by Tena Stetler
He took a deep breath and blew it out. Not because he was nervous, only trying to release the desire that was building inside him again. He shook his head, attempting to concentrate on the matter at hand. “Okay, doesn’t sound like a big deal. I know how to drain a creature’s blood.”
“It’s not. Trust me. Bet I can make this a challenging and enjoyable experience. At least you will feel better about yourself. Right?” She winked and sauntered down the trail in front of him, swaying those sexy hips.
Shit, if she doesn’t stop doing that, I’m never going to get myself under control.
The sun set behind the mountains in a fanning display of oranges, yellows, and reds melting into the blue sky as Brandy disappeared into the forest, promising to return shortly. He heard the beat of wings as she took flight, and then he settled down to wait. Returning an hour later, she circled and landed in front of him, folding her wings against her back. No humans within a hundred-mile radius. Let’s hunt.
That is so damn cool. He could hear others’ thoughts but never tried to communicate inside their minds. That was something he might try. He’d learned his strengths and talents by trial and error, but listening in on thoughts could be hit or miss. Maybe he should have stayed with his mentor longer, learned what else was possible. That train of thought was only going to spoil the night, so he turned his attention back to the current task.
His first attempt at taking down an elk was awkward and embarrassing to his male ego. Thankfully, gryphons couldn’t laugh out loud. Brandy had her catch down and torn apart in a matter of seconds without a spot of blood anywhere on her.
He eventually took an elk down but not without a fight and blood everywhere. The second time went much smoother. Landing on the elk’s back, he grasped its neck, latched on to the jugular, brought the animal down, and drained it with little effort. His thirst satisfied, he scanned the area for Brandy, finally locating her fully clothed and sitting on a rock a few yards away.
He strolled to where she sat. “That wasn’t too bad, was it?
“Nope, you’re a natural predator, as you have reminded me several times lately.” She looked at his blood-stained clothes and tossed him clean jeans and a sweatshirt. “I figured you might need these, so I picked them up for you yesterday in case we meet anyone on our way back. Don’t want someone to get the wrong idea.”
Crossing his arms across his chest, he stared at her. “It’s three in the morning. Who the hell are we going to meet”—he held his arms out wide and turned in a complete circle—“here?”
She watched him with smug delight, ignoring his sarcasm. “There’s a lake down the path about a half mile. Want to wash up?”
It was impossible to be upset with her. He’d just chalk this one up to wounded male ego. Out-hunted with ease by a female. Didn’t matter she was a gryphon. It felt wrong on so many levels. “Yeah, I do. You’re loving this, aren’t you? You’re so much better than I am.”
“Oh, your male pride will survive. It takes practice, but you did very well tonight. How do you feel? It’s not what you’re used to, but easier to obtain and helps your self-image. Does it satisfy your lust for blood?”
Her ability to know what he felt was disconcerting. “Brandy, how do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Don’t give me that innocent crap. You know exactly what I mean.”
“I’ve lots of talents, and when you’re willing to open up to me, I’ll tell you about them. I don’t need your deep, dark secrets. I just want to get to know the man in here”—she jabbed a finger at the left side of his chest—“under all that bullshit you’ve piled up for protection. Is that too much to ask?” She tilted her head as she sucked in her bottom lip and waited silently for his reaction or answer.
He grabbed her hand and twisted slightly, grinning as the moonlight glinted off his fully unsheathed fangs. “If you don’t quit poking me in the chest, I’m going to show you what these are for. Understand?” He opened his mouth wider, fangs unsheathed, and leaned in toward her neck.
“Go ahead,” she said, undaunted, then bared her neck further to him. “Or would you rather feast from my wrist that you have captured?” She worked the inside of her wrist around in his hand and brought it close to his mouth.
“Woman, do you have a death wish? Even though I’ve just fed, your blood is so much sweeter. Don’t tempt me like that. It isn’t safe. I do have limits.” He released her wrist and pushed away from her as they arrived at the lake. The water was chilling as he knelt and washed up.
She jumped up on a rock, balanced for a moment, then sat. “I know you won’t hurt me. That’s called trust. Ever heard of it?”
Finished rinsing out his shirt, Stefan scrubbed at his face, then turned to look at her. “Yes, but taunting an apex predator is never a good idea.” He’d never known anyone like her. If he was going to give this relationship a chance, learning to trust her was the key. He shoved his hands in his front pockets and paced away from her, then back. “Okay, what do you want to know?”
Her tight expression relaxed into a smile. She crossed her legs at the ankles and swung them back and forth. “Let’s start with where you were raised. Are your parents still living? Any siblings?”
Closing his eyes, he tried to shut out the wave of long-buried emotions washing over him. “I was raised on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming by my paternal grandfather. Dad died when I was four. Mom abandoned us when I was two. Never saw her again. I don’t have any siblings.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” she said softly. “Were you born on the reservation then?”
“No, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. My parents met and married while attending Harvard. My mother was an exchange student from Italy, studying law, and my dad was in medical school.”
“Oh. Wow.”
That was enough questions. He plucked her off the rock, grinning when she squealed and locked her arms around his neck. “What’s the matter? Afraid I’ll drop you now that I’ve got you? You don’t know me very well. I take care of things that are mine.”
