by Price,E A
Annis threw herself into not blushing at that. Yes, fond was certainly true, and then some.
“He is a good man,” she said lamely.
“Your heartbeat increases when he is near and when his name is mentioned.” Castor’s whole face pinched, and if she did not know any better, she would think that he was jealous. “I thought it was because you feared him, but now I am not sure.”
Annis turned away from him and made a great show of closing her case. “I have to go. I have been given a task by my leader, and although I am not much of a gargoyle, I must do as he asks.”
Castor did not contradict her about not being much of a gargoyle.
“I will only be gone a day or two at the most.”
“I do not like this,” he hissed and stormed out of her room with the same ferocity in which he entered.
Annis sighed. While asleep she had seriously put some thought into mating Castor. Enough that she awoke feeling sick. It would be the right thing to do. To mate a gargoyle and produce more gargoyles surely was a priority. But how could she mate Castor when her heart skipped a beat whenever Chris’ name was mentioned? Perhaps it was merely a foolish fancy that would pass, but something deep inside told her that her feelings for Chris were here to stay.
Chapter Twenty
Chris’ fingers curled around the wheel alarmingly tight, and his jaw was rigid as he focused on the road ahead.
He had been unsure at first about this little escapade, but the more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. A few days away from a certain female gargoyle would do him good. But no, fate – the fickle bastard – decided to throw her at him.
Chris had argued with Luc on the matter, but the huge gargoyle would not budge. He would not allow Gracchus to leave, and he had no one else to send other than Annis. Chris had made noises about postponing the trip, but Luc would not hear of waiting.
“I will not allow one of my brothers or sisters to be entrapped longer than is necessary,” Luc rumbled.
“But surely just a couple of nights…” tried Chris.
“No.”
“You know I am doing you a favor here,” said Chris peevishly, and with a little shame.
Luc’s nostrils flared, but he said nothing. He hardly seemed like the type to either beg or show gushing gratitude.
He tried a different tack. “I just don’t think Annis is the right gargoyle for this.”
“She will be fine.”
“You’ve told me before that she can’t protect herself, and that she isn’t as strong as a normal gargoyle.”
“She will manage,” the gargoyle told him stubbornly.
“I just don’t think Annis should go!”
Naturally, Annis chose that moment to enter the room. Her eyes immediately hit the floor so he could not see the emotion in them, but the large and tantalizing amount of flesh on display immediately flushed.
After that, all arguments fizzled out, and that was why he found himself driving a van with a disturbingly quiet and possibly miserable female gargoyle in the back. She wouldn’t even look at him, and he felt like such a heel. How could he explain to her that he only had her safety in mind, when really he was worried about his own sanity? Truthfully, he was partly concerned for her safety. He could not bear it if she were hurt, but he also feared about the constant ache and longing she inspired in him. Not to mention where his blood rushed every time he saw her. Yes, he had another sexy dream about the gargoyle last night. This time, he imagined he was tasting the nectar between her thighs. It was only a dream, but the sweetness seemed so real. Of course, waking up to Bob licking his face was a good mood killer. Perhaps he should have Bob sleep on his bed every night – that might dispel a few of his raunchy dreams.
Chris cleared his throat. “You okay back there?”
He tried to look at her in his mirror, but she was huddled with her back to him.
Her soft voice rang out clear and steady. “I am fine, thank you.”
“Well, ah, let me know if you need to stop or anything.”
“I shall, thank you.”
“Would you mind if I listened to the radio?”
“Not at all.”
“Okay, great.”
Jeez, if they became anymore polite he might scream. It was going to be a long night.
*
Chris hopped up on the fence and tried to peer over. It was too dark, and the foliage too dense.
Annis peered out the back of the van. It was past midnight, and no people were around, but she did not wish to risk being caught on any hidden cameras. According to Maggie, the government was always watching. Although she could not help but think that sometimes, Maggie was a little paranoid.
She watched as Chris’ long, lithe form tried to scale the fence. Her eyes lingering on his tight rear for perhaps a little too long. He jumped down and walked back over to the van.
“Did you see the gargoyle?”
Chris shook his head. “Can’t see anything in there – it’s like a jungle.”
“Are you sure this is the correct place?”
She squinted at the sign again. Sunny Charm Wildlife Park, open every day 10 am to 5 pm.
“Yes,” he hissed impatiently. “I know how to read a map.”
She stared at him for a second, and he immediately muttered sorry. She was the one who was sorry. He did not want to be there, and he especially did not want to be there with her. Why was she always such a burden to everyone? She wondered if Chris wished that he could bring one of his human girlfriends with him. Although Bea thought that he did not date much, Maggie speculated that he had more than one girl on the go. Annis was not exactly sure what having a girl on the go meant, but she decided she did not like the sound of it.
Chris rubbed the back of his neck and Annis saw the same tired lines on his face that she detected on Kylie. Although she certainly wouldn’t call him haggard – rugged was perhaps a more apt description for him. Even tired and washed out he was still strangely attractive to her.
“I don’t know if it’s in there or not.”
“He or she,” corrected Annis. “Not it.”
