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He nodded.

“Time moves differently down here. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s already risen.”

“All right, let’s go see then.” I nodded and held out my arms. “Can you help me down?”

“Of course.” He stepped closer and put his hands on my waist. They felt so big and warm and I felt a pleasant shiver go down my spine. It reminded me of something, but I couldn’t think what. Maybe a dream I’d had? I wished I could remember.

My eyes met his and for a long moment we just looked at each other. I found myself wishing that he would kiss me…then I pushed the thought away. I needed to remember I was only here until I could break the curse, I told myself.

But why was it so hard to remember that when I was looking into his eyes?

16

GARRIK

For a long moment, I simply held Celeste in my arms, enjoying the warmth of her soft, curvy body pressed against my own. Her beautiful green eyes were looking up into mine, and I could see that her cheeks were pink, though whether it was from embarrassment at having kissed my unconscious body or from being so close to me, I couldn't say.

I found myself hoping it was the latter.

Which was ridiculous, of course. The woman was only trying to help me break my curse. She hadn't come to Blackthorn Manor looking for romance, and I had no business entertaining such thoughts about her. Especially since she had made it abundantly clear that she intended to return to the Human Realm as soon as she was able.

Still, she felt so damned good in my arms. I had spent a hundred years without being able to touch another living person, and now here was this lovely, generously curved woman who somehow made me feel solid and alive again whenever she was close to me. It was enough to make a man forget himself, which was something I hadn't done in a very long time.

I looked down at her full lips and wondered what it would be like to kiss them. Not the way she'd been kissing my sleeping body, which had frankly been rather peculiar to watch, but a proper kiss. One where I could actually kiss her back and feel her soft mouth moving against my own.

I was seriously considering finding out when Bartleby ruined the moment.

"Well, if you two are finished staring into each other's eyes, maybe we could get on with things?" he remarked from somewhere near our feet. "Personally, I'd like to find out if we're going to break this curse or if Celeste is going to spend the rest of the evening making out with your corpse."

"My body is not a corpse!" I snapped, looking down at the infernal animal. "How many times must I explain that it's simply in a state of suspended animation?"

"Well, whatever you want to call it, it certainly wasn't kissing her back," Bartleby remarked. "Though I must say, Celeste, you were putting quite a bit of effort into it."

"Oh, shut up!" Celeste exclaimed, finally looking away from me. "You know perfectly well I was just trying to do the spell!"

"Of course you were," he purred. "And a very enthusiastic attempt it was, too."

"Will you stop embarrassing the lady?" I demanded, glaring at him. "She's been kind enough to attempt a difficult magical ritual on my behalf. The least you could do is show her some respect!"

"Oh, how gallant!" Bartleby remarked, sounding entirely too amused. "Do forgive me. I wouldn't want to interfere with your courtship."

"There is no courtship!" I growled.

"Well, not yet, anyway," he replied.

Celeste made an exasperated sound and pulled away from me, which was a pity. I had been rather enjoying holding her.

"Can we please just go upstairs and find some moonlight so we can read these stupid instructions?" she demanded. "I don't want to spend all night down here arguing!"

"Very well," I said stiffly. "Come along, then. The moon should be rising over the eastern gardens by now."

I led the way across the enormous underground chamber, past the great stone Gateway and towards the staircase. As we passed the massive doors, I couldn't help glancing at the eerie blue light which was leaking around their edges. It seemed brighter than it had earlier, though perhaps that was only my imagination.

I certainly hoped so. The last thing I needed was for the Gateway to begin opening while I was still trapped in this miserable half-life. I needed to have access to my Gryphon form to close it if it popped open and I couldn’t Shift to that form while I was still so completely divorced from my body.

But there was nothing I could do about it at the moment, so I continued up the stairs with Celeste and Bartleby following behind.

By the time we reached the upper floors of Blackthorn Manor, the sky outside had grown dark, and the moon was rising over the forest. It was a beautiful, clear night, with only a few wisps of clouds drifting across the enormous silver disk that hung above the treetops.