Sacrifice (Gryphon Series) (8 page)

“
Celeste, look out
!” someone screamed. There’s a high likelihood it was me.  

I shook my head in an attempt to erase the unbelievable image before me. A shark surfed toward me on top of a wave. Sharks can’t surf, I know that. But—terrifying as it was—this one excelled at it. The wide open mouth of a Great White, if I had to guess, soared my way ready to devour me.
My legs forgot how to move and my brain switched into an operating speed the equivalent of a hamster running on an exercise wheel. Fear paralyzed me where I stood.

T
he black eyes of the gigantic fish rolled back in their sockets as its rows of razor sharp teeth extended out, hungry for my flesh. A mighty roar pierced the air as my lion sentry soared over my head and intercepted the killer fish. He hit it head on and the two rolled across the sand in a frenzied explosion of gnashing teeth and snapping jaws. Only then did I realize the shark sported legs.

So that’s what a
Water Titan looks like—pants wetting terrifying.

The two savage beasts clung together. Both sets of
bone-crushing teeth snarled and grappled to tear into the other’s flesh. Wet sand clung to them as they blurred together in their violent flurry. A flash of a silver fin. The swipe of a tawny claw. The flip of a long tail fin. Flying chunks of chestnut fur.

Caleb and Kendall
ran across the beach. Keni’s wings shielded them from the hammering winds and sea spray. They didn’t need to hurry. None of us could do anything. Getting between the shark and lion would mean a loss of limbs … or a nasty flare up of deadness. I tried to part them with my telepathy, but even mental means couldn’t get between them. I could do nothing but watch—until the unthinkable happened.

The shark flung i
ts head to the side and sunk its teeth deep into Gabe’s hip. Our lion roared in pain. Blood bubbled and poured from his gaping wound. Muscle and tissue ripped from bone and hung off him like limp spaghetti noodles. Bile rose in my throat and I slapped my hand over my mouth. Instinct prompted my feet into action. I rushed to my brother’s aid but quickly found he had no need for me. His lip curled up and he lunged on the shark. The pupils of his feline eyes dilated and blood lust took over. Claws and teeth shredded and devoured the fish’s course skin in a violent fury. Blood sprayed through the air and splattered me from head to toe.

“Gabe!
Stop
!” If he heard me my warning failed to resonate. Instinct had dragged him to a dark place where only one thought got through—kill or be killed.

The land shark
’s blood soaked into the sand and stained Gabe-lion’s muzzle a deep rust color. With one last twitch the massive fish fell to the ground—lifeless. Seconds later nothing remained but black tar.

Only then did Gabe glance up. His eyes blinked back to human
. Pain and shock forced his change. “Celeste, I’m sorry. I … I couldn’t stop.”

Blood loss
quickly claimed its spoils. Gabe sat down hard in the sand, his skin ghostly pale and covered in blood. His head lolled to the side and his eyes rolled back. In a flap of feathers, Kendall stood by his side, easing him to the ground and pouring healing warmth into him.

Icy p
rickles ran down my spine. Caleb wasn’t with her.

I spun in a circle
and found nothing except empty beach. The storm stilled as if holding its breath.

Caleb was
…
gone
. My breath came short and shallow. The world whipped around me like a crazy carnival ride. I didn’t get to say goodbye. I deserved a split second to try to save him. How dare I be denied that? Lack of oxygen caused black spots to dance before my eyes. The ground rose up to meet me as my knees buckled.

I didn’t even get a chance
…

A pair of arms caught me, manifesting out of black smoke
. “Lovey! I’m here! I’m right here! It’s okay!”

Grasping his shirt in tight fists,
I clung hard to Caleb as my heart struggled to find its rhythm. I buried my face into his chest and desperately breathed in his scent. Despite his proclamation, things were far from okay. The universe just showed me how easily it could steal him from me. Nothing would ever be okay again.

