When a Gargoyle Lives (Gargoyles Book 2) Read online

  “You could find another…”

  “No!” He shook his head vehemently. “I asked your mother to arrange our mating because no other female would do for me.”

  Ingrede stared at him dumbfounded. “You asked her? Why did you not simply ask me?”

  Cai looked bashful for a moment. An expression she had never seen anywhere near his face before. “I did not want you to say no. It was better for me if you had no choice in the matter. And gargoyles do not speak of finer feelings. Or at least… we did not used to.”

  “And Wolfe?” A tear formed in her eye and Cai was immediately uncomfortable. She grasped his hand to stop him from leaving. “A lot is changing, and I think the way we treat our young must as well. One day there may be younglings who are half-human. Wolfe must learn to live with them – and all younglings should be treated the same. He needs his mother, just as he needs his father. I wish for us to be a family – a real family, as a human family would be.”

  A rumble shuddered through his huge frame. “As you wish. But there will be no more talk of you leaving me. No more plans to raise Wolfe away from me.”

  She looked down as Wolfe tried to fit the whole penguin in his mouth. “You knew about that.”

  “Yes. I will never let you go. I would follow you to the end of the earth if I had to. I am selfish. I do not want to be without you, and I cannot abide the thought of another male having you. I may not be the mate you want, but know that I do… care for you,” the words were strangled, “and I hope that you can come to care for me, too.”

  “I do care, Cai.”

  She cupped his cheek, and they pressed their foreheads together, possibly the tenderest act they had ever shared.

  Wolfe dropped the penguin, huffing, and pouting. Cai retrieved it, holding it out to his son who scrabbled at it and tried to tug it out of his father’s claws. Cai laughed at the belligerent expression on Wolfe’s face as he toyed with the penguin.

  “I believe we should add another youngling to our family. I find that Wolfe makes me extremely happy, and you are even more beautiful when you are with child.”

  “You think I’m beautiful?” Ingrede found herself blushing. Beauty was not something most gargoyles considered important.

  Cai smiled on seeing the color rise to her cheeks. “I always have.”

  “You never told me.”

  “You have always been a dutiful mate, but I have always found you distant, and I did not think you cared for me. I did not believe that my affections would be welcome. I was simply happy to have you in any way I could. It is only since you became pregnant with our child, that I realized you are not as cold as other females.”

  Cai allowed Wolfe to take the penguin, who then threw it at his father’s head while giggling wildly.

  “I was always taught that females should hide our emotions,” she said softly. “I tried to emulate my mother for years. But after I became pregnant, I struggled.”

  “You are special, Ingrede. No other female compares to you, in our day and this day. It is why I chose you. It is why I care for you.”

  Her insides heated at his lovely words. “For someone who has no practice, you are a natural when speaking of your finer feelings.”

  Cai huffed, perhaps feeling that was unmanly, and she continued quickly.

  “I would like more younglings, too, perhaps another boy and a couple of girls.”

  His chest inflated and his mouth curled into an excited grin. “In that case, I believe we should start working on that as soon as possible.”

  Ingrede chuckled. Sweet and funny Cai was certainly a gargoyle she could love.

  Chapter Forty

  Ric inspected a picture of Brenda and her grandmother, an older lady who possessed the same sweet smile as Brenda.

  “Sorry about the mess.”

  Brenda laughed nervously, as she picked up a few stray items of clothing and threw them in the closet. It wasn’t actually the first time Ric had been in her bedroom, but the last time she had been ill and had no idea what she was doing. And every time after that had been when he visited her x-rated dreams.

  “You look very happy in this picture.”

  “I was, she’s a wonderful lady.”

  “I would like to meet her.”

  “I don’t know. She’s already had one heart attack.”

  Ric looked sad and carefully placed the picture back on her desk.

  “Sorry,” she murmured.

  “No, you are right, but I suppose if I were human you would take me to meet her.”

