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

by Lisa Blackwood

  “You’ve filled out nicely.” Vaspara eyed Obsidian in a way that reminded Anna of the captain’s succubus nature.

  “You can flirt with me later if you must,” Obsidian responded sounding bored. “Though, I must confess I’m more curious what your leader thinks he’s doing here.”

  “The idiot leading this suicide mission is not my leader.” Vaspara actually made a horrified face. “He thought if he could capture enough gargoyles, they could fuel the blood witch’s spells.”

  Obsidian tilted his head to study Vaspara. “So this raid has nothing to do with reclaiming a certain spy-spell forged of a djinn’s power and recovering what it has learned?”

  Fuck it. Anna didn’t know how Obsidian could make his voice sound so pleasant and innocent with blood dripping off his jaws.

  “Ah, you’ve found it already?” Vaspara paused to look around at the dead. “If I hadn’t found you, this would all have been a waste. Though how you grew so quickly and how Anna survived and recovered are intriguing mysteries. Ones I’m sure my Lady would love to discover if she ever managed to get you alone.”

  “Sorry to disappoint but that’s not going to happen,” Anna said as she rejoined the conversation.

  “But what if it could?” This time Vaspara tilted her chin and looked somewhat smug. “Your return will restore my place in the Battle Goddess’s army. Sorac’s too, once we take you back to the goddess.”

  “Hmmm. From my perspective, it looks like we’re winning,” Obsidian countered.

  “There’s always more than one way to look at a problem, young one. While you have matured to a fine specimen...”

  Vaspara raked him with another hungry look—and she probably was hungry after expending magic during the battle, Anna thought, but there was no way she was going to refuel using Obsidian.

  “You were saying?” Anna prodded.

  “There’s more than one way to look at a problem to find a solution. It helps that as succubus stock, I can look into a male’s mind. Especially during battle when his bloodlust is up.”

  “Move the story along, we don’t got all day,” Anna hissed.

  Vaspara just nodded. “Earlier, during the battle, I crossed swords, and minds, with a gargoyle. Inside was the usual love for a woman, his family, and his friends. This time it was the friends part that was interesting. Obsidian, I assume you know Truth?”

  Obsidian’s wings flinched.

  “Ah, he’s a good friend of yours, then? Glad I kept him alive. Sorac’s keeping an eye on him for me.”

  Vaspara was intentionally letting information drop. She was too intelligent to give away her cards. She wanted something. Something more than just a trade, Obsidian for Truth.

  Beside Anna, Obsidian stiffened more, a growl rolling from between his parted lips.

  “Easy, you’re giving too much away. Vaspara will use whatever you give her against us.” Anna hadn’t seen him do that since he’d been a child. Vaspara’s words had rattled him. “You knew going into battle meant no one is safe. But by her admission, Truth is alive.”

  Anna directed her next comment at Vaspara. “Just get to the part where you tell us what you want for Truth’s life.”

  “I want a way out of this for myself and Sorac.”

  “He’s a firedrake. Why doesn’t he just fly away? Or come to think of it, why haven’t I seen him try to BBQ anyone yet?”

  “Come and see for yourselves. He’s holding the gargoyle and two dryads a short distance to the west. Call off your attack gargoyles, and we’ll see if the three of us can come to an understanding.”

  “If you’ve harmed Truth or the females...” Obsidian growled another warning.

  “The females are likely Meadow and Lark. They were together earlier. Let’s hope there is still something to save.” Anna stepped around Obsidian and placed a restraining hand on his chest but directed her next words at Vaspara. “We’ll come with you and negotiate for the release of our people.”

  Vaspara nodded at Anna’s words and then tilted her chin to where a section of underbrush had been burned away. Clearly work of the firedrake.

  By some miracle he hadn’t—or maybe he couldn’t—burned away enough of this surrounding tree canopy to get up into the air with his prisoners.

  Once she scanned the trail with more detail, she spotted the bright red of Sorac’s lava-like blood still smoldering on the ground.

  Ah, he’d been hurt. One or perhaps several of the gargoyles had managed to overpower the big beast.

