by Lane Mason
You have no idea, thought Serena. “My apologies, Lucas will continue as planned.”
Vladimir smiled, and relaxed. “Very good, Serena, I apologize for being abrupt. A hundred years is a long time to wait and plot. I am ready to move on with the plan, but I want it to be perfect. I want all of the humans who know about vampires and shifters dead. Only handfuls are still out there. Make them disappear. Make that Rooney woman disappear first. Americans are the humans that could foil our plans. Killing the Americans who know about our kind is vital.”
19
“Thank you for saving Jeffery, Garg,” Erica said as she stood just below the gargoyle. “I suppose I need to stop calling you Garg, and call you Dante instead, now that I know who you are, or who you were.”
Erica peaked up at Garg, looking to see if he looked any different. Nothing seemed different.
“Assuming you are Dante, and not just a gargoyle, I have something to talk to you about. Dexter, my husband’s partner, the one who had you brought to America, wants to bring more people here. He wants this to become a safe place for shifters and other paranormal refugees to come that are being hunted by the vampires who are trying to kill me.
“It sounds like a good idea to me, but I’m worried. His whole plan depends on you, and other than the mysterious death of those vampires, I haven’t seen much to suggest you are indeed Dante. I want to believe, but I can’t ask others to risk their lives based on a belief. I am already in this. The vampires will come back for me, and you will save me or you won’t. That is beyond my control. However, who else is here is under my control. So until I know you are truly Dante, I will not agree to his plan.”
Erica reached up and put her hand on Garg’s thigh, “Thank you again, for saving Jeffery. It would have devastated me if someone died trying to protect me.”
Erica walked back into the house, she was going to wait a while before letting Dexter know of her decision, but her resolve was strong. The house De Bello would not be a shifter sanctuary, at least not until she knew that Dante was indeed her protector and would do the same for the shifters.
...
Dante was torn. He could easily have spoken to her. Even in his stone form, he maintained the ability for speech. He could also have simply shifted into human form and spoken with her as a man. His intention had been to stay in stone, to maintain a distance, until he had decided if she was worthy of his ongoing protection.
When Erica thanked him for saving Jeffery, it showed her character. She had placed a higher value on Jeffery’s life than her own. Whatever reservations he had about his commitment to being her protector were fast fading. Erica’s comments about using his mansion as a shifter sanctuary were intriguing. He liked the idea of making his home something more than just a residence.
Protecting shifters, or even vampires, from persecution from the extremist vampires appealed to Dante. He was already committed to an eternity of watching and waiting. Perhaps having more bodies to protect was a good thing. This was something he would have to speak to Erica about. This was a project worthy of breaking his silence for.
...
Erica found Jeffery in the garden. “You are looking much better today, Jeffery.”
“Yes, well, I was only smacked on the head. It doesn’t take forever to recover from that,” Jeffery said gruffly.
“Are you hiding out here because of all the visitors wanting to check up on you, or because Terra is still here?” Erica asked.
Jeffery looked up at her big eyed, “Am I that obvious?” He shook his head and put down his gardening tools. “It’s a little of both I suppose. I hate all the attention. I failed to do my duty and don’t need sympathy. As for Terra, she is a werewolf and I am werebear.”
“First, you did not fail. Last I checked, vampires are supposed to be bad ass, so two vampires versus one bear is at a disadvantage. That those vampires were smart enough to trap you means, they were good at what they did. Soldiers die or lose battles all the time, losing a battle is not a failure. Failing to recognize why you lost a battle is failure.”
“When did you become so knowledgeable about war tactics,” asked Jeffery.
“I’m an army brat, I grew up hearing about tactics and battle plans. I couldn’t fight my way out of a paper bag, but I could probably plan a decent assault against this house,” Erica said.
Jeffery gave a small laugh. The idea of Erica leading an assault against the house amused him.
“Now, about the whole werewolf and werebear situation, you better explain that one to me. You can’t tell me you two are not attracted to each other.”
