by E A Price
Luc grimaced. “I am afraid that is not an option.”
“Yeah, we can hardly stick his profile up on love connections dot com,” teased Kylie.
Gracchus grunted. “I am sure a solution will present itself. As for me, I am missing a rerun of Simon & Simon. Chief. Kylie.”
The male ambled into the house.
“He’s surprisingly zen about everything,” commented Kylie.
“Zen?”
She shrugged. “Calm, then. Confident that the universe will work out a solution.”
“Gracchus is a good gargoyle. From what I know of him, he has been through a lot and has had to come to terms with loss before. He is more able to accept what has happened to him. But as to Almaric, I believe Gracchus expects me to present the solution.”
“What can I do to help?”
“Your presence alone helps.”
He leaned down and she stood on her tippy-toes, pressing a kiss to his mouth. Dragoslava roared again. Luc broke the kiss but held her close.
“I am not sure how long we can contain Dragoslava. He is more beast than man, perhaps too wild to be here.”
“Annis thinks he is getting better.”
“I am not sure he will ever be well enough.”
Kylie stiffened. “You mean…”
Luc exhaled. “If he were free, he may hurt anyone who came into his path, including you and that is unacceptable to me.”
She pulled away and with some reluctance he let her. “What would the alternative be?” she asked coldly.
He gave her a look of pity.
“Let’s not think about that right now,” she said quickly. “Let’s worry about Amalric first. Perhaps Amalric could help us with some of the Professor’s puzzles. I could use all the help I can get. I’m hardly the smartest cookie in the jar.”
“You are very smart,” growled Luc.
“Pfft.” She knew he was wrong, but she enjoyed hearing it and couldn’t help the flush of pleasure. “As I was saying, maybe he could help with the puzzles.”
“I do not know how adept he would be.”
“Well, maybe you’d be surprised. I saw Bea teaching him how to use the computer the other day. He’s already better than she is. He picks things up quickly.” Her lips curled up playfully. “Quicker than you.”
“Mmmm, youth has its advantages.” He pulled her back against his body, pressing her against his rapidly swelling manhood. “Although I believe experience is important, too.”
“No arguments here.”
“Perhaps we should retire to our bedroom.”
Before she could answer, an alarm sounded through the house and grounds. Luc growled and instinctively shielded Kylie. After Ophelia attacked Kylie, Bea had some of her friends perform various warning spells and wards around the perimeter of the house. Her friends readily agreed to help.
“It’s jangling - that means human.”
Kylie ran to the electronics room, which used to be a defunct sewing room – although imaging the old professor sewing anything was mind-boggling - and checked the screen. “It’s just Brenda and, aww, it’s Bob.”
“Who is this Bob?” demanded Luc, struggling to fit his huge wings through the doorframe.
“The hairiest man in town.”
“Pardon?”
“The police dog, babe. And Brenda’s the chief of police’s niece. It looks like she’s taking him for a walk and he got away from her. She’s just at the gate. I’ll go say hello and get rid of her before she gets any closer to the house.”
“Hmmm, I will speak to Amalric.”
*
Ric flew towards the house as Luc came striding out.
“I heard the alarm.”
Luc nodded. “Yes, it is just a townsperson, Kylie will deal with them.”
“But what if it is a ruse? What if it is Ophelia?”
“It is not.”
Ric’s eyes flashed as he curled his hands into fists, eager for some action. “How can you be so sure?”
Luc’s gave him a stony stare. “It is just a girl from the town. She is a friend of Kylie’s. Kylie will tell her to leave.”
Ric huffed and paced. He knew it would not be Ophelia. He recalled the female from their past life. She was strong and callous, but she was not dumb. She would not use a friend of Kylie’s to lure her out. She would not risk it. But Ric wanted something to fight. Someone to fight. He almost wished it was Ophelia. But he regretted that thought as soon as it sprang forth. As much as Luc’s stubborn leadership rankled, he would not wish to see Kylie harmed. She was important to the gargoyles, but she was also a kind female.
