Gryphons Quest (15 page)

Heather immediately released her hold and pushed slightly away from him. She looked up and down his tall frame, searching for the source of his discomfort. Then she half-cried, half-laughed and walked more gently into his embrace.

"There's a love. Now...don't be so upset. I'm here. It's all over," he crooned and rocked her back and forth. His heart was near bursting. This kind of affection and devotion was more than he'd ever hoped for. Tears filled his own eyes. He needed her so much.

It took some time for her to come to grips with his appearance. He gladly held her close while prodding her further into the nearby woods. When he was sure their voices wouldn't carry on the wind, that the security guards were gone, he slowly tilted her head back with his hands and gently kissed her.

The kiss went on and on. The world could have fallen off its axis, and he wouldn't have noticed or cared.

When their lips finally parted, Heather looked up at him and there was starlight reflecting in the depths of her eyes. They stared at one another until she finally spoke.

"Who was it that said, 'reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated' ?

"It was one of your own countrymen. Mark Twain."

Her eyes welled up again, and she buried her face against his shoulder.

He sighed in pure contentment. Though he knew it would be short-lived, for this moment in time, they could be happy. He held her until she backed away, ran her hands over his arms and finally took control.

"These past few weeks have been the worst of my life. Even when my parents were killed in a car accident, I could console myself with the fact that they were together. But you don't have anyone."

The statement puzzled him. How could she know about that? But Heather was still recovering from the shock of seeing him alive. She might have said anything, and it wouldn't have mattered. He was so glad to see her, hold her again before he'd have to leave. He saw her shiver when the wind blew leaves around them. She put her hands on his chest.

"You're as cold as stone, aren't you, darling?"

"Stone?" She blinked up at him, smiled brightly and reached into her jacket pocket. "That reminds me.

I've been carrying this thing around for weeks now. I promised Gwyneth I'd find it."

"Herne's antlers, girl! You're incredible." He kissed and hugged her again as he placed the last rune stone in his shirt pocket. He paused, knowing he had to tell her. "You know I killed Niall, don't you?"

"I understand why," she said solemnly.

"Do you?" He watched her expression closely and gazed into her starlit eyes.

Heather lightly touched his cheek, wanting to be near him as much as possible. "He'd have killed others. I know he would. Nothing would have ever stopped him."

"He'll never hurt anyone again." And never hurt you.

She moved into his embrace and felt safe and warm there. It was as though she was meant to be in that special place. His heart beat so strongly beneath her cheek.

Gryph plunged his hand into her hair, pulled her head back and kissed her with an urgent helplessness.

Knowing he couldn't have her filled him with a low, burning passion that wouldn't end. The kiss deepened, as before. Only the salty taste of Heather's tears stopped Gryphon from going further.

"Heather," he said, ending the kiss slowly, "I told you once that it was a mistake for us to get involved.

There are things about me that you'd never believe or understand. I have to go, and I won't be back again. I'm sorry if I've hurt you. But, if it's any consolation, I'll never be this close to a woman again.

You're all I've ever wanted. If things were different, if I wasn't..." his voice trailed away. And he was aware of the painful sound of it.

"I know," she stopped him by placing her fingers over his lips. "You're alive and that'll have to be enough."

He took a deep breath, reached inside his jacket and pulled out a leather pouch about eight inches long. "I want you to have this. It isn't much, but..." He shrugged his shoulders and handed her the bag.

Heather knew the rest. Whatever the bag contained, it was probably all he had. And she recognized the significance of the object used by Druids to carry ceremonial items. "This is a crane bag, isn't it?"

He smiled and nodded. "I knew you'd understand. It's not much in the way of thanks, especially not after what you've been through. When you look at the contents, I hope they'll explain what I'm trying to say. I haven't words to..." He bowed his head and tried to think what his last words to her should be.

"I'm doing a very poor job of this."

"Go on, Gryphon," she softly encouraged. "I'm listening."

"Whenever there's a full moon, open the crane bag and try to think of me kindly. And not as someone who's brought you pain." He placed one of her hands on his chest. "Can you do that?"

