Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
ELOISE
D umont had rushed away after breakfast, but the four of us agreed to get together for dinner. Before he left, he suggested I order clothes online and anything else to make my time here more comfortable, and he’d insisted on paying for it. Anya had insisted that she needed to work at the library, and after some reluctance, Dumont agreed. After all, Hugo would be with her and Luc and Marc were on watch there.
I spent some time browsing through stores on my phone, adding a couple of summery dresses to my cart as well as more practical items. I’d packed quickly when we’d stopped by my studio apartment, not knowing how long I’d end up staying here.
We met up again that evening with Anya and Hugo , sharing a delicious dinner they’d ordered from an Italian restaurant—one of Anya’s favorites. The stuffed mushrooms were amazing, and the flavorful sauce from the spaghetti carbonara lingered on my tongue. They excused themselves soon after, leaving Dumont and me alone.
We each carried a glass of wine as we meandered through the shared spaces and then moved out onto a terrace with a small table and chairs for two. The evening breeze brushed my skin. We were alone together, finishing a second glass of wine. Like last night.
My thoughts leaped to our kiss on the rooftop, and I had to stop myself from pressing my fingers to my lips.
I glanced at him and our eyes caught. Again . After we’d stolen glances at each other throughout dinner, the tension simmered between us. My body was so heated with awareness of this massive gargoyle that I barely noticed the food I’d eaten. And now it was almost impossible to pull my gaze away.
Finally , I did so while taking a sip of my pinot grigio. I stood and walked over to the railing, clutching my wine glass.
“ Are you done for the night?” I asked while glancing out, witnessing the city transform into darkness as the lights twinkled from nearby buildings. I slowly ran my fingertips down my glass.
When I turned, Dumont had risen and his gaze appeared to track the movements of my fingers. He snapped his eyes up to meet mine and exhaled with a slow whoosh.
“ Not yet. I need to check in with the sentries. Make sure all are well and see if they noticed anything that requires further investigation.”
With a slow nod, I murmured, “ It must be difficult to be responsible for so many.”
He shrugged in a noncommittal manner as he walked closer to me. “ It’s part of my duties.”
“ I see.” How strange. His lifestyle was so unlike mine, and not only because we were different species. I’d been on my own for so long and had moved so many times that I had no real attachments. Just people who were temporarily part of my life. I had no one to take care of and no one who took care of me.
When he reached my side, he inhaled deeply and his eyes closed for a second. Was he smelling me? His senses had to be more acute than mine. He loomed over me with his massive presence and scanned the city. “ I’ll also connect with headquarters to see if there are any developments we need to be aware of.”
“ Headquarters ?” I tipped my head. “ For the Stone Sentries ?”
“ Yes .”
“ Here in Montreal ?”
“ No .” He shook his head. “ They’re in Paris .”
“ Ah .” I nodded. “ Are there units in other cities?”
“ All over,” he agreed. “ Not just cities. Wherever our presence is needed for protection, that’s where we go—granted, if there are enough of us.” His mouth turned grim. “ Unfortunately , there often appears to be more trouble in the world than we have the numbers to handle.”
I let that settle in. Teams of gargoyles stationed in pockets around the world. Most likely unnoticed by the humans around them. Anya and I could see them, but that could be due to our grandmother’s bloodline—which remained yet another mystery in my ever-murky background.
“ Did you grow up in Montreal ?” I asked Dumont .
“ No . My clan is from a remote area in Quebec . I moved here as my ranks grew in the Stone Sentries .”
“ And now you’re a commander. Impressive .”
He glanced down at me. “ What about you?”
I tapped my fingers on the side of my leg. “ I was born here in Montreal but moved to upstate New York when I was adopted. Once I graduated, I moved around— Albany , New York City , Boston , a couple of towns in Vermont …”
“ And now you’re back in Montreal .”
“ Yes .” I released a slow breath. Where I began. Could it be where I ended up? That was unclear. I’d never felt as if I belonged anywhere, and that was something that I desperately craved.
He fixed a steady gaze on me and then he jerked upright. “ I better go check on my team. Please explore as you wish. I can show you my apartment, if you’d like. It has more of the comforts of home than the guest room. Books , movies, and so on. You’re welcome to spend time there.”
I gave him a slow smile. “ You don’t have to worry about me, Dumont . I’ll entertain myself.” I nudged him with a small wave. “ Go on and protect the city. I’ll be fine.” I stepped back inside, sure he’d be overly worried if I remained out on the terrace alone.
