When a Gargoyle Awakens

by Price, E A

  “You still think of her?” She wasn’t sure if she wanted the answer to this, but a morbid part of her needed to know.

  “No more than I think of any of my lost friends. I made my peace with the fact that we were not to be a long time ago. Now I look to the future. You are very beautiful, Kylie.”

  His compliment almost knocked her over in surprise. She paused mid-kiss and felt even more heat reach her cheeks. “You need your eyes testing,” she muttered.

  Luc pursed his lips. “Why do you not believe me? It saddens and angers me.”

  “I’m not really beautiful; I can point out a ton of flaws.”

  He smiled wryly. “Should I ask you to name mine?”

  “It’s not the same.”

  “You are the woman who brought me back to life. You are the woman meant to be with me. You are mine. And for those reasons, I wish to be with you. But you are also kind and funny and patient. And for those reasons, I love you.”

  Her heart stuttered. The l word; he said the l word! She looked into his earnest face, and her legs felt like jelly. Gently, she pushed away from him. “One minute,” she murmured.

  She disappeared into the bathroom and gave herself a mirror pep talk. With a flash of courage, she stripped out of her clothes and slowly returned to him. She found him frowning and fidgeting. He stilled when he saw her, and he stared at her open-mouthed.

  Kylie forced herself not to cover her body. “Do you find me attractive?”

  “More than you could ever imagine, little one. I cannot perceive of a creature more perfect.”

  “You must have a very poor imagination.” She couldn’t help it, the self-deprecating joke just escaped before she could stop it.

  He didn’t give her the disapproving glare, nor did he smile. His expression was hungry. “No, I have a very beautiful mate.”

  “Should we go to bed?” she whispered. “Do you, I mean, do you… in the bed?” There was no easy way to ask how gargoyles had sex.

  Luc chuckled. “Yes, little one.” Slowly, he pulled off his loincloth. His erection jutted forward, thick and proud.

  “Oh my!” she whispered out loud.

  “We do not have to rush.” He leaned down and pressed his mouth to her. What started as a soft kiss quickly turned into a sensual embrace as his tongue explored her mouth. Apart from his sharpened teeth, which she ran her tongue along, it wasn’t really different from kissing a human. Although he did taste better to her than any human man, she had been with, and he kissed a lot better than them. When he finally pulled away, he looked pleased. “Yes, let’s go to bed.”

  He led her to the bedroom, and she crawled onto the bed. Fleetingly, she hoped it was big enough for the both of them. She wondered if he liked to cuddle after. She wondered how much noise he made when he came. She wondered if it was possible for them to have a baby!

  Such considerations didn’t seem to touch Luc. He stood at the foot of the bed and smiled at her. It was a smile unlike she had ever seen before. Happy but proprietary and almost predatory. It grew even wider as he looked over her body; Kylie trembled as his eyes burned the brightest amber.

  Carefully, he kneeled on the bed. It dipped, and Kylie giggled, eliciting a chuckle from Luc. He crawled over her body, not touching her but just hovering over her. He waited for what seemed to be an eternity, continuing to drink her in with his eyes.

  Kylie gasped as his lips finally touched her. She moved her hands over the hard planes of his chest as he brushed kisses over her neck. At first the touch of his mouth on her body was soft and hesitant, but as she sighed in pleasure, it became more insistent. The lingering nervousness slowly ebbed as he explored her body.

  She could feel his hot breath against her as he ghosted caresses over her check, as he licked the lobe of her ear and as he traveled down to her breasts.

  Her hands clutched at him more firmly as she became more and more aroused. He kissed the skin all around her breasts before finally sucking one of her orbs into his mouth. His tongue traced her swollen bud, and she shivered in delight as his sharp teeth scraped her skin. He repeated the ministration with the other and Kylie found her hands moving over his face until she clutched at his horns, pulling him against her.

