by Price, E A
“And they betrayed your deal? Are you really surprised?”
Kylie considered how she could get away from the crazy gargoyle and drag Lara with her. So far, all her plans ended with both of them being horribly maimed. Her only bet was to stall and hope Luc would come looking for her. Within the next thirty seconds would be wonderful.
“I had no choice – I’d almost lost Luc. He was never going to separate us from the humans – he had to be forced away from them.”
“But what about all the gargoyles who are dead – who are still trapped, you almost killed your entire race.”
“Not me!” she howled. “It was the humans. It was the humans! Again and again they have proved they cannot be trusted.”
Her movements were becoming edgier, and she looked half feral. Kylie held out her hands. “Look, I know that humans have treated you badly…”
“Treated her badly!” screeched a shrill voice. They looked round to see that Lara had worked her gag free. “She killed Holling’s parents after they awoke her. She’s been pulling Holling’s strings ever since.”
“Silence!” roared Ophelia, moving to Lara.
“The bitch made Holling do what she wanted with promises of power and magic. She’s never been a prisoner. She was using Holling and then she murdered him! I didn’t come here to hurt you; I came to kill her!”
Ophelia had murder in her eyes. Kylie tried to stop her advancement; the gargoyle batted her into a tree as if she was nothing. Lara managed to free her hands, and she threw a knife at the oncoming gargoyle. Ophelia easily deflected it.
“Kylie, run,” yelled Lara as Ophelia grabbed her and snapped her neck.
Kylie screamed, and her magic fizzed, sending Ophelia crashing into a tree. She turned to run and almost sobbed as Luc dropped to the ground in front her.
“Little one!” he exclaimed as she ran into his arms.
“Ophelia, she attacked me… she killed the gargoyles… it’s all her… she killed Lara,” hiccupped Kylie.
Ophelia barreled through the hedge holding Lara’s knife. “I’m going to kill you!”
“Ophelia!” roared Luc, his grip on Kylie tightened, and he shielded her from the other female.
Ophelia hesitated. “She attacked me,” she lied.
“What?!” squawked Kylie in outrage from somewhere behind his wings.
“Do not lie to me, Ophelia,” said Luc, coldly. Kylie could feel his body shaking in anger, but his voice was surprisingly calm.
“You’d take that human’s word over mine?”
“Kylie is my mate.”
Ophelia looked about ready to explode. “You’d choose her over me?”
“I already did. What have you done, Ophelia?” he said, softly, disapproval pouring from every syllable.
The female gargoyle looked around, wildly. “It isn’t my fault. This is all the humans’ fault, Luc. This is all their fault! We could have been happy. You let them do this. You should have chosen me!”
Ophelia screeched and launched into the sky. Luc moved to go after her, but he stopped and looked at Kylie. “Are you bleeding?”
“What?” Kylie touched her head and felt the slick blood. “Son of a…”
Chapter Forty-Three
Luc kissed Kylie’s palm and scooped her up in his arms.
“You don’t have to carry me everywhere,” she chided. Although she loved it, really.
“I enjoy carrying you, little one. And I don’t want you to get hurt… again.”
Kylie sighed. Luc was feeling extremely guilty. She told him over and over that he shouldn’t. It wasn’t his fault that Ophelia was crazy beans.
Ophelia was nowhere to be found. Luc tried to look for her after she disappeared, and as soon as he was sure Kylie would be okay. He was furious with the female gargoyle, but content that she wouldn’t be able to get near Kylie while he was around. Kylie dreaded to think what Luc would do if she ever showed her horned head again. Luc mentioned that trying to kill a chief’s mate would mean instant death for a gargoyle. Kylie was very queasy at the thought of killing anyone, so Luc changed the subject.
Luc knew that Ophelia cared for him and that she hadn’t been particularly comfortable with humans, but he had no idea how deep her hatred went. He hated himself for allowing Ophelia anywhere hear his mate and for not seeing her lies. He’d barely let Kylie out of his sight since that night. He just prayed that Ophelia would not harm any other humans. It was a concern that she was out, roaming free in a world filled with humans she hated. He hoped that when some more of his brethren were awake, they may try to hunt her down before she did anything foolish.
Kylie on the other hand was considering investing in a crash helmet. She was healing thanks to Bea’s help, but Luc was treating her like she was made of particularly thin and breakable glass. He didn’t even trust her to walk anywhere on her own. Which, given her track record wasn’t completely uncalled for.
