“Asher—” I begin, but he cuts me off and interlaces one of my hands with his in a vice grip.
“Now, Eve,” he snarls before turning his furious stare to Gage. With his free hand, he points a finger at him. “If you come within an inch of her again, I will not hesitate to end your existence.” He growls with finality to his tone.
Gage smirks, apparently amused by Asher’s demeanor. “That’s for Eve to decide, not you. Do I need to remind you that humans have free will, Asher? As much as you hate it, she’s her own person and will decide her own path. No matter what crap you are trying to get her to believe or how sound your bond is. She’ll make her own decisions. Including those about me,” Gage says as if bored with the standoff, but there is an underlining warning to his voice.
“Quí an-mání ú por lem, í ku an-in ú dur,” Asher roars out.
Gage gives him a pointed look. “Lem-de an-wís dur ú re kat ante ámo ku ulem hiúman, in-saengkt.”
Asher yanks my hand forward. “We’re leaving now.”
“Wait, Asher. Just give me a moment,” I say, trying to pull my hand out of his grasp without success. I turn to Gage. “I’m not sure what you two just spit at one another in your secret gargoyle language, but thank you for saving me from Saraphina. I appreciate your protection.”
“My pleasure, love,” Gage answers.
My eyes slide to Asher’s then back to Gage. “Also, thank you for not turning me over to Deacon tonight. I’ll remember your kindness.”
Gage’s eyes grow cold as his light grey wings snap out of his back. “Gres-por ku ágra-lem, rap.”
Confused with his sudden change in demeanor and curious as to why he is speaking to me in Garish, I stand there, mouth agape and watching him.
“Let’s go,” Asher orders, pulling me gently toward the door.
“Gage?” I question in a shaky whisper.
“Leave with your protector.” It’s all he says before walking down the hallway and slamming a door, shutting me out.
“What the hell just happened?” I ask in puzzlement.
“Nothing that isn’t typical Gage behavior.” Asher ushers me out of the loft and back to England.
***
As soon as we enter the manor, I see the rest of the clan pacing the sitting room and instantly I want to turn around and run right back out. Standing in front of me are four glowering gargoyles with their black wings out, blue eyes glowing and their fists clenched at their sides. Crap. My eyes automatically land on one really ticked off panther whose mesmerizing eyes are scowling so bright they put the sun to shame.
I take in a deep breath, pondering just how much trouble I’m in this time. If Asher’s expression is any indication, I’m screwed. Abby turns and storms toward me.
“Eve! By the grace.” She pulls me into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry McKenna and I didn’t get to you in time. We rushed to the lake as soon as we heard the ice crack but that manipulative selkie put up spell barriers we couldn’t immediately break. By the time I was able to pull the energy to break the enchantment, Gage had already snagged you.” Abby blurts out the apology, in what seems like one breath, while tensing her grip on me. “I’m so beyond sorry.”
“Let go. I can’t breathe,” I plead. Damn gargoyle strength.
“Oops, sorry. I forget you’re human sometimes.” She releases me as I pull air into my lungs, allowing the blood to rush back through my body.
“Shit, cutie. I’m so glad to see you. We’re so very sorry. I assure you it won’t happen again,” Callan offers with a bear hug of his own.
“It’s not your fault, it’s mine,” I explain.
“You’re damn right it’s your fault. You know better than to go anywhere without a protector with you, Eve. By the grace, do you always have to make this assignment so fucking difficult?” McKenna’s head looks like it might explode off her body.
“Asher was there and I was on the property, McKenna. I had no idea I would get attacked on the grounds. I assumed the charms were up,” I shoot back.
“They were. I just didn’t extend them to the water. I had no idea Saraphina’s reach was to the lake,” Abby says, her voice laced with guilt. “They’re up now.”
“It’s all right, baby. You did good,” Callan consoles before placing a light kiss to her temple.
“It doesn’t matter how it happened. The point is we failed our task of keeping Eve safe. The responsibility falls on all of us, including Asher and myself. There won’t be a next time, because we’ve put precautions in place that will prevent another issue. Your protection is our first priority, Eve,” Keegan assures formally.
