Embrace (The Gryphon Series Book 2)

by Stacey Rourke

  As the twin’s posture sagged once more, Boil Face stepped forward to catch him. “You don’t,” he declared. “You have to keep living your lives like nothing is going on. Let us figure out what her diabolical plan is.”

  I shook my head. My hands curled into battle ready fists. “No. She’s already killed one of you. What you’re suggesting could make every single one of you all kinds of dead.”

  The twin gave a humorless laugh. “She already thinks we’re incompetent. As long as we make it look like we’re still trying to kill you she’ll stay off our backs. Us giving up before is what…angered her.” His head fell at the agonizing memory.

  “You guys are going to have to stage it that you’re after me. Can you do that convincingly without doing anything stupid like actually killing me?”

  “Sure.” Eddie nodded. “Staging stuff like that is kinda our specialty. Plus, we’re way too scared of you and your lion to try anything that would inflict actual harm.”

  “Good.”

  “No, it’s not good!” Kendall argued. She strode toward the Glee Club, hands firmly on her hips, wings bobbing behind her. “This is, like, uber-dangerous. You guys get that, right?”

  The last light of day glistened off of Keni’s silky wings, making her glow radiantly. An audible sigh of appreciation escaped every one of the geeky demons.

  “We know, and we would love to do this for you,” Eddie declared wistfully. The implications of that sentence registered a second too late. He stammered to tag on, “I mean all of you. We would love to help all of you.”

  My sister graced them with her famous wide-eyed, toothy grin. “If you’re sure, then thank you. It means a lot that you would risk everything just to help us.”

  Every one of them ogled her with mooneyes. It seemed the Kendall Garrett Fan Club just acquired some fresh, new recruits.

  “No problem,” they all dreamily chorused.

  Gabe and I did synchronized eye-rolls.

  “So,” I interrupted, before things got too nauseating. “The plan is for us to pretend all is right in the world, and basically be bait, while you guys snoop around for info on what’s going on?”

  They all nodded without taking their eyes off Kendall.

  “Consider us the Rebel Alliance.” Eddie snort laughed. When he caught my quizzical expression, he clarified. “It’s a Star Wars joke. ‘Cause your lion is wearing Millennium Falcon boxer shorts.”

  “My lion’s wearing what?” All eyes turned to my brother. Even Gabe glanced over his shoulder. Our big, intimidating predatory cat still had on his underwear.

  Gabe huffed, and changed back to human. The Glee Club members grimaced, cringed and gagged at the sensory extravagance that is my brother’s morphing process.

  “Changed in a hurry,” Gabe nonchalantly explained.

  “Just so you know,” Eddie replied with a wavering voice. “A lion in underpants doesn’t evoke quite the same amount of fear into the hearts of your enemies. Don’t get me wrong, you’re still scary as all get out. But it does take away your edge a bit.”

  “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” Gabe said tightly, and folded his arms across his massive chest.

  “Hey, are you the only bad guys out tonight?” Kendall interjected. “’Cause I’m missing America’s Next Top Model.”

  “Far as we know, we’re it.” Shrugged Boil Face, as he gazed at my sister with stars in his eyes.

  “Awesome! I’m outtee!” Kendall bubbled. She retracted her wings, spun on her heel and started down the mountain. In her wake she left a crestfallen Glee Club.

  Gabe followed her lead. “Me too. I’m beat. Going home to crash.”

  Red hiccup-laughed. “The lion’s tired.”

  “What’s funny about that demon?” Gabe scowled. His chest shook with a low growl.

  Kendall and I went on high alert. Keni stopped walking and waited for a signal from me to intervene. I stepped closer to Gabe, anticipating having to pull a cranky lion off a harmless demon that would most likely wet himself at the sight of Gabe’s exposed fangs.

  The Glee Club diffused the situation by harmonizing their answer. “Ah-wee-ma-way, ah-wee-ma-way, ah-wee-ma-way…”

  Gabe swore under his breath and stomped off. Kendall and I giggled at his misery.

  “You have to admit, they’re good!” I yelled after him.

  CHAPTER 14

  According to Kendall, my part of our charade of normalcy was keeping my date. I thought, circumstances being what they were, that I should cancel. But Kendall insisted I ‘take one for the team’ and go out with the hot Irishmen. Oh, the hardships I endure for my calling.

