Page 26

Chapter 26

Threnody trudged through the snow, every breath a struggle. A clap of thunder shook the sky, her body still aching from her seizure. Night had fallen since she’d woken from a horrible miasma of her worst memories; abandonment, pain, the discovery of Aster’s murder.

All of it had made her so weak. So sick. She didn’t believe she’d survive the sickness that had her in a choke hold, but her eyes opened despite it all, and her body was restored. How the hell she pulled herself from the brink of death was a damned mystery. And it would have been good if those bad memories weren’t still stewing in her mind. But they urged her to rise, to get back to her plan for revenge.

Judith had left Threnody alone, having the decency to dump her into bed before she took off to finish Arabella’s mission. Good. Threnody didn’t need that bitch sticking her nose into her plans, especially now that she knew how to break the wards. The solution had come in her sleep; the exact sigils she could use, the words she should chant. With Judith gone, that gave her enough time to kill every fucker that lived inside that house.

An icy gale cut deep into Threnody’s bones, a shiver almost taking her to her knees. The warm glow of windows glimmered in the distance. The house. That meant the barrier was only a few yards ahead. She held up a hand, whispering “stop” into the air. The trees stilled, the woods growing eerily silent as the wind stopped. Revenge. It was within her grasp, sitting in that house and waiting.

Threnody ran clumsily, her boots sinking into white slush. Revenge for Aster, revenge on the ones who had sniffed out her light. Revenge for Threnody’s pain. A shadow of bat like wings passed before the moon with a woosh. “What the fuck?” That was too damn big to be a bat. And whatever it was it was probably hunting.

She ducked under low hanging branches tracking its path as it passed right through the wards as if they weren’t even there. It touched down, shadows swirling around his form as if wore the night as a cloak. Its wings folded and it lowered its cargo to their feet. A woman; petite and slim with strawberry blonde hair. The woman caught her balance then offered the beast a familiar smile filled with sunshine.

Threnody shoved a hand over her mouth, hot sick dancing on the back of her tongue. “...Aster?”

There she was all love and light, blood and bone, alive, breathing and smiling at a damned gargoyle. She wanted to run to her, wanted to cry and scream and hug her tight, but her shock froze her in place. Arabella lied. That fucking bitch lied to me!

Rage forced Threnody to stand but her legs wobbled. She fell against a tree, holding tight as tears threatened to choke her. The gargoyle tensed, but she ran before it turned, heart racing, mind spinning. Arabella had lied about Aster’s death. But why? When she deemed it safe, Threnody fished her cell phone from her pocket. Tears blurred her vision, her thumb missing the name “Mother” three times before hitting it so hard her phone almost tumbled into the snow.

Threnody gritted her teeth, every inch of her burning as it rang and rang. “Answer the phone you stupid-!” A click and a breath followed by a low, smooth voice answering, “Threnody my daughter. You’re awake.” Arabella’s smugness was thick over the phone.

“You have a lot of explaining to do!” Threnody spat. “A fuck load of explaining!”

***

Aster clung tight to her friend as they landed. Despite his size, he touched down as delicate as a dragonfly, pulling his wings tight to his back. He brought her close enough to walk to Ivy’s house, but far enough to keep her sister from sending a hex right up his ass. It was good to know he still had his common sense.

“Well…you got me home in one piece,” Aster said, trying to sound cheerful. The gargoyle frowned, fingers pressing into her thigh as he pulled her closer, arms trembling, his heart beat heavy and fast. After a beat she cleared her throat. “You can put me down now.” With a reluctant sigh he placed her on her feet, hands lingering on her hips. She stepped away to hide her shiver, dragging her fingers through her wind-swept hair. “Thanks for the ride I guess?”

“I thought you were in danger,” he snapped defensively.

She held up her hands to him. “I know.”

He jabbed a misty claw at her. “I was convinced something, or someone was coming after you and acted accordingly. You can”t fault me for that.”

“I wasn’t planning to.” She looked over her shoulders. “Though I’m pretty sure my family will. So next time…I donno…Knock?”

Aster rapped her knuckles on his chest. The shadows covering his body rippled to reveal rock solid pecs, then swallowed the view before she could gawk. How did she not notice that before? Oh yeah, because she was too busy trying not to turn into a soul sucking monster.

“It”s the thought that counts,” she said. “You had good intentions.”

His glowing eyes crinkled. “The path to hell is paved with good intentions, Kitten.” He released a dark sound that could have been a half-hearted laugh.

“Okay, Debbie Downer. I get it. You’re sulking. I guess that”s a good sign. If you’re strong enough to sulk you’re strong enough to not die.” They stood in awkward silence, Aster unwilling to step away. Gods, how could she step away? All this time she was convinced that she had killed him, yet there he stood. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t more thrilled than scared to see him burst through the window. “So... you’re alive.”

