And he’d been suitably outraged, until Maddie started running her bathwater. Then Dougal allowed himself to forget Chase as he peered through Maddie’s window. He had never seen a more beautiful, rarer gem than her. A long, slender leg arose from the bubbles, glistening with foam, and she ran a razor along her heart-shaped calf. She hummed to herself, as relaxed and as comfortable as he’d ever seen her, even counting the time before her parents’ passing.
She removed herself from the tub, wrapped a towel around her hair and another around her middle. After toweling, her hair fell to her waist in damp ringlets and she used the blow dryer, her head held sideways and her locks hanging free. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she entered her room and shrugged into the knee-length, old-fashioned, gorgeous green gown. He leaned forward, ready at any moment to burst into the house and whisk her away, if he could force himself past the druid’s protections. In time he would convince her they were right for each other. If she wasn’t the real one he sought, then perhaps she could be.
Dougal held himself poised with every muscle tense. But a motor revved and he shifted his focus. In the driveway out front, Chase’s truck shuddered to a halt. The engine died. The annoying boy had returned, hasty footsteps crunching across the front lawn, and Dougal ground his teeth, claws digging into the tree branch.
The front door slammed and Maddie quickly drew herself to attention. Dougal could sense her increased pulse, see her flashing, excited eyes. It burned in his soul. She tilted her head to the side, as if she’d heard the steps across the entry, and rushed to the head of the stairs, Dougal flying from branch to branch, looking in window after window, to follow her path. But before she reached the bottom step, Chase yelled, “Can you go back upstairs for just a few minutes?”
She pouted as she turned on her heel and stomped upstairs, into her room, and flung herself across the bed. She pulled out a sketchbook and Dougal wished he could fly closer and study the pictures. But he dared not. If she’d glanced outside at any time while coming downstairs… but she hadn’t. She’d been totally engrossed in that despicable boy.
No matter how much he desperately wanted to know what Chase was doing, he couldn’t take his eyes off Maddie long enough to check. She swung her legs back and forth like a little girl, flipping through the pages of her book and sucking on her lip. All Dougal could do was stare at that lip, those legs, that hair. She was so beautiful.
Chase finally called, and she jumped up and ran down the stairs. Soon she was in Draoi’s living room, twirling around in graceful circles, her gown’s skirts flaring and rippling. Chase had lit the entire room with candles. The shiny green silk of her gown clung to her upper body as she moved into Chase’s arms for an embrace.
Serena had goaded him into wooing Maddie in the beginning, but to what end? So he could be frustrated, no doubt. He would never have her, just like he never had Marissa, and Gregory would never have Mairin.
Dougal shuddered as the cold wind whipped around him, stinging his flesh even through his fur. He was in an agony of yearning and desire. Maddie’s scent wafted through his nostrils, causing him added misery.
His body ached from the tussle with Gregory, his head hurt from the confusing thoughts of Maddie, and nothing could ever cure his aching heart. Nothing seemed to be going as he’d hoped. Gregory, the Ancient One, was an excellent warrior, but Cahal would surely kill him as soon as he was released. One couldn’t imprison a gryphon leader and not expect retribution.
Dougal left those thoughts behind and concentrated on Maddie. What was Chase doing now?
****
Maddie gasped, the spectacle in front of her taking her completely by surprise. The electric lights were out and candles lit the entire room. “Unchained Melody” came through the stereo speakers, Bobby Hatfield’s smoky countertenor turning the opening into pure soul.
And there… a silhouette walking toward her, backlit by tiny flickering flames. He wore a suit, she saw when he came closer, and carried one white rose. She took it from him, smelling its sweet scent. He reached down and clasped her other hand in his, lifting and kissing it. “May I have this dance?”
She could only nod as he enfolded her in an embrace. They glided around the room, holding one another tightly, the dethorned white rose between their clasped hands. Light from the fireplace flickered along the walls. The song changed to “When a Man Loves a Woman” and they continued to dance. The electric shock that happened when they touched ran rampant along her nerve endings.
Chase stepped in closer and leaned down, kissing her gently. When the song finished, he took her by the hand and led her to the table, set with candles and a single slice of chocolate-covered cheesecake with two forks. He helped her into her chair and scooted it closer to the table before taking his own seat.
“Maddie?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
Her eyes flooded with tears. “Chase…”
“You don’t have to reciprocate. It’s okay if you think it’s too soon. I just refuse to go another day without telling you how I feel.”
She drew a ragged breath, feeling the surrender in every inch of her bones. “Chase, let me speak.”
He nodded.
“I love you, too.”
His face split in a huge grin. “I’m glad to hear it. I must say I was starting to get a little worried.”
She stood up, walked around to where he sat, and settled on his lap. She leaned forward until their foreheads touched.
He said, “I have something to give you.”
“Chase! You’ve already made this day more special then I could’ve imagined. What more could you possibly give me?”
He opened his hand. Nestled in his palm was a small black velvet box. Her mouth opened and she covered it with her palm. “Chase,” Maddie whispered, breathlessly.
