Love in the Fortress Read online

  Griffin’s battle energy flowed in hot waves across his shoulders, down his arms and into both hands. The vibrations were more powerful than anything he’d previously experienced. At the same time, he felt his connection to Sandra and that so much of his new strength came from their shared bond.

  I’m with you, Griffin. Whatever you need, I’m here. Just take him down. He’s hurt so many of the slaves in the fortress.

  That’s the plan.

  Griffin fixed his gaze on Fulton. “How about we finish this?”

  Fulton glanced at Sandra then back to Griffin. “You think I don’t know what’s going on here? The moment Sandra showed up in the housekeeper’s room, I could smell the nature of her blood and that she’d become something new. But I also felt the bond and since you’d already admitted to fucking the bitch, I figured out the rest. She’s a blood rose, isn’t she? And right now, you think you’re going to leave the fortress alive.” He shook his head with a cruel smile on his lips. “But I have other plans. I’m going to end your sorry life, then take Sandra for myself. And I won’t be gentle.”

  Having bonded with Sandra, Griffin’s life had shifted completely and dying was no longer on his priority list. The opposite was true. Love had changed everything for him.

  What he hadn’t figured out was how to defeat all three men and do it fast. Despite his increase in power, he knew he couldn’t battle all of them by himself.

  What lived inside him now, however, because he was bonded to a blood rose, went far beyond the nature of power. As he opened himself up to that bond, he finally realized he was connected to something greater than himself.

  Sandra, I need you to access the blood rose bond. There’s something here we can achieve together. My gut tells me your expanding fae abilities can enhance the situation.

  I’m on it.

  ~ ~ ~

  Sandra held Yvonne’s hand. The troll was trembling, yet kept her chin high. She’d tangled with Fulton more than once herself.

  “Yvonne, I’m going to concentrate on my faeness, but I’ll need to release your hand.”

  Yvonne nodded, letting go of Sandra’s hand. To Sandra’s surprise, Yvonne then placed her hand on Sandra’s shoulder. It was such a gentle supportive gesture, that somehow it sparked her fae power. Suddenly, the future flew around her once more in the same odd pieces, like a torn up photo.

  Now, however, her fae instincts told her the collected picture would be important. She realized in that moment, because she was a blood rose bonded to a mastyr vampire, she was no longer a simple fae. She’d become something more, much more.

  Hearing Fulton’s vile threats also spurred her on.

  Griffin would battle with all his might. She knew that and she could feel his battle energy vibrating heavily in the air. He wasn’t the kind of man to hold back and he would do everything within his power to save her as well as Yvonne.

  Yet it wouldn’t be enough, not to vanquish all three vampires. She quickly began gathering the images into a cohesive portrait. Once it was complete, it became a steady flow beginning right where Griffin was standing and moving through what looked like a video of the battle start to finish.

  If Griffin had that information, he’d know what to do and when to do it.

  The next moment, just like the rolling vision, Griffin erected a heavy blue shield in front of him, extending it to cover both Sandra and Yvonne. But it wouldn’t last, not when all three vampires began pummeling his shield with their corresponding red power.

  Griffin. I’ve seen the battle, each of their moves.

  What do you mean?

  I’ve seen how the battle progresses. The bond has strengthened my blood rose ability and my power to access the future. I’ve seen how the battle can unfold in a way for you to defeat them. And I think I can send it to you.

  She felt Griffin deliberate, but only for a moment. Send it. Send it now. I know this is the way. And while I’m doing it, gather another image of our escape, or at least try. From the beginning, I sensed an escape route through Margetta’s spelled mist. I have a gut feeling we need to find that pathway for all of us to survive and it will require split-second timing.

  I think you’re right. So, here goes. While watching him, she held her telepathic channel wide open and brought the strange sequence of images forward, sending it swiftly into his mind.

  His body jerked and at the same moment, Fulton gave the orders to burn down his shield. All three vampires let loose with even greater streams of their battle energies.

