Page 33

Renard

Even though the moon is high, the lights are still on in the library, and waiting is making me restless.

It’s not as though the recalcitrant dragon and I have a specific schedule of when we meet to hunt, but it has been over a week. We’ve known one another long enough to sense the need to feast, and it’s overdue by several days. However, Aubrey’s drive to solve the riddle of the poison used at prom has him pushing himself far beyond his typical obsessions.

It’s almost like he’s worried about something other than general student safety.

The Khans aren’t gathered upstairs for once. I hear they are having dinner at their place with the fascinating Delores Drew. Usually I’m pleased to have my roost to myself, but tonight I pace the lower balcony outside my bedroom. My impatience has nothing to do with the silence; that’s a ludicrous proposition and I won’t entertain it. She’s not even that loud downstairs.

Except…

Stomping over to the gramophone, I lower the needle and close my eyes as the haunting strains echo off the stone. Music always calms the beast inside of me, even when I’m hungry. My wings pop free, and I groan with pleasure as I walk onto the balcony again. Unlike most royals or alphas, a gargoyle lord can do more than simply half-shift—we can all shift specific parts at will. It’s a closely guarded secret that is rarely shared outside of our clans, and at times like this, it’s a blessing. I don’t want to transform enough that the rumbling allows my monster free.

He’s far too on edge to allow him free rein until we land on our hunting grounds.

The talisman around my neck flashes briefly, and I roll my eyes in irritation. It’s not late enough in the evening for it to matter that I haven’t shifted yet, so my magical watchdog is being overzealous. I brace my arms on the railing, inhaling the night air with a sigh.

Then I hear it—a soft humming coming from below. It’s so soft it barely registers, but the notes match the sonata playing in my room. I lean forward, trying to determine who it is, but all I can determine is that it’s a female, and she’s in the library courtyard.

Who would lurk there at night? What are they up to? Does Aubrey know someone is there?

Panic sets in. My scaly friend has been so concerned about someone trying to harm one of us, and a random person hanging around his library at night is suspicious. I need to find out who it is and what their intentions are… immediately . If people are breaching our perimeter, they could get inside and hurt the bunny hiding on our lower floors.

I jump onto the railing, flexing my wings as I look down at the courtyard. As soon as I home in on a landing spot, I leap and let my wings expand when I dive. My feet hit the soft earth with a thud, causing a gasp to interrupt the melodic humming I came to investigate. I walk further into the small space, accessing my enhanced night vision to see the figure in the shadows.

“Professor Renard!”

Oh, mon coeur ? 1 . I thought Delores was eating at the tigers’ townhouse this evening, but here she is, walking through the courtyard like Annabel Lee.

No, I’m not exaggerating for dramatic effect—Delores is wandering under the tree in a long white nightgown and bare feet, humming along with my Beethoven. It’s like Byron’s poetry is leaping off the page and into my world.

“You—you dyed your hair,” I stutter, so entranced by her spell I can’t think of anything better to say.

Oh, this is going well, Renard. Way to show you’ve barely spoken to women since before the humans crossed the ocean to settle here.

Her cheeks flush with a color that matches one layer of her hair, but she still twirls a little to show it off. “I did! I’ve always wanted to express myself in this way and… now I can.”

The twinkle in her eyes is infectious, and I smile as she flits around under the enormous tree. Moonlight is shining through the branches and hitting her in a way that, once again, reminds me of long ago. I rub my hand over my chest, feeling the familiar ache this memory brings, though somehow, it’s a little less sharp than usual.

“Isn’t it dangerous to be out here alone? I’m surprised Fitz isn’t hiding in the bushes, monitoring you.” I watch her face screw up in what I’d almost call a pout, and I have to hold back laughter.

She stomps over and pokes me in the chest, frowning at the hard obsidian her finger meets. “Listen, you. He is not my keeper. My enemies could kill me every time I step out of my room, but I can’t live my life in fear. I’m eighteen and I should be able to run around after curfew and let my hair down. It’s not fair that I have to stay locked up like Rapunzel.”