He followed me in and closed the door, locking it tight. After a lingering glance, he said, “ I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Then he turned and disappeared down the hall.
I stared after him. How empty the space was without his presence, not just because of his size, but… I wasn’t sure what it was. There was something about him. An inner strength. Resolve . Determination . He was so different from any man I’d ever met and so unlike me. When something rattled me, I ran. That was how I’d ended up moving so often.
But Dumont ? He had that quiet reserve that promised he would never back down. He wouldn’t run. He’d face any danger head-on. And that confidence about him, which was something I lacked, was devastatingly appealing.
I turned to look out the window once more. How long would it be before he returned?
I didn’t see Dumont until late the next morning. He stopped by my room, and we spent some time together over cups of coffee and fresh croissants before he had to head out again.
After he left, I read for a while and then spent several hours with Anya . It was still strange getting to know someone whom I should be closer to than anyone, considering we were twins, but knew so little about. After we shared more about ourselves, we switched to the topic of magic in our family—something that was still new to us both.
“ Do you think we really have it in us?” I asked her. “ Magic ?”
She sighed. “ I don’t know.” Slanting her head, she added, “ I think so. I mean, you were able to do something to force Calix away, and I was able to deflect his magic back to him using Adelaide’s mirror.” She shrugged. “ That ability is beyond anything I ever thought possible.”
I made a humming sound in acknowledgment. “ And he was responsible for the fires?”
Montreal had a number of suspicious fires recently, and Anya had told me that Calix was responsible—at least for some of them. He’d used fire as a diversion. He’d used it as a means of attack.
“ Yes , he’d admitted to some.”
“ What a monster,” I muttered. “ I’m glad he’s dead!”
He couldn’t hurt us any longer. Someone far better had taken up a greater portion of my mind today, and I’d rather talk about him.
“ Anya , I need to tell you something.”
“ Go ahead,” she encouraged.
“ Last night… Well …”
She tipped her head forward. “ Is everything okay?” she asked with concern.
“ Yes , of course,” I dismissed with a wave. With my stalling, she must have thought I was about to confess something bad. “ It’s Dumont .”
“ Oh .” Her brows arched.
“ We —uh—um… We kissed.” And a bit more…
“ You did?” she exclaimed with wide eyes. “ I knew it! I told Hugo something was going on between you two.”
“ You did? Why did you think that?”
“ Come on.” She gestured with a turn of her hand. “ The heated looks between you. The longing when Dumont watches you, thinking nobody else can see, it’s almost agonizing.” She chuckled. “ Like come on and do something already.”
“ Ohhhh …” My cheeks heated. I wasn’t sure how to respond. “ Well , the kiss was just out of curiosity, I’m sure,” I said, dismissing what had seemed far more momentous for me. “ You know, being a different species and all.”
“ Curiosity is one thing, Eloise ,” Anya replied. “ But I think it’s a bit more than that.”
I exhaled with a groan. “ What’s the point, though? I mean, I’m only here temporarily. No point in thinking about anything more.”
“ I don’t know—these gargoyles and their mates.” Her eyes were bright. “ When they commit, they commit. ”
“ I don’t get it. What does it mean exactly?”
She pursed her lips. “ Hmm . I’m not sure I’m an expert on the topic myself, but to me it sounds a lot like soul mates.” She raised an index finger. “ Wait , I have a few shifter romances in my room. Maybe you should read one. It might be able to explain things better than I can.”
I gave her a wry smile. “ First , you give me books on magic. Now , you give me shifter romances. A true librarian—one who finds the answers in books.”
She flashed a grin in return with a knowing gleam in her eyes. “ Exactly .”
Dumont sent a message to my room, asking me to join him for dinner in his apartment. A tremor of anticipation rippled through me.
I fretted with my appearance, spending extra time on my hair and makeup, but there was only so much I could do with my limited wardrobe.
“ Anya , help,” I pleaded with my sister.
“ What’s wrong?” she asked with furrowed brows.
“ I need to find something to wear.”
She came to my room and helped me with outfits, offering to share anything she had.
“ This is fun,” I pointed out with a smile. “ Isn’t this what sisters do?”
“ Borrow clothes and things?”
I chuckled. “ From what I see on TV .”
“ But they also argue over silly things.”
“ Let’s skip that part for now,” I noted.
“ Deal .” She smiled as she nodded.
Finally , we decided on a pink dress.
“ Have fun on your date,” Anya called out.
“ It’s not a date,” I protested oh-too-quickly and then mashed my lips together.