Jeffery sighed. Talking about his love life was worse than discussing his getting beaten by vampires. “Yes, I am very attracted to Terra, but it is complicated. Werewolves are pack creatures. Their family bonds are very strong and they stick together. Bears are more solitude seeking creatures. I want one mate and to spend time with her only.”
“So what you’re saying is that the reason you haven’t made a move on Terra yet is because you don’t want to spend time with her family. Huh, somehow I thought shifter dating would be more complicated than human dating. Let me break it down for you, Jeffie. It doesn’t matter if you are a bear shifter, a wolf shifter, a goat shifter or a human. Love is difficult, and finding someone worthy of your love is always going to come with challenges. Avoiding Terra because you don’t like her family is a mistake. Having to spend some time with her family, okay maybe a lot of time, is worth it. Jesus, Terra is a total hottie, if you don’t go for her I might have to.”
Jeffery raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think she likes your kind.”
“She doesn’t like humans, or doesn’t like women?” Erica said cheekily.
“Nosy,” Jeffery said.
Erica laughed. “I am just looking out for my main man. You risked your life for me, and I care about you. You deserve to be happy. Don’t let a little difficulty stand in the way of something good. You deserve to be happy.”
Jeffery lowered his head, blushing. “Thank you, Erica.”
Erica could see that she was starting to make Jeffery uncomfortable. It had already been the longest and most personal conversation they had had yet, no point pushing too far. “Okay, great talking with you, Jeffie, but I am going to hit the library, grab a juicy romance, and vegetate for a few hours. This girl has had too much excitement that last few days.”
“I think we all have had too much excitement,” Jeffery said.
20
After reading her novel, Erica went into the kitchen searching for supper. She found Jeffery there chatting with Terra. Erica was surprised.
Terra greeted Erica warmly, “Hello, again. Jeffery was just finishing up supper while I supervised. I’m still convinced that hit to the head rattled his brains, and he will start doing crazy things.”
Jeffery retorted, “You may be correct, I’m letting you two supervise me, which probably counts as crazy.”
Erica laughed. She wasn’t sure if Jeffery was joking or not, but either way it was funny. “Are Duke and Stephen still here as well?”
“No,” said Terra, “They went back to the farm. Now that the danger is gone, they have duties to tend to there. I stuck around to make sure everything was fine here. Dexter left for the city again, but he’ll be back in a day or two to talk to you. It’s just the three of us here now.”
Erica was curious as to the necessity of Terra staying around if Jeffery was healthy. The concern over his head wound seemed a bit of a stretch, but whatever Terra’s reasons for staying, Erica welcomed the additional visitor. Now that Terra was warming up to her, it was nice to have another woman around.
“Normally when I supervise Jeffie, I like to have a glass of wine. Would you care to join me, Terra?”
Terra smiled. “Yes, supervising Jeffie is a taxing task. I would love a glass of wine.”
Jeffery growled. “I’ll take it from you two, but if anyone else starts calling me ‘Jeffie,’ they are going to get a bear cla
w up the ass.”
“Ooh, that sounds kinky. I better let Talia know. She will be over here in a minute.” Terra said, before turning and winking at Erica.
Jeffery sputtered and stammered, “That is not what I meant.”
Erica smiled at Jeffery’s discomfort. She could see the effect Terra had on him.
Erica turned to Terra, “Talia?”
“Talia is my sister, another of our pack. She has a large bear-sized crush on Jeffie.”
“Dinner is ready,” interrupted Jeffery.
Erica shrugged, “I guess we’ll have to drink our wine during dinner. No more supervising.”
“I can live with that. I do think our bear conveniently called supper being ready to avoid that conversation. I’ll bet the roast is undercooked,” said Terra to tease Jeffery.
“What is it with you wolf-women? Can’t you get your own bear? This one is mine,” Erica said, returning Terra’s previous wink.
“Ladies, don’t you think I should have a say in who owns me?” Jeffery asked, as he put the dinner on the table.
