by Nicki Ruth
Cade steadied Jason as he helped him to his feet. Jason groaned as a weight rolled across his head. They made it back outside without incident, where music and merriment greeted them. Luckily, no one spoke to him of what the waters revealed, and he was happy for it because he needed to make sense of what he’d seen—of the bird-man. But he did not want to relive memories of his own past so he decided to not dwell on it for now.
He took a deep breath of the fragrant air, relishing the coolness against his skin. A shawl was thrown over him.
“This,” Karina said, fixing a purple, red, and gold embroidered fabric over his shoulders, “is a robe for our honored guest. Come, let me introduce you to everyone.”
Cade stood to the side observing him with a frown of concern creasing his handsome face. Karina led Jason to a wooden table beside a roaring fire, Cade’s work no doubt, where he accepted a seat on a hard bench that was offered to him.
Silence descended on the crowd before him. They were gathered on the cobblestone center of their modest village. Not more than thirty peculiar looking faces looked back at him. Blankets were scattered on the surrounding grass, where a few remained seated. Baskets of flowers and fruit around the common area lent contrast to the darkening sky.
They were a mismatched group, and his breath hitched as his gaze strayed across a male who resembled one of the ancient soldiers from the images in the cistern. He was tall and shaggy, with hair covering most his face and arms, and tubular ears that flopped downwards. Scars crisscrossed his fierce face. The others were all types of species, most he was unfamiliar with, except Tyrus, the pup. A little girl holding a doll and wearing a rich green dress and dark coat stood near the front. She had tiny brown antlers that rose a few inches off her head and white spots at the sides of her face. Jason caught her gaze and smiled, but she cowered back.
“Everyone, it’s my pleasure to present our newest brother, Jason. Cadeonidas has found another to join our family and we must make him comfortable. He's had a long journey and an . . . interesting life,” Karina announced as she placed her hand protectively on Jason’s shoulder.
Murmurs went up from the gathered.
“‘I’m sure he’ll love to tell us about it, but he’s a bit shy, so give him time.” She turned to him and winked, and he blushed.
“From which tribe does he hail?” someone shouted.
Karina grinned. “Our newest brother is a gryphinx. Born of wisdom and beauty.”
Loud gasps erupted from the crowd, and all eyes trained on him.
A what?
∞∞∞
Unfamiliar worry pinched at Cade, which seemed to stem from the strained look frozen on Jason’s face. He’d wanted to talk to Jason about what he was before they announced it to everyone. Dammit Karina. What was she up to? They didn’t need to feed Jason’s skittish unease. He already looked ready to bolt.
Everyone started talking at once after Karina’s announcement, and several moved to get closer to Jason. Most of them had only heard of the legendary gryphinx, and they looked about ready to swarm him.
Cade stepped up to get things back under control. “All right, everyone. Settle down. Let’s give Jason some time, okay?”
“But he’ll be able to see those dark magics,” someone pipped excitedly.
“Would he be able to help Josie?” another asked.
“Let’s just eat, drink, and have music tonight. We can talk about everything else later,” he offered, giving Karina a pointed look.
The music started, and excited chatter rose among the crowd. Some couples swayed to the gentle tones of the flutes. There was a contagious excitement in the air now a legendary vahana was among them. Cade eased into the seat next to Jason.
“Sorry about that. It’s been years since we’ve had a newcomer to our little group.”
Jason didn’t reply, his gaze lingering on the crowd. Two heaped plates of meat, bread, and vegetables were placed in front of them by the young Mira, who smiled wide-eyed at Jason. Cade had been relieved that Mira’s spirit hadn’t been broken when he found her several years ago. She remained cheery and optimistic about her future.
“I’m called Mira. Let me know if there’s anything else you need,” she said flirtatiously, her bodice suspiciously low.
Jason gave her a faint smile before she flitted away, then stared at his plate.
“Don’t worry, I can get you a blood meal later,” Cade said. “Unless you do eat . . .”
