Not Her Gargoyle
By
Annie Nicholas
Chapter One
The chain imprisoning Nick to the dragons’ castle wall scraped across the stone ledge. New Port City lights twinkled just out of his reach and he flexed his wings. Eoin had used the same bonds to confine Viktor, the city’s vampire master, in the dungeon. If Viktor hadn’t been able to break free then Nick didn’t see how he could. Ancient vampires were considerably stronger than gargoyles.
The dragon’s concept of time meant Nick could be stuck here for a very, very long while. He hung his head, wings drooping off the edge of the outcrop where he perched.
Nobody to talk to but two humorless dragons who liked to use him for target practice.
He sighed and shifted his wings into a more comfortable position.
Angie landed at the foot of his tower. What she lacked in grace was made up for by her adorable size and fluffy white feathers. The white dragon climbed the castle’s stone wall to his position on the exterior of the east tower. She held a white paper bag in her sharp teeth.
He caught the bag as she released it. “What’s for dinner tonight?” The dragons were not that bad. They didn’t starve him or keep him underground. Things could always be worse.
“I thought we would try something different.”
He peeked inside. “Sushi?” He grimaced. Raw fish? Maybe she was trying to kill him. “Where is Eoin?” He understood food. Nick had scarcely seen Angie since she’d announced her pregnancy. He smirked. Apparently, male dragons lost their minds when their mates were with egg. If Eoin had his way, she’d be barricaded inside the castle until their baby hatched.
“It’s good for you.” She winked. “Eoin brings you too much fried food. You’d think he was trying to give you high cholesterol.” She glanced at the northern tower where Eoin had his art studio. “He’s been painting since yesterday morning. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“He’ll be pissed that you went to the city alone then climbed this wall.” Nick added a generous amount of wasabi to a piece, hoping it would kill his taste buds, before popping the sushi in his mouth.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed. “He won’t get angry if he doesn’t know about it.”
Nick shuddered as the wasabi hit his palate. His eyes watered. It was the fresh stuff. The kind that peeled paint. “Are you here to set me free?” He wiped the spice-induced tears from his eyes. “I’d be very appreciative.” He even tried to pout, which proved impossible while trying to breathe through the oral pain.
She rustled the long feathers that grew from the edges of her wings. “No.”
“Do you plan on keeping me forever?” He continued to eat.
“I’m not sure what to do with you, Nick. If I set you free, what will stop you from creating more mischief?”
He pressed his hand to his heart. “Only my word, pretty lady.” The world would be boring without shenanigans.
She snorted, a thin flame shooting out her left nostril. “You should practice your fake remorse.” Angie released her hold on the stones and glided to the ground where she shifted back to her lovely, naked human form.
He whistled and she gave him the one finger salute. This was what he received for being greedy. Where there were dragons, it only made sense, that there was treasure. He’d been scoping out the castle when he’d startled Trixie and she’d fallen down the stairs, breaking her neck. Yes, he had accidentally killed their human friend, but she had been saved by a vampire. Nick didn’t see the issue. She hadn’t remained dead long.
He set the food aside, his appetite waning.
“Is it gone?” a familiar voice whispered above his head.
A huge grin cracked Nick’s face and he cranked his head back to scan the top of the tower. “Norm?” It was about time his brothers found him. They had separated a few weeks ago just before Eoin had taken him prisoner.
A dark shadow blocked out the stars. “I don’t see it.” A different voice and a different brother.
“It?” Nick twisted for a better look. “You mean the dragon? Angie has gone inside the castle.” Where were they? Gargoyle skin blended well with stone, making them difficult to spot.
Three gargoyle-shaped shadows drifted from the top of the tower. They landed silently next to him. His three brothers—Norm, Neil, and Nate.
Nick opened his arms wide and pulled Neil, the youngest, into a spine cracking hug. “How did you find me?”
Neil returned his hug then knocked his forehead to Nick’s in a brotherly headbutt. “Dumbass, why are you chained to a castle?”
