Sacrifice (Gryphon Series) (22 page)

My hand closed around the raven-woman’s thin arm, no wider than my wrist, and spun her back around. “I’m afraid I’m going to need you to explain this job to me. Quickly. Before I revoke all your invitations and boot you out of here myself.”

The
redhead whipped around. Her pupils, irises, and whites of her eyes vanished, instantly replaced by red and orange flames that flared in her sockets. From behind me a few on-lookers gasped. It seemed Rowan would be serving a healthy dose of memory eraser as an appetizer for tonight’s meal.

T
erin’s hands balled into fists. Her lean muscles were instantly taut and set on a hairpin trigger to erupt into violence.

I gave her a charming smile
that dared her to make a move.

“We don’t have time for this,” t
he Councilwoman spat. She stepped closer to mutter for my ears only, “I gave you my assurance that this event would be free from demon attack. If you want us to uphold that promise it is crucial we invoke this spell immediately. Because, you see—you stubborn, obstinate girl—there are three demons on the perimeter of the property right … this … minute.”

“
Oh.” My confrontational gusto sputtered and deflated. “Well, crap.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“Wee-ooo, wee-ooo. Bum-bum-bummm.”

Big Mike peered down at me with one eyebrow raised.

“Like in an old western movie? Good guys and bad guys squaring off?” His blank stare failed to register any comprehension at my clever reference. “High noon. Tumble weed blowing past. No? Nothin’?”

I missed Gabe and
Keni; they might not laugh at all my dumb jokes, but they at least
got
them. However, my sword—Gabe—was currently being fitted for his tux and my shield—Keni—was busy trying to convince Alaina that black knee-high go-go boots would be appropriate under her bridesmaid’s dress. Upon last check that discussion was not going well for little sis. That meant I had to settle for the next best options …

Squish
. “Tsk-uhhh!” Sophia lifted her foot and examined the grass and dirt caked on her sparkly red Mary Jane stiletto.

“Why am I here?” she huffed.
“Muses don’t fight! We inspire and right now I’m inspired to go back inside.”

“Did you want to send me out here alone
and unprotected? You remember that whole fate of the world thing, right?” I kept my gait steady and led the way across the perfectly manicured lawn toward the three silhouetted figures at the edge of the Biltmore property line. Truth be told, Sophia wasn’t the only one wishing for alternative footwear. I missed my tennis shoes … and the ability to walk without shuffling.

“
Just seems I was the wrong choice. You were standing right next to the … ”

“
Ah!” Big Mike grunted. He fixed his steely gaze on her, the veins in his thick neck protruded. “She wanted
you
to come, Sophia. No need to talk out of turn.”

“Of course. Don’t know what I was th
inking,” Sophia said with a tight smile, her lips pressed together so hard white lines formed around her mouth.

I
couldn’t have fought that eye roll if I tried. I was so over all this stupid, Council crap that they cooked up to validate their own self-worth. My only concern at the moment was stopping demons from ruining my brother’s wedding. He and Alaina would get their happily ever after if I had to dismember a thousand demons to make that happen.

Huh
,
I wonder if I could find a wedding card with
that
sentiment?

I shielded my eyes from the sun and squinted
into the distance. Light reflected off of a curtain of ink black hair on top of a lean form, next to that stood a dark, hulking physique. Kat and Trent. My pulse quickened. If the Council learned about Alec my chances of keeping him safe would become obsolete. They would order me to kill on sight. Sophia I could convince not to say anything, but odds of Big Mike keeping his mouth shut were slim to none. I slid my feet out of my heels and in a blur of speed—made insanely awkward thanks to my movement restricting skirt—I sprinted the remaining distance and left my cohorts in my wake.

Kat’s
readied barb welcomed me. Trent held up a hand to stop her advance. Beside them stood a ginger-haired boy of no more than sixteen. The freckles that decorated his nose and cheeks gave him the appearance of the boy next door—until he smiled and revealed a mouthful of razor sharp fangs. Once again Alec impressed and horrified me with his handiwork.

