“So, how long have they been on this cathedral then?”
“Longer than my time here, and that of Father O’Brien who served before me. That is all I know. Why do you ask such questions?”
“I’m just curious.”
“This is more than a mere curiosity, but whatever reason you seek them, I will not pry,” he said. “The world is more complicated by that which we see and that which we cannot. Hope is light in the darkness, and they are such hope.”
I halted. My mind scrambling. We walked in silence the rest of the way up the staircase, to the rooftop access door. As it opened, I stepped out onto the dirt laden roof. The wind swept across my face with a crisp sting.
“Why does one of them have painted eyes, and the others don’t?” I asked, turning back to face the priest.
His eyes betrayed no secrets. Nor did his body language or reaction to the question.
“Why don’t you ask him,” he said, pointing up to the sky. “He knows all.”
I didn’t answer.
“I’ll be downstairs, if you need me.”
I nodded. The priest turned his back to me, and the door closed behind him. I made a beeline for the gargoyle statue with green painted eyes. I stopped beside the perched stone figure. Huge muscular arms folded across its chest; long claws tipped from its strong-looking fingers. Its wings, almost double my height, tucked behind its back. I leant around, peering at its face, and froze.
It was a different statue.
The eyes were greyish stone. This one had curved horns and a protruding bottom lip. My brow furrowed. I stared over at the opposing corner to where the green-eyed gargoyle now crouched.
They’d switched corners.
I remained unmoved for a minute, puzzled with confusion. How the hell did they do that?
Unless they were real, it was impossible.
Taking small, quiet breaths, I walked towards the opposing corner. The statue, once again, grew to its almighty stature. Crouched, with its hands and chin resting atop the sword. Dark grey, cold looking, and terrifying.
I stepped closer and placed my hand on its wrist. The harsh coldness stung. A shudder shook me. Fixed on its green painted eyes, there was a strangeness to them last time, and this time was no different.
If they were real, one of them would know about Ruth. Her eyes weren’t human.
With a deep sigh, I looked out over the city. It really was a beautiful spot. Estermoor was a pretty city surrounded by snow peaked ranges of mountains in the distance beyond the buildings and houses. The purple flowers of the many Jacaranda trees in magnificent bloom danced in the swaying wind, and the fallen petals swept along the gutters.
“Hi, it’s me again, Danielle Stone. Remember I told you that my grandmother’s sister, Ruth, disappeared after seeing one of you in the cemetery. Well, she’s back and talking like a crazy person. I’m concerned not so much for my safety, but that of my grandmother. Ruth mentioned the name Radu. If you are real, you will be acquainted with that name, and according to legend, you protect humans from evil. I don’t know if you or Radu are real, but Ruth does, and her eyes are anything but human. Pitch black. When I look into them it’s like they are sucking my soul from me.”
A stillness filled me. In the chaos of my thoughts and endless questions, a singular clear notion silenced all else.
Jay.
“I think my best friend is a werewolf.” I scoffed a laugh. It sounded ridiculous but I had to tell someone.
My throat tingled. My stomach sunk. The revelation seemed right; my instincts agreed. But I was troubled. After everything, did he not trust me with his secret?
It didn’t matter that he’d kissed my neck because this was bigger. Last night when I’d jumped from the car, I must’ve scared him. Thinking I was hurt. That would account for his outburst. Even the vein in his neck had throbbed.
Wolves – real ones – by nature were protective animals. Thanks to Animal Planet for that little gem. But Jay had protected me most of my childhood, and the last few years. I hadn’t asked him to, he just had. Even when I used to in the playground as a child, or trip playing sports, he’d be right there, patching me up.
In the deafening silence, my mind raced. Oh, shit. Hell must’ve just frozen over.
Fuck. How had I not seen it? Lying about sleeping with Mac. Tattling on me to Velkan, hoping the craziness of it would scare him away.
He liked me.