“Perhaps you and I should train.”
Ric's fury ebbed momentarily and he smirked. “Wish to have your ass handed to you, old man?”
Luc narrowed his eyes and then chuckled. “I see that you have taken an interest in the culture of today.”
He shrugged. “TV is not so bad.” He found that he enjoyed the movies of Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren.
“Humans do have something to offer.”
“I never denied that,” said Ric, hotly.
Unlike many clans, his maintained a harmonious existence with humans. He would not say that they were as cordial as Luc’s was, but his father, the chief of his clan, was happy to maintain peace.
Ric picked up an ax. Gracchus, Luc, and Ric enjoyed training and often the garden turned into a battlefield. Kylie chastised them to put their ‘toys’ away when they were done, but they were not very adept at cleaning up after themselves. Annis usually did it for them.
Luc gave him an almost bored look as Ric circled. The arrogance of the older male sparked rage within Ric, and he leaped at him. Luc sidestepped his rushed attached and flicked Ric with his tail. Ric scrabbled to retain his footing and spun to find Luc yawning.
The pompous old fool!
Ric spread his wings and flew at the older male. Luc flexed a wing, sweeping Ric away from him, knocking over a statue of a cherub.
“You are a talented fighter,” said Luc, without a trace of humor.
Ric, currently tangled in weeds, gave him a sour look.
“You just need to learn patience; you need to learn not to let your enemy goad you. You may come across enemies who are larger and stronger than you, and you need to keep your head so that you may defeat them.”
Luc held out a hand, and Ric allowed him to pull him up.
“This situation is difficult for all of us.”
“It does not seem so difficult for you,” snapped Ric. He was the leader of their clan. He had a mate. Ric had nothing.
Luc surprised him by his calm, almost sorrowful response. “You have suffered a great deal, as have we all. We find ourselves out of our time and merely a distant memory in the minds of humans. If we are to rebuild our lives, our clan, our race, we must be patient. Our lives will never be what they once were, and it will take time.”
Ric shook himself away. “And we are supposed to hide?”
“It is not hiding; we are merely waiting. So many humans hated us when they knew of our race. Now, if we were simply to announce ourselves, the hatred and fear would be tenfold. We must strengthen our clan before we even consider showing ourselves. Our priority must be with saving our entrapped brothers and sisters, and we could not do that while trying to fight off all the humans that would hurt us. Don’t you agree?”
“Yes,” muttered Ric.
Luc grunted. “My mate has suggested that you may be of some use in uncovering the locations of our missing brethren.” His lips twitched. “She has praised your ability to learn and understand new technology.”
Ric almost barked out a laugh at how unhappy Luc sounded in admitting his mate praised another male. Almost made him forget his anger. Almost.
“Must be my age.”
Luc frowned. “Indeed, I will tell her that you are willing to help.”
With that, Luc walked away.
Ric picked up the ax again, hurling it through the air, hittin
g the makeshift target. Rage bubbled within him.
The nightmares of what happened would not end. He still recalled the awful day, nearly a thousand years ago, when his kind was cursed. He had to watch as his mother, his father, his brother, his sister and his future mate, Kara all turned to stone. They all turned mid-flight, and they all smashed. They were killed in an instant. Ric had howled and grabbed a knife, advancing on the first human he saw, but it was too late. He changed to stone, too, becoming trapped in his own body for nearly a thousand years, replaying the horror of watching his family die, over and over.
A thousand years of being alone.
Waking had been disorientating, but he couldn’t express the relief, the happiness he felt, which turned to anger when he discovered how much time had passed, and he realized he could not punish those responsible.
Now, his future stretched out in front of him, just as miserable as the past centuries he spent in his stone state.
Chapter Five
Captain Bell stood as still as a statue in front of the council. “We found Holling’s man.”
“And?” snapped Marsters.
“He was dead.”
“How?” demanded Blackthorne, ignoring Marsters’ squawks.
