by Judith Post
There was enough potion left for Gideon to take home to Humusi. Ally smiled. His mate was a lotus-eater. Her magic drained willpower, making people…or gargoyles… happy and complacent—a different matter than trying to wrestle another to do your bidding. Ally explained about the protection spell she'd cast around the cathedral.
Samuel frowned, and she worried that he'd demand she remove it, but he surprised her by saying, "That might be a good thing, in the long run. I never considered that by calling this home, we might put the clergy and members of this church in peril. Someone might try to use them to harm us."
A sorry truth, but a possibility.
Ecanus waved for Ally to go home with Samuel and Dante. "If Mitchell shows himself, we'll call for backup. Dante hears us the second we think the words. We won't leave this roof until you get here. And Mitchell can't hurt us unless we cross your magic boundaries."
Ally frowned, trying to decide if there was something else she could do to keep them safe, but she couldn't think of anything at the moment. "You really will stay here where you're safe until we can get to you?"
"We're not stupid," Gideon said. "We know our strengths and our weaknesses."
With a nod, she turned to Dante. "Good, then I'm going back to bed."
When they passed a storage area at the top of the steps, Dante opened it and reached for his shield. Samuel did the same. "It repels magic. It's how we fight mages. That, and our wrist guards."
Ally nodded. Every bit of protection helped.
On the drive home, Ally sat in the back seat and let the two gargoyles talk strategy. After the cold winds, the heat of the car made her drowsy. When Dante parked at the curb, they hurried into the house. No blasts followed them. Mitchell must have decided to burrow in and stay warm tonight. Ally didn't blame him.
When she woke the next morning, her mind felt clear. Dante, as usual, was already up and moving. She found him in the kitchen, cooking a huge, skillet breakfast with potatoes, sausages, and eggs. He grinned at her. "I heard that all you had for supper last night was a sandwich. Thought you might need fortification."
They sat opposite each other at the small kitchen table and wolfed down their food. She'd lost a lot of energy, healing the werewolves, and needed to restore it. As they ate, she told him about Mitchell attacking Skar's pack.
Dante let out a frustrated sigh. "Mitchell must hate the pack more than he hates Samuel and me. Why he doesn't take a long, hard look at his brother is beyond me."
"People see what they want to see," she said. "Mitchell needs someone to blame, so he's decided the pack failed Matthew, and you and Samuel killed him."
"A pretty far-fetch if he looked at the things Matthew did, but I suppose he can explain those away, too." Dante cleaned his plate and carried it to the sink to rinse.
"I want to take a protective potion out to Skar and his pack," Ally said. "If they sprinkle it around the yard, no enemy or his magic can pass it. Mitchell can't try to burn down the barn again to force the werewolves out of it."
"Skar's going to get too fond of you," Dante teased. "It's a good thing he has a mate."
"Does Muscles?" Ally got the feeling he hadn't found a special someone yet.
"Why? Are you interested?"
"Please. You're enough of a bother," she told him. "I don't need a werewolf and all of his friends."
With a chuckle, Dante said, "Women have tried to snag Muscles, but he likes to play the field. He's a love 'em and leave 'em type of guy."
Ally shrugged. "He'd be happier if he found someone."
"Skar's told him the same thing. He's not ready."
Once they tidied up their mess, they bundled up to drive to the werewolf pack. This time, she didn't bother changing out of her jeans and long-sleeved tee. It was daylight. Most warlocks preferred working in the dark.
Ally took more potion than she thought they'd need, but better safe than sorry. Dante took his shield. When he shifted to gargoyle form, his wrist guards were part of the transition, but the shield was more effective.
When Dante knocked on the door of the barn, Muscles opened it and motioned them in. The only sign that he'd been near death was pink, new skin where his throat had been ripped out. He saw the spray bottles packed in a cardboard box and smiled at Ally. "You came bearing gifts."
"This will make one less thing for Dante to worry about," she told him.
Muscles rolled his eyes. "Must be nice. She's always thinking of ways to make life easier for you, Dante."
"I'm not complaining. Why do you think I hung in there? She wasn't so keen on me to start with."
