The Gargoyle Gets His Girl

by Kristen Painter

  Then she scooped Jasper off the window sill and cuddled him like a baby. He put his paws on her chin and yawned, showing her his pink tongue and sharp white teeth. She nuzzled her nose against his. “Who’s a tired kitten?”

  He batted lazily at her hair. She kissed his nose as she carried him into the bedroom.

  Life was good in Nocturne Falls, and while Jasper was a great companion, he wasn’t exactly the man she’d imagined spending the rest of her life with.

  If only her magic worked for herself. She’d make herself a ring just like the one she’d completed for poor lovelorn troll Martin Burnside. A ring to draw love to her.

  But fae gifts didn’t work that way and even if they did, her father had once cautioned her about relying on magic instead of fate.

  She sat on the bed and hugged Jasper a little tighter.

  Fate really needed to hurry up.

  July

  Nick Hardwin drove through the streets of Nocturne Falls with one thought on his mind. This place was the epitome of a nice, peaceful town. Sure, it had dashes of weird here and there, but it was still essentially a nice, peaceful town.

  In other words, boring as hell.

  There were no two ways about it. For a gargoyle and former Army Ranger like Nick Hardwin, nice and peaceful translated into a real snoozefest. Granted, that had originally seemed like the perfect antidote to his last tour of duty, and that, plus the invite from his former master sergeant, Hank Merrow, who was the sheriff of Nocturne Falls, had been reason enough to move here.

  Initially, the lack of action had given him a chance to shake off the stressors of being in country and adjust to being a civilian again—as much as his kind could be a civilian. The warrior mentality was sort of built into a gargoyle’s DNA.

  But three months into life in this pleasant, happy little town and he was beginning to go a touch stir crazy from the sort of sameness of it all. Even weird got to be normal when it was the same weird all the time.

  He didn’t expect anything close to the level of battle-readiness he’d experienced while serving in the Rangers, but other than a missing persons/rescue mission he’d helped out with a month or so back, the activity meter had been pegged at zero.

  It was enough to make him consider going back into the field as a private contractor. Mercs made good money and saw plenty of action, but that meant not having a permanent address again. He was tired of the itinerant life. He’d had enough change, enough moving from place to place. Life as a foster kid was nothing like life in the military, but both had made him realize that what he wanted more than anything was a place where he could put down roots and call it home. Make a life. Settle down.

  Find someone to share that life with.

  Problem was, he wanted all that plus enough action to keep him from losing his edge. Something less dangerous than being shot at by insurgents and more interesting than working security at the local supernaturals-only nightclub, Insomnia, which was a pretty ironic name considering so little happened there he could very easily fall asleep on the job.

  Hopefully, that would change today. He had a meeting with Julian Ellingham. The youngest of the three vampire brothers who were part of the family that ran the town, Julian was in charge of the town’s characters—the supernaturals who walked the streets essentially playing themselves. The tourists thought the characters were humans dressed as werewolves, vampires, witches and so on, but truth was, there were no masks or makeup.

  The characters in Nocturne Falls were real.

  The town’s shtick of celebrating Halloween three hundred and sixty-five days a year made the whole thing possible. That gimmick also drove the town’s economy, so while it might be a little cheesy, Nick had no issues with the money it brought in.

  Especially when it meant the supernaturals who lived here could really and truly be themselves. There was no other place like it that Nick knew about.

  So yes, Nocturne Falls was a little on the slow side, but he still liked it here. The living was good. He’d bought a house, for crying out loud. Him. With a house. And the people here were great. He’d made a few friends. Fallen into a comfortable routine.

  He sighed. Comfortable was really another word for boring.

  But there was no more time to think about that. He pulled into the parking lot of the only condominium building in the town limits, the Excelsior. It sat between the downtown area and the old industrial park, which was where the Insomnia nightclub was hidden away in an old gasket factory.

