by CJ Ellisson
“Phone. Thumb. Letholdus. But, Griffin…”
His hands, twitching as the venom slithered through his extremities, lost their strength and he lost his hold. He slumped to the ground, body sprawled and weakened. “Now, Wren. The table.”
His Fire, his brave, beautiful one, scrambled and did as he asked. She raced to his phone and her hands shook as she jabbed at the screen, repeating the name he’d given her with a shaky voice.
Letholdus… Carac would be pissed that he’d revealed the man’s true name to a human, but it couldn’t be helped. The Protectors had to take her into their care. They had to.
Wren raced to his side, phone in one hand while he clutched the other, fingers barley able to wrap around hers.
“It’s Griffin, he…” Her voice trembled, but he could hear Carac on the other end. The vampire would care for her. Tired, he let his eyes drift closed, the pain from the venom warring with the breaking of his heart. “Griffin?”
He pried his eyes open, unwilling to take his last breath without a final look at his Fire. “Love…”
* * *
“What do I do?” Griffin’s eyes fluttered, lowering until his ice-like gaze was hidden from her.
“If he’s taken your blood recently, this will bind you forever.”
She growled. Snarled, really. Yes, he’d taken tiny sips, but his life meant more than an eternal bonding. Besides, she’d only be alive for another sixty years. It was a mere blip for an immortal. “What the fuck do I do?”
”You don’t have to do this.”
”He’s dying asshole. Tell me what to do. If he dies, I will gut you where you stand.” Big words coming from her, but she’d meant every syllable.
”Fine.” The vamp snapped. “You need to do a deeper exchange of blood. It’ll tie your lives together and keep him alive until we arrive.”
Wren didn’t question the action. Without hesitation she dropped the phone and raced to the kitchen, destroying Griffin’s orderly world as she hunted for a blade. Knife in hand, she sliced their wrists, his then hers, and placed each other’s wounds against the other’s mouth. She pumped her fist to encourage the flow.
His blood wasn’t sweet and alluring. It was tainted, sour and cold as it passed her lips. But it’d tie them together, keep his heart beating and him at her side. That was all that mattered.
And then she waited…waited as seconds ticked by and his mouth remained slack. Waited with tears trickling from her eyes and then finally…finally the vamp’s mouth shifted against her flesh, tongue stroking her wound followed by a fierce suck. His fangs latched on to her wrist and intense pain poured through her veins as if Griffin gnawed on her rather than simply drank.
Yet, she didn’t pull away, didn’t steal his only hope. No, she kept her flesh in place as she retained control of his arm.
Then men flooded Griffin’s home, fangs bared and moving at inhuman speed. Four crowded the space around her. One pried Griffin’s jaws apart while another lapped at her wound before binding it in gauze. Yet another took care of the slice she’d inflicted on the vamp. The throb in her wrist was nothing compared to the pain entrenched in her heart; the memory of her conversation with Carac continued to replay in her mind.
The drive to Carac’s home had been a mad dash, their travels ending just after they passed the city limits. They tore along the drive and then they carried Griffin’s limp body into the large home. The men settled her vamp on a couch in a library and then retreated.
At some point they introduced themselves as men who worked with Griffin, but she didn’t pay much attention beyond Brom.
Brom who seemed to know how to fix her vampire.
Hers.
Wren was stuck with him for the rest of her life, his freaking “Fire”, whatever that meant. She wasn’t about to lose him now.
“Wren?” Brom knelt beside her, giving her his entire focus.
She stroked Griffin’s hand, cradling it in hers. Did he feel colder than before? Was he getting worse? They’d said…
“Wren? Carac needs to feed him now. Can you let him go?”
Wren curled her lip, exposing her canine as if she had fangs to bear.
“I know, but you need to let him help Griffin. He’s old, yes? Do you know who Letholdus is? His name is Carac now.”
Letholdus…
“From the First Crusades, Wren. He was the first Christian knight to enter Jerusalem.”