A flare of overprotectiveness from my gargoyle replaces the dull ache—after all, watching over those we care about is in our nature. Despite my inclination to chastise her for being reckless, I also understand what she’s feeling. When I was her age, my desire to break free from the shackles of responsibility was just as strong. Unfortunately, the consequences were dire.

I don’t want her to suffer like I did.

“Dolly, I don’t believe anyone wants to lock you up.” She gives me a wry look and I grimace. “Okay, maybe Fitz does, but that’s because it terrifies him to think someone might hurt you. Sure, they tasked him with protecting his Raj, but Felix is more than capable of handling himself. And Chess grew up with them in a dangerous environment. He can fight if he has to. But you… Even wi th the amazing performances in Felix’s classes, it’s easy to worry someone will get the drop on you.”

Her long lashes flutter as she looks away, expression serious as she considers my words. When she looks up again, she places a small hand on my chest. “You’re not as aloof as you’d like everyone to believe, are you, Renard?”

I swallow hard, pretending I don’t like how astute she is, or the way my name rolls off of her tongue. Her skin is warm on mine, and she’s standing far too close, but I don’t know what to say that won’t betray the effect she has on me.

I hope the feeling is mutual because the night she slept with Aubrey and I was the best slumber I’ve had in centuries.

Everything seems so familiar, but as much as I’d love to immerse myself in those memories, Dolly isn’t her and I’m not the gargoyle I used to be. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us to indulge in nostalgia. Although, a waltz in the moonlight might soothe the irritable git inside of me while I wait for my companion to arrive for dinner.

My mouth opens before my brain catches up, and I blurt out, “Would you like to dance?”

Okay, not the smoothest line in the world, but Delores is making me nervous with her moonlight fairy singing and sassy mouth.

“I suppose I could allow you to lead, Monsieur Renard, if you promise not to step on my toes. I have a dance midterm in two weeks and I can’t be hobbling around,” she teases, her lips curving into an adorably mischievous grin.

She takes my hand, letting me lead her into a two-step waltz to the sounds of Beethoven wafting from my room. Once we make a few circuits around the grass, I arch a brow at her playfully. “Am I leading satisfactorily, or do you have a critique, il prima ?”

She chokes back a laugh, shaking her head. “I am far from a prima . However, you’ll do as a partner.”

I widened my eyes, and she gasped when she realized how her words could be misinterpreted. Her face flushes that rosy color again, and I spin her around, dipping her backwards to dispel the awkward moment. I know what she meant, but the ingenue blushes and natural shyness are making my chest tight. I don’t know how to handle her intriguing combination of charming innocence and worldly sarcasm. It makes every nerve in my body fire, which only riles up my gargoyle.

Must. Keep. Animal. Brain. Quiet.

“Good to know, as I don’t make a habit of waltzing with people in the moonlight.” The gentle tease makes her giggle again, and I see exactly why Fitz has been running around like a lovesick cartoon character for months.

Delores Drew’s appeal lies in her depth, not just in her surface-level pouty lips or soft curves. Their exile hardens the women at this school, or they have no personality outside of the personas their families molded for them. This girl is unapologetically discovering her own identity and watching her fumble and fire back is endearing as hell.

“You don’t? I mean, there’s enough room out here for Fitz to teach you to grind or Chess to waltz with you…” She throws her head back and laughs when my eyes narrow. Once her giggles are under control again, she raises a sassy brow and continues. “Ma ybe Felix then? He seems like a foot stomper, though, and putting you and Aubrey together in this tight space might be a squeeze. One of his grumpy belches might toast you, but I bet he’s lighter on his feet than he looks.”