“ Suuure ,” she said, dragging out the syllable with skepticism.
DUMONT
A knock on my door startled me. I’d been waiting for Eloise’s arrival, anxious with anticipation and the fear that she wouldn’t show. I attempted to look as human as possible for her, my wings and tail retracted, although she wouldn’t be fooled. She could see me in a way that others couldn’t, seeing through my human-appearing veneer to the gargoyle beneath. My pulse accelerated a notch as I rushed to the door in large strides. Then I told myself to stay calm and not scare her away.
But when I opened the door and spotted her there, strange vibrations fluttered through my veins. She wore a pink dress that fell over her thighs, revealing her enticing legs. Her blonde hair fell in loose waves over her bare shoulders. And her green eyes dazzled me from behind her glasses.
She came here to my apartment, my private space. She trusted me enough to be alone with me. After our rock-quaking kiss on the roof the other night, I’d been thinking about her for almost every second since.
Her unique fragrance reached me with that subtle floral and ocean scent. I breathed it, swallowing the moan of pleasure working its way to my lips.
“ You made it,” I said and stifled an appreciative growl. How eloquent.
She smiled. “ It was tough to find, but I managed to do so,” she teased.
Right , we were in one building, how difficult could it be?
“ Come in.” I stepped aside. As she entered my apartment, my gaze locked on her. How strange it was to see a human in my private space. Not in a bad way at all. No , something about it struck me as perfect.
She glanced around my apartment. It didn’t have much furniture other than a black leather sofa and tables, but I kept it clean.
“ It’s a nice place you have here.”
I shrugged. “ It’s just me and I don’t spend that much time here.”
She turned to me and her eyes flashed with a knowing glint. “ Often out working?”
“ Yes .” That was part of why I hardly spent time here. My duties, my responsibilities—those things that I’d been focusing on for so long, which now warred with my conscience now that I’d met Eloise . Especially with how she’d dominated my thoughts for much of the day. It was no use trying not to think about her, and for one evening, I wouldn’t fight it. Tonight , we could dine together without worrying about the outside world. The sentries were on watch. The human whom I felt entrusted to protect was in my care. The same woman who had slammed into my world with such force from the moment we met.
She inhaled. “ It smells so good in here.”
That was because her scent perfumed the room. But that wasn’t what she meant. “ I wish I could take credit for it and say I made it, but I didn’t have time to prepare. So I had dinner delivered from one of my favorite restaurants. It has the best seafood. I love the scallops and lemon-flavored potatoes.”
“ Sounds perfect to me.” Then she tipped her head. “ Do you usually order out?”
“ I do. Although I can cook and enjoy doing so, it’s not something I have the chance to do often.”
“ Because you’re the commander, right?” she remarked once more, already knowing my predilection of working too much.
“ Right ,” I agreed. “ And it doesn’t make much sense to go to all that trouble for one person.”
Her gaze met mine, and in our connection, I sensed the solitary nature of a kindred soul. “ I know what you mean.” Then her lips spread into a smile. “ Thank goodness for takeout.”
I chuckled. “ Indeed .” I motioned to the French doors that led out onto my terrace. “ I thought we could dine on the roof tonight, but the rain changed that plan.”
Eloise slanted her head as she gazed outside a picture window. “ I kind of like it this way. The raindrops falling outside the window look pretty. And the sound is soothing.”
I stepped behind her and followed her gaze. What soothed me was just being near her again. Well , aside from her scent energizing me—driving me to that strange, heightened state I hadn’t yet experienced.
“ Nights like this feel good when I fly. After a hot summer day, the cool rain is refreshing on my wings.”
She turned to me with a wondrous expression.
“ I can kind of understand that—but while remaining with both feet on the ground.” She gave me a mischievous smile again, one that sent a jolt of heat straight through me, coiling in my groin.
My heart pounded for a few seconds before I remembered to jump into action and serve our meal.
Having a private dinner at my place turned out to be a wonderful idea. We didn’t have to worry about sentries flying in and interrupting us. Then again, if that hadn’t happened, where would we have ended up? Would Eloise have agreed to come to my room?
The simmering heat between us seemed to grow the more time we spent together. Every time our eyes met, the longing inside me built more. When she brought her fork to her lips, I couldn’t stop myself from staring at them. Even the slight movement of her fingers gripping the stem of her wineglass captivated me.
“ This was absolutely delicious,” she said as she finished her plate, and I devoured a second portion. “ No wonder it’s one of your favorites.”