“Yours!” she said with a snort. “Now, that’s a different tune than I’ve heard before.”
“I know lots of diverse tunes.” His grin flashed briefly against his bronze skin. “My turn. Now, tell me why you won’t sleep with me. I know you want me.”
“That’s complicated. Ask something else.” She straightened her back and clenched her jaw.
Seeing her reaction, he figured pursuing that subject would get him no closer to the answer right now, so he moved on. “Can you only communicate in my mind when you are in gryphon form? How did you know I was a vampire, and how do you know my feelings? Can you read my mind?”
“All fair questions. No one outside my family has ever seen me in gryphon form. Since you are the first person I tried to communicate with as a gryphon, I guess the answer is yes. I can’t do it while I’m human. At least, I don’t think so. No, I can’t read your mind but can feel your emotions. As far as being a vampire, I just knew…not sure why, but I’ve always been able to do it. All I need is to touch the person.”
He sat her gently on her feet and brushed the damp curls from her face while keeping his other arm wrapped tightly around her. He could listen to her talk for hours, but the arousing effect her intoxicating Irish lilt had on him was damn inconvenient.
She brought her face closer to his, running her hands up his chest. In a soft voice, she asked, “Who turned you and left you alone?”
“What?” Her question snapped him out of his sexual haze. His temper spiked and he growled. “There you go again, knowing things you have no right to know. Asking complicated questions when you won’t answer mine.”
“All right, I’ll answer yours, if you’ll answer mine.” She moved closer, wrapping her arms around his neck like velvet chains, and touched her lips to his, drew back, and sighed. “Aye, you deserve an explanation. Just didn’t want to scare you away. Gryphons take only one mate, and that is for eternity. If
something happens to that mate, the other will spend the rest of her life alone and never search for another.”
He nodded, mesmerized by the emotion in her eyes.
“Some choose to follow their mate in death. The act of lovemaking seals that bond. It’s a hell of a commitment for anyone other than a gryphon to understand, let alone agree to.” She paused, watching him intently. “I don’t expect that type of commitment from you, but that’s the reason I can’t be intimate with you.” Tears glistened in her eyes. She blinked them away before they could spill down her cheeks. “Now it’s your turn. Who turned you and left you alone?”
Feelings churned inside him. He didn’t want to deal with them, let alone explain. He blew out a breath. “I loved Serena, but I didn’t know she was a vampire until the night she turned me. She laughed at my innocence and left with a group of friends that had joined her to watch me suffer. Angry and betrayed, my fury and lust for human blood was uncontrollable, and I went…” He drew in a long breath and blew it out slowly. “The rest I don’t want to discuss. Please don’t ever ask me again.”
She nodded solemnly.
They stood in silence, wrapped in each other’s arms, neither one knowing what to say or how to comfort the other.
Where did he go from here? The thought of being committed to one woman for eternity was interesting, if such love existed. He couldn’t allow her to commit to him not knowing what he was capable of. She’d never seen the beast within. What if someday he lost control and hurt her? He couldn’t take that chance.
Brandy liked to walk on the wild side by her own admission. He could see the romance of her wanting a relationship with a vampire. But at the end of the day, would he be the person she would want to walk through life with, especially when that life was for eternity? Eventually, she would learn of his past as a vampire assassin, and he couldn’t give her a family. Unless more of the legends he’d studied were true. Even then, he couldn’t put her through that.
She deserved more—a man that could make her happy, give her children, and make her dreams come true, not force her to live in a damn nightmare. Yet…being with her felt so right, as if she completed him somehow. He shook his head to dislodge the possibilities.
As if reading his mind, Brandy backed away, breaking their hold. “You can tell me all the terrible things you have done, even in graphic detail if necessary. It won’t change how I see or feel about you. I sense a great compassion within you. That doesn’t mean I don’t see the emotional scars, bitterness, and the beast inside.”
He started to say something, but she held her finger up.
“Let me finish. Behind that protective wall you’ve built, you’re like any other man. You want to be accepted, loved, and give love in return. But you’re afraid. Afraid of being hurt like your father. Like you were when Serena betrayed you. And like the hurt you saw in your grandfather’s eyes when you left. You worry about inflicting pain on those you care about. Gee, I don’t know, does that sound like a monster to you?” She tilted her head up to gaze into his eyes. “It doesn’t to me.”
He balled his fists at his sides and shoved them in his pockets. She could be so damn stubborn—rationalizing everything. “What you’re suggesting could have deadly consequences for you. I’m not willing to accept that responsibility.”
Sadness reflected in her green eyes as her lilting voice wavered. “You’ve decided that continuing our relationship will endanger my existence. You couldn’t be more wrong. If you refuse to give us a chance, you might as well destroy me now.”
Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he rubbed his eyes, and Brandy yawned behind her hand. They were tired, and this subject would look better to both of them tomorrow. He flashed a grin, reaching for her. “Bit of a drama queen, are you?”
She hesitated for a minute or two and studied his face. “Maybe. At least I know what I want and have the guts to go after it. Unlike a big, bad vamp I know.”