Nick pressed his finger to his lips. “Shhh, one of them might hear you.”
Nate fingered the lock clasping the collar around his neck. “This is top of the line. Picking it will be difficult.”
“Be careful, there’s a spell set within the lock.” Nick pried the lock loose from Nate’s grasp. “I attempted to pick it my first night and woke up twelve hours later. It knocked me out cold.”
Luckily, he hadn’t fallen off the ledge and hanged himself. He’d awoken snug in an alcove with a blanket and a hot cup of coffee waiting for him. Both dragons denied the kindness. Nick knew better.
Norm, the oldest and biggest, reached past Nate and slammed Nick’s shoulder with his hand. More like a sledgehammer. “Good to see you, boy.” Nick could grow to be three hundred years old and Norm would still treat him like he was three. “Did you try sawing through the chain?”
“With what? My teeth? The dragons don’t leave tools lying around outside their castle.”
“Did you say dragons? As in plural?” Neil twisted around, scanning the night sky.
“There are two of them. The male is black and you won’t see him coming at night until he swallows you whole.” Nick grinned as Neil shuddered, then turned his attention to Nate as he picked at the anchor fastening the chain to the wall. “But it’s the white one you really need to be careful of.”
Norm crossed his massive arms. “She’s not much bigger than me and she brought you food. How dangerous can she be?”
“She’s pregnant.”
All three of his brothers flinched. Gargoyles were more closely related to dragons than humans. He and his brothers understood nesting instincts. One minute, Angie would feed him and the next skin him alive. It was one of the reasons Eoin didn’t want her traveling to the city alone.
Nate shuddered. “No matter what, we have to deal with that lock sooner or later. Unless you want to wear that dog collar the rest of your life.”
Norm and Neil exchanged a nod then stared at Nick. He didn’t need to be a psychic to read their minds. They’d pin him down to rid him of the collar. Freedom was essential for gargoyles.
Nick shrugged. When the spell was triggered, he’d be knocked out cold again. Norm was strong enough to carry him. “Let’s do this.”
While Nate pulled out his lock picking tools, Nick faced his older brother. “You didn’t say how you found me.”
“When you didn’t show up at the rendezvous, we grew worried after a week and knew something must have happened.”
“Took some time to find your trail but those werewolves in Riverbend remember you fondly.” Norm pointed to his black eye. “They mistook me for you.”
Neil shook his head. “That pack has issues. All we wanted was some food and they acted like we were robbing them of gold.”
“Tell me about it.” The alpha had leapt from a building to catch Nick mid-flight. He had almost succeeded. All for one stolen sandwich.
“Hold still.” Nate worked on the lock with little picks until something clicked.
Nick squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the magic backlash, but nothing happened.
Chapter Two
Shif
ter nightclubs differed from human ones. Soft music played in the background and the scent of roasting meat permeated the air. It made Ruby’s empty stomach growl. Breakfast seemed like an eon ago.
The lights didn’t flash in these clubs and the music didn’t pound in her chest. Shifter senses were more sensitive than humans’. Human nightclubs must be torture for werewolves. A glimmer of glowing eyes in the dark as one shifter after another measured her. She’d never felt more like prey.
She ignored the instinct to shrink and hide. This was an adventure. Ruby tended to stick to her own kind. Not because she was prejudiced—her sister was a vampire and her closest friend was a werewolf—but it was obvious Ruby didn’t fit in with the supernatural crowd. Predatory shifters lacked a sense of humor, vampires saw her as a Happy Meal, and non-predatory shifters were sticklers for rules, which she often broke.
There were a lot of supernaturals who lived in New Port, so the nightclub scene for shifters was extensive. A little bird named Betty had let it slip that a lot of the wolf pack hung out at this club every Friday night and Ruby was done with dating scumbags from her neighborhood. When Betty had mated the pack’s beta, Ruby’s eyes had been opened to a whole new world where a woman could be cherished. Then Trixie had met a vampire master who worshipped the ground she walked on. After being used and abused, Ruby had decided to up her game and actively search for that special someone who understood her.