I swallow, feeling guilty I’ve caused so much trouble. My eyes shift to the large black panther silently prowling back and forth in the room. Fiona’s eyes lock onto mine and soften for the briefest moment before she ushers the rest of the clan out of the room, leaving only Asher and I.
Sighing, I turn to face him. His expression is guarded and irritated. I hold my hands up in surrender. “Look, I know you’re pissed and I’m sorry. I had no idea Gage was around or that Saraphina was in the lake.”
In an attempt to avoid, he focuses on the wall behind me. “You’re right, Eve. I am mad.” He exhales heavily and runs his hands through his hair and over the back of his neck. “Just, not at you. I’m fucking angry with myself and the clan for underestimating both the demonic legion and Gage Gallagher.”
“Ash—” I’m cut off before I can finish.
His eyes drop to mine and they’re blanketed with regret. “Once again, because my concentration was elsewhere, I didn’t pick up on the presence of Godry, Saraphina or Gage. It won’t happen again. From this point on, I assure you that my single-mindedness, when it comes to you, will be your safety and my job. Period.” The warning is stern and leaves no room for doubt.
I can’t explain why, but at his declaration, I feel my heart shatter into a million tiny fragments. “It’s not your fault. I know you would do everything in your power to protect me. You’ve already proven that to me,” I assure him.
The intensity in his gaze scares me. “I would. Everything and anything in my power, siren.”
“Asher?” I whisper, moving toward him, not wanting this between us.
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he turns and walks out of the room without a backwards glance.
“I’m glad ta see ye’re all right, lass.” Fiona’s voice is gentle as it floats in from behind me.
“Define all right,” I state without turning, deflated and focused on where Asher was standing a moment ago.
Fiona is quiet, which forces me to turn around. The stealthy woman moved to the couch where she’s sitting elegantly, her eyes twinkling at me. I swear if she were still shifted, her tail would be swaying and she’d be purring. Amused at my thoughts, she motions to the empty area next to her and I sit. She smiles maternally at me and brushes my hair back like my aunt used to do when I was sick.
“Ye’re a strong-willed lass. Ye have ta be. Yer future, ‘tis filled with greatness if ye choose ta embrace it,” she offers.
“I feel like no matter what I do, I keep making the wrong decisions. No one understands the weight of this. It’s not just my life in the balance here. If I choose to trust the wrong people or take the incorrect path, everything could disappear. I can’t afford distractions. I did that once and someone I cared very much for died. Maybe…just maybe I’m not the right person to be a redeemer,” I tell her, hoping she’ll understand. Fiona turns her focus to the fire, considering my words.
We sit in comfortable silence for a long time before she speaks, breaking my reverie. “A person dat truly luvs ye, lass, will neveh stop believin’ in ye, and will never let ye go, no matter how hard da situation.”
My gaze slides to hers. “That’s where you’re wrong. Asher doesn’t love me. He’s bonded to me as my protector and anything he thought he might have felt for me is simply because of the link. Nothing more. He was hired to guard me while I ascend and fulfill my
destiny. I’m a job to him.” I’m sulking like a child.
She lets out a jolly laugh. “Lass, if I thought fer one second dat ye actually believe dat ta be true, I wouldn’t be sittin’ here wit ye. Ye’re young, and young people say and do foolish things in da name of luv. Dat ‘tis da beauty of young luv. Doesn’t make it any less true or real. Asher, aye he’s complicated, no question. But make no mistake, ‘tis dat lad’s heart pullin’ him ta ye, not da silly bond.”
I look down. “I wish I could believe that. Regardless of what we think we might be feeling, we both have a job to do and it’s apparent love isn’t part of our destiny.”
Fiona stands and cups my cheeks affectionately before planting a light kiss on my head. “I wish ye both could see dat ye’re each other’s destiny.” With that, she leaves me to stare into the fire as it lulls me.
