Chapter Twenty-Five

Rosie

She glanced up at Kassian.

“Are you smiling?!” she exclaimed.

The gryphon seemed to notice the same thing. Its wings spread wide, twenty feet or more out to either side of its body in a terrifying display. Brown feathers the length of her arm ruffled and seemed to enlarge themselves. The six-foot-long tail swished back and forth in what could only be described as anticipation. The razor-sharp beak, easily three feet long, opened and closed with a spine-tingling clack sound. She watched with horrified rapture as it pawed the ground, seven-inch claws ripping the ground to shreds underneath it, providing ample indication of what would happen to anyone who tried to tangle with it.

And yet next to her, it appeared that Kassian was enjoying it all!

“You’ve gone mad,” she said fiercely. “Right? That’s the only explanation here. You’ve gone completely, utterly mad. You know you can’t fight that thing, right?”

“I know, my love,” he said absently. “I know.

My love.

Around them, the other shifters were backing away, apparently cowed by the gryphon’s display of power. Rosie couldn’t blame them.

The gryphon rose up on its rear legs and shrieked a challenge yet again.

Rosie’s legs almost gave out from under her. But Kassian’s hand found hers, his fingers wrapping through hers, lending her strength. Rosie’s legs firmed up, and she stood tall, drinking in the sudden strength that flowed between them. Her resolve hardened. Rosie lifted their joined hands, staring at them in wonder.

“How is that happening?” she whispered, astonished at the physical impact doing something as simple as linking hands with Kassian was having on her.

“You’ve begun to believe,” he replied, his head turning to stare at her. His eyes sparkled with delight, so at odds with the situation facing them.

“Believe? Believe in what?”

“In us, my love,” he said softly, turning to face her completely. His force of personality drew her in, until only he occupied her entire world. His facial hair-clad face and the circles of light golden-brown around his pupils drew her in, until nothing else seemed to matter. His shoulders seemed to grow wider, until they eclipsed everything behind him. All Rosie could see was Kassian. Each dip and ripple of muscle under his torn shirt. Every individual hair on his beard and head. The way his nostril flared slightly as he inhaled, the driving intensity within his eyes. The worry lines he tried to keep hidden around his mouth.

“You keep using those two words,” she breathed. “My love. Why?”

“Because, Rosie.” He paused, taking a breath in.

It might have been her imagination, but Rosie thought she felt a flutter of nervous trepidation flow between them. It could just as easily have been her though. If he was about to say what she thought he was, it was no small wonder her heart felt like it was fluttering as fast as the wings of a hummingbird.

“Because I love you,” he said, the words flowing effortlessly from his mouth.

There was no hiccup or pause as he spoke them, and she basked in the clear truth. He loved her. Completely. Fully. Without restraint. Her. He loved her. Nobody else. It wasn’t a lie, or something he was saying to gain her confidence. No, she could feel it through their physical connection, though Rosie would never be able to describe how. All she knew was that he meant each word of it.

“I love you too, Kassian Koche.” The words just slipped from her mouth. She hadn’t known she was going to say them. Hadn’t intended it. And yet, the instant they were uttered, she felt better. As if she’d been holding it in.

With a sudden jolt, Rosie realized she had been holding it in. She’d been holding all of her feelings in. A deep-seated fear, one she wasn’t even sure she’d been aware of, had kept her from allowing herself to fully believe, to explore the idea that she was Kassian’s mate. That he was her mate as well. As he’d told her, it wasn’t a one-way street. It was a bond, a partnership. Something that she had to believe fully in her core.

But until she’d allowed herself to open up, to invite him in, she’d been unable to reciprocate. Now though, her heart sang with the joy of a thousand doves, and she wanted to shout the words I love you over and over again. To cover his face with her kisses, and be swept up into his arms and carried off somewhere private, where she could show him just how much he meant to her…

“I love you, Rosie Hernandez,” he murmured, and now a smile blossomed on his face for real.

Before it had been that subtle hint of one, where it had seemed he was trying to hold back. Now he didn’t, and his lips curved upward. Worry lines became dimples, and she reached up with her free hand to caress his cheek. Kassian did the same, his huge paw cupping her face, stroking it gently with the backs of his fingers.