Everyone was moving up in the world and she refused to be left behind. She wanted to know what it was to be loved. Figuring out how was the problem so she thought she’d start by stalking the hunters.
Ruby took the first empty seat at the bar and ordered a glass of seltzer. It was all she could afford. Cash had been tight since Trixie, her younger sister, had moved out to live with Viktor. Ruby had the whole rent to cover now. Her little sister, with a heart of gold, had offered to continue paying until Ruby found a roommate, but her pride wouldn’t allow it.
Then why was Ruby out when she was broke? Loneliness. Their—her small apartment felt like an empty cavern without her pink-haired, high-strung little sister causing all sorts of drama. Ruby couldn’t spend another evening alone with her television.
Shifters talked in low tones, creating a hushed hum. Across the room, at the head of one of the long tables, sat a man staring straight at her. An amber glow shone in his gaze. He sat in a plush chair in the boneless way of shifters. A drink in one hand and an amused smile on his face. He had rolled up the white sleeves of his business shirt, revealing the corded muscles of his forearms. His table was full and the laughter seemed real. Of Asian descent, he was more slender than the other males.
When he rose, the laughter dimmed as if the shifters were wary of his actions. He strode toward her.
Her heart fluttered, but not in a good way. Ancient instincts developed by her ancestors kicked in and her body cried out to run. She recognized him. This was the stupidest thing she’d done in days. What the fuck was she doing in a shifter bar?
The pack alpha took the empty seat next to her without asking.
“Hi.” She managed an awkward smile. Ruby was used to making men sweat, not the other way around.
The talking quieted and everyone went still.
She had done something wrong but had no clue what so she couldn’t even make amends. There was no going back now. He wasn’t the type of guy she was looking for. She wanted love, not someone who made her feel like dinner.
His gaze traveled over her body.
Suddenly it seemed like her dress’ neckline plunged too deep. Ruby hung her head so her hair hid her exposed goods. Most women abhorred her kind of tactics. It cried of desperation, but she had little choice. No money, no education, and no prospects. She used what she had.
The shifter twisted in his chair, his challenging gaze met hers. “Do we know each other?”
She knew enough about shifters to lower her gaze in submission. A person would have to live under a rock not to know that basic. “We met at Betty’s wedding.” The alpha was Betty’s father-in-law and his disapproval of Ruby’s presence in the club was stamped on his face.
“It was a soul-mating.”
Crap, she knew that, but everyone at the bar was staring daggers in her direction. It was grammar school spelling bee all over again. Everyone watching as she screwed up. “Yes, that. I’m Trixie’s sister, Ruby.” She held out her hand. It had taken her hours this morning to manicure and paint her nails into a glossy red sheen that matched her dress. Some people said gingers shouldn’t wear red. She just thought they were jealous.
Ryota gave her a long, slow blink. The predatory glow was still in his eyes. It was very inhuman and angry.
A shiver coursed down her spine. “T-Trixie is Betty’s best friend. The one with the pink hair.” She spoke too quickly and forced a deep, calming breath. He wouldn’t hurt a friend of his daughter-in-law, right?
“Oh…” A slow, mischievous smile tugged at Ryota’s lips. “I remember you now.”
Ruby didn’t scare easy. She’d grown up in the worst part of the city, but she’d never wanted to be caught alone with this wolf. She swallowed with a throat gone dry and calculated the distance to the closest exit.
Ryota gave her a sharp toothed grin. “You broke my record.”
“What record?” Her voice didn’t want to work right and she was forced to whisper.
“You had sex with at least four separate men that evening. Quite a feat for a human.” He quirked his eyebrow.
Her eyes widened. “How do you know that?” She stuck her fingertips inside her clutch and stroked the pepper spray at the bottom. There was nothing wrong with having a strong sex drive.
