After spending much of the days outdoors, at night the cottage was their sanctuary. He enjoyed the routine of a home life with Hailey, sharing meals with her, and especially sharing a bed. His life had taken on such a strange turn after leaving his pack, but it was one for the better. Back then, he wasn’t sure he was cut out to make it on his own, but with Hailey, everything fell into place. He no longer felt the need to find another shifter pack. All he needed was to be with his mate.
It was still too soon in their relationship to talk about children, but when it felt right, he’d bring up the topic.
And perhaps that would be the start of a new pack.
Hailey introduced him to more of the human world outside of the estate, especially when they ventured into the city.
One evening a few weeks later, she suggested they go into Inverness to have dinner at a pub.
“We should stay for the music,” she said. “Looks like they’re having a couple of bands playing tonight. Something different, you know?”
“Sure.” He read the poster she was eying on the wall.
The Knights of Stone - 9 pm
“Oh, bloody hell.”
“What is it?”
“I know those blokes.”
She watched him with those expressive eyes he loved. “Somehow related to the island?”
“Aye.” Over the course of the past month, he’d revealed more about the isle, which fascinated her. And why wouldn’t it—she was human. An island shared by gargoyles, wolf shifters, and tree witches was unheard of in the human world.
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” she asked.
Good question. Weeks earlier, he would have cursed and stayed far from the pub, not wanting to be anywhere near the sodding gargoyles. Yet, things had changed so much since then.
“Neither,” he replied. “Part of a world I’ve left behind.”
“So—” she tilted her head as she tried to read him, “I’m guessing you want to leave?”
“Let me think about that.” The wolf pack had made peace with the gargoyle shifters and tree witches to work together to restore the magical veil on the island. Ironically, it was to keep humans out. And now he’d found his mate, a human. He smirked. “No, it would be good to see them. They put on quite the show.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Oh?”
He leaned closer so only she could hear and said, “They’re the gargoyle shifters I told you about. Five brothers who live on one part of the isle.”
“You’re kidding.” Her mouth opened with disbelief.
“I kid you not.” He took a swig of his pint and added, “I only saw them play once. It was during a celebration after we’d restored the veil—and the same night Raina told me she’d found her mate—with the alpha of the gargoyles. Let’s just say it got physical between me and the oaf.”
“Oh, crap,” she replied with sympathy. He’d told her the story about Raina and Lachlan. “You’re sure you want to see them?”
“Sure.” He smiled and kissed her cheek. Then he bent lower and hovered near her ear, inhaling her scent. “If that night hadn’t happened, I never would have met you.”
An hour later, they’d finished fish and chips and ordered more pints. The gargoyle brothers took their place on stage in the crowded, low-lit club, wearing nothing but their kilts, much to the lasses’ enjoyment. Show offs. When Lachlan spotted Seth, he visibly tensed and glared. The last time they’d seen each other, they’d ended up in a brawl. A quick burst of fury rose in Seth, and his wolf raised his hackles. Seth had been so angry back then, so hurt by Raina’s betrayal. Yet, just as quickly, the pain faded and his wolf settled down. The pain was no longer raw, more like a lingering shadow.
Funny thing was, he didn’t care about what had happened with Lachlan anymore. That part of his life was over and behind him.
“Seth?”
He knew that voice. It was Raina. He waited for the bitterness to rise. None did.
“Seth. You’re all right,” she continued. “We didn’t know what happened to you. We were terrified you might have drowned!”
“Almost.” He turned to Hailey. “I was lucky. Hailey found me—and saved me. Hailey, meet Raina, an old friend of mine.”
Raina glanced from Seth to Hailey with a puzzled look. “Pleased to meet you.”
“And I, you,” Hailey said. “Heard a lot about you.”
“Oh no,” Raina said, turning to Seth. “I’m sorry. Once again, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said. “You were right.”
“About what?”
Seeing Raina before him made it so clear. What he’d felt for her had been out of a sense of duty and loyalty. With Hailey, it was passion. An all-consuming one. He’d been so enthralled by Hailey’s enthusiasm about her projects, feeling lacking in that he didn’t have any of his own, but something had changed. She was his passion, his mate. It had grown as slow but insistent as the early rays of sunlight before it broke up to bathe the sky with light.
“About ending it. It would have been a mistake for both of us. I see it now. You’ve found your mate. And I’ve found mine.” He gestured to Hailey.
Raina’s eyes widened, clearly surprised he’d mated with a human. “Guess I’m not the only one to mate out of pack—our circle,” she said, searching the pub as if checking to see if anyone had heard her slip up. “Are you ever coming back to the isle?”
He shook his head and squeezed Hailey’s thigh. “No. I’m staying here in the Highlands. With Hailey.”
Raina stared at each of them once more. “I wish you both much happiness.” She raised her chin to the back of the pub. “I have a large table with Kayla in the back. Lachlan and his brothers will join us after the show. You’re welcome to join us.”
