With difficulty, he lowered his eyes and didn’t stare openly at that door. He waited. Two women left the bathroom and strolled down the hall. As they passed, he knew they held no power.
The power remained stable. He pulled out his phone and pretended to text as he leaned against the beige wall. Although he looked down, he kept his eyes on the door.
The bathroom door opened again. He kept his head down, but watched a woman come from the bathroom. The strange energy drew closer to him.
He’d found her. Deep brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, highlighting the golden glow of her skin. Sweet curves filled out a red dress.
A thrill rolled through him as a flash of recognition hit him. That knowing was the same as when he’d met Neil. She held the power he’d sensed. On top of that, she was his mate. Not that the woman seemed to notice anything strange.
The woman didn’t look his way. She wandered down the hallway. He let her stroll past him before he came away from the wall. Leif sauntered up the hallway with two other men in suits.
Isaac gave a signal. They needed to get her out of the crowd of people. Leif moved to the side and spoke to a young Gargoyle who worked at the theater. He wouldn’t ask why. He’d know that they protected their people.
The young man walked up to her. He spoke a few words, something about her friend being in the office. He guided her away.
Good job. Isaac nodded. The man didn’t give her time to think or check the truth of his words. Isaac followed at a distance texting Dante about this latest circumstance.
Don’t know what she is, but it’s a woman. She’s mate to Neil and I. Isaac texted. We’re getting her alone so that we can talk to her.
Discover what she is before you bring her near our homes. Dante’s order zoomed back.
We will. We’ll have to get her away from here to do it though. I don’t want to risk anyone else. Isaac tracked the woman’s movements.
Leave Leif and another man there to take over watch on the woman. You and Neil go find out what she is. Dante’s instructions came quickly. Call me when you learn what she is.
It irritated Isaac that Dante thought he’d endanger the other Gargoyles in their community. On the other hand, he hated having to wait to take her home. Nature wouldn’t be so capricious as to match him with someone who would be dangerous. But they had to be cautious.
There had been a few times in the past when a mage had bespelled a woman to make her seem to be a mate and she wasn’t. Fucking mages. They always schemed and plotted or helped someone with their nefarious goals if the money was right. They didn’t care.
The uniformed man led the woman down a narrow side hallway. Dante waited at the end of the hall until the intermission was over. Once most of the people filed back in the auditorium, he headed down the hallway. As he went, he sent a text to Neil explaining what had happened.
Leif waited near the door. Isaac could hear a woman’s voice rising from within the room. She demanded to know what had happened to her friend, anger sharpening her words.
“Go into the theater. You and one of the others are supposed to take over the watch.” Isaac handed him his ticket in case one of the ushers noticed the different people in the seats.
“I’ll grab someone. Lucky you. You get to leave after half a play.” Leif shook his head.
Chapter Two
Isaac smiled. He didn’t know if it was luck or a curse. They’d find that out after they discovered what this woman was. He took the final step to the door and opened it.
He walked in half expecting to find the woman fighting with the young man, but she stood across from him, glaring. Isaac moved until he stood right in front of her. She turned to face him. He didn’t say a word, merely stared at her. She narrowed her eyes on him. Her blue eyes blazed with anger.
“Who the fuck are you, and why did you have him bring me here? Because neither of you assholes is my sick friend.” She folded her arms across her chest.
Smart girl. He liked a woman with brains. “I am Isaac and you are in our territory. What are you?”
She blinked. Her mouth dropped open. She took a deep breath and her expression flattened.
“Your territory? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.
“Nice try. You can feel us, just as we can feel your power.” He took a slow step forward.
“What I am is none of your business. I’m here to watch a play and meet up with my friends afterward. I’m not disturbing you or anyone else.”
“You are disturbing me. Your presence on our territory is a challenge and an insult.” He stopped right in front of her forcing her to look up at him.
“Do I look like I’m challenging you? If you’re that insulted, I can leave and meet up with my friends on another day.” She tried to step around him.
He glided to the side and stopped her progress to the door. Her lips thinned.
“It’s not that simple, little one. You’re coming with us and you will tell us what you are.” Isaac smiled as she fidgeted
Isaac heard the snick as the door opened, but didn’t turn around to see who entered. He knew it would be Neil. He would want to make sure that the others didn’t play some type of game with him.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. Do you think I’m insane? You could be a killer.” She shook her head from side to side, her deep brown hair flying.
“You are though. Everyone is back in the theater now, and more than a few of the people on staff are with us. They’ll clear the way if we have to carry you out. No one will see you. No one will know where you went.” Neil stepped forward.
She narrowed her eyes. “If I tell you what I am now, can I walk out that door?”
“No, there are other things we need to clear up. We’re leaving now.” Isaac stepped out of her way waiting for her to precede him.
He expected her to make a run for it before they got her to the car. He’d let her attempt it. Showing her that she couldn’t escape them might prevent her from doing anything crazy. Hopefully.
