gryph?" she tried to interrupt his ranting.

"I've got to get you out of here."

She pulled her arm free when he tried to lead her away. "I was going to save this until later, but I don't think you're going to listen to me until you know everything."

She quickly backed away and pulled off her robe. "I was going to break this to you differently, a little more tactfully. But I just don't see any other way. Shayla's right. You've sometimes got a head like a brick."

The shocked expression he wore prompted her to act fast. Heather knelt on one knee and willed the change. It was much easier now that she had hours of practice behind her. The first time had been hell. It had taken her body a while to get used to the transformation. Now it came as easily as breathing.

Gryphon backed away as he saw the beginnings of the transformation. "NO! Goddess, Heather, what have you done?"

The answer came to him almost immediately. She'd used the damned rune stones, and Shayla had allowed it. He continued to watch as a bright white light haloed Heather's slender form. From within, a shape formed, grew and emerged. He fell to his knees in absolute wonder. She changed into the most enchantingly beautiful thing he'd ever seen. And the stones had, true to legend, transformed her into a creature which reflected the true nature of her soul.

A graceful white gryphon, sizes smaller than his own alter ego, stood proudly before him. In his other form, he could easily spread one of his own wings and shelter her beneath it. Without pausing, he walked forward and placed his hands upon either side of her noble head. For a long time they stood there. Tears formed in his eyes, and it took a while before he could speak without sobbing uncontrollably. He leaned into her neck, and she brought up one silver claw and gently wrapped it around his shoulder. A hug.

That did it. He plunged his face into the sparkling, opalescent feathers at her neck and openly wept. A small chortling noise issued from her throat, and he stroked one perfectly white leonine shoulder. Her wings glistened like diamonds in the moonlight. Something on the feathers had a sparkling quality. Like Fairy dust. He'd seen his own reflection in mountain lakes and pools. Compared to her, he was like a dark shadow. But she was exquisite. An absolute wonder. No one in the Order would ever look upon her as a monster. But he sensed a great, noble strength. It would have taken those attributes in her character to make her so light and ethereal. She was a complete match to his masculine, dark side. A great calm came over him, and love swept away his doubts.

She gently nudged him back with her silver beak. As soon as he was far enough away, she changed back and slowly looked up from her kneeling position. Heather chewed at her lower lip, waiting for what he'd say or do.

Seeing her worried expression, Gryph's heart went out to her. She wanted acceptance the same way he had. He'd give her more than that. So much more. Swallowing back the remainder of his tears, he held up his head and grabbed her green robe from the ground. He knelt down beside her and wrapped it carefully around her body. "You're shivering," he whispered and pulled her close. "I'll have to make you a larger crane bag so you can carry clothing and..."

"Oh, Gryph," she cried out and threw herself into his embrace.

"Easy now, little one. It's all right," he comforted her and closed his arms around her form. "You didn't know how I'd respond, did you? How could I do anything but love you," he told her as she tearfully snuggled into his chest.

"You're not angry with me for using the stones and changing?"

Heather needed his reassurance what was done could not be undone. "I could never be angry with you for any reason, love. I just don't want you to ever have any regrets."

She shook her head in denial. "I wanted to be with you. And...and I like what I've become, Gryphon.

The first time I flew, it was as if I could reach out and touch the stars. It was wonderful. I'm part of a world I've only dreamed about."

"And the Sorceress intends on letting others use the stones to come here?"

"No." She shook her head and gazed up into his dark eyes. "Unless your heart is right and you're absolutely sure about what you're doing, the stones can kill you. Or turn you into something horrible. She means for me to change people's minds about the outside world, so we'll be accepted without the use of magic. We're not all so frightening, you know."

He rubbed his nose against hers. "Not so frightening at all," he agreed.

"You know, the Sorceress thought I was dead the first time I changed."

"You were hurt?" He plunged his hands into her hair, and his gaze swept over her face and body.

"Only unconscious for a while." She mischievously grinned. "Shayla almost had an aneurysm when I woke up. I scared her half to death."