Chris grunted.
“Perhaps, we should return home.”
He chuckled ruefully. “Yeah, I can imagine Luc would love that.”
“I do not imagine you would allow Luc to push you around.” No, Chris was more than capable of standing up for himself. He was very… male. Something that sent her into flutters again.
Chris cocked his head to one side. “No, don’t imagine I would.”
“Although you allowed him to force you to bring me here,” she murmured quietly and showing a little more hurt than she intended.
“Annis,” he sighed, “it’s not… I didn’t…”
She interrupted him. Whatever he was about to say, she was almost certain she did not want to hear it. “What shall we do?”
He looked at the wildlife park again, his gaze lost in the dense trees. “You hungry?”
“Yes,” she admitted in surprise. She was expecting him to tell her they were returning home immediately, in spite of what Luc may say. But the snacks were long gone and her stomach was rumbling.
“You ever eaten pizza?”
“No, but I have seen it on the television numerous times. The people eating it seemed very much to enjoy it.” She had avidly watched various people on TV doing all sorts of things that she had never done and enjoying them immensely. Some things that made her blush and run out of the room before Gracchus realized she was imaging Chris doing them to her.
A flicker of pity passed over his features, and she chose to ignore it.
“I saw a pizza place on the drive in, and a motel,” he said. “Why don’t we get a room, and I’ll get us some pizza. Tomorrow, while you’re asleep, I’ll check out the park, and we can take it from there.”
Annis smiled and nodded. Even if Chris was behaving a little coolly toward her, she did not want to go home yet. For all her misgivings about leaving th
e house, she was actually enjoying herself. Time alone with Chris was nice, and being away from Castor was nice, too. The drive had been long, and Annis had a lot of time to think. She was virtually resigned to the fact that she would accept Castor’s mate-claim, but she could not dredge up any happy feelings about it. After Castor’s initial rejection, she had once again been resigned to being mateless. But now she had a chance for a mate, and this may be the only chance she ever got. She should grasp it with all her claws.
On seeing her smile, Chris relaxed a little and even gave her a small smile in return. “Great, so now we just need to work out what kind of pizza you like.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Annis stopped chewing on her seventh slice of pizza as she noticed that Chris wasn’t eating, he was just staring at her with a strange expression on his face.
She swallowed her bite and gave him a sheepish look. “Am I doing something wrong?”
“No, not at all, just nice to see that you’re enjoying it.”
Annis picked a piece of yellow food off her pizza. “What did you call this?”
“Pineapple.”
“It is very tasty.” She popped it in her mouth and chewed it carefully, allowing the sweet, juicy flavor to explode over her tongue.
Chris chuckled lightly. “Guess we can say that Hawaiian pizza is a hit.”
She grabbed another piece and began eating. It was certainly delicious.
Annis did not think much of the motel at which Chris had rented a room. It was rundown, and the room and bed were not nearly as comfortable or well-maintained as her room back in Devil’s Hang. She could not understand why anyone would pay for the privilege of sleeping here. Her sensitive nostrils doubted that it had been cleaned thoroughly in months. But Chris thought it was a good idea. He said that places like these were low-key, and no one would ask too many questions. Chris said that the people who worked there were used to being discrete. She asked what he meant by that, but he would not tell her.
Chris rented a room at the far end of the motel, away from the other guests, and Annis was able to hop out of the van quickly – while draping a blanket around herself – and run into the room.
They were now sitting on the lumpy bed and eating the pizzas Chris had procured. Unsure what to get, he chose three different kinds. It was probably a good job he did. Although she may not be a typical gargoyle, she had a large appetite, and so did Chris.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, and Annis gingerly sipped at her soda. The bubbles made her feel funny but in a good way.
“I imagine you will need to get some rest soon,” Annis said.
As if on cue, Chris yawned. “Yeah, I probably better if I’m going to be any use tomorrow.”
“You seem tired.”
“I am, a little. Haven’t been sleeping well recently.” He gave her a strange look.
“Gargoyles do not tend to feel tired. We are forced to get the rest and sleep that we need.”
“Not sure whether that’s a good or a bad thing,” he admitted. “What’s it like being forced to fall asleep?”
“I am not sure how to answer that. It is natural for me. I cannot imagine what it is like to feel tired and to be able to fall asleep at any time of day.”
“I guess not,” he replied with a small smile tugging at his lips.
His chin was covered in short bristles that had not been present earlier. She understood that male humans grew hair on their faces, and most chose to shave it off. Male gargoyles did not, and she wondered how it would feel under her fingers. Would she still feel the softness of his skin under those short hairs?
After they finished eating, Chris disposed of the pizza boxes. He checked on his phone and scowled at it.
“You are worried for Brenda?” Annis correctly surmised.
“I told her to call me.”
“Ric will ensure her safety.”
Chris’ lips pursed and Annis could not help her giggle. “You do not like Ric.”
His shoulders sagged. “I probably wouldn’t like any man who Brenda took up with – human or gargoyle.”