She exhaled loudly and walked out of the door. Her body tensed and he noticed her head turning as she led the way. He lagged two steps behind her as they exited the hallway. He didn’t close the distance between them. He wanted her to make her move. Until she realized a connection existed between them, she needed to know that they could and would keep her with them.
He wasn’t thrilled that they had to kidnap their mate. He’d always thought if he found the woman meant to be his that she would be drawn to them. This woman hadn’t looked at him with anything other than suspicion. He didn’t know if she felt anything for them.
Their pheromones would ensure she wanted them, but he’d like to know that she experienced some attraction to them. Once they got her alone, and this issue of why they abducted her out of the way, they could discover if she felt the pull to them. They had to know what type of being she was, or if she posed a threat.
Her reactions hadn’t proven to be a threat, but he was biased. He wanted to have her in his life. He had a feeling she was young. Her attitude gave him that impression, even more than her looks. Plus, the fact that she came here at all and stayed when she sensed someone with power in the building.
She walked toward the door, her pace slow. Just before she reached it, she ran. She hit the door and ran out, swinging the door back. Isaac put his hand out to keep the door from hitting him. He ran out after her. He caught her on the sidewalk. He swept his arms around her and lifted her off her feet.
She screamed. The sound broke the evening quiet. He put his hand over her mouth. Her teeth sank into his palm. He gritted his teeth, but didn’t pull back. He didn’t want the human authorities involved. Not that he’d let her go if they did come, but it would create a scene they didn’t need.
No one walked in the streets, but people occupied the cafés and stores around the theater. Neil ran ahead to get the car. Isaac moved her to the shadows and tried to make it appear that she accompanied him voluntarily. He
drew her closer and held her as he waited. Heat flared on his arm where her hand covered it as she tried to pull his hand away from her mouth.
The heat increased. He smiled. That ability stirred his interest and did narrow down what she could be.
“You do know your fire won’t hurt one of my kind?” He let the heat seep into him. That warmth soothed and excited him.
She made a sound against his hand. Once they got her into the car, he’d take his hand away to see what she had to say. Now, he couldn’t take the risk. Although some humans knew about them, the majority of them remained in the dark about the different beings walking among them. Humans tended to be reactionary about anything strange.
Neil pulled up to the theater with the car. Isaac had ridden with the women to the theater while Neil had arrived after he finished work. Lucky bastard. That ride to the theater had been pure torture.
Isaac moved her out of the shadows and to the car. Neil had run around to open the back door, and Isaac urged her into the back seat, following behind her. He removed the hand from her mouth to secure the seatbelt around her. He didn’t know what she was, or how resilient her body would be.
“She has the fire within her.” He looked at his palm. No fang marks. The outline of a row of teeth indented his skin.
“How much fire?” Neil asked as he pulled away from the curb.
“Don’t know, but she put out enough to burn a normal person.” Isaac leaned in and inhaled her scent. Even the fragrance drifting off her had a definite scent of other. He picked up a hint of magic and the bite of the fire she’d used on him. She smelled of cinnamon and cream. He wanted to swipe his tongue over her skin to see if that spicy flavor was her distinct flavor or some kind of perfume or lotion.
“Interesting. So far, she’s shaping up to be quite an attractive little bundle. Sweet smelling, too. Nutmeg and cream.” Neil guided the car through traffic, heading out of town along the coastal highway.
Isaac wondered why Neil smelled nutmeg while he smelled cinnamon. He did recall something about a female drawing each of her males to her. When he’d heard that, he’d put it down to pheromones, but it seemed to be more than that. Since her scent couldn’t be more than one thing, it had to be in the way the male sensed it. The female mates scent became something he didn’t want to resist.
They wouldn’t take her to the compound near the cliffs. A stop at one of the isolated beaches would offer a safe place to talk. They could question her there.
In the enclosed space of the car, with just the three of them, she wouldn’t have the distractions. She would respond to their scent.
“I’m Isaac and he is Neil. What’s your name?” He stared down at her.
She seemed to be staring straight ahead, but he knew he had her attention. The muscles of her body tightened. She quivered with repressed anxiety, nervousness, or fear. He didn’t know which emotion caused it. He couldn’t smell panic, but some alarm did leak from her.
“None of your fucking business. Why the fuck is it such a problem that someone is watching a damn play in a theater where you happen to be?” Her hand clenched on her thigh.
“Our territory. We guard our territory. Anyone who comes into it has to pay a price,” Neil said, but Isaac heard the laughter there.
“Yeah, apparently not very well, because I’ve been all over that part of the city and not run into any of you once.” She turned her head and met his eyes.
Challenge burned in dark blue eyes. Her reactions drew his interest. He’d happily meet that challenge today and for the rest of their life—if she didn’t pose a threat.
“You knew about us before you came to the theater, before you trespassed on our territory the first time.” Isaac tilted his head and studied her. It showed a boldness that might make protecting her difficult.
