Page 3 of Enchanted by the Gargoyle (The Crescent Coven #1)

Tamsin

I glance up at the clock and sigh. It’s only seven in the evening, and I have another forty minutes or so before I bundle Beryl up to take her over to the Wrydwood Cabins.

My shop has been pretty slow today, but that isn’t unusual for a Tuesday.

Beryl is on the floor, batting around a small, damaged geode that I gave her to play with.

The bell above the door chimes, and I see my fellow Coven member step in, Sybil.

She stops dead in the middle of the floor, eyes wide as she spots Beryl. I plug my ears because I already know what is about to happen.

“Aiiiiiieeeeeee!! Tamsin! You didn’t tell me you got a cat! Oh. My. Gosh!” Sybil scoops Beryl into her arms like a baby, rocking her back and forth and cooing. “Aren’t you just the most precious, most fluffiest, most baby of baby cats to ever LIVE?”

“Wow. No one would ever know that you like cats. Really,” I deadpan. Beryl does look like she is enjoying all the fuss; however, her bright green eyes are half-closed, and a purr so deep it sounds like it should come from a lion, not a kitten.

Sybil is ignoring me entirely at this point, choosing to converse with me through Beryl. “Oh, she is just being a meany head. Maybe she doesn’t appreciate you like I do? Maybe I should just catnap you right here and now, what do you say to that?”

“I’m not sure I can even keep her. I found her over by the cabins, and I’m taking her over there in a bit to see if she belongs to anyone.

” I pause, looking a the clock again, checking the time.

“Although I’m definitely hoping she doesn’t, so I can keep her.

She just popped out when I was healing the node. ”

“Really?” Sybil waggles her eyebrows at me. “Maybe she’s your familiar. You’ve never had one before. Or maybe it’s just the CDS in action.”

“CDS? What’s that stand for?”

Sybils eyes practically pop out of her head.

“You’ve never heard of the CDS? Oh boy, now I know you’re not really a cat person.

It’s the ‘Cat Distribution System,’ a worldwide theory that when someone is ready for a cat, the Energy of the Cat will just go ahead and make one available to you.

That’s how I found my cats.” Her fingers are scratching Beryl behind the ears, turning my kitten into goo. Well, hopefully my kitten.

“Alright, I’m glad you met. She clearly loves you, but I’m pretty sure I’m keeping her.

The owner of the cabins is going to walk the property with me to see if we can find her owner.

I’m hoping no one will be home.” Reaching for her, Sybil tucks her into my arms, giving her a little pat on the head with the pad of her forefinger.

“The owner of the cabins?” She leans her elbows on the counter, tucking her hands under her chin. Her gaze keeps straying to Beryl, who lets out the cutest little yawn, showing off her tiny pink mouth.

“Yeah. I called him yesterday. I don’t understand how he runs his business at all. He’s never there, no one ever sees him in town, and when he answered the phone, he sounded like he would rather be doing anything else than talking to me,” I shrug.

“Well, maybe he’s not human.” Sybil points out.

“Oh,” I stop what I’m doing. “I didn't think of that.”

“Too distracted by this cutie. You’ll find out soon enough, only witches can see through the veil.

You fixed that node, right? Everything go okay with that?

” Sybil is still playing with Beryl’s fur, and I take advantage of her distracted mind and decide not to reveal that I got so weak my knees gave out.

“Yeah. All good over there. No biggie.”

Sybil shines her gorgeous smile at me, making my guts squirm at the lie I told her.

“Good. Maybe the cabin owner is a hottie with a body, and you two will end up together. I could give a little nudge in the right direction.” She winks at me.

“Oh my goddess, Sybil! Just because your powers are all love and gooey emotions does not mean I need a love potion! And this guy sounds like the exact opposite of a ‘hottie with a body.’ Who even says that anymore? You know the year 2000 was 25 years ago, right?” I snort as Sybil rolls her eyes.

“Okay, okay, I surrender. Well, I will instead send up some energy that the cabins are deserted and no one can come forward to claim this little kitty cat, how about that?”

“You know who does have a hot bod is the stone gargoyle in the cabin parking lot. Which is sad that I stopped to take a good look yesterday.” I pause. “I’m a lost cause, aren’t I?”

Sybil purses her lips, the corners of which are twitching. “Am I hearing you right? You lusted after a statue?”

“Yes, you heard me right.” The more her gaze bores into me, the more pathetic I feel. “I may or may not have had alone time last night thinking of it. Is that bad? Am I totally hopeless?”

“No, not bad. Inspiration can come from all places, but maybe you need to just get out there more? Or maybe I just need to dose you with a love potion so that this cabin owner will ravish you tonight!” She says cheerfully. Too cheerfully.

I shake my head, swinging my bag over my shoulder and grabbing my keys. “No, thank you! This dude is a hot mess, I could tell over the phone. Come with me through the front while I lock up, and I’ll hug you goodbye.”

◆◆◆

Sybil is never going to let me live this down.

Maybe I can just gloss over the details of this encounter, but I doubt it.

She’s the kind of witch who will eventually tug it out of you, whether you want to reveal it or not.

