“You don’t have to give up the sword. It’s yours to
do with as you please.”
“It needs to be destroyed. I don’t need the leverage
anymore.”
Because you’ve got me , he thought.
She turned her attention to Ignatius. “Will handing over
the sword to Griffin as a peace offering satisfy the feud?”
“Only a handful of Griffin’s tribe remains. As long as
no one files a grievance with Reynard, I’m sure he’ll put
an official end to this tiresome matter.” Ignatius sat
forward, grabbed his mug of steaming hot tea, and downed
it all in one big gulp. He rose from the table and carried
his mug to the sink. Turning back to face them, he said,
“It’s time we pulled together. This war is ramping up
again, and our numbers are dwindling while theirs remain
steady.”
He gripped Stig’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze.
“On that note, Stig and I really should leave the two of
you. I’m sure you have more important things to discuss
than blood feuds and missing cousins.”
Taking the hint, Stig finished off his tea and headed for
the sink. “I’ll be staying upstairs until morning. If you need
me to stay another few nights, I’m happy to do it.”
“No, I think we’ll be fine.” Griff didn’t think the
Knights would be stupid enough to come after them again,
not so soon after losing an entire team. He strongly
suspected Stig was anxious to get home to Cora anyway.
“If you change your mind…” Stig trailed Ignatius to the
door. He paused long enough to shoot them an encouraging
smile. “Good luck.”
Finally alone, Griff shifted Avani’s position and
threaded his fingers through her damp hair. He touched his
lips to hers ever so briefly. “That went well.”
“Better than I’d expected,” she confessed. Her gaze
skipped to the closed door. “Ignatius wasn’t nearly as
intense as I’d expected him to be.”
“He’s mellowing a bit. I think some of that is Cora’s
doing. She actually called him a marshmallow once.”
Avani’s eyes widened. “She’s a brave woman.”
He traced her pout. “So are you, Vonny. You blew me
away tonight. I’ll admit that I worried you wouldn’t be
able to look after yourself, especially after all that talk of
fasting and denying your inner beast. Imagine how
powerful you could be with some training.”
Excitement glinted in her eyes. “Would you teach me?”
“Yes.” He liked the idea of helping her become more
skilled in protecting herself.
“But none of that sweaty brawling I caught you and Mad
doing,” she said with a wag of her finger.
“Sweetheart, if we’re getting sweaty, I can guarantee
you we won’t be brawling.”
“Oh?” Her eyes began to shift to that peridot color he
found so incredibly beautiful. The enticing scent of her
overwhelmed him. Remembering what they’d been up to
when the Knights had attacked, Griff decided it was time
to pick up right where they’d left off in the bunker.
“In fact, I think I’ll give you that first lesson right
now…”
Chapter Nine
Nineteen Days Later
Avani stepped out of the shower and onto the plush
bathmat. She dabbed at the wetness clinging to her skin
and draped her towel on the bar. When she reached for her
silk dressing gown, her fingers brushed the heavier fabric
of Griffin’s robe. After their mating heat had ended, he’d
decided to move most of his things to her home rather than
travel back and forth between their living spaces. Even so,
she still experienced the occasional moment of surprise at
seeing his things around her home.
She grabbed the robe and pushed her face into the soft
fabric around the neck. Inhaling his scent, she closed her
eyes and imagined his handsome face. She wanted to trace
the crinkly lines that appeared around his mouth when he
smiled and brush her lips to his. Instead she found some
comfort in his familiar scent.
He’d been gone for six days. The initial search for
Madoc had been
do with as you please.”
“It needs to be destroyed. I don’t need the leverage
anymore.”
Because you’ve got me , he thought.
She turned her attention to Ignatius. “Will handing over
the sword to Griffin as a peace offering satisfy the feud?”
“Only a handful of Griffin’s tribe remains. As long as
no one files a grievance with Reynard, I’m sure he’ll put
an official end to this tiresome matter.” Ignatius sat
forward, grabbed his mug of steaming hot tea, and downed
it all in one big gulp. He rose from the table and carried
his mug to the sink. Turning back to face them, he said,
“It’s time we pulled together. This war is ramping up
again, and our numbers are dwindling while theirs remain
steady.”
He gripped Stig’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze.
“On that note, Stig and I really should leave the two of
you. I’m sure you have more important things to discuss
than blood feuds and missing cousins.”
Taking the hint, Stig finished off his tea and headed for
the sink. “I’ll be staying upstairs until morning. If you need
me to stay another few nights, I’m happy to do it.”
“No, I think we’ll be fine.” Griff didn’t think the
Knights would be stupid enough to come after them again,
not so soon after losing an entire team. He strongly
suspected Stig was anxious to get home to Cora anyway.
“If you change your mind…” Stig trailed Ignatius to the
door. He paused long enough to shoot them an encouraging
smile. “Good luck.”
Finally alone, Griff shifted Avani’s position and
threaded his fingers through her damp hair. He touched his
lips to hers ever so briefly. “That went well.”
“Better than I’d expected,” she confessed. Her gaze
skipped to the closed door. “Ignatius wasn’t nearly as
intense as I’d expected him to be.”
“He’s mellowing a bit. I think some of that is Cora’s
doing. She actually called him a marshmallow once.”
Avani’s eyes widened. “She’s a brave woman.”
He traced her pout. “So are you, Vonny. You blew me
away tonight. I’ll admit that I worried you wouldn’t be
able to look after yourself, especially after all that talk of
fasting and denying your inner beast. Imagine how
powerful you could be with some training.”
Excitement glinted in her eyes. “Would you teach me?”
“Yes.” He liked the idea of helping her become more
skilled in protecting herself.
“But none of that sweaty brawling I caught you and Mad
doing,” she said with a wag of her finger.
“Sweetheart, if we’re getting sweaty, I can guarantee
you we won’t be brawling.”
“Oh?” Her eyes began to shift to that peridot color he
found so incredibly beautiful. The enticing scent of her
overwhelmed him. Remembering what they’d been up to
when the Knights had attacked, Griff decided it was time
to pick up right where they’d left off in the bunker.
“In fact, I think I’ll give you that first lesson right
now…”
Chapter Nine
Nineteen Days Later
Avani stepped out of the shower and onto the plush
bathmat. She dabbed at the wetness clinging to her skin
and draped her towel on the bar. When she reached for her
silk dressing gown, her fingers brushed the heavier fabric
of Griffin’s robe. After their mating heat had ended, he’d
decided to move most of his things to her home rather than
travel back and forth between their living spaces. Even so,
she still experienced the occasional moment of surprise at
seeing his things around her home.
She grabbed the robe and pushed her face into the soft
fabric around the neck. Inhaling his scent, she closed her
eyes and imagined his handsome face. She wanted to trace
the crinkly lines that appeared around his mouth when he
smiled and brush her lips to his. Instead she found some
comfort in his familiar scent.
He’d been gone for six days. The initial search for
Madoc had been
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