Gargoyle (Woodland Creek)

by Scarlet Dawn

  With a hardened jaw, I swiftly pulled the comforter over Jonathan’s bare back, covering us a bit more.

  Isaac’s lips twitched as he took another bite. “Little One, neither of you has anything that I haven’t seen before.” He snickered quietly, but his gaze turned serious as he tipped his head, turning his attention to Jonathan. “You haven’t ever been that sloppy before. I could have stabbed you in the back a hundred times over. Just how reckless have you become?”

  “As you saw, I was a little distracted,” Jonathan ground out through his clenched teeth. His jaw ticked, his gaze furious. “How long have you been here?”

  Isaac stared into Jonathan’s eyes for a long moment, still appearing none too pleased until he glanced at his apple and took another bite of it. His lips curled the smallest bit, taunting merrily, “I’ve been here since the two of you said your sweet ‘I’ve missed yous’.” He tilted his head toward my opened bedroom door, adding, “Cute pup, by the way.”

  “She’s not a pup,” Jonathan griped, rolling off me but keeping the covers over me to stand beside the bed, glancing around at the floor. “Lucy’s full grown.”

  Isaac stared out the doorway. “Really? That can’t be right. She’s so damn small.”

  “It’s true,” Jonathan muttered, stalking to grab the overnight bag he had brought, rifling through it until he yanked out a black t-shirt. He quickly put it on. “Isaac…” He sighed heavily, pulling his t-shirt down, furious eyes glaring at the Mayor. “This is really not the way to go about your endgame. Not only are you frustrating me, but you’re royally pissing Kennedy off.” He gestured between him and me. “We needed to be alone tonight. This,” a wave at the Mayor sitting on top of my chair arrogantly eating an apple, “was not a good plan.”

  I snorted, my ire almost at a boiling point as I sat up on my bed and pressed my back to my pink quilted headboard. I kept the comforter tugged up against my chest. “Isaac, get your ass out of here.” I glared. “And don’t come back.”

  Another crunch of his apple was his answer, his gaze moving from Jonathan to me, holding my furious gaze. “I did tell him I’d be back tonight. And so I am.” His brows rose in a taunting nature, a shrug of his shoulder as he tossed the core of his apple into the trashcan next to the chair. He swallowed his last bite. “Plus, I can’t let you two have all the fun. Not alone anyway.” His lips curved the barest bit, and if I wasn’t mistaken, his Gargoyle peeked out.

  My nostrils flared, and I barely kept from jumping out of bed to bash his head against the wall behind him. “Look, Asshole-Mayor, let’s say I went along with the most stupid idea ever, of the three of us being together. What then? To me, all I would forever think is that you were merely playing ‘house’ with me, just waiting for me to die so you could have my man all to yourself.” I lifted my brows, staring pointedly. “Why in the fuck would I want to live that kind of life?”

  His head teetered back and forth. “For the record, your man kissed me first.”

  “Isaac…” Jonathan growled softly in reprimand.

  The Mayor waved an absent hand. “I won’t do it, but damn, she’s got a pretty active imagination.” His gaze scanned my flushed, furious face. “Perhaps she can handle the games.”

  That was it.

  I tossed the comforter aside, growling under my breath as I lunged.

  I flew through the air right at him.

  He…actually…laughed. Even as I nailed him straight against the wall, pounding with my flying fists on his chest and face. He continued chuckling as he tried to catch my arms, attempted to restrain me where I pressed against him, standing on the seat of the chair.

  I, um, bit his neck. Roughly.

  Past furious, I sunk my teeth into the soft flesh below his ear.

  His neck muscles clenched under my bite.

  The bastard groaned.

  “Argh!” I shouted in extreme aggravation, and then flat out sent an uppercut straight to his jaw, watching in giddy delight as his head flew back and bashing against the wall. I didn’t stop laying into him as he grinned and continued to try to capture my arms. But I was fast. Always had been. I was pretty sure it was because of my smaller stature, not a whole lot to grab onto when I was really moving.

  “Jesus,” Jonathan finally muttered, coming out of his shock.

  Rapid footfalls came our way, so I sent a swift elbow to the Mayor’s cheekbone, grinning maliciously as the side of his face slammed against the wall…and that was when his Gargoyle growled. My mouth parted in surprise, a shriek falling past my lips when Isaac moved.

