Stone Passions Trilogy (Stone Passion 1, 2, & 3)

by A C Warneke

  From out of nowhere, a scream pushed past his lips as he wrapped his arms around her and held her body; a god brought to tears by a mere mortal.

  Locked in his father’s memory, Armand’s screams were silent. Even though his rational mind knew that Ferris still lived, that she survived, in that moment she was dead and he felt a piece of himself die with her. “Ferris.”

  Light pierced his eyes as he felt her lungs expand with a harsh breath. Stunned, he pulled his head back and watched through glossy eyes as light began punching its way through skin, smoothing over all of her flaws, from the freckles that he adored to the scar she had from a childhood accident. Her chocolate colored hair became thicker, more lustrous and her lips returned to their natural shape but the hue was somehow more shimmery. Her skin glowed with life and vitality and when she opened her eyes, he gasped. The blue-green color of her eyes was more brilliant, more vibrant; perfect gems sparkling in the sunlight.

  She was still Ferris but she was… more.

  She blinked, a look of bewilderment passing over her exquisite face, as she looked around the room, as she met his gaze. Tilting her head to the side, she frowned, “You’re not Armand and yet you are.”

  “Pardon?” he asked, his brain fried by the emotional lynching he just took.

  Tenderly, she cupped his cheek in her palm, “He’s there, I can sense him, but he is hidden.”

  “Ferris?” he asked and Armand wasn’t sure who was asking.

  She shook her head and the light receded back into her body. Her eyes rolled back and she was asleep, her chest rising and falling with each breath she took, her pulse fluttering madly along her throat. He looked down and saw the surprise on the dragon’s tattooed face.

  The surge of power had been incredible.

  “What is your Hell?” Apollo asked once again, his voice solemn as he stared at Armand who was completely and utterly still. He was shell-shocked, unable to form words or thoughts. He stared at his father as Apollo gruffly continued, “It isn’t knowing she was with me, or with anyone else. That was just a pathetic excuse to deny your true Hell. Your Hell is seeing her suffer and being unable to do anything. Your Hell is losing her so you pushed her away before she could leave you.

  “But, Armand,” Apollo continued. “She never would have left you. Even if she were to die I am pretty sure her ghost would have clung to you until the end of time but you pushed her away. Hell isn’t burning, Armand. It’s emptiness, it’s being without her.”

  “You love her,” Armand said softly. He had known it but now he felt it in his bones. At his father’s nod, he felt even worse. Only Ferris could get a god to fall in love with her and still choose the gargoyle. He stared off into space, his body numb, his mind in turmoil. “I don’t deserve her.”

  “No, you don’t,” Apollo agreed. “But that’s the funny thing about love, it happens whether we deserve it or not. I suggest you accept her gift and be grateful that you are the one that she loves and to never, ever, take her love for granted.”

  Mindlessly, Armand nodded his head in agreement. “I knew the moment I sent her away that I was a fool to let her go. Can you send me to her now, please?”

  Apollo draped his arm over his son’s shoulders and gave him a sideways hug, “You pushed her away, Armand. What if she doesn’t want you anymore?”

  The pain that exploded in his soul nearly brought him to his knees but it was no less than he deserved. Taking a shaky breath, he slowly nodded, accepting the possibility, “I have to try.”

  “If you do this, if you go back, you might get stuck,” Apollo continued trying to dissuade Armand from his destiny. “I mean, if she no longer wants to deal with your bullshit I won’t be able to bring you back.”

  “I don’t care,” Armand said thickly, his throat dry. “I have to try. Send me back.”

  “She won’t be able to bring you back either because she’s still very young,” Apollo added, stepping back and preparing to send Armand back in time. Rolling his sleeves up, he looked at Armand with eyes that were beginning to glow with power. “If she doesn’t want you, you will be completely alone. You will be forced to live underground as history passes you by and you return to the present. You cannot interfere with history, Armand, not even in the littlest bit. If you do…. Well, needless to say, it would be a very bad idea.”

