HEAT (a gargoyle shifter romance) (Underground Encounters Book 5)

by Lisa Carlisle

  She peered through the peephole. It was a delivery man. When she opened it, he presented a giant bouquet of sunflowers. After signing for them, she closed the door and opened the attached card.

  These flowers reminded me of breakfast with you. After a night I’ll never forget.

  Thank you for your kindness. I wish you all the happiness there is.

  D.

  Tracy pressed the card to her heart. Had she made a huge mistake?

  Over the next few days, she tried to distract herself with school and classes. Yet, anxiety and doubts settled inside her like she’d gained five pounds of rock-hard granite. Every other song that came on the radio seemed to torment her, reminding her of Danton in some way or other.

  She visited her family for dinner on Wednesday evening since she’d skipped out on Sunday. The few hours she’d spent talking with her parents over a meal of lasagna and playing board games with Andrew offered much-needed distraction. Yet, thoughts of Danton pierced through. She was working at Vamps tomorrow evening. What would happen when she saw him again?

  Come Thursday, she fidgeted through her classes, tapping her foot or clicking her pen cap to the annoyance of others. In a few hours, she’d be near Danton in his stone form. How could she continue tending bar at Vamps as if nothing had happened? She knew too much—and she felt too much—to just brush it aside.

  And what happened now? Would she have to get herself into trouble on purpose whenever she wanted to see him? Would he even want to see her again after she’d run off on him? If he did, what kind of relationship would that be?

  Wait, she didn’t want a relationship with anyone.

  Right? Ugh, what did she want? She’d been focused on school after breaking up with Brian. School and work, that’s all she did now. It wasn’t super exciting, but it was safe. Free from drama.

  Free from excitement, too. Nothing like the fire that had burned inside her since the night Danton had revealed himself to her and she’d taken him home.

  Maybe I should look for another job, but where? Another bartending gig would be easy to get, but they wouldn’t have the same vibe as Vamps.

  She’d have to look for one in, or just north of Boston, so she could still get to class. She’d miss the crowd at Vamps, though. The uniqueness there was their greatest appeal.

  When Tracy’s phone rang that afternoon, she stared at the number, which she didn’t recognize. What if it was Danton? No, it couldn’t be. Still, she answered it, just in case.

  “I don’t know what the hell happened the other night, but I know what I saw. It was not a hallucination.”

  Shit, it was Brian. She shouldn’t have answered.

  “You know you’re not supposed to call me.”

  “When a giant man with wings throws me across the bar where you work, I have the right to demand answers. What the fuck happened?

  Shit. How would she explain Danton? He’d trusted her with his secret, and she wouldn’t dare reveal it to anyone—especially Brian.

  “You had to be on something, Brian, because you were way out of line grabbing me. And by the way, you’re not supposed to be calling me, visiting me, or trying to shove your goddamn tongue down my throat. Don’t call me again!”

  After she hung up on him, she swore. Her heart pounded at a frantic speed. She thought Danton scared the shit out of him enough to keep Brian far away. Unfortunately, he had used it as a reason to bother her yet again. She had to report him. It was the second time he’d bothered her in a week.

  Ah crap—what if he brought up the whole gargoyle-coming-to-life excuse? Would they investigate? Take the statue from Vamps as some sort of evidence? She couldn’t do that to Danton. She had to think about it before she made any rash decisions that would affect his already cursed existence.

  Tracy moved in slow motion the rest of the afternoon. When it was time to get ready for her shift, she put on an 80s rock playlist and took extra care with her hair and makeup as she got ready for work. She wore her favorite strapless black dress with silver buckles and zippers that were more decorative than functional, and accessorized it with silver-buckled motorcycle boots and silver jewelry.

  Journey’s Separate Ways came on. For some reason, it hit a note with her that night. It reminded her of Danton and Brian, so she turned it off. Like she needed any more reminders about what had happened. That night replayed in her mind more times than she could count.