Of course. It hit me like a grenade. My world blowing apart. The moment between Velkan and Jay last night – that had been about me. A hard lump formed in my throat. My stomach churning with sickly intent.
That big, beautiful man, I called my friend, was jealous.
Shit. What a mess. My head bowed. It was so obvious.
As I lifted my eyes, I stilled. A small head poked out from behind the opposing statue, then disappeared just as quickly. I blinked several times. My breath caught in my throat.
“Hello?” I called.
The head appeared again and bobbed back down. It was small, colourful, and had wings on its back.
I walked with caution towards the corner. As I approached the statue, I peered around behind it, expecting to see whatever it was, but nothing was there. I looked around the statue from the other direction. Nothing.
With my hands placed on my hips, I turned in all directions, scanning for the small creature. It was real. Wasn’t it?
45
I didn’t like this one bit. Under the circumstances prior to yesterday, I wouldn’t have hesitated calling Jay to come and walk home with me. But now… Fuck. I didn’t want to.
This was a lesson. I shouldn’t have relied on him all these years.
Darkness crept in sooner than I’d expected. Six blocks from home, I glanced backwards and forth along the footpath, it was empty. I was alone. Lingering around me, creeping closer, in the uncertainty of the dark, something strange loomed in the air tonight.
A cold deadness filled my gut. My instinct screamed at me. Feelings cast aside, who was I kidding? I needed him.
I rang Jamie’s phone.
But there was no answer.
I continued walking in the direction of home, along the deserted streets, as rubbish scurried in the gentle breeze.
It didn’t add up. I understood how Radu and gargoyles were connected. But how did Ruth fit in?
At the end of the block, I stood, waiting for a safe time to cross the road. I tried to clear my mind and gazed up at the night sky. The stars were no longer visible. A heavy mist lingered along the tops of the buildings.
Ice chilled my veins.
A shadowy figure moved on top of the building across the road. Hidden in the dark.
Deciding not to cross the road, and tempt fate, I turned left, my legs carrying me as fast as they could go without breaking into a run. My breathing hitched, puffs echoing in my ear.
I glanced over my shoulder. But whoever it was, was gone. This wasn’t good.
I tried Jay again, but still no answer.
46
Mid-run, heading back to the city, wind brushing through my fur, I scaled down the final mountain side when my heart filled with ice. The foul odour that suffocated the air, overpowered the sweet aroma of honeysuckle - Stone’s blood.
Demon.
For a split second my vision glazed. Something was wrong. I halted but with too much momentum behind me, I went tumbling down.
Aching but uninjured, I shook my fur, and stood. Morphing back to human form as Dassies appeared beside me.
“Can you smell that?” I asked.
Dassies lifted his snout to the sky and inhaled. “Yes, I can.”
A sinking dread was too prevalent to shake off. Stone was in trouble. What the fuck was she up to now?
My hands flexed unable to contain my wolf.
My body swelled upwards, and within seconds my wolf was free, and in charge. Ears pricked high, fur bristled, lips curled back, teeth bared.
Planting my paw readily, I glanc
ed to my side, Dassies’ wolf was covered in short, light brown fur, with longer tuffs of fur on the sides of his face, and elbows. It was ironic that his wolf donned a long ponytail when he was bald in human form.
In wolf form most of us stood between eight and nine feet tall. Not only did we gain height, but our bodies and muscles expanded. Some wolves wore armour, like Dassies, but no two wolves were alike.
A searing fury flooded me. With a snapping snarl, I sprinted into the city on all fours.
47
Block after block, I hurried, my eyes scanning all around me. My skin tingled. An uneasy frost settled on my back. It wasn’t a comfort that I couldn’t see anyone following me. Because something or someone was lingering.
Two blocks down, four to go.
My ears pricked.
Clack… Clack…
Footsteps sounded on the footpath. They were close.
Not stopping, I glanced back over my shoulder, but no one was there. My pulse thumped in my ears.
