The Gargoyle Gets His Girl

by Kristen Painter

  She set the tray of pearls beneath the counter and grabbed her tablet to pull up the message.

  Sweet, sweet Willa,

  She grunted out a noise of irritation. This guy was too much.

  I know now that the woman I need in my life is you. I know this is sudden, but I feel it in my heart. It’s meant to be. I think about you constantly. Please, let’s meet and talk about the possibilities. I know I can make you happy.

  Yours,

  Martin Burnside

  Willa stared at the email, her mouth open. “Are you kidding me?” When she’d asked fate to hurry up, this was not what she’d had in mind.

  “What?” Ramona, one of her two employees, looked up from where she was straightening chains in a display case.

  “Nothing,” Willa answered. But a shivery feeling passed through her. This was nuts. And borderline creepy. She had to nip this in the bud, pronto. She sent a quick email back.

  Mr. Burnside,

  I appreciate your interest, but I’m already seeing someone. The ring I designed for you will do its job if you just give it time.

  All the best,

  Willa Iscove

  She hit send. Sure, it was a lie, but the man lived in Arkansas. Wasn’t like he could check up on her and see if she really was dating someone. Whatever. Her reply should be the end of it.

  His response came less than an hour later.

  Willa,

  You have to understand, I am the man for you, just like you are the woman for me. Whoever you’re seeing, he isn’t the guy you’re meant to be with. I am. I know this in my heart. Please meet me. Please. I know that if I could just talk to you in person, you’d see things the same way.

  Yours,

  Martin

  “Okay, this is too much.” Fed up, she sent him a reply. A last reply.

  Mr. Burnside,

  I am not interested in meeting you. Please respect my decision and consider this the end of the matter. I do.

  Willa Iscove

  If that didn’t put an end to things, she wasn’t sure what her next step would be, but she’d figure that out when and if it became necessary. She went back to the pearls, putting the finishing touches on them a half hour later. Leaving Ramona to watch the front, Willa went into her office workshop to call Elenora and let her know the job was done. Jasper, who always came to work with her, was sprawled on her desk on top of the book she used to log in jobs. His head was upside down and his paws were in the air.

  “Um, I hate to interrupt your very important nap, seeing as how you only had eighteen hours of sleep yesterday, but I’m trying to make a living here.”

  He didn’t budge.

  She wiggled her log book out from under him. He rolled to one side, stretched his back legs until his toes spread, then blinked sleepily up at her. “Yes, I know I disturbed you. I’ll make it up to you later with catnip.”

  She called Elenora and left a message about the pearls being ready with Alice, her assistant. After Willa hung up, she checked her email, unable to help herself.

  Nothing but a notice from one of her suppliers about a new selection of rubies that had come in. She smiled. Maybe that was the end of Mr. Burnside after all. Poor guy. It was kind of flattering that he’d somehow thought she’d be interested, but really, the man had been married for thirty-five years. He was clearly too old for her.

  And a troll, which wasn’t the worst match up Willa could think of, but trolls and fae were very different species. Yes, they had the whole children of the earth thing going on, but trolls were a rough lot, given to fighting and feats of strength and the kind of boisterous behavior best suited for monster truck rallies and Renaissance fairs.

  She squinted at the computer. For a troll, Mr. Burnside’s emails had seemed…very untroll-like. Probably him trying to sound sophisticated enough to impress a fae woman.

  Nice try, still a fail.

  The fae were a gentler kind of people who focused more on beauty and intelligence rather than brute strength and who could throw a tree the farthest. And while they might occasionally show up at a Ren fest, they were more likely to be part of a crafters guild than involved in the mud-wrestling show.

  She knew that much firsthand because she’d made her way for several years working the Ren fest circuit before she’d landed the gig with the cruise ship. She’d loved it, really. Moving from town to town, following the festivals through the country. She’d never been one to stay in the same place for too long. It was the best way she knew to avoid trouble.

