She ran her fingers through the bubbles. Even though she had been in the tub for some time, the water was still hot, the bubbles still abundant. Witchcraft, she mused with a grin. It wasn’t all bad.
Marri drifted on the edge of sleep when the bathroom door banged open. She bolted upright, water splashing over the edge of the tub, her heart pounding. Had Serepta found them? She pressed a hand to her heart when she saw Gryff standing in the doorway.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his gaze darting around the room.
“I was until you frightened me half to death. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just over-reacting, I guess.” He leaned back against the door jamb. Maybe his fears for their safety were groundless.
And then he noticed — really noticed — Marri for the first time. She had piled her hair atop her head, save for a few damp tendrils that framed her face. Bubbles covered her almost to her chin, but Gryff had no trouble picturing the delectable body hidden beneath the soapy water. In a heartbeat, he forgot all about the witch. A fact that was blatantly evident if Marri chose to notice.
She blushed hotly under his lusty gaze. They had spent weeks together. Spent nights within inches of each other. She had comforted him while he cried, seem him in pain. Naked.
That thought made her cheeks burn even hotter.
“Marri.”
She blinked up at him, her whole body yearning toward him. Her breath caught in her throat when he took a step toward her, his eyes hot. Surely he didn’t mean to ravish her? And hard on the heels of that thought, she found herself wondering if that would be so bad.
Gryff took another step. Another. And then paused. What the hell was he doing? Was he seriously thinking of seducing Marri, Princess of Brynn Tor? Even if he didn’t have a price on his head, even if Serepta didn’t have her henchmen searching for him, even if he had the means to support a wife, Marri could never be his.
He might be a wanted man and a rogue, but he hadn’t yet stooped to deflowering virgins, no matter how tempted he might be.
Cursing under his breath, he pivoted on his heel, stalked out of the room, and slammed the door.
Marri stared after him, blinking back tears of disappointment. She wasn’t a complete fool. She knew there was no chance of a future with Gryff, didn’t know if he would even be interested if it was possible, but in her heart she had hoped he might take her by force, thereby allowing her to be intimate with a man she cared for while absolving her of guilt.
The thought shamed her. Decent women saved themselves for marriage. But she would never be allowed to marry a man she loved. Shouldn’t it be her right to give her virginity to a man she cared for? It was a gift that could be given only once. And she wanted Gryff to have it.
Sighing, she stepped out of the bathtub and reached for a towel, wondering if she had the courage to offer Gryff what he had been reluctant to take.
* * *
Marri drew the covers over her shoulders. Hours had passed since she bathed and still Gryff hadn’t come to bed. Where was he? Had he shifted and gone running through the night? Or had he decided he would rather sleep on the couch than share a bed with her? She had been so certain it was desire she had seen in his eyes earlier. Had she been mistaken?
She shook her head. He had held her, kissed her. He might not love her, but he wanted her. She was sure of it. And she wanted him.
Sighing, she turned onto her side and closed her eyes.
But sleep wouldn’t come.
She didn’t know how much time had passed when she heard the soft creak of the bedroom door opening. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Gryff slip into the room. Though it was hard to see in the dark, she heard the whisper of cloth over skin as he removed his shirt, the soft thud of his boots as they hit the floor.
She held her breath as he walked to the far side of the bed, felt her whole being tense as she waited for him to slide under the covers beside her.
Frowned when he didn’t.
Experienced a keen sense of frustration when she realized he intended to sleep on the floor.
* * *
Gryff stretched out on the rug, his arms folded under his head and stared up at the ceiling. He could hear Marri tossing and turning, couldn’t help wondering if the same itch was keeping them both awake.
Reminding himself that there was no future for the two of them, he put the thought out of his mind. Earlier, while Marri bathed, he had talked to Seleena. She hadn’t divulged the reasons for the hard feelings between her and her daughter, but he got the impression that whatever caused the rift had been pretty bad.
All thoughts of witches fled his mind when Marri cried out.
He was on his feet and at her side in a heartbeat.
“Marri.” He called her name softly. When she didn’t respond, he gently shook her shoulder, jerked out of reach when she began to thrash on the bed.
“No! No! Let me go!”
Grasping her shoulders, he shook her again, harder this time. “Marri, wake up. You’re safe.”
Her eyes flew open and she stared up at him. “Gryff?”
Sitting on the edge of the mattress, he stroked her cheek. “You were having a nightmare. Go back to sleep.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“That bad, huh?”
“I dreamed my brother found me. He was going to throw me out of the tower window, like he did that poor kitten.”
“He threw a cat out of a window?”
Marri nodded. “It wasn’t some horrible boyish prank, either. He was almost twenty-one at the time.”
“Sounds like the perfect match for Serepta,” Gryff muttered.
Sitting up, Marri wrapped her arms around her middle.
“You’re shivering,” Gryff said. “Are you cold?”
“No. Would you hold me?”
He didn’t answer, simply curled his arm around her waist and drew her close. He swore softly when she rested her head on his shoulder and snuggled against him. Damn. Did she know what she was doing to him? What he wanted to do to her?
Five minutes became ten. Fifteen.
