Page 30 of My Guardian Gryphon

“Get your fucking hands off me, you traitorous asshole.”

The fury in her tone hardened my dick instantly. It’d been months since I’d seen a hint of her strong personality shining through. This was a most pleasant surprise. I hadn’t had the pleasure of her body in nearly two weeks. Overthrowing a government took a lot of time.

“How dare you grab me out of my office? What if someone comes in look—” Her voice faded to silence, and her gaze rose to meet mine. The fury and strength dissipated like a sunny afternoon rainstorm. Her lip quivered, and she took a step backward.

“Thank you, Cal. Leave us.”

My servant hurried from the room, leaving a trembling Manda in the cleared center of the oval office.

“Strip.”

“Please. How will I explain my absence? You’ve put me in a position to help you overthrow the SECR from within. I can’t be the most effective if—”

I used my magick to turn the pulley system and lower the steel frame from the ceiling. Then I pulled the wooden a-frame from the wall on the far side of the room. Chains clinked above her head, and a whimper slipped from between her lips.

“Strip now or I’ll do it for you. Then you can explain to your colleagues why you’re naked in your office.”

Her shaking fingers worked at the buttons on her white blouse. It came away quickly, revealing her ripe breasts held high in a beige lacy bra. The rings through her nipples prodded at the fabric, and I licked my lips. Just the thought of the metallic taste of the rings coupled with the pain caused when I pulled on them made my pants even tighter.

The bra came off. Then her high heeled shoes, skirt, and panties. The rings in her labia glinted in the bright light flooding through the open window. Each one had been placed strategically to incur the most discomfort and lasting pain. The enchantment on them clipped her wings, preventing her from using teleportation to escape these little sessions.

“I’ll let you pick today.” I walked forward, gesturing to the various restraints around her. “Overhead chains or the bench?”

Fear spread in her lavender eyes like water on a flat surface, covering evenly until there wasn’t a single inch of her that didn’t fear what was coming.

Just the way I liked it.

“Kneel.” I stepped closer, unbuckling my pants, eager to feel her skilled mouth on my dick. I hadn’t had time to go back to the palace to visit my girls, but a session with Manda was even better.

Manda was strong. Just strong enough that I’d not been able to completely break her. Strong enough that she hadn’t given up hope of defeating me yet, either. Her submission layered with her hatred was a heady combination, and not one I’d been able to duplicate as of yet. Another reason she was still alive.

Chapter 13

ALEK

“Alek,” Miles’ voice carried through the busy cafe. “Just the Gryphon I was looking for.”

I snorted and set my mug of coffee down on the bar top and turned to face one of the burly, bearded Drakonae brothers. “Have you seen others?”

Miles grinned, shaking his head, but his joking mood didn’t last long, like something was bothering him. A warning glance flitted to me and then to the kitchen door. “I have someone in my office that is very worried about you.”

“No one worries about me.” I listened beyond the door he was watching and felt Rose’s magick before I heard the Lamassu’s footsteps.

“Alek. Miles.” Rose appeared through the kitchen door with one of those shit’s-about-to-get-real looks. “I need to speak with both of you, and Eli if he’s available.”

“Figured since Astrid was just talking to you on the com.” Miles lowered himself onto the stool next to me.

My eyebrows rose. Had someone seen us in the library? I was quite sure no one had been nearby.

“Eli is preoccupied.” Miles’ voice was even and serious. “He’s helping the Lycan’s organize the patrol schedule for next week.”

“That is fine.” Rose waved toward the door.

“I think we can solve this without him. Can you both come over to my office for a few minutes? There’s someone there who needs to get something off her chest, and I do believe you both owe her an ear, at the least.”

I stood from the stool and purposefully chose not to comment again. There wasn’t a chance in Hades that this scenario played out in my favor. Gretchen was miserable. I was miserable. I’d stayed away from the castle to keep from drawing attention to it. Now the Oracle was somehow involved. How the fuck? The air in my lungs ceased moving.

Miles narrowed his eyes. “You better be headed to my place and not off to hide.”

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