by Amy Sumida
Still, this had the feeling of something recent. This person expected me to know what I'd done, and that doesn't say “centuries-long vendetta” to me. I was leaning toward a shining one. King Galen wasn't the only one on the losing side of the Sapphire War; he'd had lots of supporters. I just needed to figure out who I'd made “writhe in agony” and go from there. Shit; that list was pretty long too; I'd been ruthless under the relic's influence. In fact, I'd nearly lost myself to it. If it wasn't for Torin... nope; can't go there right now. I had to focus on saving the people I loved.
But before I could save my loved ones, I needed to take some advice from a stewardess and save myself. I couldn't help anyone if I were dead. And saving myself meant getting to know Gage. Oh, the hardship.
After we settled things in Kansas, Declan went home to Alexandrite, Banning remained with his gura to strengthen their defenses (whatever that meant), and I took Gage with me to Hawaii. I had an oceanfront home there on the Windward side of the island. I took Gage straight into my living room, and then we just stood there, staring at each other. So much had happened in such a short time that it felt awkward. I knew him, but I didn't.
“Do you like coffee?” I asked.
Son of a centaur; I didn't even know if he liked coffee!
“We don't have that beverage on Torr-Chathair, but I've heard the witches talking about it,” he said. “Is it good?”
“Depends on who makes it.” I shrugged and headed into the kitchen. “I do an okay job.”
Gage followed me, looking around the room with interest. He picked up kitchen appliances and frowned at them, then tugged on their power cords. I watched him out of the corner of my eye as I set the coffee to brewing. Then I went to root around in the fridge. It had been night in Kansas, but it was only late afternoon in Hawaii, and it had been mid-morning in Alexandrite when we left. My body was a little confused, but it knew one thing for certain: it was hungry.
The blender started, and Gage gave a startled shout. I turned to see him standing back two feet from the kitchen counter, one hand out defensively and the other on the hilt of his sword, as he stared at the blender like it was a demon. Actually, worse than a demon; the demons hadn't spooked him. I chuckled and pushed the Off button. The blender whirred down, and Gage relaxed.
“Please don't kill my appliances,” I said with a smirk.
“What do you use all of these machines for?” He asked and then started sniffing the air eagerly. “And what is that smell?”
“I use them for preparing food,” I explained, and then pointed to the percolating coffee pot, “and that one is making us coffee—the lovely aroma you're inhaling.”
“I think I will like this drink.” Gage grinned.
I just stared at him.
“What?” He lost his smile.
“Nothing,” I said as I turned away. Then I muttered, “You're just really hot when you smile.”
“Maybe you can make me smile more,” he said softly as he came up behind me.
I sighed and leaned back into Gage's solid body as he nuzzled my face. He was warm and smelled like clean, male sweat. I don't know how else to describe it. They say that when a man's sweat smells good to you, it's a sign that you'll make healthy babies together. You're attracted to his pheromones, which is nature's way of saying “Hey girl, this guy is perfect.” Well, Gage and I were compatible because one whiff made me want to rub myself all over him until I smelled like that too. But I didn't have to resort to sex kitten tactics; Gage was doing the job for me. I'd even have his scent in my hair by the time he was done.
I turned around and placed my hands on his chest, easing Gage back a little. “This is great, but we've already established that we're attracted to each other. I need to get to know you, and vice-versa, or this is all for naught.”
“No pressure or anything,” he teased.
“Right?” I laughed. “How do you think I feel? I'm the one whose life is on the line.”
Gage's expression went serious. “You're my mate, Elaria; I think we can say that with certainty now. Love is a certainty as well; I already feel connected to you, and I will not let you die.”
“I like you too,” I whispered.
Then, very slowly, Gage lowered his head, keeping his stare locked with mine. His lips were a whisper away; his breath tickling my skin. But Gage waited, letting me make the decision. I leaned forward against him, and he groaned, gathering me tight to his chest as his mouth opened over mine. The choice had been made, and he was done holding himself back.