C
HAPTER EIGHT

The rocking chair creaked as I kept it in motion with one foot and stared out into the night. I rolled the piece of parchment paper Bernard gave me earlier between my fingers, but tried not to think about the words etched on it. Instead I focused on the snow, one flake at a time. I followed each one on its journey all the way to the ground before shifting my gaze to another. Shutting my brain off this way was mandatory. Only by keeping myself at an emotionally neutral state could I avoid the breakdown that threatened.

I quickly
stuffed the paper in the pocket of my winter coat when the front door squeaked open.

Grams poked her head out
, her thick zebra print throw blanket flung around her shoulders. “Sakes alive, Celeste! You’ll catch your death out here! When you weren’t at dinner I thought you’d gone to Caleb’s.”

“I was supposed to
—” I pulled my phone out and checked the time. I had missed four calls from him. “—an hour ago.”

Grams
chewed on that information for a moment. “And instead you’ve been out here this whole time?”

My chin
quivered in betrayal as I nodded.

She took a seat in the rocker beside me before she asked,
“Want to talk about it?”

I shook my head
no but proceeded to unleash a geyser of emotion. “I thought I lost him today, Grams. For a split second, I thought I failed him. The tie needs to be broken so I can kill the Titans. But if he’s human he can’t be around me. It’s too dangerous. One second I think maybe it would be easier to know he’s out there somewhere, safe. Then I hate myself for even entertaining the idea of giving up on him. But what are we doing now? We’re fighting the inevitable. Sooner or later I’ll swing too hard, or Gabe will lose control like he did today, and that’ll be it. Either way, no matter what I do from this point on … I’m going to lose him.”

My whole body shook from the impact of
the sobs I could no longer keep at bay. Grams scooted her chair closer and wrapped her arms around me. I rested my head on her shoulder and soaked her blanket with my tears.

“Oh, Celeste. I have no idea how you deal with half the bull that this calling of yours has thrown at you.
I really don’t.” She stroked my hair and kissed the top of my head. “Yet you handle it with a grace and nobility that astounds me. I know I would’ve run for the hills a long time ago if I were in your shoes. The truth is, honey, other people may have all sorts of ideas about how you should live your life and handle your problems, but none of us—myself included—can know the stress and responsibility that rests solely on
you
.”

I
swiped at the tears with the back on my hand. “What do I do, Grams? Tell me,
please
. Because I can’t make this decision. ”

She used her thumb and forefinger to grab my chin and tip my face up toward hers.
“Yes you can, and you will. Your heart will tell you what the right thing to do is, and you’ll follow that. But you need to remember this; there’s a reason
you
were chosen and not your brother or sister. Kendall, bless her heart, is all emotion. Gabe is pig-headed, but very passionate about his beliefs and opinions. Neither of them would be capable of what you are, and that’s making the really tough decisions … even when they hurt. That comes with inner strength, and
that
you have by the boatload. The right thing to do will come to you. You just have to be still and let your heart tell you what it is.”

She released my chin and
I nestled back onto her shoulder. I closed my eyes and let the tears flow free. As much as I hated to admit it, my heart already tried to tell me what I needed to do, but I purposely ignored it. I suspected I wouldn’t like its answer.



I called Caleb and blamed girl pains for my absence. As soon as we hung up I headed straight to bed. I just wanted to curl up under the covers and stay there until the house crumbled around me and grass grew over me.

I
stepped into my bedroom and immediately noticed the scroll dressed in a red satin ribbon. My heart did a nervous flutter-beat as it beckoned from its perch on my pillow. If ever there was a moment that my mysterious ally needed to step up with some brilliantly insightful information, this was it. I crossed the room in three quick strides and scooped up the scroll. My hand hovered over the ribbon and shook. Fear caused me to hesitate. I sank down onto the edge of the bed and hugged the scroll to my chest. I counted to five then yanked the ribbon free before I chickened out. My hands trembled as I unrolled the thick paper. I held my breath as I read:

It’s a sacrifice of love and one he would make for you if the roles were reversed.

A feeling I hadn’t anticipated washed over me—certainty—followed by agonizing sorrow. I fell back on the bed, rolled onto my side, and curled my knees up to my chest. Since I learned of Caleb’s link to the Titans I hadn’t dared to ask myself the one question I needed to answer. How far would Caleb go to protect
me
? My heart spoke that answer without a shadow of a doubt.

