Sacrifice (The Gryphon Series Book 3)

by Stacey Rourke

  My whole body shook from the impact of the sobs I could no longer keep at bay. Grams scooted her chair closer and wrapped her arms around me. I rested my head on her shoulder and soaked her blanket with my tears.

  “Oh, Celeste. I have no idea how you deal with half the bull that this calling of yours has thrown at you. I really don’t.” She stroked my hair and kissed the top of my head. “Yet you handle it with a grace and nobility that astounds me. I know I would’ve run for the hills a long time ago if I were in your shoes. The truth is, honey, other people may have all sorts of ideas about how you should live your life and handle your problems, but none of us—myself included—can know the stress and responsibility that rests solely on you.”

  I swiped at the tears with the back on my hand. “What do I do, Grams? Tell me, please. Because I can’t make this decision. ”

  She used her thumb and forefinger to grab my chin and tip my face up toward hers. “Yes you can, and you will. Your heart will tell you what the right thing to do is, and you’ll follow that. But you need to remember this; there’s a reason you were chosen and not your brother or sister. Kendall, bless her heart, is all emotion. Gabe is pig-headed, but very passionate about his beliefs and opinions. Neither of them would be capable of what you are, and that’s making the really tough decisions … even when they hurt. That comes with inner strength, and that you have by the boatload. The right thing to do will come to you. You just have to be still and let your heart tell you what it is.”

  She released my chin and I nestled back onto her shoulder. I closed my eyes and let the tears flow free. As much as I hated to admit it, my heart already tried to tell me what I needed to do, but I purposely ignored it. I suspected I wouldn’t like its answer.

  

  I called Caleb and blamed girl pains for my absence. As soon as we hung up I headed straight to bed. I just wanted to curl up under the covers and stay there until the house crumbled around me and grass grew over me.

  I stepped into my bedroom and immediately noticed the scroll dressed in a red satin ribbon. My heart did a nervous flutter-beat as it beckoned from its perch on my pillow. If ever there was a moment that my mysterious ally needed to step up with some brilliantly insightful information, this was it. I crossed the room in three quick strides and scooped up the scroll. My hand hovered over the ribbon and shook. Fear caused me to hesitate. I sank down onto the edge of the bed and hugged the scroll to my chest. I counted to five then yanked the ribbon free before I chickened out. My hands trembled as I unrolled the thick paper. I held my breath as I read:

  It’s a sacrifice of love and one he would make for you if the roles were reversed.

  A feeling I hadn’t anticipated washed over me—certainty—followed by agonizing sorrow. I fell back on the bed, rolled onto my side, and curled my knees up to my chest. Since I learned of Caleb’s link to the Titans I hadn’t dared to ask myself the one question I needed to answer. How far would Caleb go to protect me? My heart spoke that answer without a shadow of a doubt.

  How far would he go? As far as it took.

  CHAPTER Nine

  Shades of pink, yellow, and violet zigzagged across the sky like haphazard strokes from a paintbrush as the sunset over Ireland’s gorgeous Cliffs of Moher. Their reflection cast a deep purple shade onto the water below that broke in a white spray at the base of the rocky cliffs. This truly was beauty defined.

  Caleb slid his arms around my waist and nuzzled into the crook of my neck. “I told ya it was lovely.”

  I ran my hands down his arms and linked my fingers with his. “It’s gorgeous. I can’t believe I waited so long to let you bring me here.”

  Ebony hair tickled my cheek as he whispered in my ear, “Sometimes impendin’ doom is just the kick in the pants ya need to arrange a long overdue holiday.”

  A harsh bucketful of icy reality doused all my warm snuggly feelings. We weren’t here for a romantic rendezvous. I had a job to do. I pushed Caleb’s arms away—much to his chagrin—and dug my phone out of my pocket to check the time.

  “We’ve got about twenty minutes until the first phase begins. I need to start getting things ready.”

  The wood floor creaked under my feet as I strode to the knotty pine dresser to grab my satchel. Before I could get too far Caleb snagged my wrist and pulled me back to him. His fingers softly stroked my skin as he cupped my face in both his hands.

