Heart Of Stone

by Cynthia Eden

  Leo looked away from her. “I know you made Akin kill himself. I was watching. You thought I arrived after, to help you slip away, but I saw everything. I heard everything.”

  Her heart jerked in her chest.

  “If you could do that, so easily…what else could you do?”

  “You think it was easy?” Now she rose. The water slid from her body. Her fingers gripped the knife. She held it in her left hand, not her broken right. “There is nothing easy about taking a life. Not for me. But I saw what Akin was doing—he was going to keep marching, keep attacking. Keep killing. I’d created the monster, don’t you see that? His lust for power knew no end. He would just keep going. I’d made him. I had to stop him. I had—”

  “That was the problem. You did make him. Just as you would make others like him. Like him…like Eric Foster. You were the danger. You were the darkness that slipped into their lives. To truly eliminate the evil, I should have eliminated you.”

  They were alone on that roof, standing on some high-rise in the middle of the city. And she was facing off against a being that was way, way stronger than she was. Oh, shit. I could seriously use my gargoyle about now. “Are you…are you going to kill me tonight?”

  He looked away from her, turning to stare at the lights of the pool. “I couldn’t kill you then, even when you stood with a dead man at your feet. Do you truly think I could kill you now?”

  Maybe, yes. Was that a trick question? Sabrina didn’t know him any longer. She wasn’t sure she ever truly had. But then, Sabrina hadn’t been the one who’d been the closest to him. That had been her cousin.

  “Where is Fate?”

  Her cousin…a being with the title of Fate. The title, the pressure, the never-ending burden…Fate. “She goes by Mora now.”

  A shudder seemed to slip along the length of his body.

  “Where is she?”

  “Um, yeah.” She pushed back her wet hair, then winced when her wrist protested. “She’s been hiding from you for centuries. You think I’m just going to give up her location to you? Not happening.”

  He lunged toward her. His hand flew out—and locked around her broken wrist.

  She stilled. Was he going to hurt her? Try to torture Mora’s location out of her? He’d have to do more than just break some bones…

  But warmth spread from his fingers to her wrist. And the bones snapped back into place. The pain faded.

  He’d healed her.

  “I’m still not telling you,” she muttered.

  His eyes narrowed. “What do I have to do…” Leo gritted out, “so that you will tell me where she is?”

  That was the thing…Sabrina was actually the only being on the whole face of the earth who knew where Mora was hiding. She smiled at him. “You bring me the binding stone that controls Adam, and I’ll give up that location to you.”

  He growled, then demanded, “Just where in the hell am I supposed to find that stone?”

  “I’d start by checking out Luke’s place. Because I think he has it.” She lifted her chin and tried to act as if she weren’t—quite literally—dripping wet at the Lord of the Light’s feet. “You get me that stone, and I’ll tell you where Mora is.”

  He gave a jerky nod and stepped back. But then he said, “Why haven’t you just made Eric kill himself?”

  She felt ice spreading inside of her body.

  “Tell me you haven’t thought about it.” His laugh was cold. “After Akin…how could you not? I know Eric has been hurting humans—”

  “He’s been hurting them because he can’t hurt me,” she said, voice breaking a bit.

  “So why haven’t you stopped him? Why go to my brother? Surely you could have handled this yourself…”

  If only. “I tried…I tried to stop Eric as soon as I realized what he was doing. But he knew what I was. He’d learned a lot about paranormals while I was gone. I think…he may have gotten some…enhancements during my absence.” It was the only possibility that made sense, the only way he could have resisted her power.

  “Enhancements? What the hell?”

  “I couldn’t get him to obey me.” Her lips pressed together. “No one had resisted me before.” And Adam is the only one to resist me since. “I had to run away, and since then, Eric has been incredibly careful. He doesn’t get too physically close to me, and he orders his guards to keep their distance, too.”

  “So you decided that you’d get a protector who could do your dirty work for you.”

