Chapter Seven

The sun was a low fireball in the sky with sunset still hours away when I awoke refreshed, content, luxuriating in the feel of my lover beside me, the gentle beating of his heart, the soft soughing of his breath. I lifted my head from Gryphon's chest, stared down into his face, and my breath caught anew at the heartrending beauty that he had been graced with. I wanted to run my hands through the thick waves of his hair, taste his mouth, feel the downy softness of his nape. But I let him sleep, let him rest, and eased slowly out of the comfortable bed.

I listened for a moment and sensed no movement in the other room. Amber was still sleeping. I opened my senses even wider and detected no discernable stirring in the house below. I donned the silver cross I had laid on the bedside table, slipped into the black gown that was too formal for my taste, and eased quietly out the room and down the stairs, escaping outside.

It was a beautiful day, cool and crisp with the coming winter, with the ebbing sunlight gentle against my eyes. It had been awhile since I had seen the brightness of day since working the evening shift at St. Vincent's. How far away that all seemed now, that life, that job. Yet only two short days had passed. And all had changed. The forest beckoned me and I stepped into its woody embrace, breathing in the scent of the damp earth beneath the carpet of leaves, free and safe in the sunlight. It was not animals that I worried about, but others of my kind. They were by far more dangerous. But they slept now and I was safe in my solitude.

The sound of running water tickled my car and I followed it to a small clearing, delighted with my find. A gurgling brook ran before a sprawling tree with the perfect sitting branch, the grass flattened by creatures that had stopped to slacken their thirst. I knelt and sipped the cold water, sweeter than any that flowed from the faucet, and laughed with delight, lifting my face to the sky.

There was no sound, just a feeling that had me whirling around. A golden-skinned man stood there across the clearing, with hair so dark brown that it was almost black. He was dressed oddly for woodsidc wandering, wearing a flowing white silk shirt. The sparkle of diamonds flashed from his cufflinks. His long, pointed nails were sharp and lethal, and he bore a startling resemblance to the golden man in the portrait, only his hair was free of silver; an ancestor, most likely. Most curious was the absence of pull between us. There was no overwhelming attraction. No abrasion. Just some faint sense of like recognition but different from what I had felt with Sonia or even with Jamie.

"Hello," I said. "Have I taken your spot?"

His elegant brow arched. "My spot?"

"This clearing. I followed the sound of water here and found this lovely hidden spot. Is it yours?"

"I come here upon occasion when I am at court."

"Are you one of the Council members?"

"My father holds a seat. I represent him." He had an odd way of speaking. His words were more commonplace but some faint phrasing, a slight accent, made them quaint and bespoke of great age. His black midnight eyes studied me with interest. "You are Mona Lisa, I take it. The reason we are all gathered here."

I grimaced. "It seems I am. My apologies for any disruption to your schedule."

"Were all disruptions as lovely and fascinating." He bowed, a neat trick, all fluid, graceful motion so that it seemed entirely natural. "Prince Halcyon at your service." His gaze dropped to my neck. "You wear the holy cross."

My hand flew to where it rested beneath the gown. "How did you know? Oh, you must have heard that silver does not bother me." I tilted my head curiously at him. "The sun doesn't seem to bother you, either."

"No," he said gravely. "Heat is of no bother to me."

There was something in that tone, some flicker in his eyes, and I realized with that strange perception I seemed to have acquired that it was loneliness, sadness.

"I'm different, too," I said softly. "Part human. Part Moonie. Not fully either."

"Moonie?"

"It's what I call the Mon`ere."

Amusement danced in Halcyon's eyes for a fleeting moment, then faded. "Where are your guards?"

I sighed. "Why is it that every male I meet asks me that same question?"

He eyed me curiously but otherwise remained silent, as if knowing that was the best way to prod me into an answer. He was right, darn him.

"They're still sleeping. They need their rest." I lifted my chin belligerently. "They went through a lot yesterday. One of them almost died and the other is… the other is ill."

