Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
DUMONT
M y feet felt as if they had wings of their own as I walked with Eloise down the hall to show her to where she’d be sleeping. The scent of her enveloping me in this narrow space and her closeness set my pulse racing.
“ It’s this one right here.” I motioned to the door on my right and opened it, welcoming her in.
“ Thank you.” She stepped inside the guest room, which now seemed so spartan with little more than a bed, chair, and dresser. She should have so much more—quarters fit for a queen.
“ It’s not much,” I apologized.
“ It’s perfect,” she said after circling halfway, then smiled at me.
My throat tightened and I swallowed. “ If you need anything, I’m right down the hall.” I pointed at the entrance and to the right. I’d arranged for it to be the closest available room near me.
“ I appreciate it, Dumont .”
With her gaze fixed on mine, my hands felt clammy. What was wrong with me? Commander of the Stone Sentries getting flustered by a tiny human’s smile.
I tipped my head. “ I’ll leave you now.” As I walked to the door, my heart thundered harder. I didn’t want to leave her. Stopping at the threshold, I turned to her. “ I’ll be busy through the night, but perhaps you can meet me for dinner tomorrow evening?”
“ Umm …” She bit her bottom lip and avoided my gaze.
My tongue felt too big in my mouth. I might as well have put my foot in it. Why would a human want to have dinner with a gargoyle? After all, she’d run from me in fear earlier.
“ That was a foolish question,” I declared. “ Of course you’d rather spend time with your sister.”
She raised her hand palm forward as if stopping me. “ I would love to join you.”
I blinked twice. “ You would?”
“ Yes .” She gave me a smile, one so luminous, my stone almost crumbled to dust.
“ Goodnight , Eloise .” I bowed and stepped outside her room, closing the door gently behind me and then sagging against it, my breath coming heavy.
I had a date tomorrow. A date with a human who didn’t know she was my mate.
The hours ticked by in an excruciating crawl as I counted down to the minutes until I saw Eloise again. Although I had plenty to occupy me with communicating with my team and making sure we had coverage in as many areas of the city as possible, the distraction wasn’t enough to drag my anticipation away from seeing Eloise that night.
I often dined alone in my private apartment, but I’d arranged for her to join me in a common dining area with the spectacular view of the city. No sentries would interrupt us as I told them I was using the space but left out the particulars. They didn’t need to know my personal business.
I lit candles with matches, their distinctive scent wafting around me. When I stepped back, the romantic vibe was clear. She might think I was coming on too strong, so I blew them out. The soft music wouldn’t be too much, would it? I didn’t think so and played an easy listening playlist at a low volume in the background.
The food I’d ordered was staying warm in the oven, and the rich aroma of baked bread and spices filled the room. When she walked in, wearing a light-blue shirt that pulled just enough for me to see the curve of her breasts, my breath hitched. I tore my gaze away to avoid staring.
“ Welcome , Eloise .” I pulled out a chair for her.
“ Thank you.” She smiled before she sat down, the brightness of it reaching her magnificent jade eyes, even though they were shielded by her glasses.
Her feminine scent reached me, once again sending a strong signal to my internal systems that she was the one. The one for me to protect. The one for me to care for and share my life with. The one and only for me. My mate.
How was I supposed to deal with that inconvenient discovery now? When I should be on higher alert for any threats, considering that was the entire reason she was here.
She inhaled. “ The food smells delicious.”
“ I ordered Greek food from one of my favorite restaurants. Since I wasn’t sure what you like, I ordered a variety of options.”
She smiled. “ I love Greek food. That sounds perfect.”
After pouring us each a glass of red wine, I pulled the dishes out from the oven and carried them over, placing them in between the plates set on the table.
She glanced out the window. “ What a great view.”
Mont - Royal sprawled out in the distance, and I had to agree. But as she took a sip of the ruby wine, which left a sheen on her lips, the view of her was far more captivating. To keep from staring and making her uncomfortable, I took a large sip from my glass, savoring its velvety texture with notes of cherry and oak.
