Entwined Realms Volume One

by Danielle Monsch

  “And your mother?”

  “My mother’s Clan was one of the smallest Clans. They were also a Clan with a greedy and unjust leader. His avarice caused the downfall of that Clan and the loss of many lives. The survivors sought my father to ask for admittance into his Clan.”

  Larissa went up on one elbow to look down at him. “What happened?”

  “My father told me he took one look at her and knew he wanted no other female. But she was not deemed suitable.”

  “Why not?”

  “Her mother was human.”

  Larissa’s eyes went saucer wide. “Your mother was half-human?”

  “Gargoyles can mate with humans, as well you should know,” he added, leaning up to kiss her where neck met shoulder.

  She giggled, squirming under his mouth. “Yes, but I didn’t realize that there could be children.”

  “Perhaps there is more to our origin myth than merely a story to tell around the fire. Any child created in such a union is born a gargoyle. While not common, it is also not unheard of for a gargoyle to take a human mate.”

  The last humor left her face, and she worried her lower lip between her teeth. “But are such unions frowned on?”

  “No more than a gargoyle taking as mate a gargoyle from another Clan. Until they prove themselves loyal to the Clan, they are regarded with suspicion.”

  “But you said that your mother was not accepted as worthy.”

  He brushed her long hair back, the multiple hues of blonde caressing his fingers. “What is acceptable for an ordinary Clan member is not always acceptable for the Leader of all. Is it not the same for humans?”

  Her gaze lowered, her generous mouth turning down. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

  He lifted her chin so she would meet his gaze. “My father defied his Clan and married my mother.”

  Her expression could not settle on one emotion and flickered between hope and trepidation. “Were there any consequences?”

  “My father was too strong for anyone in the Clan to take his title, but he was never seen in the same light again. When my mother died, he lost himself, for she was his world. That led to more talk about how he had been weak to mate with her. He died not long after.”

  Larissa stroked his face. “I’m so sorry.”

  He accepted her gentle caring and pushed his face into her hand. “It was long ago. But while I planned to return to my Clan’s tradition and mate with the strongest female, I never once believed when they said loving my mother made my father weak. I saw him with her. I knew better than anyone – loving her only gave him strength. I always envied that he could mate with the female he loved while I could not.”

  “Then why go back to the old ways?”

  “After the Great Collision, the various Clans needed to band together if we were to survive in this new world. This was not an easy process. While the Clans had always been allies, this did not mean the various factions were friends. In order to bring some stability to the Clans, I needed to make clear my intention of honoring the old ways.”

  She stroked his cheek with the back of her fingers. “Like I said, a good leader.”

  He rolled her over underneath him, kissing her. “Terak-”

  “You are still sore, little human. This does not mean I cannot kiss it to make it better.”

  She was sighing as he kissed down her body. “Tell me secrets of yours,” he said, before licking a nipple.

  “Mmmm,” she groaned in appreciation. “Let’s see. I’m allergic to peanut butter.”

  “I’m very sorry to hear it.”

  “I’m double-jointed in a lot of areas.”

  “This explains much of what you did last night,” he said, spreading her legs and anchoring his shoulders between them.

  “And I was…oh gods, Terak. Do that again.”

  “I am yours to command.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

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  Terak leaned her over the bed. The sheet was cool as it slid over her nipples but behind her, he was an inferno, his thighs behind her, his cock rubbing the valley between her thighs…

  A knock sounded at the entrance of the teacher’s lounge and Taneasha Jackson stuck her head in. “Miss Miller?”

  Maybe fantasizing about her sex life during the school day wasn’t the best idea ever, even if she was on a break. Larissa drew in a deep breath and hoped her voice was steady when she said, “Yes?”

  Taneasha looked nervous, her eyes darting to the side before coming to meet hers again. “I was wondering if I could talk to you?”

  The girl’s worried tone was enough to shake off any vestiges of embarrassment. Larissa motioned with her hand. “Of course, come in.”

  Taneasha made sure the door was closed before walked to stand before Larissa and started talking again. “Miss Miller, I need to talk to you about something important. But before we start, I need you to promise you won’t get upset with me.”

  Oh no. Was Taneasha pregnant? On drugs? Larissa took her hand. “I promise I’ll never get upset. I always want you to feel like you can come to me.”

  Taneasha nodded, licking her lips. “Miss Miller… I’m studying magic.”

  It was so far from what Larissa was expecting that full comprehension took several long moments. “Excuse me?”

  “My mom forbade it, but I love it so much. I have a gift for it, my Master – that’s what you call your magic teacher – he told me so.”

  This was not good. This was very not good, and Larissa’s stomach dropped as horrifying possibilities for the girl in front of her flitted through her mind. “Taneasha, this is serious. You can’t practice without the proper guidance. Magic is regulated for a reason, and it is always forbidden within the city.”

  “I know, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to learn. My family would never have permitted it if I asked them.”