His nerves were strung tight, his whole body throbbing with need, when the soft, even sound of her breathing told him she had fallen asleep.
Easing her down under the covers, he didn’t know whether to curse Fate or thank his lucky stars.
* * *
Seleena sat in her rocking chair in front of the hearth, one hand stroking the cat curled in her lap. The man, Gryff, had been Serepta’s prisoner. As soon as he had entered her house, she had felt the pain her daughter had inflicted on him. Even after all this time, it was hard to believe that her daughter, her only child, had turned into such a monster. How long ago it seemed since she had been not only Serepta’s mother, but her mentor and best friend, as well.
She had taught Serepta everything she knew, felt a mother’s pride in watching her daughter learn and grow in the art of witchcraft. Serepta had been a gentle child, loving, kind to all — animals, people, the earth. Witchcraft had come easily to her, but that was to be expected. Though Serepta had never known her father, he was the greatest wizard in the land. By the time she was ten, Serepta had mastered fire and water. By the time she was twenty, she had learned everything Seleena could teach her.
And it hadn’t been enough. Serepta had wanted more power. And she had found it in the blood of a vampire.
But Seleena’s magic — pure and undefiled — remained the stronger of the two.
To prove it, she had cast a protection spell around the couple sleeping in her guest room. It would effectively prevent Serepta from locating the pair when they left here.
She smiled inwardly. All magic carried the signature of the one who conjured it. Her only regret was that she wouldn’t be there to see the expression on her daughter’s face when she realized who had thwarted her.
* * *
In the morning, Marri didn’t think she could face Gryff. What must he think of her? Acting like a child, begging
to be held because of a nightmare. And then snuggling up against him like some…some…heat flooded her cheeks. Some wanton.
But what else could he think? She had let him kiss her several times when she should have pushed him away. Just thinking about his kisses filled her with a different kind of heat, one that spread through her and settled in the deepest part of her.
Maybe she was a wanton, she thought. Because she surely wanted him.
She glanced around the room, wondering where he was, practically jumped out of her skin when he appeared beside her. “Did you spend the night on the floor?” she asked, pressing a hand to her thundering heart.
He looked at her, then the bed. “Where else?”
Her gaze flew to his naked chest as he uncoiled from the floor in one lithe movement. Shirtless, his hair tousled, a growth of whiskers shading his jaw, he looked roguish and dangerous and more desirable than ever.
Her breath caught in her throat when his gaze met hers. She swallowed hard. “Are we leaving today?”
He nodded. “Reckon so.”
Would he make love to her if she asked? When they reached Tarnn, she would plead with the sisters to accept her into their order. Once she had taken her vows, she would never see another man except for the priest who came monthly to hear the nuns’ confessions. If he didn’t make love to her, no one ever would.
Before she could summon her nerve, Seleena called them in to breakfast. Perhaps it was just as well. As tempting as Gryff was, she knew making love to him wasn’t a good idea. And what if she got pregnant? That thought alone changed her mind.
Seleena proved to be a remarkable cook. Good meals had been scarce and Marri thanked her profusely.
Seleena dismissed her thanks away with a wave of her hand. “I enjoy cooking. It isn’t often I entertain guests. You should be safe from my daughter until you reach your destination.”
“Why’s that?” Gryff asked.
“I’ve woven a spell to prevent her from locating you. But be cautious. She can be treacherous.”
He grunted softly. He was well aware of the way Serepta’s mind worked. He had the scars — physically and mentally — to prove it.
Seleena refused Marri’s offer to help clean up after breakfast. “I know you must be in a hurry to be on your way.”
She presented each of them with a change of clothing and when they were ready to leave, she handed Gryff a large sack filled with food and a flagon of wine for their journey.
At the door, Gryff hefted the bag over his shoulder. “Thanks for putting us up and everything.”
“I am sorry for whatever pain and suffering my daughter caused the two of you.”
“Not your fault. You ready, Marri?”
“Yes. Thank you, Seleena.”
Marri followed Gryff out of the house and down the road. She felt the witch’s gaze following them until they were out of sight.
Chapter 19
“Do you think we can trust her?” Marri asked as they left the witch’s house behind.
“I hope so,” Gryff muttered, but he had other things on his mind, like stealing a new ride. They had just about reached the end of the village boundary when he spied a Landskiff similar to the one he’d stolen before, only newer and in much better condition. He glanced around, wondering where the owner was. They hadn’t seen any other vehicles in the village.
A glance in the front window showed there was no one in the cockpit, no one idling near the craft.
Striding confidently toward the rear of the skiff, he knocked on the door of the cabin. When there was no answer, he lifted the latch and peered inside. After ascertaining it was empty, he dropped the bag Serepta had given them on the floor and closed the hatch.
Moving with purpose, he guided Marri to the passenger side, opened the door, and lifted Marri onto the seat.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Getting us a new ride. Hop in.”
When she started to argue, he closed the door, then strolled around to the driver’s side and climbed behind the consol. Raising the control panel, he fiddled with the computer, grinned when the skiff’s engine roared to life. “Hang on,” he warned.