  “Oomph,” I croaked, his shoulder ramming against my chest. We were flying through the air. My back hit the bed hard with my head bouncing and bashing back up against Isaac’s chin. “Ow!”

  He grabbed my wrists roughly, slamming them down next to my head. His grip was brutal. I just knew I would have bruises as I tried to suck in oxygen after that rough blow to my chest. The tiniest bit of drying blood smeared the edge of his lip where my last blow had apparently made him bleed. His Gargoyle growled at me, his eyes glowing in mere slits glaring into my eyes. “That is enough, Little One.”

  Jonathan slammed his hand down on Isaac’s shoulder, leaning over the bed and gave a hard jerk. He hissed, “You’re hurting her wrists.”

  Isaac grunted, but his grip did lessen.

  I flexed my hands repeatedly, and ordered breathlessly, “Get off me, Gargoyle.”

  His lips curved cruelly. “Believe me, Little One. You haven’t met my Gargoyle yet.”

  My lips thinned, and I glanced around him to find Jonathan’s eyes. “Get. Him. Off. Me.”

  Isaac’s eyes widened as he was pummeled in the side, Jonathan leveling the Mayor onto his back, my wrists now freed. Jonathan had a forearm to Isaac’s throat where he lay over him right next to me. Even as I inhaled a large lungful of air, my chest expanding with my first full breath, Jonathan growled down at the shocked Mayor, “I don’t care if she made you bleed. If she tells you to get off her, you do it.”

  Isaac blinked gradually, not moving under him. “So even though you have become slack in your vigilance, you’ve at least been practicing combat techniques.” A black brow lifted. “That was a new move.”

  “Fuck you,” Jonathan muttered, pressing his forearm harder against the Mayor’s throat. “We haven’t sparred in a long damn time, so don’t pretend to know everything about my moves. And I sure as fuck haven’t become slack in my vigilance.” His lips curved the barest bit. He whispered softly, a deadly breath, “I knew you were here. I just didn’t want to stop with her. We needed our time together, and I thought you would leave.”

  Isaac stared. “You’re serious.”

  “I am.”

  Gradually, the Mayor’s lips twitched. He winked.

  Jonathan blinked, oh so slowly. “You knew that I knew.”

  “Of course. You reeked of irritation. Not exactly a typical emotion during bed play.”

  My jaw was gaping. I jerked to sit up and wapped both of their heads. First, my man. Then the Mayor. “More damn games?” I growled. “Are you shitting me, Jonathan?”

  Jonathan shoved the Mayor’s throat once more, hissing, “Seriously, get off her next time.” He swiftly rolled and rested flat on his back, his knees bent over the edge of the bed, the same as the Mayor, both of them laying side-by-side. Black eyes found mine.

  “Peanut, I thought he would leave. If I had mentioned he was here before, it would have ruined the mood.” A gentle shake of his head, and then he stared at the ceiling. Same as Isaac. “The mood is definitely fucking ruined now.” He jabbed the Mayor in his ribs with a swift elbow. “Thanks, asshole.”

  Isaac grunted and lifted a hand, rubbing at his ribs. “Well…I’m not really sorry about it. Like I said, I couldn’t let you two have all the fun.”

  I sighed heavily, the fight in me drowning out into exhaustion. I flopped onto my back and stared at the ceiling along with them, the Mayor’s warm side pressed against mine. I didn’t real
ly care at the moment.

  I blinked. “My breasts were showing.”

  Isaac shook his head the barest bit. “The way he was angled, I couldn’t see anything.”

  Jonathan chuckled softly.

  The Mayor’s Gargoyle huffed softly. “Bastard.”

  “Yep.”

  A gentle quietness descended on my bedroom, not at all bad.

  None of us moved, just lying there.

  I blinked again. “What did Hanna say to you two when I left?”

  “She left right after you,” the Mayor mumbled. “She didn’t say anything else.”

  Jonathan muttered crossly, “What the fuck was all that about, anyway? With Caleb?”

  “I have no clue,” Isaac said, sounding tired. He even yawned. “But, Kennedy, if you touch him…not a great plan.”

  “Whatever,” I muttered, not about to take orders from him, my bones relaxing down into the soft comforter. I gently nudged the Mayor’s arm. “When did you leave?”

