by Maya Nicole
I looked down to see Buttercup veer at the last moment and take off along the edge of the water. Val and Nico splashed into the lake with their horses, flying off the saddles and landing with loud splashes.
The vacants stopped abruptly, sensing the water in front of them.
It all happened in a matter of seconds and then I was dropped into the water. My scream pierced the air and was silenced as I hit the warm water of the lake.
My head went under, and I swallowed water, having been unprepared to take a dive. I was not the best swimmer, so I began to frantically move my arms and legs, trying to get back to the surface.
Strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me upward. As we broke through the surface, I coughed violently and then gasped for breath.
The arms spun me around, and I was face-to-face with Val. Concern was written on his face, and he brought a hand to my cheek. "Are you okay?"
I nodded because I was still coughing the water out of my lungs.
Another warm body swam up behind me and took me from Val. "I've got her."
Val nodded solemnly and swam a few feet away from us. He dove into the water, disappearing from sight.
The vacants were still on the shoreline, trying to figure out a way to get into the water. "Where's Amari? And the horses?"
"The horses ran off into the forest. Buttercup is fine." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Amari… He wasn't supposed to use his wings to save someone he isn't tied to. When he took you off that horse, he essentially saved you and it turned him to stone."
"But-"
Val broke the surface and struggled with Amari. Nico and I swam to help him, but before we could reach him, Amari slipped from his grasp.
Val slammed his fist on the surface of the water, sending a splash in all directions. "Fuck! I vow to find the fucking witch and her coven and rip her limbs off!"
The witches were hard to find these days. Most seemed to have vanished into thin air.
"I thought gargoyles were supposed to have wings they could use." I spoke softly and put my hand on Val's arm.
He looked down at it. "He can only use them to protect what he is bound to. Me. My house. My other family members."
"We're going to have to swim to the other side of the lake. That way, we can get away from the vacants." Nico pointed across the lake to the other side. "We'll just have to take it really slow."
Both Nico and Val dove back down and grabbed Amari. We were able to make it several feet in the lake before they had to drop him and let him sink back down to the bottom. I was of no use.
Eventually, they took turns diving down and dragging him across the bottom. The lake wasn’t insanely deep, but it still was a slow process. I felt the gnawing feeling of being useless. I hadn't had it in a long time, not since all those years ago when I lived in the castle.
I gritted my teeth and shook my head. It wasn't my fault I sucked at swimming.
"Come on, Sammy!" Reve splashed water with cupped hands towards my towel on the edge of the water. "I can help you with your swimming."
I stood and looked back at my parents, who had the servants set up a table and chairs near the tree line. They were engaged in a serious conversation, probably on political matters or the next gathering we'd host.
I stepped towards the water and was just about to dip my foot in when I heard my father clear his throat. I stopped and brought my foot back to the sand.
"Samara. It is not proper for a young lady to swim." Sometimes I hated him and his old-fashioned ways.
I mimicked him under my breath and rolled my eyes. Reve let out a bark of laughter as I plopped back down on my towel and sulked.
The memory pissed me off more than upset me.
With only Val and Nico pulling the heavy stone across the lake bottom, it took a while to get to the other side of the lake. It was enough time that the vacants lost our scents and turned to go back into the forest.
We finally climbed out onto the shore and laid there panting on the beach. Amari lay on his side, completely encased in stone. Not even his eyes were his any longer.
Now I could see his stone form more clearly, he had a grimace on his face. It was the face of a panther, but also had demon features. His wings were tucked back behind him, and he was in a sitting position.
I shivered as the cool air of the approaching night touched my damp skin. We needed a fire. We needed food. We need to figure out how to help Amari.
We had none of our camping supplies since our packs were on the horses. Right along with our swords.
"Is he stuck like this forever?" I felt a tightening in my chest I couldn't explain. What did I care if the asshole was stuck like that?
Val shook his head and then dragged the stone statue over near a fallen log where he sat down next to it. "The last time this happened, he was stuck like this for a month. He saved a young succubus demon from being kidnapped."
"Shit." Nico pulled the tie out of his hair. It fell in waves to about the middle of his upper back. I didn't want him to put it back up. "Hopefully, Buttercup will lead the others to us."
One of the benefits of having a hell horse was that he was incredibly loyal and intelligent. "Where are we going to sleep tonight? I don't feel safe sleeping out in the open with those things just on the other side of the lake. They were different..." I wondered how long vacants had been displaying speed.
"It looks like we have no other choice but to sleep here tonight. At least until the horses make their way to us." Nico took off his shirt and laid it out on a rock. My eyes traveled his torso, and then our eyes connected. "I know it's not ideal, but if we take turns keeping watch, we'll be fine."
"I'll take the first watch," Val said with his eyes on Amari. He ran his hand over the statue's head and sighed.
We stripped down to our underwear and laid our clothing on the rocks to dry. Val tried to keep his eyes on the lake and Amari, but I caught flashes of blue as he looked over at me.
I lay down next to Nico, and he pulled me into the crook of his arm, so my head was on his chest. "I don't like the way the vampire looks at you."
