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10. Griff Finds Out (Part 2)

10

Quinlan shrugged stiffly, his heart pounding. In the scant light, he could make out every detail of Griff's expression.

His furrowed brow, the way his lips were pressed thin.

"I didn't think you'd want us to follow you," Quinlan admitted.

"Annie isn't a dragonet, is she?"

Quinlan's chest tightened. He couldn't look Griff in the eye. "No."

Griff growled.

"I'm sorry, all right?" Quinlan muttered. "My priority is to get Annie the things she needs. You kidnapped us. You assumed she's a dragon. I figured that the fastest way to get home was if I played along."

Griff's eyes flashed. "So everything was a lie?"

"No!" Quinlan's heart hurt. Maybe he should've bluffed and said he didn't feel a thing for the dragon. It would give them both a clean break. But... "I wanted to tell you about Annie. I was going to, when we reached the apartment. Because I care about you. I don't want to keep lying. Even though you're a kidnapper and I've already ruined everything, anyway."

Griff harrumphed. He began to turn away again, but paused. "Hex said you had your phone. You could've called your friends to come rescue you instead of waiting for me to fly you home."

They had to talk about this too, huh? Why was Quinlan's life so difficult?

Quinlan groaned and buried his face in the hand that wasn't holding Annie. "Because I started to like you, you giant doofus. I didn't want to like you. But your terrible songs wore me down. And you playing with Annie. And I just... I didn't know if you were going to reject us, when you found out about her. You seemed to want a dragonet so much."

"I wouldn't have rejected her," Griff said grouchily. "She's still adorable."

"Oh."

"I don't know if I can trust you again," Griff said.

Quinlan's heart sank further. "That first fire you saw, on the TP, I did that with the lighter you gave me."

Griff made an injured sound.

"Yeah. But the second time wasn't on purpose. I was just trying to see if the lighter still worked. Guess I held it too close to my shirt and it caught fire."

"You should've worn the fireproof clothing I sent to your room," Griff grumbled.

"Don't you hate me?" Quinlan asked in a very small voice.

Griff sniffed unhappily.

Guess I don't have anyone who wants me as a mate, after all, Quinlan thought. It felt horrible.

He eyed the sodden quilt that Griff was still holding onto. "Can I have my clothes back, at least?"

"They're wet," Griff said.

"Yeah. We'll just wait for them to dry, then we'll find a way back to our apartment."

"How?"

"We'll hitchhike."

"Hitchhike?" Griff growled. "You're going to get kidnapped! By bad guys!"

"Like how you kidnapped us?"

"It's so easy to kidnap you. Someone else is going to do it the first chance they get." Griff bared his teeth.

"Why do you care?" Quinlan asked, his chest tight. "It's fine. You can go home. Sorry about wasting your time."

"No," Griff growled, his entire body full of tension. "I'll take you there."

"You don't have to."

"I'm going to."

Griff scowled and dragged the quilt to a dry patch of land, pulling out the clothes one by one and wringing them dry. Then he began wringing the quilt, too.

All of it took time. Quinlan let Annie play in the shallow water while he fidgeted, making half-baked backup plans in case Griff changed his mind.

"I can't dry the clothes with fire here," Griff muttered. "Someone might see." He jerked his chin at the quilt he'd spread out on the ground. "Get in."

Quinlan bit his lip. "Do we still have a long way to go?"

"An hour."

"Okay. But check the stuff and make sure we left nothing important behind in the lake."

Griff pawed through their belongings. "We have two phones and my wallet. And our clothes, but not Annie's."

"That's all we need." Quinlan didn't particularly feel like diving back into the lake for the rest of their things.

"Don't you need a key to the apartment?"

Quinlan sighed. "We won't have an issue with that."

He shifted back into his human form, carrying Annie out of the lake. She was content to roll around on the wet quilt while Quinlan struggled to put his clothes back on.

Griff didn't say much as he wrapped Quinlan and Annie into the quilt. It wasn't cold in there, and Quinlan wasn't particularly bothered by the wet. The damp clothes, he'd tear off the moment they got back to the apartment. Wet clothes sucked.