  She found her hips moving of their own volition, arching off the mattress, seeking him out, but he merely pressed her back into the bed and murmured for her to be patient. She closed her eyes and allowed the feeling of pleasure to wash over her. It was amazing, but she needed more. Thankfully, he didn’t keep her waiting long.

  Kylie’s eyes snapped open, and she almost jolted off the bed as she felt something press against her sex, unexpectedly. It was big, but not big enough to be his member. She looked down between them, and her eyes boggled as she saw and felt his tail pressing between her folds.

  “Luc,” she whimpered.

  Aided by her flowing juices he pressed his tail inside her and flexed. She moaned, and Luc captured her mouth for a short kiss.

  “I must stretch you before I take you,” he rumbled, throatily.

  As his tail expertly manipulated her, and Luc lavished more attention on her breasts, she could do nothing but lay back and whisper the word ‘yes’.

  His movements became more insistent and within seconds she was crying out with her first release. He held her as her body trembled in exquisite pleasure. As she lay back, reveling in the soft aftershocks, she was vaguely aware of him retreating from her body. She mewled in objection, and he chuckled.

  “Do not fear, little one, I will not leave you.”

  Kylie bit her lip and watched as he carefully dipped a clawed finger into her heat, coating it with her juices and then spreading them over his quivering manhood. He settled between her legs and she felt the blunt, large tip press against her opening. He held her breath as he pushed forward. She gasped as a couple of inches sank inside her. Even with her previous release she was still tight, and his entrance bordered on painful. He withdrew, and she breathed out.

  “Look at me, little one.” Her eyes found his and she saw nothing but love. “I will not hurt you.”

  She nodded, and they smiled at one another as her hands clutched his horns. Slowly, he pressed inside her again, and she moaned loudly, the pleasure far outweighing the pain this time. He groaned as he slid in and out of her, carefully filling her little by little until finally he was seated as far as she could take him.

  He held still, his chest shuddering as he forced himself not to move. He allowed her time to become accustomed to his size, and she relaxed around him. She gave herself over to the sensation of being opened and filled completely. He was so large that he touched every sensitive part of her. She was already dancing on the edge of an orgasm, all she needed was a small push, and she would fall.

  “Are you alright, little one?”

  “Yes,” she panted, “please, I’m close.”

  Luc kissed her softly before pulling back and thrusting inside her. She screamed as her climax hurtled through her body. As her body jerked and delicious white heat coursed through her, he gripped her tightly and began taking her over and over. He slipped an arm under her, holding her in place as she tried to buck against him.

  Every time he filled her he snarled, and his eyes swirled with wild amber. Her hands clutched at him tightly as warmth pooled within her sex, and her body was swept up into another release. He was getting close; he was pounding against her body so forcefully the bed crashed against the wall, and she cried out as she came again. Luc threw back his head and roared before he exploded with his own orgasm.

  Kylie closed her eyes as she felt the press of his body against hers, and she gave herself over to the heavenly sensations rushing through her body.

  She closed her eyes and sighed as Luc murmured the word ‘mate’.

  Chapter Thirty

  “Was that okay?” she murmured from her perch on his chest. She was sprawled over him, and his claws lazily traced patterns over her back. His wings curled around both of them like a blanket
. They were surprisingly warm and soft. No wonder he didn’t need to wear much out in the open.

  She cursed herself for how needy she sounded. She had never been this needy with any other man. But then she hadn’t worried about disappointing any other man.

  Going by her last relationship, it was safe to assume that she wasn’t exactly a siren in the bedroom – otherwise her fiancé wouldn’t have gone looking for it with a blonde skank.

  With Luc, she was fearful of not measuring up to female gargoyles. She knew from what he said that they were bigger and more aggressive than her; perhaps that was what he liked.

  “Little one, it was more wonderful than I could have ever imagined.”

  Yes, it had been for Kylie, too. Sex before had been a case of, she could take it or leave it, and sometimes it was pleasant and other times it was merely okay. But being with Luc almost left her breathless, it was almost enough to make her heart give out. It kept beating, though, through the pure will of wanting to do that again.

