Page 7

I squeezed my eyes shut. If my face was about to go pancake on the wall, I didn’t want to see it.

No pain followed. I felt coolness against my exposed skin, the air became thicker like in a dense fog, and my ears popped as if there were a change in air pressure. But those sensations were gone so fast I might as well have imagined them. I cracked an eye open.

I was in a courtyard full of gargoyles. Armed with shields and swords, they were an impenetrable wall between us and what looked like a medieval castle.

My survival instincts went into overdrive. If these creatures wanted me dead, I was a goner. My knife was but a chopstick against their long blades, and fleeing was not an option. Hence I hid behind my gargoyle’s back.

Silence fell.

I sneaked a peek from behind a folded wing. Every single gargoyle was down on one knee, head bowed, sword planted in the pinkish ground.

“Rise, my loyal brethren!” Xaniban’s voice carried over the courtyard. He had his hand and tail raised in greeting or command; I could only guess.

As everyone got up and put their swords away, I went back to hiding. I was hoping to remain out of sight until I could orient myself in the situation.

No such luck. Xaniban stepped to the side and gave me a nudge with his tail. I was suddenly on full display, and some twenty pairs of pupil-less eyes were on me.

On instinct, I pressed myself to Xaniban’s side. Dignifying, I know. But it gave me a sense of security I desperately needed in this pickle of a situation. Gripping his biceps, I whispered, “What’s going on?”

His wing pressed against my back, soft but reassuring. “Have no fear,” he murmured, then spoke loudly, “My brethren wish you no harm. They are simply surprised at my return with a human after so many years of abstention.”

His words were followed by a flap of wings by everyone present. Was that a ‘Yes, my king’?

“Perixal.” Xaniban turned to a chestnut-haired gargoyle in a red loincloth, the only one not dressed in black.

Perixal stepped forward and bowed. He was large, ripped, and with long hair straight out of a shampoo commercial, just like the others of his kind. I would assume these were palace guards, and he was their commander. Still, what did they feed these males?

“How many of my warriors have returned?” Xaniban asked. He spoke authoritatively, in full king mode now.

“Twelve, my liege.”

“Have they fully regenerated?”

“Yes. They are ready to serve you yet again.”

“Good. Summon them to the war room. Have they eaten?”

“Not yet. Food was just about to be served to them when our scouts informed us of your return.”

“Order the food served in the war room, then. I will not have my warriors deprived of sustenance. They can expect me to join them there.”

Perixal bowed again. “It shall be done, my liege.”

“As for our fallen brethren,” Xaniban continued, “I will personally inform their families of the loss.”

“Yes, my liege.” One more bow, and Perixal took flight.

I wanted to see where he was headed, but another gargoyle landed in his place, demanding my attention.

This one was blond and looked different than the rest. He was lean, with narrower shoulders and less defined muscles.

His face had softer features, no sign of the rugged jawline everyone around me sported.

I’d say he was a teen, but he might as well be a flat-chested female for all I knew.

I studied his white loincloth. Was there a bulge under there?

“Have a robe ready for her.”

Wait, what did I miss?

“She needs clean clothes after her bath.”

“Yes, my liege.”

Wonderful. I had been so busy staring at gargoyle crotches I had missed part of Xaniban’s orders. Which happened to involve me.

“Will that be a white robe or a blue one?” the newcomer asked. His voice was distinctly masculine.

“The blue, Samuin. My human has been claimed by others before me.”

I sputtered. “Excuse me?” Had Xaniban just told an entire courtyard of males that I wasn’t a virgin?

And why did it sound like I was being prepped for him, like a dish to be served once washed and seasoned with a dressing of his choice?

“Have some food delivered to her,” the almighty king continued with his orders, ignoring my murderous glare. “Her scent speaks of malnourishment.”

“Yes, my liege. Should I serve the food in your chambers or in the harem?”

“Harem?!” I took a step back from Xaniban. Perhaps this way my death stare would have an effect.

The king chuckled. Snickers came from his subjects.

“She is a jealous one, is she not?” Xaniban asked all in attendance, his tone laced with satisfaction. A chorus of wing flaps followed. “Very territorial, just like a strong female should be.”

Resting his eyes on me, he added, “Do not worry. I keep no harem; Samuin speaks of the chambers where my father used to house his numerous females before he mated my mother. Now I offer that space to my female of choice, to use when I am away from my chambers. The harem shall be yours now.”

“I’m flattered,” I deadpanned.

“The food will be served in my chambers, then,” he told the young gargoyle.

“Yes, my liege.” Samuin bowed and extended a hand to me. “My lady.”

I stared at his blue hand, then at his bowed head, and finally at Xaniban beside me.

“Go without fear.” He gave me an encouraging smile with a hint of fang. “Samuin will ensure you are warm, clean, and fed until I return to your curvaceous side.”

I stepped further away to avoid another tail nudge. “I am not going anywhere with him.”

A ripple of surprised gasps spread through the courtyard.

Yeah, what a shocker, not obeying the king. Xaniban was not my ruler, and I was nobody’s bed toy. Still, some tact was necessary here, in case my disobedience was punishable by imprisonment or execution in this world.

“I already told you I am not going to your bedchamber, my liege . If your claim that you wish me well isn’t false, then I shall eat with you now.”

Xaniban’s brow furrowed. “I have kingly duties to perform. I do desire to fulfill all your wishes, but my brethren’s needs always come first. I must meet with my warriors now. Afterward, I promise to make it up to you by bringing you to ecstasy a myriad of times before the moon reaches its peak.”

Oh my God . He declared that loudly for everyone to hear! Cheeks burning, I forced myself to stay on track. “I wish not to keep you from your tasks,” I said respectfully, “but to join you and your warriors for dinner.”

Gasps from all around yet again.

Xaniban gave me an approving look, though.

“You are feisty and courageous. You fought against our common enemy and survived when other skilled warriors fell. However,” his tone grew firm, “with so few females remaining both of my kind and yours, war is something you must not be involved in. You must be protected, not plunged into the violence my warriors and I face.”

I scoffed. “Sorry to inform you, macho gargoyles, but neither I nor the women in my community have the luxury to sit on the sidelines. We fight for our survival alongside the men, and guess what? We’re still standing.

So, if you want to protect us, let me attend your war council and learn more about our common enemy. ”

The king took a deep breath, his impressive chest expanding, then exhaled loudly through his nose. All the while studying me with an unreadable look on his face.

When he finally spoke, it was to Samuin. “Take her to the harem.”

“Yes, my liege.”

I yelped as I was tail-grabbed and thrown over Samuin’s shoulder like a sack of grain. “Wait!”

He held me in place with one arm and a tail and took off at a dizzying speed.

“Wait, dammit! I’ve got info! The zombie king!”

But we were already high in the air, Xaniban remaining far below us. I could barely see anything with those wings flapping right in front of my face.

“Halt.”

“My liege?” My ride stopped mid-air.

I held my breath. All I could do was listen, since I didn’t have eyes on my ass.

“What do you know about the zombie king, little human?”

Hope flared. “I will tell you… in the war room.”

A loud exhale. “You know nothing. Samuin, take her away.”

“No! I’m not bluffing!” I think.

“If this is a trick–”

“It’s not! I do know…” I paused for greater effect. “How about the whereabouts of the zombie king?”