Griffith: The English Dragon ― Erotic Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance

by Kathi S. Barton

  I would imagine he’s plotting a way to get to the castle and us. Especially your mom. Speaking of which, I don’t think she’s noticed him yet. I hope that she doesn’t. She’s in such a wonderful mood. Griff said that he was on his way there with Kip. The two of them were working on his castle today. The faeries said that they’d help him. I forgot to tell you. They miss being able to go inside of it too. Tell him if he were to call on Sunny, she’d be able to get him whoever he needs.

  That’s very kind of them. I’ll let him know. But in the meantime, before we get there, I want you to keep an eye on James. I don’t know what he’ll do, but he won’t just go away. Not now that he knows that Mom is around. She agreed with him, telling him that she’d keep her safe. I know you will, love. I worry about both the ladies in my life.

  You’re a goofball. They both laughed, and she felt rather than saw that James was coming toward them. He had something like a scent that told her to be wary of him. He’s coming toward us. And while I’m not worried, I’m just letting you know. I can kick his immortal ass all over the place if he fucks with me.

  Just be careful. I know I don’t have to say this to you, but don’t turn your back on him. He’ll stab you so quickly that you’ll never see it until it’s too late.

  Lilac promised him that she had this, and turned to look at James when the magic around the place stopped him. Joining him on the other side of the magic, Lilac thought that they’d lure him into getting himself in trouble. As well as a great deal of pain.

  “What the fuck are you doing here? I thought you were told to stay the hell away from me. And if not, then stay the fuck away from me.” He grinned—it looked purely evil. “Go away, James, before you bite off more than you’ll be able to chew.”

  “You’re mine. While I don’t know your name, I’ve claimed you as my own. You’ll—” She knew the exact moment that he saw his mother. Glancing at her to make sure that she was all right, Lilac looked back at James. He looked like someone had taken away his favorite dessert then dumped it on his fucking head. “What the fuck is this? You’re supposed to be dead. You lied to me?”

  He sounded so incredulous that she had to laugh. And that turned his temper onto her. Not that she gave a shit who he was pissed off at. She figured that she had the upper hand and wasn’t going to take shit from him any longer. Marissa spoke with a great deal of humor in her voice as well.

  “What did you expect me to do, James? Roll over and die, just for you? No, I don’t think so. You’ll pay for what you’ve done, and I’m going to make sure of it.” He lunged at them both, but neither of them moved. There was too much magic in place around Lilac and the castle for him to do anything more than hit the solid wall-like magic. His mom laughed again. “Always so childish. I have no idea why you ever thought that you could pull a fast one on me. I’m a great deal smarter and stronger than you ever will be.”

  “You think so? Well, this is over. You’re going to pay for lying to me. All this time, you’ve been lurking in the corners. You’re probably the one that let loose this cunt too, aren’t you?” Marissa looked at her then back at her son. “Well? Did you?”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. There’s someone here that you think is a cunt? I don’t see anyone that might even resemble that description. If you mean your sister-in-law, that’s very rude of you, James. What do you think Griffith will say when he finds out that you are calling his mate by terrible names?”

  “Mate? Fuck no. She’s mine. I saw her first.” Lilac said that he’d kidnapped her. “Well, so? You’re just lucky that I didn’t kill you like the others. I want you to come with me right now and we’ll have us some fun. Griffith won’t care once he finds out that I’ve had you before him.”

  “No, you didn’t. And you’re stupid if you think he’d believe you. In the event that you’ve forgotten, I’ll remind you. Scent, you fucking idiot. He didn’t smell you on me, so he knows for a fact that you’re a fucking distrustful asshole.”

  “Distrustful? How can you stand there and call me that when you’ve both lied to me? You ran off. To me that’s the same thing. I had plans for you. And what did you do? You fucked those all up for me, didn’t you?” James looked at his mother. “And you. You fucking bitch, why the hell aren’t you dead? I know for a fact that I killed you. Yet here you stand, acting like there isn’t a thing wrong with it. You two are going to pay dearly for fucking with me.”