  Caleb was kicking a rock off the porch with the toe of his black boot when I opened the door for him. In a pair of faded jeans and a fitted navy T-shirt he made casual look good. The black leather jacket he wore had two thin white stripes that ran from the shoulders to the cuffs. His jet black hair was brushed back, yet a few renegade strands had already snuck forward. Sunlight reflected off his silky locks, casting deep shades of blue and purple. A slow smile spread across his face as he peered up at me from under his lashes.

  “Hi, there,” I squeaked. My grin was so wide it made my cheeks hurt.

  “Hi, ya’rself,” he answered with a slight lift of his chin. After a respectable glance up and down, he added, “Ya look lovely. Purple’s a wonderful color on ya.”

  “Thank you. My sister dressed me,” I blurted and internally grimaced at my need to over-share.

  “She did a bang-up job, din’t she?” He chuckled, then shifted to retrieve the backpack slung over his shoulder. He unzipped it, reached inside and pulled out a package crudely wrapped with pink flowery paper. “I brought ya a little gift.”

  “You didn’t have to do that.” I took the package and motioned for him to come in.

  “I know I din’t have to,” he stated as he stepped into the foyer.

  Holy-moly, he smells fantastic.

  “I wanted to.”

  If I was going to blush like this every time he said something nice, there was a good chance my head would explode before the end of the night. To distract myself, I set my gift on Gram’s “purse catchin’ table” and tore it open.

  My eyebrows drew in and my smile faltered. “You…uh… got us matching jackets?” They didn’t match exactly. Mine had pink strips. Still, it was the weirdest first date gift ever. “That’s…um…I mean, thanks.”

  “Thar’s a reason for it, I swear. Ya’ll see.” His eyes twinkled at whatever hidden meaning lay behind his words.

  I held up the jacket and shrugged. “I’ll take your incredibly cryptic word for it and just say thank you.”

  He gave me an alluring half-grin that made my belly flip-flop. “Ya’re welcome.”

  “Ooh, cute jacket!” Kendall gushed, as she sauntered up behind me. Grams accompanied her. Upon seeing Caleb, their welcoming grins became looks of slack-jawed astonishment.

  “Whoa momma…” Grams muttered under her breath.

  “Ya must be Celeste’s gramma and sis. Nice tah meet ya. I’m Caleb.” With a smile worthy of a toothpaste commercial, he extended his hand first to Grams, then to Kendall. They both blushed and giggled like schoolgirls when he took their hands.

  “So, Caleb.” Grams drew one shoulder in and brought her hand up to fiddle with the neckline of her muumuu. “Tell me a little bit about yourself. Where are you from exactly? Your accent is…fascinating.”

  “Okay, we need to go.” I grabbed the sleeve of Caleb’s jacket and tugged him toward the door, then scowled at Grams and mouthed, “Stop flirting with my date.”

  Her look and gesture of response clearly said “I can’t help it! Look at him!”

  I nodded. She had a point.

  The screen door squealed as Caleb opened it. “It was very nice to meet ya both.” Grams and Keni tittered in response. Then, he offered his arm to me. “Shall we?”

  My hand slid across the smooth leather of his jacket as I hooked my arm through his. “
We shall.”

  No sooner had the screen door swung shut behind us than Grams hollered, “Holy crow, Kendall! Did you see that guy?!”

  Caleb had to have heard that. I glanced at him to gauge his reaction. Fighting back the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth, he winked at me. I stifled a purr.

  My threatening purr died instantaneously when we reached the driveway and Caleb tossed me a helmet. I pressed my lips firmly together and tried not to freak out. Before me was a symphony of stainless steel and shiny black metal.

  “What is that?” I croaked.

  Caleb came around behind me to slide my new jacket up my arms. I now realized it was a motorcycle jacket. In my hands I held a motorcycle helmet. Caleb was wearing motorcycle boots. Highly unlikely that he had a Buick parked at the curb.

  Crap.

  He turned me toward him to zip me up. “Tha’s an Exile Bulldozer with a one-twenty-one Harley Davidson engine. Beauty, aye?”

  “Yeah, sure.” I tried to sound nonchalant.

  He sauntered over to the bike, threw one of his long legs over it, and pulled on his helmet.