“So where are we going?” she asked as he strode out into the garden.
“Somewhere private,” he replied. “Somewhere special.”
Luc ducked through the remainder of the hedge maze. Some of it had been cut down, but most of it still remained in its overgrown glory.
He entered the clearing – the center of the maze, his previous home and the place where they first met. Candles dotted the area, giving it a soft glow. And a blanket was spread out on the grass.
“What’s all this for?” she asked as he placed her on the ground.
“We must do something that I should have done when we first mated. It was remiss of me not to.”
“Sounds ominous.”
“Not at all, it is a very small ritual. In your culture you have wedding ceremonies, but in mine the mating tradition is not quite so formal, it is more the intention behind the mating that matters. That being said it was negligent of me to take you without asking you to perform the ritual with me first. I was…” he struggled for the words.
“Overcome by lust,” she supplied in a breathy, suggestive voice.
“Very much so,” he said, seriously.
“I’m flattered.”
“I had not coupled with a female in a thousand years.”
“Not so much now.”
Luc stroked his hand down her back. “And being near you was driving me wild.”
“Okay,” she cooed, “back to flattered. So what do we do?”
“We need to declare under the moon that we will be together forever and then we mate.”
“Mate? Out here? In the open?” Her prudish horror was really just for show. Although, she could hardly have been considered a wild woman when it came to her former sex partners, all of her escapades had not been limited to a bed. And considering that Luc heavily suggested that she wear a skirt that night, she guessed the reason for that was that he wanted easy access.
Under the dim candlelight she detected a small blush. “If you are up to it.”
“Aren’t you worried we might get caught?”
Now he looked affronted. “I gave everyone strict commands to stay away. I would never risk…”
“I’m kidding, you big dope.” She patted his shoulder.
He grunted, but not unkindly. “Teasing again.” She nodded. “Humph. But just know I would never allow another to see you in such a way. You are mine and only mine. No other male may look upon your womanhood.”
Kylie buried her head in his chest to hide the smirk. She’d perhaps explain about gynecologists later. For now, she wanted to enjoy what was essentially going to be her wedding. Except, it was much better than a wedding. There were no bridesmaids in ugly dresses, no obscure uncle getting drunk and throwing up in the parking lot and definitely no embarrassing dancing from the older members of the family who seemed to think it was mandatory to show the younger members how they danced in their day. It was just the two of them. It was intimate, and Kylie wouldn’t want it any other way.
“So what do we say?”
“We may say anything w
e wish. There are no formal words.” He placed a hand over her heart. “I take you, Kylie, mate of my heart, under the moonlit sky, to be mine, now and for always. I will always love you and I will protect you until my dying day.”
“Oh,” she moaned, “that’s lovely.” He raised his eyebrows expectantly. “Oh, right, my turn! Ummmmm, I take you, Luc, here under the moonlit sky, to be my mate. I cannot promise that I will always be a good mate, and that I won’t aggravate you and disobey you,” he frowned and she hurried on, “but no one will love you the way I do. I could not live without you.”
Kylie stretched up onto her tippy-toes and Luc leaned down for a hungry kiss. He wrapped his wings around them and they held each other.
“I am afraid for the ceremony to be complete, we must mate under the moon. But it is cold out here; I will not keep you long.”
Kylie pouted. “That’s not much of an incentive.”
“Little one, you do so love to tease me.” Luc unfolded his wings and whipped off his loincloth. He stood naked and proud as if the cold, biting air was nothing more than a slight breeze. Well, it certainly didn’t diminish any part of him. Not even a little bit.
He picked her up and knelt on the ground, arranging her on the rug. “You must tell me if you are uncomfortable.”
Her hands wandered up and down his chest, tracing each curve and muscle. “Ummm hmmm.” That was a Freudian slip. What she meant to say was, ‘not on your life’ but instead, she accidentally agreed with him. Never mind.
He settled between her legs and pushed the long skirt up her legs. He paused at her thighs and traced the edges of her stockings.
“You like?”
“Indeed,” he murmured. “They are very becoming. I have an odd desire to see you wearing nothing but them.”
She smiled inwardly. Men were the same no matter what species.
