With Pride

by Kaye Draper

  I glanced up to see Kaimana slide into the room and press against Con's side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they stood in the doorway.

  Oisin screamed again, then called out in a language I didn't understand, his voice breaking. He almost slithered free of my grip. "Oisin, please," I said, my own voice cracking at the sound of his pain.

  Hisashi knelt by the bed, bare-chested and sleep rumpled, his eyes liquid silver. He was looking at Oisin, but it seemed like he was seeing something else. He batted a hand through the air around the fae. "Gods. Get off him."

  I glared. "Well excuse me. You let him punch you in the face few times." He might be small, but the fae wasn't weak.

  Hisashi turned his eyes to me and I shivered under that silver gaze. "Not you. Them." He waved his hand again, gesturing to something I couldn't see. My hackles rose.

  Oisin whimpered.

  Hisashi leaned over the fae and gripped his bare shoulders. Pain crackled across the fox's face like lightning. He sucked in a deep breath and pressed his forehead to Oisin's. "Come back home, pretty little fae."

  I felt magic surge between them, so strong it made my hands tingle. Oisin stopped flailing, and I risked letting go of his arms.

  "Hisashi?" I said slowly. "What are you doing to him?"

  His fox ears were out, and that stunning bundle of white tails whipped around his back as he half-shifted to more easily tap his powers. "Oisin," he whispered. "Don't get lost there. Come back to Gesa. She needs you."

  I reached out and stroked Oisin's sleek red hair, now a tangled mess against his head. "I really do."

  The fae's eyes opened and his body went rigid. The emerald green orbs widened, and he lifted his hands to push at Hisashi's broad chest. "What the hell? Fox?"

  Hisashi pulled back, dropping a kiss on Oisin's forehead before sitting back on his knees. "There he is." His voice sounded shaky.

  Oisin sat up and ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. "What in all the realms just happened?"

  I shook my head.

  "Nightmare," Hisashi whispered. "You were having a nightmare. About the past."

  Oisin was out of bed so fast my eyes could barely follow his movements. He paced toward Hisashi with death in his eyes. "You! You were in my head? I told you not to touch me, fox. And you used your magic on me?" He clenched his fists around the shimmering swords that had appeared in his hands from thin air.

  I leapt up and grabbed Oisin's arm to stop him from attacking the poor fox.

  "Jesus, Buddha and Odin, Oisin. He was helping you. Calm down." I gave him a little shake. "That scared the living shit out of us! You wouldn't wake up."

  Oisin finally seemed to register that he wasn't alone. His eyes took in the destroyed bed, Hisashi still kneeling on the floor, and Con and Kaimana in the doorway looking confused and worried. "I don't have nightmares."

  I scrubbed a hand over my face. "Sure you don't. That was just what? A wet dream?"

  He glared at me. Then he turned back to Hisashi, the blades disappearing in the blink of an eye. "What did you do?"

  The fox was still half-shifted, and he stayed where he was, kneeling and vulnerable at Oisin's feet in nothing but a pair of underwear that left nothing to the imagination. "I'm sorry," he said, his deep voice barely a whisper. "I couldn't just let you hurt like that."

  The fae took a deep breath and stood there glaring.

  "Oisin," I said, dropping his arm to sit back down on the bed. "I could feel your magic. You were about to lose your shit. Maybe everything that's been happening lately with your family stressed you to the breaking point and—"

  He closed his eyes. "Leave."

  I gaped at him. "What? He just kept you from hurting everyone here and you want to send him away? Gods, Oisin, don't be a complete asshole."

  The fae opened his eyes and gave me a look. "Not him. You." He glanced at Con and Kaimana. "All of you. Everyone out but the fox." He pointed a slender finger at the door.

  I cast a look at Hisashi. The poor guy still hadn't gotten up. His fox ears were pulled down slightly, like a dog about to be disciplined. He glanced up at me. "Go. The fae and I need to talk."

  I narrowed my eyes at him. More secrets. Just what had Hisashi seen when he touched my lying little fae?

  "Fine," I growled. "It's not like I wanted to be in my own damned bedroom in the middle of the night. Not like I wanted to sleep or anything."