  My attempt at nonchalance disappeared as I considered getting on that motorcycle in my dress. “Where’s its roof? Or doors? Or steel-enforced roll-cage to protect my skull from splattering across the pavement?”

  He flipped his visor down. The visor didn’t hide the amusement in his voice. “Tha’s what the helmet’s for, lovey. Ya know, most gals find motorcycles sexy.”

  Most girls don’t have to worry about an evil army taking over the world if they crack their head on the pavement, I mused. That tends to take the sexy out of it.

  “Guess I have a stronger aversion to road-rash than other girls,” I muttered and reluctantly crammed on the cherry red helmet.

  I swung my leg over the bike. At least I had opted for leggings under my baby-doll dress. Caleb reached his arm back to steady me. Unsure of where or how I was supposed to—ahem—grab him, I rested my hands on the sides of his waist.

  “Ya’r gonna have tah hold on tighter than that,” Caleb murmured over his shoulder.

  With that he kicked the beast to life. The roar of the engine startled me and I clung tighter to him. My body brushed against his. So close, yet barely touching. I inhaled his scent; soap, leather, and fresh air. A wonderful combination. This was my first time on a motorcycle. The appeal of them suddenly made a lot more sense.

  “What do ya want tah do?” He yelled over the noise. “I was thinkin’ dinner. Any nice rest’rants nearby?”

  Obviously he’d never been to Gainesboro before. “We have a bar and grill, a greasy spoon or a McDonald’s.”

  He revved the engine again. The tips of my fingers raked across taut abs as I gripped the front of his shirt in my fists. “Not much of a selection, aye? What else is thar tah do?”

  I grinned under my helmet as an idea came to me.

  CHAPTER 15

  The bike rolled over the gravel until Caleb brought it to a stop at the far end of the parking lot. I dismounted the steel steed, yanked off my helmet and ran my fingers through my hair. Caleb set his helmet on the seat of the motorcycle, and whistled through his teeth.

  “Reminds me of home,” he murmured.

  “Ireland?” Stupid question, I know.

  “Aye.”

  “How long has it been since you’ve been there?”

  “Too long,” he said softly. His tone left no doubt that was all he was willing to share.

  He shook off the melancholy that had crept over his face, then held his hand out for the backpack flung over my shoulders. It contained the food we picked up for our impromptu picnic. I slid the straps off my arms and handed it to him.

  “The path’s over here.” I motioned.

  Caleb glanced down at my feet as he shouldered the bag. With a playful quirk of a coal black eyebrow, he grinned. “Should’ve reconsidered the shoes, lovey. Not that they aren’t delightful.”

  I completely forgot about the Mary Jane heels Keni forced on my feet. Not the ideal footwear for a hike, by far. I toyed with the idea of taking them off and going bare foot. Thanks to my nifty rapid healing and heightened pain tolerance, hurting myself wouldn’t be a problem. However, if I did slice myself on a stick or sharp rock there would be no way to explain how my foot could be bleeding one second and perfectly fine the next. To keep up pretenses I left them on. No other choice really.

  Caleb misinterpreted my hesitation and put a protective hand on the small of my back. “Don’t worry, I won’t let ya fall.”

  “’Kay,” I peeped. I didn’t have an ounce of cool in me around this guy.

  Together, we walked along the dusty trail that lead into the mountains and up to the clearing. All throughout our hike Caleb kept his hand upright behind me, as if to catch me if I stumbled. If he noticed any obstacles on the path he called them to my attention. Some girls may have been put off by his old-school chivalry, but I reveled in it. My calling made it mandatory for me to pummel demons and engage in bloody battles. Not a very “girly” pastime. It was a nice change of pace to feel like a delicate, little flower instead of a battle scarred warrior.

  We enjoyed the scenic splendor in silence. The forest was adorned with its autumn finery. The trees—clad in reds, golds, oranges and even some deep purples—stood tall and proud for us to admire them. The chilliness under the canopy of trees made it mandatory for me to keep on the jacket Caleb had given me.

  “Not too shabby, huh?” I asked as I glanced over my shoulder.

  “It’s lovely. Can’t compare to Ir’land though.”

  “Can’t compare!” I spun on the heel of my Mary Janes as I gestured to the explosion of color around us. “Look at this!”