Clack… Clack…
Two more footsteps. Louder this time.
Ahead, the fog had swooped down and skirted around the buildings, the footpath disappearing beneath the thick white veil. Panic tried to paralyze me, but a heated flush of adrenaline pushed me to continue walking. The palms of my hands moistened with a cold sweat. I dialled Jamie’s phone again.
Come on damn it, pick up, pick up, pick up.
No answer. Shit.
Clack… Clack…
The footsteps hit the pavement in pairs. I darted across the road, and into the fog. Two blocks to go. My eyes pierced forward; the faint ambiance of a streetlight glowed like a yellow dimmed orb above me.
I stopped. The footsteps sounded in front of me. I tried to retrace my steps in retreat, but my feet wouldn’t budge. My mind was short-circuiting with rampant fear. Another shot of adrenaline pulsed through me, getting me physically ready to fend off an attack or the impending threat. Fuck what do I do? I scrambled to think of someone else to call. My mind drawing a blank. Jay was my only hope.
But as I went to dial, Velkan’s name was in my recent calls. Should I? I paused for two seconds, biting my lip. Fuck it. I knew I’d regret bringing him into this craziness, but I needed someone to answer. I tried Velkan’s number this time.
Fuck. No answer. Where were these guys?
Clack… Clack…
It was so close; the sound rang in my ears like I was surrounded. Backing up off the footpath, I pressed my back hard against the brick building. There was nowhere to run.
“Ah, there you are, Miss Stone,” a low husky male voice said from within the fog.
Trembling, my name caught me off guard. A grim looking figure appeared. Scruffy grey, unkept hair shadowed his face.
The footfalls ceased as he stopped within a metre of me. Cold grey-blue eyes met mine. The librarian.
“Maurice?” I said, unsure if relief was due. My gut instinct screamed caution. “You gave me such a fright. What are you doing here?”
“I was looking for you. I went to your apartment, but you weren’t home, so I was on my way back to the library now.”
“How do you know where I live?”
“You have a library card; your address is on file,” he said.
“Why were you looking for me?” I inquired. It was late, dark, and a little creepy.
“I wanted to tell you that I’ve located those missing newspapers with the articles about Ruth and Claire.”
“Really?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Where did you find them?”
“They had been misfiled.”
“Did you bring them with you?”
“No, they’re back at the library. You can accompany me if you like, I’m headed there now.”
“But the library is closed.” And it is in the other direction. Alarm bells sounded in my head.
The cold edge to his aged features matched his chilled demeanour. It seemed rather unusual that he would make a house call or go to so much trouble for this. It heightened my suspicion.
“Oh, no, don’t worry about that, I have keys.” He smiled. A harrowing flicker of light dashed across his eyes.
I wanted to see those newspapers, but I wasn’t naïve enough to go with a stranger at this time of night. His stature wasn’t intimidating, the look in his eye was something more, unnatural even.
“Can I come by tomorrow?” I asked.
“No,” he said in a raised voice, then cleared his throat. “I mean, no dear, the archives are closed tomorrow. Renovations.”
Renovations?
A gust of wind lashed me from the side. A swooping sound surrounded me. My eyes darted to my right. Maurice appeared unphased by the sound. I squinted into the darkness of the fog. My heart stopped and sunk to my stomach. It was hard to make out, but a very tall figure, with broad… wait, were those wings? No…
Every sound around me blocked out by my frantic breathing, and the pounding in my chest. A bead of glacial sweat trickled down my brow. My body tensed. Ice burnt my veins.
Two red eyes appeared in the fog.
48
Gabriel’s heart raced, and not from his own energy expenditure. It was her. Anger tore through him. He could feel her presence close. Their heartbeat louder than ever before. Focusing on that, it had led him here.
He landed with ease atop the building. Shadows from the neighbouring one, hiding him from the keen eye. Tucking his wings behind his back, he morphed back to his human form.