  When she walked into Vamps, she realized she was holding her breath. In a few moments, she’d be near him. He’d be frozen, but she’d know he was there. How could she be the one to send him back to his stony prison? No matter how he described it as his way of existence, that’s what it seemed like to her. Being locked in stone, unable to move.

  Trying to push the guilty thoughts out of her head, she pulled on the door with the sign reading “Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here.” Shit. Never had it felt more appropriate, reflecting how bereft she’d felt since fleeing from Danton like a damned coward.

  Her eyes darted to the left of the bar where the gargoyle statue stood. Her heart pounded with panic. It turned out she didn’t have to worry about working near him after all.

  The gargoyle statue was gone.

  She scrutinized the other statues standing upright or perched on walls. Which were Danton’s brothers with life behind their stone eyes?

  “Where’s the gargoyle that’s usually here?” she asked one of the bar backs, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.

  “Oh yeah, it’s gone,” he said. “I was wondering what looked different over there.”

  “You don’t know where it is?”

  “No idea.”

  Tracy ran through the club, investigating storage areas and stairwells. She asked the other club staff if they knew where the statue was. No one seemed to know. Danton had vanished.

  Her gaze darted to the other gargoyle statues in the club. “Do you know where he is?”

  No reply.

  Of course not. She was acting bizarre.

  During her shift, she tried to stay focused on her patrons, grateful for the distraction. Most of them ordered beer, but some of the fancier drinks, like Tempting Fate, had a number of ingredients that required her attention. It was difficult enough to hear drink orders over the DJ, but tonight they had a punk band starting the night with a very short and loud set.

  She searched for her boss, Tristan, or his girlfriend, Maya, as they might know about Danton, but they weren’t around. The hours crept by.

  Where was Danton?

  When her shift ended, she glanced at the gargoyle statues again. “I need to talk to him.”

  She left Vamps and circled the club searching for a clue. She searched nearby buildings to see if a gargoyle was perched on one of them in stone form.

  You’re acting crazy!

  Although she didn’t spot any signs of Danton in stone or human form, she didn’t want to go home. Her cold bed and empty shower would taunt her by reminding her of all she’d passed up by running off on him.

  If she lived in a bigger city, she might hesitate before walking around alone after midnight. But this was Caterina’s Cove, a sleepy seaside village north of Boston. Vamps was the darkest aspect in the area, hidden in the shadows of warehouses.

  She took off her boots so she could traipse down to the ocean, feeling the sand between her toes. The breeze coming off the Atlantic cooled the otherwise humid July night. Perhaps the soothing sound of the waves reaching the shore would help relax her restless mind.

  No such luck. Where had he gone?

  The beach, the sand, the waves—all of it reminded her of the time spent with Danton in Gloucester. Their walk together was intimate in that she learned a bit more about him. The kiss along the ocean was romantic. Then passionate. They could barely keep their hands off each other.

  Despite feeling the desolation of losing the flesh-and-blood version of him, she smiled. She had fallen for him. It didn’t matter that he was different, and that she hadn�
��t known him for long. She’d connected to him long ago, before she even knew him in the flesh, and that had to mean something deep, something real.

  It was time to bury her past experiences with bad relationships and to be thankful that they had helped her to now recognize one that was good. Danton wasn’t Brian. Danton was as steady as the stone he shifted into, while Brian was as destructive as fire. Not only did their looks differ, but their outlooks on life, as well. Brian blamed the world for his own problems, yet Danton was cursed and never once had complained. In fact, he had found a way to adapt and live with the situation. Knowing what she could have with Danton wasn’t something she was willing to give up.

  She had to find him.

  After circling around and seeing no signs of him, she threw her hands up to the stars. Where the hell was he?

  She tapped her chin. Where would a gargoyle statue disappear to? He couldn’t just evaporate. Someone must have moved him. Hmm, well, he might have left while he was still in human form and took his shell with him.

  Oh, jeez, to think these things—situations she’d never dreamed possible!