There was so much to feel at once. Gage's searing tongue slashing and demanding, then soft and tempting. The strength of his hands, kneading and sliding over my body. That amazing scent filling my head until I felt as if I might swoon like a Victorian lady. My knees were giving out, my body completely overwhelmed by him. Where was a fainting couch when you needed one? But it turned out that I didn't need any furniture; Gage caught me and lifted me onto the counter. I could feel the heat of the coffee bubbling at my back, but Gage was setting my blood to boiling, and we were making our own steam together. I moaned into him, wrapping my legs around his waist and wishing that I hadn't worn jeans. That was the thought that brought me back to sanity. I had to do this right. If I failed, it wouldn't just mean a broken heart for me; it would be stopped one.
I pulled away reluctantly, and we stared at each other as we panted our way back to calm. Gage's eyes were nearly entirely gold; the fresh green burned away beneath the molten metal. His chest rose and fell steadily, brushing against mine with every breath he took, and his hands were still clenched tightly on my hips. He looked as turned on as I was, but he nodded.
“You're right to pull away,” he murmured, his voice gone even lower than usual. “One more minute and I would have taken you on this cold floor. And that is not how I want our first mating to be.”
“Good,” I whispered and slid off the counter. “Me either; I'm especially uninterested since you used the word 'mating.' Now, ease back before I change my mind, Conan.”
“Conan?”
“The barbarian... never mind; it was meant to be a compliment,” I muttered. “Mostly. You're way hotter than Arnold; no offense to the Terminator.”
“I fear that I'll have to immerse myself in human culture to understand you.” Gage chuckled and stepped away.
I took a deep sigh of non-sex scented air and got some mugs out of the cupboard. I went into the fridge for cream and realized that I'd forgotten all about food. I took out some sandwich fixings along with the cream and put it all on the kitchen table.
“Have a seat.” I waved a hand toward the wooden dining set, placed within the curve of a bay window.
Gage sat with a smile and started prodding the food. I set a mug before him and filled it with a little cream, then added a spoonful of sugar. I figured he could start with that. Then I grabbed the coffee and filled our cups. I set the pot on a trivet before I went to grab some plates. All the domestic activity was helping to slow my racing heart. When I returned to the table, Gage was sniffing his coffee, and damn it all, but that simple action made me want to jump his bird-boy bones. What the hell? I was fine before. I mean; I thought he was gorgeous, but I didn't have problems with my panties starting to fall off every time he looked at me. Was it simply the fact that Gage had finally agreed to be with me? The unattainable can become more attractive for its elusiveness, but something wonderful within reach has the potential to become irresistible. Gage was getting to be damn difficult to resist.
I cleared my throat and focused on the mundane.
“The cream tones down the bitterness”—I pointed to the cream—“and the sugar”—another point—“sweetens it. You can add as you like, or if you decide you want it more bitter, you can dump it out in the sink, and start fresh.”
“It's a lot like tea,” he said. “The adding of cream and sugar, I mean.”
“Yes, like tea, but stronger in flavor.”
“I don't know, there are some str
ong teas out there,” he said dubiously, then sipped. His eyes widened, and he set the cup down. “I take it back; this is stronger.”
Gage added some cream, and I chuckled as I fixed my coffee.
“Are you hungry?” I started making a sandwich.
“Food would be appreciated.” He nodded, looking over the process of sandwich creation avidly. “More meat, please.”
“I should have known.” I rolled my eyes. “You don't eat like a bird, huh?”
“A griffin's lower half is lion.” He beamed at me.
“And that's where your stomach is.”
“Among other things.”
I looked up at him in surprise and found his lips twitching and his eyes full of mischief.
“Oh, yeah; we're going to get along just fine.” I put the sandwich down in front of him.
Gage picked it up, took a bite, and nodded. “Yes, we are.”
“Men.” I rolled my eyes again. “Just wait till you meet Cerberus; you're gonna love him.”