  Her chin lifted. “What was the alternative? Let him keep killing humans? Taking the deal with Luke was my only choice.”

  He stared into her eyes. “No, I was a choice, too.” Then the guy just shot off into the night.

  “Wait! You can’t just leave me here!” She didn’t even know where here was. “Leo? Leo!”

  But he’d left her.

  This is why you weren’t a damn choice for me. I can’t count on you! Her breath huffed out. “Still a jerk. Guess that part hasn’t changed.”

  ***

  He saw the flames and smelled smoke. Adam landed on the ground right next to the wreckage. A fast, frantic search showed him—Sabrina isn’t here. Neither was Eric. The guy’s scent still lingered, but he was long gone.

  “H-help…”

  Adam peered into the crunched remains of the limo. The witch was in there, the flames eating at him and…at the other man, Raymond. Two bastards who were headed for a very swift meeting with death.

  Adam stared into the witch’s eyes.

  “G-get my brother to leave…me,” the witch whispered. “Pl-please…”

  Raymond was fighting and jerking at a twisted chunk of metal. The metal seemed to be pinning the witch in place.

  Adam considered both men a moment. Raymond hadn’t even glanced back at him. The witch looked half-dead already. Witches and fire never mixed.

  Humans didn’t fare so well with fire, either, but Raymond was ignoring his own burns. The guy was choking, probably close to passing out, but still trying to free the witch.

  “Give me one reason,” Adam growled, his voice that of his beast, “why I should help either of you?”

  Neither spoke.

  They didn’t have a reason.

  The scent of gasoline permeated the air. That car—it was going to explode. Adam knew it. The two bastards before him were about to be destroyed. And he was going to watch.

  Is this what I have become?

  The question slipped through him. And so did an image of Sabrina. Sabrina—staring at him, with tears in her eyes. Telling him that she was the same as Meredith.

  Meredith had watched as others burned.

  Am I the same as Meredith?

  Tears had fallen on Sabrina’s cheeks.

  He didn’t like it when she cried.

  Adam’s claws grabbed the side of the limo. He ripped the door away. Surged inside and yanked at the metal that pinned the witch. Then he was grabbing both Raymond and the bastard who’d used magic against him before. Adam burst out of the car—with them clenched tightly in his stone grasp—even as the vehicle ignited around him. The witch was screaming. Raymond wasn’t making a sound. They were burning…

  My stone can’t burn.

  Adam dropped the two into a nearby lake. He looked down and saw their heads break the surface.

  Alive.

  Did that count as his good deed for the century? He thought so. It was probably a deed that would come back to bite him hard in the ass but…

  At least he didn’t have more blood on his hands. Adam flew high into the air. Where are you, Sabrina? Where did you go? He flew and he caught her scent…

  Her scent and Eric’s. They’d gone in two different directions.

  He could hunt Eric. Finish the bastard. Or…

  Sabrina had been bleeding when she was pulled into the limo by Eric. I saw the blood on her throat.

  Or he could find her. She’s my choice. Adam turned and he followed her scent. He was coming to realize that for him,
Sabrina came first.

  He wondered if she always would.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Something was flying toward her. Something big and strong and…

  Don’t be Leo. Not again.

  Sabrina’s body tensed as she stood at the edge of the pool. She’d just been about to search for a way off that building—off, out, whatever works—but it looked as if company was coming her way.

  The mysterious something drew closer and a relieved rasp broke from her. “Adam.” In all his gargoyle glory. He was flying fast toward her. She lifted up her hands, reaching for him. He didn’t even land on the roof. He just scooped her up, held her against his chest, and flew away with her into the night.

  “I knew you’d come for me.” She put her cheek against the stone. It was strange, but the stone still felt warm to her. “Just had to make it until you showed up.” They were high above the city. The lights gleamed below them. Everyone else seemed to be a million miles away. Sabrina wished they could stay just like this—she was safe here, in his arms. There was only silence around them. Silence and darkness.

  “Are you hurt?” His voice was the beast’s deep rumble.

