by Price,E A
Her brow furrowed. “I do not think that would be very appetizing.”
“Yeah, let’s stick with hotdogs.”
*
“I don’t give two rats in a sugar factory,” Carlton howled into the phone, “get everything you can carry. We need to leave the country!”
Awkwardly, he shuffled the boxes he was carrying to his car and swore as he dropped the framed picture of him meeting the president. Or at least, one of the former presidents.
“But why?” whined his wife on the other end of the phone.
“Because I said so!” he snapped hanging up.
Why did he think taking the gargoyle and hunting her would be so easy? He’d never had any trouble with the myriad of vicious beasts he had imported over the years – he assumed the gargoyle wouldn’t be any different. She’d seemed so meek in person. Now, she and that shithead of a human were gone, most likely rounding up more gargoyles to come back and eat him. Did they eat humans? Probably by the look of their teeth.
He’d been so desperate for money he didn’t stop to think and plan this debacle better. Bringing that damn cop here was the stupidest thing Zach could have done, but he was pissed about Zeke and not thinking straight.
When Carlton awoke, it was to find Haddock gone, four of his clients still all passed out cold and Zach still absent. The fifth client was probably still in the recovery room, wondering why Carlton hadn’t returned to take him to the hospital. Fuck him. Carlton had himself to worry about. He didn’t want to stick around long enough for the gargoyles to find him, or for anyone to demand a refund for tonight's misadventure. He managed to get half a million out of each client for the negligible pleasure of hunting a gargoyle, and that would do nicely to start a new life in Europe. He’d just have to find a way to curb his wife’s spending.
Carlton made it to his SUV and was about to unlock it when he heard a whoosh behind him. His heart almost failed him as he turned to find a huge gargoyle smirking at him. She wrapped her wings around herself and blew him a kiss.
Lord, they’d already sent another of them to kill him. “It wasn’t my fault,” he stammered.
This one looked far wilder than the pink creature. This terracotta female looked monstrous. “Are you not forgetting something?” she drawled.
“W- w – what?” His hand tightened around the car key, wondering if he could get in and drive away before she reached him.
“We had a deal, human,” she sneered, red eyes raking over his body. Probably looking for the juiciest meat he thought mournfully.
“W – w – we did?”
“Y – y – yes,” she mocked. “I want my money.”
“Your money?” he gulped. “What money? I don’t know anything about any money.” He babbled trying to stall her and her wicked claws. He already had enough slices from the other female, and this one didn’t look like she’d go easy.
“Yes, my money,” she repeated slowly and increasingly impatiently. “You said you would bring it to me an hour ago.”
Realization dawned, and his jaw virtually hit the ground. “You’re the one who called me. You’re the one who told me that you creatures even existed? Why?” He couldn’t have been astonished more unless it had been the Loch Ness monster standing in front of him.
The female shrugged unconcernedly. “I needed the money, and I wanted the gargoyle dead.”
Carlton looked away quickly, and she hissed at him. “He is dead, isn’t he?”
“He?” This conversation was getting more and more confusing. “It was a female, like you.” Well, not exactly like her, he dreaded to think that there were more like her out there.
With horrendous speed, she moved to stand in front of him. Her claws gripped at his shirt collar. “Surely your feeble human mind is mistaken. It was a male called Gracchus.”
“No,” he said quaveringly, “it was female, and the human with her called her Annis.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she snorted. “You took the wrong gargoyle.”
Irritation lanced through him. “Wrong gargoyle? There was only one gargoyle, and you told me where to find her.”
The gargoyle visibly bristled at his tone, and he looked down, unable to meet her gaze. She started muttering to herself, “That fool did not tell me.”
“What does it matter?” Carlton whined.
“I wanted Gracchus gone.”
He looked at her blankly, and she let out a sound of disgust. “All of this is beyond your tiny human mind, but he’s a strong gargoyle, and I wanted him gone. The weaker Luc becomes, the sooner I will be able to take over his clan – and he’ll be mine.”
Carlton frowned in confusion. “Luc?” Was he supposed to understand any of this?
“I will take my money and go. But as you made me come and get it myself, I will take all your profits for tonight. It is a shame about Annis. She might have been useful to my clan, but she is not a great loss.”
His eyes flickered, and the gargoyle pressed her face closer to his. “What is it, human?”
“She’s not dead,” he whispered.
“Not dead,” she repeated coldly.
“She and that human escaped, it wasn’t my fault, I…”
“All you had to do was capture the gargoyle and kill it. How hard was that? You humans really are useless.”
“I…”
The female pushed him against his car and stepped away from him. “Spare me your pathetic excuses. You will pay for your failure.”
Carlton looked towards the gate. Maybe the animal rights people were still there. If he screamed, surely they would hear and call the cops. They’d love to call the cops on him. Plus, they were completely against the killing of all animals – and he was an animal!
The gargoyle caught his gaze and smiled. “You do not have time to call for help.”
“Who are you?” he asked in desperation.
“My name is Ophelia.”