  No, Larissa knew enough about Taneasha’s family to know it was not even the remotest possibility. She ran her hands through her hair. She was bound by oath to report this, but if she did, this girl would be severely punished. “Taneasha-”

  Before Larissa could finish, Taneasha broke in. “Miss Miller, I told you this because something bad is happening to you.”

  That caught Larissa’s attention. “What?”

  “My Master says that once you start learning magic, you begin to feel when things aren’t right with the people you care about and…well…” she blushed and looked away, then brought her attention back to Larissa. “Anyway, I’ve been having a bad feeling about you, so I’ve been casting spells, on my own and with my Master’s help. They are meant for your protection and your welfare. And I’ve discovered some things.”

  Taneasha looked around, and then, from her backpack, she brought forth a globe. “Don’t touch this, just look into it.”

  Larissa did. She was looking from someone’s point of view, though whose was anyone’s guess.

  The mystery person walked into a large grove. From the looks of the grounds it had to be sometime in summer, early autumn at the latest.

  As soon as the mystery person laid eyes on the female in the distance, they stopped.

  It was the Oracle. She was wearing more than what she wore at the club, but not by much. A diaphanous white gown, with a square neck but high slits running along both thighs. She wore a gold collar and large gold cuff bracelets.

  “Very punctual, Clan Leader of the Gargoyles.”

  And Terak’s voice answered, “I am grateful I can say the same for you, Oracle.”

  Larissa was seeing through Terak’s eyes.

  She wasn’t going to invade Terak’s mind like this. About to pick up the globe and give it back to Taneasha, she paused when she heard the Oracle say, “Her name is Larissa Miller.”

  “And what care I about a human woman? Gargoyles are not bodyguards, nor are we your lackeys.”

  “I am not asking you to watch the woman for my sake, Clan Leader, but for you and for your Clan.”

  “What do
you mean?”

  “She is connected to the future of your Clan. Guard her well.” With that pronouncement, the Oracle turned to leave.

  “What do you mean?” Terak called after her. “How is she important? What am I to guard her against? I demand answers.”

  The Oracle looked over her shoulder and smiled. “Feel free to make an appointment. I believe I’m free in a few years.”

  The scene shifted, and now as Terak Larissa was looking upon many arguing gargoyles. Valry stood. “Have we sunk so low as to bow before the Oracle?”

  “The Oracle has never been wrong,” called a voice from the back.

  “How can she be, when she makes such vague pronouncements? Merely by the act of being observed, this human becomes important to our Clan as she has taken our Mennak away from us for long periods of time. We have no use for the outside world, especially for a woman such as this, one who lives in the confines of the human-only city. Think she cares about gargoyles?”

  Loud agreement followed the words, with shouts and stomping of feet. Malek stood. “While I will not say I am in complete disagreement with Valry’s words, I am not so eager to cast off the words of the Oracle. I would wish to observe the human for a period of time. What can that hurt?”

  Larissa-as-Terak stood. “I have heard all your words. All of it wise counsel, but I must choose a path. I choose to watch the human. While I do not trust the Oracle, I will not ignore her for no reason other than pride.”

  The scene faded, replaced by other. Now the scenes sped up.

  Her. It was Terak watching her, before they had ever met.

  She saw the seasons change. How long had he been watching her – two, three months?

  And then the bottom dropped out of her stomach.

  The building across the street. The protective presence she sometimes wondered about, always attributing to an overactive imagination.

  Stupid. Stupid woman. Why the hell didn’t you ever question anything? Why did you never question Terak?

  Because everything had always been going so fast. There never seemed to be time to sit still and think.

  Terak hadn’t shown up as some good Samaritan who happened to pass by. He’d been watching her for a long time.

  “Don’t cry, Miss Miller.” Taneasha covered Larissa’s hand with her own. With her other hand, Larissa put her fingertips to her cheek, shocked that tears covered the surface.

  “I’m so sorry, but you have to see one more thing.”

  Again she was looking from what she assumed was Terak’s point of view. This time he was looking at a man.

  Red eyes. No, not a man – a vampire.

  They were in a wooded area, the light dim but not yet full dark, so it had to either be at sunrise or sunset. The trees contained the full spectrum of color, which meant this hadn’t happened very long ago. The vampire spoke first. “We need her and her alone. To possess her we would be willing to pay a very high price.”

  The vampire had to mean her. He was talking to Terak about her.

  “How high?”

  No, no. That can’t be. Terak was setting him up, there was some kind of trap being planned at that exact moment. He could not be asking what this vampire would give in exchange for her.

  “When we return the Magic Realm to its former state, gargoyles will rule over all, second only to the necromancers.”

  Any moment, a band of gargoyles would jump out and trap the vampire. Any moment.

  Any moment.

  “I need time to consider my options. How do I contact you to reopen negotiations?”

  The little ball went white.

  The heater in the school room kicked on, blowing hot air directly overhead. Outside the door the five-minute warning bell rang, indicating that class would be over soon. A couple doors opened, and a low hum of voices drifted on air currents.

  All so normal. How could everything be so normal? Shouldn’t this much pain be heralded by some change: a blizzard, a volcanic explosion? Shouldn’t something happen in the world when her heart shriveled in her chest?