He sounded exhausted, and I really couldn't blame him. I was exhausted too, and I didn't have to drag a heavy stone statue through the lake.
I moved my finger on his chest in small circles. Goosebumps broke out on his skin. "You have no right to be jealous."
"I know, Peanut. It doesn't mean I have to like it." He covered my hand with his, and we drifted off to sleep.
I felt a soft touch on my shoulder, and my eyes fluttered open to see Val staring down at me. "It's your turn."
I carefully slid out of Nico's arms and rubbed my eyes. The sand from the beach stuck to my skin. I brushed it off, but the feel of it was still there. Val held out a hand to help me up off the ground and I took it.
He yanked me up with too much force, and I stumbled into his chest, planting both hands on his pecs. He smirked down at me and lifted his hand to brush a piece of hair out of my face.
My breath caught in my throat as I gazed into his blue eyes. I used to stare in his eyes for hours. Now when I stared into them, there was hurt there. It was no longer comforting.
"I'm sure Nico won't mind if you cuddle with him." A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as a look of shock and horror came across Val's face. "You do like men now, don't you? He doesn't necessarily like men in that way, but he certainly doesn't like women all too much either."
I really needed to keep the bitterness out of my voice.
"What is he to you?" Val asked softly. He always had the ability to know when something was up. He brushed another piece of hair out of my eyes. The damn thing kept falling into my face, giving Val an excuse to touch me.
"He's my best friend. He found me shortly after I left. He and his mate took me in..." I let my words trail off. I wasn't about to tell him Nico's business. He was a smart man, he could fill in the blanks. Nico's mate wasn't here.
"Do you love him?"
I bit my tongue. What
kind of question was that? Clearly, if I'd been around someone for centuries, I loved them. But I knew what he meant. He meant romantically.
"Do you love Amari?"
He searched my eyes and brought a hand to my cheek, running his thumb over my bottom lip. "There have been no women since you."
My eyes widened a bit with that admission. I didn't know what to do with it. "What do you mean?"
"Amari and I have shared women for sexual purposes a time or two." I rolled my eyes. "But I haven’t been romantically involved with one."
My heart thudded at his words. What would it be like to be held in between those two strong bodies? I shivered, and Val pulled me closer.
"Still carving soap?" He chuckled, changing the subject.
I nodded. I should probably take up something like carving wood instead of soap. "Val? Can I ask you something?"
His thumb stroked my jaw, and his eyes dropped to my lips. "Anything."
I took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "Did you love me? I mean, like really love me."
I dropped my eyes to his chest, afraid of his answer. I didn't know why I needed to know, but I did. Given that we were an arranged agreement, I wasn't sure if it was all an act.
It certainly hadn't been for me.
He tilted my chin up, so I looked at him again. "I'm still in love with you." His voice was a whisper, and his eyes fell to my lips again.
I wanted to kiss him so badly. We leaned towards each other tentatively, and our lips brushed. They were just as I remembered, soft and smooth. I suddenly wanted them all over me. I wanted them on my neck, my shoulders, my breasts, and between my legs.
Val pulled away and took a step back.
"I should get some sleep. Goodnight, Samara." He laid down a couple feet away from Nico, and I went over to the log and sat down next to Amari.
I brought my fingers to my lips. I could still feel his lips on mine. I looked at Amari and wondered if he could see what was going on.
I scooted closer and put my arm around him. "Thank you for saving me today." I leaned my head against him, the hard, cool surface providing some relief from the heat that had been in my cheeks after kissing Val. "I'm sorry for kissing your boyfriend."
It seemed weird talking to a statue, but it was comforting in a way. I could say anything I wanted, and he couldn't say anything back.
I stroked the smooth stone of his back and continued. "When I was younger, I wanted to be the queen. My father didn't think I had it in me, because I was a girl." I laughed softly and looked over at the two men sleeping on the sand. "And maybe I didn't have what it took, and maybe I still don't, but still, I needed someone to believe in me, or at least pretend to. Val believed in me.
"I heard that some demons went to Earth. What do you think it's like there? Do you think it's better than here? It has to be, right? That's why Lilith did what she did." A few tears escaped my eyes, and I swiped them away. "I lost my entire family. I lost Val. I know he's yours now, but I wonder what my life would be like if Lilith hadn't happened."
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, I was falling sideways as the hard stone moved. I jumped up.
Amari stood there, staring down at his arms in disbelief. Then his wide eyes found mine. The green shone so brightly that I backed up a step. I looked over my shoulder. Nico and Val were still asleep.
"So, you kissed my boyfriend?" He stepped forward, and I continued to back up. That answered the question of whether or not he could see and hear while completely stone.
How was he not a gargoyle anymore? As he got closer, the answer became abundantly clear. His skin had a very faint purple glow to it. It was fading by the second, but was definitely there.
"You're a witch." My back hit a tree, and my hands found the wide trunk behind me. "But, you're something else too."
My chest rose and fell with my deep breaths. He was in front of me now and put his hands on either side of my head. I felt trapped, like prey.
"I'm sorry." I didn't know why I was apologizing; Val was the one who had started the kiss, not me. If anyone should be apologizing, it was him.