  Nothing but love filled his gaze. “Thank ya, for what ya’r doin’ for me today. Ya saved me from the Dark Army and now ya’r saving me from a burden I’ve beared for so long I ne’er dreamed I could be free of it. I’d heard of rituals like this, but thought they were fables shared between Dark Army orphans hopin’ for a better life. But then I met you … ”

  I grabbed his hands and gave them a quick squeeze before I pulled away. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t get you killed.”

  I turned my back to him before he could see the pained grimace I struggled to hold back. Out of the same satchel that usually held my sketch book and art supplies came the ingredients that would alter my future forever. My chin threatened to quiver. Sheer determination refused to let it. First I removed the piece of parchment paper Bernard gave me with the precise instructions of what I had to do. After that came a vial of some weird, iridescent liquid, a tarnished silver goblet, a candle, matches, and what looked like a small bundle of sticks and leaves bound tightly together with string.

  “Ya know I’m gonna be fine, lovey.”

  I glanced over my shoulder. Barefoot, with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans and his blue flannel shirt untucked, he was a picture of calm relaxation. To him our worries and cares were an ocean away. I knew otherwise.

  “That’s why we came here, aye? You take that demon out of me and keep me safe from harm while ya’r brother and sister use those special weapons Bernard armed ‘em with tah destroy the Titans once and for all.” His shoulders rose and fell in a carefree shrug. “Way I see it, I’m safe as a wee babe with you as my body guard.”

  “Yeah, what could possibly go wrong?” Even I heard the bitterness of my tone.

  In a puff of black smoke he stood beside me. He slipped a finger under my chin and tipped my face up so I had no choice but to stare into those hypnotizing emerald eyes. “Absolutely nothin’. I know my bein’ human scares ya, but I’m not worried in the least. As long as I’m with you, everything else will work out.”

  “I hope so.” I swallowed hard to dislodge the lump in my throat, then changed the subject with a nod at the incantation ingredients. “We need to get started.”

  “Aye. What can I do tah help?”

  I struck a match and lit the candle. “Empty that vial into the goblet.”

  Caleb popped the cap off and peeked inside as he swirled the shimmering liquid around. “It looks like dish soap.” He sniffed it and cringed. “Phew! It does not smell like it.”

  “Then I’d suggest plugging your nose when you drink it.” I used the same match to light my bushel of leaves and sticks. They sizzled and smoked. Their earthy smell quickly filled the room. I shook the match to extinguish it.

  Caleb crossed the room and yanked the window open a crack. “I have tah drink that vile smellin’ stuff? I grew up on a demon plane, but that smells evil.”

  I waved my smoldering sticks in small circles around the goblet. “Yep, that’s considered your consent to break the bond.”

  A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Makes sense, I guess. Ya have tah want it badly enough to drink liquefied cow dung. That’s how they rule out those that only kinda wanna be human.”

  That garnered a genuine laugh despite my somber mood. “Well, it’s about that time, sir. Cow dung or not, bottoms up.”

  His hand closed around the base of the goblet. Pain the likes of which I’d never known seized my heart. He swirled the blue liquid around causing a tiny bit to slosh out. I watched him raise the cup to his lips as if he moved in slow motion. When that liquid touched his tongue everyth
ing would change. He’d never know I lied to him. He’d never know how much this hurt me. I wanted to scream for him to stop. To knock the cup from his hands before it was too late and get lost in his arms forever. Instead I stood silent and promised myself that somehow, someway we would be together again.

  He poured the liquid into his mouth and my breath caught. There was no going back now.

  “Gah! That was horrid!” He slammed the now empty goblet down onto the dresser with more force than necessary. “That’s it now, isn’t it? Restored mortality comin’ up?”

  My words came out breathless and forced, “When the moon is at its highest the bond will be broken.”

  And you’ll be gone.

  A wide smile of genuine happiness spread across his face. “No reason the celebration can’t start now, aye? I’ll get a cozy fire goin’ in the fireplace, we’ll crack open the bottle of wine I brought—because ya’r of legal drinkin’ age here in lovely Ir’land—then we’ll toast my last night as a demon and the beginnin’ of our human life together.” He hooked his hand around the back of my neck and pulled me close for a quick kiss, then darted off whistling.