The two women looked at each other and then over at Jeffery. They answered at the same time, “Nope.”
Jeffery groaned. “This is why bears hibernate, so they can hide from women.”
Terra snorted. “Bears hibernate so they can cuddle and have sex for months at a time. That is why I think bears are so hot.”
Jeffery sat down. He could not win against these two. He tried ignoring them and started eating.
Erica laughed. “I do believe you win, Terra. You made him blush first. He may be your bear after all.”
Terra smiled wickedly. “Oh he was always my bear. He just a little slow realizing it.”
21
Erica walked out onto the balcony for her nightly ritual, a smoke and a chat with her Garg, even if he wouldn’t talk back. She walked up to the rail and peered out into the night. The moon was rising, casting a soft light over the sky.
“Well, Garg, have you had a chance to think about things. Would you be interested in this mansion becoming a shifter sanctuary?”
Erica glanced up to look at Garg, but he wasn’t there!
A voice came out from the far corner of the balcony, deep within its shadows, “The idea has merit. I believe it could be a good thing.”
Erica whirled, startled by the missing gargoyle and the man’s voice. “Garg?” she asked hesitantly.
“Dante De Bello, at your service, not that I particularly mind being called Garg, it certainly is not the worse nickname given to me over the years,” said Dante from the shadows.
“Dante,” Erica said, her mind reeling. It was true. Garg truly was Dante and not just a fierce looking sculpture! “I’m glad to finally speak to you.”
“Technically, you have been speaking to me for a while now, but, yes, I do agree having a conversation, where both of us participate is a nice change,” said Dante. It was nice to speak again after so many years.
Erica tried to see Dante through the shadows, but all she could make out was a dark form. “So you think a shifter sanctuary is a good idea?”
“It is, but I have to warn you. I am not some god or perfect being. I will do everything I can to protect the worthy humans living under my roof, and any guests you invite in, but I cannot guarantee their safety, or yours for that matter. I can only do my duty, as best I can,” said Dante.
“I understand. However, if making this home a sanctuary will save lives, I want to do it. The vampires that want to kill me are already a threat to me. My life is already in danger, bringing in more shifters won’t change that.”
“It will increase the risk to you. Vampires are not just vicious killers. They’re SMART vicious, killers. They have survived for thousands of years despite their small numbers. They will do everything they can to kill you, once they find out what you intend to do here. And it won’t just be vampires that you have to watch. There are always plenty of humans that hate paranormals.”
“I won’t just hide out here under your protection. I want my life to have purpose. I didn’t choose to be a vampire target, but I can choose to help others. I can choose to live a good life, regardless of how long or short it is,” Erica said. She had already come to terms with the fact that her life would never be the same again. Now it was about creating a new life, one she could be proud of and be able to look herself in the mirror and say she did the right thing. She would take the additional risk.
Dante smiled in the shadows. Erica was not shrinking away from danger. She seemed to have grown stronger, since she first walked through his doors. Often, over the years, Dante had seen strong people crumble when faced with the deadly combination of danger and fear. Fear was a destroyer of lives. He had seen the strongest and bravest men reduced to cowards who curled up into a ball, and cried hopelessly, when they realized that they were dealing with vampires.
“Vampires, and shifters, for that matter, are some of this world’s greatest predators, there are other even more dangerous beings from Unreha, but none that feel they deserve to rule over earth they way vampires do.” Dante informed the woman, from the dark corner. He looked intently for her reaction. He continued, “For some humans, realizing that they are no longer the top of the food chain, no longer the only feared hunter, walking the earth is almost paralyzing. For others, fear becomes a stimulant. It pushes them to face the danger, before the fear can overcome them.”
Erica apparently was in the latter group. She was pushing past her fear, making a stand against her unseen enemies. She was exactly the type of human that Dante longed to protect, someone worthy of his sacrifice. “It’s your choice, Erica; I shall try to protect you and anyone you invite into this house. I cannot promise any more than that.”