“You win. We’ll discuss it tomorrow. With your permission, I’ll drive back to Whitefish since you’re exhausted.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face, lingering for a beat. “You can drop me off and drive home, or you can sleep at the cabin. It’s up to you.”
Yawning again, she blinked several times. “I’ll stay with you. Thanks.”
By the time they arrived at the cabin, she was sound asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. Careful not to rouse her, he carried her in, took off her boots, and laid her gently on his bed, pulling the patchwork quilt over her. As he watched her sleep, he considered his next move. Kissing her cheek gently, he got up and walked silently into the living room. Rolling his shoulders, he rubbed the back of his neck and sat down on the couch to think. I swore I’d never…yet here I am. He gazed at the ceiling as if he could see though the logs to the heavens above. Grandfather…I wish…
Chapter Ten
Vampire to the Rescue
To clear his head and sort out his feelings, he walked into town, leaving a note for Brandy in case she woke up before he got back. Impulsively, he’d grabbed a flower out of the vase sitting on the kitchen counter and laid it across the note.
The cool night air tousled his hair as he ambled down the sidewalk. He paused at the intersection of Main Street, where a lone car rumbled by. Thin clouds floated across the dark sky. A translucent, colorful corona ringed the full moon. Russ claimed that meant there would be a change in the weather. Maybe spring had finally arrived. Another mile or two and he still was no closer to a resolution to his current dilemma. Women were such puzzles. He spun around on his heel and trudged back the way he’d come.
Upon his return, her car was still out front, but the note on the counter was gone, so he peeked in the bedroom. She was still asleep in his bed, her hand closed around the flower with the petals resting against her cheek. An empty glass with melting ice cubes sat on the nightstand.
Rather than wake her, he backed out and closed the door softly. In the living room, he tossed logs into the fireplace on top of crumpled newspaper and struck a match. He dropped it into the combustible material.
The flames raced up the newspaper, turning to black soot. A slow orange flicker caught at the edge of the logs and quickly engulfed the dried wood. Stefan eased onto the floor cross-legged and reached for his guitar. No matter what happened in his life, music centered him and washed away the terrible memories for a time. Then he could think through a problem rationally and come to a solution he could live with. After just a few chords, he heard bare feet padding on the hardwood floor behind him.
She leaned over him, the flower tucked in her hair behind her ear. Brandy’s arms skimmed over his shoulders as her fingers traced the sculptured muscles of his chest. She gently bit his neck, then soothed the bites with her tongue. “I like it when you play. The music is so emotional, reflecting, sad, angry, happy…I can feel it all through your music.” She raised an eyebrow and peered at him. “That’s quite a talent.”
He laid his guitar aside and reached for her, knowing they would make this relationship work or die trying. “I don’t know about talent, but it keeps me sane and somehow on an equal footing.” His arm circled around her shoulder and under her arm, fingers brushing lightly against the side of her breast.
She slithered over his shoulder and into his lap. Snuggled against him, she turned her face up and touched her lips to his, once, twice, then fully took his mouth with hers. He returned the kiss, parting her lips with the tip of his tongue, and penetrated the lush softness of her mouth.
Trailing his lips across her jawline, he brushed kisses along her throat as she continued to feather the contours of his chest with her fingertips. He loved the feel of her soft, warm hands on his cool skin. Sliding her fingers up the sides of his neck, she fisted them in his hair as he began to explore her body’s sensuous curves with his hands. She moaned and arched toward him, pulling him closer.
The soft contours of her ass fit nicely around his hardening ridge. He unbuttoned her shirt and slid his h
and inside to caress her firm, full breasts, captured beneath the wisps of silky material.
Fingering the front closure of her bra with his fingers, he hesitated for a moment. When she didn’t try to stop him, he flipped open the clasp and freed those beautiful mounds of perfumed female flesh. His mouth closed over her bare breast and feasted on it. His tongue stroked her nipple until it hardened, then moved over to explore the other one.
Kissing his way back to the hollow of her neck, his hand moved in slow circles over her flat belly, then slipped between her legs. She shifted slightly, allowing him full access to caress her intimate areas. Even through her jeans, he could feel her heat, sense her arousal.
Brandy rubbed her fine, firm ass against the hard ridge under the fly of his jeans and moaned. She had to know what this was doing to him and to herself. He wanted her, all right. And though she’d survive their throes of passion, that commitment hung over him like an ominous thundercloud.
Before he knew what had happened, his fangs slipped free, raking across her delicate throat. He drew back and watched, mesmerized, as a thin line of blood seeped from the wound. Leaning in, he licked at the blood, reveling in the sweet taste of her and, at the same time, appalled at his lack of control. He licked at the wound once more, sealing it. “I’m so sorry. This is why our relationship puts you in grave danger. I wouldn’t mean to, but…”
“Stefan, it was an accident. You could have sunk your fangs into my jugular, but you didn’t. Instead, you stopped the blood flow and sealed the wound.” She ran her warm hand over his cheek and breathed a kiss there. “Dangers of dating a vampire,” she said flippantly, touching a finger to the tender wound.
“Not before I had a taste.” He shook his head in disgust and looked away.