  Brenda rolled a shoulder. “I suppose so.”

  “Things will always be difficult for us.”

  “I guess,” she said with a sinking feeling.

  “We cannot be together openly.”

  “Well, no, not right now.”

  “We would have to hide our relationship.”

  Brenda slumped onto her bed. “Yes.”

  “We barely know each other.” He kneeled in front of her and took her hands. She smiled sadly at the sight of her small hands clasped in his huge blue ones.

  “Brenda, will you mate with me?”

  She did her best fish impression as she gawped at him. “Come again now?”

  He gave her his best puppy dog look. “Will you mate with me?”

  “I heard you; I just thought you were breaking up with me.”

  “Not at all. I was away from you for a day, and I could not bear it. My only concern when I was in that place was you. You are everything to me. I have never felt this way about a female.” He pressed her palm to his lips. “Some of my kind have always believed in true mates, but I never did until I met you. There are a million reasons why we should not mate, but will you be mine?”

  Brenda flushed in pleasure. “I mean it is sudden, but… wait, what do you mean a million reasons? Isn’t that a little excessive?”

  Ric rolled his shoulders. “Perhaps I was exaggerating, it is a human trait.”

  “Aha.”

  “As is lying, I was also lying by suggesting that you had a choice in the matter. Brenda, you are mine, whether you like it or not, you belong to me, and you will like it.”

  She threw up her hands and collapsed back onto the bed. “Lord, you are freaking insufferable.”

  He chuckled as he slowly climbed over her prone body. “Yes, I am told it is one of my better qualities.”

  “I can think of some much better qualities,” she murmured.

  His lips twitched, and he dipped his head, nuzzling her neck, inhaling her scent. “You smell beautiful. Like roses.”

  Brenda closed her eyes and enjoyed the nearness of his body, the heat from his pouring into hers. His hard body brushed against hers, and she felt a stab of desire.

  “You have not said yes yet.”

  She shuddered as his lips touched her skin. “Oh?”

  “You have not said yes to my question.”

  “Question?” Just his presence addled her mind, made her forget everything. What was her name again? Started with a B, right? Her brain lazily tried to recall what he was talking about.

  “You have not agreed to be my mate.”

  His tongue idly licked her neck.

  “Oh! I thought I didn’t have a choice in the matter. I thought I was yours.”

  “You are, but… I should like to know that you are happy about that.”

  Brenda’s eyes flickered open. “What happened in the lab?”

  His brow furrowed. “Why waste our time talking of that? We are both alive and well. That is all that matters.”

  “I would like to know.”

  She almost whimpered as Ric retreated from her. He sat on the floor cross-legged, and she hauled herself up on the bed.

  He recited the details of his capture, of waking at the lab, meeting Adler and Twenty-Six and then their attempts at escape. He spoke quickly and impatiently. Clearly, he had already been grilled on the subject by Luc and was not keen to hash out the details again.

  “Now,”
he growled as his tail flicked against the floor, “can we return to more pressing matters?”

  Brenda wrapped her arms around herself. “I can’t believe they were going to breed you.”

  “Adler was truly demented. Now, as I was saying…”

  “It’s barbaric.”

  “Yes, I quite agree, however…”

  “Were they going to make you have sex? I mean, it didn’t get anywhere near that far, right?”

  Ric opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but understanding dawned in his eyes and he threw his head back, hooting in laughter.

  “What are you laughing about?” she asked peevishly. “This is serious.”

  “I am laughing because you are jealous.”

  “I am not!”

  “Indeed, you are. I am kidnapped, and your main concern is that I did not couple with another female. I enjoy your jealousy; it is a very becoming trait.”

  Brenda scowled. “Ugh! You’re wrong; you’re so… wrong!”

  “Oh?”

  Ric moved to his knees, leaning closer to her. “So you would not have minded if I had mated with her?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Minded? I’m sure you can run around whipping your loincloth off for any female you want. Why should I mind?”