They were the last words he ever heard.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Annis watched as Chris spoke with some animation into the pay phone. They had stopped at a seven-eleven. Chris had purchased them some sodas – she was really starting to like the sugary bubbliness – and some tepid but appetizing enough hotdogs, which were apparently cooked in a microwave oven.
He was in the process of calling Luc and Kylie to report back what happened. Not something she would have enjoyed explaining. Not wanting to be trapped in the jeep – she had done more than enough hiding for one night – she was behind the seven-eleven, finishing her third hotdog.
After a few more minutes, Chris hung up, rubbed his forehead and carefully sauntered back towards her. He walked slowly and with a lot of effort, as if every muscle in his body protested each movement.
Her heart clenched for him and guilt trickled through her. Chris was in pain – because of her. She had been taken because she was a gargoyle. Chris had been taken because he happened to be with her. He had been drugged and beaten and it was because of her.
Chris approached and gave her a forced smile. “Andrew’s going to come and get us. They’re all pissed, but relieved we’re alive.”
“And Brenda is well without you?”
“She’s fine – thank god.”
Annis nodded and gave him a watery smile. He immediately looked concerned.
“Do you want anything else to eat? I can get you whatever you want… that they sell at the seven-eleven.”
“I am fine, thank you.”
“You sure?” He pulled out a wad of bills and a thought struck her.
“How did you pay for our food? Was there money in the jeep?”
Chris’ smile dimmed. “No, I paid with the only thing I had on me – my wedding ring.”
“No, Chris, you must get it back,” she protested. Her guilt swelled. She had already made him suffer; she would not cause him to lose his last link to his wife. “I am sorry for everything that has happened tonight and…”
He held up a hand, his expression
steely. “No, none of this is your fault and I don’t need it anymore.”
Annis shook her head and was ashamed to feel tears pricking her eyes. “If you think you must rid yourself of it because of me or because of what you said back there…”
“That’s not it, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention what happened to anyone.”
“I would never. What happens between us, is for us alone.”
Chris took one of her hands and turned it over, looking at it thoughtfully. “I feel the same way. But as for the ring, it was just a ring. The rings weren’t even important to Mara. I don’t even know where hers was – she just came home without it one night and wouldn’t tell me what happened. I won’t forget her, but I don’t need the ring to remind me.” He cleared his throat and blinked. Annis suspected he wanted to hold back any residual tears that wished to fall. He cleared his throat, before releasing her hand and grabbing a hotdog.
He watched as she dabbed at her eyes. “Long night, huh?”
“The longest I have ever had.” She squinted at the sky. “I have little more than ten minutes before I will turn.”
Chris focused on her. “How’s your wing?”
“It is painful,” she admitted, twitching her shoulder, “but not unbearable.” It was already feeling a little better.
He shook his head and chuckled. “You really were a sight flying – I mean gliding through the air like that.”
“You were impressed,” she muttered.
“Impressed that you would come to my rescue, sure, but if you start thinking I care about whether you can fly or not, I may have to do something I never even did to Brenda when she was at her worst - put you over my knee.”
Annis frowned at him. “What would I do over your knee?”
“Just an expression, sweetheart. It means I would spank you.” Annis’ eyes widened. “I wouldn’t really hurt you!” he hastened to add, his cheeks glowing pink. “Just, you know, punish you.”
“You think I should be punished because I fear that not being able to fly makes me half a gargoyle?” she asked slowly.
“You’re damn right I do!” snarled Chris, tossing the rest of his hotdog away. “For fucks sake, Annis, how could you even…” he stopped and looked at her suspiciously as she started giggling. “What’s so funny?”
“You.”
“Me?”
Her cheeks bloomed. “Yes, well, no – I just find your passion amusing.”
“Glad I’m entertaining,” he muttered grouchily.
“You don’t understand; my whole life I felt like I was nothing, mostly because my mother told me over and over that I was nothing. I never thought I could be worth anything to anyone, until I met you. From the moment you tackled me and pinned me to the ground…”
“After you knocked me out and tied me to a chair,” he interjected.
Annis pressed her fingers to her cheeks. “Yes I did do that. But in spite of that, I saw something in you. Even though, as you correctly remind me, I did tie you to a chair, you immediately worried for my safety, and tried to protect me. Members of my old clan would not have done so much, yet you did it after merely knowing me for a minute.”
“A minute spent tied to a chair.”
She scowled. “You do not intend to let that matter go, do you? What I am trying to say is that you give me courage and you make me feel whole and almost perfect just as I am.”
“You are perfect!”
“Only you think so, but it is one of the things I love about you.”
Chris gaped at her, but no matter what his reaction she did not care. She loved him, and that was that. She had never truly loved anyone before, but she knew without a doubt that her heart belonged to Chris. He was so much more… well, just ‘more’ than any other male, and he made her feel like she was more too. If Chris had not been with her tonight, she might have just curled into a ball and allowed herself to be hunted, but he gave her courage and conviction and faith in herself. Even if Chris decided he did not want to mate her, she would still love him, would still hold him in her heart. She was not going to accept Castor’s mate claim. Either, she would have Chris or nothing – there was no in between. It was not the normal gargoyle way to want to have a love match, but then as her clan had reminded her on a daily basis – she was not a normal gargoyle.
