Page 19 of A Highland Gargoyle’s Lucky Star (Tales from the Tarot)

Chapter nineteen

Noah

Mama Delilah’s Daily Horoscope Reading

Your energy and zest will serve you well today, Sagittarius. A big task is going to come your way that only you can handle—there’s a lot of work to be done. At the same time, others will count on your adaptability and relentless optimism when things get tough. Today might just be the day to live that adage, “Go big or go home.”

I ’m yawning by the time Elryk and I head to our rooms to get ready for bed, but I’m still hoping we can sneak in a quick round of nookie.

Turning on the bedside lamp, I see my phone.

Yes, I left it charging.

A couple of days ago…

With a mounting sense of dread, I pick it up to find I have thirty-seven unread messages.

All from my mother.

They start out fun and even a little bit joking, then get progressively more worried.

Three days ago:

Mama Jama: Noah, why aren’t you responding? Are you okay?

Mama Jama: My phone shows all my message are unread. I’m freaking out. I emailed too but so far, nada.

Mama Jama: You didn’t fall into an open manhole cover, did you? They’d never find you in the sewers. Oh God.

Two days ago:

Mama Jama: I’ve called every hospital in every major city in Scotland. You aren’t in any of them. You better not be dead in a ditch on the wrong side of the road or I’ll kill you.

Mama Jama: The police also haven’t heard of you, so you haven’t gone on a crime spree or been lured into a drug smuggling operation. Silver lining.

Mama Jama: I’m scouring the newspapers but I don’t see any stories about train hijackings or tourists being kidnapped or suffering from freak accidents. That’s good, I suppose.

One day ago:

Mama Jama: This isn’t like you, Noah. Please respond. I need to know you’re okay.

Mama Jama: Noah. David. Price. Call me IMMEDIATELY! I’m going to have a stroke from all this worry.

Mama Jama: You leave me no choice.

And finally, earlier this morning:

Mama Jama: Your father and I are on the next flight to Glasgow. Hang tight, baby. I’m going to find you.

“Oh, shit,” I whisper.

What a clusterfuck. I kept thinking I needed to message her, but so much was going on that it kind of… slipped my mind.

With a doom-laden heart, I trudge my way over to Elryk’s room and knock on the door.

He opens it with a smile that quickly turns to a frown when he sees my expression.

“What’s the matter, love?”

“My parents are coming,” I say in a panicked voice.

He looks confused. “Is that bad?”

I throw my hands up in the air. “Of course it’s bad! My mom thinks I’ve been kidnapped or killed by drug lords. Or something equally bananas.”

“Why would she think that?” He seems truly perplexed.

I groan. “Because of me. I accidentally stopped messaging her. So much was happening that I ended up with other things on my mind.”

“But you’ve only been out of contact for a few days.”

I shake my head sorrowfully. “You don’t understand. My parents are a smidge overprotective due to all the bad luck I’ve had in my life. On top of that, I’m their late-in-life surprise baby. They’re always worried about me ending up alone and without a support system once they die.”

Elryk pulls me into his arms and rests his chin on the top of my head. I slump into his embrace and my racing pulse starts to slow down.

“You’re part of the DarkWing clan now. You’ll never be alone, mo ghràidh.”

I hug him tighter. “But I haven’t even had a chance to tell them about you, or the castle, or about me being a Conduit. Fuck.”

And they don’t know about the train or double-decker bus snafus either. Perhaps I can conceal those ones?

He strokes my back, and I want to melt right into him. “It’ll be all right, sweetheart. We’ll give them a grand welcome here at Castle DarkWing and introduce them to the rest of the clan. This could actually be a good thing. Now that you’re planning to stay here with me, they might feel better seeing where you’ll be living and getting to know me first.”

“There you go, being all logical and rational when I’m freaking the fuck out.” I sigh. “Thanks.”

“Anytime, mate of mine.”

I pull out my phone and send a quick answering text.

Me: Sorry I dropped the communication ball. I’m okay! A lot has happened, and some big changes are on the horizon for me. Once you land, please catch the train to Inverness. I’ll pick you up at the station. Love you guys.

I’m about to ask Elryk if we can take turns blowing one another to help me feel even better when an alarm blares throughout the castle.

Instinctively, I cover my ears while Elryk leaps into action.

When he pulls a motherfreaking broadsword out of his closet, all my Highlander fantasies are once again activated.

“So fucking sexy,” I whisper.

“Come on, we need to head to the battlement,” he urges. He grabs my hand and drags me out of the room, down the hall, and up a hidden flight of stairs to the castle’s rooftop.

“Don’t you need a shield with that sword?” I’m not sure why it’s the first thing I ask him, but it seems important.

He gives me a cocky grin. “I don’t need a shield, sweetheart. I am the bloody shield.”

I try not to swoon on the spot while my cock decides to perk up and say hello.

Once again, this is neither the time nor the place.

A creepy chorus of hundreds of flapping wings draws my gaze to the sky, where a swarm of flying creatures coming straight toward us black out the moon.

