Under the Bridge (22 page)

“I can be very persuasive,” he said
reasonably, stroking her hair. “I'll have my brothers with me,
too.”

That calmed her. It wasn't as if he'd be
alone. She didn't know what she could do against Naturu, but she
would be there, too, of course. She'd talk to the house if she had
to, get her to intervene.

As her pulse slowed, her eyes got heavy.
Promising herself she'd sleep lightly, Jordan drifted off to
sleep.

A bone jarring thud woke her the next
morning. She opened her eyes, stared out the window with bleary
eyes. An angry groan came from somewhere far below her window.

She glanced at the lightening sky and gasped.
Dawn! Grabbing her dress, she dashed for the window. She was just
in time to see her Griffin climb to his feet and launch himself at
the giant black griffin snarling on the lawn.

Jordan bolted for the door, struggling into
her dress as she went. The hall seemed endless; the stairs a
dangerous slope as she flew down them barefoot. The front door was
ajar, and she threw it open, skidding to a stop on the landing. The
griffins were locked in unequal battle, the brown biting and
feinting viciously at the monster twice his size.

“He allowed Griff to chose the form,” Sage
said calmly as she stared, appalled. He didn't seem surprised to
see her barefoot, with the back of her gown hanging loose. He did
hold out an arm to block her as she tried to run past. “He doesn't
need your help.”

“He needs someone's!” she cried, trying to
get past. “Why are you just standing here? Help him!”

Sam moved to block her way as well, shifting
sideways with his back to her. He barely spared her a glance.
“What? You want the fae to continue pestering you? Griff told us he
was haunting your dreams.”

Jordan opened her mouth to answer, then
stiffened as Sage moved behind her and began to efficiently fasten
the back of her gown. She watched the battle, wincing from time to
time. Naturu was fast for such a big monster. It was fortunate
Griff was faster.

“You need a ladies maid,” Sage murmured,
fastening the last hook.

“I need an Uzi,” Jordan shot back, twitching
with the urge to help Griff. She needed a weapon!

The sound of a meaty smack made her look back
at the battle. Griffin flew through the air and smashed into an oak
trunk. There was a cracking sound, and he was still.

When he didn't move, Naturu relaxed. He stood
on the lawn in a watchful, but not aggressive, stance.

Jordan feared the worse when the men stood
back and let her through. She ran to Griffin, checked as gently as
she could for a pulse. She couldn't tell if he was breathing.
“Griff, please wake up! Can you hear me? Please.” There was blood,
but she wasn't sure how much of it was his. For all she knew his
worst injuries were internal.

Panic threatened, but she fought it down. The
grief was harder. How could she care so much in such a short time?
“Griff? Please. I don't want you to go.” Did he stir? Hoping her
words were reaching him, she pleaded, “Please live for me. I'll
stay here for you. It's not so bad, really, even if it is stuffed
full of were-guys and gargoyles. I don't mind if you're feathery
once in a while.”

He actually laughed, though it was weak. “You
hated dinner. You're afraid.”

She drew a shaky breath. “I'm afraid of
losing you. There! Are you happy now? I admitted it.”

His body heaved as if he were trying to get
to his feet. “I need to finish him.” He groaned and flopped back
down.

“You need a doctor, or a vet,” she said
severely, trying to push him back down. Remembering Naturu, she
turned around, but the griffin hadn't moved. There seemed to be
some kind of force field surrounding her and Griffin. “What is
this?”

Abruptly, Naturu was his fae self once again.
He smiled bitterly. “My sister has decided to take a hand in
things, it seems. She has no sense of fair play.” He considered
Jordan broodingly. “I've half a mind to claim my prize anyway. I've
clearly won.”

Abruptly Griffin was on his feet, looking far
too hale for a creature near death. “Not today, foul one. Why don't
you take yourself off?”

Naturu's eyes sparked, but then he looked at
the house. “Ah, sister! Very well. I'll humor you for now. There
are other ways we can settle this matter.” With an enigmatic glance
at Jordan, he disappeared in a swirl of black smoke.

Jordan stared at the place where he'd been,
and then she turned to glower at Griffin. “You were playing
possum.”

He took a step toward her and winced.
“Mostly.”

She bit her lip, unsure if he were truly
hurt. “It might help if you turned back. I can't see your injuries
through your feathers.”

Abruptly he was a naked man, covered in gore.
He smiled ruefully as she started. “You'll have to get used to it,
darling. After all, you did promise to stay here with me.”

She pursed her lips. She had said that. It
was startling to realize that she'd meant it, too. She really did
want to be with him. “I didn't say how long I'd stay.”

He smiled and pulled her close, ignoring the
way she squirmed away from the blood. “Finicky, tricky woman. Just
try and leave.” He kissed her temple, smiling to himself. “You'll
have to wait until the dressmaker finishes your clothes, at least.
This one is ruined.”

Though she suspected he'd ruined it on
purpose, Jordan did stay until she had new clothes. She remained
through the summer, in fact, and on into the fall. By then the babe
she carried was obvious to all.

Griffin had only let her go two days after
the duel before presenting her with a ring. “We're married,” he
said flatly. “We'll have a ceremony here and do things the human
way so that there's no doubt. You're staying with me, though.”

She frowned at the ring and squinted up at
the ceiling, which was now blessedly free of cobwebs. The new maids
had been busy. “I don't know. There are a lot of things about my
time that I might miss. Good coffee―”

“Mrs. Yuimen makes excellent coffee,” he said
sternly.

“Books―”

“I'll give you the library. We'll kick Sage
out,” he promised.

She looked at him and smiled softly. “You. If
I went back, I would definitely miss you.” His expression then made
her heart go soft.

There were many things about her new home
that were strange to Jordan, and none stranger than her new
husband. She loved him though, this knight who had saved her from a
bad end. If she must live in a faerie tale, at least she would get
a happily ever after. That was something even a modern girl could
appreciate.

About the author:

I'm a stay at home mom with three kids, a dog
and an active imagination. I spent the first 34 years of my life in
Alaska, land of the midnight sun, but these days I'm located in
Washington, and am enjoying a much warmer sun :) I'm married to my
high school sweetheart, John, who is known to bring me flowers
"just because".

My leisure time is filled with gardening,
crochet, knitting, sewing, art and reading.

Connect with me online at:

www.autumndawnbooks.com

http://authorautumndawn.blogspot.com

Books by Autumn Dawn:

Spark Series:

When Sparks Fly Dorchester

No Words Alone Dorchester

Solar Flare

Anthology for the Mammoth Book of Time Travel
Romance:

Hemlock & Iron

Indie books:

Dark Lands Series:

The Charmer

Dark Lands: Homecoming

The Golden Bell

Scent of Danger

Ghost in Her Heart

Beast Wars

The Woman Inside

The Other Woman

Through the Looking Glass

Ride the Stars

Careful, He Bites

Interstellar Lover

Under the Bridge