He tried not to panic through the rest of the flight.

It was a relief when Griff finally landed, and opened the quilt once more.

"Thanks," Quinlan said awkwardly.

He got to his feet self-consciously and nursed Annie while Griff pulled on his clinging, still-damp clothes. Griff folded up the quilt and slung it over his shoulder.

"I know the way to your apartment," Griff said.

That was a relief, because Quinlan had no idea where they were.

They walked barefoot through the small forest. When they reached the edge of town, Griff prodded his phone, and growled. "It's dead."

Quinlan had expected as much.

Even though he knew the way, Griff hailed down the first cab they saw. Annie had reverted back to her human shape by now, and Griff had given her his almost-dry shirt so she could have something to wear.

The cab pulled up at the apartment. While Griff paid with his credit card, Quinlan quietly slipped out with Annie, unsure if Griff was going to follow.

He found the spare key buried in one of the flower pots, wrapped up in a sandwich bag.

Griff appeared next to him with a scowl. "You put your spare key in a flower pot?"

"Considering I have no keys on me, and this is still here, it was a wise decision," Quinlan said dryly.

He leaned in to caress the door lock, whispering, "Hey, I'm back. Sorry we were gone so long."

The frowning metal keyhole turned into a smile, and Quinlan inserted his key.

The apartment was still and messy, just as he and Wren had left it some weeks ago. Quinlan flicked on the lights, silently thanking the gods that they still had electricity.

"I don't have clean clothes your size," Quinlan said. "But there's towels if you want them."

Griff shrugged and glanced around.

Everything smelled stale. The place wasn't much to speak of; just a cramped living room with colorful secondhand toys spilling from every corner, outgrown clothes stashed in piles on a bookcase.

The living room opened into the tiny kitchen, where the counter was full of scuffed bottles and clean food containers. There was one bathroom, and one bedroom.

Quinlan brought Annie to the bedroom, stripping off his still-damp clothes. Griff watched them from the doorway.

"I'm just going to get the lake water off," Quinlan muttered, his cheeks hot.

In the bathroom, he ran the shower. Annie's tail made an appearance again.

Quinlan sat with her under the warm spray and washed them both. Then he placed Annie in her swimming tub, filling it half-full with warm water so she could play.

He dried his hands on a towel and pulled out a number of foil bags from under the counter. They were running low.

"What are those?" Griff stepped into the bathroom and crowded close, the heat of his body warming Quinlan's skin.

Quinlan swallowed. Why was Griff making an effort to care?

"Sea salts," he said, his throat suddenly tight. "We come from the sea. But the water we drink and bathe in is purified. It doesn't have any of the nutrients we need."

Griff rumbled. "Isabel said our table salt went missing."

Quinlan flushed. "I—I had to borrow some for Annie. But it isn't enough. Seawater isn't just made with sodium chloride. There are other things in it, like sparkling kelp and sea mushrooms. Volcanic rocks and seashell dust. We need all of those to be healthy. Watch the color of Annie's tail."

He scooped the powders into a mixing jar, sealing the bags and setting them aside. Then he added some warm water to the jar, shook it up, and poured the mixture into the tub.

Annie flapped her tail and smacked the water's surface. As the powders dissolved, her dull pink scales began to shine once more, turning a bright, healthy pink.

Griff sucked in a slow breath. "You should've told me to bring you here sooner."

Quinlan twitched his shoulders. "I didn't know for sure if you'd agree."

"You could've—" Griff clenched his jaw as though he was... torn? "You could've asked Blade to come get you."

"Yeah, maybe I should've."

"Tell me again. Why didn't you?"

When Quinlan looked up, he found Griff staring intently at him. Quinlan didn't feel as though he warranted that kind of attention. But Griff leaned in, all broad shoulders and body heat, and Quinlan's breath snagged in his throat.

He owed Griff a better explanation.