  The Excelsior was five floors, a skyscraper by Nocturne Falls’ standards, and Nick got the sense that the elite building had been specifically built for Julian, its wealthiest tenant. Nick parked his Ford F150 pickup truck and strode through the front door. Inside was a small foyer with a bell desk.

  The man behind the desk straightened as Nick came toward him. “Can I help you, sir?”

  The guy seemed human, which wasn’t what Nick had been expecting. “I’ve got a meeting with Julian Ellingham.”

  “Your name, sir?”

  “Nick Hardwin.”

  The man nodded. “Just a moment.” He made a quick call, nodding as he let whoever was on the other end know that Nick had arrived. Then he hung up. “Mr. Ellingham will see you. Elevator to the penthouse is on your right.”

  “Thanks.” Another elevator to the left most likely served the other apartments. In an alcove beside the elevator bank, a glass door led into a fitness center. An indoor pool sat farther back, behind another glass wall. The place was macked out, that was for sure.

  The ride up was quick, and when the doors opened, Nick was greeted by a small foyer. Glass, chrome, black marble and an enormous statute of some half-naked Roman goddess done in cobalt glass. Pure bachelor pad. But then, Julian wasn’t known to spend a lot of time without female company. Nick grinned as he lifted his hand to knock.

  Julian answered the door before Nick’s knuckles grazed it. He smiled, showing off fangs. “You’re on time.”

  “If I say I’m going to be somewhere at a certain time, I’m there.” But maybe Julian had expected him to be late, which might explain why the vampire was dressed in nothing more than satin pajama pants, a matching robe and a silver link chain that held a coin-sized pendant.

  “Time is not something I think much about.” Julian let the door swing wide and walked back into the penthouse. He waved a hand over his shoulder. “Come in.”

  The interior matched the foyer but upped the ante with fabric-covered walls, hidden ambient lighting and leather furniture that probably cost more than Nick had made last year. The vampire had game. “Nice place.”

  “Thanks.” Julian tapped a button on the wall, and the window shades went halfway up, revealing a sheer panel that diffused the outside light. It was common knowledge that the Ellinghams had some kind of ability that made them impervious to daylight, but the fact that Julian didn’t open the windows all the way made Nick wonder if they didn’t still have some sensitivity. “Coffee? Water?”

  “No, thanks, I’m good.” Nick didn’t want to risk spilling a drink on something he couldn’t afford to replace.

  Julian sprawled in the middle of a large square leather and chrome loveseat, pointing at the matching sofa as he sat. “Make yourself comfortable.”

  Nick sat, but making himself comfortable in a place like this wasn’t really an option. It was like a showroom out of a magazine, but not the kind of dwelling he could ever imagine calling home.

  Julian hooked one arm over the back of the loveseat. “You come highly recommended by Sheriff Merrow.”

  Nick nodded, his hand almost straying to the dog tags he still wore, but they were hidden beneath his shirt. “He was the master sergeant in my battalion.”

  “You spent time in Afghanistan. Special forces.”

  It wasn’t a question, but Nick answered anyway. “Army Rangers. Two tours. I met Sheriff Merrow during the first one. He retired after that. I did four more years.”

  Something dark sparked i
n Julian’s eyes. “That much time in the desert sounds like a nightmare to me, which means I probably appreciate your service more than the average citizen.”

  Nick shrugged. “As you know, I’m a gargoyle. Not much affects us. Not heat, not cold, not daylight—I mean…” Crap.

  Julian laughed. “And as you know, daylight isn’t something the Ellinghams have trouble with either. Doesn’t necessarily mean I want to spend time at the beach, though.”

  Nick grinned, glad to be let off the hook. “Understood.”

  “You moved around a lot in the military, so I’ll ask you the same thing I asked Sheriff Merrow when we first interviewed him. Where do you see yourself in five years?”

  “Here. In Nocturne Falls.” Maybe married. Maybe with kids. He almost smiled again at the thought. He straightened and pulled himself back to reality. Julian was looking for someone stable, that much Nick knew. They liked to hire long term if they could help it. That’s what Merrow had told him. “So long as I can find something to do that’s a little more interesting than standing around Insomnia all night waiting for the fights that never happen.”