As we ate our meal, starting with a Greek salad heaping with feta, crisp cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, and fresh, warm pita bread and creamy tzatziki, our conversation focused on that. My gaze kept being drawn to her face as she savored each bite. When she moaned after the first bite of moussaka with its flavorful layers of eggplant, tomatoes, spiced ground lamb, and béchamel sauce, a heady bolt of heat shot right through my veins. She caught my eye, and our gazes locked for several potent seconds. Heated tension pulsed between us. I told myself to break eye contact and avoid coming on too strong, but it was like dragging my gaze through concrete sludge.
Finally , I managed to snap back into control of my body and put words one after another into a sentence. “ I hope your day here wasn’t too boring.”
“ Not at all,” she said. “ I had breakfast with Anya and Hugo , then Anya and I spent a couple of hours catching up. After lunch, I wandered around and read for a while. Anya has plenty of books here, and she gave me some on magic she thought I’d like. I can’t believe what she was able to do with the grimoire. You heard about that, right?”
I had indeed. Anya had found a spell and used Adelaide’s mirror to reflect magic back to Calix . When he’d tried to attack her and Hugo with fire, she’d reflected it back on Calix and it had increased the potency, essentially destroying him with his own magic.
“ Yes . Incredible . Your family must be gifted with magic.”
She grunted. “ I know nothing. I might as well have lived in a cave until now.” She took another sip of wine. “ Anyway , all that reading and learning about magic must have tired me out. I fell asleep and had the most bizarre dreams.”
“ About what?”
She shrugged. “ I can’t remember exactly now. Related to what I’d read, for sure. Magic , spells, and so on. I woke up so groggy and confused. I had to take a long shower to snap out of the daze and get ready for dinner.”
Although I was intrigued by the magic and spells she shared, the image of her naked in the shower not far from my room shot right through my veins, and my cock twitched.
“ How about you?” She took a sip of wine and glanced at me over the rim of her wineglass. Was that a spark of interest?
What would her eyes look like when she was in the grip of desire? With her glasses removed and gazing at me with fervent anticipation. Me —solely me. I couldn’t picture her with anyone else without a sharp slice of pain sliding through my gut. Only me.
Why would I even dare to have such a pointless fantasy? I’d seen that look of horror etched on her face yesterday. She’d looked at me as if I’d stepped out of a nightmare. She was here strictly so I could protect her. She’d likely only agreed to join me for dinner to be polite. I shouldn’t entertain foolish schoolboy fantasies. I was the commander in this region and couldn’t afford to be distracted. Too many depended upon me.
Trying to snap back into a mode more appropriate for a leader, I replied, “ Just doing the usual with ensuring the city’s safe.”
“ And is it?” She leaned forward. “ Any signs of—them?”
Demons . That had to be what she was worried about. I had to assure her she was safe.
“ You’re safe here, Eloise .” I gazed into her eyes—eyes that searched mine. “ I promise you.”
ELOISE
After dinner, Dumont walked me to my room. For a commander of an imposing group of hulky gargoyles, he could be surprisingly sweet and had a chivalrous side, such as pulling out my chair at dinner. What I hadn’t admitted to him was how much I’d been thinking about him since yesterday.
What would it be like if…
As we walked slowly down the hallway, I asked questions about the building. I didn’t want to go back to my room yet. Not only was I not ready for sleep, but after all that’d happened, I didn’t want to be alone. I’d been alone for so long and always running, running, running.
And I’d enjoyed talking with Dumont so much that I didn’t want the night to end so soon.
I tipped my head. “ Will you show me your favorite areas?”
His mouth twitched, slowly spreading into a smile. “ That’s easy. The roof.”
“ The roof,” I repeated with arched brows. “ What makes it so special?”
He extended his hand toward me. “ Come on, I’ll show you.”
My gaze dropped to his hand. It was massive and a shade of gray that reminded me he wasn’t human—not as if I could forget. After the way I’d responded to him initially, I snapped myself out of staring. I didn’t want him to think I found him repulsive, especially after he’d shown such kindness to me. And a part of me was a bit fascinated by this commander of gargoyles. I reached my hand out to meet his.
When our hands touched, a strange buzz tingled beneath my skin, sending a pleasant warmth up my arm. Could he feel it too?
