Page 19 of Guarded by the Gargoyle (Hidden Hollow #3)

17

WILLOW

I t was Kael, I saw with vast relief. His perfect, chiseled features were full of concern for me.

“Mistress?” he rumbled. “Are you well? I heard your call.”

Before I could answer, he turned and saw Carlo, with his dick still hanging out of his uniform trousers. His face abruptly darkened and his eyes began to turn demonic red.

“Who is this, Mistress?” he demanded, his voice dropping to a menacing growl. “Is this the one who abused and hurt you?”

“Yes.” I somehow got the words out, though my voice was trembling. “He…he’s my ex. The one who hurt me. He was…” I swallowed hard. “Was trying to hurt me again when I…when I called you.”

“He’ll never so much as touch you again, Mistress,” Kael promised.

And then he began to change. His perfect features melted into the ugly sneer of the gargoyle—his mouth widened and his fangs came out, dripping with venom. At the same time, he seemed to get even bigger and his beautiful wings with their silvery-white feathers turned to huge, leathery bat wings.

Carlo was also watching the transformation. His eyes, which had been narrowed in disbelief, got wider and wider.

“What the fuck?” he uttered in a hoarse voice. “What is that thing?”

“I am Willow’s protector,” Kael growled. “And you are about to die!”

He lunged forward and grabbed Carlo’s head in both hands.

“Hey, what the fuck? What the fuck?” my ex screamed, his voice going high and frightened. “What the—ow! Ow—let go! Letgo-letgo-letgo!” He was scrambling for the gun he wore on his police belt but he couldn’t seem to get it out of the holster. After a moment he gave up and reached for Kael’s hands, trying to pry the gargoyle’s long fingers off his skull.

He was not successful.

I could see the muscles on the big gargoyle’s arms bunching and then there was a horrible, muted crunching sound and Carlo’s head caved in.