Erica smiled. Having Dante as her protector was reassuring. Knowing he was there, watching over her, made her feel safe. Even though Dante was warning her, he was not perfect, she felt that he was all the protection she would need. “Thank you, Dante,” she said. “I’ll let Dexter know of my decision.” Erica paused, wanting to choose her next words carefully. “Dante, why are you standing in the shadows, I would like to see you. It’s weird talking to a shadow.”
Dante smiled. “Is talking to a shadow any weirder than talking to a gargoyle?”
Erica laughed. “No, I suppose it isn’t. I just meant I would like to know what you look like. Are you still stone, or do you change like a shifter?”
“I’m in my human form right now, I can speak to you when I am stone, but it has been a long time since I felt the air and the night on me as a human, so I chose to change. Yes, I am similar to Jeffery and the other shifters that you have met, in that I can shift at will. The only difference is my power to shift is tied to my duties. Now that I’m protecting you, I have all my powers once more.” Dante paused before continuing. “I’m standing in the shadows as a courtesy to you. I didn’t want to offend you.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t offend me at all. However you look, I understand, it’s a sacrifice you had to make. I won’t judge your appearance. Please, step out,” insisted Erica.
Dante stepped out of the shadows so she could see him.
Erica gasped. Dante was not as she had imagined him at all. His human form contained no demonic features at all. He was standing in front of her as a man. A beautiful, fit, and toned young man with dark hair and sparkling eyes, that shone in the moonlight. His features were angular and strong. As her gaze took him in, one thing became clear. The reason why Dante had been standing in the shadows was not that he has ugly or scary looking, and that she would be frightened. No, the reason Dante had chosen to stand in the shadows was he was as naked as the day he was born. Erica’s eyes admired all of his body, before bringing her eyes back up to his.
She blushed. “Oh, I misunderstood. I hadn’t realized you meant you would be naked.”
Dante shrugged. “I wasn’t going to borrow one of your dresses. Would you be more comfortable if I stood in the shadows again?”
Erica shook her head. “No, we’re both adults. You have nothing I haven’t seen before.” Erica almost blurted out that she had never seen such a perfect body before, but commenting in such a way didn’t seem appropriate. Dante was her protector and a gargoyle. The fact she had a completely naked man with a perfect body, on her balcony, would have to be ignored. “But, if you’re going to come into the house, it might be best if we found you some clothes.”
Dante nodded. “Yes, I would like to see my old home. It seems that when it was moved, they did some significant upgrades. I have been curious as to what other changes have been made. Perhaps Jeffery has some clothes he could lend me for that purpose. Until some more suitable apparel can be procured.”
“Yes, I can borrow something from Jeffery, but we certainly will have to get you some different clothes. He is quite a big larger than you, well not everywhere. I mean he is thicker. Oh God, I need to shut up,” Erica stammered and stuttered. Apparently, Dante’s nakedness was affecting her brain. “Sorry, that came out wrong.”
Dante smiled. He was amused that his naked body affected her that way. “I know what Jeffery looks like. Yes, clothes of a smaller size are necessary. But are you sure he is thicker?” Dante could not resist teasing Erica. After all, she had flashed him in the past. A little payback was fair.
Erica’s eyes fell down Dante’s body, taking in his manhood once more. No, she seriously doubted Jeffery was thicker. Not that she would know, or should be looking. Once more she quickly raised her eyes, pretending she has not just been checking him out. “I, I don’t know what you are talking about,” she bluffed.
Dante smiled. “How about grabbing those clothes now, so you can show me about the house.”
22
Now that Dante was clothed, even if in Jeffery’s ill-fitting clothes, Erica was less distracted and able to focus on the fact that Garg was indeed Dante. The revelation was huge. It was almost as huge as learning humans shared the earth with creatures that were supposed to be imaginings of movie producers and writers exploiting their talents and making millions of dollars scaring the shit out of people, for a few hours. It was supposed to be called entertainment, not reality. Vampires, werewolves, werebears, were all too strange! Now she could add gargoyles to the list.