Luc kissed the top of her stockings before pushing her skirt to her waist. He gasped and Kylie gave him a look of innocence. “Little one, you appear to have forgotten your undergarment. I sincerely hope this is not a regular occurrence.” His voice went all sexy and growly when he was annoyed, but she couldn’t stand the look of anguish on his face.
“I never forget, however, if I suspect I might be in for a little fun, I might purposefully leave them at home.”
“Little one, I fear you will be the death of this old gargoyle.” He rubbed a knuckle up and down her slit.
“Not so old,” she mewled, her fingers clutching at the blanket.
“Not too old,” he corrected, devilishly, pressing a thumb against her clit.
She squeaked in surprise and jerked against his touch. He nestled between her thighs and his tongue parted her folds, dipping in and out of her heat. His thumb circled and pressed against her sensitive nub as he greedily tasted her. She rocked her hips against him and moaned as he brought her to an exquisite release.
Kylie rolled her eyes at the smug, proud look on his face. She sat up and took his jutting manhood in her hands. A growl of desire rattled in his throat. She stroked his length before kissing the head and engulfing him in her mouth. He was so big she could take little more than the head but she suckled and tasted him as had done for her. He grunted and shuddered as he forced himself not to move.
“Enough,” he rasped, gently lifting her head away from him. “I must have you now.”
Kylie nodded and lay back on the blanket. He settled over her body and she giggled as she realized, save for her underwear she was completely clothed and he was completely naked.
“Something amuses you, my mate?”
She stroked his horns. “I just don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun with my clothes on.”
“Later I will enjoy taking them off.”
He pushed his lips against hers as he entered her. She moaned into his mouth as once again she felt the incredible pressure and fullness of being with her mate. He waited a few moments for her to adjust and was surprised when she started rocking against his body, eager for more. He smiled as he eased out of her body and gave her a powerful thrust. She gasped, groaned and throbbed around him as he set a vigorous pace.
Their lovemaking danced on just the right side of the pain and pleasure barrier, and Kylie screamed out for more. He growled and crashed against her. Too soon, Kylie felt the tightening of her body as she reached her orgasm and like lightning, it pulsed through her body. She cried out and seconds later, Luc roared and filled her with his own release.
“I love you, Luc,” she whimpered into his chest.
“I love you, little one.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Kylie felt her palms sweat. She stared at the unforgiving gargoyle statue in front of her. He was frozen mid-attack. A dagger was clutched in his claws, and he was ready to pounce on whoever happened to be in his way. She should probably stand somewhere else.
Luc pressed a kiss on her neck. “It will be alright.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, faintly.
“You have been practicing all week, little one. Have faith in yourself.”
“Ah ha.”
“If you do not wish…”
“No, I do. I’m ready, I’m just… nervous.”
Luc gave her a smile of encouragement. “Have faith, I do.”
Kylie smiled at her mate. His faith in her was astronomical. You poor, deluded gargoyle, she thought. His brow furrowed and for a second she thought he was a mind reader, before he echoed her thoughts from a few moments ago.
“You should not stand there, little one. When Amalric wakes, he may be disorientated and he may hurt you.”
She nodded. “You seemed pretty ‘orientated’ when I woke you.”
“I was woken by a kiss,” he drawled. “What male would not be pleased by that?”
Kylie pouted. “You didn’t know that at the time.”
“But it certainly explains my satisfaction on waking.”
“You old romantic, you.”
A twig snapped behind them and Luc automatically raised his wings to shield her.
“Are we interrupting something?” smirked Maggie as she, Andrew, Gustave and Bea walked towards them.
“No,” growled Luc with just a hint of a sigh.
Everyone squeezed Kylie’s hand and asked her if she was okay. Their concern unnerved her and Luc cocked his head at them in a silent command. They all moved away from the prepared circle. Kylie was amazed that they seemed to obey him instinctively. She had an impulse to disobey him most of the time, but probably because he was cute when he was mad.
Luc gave her a final kiss and also moved out of the circle. He stood in front of the gargoyle in a crouch. He looked like he was about to catch a football rather than a potentially rampaging gargoyle.
Kylie relaxed and willed the magic inside her to rise. She closed her eyes and rushed through the spell.
Hesitantly, she opened her eyes. The gargoyle hadn’t moved. Everyone shuffled their feet impatiently.
“It didn’t…”
A growl emanated from the statue. Everyone froze as the creature opened its eyes and howled into the night sky.
The end
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