He laughed and hugged her harder. "Good for you." Maybe Shayla needed a little frightening. She'd meddled in others' lives far too much. But, if she hadn't, he wouldn't have Heather with him now. He wondered if that was what the Sorceress had wanted all along, and if he owed her an apology. Part of his heart softened toward the older woman.

"She told me she's going to put the rune stones where no one will ever find them," Heather explained,

"And there are other objects that need to be retrieved. Some as powerful, some not. But they still don't need to be out in the world."

"Let me take a guess." He smiled and rocked her back and forth. "She wants us to find them and bring them back."

"I'm handfasted to a very smart man," she teased and held on to him tighter.

"Not smart enough, apparently. You're freezing." He chaffed her hands and rearranged the robe around her body. "We can talk about all this later. Right now, we need to get you warm. You aren't used to being outside in the night air."

She snuggled even closer as he picked her up and carried her farther into the woods. He finally stopped under a tremendous oak and lowered her next to it. "Stay here. I'll gather some wood."

Heather watched as he gathered small dead branches from the forest floor and quickly circled the pile of branches with stones.

He closed his eyes. "Duir, I thank you for the use of your branches. Peace be with you and on all nature." He opened his eyes, glanced at Heather and saw her smile brightly. There were many aspects about life in the Order which she'd have to learn. It helped that she had an extensive background in ancient Celtic ways.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"How wonderful it's going to be. Teaching you everything about the Order. Watching you learn and just...just being with you." He passed a hand over the dried wood, and a warm flame reached for the sky.

"I don't think you can teach me that" she grinned as his hand rose to strengthen the fire.

He moved toward her, pulled her back into his arms and softly murmured, "I can teach you how a man of the Order receives his new mate. I was so shocked at seeing you that I'm afraid you weren't properly welcomed. Forgive me?"

Before she could respond, his mouth closed over hers, and his hands pushed the robe away. Gryphon took one of her hands and gently placed it over that part of his body which was rapidly hardening. "Help me with my clothes," he breathed. "If I don't take you soon, I'm afraid I'll wake up and all this will have just been some wonderful dream."

Heather quickly undressed him as his hands caressed her body. He placed his own cloak beneath her to make a soft bed, then covered her body with his. She stroked the muscles of his bare chest with the tips of her fingers and placed a tiny kiss over his heart. Gryph moaned when her lips teased at his nipple and hardened it. He drew in a swift breath at the touch and felt even more blood rush into his groin. He grasped her shoulders and held her to him, letting her touch and taste where she would. The feelings were so sensuously erotic that the world around him began to dim and waver. Long, graceful fingers enticed his manhood, and every cell in his body ached for her.

Heather wanted to touch every part of him and to have him touch her. Every muscle in his body gleamed in the moonlight. He was as hard as iron and as ready for her as she was for him. A bronzed Celtic god for the taking.

He softly stroked between her thighs and saw her chest rise and fall as her breathing became heavier.

He intended to love her until sanity left them both. Gryphon pushed her breasts together and circled each nipple with his hot tongue.

"I'm going to take you now," he huskily breathed. "Nothing and no one on Earth is ever going to come between us again. I swear it."

She opened her thighs for him and he quickly stroked forward. Heather cried out and clung to him, tangling her hands in his long, thick hair. Their moans of delight were the only sounds besides the small chirping of night insects. Gryphon felt her tighten convulsively around him.

"Not, yet, girl." He withdrew slightly wanting to make sure the moment was right for both of them.

"Yes, Gryphon. It's been too long. Please" she begged.

He smiled down at her, then moved slowly forward again. "All right, love. Here I am." And he knew he was ready. The look in her silver-blue gaze captured him.

She gripped his hips and began to moan with each stroke. This was what he'd been waiting for all his life. A woman with fire enough to love him no matter what. Gryphon plunged into her, and she cried out as her body and his fit together perfectly. He released, and his cry of complete ecstasy joined hers. He thrust all the way through his intense climax, and she held him until his senses returned.

She lay trembling in his embrace, and he cuddled her close. He'd never felt more wonderful and he wanted to know she felt it, too. "I love you, girl. Don't ever, ever doubt it."