Seth leaned to Hailey and whispered, “Kayla’s one of the tree witches.” Then he turned to Raina. “We’re leaving soon.” He raised his chin. “Give everyone my best. Especially your father.”
“Will do,” she said. “It was good to see you.”
After Raina walked away, Hailey stared at him with wide eyes. “She’s—like you?”
“Aye.”
“She’s beautiful. And she looks so—human.”
“Don’t I?”
“Yes, but I’ve never seen a man look quite like you.” She eyed him with a slow perusal traveling down. “I must admit, I appreciate the view.”
He winked at her. “I like it when you ogle me like that. Makes me want to take you out back and do naughty things to you.”
Her pupils widened, but then she eyed him with concern. “Are you okay after seeing her? I know she hurt you.”
He thought about it. “I’m glad she did, Hailey, as it led me to you. I never loved her, well, not like I love you.”
“And how is that?”
He raised her hand and kissed it. “Passionately. Ardently. Completely.”
“Oh, when you say things like that, it makes me want to go out back with you and let you commence with the naughty things.”
He slid his chair back with a loud scrape on the stone floor. “Like I’m going to wait one more second after hearing that invitation.”
Hailey laughed as they exited the club. He crushed her with a possessive kiss, pinning her against the wooden exterior. He moved his lips to her neck and ran his hands down over her body, over her breasts, under her skirt. With a quick rip, he tore her panties, pulling them off.
She gasped and then laughed. “You need to stop doing that. I’m not going to have any left.”
He murmured against her hair while he brushed his knuckles against her wetness. “It seems like you enjoy it.” He rubbed his fingers over her wet folds.
A breathy sigh escaped her. “I can buy more.”
He continued to kiss and touch her as she stroked his hard length, and then he slipped a finger inside her.
“I don’t have any protection with me,” she said, through quick pants. “Please say you do.”
He didn’t. Supp
ressing a groan, he pulled himself back. “That brings up something I wanted to talk to you about.”
She watched him without saying a word.
“How do you feel about kids?”
She blinked, appearing surprised by his question. “I’d like to have them someday.”
“You’d also like to bring wolves to the estate.”
“Seth… We couldn’t—could we? I mean of course I’ve wondered about this. But—would they be like you?”
“They could,” he said. “I’ve heard of that happening with a human, but don’t know for sure.”
“It’s extraordinary,” she said. “Everything I’ve ever wanted, but better than I ever dreamed.”
He gave her a deep kiss, one that left them both gasping for breath when he pulled away. With a sly grin, he added, “I’m looking forward to all the times we have ahead, especially trying to make a new family. Our new pack.”
She grinned. “I hear that’s the best part of making babies.” Then she ran her fingers through his hair and let out a soft moan. “Sounds like we have a bright future before us.”
“Anything’s possible for us, Hailey. As long as we’re together.”
“Yes, together,” she murmured. “Wherever you want to go, whatever you need to do, I’ll be with you.”
He cupped her chin. “Everything I need is right here.” He kissed her and kept his lips a hairsbreadth from hers. “My pack. My mate. With you.”
A Note from the Author
The opening image for book 1, Knights of Stone: Mason, came to me as an idea for a short story. I wrote the story, but then couldn’t walk away. More ideas took form about this mystical island with gargoyle shifters so I went back to Mason and Kayla’s romance. When it was published, I was thrilled by such a fantastic response—readers wanted more of the Knights of Stone! I was more than happy to continue as I love these characters and their world. So the strange, little story is now a series.
The idea for Seth’s story came to me when I was cleaning the kitchen one Saturday morning, listening to NPR. The TED talk on the wolves changing the landscape at Yellowstone Park came on, and I stopped what I was doing, fascinated by what I heard. It inspired me to write a story about a wolf shifter and a human passionate about rewilding. Who better to write about but Seth, the angry wolf who was rejected at the end of Knights of Stone: Lachlan.?
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Read on for more books, an excerpt, and resources if you’d like to find out more about rewilding Scotland.
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent heroines. For much of her professional career, she’s written non-fiction — but she’s discovered writing romance is the most fun. Her romances have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks.
When she was younger, she worked in a variety of jobs, moving to various countries. She backpacked alone through Europe, and lived in Paris before returning to the U.S. She owned a bookstore for a few years as she loves to read. She’s now married to a fantastic man, and they have two kids, two cats, and too many fish.
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Also by Lisa Carlisle
Tempted by the Gargoyle
Stone Sentries #1
By Lisa Carlisle
Meet your perfect match this Saturday night—or your perfect match for the night.
The eclipse of the red Supermoon sends crowds into Boston for an evening hyped up for a night of passion, one not to be missed. Boston police officer Larissa Riley wants nothing to do with the media-driven event, but her friend convinces her they need to move past the bombings at the Boston Marathon, which still affects them both. They visit a new gothic-themed club where Larissa is disturbed by the attractive stranger eying her.
