Shield's Lady

way I did.”
    “An interesting admission for a Shield,” Sariana said dryly. “What brought you to that conclusion?”
    “I’m not sure,” he said honestly. “But I’ve been thinking about it this afternoon and I’ve decided there’s only one honorable thing for me to do.”
    Sariana held her breath. “What’s that?”
    He sat up without any warning. The quilt fell to his waist and faint starlight played on his broad shoulders. The same light also highlighted the proud planes of his face.
    “You have a right to choose, Sariana,” he declared. “If you really want to go home to Rendezvous and become an executive in your clan’s firm I have no right to stop you.”
    Sariana probed silently for an accompanying mental image that would tell her he meant what he was saying. But it was useless. Gryph was definitely not projecting. It occurred to her that as they had both become more proficient at communicating, they also seemed to have learned some skills that guarded their privacy.
    “I see,” said Sariana, “that’s certainly very noble and generous of you. I know how you westerners tend to assume that your ways are the only acceptable ways.”
    Gryph hesitated and then growled, “You easterners have the same problem, I believe.”
    “I suppose we do.” She smiled her most brilliant smile.
    Gryph glared at her. “Well?”
    “Well what?” she countered.
    He shot to his feet and paced to the bow of the sled. He was still wearing his trousers. “Are you going to take me up on my offer to let you go back to Rendezvous?”
    “Are you sure you mean it? I recall you once threatened to track me down and drag me back no matter how far I ran or where I hid. There’s not much point of my accepting your generous offer if you’re just going to chase after me.”
    Gryph sat down on a small storage locker, his palms spread wide on his thighs. He was tense and alert, a piece of prisma waiting to be detonated. “If I give you my word I won’t chase after you—”
    “Are you giving me your word?” Sariana asked with great interest.
    “We’ll get to that after you tell me what you want to do.”
    “Well, going home might be interesting. When I bring this cutter back to the Avylyns, it’s going to put the seal on my success in the west. And if I can use that success to convince the academy to accept me, I could complete my education and take my rightful place in my clan’s firm. It’s certainly an interesting proposition.”
    Gryph lost the slender thread of his patience. “Stop throwing words at me! Just tell me what you want.”
    “And if I tell you, will you give it to me?” she asked softly.
    “I’ll try.
    “Why?” she persisted.
    “Because I love you,” he roared. The words echoed between the canyon walls, filling the night. “Damn it, Sariana I love you more than anything else on this planet. I finally realized that. The bond I feel with you isn’t just based on physical passion. I know that now. I want you to be happy”
    Lucky, curled in a cloak pocket, stuck its head out and hissed inquiringly.
    Sariana smiled at Gryph as she got to her feet and walked over to him. “That’s all I need to make me stay.”
    His hands caressed her shoulders. “Sariana, do you mean that?”
    “I think I’ve been living in the west too long,” she said with loving amusement. “I’ve fallen in love and I’ve developed the most illogical, unreasonable, unbusinesslike desire to be loved by you in return. I was fairly certain you did love me, but I’m glad to hear the words. Even with the mental link between us some things still need to be said in the old-fashioned way.”
    Gryph’s relieved chuckle became a hoarse rumble of desire as Sariana rested her head against his bare shoulder. He slid his hands down Sariana’s chemise to her waist, griped her hard and lifted her high above him. He looked up at her, starlight in his eyes.
    “I’ve lived in the west all my life, Sariana, but I didn’t know what love was until I met you. My main concern was ensuring the future of my clan. Nothing was as important as that until I met you. I didn’t even realize I was in love until I started thinking about doing the right thing and allowing you to choose your future, regardless of what that choice did to my own. You teach a rough lesson, lady.”
    “You see?” Sariana murmured as he let her slide sensually down the length of his hard body. “You westerners don’t know everything, not even about