The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance (43 page)

“Better,” Howl shot back. He crammed a whole boiled potato in his mouth.

Jordon let them change the subject, but her appetite was completely gone. What was she doing, sitting here like this? She should be trying to convince the house to take her home. She didn’t belong here. “Excuse me. I don’t feel well,” she said. Avoiding Griffin’s eyes, she quickly stood and left the table, praying he wouldn’t follow her. She was quite sure she would start wigging out if she had to sit still one more minute and pretend that everything was normal.

Everything was not normal!
She was trapped in a living house, out of her time, and slightly drunk. She stumbled on her skirt as she was climbing the stairs and upgraded that to “definitely drunk”.

Since it was either leave the table or climb the walls, screaming, she thought she’d made the right choice.

She didn’t even try to reach her room. Tonight she rather wanted to be lost. She didn’t want Griffin to find her too soon, not when she felt so confused. She needed time to think.

That was how she found the balcony. Stumbling through dark rooms until she found one lit by moonlight, she followed the white path to a double French door. It swung silently open to reveal a cosy balcony overlooking the front lawns. A brisk wind blew at her, perfect for clearing her head.

Jordon closed the doors and leaned on the rail. As long as no one went for a flight, she’d have her privacy. She smiled a bitter smile and closed her eyes. Ah! How did things get so complicated? This had all come on her much too fast. Was there a way to prepare for something like this?

“Take me back,” she told the house, putting her heart into it. “We are not a good match. You know it, too. I’m no good for him.”

“
Is he good for you?
”

Jordon blinked. The quiet thought hung there, as if waiting for a response.

She didn’t have one. Griffin good for her? Jordon broke it down, simplified it. Was Griffin good? Of course. Though she hadn’t known him long, she felt sure of that. Was he good for her? She bit her lip and stared over the shadowed lawns. Though she wrestled with the question for a good long time, she couldn’t find an answer.

The chill finally forced her inside. Somehow she was not surprised to find him waiting there, and in his human form. At least he was dressed.

He bowed, very formal. “This place can be confusing. I thought you might have gotten turned around. May I lead you back?”

She sighed. “I wish someone would.”

They were silent as he escorted her back to her room. When they reached the door, he looked down at her solemnly. “Am I invited tonight?”

Part of her was tempted. She would have loved to be held. Instead she shook her head. “It’s no good, Griff. I’m not good company tonight.”

He nodded soberly, reached for her chin. He hesitated just before touching her. When he spoke, there was unhappiness in his voice. “May I kiss you goodnight?”

His pain made her heart ache. She nodded softly.

She recognized that kiss for the mistake it was an hour later, when she’d had time to think. Griffin was a ruthless seducer. Only now, draped naked over his drowsing form, did she have time to acknowledge it.

He’d worn her out. She closed her eyes, promising she’d deal better with him tomorrow.

At first she didn’t realize she dreamed. She was twined with Griffin, but there was another presence in the room: the shadow man.

He studied the pair of them critically. “Well, that was quick! I see my sister has gotten her way again.”

“Naturu,” she whispered, barely able to speak, to move. She felt as if the air had become a pressure, holding her down. “G’way.”

“I’m afraid not.” He examined his cane, his tone off-hand. “You realize I don’t approve. We’d whittled the numbers down to seven, my friends and I. I’ve no interest in seeing a population explosion.” He looked at her with regret. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to kill you.” He took a brisk step forwards, raising his cane that now sported a barbed tip. His eyes were locked on Griffin’s chest.

“No!” she shouted as the paralysis abruptly lifted. She sat up, threw a pillow to deflect his aim. “I won’t let you kill him!”

He took aim again . . . To her surprise, Griffin was shaking her, telling her sharply to wake. Her eyes flew open, and she looked around wildly. “He tried to kill you!”

Griffin’s jaw tensed. He put a calming hand on her shoulder, then looked to the spot where she’d last seen Naturu. “Come out. I can smell you.”

Naturu’s voice came out of the air, bored, as if he hadn’t just tried his hand at murder. “What would be the point in that? I find it’s much easier to kill you this way.”

Griffin smiled grimly. “Brave fae! Noble foe to come at your prey in the dark. I had heard that you’d become craven over the years, O hero.”

“One does not require chivalry to slay an animal.” Naturu’s voice had a distinct edge.

Griffin smiled as he baited him. “And in your sister’s house no less. She’ll certainly forgive that.”

“What is it you want? Shall I give you a sporting chance?” Naturu spat. “Very well. Tomorrow, at dawn. I will meet you before the house. Winner gets the girl . . . and any monsters she might be breeding.” The voice held sinister promise.

They waited in tense silence. Finally Griffin said, “He’s gone.”

“Was he really here?” she whispered, still shaken. “He was in my dreams . . .”

He tucked the blanket around her shoulders and held her close. “He’s fae. They do that.” He nuzzled her temple. “This one won’t bother you again, however. I’ll take care of it tomorrow.”

She jerked her head up, nearly clipping his chin. “What? You’re going to fight him? That’s what he meant, didn’t he? No! I don’t want—”

He shushed her, first with his voice, then with gently persuasive kisses. “I’ll be careful. I promise. All will be well.”

She tried to argue, but his lips stilled every argument, until she finally just pushed him back. “Look. There has to be a better way.”

He took her hand in his, kissed it. Then he slowly coaxed her to lie against his chest. “Very well. I’ll talk to him tomorrow. We’ll sort this out.”

Her breathing slowly began to calm. “You will? You think he’ll listen?”

“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 all 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, Jordon drifted off.

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.

Jordon 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, Griff biting and feinting viciously at the monster twice his size.

“He allowed Griffin to choose 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 open. 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.”

Jordon 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,” Jordon 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.

Jordon 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? “Griffin? 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 griffins 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 Jordon 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 humour you for now. There are other ways we can settle this matter.” With an enigmatic glance at Jordon, he disappeared in a swirl of black smoke.

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

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

She bit her lip, unsure if he were truly hurt. “It might help if you turned back into a human. 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. She was starting 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 her dress on purpose, Jordon 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 let her go two days 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, then 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 made her heart go soft.

There were many things about her new home that were strange to Jordon, 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.

Holly Lisle

The Thorsday Night Writers were getting down to business when a cold autumn wind swirled through the room, leaving a tall, rugged blond in its wake. He stood in the doorway, looking a little lost and a lot out of place – a man who did not belong.

It’s hard to look out of place in a writers’ group – especially one like ours, which specializes in science fiction and fantasy.

Jason MFA-Working-on-PhD had the mandatory professorial waist-length ponytail, goatee and tweed jacket; William I-Write-Bleeding-Edge-Crossover dressed only in black turtlenecks and black jeans; Carol My-Tiny-Heroines-Can-Kick-Your-Big-Ol’-Heroes’-Asses dyed her hair carrot orange in homage to Robert Heinlein’s heroines, wore elf-green contact lenses, and favoured spandex – which admittedly looked fantastic on her; Apocalypse-and-Dystopia Tophe (short for Christopher) had run out of places to tattoo, and had moved on to making sure he’d never pass through a metal detector alive; and Shora I-Only-Write-in-the-Nude (who thankfully wasn’t writing at the moment), favoured low-cut skintight angora sweaters, miniskirts, and six-inch heels when she did deign to dress. An ex-stripper, she was smart and tough, hated her job as an office manager, and wrote unfinished fantasy novels about women who conquered the universe by lying on their backs.