by Price, E A
She found Gustave still sleeping on the couch, and Bea curled up in the tiny chair next to him. Bea finished the coffee and actually started to look a little perky.
Kylie watched the slow rise and fall of Gustave’s chest and tried not to wince at the foghorn-like snoring. “He’s going to be okay, right?”
“As far as I can tell, yes.”
“So about a finder’s spell.” No point in beating around the bush, she needed to get this done before sundown.
“I thought Luc said…”
“If I do it before he wakes up he’ll forgive me.” At least that was the theory. She was pretty sure he could forgive her anything. He might be exceedingly grumpy for a few days, and she’d probably have to forgo a few things like showering with the door closed – lest she sneak out the bathroom window – but it would be worth it. Although, to be honest, she probably wouldn’t be as keen to do this if he hadn’t been so set against it. Yeah, maybe that was an issue she should work on… another day.
“How did it… how did you…” Bea flushed. “I’m sorry, it’s none of my business.”
Yep, there was no easy way to ask how she hooked up with a gargoyle. “Maybe it seems strange but, I don’t know. I felt a connection right away, and my feelings just continued to grow.”
“You’re certain that being with him is right?” Kylie frowned, and Bea hurriedly continued. “I’m not judging, I’m just… it’s going to be very difficult. Even if everyone knew about the gargoyles, it would be difficult. Not everyone will understand why you want to be with him.”
It was a question she had thought about over and over and had decided not to dwell on it. Visions of appearing on talk shows entitled ‘I’m in love with a mythical monster’ already haunted her dreams. She had perhaps watched too many talk shows growing up. “We’ll be okay. We’ll take it one day at a time. You really think there’s magic inside me?”
“Yes, dear. You helped me heal Gustave. My magic could not have managed that. You may not realize it, but unconsciously, you have a great deal of magic within you.”
“Growing up, all my obscure family members…”
“Members of the magical community, of course. All friends of your parents and grandparents. We didn’t want to risk putting you with just anyone for when your powers decided to reassert themselves. We take care of our own.”
Kylie nodded. “So I’m guessing you could find me a finder’s spell.” She tried to smile sweetly, the way she used to when she was a child and was trying to get a second candy bar out of her aunt. Or when she hit a tennis ball through the neighbor’s kitchen window. That was the summer Kylie was determined to be an athlete. But neither tennis, soccer, gymnastics, archery, hockey, fencing, basketball nor diving were right for her.
“Luc…” began Bea, anguish creeping over her face.
“Wants to help his fellow gargoyles.”
“You’re not doing this to impress him, are you? Because he already cares for you, I can tell by the way he looks at you, and the way he finds a way to touch you.”
“He loves me,” Kylie told her, unabashedly. “He wants me to be his mate.”
Bea blinked for a few seconds. “I hadn’t realized. When gargoyles mate, it is for life, and they consider it to be more binding than marriage. At least in the legends. I wouldn’t know from experience.”
“I know what mating means…” Well, she kind of had the jist. As far as their mating was concerned, all they’d done was have sex and argue. Seemed like a pretty normal relationship so far. “I want to do this, not just for him, but for the others who are trapped. I don’t want Luc to be alone.” Kylie raised a hand as Bea opened her mouth to object. “He has me – I’m not going anywhere - but I want him to have his own kind, too. I can’t even imagine how lonely he must be.”
“I will need to make some phone calls. There are plenty of people who will want to help you and Luc. Plenty of others may know about the other gargoyles. What is left of them.”
“And the finder’s spell? I can whip up to the hall and be back before lunch.” Assuming she could actually get the spell to work. But based on the theory that she awakened Luc without trying, surely her magic should be pure awesomesauce when she was trying. Course, waking Luc was probably helped by the fact that she is his mate. She hoped he wasn’t expecting her to kiss all the gargoyles awake.
Bea pursed her lips, but Kylie could see her resolve was waning to the point of going kaput. It was the second candy bar all over again. “I will give you a couple to try on the basis that you don’t let Luc know that I helped you, and that you take my gun in case you run into Holling or Lara. If Gustave is right, they may be very dangerous. Edwin is already dead.”
“If Andrew’s there I’ll be fine,” she said with confidence dredged up from somewhere below her knees. “And Luc won’t hurt you; he’s as gentle as a lamb.” Although, somewhat more ferocious-looking.
“I’m glad to hear it, but I don’t think I’ll put him to the test on that. In gargoyle legends they took their mates very seriously, I’d hate for him to know I put his in danger.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
It was the normality that bothered Kylie. She drove up to the hall as normal. Andrew let her in as normal. He led her to the study as normal. And she started looking through his books and cataloging them – also as normal.
She’d expected at least some kind of creepy, foreboding feeling, some kind of worry that someone was watching her, but she got nothing. Nada. Zilch. Bupkis. She even managed to return the book she borrowed back into the collection without anyone stopping her and asking her what the hell she was doing.
After a few minutes, Andrew did come back into the library and asked her if she wanted a drink or something. He was abnormally subdued and didn’t even notice when she trotted out her excuse for why Bea wasn’t there. She said Bea had a migraine – not the best excuse, but it generally worked because no one could disprove it. Ah, the high school gym classes she’d missed because of that excuse.