"Because it's been so long since anyone wanted me," Quinlan said haltingly. "And there you were, trying so hard to win me over. It was enough that... Even though I didn't have everything you wanted, I thought... Maybe if I pretended that Annie was a dragonet, you'd want me to stick around. I'm sorry."

Something in Griff's expression changed. "You like my songs."

Quinlan huffed weakly, his mouth twitching. "They're so corny. But they're also so you."

"They make you smile."

"As difficult as it is for me to believe it, they actually do. You put so much effort into them and... it doesn't feel right when you stop singing your songs."

Griff's eyes brightened. "You want me to keep singing?"

A blush crept up Quinlan's cheeks. "Yes."

Griff looked as though he might break into song right there. "Are you hiding any other secrets from me?"

Quinlan shook his head. "Annie was my only secret. There's nothing else I'm trying to hide from you. All you have to do is ask, and I'll answer."

"Hmm," Griff said thoughtfully. "I might still be a tiny bit mad, but... I forgive you."

Quinlan's heart thumped. "W-why?"

"Because I'm lonely, too," Griff murmured, leaning even closer so their faces were inches apart. "I have desired a mate for a long time."

"Plenty of people would be delighted to have you as their mate." Quinlan said breathlessly.

Griff shook his head. "Plenty of people want me for my money. If they stay, they just tolerate my songs."

"But that was me, too. Initially."

"I kept you around because of how protective you are over Annie," Griff whispered, watching Quinlan intently. "You'll be an excellent dad for my dragonets."

Quinlan flushed harder. "I-I didn't agree to more babies!"

Griff's mouth curved. "I will convince you later."

Annie was still splashing in her tub, so Quinlan forced all the possibilities of Griff's ‘convincing' out of his mind. "There's probably other people like me around."

Griff made a noncommittal sound. "I also want a mate who is honest. Aside from Annie, you have been honest about everything else. You don't hesitate to tell me that you don't like my songs, but you listen to them anyway. You have made it very clear that you have no wish to hear my pickup lines."

"Those lines are cursed," Quinlan said vehemently.

Griff broke into a laugh. The sound drew out the tension in Quinlan's shoulders; it slipped a bit of hope into his chest.

"I will read a pickup line to you every night, just to see the way your cheeks flush so prettily," Griff murmured, gently cupping Quinlan's face with his large hands. "I want to find your tender spots; I want to know what makes you laugh."

"Even after all I've done—"

"Let's start over," Griff whispered. "I'm Griff. And I'm about to re-kidnap you and bring you back to my lair."

Quinlan stared at him in shock. Then a snort escaped him, followed by a long bout of helpless laughter. "Oh, gods. Really? Another kidnapping?"

"You know you'll prefer mine over anyone else's."

He wasn't wrong.

"We should rest," Quinlan said after his amusement faded. "You flew for hours. And it's almost dawn."

"Fine. I'll kidnap you tomorrow night." Griff gave a hopeful smile, running his knuckles along Quinlan's jaw. When Quinlan nodded, Griff's smile grew.

"Fine."

Quinlan scooped Annie out of her tub and toweled her dry. When Griff reached for her swimming tub, Quinlan shook his head.

"No, leave it. Annie could use another soak tomorrow."

"What about you?"

"I'll get what's left after Annie's second bath."

Griff frowned. "Fireheart."

How did one word make Quinlan's insides quiver so pleasantly?

"When did you last have a salt bath?" Griff asked accusingly.

"A... while ago." Quinlan winced.

"Fireheart!"

Quinlan sighed. "I don't have much, Griff. I'm broke. Wren and I owe our landlord rent. I've been out of a job for a while, and right before you and I met, I had just enough money for a loaf of bread. Whatever salts I have, they're all going to Annie first."

Annie squirmed in his arms, her pink tail smacking against Quinlan's belly.

Griff's shoulders sagged. "If Annie's tail had become so dull, what about yours?"

"Annie's more important."

"Someone has to take care of you," Griff growled fiercely. "When we wake up, we will go to the apothecary. We're getting you a salt bath."

Quinlan flushed under the intensity of his stare. "If that's what you want."