  She stared at the computer screen, a thought flashing through her head. If Mr. Burnside showed up, like actually showed up, here, in town, she might have to move.

  No, she couldn’t do that. Not again. She was an adult now. Plus, she’d never find another town as great as Nocturne Falls, or another opportunity this good. Leaving would mean giving up her shop, her friends, the life she’d finally built for herself.

  She shook her head, laughing at her own silliness. She wasn’t about to let a troll run her off.

  But the thought remained in the back of her head. Taking off was so easy. She’d done it plenty of times. Doing it again would be no big deal.

  So long as she didn’t mind leaving everything behind.

  Nine twenty-nine rolled around, and Nick was already on the corner of Eerie and Main, the street bustling with tourists out for an evening stroll. Julian had yet to show up, so Nick leaned against one of the street lamps and waited.

  Why Julian had wanted to meet here, Nick wasn’t sure. The fountain was two blocks away.

  A few of the women going by shot subtle and some not so subtle looks of appreciation at him. He got it. He was in good shape, sported a few tattoos, and wasn’t wearing a ring. For a lot of women, those were the right checked boxes. Enough that they didn’t care he was rough around the edges. Or maybe that was part of the appeal. Either way, he didn’t let it go to his head. Looks faded. Time passed. People left.

  Life was a fickle thing.

  A group of twenty-somethings came along next. The woman in the center of the group sported a tiara and white sash that read Bride. Nocturne Falls was a popular spot for bachelor and bachelorette parties, and this group of bachelorettes looked like they’d made a good start to their evening’s alcohol consumption wherever they’d had dinner. Tipsy and giggly, they all smiled at him as they walked past.

  He gave them a polite nod but nothing too encouraging. He wasn’t interested in a human woman. He needed another supernatural. Someone he could be himself around. Someone who could handle who he really was. Anything less would be unfair to both parties.

  “Hello, ladies.”

  Julian obviously didn’t share that ideal.

  The vampire grinned, and the women twittered at the sight of his fangs. He was dressed in one of his usual work uniforms: black velvet frock coat, lace-cuffed white shirt open to the third button. A slick of glitter on his chest. With his fangs and slightly glowing eyes, he made the perfect stereotypical vampire. Exactly what the female tourists wanted. The women clamored for pictures with him, but he held up a hand. “I’m afraid I can’t right now, ladies, I have an appointment to keep. Maybe I can find you afterwards. Where are you headed?”

  “Howlers,” they all said in unison. The local tavern was a popular spot. If only the tourists knew it really was a werewolf bar.

  “Very good. I’ll come see you there.” He kissed the bride-to-be’s hand and was rewarded with another round of giggles and wistful sighs.

  Nick almost rolled his eyes but then reminded himself that Julian was now his boss. Best to keep any commentary to himself.

  With an appreciative glance, Julian watched the women leave. His gaze stayed on them as he walked toward Nick. He stopped and sighed. “I do hate to disappoint the ladies.”

  “I’m sure you’ll make it up to them.”

  “At least one of them.” He waggled his brows. “Two if they’re game.”

  Unsure how to respond to that, Nick stayed si
lent.

  Julian just laughed. “If you’re ready to start your first night, follow me.”

  “I am.”

  Julian went a short way down Eerie, then turned and went through a tall wooden gate between two shops. Beyond that gate was a steel door complete with keyless entry. Julian dug a keycard out of his pocket and handed it to Nick. “Wave that in front of the scanner and see if it works, otherwise I’ll have to get you a new one.”

  Nick ran the card past the scanner. A soft click sounded, and the door popped open a half inch.

  “Perfect,” Julian said. He pulled the door wide and started down a flight of stairs. “Make sure you shut it behind you.”

  Nick followed, pulling the door closed. A mechanism caught on the last inch and latched it firmly. He jogged after Julian.

  Julian stopped at the bottom and turned, arms wide. “Welcome to the Basement. This area is only for town employees with approved access, of which you are now one. Through this series of underground passageways, you’ll make your way to and from the fountain stage when you’re working.”

