“He might know of her clan,” Mason said.
“True,” Bryce replied.
“We better make sure we ask all the right questions,” Lachlan said. “Before they pick her story apart for holes. Undermining us.”
Bryce nodded. “I think I’ve done a thorough job of that already. If you think of anything, ask.” After a pause, he asked Lachlan, “Do you have any issues with her staying here while we figure this out?”
“No,” Lachlan replied. “But don’t let her out of sight. Just in case.”
“Understood,” he assented.
Lachlan paced a few steps and stopped. “So that’s the only reason why she followed us—to find a place to hide?”
“No,” Bryce admitted. “She wants to destroy the demons.”
Gavin’s eyebrows soared. “Sounds like walking into a death trap.”
“Which is why I didn’t volunteer.”
Lachlan exhaled. “Let me think about what to do next. In the meantime, let’s meet her.”
Bryce returned to where he’d left Mairi near the shore. For a fleeting moment, his lungs constricted, making it difficult to breathe. What if she’d decided to leave? With all she’d seen, he wouldn’t blame her for being on the constant run.
When he spotted her gazing out to the ocean, a slight ocean breeze ruffling through her wavy hair, he inhaled a sharp breath. Relief swept through him.
He grunted. Why was he reacting like some lovesick puppy? He was a musician who enjoyed the attention of different lasses most nights. It had only been a few weeks since he’d been with a woman.
She toyed with a blade of grass, running it through her fingers as if it was a soothing gesture. The hardened expression on her face indicated otherwise. Determination. It made him think of another type of blade. A sword. She was no average lass, but one who’d gone through so much. And had survived. Admiration for her increased.
Mairi must have heard his footsteps approaching. She whipped around, light on her feet. Terror flashed in her wide-eyed stare.
“Bryce.” She sighed, and the panic swam in her eyes.
“It’s all right. It’s just me.” What he would do to wipe that fear from her psyche permanently.
“I told my brothers what happened. Are you ready to come meet them?”
She straightened. “Aye.”
“I warn you,” he teased in an attempt to lighten the mood. “They’re big, burly bampots.”
She laughed and gave him a quick once over. “I see the family resemblance.”
He stepped closer and nudged her chin, letting his fingers linger on her satin skin. “Funny.” Her scent reached him again, wrapping around him with that jasmine fragrance he’d already begun to associate with her.
She smiled. For a second, the ghosts in her eyes vanished. His chest swelled with pride. He was the one to bring the smile to her face.
They walked side-by-side up the rocky shore, neither speaking. An urge to take her hand sprang up, but he shoved it aside. Was it a territorial thing to warn his brothers to back off? Or something else?
When they reached the amphitheater where the brothers waited, Bryce introduced them.
“Mairi, these are my brothers.” He pointed to each one. “Lachlan, Gavin, Mason, and Calum.”
Bryce watched carefully as each sized the other up. Gavin’s eyes widened and shined a little brighter with his interest. He stared too long for comfort. Bryce flashed him a warning glare, which Gavin missed, too caught up in appraising Mairi.
Back off, Bryce warned.
Why—do you fancy her?
Unsure how to reply, he grunted and repeated, back off.
They exchanged initial greetings before Lachlan said, “Bryce told us what happened with your clan. I and my brothers offer our condolences.”
She nodded. In a low voice, she added, “Thank you.”
“We don’t have much on the island,” Lachlan said with a motion of his hand, “but you are welcome to stay here while we figure out the best way to deal with the situation.”
“I appreciate the welcome. The last few days have been…tough.”
“I can imagine,” Calum said. “No, what I mean is I can’t imagine.”
“She knows what you mean,” Bryce said, stepping closer to her.
“Bryce has been very hospitable,” she said, bestowing a grateful look on him. After a slight smirk, she added, “Well, other than pinning me down in welcome.”
His brothers all turned his way.
“Bryce?” Lachlan said.
“I didn’t know who she was.” He pointed to his chest. “She was sneaking through the woods, watching us.” He left out the part how when he first saw her, he thought she might have been a mirage. Too beautiful to be real.
“It’s true. I must have appeared suspicious. He had to make sure I wasn’t a threat. I would have done the same thing.”
“You’re in good hands with Bryce,” Lachlan said. “I trust him with my life.”
Gavin said, “Perhaps Bryce can show you around.” He smirked at Bryce.
She missed the smug look on Gavin’s face with her eyes still on Bryce. “That would be nice.”
A low growl welled in his throat. I’m supposed to keep an eye on her, remember?
Gavin nodded with a knowing look. Don’t have too much fun.
CHAPTER FOUR
Mairi trekked with Bryce down the slope to the shore. Their steps through the pebbles punctuated the lulling sound of the waves kissing the coast. She inhaled the salty air. The vast ocean separated them from the Highlands. She was finally safe.
The danger lingered over on the mainland. And it might find her no matter where she hid. Her muscles tightened, throat constricting with a growing lump. She forced it away by swallowing and shoved the fear into a pocket, burying deep inside her. Along with all the other mental anguish she’d accumulated since the attack. Grief. Anger. Vengeance.
