The Complete Gargoyle and Sorceress Boxset (Books 1-9)

by Lisa Blackwood

  “I won’t serve the Lady of Battles, and the Lord of the Underworld is only a very last resort. I won’t doom this Realm or those who raised and sheltered me simply to make my own life easier. There must be another way to win Gregory back from the siren.”

  Both her parents relaxed.

  “I am glad you agree,” Darkness’s voice sounded strained, “for no parent should have to help their child find death.”

  Lillian didn’t delude herself into thinking she was as good at reading people as Gregory, but she was certain that was honest concern in their eyes.

  Pacing away from her parents’ searching gazes helped her think. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as her little brother hunted something in the tall grasses, honing his newly discovered gargoyle reflexes. He leaped forward and nabbed a bit of brown fur in his jaws. A quick snap stopped its struggles. A rabbit, Lillian idly noted, her thoughts galvanizing around her newly made decision.

  She came back to the center of the meadow where her parents waited. “Tell me more about the slave collar.” There was no point calling the magical device anything other than what it was.

  “Once the final spells are in place, the ward stones prevent tampering and once activated, none but you will be able to command Gregory. You both must wear a piece for it to work.” River held out the chunk of metal and jewels. Reluctantly, Lillian accepted the command collar—it was almost as large as the slave collar. From a dream a few months ago that was not, in fact, a dream at all, but the Battle Goddess’s attempt to communicate with her, she remembered how immense the demigoddess was, like the mythological Titans of old, towering taller than a lofty tree. Lillian eyed the collar again. “A little small for a certain goddess, isn’t it?”

  Her father nodded. “The spells weren’t yet finalized, and I was able to shape it into something more to our needs.”

  It hummed with power. She thought she detected a slight vibration, almost like the device possessed its own electrical power source.

  Well, it did have a power source, after a fashion—layers upon layers of spells were woven into the metal and jewels. She could feel them, sense them with that wildness in her blood, her gargoyle heritage. But none of that told her what they were designed to do.

  “They protect the wearer from outside magic?” Lillian wasn’t completely able to keep her skepticism out of her voice.

  “Yes,” her mother said, then elaborated. “The Lady wanted them designed so her brother couldn’t override their magic—not quickly at least. Of course, the two sets were designed to be worn together. Used separately as we plan, some of their inherent strength might be compromised, but they should still prove enough to overcome Tethys’ enchantment. Neither set was finished, but we were only able to steal this pair as Commander Gryton was presently working on the other.”

  “Why a second set? A backup in case the first set wasn’t able to hold us?”

  “No. Commander Gryton was confident of his spell’s ability to trap the Avatars. You and Gregory were to have worn the slave collars while the Battle Goddess wore the controlling bracelets.”

  Well. That answered her question, but still didn’t change her mind. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this to Gregory. Even if I trusted you implicitly, nothing you’ve said guarantees these things won’t just hand us over into the Battle Goddess’s keeping. You can’t know that for certain even if I was to trust you.”

  ‘Which I don’t.’

  Her father sniffed at the bracelet with distaste. “Then don’t trust us alone. When Gregory arrives, if he is lucid enough, have him examine the collars. He can verify I did not miss anything or have sinister intentions. He will not tolerate them near you if he senses they are dangerous. The siren’s enchantments cannot change his nature.”

  Lillian’s ears perked up. She hadn’t thought of that possibility. And just before Gregory had tried to drag her back to Tethys, he’d been talking. If not himself, at least somewhat lucid.

  “I do not like this plan,” her father admitted, “but there is nothing else that will free Gregory from the siren now that her song has had time to dig deep into his spirit. Commander Gryton didn’t get his position by being slow of wit. He’ll know almost instantly what has happened. Once he alerts the Lady of Battles that she has been betrayed, nowhere within the Magic Realm will be safe for any of us. We’ll be forced to remain in this realm for now.”

  Frowning down at her feet, her tail twitching in agitation, Lillian turned the massive collar in her hands. It reminded her of one of those ancient Egyptian pieces the pharaohs wore.

  “What is the chance Commander Gryton might be able to control me through this?”

  “You forget, this was made for the Lady. You can imagine what she would do to Commander Gryton if she suspected he attempted something to undermine her authority.”

  “She’s not much for independent thinking among her underlings, I take it?”

  “No,” came her father’s dry reply.

  She hadn’t really thought about what her parents were risking to help her. She glanced over at her younger brother where he was finishing his meal. “If she catches you, she’d kill you both, and my little brother, too. Probably him first, just to watch you suffer.”

  It wasn’t a question, and her parents didn’t need to answer. It was cold, hard fact.

  “I’m going to bring that temple of hers down around her ears and make it her tomb or die trying.” Lillian hissed more to herself than anyone in particular.

  She pinned her father with a fierce look. “So how is this going to work?”

  Her father tilted his head suddenly, taking in the surrounding meadow and scenting the breeze. He snorted with distaste.

  Then Lillian caught the scent as well. The undeniable stench of Riven, an unholy mix of death and dark magic.

  A stronger waft of Riven reached her nose a moment later. Just what she didn’t need. But fate was doing its usual thing.

