Read Online Gryphon and His Thief by Karen Michelle Nutt - Free Book Online Page A

essence appeared a bit frazzled.
    Darrien's frown deepened, but she couldn't be
sure if it was because she stood there or that he was still
disoriented from his ordeal. She cleared her throat and tried for
small talk. "I'm interested in viewing the museum," she told him.
"I've heard you have some interesting objects on display. I'm
writing a thesis and my topic is about if items can be cursed."
    Nerdy Darrien, as she decided to refer to
this version of Darrien, pushed his glasses back on the bridge of
his nose as he assessed her, not with interest as a man who was
attracted to her, but with suspicion. He definitely was not the
same man she'd spoken to inside the museum ten minutes ago. This
version didn't know her or trust her, but she had to somehow change
his mind.
    "How did you hear about the museum, Miss…?"
he asked.
    "I'm Calli Angelis." She stepped closer with
slow easy steps as if she was dealing with a frightened animal, and
Nerdy Darrien was doing a great imitation of one. She didn't want
him bolting before they had a chance to chat.
    His gaze slid over her and his dark brows
furrowed again as he blinked a few times in a row. For a moment,
she thought he might remember her, but then his features smoothed
as if those memories weren't allowed to surface. "Miss
Angelis—"
    "Calli," she corrected as she took another
step closer and offered her hand.
    He stared at her outstretched palm for a
second before gripping her hand, but the electrical shock made them
both pull back in surprise. She'd experienced the same thing when
his other half had grabbed her hand – flesh-to-flesh contact, she
realized – though, that encounter had been a tad bit more
explosive. "Sorry about that," she said as she rubbed her palm.
    Darrien waved it off. "Static electricity… it
happens— Forgive me, but why are you here again? We don't have many
visitors. This is more of a storage facility than anything else."
He still seemed wary of her and she wasn't sure how to put him at
ease.
    "Do you really believe the items you guard…I
mean, oversee are cursed?" she asked.
    "Oh, indeed I do, Miss…um…Angelis." His tone
was haughty, as he peered at her over the rim of those adorable
glasses. "If you think this is a game," he continued without a
beat, "you can just run along home now." He actually waved her away
like he would shoo away a pesky fly.
    Her brows rose and she almost smiled at how
serious he seemed, but she could ill-afford to piss off this
version of Darrien. She didn't have much time before she had to
contact Miss Leander and hand over the stone. She really didn't
fancy the idea of sharing the world with the living dead. She'd
seen enough zombie movies to know it didn't end well for the
living.
    "No, I don't think this is a game. I take
curses seriously. You see, I am in possession of a cursed item and
I would like to discuss what I should do with it. You come very
highly recommended. Please, don't send me away." She turned on her
charm, or at least hoped she did, and smiled sweetly with a slight
bat of her eyelids. "Please, I need your help. I don't know who
else I can ask." She kept her smile in place and hoped she hadn't
poured it on too thick in the damsel in distress department. She
really didn't play that role very well.
    Nerdy Darrien pulled on his tie as if it had
suddenly constricted his airway. "Fine. Why don't I put on a pot of
tea and we'll have a nice chat. Yeah?"
    She did love this version of Darrien as much
or even more than the beastie-I-am-cursed version. There was
just something endearing about him, she thought as she followed him
around to the front of the museum.
    As they made their stroll, her mind skipped
ahead to a story she would spin for his benefit. Obviously,
thinking and walking proved too much for her. She never noticed
Darrien ceased to take one step in front of the other and plowed
right into him. All plots vanished from her mind. Hitting someone
as solid as Darrien would do that to a person. She