Amari's eyes darkened. He didn't often show his emotions from what I had seen, but there was something there, lurking deep behind the green expanse of his emerald eyes.
I gulped.
He brought his hand to the side of my face in the same gesture Val had. His hands were softer than I expected. As they cupped my cheeks, I let out a small whimper. There was something about him dominating me that excited me.
He slid his hand down to the top of my shoulders and ran a single finger along my collarbone. "You changed me back." His finger stopped and circled on my chest in the same way it had Nico's.
He had seen and heard everything.
"I don't know how I did it. I was asleep." The words came out in a rush, and I trembled under his touch. "Don't hurt me."
This was so stupid. He would've hurt me already, and I wasn't exactly screaming for help. The truth was, I had an ache inside of me, and maybe he could ease it.
"I can smell your desire." His eyes dropped to my breasts, and he traced the top of my bra with his fingers. The touch was light, but I didn't move away. I couldn't move away. I didn't want to move away.
"I don't know if that's a great pick-up line." My voice had dropped lower.
A smile played at the corner of his lips. I wanted to see him smile. "You have a beautiful body." His fingertips still explored my chest, never going exactly where I wanted them to go.
His other hand dropped from the tree and went to my hip, where he dug his fingers into my skin. I could imagine him gripping me from behind.
"What do you think Val would say if he knew I was doing this right now?" He lowered his lips to my ear, his hot breath sending tingles down my spine. "I don't think he'd be mad. I think he would be jealous." His voice was a whisper as he gently kissed right underneath my ear. “I think he’d want to watch.”
My knees trembled, and I pushed myself back into the tree to keep myself from falling. "Are you two... monogamous?"
No answer. I let out a small groan as he trailed his lips across my collarbone. "I don't think this is the best time for this. As much as it pains me to stop."
He pulled away and looked at me. "What do you want me to do, go wake him up and ask permission first?"
I bit my lip and looked back over at the two sleeping men. He grabbed my chin and brought my eyes back to his.
He shook his head. "Now you want to ask permission? Did you ask my permission to kiss my boyfriend?"
I opened my mouth and then closed it. He let out a grunt and took a step back, the absence of his warmth causing goosebumps on my skin. He turned and walked away.
Chapter 7
My guard duty should have been over now Amari was no longer solid stone. I didn't trust him, though. He had wound me up on purpose only to walk away and leave me aching for more.
I stood against the tree for a while and watched as he paced along the shore before sitting down on a rock.
He had a right to be mad, but he could've just said so. He didn't have to go through such great lengths. Speaking of which, the erection he was sporting made me clench my thighs together.
I wondered what he was going to do to Val. He had to know Val was the one who kissed me. He had picked up on the subtlest of touches and replicated them on my skin.
Nico stood and stretched. His eyes landed on Amari and then darted around the area, searching for me. He wore a look of shock and concern.
I shifted in my spot on the ground next to the tree. Whatever was going on with me, we needed answers. I was doing something in my sleep. What did that mean for Nico, who had slept next to me for years?
Nico made his way to me and sat down, leaning against the tree. "Why are you way over here?"
I shrugged. "Amari is an asshole."
He grunted, and we watched Amari stand and head toward Val.
Nico turned his body, his arm resting
on his knee. "You did that?"
"I guess I can control gargoyles now." I looked down at my fingernails. "How do we even get more information about what I can do?"
Nico sighed. "I don't know, but we need to be careful."
He made a noise in his throat, and I turned to look at him. His gaze was on Val and Amari. Amari was straddling Val and kissing him. Heat spread along my chest.
"Are they seriously going to fuck right here in front of us? The last thing I want to do is see or hear those two fucking."
"Val kissed me."
Amari moved his hips against Val while kissing him with the ferociousness that only a panther could have. It looked like he was eating Val's tongue from where we were sitting.
"Is this Amari's way of marking his territory?" Nico bit out the words.
I looked over at him, and his jaw was clenched tight. He was looking at the ground and playing with a stick, digging it into the dirt.
"I don't know what it is." I put my hand on his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Maybe I should go join them."
His head snapped up, and his eyes searched mine. "You can't be serious." He shook his head in disbelief and threw the stick. I shrugged, and he let out a frustrated growl.
"It's never bothered you before when I've slept with men. Why should it bother you if I sleep with them? I have needs, and my hand isn't doing the trick anymore."
I was pushing his buttons; I knew that. Judging by the look on his face, he wasn't okay with the idea of me doing anything with Amari and Val. Both of whom were now completely naked and rubbing their erections against each other.
"Do what you want, Samara. I won't stop you."
I furrowed my brows and swallowed down the stab of pain his constant rejection brought. Things had been tense between us for several months now that I wanted more.
I stared at the two men, not far away from where we sat. Amari was riding Val's cock, his grunts filling the silence of the beach. I bit my lip.
"Why do you have to be such an asshole?" I stood and dusted off my bottom. "This is your chance to stop me. To say, 'no, Peanut, let me ease that ache between your legs.' I'm tired of waiting."