Marri grabbed the door handle, her guilt momentarily swallowed up as the skiff shot forward. It went faster, rode smoother, than the last one. She slid a glance at Gryff, who was grinning like a child with a new toy. When he looked at her, she felt it clear to her toes, found herself grinning back at him. And then she frowned. She had never stolen anything in her life, and now she was an accomplice to a crime. But she didn’t care, nor could she ignore the little thrill that ran through her when Gryff winked at her. No one had ever told her that breaking the law could be fun!
Gryff put the Landskiff on Auto-pilot, then sat back in his seat. “We should reach Tarnn tomorrow night,” he remarked.
“Really?” Marri stared at him, her heart pounding with excitement. One more day until they reached Aisley Cloister and her sister.
He nodded. “We’re making good time. This bucket’s a lot faster than the last one.” Suddenly restless, he took over the controls again. No doubt she would be glad to see the last of him. She would certainly be safer behind convent walls than with him. Damn and blast, though, he would miss having her around.
* * *
Marri sat in her bunk, staring out the window of the skiff. The day had passed quickly. All too quickly, she thought, when she realized that, after tomorrow night, she would never see Gryff again. She blinked back tears, suddenly overcome with a sense of impending loss. The thought of his leaving hurt more than she had thought possible. He was uncouth by court standards. He fought like a savage. He had not a drop of royal blood…but his kisses…She pressed her fingertips to her lips, remembering the touch and the taste of him, knew she would miss him for the rest of her life.
She wiped the tears from her eyes, all thoughts of the morrow forgotten when she saw movement through the window.
Peering through the glass, she saw a big black wolf standing beneath a tree. Was it Gryff? Even as the thought formed in her mind, the animal changed. One minute, a wolf stood there; the next, it was Gryff.
She met his gaze through the window. He made no move to cover his nakedness as he stared back at her. But then, why would he? She had seen it all before.
Her pulse quickened as he strode toward the hatch. A moment later, he stepped inside, fully clothed.
Her disappointment brought a rush of heat to her cheeks.
“Better get some sleep,” he said quietly. “We’re leaving at first light.”
* * *
Marri turned onto her side, then onto her back. Sleep. No matter how she chased it, she couldn’t catch it. All she could think about was never seeing Gryff again. There was no denying the attraction she felt for him, but now, she realized it was more than that. She liked him. A lot. His subtle humor. His willingness to defend her. If not for Gryff, she would likely be dead now, killed by Trist and Dakkar weeks ago.
The light of the planet’s twin moons shone into the cabin. Turning her back to it, she found herself looking into Gryff’s eyes — eyes dark with desire.
He wanted her. She felt the pull between them like a tangible force. Thoughts of right and wrong didn’t seem to matter when he was looking at her like that, when the outside world seemed to fade away and only they remained.
“You’d better stop looking at me like that,” he growled, “or I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”
Marri stared at him, her breath trapped in her throat. If only he hadn’t put it to her like that, leaving the decision — and the guilt, should she say yes — in her hands. “Oh, that’s so unfair!”
He frowned at her. “Unfair?”
“I want you so much and I know it’s wrong. How can I expect the sisters to accept me when I’m such a wanton? If you’d just…just…” She shook her head when she realized what she was saying. “Never mind.”
Sitting up, Gryff raked his fingers through his hair.
“I know what you want. You want me to take you without your consent so you don’t have to feel guilty about it later.”
Marri looked away, her cheeks flaming with shame and embarrassment. It was unfair of her to expect him to take all the blame for whatever happened between them. Murmuring, “I’m sorry,” she turned her face to the wall.
She heard him swear softly and then he was sitting on the bunk beside her, one hand lightly stroking her back. “Listen, Marri. There’s no use pretending. Like you said, you want me. I want you. Maybe, if you weren’t untouched, I’d take you in my arms and make love to you all night long. But I’ve never deflowered a virgin and I’m not going to start with you. You deserve a hell of a lot more than I can ever hope to give you.”
“I think I’m in love with you.”
He swore again when he heard the tears in her softly spoken words.
“Marri. You’re so young. I doubt you’ve known very many men. Don’t confuse lust for love.”
“I know the difference!”
“Do you?” He lifted her into a sitting position, brushed her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. And then, unable to resist, he pulled her into his embrace and kissed her, his mouth devouring hers, his hand skating up and down her back, skimming the curve of her breast. When she was limp and breathless in his arms, he drew away. “Was that love?” he asked. “Or lust?”
She stared up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. “Don’t be mean to me, Gryff. This is our last night together.”
He knew that, but hearing her say it made it more real, more painful. He’d been in lust a dozen times, but love? Damn and blast. Maybe he was the one who didn’t know the difference.
Murmuring, “Forgive me, sweetheart,” he drew her into his embrace once again, his hand delving into the wealth of her hair. He wanted her more than his next breath, more than life itself, but like he’d told her, he’d ever defiled a virgin. How could he start now, with the woman who rested so trustingly in his arms? He knew what she wanted. Hell, he wanted the same thing. But she was a princess. Perhaps one day she would be a queen. Surrendering to his desire for her could easily ruin her life. And what if there was a child? No method of birth control was fool proof, and even if it was, he didn’t have any.