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Roman

Gargoyle Stronghold

“ T his would be a lot easier if you had wings, small man,” Achar said as he looked down at Hiro with an unreadable expression. Then his gaze shifted to me. “I’m not even sure those wings would work, either.”

“We’ll find out eventually,” was all I gave him as we trudged our way through the wasteland. If I thought the demons at Dark Haven were unsettling, this was so much worse. Spirits, souls, whatever they were called here, wandered the wastes without a purpose. Every time we passed one, the temperature dropped drastically and bone-deep sadness would take over.

My heart hurt for them all. This was no afterlife. Was this a punishment for the life they lived or was this Hel being a bitch again? It was something I knew I’d bring up to Harlow.

Achar didn’t seem to notice, or pretended not to. I guess if you have only ever existed here, you’d be immune to the creepiness.

In the distance, the howling winds and wailing cries turned into a symphony of horror. If not for our footsteps crunching on the ice for me to focus on, I’d go mad here.

But at least I was here.

I still couldn’t shake the feeling of being glad I went first, that I didn’t have to witness them all die. But they had to see me die and I felt equally as awful for that.

And even if it was awful, the death was necessary.

Here in Helheim, we were alive again. Stronger this time, and our own people. I was real and so was Hiro.

This was what we had needed in Dark Haven.

It was still weird to look over and see Hiro’s face, talk to him and get a response. I could only imagine the look on Harlow’s face when we got there. It fueled each footstep as we trudged toward our mate.

“Do you think Drake or Harlow will be weirded out?” Hiro asked in a quiet voice. He was uneasy still and I knew there was nothing I could do to fix that. He needed his mates. “I don’t look the same.”

“Neither will they,” Achar supplied even though he wasn’t part of this conversation. Everything he said was so blunt and purposeful. It was unsettling.

“Then I guess I’ll stop overthinking,” Hiro said more to himself than us. I bumped my shoulder against his in support, forgetting about my wings. He cracked up when I had to steady him after almost flinging him to the side. “You have your own shit to adjust to, brother.”

“I do,” I confirmed. A streak of red appeared before Loki was strutting alongside us. I knew we had him to thank for our new bodies.

“I take it we worked past the shock, boys?” Loki mused as he met my gaze with his shockingly vibrant eyes.

“We did,” I confirmed with a bow of respect that he more than earned. “Thank you for saving us.”

“Thank your queen,” Loki disagreed. “It was her favor that saved you and she’ll repay the debt.”

Well, that’s unsettling. What could a god possibly want from her?

“This walking thing is overrated. Why are we doing it?” Loki asked as he stopped, forcing our procession to stop as well.

“I don’t have wings,” Hiro pointed out. Loki shrugged as if that were irrelevant.

“Your other half does,” he pointed out. “And wings aren’t the only way to travel.”

With a wave of his hand, the world faded, and we were standing in a stone room. It wasn’t the throne room we’d seen before, but one destroyed, fragments of furniture and books lining the floor.

“Oh, someone had fun here,” Loki barked out a laugh.

It smelled of slick, sex, sweat, and the distinct scent of my mate. Relief nearly knocked me over.

“They certainly did,” Achar agreed with amusement. It was the first emotion I’d gotten from him. “Shall we head for the throne room and meet our new queen?”

The stoicism was gone and the old gargoyle was trying hard to hide his excitement... and failing.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t wait, give her a moment?” Loki teased, barely hiding his laughter at our expense.

“Fuck this,” Hiro rumbled before taking off at a run. I followed right behind him, almost as if I couldn’t be apart from him for long. “Harlow?! Drake?!”

“Hiro?” The words were far off and something crashed in the distance before a thunder of footsteps came closer. They were too quick and a second later Drake was in front of us, looking shocked.

His eyes bounced between us for a moment but there was no hesitation as he pulled his mate into his arms, recognizing him easily.

“You’re alive.” Drake’s voice broke and I knew he was picturing our death.

“I am, and myself,” Hiro confirmed as he clung to his mate, body shuddering as his sobs broke free. It was nice to see him getting what he always deserved. A real life and a pack, mates who loved him, and real confidence. Especially when he got used to his new form.

Drake scooped him up so Hiro was forced to wrap his legs around his waist. Achar and Loki had joined us but didn’t interrupt.

The two lovers whispered back and forth before locking their lips together. Pride and relief were the only things I could feel looking at those two. They both deserved this new chance at life.

“Roman,” Hiro said as they broke apart, wiggling until Drake put him down. “And this is Achar, he led us back before Loki popped in.”

“Roman.” Drake’s grin was wide as he clapped me on the shoulder. “The gargoyle life suits you. I should have known. Always the protector.”