“I am.” The Gargoyle rubbed his hips as if trying to shove his hands into pockets. Was he even dressed under all those shadows? Was he nude? Another question she hadn’t thought of while cursed but now that she was back to herself again—her very horny self apparently—her immediate thought was on his body. “You seem surprised,” he added.

Aster looked to her feet. “Well, I tossed you like a frisbee and you never came back.”

He hooked his knuckle under her chin, giving it a lift. “Oh, come now, Kitten. I thought you knew my prowess better than that.”

“I’m serious! I was really worried!” She jerked away. “You could have at least, I don’t know, left a note, knocked on my window, waved a flag or something.”

“And I’m sure I’d be greeted with open arms,” he snorted. “Perhaps invited in for tea.”

“It would have been better received than an unexpected kidnapping.”

The gargoyle looked ready to retort then growled, his wings cloaking his shoulders. “Fine. I’ll concede that. I just deemed it unnecessary at the time.”

Aster sighed. “If you want to disappear, just say so. You don’t owe me anything.”

“No.” He stiffened. “And no despair. You know what happens-”

“The curse is broken. I don’t turn into a hungry void monster when I get sad anymore.” Aster inhaled in a trembling breath and squared her shoulders. “Just tell me upfront. I don’t like games.”

The gargoyle cleared his throat, pulling his hand away quickly. “I’m sorry I didn’t reach out. I assumed you were…” he shrugged. “My recovery was something you wouldn’t have wanted to witness.”

Aster chewed on her lower lip. This should have been her cue to walk away and let him live his life. But she pressed a hand to his heart. Shadows swirled over her fingers, tingling with warmth. “You saw me at my worst. I think I owe you.”

You owe me nothing.” He reached out, brushing the tips of his claws through her messy hair. “I wondered what your true form looked like for some time.”

Aster gave him a little smile. “Impressive, huh?”

“A lot less…viscous.”

Aster’s laugh made the shadows around his face curl into a faint grin. “Yeah. I don’t ooze like I used to.”

He brushed his fingers across her cheek, the swirls of darkness kissing her flesh. “I prefer you like this. Far more…touchable.”

The deep roll of his voice shook Aster right to the core. She swallowed, face heating. “I’d shoot you a compliment too if I could see you. You’re like a walking Rorschach picture.”

The fog curling his head stilled. Then it parted, revealing his face. By Artemis, he was terrifying. Terrifying and stunning. His skin was slate gray, his heavy brow sprouting large horns that curved gracefully over a mane of thick purple hair.

“Impressed?” Mischief twinkled in his golden eyes, their pupils slitted like a cat’s. His smile flashed a pair of long gleaming sharp white fangs.

“Y-yeah.” Aster swallowed the break in her voice. The primal beauty in his harsh planes, the carnality his gaze as he looked her over from head to toe. Suddenly she understood her siblings’ attraction to somebody so inhuman.

Before she realized it, she had pressed her hands along his rugged face, the tiny scales smooth on her palms. A low purr rumbled from his throat, and he leaned into her touch like a needy cat. Aster shivered at the sound. Quickly, she tucked her miscreant hand behind her back. The shadows swallowed him once again.

“Cold?” he asked.

Aster shook her head. “Um no?”

“You’re trembling. Your dress is so flimsy in this weather. It’s a wonder you haven’t turned blue.” He stepped closer, tucking an unruly lock of her hair behind her ear. The edges of his shadows tickled her cheek, tasting her skin. “Do you need warmth, Kitten?”

Gods, the way he crooned her nickname in that deep, gravelly voice went right between her thighs. Aster was ready to leap back into his arms and let him cart her wherever he wished.

“Aster!” Her name was carried across the air by several voices. Finn and Ivy, Aunt Dahlia, and Aunt Rosemary. She stepped back with a sigh. “My family…”

The gargoyle cleared his throat, flicking his hand at her. “Get home, Kitten. They”re worried, I’m sure.”

“You should get going too. After the way you busted in, they won’t be happy to see you.” He bowed, sweeping his wings like a cloak then started away, the air rippling around him as he walked through the ward barrier. Realization hit Aster like a sledgehammer. “Wait. How did you get past my sister’s wards?”

The gargoyle peered over his shoulder the corners of his shadows turning into a trickster smile. He waged a finger at her. “I revealed enough secrets to you today. I’ll save that for, well, next time.”

Her belly fluttered, a little laugh tickling her lips. “I’ll hold you to that.”

The force of his wings unfurling blew her hair back. “Just call for me, Kitten, and I will come for you.”

She smirked. “I would if you gave me your name.”

He winked “Thaddeus. You may call me Thaddeus.” Thaddeus leapt, wings catching the wind as he flew off into the horizon.