Avani.
Taking full advantage of their last few minutes alone, he
trapped Avani between his chest and the tile wall. He
nuzzled her neck and kissed a slow, teasing line along her
jaw before finally claiming her silken pout. Their mouths
mated in a long, erotic dance that he was loathe to end.
Touching his forehead to hers, he murmured, “Ignatius is
here. He’ll want to talk.”
She sighed heavily. “Let’s get it over with, Griffin.”
He tipped her chin and peered down into her dark eyes.
“He might be annoyed that I didn’t tell him I was coming
here with you, but he won’t try to separate us. He
supported Stig and Cora.”
“That’s a slightly different case.” She stepped out of the
shower and onto the mat. “Their families weren’t engaged
in a centuries-old blood feud.”
He’d all but forgotten about that ridiculous spat
between their families. It seemed so trivial now. Grunting
with frustration, he wrapped a towel around his waist and
pressed his lips to the top of her head. “Wait here. I’ll get
you something to wear.”
Out in the living area of the bunker, he discovered Stig
and Ignatius waiting patiently at the small dining table. He
shot them an annoyed frown. “No, please, make
yourselves at home.”
Stig snorted but had the decency to look chagrined. “We
didn’t want to interrupt you—just in case.”
Griff narrowed his eyes at the pair before grabbing
some shorts for himself and a nightgown and robe for
Avani. “We’ll be out in a few minutes. Make yourselves
useful and put on a pot of tea.”
“Sure.” Stig headed for the small kitchen, but Ignatius
still hadn’t moved or said anything. He seemed deep in
thought. Griff doubted he was going to like what their
leader had to say.
Back in the bathroom, he found Avani combing out her
hair. She reached for a hair tie from her toiletry case but
he stopped her. “Leave it down for me.”
She eyed his reflection in the mirror. An indulgent smile
curved her lips. “All right.”
He kissed her bare shoulder. “Thank you.”
When the two were dressed, they emerged from the
bathroom holding hands. She slid close to his side, almost
as if seeking his protection. He unlaced their fingers and
curled his arm around her shoulders. Tucking her smaller
body against his, he sent a daring look Ignatius’s way.
Hands up, Ignatius gave a slight shake of his head. His
one good eye remained fixed on Avani. “I have no
intention of driving a wedge between the two of you, so
lower your guards.” He hesitated. “The issue of the blood
feud, however…”
Griff pulled out one of the chairs at the table and sat. He
dragged Avani between his open knees and tugged her
down onto his right thigh. She happily perched on his lap
and gripped his hand, as if still mistrusting Ignatius. He
couldn’t blame her. The ancient dragon had quite a
reputation among their kind for being a serious hard-ass.
Exhaling loudly, Griff asked, “Has Mad been located?”
“Not yet,” Ignatius answered, while Stig steeped tea at
the counter behind him. “Niko and Reynard are on their
way. They’ll find him—and Ivy.”
“So it is her.” He eyed Ignatius carefully. “You didn’t
know she was missing?”
“Neither did Niko,” Ignatius replied reluctantly. “We
tried to give her a normal life, and that meant staying far
away from her so as not to rouse the suspicions of the
Knights. Clearly, somewhere along the way, we made a
mistake, and they were able to track her down and take
her.” Regret and guilt darkened Ignatius’s voice. “We
won’t fail her again.”
“What about her connection with Mad?” Avani
nervously interjected. She swallowed and glanced at
Griff. “Back at the house, you said that Niko gave her
some kind of treatment that included your cousin’s blood.”
She self-consciously touched her lips. “Blood magic is
strong magic. It’s the reason my species seals a mate
Taking full advantage of their last few minutes alone, he
trapped Avani between his chest and the tile wall. He
nuzzled her neck and kissed a slow, teasing line along her
jaw before finally claiming her silken pout. Their mouths
mated in a long, erotic dance that he was loathe to end.
Touching his forehead to hers, he murmured, “Ignatius is
here. He’ll want to talk.”
She sighed heavily. “Let’s get it over with, Griffin.”
He tipped her chin and peered down into her dark eyes.
“He might be annoyed that I didn’t tell him I was coming
here with you, but he won’t try to separate us. He
supported Stig and Cora.”
“That’s a slightly different case.” She stepped out of the
shower and onto the mat. “Their families weren’t engaged
in a centuries-old blood feud.”
He’d all but forgotten about that ridiculous spat
between their families. It seemed so trivial now. Grunting
with frustration, he wrapped a towel around his waist and
pressed his lips to the top of her head. “Wait here. I’ll get
you something to wear.”
Out in the living area of the bunker, he discovered Stig
and Ignatius waiting patiently at the small dining table. He
shot them an annoyed frown. “No, please, make
yourselves at home.”
Stig snorted but had the decency to look chagrined. “We
didn’t want to interrupt you—just in case.”
Griff narrowed his eyes at the pair before grabbing
some shorts for himself and a nightgown and robe for
Avani. “We’ll be out in a few minutes. Make yourselves
useful and put on a pot of tea.”
“Sure.” Stig headed for the small kitchen, but Ignatius
still hadn’t moved or said anything. He seemed deep in
thought. Griff doubted he was going to like what their
leader had to say.
Back in the bathroom, he found Avani combing out her
hair. She reached for a hair tie from her toiletry case but
he stopped her. “Leave it down for me.”
She eyed his reflection in the mirror. An indulgent smile
curved her lips. “All right.”
He kissed her bare shoulder. “Thank you.”
When the two were dressed, they emerged from the
bathroom holding hands. She slid close to his side, almost
as if seeking his protection. He unlaced their fingers and
curled his arm around her shoulders. Tucking her smaller
body against his, he sent a daring look Ignatius’s way.
Hands up, Ignatius gave a slight shake of his head. His
one good eye remained fixed on Avani. “I have no
intention of driving a wedge between the two of you, so
lower your guards.” He hesitated. “The issue of the blood
feud, however…”
Griff pulled out one of the chairs at the table and sat. He
dragged Avani between his open knees and tugged her
down onto his right thigh. She happily perched on his lap
and gripped his hand, as if still mistrusting Ignatius. He
couldn’t blame her. The ancient dragon had quite a
reputation among their kind for being a serious hard-ass.
Exhaling loudly, Griff asked, “Has Mad been located?”
“Not yet,” Ignatius answered, while Stig steeped tea at
the counter behind him. “Niko and Reynard are on their
way. They’ll find him—and Ivy.”
“So it is her.” He eyed Ignatius carefully. “You didn’t
know she was missing?”
“Neither did Niko,” Ignatius replied reluctantly. “We
tried to give her a normal life, and that meant staying far
away from her so as not to rouse the suspicions of the
Knights. Clearly, somewhere along the way, we made a
mistake, and they were able to track her down and take
her.” Regret and guilt darkened Ignatius’s voice. “We
won’t fail her again.”
“What about her connection with Mad?” Avani
nervously interjected. She swallowed and glanced at
Griff. “Back at the house, you said that Niko gave her
some kind of treatment that included your cousin’s blood.”
She self-consciously touched her lips. “Blood magic is
strong magic. It’s the reason my species seals a mate
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