  “You’re committed to being here then?”

  “I am. I bought a house. I want to make it work.”

  “Good. We can help with that. As you know, I’m in charge of the town’s characters.”

  Inwardly, Nick grimaced. “I’m not exactly the right sort of supernatural for photo ops with the kiddies. Unless you want me to scare them. I know what I look like.” The close-cropped hair, his size, the scar that bisected his right eyebrow.

  Julian’s lips twitched with humor. “I never ask anyone to be anything they’re not. You’ll never see a witch doing a werewolf’s job. And I’m not looking to fill that kind of position anyway. Not exactly. Sort of. But not.” He sighed. “We’ve had a few incidents lately—the one with my new sister-in-law, Delaney, for example.”

  Nick nodded. He liked Delaney. She was good people. “I was happy to help with that search and rescue.”

  “And it was appreciated. Also how I found out about you. Fortunately, she was unharmed. Since you’re friends with Hank Merrow, I assume you know about his wife being poisoned as well?”

  “I do.” Another nice woman. He’d gone to Hank and Ivy’s wedding reception, where more craziness had broken out, but all that had been resolved now, too, and Hank and his bride were as happy as could be. “A couple of rogue members of her pack who didn’t want the marriage to happen.”

  “Exactly.”

  Lots of happy couples in Nocturne Falls. That gave him hope.

  Julian shifted to lean forward. “Because of this, we’ve decided to add a nightshift at the town center fountain. Right now we have three gargoyles who rotate work at the fountain from eight A.M. to ten P.M. What we need is someone who can take the night shift, not so much as a character but as a set of watchful eyes. Anything that looks suspicious, we want to know about it.”

  “Sounds like a good idea, but don’t you have security cameras in place?”

  “We do, but they’re no substitute for having someone on the scene. Someone who can react, if necessary.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Obviously, we need a gargoyle, which means you fit the job requirements without even trying. Add to that your military background, and you’ve got the kind of training that makes you ideal for this new position. We’d like to offer you the job. It’s not glamorous, and I realize the hours will probably cut into your social life—”

  “I already work nights at Insomnia.”

  “So you do.” Julian nodded as if he’d forgotten that, but Nick doubted it. “Regardless, the night shift is typically considered less desirable. Because of that, we’re willing to compensate with a very good package. About four times what I understand most Rangers make. And of course, full benefits, medical, paid vacations, annual cost of living raise. The usual town employee package.”

  Damn. Nick hadn’t expected that much. He sat for a moment, letting Julian’s offer sink in. Part of him wondered if this was some kind of reward for helping out with Julian’s sister-in-law, but Nick hadn’t done more than be part of the search team. Whatever the reason, it was a great offer. He sat there silently, taking it all in.

  Julian apparently read that as reluctance. “You won’t have to work all seven nights, either. We’re going to shift some of the other schedules around. You’ll have two nights off a week. We’re not trying to work you into the ground.”

  “It sounds…great.”

  “And you sound hesitant.”

  “It’s still technically a character position, right?”

  Julian nodded. “You’re worried about having to talk to tourists?”

  “A little. I tend to say what I think.”

  “Have you ever been to the fountain?”

  “Been by it. Never interacted.” Because talking to other gargoyles who were supposed to be animatronic characters was pushing cheesy to a whole new level.

  Julian smiled. “Insults and snark are part of the game. Or can be, if that’s what the situation calls for. Either way, we’re fine with that. People don’t expect the gargoyles to be warm and cuddly.”

  “Good, because we’re damn sure not,” Nick blurted out.

  Julian snorted. “Point made. Are you interested?”

  Nick hesitated. “Yes.”

  “You still have reservations.”

  “I can do surveillance in my sleep. It’s the character thing I get hung up on, but if you’re willing to let me try, I’ll do my best.”

