by Candace Sams
"But to send you to take a life, even an evil one, isn't justice. And it isn't fair to you."
"It's what has to be done." Gryph shrugged. It's what he'd always done. Only this time his mission was a thousand times more lethal.
"He'll kill you," she whispered, finally admitting out loud what was worrying her most.
He sighed. "I've been sent to stop him. It's a chance I'll have to take." He smiled when he saw the concern in her eyes. No one but his parents had ever looked at him like that. "Besides, I've got a few surprises for him. He caught me unprepared before. That won't happen again."
Heather shook her head, then wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. He hugged her back, desperate to assure her that he would be all right. Even if the truth was that he didn't know what the outcome would be. Knowing Niall would come after her gave him incentive he never knew he'd have.
Heather pulled slightly away, and her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her. "Gryph, if the professor knows the translation, what's to keep him from using it or telling it to someone else who will?"
"To invoke the stones' power, one must have physical contact with all three stones the first time the spell is uttered. Thereafter, the stones are no longer needed. Remember, I told you about the legend. If McPherson didn't take advantage of using the spell when he had all three stones together, it's too late now. Telling someone the translation wouldn't do any good. It would be like wishing on a star. One must touch them all at once."
"Why did Niall turn into such an awful creature, and why would the stones have been endowed with that kind of power in the first place? Someone must have realized that they could fall into the wrong hands. I mean, what if someone like Hitler had gotten hold of the things?"
Heather looked at him with such confusion that Gryph held her close and rocked her gently. "Long ago, the power of the stones was used by ancient Celts to defend, protect and render justice. There was a particular clan chosen to protect them and hold their power secret. When the last members of that clan died, the stones were buried with their remains. They weren't ever supposed to be found or used again. Their origin is steeped in legend. No one really knows exactly why they were first created or how. McPherson found them by looting that same clan's ancient burial site. He probably didn't know what he had, but the damage is done now. If the stones' power is invoked for evil intent, the user becomes the reflection of his soul. In Niall's case, his soul is that of a demon."
"But..."
"Hush, now," Gryph interrupted, placing gentle fingers over her lips. "I've already told you all I can and more than you needed to know. You mustn't ever repeat what I've told you to anyone. Now, rest and drink the tea I brought you."
"Don't worry. All this is too unbelievable," Heather murmured. "Nobody would ever listen to me." She reached for the mug, drained it, and snuggled deeper into the warmth and security offered against his broad chest.
That was true, Gryph thought as he held her a moment longer then took her empty tea mug before laying her upon the bed. She looked up at him with all the trust in the world in her eyes. She would never look at him like that again if she knew that Niall wasn't the only beast in her life.
It didn't take long before the Fairy herbs began to work. Her eyes closed, and her breathing began to slow. Gryph hated to drug her, but she wouldn't have slept otherwise, and she desperately needed the rest. His fingers lightly brushed her hair back. It was all he could do to keep from lying next to her and pulling her close. He could smell her clean body and feel his own respond.
If he made it back to the Shire alive, Gryph knew he'd spend a thousand sleepless nights wondering about her and wanting.
"Why couldn't I have been like anyone else in the world? Why couldn't you and I have met and..." He stopped. There was no sense torturing himself. He couldn't have her. End of subject. He sat on the edge of the bed. The only thing he could do was make sure she was safe before he left. That bastard would pay dearly for hurting her. With every feeling of retribution attributed to his kind, he'd make sure of it. Gryph's hand closed around the mug, and he had the satisfaction of feeling the pottery yield and break into several large pieces. He had every intention of doing the same thing to Niall Alexander's neck. That savage would never get the chance to touch Heather again. Never.
TEN
Gryph stayed with Heather until she finally slept without tossing. With all she had seen, she had maintained not only most of her composure but her sanity as well. The woman had even more courage than he had originally credited to her. Most people would not have been able to deal with what she'd been through. Gryph knew she'd have made a fine Celtic warrior with the resourcefulness she'd shown. He looked down at Heather as she rested. How he would explain her presence in the house, especially to Shayla, would pose an even bigger problem. But if things worked as he planned, perhaps all of this would be over, and she could safely leave.
He held the second stone in his hand and then hid it in a safe place until his parents and Shayla returned. They'd decided to travel to Salem, Massachusetts to confer with some of the Order about matters in New York. The identity of the beast had been one of the mysteries surrounding the stones. He now knew the demon was Niall Alexander.
One of the other problems had been locating the remaining two stones. Again, Heather had solved part of that problem by bringing the second one straight to him. The last concern was how to find the remaining rune stone and destroy the creature. Gryph would handle that by himself.
He'd lure the beast out to some remote place by offering to do battle. The prize would be the sum of all three rune stones. In its zeal and false sense of omnipotence, the beast would gladly come forward. Niall didn't know that he'd be meeting a creature of equal size and strength. That was Gryph's trump card.