  ~ ~ ~

  Griffin understood right away exactly what the images meant and how he could use them. There had been so many rumors about the blood rose bond that it was hard to know what to believe or not to believe.

  But one of the accounts spoke exactly of this, the rise of new shared powers and the ability of the mastyr and his blood rose to work together to fight the enemy.

  Whatever the case, with his battle shield still in place, he let the vision roll. It would slow as needed until he got a full picture of what he had to do. The battle would begin the moment he withdrew his shield.

  He was fully aware that the activity overhead had died down and that soon he, Sandra and Yvonne would come under scrutiny. He had only a couple of minutes, if that, to get the women out of the fortress and past Margetta’s spell-shield.

  Yet, more than at any other time in his life, he was ready.

  In a fast streak of movement, he transferred his full-shield energy into pulses from each hand. Following the vision now playing through his mind, he sent hard swift streaks from each of his palms, directing them at the enemy’s red battle streams. He couldn’t believe how fast he’d made this happen. Explosions erupted and one of the vampires flew backward into the hedge screaming. One down.

  Fulton threw an axe, which Griffin dodged with a quick lateral levitation because of the telepathic video. A split second later, the remaining vampire, Brayer, sent a pulse of battle power at Griffin. He met it with one of his own, sending a shower of combined blue and red sparks high into the air.

  Fulton then ran at him, dagger in hand. At the same time, Brayer sent another series of battle energy pulses at Griffin.

  Griffin fired back at Brayer and because of the images in his head he knew what Fulton meant to do. With precision timing and still holding his battle stream steady at Brayer, Griffin levitated and came down with a scissors grip around Fulton’s neck. Brayer withdrew his battle energy at the same time, otherwise he’d hit Fulton.

  Griffin then somersaulted, flinging Fulton onto his back on the grass. Fulton’s dagger fell several feet away.

  The images flowed, showing Griffin the angle of Brayer’s next attack. Griffin levitated swiftly and grabbed Fulton’s dagger. He whirled and arced in another levitation, meeting Brayer midair.

  Griffin swiped the dagger across Brayer’s abdomen, gutting him. Brayer screamed and fell on his side.

  Griffin knew Fulton was already rising to his feet, his battle energy vibrating heavily.

  Levitating and shifting to a horizontal position again, Fulton’s battle energy pulsed harmlessly into the rose bushes. At the same moment, Griffin moved like a shot in Fulton’s direction then dragged the blade over his throat.

  Fulton clutched at his neck, dropped to his knees, then collapsed on the grass, blood spewing between his fingers.

  All three vampires were down.

  Griffin didn’t hang around to make sure each made it to the afterlife. He had a tougher job to do right now, and his gut told him he only had a matter of seconds to escape the mist overhead.

  At almost the same moment, Sandra’s new vision, of their escape path through Margetta’s mist, flowed into his head. In it, he saw wraith-pairs coming toward him in the garden. He didn’t look back to see if they were actually there; he felt it in his bones.

  He levitated away from them and swept in Sandra and Yvonne’s direction. They were both ready and waiting for him, each with an arm extended high.

  W
hile still in flight, he caught Sandra with his right arm and Yvonne with his left, pulling them tight to his sides, grateful for his natural Guardsman strength. Neither woman uttered a sound as he carried them into the air at a phenomenal speed.

  He pathed to both at the same time. I’ve got you. Stay calm if you can. We’re in Margetta’s spell now.

  He had to slow to navigate the spell, but the pathway out of the mist was as clear to him as if he’d built it himself.

  ~ ~ ~

  The mist clung to Sandra, a fae itch on her skin. She could feel Margetta’s magic tugging at them from all sides. But the vision held true of the exact path Griffin needed to take. He flew slowly right now, easing left, then right, then back, always in motion.

  Do you feel that, Griffin? The pull of the spell?

  I do, but we’re almost there.

  Suddenly, Griffin burst past the mist and into the night sky. He went fast once more, flying like a rocket, arcing northeast.

  They’d made it.

  Griffin had used the path her blood rose ability had forged, and they’d made it out.