  When he drew back his fist, neither she nor Marissa moved. They were inside the magic while he wasn’t this time. And when he screamed in pain, Lilac laughed when Griff took him to the ground. James cursed and called them both names that she was sure he was making up as he went along. And the things that he said about his own mother made her skin crawl. But through it all, Marissa stood there staring at him as if she’d never seen him before. Perhaps, and this might just be her, she’d never seen this side of James before.

  When he was let go, he reached for Lilac and was burnt by the magic that surrounded her. The extra precaution that she’d put around them, she and Marissa, before leaving the house was paying off. His screams could be heard as he ran off, cradling his hand in his other one and threatening that he’d be back. She surely hoped that he would return. She’d kill him when he did.

  Chapter 7

  Griff was trying his best not to go out, find James, and kill him. Right now, he’d gladly go to the council and tell them that he was all right with spending the rest of his days in their prison. Anything to get this madman out of their lives. When his mom came to sit next to him on the couch he smiled at her, and when she laughed, he knew that she could see right through him.

  “He’s going to have to be put down like a dog.” Mom nodded and said that someone should have done it long ago. “Yes, had I known what sort of.... That’s not true. I knew just what sort of monster he was. I just found it easier to keep away from him rather than try to deal with him.”

  “When he said those things to me, all I could think about was I was so glad that your father wasn’t here to see him. He knew what he was too, I’m sure, but the way James talked to me and about your lovely mate, I have to tell you son, I was hard pressed not to shift and take him out with my dragon.” He told her that he’d been ready to do that as well. “I’m glad that you didn’t. I don’t know what sort of nightmares he’s created for you, but I think it would bother you as much as it would me to kill him. I don’t like him, and I’ve decided today, seeing him like that, I don’t even love him anymore. He’s just not right in the head.”

  “Danburn was pissed off too. I mean, you should have heard him cursing when we were making our way to you. I was sure that given the chance, he’d kill him without ever feeling a thing. It disturbed him greatly that James said that he was pissed because you weren’t dead.” Mom said that it had her as well. “Danburn is going to talk to the council about him. They don’t have much say in his actions because he’s not a dragon. But he thinks he can make a case with him killing Father and trying to do the same to you. That alone might get him into enough trouble that he can be imprisoned for a long time.”

  “I have a feeling that nothing will hold him. I don’t know why I think that, but I believe that there isn’t a cell strong enough to keep him from hurting others.” In that moment he thought of Carmine, little sister to Quinn and daughter to Hanson. How she had taken care of other dragons. He needed to talk to Hanson and Cassie, to see what they thought about all this. Griff looked at his mom when she laughed. “You zoned out for a moment there. Are you all right?”

  “Yes. Now that I have you here, I most certainly am.” He held her hand in his and knew that for as long as he lived, he would never forgive James for taking her away from him. “Have you decided whether or not you’ll stay in the castle? I assure you that you’re more than welcome here. Lilac would love to have you here as well.”

  “Honestly, it’s all I can think about, where I should lay my head. I’d so love to be at the castle—your fathe
r and memories of him are there. But again, there are a great many memories that hurt me as well.” Griff told her that he understood. “Yes, I do believe that you would. He was a great man, your father. And I loved him with every beat of my heart.”

  “I know that feeling as well.” He looked over at his lovely Lilac as he continued. “She is everything that I had ever hoped for in a wife. Smart, a smartass, as well as someone that doesn’t let anyone beat her down. I think that is why I love her the most—she can take me on and not have a bit of trouble about it. I think now, if James were to take her, he’d have his ass handed to him in a heartbeat. She doesn’t have to hide now. Lilac can be what she needs to be.”

  “I do believe you’re right on that one.” They both laughed and Lilac turned to wink at him. “She’s in love with you as well. I’m so happy that I could have witnessed you being in love. Your father, he would have been overjoyed with her. And love her as much as I do right now. She’s good for you.”