  “You still wish to be my mate?” he asked, almost uncertainly.

  Nothing that had happened so far that night had changed her mind about that. “Yes, definitely. What does it mean to be your mate?”

  He captured one of her hands in his, and she smiled at the difference of her small pink one in his huge red one. He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed the tips.

  “It is much the same as when humans are married. I would expect you to obey as a human male would.”

  “What?!” Kylie pulled her hands back and heaved herself up until she was sitting over him. “Would female gargoyles obey?”

  He smiled at her outrage, although his eyes seemed to be wandering down to her unfettered breasts. She scowled at him and folded her arms over them. He smiled and traced his claws over her arms, gently trying to crowbar them apart. He sighed as she glared at him.

  “I would expect the females to obey me as their clan leader. But as their mate… I doubt if I had taken a female gargoyle as my mate she would be very docile to me. The role of chief’s mate holds a lot of power. She might have deferred to me, but she would have been very forthright. There were a few clans back in my time led by females.”

  Kylie sniffed. She had the air of someone who was not angry, just disappointed. She was taking the passive aggressive high-road. “But you want me to be docile and to obey?”

  “It is different. If I told you that I did not wish for you to speak with a male alone, yes I would expect you to obey. I would not ask anything of you that was unreasonable.”

  “Would female gargoyles allow themselves to be told who and who not to talk to?”

  He rubbed her thighs and massaged her buttocks. “I doubt a female of my kind would have taken kindly to being told to do anything by their mate. But then they were capable of taking care of themselves; human females should be coddled.”

  “You don’t have to coddle me.” She winced as his tail tightened around her still swollen ankle. As if he was proving some kind of point.

  “I want to coddle you; I wish to protect you. Your safety is the most important thing in the world to me. I hope that we can free my imprisoned brethren, but I would not put your safety at risk to do so. I care for my fallen friends, but you are the only one I love. Even if we never freed the other gargoyles, I could find peace as long as you were with me. If I could, I would never let you out of my sight.”

  Kylie softened. She knew how important it was to him to help the other gargoyles. “If I could, I would never let you out of my bed.” She wriggled her hips against him.

  His eyes blazed with renewed desire. “Are you pleased with my performance, little one?”

  “Very much so. You have ruined me for other men.” She leaned over him and rubbed her breasts against his hard chest.

  Luc growled and flipped her onto her back. “There will never be any other men. You will have only me.” He covered them with his wings. She surrendered as he kissed his way over her chest and neck. Her fingers tangled in his thick, black hair, and she whimpered in satisfaction as his sharp teeth grazed her skin.

  He stopped and lifted his head to look at her. “It will not always be this way, little one.”

  “Really? Isn’t it a bit early in our sex life to worry…”

  “No!” he said, quickly. And did she detect the faintest shade of a blush on his red cheek? “I mean we will not always be hidden like this. One day we will walk out in the open together.” He placed a hand over her stomach. “I hope one day that I will have more than just you to protect.”

  Kylie tried to withhold the gulp that wanted to escape. He saw her panic and laughed. “But that is not something we need think about tonight.”

  They both stilled as they heard a banging at the front door.

  “Ignore it,” murmured Kylie as she stroked his face. Knowing her luck it was Holling or Gary, and she did not want her evening ruined for either of those idiots.

  “I smell blood,” said Luc, a grim expression on his face.

  He slipped away from her and left the bedroom. Kylie scrambled after him, pulling on a robe. She noticed that Luc also had the sense to pull on his discarded loincloth. She moved to answer the door when Luc stopped her. “It might be dangerous.”

  “You can’t answer the door,” she said, reasonably. “Stay in the kitchen and if I need you…”

  “I will not hesitate,” he said, firmly.

  Kylie cracked the door open, aware that Luc was hovering nearby, preparing to pounce. She gasped at the sight before her.

  “Gustave!”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Gustave was barely conscious. Luc retrieved his sagging body and placed him on the couch. Kylie had suggested the bed, but that idea was shot down with a disapproving look.

