by A M Proctor
Atalanta continued, “Anyway, tired of being her daddies dirty little secret she struck off on her own. She met the father of her children in a secret garden of Artemis. He was a huge serpent. Some say he raped her, but I happen to know that she loved him. She stayed with him for the longest time and they had many sons. Half dragon, half serpent deities that actually did a lot of good for those who encountered venomous serpents. They could absorb the toxin from the victim's bodies, thus saving lives and limbs. Because the payment for their services was often not delivered, they soon removed themselves from this realm.”
Jah asked, “What was the payment?”
Atalanta smirked, “A female child and her weight in gold and jewels.”
A glanced at my daughters sleeping in a cradle beside the table. “I’d rather suffer and die than give one of my girls as payment.”
Atalanta turned her green eyes on me with a smile. “Of course you wouldn’t give your daughters up, but others during their suffering will promise anything for relief. Most of them didn’t have a daughter to give but promised that as soon as they did, they’d pay. Those who paid up never saw their daughters again. It’s rumored they ate the children and now horde the gold they collected somewhere in the Dark Realm.”
Rah spoke up. “I wonder if your sex demon knows them.”
I shrugged, “I don’t think he spends a lot of time in the Dark Realm.”
Atalanta looked confused. “Ryzier’s a prince of the Dark Realm. Of course he spends time at his mother’s palace.”
I really didn’t want to talk about Ryzier with anyone. “I guess. I don’t really know him.”
Jah smirked, “Oh, she knows him rather well. She just doesn’t want to share him.”
Atalanta leaned forward and pointed at me with her fork. “Tread carefully with Ryzier. He does nothing that doesn’t benefit him in the end. He toys with lives as if it’s a game. Loves to break up happy couples just to feed off their misery. Even Zeus regards him with disdain. Unfortunately, not even Zeus can ban Ryzier. He’s not just an incubus. The crafty devil isn’t bound by the same laws the rest of us are.”
I almost revealed his angelic parentage, but my gut tightened as I opened my mouth. Instead I said, “I’ll be sure to remember that.”
She damaged the trust I had in Ryzier. That wasn’t hard to do, seeing as how every male in my life seemed to be untrustworthy. However, in reminding me I couldn’t trust Ryzier, she also reminded me I might not be able to trust her.
“I’d like to visit Poseidon’s palace.”
Atalanta jerked in surprise. “Impossible. Even if it was, why?”
I watched her reaction with curiosity. “Because it’s where my mom was born. I’d like to see if I have any other relatives left alive there. Maybe they can help me. If they can’t help me, maybe they can help my mom.”
Her gaze narrowed, jaw tightened just a hair. “Just because your mom lived there as a child, doesn’t mean you will be welcome as a vampiress. Besides, how will you get there? You realize that Poseidon’s Atlantis is under the ocean. You can’t just swim there. You have to be invited and guided in. You’re better off staying here with me. I’ll teach you all you need to know to defeat your mate and help your mother.”
Interesting. This goddess just told me exactly what she wants me to do. Why step out of character now? “You’re right. I don’t have a way into the palace. I’ve just always wanted to see the lost city of Atlantis. I mean… what am I thinking? I’m not an aquatic creature.”
Atalanta smiled and relaxed. She talked about her plans for tomorrow’s lessons. Besides fighting skills, she wanted to teach me goddess magic.
“Now don’t get overly excited. You may have no aptitude for magic here. It doesn’t mean that once you go back to the Human Realm, you won’t be able to wield magic there. You know the realms behave differently for the fae.”
I allowed myself a bit of excitement though.
~~~
Later that evening as we were preparing the girls for bed I asked Rah, “Why do you think Atalanta was so against me going to Atlantis?”
She paused, petting Leila on the back in her crib as she fussed over going to bed so early. It wasn’t early. “You noticed that too?”
I nodded, and Jah was the one who had a revelation. She tossed her pale blue locks over her shoulder as she spoke. “Atalanta is jealous of you.”