Below an unnatural fog filtered through the streets. His eyes scanned for that which he searched. Worry filled him with a slight sickening churn in his gut. Radu was taunting them, and the demon in the city had not made her move yet. Unrest suffocated the air like a toxic gas.
Going rigid, his breath caught in his throat. Two flickering green eyes stared at him.
Danielle Stone.
Hauntingly beautiful.
On the footpath across the road from him.
He stepped back into the shadows. A question at the forefront of his mind - why had she come to the rooftop twice in one week? Gabriel had heard her every word. The first time, she’d sounded hopeful, but scared. But now, there was real fear in her voice. Even their daylight guardians had noticed the change in her voice and emerged from the cracks in the rock, to watch her.
Pooka they were called. Magical dragon-like faery. Bodies of vibrant coloured dragon scales, and tails ending in the shape of a leaf. Despite their micro size, they were powerful and fierce creatures. They had turned to the gargoyles a long time ago when they were hunted near extinction.
If she were in danger like she’d said, he would watch from the shadows. He could never want her or encourage her to seek him out. For now, she was just a mere human woman and having any physical contact with her was forbidden when the pact with Kharachne was bound. To ensure the devil never walked on the earth’s plane again.
Death in stone. Gabriel shuddered. The words haunted him.
She might be a healer but that was yet to be confirmed. Until then he would keep searching for the woman whose blood filled the air.
He turned his attention back to where she stood no longer. The rapid fluttering in his chest sent a tingling sensation through him. The scent of honeysuckle potent. If Radu had led them to her, then it was more than likely, she was the one. That would explain why he was drawn to her.
A touch of foulness wafted past him. A blaze of fury beamed through his eyes. In a roar of contorting limbs, Gabriel returned to beast form. Vaulting into the air, he flew into the sky, high above the streets now cloaked in a white blanket.
An orange orb shuffled along the street illuminating the fog, clacking as it went. Another faint sound, the foot falls of a human. Rapid panting and gasps. Gabriel hovered, squinting his eyes. The outlines of two people seen, and the voices spoken. Oh no, he thought. That voice, it was her… and a demon…
49
I stumbled backwards, falling with an almighty thwap onto my bottom. It was him, th
e thing from the rooftop at Scarecrows that night, and I’m sure I’d seen the same eyes in the alleyway, with wings, and again now… Could it be? A gargoyle?
“Get up dear, it’s time to go now,” Maurice said, holding out his hand to help me up.
“I wouldn’t do that, if I was you,” a deep male voice warned.
I pulled my hand back. The red eyes and figure had disappeared. What appeared from the fog, wasn’t a monster at all, but a man. My mouth parted open.
He walked with flawless precision towards Maurice. Rough around the edges, but his beauty was so raw, so pure. With long brown hair, imperfectly straight; and enigmatic green irises. There was a hardness to him, like he was a warrior from another time, full of strength, and wisdom. Carrying the fierce scars of battle with every stride. His presence exuded a strength unlike any other. There was an inexplicable divinity about him.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
“There you are Grandpa, stop bothering this young lady, it is time to go home,” he said.
“Do not touch me,” Maurice hissed.
“I think it’s time that you went home, miss,” he said, glancing at me, but did a double take. His eyes pierced mine, narrowing, with a deep coldness.
I couldn’t move. My heart thumping like the beat of a techno song. Pulse pounding in my ears. Across the top of my back a coldness settled, with a slight shiver.
His eyes ripped from mine back to Maurice. “Time to go, Grandpa.”
“Take your hands off me.” Maurice struggled beneath the restraint of the man.
They didn’t look anything alike. It was seconds before Maurice gave up resisting. In a split second, his head whipped up.
My blood ran cold. Ice fucking cold. Trembling unconsciously. Unable to blink. Words stuck in my throat. Not even a gasp sounded. Shuffling backwards along the concrete on my bottom. Loose stones and grit pressing into my hands.
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