His pain made her heart ache. She nodded softly.
She recognized that kiss for the mistake it was an hour later, when she’d had time to think. Griffin was a ruthless seducer. Only now, draped naked over his drowsing form, did she have time to acknowledge it.
He’d worn her out. She closed her eyes, promising she’d deal better with him tomorrow.
At first she didn’t realize she dreamed. She was twined with Griffin, but there was another presence in the room: the shadow man.
He studied the pair of them critically. “Well, that was quick! I see my sister has gotten her way again.”
“Naturu,” she whispered, barely able to speak, to move. She felt as if the air had become a pressure, holding her down. “G’way.”
“I’m afraid not.” He examined his cane, his tone off-hand. “You realize I don’t approve. We’d whittled the numbers down to seven, my friends and I. I’ve no interest in seeing a population explosion.” He looked at her with regret. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to kill you.” He took a brisk step forwards, raising his cane that now sported a barbed tip. His eyes were locked on Griffin’s chest.
“No!” she shouted as the paralysis abruptly lifted. She sat up, threw a pillow to deflect his aim. “I won’t let you kill him!”
He took aim again . . . To her surprise, Griffin was shaking her, telling her sharply to wake. Her eyes flew open, and she looked around wildly. “He tried to kill you!”
Griffin’s jaw tensed. He put a calming hand on her shoulder, then looked to the spot where she’d last seen Naturu. “Come out. I can smell you.”
Naturu’s voice came out of the air, bored, as if he hadn’t just tried his hand at murder. “What would be the point in that? I find it’s much easier to kill you this way.”
Griffin smiled grimly. “Brave fae! Noble foe to come at your prey in the dark. I had heard that you’d become craven over the years, O hero.”
“One does not require chivalry to slay an animal.” Naturu’s voice had a distinct edge.
Griffin smiled as he baited him. “And in your sister’s house no less. She’ll certainly forgive that.”
“What is it you want? Shall I give you a sporting chance?” Naturu spat. “Very well. Tomorrow, at dawn. I will meet you before the house. Winner gets the girl . . . and any monsters she might be breeding.” The voice held sinister promise.
They waited in tense silence. Finally Griffin said, “He’s gone.”
“Was he really here?” she whispered, still shaken. “He was in my dreams . . .”
He tucked the blanket around her shoulders and held her close. “He’s fae. They do that.” He nuzzled her temple. “This one won’t bother you again, however. I’ll take care of it tomorrow.”
She jerked her head up, nearly clipping his chin. “What? You’re going to fight him? That’s what he meant, didn’t he? No! I don’t want—”
He shushed her, first with his voice, then with gently persuasive kisses. “I’ll be careful. I promise. All will be well.”
She tried to argue, but his lips stilled every argument, until she finally just pushed him back. “Look. There has to be a better way.”
He took her hand in his, kissed it. Then he slowly coaxed her to lie against his chest. “Very well. I’ll talk to him tomorrow. We’ll sort this out.”
Her breathing slowly began to calm. “You will? You think he’ll listen?”
“I can be very persuasive,” he said reasonably, stroking her hair. “I’ll have my brothers with me, too.”
That calmed her. It wasn’t as if he’d be all alone. She didn’t know what she could do against Naturu, but she would be there too, of course. She’d talk to the house if she had to, get her to intervene.
As her pulse slowed, her eyes got heavy. Promising herself she’d sleep lightly, Jordon drifted off.
A bone-jarring thud woke her the next morning. She opened her eyes, stared out the window with bleary eyes. An angry groan came from somewhere far below her window.
She glanced at the lightening sky and gasped. Dawn! Grabbing her dress, she dashed for the window. She was just in time to see her Griffin climb to his feet and launch himself at the giant black griffin snarling on the lawn.
Jordon bolted for the door, struggling into her dress as she went. The hall seemed endless, the stairs a dangerous slope as she flew down them barefoot. The front door was ajar, and she threw it open, skidding to a stop on the landing. The griffins were locked in unequal battle, Griff biting and feinting viciously at the monster twice his size.
“He allowed Griffin to choose the form,” Sage said calmly as she stared, appalled. He didn’t seem surprised to see her barefoot, with the back of her gown hanging open. He did hold out an arm to block her as she tried to run past. “He doesn’t need your help.”