“ I’d like to take you there one day,” I blurted before I could censor myself. Would she want that? Even if I could mask myself as a human, she’d know she was out in public with a gargoyle.
Her eyes searched mine for several seconds. She raised her glass of wine as if considering before she took a sip. When she set down her glass on the table, the wine left a sheen on her lips, drawing my awareness to them once more.
“ That might be nice.”
Nice . To me, it would be more than nice. To be with my mate, having a normal sort of relationship like other shifters had with their partners, it would be—almost magical.
It wasn’t something I’d considered as a possibility for me in the past, let alone with a human, but now…
She let out a doubtful sound. “ But with the reason I’m here, that doesn’t seem to be possible anytime soon.”
Right . Her words doused me with reality. She was here so I could protect her, not woo her as my mate. The concept of gallivanting with her in restaurants through Montreal was ludicrous.
I had tried to keep our conversation light throughout dinner, focusing on the delectable flavors in the array of seafood dishes from scallops to shrimp scampi and the various sides. She didn’t need to worry about the possibility of threats outside. That was my responsibility.
Forcing my thoughts from what would likely never be to the moment we were sharing, we finished the meal with a sweet dessert wine and crème br?lée.
“ Mmm , everything was wonderful, Dumont . Thanks for inviting me.”
“ It was all my pleasure.” And I meant that.
She turned to the window and walked over to it.
“ Wow , what a spectacular sunset.” Her voice sound breathy as she admired the view.
I stepped behind her, more interested in her than anything outside.
“ Spectacular ,” I agreed and drew in her scent once more.
“ You’re so lucky to live in a place with a view like this.” She turned to me with lips parting as if about to continue, but when our gazes locked, she took in a raspy breath.
My pulse thundered a more insistent beat with her so close to me. A yearning to touch her grew, and my hand raised to her face almost of its own accord.
“ So lucky,” I repeated.
I lifted a strand of her blonde hair that had fallen across her cheek. It glided like satin through my fingers as I pushed it off her face. She watched me, but when my fingers brushed her soft skin, her eyelids fluttered closed behind her glasses. As I stroked her cheek, she leaned toward my hand. Blood surged through my veins. I couldn’t think of anything aside from how much I wanted her.
My fingers brushed the frame of her glasses. “ Let me take these off.”
When she responded with a slight nod, I placed both hands on either side of her face and gently removed her glasses. She opened her eyes. Without her glasses, it was easier to see the pale green hue.
“ You have the most magnificent eyes.” They enchanted me, and I could stare into them for days. I took a step away to put her glasses on the side table.
“ I love yours as well,” she said in a raspy tone. “ I’ve never seen eyes like yours in that shade of gray.”
When I turned back to her, she’d stepped closer so our bodies were mere inches apart. My heart thudded so hard in my chest, it felt as if it would leap out toward her.
She stared up at me with a wondrous expression, her eyes searching mine.
“ I’ve never met anyone like you.” She reached up and touched my cheek, mirroring how I’d stroked hers.
I gulped, feeling the same way. Was she as captivated by me as I was about her? And even though I loomed over her much smaller frame, I’d never felt more vulnerable in my life.
I stroked from her bare shoulder down her arm. Lips parted, she leaned up to her tiptoes. I didn’t need any more of a sign. I widened my stance and bent lower, taking her in my arms. When our lips brushed, it singed me with a buzzing heat that electrified my veins. She released a small gasp against my mouth. I enclosed her tighter against me, and she leaped up, wrapping her legs around my waist.
Fuck yes.
Without the vast height difference, it was easier to kiss her the way I wanted—deeper and more passionately. I held her so close that our bodies pressed together, her soft curves against my hard planes. I moved my hands beneath the bottom of her dress and cupped her ass. The tiniest pair of panties separated me from her bare skin. She wiggled against me and the friction of her gliding over my cock rendered me mindless. My cock throbbed with need and I groaned against her delicious mouth. All I wanted was her. To kiss her. Caress her. Bury myself deep inside her.
Love her.
Wait , love? That couldn’t be possible. We’d just met.
Still , I wouldn’t let my mind war with my body now, not when I had the woman I’d been dreaming about finally in my arms.
I carried her toward my bedroom, shoving the door open wide so we could fit through the frame. After I laid her gently on the bed, I pulled away.
“ Where are you going?” she asked through rasping breaths, staring at me from her beautiful eyes, now darkened a shade and gleaming with desire.
“ Just kicking my shoes off,” I said, desperate to return to her arms.