  “You’re protecting him,” Anna said suddenly.

  “Yes.” Vaspara agreed, not even attempting to lie. “He protected me from three masters while I fought a fourth. I pay my debts.”

  Anna was sure whatever ran between Vaspara and Sorac was much deeper than a debt owed. It might even be love. She filed that information away for later. Anything that could help save her friends was useful.

  “Lead the way,” Anna ordered the succubus.

  Vaspara nodded and began to pick her way back up the northern side of the wide gully. Not once did she take her eyes off the gargoyles.

  “Leave her,” Obsidian ordered the others. “We will deal with this.”

  Rook suddenly appeared in their midst. He might even have been one of the masters who had maimed the big firedrake.

  “Obsidian,” he said without taking his eyes of the succubus, “have a care. Her kind can be wily and best even a gargoyle.”

  “Vaspara is known to me. She and Sorac still retain a semblance of honor. She will keep her word once given.”

  “She has not yet given her word,” Rook pointed out.

  Vaspara chuckled. “The master is correct. Should we make our deal here? Now?”

  “No. I want to see our friends first,” Anna answered before Obsidian had a chance. You were always a shrewd tactician, Vaspara. I’m not letting you outmaneuver us during this little reunion.

  When Anna saw more of Sorac’s glowing blood, she couldn’t help but remember how he and Vaspara had used to work together to keep her and Shadowlight away from the worst elements dwelling in the Battle Goddess’s kingdom.

  Anna didn’t fool herself though. They were still the enemy. She just didn’t want to have to be the one to kill them. Obsidian either. And if Vaspara had hostages, then Anna was willing to trade the two captains’ freedom for those hostages.

  Hadn’t Lord Death said that no gargoyle or dryad could be taken captive?

  This might not have been precisely what he had in mind, but it was faithful to the essence of his command.

  Time to cut a deal.

  Chapter 51

  VASPARA LED THE WAY, Anna followed, always keeping herself between him and the succubus. Obsidian knew what Anna was about, trying to protect him but also stop him from leaping headlong into an ambush. Or doing something else foolish, like falling prey to a succubus.

  He allowed Anna to lead since he’d never faced a succubus after his maturity. Now wasn’t the time to discover if his special blood would make him immune to her powers.

  So Vaspara led, Anna held the center, and he brought up the rear. And as the succubus had promised, they found Sorac and the three prisoners just a little west of the main fighting.

  Obsidian froze.

  Horror lodged like a rock in his gut.

  Truth was pinned to the ground by the spikes of the firedrake’s tail. One had speared through Truth’s right shoulder, another at the left hip and a third in the right thigh. Others had pinned his wings to the ground. Though painful, those would do nothing more damaging than keep him out of the sky for a day or two.

  The other wounds were what caused gorge to rise in Obsidian’s throat. He’d hadn’t felt this helpless since all those years ago when Anna was dying.

  This wasn’t the work of a blood witch, though. If Truth were lucky, the healers would be able to heal him enough to prevent a lengthy stone sleep.

  But even sleeping in stone for years was better than death.

  Still, t
he wounds would be monstrously painful.

  Resisting the urge to growl was difficult.

  Directly under Sorac’s scaled belly, Obsidian spotted Lark and Meadow. They were bound in ropes of magic. The two dryad warriors struggled to free themselves, cursing when they couldn’t.

  Meadow gave up after a moment, her gaze upon Truth as tears rolled down her cheeks.

  Anna cleared her throat, drawing his attention firmly back to her. Then she eyed Sorac and Vaspara thoughtfully. “You’re both too weak to escape on your own.”

  The firedrake craned his long neck to stare down at her. “Correct. I am injured too greatly, my magic weakened by keeping me alive. I could not summon a portal to escape back to our lands. Vaspara would not leave me behind and had to expend a great deal of power protecting me. Now, she can no longer summon enough magic either.”

  “Close your jaws you great fire-breathing lizard!” Vaspara’s tone lacked anger, though. Obsidian also detected sadness and weariness. Not hopelessness. Not yet.