  “She’s worth the risk,” Armand nodded, determined to find her and beg her to forgive him, even if it took five hundred years to do so. “It’s worth risking everything for the chance to be with her. I love her.”

  “You’re a fool,” Apollo murmured with a sad smile. “You could have had the world without this suffering.”

  “I know,” Armand admitted, unable to think beyond the stupidity of his actions that had sent Ferris away. The complete idiocy of giving his nights to a relative stranger because he had a momentary panic attack. The insanely hypocritical jealousy he gave into when she had a moment of weakness when he had given her no reason to stay strong. If he could, he would punch himself in the face. “But now I will appreciate her even more.”

  Apollo chuckled, “Idiot.”

  With a self-deprecating smile, Armand exhaled, “Just… just do it.”

  Cocking his head to the side, Apollo gave Armand an appraising look. Heaving a sigh, he said, “There is just one more thing I wish for you to see.”

  “What’s that?” Before the question was completely out of his mouth, Armand was back in Apollo’s memories, holding an exhausted Ferris in his arms. Only this time, it was a good exhaustion, one that only came about through difficult yet rewarding effort.

  “Twins,” Apollo breathed, still reeling with the shock of having to deliver an unexpected second child, a daughter at that. Holding the tiny bundle of pink in his arms, all he could do was stare at her perfect button nose. Glancing at the infant in Ferris’s arms, he shook his head in wonderment. “Wow.”

  Ferris chuckled softly, leaning against his chest, smiling down at the infants. Running a finger along the curve of their son’s cheek, she murmured, “I know you’re not really Armand, Marick. You don’t have to pretend any longer.”

  If Armand could frown, he would have. Apollo spent the entire pregnancy pretending to be him?

  The man shook his head but he remained in his Armand suit. “How long have you known?”

  “I’ve always known… well, since after the change. I didn’t know before,” she admitted quietly, looking up at him with a soft, tender expression. “He smells like moonlight and thunderstorms and you smell like sunlight and summer breezes. Thank you for saving me, Marick. Thank you for masquerading as Armand to do it.”

  “I would do anything for you,” Armand said, his words being spoken out loud.

  Ferris’s eyes widened in her face as she looked at him in astonishment and her lips moved but no sound came out as she breathed, “Armand?”

  Then the moment was over and he was standing on the roof once more. He stared at his father in bafflement and gratitude. Without a word, Apollo heaved a sigh, swirling his arms through the air in dramatic fashion, whipping up bands of light. “Good luck, Armand.”

  Armand nodded his head in acknowledgement, clearing his throat as he met his father’s eyes, “Thank you, Father.”

  Apollo gave a half smile before snapping his fingers and Armand was whooshed through time. His blood raced through his veins as he considered his options for finding Ferris. Obviously the best and most logical choice would be to confront Apollo in the past, since his father was the only one he knew that was powerful enough to discover what was going on in a short time frame. Armand had to know if Ferris had arrived yet and whether or not she was still in Katrina’s body, if she had accepted his gift of nights.

  Shit. What was he going to do if Ferris was stuck in Katrina’s body? If she accepted past Armand’s gift and was lost to him because present Armand had been an idiot? What if he never again got to see her sparkling, turquois eyes, her breathtaking smile?

  He landed w
ith a thud in the middle of London, blinking his eyes at the fog that rolled over the cobblestone streets. A shadowy man was standing over him, his cloak billowing out behind him and making him look like the Angel of Death. Shaking his head, Armand flinched when the man reached out his hand. He hesitated a moment too long because the man bent down, a beautiful smile curving his lips and Armand wanted to punch his father.

  “Do you need a hand, son?” Apollo asked, his platinum hair catching the light from the streetlamp, his knowing smile wicked and amused.

  With a grumble, he wrapped his hand around his father’s wrist and was jerked to his feet. Brushing off the seat of his pants, hoping he hadn’t fallen into anything too disgusting, he got straight to the point, “I was coming to find you.”

