it.”
Chris knew the huge gargoyle to be pretty damn possessive of Kylie. He imagined Luc was capable of inflicting a hell of a lot of pain when he wanted to. Chris had no idea what it was to be so possessive of a woman that he couldn’t even bear to have other men look at her, never mind anything else. Mara flashed through his mind as he thought about the first time she stayed out all night after they argued. She was drunk, her make-up smeared and her shirt was inside out. She hadn’t spent the night alone. He’d felt anger all right. But not at her and not at the idiot she undoubtedly picked up off the street or in some bar. No, he was only angry at himself for putting himself in that situation. When they got married, he’d acted impulsively, hadn’t thought it through, and the cold reality of his relationship with Mara was shining through.
The image of Mara, blowing kisses at him, taunting him with her sexuality slowly morphed into Annis, smiling shyly, barely even able to look at him. Her cheeks blossomed crimson and violet eyes peeked up at him through thick blue-black lashes.
“You know, I’m just grateful for everything you’re doing,” Kylie said, forcing him back to earth.
Chris cleared his throat, trying to ignore the reality that thinking of Annis was turning him on. “Yeah, well, I can imagine the argument if I tried to hand over Brenda’s boyfriend to the FBI.”
If Chris truly thought the gargoyles were dangerous, he would – in spite of the screaming he would have to endure from Brenda. She was a pretty mellow girl, but she was still a teenager – and teenagers weren’t known for not being melodramatic. But he’d seen the gargoyles, how they acted toward humans, how they were with their young, and he saw that the gargoyles were just like regular people. He couldn’t imagine Annis ever being a danger to anyone.
“Not just that,” Kylie said. “But for helping Annis earlier. If you weren’t there taking charge, Luc would have just strode around saying she would be fine, and that gargoyles could heal themselves until I ran and got Bea.” She chuckled softly. “It was actually quite funny to see Luc surprised and compliant. He isn’t used to listening to anyone’s orders.” She paused. “Except mine.”
“Annis told me that gargoyles used to have healers.”
Kylie cocked her head at him. “She did?”
“You seem surprised.”
“Annis doesn’t say much to anyone other than me, Maggie, Bea or Dragoslava. The fact that she told you anything about the gargoyle culture is amazing. Not just her, but all the gargoyles are pretty tight lipped about anything.”
“Luc must tell you stuff.”
“Sure, he tells me everything, but I’m his mate. The others, though, are precious about a lot of things. Not that I blame them, sounds like most humans hated them and treated them like crap. The gargoyles were scared they’d get the same treatment as the dragons. Apparently, the dragons died out because humans were afraid of them and hunted them into extinction.” She beamed at him almost manically. “We belong to a wonderful species, don’t we?”
Chris chuckled as he drove back to the mansion, although he couldn’t help but wonder at Annis’ frankness with him. They did not really know each other, but maybe she did trust him. The thought elated him more than it probably should.
Chapter Six
After what seemed like an interminable amount of time – because Luc spent all of it pacing up and down and threatening to go and find out what was taking so long – Chris and Kylie returned with a mountain of food.
It was carried into the dining room and dumped on the enormous table. They didn’t bother with plates or cutlery. Just eating at a table was a new experience for the gargoyles; Kylie didn’t want to push too much on them too soon.
The original dining table chairs had not exactly been gargoyle accessible,
Chris knew the huge gargoyle to be pretty damn possessive of Kylie. He imagined Luc was capable of inflicting a hell of a lot of pain when he wanted to. Chris had no idea what it was to be so possessive of a woman that he couldn’t even bear to have other men look at her, never mind anything else. Mara flashed through his mind as he thought about the first time she stayed out all night after they argued. She was drunk, her make-up smeared and her shirt was inside out. She hadn’t spent the night alone. He’d felt anger all right. But not at her and not at the idiot she undoubtedly picked up off the street or in some bar. No, he was only angry at himself for putting himself in that situation. When they got married, he’d acted impulsively, hadn’t thought it through, and the cold reality of his relationship with Mara was shining through.
The image of Mara, blowing kisses at him, taunting him with her sexuality slowly morphed into Annis, smiling shyly, barely even able to look at him. Her cheeks blossomed crimson and violet eyes peeked up at him through thick blue-black lashes.
“You know, I’m just grateful for everything you’re doing,” Kylie said, forcing him back to earth.
Chris cleared his throat, trying to ignore the reality that thinking of Annis was turning him on. “Yeah, well, I can imagine the argument if I tried to hand over Brenda’s boyfriend to the FBI.”
If Chris truly thought the gargoyles were dangerous, he would – in spite of the screaming he would have to endure from Brenda. She was a pretty mellow girl, but she was still a teenager – and teenagers weren’t known for not being melodramatic. But he’d seen the gargoyles, how they acted toward humans, how they were with their young, and he saw that the gargoyles were just like regular people. He couldn’t imagine Annis ever being a danger to anyone.
“Not just that,” Kylie said. “But for helping Annis earlier. If you weren’t there taking charge, Luc would have just strode around saying she would be fine, and that gargoyles could heal themselves until I ran and got Bea.” She chuckled softly. “It was actually quite funny to see Luc surprised and compliant. He isn’t used to listening to anyone’s orders.” She paused. “Except mine.”
“Annis told me that gargoyles used to have healers.”
Kylie cocked her head at him. “She did?”
“You seem surprised.”
“Annis doesn’t say much to anyone other than me, Maggie, Bea or Dragoslava. The fact that she told you anything about the gargoyle culture is amazing. Not just her, but all the gargoyles are pretty tight lipped about anything.”
“Luc must tell you stuff.”
“Sure, he tells me everything, but I’m his mate. The others, though, are precious about a lot of things. Not that I blame them, sounds like most humans hated them and treated them like crap. The gargoyles were scared they’d get the same treatment as the dragons. Apparently, the dragons died out because humans were afraid of them and hunted them into extinction.” She beamed at him almost manically. “We belong to a wonderful species, don’t we?”
Chris chuckled as he drove back to the mansion, although he couldn’t help but wonder at Annis’ frankness with him. They did not really know each other, but maybe she did trust him. The thought elated him more than it probably should.
Chapter Six
After what seemed like an interminable amount of time – because Luc spent all of it pacing up and down and threatening to go and find out what was taking so long – Chris and Kylie returned with a mountain of food.
It was carried into the dining room and dumped on the enormous table. They didn’t bother with plates or cutlery. Just eating at a table was a new experience for the gargoyles; Kylie didn’t want to push too much on them too soon.
The original dining table chairs had not exactly been gargoyle accessible,
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