I glanced at his strong profile. His face was immobile, revealing nothing—until he inched it toward me. When our gazes locked, his eyes revealed his reaction—shock and possibly a hint of fear. That , I could understand.
My cheeks burned and I was about to pull my hand away, but he turned and began to walk.
“ We’ll access it this way.” He pointed ahead with his other hand.
As I walked hand in hand beside this enormous gargoyle, I felt diminutive. He took such long strides that I had to hurry my steps to keep up, but once he noticed, he slowed his pace. He led us to a door that opened onto the roof, releasing me as he did so. My skin felt cold with the loss of contact, and I didn’t feel as safe as I had when he’d been holding my hand.
We stepped onto a rooftop with a gorgeous view of Mont - Royal in the distance. I glanced over the comfortable seating area, potted plants, and hot tub before my gaze traveled upward.
“ Do we need to worry about being out here?”
“ No . The wards are in place, protecting us.” He gave me a wry grin. “ Not to mention a residence full of gargoyles who are well-equipped to do so.”
“ A gaggle of gargoyles.” I giggled at how ridiculous that sounded.
“ Or a team of Stone Sentries ,” he added with amusement.
We walked in silence for several seconds. The sounds of the city seemed so far away, muted below. When we passed a potted lavender plant, I bent to inhale the fragrance. Then I stood and gazed out at the sky once more.
“ The moon’s beautiful tonight,” I pointed out.
“ Absolutely stunning,” he agreed.
When I glanced over at him, he wasn’t looking at the sky but watching me.
“ You’re not even looking,” I teased.
“ You’re far more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen in the skies, Eloise .” The intense way he stared at me sent another wave of heat up to my cheeks, and I glanced away.
“ I apologize. My mouth got ahead of my brain. Does me saying that make you uncomfortable?” he asked, his tone edged with concern.
I took a deep breath as I considered it. “ No ,” I admitted. “ I like hearing it.” When I brought my gaze to meet his again, all traces of worry were gone from his face. Our gazes locked, and my heart pounded faster. His irises shone with a silvery gray hue that captivated me. I didn’t know what to do with my hands. I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes away. My body heated and my breath came quicker.
Finally , I turned and glanced out at the moon. “ Do you truly think I could be in danger?”
Wait ? Why did I have to say that? Whatever that moment was that we’d shared would surely be ruined by me reminding him of a possible threat.
Dumont stepped behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder. I leaned back against his warm touch, the comfort of his enormous hand providing a sense of security—and much, much more.
“ I will do everything in my power to keep you safe,” he swore, his voice low and even deeper than before.
When I turned to glance up at him, his expression was hard and determined. His steely gaze so intense, it drew me in once more. Only this time, I didn’t want to turn away. The way he vowed to protect me turned me on more than I ever expected. I’d never met anyone like him, or anyone who’d make that kind of promise. He looked at me like I was the only person he cared for, although I knew he had an entire city to protect.
I wanted more. When I stared up at him, my gaze lowered to his full lips. I took a small step closer to him. Then another until only a couple of inches separated us.
“ Dumont ?” I said and my voice sounded breathy.
“ Yes .” His eyes were now fixed on my parted lips.
“ Will you…” My voice broke.
“ Will I what?”
Could I say it? Could I actually voice what I wanted from someone who wasn’t even human? Someone who stood so much taller than me that it wasn’t even possible without some physical maneuvering on our part.
Screw it. If I was being hunted by demons, I could summon the courage to ask for what I wanted.
“ Will you—” I moved to my tiptoes “—kiss me.”
His eyes widened with surprise as he searched my face. “ Are you sure you want that?” He trailed his fingers over my cheek and along my jawline.
My heart pounded against my ribcage, and I began to second-guess myself. But I didn’t want to take it back. “ Ye —yes.”
His gray lips parted, the color more charcoal than the rest of his face. “ Sparkling stars. I’ve wanted that since I first saw you.” His voice lowered to a throaty rumble. He cupped his hand behind my neck and bent toward me, widening his stance as if to shorten the distance between us. My heartbeat drummed in my ears with an echo as I waited, breathless with anticipation.
And then, ever so softly, his lips brushed mine.