“Don’t believe I s
aw your names on the guest list.” I glanced over my shoulder. I still had a few moments until Big Mike and Sophia caught up.

“Guess our invite got lost in the mail,” Kat
snipped.

Trent raised
both hands in a gesture of truce. “We’re not here to start any trouble. Alec sent us to deliver a gift to the bride and groom. That’s all.”

M
y fingernails dug into my palms as I clenched my hands into fists. “On behalf of the bride and groom, we want
nothing
Alec has to offer. Now it’s time for you to go.”

Kat stabbed her barb deep into the
ground and drew a line that cut through the grass and soil. “You think some stupid incantation can keep them all safe forever, Condu-slut?”

“Kat!” Trent barked, which garnered a twisted smile from the garish former beauty.

“Better hope none of your friends or family leave the grounds for anything.” Her violet-lined eyes bore into me as she hissed, “All bets are off if they step foot over the line.”

I held up one finger
and smirked. “First of all, Condu-slut? Really? Have you seen you? Studded dog collars don’t scream chaste virgin. Just sayin’. Second, I dare you to make a move on one of mine. I’ll break that barb off and shove it up your … ”

“Celeste!” Big Mike jogged up
, trailed by a panicked Sophia.

Gabe in
mid-morph galloped up from behind them, tearing his shirt off as he ran. Despite him still being on two legs, fur covered every inch of his body. His mouth and nose widened and stretched to form a muzzle. Pointed ears elongated and emerged from within his thick copper mane.

“We can’t find Kendall,
” he growled. His fierce topaz gaze shifted to Trent and his lip curled to exhibit enough fang to be an open threat. “Where’s my sister?”

Dread
caused my pulse to pound in my ears with a rhythmic thud.

Trent
’s chest puffed up as his spikes shot out. “I have no idea,
boy
. But you best step down.”

Beside him Freckles gave his own winning smile.

“Little sister out here all alone
?” Malicious intent oozed from Kat’s smile. “Guess it’s a race to see who can get to her first.”

In three puffs of black smoke they
disappeared … and the race was on.



I hammered my fist against the door without pause until Rowan flung open the door to his room. I’d seen the golden-haired pirate many times, many ways. But never clad
only
in a pair of black slacks that hung low on his hips with every inch of his toned and tan torso on display. Still wet from the shower, his hair clung to his forehead. I momentarily forgot why I was there and let my gaze sweep across the gorgeous tattoo that covered his shoulder and part of his chest. It was a pirate ship—of course—with shading and detail so realistic it appeared ready to sail right off his skin. I cocked my head and read the name, Marie Ann, etched into the side of the inked vessel.

“Can I help you with something,
Mo Chroi
? Or did you just come here to ogle me like your favorite dessert?” His moist and inviting lips pulled back in an easy grin, the desire that darkened his eyes couldn’t be misconstrued.

My cheeks burned bright red and I
purposely stared at the doorframe instead of the half-naked pirate. “There’s no ogling,” I scoffed. “I just hadn’t seen your tattoo before. Not like I’d be looking for any other reason. Besides I only came here to … uh … ”

Bad time to draw a blank. I knew it was important, too.
Crap.

“Oh, for
cryin’ out loud.” Sophia pushed herself off the hallway wall and swung around to stand beside me in the doorway. “We need his help to save your sister. Remember?”

My head snapped up with renewed purpose
. “Yes! My sister! I lost my lion and I need a pirate!”

Rowan raised an eyebrow
and raked a hand through his wet hair. Droplets of water fell from his hair and dotted his chest. Not that I was looking or anything. “Gonna need you t’ take that a little slower and meat up the details a tad.”

“Kendall took off and we need to find her
now-ish
. Before the band of demons currently hunting her beats us to the punch. Normally, I would take my lion for an outing like this, but since he’s currently on his way to his rehearsal dinner—that all of us need to scurry back for—I was hoping to swap lion for demonic pirate. Will you help me?”

He
gazed over his shoulder at his shirt draped over the back of a chair. “So, I wouldn’t have to wear the monkey suit and there’s the possibility of violence?”

“Absolutely.
You should put your shirt on
!” That came out more of a high-pitched desperate plea than intended.