  Con beckoned me toward him with his free arm. "Come on, Gesa. We can go to my room. You can sleep in there if you want."

  As if any of us would be going back to sleep after this little shitfest. Oisin didn't lose control of anything. Ever. Let alone his magic. I glanced over my shoulder one last time to see Oisin's attention firmly fixed on the fox. "Stop staring at me, gryphon," he said without even looking at me. "I won't murder your new pet, I promise."

  I snorted and closed the door behind me.

  Chapter 12

  Hisashi stared up at the redheaded fae as the door clicked closed behind Gesa and the others. "I'm sorry," he said again, unsure what else to say. He wasn't sorry, really. Not at all. He would never let anyone suffer the way the fae had been suffering a few moments ago. If he had to live with his damned, cursed "gifts," then he was going to use them to help others whenever he could.

  Oisin's emerald green eyes bore into him like daggers. "What did you see?"

  Hisashi sighed, his tails whipping around him, giving away his emotions even though he tried to keep his face serene. "I saw what you've done to protect them." He lifted his head and met the fae's eyes. "Gods, Oisin."

  The fae swallowed hard, the long, slender column of his throat working as he suppressed the emotions that flickered across his face. "I don't need your pity," he spat out, crossing his arms over his chest.

  Hisashi tried to suppress his grin, but one corner of his lip twitched upward. Gods, the pretty fae looked like a stray cat, spitting and hissing out of fear and hunger. He wanted to scoop him up and comfort him, but he knew he'd only end up getting scratched. "I'm not pitying you," he said softly. "But Gods, Oisin, you're keeping this from Gesa, aren't you? You can't possibly carry this all alone."

  The fae narrowed his eyes. "You can't tell her what you saw." He waved an elegant hand. "And for the love of fuck, get up. You don't need to kneel like some disobedient servant."

  Hisashi pushed himself to his feet. He tried not to loom over the pretty fae, but it was impossible. The guy was pocket-sized. He smirked. "Thanks. I thought it might be easier for you to remove my head from my body that way. But it is a little hard on the knees."

  The fae shook his head. Then he seemed to regain some of his equilibrium. "Removing anything from that body would be a waste." His eyes glittered, teasing. But there was still a bit of haunted fear lingering in the green gaze.

  Hisashi paced closer. "Thanks. I like to think so. You must be feeling better if you're back to flirting."

  The fae tilted his head back to look up at Hisashi. "I don't know what you're talking about. I feel fine. It was just a little nightmare. Don't get your panties in a twist." His eyes flicked downward, and he smirked. "Or do."

  Hisashi laughed, letting go of the pent-up tension in his chest. Gods, he had been so terrified when he saw the spirits lingering around the fae. The faces of the dead pleading with him, the sense of absolute helplessness and resignation the fae felt as he re-lived scenes of torture and murder. And now, here he was, acting as though nothing had happened.

  "Careful," Hisashi warned the beautiful little terror as he lifted a hand to touch that tangled curtain of silky red hair. It was even softer than he expected. "I'm not Con. I might flirt back."

  The fae snorted, but he allowed the touch. "Please. I'm not interested in the advances of a child."

  Hisashi grunted. "Ouch. That almost hurt." He rubbed his chest, making note of how the motion drew the fae's eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, I might not be a thousand years old, but I am all grown up."

  The fae's
eyes traveled over his body, and though he tried not to show it, Hisashi did feel a bit outclassed by that wicked look. "Oh, believe me," Oisin whispered in that silky-smooth voice of his. "I noticed."

  It was like time stopped. Was this really happening? He'd felt the attraction there since the moment they walked into his tent. Not only for Gesa, but toward her little firecracker of a fae too. From what Hisashi understood, things weren't like that with Con. But could Hisashi have a different role in the gryphon's pride?

  Fae were so hard-wired for sex that it was hard to tell what was genuine attraction and what was simply their nature. But he was already growing tired of this little dance. He stepped closer to the fae, his bare chest brushing the other man's skin, testing the boundaries. "I'm not like Gesa," he said fondly. "Name calling isn't foreplay for me. Don't call me a child."

  Oisin's lips quirked. "Thanks for clearing that up."