  But she would never surrender. He knew that. She would fight to the end. The only uncertainty was whether she’d spare his friends’ lives.

  Anna was in his mind, reading his every emotion. And he was in hers. He knew what she was going to say before she said it. His duty was clear. For everyone’s sake, Vaspara, Sorac, and every other enemy soldier needed to be captured or killed. This was war. It was his duty to see Vaspara and Sorac dead or captured, even at the expense of his friends’ lives.

  He should halt Anna from making a deal.

  He didn’t.

  Anna pointed the tip of her sword at Vaspara, using the blade like a pointing finger. “This is how it’s going to go down. You’ll let Obsidian have Truth. I’ll create a portal back to your lands. You release Lark. Sorac will go through first, and then you, Vaspara, will release Meadow before I let you enter the portal. You have my word no harm will come to you if you do as I say.”

  Sorac growled, his voice like rolling thunder. “What assurances do I have you’ll let Vaspara go once I leave?”

  “The lizard has a point,” Vaspara said, calculation entering her eyes. “What if one of you crosses the portal first so there is a guarantee of sorts that both sides must behave if they wish to see their partner again?”

  Anna laughed and then pinned the succubus with a look that Obsidian knew would send lesser beings fleeing. “There is no version of this event where it ends with either my Rasoren or me going with you.”

  Vaspara glanced away from Anna to look Obsidian in the eyes. A cunning look entered her gaze.

  Obsidian just flashed his teeth at her. “Take the deal, Captain. Or there will be a bloodbath, and then there are no guarantees.”

  “Ah,” Vaspara returned his grin. “The cub truly has grown up. Sorac and I will humbly accept Anna’s deal.”

  Nodding agreement, he wasted no time calling on his magic and creating a portal. When he’d finished, he looked up at Vaspara and then Sorac.

  “The portal will dump you out along the borderlands. If you are lucky or have skills enough, you should be able to hide until you’re both full strength before having to face the blood witch or the Battle Goddess.”

  Sorac released Truth and then bowed his large, scale-covered neck in a show of respect. “Thank you. And for what it’s worth, I was careful where I speared this one,” he deposited Truth between them, forcing a grunt of pain from the gargoyle. “If you hurry, I’m sure he’ll survive. You’re all impressively tough bastards to kill. Anna included.”

  His Kyrsu laughed. “Don’t go getting sentimental. I haven’t forgotten who you serve. Next time we meet, it will be as enemies. Our debt to you is paid.”

  “It is,” he agreed. He released Lark first and then shoved Meadow toward Vaspara. Then he heaved himself up onto his three legs, the other was a mangled mess, and limped toward the portal. He paused, glancing at Vaspara before he crossed the threshold.

  Vaspara stood with an arm locked around Meadow’s throat as she gazed out at the surrounding forest as if waiting for gargoyles to attack. When none did, she backed toward the portal.

  “You’ll release Meadow before you touch the portal,” Anna warned.

  Vaspara shoved the dryad at Anna and then continued back until her boot heels were touching the outside barrier. Then she surprised Obsidian by bowing deeply. “May your honor be rewarded one day.”

  “And yours,” he called softly.

  As she stepped into the threshold, she paused, looking back over her shoulder. “Fate will force each of us onto the battlefield, I just hope the battlefield is large enough we never face each other. Farewell Corporal Anna Mackenzie and Shadowlight, two of the bravest young beings I ever met.”

  Then Vaspara was gone. Obsidian rushed to his friend’s side.

  “Truth! Are you alright?”

  The other gargoyle made a wheezing sound, and it took Obsidian a moment to recognize the sound as a laugh.

  “To borrow a phrase from Anna, fuck no.” Truth groaned. “Why does everyone always ask that?”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t...”

  But then Anna stepped up beside him, making sounds of sympathy and dragging Obsidian out of the way so the healers could see to Truth.

  “Meadow and Lark are safe, Truth. We’ll all be here once you wake,” Anna said, her tone soothing.

  “Thank you for saving them.” He closed his eyes. “I tried but failed.”