I’m standing on the jagged wall of rocks. My white dress flows around my body like cascading water. My bare feet are sore from the sharp edges of the rock formation. I look around in bewilderment. I’ve had this dream in the past. I know I have. The unmoving trees project their anger at the approach of a stranger, just like before.
The forest’s eyes watch me. The dark spirits scrutinize, waiting in anticipation of my arrival. I sense their excitement. Once again, I hear their Welsh murmurs. “Cartref merch Croeso duw,” they speak softly. Welcoming me home. This time, I know better. I’m not home.
The gloomy and lifeless castle appears to me. I stare at it in apprehension. My heart pounds with each movement forward. I know what he wants. He wants me. Without me, all is lost for him and his dark army. I scan the forest, aware this time of who he is and the danger I’m in.
I take a step toward the fortress then another and another. Each footstep takes me further and further away from Asher. My eyes close in silent prayer that I’m not too late.
I try to focus on whom I need to save. Beginning my descent down the uneven path, I faintly hear Asher’s voice drifting to me, floating like a feather on the air that caresses my soul.
“Come back to me, siren,” he whispers on the wind.
“I can’t,” I answer in a quiet voice, placing my hand over my heart to ease the ache of not being with him.
This is my fate and he can’t be part of it. After what happened, I have to protect him and the London clan at all costs.
Focused, I keep moving toward the castle. The voice on the wind reaches me again. “I will protect you, always,” he promises.
I believe him. I know he’ll come for me.
I take in a deep breath and reach out my hand as Gage takes it.
“It’s time, love. You’ve chosen.”
I jolt awake on the couch, swallowing down my scream and almost falling on the floor in my frantic state. Abby catches me just in the nick of time. My eyes lock onto her but I don’t really see her, all I see is blurry water. She carefully takes my shaking hands in hers.
“I’ve got you, sweetie. It’s okay. You’re just having a bad dream.” She tries to calm me down by brushing the tears off my cheeks. I breathe in deeply, attempting to pull my heart rate back to a normal level.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had one of those,” I barely whisper.
“Shh, we’re here. It’s okay, Eve,” she soothes while brushing a hand over my hair.
We’re? Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a slight movement in the doorway. Asher’s hands are clenched at his sides, his face ashen like he might be sick.
Abby lifts her head, noticing I’m staring at him before he nods at her and walks out of the room. With every step he takes, my heart shatters a little more. All I want is for him to run over here and hold me.
“He isn’t upset with you. Ash is struggling with wanting to be the one to console you, Eve. He knows he can’t,” she says sadly. “You were screaming for him in your sleep.”
I close my eyes to gather myself. “I was?”
“Yes. This heartbreaking cry,” Abby whispers as if in pain.
“Crap.”
“Do you want to talk about it? I know this was kind of your thing with Aria, and I’m not trying to replace her, but if you need someone, I’m here. We all are. You’re not in this alone.” Her voice is sincere.
“It was just a bad dream. I’m all right now.” My voice cracks with the lie.
Abby studies me for what feels like forever. When she thinks I’ve finally calmed down to the point of non-hysteria, she agrees to let me retreat to my room.
As I make my way up the stairs, I faintly hear Asher. “Is she alright?”
“I think so. I’m pretty sure it was just a nightmare,” Abby offers in a quiet hush.
“What do you think brought it on? I mean, she was screaming for me like I had been ripped from her arms?” Asher questions. He sounds scared and worried.
I sigh, wishing he would just ask me himself. Not waiting to hear her response, I climb the stairs to my room, exhausted. Just as I hit the top landing, McKenna steps into view.
“We’re back to screaming in the middle of the night, are we, blood of Eden?” she snips.
“Go fuck yourself, McKenna.” I brush past her and head to my room, not in the mood.
Once in the shower, the heaviness of the day finally takes its toll on me and for the first time in a long time, I begin to cry and not the pretty, delicate, light tears most girls can pull off. I mean full-on-ugly-I-just-won-Miss-America-hiccupping sobs. I slide down and sit on the shower floor and just let the scalding hot water run over me until I don’t have any tears left.