“No, but he will defend her life to the death.” Chris looked at her in alarm. “I am sure it will not come to that,” she added hastily. “But they are mated, and gargoyles take their mates very seriously. There is no such thing as divorce or separation.” Words she learned from TV. “We mate for life.”
“You’re not mated.” He gave her an interested look.
“No, at least, not yet. I…” She was about to tell him about Castor’s mate-claim, but she was saved as his phone chirruped.
Chris let out a sigh of relief and moved to place his phone on the table next to the TV. “Brenda and Ric are already home.”
“That is good news.”
“The gargoyle they found was already half destroyed. They brought it back so it could be buried.”
“That is not good news.”
Chris sat down on the bed beside her; his thigh brushed against hers sending shockwaves through her body. “I’m sorry,” he said softly.
“We have been asleep for near to a thousand years. It is to be expected that not all of us would survive such a long time.” Although every time they found another destroyed gargoyle, it was a pinch.
Chris turned his gaze to hers, and they watched each other for a few moments. The heat of the room seemed to be steadily rising. Chris raised his hand, hovering in mid-air. She thought he was going to touch her, and her heartbeat sped in expectation waiting for him to touch her, to caress her, but it never came. His arm dropped back down, so his hand rested on his own thigh.
“I reckon I’ll take a shower and try and get some shut-eye.”
Annis shuffled slightly away from him, ashamed of herself for her wild thoughts. “Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Does Luc know that we cannot return tonight?”
“I called Kylie while I went to get the pizza, told her about the motel.”
Chris stood and stretched his long body. His shirt rose, uncovering a sliver of tanned skin, the sight of which made Annis quiver.
“I, ah, I should go to the van.”
Chris frowned at her. “You don’t have to leave.”
“I fear I would be a distraction while you were trying to sleep. I will not sleep until daybreak.”
He grumbled a little. “I don’t like to think of you in that van on your own.”
“I have brought some books, and a nightlight,” - a sensible suggestion from Kylie, “I will be fine.”
Chris did not look thrilled at the plan, but then what other choice did he have?
“Well, okay, but if you need me just… just holler, I’m a light sleeper.”
Annis agreed that she would, and Chris said a stilted good night before quickly disappearing into the bathroom.
She grasped her case and looked through the few items of clothing she owned. On hearing that she would be traveling with Chris, she had donned her purple dress – not that he had noticed. But it was not the most comfortable of clothes – it’s sole intent around the bust seemed to be to squash her mounds together and make them appear larger than they were. In other words, it was not an item of clothing that she wished to wear while sleeping. Rather than awkwardly try to shimmy into other clothes in the van, she decided to change in the room.
Annis untied the halter neck fastening and pushed the garment down her legs. She took a moment to look at herself in the mirror, admiring the new panties she wore. Underwear was also a new concept to gargoyles, but one that both she and Ingrede had quickly adopted. A cold draught in the nether region was never a good thing. Although they took some modification due to her tail, she would not trade these daisy printed pink panties for anything.
So caught up in her own reflection, she almost missed the soft gasp behind her. She caught Chris’ eyes in the mirror and spun to look at him.
The shirt was missing from his torso, unveiling acres of warm skin, and a dusting of dark hair that covered his firmly defined pecs and t
raveled all the way down his stomach. The top two buttons of his jeans were undone, and his hair almost seemed like an arrow pointing to his groin, which she could not help but notice bulged indecently against the fabric struggling to contain it. He was not as muscled as a gargoyle male, but his body was well defined and powerful looking, softer than a gargoyle’s maybe but much more enticing.
“Annis,” he breathed huskily. His voice seemed strange and very far away.
Chris’ eyes seemed even darker than usual, stormy even as they raked over her body. She did not bother to cover herself. What was the point? He had already seen her, already seen her lack of definition and muscles that were present in other female gargoyles’ bodies. Already seen how abnormal her small body was.
“Forgive me,” she murmured, struggling to find her voice as she focused on his bare chest. “I was just changing before I left.” Gargoyle males never covered their chests, but she had never before enjoyed the urge to devour them with her eyes as she did with Chris.
“No, don’t go,” he said gruffly as he hovered at the entrance to the bathroom.
His intense, glittering eyes seemed not to want to leave her chest, and she flashed in anger. “If you do not enjoy the sight of my body, you could look away.”
He took a small step towards her. “Why wouldn’t I enjoy it?”
Annis flicked her tail. “Because I am unnatural. I am not how a female gargoyle should look.” The few of her old clan who had seen her without clothes had made sure to point that out. “My body is ugly.”
Chris let out a bark of laughter. “Are you kidding me? You’re beautiful.”
She startled at his unexpected words, elation coursing through her before she managed to gain control again. “You do not mean that.”
He slowly stalked towards her, giving her the unsettling yet exciting sensation that she was his prey. “Fuck me; you’re more beautiful than I imagined.”
“Do not say that,” she pleaded. It was not that she did not want to hear it – she did, more than anything. His guttural, fierce declarations were enough to drown out years of taunting from her clan, enough to send her heart soaring. But she already struggled with her emotions for this human man. Anymore from him and she would be utterly lost to him forever.