  The fae lifted a graceful hand and placed it in the center of Hisashi's chest, stroking gently over his pecs. The light touch sent a tingle of fae magic dancing against his aura. "It's not safe for you to be here," he whispered, his eyes flashing a hint of panic before the mask fell into place again.

  Hisashi put his hand over the fae's trapping it. "I told you I'm not into that kind of thing," he said with a smirk. "Threats are right up there with name calling and—"

  He didn't get to finish his sentence before the fae drew back, lifting a hand to stroke Hisashi's cheek, then dropping it. "You know full well that wasn't what I meant. You saw...everything. I don't want you to end up like them, the potential of your young life snuffed out before you've even lived." He drew back, stepping out of Hisashi's embrace entirely. "I don't want to feel your blood staining my hands in my dreams."

  Hisashi met those amazing green eyes. "You won't," he promised. "But you don't get to choose what I do with my life." He smirked. "Besides, I've seen it already. Gesa's future has me in it. Very, very much in it." He winked.

  The fae laughed, even though it was tinged with sadness and the shades of his past. "You won't tell her?" he asked,

  Hisashi put on a thoughtful face. "You mean that you want me? I don't know...will she be mad do you think? Maybe we really should get her permission first. After all, it's her pride."

  He was only half joking. Shit, now that the thought occurred to him, he hoped Gesa wouldn't be angry that Hisashi wanted them both.

  Oisin raised a perfect brow. "Oh, you just go ahead and ask her if it's okay to be utterly in love with me. See how that goes over. Just make sure I get to watch."

  Hisashi frowned. "Wait, what? I was joking, but will she seriously be mad?"

  Oisin grinned. "Only that you think she has a pride. Or that she's in charge of any of us. You have a lot to learn about our big, bad gryphon."

  The fae found a t-shirt in one of the dressers and pulled it on, hiding his beautiful body under baggy cotton. "But that wasn't what I was referring to and you know it."

  Hisashi sighed. "I won't tell her. But I don't understand why you're hiding your past from her. Clearly you care about her."

  The fae gave him a sad look. "I do care. Deeply. Which is why it will be so much more difficult when she eventually finds out the truth and is repulsed by it." He started calmly braiding his hair, as if he wasn't pouring out his soul. "I know the day she finds out, she'll leave. I've lived through things that would turn a mortal to madness. But I don't know if I can bear being alone again after knowing her."

  Hisashi sighed and shifted back to full human form. "I think you have a lot to learn about our big, strong gryphon, if that's what you think will happen."

  Chapter 13

  We all slept late and dragged our feet the next day. We ate a late lunch together, but everyone was subdued, and I didn't think it was from lack of sleep. I was dying to find out just what had upset Oisin so badly, but I knew better than to ask. Hisashi kept shooting the fae mournful looks, as if someone close to Oisin had just died. The fae responded to the pity by pointedly ignoring the fox. Con once again nearly ran himself ragged catering to everyone and trying to make things better with food and warm smiles that he somehow managed to make look like they weren't forced.

  I glanced up from my plate to find Kaimana's dark blue eyes on me. She flicked her glance at the others, then back. Standing, she put her plate away and went to the music player Con kept on the counter for when he was lost in one of his cooking frenzies. She held the player out to Con insistently.

  "You want to listen to music?" the human said, going to help her figure out how the thing worked. I guess electronics weren't big under the sea. Kaimana pantomimed playing the violin and Con laughed. "The one I was listening to yesterday?"

  She nodded and gave him a blinding smile.

  Con scrolled through his music until some sort of lively instrumental piece started playing. It sounded so thoroughly gypsy pirate that I had to smile at Kaimana's tastes. My smile fell as I focused on the pendant that she wore tucked between her generous breasts. She had indicated, when I asked awkwardly the day before, that she had been able to speak before the old man nabbed her from her home.

  "I don't understand," I said, turning to break up the awkward thing going on between Hisashi and Oisin. "If we got her soul stone thingy back, why didn't her voice come back?"

  Oisin looked up from his delicate dissection of his food. "Some of her magic came back to her once it was in her possession. Surely you felt that?" At my nod he continued. "But the part of her soul that was used to craft the stone must still be locked inside."