At the point I’m sufficiently cried out, I shut off the water and get out of the shower to dry off. I almost start bawling all over again when I notice Asher left his Property of London shirt on the counter. I get into it with my boy shorts and pretend its Asher wrapped around me. Tired, I just want to crawl into my bed and end the madness of the day.
I open the bathroom door to find Asher lying on my bed, waiting for me. His long, muscular legs are crossed, eyes are closed and his strong hands are resting behind his head. The beautiful gargoyle prince looks so peaceful.
Thinking he’s asleep, I take a moment just to breathe him in as my heart clenches. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the remnants of the nightmare. The need to walk over to him and crawl inside him is all consuming.
As my eyes open, they lock onto his. Neither of us moves. Neither of us speaks. His eyes travel the length of me, landing on the shirt and causing them to darken as my entire body flushes from his perusal.
Asher’s face falls. “You look like shit,” he says in typical Asher fashion.
I snort. “Thanks. You sure know how to sweet talk a girl, for being a gargoyle prince and all.”
There is a pause. “Siren?”
“Your highness?”
“Gage told you?”
“Yes. Though I can’t figure out why you didn’t. What’s one more secret though, right?”
“With everything else being thrown at you, my title was something the clan felt wasn’t important. My status within my community has nothing to do with my protection of you, Eve.”
I arch a brow. “And Camilla?”
“I know that Gage blames us for her death. Neither I, nor my brothers had knowledge of his father’s plan. If we had, we would have stepped in. I understand he’s hurting and doesn’t believe that, but I assure you, it’s the truth.”
I just study him. His face is sincere and in my heart, I know he’s telling me the truth.
“Are you okay? I heard you crying.”
“Fine. Just tired.”
Disbelief crosses his face. “And the dream?”
“I don’t remember it.”
Asher lets out a frustrated exhale. “I felt it, you were terrified. Your soul was calling to me. You were screaming for me, siren.”
I swallow hard and feign ignorance. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
He stands and groans. “All right, have it your way, Eve.”
“There is n
o ‘my way,’ Asher. I’m okay,” I say heatedly.
He just remains in his spot, taking me in before slowly nodding and pushing out a long, drawn breath. “Right now, I’m fighting every thread of my being not to walk over there and yank you into my arms because, siren, I know you’re fucking lying to me.”
I cross my arms, resisting the urge to fold myself into his. I nod once my comprehension.
“Be sure you’re up and dressed early in the morning. We’re realm jumping,” he says.
My eyes widen with surprise. “Where?”
“The Eternal Forest. We have an engagement with Priestess Arabella.”
“I’ll be ready,” I confirm.
He pauses before looking at me then the bed. “Do…do you want me to stay?”
Want him to? Yes. Need him to? No. “No,” I answer in an unsure voice.
“I’m just across the hall if you change your mind,” he offers.
My eyes lock onto his, conveying how much I want to change my mind, to run to him and never let go. However, my mouth has different ideas. “I’ll be okay. Thank you.”
Asher’s quiet, contemplating. For a moment, I think he might say something but he just curtly nods before leaving my room. Crap. I have it bad for him, like stalker bad.
I make my way to the bed and crawl in. My pillow still smells like him. I snuggle into it, embracing his scent and the calm it gives me.
9
The Chamber
My hand clutches the silk drape as my vision skims over the Cotsworth gardens. They’re completely covered in a new blanket of snow. I lift my eyes to the blue sky, inhaling. The sun is shining this morning and reflecting off the little white, frozen crystals, which gives the illusion of small diamonds embedded in the earth. Everything is so pure and clean, unlike life. The entire world is silent in this moment.
I focus on the lake, shivering at the recollection of Saraphina. My mind wanders to Gage and I catch myself speculating on what he’s doing at the moment, as my other hand reaches for the place on my wrist his lips burned. Focus, Eve. No more Gage thoughts.
Restraint (The Revelation Series Book 2) Page 8