A small smile curved her lips. “I knew about you. Not about your specific territory the first time I trespassed. That was an accident. I didn’t realize there were boundaries, but it was explained. I went again and again and didn’t see any sign of your kind. I did wonder if the restrictions came from an older boundary that the Branal respected, but your people had left.”
By the look in her eyes, she hoped that last jab irritated them. Although she had seen no sign of them, she’d known the Gargoyle lived there. He knew that she lied about that since someone explained the boundaries.
“We’re here and apparently need to patrol more.” Neil shook his head. “You were lucky. Since you knew we were here, do you know what we are?”
“The Gargoyle, origin of the human Gargoyle mythos.” She lifted a shoulder. “It wouldn’t be hard to tell what you are, even if I hadn’t known before.”
“Not so easy to identify you, but a few of things you’ve said and done have given us a few clues. First, you have some fire in you. Second you were with humans in that theater, not those of your kind. I’d bet a good number of your friends are full human.” Isaac tilted his head.
She stared at him. “Perhaps in your focus on me, you missed the others.”
“No, because we didn’t know what you looked like. We followed your power. And we found you, baby. Of course, you could be the slow or lazy example of your kind. Were you supposed to be hiding yourself?” Neil asked.
Isaac recognized the tactic and approved. He wanted to make her angry. She might reveal more if she became upset.
Her mouth tightened. She inhaled and exhaled. Her shoulders relaxed. She wouldn’t be easily goaded. Isaac pushed back, a little disappointment. He’d like to get this out of the way. After they did, they could move on to the important part of the night.
“Well, that settles it. You’re not as good at what you do as you think.” She grinned. “You caught me. How many do you think you missed?”
“None, baby, but you do a nice bravado.” Isaac patted her leg.
He glanced up to see where they were. The car rolled along the highway. He could see the waves crashing against the shore. Soon, they’d turn off the road and get out of the car to confront her.
“You do know that I will be missed? I wasn’t alone. When they can’t find me, they’ll contact the necessary people including the police. You should let me go now. You don’t want to bring that kind of attention on your people. If you did, you would have carried me out of the theater regardless of the people milling around the lobby.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Nice try. If your friends ask about you, they’ll be told you went home when you became sick in the bathroom. If they call afterward to try to find you, well, they won’t get you. You won’t be answering your phone.” Neil said.
Her hand clutched at the purse hanging at her side. She didn’t grab for it, but he knew she had a phone. They would grab it if it rang. In spite of his confidence that she wouldn’t be traced to them from the theater, he didn’t want her talking to anyone yet. Their people would cover for them. Even the car she drove would be moved. The employees there would wait until after the show and find any car left in the lot.
Her people might search for her, but it would take a little time for them to realize she’d disappeared. Not to mention become worried. She looked young. A legal adult, but she had the arrogance of someone who had experienced getting her way. This wouldn’t be the first time she skipped out to do something. They’d give her a day before they panicked.
Neil pulled onto a road that led down to the beach. He parked. Isaac unbuckled her and tugged her out of the car. She tugged her arm free as she stood. He grabbed her wrist. He wasn’t letting her free to run. Niel came around the car and stared at the woman. “You’re Branal, aren’t you?”
Chapter Three
Isaac blinked. That did fit. A group of Branal did live in the city. Although they didn’t interact with the Gargoyle. The Branal also tended to let their children associate with humans much more than Gargoyle did.
For the Branal, the contact didn’t present a problem. Abilities began to grow in their teenage years, but the children had time t
o gather control. Serious training for fighting their enemies didn’t begin until they reached their twenties. Isaac had no idea if she’d finished training, but he thought she should have started, at least.
Gargoyle had to deal with unexpected shifts when in their adolescence and early adulthood. It took time to fully control it. They also had to learn to moderate their strength and control their emotions.
The woman paled. Neil hit the truth. She wouldn’t be a danger to their people. He didn’t know what her people would do when they discovered her location. They hadn’t taken any of the Branal in well over fifty years.
They had an agreement between them which held. The Branal couldn’t take her back without breaking it. This would be the first test of it in a while.
Isaac pulled out his phone and texted the finding to Dante. This might not cause problems, but the beta needed to know about it. Isaac eased closer to her. Now, they would show her she’d find more than questions between them.
“Now are you finished? Are you satisfied that I’m not a threat to your people? Believe me. I’ll stay away from your territory.” She scowled at them.
“It’s not that simple.” Neil shook his head and walked over to stand in front of her.
“It’s not that simple, because you’re being assholes.” The woman shook her head.
“No, we have been called that. This time it’s not the reason. We don’t catch and release.” Isaac grinned. “When we catch a pretty Branal in our territory, we tend to keep them.”
“If you think that I’ll stay with you, you’re out of your mind.” She shook her head.
“We know you’ll try to get away, but you won’t succeed.” He liked her bravado, although it infuriated him that she thought she could walk away. She was theirs. “And there will come a point when you don’t want to leave us.”
“Not happening.” She narrowed her eyes on him. Those orbs glowed with a golden light.
Capturing Their Flame [Stone Passions 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 2