How far
would he go?
As far as
it took
.

CHAPTER
NINE

Shades of pink, yellow, and violet zigzagged across the sky like haphazard strokes from a paintbrush as the sunset over Ireland’s gorgeous Cliffs of Moher. Their reflection cast a deep purple shade onto the water below that broke in a white spray at the base of the rocky cliffs. This truly was beauty defined.

Caleb
slid his arms around my waist and nuzzled into the crook of my neck. “I told ya it was lovely.”

I ran my hands
down his arms and linked my fingers with his. “It’s gorgeous. I can’t believe I waited so long to let you bring me here.”

Ebony hair tickled my cheek as he whisper
ed in my ear, “Sometimes impendin’ doom is just the kick in the pants ya need to arrange a long overdue holiday.”

A harsh bucketful of icy reality doused all my
warm snuggly feelings. We weren’t here for a romantic rendezvous. I had a job to do. I pushed Caleb’s arms away—much to his chagrin—and dug my phone out of my pocket to check the time.

“We’ve got about twenty minutes until the first phase begins. I need to start getting things ready.”

The wood floor creaked under my feet as I strode to the knotty pine dresser to grab my satchel. Before I could get too far Caleb snagged my wrist and pulled me back to him. His fingers softly stroked my skin as he cupped my face in both his hands.

Nothing but love filled
his gaze. “Thank ya, for what ya’r doin’ for me today. Ya saved me from the Dark Army and now ya’r saving me from a burden I’ve beared for so long I ne’er dreamed I could be free of it. I’d heard of rituals like this, but thought they were fables shared between Dark Army orphans hopin’ for a better life. But then I met you … ”

I grabbed his hands and gave them a
quick squeeze before I pulled away. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t get you killed.”

I turned
my back to him before he could see the pained grimace I struggled to hold back. Out of the same satchel that usually held my sketch book and art supplies came the ingredients that would alter my future forever. My chin threatened to quiver. Sheer determination refused to let it. First I removed the piece of parchment paper Bernard gave me with the precise instructions of what I had to do. After that came a vial of some weird, iridescent liquid, a tarnished silver goblet, a candle, matches, and what looked like a small bundle of sticks and leaves bound tightly together with string.

“
Ya know I’m gonna be fine, lovey.”

I glanced over my shoulder.
Barefoot, with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans and his blue flannel shirt untucked, he was a picture of calm relaxation. To him our worries and cares were an ocean away. I knew otherwise.

“That’s why we came here, aye? You take that demon out of me and keep me safe from harm while
ya’r brother and sister use those special weapons Bernard armed ‘em with tah destroy the Titans once and for all.” His shoulders rose and fell in a carefree shrug. “Way I see it, I’m safe as a wee babe with you as my body guard.”

“Yeah, what could possibly go wrong?”
Even I heard the bitterness of my tone.

In a puff of black smoke he
stood beside me. He slipped a finger under my chin and tipped my face up so I had no choice but to stare into those hypnotizing emerald eyes. “Absolutely nothin’. I know my bein’ human scares ya, but I’m not worried in the least. As long as I’m with you, everything else will work out.”

“I hope so.
” I swallowed hard to dislodge the lump in my throat, then changed the subject with a nod at the incantation ingredients. “We need to get started.”

“Aye. What can I do
tah help?”

I struck a match and lit the candle
. “Empty that vial into the goblet.”

Caleb popped the cap off and peeked inside
as he swirled the shimmering liquid around. “It looks like dish soap.” He sniffed it and cringed. “Phew! It does
not
smell like it.”

“
Then I’d suggest plugging your nose when you drink it.” I used the same match to light my bushel of leaves and sticks. They sizzled and smoked. Their earthy smell quickly filled the room. I shook the match to extinguish it.

Caleb crossed the room
and yanked the window open a crack. “I have tah drink that vile smellin’ stuff? I grew up on a demon plane, but that
smells
evil.”