  The look of self-satisfaction on his face was infuriating. His hands crept up her thighs as he planted small kisses over her jawline.

  “You would have minded, because I am yours, just as you are mine. Would you deny the pull between us? Have I visited your dreams as often as you visited mine?” Red suffused her cheeks. “I believe I have my answer.”

  “Have I told you recently that you’re... you’re... insufferable?”

  “Not in the last thirty seconds.”

  Brenda placed her hands on his shoulders, rubbing her fingers over his soft, buttery skin. “You are unbearable,” she purred.

  His lips pulled into a wide, predatory smile. “Is that so?”

  “Mmm hmmm, you drive me crazy.” She kissed his forehead.

  “Really?”

  “Wild, even.” She kissed each cheek.

  “Why would that be?”

  “Because you’re mine?” She brushed her lips against his in a chaste kiss.

  “Mine,” he growled, crushing her to him in a much less chaste embrace. As he took her in a hungry kiss, his large clawed hands explored her body.

  “I need you,” he moaned. “but…”

  He pulled away from her, his lips hovering an inch from hers.

  “But?”

  “But I know this is not the human way. The human way is filled with months of agonizing waiting and dating. I am prepared to do that if that is what it takes. Although I must warn you, I am very impatient.”

  Brenda took his face in her hands. Not handsome by human standards, it was harder, more angular, more wicked looking. But she melted for him. She ached for him. And to her, he couldn’t have been more beautiful or sexier. Maybe he was right. Maybe they were supposed to find each other. She’d had crushes. She’d even been in love before. But what she felt for Ric was more intense and overwhelming than she could have imagined, and it was both terrifying and exhilarating, and she never wanted to lose it.

  “I don’t want to wait. I…” She took a deep breath. “I love you.”

  Ric’s eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, she thought she’d misjudged him. That was until that damn smirk returned. Cocky gargoyle.

  “I figured as much when you kept getting jealous. I’m surprised it was so easy to make you say it.”

  “Ugh, I take it back.”

  Brenda slapped at his shoulders, but he just held on more tightly. His hands dipped under her top, and his talons trailed paths over her bare skin.

  “You can’t take it back, you love me, almost as much as I love you.”

  She stilled and smiled at him. “That’s more like it.”

  Gingerly, she pressed kisses to his neck, his skin feeling different under her lips. Not wrong, just different. Ric moved a hand to cup one of her lace-clad breasts. She gasped as he massaged her mound, delicately pinching her hardening nipple.

  “You are not innocent,” he murmured.

  “No,” she said warily, ready for any fight he wished to have on that subject. She had nothing to be ashamed of on that front.

  “That is good.”

  “It is?” she asked, baffled. She knew that Ric was not innocent either, but she didn’t think it was a good thing. No, she had an irrational urge to beat up any female who dared to have ever touched Ric.

  “I am undoubtedly larger than your previous mate and I do not wish to hurt you. It is better that you are at least somewhat prepared for me. I wish for us to share in our pleasure.”

  “You’re certainly not lacking in the self-esteem department.”

  Ric grinned and carefully extricated himself from her body. Standing, he threw aside his loincloth and flexed his wings as his manhood sprung forth, hard, thick and proud.

  She couldn’t help the hitch in her breath. He wasn’t kidding. He was almost menacingly large.

  “You are sure this is what you want?” he asked softly. “Mating with a gargoyle will not be easy for you. Your life will be very different from what you expected.”

  “Mating with a human won’t be easy for you either. But I know it’s what I want.”

  Ric snarled and pulled at her shirt, slipping it over her head. He found his claws were ill-equipped to deal with the button and zipper of her jeans, so they were sliced apart without so much as a grunted apology. She understood why Kylie seemed to prefer floaty skirts.

  The gargoyle towered over her body, feasting upon the sight of her supple, soft form encased in little more than a few wisps of pink lace. Her rosy nipples pushed against the fabric of her bra, and he could already scent her wet arousal, saturating her barely-there panties.