Halcyon's lips pursed, half in amusement, half in exasperation. "I do not believe they will see it in quite the same light when they awake and find you gone."

My hand waved dismissively. "I'm safe enough during the day and I'll be back before they wake up." I winked at him, which took him aback. "This'll be our little secret."

"I think not, my little wayward Queen," he said to my chagrin.

"Come on, there's no harm done," I wheedled. "What'll it take for you to keep quiet?"

"A drink of your blood?" he asked silkily. My wrist was suddenly held lightly in his hand. One moment he was a clearing away, the next moment he was beside me. There hadn't even been a blur of motion that I could follow.

"Oh, my. You move fast," I said with surprise but no real alarm, sensing no menace in him, at least toward me.

He brought the pulse point of my wrist to his nose and drew in a deep breath as if inhaling some invisible fragrance. "What say you, little one?"

"Don't be silly. I know we don't drink blood." I giggled and twisted my wrist lightly out of his grasp.

Surprise lit his eyes once again, eyes the color of dark chocolate. Those eyes warmed me to him. I happened to like chocolate.

The corners of his mouth tugged into a grin that brightened his face, changing his face from attractive into handsome. "We don't?"

"No. Gryphon told me there's no such thing as vampires. You're just teasing me. You really don't need to tell Gryphon or Amber that I came outside without them, do you?"

"Amber belongs to you as well?" Halcyon asked with no small amazement.

"If you're thinking of the big tall guy, built like a giant oak tree, then yeah." My eyes darkened. "It would have been cruel to ask him to step out into daylight with me when he'd almost died yesterday from sun poisoning, don't you think?"

Halcyon gazed into my earnest eyes and shook his head. "You are most unusual."

I grinned. Familiar ground. "So I've been told. I think it's a good thing, don't you? Come on, be a pal. I won't tell if you won't."

He smiled with startled, twisted amusement. "A pal, is it? If that is what you desire. As a 'pal, I shall now escort you back to your room. I shall also require your solemn promise that you tell your men of your little adventure."

He was going to be a stick in the mud about it. I gave in with pouting ill grace. "Oh, all right. I promise."

He presented his arm and I took it with a huff. "Let me guess," I said as we headed back. "You're over a hundred, right?"

He gazed at me in a most peculiar manner. "That is correct."

"Figures." I waved my hand at him. "Your manners. The way you talk. The only person I've met that is my age so far is Jamie."

"Jamie?"

"The redheaded Mixed Blood."

"Ah. The son of one of the house cooks, I believe."

"He's great. Talks just like me."

"Does he, indeed? Many of the young Queens do not come to High Court unless they have something to petition."

"Great," I said grumpily. "Which means all the Queens I'll be meeting today will be mean, nasty old crows."

He threw back his head and laughed, no doubt at the accurate image, a true belly laugh with nothing held back. It made me happy to see him so. Like Gryphon, I had a feeling that he did not laugh often.

"Ah, Mona Lisa. I shall enjoy watching you. Very much indeed."

Gryphon and Amber burst out the front door as Halcyon and I were crossing the lawn and making our way up to the porch. One glimpse at their grim, set faces and I knew I was in big trouble. Bigger than I expected, even, when their faces blanched as they saw who accompanied me. They froze into a dangerous predatory stillness. Amber drew his sword.

"Hi, guys," I said brightly, my nerves shimmering in the sudden ratcheting tension. "I was just coming back."

Beside me, Halcyon gently eased my hand from his arm. Moving with deliberate slowness, he stepped away from me. "She is unharmed." he announced calmly.

"Prince Halcyon was escorting me back," I said. "You can put the sword away, Amber."

The gleaming sword remained in Amber's hand.

"Oh, for heaven's sake." I stomped over to the giant, tilted my head back, and glared up at him. "Put the sword away, now!"

The blade slammed back into its sheath, screaming protest all the way home. His eyes never leaving Halcyon, Amber lifted me like a doll and put me behind him. I hated being treated like a child. Hated being made to feel in the wrong, especially when I knew I was.