“Killed by a gargoyle,” said Bell, hiding his satisfaction as fear crossed over the council members’ faces. Three of them at least. Blackthorne and Adler were both cold bastards.
“Were you able to track the killer?” asked Harthill.
“No, it appears they left via an aerial route.”
“Which do you think it was?”
“It was Ophelia.”
Monk sneered at him, “How can you be sure? It might have been Lucifer to keep the man quiet.”
Bell stared straight ahead. “He was staying at a cheap motel just outside Jackson. The security camera outside the motel was faulty, the owner couldn’t be bothered to replace it, but Holling’s man was paranoid. He had a hidden camera in his room, most likely there to check if anyone came in while he was out. It caught the whole thing. Ophelia killed him and then ransacked his room looking for something.”
“What?” asked Blackthorne.
“I don’t know. From the video, I guess she didn’t find it.”
Marsters curled her lip in disgust. “You don’t exactly have the demeanor of someone who failed us.”
Bell’s lips twitched as he tried to stop himself from snickering. “I know where he came from. We found his car. He abandoned it a few miles from the motel, and when we checked the GPS, we saw that he came from Devil’s Hang, it’s a small town in Maine.”
“We should send people there immediately.”
“I wouldn’t.”
Marsters’ eyes flashed in outrage. “I beg your pardon?”
“Holling’s man was scared, and he drove all the way from Maine only stopping to get gas. People don’t do that unless they’re in a hurry.”
“So?”
“Holling was murdered, and given that we can’t find any of his other men, I guess they were murdered, too.”
“It must have been a blood bath,” muttered Harthill, turning green.
“I don’t want to send my men in blind to that type of situation. We should do surveillance on the town, get an idea of what we’re dealing with. They could have a hundred gargoyles for all we know.”
“That amount hardly seems likely,” said Monk, dryly.
Bell couldn’t stop the quick retort. “How the fuck would you know?”
There was silence before Blackthorne said, “You forget yourself, Captain.”
“I just think we would be better served by waiting and watching. When we’ve ascertained the situation, then we will decide on how to proceed. We don’t want needless casualties, and if they have a lot of gargoyles, I believe you will want them undamaged. We don’t want another situation like we had in Mexico.”
The council members stirred, muttering among themselves. Mexico was virtually a magic word around there. A previous council member went loco and started smashing up a group of gargoyles, believing they were talking to him, and threatening him.
Blackthorne coughed, and they quieted. “You have two weeks, Captain. Make them count.”
“Yes, sir.”
Marsters waited until he left. “I don’t like him. He’s impertinent. He doesn’t respect us.”
Blackthorne studied his nails, uninterested in her complaints. He’d heard them a thousand times before. “He’s very thorough; he gets the job done.”
“That’s what you said about Holling,” said Monk, irritably. “Bell thinks he’s irreplaceable.”
“Let’s wait and see what he does in Devil’s Hang,” said Blackthorne, giving them a chilly and meaningful smile. “Then we can decide on his future. Remember, no one here is irreplaceable.”
Chapter Six
“Luc! Luc!”
Luc awoke with a growl just in time as Kylie jumped into his arms.
“Little one,” he laughed kissing her as she giggled and squirmed in his grip.
Ric rolled his shoulders and then his eyes. Annis bowed her head in embarrassment and Gracchus grunted, unconcerned by their display.
“I shall tend to Dragoslava, I am sure he is awake now,” said Annis.
“No, you should hear this, too,” said Kylie, bubbling with excitement. “I just heard from Maggie that the gargoyle they found is actually two gargoyles – they think it’s a mated pair!”
Kylie retrieved her phone to show him the pictures. Luc clutched at the device, squinting at the small picture.
“How can anyone see anything on these damned things,” he rumbled unhappily.
Ric sighed inwardly. “May I, Chief?”
Luc huffed and handed him the device, freeing his hands to hold his mate. Ric flicked through the pictures, enlarging some.