Muscles's eyebrows rose in surprise. He turned to Ally. "Really? Dante didn't bowl you over with his good looks?"
She grimaced. "It wasn't him." Who'd turn down a tall, sexy gargoyle? "It was me. I'd been on my own for so long, I didn't trust anyone."
Muscles shook his head. "You should have held out a little longer. Who needs a gargoyle when there are Weres?"
Skar came to greet them. He saw the spray bottles, too, and said, "Thank you. We're in your debt."
She felt a blush stain her cheeks. "No, you're not. We're allies. We're fighting the same enemy."
Skar studied her. "How do we defeat him?"
"It's going to take a nasty, ugly battle."
Gold flecks sparkled in the alpha's eyes. "We can do that."
Dante nodded. "The sooner, the better. And Mitchell will have to fight a little bit fair this time."
"Talking about sooner rather than later…." Skar nodded to Muscles. "Let's get this stuff sprayed around the barn. No magic will be able to harm it then, right?" He looked to Ally.
"No enemy can pass it unless you invite him to."
The two Weres shrugged into coats and started to the door with Ally and Dante following behind them. Ally and Dante took two spray bottles and bent close to the barn, so that the wind didn’t blow the spray away. Skar and Muscles went in the opposite direction. By the time they met, their work finished, Ally's teeth were chattering. She pulled her coat collar higher and started to say, "We can spray another dose a little farther out, and then maybe…." when balls of fire flew at the barn from different directions. She jumped, startled. The blazes hit the shield and died.
How did Mitchell throw so many? Ally whirled to see the warlock, along with a dozen other mages, fanning out in front of them. Skar shifted, a growl rumbling deep in his throat. So did Muscles. Dante flexed into his gargoyle form, then raised his shield. The three of them towered over Ally. She planted her feet and smiled.
Mitchell raised his eyebrows at her. "Don't underestimate my coven, witch."
"Is that what you've been doing since Matthew died? Training your army?" She'd wondered about the time lag between Matthew's death and Mitchell's attacks. "That's where you were last night, isn't it? Fetching your underlings."
One of the mages—in a crimson gown—scowled at her taunt and chanted a binding spell at Skar. When nothing happened, he glanced at Mitchell.
Mitchell narrowed his eyes, studying her. "You've protected them, haven't you? A noble effort, but it won't save them. We've taken the time to build our magic. Be warned. If you flee now, we won't pursue you."
"I'm a longtime student, too." Ally sniffed the air. Anger reddened her cheeks. "You've trained in dark magic. Blood rituals. You're no better than your brother."
Mitchell's fingers curled into fists. "You're a mouthy, little witch, aren't you? But it's no matter. We'll smash you. All of you."
"Bring it on," Ally told him. "We're ready."
Thirteen sets of arms raised to shoot magic at them. Ally waved a hand to call for a protective shield. The see-through bubble formed in front of them, and energy bounced off it as she, Dante, and a dozen werewolves advanced on the mages. When they were finally face to face, she dropped the shield, and combatants raged against each other. Mages shot magic, and Weres ripped and tore. For a while, it looked as though both sides were evenly matched. If a Were fell, another took down the mage who stunned hi
m. No one stayed in one place, moving in and out behind trees to fight, then retreat.
Ally did her best to pump energy into any Were in trouble. The crimson mage blasted energy at her, but she smacked it aside. He shot lightning sparks with his other hand at an approaching shifter, knocking him several feet away. Then he whirled to blast another, who was coming up behind him.
Ally frowned. Why was the mage fighting three opponents? Where was his master? Ally whirled her hand to form a whip of energy and yanked the mage's feet out from under him. The Weres were on him the minute he hit the dirt.
She turned to find Mitchell and hissed a sharp breath. Skar was crawling to the door of the barn, whimpering in pain. When had he been hit? She'd seen him a minute ago, battling two mages on the other side of the parking lot. He'd been holding his own. Dante was beside him.