I stepped out from behind Amber and whacked the big lug's arm. "Stop it. Halcyon's a friend."

All three men, including Halcyon, who had been smiling with sardonic amusement up till that moment, turned to look at me with equal parts horror and shock.

"What?" I asked them.

Eyes swung back to Halcyon as if to ask, Is this true?

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, come on. He made me come back to the house and promise to tell you that I had, um, slipped outside for a little while."

There was a moment of stunned silence.

"If that is true," Gryphon said slowly, "then we are indeed indebted to you, Prince Halcyon."

"Not at all. Just being of service to the new Queen," Halcyon returned then added more kindly, "She is young. It will take her time to learn our ways."

"You have our sincere thanks, Prince Halcyon." Gryphon bowed.

Halcyon bowed in return and took his leave gracefully.

I watched Halcyon's departure with deep regret, especially when Gryphon turned and fixed me with his piercing stare. "Upstairs, now, milady." It was not a request. He gripped my arm and hauled me inside. We moved at a fast clip up the stairs and didn't stop until we were back in our room. Amber remained out in the hall.

"Did he touch you?" Gryphon bit out.

"Not really. Just my wrist."

Both my wrists were grabbed in a blur of motion and examined minutely.

"I'm fine, Gryphon," I laughed shakily, a little frightened by his brittle intensity.

He looked up and his dark turmoil struck me full-force. He was furious, as I had never seen him before. He grabbed my upper arms and shook me hard. "Don't you ever leave without us like that again. Do you understand?" He shook me again, then wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me so tightly that it almost hurt.

"Sweet Light. Sweet Light," he muttered hoarsely, trembling.

My arms went around him and stroked his back soothingly. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm fine."

Gryphon shuddered and buried his face in my hair. "Never do that again. Promise me."

"I promise," I whispered. "But I was never in any danger outside."

He drew back and eyed me incredulously. "Never in any danger? Do you know who you were with?"

"Of course I know. Prince Halcyon. He's different, like me."

"Different." Gryphon gave a harsh bark of laughter. "He is one of the demon dead."

I looked at Gryphon, stunned. "Oh. That's why I didn't hear him. He had no heartbeat."

"His father rules the underworld and Halcyon is his only son. Do you know what that means?" Gryphon demanded fiercely. "Halcyon is the High Prince of Hell."

"Oh," was my faint reply. "He was still a gentleman."

Gryphon sank down onto the bed, his laughter sliced with a raw edge.

"Do they drink blood?" I asked timidly.

The laughter stopped abruptly. "Yes. Did he take yours?" Both of his hands fisted tight.

"No," I reassured him. Then could not help asking, "Would it have been dangerous if he had?"

Gryphon closed his eyes briefly. "It is not unheard of for demons to drain their donors dry, though I have not heard that of Halcyon."

"Can they control you?"

"No. But the pain or the pleasure they can make you feel… many are willing to do anything to either stop it or have more of it. It is not an experience I would have you endure, just seeing him touch you… those nails against your skin…" He raised his tortured eyes to me. "I have seen him rip a man's heart out from his chest with those nails. And you were not even afraid."

I swallowed at the sudden disturbing image he had painted. It was hard to imagine the quiet, elegant man I had seen, doing something that bloody, that brutal. "He held no malice toward me."

"How do you know?"

"I… I just sensed it. He seemed sad. And lonely."

Gryphon reached out and reeled me to him, gripping both of my arms. He was trembling. "Mona Lisa, he is not someone you need to save like Amber or I. Our powerful Warrior Lord Thorane, even our Queens fear Halcyon for good reason. Halcyon is not bound by the laws of our land. All that holds him back from the slaughter he is capable of is his own sense of honor. He is powerful. And dangerous. And I do not want his attention focused in any way upon you. Do you understand?"

I nodded, more shaken than I cared to admit. "I'm sorry. I just… I'm just used to taking care of myself."

