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“Well, the two men were relentless and followed her everywhere until one day when they cornered her in the woods. They insisted her fur would bring a princely sum in the Terra realm. If it weren’t for a passing wolf shifter who came to her rescue, she’d be dead. Even today, she’s terrified to go outside alone.” I swallowed the hurt at remembering her tears, the way she shook each time she spoke of the incident, and studied Reed. He must have felt lost and trapped.
“It pisses me off that people did that to her,” I added. “Ruined her life for their own selfish greed. So I’m sorry it’s happening to you as well. And I’ll help you if I can. I’ll get bandages for your cuts.” I turned toward the bathroom and glanced over my shoulder. “You can hide in my tower for as long as you need. I won’t hurt you.”
He cocked a brow, as if he were about to burst out laughing at my suggestion.
“No, thanks. I’ve intruded enough. I’ll leave shortly and not bring danger to your doorstep. I have to find my sister.”
“I insist.” Not taking no for an answer, I rushed into the bathroom and collected bandages, a towel, and a small container with water.
With everything set on the table, he took a seat on the chair, and I plonked down in front of him. Drenching the corner of the towel, I wrung out the water and took his arm with a gash running from elbow to wrist. Then I patted down the injury, cleaning the blood. “What did they cut you with? You skin looks ripped apart.”
“A jagged blade. Bastards were not going to let me get my sister back.” His eyes hooded, and I kept cleaning him up, before wrapping his arm. When shit happened, sometimes silence was the best companion.
“You’re very kind,” he said in a soft voice and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. His light touch left me buzzing. “How come I haven’t seen you around?”
I shrugged. “I’m more of a night owl.”
“Me too.” He offered me a cute smile. “Maybe we can meet up somewhere in a couple of weeks. I’m praying I track down my sister by then.”
“Like a date?” Heat rushed up my neck.
“If you want to call it that. I’ll come back and see you.”
Panic strangled me, and I straightened in my seat. “Maybe better if we meet in a week’s time outside Brawl just after dusk. What do you think?”
“Sounds good.”
A dozen questions whirred in my head. Did he think it strange I asked to meet at a fight club, though that came to mind first? Once I finished cleaning and bandaging him, he got up and checked outside. “I better go.”
But as I got up, he marched to my side and without warning, he leaned in and his lips brushed mine. Soft and quick, but enough to rock me at the core. My heart fluttered and butterflies swarmed through my stomach. His hand rested below my ear, his thumb stroking my cheek. Our breaths merged before he broke away.
“A little something,” he said, his voice strong and deep. “To tide me over until we meet again.”
I wasn’t ready to let him go and reached out for him when a huge shadow fell over the window, blotting out the light in the tower. The gargoyle. I gasped.
“Shit. Move!” Panic gripped me. I hauled him away from the window, but within that same moment, he was ripped from my grasp.
He got sucked out the window, his cry echoing through the tower like a ghost’s moan.
My heart slammed into my chest, and I darted after him, my hand reaching out for his leg, but it was too late.
The gargoyle had him by an arm and flew across the open land, his beating made of hundreds of pieces of stone. Guilt sawed on my insides. What had I done? Would the gargoyle beat him senseless? Kill him like the other people? I held my churning stomach.
“Put him down,” I screamed, but my words fell on deaf ears. The creature had never paid me attention before, so he wouldn’t now. I should have hidden Reed, told him to keep quiet until nightfall. But it had never occurred to me the gargoyle would hear him when he raised his voice.
My eyes were glued on the monstrosity carrying the kicking and thrashing lion shifter. And just above the canopy of trees, he dropped him. My stomach iced over.
The gargoyle swooped in after him and plucked him out before dropping him again. A strangled cry bubbled on my throat. Fear imprisoned me in its straitjacket, and I couldn’t do anything but cry.
I contemplated going after him, but then what?
Get beaten again, and how long will it take for your ribs to heal this time?
I swallowed the mountain in my throat, and I fell to my knees in front of my window and sobbed in my hands. Hating my life. Hating the gargoyle. Hating that I felt useless and so hopeless.
“I want the gargoyle dead, blown to a million pieces, torn apart, along with this goddamn tower.” Every inch of me trembled, but when the distinct flap of the wings sounded nearby, I jerked my head up.
The gargoyle returned, his wide wings sailing through the sky.