  “I had a feeling you might be looking for me,” Apollo grinned, only this Apollo was younger than the man Armand had just left behind. Glancing around the eerily quiet streets, Armand shook his head, remembering how much he had hated being a gargoyle when the only life that happened in the dark was the life no one wanted to know existed. It was the darkness that called to the darkness in men’s souls at a time when Armand had yearned for the light.

  “How could you possibly know?” Armand grumbled, his thoughts in discord. He finally found the light and he closed his eyes, unable to bear the brightness. Ferris saw him as he truly was and he had been terrified but no longer. He was going to bask in her light until it reached the blackest corners of his soul and chased out the darkness.

  “You wouldn’t be my son if you let that woman get away,” Apollo said matter-of-factly, his smile even more brilliant. He looked around the abandoned streets and a shudder wracked his body as he grimaced, “I hate the dark.”

  Armand laughed at his father’s words that were too close to his thoughts. “Where is she?”

  Apollo looked at him from out of the corner of his eye, not quite meeting Armand’s gaze, “Well, it’s complicated.”

  “Oh, gods,” Armand groaned, his legs turning to jelly. “Please don’t tell me she’s trapped in Katrina’s body and she’s a gargoyle now.”

  “What?” Apollo’s head whipped around, his eyes wide in his handsome face. “No! You have such strange notions, son. NO, just… no. She’s in a time bubble.”

  Scrubbing a hand through his hair, Armand groaned, “How long has she been in the bubble?”

  Apollo shrugged, “Probably a month? Maybe two?”

  Armand ground his teeth together, “And how many years is that?”

  “Well, between thirty and sixty,” Apollo answered, his eyes dancing with laughter. At Armand’s glare, he laughed outright, “You don’t think I would send you back to the point she entered the bubble did you? She needed some time to process everything, to see if you are still what she wants.”

  “You’re still trying to get her back,” Armand growled, his eyes narrowing to slits, forgetting for a moment that this Apollo hadn’t known Ferris…. “How well do you know her?”

  Apollo’s eyes twinkled as he let the smile stretch across his face, “You’re jealous. After all of this time, you’re still jealous. Foolish gargoyle.”

  “When it comes to Ferris I will always be jealous,” Armand admitted. With a small smile, he shook his head, "She's my heart, my soul, without her I don't exist. Of course I'm jealous."

  Chapter 21

  A Destined Love

  Ferris was lying on the fragrant grass, staring up at the impossibly blue sky with the wispy clouds painted just so. Wearing a bikini, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her nearly bare skin, she breathed deeply of the pure, magic-enhanced air. After a few days of perfect serenity she felt almost at peace. No matter what happened when she returned to the present she would be able to handle it. Even if it meant truly letting Armand go. In the long run, it would probably hurt less than having him reject her yet again.

  “Dragon-Mate?” Fray’s deep voice interrupted her daydreams.

  “Hmm?” she murmured, so bloody relaxed. She hadn’t felt this good in years: her kids were safe, Armand was no longer stuck in stone and he wasn’t here to push her away. She had no worries, no cares, just a bubble of paradise. In another six months she was probably going to be itching to get out, to interact with people once again but for now…. For now, it was exactly what she needed.

  “There is something I wish to try and I believe you are ready,” he cleared his throat, pulling himself from her body with a slight suctioning and then a little pop. Shaking his body to work the kinks out, he looked up at the sky, a glimmer of excitement in his jeweled eyes. “And I believe I am finally strong enough.”

  Her lips curled into a lazy smile, “What is it, Fray?”

  “I wish to fly,” he breathed with passion and longing. Stretching his wings out, he pushed off the ground and hovered a few feet in the air. Since he had been flying since forever, she simply looked at him with an odd smile. He did a few loops before he hovered right next to her face. “With you.”

  Managing to make her liquid muscles obey, she slowly sat up and frowned at Fray, “With me? How does that work?”