***
Heather kept running. But no matter how fast she ran, the horror chasing her pursued and closed the distance. She’d been in the museum trying to hide in a vase that was physically too small to contain her. When that didn't work, she ran through a room of crates and boxes only to have oak trees on the other side of the room bend their massive branches to capture her. She held the last stone in her hand. There had to be a place to hide it so the creature chasing her would never find it. She looked around knowing she only had moments before the beast would pounce. Suddenly, she was outside. In a nearby maple tree, she noticed a large knothole. Heather shoved the stone into the hole and ran. She could feel hot breath upon her neck. The beast grabbed her and spun her around, but instead of seeing the demon form of Niall Alexander, Heather saw a creature of gargantuan proportions with an eagle's wings and a lion's hindquarters. This new beast was dark, and its wingspan was at least twenty feet from tip to tip. "Heather, lass," a voice rumbled from deep within the thing, "Don't be afraid of me...please, I need you."
"Easy, shhhh, lass. Don't cry," the same deep voice pulled her back into reality.
Heather opened her eyes to find Gryph cradling her. "W-what happened?" She tried to sit up, but he held her close to his chest.
"You were having a nightmare. I shouldn't have left you alone. I was only gone for a few minutes when you screamed."
"I'm sorry, Gryph. I guess everything's just catching up with me."
"You've no need to apologize. In fact, maybe it's for the best if you'll be able to sleep calmly from now on. Tell me what the nightmare was about."
"I really can't. It didn't make any sense," Heather responded, slowly. "It was one of those scenes where you're being chased and can't run fast enough. Everything was in slow motion."
"Here now," he crooned as he brushed the tears from her face with his thumbs, "lean back against me. I'll not leave you again tonight."
"Do you promise, Gryph? Do you promise not to try to go after Niall alone?" she asked as his arms encircled her.
"I'll stay with you tonight so that you can rest. That's my promise."
Heather sighed in resignation and leaned her full weight back against him.
It was the most inviting, safe place she'd ever been. She knew there was nothing she wouldn't do to remain there for the rest of her life. His strength and the scent of pine woods surrounded her. How warm he was. That was the feeling that calmed her before she slipped into a deep sleep.
Gryph held her close and breathed in her floral scent. She was light to his darkness, logic to his turmoil. He knew he was inviting tortuous nights of loneliness by letting their strange relationship continue, but he couldn't help it. He'd never met anyone like her. If only...No. To think there might be a chance for them would yield an unhappy, disastrous end. If his own people couldn't accept his alter ego, this woman never would. Even if he was as normal as any other Druid and Heather could come to accept him, the Order would never allow an outsider into the Shire. He frowned. For two worlds to be so different but share some of the same intolerance didn't bode well for civilization in general. That was the way of her people and his. Some things never changed.
He reached toward the bedside lamp and switched it off. Starlight drifted through the open window and a soft, autumn breeze blew into the room. Heather snuggled closer into his chest. The desire to protect and possess flooded through him. Soon, her soft breathing and warm, gentle presence lulled him to sleep. Holding her was like wrapping a warm blanket around his lonely heart.
***
Gwyneth felt disappointment that the trip to Salem had yielded nothing fruitful. James and Shayla would be coming back to New York soon, but she had booked an earlier flight. Her excuse was an avid dislike of crowded planes, which James knew to be true.
The real reason for leaving Massachusetts early was Gryphon. Her son hadn't been acting normal lately. Perhaps some of his injuries still plagued him. Gwyn walked quietly up the stairs and stopped by the door to his room. The hallway light was dim and, as she had so many times when he was a child, she opened the door a crack to check on him. He would laugh to think she was doing such a thing for a grown man, but she was still his mother. Even as her acute senses told her Gryph wasn't alone, the pale light from the hallway fell across the sleeping forms of her son and the woman. Gwyn quickly brought her hand to her mouth to keep from gasping aloud.
What in the name of the Goddess was Gryph doing? If Shayla knew of this, the Sorceress would pass judgment on them both. Closing the door as quietly as possible, Gwyn backed away. Her son had been holding Heather so tenderly. Gryph had been lying about his relationship with her. It was obvious that the two of them were lovers and would take foolish chances for a tryst. Shayla mustn't find out, or Gryph's life could be endangered. She rushed to her bedroom, withdrew her crane bag from a closet and used herbs, essential oils and charms to pray for guidance and the strength to confront the Sorceress.
***
Gryph came down the stairs quickly, rolling up the sleeves of his clean shirt as he did so. He walked into the kitchen to fix himself some coffee and found his mother sitting at the table. He stood, evaluating her glare, and knew that she was aware of Heather's presence.
"Good morning, Mother." He sighed ruefully, awaiting the inevitable outburst.
"I suppose it’s a very good morning for you," she replied sarcastically.
Gryph ignored her comment, turned and poured himself a cup of coffee. He walked to the table with the pot to offer her another cup.
"No, thank you," she responded. "I'm much too upset with you to have more caffeine in my system."
"Maybe you should consider de-caff?" Gryph attempted to lighten the mood, but his mother's expression darkened. He pulled out a chair, seating himself so that he was facing her.
"All right, you know she's here. What of it?"
"Are you widdershins, Gryphon? Do you know what Shayla will do to the both of you if she finds out you've been lovers? She'll assume the worst."
"Mother, you don't even know why Heather is here, and you're already passing judgment."