I jerked in surprise. “What?”
Jah nodded enthusiastically. “Think about it. Since you’ve come into her life, she has purpose. You’ve elevated her in her social circles because everyone wants to know everything about you. She’s the gatekeeper though because you’re her guest. They come to her in hopes she’ll grant them visitation rights with you. You know, bring them to meet you. She takes great delight in turning their requests down, though.”
Rah nodded her agreement, and I asked, “You two know this how?”
Rah snorted, “Because we hear the gossip when we go to the village. People are arriving from all over the realm just for a chance to meet the vampiress hiding here.”
Jah added, “That’s why Atalanta was not happy about your meeting with Halia today. She’s afraid you’ll be swept away by promises of something new and more interesting than her.”
I whispered, “She’s afraid to lose her friend.”
Rah grinned, her pert nose wrinkling most adorably. “Exactly.”
I leaned over and kiss Inara’s sweet blonde head. I inhaled her scent and smiled as my heart filled with love. Standing up I compared my daughters. One light, one dark. They worked together, though. They balanced each other. They’ve also…
“Hey, have you noticed how much the girls have grown since we’ve been here?”
I caught the look between Jah and Rah and faced them fully. “What is it?”
Rah winced slightly before she spoke. I’d been focusing more on her because she’s the more outspoken of the two nymphs. “They’re maturing quicker here. You don’t have eleven years, Nevaeh. They’ll transition in five or six years.”
I slumped as the full weight of what I’ve done settled on my shoulders. My girls were four months old when we came here, and in two weeks they’d matured into six-month-old babies.
I’ve stolen time from them. Shortened their childhood by bringing them here. In order for them to transition, they’ll need strong male vampires to feed off of or they’ll die. I’d made a mistake in coming here.
I snapped. “You guys were going to tell me this… when exactly?”
Jah rushed quietly. “We just realized what was happening today. You noticed before we could tell you.”
I closed my eyes and took a few cleansing breaths. “Sorry. Shit. This really sucks. We can’t stay here, but we really don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Rah sighed, “We have some time to figure out our next move. Something will present itself. It always does.”
Then the universe will throw a curve ball at me and smack me right in the head. It never fails. The question is, will I be able to get back up after this last one?
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Love of a Gargoyle
I walked out into the cool night air. Mason wasn’t at his normal post by the front door. He usually prowled the realm at night though, so I wasn’t alarmed. I followed his tracks in the cool dewy grass until I found the spot he took to the air. What was flying like? If I got my wings, would I enjoy it?
My gaze lifted, and I smiled as I saw a pair of red glowing eyes peering down at me from the tops of the trees. What would it be like to perch up there, knowing you’ll never fall?
I needed a pair of life wings and maybe a helmet for that fucking curve ball. Mason left his treetop perch and soared down to land in front of me.
The sound he made was something a kin to a cats purr and a doves coo. He came forward on all fours, ducking his head low and watching me first from one eye and then the other. His antics made me smile.
When he was close enough, I sl
id my hands around his thick mane and hugged him with a ragged sob. He tucked his giant head against my back and continued to purr.
I felt his forearm cradle the back of my thighs. As he lifted himself upright, he took me with him sitting in the crook of his elbow. He continued to purr as he looked up at the sky. Then those giant wings opened and my stomach dropped as he leaped upwards. I squealed at the thrill even as I fisted his great wealth of mane.
The power in his body as he flapped his wings was awesome. Soon we were soaring over the moonlit forest.
“How did you know I was wondering about flying?”
He chirped a response as he cocked his head at me. I smiled at him before I pressed a kiss against his maw. “I love you, Mason.”
He merely went back to purring as he flew us away. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, so I just leaned against him and enjoyed the ride. The view from up here was spectacular. I could see the manor house, Atalanta’s village, and miles and miles of thick, ancient forest.