With Jason being some kind of hybrid, Cade wasn’t sure if he stuck to a liquid diet or ate meat. Some vampires were known to do both. Jason sniffed the plate then made a face. He picked up the fork, stabbed it into a piece of meat, and put it into his mouth. To Cade’s surprise, he began chewing.
“It’s delicious,” he said, with a full mouth. “Very good.”
After a few more chews, he wiped his mouth carefully with a napkin and turned to Cade.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” he asked.
“I didn’t realize you ate.”
Jason rolled his eyes. “I don’t. I spit it out. But I could hardly refuse the meal especially since she was eagerly waiting for me to try it.” He jerked his head to the right, to where Mira stood by the fire with the meats, beaming at them, whispering to some others. It was obvious what and whom they were discussing.
Cade smiled, looked at his plate, and dug in.
∞∞∞
Laughter and merriment buzzed around him, but all Jason could think of was the winged man who looked like him.
“So, are you going to tell me what a gryphinx is? Why does Karina think I’m that?
Cade grimaced, and Jason waited for him to answer.
“Karina wasn’t supposed to announce that to everyone. I wanted to talk to you about it first,” he said, green eyes meeting his. “It means you’re special. They see you as one to revere. Beings like you are legendary couriers and protectors of the ancient gods.”
Jason raised his brows. “I’m not those things. I’m vampire.”
“Your wings say otherwise. And what was revealed in the cistern—”
“No, Cade. I’m not. I’m only here to get rid of the wings, remember? We have a deal.”
“Why do you fight this? I don’t know how you were able to be turned vampire, but I know you’re a born vahana. A rare and—”
“No!” Jason glowered.
“Jason. Stop it and listen!”
“You stop it!” Jason rose from his seat, eyes blazing, mirroring the heat of his anger. “I told you that’s not me. I’m not supposed to have wings, I’m not special and not part of . . . whatever this is.” He gestured to the merriment around them.
Jason marched from Cade. Why were they trying to force this on him? He wasn’t one of them. Not a gryphinx or whatever. He’d always wanted to be belong to something, someone; to be away from loneliness—his greatest foe. Now he just wanted to be Jason, blooded son of Alexios, brother of Brandr and Marius. He would never go back to days of fear and loneliness, trying to fit where he didn’t belong. So, he’d get rid of the oddity on his back.
He wasn’t sure where his feet had taken him, but the glow of fire shone some distance away as he entered a patch of densely packed flower beds. He stopped and looked at the flowers, the cool night’s breeze rocking them ever so gently. He turned at a sound behind him. It was the girl with the fuzzy brown antlers, still clutching her doll. From her startled face, she hadn’t expected to find Jason here, either.
“Hello. What’s your name?” he asked, stooping down to her height.
She stared wordlessly, a slight tremor on her lips. Her hands were covered with scars, and her fingers had recently bled, probably from her biting or picking at them.
“I’m Jason. Can we be friends?” He extended his palm to her and gave her a big grin.
She gasped, and a look of terror paled her face. “Vam . . . Vampire,” her tiny voice squeaked. She shook visibly then ran, her doll falling from her trembling hands.
Jason froze, spears of ice piercing a heart faltering in his chest. His vision narrowed to a pinpoint, resting on a yellow petal that quivered in the wind. The noise from the village faded against the pounding of his pulse and hiss of blood through constricted veins.
“Step off, you freak!”
“Worthless. I should throw you out with the trash.”
“No. You can’t sit with us. Go back!”
On and on the voices repeated in his head, each memory etching deeper across his chest. The wind ruffled his hair, but it was difficult to breathe its heady fragrance.
“Hey, breathe, Jason. Breathe.” Cade’s deep voice sounded close by. Strong hands gripped his shoulders. “Hey, now. Come on.”
He tried to tell Cade he needed to go. Needed to get back to his father. But nothing came out. Instead, he heard himself panting for air.