“I wasn’t aware you suf
fered from six-pack induced ADD,” Sophia turned her head to whisper.

“Shut up.”

She ignored me and addressed Rowan with a wide beaming grin meant to persuade. No one does persuasion like a muse. “We need you to do that nifty little demonic thing where you hone in on where the good guys are hanging out. Kendall needs to be found and brought back immediately. Big Mike and I will come along to help ensure her safe return.” She wrapped her arm around me and gave my shoulders a squeeze. “And our lovely Celeste here would be ever so grateful for the help.”

I gave her a sideways glance through narrowed eyes
. “I thought muses didn’t fight? Why are you going?”

“
It’s very important to me that the Council’s orders are followed.”

“Liar.
”

Sophia took advantage of the moment it took for Rowan to stride back into the room to retrieve his shirt and muttered out
of the corner of her mouth, “Big Mike’s hot, okay? Like insanely so. I’m just lookin’ to spend a little time appreciating the view, that’s all.”

“Looks like Celeste isn’t the only one with six-pack induced ADD
, aye?” Rowan interjected with a smirk and shrugged his arms into his sleeves.

Embarrassment widened
Sophia’s eyes and turned her ears a fun shade of red.

“Demonic hearing, lass.” H
e winked as he thumbed the buttons together. “I hear all.” Shirt in place—
finally
—Rowan sauntered back over to the doorway. “And you,
Mo Chroi
, you think you can trust me enough to have me there?”

To an outsider it would’ve appeared a conversational veer
, but I knew exactly what he was referring to. He had heard every word I said by the bus. I squared my shoulders and raised my chin. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t believe I could trust you.”

The corners of
his turquoise eyes crinkled and that ever present smirk widened. “Well then, let’s blow off the fancy-schmancy dinner and go save little sis.”

CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX

The second I spotted my sister in the honky-tonk bar, my jaw swung open so fast it nearly unhinged and my eyes threatened to pop right out of their sockets.

Rowan’s head tilted to the side. “
How old is your sister again?”

I didn’t bother to look his way
, just stomped on his toe with the heel of my shoe. “She’s sixteen, and you will be a pile of black ooze if you so much as look at her wrong.”

“
Ow!” He shifted his weight off the foot I crunched and scowled down at me. “While I normally wouldn’t
dream
of eyein’ the younger Garrett girl it’s a bit hard to avoid,
Mo Chroi
. What with the sparkly blue brassiere she’s sporting and her wings out for all to see.”

“You can see that
, too, huh?” I groaned. “I was kind of hoping that horrifying image was for my eyes only.”

Rowan shook his head. “Nope, safe to say her audience can see and appreciate
every second of her little show.”

From her perch on top of the bar
Kendall plucked the cowboy hat off a guy easily the same age as my mom, slid it on, and wiggled her hips in time to the Carrie Underwood song that blared through The Purple Cactus.

The crowd went wild hooting and hollering
. With some fancy boot scooting Keni made her way down the polished wood bar. People moved their drinks to give her room—so noble and disturbing all at the same time. I watched Keni, my
baby
sister, merge a Victoria’s Secret fashion show with
Coyote Ugly
. Keni shimmied down boob-to-eye level with a rather unsavory looking fellow that reached out to grab her.

Nope, not
happenin,’ Cowboy
. I flew across the room, hooked Keni around the waist, and yanked her off the bar.

The surly crowd booed and hissed.
Cranky Cowboy even hopped off his barstool like he wanted to start something.

“She’s sixteen!”
I snapped.

Eyes widened.
Cranky Cowboy shifted uncomfortably, and suddenly he and the rest of her audience made a specific point of looking anywhere
but
at my half naked sister.
Good.

“I’m fairly certain Mom and Dad didn’t pay for years of dance classes for you to do
this
!” I jabbed my thumb in the direction of her stage.

A wry smile curled her blood red lips
. “Unclench, Cee. I was just having a little fun. You should look into it.” Her black shadowed eyes flicked from me to Rowan and back again. “You may find it …
enlightening
.”