Pulling herself to the present, she focused on where she was. A beautiful island, a peaceful respite from the devastation she’d left.
“Have you lived here your entire life?” she asked Bryce.
“Aye, I was born here, as were my brothers. Our ancestors originated from the Highlands. The Calder clan, not far from the Loch Calder. Have you heard of them?”
She shook her head. “Seems most clans live in the shadows these days. Making it harder to know of others.”
“True. Our clan had relocated to the Isle of Stone many decades ago, seeking peace after all the bloodshed with human clan battles. They lived here for decades and returned to the Highlands several months ago.”
“For any reason in particular?”
“Long story.”
“Sounds intriguing.”
He grunted. “If you like that sort of drama.”
“Yet you and your brothers remain here. Why didn’t you go with them?”
“Part of the long story.”
“It’s getting more intriguing by the second. Do tell.” She touched his bicep. She’d intended the gesture to encourage him to continue, yet it came out flirtatious. Almost intimate.
In that pause where their eyes connected, something sparked in the space between them. His mouth curved into an arresting smile, which had a devastating effect on her. Her inner systems all but shut down. She pulled her hand off him in an effort to regroup.
“My brothers and I chose to remain.” His voice came out throaty; he cleared his throat. “This is where we grew up. We love the isle. Not only do we have the ocean, but forests and moors. Why would anyone want to leave?”
“I can see that.” She perused the wild, natural beauty that surrounded her. “So serene.”
“Well, we’ve had our trouble as of late.”
“How so?”
“We share the island with others—tree witches and wolf shifters.”
“Ah, that explains the houses I saw in the trees when I flew in. Tree witches?”
“Aye, a coven of them.”
Wh
at a different world. Creating homes in the branches of trees. “Fascinating.”
“They are. Each one seems different from the next. Many are connected by rope bridges. And the land. Brilliant. They use magic to enhance the lushness of the greenery and have an abundance of colorful flowers.”
She’d only ventured through one small part of the island. She’d seen it from above, by night, but the world they’d built here captivated her. “And wolf shifters live here as well?”
“They live in the forests and plains in the northern sections of the isle. Until recently, we’d kept to our territories. But an incident during the last full moon brought all that to a head.”
“What happened?”
This is where it got tricky to explain. “My brothers and I created a rock band. The Knights of Stone. We’d toured in various cities. When humans from nearby islands discovered our island, we saw it as an opportunity to play our shows our way.”
She leaned forward, captivated by his revelation. “How so?”
“We played as ourselves. Gargoyle shifters.”
Her eyes widened. “You showed them what you are?”
“Aye. We put on quite the show. Shifted from stone, played our unique blend of music, and then flew into the air when the concert was over.”
She stared at him, not knowing what to say. It must have taken an immense amount of courage to expose themselves that way. Somehow, she found words. “How did they respond?”
“With a mix of awe and fear. We let them interpret what they saw, experience it through their own filters. Most chalked it up to expensive special effects.”
She tried to picture the image he painted, fascinated by it. “How big was the audience?”
“They started out small. We kept the exclusivity factor high—the secrecy was what made it work. If they told others, and authorities got word, the concerts would have to end. Humans fear what they don’t understand and often react with violence rather than opening their minds. Naturally, some who attended told their friends and our audience size increased, but the authorities still hadn’t learned of it. Until the wolves.”
“What happened with the wolves?”
“Let me go back a bit. I mentioned how we shared the island with the tree witches and wolf shifters. Decades earlier, we worked together to place a magical veil over the isle. It would keep humans from detecting it. Keep it private.”
“I felt it.” Her voice lilted with excitement. “When I flew in, I passed through something with—vibrancy.”
“Aye, that’s the shield. Well, twenty-five years ago, the gargoyles, tree witches, and wolf shifters had a great battle, the outcome resulting in us dividing the land into territories. As a consequence, the magical veil disintegrated. Humans discovered the isle. The Calder clan hated the invasion of privacy—and how we entertained the humans with our concerts—and returned to the Highlands.”
“Interesting.” More like enthralling.
She leaned in closer as Bryce told her more about the island. What a beautiful microcosm it was with moors, forests, and coastlines all in one space—and multiple species. A bigger world than an isolated gargoyle clan. Plus, Bryce and his brothers played in a rock band. For gargoyles who spent most of their time living in the shadows, coming out at night, his boldness intrigued her. “So everything worked out?”
“Not without some complications. We’re still figuring things out. This all happened in recent weeks.”
She blinked with wonder. Sounded like trouble that lasted years, not weeks. “And your band—what do all these changes mean?”
When he grimaced, she studied him more closely. This meant something to him. “We’re on hiatus. Haven’t had a chance to think of the next step with everything else going on. Besides, we don’t have much of an audience anymore on the isle with the humans gone.”
“The others on the island?”
“We played for them in the past week for the first time—probably the only time. It was a celebration after we restored the veil. It was a grand concert, but not the same as a human audience—they throw themselves into our shows. Some follow us from city to city. Nothing like true fans.”
