Page 42

Renard

My eyes sweep over the students in my garden as they gather their books to leave. I rarely end class early, but I’m sending them en masse to the library to research their papers on the impact of Gothic literature on modern works of literature and film. Twenty unplanned student visitors eager to Google vampires and werewolves ought to drive a dragon to distraction, which brings me no shortage of chaotic pleasure. Chuckling under my breath, I sort my lecture notes into a neat stack and move to slide them into my bag.

That’s when I notice Delores is still standing at the edge of the classroom, staring out into the lake.

The thumping in my chest feels like one of the rave DJ’s Aubrey listens to is in control of the muscle there. I watch her silently for another moment, unsure what to do. We’ve been alone many times now, and each time it gets a little easier, but it still makes me nervous. She’s wormed her way into our routine seamlessly—something I would have declared impossible a month ago. Her presence makes all of my misfit cohorts smile, and she doesn’t seem to want us for our inheritance or titles—in fact, Fitz has to beg her to allow him to buy things for her.

Ugh. I feel like I’m inadvertently giving an old literary cliche to her: she’s not like other girls.

I’m better than that drivel, but Delores Drew differs from the women at Apex Academy—students and faculty alike. She’s smart, kind, and completely unconcerned with anyone’s bank account or family provenance. Despite all the difficulties she’s had, she seems interested in spending time with various members of our outcast clan not to help her claw her way back into society, but because she enjoys our company.

It’s fascinating and terrifying how she affects all of me so completely.

None of my friends are without trauma, most resulting in why we’re now living at Apex, instead of within our communities. Family and friends have damaged each of us in their own way, so it’s a struggle not to be naturally suspicious of the ingenue walking amongst us. If she betrayed any of us, I believe it would irreparably harm the broken men that gather in my Tower most evenings.

“Renard?”

Her voice draws me out of my musings, and I blink, feeling sheepish because she’s caught me staring like a fool… again . “Yes, Dolly?” I respond without tripping over my tongue. Her eyes are wide when they meet mine and a strange sensation zings between us. I’ve felt nothing like it before, but the pull towards her in that moment is undeniable. Making a mental note to ask Aubrey if he’s felt it around her, I watch her closely to see if she’s experiencing it as well.

Delores bites her lip, fiddling with her notebook, but I swear, her scent has changed. “I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions? I’m sure I can tackle my research project during work study in the library, so it won’t affect my paper if I don’t go there now.”

Mon Dieu , this can’t be good. Is she going to ask about hunting? What am I getting myself into if I say ‘yes’? Before I can come to my senses, I’m nodding at her.

Merciful Lugh, I can’t control myself around this girl!

“Great!”

She beams, and my heart trips again while she rifles through a bunch of papers in her bag until she pulls out a small black journal. My eyes widen and panic sets in—she cannot be considering reading things from her diary! The stream of consciousness that escaped her lips the last time she confided in me was enough to do me in; what am I going to do if she confesses anything else?

“So, I’m working on an authentication project for Aubrey, and the other day, I saw pictures in the book that seemed weirdly familiar, but I can’t place them.” She shimmies a bit as she pulls out her phone to show me a picture of the book cover, her eyes sparkling with the excitement of the hunt—in this case, the hunt for knowledge.

This is why my fiery companion is so taken with her.

How many students—or women—would wiggle their bums about a dusty old book from his creepy cave? That explains his willingness to invite her to hunt earlier in the month. Old Sparky is positively smitten with the book-loving bunny, and I fully plan on teasing him mercilessly about it.

If only to draw attention away from me.

However, I see one problem. “You took… pictures? In Aubrey’s archives?” I ask carefully, unable to stop my face from scrunching in a wince.

Aubrey is fanatical about the archives—that’s not an exaggeration. It took me a decade to get the grumpy fuck to speak to me when I arrived at Apex, but it was a solid century before he allowed me to enter his precious book hoard. His meticulous care of the priceless tomes and scrolls down there includes temperature and light controls to keep the ancient texts from turning to dust.

Hopefully, she didn’t damage the text…

Delores nods, biting her lip again as she whispers, “I may have… gotten over excited—but I didn’t use flash, I promise! When I realized they were something I’d seen before, I dragged Fitz along with me to investigate. Of course, he was being a dork, so I got distracted for a tiny second. But anyway, I took the picture because he said I should ask you about the Society since you’re so old...” Her eyes widen and she grimaces when she realizes what she just said.

Oh, she does like to play with fire, doesn’t she?

I decide to go the mischievous route because her reactions enchant me. “Well, you’d be right about my age, though Aubrey has a millennium on me. Speaking of that easily angered dragon, did you just admit to letting Fitzgerald Khan into his beloved lair?”

“Oh my gawd, don’t tell me he isn’t allowed in there! He didn’t say anything,” she groans, covering her face with her hands. “Am I in trouble?”

The laughter tumbles out of me and I clutch my stomach. ‘Is she in trouble’ is the best question I’ve been asked all week. When I finally gain control of myself, she’s glaring at me, tapping her foot in irritation. I wipe my eyes and shrug, deciding to tease. “That depends. Do you own a fireproof suit?”

“Fuck,” she mutters as she scuffs her combat boot on the ground. Her face brightens when she looks up. “Maybe you could help break the news? I’m sure Aubrey wouldn’t be as mad, since you guys are so close...”