Skar struggled to reach the handle, and the door flew open. Where was Mitchell? Skar had to hurry, or Mitchell would finish him. A beautiful, lithe woman reached for him to drag him inside. The air shimmered for a second—a spell hitting another one. And then Ally turned her head. Mitchell was nowhere to be seen. A trick! Skar and Dante stood, back to back, where she'd last seen them.
Of course! An illusion spell. Mitchell couldn't enter the barn. No enemy could. When Skar's wife grabbed his hand, he yanked her toward him, outside the protective barrier.
Damn it! No wonder Mitchell's right hand mage had worn red. He'd wanted to draw attention to himself, away from his master. Ally turned and ran. She was halfway across the lot when Mitchell shimmered back to his foul self and held Skar's wife in front of him—a nymph, by the looks of her. Zimaida had mentioned that a few of her friends lived in Summit City.
Mitchell pressed one of his palms to her head. His gaze met Ally's and a cruel smile lifted his lips. "One step closer, and your friend's wife is fried. Give me Skar, Muscles, and Dante, and we'll leave in peace."
Everything went silent. All fighting stopped. A snarl sounded from Skar's lips.
Ally looked at the werewolf's wife. "I'm Dante's mate. I came here to help you. Do you trust me?"
The nymph nodded.
"Then close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you it's safe."
Mitchell frowned, but the woman immediately clamped her eyes shut.
"No one look at my face!" Ally shifted. Her legs melded and grew into a long, thick coil. Curved nails sprouted from her fingers and toes. Snakes sprouted from her hair.
Mitchell stared. "What the …?" His last words. His lips froze as his body turned to stone.
Ally immediately changed back. Dear Artemis, she was cold. Her coat and jeans lay in tatters on the ground, along with the rest of her clothing. She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Skar's wife still safe, her hands hiding her face. "It's okay now."
The nymph opened her eyes and gasped. A stone statue pinned her to it.
Ally glanced around the area. No one else had been turned. Her shoulders relaxed. She hadn't hurt any friends.
Skar lunged at the mages in front of him, slashing their throats in a single fling of his claws. Then he rushed to his wife. He grabbed the stone arm that entrapped her and broke it off, tossing it aside. Snarls and growls erupted everywhere. Dante was beside her in a moment, draping the extra sweater she always kept in the car over her shoulders to hide her nudity. It barely covered her ass, but all of the essentials were blocked from view…as long as she didn't bend over. But the wind whipped her bare legs and made her shiver.
Dante stalked back into the foray. Ally tied the sweater's belt around her waist and thought about joining him, but it was mostly mopping up now. Mages were dropping faster than dead leaves.
She shrugged and went to stand beside Skar's wife. "I'm Ally," she said, introducing herself. "I'm friends with Ecanus's mate, the tree nymph Zimaida."
The nymph smiled. "Zimaida's told me about you. I'm Callista. She worried the centaurs killed me when the crabapple trees began to wither in Summit City. I was hurt, but the one who attacked me didn't realize a werewolf was my mate."
Ally blinked, remembering. "Lexi's mate is a werewolf, too." He'd stood guard over the beautiful, red maple that Lexi called home when the centaurs threatened her.
"Lance." Callista nodded toward a huge werewolf with pale eyes, plunging his claws into a mage's chest. "He keeps Lexi safe. Skar protects me."
Ally smiled. "And Ecanus watches over Zimaida."
"Sad, really." Callista sighed. "Nymphs can't thrive without someone to watch over them anymore."
Symbolic? Ally wondered. All of Nature was under attack by mankind. They chopped down trees, dirtied the air, and contaminated the water.
Callista wrapped an arm through hers. "It's nice to meet you, gorgon. And thank you for coming to our help."
Silence surrounded them. They looked up to see why. The battle was finished. Mitchell's coven lay, scattered, on the edges of the parking lot. The werewolves shifted back to mortal and walked toward them. Too many naked men. Gorgeous, naked men, but it made Ally self-conscious, more aware of her own scanty garment.
"Do you ever get used to that?" Ally asked Callista. She tugged at the hem of her sweater, trying to make it cover more.
"I've come to think of it as one of the perks of the job." The nymph laughed. "And anyone married to a werewolf needs perks."
