Chapter 8
WhenAnya had called me over, I feared the worst. That something had happened to cause her distress. The last thing I expected was to be invited inside her apartment to dine with her.
OnceI entered from the front door and climbed the stairs, I turned around and took in her space. She’d designed it in tasteful rose and beige tones and had books everywhere. Classical music played at a low volume. The delicious scent of rich tomato sauce filled my nose, but even better was that this place smelled like her.
Ifelt huge next to her in this smaller apartment and turned to her. “You don’t fear me being here?” I furrowed my brows. The way she’d looked at me before…
“No, of course not. You’ve been so gentle to me. So kind.”
Shemotioned for me to sit at the round wooden table. “Please.”
“CanI do something to help first?” I asked.
Sheglanced at the kitchen counter in the small L-shaped area. “Sure, you can open a bottle of wine and pour it into glasses. They’re right in that cabinet.” She pointed up at one.
AfterI retrieved two glasses, I poured red wine into them while she scooped pasta and sausage in tomato sauce into large, brown ceramic bowls.
Wecarried the wine and bowls to the table and sat across from each other.
“I hope this is okay.” She picked up her glass of red wine and gave me a sheepish look as she peered over the glass. “I don’t know what you eat.”
Ichuckled. “Don’t worry, this looks wonderful. I don’t eat pebbles to fill me with more stone,” I teased.
“Oh. Um, I didn’t mean…” She put the wineglass down and clutched the stem.
“I’m just joking.” I reached over and touched her hand, that slight brush over her skin filling me with delicious heat. And she didn’t pull her hand away. “WhenI’m in stone, I’m resting in more of a dormant state—one in which I can still see and hear and observe. But when I’m flesh, as I am now, I eat and drink and function much like a human.”
Shetilted her head as she studied me. Then she turned pink and glanced away.
Yes, and fuck, I added silently, wondering if that was what she was thinking.
Ididn’t push her for conversation and let her eat in silence for a minute, the only other sound besides us was the classical music playing softly in the background.
WhenI took a bite, I savored the rich taste of the tomato sauce flavored with mushrooms and basil as it mingled with the perfectly cooked sausage. “Mmm, this is delicious,” I complimented.
“Good.” She exhaled. “I’m glad you like it. I just whipped together whatever I had on hand.” A timer dinged on her oven. “I almost forgot about the bread!”
Whenshe walked over to the oven, my gaze lowered to her ass. She now wore a casual pair of pants that hugged her curves and revealed more of her luscious body. After putting on an oven mitt, she pulled a baguette from the oven and placed it on a wooden board. The scent of baked bread wafted over, stirring my already rising appetite. She sliced the loaf and put several pieces in a basket. As my gaze raked the line of her body from the top down once more, she turned around and caught me staring.
“Everything okay?” she asked, her brows furrowing.
“Everything is absolutely wonderful,” I declared, leaning back in the chair. “What else can I do to help?”
“We’re good,” she replied. “Sorry, I don’t have any salad. I’d planned on going to the market for some things after work tonight as I was getting low on staples, but…”
Sheleft the sentence unfinished. Not that she needed to explain. I knew exactly what had happened to distract her from grocery shopping.
Iappraised her. “I’m glad you felt comfortable enough to invite me in.”
“I’m still getting used to everything.” She flashed a small smile, revealing a dimple near the left side of her mouth. Once she sat back across from me, she picked nervously at her bread. “I eat when I’m stressed.” Then she laughed without humor. “Not a good thing.”
Whenshe didn’t elaborate, I prompted, “Why?”
Sheblinked at me. “My body.” Then she took a healthy sip of wine.
Icocked my head. “What about it?”
Shelaughed without mirth and motioned to herself. “Weight goes right to my hips, and I’m a little too short to pull it off.”
Mybrows drew closer, and I shook my head. Her curves were so luscious, and I ached to touch them. “I think you’re beautiful.”
Hereyes widened as she gaped at me. Then she scoffed with a light wave. “You don’t have to say that, Hugo. I wasn’t fishing for a compliment.”
“I know,” I replied. “But from the first moment I saw you in the library, I thought you were stunning.”
“Stunning?” she repeated as if she were, in fact, stunned right then.
“Yes.”
Shestudied me with a quizzical look and then glanced down at her plate.
Ileaned closer to her. “Does me thinking you’re beautiful make you nervous?”