“Annis,” he said in that exasperated tone that was actually becoming quite endearing.
“I love you, Chris. For the first time in my life, I feel like I have a choice, and I choose you.” Although truthfully, she did believe he was her fated mate – in which case she could not entirely claim it was her choice. But she’d never felt freer before.
“Annis!”
“I would like for you to be my mate.”
He got up and paced up and down a few times before sitting down heavily and scrubbing his hands over his face. Annis demurely sat next to him, carefully folding her wings behind her. He was out of bluster. There were no more arguments to be made. She was not much of a hunter, but she had certainly caught herself a choice mate.
He sighed. “I won’t make a good husband.”
“Mate,” she corrected. “But you will endeavor to try and be good,” she told him with a certain finality.
His lips twitched. “You’re right; I will.”
“Then I will endeavor to try and be a good mate, too.”
Chris reached across and took hold of her wrist; he looped her arm around his shoulders and kissed her wrist. “I’m sure you will.”
Annis leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Chapter Forty
Annis was already stone by the time Andrew arrived with the van. Chris was thoroughly startled when Andrew hugged him, but he took it like a man – awkwardly and gruffly.
They managed to load Annis in the back of the van – slowly because Chris was terrified of damaging her and practically roared at Andrew with every movement he made.
Once he was certain she was secure – held in place by some rope in case the road was bumpy – he collapsed into the passenger seat. He managed to answer some of Andrew’s questions, but soon enough he was sleeping, dead to the world.
He didn’t know what was happening until Brenda was hugging him and pulling at him. He was virtually a zombie as Kylie led him through the house and put him in one of the guest rooms. He managed a shower to get rid of some of the grime from his skin was out like a light in seconds and enjoying more dreams of Annis – although now his dreams were a little more realistic because he really knew what her body felt like under his hands. It was sublime.
His fears for their future had not left him; they were the same fears he had for Brenda and Ric, and Luc and Kylie, but whatever obstacles they had, they did not seem entirely insurmountable. As he said to Annis, sometimes you gotta fight insurmountable odds, and the odds had never been more attractive. Deep down he should have known he was a goner the moment he first looked into those huge, beautiful eyes while he was tied to that kitchen chair.
Too soon, a noise awakened him. His eyes cracked open, and he scowled, ready to grumble at Brenda or Bob, but it was Annis’ lovely visage that met him. His lips automatically stretched into a grin.
“Hey, beautiful,” he crooned.
Annis blushed and crawled onto his bed, although not close enough for him to pull her into his arms he noticed crossly.
“How are you?” she asked, her face tight with worry.
“Can’t complain,” he said. He could, but it would be a long, boring list of aches and pains, and he didn’t feel entirely comfortable with reminding his gargoyle girlfriend that he lacked the healing ability she’d find in a male gargoyle. “How are you?” he asked, casting his eyes over her. Truthfully, she looked radiant. Her dark pink skin glowed, and her black hair shone. She was even holding her injured wing higher than the previous night.
“I am very well, thank you,” she replied in a very polite way.
His brows furrowed. Her tone was a million miles away from her breathless honesty the night before when she was telling him she loved him. Panic flared as he wondered whether she had changed her mind. Whether she had decided to accept Castor’s mate-claim after all.
He sat up a bit too quickly and couldn’t hide the wince. Annis bit her lip and shuffled closer to him, pressing her soft hand to his chest. His skin burned under her touch.
“Perhaps you should go to your human doctor,” Annis suggested.
“I think I’m right where I want to be,” he told her in a husky voice.
Annis inhaled and blinked rapidly before looking down at her hand. “I admit that I feared you might have changed your mind about…”
“Us?” he supplied.
She nodded, and he chuckled. “No, it’s too late, you’re mine now.”
The simple words made her instantly happy, and he was about to find out how much when Luc and Kylie barged into the room.
Annis froze, her hand stilled in the process of stroking his chest. Kylie flushed and muttered an apology, but Luc looked entirely remorseless.
“There you are,” rumbled Luc.
“Here we are,” Chris groused.
Luc nodded, oblivious to Chris’ irritation.
“Annis, this is long overdue, but I – we,” he hastily amended while glancing down at Kylie, “wish for you to be the clan healer. If you are agreeable, we will perform the ceremony at the next full moon.”
Annis beamed. “I would like that, thank you.”
“But of course, it would mean that I could not risk you leaving the clan to retrieve gargoyles.”
She looked at Chris, who also could not hide his relief. “I believe that it will take me a while to recover from my last venture into the world. You need not worry about me wanting to leave.”
Luc grunted and looked between Chris and Annis. “I take it I will also need to perform a mating ceremony.”
Chris and Annis both fidgeted, unsure how to answer – it was something they needed to talk about.
Kylie elbowed Luc in warning but was all smiles for them. “I knew it,” she said bubbling with excitement. “Well, I didn’t exactly know it, but I’m so happy for you two. I want to know all the details about how this happened.”