  “Nothing sexual happened between Jonathan and me when you left if that’s what you’re asking,” he mumbled on another yawn. “I finished my beer. Snooped through your belongings. Then I left.”

  I stared, unblinking, at the ceiling. “Jonathan…you let him go through my shit?”

  “Letting him is a strong word choice,” Jonathan griped grumpily. “He put something in the water that he handed me. It knocked me out for around fifteen minutes.”

  “Wonderful,” I mumbled, then jabbed the Mayor’s arm a bit harder. “You’re the bastard.”

  Isaac hummed, “Yes, at times.” He wiggled a bit on my bed. “This mattress is truly one of the softest I’ve been on before. Even if it is too damn girly.”

  I instantly grouched, “It’s our bed. Jonathan’s and mine. I picked out the frame. He picked out the mattress.” The decorating had been all me. “Don’t even think about falling asleep—” My brows instantly snapped together when…I heard the softest snore. “You have got to be shitting me.”

  Nope. The Mayor snored ever so softly again.

  Jonathan grunted. “He was exhausted. I have no clue what he did after he left earlier, but he was barely awake when he arrived here.”

  Of course, my man would have known. I leaned up on an elbow, peering across the Mayor to Jonathan. I lifted my brows expectantly. “Wake him up. He needs to leave.” I knew better than to wake a Gargoyle.

  Jonathan’s own eyes appeared as blurry as mine probably were. “Really? Can’t we just shove him on the ground?” Tired brows lifted. “This day has been…trying.”

  My blink was sluggish. “I don’t want him staying here.” The adrenaline was long gone from my body. I was crashing fast. “And he snores.”

  Jonathan yawned so large that I saw his tonsils. “It’s not that bad.” Another yawn, mumbling through it, “And he doesn’t snore all the time.”

  Ah, yes, he would know that as well.

  So did I.

  “I know that,” I griped, my head literally bobbing as I tried to keep my eyes open. “I really didn’t need that reminder. For you. Or me.”

  Jonathan’s eyes shut, mumbling on a barely coherent whisper, “Sorry, Peanut.”

  My limbs went to complete mush as the last of the adrenaline exited my body, and my head and half my body thumped down on the Mayor’s chest. “We need to move…him.” My eyelids wouldn’t open back up, and I yawned grandly, barely able to shove myself off Isaac. I was still resting against his side, unable to move any further. “In just a few minutes…I’ll move…hate…Gargoyles.”

  A zapping sensation running up and down my spine woke me.

  It wasn’t strong or intimidating, but it definitely didn’t feel normal.

  My eyes opened into my dark bedroom, the moon having shifted greatly, the glowing clock on my nightstand saying it was just after six a.m. I blinked slowly, wiping the grit from my eyes, and rolled into Jonathan, patting his bare chest as I snuggled under his chin. “Sweetie, what is that?”

  He merely grunted softly, wrapping his arm around me and rested one of his hands on my ass.

  I hummed quietly, pressing against him further, my eyes closing. Until another whisper of oddness in the air made my brows pucker, waking me again. I patted his chest more firmly, bumping his chin on the top of my head. “Sweetie. What is that? It doesn’t feel right.”

  He groaned grumpily, hoarsely, but I felt his head lift. His chest expanded greatly, making my head move back and forth. Then…Isaac…the man I was apparently snuggled up against…rested his head back down, grumbling, “I don’t sense anything wrong.”

  The bed wobbled under me as I froze completely. Jonathan’s redhead tipped up on the other side of the Mayor. Then the bed shook again as he thumped back down. Half asleep, he groaned, “Everything feels normal to me.”

  My teeth clenched. “Everything is not normal. I am lying against fucking Isaac, who I thought was you. He is in our bed. And his hand is still on my ass.” Lucy growled down by my feet, as if in agreement. “How the hell did we end up like this?” We were laying the right way in bed, our heads on my lovely pillows with my comforter over the three of us.

  “I moved us,” Isaac mumbled on a yawn, politely—right—moving his warm palm from my ass to the small of my back. “I woke and you were both passed out.”

  I pinched his chest, twisting his skin good, as my head tilted back to stare up at him. “What part of ‘this isn’t going to happen’ don’t you understand?”