He removed her from his lap and swung her into his chair. Down on one knee, he opened the box. The ring caught the light and reflected it around the room in a thousand tiny rainbows. “Please hear me out. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you promise to be mine?”
Before reality could interfere, she heard her own voice say, “Yes!”
Chase held her around the middle and slung her in a circle, her feet flying off the ground. The world spun around her. She shrieked with joy — how many times, in the preceding weeks, had she screamed with terror? — and held on for dear life. He set her down and grabbed her hands, supporting her when she wobbled. “Sorry. I’m not asking for full-blown marriage, because my parents would have a fit if I didn’t finish school.”
“Of course we have to finish school.”
“So I’m just asking for a promise. A promise that we’ll get through this and see what we have for each other on the other side. But I’m sure eventually we’ll be making marriage plans. In fact, it might even be this summer. We could attend the community college. I could get a job.” He must have noticed her frown. “What’s wrong?”
Fears and doubts nagged at her mind. She deserved happiness like everyone else, right? Maybe it was all moving too fast. A promise to continue their relationship was one thing, but agreeing to marriage while they were in the middle of a crisis was another. What if he just liked her because she was a damsel in distress? What if they had nothing in common? What about the issue with Doran and Alasdair? There were secrets between them. What if they couldn’t overcome those secrets? “Chase, there’s so much about me you don’t know.”
“Before you go down that road, I’ve got one more thing to show you.”
“Chase!” she said, exasperated.
His grin never wavered. “Just bear with me.”
He took her to the newly repaired front porch and sat her on the swing, disappearing back inside. Through the curtained window, she could see candles winking out. When he returned, she started to stand but he held his hand up, palm out, for her to wait, and draped a shawl over her shoulders before withdrawing around the side of the house.
When he returned, she couldn’t have been more shocked. In his hands were a pair of leather reins, and trailing sweetly behind him was Gray Beauty.
Chapter 32
Chase crooked his finger. In a trance, Maddie eased toward the horse, running a hand down her neck and marveling at her soft coat. The leather bridle gleamed in the moonlight as if freshly cleaned, and when Grey Beauty turned her head and whuffled, the skirts of the green gown billowed against her knees.
He mounted the mare bareback, then reached down a hand and helped her slide up in front of him.
“Chase? Where did you get this horse?”
“I asked Mr. Temple if I could borrow her.”
“Okay.” She gnawed on her lip. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
She glanced up at the moon, full and round overhead. “Do we really have time for a midnight ride?” Although it wasn’t all that late.
“Trust me when I say this one is too important to miss.”
Cool wind whipped past and teased tendrils of her hair as Grey Beauty walked along the forest’s edge. Maddie shivered and snuggled back against his chest. “Are you cold?” he whispered in her ear.
“Yes,” she answered, drawing the shawl tighter.
He slowed the horse, removed his jacket, and slid it around her shoulders. His warm breath stroked her cheek. “You look beautiful.”
Heat flushed her face, warmer than his jacket. “Thank you.” Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she said, “You don’t look too shabby yourself. Where did you get that sway tux, anyway?”
“It was just hanging around in my closet for such an occasion.”
“Chase!”
“I’m kidding. It was from my junior prom.”
Which explained why it fit him so tightly. “Oh.” Jealousy swelled in her breast. “Who did you go with?”
He shrugged. “Just some girl.”
Maddie frowned but decided to drop the subject, not liking the way it made her feel.
He tugged one rein and Grey Beauty turned into the forest, winding her way between the massive tree trunks. It was warmer there, and she let her body relax into the mare’s rhythmic strides until her eyes closed. A girl could dream on a midnight ride, oh, yes, she could.
And then Grey Beauty stopped.
“We’re here,” he said.
Startled, she looked around. They’d left the tree line and a rocky slope rose directly in their path, a deeper black hole buried among its center. The place seemed eerily familiar. “Where are we?”
“You don’t remember?” A frown creased his brow.
For some reason she didn’t understand, her heart began pounding. Not with love or excitement this time, but with something darker. She shivered again. “What do you mean? Why would I remember?”
He slid from the horse’s back, gripped her waist, and pulled her down beside him. Carefully supporting her, he led her toward the dark blotch in the rock wall’s center and suddenly she realized they were inside a cave. The noise of trickling water flooded her memory and she wailed, backing away.
“Maddie, are you all right?” He gripped her arm in support.
She wobbled, her unfamiliar formal shoes catching on the rough ground. “It can’t be. It just can’t be.”
He slid an arm around her waist, holding her up. “Calm down. It’s okay.”
“Are you joking?” Her voice soared several octaves. “How could this be okay?”
He froze, as if she’d slapped him. “So, you do know who I am?”
“No, you’re wrong.” She backed away, her heart thudding ever harder. “I don’t have a clue who you are.”
He reached for her, but she scooted away.
“Please let me explain,” he pleaded.
“If it was you, then why didn’t you tell me? I don’t understand. This whole time I thought I was lying to you!”
Chase drew in a ragged breath and ran his hand through his hair. In an agonized voice, he said, “I don’t have an excuse. All I can say is my dad didn’t want me to say anything until he figured out why we were changing.”
