Stone Solitude (3 page)

No, she knew why she was sad: her best friend had been taken from her and her family might be gone as well. But in this place, it didn’t seem as awful as it did before. The sense of calm that washed through her made her believe that everything was going to be all right. If she was the only one left alive on this planet, she would find a place for herself in this strange and wonderful castle.

“Come,” the little gnome urged, pulling her towards the left staircase. With no more hesitation, she followed, trying to take in all of the incredible detail. From the statues that stood on pedestals in the alcoves to the tapestries that depicted all of her favorite fairy tales, there was so much to see. A smile parted her lips as she recognized
Little Red Riding Hood
and
Beauty and the Beast
and
Sleeping Beauty
and
The Little Mermaid
. Lost in the magnificence of the place, she almost missed the little colorful lights that were zipping back and forth in the air.

Stopping, Daisy stared at one as it hovered right in front of her eyes. A little burble of laughter floated out and she realized it was a little pixie or fairy or something. The little creature was only an inch or two tall with the most amazing tiny wings. Daisy opened her mouth to say hello but the creature buzzed away. There was so much more here than she had ever seen before and she wished she could have shared it with Mandy. Maybe now that the veil was lifted, her friend would be able to see everything that she hadn’t been able to see….

No, her friend was gone.

Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, she continued on with a slight frown. It took her another moment to realize the gnome had stopped until he cleared his throat and she looked down at him. He beamed his brilliant smile, his beard twitching with suppressed laughter as he said, “I have delivered you to the place you need to be. Have a good life, little wolf-child.”

“Daisy,” she said to thin air, the gnome disappearing without a sound, leaving her standing in front of a door. The urge to enter the room was strong and her resistance was practically non-existent. Without a reason to stay out, she turned the knob and entered. In the low light, she saw that there were statues and boxes strewn throughout and she briefly wondered why she was brought there. Wouldn’t they put her in a bedroom with frilly curtains and a lace-covered bed fit for a princess?

Walking further into the room, dragging her fingers over the smooth face of a cherub, she tried to puzzle out what was happening. Her mom always told her it was important to keep a clear head, especially around other supernatural creatures, but Daisy wondered how that was even possible when her brain felt so fuzzy she could barely remember her own name.

Rubbing the back of her head, she winced in pain. She must have bumped her head when the car hit the tree and hadn’t realized it until she touched the sore spot. Pulling her hand away, she was dismayed to see traces of blood on her fingertips. No wonder why she couldn’t think clearly. At first she wondered what she could have hit her head on but then she remembered the books that she and Mandy had placed in the back window, books that they had had every intention of reading while they were riding in the backseat but had never gotten around to reading.

There was something in the room that called to her, that made her believe the gnome wasn’t demented for dropping her off at the wrong place. Cautiously, she walked around the piles of books and broken furniture, going deeper and deeper into the room. In the dim light, she couldn’t make out a lot of detail but she could see well enough to not walk into anything. Strangely, the dim light seemed to move with her, illuminating the area around her without providing much light anywhere else.

Well, it was an enchanted castle. Her mother warned her about those, too, but always with a smile.

She missed her momma, with her warm laughter and her sparkling eyes. Daisy often wished she had her mother’s beautiful green and gold eyes but her momma always told her how lucky she was to have her daddy’s silver eyes. Her twin had momma’s pretty eyes
and
her brown hair but he didn’t get any of momma’s Siren-ness because he wasn’t a girl. Of course, her two younger brothers both had their dad’s black as night hair and silver eyes while her little sister had their dad’s dark hair but momma’s beautiful eyes. Plus, little Roxie had momma’s Siren-ness but she was two and still wore diapers.

Daisy shook her head, trying to concentrate on finding somewhere to sleep until her daddy came for her. If her daddy was still around.

Pulling the phone from her pocket, she looked at the screen and frowned when it didn’t even have a signal. Of course, she was standing inside a bubble of magic and modern technology and magic didn’t get along very well. If she wanted to make a call, she was probably going to have to leave the castle, walk back down the pink road, and leave through the gate. As badly as she wanted to hear her momma’s voice, it was unwise to leave the safety of the castle, especially at night with everything that had happened, not without knowing
what
had happened. Was her family okay?

With a sigh, she put the phone away and glanced around the room, realizing she had no idea where the door was located. The light that had been guiding her had also made it easy to get lost because it only showed her a part of the room at a time. There! Over to her right was a square of light that was different from the light surrounding her. It had to be the moon, which was nearly three quarters full tonight.

Had she been in the strange room for so long that the moon had time to rise?

Making her way through the maze of boxes and miscellanea, Daisy finally made it to the windows. Unlatching them, she pushed them open and breathed in the moonlit night, closing her eyes in bliss. If only she had wings then she could fly away and return home.

My little flower.