  Her wrist didn’t even ache any longer. Courtesy of Leo’s magic. And the cut on her neck? It had healed, too. That would be something else she owed him. Leo liked to collect his debts just as much as Luke did. “I’m fine.”

  They didn’t speak again. Not until they were back at the penthouse. It seemed almost surreal to go back there. To land on the balcony with him and watch as he slowly broke out of his stone prison. When his fingers emerged from the stone, when the rocks fell to his feet, she could only stare at him.

  Those rocks vanished after a time. She’d seen them do that before. They just turned to dust and blew away in the breeze.

  Magic was a strange thing.

  “Your clothes are wet.”

  Not as wet as they had been, not anymore. Thanks to that windy flight through the sky. “I took a tumble into a pool.”

  He stalked toward her. “I want to get weapons and grab some new clothes for you, and then we’re out of here. I don’t want to risk Leo showing up again—”

  “Leo is busy with something else right now. You don’t need to worry about him.” But she turned and left the balcony, leading the way into the penthouse condo. He followed behind her, his steps silent. She went into the bedroom—what she now thought of as their bedroom—and stripped.

  She didn’t fake coyness. She just dropped the clothes onto the floor and then turned toward him.

  His eyes raked over her body.

  “I need you…to check me.”

  “Sweetheart, I check you out all the time.”

  No, not that way. She eased out a slow breath. “Eric is tracking me somehow. He did something to me, and I need you to help me figure out what it is.” Her hands were by her sides. “He found me at that club. He always finds me. No matter where I go, he can locate me. I know he’s put something in me. I tried to find a cut, a mark, something that he left behind when he inserted the tracker, but I can’t do it.” She took a step toward him. Then another. “You’ve got better senses than I do. You can catch someone’s scent from miles away. Look at me. Check me. If something is there…” She reached for his hands. The hands of a man now, but she’d seen how easily claws sprouted from his fingertips. “Then cut the damn thing out.”

  His eyes widened. “You think I would cut your skin?”

  “I’m asking you to cut me. Help me! I can’t keep doing this. There isn’t any escape from him. He knows every move I take. He’s put a tracker in me, and I can’t find it.” She spun, giving him her back. “Do you see anything? Please, Adam, help me. I am begging you.”

  “How did you get on the roof?”

  She looked back at him.

  “And how do you know Leo is working on something else right now?”

  Her lips trembled. “Because Leo is the one who got me out of the limo…he’s also the one who sent a blast of fire at Eric. But that didn’t end Eric, I could see the bastard scrambling from the car even as Leo and I flew away.”

  “Leo saved you.” His words were quiet.

  “Leo is working his own agenda, believe me. I have something he wants. Or rather, I know the location of someone he wants. Apparently, breaking up is not something Leo can understand, not even after a whole lot of centuries.” She huffed out a breath. “Get the tracker out of me.”

  His hands rose and curled around her shoulders. She actually gave a little jump at the contact because an arc of electricity seemed to flow right through her body. His touch did that to her. Gave her a buzz. Turned her on.

  Tuned her, to him.

  Slowly, his hands slid down, moving over her shoulder blades and then sliding over her spine. Warm and strong, his fingers stroked to the base of her back. He leaned toward her, she could feel him surrounding her, and his breath brushed over her cheek as he said, “I’ve looked before. I’ve tried to find out how he was tracking you, but I couldn’t.”

  She turned in his arms. He was naked, she was naked. Flesh to flesh. “Look again.”

  His hands were on her hips. Slowly, his hands began to slide down her legs. His fingertips were slightly rough against her skin as he dragged his hands over her thighs. Behind her knees. He was stroking every inch of her legs, her calves, her ankles. He even bent before her and lifted her feet.

  “There’s nothing I can see, Sabrina.” He looked up at her.

  “Eric keeps finding me.”

  He was kneeling before her. “The dead can’t find anyone.”