He was right. The gargoyles had been Dark Haven and Hel’s protectors. While the demons did her bidding and fought for her, they held the two worlds together. As much as they could when she was working against them.

“Where is she?” I asked.

My chest was aching at the thought of seeing her but the moment the question fell from my lips, his expression darkened.

“I have no idea,” Drake admitted on a growl. “She was working with her mentor to put on clothes with her powers, manifesting and shit, and then she was just gone.”

“She’s with Monty,” Loki reassured us with a delighted, musical laugh. “A full mutiny. How fun!”

We all turned to him but the god was gleefully silent now.

“I’ll stay until your gargoyle commander returns,” Achar offered. “I’d like to introduce myself.”

Drake studied him before nodding. “Make yourself at home here. Though, it’s not really homey.”

“We’re used to stone,” Achar said with a shrug as he walked away.

When I turned back to Loki, he was gone as well. He was always popping in and out on a whim.

It was reassuring that Harlow was with Monty and he was alright, but it wasn’t any less painful to be separated from her yet again.

What could we do from here?

“What now?” Hiro mimicked my thoughts. “We wait?”

“Have we ever been prone to sitting around and waiting?” Drake asked with a laugh. “But before we plan to leave and figure out how to get to them, you need to meet someone.”

“How do we find them?” I asked before Drake could go on. “This realm is immense. We just traveled for what felt like days even if the sky didn’t change.”

“She assumed Monty was dead and regenerating, or in the prison. Loki just confirmed he’s alive so the prison is our first destination. Especially since he mentioned mutiny.”

“And who are we meeting?” Hiro questioned, glancing around nervously.

It was nice that some things didn’t change. He was still the same Hiro.

“Another god,” Drake said. “And a few of the wraiths that work here. This is home now, you may as well take a moment to experience it.”

“I saw enough of them in the wastes,” Hiro grumbled, giving me a dark look. I wasn’t the only one still haunted by them.

“Zetta!” Drake startled us with his booming command.

A ghostly girl came in a moment later, giving him a bow, and eyeing us curiously as she did. She was doll-like, petite and fragile… and quite transparent. She was also oddly devoid of a scent.

“Yes, Mas... Drake?” Drake grinned at her using his name. He looked so much like a proud papa that I couldn’t hide my grin. It felt odd with fangs poking my lip but I didn’t hold back. Even emotions felt stronger here. I was more myself than I’d ever been before.

If only I wasn’t missing my mate.

“This gargoyle and... man? Roman and Hiro. They’re two of the Queen’s mates as well,” he explained. “I wanted you to meet them. There’s another gargoyle in the castle, Achar, he’s awaiting the Queen’s arrival.”

“Pleasure to meet you. Let me know if I can help at all,” she said, giving us each a bow before disappearing again.

“Imagine coming to the afterlife and being a servant,” Hiro said with lowered shoulders.

“I asked her the same, but she said this is her purpose and she takes pride in it. Don’t pity her. Especially now that Harlow has stepped in. Zetta is more powerful than she lets on,” Drake said as he pulled Hiro in for another hug. It was like he couldn’t help touching him, and I couldn’t blame him. I’d be the same with Harlow.

“And the god?” I reminded him. The sooner we got this shit over with, the sooner we could find Harlow.

Drake turned and led us through the empty stone hallways until he reached a library of sorts. The room we woke up in was fairly plain, but this was downright cold and detached. Harlow would hate it.

Seeing a bright orange fire burning seemed so out of place here in a world of whites, grays, and blues, but it was like a beacon, gravitating us to it and we basked in its warmth.

“Like moths to a flame every time,” someone said with a chuckle. “Are these two more of the Queen’s mates?”

“We are,” I confirmed as I turned to face the god.

“I am Valgri, God of Justice and Balance.”

His title made sense. The god was a mix of male and female, light and dark, the perfect balance of anything you could imagine.

“I’m Roman, this is Hiro,” I greeted him with a bow.

“You’ve missed the elusive Queen. I assume you’re going after her?” This time he turned to Drake.

“That’s the plan. If she’s in the prison with Monty, she’s among possible enemies,” Drake confirmed.

That thought had my chest tightening and a low growl escaping. I shifted and my body cracked in response. Turning, I found all eyes were on me.

“Aw, the baby gargoyle grew into a big one.” Hiro laughed in disbelief. “You’re bigger now, Roman. So are your wings.”

“Good,” I said in a deep rumble that caught me by surprise. Power thrummed through my veins and infused my words. I was ready for battle with only the talk of harm coming to my mate.

Now I understood better how Kol felt when he woke up in the midst of a warzone.

“You can’t leave yet,” Valgri said, his eyes going stark white for a moment, nearly matching his long white hair.