He kicked around the study for a few minutes, idly watching her. Kylie began to get impatient for him to leave. Thankfully, the weight on his mind forced him to start talking before she had to do something drastic like ask him what was wrong.
“How long have you known Maggie?” said Andrew, more than a little morosely.
Kylie shrugged. “Since I moved here.”
“She’s your friend,” he stated.
She felt a wave of protectiveness akin to when a goofy teenage boy comes along to take your teenage daughter to prom. “Yes, and I don’t want to see her get hurt,” she said, in a rather prim voice that Bea used to shame people younger than her.
Andrew nodded. “She told me we couldn’t be friends anymore.”
“I’m sorry to hear that… do you want to say something else?”
Earnest anguish poured out of his features. “I don’t want to lose Maggie.”
“Wasn’t aware you ever had her,” she blurted.
“I have… feelings for her.” He blushed. Kylie groaned.
“Do you love her?”
He looked down, somewhere in the region of his feet. His answer was hesitant and uncertain. “I don’t know.”
“Do you love Lara?” His fiancée, the woman to whom he had proposed marriage!
“No,” he said, immediately. No hesitation there.
Kylie had a brief flash of her relationship with Brian, of going through the motions of a relationship because you were in love with them once and nobody had even bothered to point out that you weren’t in love anymore. “But you’re still with Lara.”
Andrew winced. “I don’t think Lara loves me. I’ve no idea why she wants to marry me. I’d say it was for my money, but her family has money – maybe not as much as I do now, but certainly more than what I had when we got together. I don’t know what else I have that she wants.”
Kylie worried it was the gargoyles. Interesting though the house was, sweet though Andrew could be – surely, her
objective here was in finding the gargoyles.
“Look, Andrew, I don’t want to interfere…”
“Oh,” he sighed,
“But…”
“Oh?” he stuttered, a little more hopeful.
“You shouldn’t do anything that will make you miserable. I can’t say how Maggie feels. But if you don’t want to marry Lara… well, that’s up to you. Maybe things would work out with Maggie, maybe they wouldn’t. Just… follow your heart, no matter what crazy direction it leads you.” That’s what I did, she silently added thinking of her winged lover.
Andrew nodded. “You’re right, you’re right, I’m going to find Lara right now and tell her the wedding is off.”
While a perverse part of her wanted to sneer at the thought of Lara being dumped, Kylie showed compassion. Being dumped sucked. “Try to be gentler than that.”
“I will, thank you, Kylie.”
“You’re welcome.”
She let out a breath, relieved that he was gone. She pulled out the pieces of paper Bea had given her, outlining the finders’ spells. Bea said all she had to do was follow the instructions given, and they should work.
Kylie tried one. She had to turn around three times, chant some words and hold a finger up in the air. She felt like a fool. Nothing happened, and she really didn’t expect it to, either. Since when was magic about spinning around and holding your finger up? Surely there should be some animal sacrifice and eye of newt in there somewhere. She read through the instructions again, found a worrying lack of eye of next and then did it again. Nothing happened.
She tried the next spell. This involved closing her eyes and chanting and then blowing out a candle. That took a little longer. Her memory was fine until it was put to the test, and could she remember the chant? Could she hell! But after a few goes, she got there. But then she forgot to light the candle. Then she couldn’t get it to light. Then the sweet smell of pumpkin spice distracted her. In a fit of preparedness, she brought a scented candle from home, and she wondered whether the scent would affect the spell. When she finally managed to get the spell correct – according to instructions – nothing happened. She tried it two more times and still nothing. She wasn’t surprised, just disappointed.
“Having fun?” asked a cool voice behind her.
She spun around and found herself face to face with Lara, looking like an impeccably dressed Valkyrie.
“I, uh, I…”
“Magic’s harder than it looks, isn’t it? It isn’t just the silly chants and the dumb rituals. It’s about what’s inside of you. You have to mean it, right down to your bones.”
Kylie tried to edge to her purse. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lara sighed. “Fine, if that’s the way you want it.”
Kylie made a grab for her purse and felt something hit her head. Everything went black.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Kylie groaned as her head throbbed, and she mumbled Luc’s name. Various things floated through her mind. Where’s Luc? What happened? It’s dark; Luc should be awake. Where am I? I want Luc. All these thoughts were followed by the swift realization that she couldn’t move her arms or legs.
She was tied up. Her eyes flickered around the dark room. There was a solitary overhanging light gently illuminating rack after rack of wine bottles.
Shit balls. She really was tied up and in someone’s basement. Or wine cellar, if you wanted to be fancy.
She was in the professor’s – no, Andrew’s – wine cellar. Although she doubted Andrew had any idea she was there.
Frak. What time was it? Was it already past sundown? Was Luc already looking for her? Oh, he was going to be pissed.
“You’re a dark horse, Kylie,” said Holling, quietly walking out of the darkness. She called him something much less complimentary and not something she would dare say in front of Bea. He laughed.
Kylie struggled against the ropes currently cutting into her skin. “You can’t do this,” she snapped. “He’ll… someone will come looking for me.”