“I believe they are right. There is a male and a female entwined. I do not believe they are from any of our old clans.” He looked up and smiled. “I do believe they are a mated pair.”
Gracchus slapped him on the back and patted Annis on the head. “This is good news.”
“Yes,” roared Luc, he flew a few feet into the air, kissed Kylie and floated back down again. “This is wonderful.”
“I think I may hurl,” muttered Kylie.
Annis smiled shyly. “I will tell Dragoslava; I am sure he will…” The roar indicating he was awake shook the house. “I am sure he will be happy, in his own way.”
“I have even more news,” gushed Kylie. “I couldn’t sleep today, and I broke another one of the puzzles. Bea and Gustave already left to collect the new gargoyle.”
Gracchus let out a roar of joy and Ric joined in.
Luc frowned at his mate. “You have been here alone today? And I do not like to hear you are not sleeping…” His complaints trailed off as he carried Kylie into the house.
“This is good news,” boomed Gracchus, giving Ric another punishing slap on the back. “We should celebrate.”
“I believe our chief and his mate will do their own celebrating,” said Ric, grumpily. His momentary elation wilted.
Gracchus stared at the house for a moment in quiet contemplation before smirking. “Yes, it takes a lot to drag a newly mated gargoyle male away from his female.” Gracchus looked up at the sky and stared at the moon for a few moments. “You’re quiet tonight, son.”
“I am fine.”
“I will check the perimeter before I settle in for the night. There is a Charlie’s Angels marathon on TV tonight. Care to join me?”
“Thank you, no.”
Gracchus shrugged. “Suit yourself. Just stay out of trouble.”
“Of course.”
“Humph.” Gracchus gave him a doubtful look as he left, hefting his huge body through the gate.
Ric chuckled. The older male’s new love of TV appeared to be unending. But Ric wanted to hunt.
*
“Come on, Bob. If you don’t get moving, you’re getting a bath tonight.”
<
br /> No, wait, wouldn’t that punish her more than Bob? Brenda recalled when Uncle Chris had bathed the behemoth known as Bob after he managed to eat his way through a ten-pound bag of flour – the bakery had left their back door open, and Bob had escaped his leash. He’d been covered in flour and his own puke. But when Chris came home, he was soaked from head to foot and looked like he’s just gone ten rounds with Godzilla.
“Okay if you don’t come on, no more treats, no more bacon rolls, no more Fig Newtons which you like for some reason.”
Bob whimpered slightly at the injustice of her threat, but he wouldn’t budge. Given that he was just a shade overweight – well, by like ten pounds because everyone in town loved him so much that they went out of their way to treat him, she couldn’t get him to move. Plus, he was already a large dog to begin with. She wasn’t sure what breed; he was a mixture. He wasn’t exactly a trained police dog, more like a stray who had turned up and they adopted because he was just so gosh, darn cute. But oh was he stubborn.
Brenda had been taking him on his walks for a week now and every time he always stopped outside the old Hardcastle mansion. Or at least, he stopped outside the gates and tried to push himself through. Yeah, he’d have to be a supermodel dog to get through there.
Kylie came out a few times to say hello. For some reason, Bob who had always loved Kylie kept growling at her.
Brenda thought it was pretty weird that she was living there. Kylie seemed nice, a little giggly over Uncle Chris, but then Brenda was used to women simpering over him. But why she suddenly moved into the Hardcastle mansion with both her aunt and her best friend was strange. One of the idiots she went to school with reckoned it was some kind of bride of Dracula deal – with Andrew Hardcastle as Dracula and Kylie, Maggie, and Bea as his brides. He reckoned they had orgies up there every night. It wasn’t helped by Gary the nutjob fishmonger making accusations about people flying off into the sky carrying Kylie away. Gary had gone away for a little rest now, and Brenda had told her classmate where to stick his theory. Yes, there was a reason she wasn’t making friends easily.
She supposed Kylie’s living arrangements were none of her business. Although it had been a little weird around town lately, rising from completely boring to merely mildly boring.