  Isaac merely flexed his pec where I was pinching. He whispered quietly against my temple, only loud enough for me to hear, “Technically, I’ve never said I wanted it. You are very blind to your man’s wants.” He jerked his shoulder, making my fingers fall away from his chest. His deep timber rose in demand. “Now, be quiet and go back to sleep. I mean really, Little One, we are only sleeping. There is no harm in that.”

  My lips pinched, and I wiggled out of his hold. “There is harm in you sleeping with us. Between us.” I rolled out of bed, stretching, and grumbling in irritation, “I have to pee. When I come back, I want you out of this bed.”

  “Not going to happen,” he mumbled tiredly, but he rolled, swiftly maneuvering over Jonathan’ body, and then shoved him—Jonathan grumbled a curse in his tired state—into the middle. He climbed back under the covers. “There. I’m not between you two any longer.”

  I stared. “That’s not any better. I don’t want you next to him.” I growled quietly, a little more than confused by his whispered words, and then marched to the bathroom. “Just sleep on the damn floor if you’re not leaving.” It was too early to argue any further with the Gargoyle.

  The Mayor chuckled quietly, pulling the blanket up over his shoulder. “Yeah…no.”

  “Yeah…fuck you,” I hissed, not closing the door all the way.

  Jonathan snickered quietly. “You’re really irritating her.”

  “I know,” Isaac grumbled, and it sounded like he yawned. “Shut up. I’m beat.”

  Jonathan grunted.

  I didn’t hear anything else, so I started peeing.

  Jonathan grumbled dryly, “Really, Peanut? You’re not even going to shut the door?”

  “No,” I muttered loudly, grabbing some toilet paper. “Not with him in bed next to you.”

  Done doing my business, I walked back out into the room. But I stopped in my tracks as I felt another prickling of unease, a wave in the air…unnatural…warm. It felt like it was coming from outside, like a breeze wafting through the windows, though they were shut. My brows furrowed as I crossed my arms, waking further, my tone confused as hell. “What is that?”

  I crept to the windows, ignoring how both men were now watching me curiously in the dark. I pushed a curtain aside and peeked through the blinds, glancing everywhere my view afforded.

  Jonathan leaned up on one arm and rubbed his right hand over his face. “What are you talking about?”

  “The air doesn’t feel right,” I grouched, knowing it sounded stupid. Th
ough that was what I felt. “It’s like…well, it kind of feels like that power from a month ago, but it’s different. It’s not sexual in nature or even light. It feels dark…and warm.” I shook my head, taking my hands from the blinds, glancing back at them.

  Both were now sitting up in bed, their eyes alert. Isaac’s were even glowing brightly now, his power sifting through the air gently.

  “It doesn’t feel right.”

  Both stared at me.

  “I’m not crazy,” I grumbled, shivering and rubbing my arms. “I’m telling the truth. It’s in the air.”

  They instantly rolled out of bed.

  Jonathan marched to the wall with the light switch, flicking it on, his tone deadly, “Humans felt it first.”

  “They did. It affected them more, too,” Isaac grumbled, glancing around the floor. “Where the fuck did I put my shirt? I wadded it around my cell phone in case it rang.”

  I pointed a finger to the chair where a white t-shirt was thrown. “That might be it.” I blinked sluggishly and then grabbed at my camisole, tugging it away from my skin. “Oh, God.”

  Isaac grabbed my elbow when I started listing to the side, his brows furrowed.

  Jonathan marched straight to me, cupping my cheeks even as the Mayor kept a firm grip on me. “What’s wrong? I still can’t feel it.”

  “I’m hot,” I muttered, shaking my head past it. “It’s like an instant fever.”

  “We should be able to feel it by now if it’s affecting her this greatly,” Isaac murmured, his forehead crinkled. “Maybe she’s just…ill? Humans do get sick.”

  “No, it’s not right,” I argued, knocking away Jonathan’s hot palms on my cheeks so I could fan my face with my free hand. “This is wrong.”

  Jonathan rubbed a hand over his face, staring at me closely. “She believes what she’s saying. She’s scared.” He started marching to his overnight bag. “Set her on the bed. We need to call our people.”

  All three of us froze…when screams sounded. One after another. The sound extremely quiet at first, as if it were far away, like a slow moving train headed in our direction. More and more of them erupted. Becoming louder. Almost as one, the ugliest noise I had ever heard in my life.