  He glanced to Hisashi, gritted his teeth at the sad look on the fox's face, then kept speaking with forced calm. "What do you think, fox?"

  Hisashi stuffed his last piece of bread in his mouth and went to join Kaimana and Con. He held out a hand toward Kaimana, one white eyebrow lifted. "Can I touch the stone?"

  She gave him a sly smile and nodded but didn't make any move to hand over the pendant. He grinned, slipping his fingers playfully into her cleavage to retrieve the necklace. "Thanks."

  She laughed soundlessly, but her eyes watched the fox seriously when he closed his eyes and sent out his power to read the stone. He opened his eyes after a moment and let the stone fall gently back to rest against her chest.

  "Yep," he said with a shake of his head. "The spell they used called for 'the breath of the soul' but obviously she had to be breathing if they wanted to keep her alive."

  Oisin's eyes were gentle as he glanced at Kaimana. "A lot of mythology equates the breath with the soul. It would make sense that the voice was an extension of that, symbolically." He pressed his lips together. "And what better way to control someone than to seal away their voice."

  "Well," I said, sipping the latte Con made me. "Can't we just smash the stone and be done with it?"

  Oisin shook his head. "Not a good idea."

  Hisashi nodded. "It might harm the piece of her that's held inside."

  Kaimana clapped her hands together sharply and I started. It broke the tension in the room, and she came to Oisin and held out a hand.

  The fae looked up at her and one corner of his mouth quirked up as he put his hand in hers. "What are you up to, fishy?"

  She rolled her eyes at the name and pulled him to his feet and into the space between the island and the far wall. Grinning, she dropped into a deep curtsy, her flowing skirt held out to the sides. We really needed to take her shopping so I could introduce the poor woman to pants. She had at least slept in some of Con's clothes last night so we could wash her current ensemble.

  Oisin laughed, a genuine laugh for the first time in days. He waved his hand in a graceful flourish as he bowed like it was the sixteen-hundreds. When he stood, Kaimana took his hand again, and they whirled around the room like a couple of tops. I could barely follow their graceful movements. When the music changed, Kaimana curtsied to Oisin again, then spun to grab Con's hand, dragging the flustered human into a jig of some sort, laughing as she patiently showed him the steps.


  I soaked in the moment, noting the smiles on everyone's faces. The atmosphere had thawed out. Even Hisashi looked less haunted. He shot me a lopsided grin as he shoved off the counter and grabbed Oisin's wrist before the fae could leave the room. He spun the smaller man back into the kitchen and pantomimed an exaggerated curtsy, batting his eyelashes comically at the fae. Oisin rolled his eyes, but let himself be pulled into the jig, making constant mocking commentary on Hisashi's awful dance moves.

  When Kaimana left Con panting against the counter and paced toward me, I held up my hands to ward her off. "Oh no. Hell, no. I don't dance. Let alone all...that." I gestured toward Oisin, who was showing Hisashi some sort of complicated footwork he probably picked up in the eighteenth century, his feet moving in a blur.

  Kaimana stuck out her bottom lip and pouted. I shook my head. "No."

  Her expression changed to pure mischief and she pulled my arms out of the way and slid onto my lap. I suddenly found my arms full of lush curves and my senses assaulted by the scent of sea air and fresh rain. My hands came to rest instinctively on her generous hips and my inner griffon fluffed up its feathers and prowled in approval. She was ours, it reminded me. We saved her. We protected her. She belonged right here in my arms.

  I fought down the damned stupid birdbrained lion and tried to remember why I shouldn't be enjoying this. She was dependent on me for fuck's sake. She had nowhere else to go. She couldn't even talk.

  She tilted, leaning in to press the full swell of her breasts against mine, one delicate hand tracing my jaw as she pulled me to her. That sweet bowstring mouth was the softest thing I'd ever felt, and I lost myself in it for a minute there. Who could blame me? The woman was absolutely bewitching. She tasted like some kind of power I didn't understand, but I wanted to drown in it.

  When I finally came up for air, her deep-sea eyes were nearly black with lust. A catcall and a spate of clapping jerked me out of my daydream and plopped me right back into reality. Fucking reality.