  “We’re free!” she shouted.

  Yvonne, to Sandra’s surprise, let out a loud whoop as well, that resounded over the Dauphaire Mountains below.

  “I’m going to ease each of you onto one of my boots, give us all a little more stability. Yvonne, you first.”

  Sandra felt the slight shift sideways as Griffin adjusted the troll’s feet.

  “Your turn, Sandra.”

  He hefted her up with his extraordinary vampire strength until she was able to settle her feet on his right boot. She began to relax.

  Griffin sustained his speed as they flew. The man was determined to get them to safety. Plus, they were running out of the cover of the night. It would be dawn in less than a half hour.

  “Thank you, Sandra. Your timing was perfect. And the path you were able to detect through the spell was exactly what we needed to escape. We couldn’t have done this otherwise. You did this for us.”

  She reached her arm over Griffin’s shoulders and settled her hand on Yvonne’s arm. “We’re free, Mistress. We’re free!”

  “Yes, we are.” This time, Yvonne’s voice was much softer and Sandra was pretty sure she heard the former fortress housekeeper issuing a couple of solid sobs.

  Sandra’s throat grew tight as well. She’d spent thirty years serving a monster, watching fellow-slaves tortured and killed, or those that survived, bonded to wraiths. Yvonne had been in the fortress twice as long.

  Then Griffin had arrived and now she was flying above the snow peaks of the Dauphaires.

  Yvonne asked, “Where are we headed?”

  Griffin’s deep voice hit the air once more. “To Juniango to find your daughter, Eva, of course.”

  Sandra smiled and her heart swelled. She had a good man and she knew it.

  This time, Yvonne didn’t hold anything back and she wailed into the cool, early morning air. She was so lost in her emotions that her shaking caused all three of them to rattle around a bit. It was both poignant and amusing at the same time.

  Griffin, you’ve done such an incredible thing tonight. And I hope more than anything we find Eva alive and well.

  I know that you’re the fae in our partnership, but my instincts tell me we will. Maybe I got that from you.

  Well, for heaven’s sakes don’t tell her. She might really start to sob and send all three of us catapulting into a series of aerial somersaults we’d never recover from.

  Oh, we’d recover.

  His strong, masculine voice in her head and his confidence in his physical ability, worked on Sandra in a very female way. She caressed his back and shoulders. Thank you. For everything.

  ~ ~ ~

  Griffin had a couple of bruises. That’s all. Nothing serious as he flew Sandra and the good-hearted housekeeper toward the mountain village of Juniango.

  He couldn’t believe this had happened, this miracle of an escape. Fulton and his men would have taken him down had it not been for Sandra’s strange gift and his own advanced abilities because he’d bonded with a blood rose.

  He could recall one of the rumors that had made its way through the enslaved portion of the camp, talk involving the blood rose phenomenon. Many believed it had arisen specifically, coming from the Goddess herself, to counteract Margetta’s intention to bring the Nine Realms under her control.

  He knew one thing for certain: He couldn’t have escaped the fortress without Sandra. He’d followed her video-like images to the letter, which had allowed him to defeat Fulton and his men as well as to navigate a very specific pathway through Margetta’s mist. He’d always sensed there was an escape route through the Ancient Fae’s spell, but he couldn’t have found it by himself.

  Yep, the whole thing was a blood rose miracle for which he’d be eternally grateful.

  But Margetta’s fortress wasn’t the only thing he’d escaped. Until he’d met Sandra, and become her friend, his life had been a burned down forest where new growth would never take root. Battling for the past century had been his life, and he’d been happy to serve, built as he was for facing off with bad guys of any kind.

  He was a protector and he’d been proud of it.

  But he’d also been alone, suffering the effects of chronic pain, disconnected from all meaningful relationships except with his brothers-in-arms, and living his life on the outskirts of society.

  Now, his life felt complete. He held a woman tight to his right side and he knew she’d stand with him no matter what happened in the coming days, weeks and years. She was that kind of woman.