  Terak had betrayed her.

  He had been watching her for months, planning to give her to the vampires since the beginning. Helping her? He probably was keeping her safe to get better terms for his Clan.

  Taneasha wrapped Larissa’s hand with her own. “Miss Miller, I know they’re watching you right now. I can cast a spell to get you out of here without them seeing. Do you want that? I can take you to my Master and he can help.”

  “Yes.” She’d use Taneasha’s help to get away from them, then she’d go home. She’d tell Dad everything and let him figure out the next step, because she was done. She was finished being terrorized and bullied and made love to…

  A sob escaped her throat, and Larissa put her face down into her cupped hands. She dug her fingers into the skin of her face and forced herself to calm down. This was not the place to fall apart.

  Taneasha stroked her hair. “Right after school, meet me at the gym. I’ll have everything ready, and we’ll get you to safety.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

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  Taneasha dragged her through the back gate behind the gym. Larissa didn’t ask where she got the key when only the gym teacher was supposed to have it. Wondering about that was for later, after she avoided Terak and got to Taneasha’s house.

  A car idled at the curb, and Taneasha got in without hesitation, her hand wrapped around Larissa’s wrist in a death lock. Larissa was pulled in, the door shut behind her, and the car took off, tires squealing as they peeled away from the curb.

  As they rode, Larissa’s mind became a jumble. Images of Terak from last night overlapping with the conversations that little ball showed her, and always present were the eyes of that vampire, glowing red as they bartered her life the same way someone would for a piece of meat.

  The car went over a bump hard enough that Larissa was jostled in her seat and her mind came back to the present. She looked out the window, unable to place where they were. “Taneasha, this isn’t the way to your house.”

  “I couldn’t take you to my house. Too many questions.” Taneasha looked around as though to assure herself that they weren’t being followed. “Don’t worry, Miss Miller. They’ll take care of the gargoyle.”

  Unease trickled through Larissa. “Who are they?”

  “My Master’s other students. They were told to look out for the gargoyle.”

  “You never mentioned anything about that.”

  Taneasha looked out the side window, her attention away from Larissa. “I’m getting you to safety, so don’t worry about anything.”

  Maybe it was because she was in the very unfamiliar position of being out of control around a student, but Larissa’s spine began to tingle, waves of warning electrifying her nerve endings and making their presence known. “Let me out at City Hall, Taneasha. There are people there I know can help me.”

  “None like my Master, though.”

  “Yes, your master is very kind to offer…his?…services, but I want out.”

  “We’re already where you need to be.”

  At that the car stopped and Taneasha started to open the door. Larissa put her hand over Taneasha’s arm to stop the girl from leaving. “Taneasha, where are we?”

  “We’re going to meet my Master.”

  “I want to go home.”

  Taneasha’s face changed, and the bright, studious, shy girl Larissa knew from class was replaced with this sly creature before her. “But Miss Miller, it took so much to bring you here.”

  Taneasha jerked her arm away and left the car.

  Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. How stupid could one woman be? Gods, she never thought Taneasha could betray her, but she should have known better. She should have called her brother.

  Larissa drew in a deep breath, using the exhale to center her thoughts. She looked around, but could see nothing in here that could be used as a weapon.

  “Come out, Larissa Miller.”
/>
  The voice was male, though not as commanding as it wanted to be. She didn’t want to be in the position of having someone or something reach in and pull her out, so Larissa exited the car.

  It was the vampire from the sphere, the one who offered Terak power in exchange for her. Taneasha was at his side, a little puppy awaiting praise.

  Without taking his eyes from Larissa, the vampire ran his hand over Taneasha’s long braids. “Excellent, Taneasha. You have done well.”

  Taneasha preened under his praise, her eyes almost closed and her neck arched back so now the puppy was asking for a scratch under its chin.

  “Larissa Miller, I am Garof,” the vampire said. “You have been a very difficult woman to find.”

  The driver’s side car door opened, and a young man came out. Probably human, but his size and the gun at his shoulder said disregarding him would be a mistake. Larissa focused on the vampire. “Can’t say I’m sorry about that.”

  “No, I don’t suppose you are.”

  Breathing helped center her. She had power, meager as it might be at this moment. These things needed her alive for some reason. They had not gone to all this trouble and suffered all those losses to kill her now.

  The vampire held up a ring. “I need you to hold out your hand, Miss Miller. I need to try something on you.”

  “Don’t think you’re coming anywhere near me with that.”

  “You can hold out your hand and I shall put this on you in a very simple process, or you can resist and I shall use force to make this happen. Is this truly the time to make your stand?”

  When put like that, no, it wasn’t. Larissa held out her hand, fingers spread wide to let him put on the damn ring.

  Without touching her he slid it over her forefinger. Only when darkness hit her vision did Larissa realize she had closed her eyes against whatever this ring was supposed to do to her. She opened them and saw a plain silver band resting on her finger, comfortable and quiet and so innocuous a vampire should not have it in his possession.