  “You didn’t fail them,” Obsidian added his voice to Anna’s. “You fought bravely, my friend. Now let the healers patch up your stubborn ass before Meadow drowns us all in her tears.”

  As he’d hoped, that caused the other male to look toward the dryad. Something besides pain entered Truth’s expression as he laid eyes on the woman he loved.

  Leaving them staring at each other, Obsidian guided Anna away.

  “We need to help with the sweep for any stray enemies who might be making an escape.”

  Anna nodded and soon they were dropping to run on all fours, hunting the few remaining enemy soldiers who hadn’t already been captured or killed.

  Chapter 52

  AS IT TURNED OUT, THE last of the invaders were swiftly dealt with. Those willing to surrender were taken captive. The rest were destroyed.

  Even the warriors who surrendered would still face death eventually, Anna learned.

  Lord Draydrak would judge each captive’s soul and determine if the person could be rehabilitated or if they needed to be sent back to the Divine Ones for healing.

  The ways of the Magic Realm were efficient at least.

  But it remained to be seen what the demigod would do with his Rasoren and Kyrsu when he learned they’d allowed two of the Battle Goddess’s top captains to escape. Anna planned on taking the blame.

  “There’s no point worrying about what can’t be changed. But as far as I’m concerned, that was the correct choice.” Obsidian shrugged. “Perhaps next time we meet Vaspara and Sorac, maybe we’ll have gained their trust enough that they’ll surrender to us. Depriving the Battle Goddess of two of her most competent captains would be a great blow.”

  “We can hope.” Anna knew she’d failed to keep the doubt out of her tone when Obsidian sighed.

  “You’re correct, of course. Next time we see them will likely be across a battlefield.” He paused. “The thought doesn’t please me.”

  “Me neither.” Anna agreed. “It’s because they were the closest we had to allies in that place. It doesn’t mean they are. We’re going to need to remember that for the next time. If Lord Death is planning on letting us have a next time.”

  “We’ll find out shortly.” He jerked his chin toward the temple where it sat glowing in the sunset. They’d flown to the island after receiving a summons from Lord Dray. The other members of the war party were still doing a final sweep for survivors back on the mainland.

  “We should have made a run for it,” Anna said only half in jest. “We could have made it back to the Mortal R
ealm before anyone realized we’re gone.”

  Obsidian only huffed but knew she didn’t really mean it. Neither of them would be running away from the demigod.

  Together they continued their walk up the stairs cut into the bedrock of the island. On either side spread the beautiful terraced gardens. It struck him as strange that this island, structurally the same as Haven, differed so much.

  “It’s odd, isn’t it,” Anna said, sounding deep in thought, “that the God of Death surrounds himself with green growing things, tropical birds, lizards, and insects. And likely any number of other creatures that make their way to this island. When I think of death, visions of tombs and desiccated dead things pop into my head. But, hell, tropical paradise. Whatever floats your boat.”

  “It must be lonely,” Obsidian said softly.

  “What?” Anna glanced sidelong at him. “Oh, you mean having the power he commands.”

  “Oh, it is,” Lord Dray’s entrancing voice was suddenly sharing headspace with them. “My duty demands unquestioning dedication. Loneliness is a result of that. But I wouldn’t change what I am. There is nothing more beautiful than sending souls made wise by a long life back to the Spirit Realm to reunite with all the other loved ones who’ve already made the journey. The joy they feel echoes back to me, and that is rewarding enough.”

  They turned a corner and found themselves within feet of the massive demigod in the flesh.

  “My Lord—” Obsidian began, but Anna cut him off.

  “It was my plan. My action that allowed two of the enemy to escape. The blame is mine to swallow.”

  Obsidian squared his shoulders. “But it was my choice to allow it.”

  His belligerent tone said he wasn’t budging. Well, Anna didn’t plan to give ground either.

  “Captains Vaspara and Sorac are known to us. Vaspara wished to bargain. Obsidian wouldn’t have agreed, except they had Truth, Lark, and Meadow.”

  Dray said nothing, merely folding his powerful horse-like legs under him and kneeling on one of the manicured patches of lawn. His expression was attentive and... something else.