  “You know what’s going on,” a man’s voice interrupted.

  She’d been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed anyone approach.

  Creepy shivers ran along her spine. She knew that voice.

  What the fuck? Why the hell wouldn’t he leave her alone?

  She spun and faced him. “Brian, why are you following me?”

  “Because, you’ve been lying.” His eyes were unfocused and bloodshot. “You saw that thing attack me. I want to hear you say it.”

  “Fine, whatever you say.” She rolled her eyes to hide her apprehension. “Happy now? Can you leave me alone?”

  He took a step closer. “I miss you, Tracy. I want to try again with you.”

  The heady scent of alcohol on him wasn’t a good sign.

  “No.” She raised her hand and stepped back. “You need to let go and move on. We are over.”

  “What if I quit drinking?”

  “You should quit drinking. It messes with your head and makes you crazy. But, we’re not getting back together. Not now. Not ever.”

  His eyes turned cold with fury. She recognized the look—the one he had when crossing over to a darker, violent side.

  “You won’t even give me a chance? What do you think? That you’re too good for me, you stuck-up bitch?”

  She reached into her purse to grab her pepper spray, but he rushed her, knocking her to the ground. Even though she only hit sand, the rough impact still made her gasp.

  When she kicked at him, she aimed for his crotch, but he turned and she hit more thigh than his goods. Too bad she’d taken her boots off. They’d do more damage than her foot.

  Brian recovered quickly and jumped on her, pinning her by the wrists.

  “Get off me!” She tried to claw him, but with her arms restrained, she flailed more than hit her target.

  “Help!” she screamed as she struggled to get out of his grasp. “Help!” She knew it was useless since Danton was long gone, but she willed the gargoyle to hear her cries. “Danton!”

  “Shut up. Who the fuck do you think you’re calling? Another man? You’re fuckin’ mine, Trace. You always will be.”

  When he covered her mouth, she tried to bite him.

  “Careful,” he warned. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  He’d released one wrist as he covered her mouth, so she used the opportunity to chop him in the throat. She moved her legs in opposite directions, and rolled to the side. The jarring movement knocked him off his center of gravity. He lost his balance and fell off her, tumbling beside her.

  Thank God for those self-defense classes. Not that she’d stick around to savor their effectiveness.

  She jumped to her feet and ran up the beach, screaming for help. He recovered quickly enough that he was right behind her. She resisted losing momentum by looking back to see how close he was.

  Once she had a little distance, she could lose him. She ran a couple of times a week for cardio while his physical fitness regime was the twelve-ounce curls. She just needed to widen the distance…

  It was too late. Brian leapt onto her, knocking her forward. She barely had time to brace her fall with her hands before she ate sand.

  Although their encounters had ended up similarly in the past, Tracy had always held back, attempting to defuse the situation and calm his temper rather than fight back. But, everyone had their limits, and she’d passed hers a long time ago.

  A blind rage swelled up in her. It resembled the unfocused vision of her panic attacks, but this time it was driven by pure fury, consuming her so she could barely see through the haze.

  She twisted back while throwing her fist at the mass behind her. His groan and the resistance of her hitting solid flesh signaled she landed a good shot, although she wasn’t sure where. As she squirmed out from under him, she kicked, punched, and scratched, relentless until she escaped his hold.

  Her vision cleared as she pulled herself to her feet. He lay hunched over the sand, clutching his stomach with a pained expression. But, he reached for her ankle, and glared at her. If he pulled her down, she was in trouble.

  Before he managed to get a good grasp on her leg, she maneuvered out of his grip. Then she kicked her leg back and hit him full force in the gut. He rolled onto his back, still groaning and clutching his stomach.

  “I said don’t touch me. Don’t contact me. And to leave me alone. Apparently, my words and the court order didn’t sink in, so maybe that will.”

  Her breathing was so erratic she had to take a few moments to recover, never taking her eyes off Brian as she backed up the beach away from him.