  I couldn’t help but notice that his eyes stayed locked on me instead of the landscape. “Thar’s no denyin’ the beauty.” We weren’t talking about the mountains anymore. I bite my lip and turned my head so he couldn’t see the blush that filled my cheeks. “But ya’ve ne’er seen the Emerald Isle. Thar’s nothin’ like ‘er on earth.”

  “You’re accent gets thicker when you talk about Ireland.” I pointed out, then brazenly added, “It’s cute.”

  “Well, if me lass thinks it charmin’, I’ll play ‘er a wooden flute an’ we can do a fine Irish jig.” He illustrated his point with a couple of dance steps.

  “Maybe next time.” I laughed, then tried—and failed—to muster a mock look of seriousness. “I never jig on the first date.”

  “A respectable rule. We’ll stick tah the picnic for now, yeah?” He motioned for me to lead the way. He didn’t have to ask twice.

  A frightening thought occurred to me as we crunched our way over the leaves and sticks that littered the path. I like this guy.

  “Ah, crap.”

  I didn’t realize I’d said that out loud until Caleb asked, “What?”

  “Huh? Oh. Scuffed my shoe,” I lied.

  I knew firsthand how badly this could end, so why was I even considering it? Glutton for punishment? Probably. Heck, I didn’t even know if the feelings were mutual. Of course, I could always take a quick peek and find out. Sure, it could be viewed as cheating in the dating scheme of things, but as the Conduit it was a professional necessity. Wasn’t it? However, what kind of fair shot was I giving this relationship if I started prying? I couldn’t suspect every guy of being evil just because he asked me out. My self-esteem wasn’t that low.

  No, I couldn’t do it. Whatever happened or didn’t happen between us, I wanted it to be pure and genuine—free from all things mystical. I would suppress my urges to pry, and let things unfold naturally. Like a normal girl.

  This train of thought was cut off when I saw the low hanging branch that marked the entrance to the clearing.

  “We’re here.” I sped up just so I could watch his reaction when he saw it for the first time. I made it there a moment before he did and turned to watch him enter.

  He ducked under the branch and gasped. “Wow, it’s a bit of heaven.�
��

  I smiled. A perfect description: the break in the trees, the bubbling brook, the beautiful rocky terrain. The clearing was my favorite place in the mountains. But I couldn’t see any of it right then. My vision tunneled. I could only see Caleb. A beam of sunlight streamed down on him and completely altered his appearance. His eyes glowed an intense, surreal green. Like white opalescent marble, his skin glittered in the light. The sun reflected off his hair creating the effect of a halo around his head. My hand trembled as I covered my mouth. He wasn’t just beautiful. He was enchanting. Otherworldly. How had I not noticed it before?

  He took a step forward, and the halo disappeared. Or, maybe it had never really been there at all. I squeezed my eyes shut and ran my hand over my face. Fantastic. Now my own freaky experiences were making me see the supernatural where only existed the beauty of the natural. Shine a light on anyone and they “glow”, idiot. Get a grip.

  “It’s like somethin’ out of a storybook, in’t it? I half expect tah see a garden nymph go flutterin’ by,” Caleb mused.

  “As long as it isn’t a garden gnome. Those things scare the crap out of me.” My eyes snapped open wide. Did I just voluntarily reveal such a thing?

  “Garden gnomes?” A half-smile curled one side of his mouth. “Those wee statues people put in thar flower beds?”

  I looked down at my shoes. I hated it when I opened my mouth and my crazy fell out. “Yeah. I think they’re creepy. Like they come alive at night or something.”

  Why are you still talking about this? SHUT UP!

  His posture straightened. “I’ve ne’er given ‘em much thought. But the idea of ‘em movin’ ‘round on thar own is frightenin’.”

  I figured a subject change was in order before I felt compelled to tell him any of my other unjustifiable phobias. “Do you want to sit by the creek to eat?”

  “Aye.”

  We settled next to the trickling water. Caleb took off his jacket to give me something to sit on, then unzipped the backpack and pulled out the food. Chicken salad on croissants, grapes, sodas, and cookies. After he laid out the smorgasbord, he dug in. Nerves made it impossible for me to eat. Instead I picked apart a croissant.