Her lower lip curled under her teeth as she stared up at him, wondering if he was going to kiss her, or if she was going to have to get aggressive and pull him down to her.

Could be fun…

“Well, isn’t this just adorable. Lovers in your last minutes of life. How cute.”

Director Burnatawiz’s mocking voice carried across the open field, reaching out to slap her with a dose of cold reality.

Kassian’s hand slipped from hers as he twisted to face their final adversary one last time. Rosie thought she might falter without his touch, but she didn’t. Her body was buoyed with the knowledge of his feelings, infused with his love, turning it into a power that kept her steady and without fear. Kassian wasn’t scared, which meant he thought they could win. She would have to trust his judgment, though she didn’t see how.

Then, to her shock, Kassian started walking forward, directly at the gryphon and the human. What the hell was he doing? Was he stupid? Going all alone like that, to face down such a powerful shifter!

If she’d been surprised when he started moving forward, Rosie was stunned when she felt her own feet begin to move under her, carrying her along with Kassian, matching his pace, keeping him at her side as they walked toward their enemies.

“This is some next-level Romeo and Juliet dying together shit,” she muttered. “Just so you’re aware.”

He snorted. “Have a little faith, my love.”

“Oh, I have faith. In a lot of things. Us emerging from this alive is not one of them.” She shrugged. “But, if I have to die, I’d rather do it alongside you.”

“You will,” he said firmly. “Many, many years from now, when both of us have tired of living, and decide to move on to whatever comes next, together. Then, and only then, will we pass. Do you understand me?”

“Understand? Yes. Believe?” She shrugged. “Verdict’s still out on that one. But feel free to prove me wrong. I’m okay not ending up as a character in some Shakespearian-esque play.”

“Good to know. Is there any plays you would prefer?” he asked as they crossed the field slowly, the long grass proving no hindrance to them.

“Play? I’m not sure. But there is this one author I really like…” she said, trailing off as they came to a halt only a few steps in front of the gryphon.

“Really? You’ll have to tell me about him,” Kassian replied, as if the huge creature wasn’t there.

“Her,” she corrected absently, staring up as the massive winged animal straight out of a fantasy book regarded them like they were little more than a snack morsel. “Are you sure this is a wise course of action? He seems ready to kill us now.”

“He does look ready to kill, doesn’t he?” Kassian replied. He tilted his head to one side.

The gryphon mimicked the motion.

Here it comes. He’s about to lunge forward with his beak, snap me in two. She saw it happen in her mind. No, that won’t work. He’s going to get Kassian with his beak. He’ll just eviscerate me with one of his claws. That’ll deal with both of us as efficiently as possible.

The only reason it hadn’t happened yet was because the huge creature was toying with them, she could tell. It was just playing with its food, like a cat before ripping the head off a bird.

“So, umm, this gryphon guy,” she said, trying to remain calm. “He’s supposed to be really big, really strong, and uh, kinda badass, right?”

“Right,” Director Burnatawiz replied, sounding impatient. “Something that Kassian here is about to learn firsthand.” The old man turned to the gryphon. “Stop toying around and kill them already.”

“Oh, will you shut up,” Kassian said in exasperation. “Seriously.”

Director Burnatawiz’s jaw dropped at the commanding tone. “How dare you talk to me? Gregory, kill them. I command you!” The elderly man’s voice became a shaking scream as he stabbed a finger at her and her mate.

Rosie looked back and forth from Kassian, to the gryphon, to the director. Something was obviously going on, but she hadn’t picked up on just what it was yet. Kassian reached out and found her hand, taking it in his once more, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Confused, she just squeezed back, trying to let him know that she trusted him, whatever his plans were.

“You don’t command anything anymore, Burnatawiz,” Kassian said calmly. “It’s over. Surrender.”

The old man was staring, bewildered. “What the hell are you talking about? Gregory, kill them.”

Kassian sighed, and looked up at the gryphon. “If you don’t mind?”