  “I know. She makes me want to be a better man and a stronger dragon.” He glanced at his mom and saw that she was still looking at Lilac. “She loves you as well, Mother. Very much so.”

  “I can feel it. I can. She’s going to give you strong children, and ones that will be greatly as you are. Kind and yet strong at the same time.” His mom put her hand on his leg and smiled. “I hope that I’ll be around when you have your children. This is all that I ever wanted for you. A happy life.”

  “You’ll be here. I promise you that. Nothing will harm you so long as I can keep you safe. As for James, he’s going to make a major mistake. And when he does, I will bring a hurt down on him that he’ll remember for the rest of his days. Which, I’m hoping, won’t be all that long.” His mom laughed with him and Lilac came to sit with them. “I was just telling my mom about how we’d like for her to stay with us, but if she wanted to go to the castle, that was good too.”

  “Yes. Either place you decide to stay, we won’t ever be that far apart. Griff can get us there in no time at all. And being what I am, it wouldn’t be difficult for me to visit you as well.” Mom hugged both of them then sat back on the couch. “You’re going to be all right; you know this, don’t you?”

  “I do. Now, anyway. I feel as if I can conquer the world without any trouble.” Mom laughed again. “Of course, I’d have to get healthier first. My dragon has been without for too long. A few more days of just being in the sun and I’ll be as fit as I’ve ever been.”

  Griff escorted the both of them to dinner when it was called. There was much to celebrate; a new babe, his mother being home, and a wife that he loved very much. Things that Griff never thought to have after his mom had supposedly died.

  Dinner wasn’t formal tonight. The things that he and Lilac had picked up at the auction had been cleaned and put in this room. Even the dishes, the ones that they’d gotten so cheaply, were in the cabinet now and gleamed beautifully.

  The glasses had been a perfect match to the dishes. And in some of the boxes that they’d gotten cheap with the glasses, they’d found pieces of pottery that were old, and a few pipes that his father would have loved. As well as some jewelry, which looked old as well, that had been hidden away in a box in a false bottom.

  He was telling his mom about the auction when Hoke came into the dining room. It was unusual in that he rarely came into the house, much less in the dining room. Griff knew something was wrong as soon as he took his hat off and bowed before them.

  “What is it?” Hoke smiled and it did relieve some of the apprehension, but Griff was still worried. “Has something happened, Hoke? Tell me, I can take it.”

  “Nothing horrible, my lord. The barn—the faeries, they’ve done a grand job of cleaning it up and repairing it. They did go a mite overboard on the painting, but I have to admit, I love it too.” Relaxed now, he asked him what it looked like. “I’m sure you can see it from here, my lord. It’s certainly bright enough.”

  Going to the window, he looked in the direction of the barn. Before he could spot it, he heard Lilac laughing, then his mother. When Griff saw the big building, he laughed as well. They had used every color imaginable to make it stand out.

  “Are those flowers that they’ve painted there?” Hoke told his mom that it was. “They’re very well done, if a little large.” Deciding to get a better look, they stepped out onto the porch and stared at the building. “My goodness, there will be little doubt as to finding it in the winter months now.”

  They returned to the dining room, with the plans to go out to see it later. Griff was still laughing about it when dessert was served. Even thinking about how he’d missed it at first made him feel good. The barn was a great reflection of the way he felt about life in general now.

  “I’m going to live in the castle, if you’re sure you won’t mind.” He and Lilac both said that they didn’t. “I only just realized that it’s where I need to be. I want to be there to be able to talk to my John, live out the days I have there in the home that belonged to my family for generations. If you will promise me one thing—when you have a child of your own, you come to your home to give birth, and let your children come to visit me when possible.”

  “Deal.” Lilac looked at him when he laughed at her. “What? You think she’d do a horrible job at it? Or is it that you think she will spoil our children rotten? I, for one, hope that she does. Every child should be spoiled by their grandparents. And she has to make up for both of them.”