“Not nervous exactly, but…” She adjusted in her seat and took a sip of wine.
“But what?”
“The last man I dated—he said some mean things about my appearance.” She shrugged. “AndI guess I believed him.”
Istraightened, my spine as stiff as a rod, and took a deep breath. “He was a fool,” I spat.
“You’re sweet.” She met my gaze and smiled. After she took another bite, she said, “Everything about you seems—mysterious. Where were you even born?”
Ileaned back in my chair. “I was born here in Quebec and raised in the Roquefort clan.”
Shegave me a questioning glance. “Like the cheese?”
“No.” I chuckled. “Like the gargoyle clan.”
“A clan of gargoyles.” Her voice was tinged with awe.
“What about you, LittleOne? Where were you born?”
“InMontreal. ButI ended up living in many places in Quebec.”
“Your family moved a lot?”
“No.” She chewed her bottom lip. “My parents died when I was young. I grew up in foster care.”
“Oh.” A pang of sympathy hit me. AlthoughI’d been watching Anya for many months, I didn’t know much about her background. “I’m sorry.”
Shegave me a weak smile. “Thank you. I was too young to remember.” She took in a heavy breath and then after she exhaled, she said, “I don’t really like to talk about my childhood.”
“I can understand why.” I ached for her. That part of her life clearly pained her. To have been raised alone without family. At least I’d had my parents and brothers before I joined the StoneSentries.
“I’d much rather hear about your family.” She leaned back in her chair.
Iassessed her to ensure she was okay. She asked me questions about my family, so I answered them. I told her about growing up the eldest of three brothers, how we were close, how my parents still live there, but my brothers and I each ventured to different areas to start our lives.
“I don’t have any siblings. That’s one thing I always wondered about. What it would be like to have a brother or sister. Someone to play with—and fight with.” Her smile turned mischievous.
“Oh, there was a lot of that,” I agreed with a chuckle.
“Is that how you ended up in Montreal?” she asked.
“Yes, eventually.”
“And becoming a guard?”
Itipped my head. “A sentry.”
“Ah, right. TheStoneSentries.” She took a sip of wine. “Do they all look like you?”
“If you mean do they have gray skin and wings, yes. But gargoyles appear different, just like humans do. And some have developed different characteristics from their clan.” I circled with my hand. “Or from other arrangements.”
“Like what?”
Howmuch should I tell her? I gazed into her eyes. To gain her trust, I had to be truthful—at least about some things for now. She listened quietly, waiting for me to continue.
“Like the one we had with Adelaide,” I finally revealed.
Anya’seyes flickered wider. “Because you said she was a witch?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Anyaglanced at a spot beyond me before she met my eyes again. “I can’t imagine what sort of arrangements you might mean with her. Can you tell me more?”
Afterwhat she’d already seen, it didn’t seem right to keep the truth from Anya. With the way she delved into a topic she wanted to research, she’d start to figure things out quickly on her own anyway. Besides, it might be safer for her to know more.
“We served as protection for her, and in return, she granted us the ability to better protect ourselves.”
“How so?”
“With magic,” I replied. “That’s how I was able to tolerate the gunshot without it tearing through my wing.”
“Magic,” she repeated in a breathy voice. “I can’t believe it’s real.”
“It is,” I replied with a solemn nod.
“And so,” she began and then paused, “You’re at the library most the time?”
“For the most part, although sometimes sentries are moved to other parts of the city.”
“Including you?”
“In the past, yes, but I’ve been at the library for six months.”
“That must get boring.”
“Why?”
“You could be outside.” She gestured toward the window. “With the entire world before you.” She placed her hand over her heart. “I mean, I know why I like working in a library, but I doubt you have the same reason.”
“Perhaps. What’s your reason?”
“I love books. And the art there is a bonus.”
Inodded and made a thoughtful sound. “I like it there.” WhatI particularly liked was being near her, watching her, ensuring she was safe. ButI couldn’t admit all that. She couldn’t know what I suspected about our true connection—not tonight at least. It would drive her away faster than the bullet had left the chamber. I motioned to the living room. “You prepared this wonderful dinner for us. Why don’t you go and relax and let me clean up?”
“No,” she said. “You’re my guest.”
“I insist.” I gestured again to the sofa. “Please.”
Onceshe did so, I washed the dishes and put the leftovers away.