  I pressed the back of my hand to my mouth and watched him work. How do you act normal when it feels like your world just imploded? Was it possible to go through the motions of normalcy when all I wanted to do was lay down and cry? This wasn’t the first time I had pondered that question. Right after Daddy died I asked Grams how we could possibly go on without him. She had swiped at her own tears with a handkerchief and answered, “We’ll keep breathing, keep moving, and trust time to do its job and heal our hearts.”

  I let the memory of those words resonate through me and tried to steady my breath. I forced one foot in front of the other all the way to the weathered rocking chair by the fireplace. My gaze stayed locked on Caleb. I wanted to memorize every inch of him, to be able to recall even the subtlest nuances. The strong line of his jaw. That wonderful area just below his hairline on the back of his neck that I found so soft and touchable. How his silky hair felt when I ran it between my fingers. How right it felt when his strong arms pulled me in close …

  “Celeste? Are ya listenin’ tah a word I’m sayin’, lovey?”

  I expelled a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “No. I really wasn’t,” I admitted with the best flirty smirk I could manage. It felt so awkward and uncomfortable I could only imagine it made me look constipated. “I was busy admiring the view.”

  He scooted across the floor and knelt beside my chair. “I know ya’r troubled, love. And I know why. But I need ya tah know that I’m gonna be okay. If I died tomorrow it wouldn’t be a loss. Not for me. Because I have you.” He gently pressed his palm to my face and used his thumb to wipe away the lone tear that snuck down my cheek. “Ya’r all I want, and all I’ll e’er need. And even though me being human scares ya, it thrills me tah no end. Because now we have a chance at a real life together. One I couldn’t have offered ya before.”

  Caleb’s hand hovered over mine. Black smoke puffed in the space between them. I glanced down at my hand while Caleb shifted his position. My mouth fell open. A diamond solitaire set between two emeralds had materialized on the ring finger of my left hand.

  NO! My brain screamed. This can’t be what I think it is, because that’s too painful for any person to bear!

  The raven-haired soon-to-be ex-demon dropped to one knee before me and took my hand. There were words. Wonderfully, sweet words that I couldn’t hear over the sound of my heart breaking. His traditional ending of, “Celeste Marie Garrett, will ya marry me?” stabbed into my heart like a hooked dagger meant not only to puncture, but to rip the beating muscle right from my chest.

  Tears streaked down my cheeks in torrents and blurred my vision. Fate served as a wicked enchantress with a twisted and cruel sense of humor yet tonight I refused to let her win. Tomorrow my life would be a shattered mess from which I may never recover. But on this night I planned to act on my desires—with no regrets.

  “Yes,” I hiccupped and fell into his arms.

  The sensual caress of his hair against my cheek awoke a passionate urgency in me. I needed the contact of his skin on mine more than I had ever needed anything in my life. My desire awoke with a vengeance and I hungrily brought my lips to his.

  Caleb caught my face and pulled back, questions written all over his face. “Love, ya’r tremblin’.”

  A lone thought sparked in my mind and built in intensity like a raging wildfire. I peered deep into the gaze of the man I loved—my fiancé.

  “Make love to me.” My voice didn’t waver at this request.

  Caleb ran his fingers through my hair. A sweet smile softened his lips. “As much as I’d love to—and believe me I would—if I want ya’r Grams tah continue tah like me I have tah at least suggest we wait until we’re actually married. We’ve waited this long, what’s a few more months, aye?”

  I scooted off the rocking chair and settled on to his lap with my legs wrapped around him. Only a veil of electricity separated my lips from his. “In my next life I’ll wait. I can’t in this one.”

  Our mouths met with mutual need. Everything we had, everything we were, we offered to each other. In a puff of smoke we crossed the room. The mattress squeaked softly when Caleb eased me down on to it. I fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, my quaking hands unable to thumb them free. He yanked the bothersome garment over his head and tossed it across the room. My fingers traced across the intricate Celtic pattern branded on his chest, over the crisscrossed scars from countless battles, down those chiseled abs, and finally hooked over the waistband of his jeans.