Alfred Hitchcock got it right with The Birds . So fucking terrifying.

As the swarm gets closer, a horrific screeching noise that’s so much worse than the alarm I heard only moments ago fills the air. The sound chills me to my very core and roots me to the spot, unable to move or speak.

“The Sluagh,” Elryk murmurs in a dark tone.

Yeah, I kinda figured that one out the hard way.

Finally, I’m able to move. I take a trembling step closer to him. “What do we need to do?”

He plants a quick kiss on my forehead. “Brave and beautiful, that’s what you are.” He looks down along the castle ramparts and to the ground, where gargoyles wait in formation, weapons at the ready.

“All you need to do is tap into the line and keep sending magical energy to our forces. I’ll protect you.”

“And me,” Braewyn says, joining his best friend with a confident swagger and a deadly-looking spear in his hands. He twirls it around with the greatest of ease.

“You’re gonna knock your mate’s socks off with that move someday,” I tell him.

He grins. “Ta, darlin’.”

Not to be outdone, and no doubt spurred on by some low-key competitive vibes, Elryk does a couple of fancy moves with his sword that get me all hot and bothered.

“That’s dead sexy, babe.”

He preens.

More screeching from above ends our moment of levity and we take up our defensive positions.

Elryk moves in front of me, and Braewyn positions himself behind me.

“I guess it’s time to do my thing.” I close my eyes to block out the terrifying creatures that are getting ever closer to us and search for the resonance of the ley line node once more.

Come on, mental tentacles. Don’t fail me now .

After a short time, I’m sweating bullets, but I finally tap that ley line ass!

I don’t shrink back from the overwhelming power, instead letting it all in, only to immediately send it back out again, filling our clan members with as much magical energy as possible.

A series of loud thuds makes me open my eyes in time to witness nearly a dozen creatures landing on the battlement with us. In the sky, the Sluagh had resembled enormous supernatural vultures, but up close they’re even more horrifying. Their ashen wings droop around them but fail to conceal their haggard appearance. Equally ashen skin sags on their frames and looks as if it might slough off from rot at any moment. Their arms and legs are long and gangly, and their hands and feet end in sharp talons that drip a black, viscous fluid. Even as I watch, their faces start to transform, their mouths elongating into vicious, bird-like beaks lined with razor-sharp teeth.

They’re basically the spawn of a Ring Wraith and a harpy.

As one, they open their maws and screech once more.

My balls try to climb back up into my body cavity and I nearly lose my control of the ley line.

At least I maintain control of my bladder and bowels. I’ll take that as a win.

“Focus, Noah,” Elryk reminds me as he raises his sword to attack.

Firming my resolve in the face of this H.P. Lovecraftian horror come to life, I concentrate on doing my one job.

“Listen up, you ugly, diseased-infested motherfuckers. I’m the Conduit of the DarkWing clan, and we are gonna fuck you up!”

I send enough energy to Elryk and Braewyn that I can practically see them glowing in the dark.

My ability to see magic is growing fast. Sweet!

Elryk and Braewyn spring into action, sword and spear moving almost faster than I can see.

Meanwhile, I keep sending them, as well as the rest of our comrades below, as much magical support energy as I can.

I’ve witnessed a lot of battles on the big screen, including the epic one at Helm’s Deep near the end of The Two Towers . But the real thing is far scarier. And somehow louder, even without Dolby surround sound.

Waves of sound come at me from all directions. Metal clanging, gargoyles shouting, Sluagh creatures shrieking, and over all that is the now familiar sparking noise from the ley line that’s a constant and keeps me grounded.

While the rest of the clan battle around us, Elryk and Braewyn are kicking major ass to protect me and making it look stupidly easy. I’m a little envious and kinda wish I had equally awesome superhero action moves in my back pocket.

Oh well, I have Conduit superpowers, so suck on that, Sluagh!

For one shining moment, it seems like we’re going to win this battle easily. With one last shriek, the remaining Sluagh return to the skies, their numbers fewer than when they first arrived.

“They’re retreating!” I say, only to realize how wrong I am.

They’re just regrouping.

Right before what looks like half of them decide to dive-bomb me as one.

Our forces are quick to respond, gargoyles taking to the skies with their weapons at the ready as they engage the enemy.

But quite a few of the Sluagh break through and land on the battlement.

I duck and roll, like we did in elementary school, and manage to evade one of the hideous creatures that lands right where I was standing.

The battlement is swarming with them now, and I don’t know what to do.

I spy Braewyn a good distance away, taking on a large cluster all by himself.

A Sluagh reaches for me with its long, sharp talons dripping black goo and I fall back on my ass.

Then Elryk’s there, in front of me, roaring with rage as he cuts down the Sluagh with vicious speed and brutality.

His prowess as a warrior is stunning to witness firsthand. He moves like he’s part of a complicated dance I couldn’t hope to figure out, and his enemies don’t stand a chance.

But what they have to their advantage right now is numbers.

And all too soon, it becomes clear that we’re in trouble.