His voice had turned wistful. Passion burned in his eyes. “That’s too bad. I’d love to hear you play.”
“Our instruments are all packed up right now. Stored in one of the cabins.”
He caught her gaze, searching her as if he could see into her soul. Her breathing escalated, skin heating with a vibrant, tingling sensation.
She glanced away. “What do you play?”
“Drums.” He laughed. “A great way to pound out any frustration.”
“You miss it?”
“Aye.”
“So why not find a way to continue?”
“We will,” he replied. “One day.” He paused. “Our music has had to take a back seat while we deal with the island politics. After twenty-five years with territorial divides and keeping our distance from each other, it’s not something that will sort itself out after a few peace talks or even our celebration.”
“Where do you stand now?”
He chuckled and pointed ahead. “On an edge as precarious as that cliff.”
She glanced to the shore. The entire land was breathtaking. “For an island, it’s quite a diverse community.”
“With plenty of interspecies drama,” he added with a snort.
She nodded while thinking of all he’d told her. “So, does this mean you’re free to go anywhere, now?”
“I wouldn’t go that far, yet. It’s still a matter of respecting the privacy of others.” Bryce straightened and took a deep breath. “Now, it looks like we have another matter to contend with. If there are demons in the Highlands, we need to warn our former clan about what happened to yours. What they’ll do, I don’t know.” He glanced up to the bright sky. “The time flew by. We should get some rest.”
Clearly, he had enough to deal with without her adding to it. She was out of her gourd to think he might abandon his responsibilities and help her go on a hunt for demons.
She’d likely die doing so alone, but as long as she took some of those bastards down in the process, it would be worth it.
Bryce wasn’t quite sure why he’d shared so much with Mairi. When she listened to him, her eyes sparkled with interest, encouraging him to continue. And when she’d touched his arm, the connection simmered deep.
Although he no longer suspected she was a spy, she’d be a damn good one with the way she’d gotten him to spill his story.
They’d come full circle along the coast in what was still considered gargoyle territory and cut back through the forest.
“Are these the cabins you mentioned?” She pointed to one that his former clan had lived in.
Lachlan and Raina spent time in one, but with their relationship still so new, they were open to exploring various locations on the isle. Gargoyles were versatile. They could live anywhere. Perched on stone on buildings. Living as humans in cities. Inside abandoned castles. Their preferences varied as humans did, yet the various forms they favored also played into their choice of living arrangements.
“Aye. My parents lived in this one.” Bryce pointed at one of them, which brought back memories. He and his brothers preferred the outdoors and moved outside as soon as their parents thought they were old enough, yet they’d spent many tender moments together as a family inside those walls.
Now empty. Barren of life.
She peeked in a window. “Doesn’t look like anybody uses them now.”
“Right. The clan left a few months back.”
“Do you miss your parents?”
He shooed with his hand. “They’re adults. They can make their own choice.”
The way she studied him made him think she didn’t buy his answer.
“Of course, I do. They’re family. Families sometimes drive each other crazy when they live in close quarters, but they’re still part of you.”
A sudden haunted look filled her ey
es. Oh shite. He was a right idiot. A proper fool.
Of all the people to say that to. “I’m sorry. That was tactless.” Inside he groaned, picturing himself ramming his block head against the wooden cabin door.
“It’s all right. I brought it up. Besides, I know what you mean.”
“Still. I have no excuse except that I’m an idiot who lives with four other idiots. We lack the social graces we’d have if our mum was still around smacking us upside the head to behave.”
A small laugh erupted from her, surprising him.
“I’m picturing it,” she said.
It was the second time he’d made her laugh, and the way joy swept through him at the sound surprised him. “I’m sure you won’t have to. If you meet my mother, she’ll find a way to scold us about something or another her five uncouth sons have done while you’re there.”
Her lips curled into a radiant smile that softened his insides. “I hope to see that.”
When they reached the clearing where the gargoyles spent most of their time, he glanced at the sun. It shined bright overhead, signaling the peak of day.
“We can rest here.”
“Good idea.” She forced a smile. “Haven’t had much of that lately.”
How could she on the run? An urge to protect her returned; it had escalated from earlier. “I’ll watch over you,” he said. A warm sensation ran through him. Soothing. Comforting.
Like he was answering a call to something greater.
Unsettling.
He shook his head to knock that inclination loose. What was wrong with him for making it sound so personal like that? Him and her, like they were a thing. Foolish. He’d been tasked to watch over her for a short time. “We all will. M-my brothers. And me.” Now he was stammering? She had the oddest effect on him.
“We rest in stone here.” Bryce pointed to the stage.
“Aye, I saw you there earlier.”
Time to lighten the mood; wash away that serious tone that had settled over them and bring back her beautiful smile. “When you were spying.” He winked and smiled.
Mairi raised an eyebrow. “I call it making observations.”
He laughed, and she followed suit. Neither spoke for several moments as they shared the memory.
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