“Breathe, Jason! Breathe”
Hacking, whistling sounds escaped him as no air would enter his lungs. Then he felt a sharp jab in the stomach and he doubled over coughing, air gushing in. Cade had punched him. He coughed and heaved, strong hands remaining on his back and shoulders.
“You scared me. What the hell happened?”
Jason looked into Cade’s golden-green gaze and shuddered as he focused on evening his breathing.
“Let’s go back to the party,” Cade said.
Jason shook his head. He couldn’t go back. He was an outsider, no matter what Cade and Karina believed. This wasn’t where he belonged.
“Home,” he croaked out, his chest still heavy.
Cade regarded him for a moment, a glint in his eyes. “Home, then.”
Cade pulled him into his body, arms circling him in a tight embrace. He leaned into it, welcoming his heat and hard comfort. Cade made a humming sound as Jason leaned in, soothed by the possessive hold.
“Hold on tight,” he said and leapt into the air, leathery wings unfurling behind him, slicing through the wandering wind.
“Shit, Cade! What the—”
Jason cursed, claws digging into shoulders as his heat lurched into his throat.
Chapter 11
Cade landed at the entrance of his cliffside home. It overlooked the valley and tiny village below that he watched over. He released the irate Jason, who by the look of him had long since forgotten what had given him the panic attack earlier.
“You jerk! What do you think you’re doing? I don’t need to be carried like some goddamn child!”
“You wanted to come home, so here you are,” Cade said, extending his arms around him.
He’d forged his cave home himself, melting rock to create a home to his liking. As a drogulis, he preferred high places that provided easy access to the sky. There was a mountain path that connected him to the village below, but it was steep and broken in some places, which meant he rarely had visitors when he was up here. Except for Karina, and sometimes Brogar, who was built like a mountain ram.
“That’s not . . . What the hell is this place?” Jason demanded.
“My home. Come, let me show you around.”
He led Jason into the cavern and down a couple steps. Above, a series of oil sconces sat chiseled into rock. Cade let out a stream of flame igniting one sconce, which then lit another, then another, until the entire cavern was bathed in glowing, golden light.
Jason grumbled something behind him about showing off and Cade chuckled.
“This is where I stay when I’m here. I haven’t been back for a while so there may be dust.”
He leaned against the wall and watched as Jason explored his home. Jason touched, sniffed, and eyed everything. His books, some cushions Karina loaned him, artifacts collected on his travels, old weapons. He waited eagerly for Jason to get to what he wanted to most show off. He heard the moment when he did.
Jason’s breath left him in a whoosh. “Wow. What’s this?” he asked.
He’d entered the small room where Cade kept his jargulds—precious stones and metals all glittering and shiny, forged by his many flames. Drogulis created and hoarded these gems, but sometimes they released them back into the world as talismans and jeweled rewards for those they deemed worthy. Most adorned the ancient gods and were kept in hidden chambers, lost to time.
He strode over to Jason and admired the awed look that colored his face as he moved about the room, gingerly brushing the tips of his fingers against the sparkling gems, as if he knew they were special to Cade.
From the pile, he took hold of an emerald bulb, running his fingers over its smoothed, cold surface. Cade picked up a golden bangle-shaped jarguld admiring the light that played though the inner veins of its form. He remembered this one, made with his purest gold flame and hints of green, red, and violet. He took Jason’s hand and slipped it through the shimmering bangle, which came to rest right above his elbow. Cade released a deep resonant sound in his throat at the sight of his creation on Jason’s arm.
Jason looked at it, flexing his biceps as the gold twinkled at each turn of his arm.
“I like it,” he said.
A burst of pride rippled through Cade and his beast huffed in pleasure, clawing within him. He grinned with satisfaction. “I’d like you to keep it,” he said. “A gift from me.”
Jason looked up sharply, eyes going wide. He gazed at Cade for a few moments, then looked at the gold on his arm. Once again, Cade found himself holding his breath for Jason’s response.
“Hmm, it may clash with what I usually wear,” he said, pausing as if pondering the contents of his wardrobe. “And since I can tell you’re not in the habit of giving these to every stranger you bring back to your cave, I’ll wear it for”—he looked up, his yellow gaze heated—“special occasions.”
