Page 13 of Stolen by the Gargoyle (Gargoyles of the Underworld #1)

Hearing all the things I had done to wrong her unsettled me. It left a gaping pit within the confines of my body, like thousands of souls lived within me and were screaming torture and lament. And there was only one thing I could do to make it right.

My instincts told me it was wrong to move my wife away from me. To take her back. And yet… I looked around the cave, her words resonating within my mind.

I have needs.

I cannot stay here.

I am human.

For the first time, I noticed what the cave was lacking. And I recalled her own home and what I had seen of it from the windows when I spied on the woman that would be my wife.

It had its comforts. It was cozy and quaint, filled with all the things that now reminded me of her. And this cave…

A demon scuttled along the ceiling, chittering a mating call. This place lacked comfort; a disgusting hovel, in comparison to what my wife was used to.

I had taken her from the luxuries of her home and brought her into garbage.

Shame filled me. Even more than that, I was repulsed with myself, for not clarifying my intent. I had not assuaged her fears. This whole time, she thought I would force her like some vile villain.

I had seen the insides of the minds of disturbed and disgusting individuals. I had seen the things mortals had done to one another. The harm they had coaxed. The Lord of Torture and Pain, Lord Kane, had made them suffer tenfold for every travesty they had committed against others. I had helped.

And in her fear, my wife thought me to be like them.

It was then that the stark differences between the two of us glared down at me. I took her, and in her culture, taking was wrong. I had not known, and in my ignorance, I had committed an irreparable sin.

So I would take her back to the place she called home, even if her home was not at my side.

I hated to part from her, but I would do it, if it would make amends and ease her spirit.

“You’ll–you’ll take me home?” Her eyes were wide, and though the scent of fear had left her body, I could smell the hope in its place.

“I will.” I pulled my hand away from her.

Even touching her felt unclean now, tainted.

I had sought her touch freely, eagerly taking what I wanted, but knowing she did not feel the same and thought so low of me?

I would not feed that image she held of me.

I would do all I could to ensure she knew I would never, ever, harm her.

Starting with this.

“Really?” Her voice wobbled.

I inclined my head. “I shall deposit you back in your home and…” Everything inside me recoiled at the words I was about to utter. But I had to force myself to say them. I would do what was necessary.

I’d been selfish in taking her. Without a thought or care to her well-being. I’d all but let her whither in this filthy place. And now I would have to give her up.

“I will come back to the Underworld.” A failure. Alone. Without my wife. My throat grew tight with that knowledge. “And you never have to see me again if you do not wish.”

“Nazzar–”

“Come, wi–” I cut off. But she was not my wife, was she? I supposed she never was. “Come,” I repeated. “Dolores.”

I swept her up into my arms then, even though she appeared as though she were about to say something.

I did not give her the chance, because I was not sure my stone heart could take the rejection.

So I held her close, knowing it would likely be the last time I ever held her, and then we vanished from the cave, and flew up to the human world.