His father knew? Does he think telling me I’m the last to know will help his case? Wait a minute — what had he just said? “We?”
“Yeah. My father changed the first time you two met.”
Memories flashed rapidly through her mind, bringing a numb sort of clarity. “That’s why he was late to dinner.”
“Yeah.”
“That was also why, when I touched his hand, it felt so weird. Just like the tingling sensations when we touch.”
He shrugged. “Probably.”
“So, he didn’t want me to know?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “What changed to make you tell me now?”
“Because I thought you should know.”
A new thought hit her, and she groaned. “If you’re Alasdair, then Dougal must be Doran.”
“What?” He appeared genuinely shocked.
And that seemed very strange to her. She figured it out so easily, and he’d known longer. Why hadn’t he figured it out, too? “You mean you didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t know. I wonder what that makes Gregory?”
“Gregory?” The memory roiled her stomach. “You mean the one that wanted to kill me until Doran, or Dougal, or whoever he is, told you to take me away?”
“This is getting more and more complicated.” He ran his hand through his hair, and she found herself staring at his strong hand. Why hadn’t she caught on to that action before? It was a tell. Alasdair and Chase both mussed up their hair in the same way. She should have noticed.
She gnawed on her lip and sat on the rock shelf, heedless of the gown’s delicate fabric. Why was all this happening, and now of all times? Her life had been so normal, plain, almost boring. There had never been anything special about it and now she had two gryphons seeking her attention. One had even asked her to marry him. But why?
“Do you hate me?” Chase’s voice was so low, she almost missed it.
“No.” She shook her head and swallowed. It was the simple truth, and she had no doubt it showed in her expression. It was the one thing she didn’t have to wonder about.
He enveloped her in his arms. “We will get through this.”
She nodded. She was so confused. She didn’t know what to do or even think. She didn’t hate Chase; that was impossible. Just to have something to say, she said, “Yeah, once we figure out what ‘this’ is.”
He laughed quietly. “We should head back.”
“Yeah, the morning is going to come real early.” For the second night in a row, she wouldn’t get enough sleep. She didn’t care. Being with Chase made it all worthwhile.
“After I drop you off tomorrow, I’m going to feel completely lost.”
“Me, too,” she whispered, unable to fight the feelings she had for him. Even if she was upset that he’d kept his other self hidden, she found she couldn’t hold anything against him.
They swung astride Grey Beauty and set out for home.
****
Dougal hovered above the horse at a safe distance. It wouldn’t do for them to notice the odd shadows that danced overhead, nor for the mare to sense his presence and become frightened.
He’d followed them from Draoi’s front porch to the forest’s edge and then beyond. His frown had deepened when they’d dismounted and entered the damp cave. He’d edged closer, perking his ears and concentrating. His heart had slammed against his ribs — Alasdair was Chase. Then to discover that his father had changed, as well. And still the plot thickened!
He’d hung back and waited. This was the time for Maddie to become angry and stalk away from her protector. He had planned to snatch her away. He would take her to the lair for Serena — no, never mind that. He would take her far away, somewhere they could live in peace, where they’d never be found. He would tell her the truth and perhaps, maybe, just maybe, she would fall in love with him. He could be different; he knew he could. For Ma
ddie, he could be anything. He could change.
But she didn’t stalk out and leave Chase to wallow in self-pity.
Instead Maddie allowed Chase to touch her, to hold her and soothe her fears. How could she? How could she blow off his betrayal as if it were nothing? Perhaps she hid her true feelings. Perhaps anger bubbled beneath the surface, waiting to escape like an erupting volcano. She couldn’t be so forgiving, could she? Could anyone?
Backing away from the cave mouth, Dougal found a spot in the trees and paced along a narrow limb. The clack of his claws irritated him and he wanted to morph to his human self, but feared discovery. But if he didn’t chill, they’d hear his claws clacking.
He tapped a pointed claw to his forehead. If Maddie had forgiven Chase his indiscretion, perhaps, just perhaps, she would forgive him, as well. Yes, that was the answer. He would just tell her the truth as he had planned and she would forgive him. Then they could live happily ever after. Even if he had to hide her from Serena and Gregory forever, it would be no trouble.
Maddie left the cave, Chase supporting her arm, quieter than when they’d entered. Dougal needed to think of a way to get her away from Chase long enough to convince her he was the better choice.
Because of course he was. He had to be.
****
The trip home was awkward. Maddie held her silence, a troubled line between her brows, and he hesitated to bring anything up. What more could he say?
She held herself aloof, causing worry to gnaw at his gut. Would their relationship change because of what he’d revealed? He didn’t see how it could possibly stay the same. But he’d had to tell her, before she fell in love with him forever, before they took the marriage thing too far. She had to know the truth about him first.
He tugged on the reins and Grey Beauty halted, slacking one hip. Maddie slid down and fled inside in a swirl of crushed silk before he could move.
The door slammed shut. He sighed and slid down, too. “Come on, girl, let’s get you rubbed down.”
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