  Brenda placed her hands on his chest, running her fingers over the hard dips and ridges of his muscles. Hesitantly at first, she moved down to his manhood, feeling him quiver under her soft touch and marveling that her small hand could not close around his girth.

  With a growl he reached around her and inexpertly unhooked the clasp of her bra – she suspected it was opened in much the same way as her jeans, but she certainly wasn’t complaining at that moment. The matter of shredded clothing was the last thing on her mind.

  He moaned as her breasts bobbed free and grasped them with his hands. As he kneaded them, lightly pinching her swollen buds, his hips started rocking against her hand. His lips flourished kisses over her neck, and he wound a path down to her breasts, replacing his hand with his lips, sucking an orb into his mouth.

  Ric’s hand found her panties, and he tugged at the elastic. Not yielding quickly enough for him – right that second – they were also clawed and mangled beyond repair.

  Brenda was about to giggle at his impetuousness when he rubbed a finger over her throbbing clit. Her hips pushed against him, wanting more, needing more.

  “I am going to taste you, my mate,” he rumbled from around the mound of her breast.

  “Yes,” she breathed.

  Her hands dropped away from his sex as he licked and kissed his way down her body, dipping into her belly button, tickling her curls and settling between her spread legs. He swiped his tongue over her slit as his finger enthusiastically teased her nub. Ric threw an arm over her hips, as she bucked and thrashed beneath him. His tongue darted in and out of her channel. His mouth was not slow or tender; he was dominant and forceful as he made love to her with his mouth. Her already aroused body went into overdrive at his relentless ministrations, dragging an orgasm out of her in a matter of moments. And as she shattered beneath him, his dizzying pace never diminished. He lapped and suckled at her, wringing another release from her, sending her into waves of pleasure that seemed certain to drive her insane.

  “Ric,” she panted.

  Her hands found his horns and she lifted his head to look at her. She
was too satiated to even care about the self-satisfied smile on his face.

  “I need you.”

  Ric placed a final kiss over her throbbing sex, and he climbed over her, his wings creating a blanket around them. Her body eagerly opened to him, accepting him and clutching him close. She groaned as his thick length brushed against her drenched entrance.

  He looked into her eyes and as he pinned her with his gaze, he drove inside her. She cried out at the sudden invasion and Ric clasped her hands, lacing their fingers together and pulling them over her head. Her body rippled around him, adjusting to the sudden intrusion, whimpering as he touched her where no other man had. Nerves she never knew existed sang in ecstasy as his huge length plunged in and out of her heat.

  Ric curled his tail around her leg, anchoring her in place as he thrust into her, over and over. His mouth found her breast and teased the flesh between his sharpened teeth. Completely at his mercy, she relaxed her body, allowing him to take her, trusting him to bring her pleasure, trusting him with her body and her heart.

  Brenda could feel another climax nearing. Her body was already tiring from his frantic pace and the almost unbearable releases he had already given her, but she still wanted this from him. Seeing the way he looked at her, the need in his eyes, it was the greatest turn on she could imagine, and it only increased her excitement.

  Her inner muscles tightened around him as her body tingled, and she felt herself teetering on the brink.

  “Ric,” she moaned.

  He threw his head back and roared, pounding into her with even more force than she imagined was possible. Her bed creaked ominously at his delicious assault, and she chanted his name over and over, a plea to give her what she so desperately needed.

  Ric freed her breast as he crashed against her with a violent passion.

  “You are mine,” he snarled fiercely.

  Her head rolled back as he took her hard.

  “Say it!”

  “Yours!” she whimpered.

  He let out a possessive roar of triumph and came inside his mate. Brenda screamed as her orgasm hit her like a tidal wave, bursting through her body, leaving no inch of her unsatisfied. As she collapsed in exhaustion, Ric continued his thrusts inside, slowing until he finally softened.