I snort, the imagery finally getting to me. She’s not afraid of anything, it seems. Most of the shifters she just poked fun at would kill someone on the spot if they heard these musings, but I know none of them would harm a hair on her cotton candy head. I lift my hand and let her twirl again, watching the moonlight hit the voluminous gown as she spins a few times. It’s been such a long time since I had this much fun with someone who is not my ancient companion, and she paints the prettiest picture, inside and out. When she stops spinning, she rewards me with a brilliant smile that hits me in the chest like a cannonball.

Romance will not be enough with this girl.

“Renard, are you okay?” she asks worriedly. “Your necklace thing is… glowing.”

Nodding, I rub my chest again and send her a reassuring look. I’m about to give her my go-to explanation of the talisman, but before I can, the very book dragon she mentioned before lands in front of us. He’s half-shifted as usual, and a knowing smirk is playing over his lips as he eyes the two of us.

“I looked for you on the balcony, but imagine my surprise when I heard you down here instead,” Aubrey drawls, his eyes dancing with mischief.

He can smell how this is affecting me—and he’d better keep his damn mouth shut about it.

Delores’ eyes light up. “We were dancing, you old fuddy duddy. Don’t be grouchy just because I made him late for whatever the hell you two get up to when no one is looking.”

I blink, rushing to stop her from asking too many questions. “I was worried because she was down here alone and defenseless, Aubrey. Plus, you were late and didn’t even send a text. Again.”

“Oooh. Five points to the rock man,” Dolly whispers, tilting her head at the scaly librarian as she awaits his response.

His eyes narrow for a moment before his lips curve into a grin that means nothing but trouble. I’ve been his friend long enough to know he’s returning the favor of causing chaos. “Well, lunchable, I suppose if you’re here... " My eyes widen and I shake my head, knowing where this is going. It’s like watching a train wreck about to happen. "... perhaps you should come with us. We both require a hunt.”

Holy Bridget in the bathwater, is he fucking serious? We take no one with us.

“Oooooooh, can I?!!” Her nightgown bounces as she jumps up and down, clapping her hands like a little kid. Compared to us, I suppose she is, but the analogy is damned near perfect.

Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose. Aubrey isn’t trying to screw up our relationships—whatever they are—with this girl. He’s testing her covertly to find out if she can handle the aspects of our animals that very few know about. If she can’t, the question of her presence in our life is answered before either of us gets too invested. The mere act of inviting her tells me he is more interested in her than he will probably admit to anyone—including me.

Sly dragon.

When I don’t protest, he turns back to her. “You may join us, little one. But Rennie here isn’t meant to carry even a girl as small as you for too much of a distance. You’ll have to ride me.” Her eyes pop open and I choke, making him howl and puff smoke as he laughs. “Meaning I’ll fully shift; both of you read far too much smutty romance from my stacks.” Delores flushes, then scowls, pointing at me as if it were my fault.

Feeling playful, I point back at her, and Aubrey snorts again. “You look like two-thirds of the Spiderman meme Fitz sent me the other day. Own your word porn addiction so we can get moving.”

I shrug. “I’ve been alive a long time. It’s hard to find a mystery I haven’t solved yet and I don’t care for blue aliens. It seems a little farfetched.”

Dolly looks at me, partially shifted and obsidian, then at Aubrey in his winged, scaly, half-shifted form. “Oh, yes, totally unbelievable. I can see how you’d have to suspend your disbelief, Rennie.”

Aubrey rolls his eyes and huffs. “Stop flirting. We need to get going if we want to return with enough time for you to get decent sleep, bite size.” With that, he turns and allows her to climb onto his back, grunting as she finds a hold. “I’ll finish my shift as we gain altitude, so hold on to my neck tightly if you don’t want to fall to your death.”

“Thanks for the warning,” she mutters, right before he leaps into the air and flaps his large wings to propel them higher, tearing a scream of half-terror, half-elation from her throat.

I grumble. I’ll have to catch up with them after I hike back up the Tower for altitude. After all, I’m a glider, and that asshole damn well knows it.

Cheater. He’s a goddamn cheater.