"Yes."

Quinlan looked into Griff's eyes. Griff wasn't lying. He seemed so adamant about giving Quinlan a second chance, about giving him something good, that Quinlan felt so very humbled. "Are you sure? About me?"

"You're still who I want," Griff said softly. "I'm still courting you."

Quinlan blushed.

Griff growled, leaning in over Annie's tiny form. He pressed his lips to Quinlan's ever so gently, his breath hot on Quinlan's face, and tingles flooded down Quinlan's spine.

He's kissing me. He wants me enough to kiss me.

Before Quinlan could respond, Griff pulled away.

"More later," Griff whispered. "I will give you a proper kiss when Annie's asleep."

The blush on Quinlan's face intensified.

Griff's gaze darkened. He kissed Quinlan's forehead and nudged him toward the bedroom. "I will take a shower. When I'm done, I will share your bed."

Did he mean...?

Quinlan hurried to the bedroom that he'd shared with Wren and their babies, setting Annie in her crib so he could grab her clothes. Annie yawned and blinked sleepily up at him. He dressed her for bed, then deliberated on what to wear.

In the end, he decided on a T-shirt and a pair of loose sleep shorts. He listened to Griff humming tunelessly over the shower spray, rocking Annie gently as he went around checking the doors and windows.

Wren had refreshed the wards on the entrances before they'd left on their trip. They were safe here.

So Quinlan awkwardly moved Annie's crib to the living room, kissing her forehead and gently laying her down.

He slipped back into the bedroom.

It was cramped in here, too, with two small beds and one crib remaining. Quinlan stretched out on his bed.

He and Wren had never brought anyone back to their apartment for sex. It had been too risky, at first because they were both small omega-types that were vulnerable compared to someone big and burly. Then they'd had babies, and no one wanted to risk bringing a stranger home.

Having Griff here... It felt new and weird. But in a good way.

The shower shut off. Quinlan watched the empty doorway, his heart pattering.

It didn't take long for Griff to emerge from the bathroom completely naked, stepping into the bedroom.

"Leave the door ajar," Quinlan said. "So we can hear if Annie cries."

"Aww, you're such a good dad," Griff rumbled, pleased. He did as Quinlan asked. Then he stalked over to the bed where light from the streetlamps shone in through a window, illuminating Quinlan's body. "You look good."

Quinlan held his breath as Griff clambered onto his bed. There wasn't enough space for two people to sleep side-by-side. But Griff didn't seem to mind. He braced himself over Quinlan, leaning so close that his eyes blurred.

"You can see in the dark," Griff murmured. "Your pupils expand all the way."

"It's so we can swim to the ocean's depths," Quinlan said. "Not the twilight zone though. That place is too dark and creepy."

"Have you been there? To places so deep that the creatures have to make their own light?"

"Once." Quinlan grimaced. "I went with some merfolk friends and almost got swallowed by... a monster. With a huge shapeless mouth and wriggling teeth. Once is enough."

"Do you prefer having two legs and living on land?"

Quinlan blew out a breath. "It's... different. There are more things out here. Grocery stores, beds, people. Friends. There are merfolk who live their whole lives underwater, but... I think it gets lonely. You hunt your own meals, and you make friends with dolphins and sharks. But you can only talk so much to a dolphin, and there's no TV."

Griff chuckled, his breath hot on Quinlan's skin. "Imagine watching movies in the ocean."

"It'd be too noisy. Everything makes noise down there. The whales sing to each other all the time. Then there's ships messing up all the sounds with their engine noise, and sometimes there's undersea volcanic eruptions."

"You'll have to tell me more," Griff whispered in Quinlan's ear, his lips soft against Quinlan's skin. "But not right now."

Quinlan shivered. "What do you want to do right now?"

Griff pressed his bare, damp body lightly against Quinlan. Something heavy and soft dragged against Quinlan's inner thigh, growing harder and heavier by the second.

Quinlan gulped.

"I am going to kiss you properly," Griff murmured. "And I want you to think about me breeding you."

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