  He felt blessed beyond understanding and grateful beyond words.

  He began his descent to the village of Juniango, his warrior eyes slowly searching for any sign of Invictus activity. Along Main Street, he saw several members of the Troll Brigade standing guard. Because dawn hadn’t yet arrived, there were still a number of fae and vampires out, a few of them drunk and others finishing up some last minute shopping before being housebound the rest of the day.

  He landed near the local pub, the Trollhead Inn, and carefully released his hold on Yvonne and Sandra. He didn’t let go of either of them completely because for the uninitiated flight could cause dizziness.

  Yvonne, especially, listed on her feet. “I’m so sorry, Mastyr, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  “You’re not used to flight. Let’s go inside and have a pint. And if we need to, Sandra and I can spend the day here, in the inn.”

  She glanced up at the sign. “The Trollhead.” She put a hand to her chest. “Am I home? Am I really home?”

  Sandra was much steadier on her feet and left Griffin to join Sandra on her other side. She slid her arm around Yvonne’s waist. “Come on. Let’s have a drink then find out where your family is.”

  These words, however, caused the troll to put both hands to her face and burst into tears once more. Sandra, the good woman that she was, dipped down and surrounded the much shorter troll with both arms, holding her close.

  While the women were speaking softly to each other and now weeping together, the door to the Trollhead opened. Griffin immediately stepped in front of the women, then lowered his knees and shoulders ready to face whatever opponent would come at him. He’d been sparring for so long with conscienceless freaks that this habit wasn’t going to disappear any time soon.

  What met his gaze, however, was the long leather, sleeveless coat of the Camberlaune Guard, thigh boots and leathers. And the red hair of one of his brothers-in-arms. “Owen?”

  Owen stared at him unblinking for several seconds. “Griffin, holy fuck! I saw you last at Wayford. We thought you were dead! Where the hell have you been, you ugly bastard?”

  The next moment, Owen’s beefy arms surrounded him and the crushing tightness of the man-hug made his eyes burn and his throat ache. His thoughts had been all for the women, getting them to safety, and seeing if he could restore Yvonne to her family.

  The last
thing he’d expected was to run into a friend out here in Juniango.

  When Owen pulled back, he slapped Griffin on the shoulder. “Damn, you’re lean, but I see you’ve still worked out.”

  Yeah, he’d worked out, wielding weapons against the Invictus in practice sessions for the past year. He didn’t say that. Instead, he explained where he’d been then gestured to Yvonne and Sandra. “We could use a drink.”

  Owen pulled him inside and called out to the troll bartender. “Four pints, Virginia. We’ve got some celebrating to do over here.”

  “Coming up, Big Guns.” His nickname fit. Owen had a pair of massive biceps and played it up constantly. He’d left off wearing the woven Guardsman shirt as well, following Mastyr Ian’s lead who headed up the Camberlaune Guard.

  All four of them sat at a table. A moment later, Virginia brought brimming mugs over and passed them around.

  Owen took a drink then got on his phone, ready to alert the rest of the Guard, but Griffin shut him down. “Don’t. I know for a fact Margetta has a spy network in Camberlaune and I don’t want anyone to know where we are. You good with that?”

  Owen stared at him for a long moment. “Sweet Goddess, Griffin. Are you shitting me?”

  He shook his head slowly. “I picked up a lot of information from the camp, but I’m not saying another word to you or anyone else until I speak with Mastyr Ian.” Griffin took a long swig.

  Owen’s expression grew serious. “He’s been hunting for the Ruby Fae this past month. We’ve hardly seen him. She’s somewhere in the Dauphaire Mountains. Wait. Why are all three of you smiling at me? Oh, shit, you’ve seen her.”

  Griffin nodded. “And we’re hopeful she escaped tonight. But you’ll probably know more about that over the next twenty-four hours.”

  Virginia returned to the table to join in the conversation, then settled her gaze on Yvonne. “Wait a minute. I know you. Aren’t you Eva’s mother, the one who disappeared? Why it has to be decades now.”