"Yeah, Gryph. Yeah, I can do that," she said softly. Then she smiled up at him and held the bag close to her heart. She was standing on her toes in order to kiss him again when a voice echoed from the woods.

"Gryphon O'Connor"

"Heather, move back" Gryph said as he pushed her behind him.

"It's too late to protect her, or yourself. I've seen enough," Shayla said, walking out of the woods with Gryph's parents.

"Please, Shayla, it's my fault, not theirs. I was the one who told her. You can't punish them for something I did," Gwyneth pleaded, her eyes filled with tears.

"Mother! What have you done? And why are you here?" Gryph looked from his parents to where Shayla stood.

"Son...your mother...she broke the law. But I won't let anyone harm her," James firmly declared as he pulled his wife to him and held her close. "She only did what she thought was best for you."

Shayla stepped forward, her long silver hair billowing out behind her. As Heather watched, she felt every cell in her body freeze in fear.

Gryphon turned to face Heather. "What is it that you know?" he asked, and could hear the trepidation in his own voice.

Heather automatically backed away from him when she saw the look of intense fear and anger mixed on his face.

"Everything" Shayla proclaimed. "She knows everything about the Order, about your pact to do my bidding and about your changing into the creature who protects. Your mother told her everything. And you know what the penalty must be for both your mother and the girl," Shayla proclaimed. "I will spare Gryphon only because Gwyneth admits blame."

Gryph could see pain and stoic determination were etched into the lines of the Sorceress' face. He looked away from Shayla and into Heather's eyes. Finally, his gaze fell upon his mother. He shook his head in disbelief. "You told Heather. She knows about..."

"Everything!" Shayla repeated harshly.

Gryphon faced Heather again. "Was it worth knowing, woman? Was it worth the life which will be taken from you and my mother? You once wanted to know who I was. Now see for yourself, Heather.

Before you suffer judgment, see what killed Niall and made love to you." He backed away, anger mixing with his pain. He knelt.

The rippling effect began, and the clothing on his body ripped away. The shape which emerged was much larger and more intimidating up close. Gryphon rose up and roared. He waited for Heather to scream or faint with revulsion when she learned what she'd had sex with. But she stood silently and looked at him. Her lovely face mirrored something he would never have imagined. There was a kind of wonder and curiosity in her eyes. She slowly walked forward.

James shouted, "STAY BACK, GIRL! Since he was a very small child, no one has ever touched Gryph in his beast form!"

Gryph roared out a warning for her to stay away. He wasn't sure he could control his lumbering actions enough to keep from inadvertently harming her. She was doomed, anyway, but Gryphon wasn't going to be the instrument of her death. He couldn't hurt her. Heather tentatively put out her hand, and came closer still. Gryph began to think she had finally lost her sanity having been exposed to more than any outsider was meant to see. She was close enough to touch him, and he couldn't back away any more.

His wingspan didn't allow him to venture under trees whose branches were too close to the ground. He trembled as her hand touched his feathered neck and slowly stroked down his chest.

"Amazing! You're magnificent. You're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen, Gryph. You can understand me, can't you? Oh, don't tremble. I could never hurt you or be afraid of you. After all the times you could have done something to me, I'm certain you wouldn't hurt me now." She crooned as if she were speaking to a frightened stray animal. Her hands continued to move over his shoulders and up to the base of his mighty wings. She felt him quivering.

Gryph's parents and Shayla stood by, dumbstruck. Mighty warriors had backed away in fear and awe when he'd been sent to right a wrong or settle a dispute which threatened the Order. Now, the massive gryphon stood quietly at the light touch of a willowy girl. Tears formed in his midnight-black eyes because she wasn't afraid or repelled by him. To the others, it appeared she had more courage than sense. The fact was, Heather simply couldn't fear him because she loved him and trusted him too much.

When the rippling began again, Heather backed away only because she sensed Gryph needed the space to change back into human form. When the change was over, he looked up at her from his kneeling position, and there were tears of total adoration on his face.