Iwalked over to Anya, who was reading a book on her living room couch, her legs covered by a blanket. “Thank you for dinner. Everything was delicious. I should get going.”
Shetossed the blanket off and adjusted her legs so her feet that were curled up beneath her now pressed to the floor. “Hugo?”
“Yes?”
“Can you sit with me for a minute?”
Or a lifetime. “Sure.”
Irefilled our wineglasses and then sat a couple of inches apart from her on the sofa. With her so close, the heat between us entranced me. IfI extended my leg out just a bit, it would touch her thigh.
Sheturned to me. “You fascinate me,” she said with a hint of curiosity in her voice. “CanI—” she hesitated. “Touch you?”
Everysense heightened with awareness. “Of course.”
Shereached up with her tiny hand and hesitantly hovered near my cheek. When she touched it with an open palm, I instinctively leaned into her touch. My body rumbled in response. This felt so right.
Shekept her hand there for several seconds and then moved it down over my jawline, down to my neck, over my torso. Every inch of my skin burned with longing beneath her fingers. She continued lower, lower still, until her fingertips touched my core.
“You’re as hard as stone,” she noted with awe. “Yet the texture of your skin is soft.”
Whenshe stared up at me again, my heart was pounding. “Not as soft as yours,” I said. ThenI lifted my hand to touch her check, mirroring the motion she’d done with mine, and waited. When she didn’t turn away, I caressed her cheek, which was like touching satin. My heart thundered. I couldn’t believe this moment was real. I wasn’t watching her from afar but touching her…
Hereyelids lowered as I moved my fingers along her jawline and over her neck. Her lips parted as she stared at me, the air surrounding us turning thick with heat. My gaze lowered to her lush lips, as I was fascinated by her mouth. The ache to kiss her grew so strong that it was all I could think about. But she was human. She wouldn’t want that from a monster.
“What are you thinking?” she asked, drawing my attention back to her hooded eyes.
Itook one deep breath, then another, hoping to steady my racing emotions. I couldn’t think of anything but the truth, which pounded in my veins with a rising urgency. “How much I want to kiss you.”
Thecorners of her lips twitched upward, and her eyes gleamed with delight. “Then kiss me.”
HadI heard her correctly? I must have, because the way she looked at me with expectation left no doubt.
Myheart practically pounded through my chest as I bent closer to her, waiting, expecting, anticipating.
Andthen our lips brushed.
Somany sensations roared through my body all at once. Electrifying heat jolted through my veins, bolts of lightning that could shatter the night sky.
Islid my hand behind her neck and tipped her head back before I kissed her again. More demanding this time. Urgent. Plundering.
Shelet out the softest of sighs. That sound ignited a new wave of need soaring through me. She kissed me back, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted more of her. To taste. To touch. I needed her.
Pressingmy tongue against the seam of her mouth, she parted her lips and let me in. We tasted of red wine and hearty sauce, our shared meal. One thing was for certain. I was forever changed. Because now I knew for certain what I’d suspected for quite some time. She wasn’t just a woman I longed for—she was my mate.
AndI didn’t have a clue what to do about that.
Whenwe finally pulled apart, breathless, I gazed into her hooded eyes. I’d never wanted anyone so much in my life and had to fight the urge to carry her into her bedroom. She’d gone through so much since yesterday. I couldn’t take advantage when she was already so shaken and vulnerable.
Summoningmy willpower, I said, “You need to get some rest, LittleOne. It’s been a long day for you.”
Shegaped at me, appearing as dazed by the kiss as I’d been. Then she nodded. “Right.”
Iforced myself to stand. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.” Forcing myself to take one agonizing step after the other away from her, I reached her door. I turned and said, “The sweetest of dreams.”
Sheheaved out a low breath. “Goodnight, Hugo.”
ThenI opened the door and left. WhenI closed it behind me, I sagged against it, struggling against the yearning to go back in.
Itwas a continued struggle to leave her and patrol from outside her apartment building. My legs trembled and I seemed to float above the ground like I was in flight. I felt as shaken as she must have been when she’d learned of my existence. But it wasn’t out of fear. I’d found my mate and kissed her sweet lips. They’d forever be imprinted to memory.
Thenthe clammy fear slammed into me, binding around my ribs. Nothing had changed between us except that earthquaking kiss. She was still human and I was a gargoyle. The odds of her ever wanting to be part of my world stretched as impossible as ever.