  Then his hands were rising again. His fingers darted between her spread legs. She gave a quick gasp, and then two fingers were sliding into her.

  Only he wasn’t looking for any tracker. His eyes had changed. Desire had slipped over his face, a heavy mask that told her exactly what he wanted.

  “But I’ll be thorough,” he told her, voice dipping into a guttural growl. “I promise…I’ll keep checking.”

  And he leaned forward and put his mouth on her. She almost fell, but he caught her quickly, and he lifted her up, positioning her so that she was pressed half-against the bed. Her legs were splayed wide, and he was crouched between them. His mouth was on her. Licking her. Stroking her. Her hands flew out blindly and fisted around the bedcovers. “Adam!”

  He licked her again. Such a wicked, wicked tongue…

  He thrust two fingers into her again even as his mouth worked her clit. She opened her mouth, trying to suck in a desperate gulp of air, and then Sabrina erupted. The pleasure hit her hard and fast and she came against his mouth.

  The pleasure was still rolling through her when he drove his cock into her. She was so sensitive—the pressure of his heavy length had her shuddering. He worked in and out of her. She was tight from her release, so tight, and every move of his hips had her heart lurching.

  He kissed her. And he came. And she was spinning out of control again because she didn’t think the pleasure had ever stopped. Her need for him was growing and growing.

  Her lovers had amused her in the past. They’d satisfied her.

  Adam was different.

  Sex with him…it seemed to pierce her straight to her soul. The pleasure was deeper. The need sharper.

  She wanted and she craved and the hunger didn’t lessen.

  His fingers were sliding over her arms. He pressed a kiss to her breast. “I don’t see a tracker on you. I don’t feel it.”

  Her breath was still coming too fast. “It’s there.”

  He withdrew from her. She hated that. She’d wanted him to stay inside of her. When they were together like that, they were part of each other.

  She liked being part of him.

  “He’s running scared.” Adam lifted her and placed her carefully in the middle of the bed. “He’s fucking terrified because he knows he can’t escape from me. However he’s tracking you, it won’t matter. Like I told you, the dead can’t hunt you.”

&nbs
p; She licked her lips. “We can lock him in Luke’s prison. You don’t have to kill Eric for me.”

  He just stared at her.

  I’m not Meredith. “Adam…”

  He kissed her lips. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

  Oh, great. He was about to do his fly-away routine.

  “I have to know you’re safe.” He pressed another kiss to her lips. “Be here when I come back.”

  “Adam, just listen—”

  But he’d backed away. She could see his skin changing. Darkening. Hardening. He was becoming the beast right before her eyes. And then he was just—gone. Gone into the night. Out flying to hunt while she was just left to stay there and wait.

  Um, hell, no.

  She dressed as quickly as she could, and then Sabrina was running through the penthouse and searching frantically for the phone. She finally found it in Adam’s office, in the exact spot she’d dropped it after her disastrous call with Eric. Not even bothering to glance at the clock, she yanked up that phone and called her best friend.

  It wasn’t as if witches spent their nights sleeping. Not the most powerful ones, anyway. Or at least, Sabrina didn’t think—

  “Who the hell is this?” A disgruntled—and very sleepy—feminine voice demanded. A hint of the south whispered through her words. “And do you want me to hurt you?”

  “Cordelia.” Relief broke in that name. Sabrina cleared her throat. “I’m in trouble.”

  “What else is new?” But, suddenly, Cordelia’s voice was a lot sharper. Definitely more awake. In the background, Sabrina heard the darker murmur of a man’s voice. “No, no, honey, it’s fine,” Cordelia assured him. “Just girl talk.”

  Silence.

  “It’s not girl talk,” Sabrina muttered. “I need your help.”

  “Give me a sec…don’t like to worry him.” Cordelia’s voice was soft. “Okay…I’m outside.” Her friend exhaled. “You know humans, they tend to worry.”

  Sabrina licked her lips. “I need a spell.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Miami.” Her shoulders hunched. “What do you know about gargoyles?”