“First, I need to love you,” he said seriously.
“First, you need to eat,” I corrected. “Then I'll show you around my home, and after that, maybe the island. Hopefully, the rest will just follow naturally.”
“Well, you'll doubtlessly fall in love with me by the end of the day, but I may be harder to win,” Gage said it with such a straight face that I didn't realize he was joking until he winked at me.
“Dear gods,” I groaned. “I'm dating Cerberus' long lost brother.”
“This Cerberus must be the finest of men.” Gage smirked.
“I take it back; I'm never introducing you.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
“How did you know that the chupacabras were in Kansas?” I asked Gage.
We never made it out of the house. We'd eaten, then I gave him a tour of my home, and then we had started talking... I mean talking; that deep, intimate sort of conversation that makes people feel like they've known each other forever. We just clicked. Eventually, we'd made our way out to my private strip of beach. Gage had taken off his leather tunic (and those wrist guards), leaving him clad only in his leather pants. We sat together on a blanket we'd spread over the sand, watching the waves roll lazily in. He had to be uncomfortable in that leather—warrior wear was not made for Hawaiian weather—but Gage didn't show any discomfort. He just basked in the sun and breathed deeply of the sea air.
“My father contacted me and told me of the incident.” Gage squinted at the horizon, watching the sunset. “He located the animals in Kansas.”
“How did he manage to follow them past the Veil? You have them tagged or something?” I asked in surprise.
“Magically collared.” He nodded. “We may not have been prepared for this particular scenario, but we were prepared for the possibility of a monster escape.”
“How do you contact your father?” I asked.
“Telepathy.”
“Telepathy?” My eyes widened.
“Are you unfamiliar with it?” He lifted a brow.
“No, I know what it is. This is just the first time that I've heard of it used for communication between realms,” I said, intrigued. “I always thought it was limited by distance.”
“It is in most cases,” Gage said. “But ours is a shared mind-link, not a path directed into some random person's head. We are bound by blood and magic, and so we can contact each other when we need to.”
“Handy,” I huffed. “I use a charm.” I pulled the barite communication charm over my head and handed it to him by the chain. “You put the narrow end in your ear and then you can contact anyone who has another one of these.”
“Yes; I've seen them before,” he said with a smile. “We've had visitors from other realms. It's just been awhile since any of us have come to Earth.”
“You've had visitors?” I narrowed my eyes at him as I took back the charm. “How recent?”
“The last one was maybe forty years ago.” He shrugged. “Nothing recent enough to arouse suspicions.”
“Drat,” I growled and tossed the charm on the blanket beside me.
“The chupacabras have been returned safely to Torr-Chathair,” Gage said gently, “we have investigated all that we can concerning their abductor, and there's nothing more to do at the moment. Let's worry about your enemy later.”
Gage stood and untied his leather pants. My eyes went wide as he casually slipped out of them and headed for the water. I gaped at his muscular thighs and... well, yes... that was very nice too, even when it wasn't standing at attention. Honestly, I hoped Gage was a shower, not a grower, because if that thing grew any more, this whole mating deal was off the table. But that ass... dear gods, the man had an ass built for biting. I was starting to salivate, just thinking about it.
“Are you coming?” Gage asked me over his shoulder.
“Nearly,” I muttered and tried to swallow past the dry lump in my throat.
“What was that?” Gage smiled knowingly.
“Nothing,” I called as I stood. Then I murmured to myself, “As in; here goes nothing.”
I shucked off my jeans and top, then decided to remove my underwear too, just to be fair. I turned around, and Gage was backlit by the wild sunset; the bright rays bursting around him as if he were a god of fire. I sighed, and then I saw his face. His eyes were burning gold again, and they roamed my body like he was going to stake a claim and make me his home. Gage lifted a hand to me slowly. I went forward and took it.
“I'm suddenly grateful that you have such a vengeful enemy,” he whispered. “I must thank him before I kill him.”