He sank down until his cheek rested against my belly, his arms holding me tight. "I am yours, heart and soul, committed to you wholly until my last dying breath. But you cannot ask me to live and then carelessly risk your own life so."

"No," I murmured, remorse flaying me.

"As our Queen, you hold our lives, our well-being along with yours. When you endanger yourself, you endanger us all."

My breath soughed out. "Yes. Yes, you're right. I will try to do better."

"You are doing incredibly well. Beyond what anyone would have ever expected. Just… let us protect you," he finished helplessly.

I sank down until I held his face in my hands. "Yes, I will," I promised and kissed him. With the touch of Gryphon's lips against mine, his fear, worry, and anger transmuted into vivid sensual urgency. He tugged the gown frantically off me, unsnapped my bra, and yanked my panties down in a fast blur. My hands tugged his shirt out of his pants just as urgently and slid beneath, seeking the smooth muscles of his back, feeling them against my palms with aching relief as I planted wild kisses over his cheek, his jaw, down his neck. Gryphon's shirt sailed to the far corner and his pants were roughly shoved down. And then I had him, warm and hard and vibrant in my hand. I stroked the length of him, squeezed, and watched with dark satisfaction as his head tossed back, the cords of his neck taunt, and he moaned, color slashing his cheeks.

Gryphon opened his eyes, met my knowing smile and something flared deep in those blue depths. He spun me around, facedown, so that I was bent over the bed, my feet still touching the floor. The position made me feel vulnerable and submissive with his hard length curved behind me, over me, his breath beating hot against my neck.

"Lift up," he rasped coarsely, his hand teasing along the sides of my breasts. I pushed up, bracing on my elbows, allowing him access, crying with relief as I felt his hands cup my breasts, his fingers lightly pinching my aching nipples. I rubbed back against him and mewed as I felt him throb against my bottom, so close to where I wanted him to be. One hand glided down, slid over my curls, and parted me. Two long fingers pushed into me, then slid out. They circled that most sensitive part of me, wetting me with my own moisture, plunged in deeper. Pulled out.

"Oh," I groaned, wanting more. "More."

He nipped my neck, letting me feel the edge of his teeth and I whimpered. Holding my hips steady, he plunged his hot length into me, going in so deep, so deep at this angle. He started thrusting hard, moving me, moving the entire bed and I watched as my arms and hands began to glow.

"No," I said suddenly and he froze deep within me, so still that I was able to feel his cock throb once, twice. The silken muscles of my sheath shivered and clenched in uncontrollable response and his fingers tightened on my hips. "Let me face you," I rasped.

He withdrew and I turned and looked full upon Gryphon's ivory perfection, his striking beauty, the pure loveliness of his male form thrown into brilliant illumination from within. I opened my arms and body to him. With a hoarse cry he surged back into me, all restraint loosened, pounding into me again and again, wildly, furiously. His lips covered mine. His tongue thrust into me, in and out, in time to his rapid rhythm below. I felt the roiling wave within me grow higher and higher, and still yet higher, until it felt as if I would surely crack and burst. And then I did. With my right hand covering his wound, I prayed in my mind, willed with all that was within me, Heal, dammit. Heal! I cried out Gryphon's name and felt my palms tingle, felt a faint surge of warmth.

Gryphon's own satisfaction claimed him and he shuddered, ejaculated into me, and then literally collapsed unconscious on top of me, his body released from the too-heavy strain he had imposed upon it.

Touch had been so rare in my life. I held Gryphon's weight against me for a moment, savoring the contact before rolling him off me and easily lifting him fully onto the bed. All redness from his ordeal in the sun was gone, leaving behind skin the color of burnished teakwood and his wrist and ankle abrasions were completely healed. But sullen blood oozed angrily from his poisoned wound, unchanged, perhaps worsened. Slowly spreading.

I wiped the blood off, covered Gryphon and lay beside him. And almost didn't notice the tears that silently fell.