Mason was taking us farther from civilization, deeper into the forest. The farther we went, the larger the trees grew. Even the gods seemed to be a tax on nature. Not as much as humans have been, but there were spots that had seen logging around the villages. We flew low over the ancient trees until I spotted a small clearing we seemed to aim for.
The ground came up fast. I tucked my face into Mason’s neck with a squeal as he landed gently on his hind legs with several hard flaps of his wings.
He carefully lowered me to my feet as I took in our surroundings. We’d landed in a magical spot. Thick grass cushioned my bare feet. Large exotic night flowers bloomed along the edge of the clearing. The smell was delightful.
A small waterfall reached my ears from a babbling brook that Mason approached now. I followed him, noting how the thick grass cushioned my footfalls. He lowered his massive maw to the water and drank as his tail swished left and right. When he’d drank his fill, he lifted his head and shook his entire body luxuriously. Red eyes regarded me expectantly, so I too leaned over the brook and scooped up a few handfuls of water.
Those eyes seemed to smile in approval a moment before he moved away and found a spot to lie down on his belly. Haunches drawn under him, arms stretched out in front to cradle his massive head. Looking much like a lion right now. After a moment, I walked over and joined him.
He lifted his head and allowed me to lean against him between his front legs and claws. I reached up and caressed the side of his jaw. He sighed in obvious enjoyment. I glanced up, leaning against his chest, and he met my gaze.
“Thank you.” He snorted, closing his eyes and lifting his maw.
After a while I asked, “Are you happy, Mason?”
He didn’t respond.
I sighed, “I wish you could talk to me. Don’t you have a fae form or something?”
He opened his eyes and tilted his head to peer down at me. I was waiting for him to say something, do something, but he merely just lifted his gaze and stared off into the distance. I sighed heavily, and he sat up slowly, giving me time to adjust against his foreleg.
He was a perfect mixture of lion, dragon and man. He was covered in soft fur except on his face, which was a stony skin. His forearms were covered in soft scales. Parts of his back were also covered in scaled horns. His wings were that stony skin, and so was his cock and balls.
Huge cock and balls, I might add. Flaccid, it was as long as my forearm and twice as wide. Right now it was hanging out next to me in his current position. I’ve never been one to ignore a magnificent cock such as Mason’s. It has tempted me to caress it but Mason was watching me, stare at his splendor.
I glanced up and said, “I know my limits, Mason.”
I jerked my head towards the cock next to me. “That’s well beyond my physical limits.”
He snorted, and I thought I saw amusement flash in those eyes. He stood up and moved a few feet away from me. The glow that came from his body caused me to turn my face away from him and cover my light sensitive eyes.
When I looked back, Mason was gone. Standing in the clearing where he used to be was a creature with golden hair, horns on his head, wings tucked close and dark gray stony skin covering his massively muscled body. Eyes were a golden orange color. His face chiseled and slightly cat like. “Mason?”
He smiled, showing me his canines. “That’s not my name.” His voice was gravely and deep. Like a sexy snarl.
I scrambled to my feet. “Holy fuck! You can speak. Why haven’t you done this sooner?”
He gave an embarrassed shrug. “I’m not big on small talk.” Strong, stony and silent. Exactly what one would expect from a gargoyle.
I cocked my head curiously. “So what is your name?”
He smirked and made a rumbling sound from his chest. I waited, and his smirk grew. “You can’t decipher my name because it’s not of your language. My name is…” He made that rumbling sound again.
I shook my head slowly, and he shrugged. “Mason suits me for now.”
He watched me closely as I struggled with what to do. I wanted to throw myself into his huge arms and hug the shit out of him. I wanted to voice all my questions at once. Both things I wasn’t sure he’d respond to. So I shifted uncomfortably under his stare.
Finally he asked, “Are you not pleased with this form? Is this not what you wanted when you asked me for a fae form?”
I stepped forward. “No! I mean, you’re fucking perfect. I’m just a bit shocked, is all.”
He cocked his head and blinked those glowing golden eyes. “Perfect?”
