gripped him tightly, intent on milking every possible drop, while the muscles of her ass clenched down hard on his sensitive tail. Finally sated, they fell to the floor in a limp tangle of limbs and wings and tails.
“I love you.”
* * * * *
Katie held on tightly to Damien’s hand as they waited in the main reception hall of the matriarch’s mansion. They’d ridden all night to get here, with Katie laughing in glee on the back of the Harley. When they’d reached Montreal, they’d crashed at his parents’ house to rest while this meeting was arranged. Now they stood in gargoyle form, Damien wearing a pair of loose cotton trousers, while Katie wore a short backless robe to accommodate her wings and tail.
His parents stood beside them and his three closest friends—brothers almost, as they had all grown up together—had also come out to welcome Katie to the clan and to show their support for the mating before the elders. Remy, the clown of the group, had tried to flirt with Katie, but to Damien’s gratification she hadn’t seemed to notice.
Moments later, a young gargoyle showed them into the elders’ private audience chamber. Lady Genevieve, the matriarch, sat tall and proud in gargoyle form in the center, her firebird visage intimidating even to Damien. Lady Helene, the ancient soothsayer who had sent him to Philadelphia, sat in human shape on one side of the matriarch, grinning maniacally. Lord Etienne, the matriarch’s mate, a minotaur gargoyle, sat at her other side, his hand resting possessively on her knee.
“ Mesdames , monsieur , I’d like to introduce you to my mate, Katie Calhoun. I plan to change that to St. Pierre as soon as possible.” Damien bowed and Katie dropped an awkward curtsey.
“ Bienvenue á Montreal, Ms. Calhoun.” Lady Genevieve spoke warmly and smiled. “I’m delighted to welcome you to our clan.”
“Thank you, Madame .” Katie’s sweetness was sincere and he couldn’t have been prouder. “I promise to do everything I can to help Damien find the missing artifacts.”
“Come closer, child.” Lady Helene crooked her finger at Katie. “That is a lovely jewel you wear about your neck.”
Katie stepped up and touched her necklace with her hand. “Thank you. It’s a family heirloom, associated with my ancestors’ earth magic.”
“ Bien sûr , I am sure that it is.” The ancient gargoyle smiled at Katie. “Our tribe is fortunate to have such a powerful earth witch joining us. Welcome, ma fille .”
“ Merci beaucoup .” Katie had been practicing her French phrases all the way here. “Damien wanted me to show you my stoneshape.”
Katie closed her eyes and concentrated on the change. Damien had had her practice earlier so she could now transform at will.
“Amazing!”
“Astounding!”
“ Mon Dieu !”
Katie heard the excited whispers and cries. The matriarch actually came down to touch Katie’s cheek. “Damien St. Pierre, this is wonderful. Now I am sure she will be able to help you find the belt. She is garnet !”
“Bah!” The seeress cackled and came down as well, unlatching Katie’s necklace and removing it. Katie felt a moment of alarm just before she felt the tingle that indicated a return to flesh. “What do you imbeciles think this is?”
“It is her necklace,” Damien replied. “Some sort of magical talisman, I am sure.”
“Not just a magical talisman, my boy. One of the magical talismans.”
Katie smiled and steadied herself with a hand on Damien’s arm as she resumed breathing. Then she held her breath again as the old lady took the clasp off her necklace and draped the chain around Katie’s waist. When she refastened the clasp, the two jeweled ends hung right above Katie’s lower abdomen. “It’s a belt!”
“ The belt,” the soothsayer corrected. “Our symbol of earth magic and feminine fertility. It was given to a
“I love you.”
* * * * *
Katie held on tightly to Damien’s hand as they waited in the main reception hall of the matriarch’s mansion. They’d ridden all night to get here, with Katie laughing in glee on the back of the Harley. When they’d reached Montreal, they’d crashed at his parents’ house to rest while this meeting was arranged. Now they stood in gargoyle form, Damien wearing a pair of loose cotton trousers, while Katie wore a short backless robe to accommodate her wings and tail.
His parents stood beside them and his three closest friends—brothers almost, as they had all grown up together—had also come out to welcome Katie to the clan and to show their support for the mating before the elders. Remy, the clown of the group, had tried to flirt with Katie, but to Damien’s gratification she hadn’t seemed to notice.
Moments later, a young gargoyle showed them into the elders’ private audience chamber. Lady Genevieve, the matriarch, sat tall and proud in gargoyle form in the center, her firebird visage intimidating even to Damien. Lady Helene, the ancient soothsayer who had sent him to Philadelphia, sat in human shape on one side of the matriarch, grinning maniacally. Lord Etienne, the matriarch’s mate, a minotaur gargoyle, sat at her other side, his hand resting possessively on her knee.
“ Mesdames , monsieur , I’d like to introduce you to my mate, Katie Calhoun. I plan to change that to St. Pierre as soon as possible.” Damien bowed and Katie dropped an awkward curtsey.
“ Bienvenue á Montreal, Ms. Calhoun.” Lady Genevieve spoke warmly and smiled. “I’m delighted to welcome you to our clan.”
“Thank you, Madame .” Katie’s sweetness was sincere and he couldn’t have been prouder. “I promise to do everything I can to help Damien find the missing artifacts.”
“Come closer, child.” Lady Helene crooked her finger at Katie. “That is a lovely jewel you wear about your neck.”
Katie stepped up and touched her necklace with her hand. “Thank you. It’s a family heirloom, associated with my ancestors’ earth magic.”
“ Bien sûr , I am sure that it is.” The ancient gargoyle smiled at Katie. “Our tribe is fortunate to have such a powerful earth witch joining us. Welcome, ma fille .”
“ Merci beaucoup .” Katie had been practicing her French phrases all the way here. “Damien wanted me to show you my stoneshape.”
Katie closed her eyes and concentrated on the change. Damien had had her practice earlier so she could now transform at will.
“Amazing!”
“Astounding!”
“ Mon Dieu !”
Katie heard the excited whispers and cries. The matriarch actually came down to touch Katie’s cheek. “Damien St. Pierre, this is wonderful. Now I am sure she will be able to help you find the belt. She is garnet !”
“Bah!” The seeress cackled and came down as well, unlatching Katie’s necklace and removing it. Katie felt a moment of alarm just before she felt the tingle that indicated a return to flesh. “What do you imbeciles think this is?”
“It is her necklace,” Damien replied. “Some sort of magical talisman, I am sure.”
“Not just a magical talisman, my boy. One of the magical talismans.”
Katie smiled and steadied herself with a hand on Damien’s arm as she resumed breathing. Then she held her breath again as the old lady took the clasp off her necklace and draped the chain around Katie’s waist. When she refastened the clasp, the two jeweled ends hung right above Katie’s lower abdomen. “It’s a belt!”
“ The belt,” the soothsayer corrected. “Our symbol of earth magic and feminine fertility. It was given to a
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