Idly, he inspected a random wine bottle. “Your gargoyle?” he asked, offhandedly.
She froze and then cursed herself. The way she reacted just confirmed it.
Holling grinned at her. In the limited light, dark shadows rippled across his features. He looked more devil than man. “Hard to hide a gargoyle in a town this size. How did you wake him?”
Kylie pursed her lips, refusing to answer. She flinched as a small pain struck across her forehead, but it was just added to the pain she already felt there.
His smile faltered and pearls of sweat beaded on his forehead. “Hmmm, you’re surprisingly strong. My abilities, such as they are, are small but usually effective in weak minds. I can’t read anything from you.”
She snorted. “Sorry.”
Holling waved a hand. “No matter. When your gargoyle arrives, we’ll be waiting. I’ve no doubt he’s strong, but he isn’t bulletproof.”
Kylie felt her defiance sag. The thought of anything happening to Luc terrified her and stalked her dreams. She prayed Luc would stay away, but in her hearts of hearts she knew he wouldn’t. Part of her knew he’d come for her, even if he knew it was dangerous for him. “You wouldn’t?”
“That depends. If he hands himself over to us willingly, no he won’t be hurt.”
“Why do you even want him?”
His eyes gleamed. “Him? So it is a male. Which one? Tristan? Dragomir? Helyas?”
She frowned at the names. She didn’t have a clue who any of the gargoyles were. Luc wasn’t certain who else had been saved. It was concerning that Holling did.
“Or is it perhaps Lucifer?”
Kylie flinched before she could stop herself.
Holling let out a nasty snigger. “I don’t have to read minds to read minds. I’m pleased that he’s awake.”
“What do you even want with the gargoyles?” She knew there was no pretending now.
He took on an affected look of innocence. “I just want them to be free.”
She looked at him doubtfully.
“No, I do. What happened to them was reprehensible, they deserve to be free.”
“I don’t believe you,” she said, slowly. He was voicing her opinion on the matter. He sounded like a reasonable human being. But reasonable human beings don’t tie people up in their basements, or even their wine cellars.
He rolled his shoulders. “It doesn’t matter what you believe. The point is, you are going to awaken them.”
“I don’t know how,” she spluttered.
“You already did it once,” he said, testily.
“Yes but… I don’t know how I did it.” She sort of didn’t know. Unless it truly was a sleeping beauty kind of deal with Luc.
“I have a spell for you to use; you can do this.”
Because her first foray into magic had gone so well. “And if I can’t?”
“You’ll be useless. Think on that. What were you doing in the study?”
“Nothing,” she muttered picking at the ropes.
“Seemed like you were performing a finder’s spell. Wouldn’t be anything to do with Gustave, would it?” She stared at him, and he chuckled. “Your poker face is awful. You rest down here while we subdue your friend, Lucifer, and then you can make yourself useful.” He took her chin in his hand and forced her to look into his manic eyes. “You will find those other gargoyles, and you will awaken them. Just remember, you only remain alive if you are useful.”
Holling gave her a chilly smile and walked away. She heard the creak of the stairs and the slamming of the door, and then she attacked her ropes with more ferocity. She had to get out of there before Luc arrived. She couldn’t allow him to be hurt. When he woke up, and she wasn’t there, he’d find out from Bea where she was and come for her.
She wished he wouldn’t, but he would.
Kylie strained against the ropes. Ropes really freaking hurt! Thank heavens she hadn’t given in and allowed Brian to try out t
hat bondage stuff when they were together. Dick head.
“I wouldn’t bother,” said a low, sultry voice.
Startled, Kylie scrambled backwards and hit her head on a bottle of wine. She knew she hated wine.
Her heart thudded erratically as a creature stepped out of the darkness. The dull clink of chains cracked against the ground. It, no, she stepped into the light. It was a gargoyle.
Kylie almost swallowed her tongue in shock. “Who… what… what has he done to you?”
The female rattled her chains. “Nothing yet, he wants to use us, though.”
“For what?”
She curled her upper lip back, revealing her terrifying teeth. “To create an army, to steal our magic – who knows, he’s insane.”
Kylie felt a thrill of fear as she looked into the female’s glowing eyes. She’d been scared of Luc at first, but then who wouldn’t be scared if a statue suddenly came to life in front of them. The fear she felt for this female was different. “How come you’re awake?”
“His mother awoke me – it killed her to do so, but she did it, and I’ve been Holling's captive ever since.”
“Has he woken any others?”
The female’s eyes never stopped roving over Kylie’s body. “No, not to my knowledge, he’s never found anyone powerful enough to do so, and the gargoyles he managed to find over the years have been too damaged to bring back.”
“I’m sorry, that’s awful.”
She grunted. “Did he say that Luc is alive?”
“Yes.”
The female sucked in a breath. “And he is well.”
Kylie tingled with jealousy but tamped it down. Neither the time nor place. “Yes, very well.”
“Thank goodness,” she growled. “I am Ophelia.”
“Ophelia!” Luc had told her numerous stories about his life back in his time, and quite a few had Ophelia in starring roles. From the stories, she sounded fierce. The stories didn’t do her justice.