  “This is how you hide things from the tourists.” The stairs ended at a long, well-lit hall. Easily wide enough to drive a truck through and still allow foot traffic on one side. There were painted lanes that seemed to designate that very thing. Solid construction, soundproof even to a supernatural’s ears…the whole setup was very impressive.

  “Exactly. We borrowed the idea from Disney.” Julian gestured to a directional placard on the wall. Arrows pointed in both directions, the fountain and something called the depot were to the right and City Hall was to the left. “As you can see, the fountain is north.”

  “I had no idea something like this existed beneath the town.”

  “Not many do, but that’s on purpose.” Julian waved his fingers. “Keeps the magic alive.” He tipped his head toward the fountain. “Come on, this is only the beginning.”

  More signs indicated the streets above them. Two blocks down and they arrived at a set of steel double doors. Julian pointed at the scanner above the handles. “Your card.”

  Nick flashed his card, which opened the door. They went in, the enormous room before them housing the pumps and filters that ran the fountain. The smell of chlorine filled the air and here and there, an odd water drop fell from one of the pipes. The soft rush of water through the pipes and the pumps that kept the water flowing cast a blanket of sound over the whole space. A bank of lockers sat on the other side of the door.

  Over the hum of the water and the equipment, Nick nodded at what looked like a large open freight elevator. “What’s that?”

  “That’s the lift that raises and lowers the stage, which is the platform you’ll be on for your shift. Use the lockers for any personal items. We prefer you not have a cell phone go off while you’re up there. Your key card will open one of the lockers, then it will be synced to your card so only you have access to it again.”

  “Got it. I’ll stow my stuff now.” Nick put his wallet and cell phone into the first empty locker, then came back to stand by Julian.

  The vampire checked his watch. “Maxim should be coming down any minute now. As soon as he does, I’ll explain the rest of the procedure, and then you’re on.”

  On cue, the chains clanked to life, and the elevator started to move. A large stone pedestal lowered from the ceiling.

  Lower and lower it came, revealing the gargoyle perched on it and a glimpse of the night sky above. At last it clunked to a stop at ground level, and metal plates closed over the open space above it.

  The gargoyle stepped down off the pedestal and stretched, then shook himself. A few seconds later, a man stood before them.

  Julian looked at Nick. “So what class is he?”

  “I’d say titan.” The other gargoyle was large, but not Nick’s size.

  “Is that right, Maxim?” Julian asked. “Are you a titan?”

  “Da,” Maxim said, his Russian accent thick even in that one word. He looked at Nick. “You are new night shift?”

  “I am.” Nick stuck his hand out. “Nick Hardwin.”

  “Maxim Petrov. Is good to meet you.”

  “Maxim has been with the town the longest of all the gargoyles. He was the first one to work this fountain since we redesigned it to accommodate your kind.”

  Maxim shrugged. “What vampire means is I am oldest.” He laughed. “Is okay. Work is good. I like making the children laugh.”

  Something Nick knew he had very little chance of doing. Fortunately, his late-night shift meant he’d have more drunk bachelorettes than inquisitive kids. “Any advice?”

  Maxim pointed at the platform. “Get on. Shift. Push button. Go up.” He lifted one shoulder. “Say hello, answer questions, make small talk. Is no trouble. Is good job.”

  Nick looked at Julian. Maybe he’d been worried about nothing. “Is that really all there is to it?”

  “Besides the surveillance aspect, pretty much. You won’t have as much traffic as the day shifts, but you’ll probably have a slightly rowdier crowd for the first couple of hours. And if they’re really wound up, ignore them. Hell, feel free to ignore all of them if you want.”

  He pointed to a medium-sized gargoyle statue on the other side of the lift. “Before you, we always just put this in place at night so it’s not like people expect the same show they get during standard hours. Really, if you want to just sit there and keep watch, that’s fine. We don’t care either way.”

  That was a relief to Nick. He wanted to make Julian happy, but not having to entertain took a lot of the pressure off. “Okay, so I just get on and shift like Maxim said.”