Griffin’s hand twitched in hers. Was he waking up?
Brom kept badgering her. “He’s very, very old now. He’s very powerful. Your blood ensured Griffin’s survival, but Carac can wake him, Wren.”
That got her attention. “I can’t do that? He can?”
The vampire nodded and she placed Griffin’s hand back on the sofa and rose from her seat.
“Okay. Yeah. Okay.” Her body shook, tremors stealing her control.
Brom wrapped his arms around her shoulders and drew her away, yet she fought his hold. She couldn’t leave him. Not…he was hers and…
“Easy. Let Carac help and then you can touch him again.”
Wren twined her fingers together, fists pressed against her chest as she watched the older vampire take her seat. With efficient movements, he sliced his wrist and pressed it against Griffin’s mouth. Her vamp responded instantly, hands suddenly mobile and gripping Carac’s wrist, holding the man in place as he drank.
Griffin’s Adam’s apple moved with every swallow, more and more blood traveling down his throat.
Just as quickly as he’d become active, his eyes sprung open, the irises no longer ice-blue, but deep red. Suddenly, those eyes dimmed, lost their fierce hue and they drifted closed. Those hands that had held Carac so tight went slack and slid from the older vampire’s arm.
“You said…”
Carac lapped at his wound, sealing it, before turning to Wren. “He’s simply sleeping. The venom has worked hard to ravage his body. Let him rest and soon he’ll wake fully.”
Wren studied his face, stared at him and watched when his eyes didn’t shift to indicate a lie, no twitch of muscles to deny his statement. Then again, he’d had centuries to perfect deception.
“I vow it, Wren.” Carac rose from his seat. “Come with me now. I need to explain a few things and you need to tell me about what happened today. Simond will sit with Griffin.”
With a last glance at Griffin, she allowed Carac to lead her away. “Wouldn’t Brom be better to…”
Carac grasped her hand and tugged her from the room, grip gentle as he led her into the hallway and then into another space filled with couches and a large screen TV. Apparently even vamp boys enjoyed their toys.
When he released her, Wren settled on the couch, Carac quick to follow.
“What happened today?” His voice was soft, gentle, and she ignored the arrival of Brom and Liam. Then a few others drifted in and she knew they also worked with Griffin. But they hadn’t come to rescue him, so names escaped her.
Wren recounted the day: the visit from the pixie king, Hyde Pinxton. Griffin’s arrival and then dashing to his home only to be attacked by the king and one other. What had seemed so involved, took mere moments to explain.
The men were quiet before Brom broke the silence. “Griffin’s home is still warded against Others?”
She nodded. “That’s what he said.”
Quiet.
“Did the king give anything to you? What exactly did he say before he disappeared?”
She thought back over his visit to both her office and home, wracking her brain for the details. “He gave me a business card. Shiny with little swirls on it. Does that matter?”
“It might. Do you still have it?”
Wren shook her head. “No, it was in my purse and that’s still at Griffin’s.”
“Will send someone for it. What about the rest?”
“Just that the death of Griffin’s ‘sweet Fire’ was his plan, but Griffin’s death would work just as well and he wanted Griffin to say
‘hello’ to his Sovereign.”
Brom’s eyes flared red. “You know you’re Griffin’s Fire. He knew?”
“Yeah, I’m the soul mate to a soulless.”
“We’re not—”
“Don’t bother trying. The little bird will get started and you won’t get a word in edgewise.” The deep, familiar voice washed over her. She crawled over the back of the couch and rushed to Griffin, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“Griffin.” One word yet she put every ounce of feeling into the two syllables. The blood sucker had seeped into her heart and, for some reason, she wasn’t too freaked by that. Which was pretty freaky in itself.
“Let’s sit, Wren. Hyde’s behavior deserves more discussion.”
She kept hold of him, letting him lean on her as they retook her abandoned seat.