  Lillian flexed her claws. “If I have to kill a few Riven before dealing with Gregory, so be it.”

  The exercise might help her work out some of the fear and frustration currently churning in her blood.

  “No,” her father ordered, “you will stay here and await Gregory. By now, he will have escaped the traps we placed to slow him down.”

  Her ears flattened against her mane, and her lips started to peel back in a snarl, protective instincts rising again.

  “Peace. They weren’t designed to harm, only to slow him. However, if we don’t put some distance between us, Gregory will do us harm.”

  Shadowlight came bounding up to her. Surprisingly strong, he scooped her up and spun her around.

  “I’ll help our parents hunt down the Riven. I’ll make you proud.” His happy rumble was rather loud in her ear.

  “Mmm. Thank you,” Lillian answered and patted his arm, not wanting to hurt the young gargoyle’s feelings, but also a touch confused.

  River stepped up and gave her a hug as well, though a much more sedate one. “Dryads and gargoyles pass on instinct, memories, and life experiences to our offspring. Shadowlight knows you through our memories, and gargoyles are naturally very clannish and loyal. He already loves his older sister.”

  Her mother moved off then, allowing Darkness to embrace her.

  Before he broke away, she asked the one question that had been bothering her. “Even if Gregory looks at the collar and doesn’t blast it into next Tuesday, how am I supposed to get it on him then?” She pointed at the slave collar where her mother had left it. “Its appearance doesn’t inspire confidence.”

  Her father laughed, surprising her. She’d thought him much too dour and standoffish for humor. “Then offer him a reward as an incentive. You’re the first full-blooded female born to our race. It shouldn’t be too difficult to get him to remain in one spot long enough to put it on him.”

  Chapter 28

  ALONE IN THE MEADOW, Lillian paced around the bejeweled enslavement tools, still heartily uncertain
of her plan, but not knowing what other choices she had. She already despised their jeweled beauty, the overdone gaudiness that failed to hide their sinister purpose.

  And Gregory, when he came back to himself, would he understand and forgive her?

  She feared he might not. But still she’d see her decision through—a few billion lives were in the balance. She wouldn’t sit by and do nothing, not if there was even the slimmest chance she could use the collars to shape a more favorable outcome.

  God, she hated gambling.

  A sudden shift in the air currents and a tingling of magic against her skin caught her attention. She pushed away all her unhappy thoughts and prepared for what was likely inbound.

  Unlike the first two times she’d seen the magical portals earlier today, there was no slow gathering of power or swirling mists. From this side, the threshold just appeared fully formed in the air. A second later, Gregory hurtled through it.

  His gaze locked on hers, and then it swept away a moment later to scan their surroundings. He sniffed the air, circling around the meadow’s perimeter as he searched for signs of danger or other traps.

  Gregory continued to circle, drawing closer with each pass until he was only ten feet away. He continued to sniff, emitting small huffs of anxiety or anger. The scents of other gargoyles and the much more distant scent of Riven would be as easy for him to read as it was for her.

  Lillian held her position next to the ward stone collars for a couple of seconds longer, then decided it would look more natural if she went to him. With a gruff rumble as a greeting, she dropped to all fours and made her way over to him, her wings and tail held in a natural, relaxed position.

  With a slight flaring of his wings, Gregory studied her with a determined look in his eye. Gone was the loving and playful—if overly happy—gargoyle from earlier. In his place was one of Gregory’s darker aspects—The Gargoyle Protector. Her Hunting Shadow.

  His eyes narrowed and the powerful muscles in his thighs bunched.

  Ah. It seemed she was today’s prey.

  Lillian leaped clear as Gregory landed in the place she’d been mere seconds ago. She circled him, her head tilted to the side, ears canted forward, tail flicking in a challenge, her entire body saying, ‘come play if you can keep up.’

  Another mad dash and a leap, and she was crashing into his side, her momentum managing to shift him off his balance enough, he had to sidestep. While he was collecting himself, or more likely just stunned by her behavior, she darted away, using her gargoyle speed to bolt out of range of any retaliation.

  A glance over her shoulder showed she need not have worried. Gregory was sitting on his haunches, his wings tucked loosely against his back and his tail flicking slowly, his expression bemused. While he was still dumbfounded by her actions, she inched closer to where she’d left the collars in the grass.

  “Gregory, I need you to look at these for me and determine if they are safe.”

  He still hadn’t said one word to her, but Lillian saw a spark of intelligence in his gaze, buried underneath the many layers of the siren’s enchantment. Now if she could only reach that one, small part.

  Gregory tilted his head, sniffed, and closed the distance between them until only a couple of feet separated them. His gaze strayed to the collars for a moment and then slid back to land solidly on Lillian.

  Sidling up next to him, she gave his shoulder a playful nip. Gregory’s lightning-fast response caught her by surprise, and she found herself on her back, her wings trapped under her and the heavier bulk of a male in his prime, pinning her to the ground.

  Gregory watched her with something other than the earlier vacant look. No, the heat there was far from vacant. However, a heated look and returning intelligence were not the same thing. But a little heat might make him more biddable and willing to listen to her. She really did need him to study the collars.