Roman, a gargoyle shifter and commander of the Stone Sentries, patrols from the rooftop of a club on the night of the eclipse. The Supermoon bodes danger and he puts all his sentries on watch. When a blast of dark magic soars past him, he searches for its origin and fixes on a brunette. Something about her is different, demanding all senses be on high alert. Is she dangerous? Or is she in danger?
Deciding a night with a hot stranger would be good for her, Larissa invites Roman back to her hotel, unaware he is surveilling her. The night takes a dark turn as secrets are uncovered and danger moves in. Her beloved city is under attack. Larissa must decide who to trust before all is lost, including the fate of her closest friend.
Excerpt from Tempted by the Gargoyle
CHAPTER ONE
“Come on, Larissa,” Janie pushed. “I can count on one hand how many times we’ve been out since it happened.”
Larissa flinched when Janie mentioned it, but tried to cover her reaction by raising her coffee to her lips. The bombings had changed both their lives, but in such different ways.
“We’ve been out plenty,” Larissa countered, glancing over at the game on a nearby table. They’d met at an outdoor cafe in Harvard Square, Cambridge, and were people-watching a few tables away from the chess masters.
“Yeah, to the movies and shit like that. We’re in our early twenties, not senior citizens. When’s the last time we went to a club? Or stayed out past midnight?”
When Larissa opened her mouth to reply, Janie cut her off. “You working a double shift fighting crime doesn’t count.”
“Ugh, blocking my excuses before I get to say them.” Larissa leaned back at the cafe table and grinned. “Fine. What do you want to do?”
Janie raised her hands into the air. “Dance!”
Larissa stared at her, unable to find words. The shrapnel damage had left Janie with a permanent limp and many scars. Some pieces of metal were still lodged in her leg.
“Don’t give me that pitying look,” Janie said. “You know I hate that.”
“It’s not pity, it’s—” What was the right word? The players nearby engaged in a manic volley on the chess board, which helped her to find it. “—admiration.” Most people would avoid that kind of public scrutiny. Not Janie.
Janie shooed away the compliment with a wave. “Through all that physical therapy, that was my goal.”
“You never told me that.”
Janie shrugged. “I practiced in my living room as soon as I could bear weight on this leg. So now it’s time to give these babies a test in public. Go out and have fun the way we’re supposed to. Or we may as well play bingo in a senior center.”
Larissa’s jaw dropped. She’d had no idea how determined Janie was. “That’s—that’s incredible.”
“You can barely tell I have a limp when I dance.” She wiggled a brow. “Just looks like I have some bad-ass moves.”
“Well, you have a far better excuse than me not to go.”
“So, you’ll come?”
Larissa wasn’t big on clubs or dancing, but she’d be selfish if she didn’t suck it up for Janie. The chess master at the nearby table moved his queen and announced, “Checkmate.”
Janie couldn’t have choreographed her move with more finesse. Larissa exhaled. “Of course.” She took a sip of her latte, which she’d probably pay for by being up all night. What the hell, she prowled through her apartment most nights as it was. “When do you want to go?
”
“This Saturday.”
“This Saturday,” she repeated. “Don’t tell me you’re buying into that red moon fever crap.” The local media had gone overboard, as usual, hyping up the eclipse of the Supermoon with a romantic plug. The night to meet your perfect match. Others had taken an edgier approach. Meet your perfect match—for the night. Plus the usual doom-mongering with prophesies of an apocalypse.
“Too many freaks will be out that night,” she added.
“That’s why it will be awesome. There won’t be anything like this eclipse for another twenty-eight years. Maybe even you, my cynical friend, will meet someone.”
Larissa leaned back in her chair. “Ha. Don’t push your luck, Janie, dear.”
An uneasy sensation rippled along Larissa’s spine, settling in her gut. Her face must have contorted, since Janie’s turned dark with worry.
“What is it?”
No, it couldn’t be like the other times. It was far too faint.
“Nothing.” She dismissed the question in an effort to force the discomfort away.
“Is it one of your—” Janie searched the nearby tables, although all the other conversations would drown out theirs. She whispered, “—feelings?”
“Relax, Janie. Nobody can hear you.” When they were kids, Larissa had made Janie pinky swear promise not to reveal her secret. “I think it’s just uneasiness, not a premonition.”
“Uneasiness about what?”
Larissa straightened and forced a smile. “You’ll be as graceful as a ballerina on Saturday. I, on the other hand, will be quite awkward.”
Janie’s eyebrows tightened. “Why?”
“Mingling in a club isn’t exactly my thing.”
“Oh.” Janie nodded before giving Larissa a knowing glance. “That’s because you can’t turn off cop mode and have fun.” She leaned back in her chair. “Follow my lead. It will be like the old days. You’ll have a great time.”
It was only one night. Besides, she was going for Janie. The last traces of the uneasiness evaporated. Perhaps it was social anxiety.
Or it could have something to do with the whole planetary shift thing after all. Didn’t the moon exert a pull on the tides? And humans were mostly made of water. Where the hell was she going with this? She wasn’t a damn werewolf.
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