"You don't care what I am. Do you?" he choked out the words as his heart began to grow, second by second. That shattering reality broke the wall of stone around his soul, and hope began to take its place.

"No," she simply said and shrugged, "I don't."

Gryphon stood and pulled her to him so fast that there was scarcely time for her to take another breath.

James wiped tears of astonishment and sadness from his face and held his sobbing wife. "That my son has found someone who unconditionally loves him, is our dream. But the woman who has done so will soon be destroyed."

Gryphon held Heather very close and buried his face in her chest. It seemed like a long time before he finally spoke. "I won't let you hurt Heather or Mother, Shayla. I'll fight you if I have to, but that's the way of it. I love them both and can't let you pass judgment."

Heather gazed up at him. She knew every ounce of love was reflected in her face. Since she was no longer hiding anything, it would be obvious for all to see. But she didn't care.

"Don't be a fool. You can't stand against me and the forces of the Order. If you insist on fighting the law, Gryphon, the end result will be death for you and anyone who stands with you," Shayla sadly warned.

"I stand with him," James proudly declared. "My son has always done his duty to the Order, Shayla.

He's never refused anything asked of him. Your part of the pact was to let him lead some kind of normal life. What life has he had that could be defined as normal?"

"Yes, what has he had except his duty to you?" Gwyneth asked.

"He's had the best life he could live after you meddled into things best left alone. He was born into the Order, and there he must remain or die. The choice is his."

"No. It isn't just his choice," Heather said, looking up at Gryphon and shaking her head. "I can't let anything happen to you or your parents because of me." She pushed away from the proud warrior holding her and walked to where Shayla stood. "If I leave right now and promise not to see Gryph or his parents ever again, will you leave them alone? Can't you make an exception just this one time?"

Shayla stared at her. "Since you'll suffer a lifetime away from the man you love, that will be punishment enough. I'll let you and the others live if you go right now, and if none of the Order finds out that I've violated the very laws I'm sworn to uphold. But I do this out of love and respect for Gryphon and because of all he's accomplished for our safety."

"Have I nothing to say in this matter," Gryph asked Shayla angrily. His fists were clenched at his sides.

"I won't let Heather go. She's claimed me as I claim her. My parents have no say in what I do. Punish me if you will, but I'll never give Heather up or let you hurt anyone else I love."

"You've had your say, warrior. So be it." Shayla slowly and wearily raised her hands, and the wind began to blow.

"No, Shayla, NO!" Heather ran to Gryph and threw her arms about him. He held her protectively against his massive body. "Gryph, I can't let this happen. It isn't fair, I know, but I can't let Shayla do this." Heather yelled above the sound of the rising wind and backed away from him. "Have a good life, my love. Please, try to find some way to be happy." With that, she turned away and ran from them all.

Gryph moved to pursue her, but Shay la's power held him fast.

"Stop, Gryphon!" Shayla stepped in front of him. "The girl has done what was best for all concerned.

For an outsider, she has acted quite admirably. If you contact her again, I'll have no choice but to send others after her who will see to her demise. You'll never know what happened to her. This way, she survives, and so do you and your parents. I will forgive the transgressions I've witnessed and your standing against me only this onetime. And only so long as I never see or hear about that outsider again.

Pray to the Goddess that she never speaks of what she knows to anyone who'll believe her or, that too, will cause her death." As soon as Shayla finished speaking the wind died down, and everything in the woods went back to normal.

Gryph gazed in the direction Heather had fled. He was vaguely aware of his father placing a cloak over his shoulders, and that James, Shayla, and Gwyneth moved away. Presumably they were giving him some time and distance to help recover from his loss. On the ground where Heather had stood, a blue silk scarf lay. It had fallen from around her neck when she ran. Gryphon knelt, saw the remains of his shirt, and found the last rune stone lying next to the scarf. He picked them both up and thought of her last words: Have a good life. Try to find a way to be happy.

"I'll do neither," he whispered, with only the night and the trees to hear.