That had the fight draining from me, and my body changed again, shrinking back to normal size.

Drake, however, was livid.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re needed here,” he said. “Harlow isn’t ready for you yet.”

“How do you know?” I demanded.

“The same way I know everything. How can I judge what is true justice if I can’t see everything?” Valgri asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Then what needs to be done in order for us to leave?” Hiro questioned, much calmer than the two alphas standing with him.

Valgri grinned and winked at Hiro, earning another growl from Drake.

“That’s the real question. We need to figure out what you are, because it is not human, demon, or gargoyle. It’s a mystery to me and I’m intrigued, but you cannot enter that prison with nothing to wield.”

“So, we’re waiting on me?” Hiro asked, gesturing to himself. I could feel the pain in those words as if they were my own. This was everything he feared.

“Partly,” he confirmed. “But more than that, you need to be here when Harlow’s first enemy arrives. A presence in this castle is necessary. We cannot leave the castle defenseless.”

“We aren’t just humans or hybrids anymore,” Drake said as if he were convincing us and himself. “We have a duty to Harlow to see this through. But, if Valgri says we wait... we wait.”

I wanted to protest, ask how this one god could predict so much, but I kept my mouth shut. My anger wasn’t with him but the situation. For once, I had the means to protect but was being told to stand down.

“You trust this god?” I asked Drake. Valgri let out an amused snort as I waited for his answer.

“As much as we can trust any god. We have little options here and little knowledge. So far, Valgri has proved more knowledgeable than we are, so we listen,” Drake said. “Neutrality and justice means he isn’t motivated by his own gain.”

My eyes shifted to Valgri but he just gave me a serene smile and nothing more.

“I’m starving,” Hiro groaned as he clutched his stomach. Food wasn’t something I’d even remotely thought about since waking up here.

“You are?” Drake asked in confusion.

“He’s not gargoyle or demon or god,” Valgri said in that blunt way of his. “I’m unsure what Loki has created but if he is hungry, he shall eat.”

With a wave of the god’s hand, a spread formed on the nearby table. Hiro didn’t hesitate to rush forward and fill a plate, groaning as he stuffed a bite in his mouth.

“What’s happening?” Drake whispered as we watched Hiro eat. My eyes widened as he swallowed and a light formed around him, growing with each bite.

Was his body converting food to whatever powers he possessed now?

“Oh, delightful,” Valgri commented as the air around him shifted, a draft blowing toward my brother as the aura consumed it as well. He was like a void, demanding to be filled, and using everything around him to fuel that need.

In mere minutes, he’d worked through a buffet fit for an army. By the time he turned to us, he looked more wraith than man. The same glow that emanated from the souls now surrounded him like a second skin.

“So, this isn’t normal, right?” Hiro asked with wide eyes as he held out his arm, noticing the barrier now that the hunger was satiated.

“Not at all,” Valgri said. “Which is why you’re here still.” The god froze before jumping up, eyes flashing white then back again. “More on this later, we’re needed in the throne room.”

“Then let’s go,” Drake said, taking Hiro’s hand without fear and urging me to follow.

Valgri mentioned an enemy and that thought had me growing again, ready to protect them as much as I would my mate. We were pack. No one would harm us again.

As soon as we reached the throne room I saw him. A low growl erupted from my chest, quickly shifting into a ferocious roar. There, in the doorway, walking in like he had any right to, was Gravik.

“How dare you come here!” Drake bellowed. Valgri clicked his fingers, locking us in place before we could attack. He was the judge here, not us, and we’d have executed the demon on the spot.

“I’ve come to serve the new Queen. I helped her gain this realm, have I not?” the demon adviser asked.

“You have no place in this castle or this realm,” I snarled at him. “Only death awaits you.”

“Oh, so angry.” Gravik laughed. “That’s how you greet someone above your station.”

“You are not above them,” Valgri stated simply. Finally, the demon’s eyes landed on the god.

He didn’t respond for several moments but I saw him tense. This asshole thought he would waltz back in and take his place like before. That there would be no consequences to his actions.

“I am an adviser to the Queen.” Gravik’s argument was weak. He was that for Hel, but he also took part in our execution.

She would not forgive that.

“They are her kings,” Valgri reminded him. “She won’t be ruling alone as Hel did, nor will she allow you to live. Her order will be made with justice, and I’ll allow it.”

“She’s nothing without me,” Gravik said, sneering. The pure hatred on his face had me wanting to lunge at him again, but I was still locked in place. Hiro, however, was not, shooting across the room at preternatural speed.

There was a loud blast before a whirlwind of ash cascaded down on him, the glow now gone as his powers were expelled in one single blast.

Hiro wasn’t a man, he was a weapon.