Her vampire’s voice was hoarse, face still pale, as he joined the discussion. “He also said ‘the others’ would be pleased. So, we have a pixie king who’s managed to infiltrate the home of a Protector with a magicked card, was trying pretty damned hard to kill said Protector, knew that Wren is my Fire and wanted a message passed along to our Sovereign.” Griffin took a deep breath. “Carac, who has decided that the Knight Protectors should disappear? Or do you think they just want you? And how many are there?”
A breathless hush blanketed the room. Wren wasn’t sure of the details, hadn’t gotten a full explanation out of any of them, but the snippets she’d picked up indicated that the Knight Protectors were the only thing standing between big baddies—like pixies who didn’t have to stay itty-bitty all the time—and humans. She sorta voted for them sticking around. Even if it meant that her vamp would be put into danger. She recognized that he could fend for himself…as long as she wasn’t around to distract him.
She’d try really, really hard to stay out of his way.
Really.
She’d be quiet even.
Brom was the first to break the quiet. “I’ll get in touch with my maker, my sire Adela. I can trust her to inquire in Rome without too much bloodshed. If the pixie king knew of Wren being your Fire, it’s obvious that my contact at the Library has been compromised and another copy of those books are floating amongst the Others.”
“What about the rest?” Wren couldn’t keep the quiver from her voice.
“We have to start at the source. If Adela doesn’t discover anything, we’ll physically encourage the pixies to cooperate.” Griffin’s statement held deadly intent.
“Physically encourage?” She almost smiled. “So, kick ass and forget the names, then?” At her vamp’s nod and a smile in return, she moved on to her next pressing question. “So, if I’m your Fire, what are you? My Vamptasticness? Vampasaurus? Neandervamp?”
“I like Lord and Master.”
“Then I’m assuming you don’t want my blood or to have sex with me for the rest of my short life. Huh.” Because, really? She’d totally cut him off. No nookie for him! Hell, she’d saved his life, the least he could do is let her give him a fun name. Fire? That was so not cool.
“Short life?” He raised an eyebrow. “Little bird, we’re tied together now. We’ve got eternity. Literally.”
Wren narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about? I wasn’t turned into a vamp, right? I’d know that, wouldn’t I?”
Brom answered her. “Yes, you would know. And no, you weren’t. It’s not necessary when a vampire finds his Fire and completes all three exchanges. A Change isn’t necessary.”
She hissed at the well-meaning vampire and stood, then wrapped her fingers around his wrist and tugged until his rose. “Oh. Look. Griffin looks tired and I should make him rest. Just look at all the fun we’ll have when I rip you to shreds while you sleep.” She gritted her teeth glaring at the man who, apparently, she’d be with forever.
“Wren, we discussed this before you gave him your blood and drank at his wrist in return.” Carac stopped her with his words and she took a deep calming breath.
Then another.
One more…
“While I appreciate that you said we’d be bound together, nothing was mentioned about my life being extended into eternity. Do you know what it’s going to be like to watch Tory die?”
“Tory?” Griffin’s brought his free hand up and brushed a stray hair from her face. “Who’s Tory, little bird?”
“My best friend. I have no one else, Griffin. No parents, no family. I don’t know if I can watch her die.” Her voice was a bare whisper. Emotions tumbled inside her. Yes, she wanted to stay with Griffin. Wholly. But losing the only other person in her life that meant anything… The mere idea brought tears to her eyes and a little bit of her heart cracked within her chest.
“Wren—” Brom’s voice was soft, soothing.
“No.” Griffin cut in. “This is a discussion to be had between me and my Fire alone.” With halting, uneven steps, it was her vampire that led their walk. “Don’t disturb us unless the house is going down in flames and the devil himself is here to supervise.”
Chapter Five
Griffin’s heart thudded heavily in his chest, the strain of recovery and Wren’s tumultuous emotions tugging on him with every step. He grasped the stair railing, using the highly polished wood for support while they traversed the steps. He forced one foot in front of the other until they reached the landing. Taking a right, it was another fifty feet to his room.