  “That’s all we care about. And frankly, the surveillance part is far more important to us.”

  “Then I’m your gargoyle. I really do want to make Nocturne Falls my home.”

  “Excellent, because you’re the kind of supernatural we want living here. There’s just one more thing.”

  Nick waited.

  For the first time, Julian seemed a little off his game. “I need to, uh, see you in your…” He waved his hand. “As a gargoyle.”

  Nick grinned. “Heard that some of us can be pretty scary, huh?”

  “Yes. And since it’s the form you’ll be in during your shift, I need to know what it looks like. Scaring the kiddies is one thing. Scarring them for life is another.”

  Nick stood. His human form was nothing compared to his stone one. Nerves tripped through him. This could kill the deal, but wasn’t like he could change who he was. “If the kiddies are out during the night shift, maybe they deserve to be scared.”

  Julian laughed as he got to his feet. “I won’t argue that, but the town council likes things a certain way.”

  “Sure, I get it.” He went to stand in the open space between the living room and the foyer. Shifting in front of someone was a little odd, but his future boss had a right to know what he looked like. “Ready?”

  Julian was already facing Nick. He lounged against the arm of the loveseat. “Ready.”

  Nick bent his head, took a split second to concentrate, then shifted, the surge of energy crackling through him lightning fast. The sensation of flesh becoming living stone reminded him of that moment when a rollercoaster plunged down the first steep incline, but it was over just as fast.

  Julian let out a soft curse and straightened. Nick lifted his head in time to see the vampire’s eyes glowing with an animalistic light. Julian swallowed as he nodded. “You’re a big guy, but I didn’t think you’d be that much bigger as a gargoyle.”

  “Yeah,” Nick said, his voice rumbling out with the gravel that was now his throat. “I’m one of the rarer leviathan-class gargoyles.” He flexed his stone wings for good measure. “Too much or okay?”

  A curious expression bent Julian’s mouth, and his eyes narrowed even as his gaze skipped over the horns protruding from Nick’s shoulders and forehead. “How many classes are there?”

  “Five. Leviathan is the largest.” Nick frowned. It was possible he was too big for the job. Or too ugly. Maybe Julian thought he’d scare people.
>
  Julian squinted like he was thinking. “Huh. You learn something new every day.”

  “You didn’t answer my question. Too much or okay?”

  “No and yes. You’re perfect. In fact, I might have to give Merrow a raise for recommending you.” Julian stuck his hand out. “Meet me at the corner of Eerie and Main at nine thirty tonight, and I’ll show you everything you need to know.”

  An hour after opening her shop, Willa sat at the counter, a velvet tray in front of her. The tray held a beautiful old strand of pearls to be restrung, along with the tools she’d need to do the job. Restringing was easy work, a little monotonous, but not in a bad way. She liked the neatness of adding the knots between each pearl, the satisfaction of giving new life to an old piece. And pearls offered her a nice break from the usual, because being neither stone nor metal, they stayed silent in her hands.

  She admired the thickness of the nacre and the creamy luster of the strand. The pearls were well cared for, fat and gorgeous, the way South Sea pearls should be, but that was no surprise as they belonged to Elenora Ellingham, grandmother to the three Ellingham brothers and the matriarch of the family. With the Ellinghams’ money and history, it was a given that these pearls were very old and very valuable.

  Willa spooled out a length of silk thread about five times that of the necklace, then slipped one end through her beading needle before adding a section of French wire to strengthen the area where the necklace would attach to the end of the diamond clasp.

  She looped the thread through, tightened it until the French wire crunched down into a perfect little loop and finished attaching the clasp. Now she was ready to restring the pearls.

  Her tablet chimed with an incoming message. She glanced over from her work and rolled her eyes as she read the notification that popped up on the screen. Martin Burnside again.

  It was great that he was so happy with the ring she’d made him, but this was the seventh email since he’d taken delivery of it. She didn’t need to know the play by play of his ongoing search for the new Mrs. Burnside.