Startled, Daisy spun around, expecting to see her wolf standing there, which was insane because her wolf was inside of her. But there
was
a wolf there. Not her wolf, of course, but a beautiful statue of a wolf. Pressing her hand against her racing heart, she stepped closer to the stone creature and realized it wasn’t exactly a wolf, since it had the body of a man and the wings of an enormous bat. Cocking her head to the side, she studied the statue for a moment before it dawned on her….

He was a gargoyle!

Giving out a delighted laugh, she closed the distance between them and ran her hand along the rough snout of his wolfish face. He was snarling and she supposed he was meant to be menacing but to her eyes he was beautiful. His lines weren’t as smooth as a real wolf and his body was definitely not as sleek, but he was gorgeous. Even crouching, he was big, with massive shoulders that held the weight of his heavy wings. In his presence she felt safe. Protected.

A wave of exhaustion washed over her, making her yawn until she felt it in her chest. With one last pat on his snarling snout, she slowly collapsed to the ground and fell asleep, a smile on her face. As long as the gargoyle stood watch over her, she would be okay.

“Daisy!!” The deep booming voice broke through her dreams, waking her at once. “Daisy! Where are you?”

Tears filled her eyes as her father crashed through the door, pausing for only a moment as he scanned the room until his eyes landed on her. His lips parted in relief as he rushed towards her, heedless of the mess, and scooped her up into his strong arms. Hugging him with all of the love in her heart, she cried, “Daddy!”

“Oh, thank God,” he breathed, tightening his hold on her until she thought he was going to crush her. She didn’t mind because she felt the same way and if she could, she would hug him to pieces. Pulling back, he brushed his hands over her face, her shoulders, her head. When she winced, his expression turned into a frown, “You’re hurt.”

“Not badly,” she murmured, starting to tremble now that her father had found her. Unable to help herself, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him once more. “I wasn’t sure if you and momma were still here….” A terrifying thought ripped through her and she pulled back, staring into her father’s handsome face with wide eyes, “Momma’s still here, right?”

“She is,” he said with tears in his eyes, making the silver color shine in the darkness. “So are all of your brothers and your sister and your cousins and everyone.”

Swallowing thickly, she shook her head as a new wave of sadness crashed over her, “Not the Rothmans, daddy.”

“I’m so sorry,” he choked, pulling her back into his arms and hugging her once more, as if he was unable to let her go. She never wanted him to, especially now. Standing up with her in his arms, he rasped, “Let’s go home, sweetheart.”

“How?” she asked. “Did you drive?”

He shook his head, a slight smile curving his lips. “As soon as the wave hit, your mother knew you were in trouble and begged me to find you. I asked an associate to transport me to the nearest ley line and then I ran the rest of the way in my wolf form.” Nodding towards the door, he added, “Your mom packed some clothes for me to change into once I transformed back.”

“Then how are we going to get home?” she asked again, clutching onto him as he bent down and picked up the bag. As desperately as she wanted her momma, Daisy understood why her mom couldn’t be there. After all, the baby was due in a month and her belly was too big in either her human form or her wolf form.

“You’re going to ride my back like you used to do when you were younger and we’re going to meet my friend in the field not too far from here.”

Her eyes lit up because it had been ages since she had ridden on her father’s wolf. After Roxie was born, Daisy had decided she was a big girl, certainly too big to ride on the black wolf her father turned into.

“I think once we get home, your mother is never going to let you out of her sight again,” her daddy chuckled, giving her a loud, smacking kiss on the cheek. “And I don’t think I will, either. God, Daisy, I’m glad you’re safe. Now, let’s get you home.”

With one last look at the gargoyle, Daisy nodded and laid her head down on her father’s shoulder. She had the feeling that she would see that stone wolf-man again.

The child left and for the first time in almost two thousand years, the stone gargoyle opened his eyes.

In the ten years since Daisy lost her best friend, the world had gone through a transformation. As the little gnome had said, the veil had been ripped away and all of the creatures that haunted human imagination stepped into the light of day, or night in the case of nocturnal creatures. She had also learned that shared grief did not diminish the sense of one’s own loss. The humans had called it the Rapture and everyone lost someone they knew. There had been no rhyme or reason to the humans that had vanished that day and those left behind had to pick up the pieces with a million questions and no answers.

Daisy actually felt sorry for the humans. So few of them had had any awareness of the world that had lived just beneath their noses the entire time, the world they had abruptly been exposed to after the Rapture. They had no way of dealing with the new reality and far too many decided to end it rather than endure and adapt. Suicide cults had sprung up in record number, throwing the world into further turmoil.

With the world in chaos, the paranormal creatures that had ties in the human world stepped forward to offer their assistance in helping the humans cope, including her father and mother. Though they played minor roles in the new world, Daisy liked to think it helped giving a human face to the
Other
. It wasn’t always easy and ten years later there were still tensions between the normal and the supernormal.

Daisy straddled the line, uncertain where her place was because she hadn’t heard from her wolf since that bleak day all of those years ago. Her father explained that in her despair, she had shut the wolf out and he didn’t know if or when the wolf would re-establish the connection.