I waved my smoldering sticks in small circles around the goblet
. “Yep, that’s considered your consent to break the bond.”

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth
. “Makes sense, I guess. Ya have tah want it badly enough to drink liquefied cow dung. That’s how they rule out those that only kinda wanna be human.”

That garnered a genuine laugh d
espite my somber mood. “Well, it’s about that time, sir. Cow dung or not, bottoms up.”

H
is hand closed around the base of the goblet. Pain the likes of which I’d never known seized my heart. He swirled the blue liquid around causing a tiny bit to slosh out. I watched him raise the cup to his lips as if he moved in slow motion. When that liquid touched his tongue everything would change. He’d never know I lied to him. He’d never know how much this hurt me. I wanted to scream for him to stop. To knock the cup from his hands before it was too late and get lost in his arms forever. Instead I stood silent and promised myself that somehow, someway we would be together again.

He poured the liquid into his mouth and my breath caught.
There was no going back now.

“
Gah! That was horrid!” He slammed the now empty goblet down onto the dresser with more force than necessary. “That’s it now, isn’t it? Restored mortality comin’ up?”

My words came out breathless
and forced, “When the moon is at its highest the bond will be broken.”

And you’ll be gone.

A wide smile of genuine happiness spread across his face. “No reason the celebration can’t start now, aye? I’ll get a cozy fire goin’ in the fireplace, we’ll crack open the bottle of wine I brought—because ya’r of legal drinkin’ age here in lovely Ir’land—then we’ll toast my last night as a demon and the beginnin’ of our
human
life together.” He hooked his hand around the back of my neck and pulled me close for a quick kiss, then darted off whistling.

I pressed the back of my hand to
my mouth and watched him work. How do you act normal when it feels like your world just imploded? Was it possible to go through the motions of normalcy when all I wanted to do was lay down and cry? This wasn’t the first time I had pondered that question. Right after Daddy died I asked Grams how we could possibly go on without him. She had swiped at her own tears with a handkerchief and answered, “We’ll keep breathing, keep moving, and trust time to do its job and heal our hearts.”  

I let th
e memory of those words resonate through me and tried to steady my breath. I forced one foot in front of the other all the way to the weathered rocking chair by the fireplace. My gaze stayed locked on Caleb. I wanted to memorize every inch of him, to be able to recall even the subtlest nuances. The strong line of his jaw. That wonderful area just below his hairline on the back of his neck that I found so soft and touchable. How his silky hair felt when I ran it between my fingers. How right it felt when his strong arms pulled me in close …

“Celeste? Are
ya listenin’ tah a word I’m sayin’, lovey?”

I expelled a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding
. “No. I really wasn’t,” I admitted with the best flirty smirk I could manage. It felt so awkward and uncomfortable I could only imagine it made me look constipated. “I was busy admiring the view.”

He scooted across the floor
and knelt beside my chair. “I know ya’r troubled, love. And I know why. But I need ya tah know that I’m gonna be okay. If I died tomorrow it wouldn’t be a loss. Not for me. Because I have you.” He gently pressed his palm to my face and used his thumb to wipe away the lone tear that snuck down my cheek. “Ya’r all I want, and all I’ll e’er need. And even though me being human scares ya, it thrills me tah no end. Because now we have a chance at a real life together. One I couldn’t have offered ya before.”

Caleb’s hand hovered over mine. Black smoke puffed
in the space between them. I glanced down at my hand while Caleb shifted his position. My mouth fell open. A diamond solitaire set between two emeralds had materialized on the ring finger of my left hand.

NO!
My brain screamed.
This can’t be what I think it is, because that’s too painful for
any
person to bear!

The
raven-haired soon-to-be ex-demon dropped to one knee before me and took my hand. There were words. Wonderfully, sweet words that I couldn’t hear over the sound of my heart breaking. His traditional ending of, “Celeste Marie Garrett, will ya marry me?” stabbed into my heart like a hooked dagger meant not only to puncture, but to rip the beating muscle right from my chest.