  Despite the hunger in his eyes, Caleb caught my hand. His voice came out a breathless growl. “Are ya sure this is what ya want, lovey?”

  I said nothing, but let the snap as I unfastened his jeans answer for me. I had no doubts. Before I lost him forever, I would have all of him.

  CHAPTER Ten

  Silky, soft sand slid between my toes. Not a single cloud marred the brilliant blue sky. Sunlight streamed down and warmed my skin with its kiss. A faint breeze lifted my hair and made it dance across my bare shoulders. The sides of my hair were pulled up and pinned with a few brightly colored flowers; the orange Tiger Lily was my favorite. I shifted my bouquet—yellow, fuchsia, orange, and white lilies set against a bed of green ivy—into my right hand. With my free hand I smoothed my dress one last time. The loose, flowing fabric stopped just below my knee. Its empire cut design and thin spaghetti straps made it simple, elegant, and perfect for me. Daddy extended his arm. I happily hooked my own around it. Flecks of gold glimmered in his chestnut eyes as he beamed at me. I smiled back and gave his arm a squeeze.

  In the distance, a guitar strummed softly.

  “That’s our cue. You ready, Cee-Cee?” Daddy asked and closed his hand over mine.

  I took a deep breath of the salty sea air and exhaled slowly. “More than I’ve ever been ready for anything my entire life.”

  “Let’s go then.” He winked.

  Ahead of us an aisle awaited sprinkled with rose petals and lined with white folding chairs that held all my friends and family. They turned in their seats as we began our processional. Smiles followed us up the aisle. My heart fluttered in my chest when I saw his silhouette under the floral archway. The turquoise ocean lapped its sweet serenade behind him, yet I marveled at Caleb’s beauty. The sun glistened off his ebony locks. A golden glow brightened his skin. He wore a white buttoned-down shirt left untucked with the sleeves rolled up and khaki slacks rather than a tux. His feet were bare, just like mine.

  Daddy kissed me on the cheek, placed my hand gently in Caleb’s, and took his seat beside Mom. A tear slid from his eye and Mom laid her hand on his knee to comfort him.

  “Dearly beloved,” a harsh voice began. My head whipped around. Presiding over our nuptials was the Grand Councilwoman, the same gruff and unforgiving woman that had stripped Alaina of her powers and saddled me with my own little gnome of doom
. Her gown of raven feathers covered all but her hands and pinched face. The feathers on her head were pulled tightly back in a makeshift bun. “We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony … ”

  I glanced at Caleb. While my smile had vanished his held firm, seemingly undisturbed by her presence. Behind me Kendall and Alaina wore matching blue sundresses and content smiles. Gabe stood in the best man position with his hands behind his back and a warm grin on his face. Everyone seemed okay with this, except me. I shook my head then shifted my focus back to the glorious moment at hand.

  “At this time the Groom would like to recite the traditional Celtic vows to his bride.” The Councilwoman gestured for him to proceed with a bird-like jerk of her head.

  Alaina stepped forward with a yellow cord. She wrapped it first around Caleb’s hand and then around mine.

  “Handfasting. It’s a Celtic tradition,” she whispered with a soft smile then returned to her place in line.

  Caleb cleared his throat and began, his voice strong and assertive. “I vow to you the first cut of meat, the first sip of wine. From this day on it shall be only your name I cry out in the night and into your eyes that I shall smile each morning.”

  A wave crashed against the shore. Odd on such a calm and fair weathered day. I glanced up. Grey clouds moved in fast and the water churned angrily.

  “I shall be a shield for your back as you are mine,” a deep resonate boom of a voice said, and I snapped my head around.

  The Gryphon stood in Caleb’s place.

  The cord that tied my hand to the talon of the towering creature was all that prevented me from tumbling to the ground in shock. His lion torso rippled with muscle. Flaxen feathers covered his face and neck. His beak curled down into a sharp and deadly point. The wide, powerful shape of his head and pointed ears looked more lion-like than eagle. Majestic wings arched up behind him, making his formidable appearance that much more daunting.