And the thing is, Ezren is hot. The kind of hot that makes tingles go down my spine and straight into my panties.

All my fantasies from last night, when I spent some quality time with my vibrator and this guy was the main attraction, come rushing back, flushing my face beet red.

And definitely not human. His dark grey skin, familiar bulging muscles, and heavy brow make me gasp when he steps out of his office wearing a deep blue plaid shirt that looks a wee bit too tight and jeans that hug his rounded ass.

I’m sorry to say that I almost dropped Beryl when his wings unfurled behind him.

He’s the gargoyle! I glance back at the dias and see that to me, it looks completely empty, but to humans, they see a convincing holographic replica, thanks to the veil masking Ezren’s absence each evening.

The puzzle pieces are coming together, and as he walks toward me with his back hunched and hands shoved in his pockets, I see the dark hollows under his eyes, and the general exhausted energy suffocating him.

He gives his hand a quick swipe on his thigh before extending it to me.

“Hi, Tamsin, right?” He licks his lips, his eyebrows scrunched together as though he is trying hard to remember my name.

“Yes, that’s right. Nice to meet you, Ezren.” I’m surprised I didn’t pant. This is seriously not fair.

Our hands touch, sending a wash of warmth that spreads through my whole body, and I have to swallow back a gasp. We both quickly drop our hands. His eyes close a moment before focusing back on me, but a second later, he breaks eye contact to instead look over my head.

I shake my head a little, trying to clear the warm pulsating feeling that is coursing through my veins.

“You’re the gargoyle,” I blurt, and immediately clap my hand over my mouth.

“Oh my goddess, I’m so sorry, I did not mean to just say that.

Like that.” Then, my words from yesterday come screaming back to me, like neon lights in Vegas.

Did he hear me talk about his cock? Did he hear me talk about using him for my masturbation fantasies?

I’m considering doing a little spell so the ground could literally open up and portal me back to my apartment above my shop.

His mouth, which had just fallen open, snaps shut, and I see the muscles in his sharp jaw working. His eyes are looking everywhere but at me, and I can see a fine sheen of sweat starting to glisten around his hairline.

“Ah, well shit. You’re with the Coven, I’m guessing?

” He runs a massive hand through his dark grey hair, causing his biceps to bulge, before dropping it helplessly by his side.

“Listen, I’m not good with people. At all.

It’s not you, it’s all me. I don’t get out much, obviously.

” He gestures vaguely to the dias, with a look of pure self-loathing written all over his face.

“You’re doing great!” I squeak. More lies . I lift up Beryl, hoping she can save this awkward interaction, who's been eyeing Ezren with interest and has started to struggle to get out of my grasp. “So, this is Beryl. Shall we go see if anyone is home?”

He tucks a sausage-sized finger under her chin, and she immediately drops into a purr.

I try not to stare at his finger or get naughty ideas.

He glances at me briefly, as though asking for permission to keep scritching her.

I watch as a timid smile spreads across his face.

“Hey!” he chuckles. “She…kinda seems to like me?”

“She’s pretty friendly,” I agree. “You…wanna hold her?”

He hesitates for a moment, but reaches out with both hands, even though she’s so tiny she’d fit in just one of his hands. “She’s so warm. And fluffy.”

“So, where to?” I prompt, as Ezren doesn’t seem eager to start walking anywhere.

With Beryl balanced on his arm, we start to walk to the few cabins with lights on and people home.

I notice that most people are talking to Ezren’s chest, which weirds me out at first, until I realize the veil must have him projecting a much more normal human height.

Just as I’d hoped, most people were out, and those who were home didn’t recognize Beryl. She actually hissed at a few people.

As we return back to his office, he fidgets with a few things before offering me a chair.

“Oh, I’m good. It’s getting late, and I have to open my shop early tomorrow,” I respond in what I hope is a nonchalant way.

“You have a shop? In town? That’s cool. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been in town. I’m sure it's so different now.” He says, with longing.

“It’s a rock, crystal, and jewelry shop. How long has it been?”

“A really long time. I’m kinda bound to the property.” A sheepish look crosses his face, and a deeper grey appears high on his cheekbones, with what must be a blush.

“You’re bound? Why?” I find myself asking.

“Ah, well, I helped to build the node system way back in the day. And my essence is tied to the one here on the property. I used to be able to wander into town for a little while and come back, but that hasn’t been the case in a very long time.

I guess the original Coven thought a gargoyle would be the perfect anchor, seeing as I’m stone for half the day. ”

“You helped build the node system?” I exclaim. “Holy shit. Well, I don’t know what the Coven of the past was thinking, but you shouldn’t have to be bound to the property forever and ever to support the system. I was here yesterday checking the node, and it's fine now. Come here, give me your hand.”

I grab his hand off the table before he can say no, and close my eyes to center myself.

Behind my eyes, I see his essence, and sure enough, it's tangled into the very roots of the trees all around the property, literally tying him here.

Minutes pass as I work out enough of the larger knots to free him enough to go to town.

Finally, the roots of the trees seem to let go a little, releasing their hold a bit.