"A moron could see why she's here, Son. She wants you. And while I know you've a right to your own life, a permanent involvement with anyone outside the Order is impossible. You know that."
"Yes, I know. I know it all too well. Heather came to me out of desperation, and I wasn't going to turn her away." How could he?
"Of course, she's desperate, Gryph. She's in love with you."
"Mother, I love you dearly, but you're daft. If you'll let me explain what happened, you'll know she had no other place to go."
"Your daft Mother is listening," she replied, raising one eyebrow and crossing her arms across her chest.
Gryphon let his breath out in a slow release and inwardly prayed for patience. "Last night, the beast confronted Heather and almost killed her. She found the second stone and was leaving the museum when she was attacked. But for her ingenuity, she would have died like the other victims. Heather came straight here with the stone and told me what happened. The woman has no other place to go. The demon is a man by the name of Niall Alexander. He works with her and McPherson. Since he knows where she lives and that Heather knows what he is, he'll undoubtedly come after her."
"Goddess!" Gwyneth gasped. "It actually came after her at the museum?"
"It'll do anything to keep the stones with it. But it thinks that I'm dead. That may give me an edge."
Gwyneth leaned forward. "You have a plan, then?"
"Yes. I'll surprise the beast and lure it out to fight by telling it that I have the stones. It knows nothing of my ability to shape shift."
"That may work. How dangerous will it be?" Gwyneth leaned forward, her hands wrapped around Gryph's.
"I intend it to be deadly for Niall Alexander," Gryph promised, remembering the way Niall had hurt Heather and how frightened she'd been.
"I was speaking of the danger to you, Son."
"The element of surprise gives me all the advantage I'll need."
"What about Heather?" Gwyneth asked.
Gryph remained silent for a moment. "You don't need to worry on that account. As soon as I have what I want, we'll head back to Ireland."
"You still say you have no feelings for her?"
"I know what my duty is and where my loyalties lie, Mother. As always, the Sorceress will get what she wants." Bitterness colored his words, and he shoved his coffee mug toward the middle of the table.
"And if Shayla finds her here?" Gwyneth asked, ignoring Gryph's angry gesture. "Do you fully understand what the penalty would be for dallying with an outsider?"
"Shayla didn't return with you and Father?"
"No. I came home early. Their flight won't leave Massachusetts until this morning."
"And what prompted you to come back to New York so soon?" Gryph asked as he leaned back in his chair and wearily passed his hand across his face.
"To be honest, Gryphon, you've been worrying me lately. You haven't been acting...well, your temper hasn't been in check."
"Everything will be back to normal soon." He sarcastically smirked. I'll be the same, introverted man I was. The Order will take pains to stay away from me, and everything will bloody well go back to the same damned way it's been for years.
"Will it go back to normal, Son?" She reached across the table and placed a gentle hand on her son's face.
Gryph grabbed his coffee cup, refilled it and didn't respond. His mother knew him better than any soul except for one. What he wanted or didn't want wasn't pertinent to the business at hand. He had a job to do. It was part of the pact that had been made. Since no one had ever asked him how he felt about what Shayla ordered him to do, he'd always assumed it didn't matter. Until now. Part of the damned deal was that he was supposed to have a semblance of a normal life. Someone had obviously forgotten to define the term semblance. If that meant shutting himself off from almost everyone and living in dark abbey libraries the rest of his life, then maybe the pact wasn't worth keeping any more. If he denied Shayla's wishes and refused to do her bidding, he'd no longer be able to control the change. He'd shape shift at random intervals. But could it be any worse than life as he knew it?
The Order couldn't possibly shun his presence any more than it did.
"What are you thinking, Gryph?" Gwyneth asked, breaking into his thoughts.
"I was just wondering if the monks at the abbey would let me join their order. You know...I could be, Brother Gryph, the silent friar of Glen Rowan. Vowed to obedience and celibacy."
"Gryphon!" she gasped, standing up in shock.
"It was a joke, Mother." Gryphon smiled and tried to look as if it was amusing.
"Well, it isn't funny. Whoever heard of one of the Order doing such a thing? And I'm quite sure you aren't celibate."
She stalked off to start breakfast.
***
Heather woke slowly, confused by her surroundings. Then everything that had happened came to her like a bomb being dropped. She got out of bed gingerly, wondering what to do. Her clothes were no longer in the bathroom where she'd hung them the night before. She was retying Gryph's robe when the room's door slowly opened.
"Ah, good. You're awake." Gwyneth nodded as she walked into the room carrying a mug of coffee.
Heather pushed her long hair back and gratefully took the drink. "Thank you. Would you happen to know what time it is?"
"It's early in the afternoon. Gryphon told me what happened, and we decided to let you sleep. The attack last night must have been terrifying for you."
Heather nodded in confirmation. "So, you know about what I saw?"
"Yes. It's why we're here. Come and sit." She patted the side of the bed. "We need to talk."
"Where is Gryphon?" Heather asked.
"He's out preparing for what he must do tonight. Shayla and James aren't here. They've been away for a while, but they'll return before long."
"From what Shayla has said to me, I don't feel I'm very welcome. Maybe I should find someplace else to go before she shows up."