“What?” I blinked in shock.
“Without him, I wouldn't be standing here with you,” Gage said.
“Vivian's spell brought you here, not my enemy.”
“I wouldn't have left Torr-Chathair without reason.” Gage shook his head. “Her spell pulled me to you, but it wasn't why I came to the Human Realm.”
“Then my enemy has unwittingly saved my life.” I smiled up at him.
“I think he's saved mine as well,” Gage whispered then lifted my hand to kiss it lingeringly.
Then he drew me deeper into the water with him. It was the perfect seduction for a woman who was half-siren, and I wondered if Gage knew it. It didn't matter because I couldn't resist the call of the sea combined with the call of my soul mate. When Gage pulled me closer, I went eagerly; lifting my mouth to his to savor the salt on his lips.
The waves undulated gently around us, urging us closer together. I wrapped my body around Gage, and he lifted me higher on his chest. A moan escaped my lips as our intimate flesh came into contact with each other; his as hard as the sword he'd left on the beach. I ground up against him, and his hands clenched around my ass, pulling me in tighter. My hands slipped up his back, to his thick neck, across his massive shoulders, and over his bulging biceps—wherever I could reach. He was slick with water and so damn sexy in the fading light; all golden and glistening.
“Elaria,” Gage purred, “if you want me to stop, you must say so now. I can't take much more of this torment.”
“Don't ever stop,” I breathed the words into his kiss.
With a triumphant growl, Gage angled up into me, and I reached down to help him slide home. And it did feel like home; like the most perfect moment of pure bliss. I eased down on his length, and he pulled me up again. It was the wild beat that had driven countless lovers over the centuries, but which nonetheless felt new to me. The ocean rocked around us with each powerful movement, and inside me, the spell seemed to expand. We weren't quite there yet, but oh, we were so close. Just a little more feeling, a little more connection, a little more... and then I was crying out in pleasure to the twinkling, twilight sky.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Sunlight slanted through my bedroom windows, turning Gage's skin to gold in sexy swaths. I admired it through half-lidded eyes, letting the light bring me slowly back awake. We had spoken more about our families and our childhoods, both
of which were supremely different. I told him about what I'd been going through lately, not just with the RS, but also the piece of kyanite in my throat, and how that had culminated in me acquiring a Shining One kingdom. That last bit shocked Gage a little, and he asked me why I hadn't told him sooner. I said it was like my saving the realms; it felt like bragging over something that hadn't been purely my accomplishment. The relic had made all of it happen; my spellsinging was just a doorway. Gage nodded with a smile, and I knew that he understood the importance of achieving your own victories. I liked that about him.
Then we had sex again, and again, and again. I was halfway in love with him, just a heartbeat away from claiming Gage forever, but even with all that had been exchanged between us, it was just one night. As much as I needed to speed things up, there's no rushing true emotions. I could pretend all I wanted, even say the words, but the spell would know the truth.
I sighed and drew my calf up Gage's thigh. I was on my back, half beneath him, and he had pulled a pillow lower on the bed, so he could rest partially on it and partially on my chest, without crushing me. His chin rubbed the top of my breast as he came awake, and the arm he had slung around my waist tightened. He gave my nipple a quick nibble before he looked up at me.
“Now, we can't go back,” he whispered.
“What?” I blinked down at him.
“Remember how I told you that I wasn't bound until we mated,” his voice was sleep-roughened and damn sexy. “Well, now I've claimed you.”
“Rather barbaric sounding.” I chuckled. “I guess the name Conan was appropriate.”
“You claimed me too.” He shrugged. “I didn't choose the wording, but I did choose you, Elaria, and that's what matters. Now, we are mated.” Gage sat up, sliding an arm beneath me so he could bring me with him. “Which means you are not alone in this. For griffins there is no 'death do us part.' I will either follow you into oblivion or mourn you until I do.”
“You seem surprisingly okay with that,” I observed.