Once I’d removed them, I returned to her arms, delving into her sweet mouth again. She tugged at the bottom of my shirt and pulled it up. I broke away from her just enough to remove it, and once it was gone, her eyes widened a fraction. She ran her hands over my chest, and I sucked in a breath at the touch of her fingers.
“ Fuck , I want you,” I murmured, my voice sounding low and gravelly.
She leaned back and pulled her dress over her head, her blonde waves spilling onto her golden skin and the top of her pink bra.
“ I’m right here.” Her voice came out breathless. She scooted back on my bed, leaning onto my pillow.
My gaze raked over her body, over her tempting smooth skin, down her torso and belly to the tiny pair of pink panties that matched her bra. What a tantalizing vision. She had me raging hard. When she reached for me, I almost jumped on top of her in my excitement, barely restraining myself, not to crush her with my much larger body. Propping myself on my forearms, I cupped her tiny face in my hands.
“ Are you okay?”
“ I’m fine,” she assured me and then reached around to pull me back onto her.
I covered her face with kisses, wanting to brand every inch of her skin with my lips. Sliding one hand down the side of her body, I reached up and caressed her breast. Sweet stars, I wanted more. Gliding along her jawline, I kissed and licked her neck, then continued my descent. She let out a gentle sigh and ran her hands through my hair as I trailed my tongue along the mounds of flesh spilling out from the top of her bra.
I mouthed over the cup, feeling the hardness of her nipple against my tongue. What a tease. When I reached around her back to unhook her bra, she lifted her torso. Once I unhooked it, I slid it off her arms with her help, then tossed it to the floor where with the other discarded clothing.
Her pink nipples were taut, tantalizing, and the sight of her staring up at me from my bed with anticipation could have made me come right then. But I wouldn’t dare blow this before bringing her pleasure. I teased one nipple with my tongue, caressing the other with my hand, and then I took her breast in my mouth, moaning at the delicious experience. As I alternated with her other breast, she released a breathless sigh.
I needed more, to taste every inch of her. Sliding down her body, I marked a trail with my tongue. The scent of her desire made me throb in my pants. Using my mouth and fingers, I teased her, licking her inner thighs and the crease near her panties to get her writhing, as desperate for me as I was for her.
“ Please ,” she begged with a throaty rasp.
Yes , she was exactly where I wanted her. I slid her panties down and off her legs, tossing the wet garment to the growing pile of discarded clothing. A low, vibrating growl emanated deep within my chest at the sight of her glistening folds. I couldn’t wait any longer to taste her.
With a long sweep of my tongue, I delved inside of her. She released a cry of relief. Fuck , she tasted delicious. I licked her, desperately craving more, already addicted to her unique essence.
As I drove her wild with my tongue, I slid one finger into her tight channel and then another, ensuring she’d be wet and ready for when I finally buried myself deep inside her. Not only because was she so tight, but we needed it with our size difference. When she appeared to near her peak, I’d pull back, edging her ever closer.
“ Don’t stop,” she pleaded. “ Please don’t stop.”
I’d teased her enough, tormenting me too, as I delayed what we both desired. This time, I applied more pressure and as she thrashed on the bed, I didn’t pull back. Her limbs stiffened and she cried out my name, her honey wetness coating my tongue as she clamped around my fingers.
I pulled them out and slid over her body. The look of blissful rapture on her face was an image I seared to memory. Then I covered myself with a condom and pressed in between her legs.
I slipped the tip in, allowing her to adjust to my invasion while she came down from the high of her climax. She wrapped her arms around me, welcoming me inside her warm, wet body. It took time for me to push in slowly, careful that I didn’t hurt her and she could accommodate me. And fuck, if I didn’t want to come right then as her tight walls pulsed around me.
Eventually , I was in as deep as I could go. And ensconced in an unreal realm of blissful pleasure. Because sex had never felt like this before. As I rocked in and out of her body, spirals of intense heat coiled inside me. An absolute and primal sense that she was the one, the only one, flooded my veins. I’d never love anyone like Eloise .
She was mine. She had to be. I couldn’t ever let her go.
I could barely hold on with the faint pressure to come building up so soon, but no way would I allow it without bringing her to soar once more. Once I lifted her hips, I drove into her, finding the right friction that made her buck in response. And then I pushed in harder and faster, until she rose and rose, crying out and splintering beneath me.
I was right there with her and unable to hold off any longer.
“ Mine ,” I growled. A feral howl erupted as I exploded deep inside her.
She was my mate. Mine . Forever .