I arch a brow at her, then shake my head. “No way, petit lapin . I never come between the scaly man and his books. You’re going to have to brave the fire on your own this time.”

Wrinkling her nose, she makes an adorable pouty face at me that almost breaks my resolve. “Fine. If you won’t help me keep the dragon from frying my bits, then you have to help me figure out what this ‘Apex Society’ is. I mean, everyone knows about the Council, but this book is talking about a Society . Does that sound familiar to you?”

I pause, deciding it’s best to err on the side of caution with my young ingenue—she has enough enemies chasing her fluffy tail as it is. While there were whispers of such a thing, long before I came to Apex—from a time before shifters broke contact with the other magical communities, and well before the predators reigned supreme—I was too young to be certain of what I heard.

I would hate to lead her astray.

“Unfortunately, no.” I shake my head, sighing for effect. “Throughout most of my lifetime, I’ve only heard about the Apex Council. The Society must be some long-forgotten remnant of ancient times. I’m sure it was just a blip in our long, tumultuous history.”

“Hmmm,” she says, staring at the pictures on her phone. “I wish I could ask that twatwaffle Shifter History professor, but I can’t risk him kicking me out of class again since there’s another quiz tomorrow. I have to do everything perfect to make up for the fact he flunked me on one of the four tests this semester simply because I dared to criticize him.”

The rumble from my gargoyle startles me, but I tamp him down in favor of being reasonable.

“Some professors take criticism poorly…” I start, determined to play devil’s advocate and not just jump to her aid without giving my colleague the benefit of the doubt—despite how odious Professor Abel is.

“I didn’t criticize him to be a bitch, Renard! He walked in and told us he changed the entire exam to a completely different one than we studied for! I’d bet my last dollar everyone else in that fucking class but me got a heads up!” Her eyes fill with fat tears and I freeze.

Holy fuck, what in the name of Aed do I do now?

Fighting the urge to flee from this display of emotions, I step closer. The floodgates are open now, and I bet she hasn’t let this out for a while. The snotty sniffles aren’t delicate, but the despair and anger radiating from her is real—changing her scent again in a way I’m having trouble pinpointing. My internal response to her current situation, and the ongoing torment she’s endured, courses through my veins like lava. My skin hardens and my tail drops, swishing in agitation, indicating the gargoyle inside of me is extremely pissed.

Sigh.

Delores looks up at me with a watery smile as I gather her in my arms, allowing her to rest her wet cheek on my chest. “I’m-I’m sorry. I’m always a m-mess around you. I don’t know why.”

Another chuckle rumbles out. “It’s the effect I have, petit lapin . Gargoyles are… Well, we differ from most shifters. The members of the clan I was born in have been around as long as our dragon friend, and we have… adapted into superb listeners. It is easy to bare your soul to one of my people when we sit there like statues.”

Sniffling, she buries her face deeper into my chest, holding on like a koala bear. “I suppose that’s true, if I’m any sign. I babble like an idiot every time I’m alone with you, and now I’m leaking all over your shirt. Plus, I made you get all ‘grr’ at me.”

She gestures at my shifted parts, which makes me laugh again, and I squeeze her—involuntarily, of course. Mostly because she’s shaky. “Not at you. I’m discovering that I particularly dislike seeing you so distraught. I’m quite vexed about it.”

She lifts her head and narrows her eyes at me. “Vexed? That’s all? Hmph.”

That adorable tantrum should have been followed by the stomping of a foot, but she seems far too comfortable teasing me while nestled in my arms. “Yes, vexed. I’m well aware you know what that word means. You have an excellent vocabulary, Dolly.”

“I do,” she admits with a sigh. “But I was hoping for something a little less… Victorian.”

If only she knew how very Victorian my thoughts actually are…

I snort, leaning my cheek on the top of her head, purely to rest my neck. “The Victorians were pretentious assholes.”

“Duh. Are you going to tell me anything I don’t know?”

Clever girl.

“Okay, fine, it pisses me the fuck off people are torturing you,” I expel, in a rush, before I change my mind. “Aubrey says you can take care of yourself, and Fitz says he has it handled, but I worry that one of us won’t be around the next time someone tries to hurt you.”

That seems to satisfy her for the moment, because she nestles closer before softly replying, “My turn for a truth: I worry about that, too. But I can’t hide from the world, or depend on everyone to take care of me—that’s how I ended up cluelessly losing my virginity to a tiny-dicked, douche canoe ex-boyfriend and getting the surprise of my life, emerging as a bunny.”

She really can’t help herself, can she?

“The real secret is that most people’s first time is a nightmare, petit lapin. Everyone pretends it’s moonlight and roses, but it’s usually awkward and silly and not at all what it will be like later on, even for us ancients. It’s a lot like learning to fly, I suppose. Those of us with wings all looked like idiots while we learned to use them,” I muse, proud of how I steered the conversation to safer territory.

I don’t know how my gargoyle will react if we keep talking about sex.

Luckily, my redirection worked. “Flying was amazing! It was the biggest rush. I’m so glad you guys took me. Can we go again sometime? I don’t mind if it’s at dinnertime.” Delores babbles, gazing up at me with so much excitement, my heart skips a beat again.

Son of a bitch.

“Yes, we can, Dolly. Anytime you wish,” I murmur, knowing in my stony heart it’s the truth.

She sighs and rests her head against my chest again. “Thank you, Renard.”

I guess we’re staying like this for a while. I don’t mind that much—not really.