He’d always had his own space in Carac’s mansion. Each Protector had carved out their places inside the sprawling home.
Door unlocked, it took a simple twist of the knob to gain access and then he brought Wren deeper into room. Déjà vu struck him as he watched her pad through his second home, fingers trailing over the more modern furnishings.
At the bed—large and sprawling, covered in the simplest of blankets and pillows—she slipped off her shoes and crawled atop the soft surface.
Griffin could feel her heartbreak, the pain and reality of their situation having finally crashed down. He made his way toward her, careful with every jarring step. His bare feet sunk into the plush carpet, and for the first time, he realized he had been redressed as he slept. Flowing cotton pants and a loose shirt replaced his normal, tight black attire.
Without pause, he crawled atop the bed with his Fire, eased to the center of the mattress and used what little energy he had to draw her close. Her head resting on his chest, he brushed a gentle kiss across her brow.
“I’m so sorry, love. I don’t like the way we bonded, but I wouldn’t change anything. Having you by my side makes me look forward to eternity.”
Wren nuzzled his chest, rubbing her cheek against him and he hated the fabric covering him at that moment. He craved the feel of her skin against his. It’d been two weeks since he’d enjoyed her body and truly savored her blood. Yes, they’d bonded, but he hadn’t been awake during her final exchange and he’d forever regret that.
“I know.” Her voice was soft, barely a whisper. “I’m having a hard time with this, though.”
“I know, love, I know.” Griffin did. His first reaction to the prospect of eternity without his loved ones had been intense rage. He’d roared and fought against the man who’d turned him, his sire, seething at his new life. He’d contemplated ending it all. Vampires were difficult to kill, but not immune to a death blow. A blade to the neck could slay anything.
A delicate sniffle reached his ears and he fought to ignore the sound, struggling against the shattering of his heart. Their bodies were one and he could barely stand the heavy weight of her pain.
More of Wren’s weight settled against him and he relished their closeness, enjoyed the feel of her curves aligned with his length.
“My life is so fucked now.”
Griffin smiled. “No, you’re not fucked, at the moment. But, yes, things will be different. With the threat hanging over you as well as the Protectors, we’ll have to tighten security. For the time being, you’ll have to leave your job and stay with me.”
“I
like my job.” Another sniffle that tore at his heart. “Okay, I don’t like my job. But I didn’t hate it. What will I do now? I can’t just be your chew toy.”
He squeezed her in a gentle hug. “No, I won’t force you to be at my beck and call. I’m sure we can keep you entertained.”
“Sex doesn’t count as a job, either.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He paused a moment. “I do dream of it. Have dreamt of having you in my bed for the last two weeks, but I won’t assign you the task of being my love slave.”
Wren propped her chin on his chest, those eyes intent on his. “There’d have to be love for me to be your love slave.”
Griffin stroked the line of her cheek with a single finger, circled back to trace her brow and the gentle slope of her nose. “I have loved you from the first sharing of our breath, the instant I caught you and watched the poison seep from your veins, the very moment your blood passed my lips. I had no idea what the emotion even was, but in that second, it filled me.”
“You don’t know me.” Her widened eyes remained locked on him. “Hell, half the time I don’t know me.”
“And yet, I’d die without you.” He recognized that she was human and didn’t understand their connection, but that hadn’t been able to keep the words at bay.
“Griffin…”
He tightened his grip and eased her higher on his body as he lowered her head, bringing their lips together in a gentle, chaste kiss. “One day at a time, Wren. We have eternity. I don’t expect a declaration today. Not even tomorrow. But some day, your heart will open to me and I’ll be there. I want you in my bed, my life, every day, but the words of love can wait until you’re ready. Do you know that you’re the only one who sets my blood aflame? My body is cold without you to heat my blood, sweet Wren.”
Wren’s eyes filled with unshed tears and he brushed aside the first that fell. Then the second. And the third. “Oh, Griffin… I… I don’t know what to say. And move in together?”
