Page 39 of Guarded by the Gargoyle (Hidden Hollow #3)

37

WILLOW

I can’t lie—the next few weeks were some of the hardest of my life. You might think that I would be able to forget a man I’d known for less than a week, but my heart wouldn’t let me. I felt tied to Kael—as though there was a golden cord wound around my heart and attached to his somewhere as well. Nothing could break that cord and so I couldn’t forget him—even if I had wanted to, which I didn’t.

The other thing which reminded me of him were the burns on my inner thighs, where his seed had leaked out and scorched me. For some reason, they wouldn’t heal—no matter how much of the special salve that Goody Albright gave me I used.

I was just miserable.

The only bright spot was the fact that my new store was doing extremely well. Apparently a lot of magical practitioners in Hidden Hollow had been waiting for a magical ingredients shop to open. Once I got things organized, I was busy from morning until night.

I threw myself into my work and brought Miss Sassy with me for company. She liked prowling around the new store and investigating the building, which was much larger than the old shop in New Orleans had been. She caught several magical mice, which disappeared with a little poof! the minute she got them by the scruff of the neck, but since they weren’t really bothering me and they were keeping her entertained, I didn’t mind.

I got to know my new neighbors, and some of them became friends. I already felt close to Goldie and Goody Albright but I also got along well with Sarah and her huge Orc Heartmate, Rath. They even invited me over for dinner one night and I went—mostly so I didn’t have to eat alone.

It wasn’t until after supper, when Rath was doing the dishes because it was his turn and Sarah and I were sitting on the couch having an after-dinner drink, that things came to a head.

“It’s not my place to say this, but you look really sad,” she said to me candidly as I sipped the sweet, orange flavored liquor she’d poured me. “Is it because of your gargoyle?”

“Yes.” I sighed deeply. “We didn’t even know each other for three whole days, you know? But somehow I can’t forget him. It’s like we’re tied together and I can’t break the bond.”

“That’s how I feel about Rath.” A smile touched her lips. “But he’s my Heartmate. Was Kael yours?”

“I don’t know.” I shook my head. “I thought he might be but then I had to send him back to Heaven to keep him from getting sucked into Hell. So I guess I’ll never know.”

“What?” Her eyes grew wide. “I never heard all the details—tell me what happened!”

I explained, while being careful to leave out the owner of the Lust Hut. I just said it was another witch in town—I didn’t want to betray Goldie’s confidence. When I got to the part about him breeding me in demon form, Sarah’s eyes widened again.

“My God—wasn’t that painful?”

“It hurt but it felt good at the same time, if that makes any sense,” I said. “It was…intense. Really intense. But I don’t blame him for it—he wasn’t himself when it happened. In fact, he didn’t come back to himself until he, you know, came inside me.”

She frowned.

“Wait—he came inside you?”

I nodded.

“Of course—why?”

“Well, have you considered the fact that you might have sealed your Heartmate bond that night? I mean, that’s generally how it happens, you know.”

“I know, but I don’t know if that’s possible,” I said. “Because sealing the bond was supposed to close the portal to Hell, but it didn’t.”

“Maybe you only formed a partial bond,” she said thoughtfully. “I’ve heard that can happen sometimes. Maybe you couldn’t form a full bond because he wasn’t in his natural form—he was a demon instead of an angel.”

“I don’t know—I only know I had to unlock him and set him free,” I said sadly. “Because he was getting sucked back through the portal and he wasn’t even trying to get away.”

“He probably felt guilty,” Sarah murmured. “I had a similar situation with Rath, you know. He had an evil spirit indwell him and it attacked me using his body. He felt so bad afterwards that he avoided me for ages. I had to go over to his house and make him listen to reason before we could finally get together.”

I sighed longingly.

“If only I could do that. But it’s not like I can go to Heaven and talk to Kael.”

“You can’t yourself, but what if someone you know could go for you?” Sarah was looking thoughtful.

“Someone I know?” I shook my head. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re a Medium, aren’t you?” she asked reasonably. “So all you have to do is open a channel of communication with someone dead who you know went to Heaven and ask them to talk to Kael for you.”

“But I don’t know—” I started to say and then cut myself off abruptly. “Pop-pop,” I whispered.

“Who?” Sarah frowned.

“My grandfather—his name was Giovanni but I always called him ‘Pop-pop,’” I explained. “If he’s not in Heaven, I don’t know who is. He gave his life to save me from my abusive ex.”

“He sounds like a wonderful man,” Sarah said softly.

“The best.” I nodded. “He raised me and he loved me so much. I’m sure if I could contact him he would talk to Kael for me.”