  He sniffed at her, and then ran the underside of his jaw along her shoulder, up her neck, and over her muzzle. He did the same strange routine on the other side. Poking around a bit with his muzzle, he found another spot, the inside of her lower forearm, and shimmied his muzzle along there as well.

  He was scent-marking.

  “You smell the other gargoyles. They were my father and brother, nothing for you to get jealous over. They mean me no harm. At the moment, they are dealing with the Riven to give me the time I need to free you from Tethys.”

  A non-conversational grunt was his answer. He worked his way lower, rubbing all along her side, hitting each and every rib, and then over her flat belly before moving back up the other side, the same path in reverse.

  She waited until he was back up by her collarbone again, then started placing gentle nips and kisses along his shoulders and throat. Gregory froze in place. Only his tail continued to sway, the movement somewhat jerking. Then he began to purr.

  Scent-marking was one thing. What she was embarking on now was altogether something else, and far more dangerous. But Lillian saw no other way forward.

  “The siren is trying to steal you from me.”

  Gregory stopped his rumbling purr and narrowed his eyes at her.

  “It’s true. She wants your power, to use you like everyone else wants to use you. I won’t let either Tethys or the Lady of Battles have you.” She brought her hands up and clamped them around his forearms, her fingers digging into his biceps. “You’re mine, and no one else’s.”

  His rumbling purr started up again, and he dipped his muzzle down to kiss her shoulder, then the hollow of her throat. She nearly started purring herself. Who would have thought that little dip between neck and shoulders could be such an erogenous zone? She lowered her muzzle to her chest, forcing Gregory to move from his designated target long enough so she could regain the ability to think.

  His scent had intensified, swamping her senses with his pheromones. Somehow his tail had found hers where it was trapped under her body, and he’d planted one knee between her thighs. Her jaws parted, hoping for more air without the drugging influence of his pheromones, but it only made it worse. She could taste his essence. Each lungful of air drew it deeper into her body. She did purr then, surprising herself.

  Another species characteristic and not just a Gregory quirk.

  That little bit of information seemed to stimulate her brain enough to get it functioning. Her plan had somehow derailed—rather more quickly than she wanted to admit—and it was her failing, not Gregory’s.

  Touching him, she could feel what he was feeling. His deep love for her was still there, but what he was feeling at this exact moment was more physical than emotional. And that fact was an icy bucket of water on her own lust. Suddenly, what she was doing felt very, very wrong.

  The last tendril of lust wilted, and Lillian dug her heels in and tried to push out from underneath Gregory’s greater weight. His arms tightened around her, and his purring changed into a growl. Her heart tripped into a pounding rhythm at the sound.

  Yet because he was also pressed against her, she could touch his mind, and it opened to hers, his thoughts completely unguarded for the first time.

  And so many things became clear, she wanted to cry. Not in fear. Even when he growled, she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. It was the siren’s command to capture Lillian and bring her back, getting mixed up with Gregory’s more physical instincts. When she stopped struggling, he immediately relaxed and returned to grooming her. The scent-marking, licking, and gentle nips were all part of gargoyle courtship.

  Needing to know more about Gregory, she pushed her own body’s reactions to the back of her mind, ignoring them as much as possible to better focus on what her other half needed. There was something, just at the very edge of his thoughts, something buried that he didn’t want to face himself, a dark secret he wanted to remain hidden.

  She knew Gregory was packing a lot of blame and guilt about everything that had gone wrong in this lifetime, but the magnitude of that guilt became clear when his thoughts flowed over hers. He
felt responsible. He was the protector, and it was his duty to protect his Sorceress from all dangers. But he’d failed so many times recently. And now even his body betrayed him, craving an unwholesome relationship. He was unworthy of her.

  “Oh, Gregory.” She kissed his jaw, then rubbed her muzzle against his. “You are worthy. You are the bravest, noblest, and kindest person I know. No matter what you crave, I am your other half, and I exist to fill that need.”

  She opened her heart and mind, offering up all she was to him.

  And he took what she offered, absorbing her love and acceptance into his soul. Slowly, his emotional turmoil subsided, and his purring increased in volume. The delicious vibrations traveled over her skin—even her breastbone reverberated gently to the rhythm of his deep croon.

  Now was the moment. It had to be now, or she’d lose her nerve.

  “Beloved,” she called softly, pushing away her doubts and reservations for what she was about to do, “I want you to belong only to me.”

  “I have ever been yours,” he growled softly against her ear, his voice raw with emotion. “No one else’s, not even those few times when I gave my seed to another to beget a child so we might have the raising of it.”

  Hating herself a little bit more she said, “That was once true, but it’s not entirely accurate anymore, is it?”

  Gregory whined softly, his ears flicking and then flattening to his mane as if they wanted to vanish, to hide. He buried his muzzle in her hair and pressed harder against her.

  “The siren holds some influence over you.” She ran her fingers through his mane, soothing, caressing and then tugging gently when he wouldn’t face her or her words. “You can’t hide the truth from me.”