Shield's Lady

moment.”
    Sariana’s smile vanished. “I am sorry to hear that, Gryph, because you were hired precisely for the purpose of interesting yourself in the Avylyns’ problems. Are you telling me I am not going to get my money’s worth out of you?”
    “What money’s worth?” he exploded. “So far I haven’t received a single trell note from you. Forget the money, we’ve got more important things to discuss and not a whole lot of time in which to discuss them.”
    Her chin lifted challengingly. “You’re going somewhere?”
    “We are going somewhere. You and I. From now on, Sariana, we will be doing most things together.”
    Sariana drew herself up to her full height which put her somewhere in the neighborhood of Gryph’s shoulder.
    “I was not aware you were going to be so possessive,” she stated. “Just because we were, well, involved for one night, does not mean you have any claim on me.”
    “No claim on you! Have you lost your senses, lady?”
    “You westerners are all alike.” Sariana glared at him. “High-strung and emotional. If you’re going to insist on conducting a temperamental scene over the subject of our relationship, I would prefer to do so later in my office. After we have analyzed what you found out about the missing cutter last night.”
    “I’ll just bet you would prefer to hold our discussion in your office where you can hide behind that black stone desk of yours and give lectures on the emotional nature of westerners. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you get away with that.” Gryph paused to take a grip on his temper. Patience, he reminded himself. This was a time for patience. He was dealing with a strong-willed, proud young woman who had been through a very disorienting experience. Her first sexual encounter with a man had not been anything close to what she had probably been expecting. She was only trying to cope with something that must seem very alien to her. “Sariana, I want to explain a few things to you.”
    “Such as?”
    “Such as the laws of the land,” he retorted gently. “You’ve been living with the Avylyns for several months. Hasn’t anyone ever mentioned the First Generation Pact to you?”
    “No. And I really don’t have time for a history lesson. Nor do I feel like listening to any legends right now. I’m on my way to breakfast.”
    She walked straight past him into the gallery and closed the door behind her. The scarlet-toe on her shoulder showed its teeth again in what Gryph decided was a very superior attitude for a lizard. It was an attitude the creature had clearly adopted from its new owner.
    Sariana made her way briskly along the gallery, the hem of her gown snapping at her ankles. Gryph watched her for a moment, absorbing the tilt of her proudly carried head, the straight line of her gracefully shaped back and the no-nonsense sway of her hips.
    It occurred to him then that his new Shieldmate had a full measure of pride as well as courage. She was trying very hard to pretend that nothing unusual had happened, but beneath that sweetly arrogant pose was a young woman trying in grapple with what must have been a very unsettling mix of emotions.
    Obviously she had decided on the approach she was going to use to deal with her problem. She was going to try to pretend nothing had happened. Gryph admired her spirit even while he was forced to struggle with his own temper.
    Automatically he touched the lock on his weapon kit, remembering the passion and pain and the unbreakable bond that had been forged during the night. Then he thought about Brinton dying in that alley because another Shield wanted the prisma cutter. Gryph had no choice. There was no time to continue the wooing process. He could not afford to wait on the convenience of his nervous bride. If she thought she could interview him later in her office and discuss their relationship at some unspecified time in the future, she had a surprise coming.
    He had tried to do this quietly and in private, but she had refused to listen to him. She was bent, as usual, on having everything her own way. To that end she was endeavoring to use her first major line of defense, her glib tongue. Her lack of fear of him was almost laughable. She still had no idea how indulgent he was being with her. She still did not know that under the law, her fate had been sealed last night.
    Gryph did not like untenable, unresolved situations. It was his nature to face matters and settle them.
    Perhaps the