  “I was just hoping that you’d allow me to tell her yes, that’s all.” Lilac told him he needed to be quicker if he wanted to keep up with her. “I’m beginning to see that. But yes, I agree with you. Mom should be able to spoil them as much as she wishes. And I do hope that she’d want them to come and stay with her. It would only be fitting for her to tell our children all about what a goof, as you’re so fond of calling me, their father is.”

  “Oh, son. I have a long list of things that I could tell them. And have fun too.” Mom laughed, and Griff realized how much he’d missed that when he thought she was dead. “You should come over sometime, Lilac. I could tell you stories that would have you calling him more than a goof. He was a good boy most of the time, but there were times.... Well, you come to tea sometimes and I’ll fill you in. It would be my pleasure.”

  They were all still laughing as they went up to bed that night. Mom was going to go to the castle in the morning to make a list of some of the things that she’d still need. He was heading into town to see about getting both he and Lilac a new car, and to set up with the faeries to keep the castle in tip top shape for his mom. He grieved for a moment about his truck but decided this was good too. They both could use something larger. Griff didn’t think that his life could get any better than it was at this very moment.

  Now, all he had to do was deal with his brother and he could move on. And so could everyone else. Yes, he thought, the sooner this was finished with James, the better off the whole world would be.

  ~*~

  James paced back and forth in the valley where he’d been staying. The caves above him were off limits to him for some reason. Well, he knew the reason—his brother again. Or his mother. The nerve of her going behind his back and faking her death. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. The fucking bitch had let him believe she was dead. How deceitful could a person get?

  “At least I’m honest about what I do. I’m going to kill her. And make sure that she’s dead this time too. Then I’m taking care of Griffith. I’ve had enough of all of them.” He looked at his pitiful living arrangements. “Fuckers have made me sleep with the fucking animals.”

  He’d been able to take a tent, but the instructions were all fucked up and he wasn’t able to make the thing work. So now it lay over a small tree to keep most of him dry when it rained, but he still got wet whenever the clouds opened up.

  “While I know that they have nothing to do with the rain, I have a funny feeling that they have a little to do with it. Why the hell is it ra
ining every fucking day?” He wondered if it was raining everywhere and not just over him, but he didn’t have the strength to go into town again to find out. “They’ve made it so I’ve had to move as far from the town as a few miles. I don’t know who the they are, but you can bet that I’m going to get them too.”

  The last trip he’d made to town had cost him nearly a day of time. James had not been in good shape any part of his life, and now was no different. The walks that he’d been taking to even get a little food were making him so exhausted that he could barely think of a good plan, much less have the energy to carry them out. And that was their fault as well.

  His mother was alive. Christ, that wasn’t right. He’d done just as he’d been told. Of course, he’d had no idea at the time that she’d been the one leading him down that merry path of wrongness, but she should have been more honest with him. James laughed at himself.

  “Yes, you idiot, she’s going to tell you how you made so many mistakes in trying to kill her off. I’m sure that she’s going to break it down so that you can do a better job next time.” He laughed again, feeling the bitterness of it as the anger seemed to wrap around his body. “That was just wrong. Wrong on so many levels, to let me think that I was killing her off. At least with my dad, I knew that he was dead. His head looking up at me, that was proof enough for me.”

  Pacing more, happy that he could hear the rodents and other animals scurrying to get out of his way, he thought of that woman. Still he had no idea what her name was, and that burned him more than anything. To think that she’d gotten away from him and gone straight to his brother. There was no justice in the world, he thought, when his own fucking brother had it better than he did.

  “I’m going to make him pay for that too.” James was getting confused about what he was supposed to be making Griffith pay for. Some days it was that he’d had it better than him. Other days he would be pissed off because he had James’s woman. And even on some days, he wanted him to pay simply because he’d been born at all. “I should have been an only child. Then I would have gotten it all without him sticking his nose into my business.”