He tapped his nose. “I have an excellent scent recall and I encountered yours frequently that night. On other men.”
“So? I have issues.” Four quickies during a wedding—soul-mating. Whatever. Don’t get her wrong—she was happy for Betty. Her friend deserved every ounce of happiness, but having that joy shoved in her face had left Ruby hollow.
“And you brought them here to my pack.” He raised his eyebrow.
Her stomach rolled and her cheeks burned. “You don’t approve of me?” She wanted out of this bar ASAP. She couldn’t be the only human in the bar, but apparently, she was the only one not welcome.
Ryota twirled long strands of her hair around his finger. He gave it a sharp tug, pulling her closer. The sharp pain made her hiss. She didn’t understand how people got off on pain, but it seemed she attracted those who did. He ran his nose over her hair and inhaled as if taking in her scent. “You’re very bold. I like that in a woman. The meek ones tend to break too easily.” The wolf stared back at her through his eyes.
There didn’t seem to be anything human in Ryota. Betty had laughed at her plea for introductions to the alpha, but maybe in Betty’s own way, she had been trying to protect Ruby.
She fisted her hand around the pepper spray and met his glare. “Honey, I’m too flexible to break.” The meek were eaten alive on the street and she wasn’t anyone’s prey. Coming here had been a mistake and Ruby realized it now. Somewhere out there, her man existed and she’d hunt him down if it took her the rest of her life.
The alpha threw back his head, laughing. “Ruby, Ruby.” Ryota rose to his feet in that fluid way that shifters had. “Ken said you were trouble.” He offered her his hand. “Let me drive you home before you do something you’ll regret.”
The crowd melted away like butter before him as he led her out of the club. She dragged behind like an errant child caught with her hand in the cookie jar, the full-length of their arms separating them. She scanned the crowd’s faces and spotted fear, pity, and amusement.
A valet parked a silver sports car along the curb where they waited. He opened the driver side door for the alpha and hurried to open hers.
She stared at the passenger seat.
Ryota leaned across and patted it.
If she climbed in, would he really drive her home? Dee
p down inside, she knew the answer. She’d been around the block so many times, she could walk it blindfolded and backwards. He would offer her something and in return she was expected to go home with him. He was rich and powerful, everything she wanted in a man, except he’d never love her. She was making the same mistakes all over again except with a different species.
She stepped away. “I’ll take the bus.” She didn’t have the money to waste on a bus ticket though. Ruby closed the door and hoofed it. The walk home was long, but she didn’t regret turning down Ryota.
These were the first steps in the right direction to making changes in her life.
Nick peeked out from one of his eyes.
Norm balanced on the ledge, his wings outspread for balance as he supported Nate’s unconscious body. “Are you waiting for me to drop him? He’s heavier than he looks.” Norm grunted and shifted their younger brother’s body in his arms.
Nick jerked forward and grabbed Nate’s shoulders, helping Norm carefully set him on the ledge. “I guess the magic knocks out the lock picker and not the captive.”
“No shit, genius.” Neil leaned over Nate. “Now what?”
“You take his feet and I’ll take his arms.” Norm took charge as usual. “Nick, you guide us to somewhere safe where Nate can sleep this off.”
The oldest spread his wings.
Neil was already hovering by the ledge and taking Nate’s legs.
Nick unclasped the collar around his neck and tossed it aside. It bounced on the stone ledge and tumbled off, dragging the chain noisily behind it. He clapped his hands over his ears. “Oh no,” he whispered. The chain snapped taught and swung the collar back toward the castle. The sharp clang of broken glass filled the night air.
“Flight pattern alpha,” shouted Norm. Both he and Neil took off at full speed, Nate hanging between them. Pattern alpha was Norm’s favorite tactic. It was better than saying run for your fucking lives.
Nick dove off the ledge and spread his stiff wings. The air caught under the thin membrane, stretching the weakened muscle under his weight.
Not Her Gargoyle Page 1