  Without explaining, he walked behind her, stretched upwards and pressed his body against her back. His scaly belly molded itself along her spine and then his body fused with hers. At first she thought he was going to return to his tattoo state but he didn’t. Instead, he did something: he became a part of her while still remaining separate, growing in size until his body covered her entire back.

  As her skin melded with Fray’s, the string of her bikini suddenly snapped, allowing her breasts to spill free. Even though she was alone with Fray in the middle of nowhere, she still crossed her arms over her chest before she scowled at her own private embarrassment. She was alone in the middle of time and there was no one else around.

  Even knowing that, it took her a moment to uncross her arms and reach up to untie the string around her neck, allowing the scrap of material to fall to the ground. It took another moment to get used to being in her own skin, to fully appreciate the fact that she was completely alone and could be buck naked all of the time if she wanted. It was a liberating thought.

  “Let the walls down, Dragon-Mate, and let your light shine,” Fray’s voice whispered provocatively in her head. “There’s no one here who can see you so you don’t have to pretend anymore that you’re a mere human.”

  Ferris smiled slightly, “I can’t let the mask slip, Fray.”

  “Why?” he asked simply as he continued melding with her.

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw glorious golden wings expanding outwards, reaching towards the sun. Turning her head, she gasped as she realized they were coming out of her back. Scrambling to her feet, she spun around trying to get a better look at them before she abruptly stopped, realizing she looked like a dog chasing its own tail.

  Fly, Ferris, Fray’s deep voice rumbled in her head.

  Excitement bubbled through her veins and her smile was so wide it hurt her cheeks. But she hadn’t been born with wings and her new wings didn’t come with an instruction manual. Her smile faded slightly as she frowned, “Okay, how?”

  Fray’s self-conscious chuckle washed through her and then she felt them inside: the wings. They became a part of her body, an extension of her shoulder blades. She could feel her blood coursing through her new, golden wings and if felt as if she had always had wings. Cautiously, she pushed the wings down and then laughed in delight as the wings obeyed. Closing her eyes, she pushed off the ground, her golden wings manipulating the air currents until she was flying.

  The warm air drifted over her face, her skin, and she knew that she loved flying. Her bubble wasn’t very large but it was enough to spread her wings and fly in circles and loops. No wonder why Armand was so cranky, to have wings and not be able to fly because someone might see. When she got back she would take him to an island and they could fly to their hearts’ content.

  If he was willing to listen to her.

  If not, she would go to that island
with her children and fly with them. Of course, she would have to find them their own pocket dragons so they could have glorious dragon wings with which to fly but that was just a minor detail. It would take years before they would be able to fly with her but they had the time. Maybe the three terrors would like to join her.

  Hell, the entire family could settle on the island and spend their days flying without worry of being discovered. Of course, now that the veil was gone it didn’t really matter if they were seen flying or not. All of the creatures were coming out to play, who would care if a few gargoyles decided to join them?

  Why do you not let go of the mask, Dragon-Mate? Fray’s voice rumbled in her head.

  “I don’t want to lose my humanity, Fray,” she told him for the millionth time, gliding in a wide circle. “It would be too easy to let it all go but it isn’t what I want. I want my life with Armand and if not with him then my family.” She laughed irreverently, “Besides, I have been pretending for so long that I forget what I am. I still think I’m human.”

  Fray’s low, rumbling laughter echoed in her head. But you’ll always be Ferris.

  She sighed in amused resignation, “Yeah, I will be.”

  Chin up, Dragon-Mate, Fray consoled. The sun is shining, the breeze is warm, you’re in an enchanted time bubble and soon you’ll be home with no one the wiser.

  “Isn’t that the story of my life?” she chuckled, strangely melancholic that Fray was the only one who knew her completely, who lived her life with her. Even after telling her mom about spending years in the enchanted world while only a few weeks passed back home she never told Jenna about her experiences. She never talked about how difficult it had been to learn how to control her new, unwieldy powers, or how she had to beat them back into submission or how she had to learn to be human again so she didn’t freak her family out when she returned.