“You should do it!” Sarah exclaimed, getting excited. “Do it right now! What do you need for the spell? I’ll get you the ingredients.”

“It’s not like that.” I shook my head. “I don’t really need any ingredients or props—I just need to open myself to the other side.” And this time I have to be damn careful not to open a door into The Pit, I added silently to myself.

“Then do it!” Sarah urged me. “Unless you’d rather be alone and do it in privacy,” she added, obviously worried she was making me uncomfortable.

She wasn’t, though. And in fact, I would rather have a friend near when I did it—I told her so.

“Okay, good—then I’ll stay and be your witness. But first we have to set the scene.”

She jumped up from the comfy, oversized couch we were sitting on and went to turn off some of the lamps. Soon the only light was the golden glow of the fire across from the couch. One thing I loved about Hidden Hollow was the fact that you could have a fire almost all year long and every house here seemed to have a fireplace.

Sarah sat down beside me again, but gave me a little distance. Then she looked at me expectantly.

“Okay—is there anything else you need?”

“I don’t think so.” I shook my head. “Just let me concentrate…”

I closed my eyes and thought about the spirit realm…then I thought even harder about my Pop-pop. I conjured his kindly, faded blue eyes and his shock of hair which had stayed thick his whole life, gradually turning from black to salt and pepper to pure white. I thought of his booming laugh and his loud, happy voice and his big bear hugs that always made me feel so much better when I was blue. Goddess, I missed him so much! If only I could talk to him again…

And then I heard a familiar voice murmuring in my ear.

“I miss you too, Willow my love. Heaven is wonderful, but I’m still lonely sometimes without you.”

“Pop-pop?” My eyes flew open for a moment, but I realized there was nothing to see. There was no swirling fog this time—just a pure mental and emotional connection. When I closed my eyes, I could actually see him better because of the memories I had stored up.

“Yes, sweetie-pie—it’s me,” he murmured. “I felt you yearning for me and feeling sad—tell me, what’s wrong?”

“Oh Pop-pop—I fell in love with an angel!” I blurted out. “A fallen angel, I mean. He was cursed to come to Earth and serve and protect women and the golden key you gave me fit his lock—the lock around his neck, I mean.”

“Ah yes—the key. That was handed down to me from your great-great-great grandmother, you know,” he remarked. “Never did know exactly what it went to, I just knew it would offer you protection during times of danger.”

“Kael did protect me!” I exclaimed. “But then I had to let him go. Pop-pop, I miss him so much but there’s no way to contact him.”

“You leave that to me, Willow my love,” he said firmly. “But first tell me—was this boy—this angel—good to you?”

“He was my protector, Pop-pop,” I told him. “He killed Carlo to save me.”

“Ah-ha! I like him already!” Pop-pop exclaimed. “You don’t worry about a thing, my sweet. I’m going to talk to him and see if he can contact you.”

I felt tears welling in my eyes.

“Oh, thank you, Pop-pop! I knew I could count on you.”

“Of course you can, Willow my love. You just rest and relax and let Pop-pop handle everything.”

And then he was gone, as suddenly as he had appeared. But maybe that’s not the right word since I never saw him in the flesh—maybe it’s more accurate to say his spirit left and I no longer sensed him or heard his voice.

I opened my eyes to see Sarah staring at me with awe.

“I’ve never seen anyone communicate with the other side before,” she murmured. “That was amazing, Willow!”

“Er, thanks.” I shrugged, feeling suddenly shy. “It’s just a family gift, you know?”

“Well, you’re lucky to have it. From what I heard, it sounds like your grandfather is going to go find Kael and tell him you miss him—right?”

“Right.” I nodded and for the first time in weeks, I began to feel hope. “I wonder if he’s able to come back to Earth for a few minutes? Or even if he could just talk to me like Pop-pop did—I miss hearing his voice so much .”

“Of course you do.” Sara pressed my hand sympathetically. “Do you want to stay for some cake I made? Or would you rather go home and wait to see what happens?”

I felt grateful that she knew I would need privacy to talk to Kael—if he showed up.

“Normally I’d do anything to get a slice of one of your cakes,” I told her. She really was an excellent baker. “But I think for tonight, I just need to get home.”

“Of course. Then I’ll wrap up a slice you can take with you for later,” she said, rising.

A moment later she was seeing me off in the deepening twilight with a container holding a huge slice of chocolate cake. Before I left, she gave me a quick hug.

“I’m so glad you came to settle in Hidden Hollow,” she told me. “And I hope you get your Heartmate back.”

“I hope so too,” I told her.

Then I turned my face towards home, hoping that maybe I might have a chance to see the man I loved one last time.