I sighed and closed the distance between us. I slipped my arms around his thick neck. “You’re perfect in any form because you're my friend.” His skin looked like dark stone, but he felt warm and wonderfully inviting.
His arms came around me slowly and then tightened as he tucked his face into my neck. We both inhaled each other’s scent at the same time and sighed. He smelled like my Mason.
He inhaled and growled, “I love you too.”
I pulled back and grinned. “How did a gargoyle find himself in love with a vampire?”
He chuckled, a low grating sound. “How could I not fall in love with you? You fondled my genitals for a year on the roof.”
I snorted but said, “I thought you were just a statue.”
He smirked. “I know and it was so confusing.”
I took his hand and led him back to where we were laying. I pulled him down to sit with me, trying not to stare at his much more manageable cock. He wrapped his wing around me and pulled me close. I looked up into his cat-like face and asked, “How did you end up in chains?”
He glanced down at me and pulled me to sit in his lap, crosswise. His wing came around me, and he urged me to lean back against it.
“I’ve been trapped in those chains for five centuries. Moved from place to place, sometimes left forgotten for what felt like eternity. I watched the world change, never to be a part of it.”
I winced as he looked back down at me, tucked in his lap. “Jesus, that must have been so lonely. Were you taken from a family or mate?”
He shook his head slowly. “They created us to protect and watch. We don’t breed or produce young like you did. There are no female gargoyles.”
He smiled warmly at me. His wide fingers were ever so gentle as he stroked my cheek. “I hadn’t heard a baby’s cry in such a long time until you brought your little ones to show me what you created.”
His fingers moved to my hair as he continued quietly. “Suddenly, I wasn’t alone anymore. You came every night to talk to me, touch me. Even when you were entertaining your males, your eyes always returned to me.”
He stroked my jaw with the back of his hand and then slid it down my neck, over my shoulder and down my arm. “I’ve longed to touch you as you touched me. To hold you like this.”
“I never took you for such a romantic. You just might make me cry, Mason.”
His hand slid over my thigh and down my le
g. “I don’t do tears, Vampire.”
I laughed. “No, you wouldn’t. So, no family? Who raised you?”
He looked across the clearing. “I was created, not raised. We were trained to kill here in this realm and then released in the Human Realm to do our jobs.”
“Are you a virgin?”
He glanced back down at me and smiled. “If I say yes, will you violate me?”
I snorted. Who knew Mason had a sense of humor? “Only if you want me to.”
He snorted and then sighed. “I’m a monster, Nevaeh. Designed to kill and violate your species. I’m not a virgin.”
I reached up and guided his gaze back to me. “Violate?”
He closed his eyes and when he opened them again he admitted gravely. “I’ve done horrible things in the line of duty. I’ve raped both males and females before torturing them to death. Then I consumed them to ensure they never rejuvenate. We’d descend on entire covens. Set them ablaze and pull arms or legs off. We weren’t built to make love. They gave us male genitalia for the testosterone. When we fight, we become aroused. We fuck what we can as we kill, but sometimes it takes weeks for the lust to wear off. So we self sooth or we find someone willing to sooth us.”
I asked, “But you love me?”
He sighed again. “I do.”
I had to wait awhile for him to continue. He moved his hand to my face as his gaze slid slowly over my body.
“I can’t explain why. I don’t understand it myself, but my loyalties lie with you. I will protect and watch you until you no longer need me to. It’s what I’m created to do. So I guess that’s what I mean by love.”
~~~
I reached up and cradled his face in my hands. I tugged him down as I rose to meet his wide lips. He didn’t return my kiss, he simply allowed me to kiss him. I wasn’t deterred though. I continued to coax him with my lips and tongue. He parted his lips slightly, and I slipped my tongue between them. I was happy to find his canine smooth and round, not sharp like my fangs.
I retreated slightly and asked, “Do you enjoy this?”
He ran his tongue over his bottom lip slowly. “Aye, I do.”