Cade smiled, caressing the glimmering gold on Jason’s arm. He didn’t miss Jason’s veiled comment about sharing his precious creations. He didn’t share them with anyone.
Until now.
“Special occasions, and a special someone,” Cade murmured.
Jason smirked, stepping close to Cade, brushing against his chest. “So, what else do you want to show me?”
Cade was instantly rock hard and had to hold back a groan at the look of want reflecting back at him. He cleared his throat. “I can show you the bath,” he said, unable to break from Jason’s gaze.
“I bet you can,” Jason said softly.
Cade backed out of the room, Jason step for step behind of him.
“Why don’t you show me where you sleep?”
Cade’s pulse sped up. “Oh, tired already?”
Jason nodded slowly, eyes twinkling in the low light. Cade beckoned him to follow up rocky steps to a landing overlooking the inner room of the cave.
“My quarters.” He stood to the side to allow Jason to walk in.
Jason stopped abruptly. “It’s a . . . it’s . . . a nest! Oh my God, Cade, you sleep in a nest!” He laughed raucously, shuffling closer to the raised bed.
“It’s not a nest. It’s my bed.”
“It’s . . . a nest.” He roared again, bending over with laughter.
Cade shrugged. It probably did look like a nest. It was made with woven branches and twigs at the base and filled with feathers, straw, fur, and down under a large blanket. It was very well made because it supported his weight easily, and he couldn’t complain about his comfort.
“Well, Jason,” Cade said, reaching for one of his threadbare shawls he’d been reluctant to get rid of. “You’re welcome to sleep on the floor.” He tossed the cloth into Jason’s still laughing face. “I’m going to collect my gear from down below. I’ll be back. Feel free to pick any rock you like.”
He left Jason in a more somber mood to contemplate the consequences of making fun of his . . . nest.
∞∞∞
Cade returned to find Jason sprawled on his nest bed, head resting on top of his arms.
“Changed your mind about the floor?” he asked.
Jason gave him a wry look and shrugged. “It’s surprisingly comfortable.”
>
Cade smirked. “I know.”
Jason lay there, quietly watching as he went about unpacking the bag he’d retrieved. Cade removed his sensor and placed it carefully on a shelf. Its light pulsed, still reacting to Jason’s presence.
“What’s that?” Jason asked.
“It’s the sensor that led me to you.”
Jason grumbled something under his breath, no doubt still resisting what he was.
Cade’s grip tightened around the sensor as his thoughts shifted to broaching the subject of what Jason saw in Karina’s cistern. When Karina mentioned what was revealed, Cade couldn't believe it. Jason was indeed a gryphinx—a creature of quiet grace and wisdom.
“Jason, we need to talk.”
“Could we not?”
“It’s important. It’s about your wings.”
Jason sighed loudly, rolling his head away from Cade.
“Do you still want to remove them?”
“Yes. But I’ve already deduced you and Karina either won't or don't want me to do that. I’ll just have to find another way.”
“There is a way. And Karina knows how.”
Jason turned to face him once more, face bright with renewed hope.
“But if you go through with it, you’ll die.”
Jason frowned. “What do you mean? It's risky?”
Cade schooled his expression to blank seriousness for he didn’t want Jason to misinterpret what he was about to say.
“No, Jason. The ritual will kill you. It will tear the vahana essence from you, thus ripping your soul from your body. The wings will disappear, as will you. Many of us died this way.”
Jason gaped at him, then narrowed his eyes. “You knew this all along. When I asked about the wings, you knew there was no way. You knew. And you still brought me here! We had a deal!” Jason yelled. “You’re a deceiver, a liar.” He launched off the bed and landed a hard blow on Cade’s jaw, snapping his head backwards. “Fucking jerk. I’m going to—”
“Stop it! I’d hoped you’d change your mind once you learned what you are: beautiful and extraordinary.”