"I heard that." Skar came to thread an arm around his wife's shoulders.
"You hear everything. Predators are like that." Callista ran her gaze over him, checking for wounds. "Looks like you got off easy."
"Thanks to her." Skar's expression went serious as he turned to Ally. "Thank you again, this time for saving my wife."
She shrugged. "It's part of living with a gargoyle."
Dante came to wrap an arm around her. "One of the perks?"
"Keep reminding me of that." Ally pushed out of his embrace. She wasn't good at dealing with attention. Who knew? A Greek who squirmed when people got too mushy. "Looks like we're done here," she said. She nodded to Skar. "Keep the rest of the spray bottles and protect your yard and parking lot. Then Weres can get in and out of their cars without getting zapped."
Muscles gave a knowing smile. "Nice legs, witch. Or should I say gorgon?"
"I prefer Ally." She rubbed her hands together. "I'm getting in the car and turning the heat on high. I'm freezing out here."
His smile grew wider. "Keep her warm, Dante."
"I know just the thing." Dante's eyes sparkled. He slid his arm around her again and walked her to their car. "See ya, guys."
With a quick wave, they drove away. When she glanced back, the werewolves were gathering bodies and dragging them into the woods.
"They'll bury them in different spots around the forest," Dante told her. "They know how to make bodies disappear."
Was that a good thing? For this pack, yes. They were the good guys. They didn't attack. They defended. But it made her think. "Did they bury Corbin? What happened to him?"
"The pack gave him a funeral and buried him in their private graveyard."
"But what about his apartment? His job?"
"Skar dealt with all that, explained that Corbin had to hurry home to care for his ailing father."
A good, white lie. How did anyone explain that a man had lived for hundreds of years and there were no records for him? On the ride home, she kept her hand on Dante's thigh. Touching him made her feel more secure. When they reached the house and walked inside, she sniffed the air and frowned.
Oh, shit. She hurried to her studio, where Zimaida, Hypos, and Tepo were working happily. "Did anyone turn off the kiln?"
Hypos pointed to the peep hole where beautifully glazed green plates with orange-red swirls cooled inside.
Ally frowned. "Then what smells like it's burning?"
A muffled explosion came from the kitchen.
Tepo looked down at his shoes, avoiding her gaze. "I put my bowl in your oven."
"The oven? The clay's too green. It hasn't dried enough."
/> "I turned on the broiler. I figured that would be almost as hot as your kiln."
Not even close, but he wouldn't know that. "Did you put it on a cookie sheet? How close to the heat?"
Silence.
Ally sighed. "I think your bowl just blew up."
The boy's face fell. Ally hugged him to her. A minor tragedy. One that was easy to fix. Those, she could live with. She tipped his chin and shook her head. "Next time, wait for me to help you. But I'm here now. So let me throw on some clothes, and let's make two new ones."
He stared, surprised.
Ally laughed. "You're getting off easy. You hit me at the right time. So enjoy it."
Hypos's mother glare lessened. She looked at Ally. "It's over?"
"Mitchell and his coven are gone."
The broken bowl was forgotten. Dante pulled the trash can to the oven to clean up the mess. Ally went to her bedroom to change and then she and Tepo started the pottery wheel again. Voices and laughter filled the studio. Dante and Samuel started supper. Ecanus and Zimaida wandered in to join them. Winds howled outside, but no one cared. Friendship permeated their world, and hardships were forgotten for the moment. They were cocooned in family and home…something new for all of them.
The End
If you enjoyed the Ally/Dante series
and want more gargoyles, witches, and werewolves,
you might want to check out my novels Wolf's Bane and Shadow Demon.
Other Lunch Hour Reads by Judith Post
The Death & Loralei Collection:
Destiny with Death
Death & Felice
All Hallow’s Eve
Spirit Bound
The Babet & Prosper Collection I:
One Less Warlock
Magrat’s Dagger
A Different Undead
Bad Juju
The Christian and Brina Novellas:
Uncommon Allies
Lone Drifter
Keeper of Dragons
One Spare Serfdom
The Emerald Hills Novellas:
More than Bonbons