  “That’s all there is to it.” Julian pointed at a recessed square on the platform. “This is the button that raises and lowers the platform. Position yourself so that one of your feet is on it. Then you can press it without being seen. Remember, as far as the tourists know, you guys are animatronic creatures. Not actual gargoyles.”

  “Who would believe?” Maxim laughed.

  “Exactly,” Julian said as he stepped back to give Nick clear access to the platform.

  “All right then.” Nick climbed onto the stage. He crouched down in a typical gargoyle position, making sure one of his feet was on the button, then he shifted. He barely had two inches of space left around the platform.

  Maxim let out a slow whistle. “Leviathan,” he muttered. “Is rare.”

  Julian’s brows lifted. “So I hear.”

  “Is good.” Maxim nodded. “Is very good.” He looked at Nick. “You will be fine, brother.”

  “Thanks.” To call another gargoyle brother was a show of respect. It took the edge off Nick’s nerves. Made him feel like this was going to work out.

  Maxim went to the lockers and retrieved his things. He checked his phone, then held it up. “I go home now.” He wiggled his brows. “Wife misses me.”

  Julian laughed. “Thanks, Maxim. Have a good night.”

  Nick nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

  As the Russian left, Nick looked at Julian. “I guess that’s it then.”

  “That’s it. If you need anything—or see anything—hit that button and come straight down. You don’t need to explain it to anyone.” Julian jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “That black phone by the door goes straight to a voice-mail system that will connect you to me, my brothers or Sheriff Merrow, any time, night or day.”

  “Got it. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  “I’m sure it will be. Have a good one.” With a short wave, Julian headed for the door. The gleam in his eyes probably had more to do with the waiting bachelorettes than his happiness about Nick being on the job.

  Nick pressed the button with his foot. A small jerk, and the lift started to rise. As soon as the platform was even with the fountain, it stopped.

  Nick settled in. In gargoyle form, he was fairly impervious to weather, so while he knew the night air was pleasant, he couldn’t really feel it, although he could see the wind bending the b
ranches of the trees in the park surrounding the fountain.

  With the stars twinkling in the cloudless sky and the peaceful burbling of the water in the fountain, Nick realized two things. He’d sweated this job unnecessarily.

  And he still hadn’t found the action he’d been hoping for.

  Willa had closed the shop, gone upstairs to her apartment, fed Jasper, then herself (which was the order Jasper preferred) and finally settled on the couch with a glass of wine to watch a little TV.

  As it turned out, everything was in summer reruns and nothing on her DVR seemed that interesting, despite the long lists of shows waiting for her. She flipped around for a movie, finally settling on an old favorite, but even that couldn’t hold her attention. Finally, she grabbed her tablet and flipped through the books in her To Be Read list, but as much as she loved a good romance novel, she wasn’t quite in the mood to be reminded of what she was missing out on.

  Maybe she should get some work done. She logged into her email and heaved out a sigh. Martin Burnside’s emails had not stopped. Instead, her inbox was full with a new assault. There were love poems. She skimmed on and realized it was probably stuff he’d written while drinking a beer. Or maybe, “Your beauty shines like the scales of a speckled trout” was seductive stuff to most female trolls.

  Then there were the links to love song videos on YouTube. And finally there were pictures of the place he wanted to take her on their honeymoon.

  Like she would ever want to spend two weeks at the Burnside family fish camp, complete with his and hers outhouses.

  Ugh. She loved nature, but that kind of roughing it was so not her vibe. She tried to explain how their differences made them incompatible in another clear but gently worded email.

  The effort was wasted. Actually, it made things worse, because his emails continued, taking a decidedly darker turn. One that made her think it might be time to talk to someone about this. But Burnside hadn’t exactly made any threats. Had he? Wanting to meet her, telling her he was the only man for her, asking her what kind of engagement ring she would design for herself, how he wouldn’t be able to live without her…none of those things were really threatening.