  Kylie, whose medical knowledge extended as far as the TV show Scrubs, had no idea what to do. Gustave was pale, and sweat was pouring off his face.

  “You said you smelled blood?”

  Luc nodded and eyed the male warily. “You know this man?” he asked in a steely voice.

  “Yes, he was the professor’s friend or manservant or whatever. He disappeared as soon as the professor died.”

  This answer seemed to satisfy him, and he pointed to Gustave’s shoulder. “The blood is coming from a wound there.”

  Kylie tried to pull his shirt off, but when she couldn’t, Luc reached out and sliced through it.

  She almost threw up. Cowardly, yes. But there had never been this much blood on Scrubs. “Maybe he’s been stabbed or shot or, I don’t know.”

  “We must clean the wound,” Luc said, gently. “Get some water and a cloth.”

  Kylie nodded and did as she was told. When she did, Luc applied the water to the man’s shoulder with care.

  “It appears as if someone has already tried to close the wound.”

  There were some raggedy looking stitches around the cut, but they didn’t seem to be doing any good.

  “He needs a hospital,” said Kylie, wringing her hands.

  “No!” cried Gustave, he reached out and clamped a hand on Kylie’s wrist.

  Luc snarled and grasped his arm, pulling him away from her. Gustave blinked at Luc a few times, muttered the words ‘no hospital’ and fainted.

  “Oh, gawd!” exclaimed Kylie.

  “You wish to comply with what he wants?”

  “Yes, but…” Kylie snapped her fingers. “My Aunt Bea used to be a nurse – years ago. Well, about forty years ago. Maybe she’ll know what to do.” It was surely like riding a bike, right? Although it had been ten years since she rode a bike and…

  “She can be trusted?”

  “I think so, at least she was a friend of the professor’s.”

  She waited for Luc’s reaction and seemingly satisfied he nodded, and Kylie called her aunt. Bea bustled round within ten minutes, alarmed by the urgency in Kylie’s voice.

  Luc didn’t like it, but he agreed to stay out of the way in Kylie’s bedroom – or their bedroom n
ow, as he pointedly corrected her – so as not to alarm Bea. It was probably a good thing. Bea was already pretty taken aback by the sight of Gustave.

  Kylie told her what happened and Bea – because it was Gustave – agreed that she would try and help.

  Bea gasped as she cut through the rest of Gustave’s shirt. “His wounds are infected with dark magic,” she muttered.

  “What?” squawked Kylie in alarm.

  “It’s a long story,” said Bea absently. “I have to cleanse him of the darkness. Hold him down.”

  Kylie held onto his arms as she watched Bea pull some kind of green tonic out of her purse. Kylie had no idea what it was, and judging by the smell, she didn’t want to know.

  Gustave howled in pain as Bea applied some to his wounds. He started thrashing beneath them and hurled Kylie away from him. She yelped as she careened into the bookcase.

  Luc roared and burst out of the bedroom. He snarled and looked around the room, eyes flashing.

  Bea gaped at him, a scream caught in her throat. “What the…”

  “It’s a long story,” said Kylie as Luc lifted her to her feet. He pushed Kylie behind him, less anyone try to get to her. The only thing she feared at that moment was a withering put down from her aunt.

  They were all frozen in tableau for a few moments until a moan from Gustave brought them back to their senses.

  “Hold him down,” ordered Bea, getting back to business.

  Luc did and under his strength, Gustave barely struggled. Bea, to her credit, only trembled, slightly while working next to the huge gargoyle. Bea took Kylie’s hand and chanted some low words.

  Finally, Gustave seemed to relax and fall into a comfortable sleep. A very exhausted looking Bea turned to Kylie, her eyes only darting toward Luc a couple of times. “You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady.”

  “So do you,” said Kylie, with feeling.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “Now,” said Bea, in her best disapproving, mothering tone. “What has been happening?” She looked from Kylie to Luc, worriedly.