  He stumbled on the sand like a wounded animal. His face was marred with scratches and he was clearly hurt. Guilt smacked her in her core. She’d never hurt anyone like that, and he was a person she’d once loved.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  He clutched his stomach. “I just wanted to talk to you, and you attacked me.”

  Was that what had happened? So much of it happened during fear and blind rage.

  No. Of course he would see it that way, though. He’d never take any responsibility for his actions.

  She stepped forward and offered him a hand to help him up. “You should probably see a doctor.”

  “Fuck you, you crazy bitch.” He climbed onto one knee and spat at her hand.

  His warm saliva slithered over her hand. Disgusting. She shook the revolting body fluid onto the sand.

  He stumbled forward as he reached for her. “I’ll fuckin’ kill you for this.”

  She jumped back in the sand. His threat reignited her fury and she hit him square in the jaw. He fell back onto the sand.

  “Stay the fuck away from me.” She spun around to run up the beach and slammed into something hard. “Oof.” It was a bronzed, brawny chest.

  Someone grabbed her upper arms. “Are you all right?”

  Oh God, the French accent. He came. She nodded and peered up at Danton. “Oh, Danton.” She threw her arms around him. “What are you doing here?”

  “I heard you call. I just arrived to see you doing just fine holding your own.” His concerned expression shifted to one with amusement.

  She raised her chin and appraised her well-being. It felt good to fight back and not take Brian’s crap. “Yeah, well, that was long overdue.”

  “That’s the monster. I knew it!” Brian shouted.

  “The only monster here is you, Brian,” Tracy spat. “Get help before you fuck up anybody else’s life, as well as your own.”

  “Can I add something?” Danton asked her with a twinkle in his eye. “I’d hate to have come to protect you only to stand by like some ornament.”

  Ornament? Tracy grinned. “I suppose.”

  Danton’s wings unfurled behind him and his skin took on a grayish hue, making him appear like a terrifying god of monsters as he approached Brian. She scanned the
shoreline to make sure no witnesses were nearby.

  “Holy shit!” Brian exclaimed. “I knew I didn’t imagine this.”

  “No, you didn’t.” Danton lifted Brian two feet off the ground, holding him by the throat. Danton’s icy eyes reflected his fury while Brian’s bloodshot ones showed his terror. “I should have killed you at Vamps. It’s only because Tracy stopped me that you’re alive today.”

  Brian tried to break Danton’s hold with his hands while he choked and flailed his legs.

  “Tracy has told you repeatedly she doesn’t want you bothering her. Know this—I am here to protect her,” Danton said. “I will always be here watching over her. Before you even make it within ten yards of her, I will destroy you without warning. Understand?”

  Danton dropped Brian to the ground. Brian coughed and grabbed his throat before he stammered, “Uh huh.”

  “Leave us,” Danton commanded.

  Brian scrambled up the beach, stumbling at times, but not turning back. Soon he was nothing but a dot that disappeared into the darkness.

  Tracy turned to face Danton. “I looked for you. Where did you go?” Tracy asked.

  “I was making arrangements to return to Paris,” Danton said, wrapping his arms around her.

  “Why would you do that?” Her words came in a higher pitch than she’d intended.

  “I didn’t want to be like him. After what happened at the restaurant, I thought you’d be better off without me, and that I should leave you alone. All I want is for you to be safe and happy.”

  The last thing she wanted was for him to leave her alone. “Danton, I never should have run away from you. I haven’t had a panic attack like that in a long time, and I don’t know why. So much has happened lately, and so quickly.” She brushed her hair out of her face. “But, I realized something. When I thought I’d lost you forever, that was when I knew for sure. The thing is I’ve fallen for you. Maybe it’s crazy, but I want to be with you.”

  His eyes widened and gleamed with happiness. “Are you sure about this?”

  “I don’t want to pine for you, waiting for some call to duty before we can be together again. I want to be with you, Danton. If you still feel the same for me, I’d like to take the oath with you.”