If she was honest, she wasn’t too upset. Even though all of her siblings that had gone through puberty had made the transition without any difficulties, she was okay without that aspect of her nature because she had to be. Besides, it was hard enough trying to control her Siren genes without the added hassle of being a wolf, too. Her mother assured her that no matter what, her family loved her and they would support her in whatever she chose to do, whether she wanted to try to force the wolf out into the open or let the wolf be.

Because her Siren was theoretically as strong as her mom’s, she had to be careful when she sang since mass orgies randomly broke out afterwards. During her first year of college, she had wanted to test the theory and so she sang karaoke at one of the frat parties. Almost as soon as she finished the song, she regretted it. The humans were already too in thrall of the supernatural creatures that were slowly coming forward and her song just pushed them over the edge. She had tried to stop it but nothing she did helped so she had quietly skipped out and prayed that everything would calm down once she was gone.

The party lasted for a week and a half. Her dad had been furious, her mom amused because she admitted to doing something similar in Cancun, and her twin jealous that he hadn’t been there. Unlike the myths, though, none of the humans fell madly, passionately, desperately in love with her. Instead, her song had been a powerful aphrodisiac for the men and women, though none had been unduly attracted to her. While her song was powerful, it didn’t enslave. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t careful. Unbridled lust had its own dangers.

She continued strolling through the college library, breathing in the scent of printed paper and leather bindings. The library was one of her favorite places to hang out because it was peaceful and it had thousands of books just waiting to be read. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to explore the possibilities because she was looking for a very specific book for her research paper, an archaic book that wasn’t allowed to be checked out of the library or photocopied. If she had any hope of finishing the paper, she was going to have to spend all of her spare time at the library, which was why she was there on a Friday night instead of enjoying the last weeks of summer before the fall term began. Taking a summer class was her way of getting ahead so she might be able to graduate a few months early.

Not that she had a glamorous social life of club hopping and swanky parties. Instead, she preferred hanging out with her pack and a select group of friends. Most of the humans she knew were just trying to live their lives, though a few were reckless when they went out at night. They hoped to snag the attention of a vampire or a werewolf but they never understood the cost of falling in with the other side until it was too late. Despite the transitions of her Uncles Cole and Dima to wolves, most of the humans weren’t so lucky, dying painfully within a few days of being bitten. Wolves had no wish to destroy humanity. Vampires, on the other hand, didn’t give a damn about humanity and would kill indiscriminately if they thought they could get away with it.

Concentrating on where she was going, she descended the narrow staircase to the cellar where the really old books were kept. The dank, concrete stairwell was rarely used and she always felt as if she were entering a tomb when she had to go to the archives for research. It was her fault, of course, for choosing such obscure topics to write about, whether in English class or biology, including the paper she was currently working on about the origins of the gargoyle. She couldn’t imagine what she was going to choose once it came to her thesis paper for grad school. Luckily that was many years away. At twenty, she had plenty of time to figure out the rest of her life.

A low light emerged from beneath the heavy door and Daisy wondered who else could possibly be down there since most people avoided the tomb room if they could help it. As she put her hand on the doorknob, a slight jolt of electricity surged into her arm and she jerked her hand away. Her heart thudded once really hard in her chest before it started to race. Who was in the room?

Cautiously, she opened the door and peered inside, cursing when she realized the light was too low to actually see anything beyond vague shapes. The dim light was coming from the table but it was only enough light to illuminate the book the stranger was reading and not the stranger. He, she assumed he was a he, was massive, hunched over the table with a cloak concealing what the shadows missed. Sliding her hand over the wall to the light switch, wanting – needing – to see who it was that trespassed upon her privacy, she froze when his deep, dark voice graveled out, “Please. Do not turn on the light.”

Roman didn’t turn his head and look at her directly because he didn’t want her to see him, not yet, maybe not ever. This was too important to ruin by being impatient to finally see her up close. For ten years he had watched over the girl from afar, biding his time until he could approach her and set his plan in motion. The biggest challenge had been keeping the boys who sniffed after her away from her. Generally, a visit late at night was enough to get the job done. There was nothing quite like a nocturnal visit from a nightmarish creature to curb a boy’s lust for a pretty girl.

He would have taken her after her first bleeding but he wasn’t a barbarian. It hardly mattered because at the time, he had been more beast than man… fuck, he was still more beast than man but time was running out and he had to act. He had to seduce a bloody virgin as he was, a stone beast. When he had been flesh, he had reveled in female warmth, from the innocent touches of eager virgins to the more carnal pleasures of accomplished courtesans. Honestly, though, he had preferred experienced women over virgins since they had a level of confidence that was sorely lacking in the untouched girls.

Of course, it was his weakness to sample all of the feminine delights that had contributed to his destruction.

With a wry smile, he covertly studied the girl who stood in the doorway, her slender hand pressed against her heart as she stared at him with wide, silver eyes. It was remarkable, really, that he could discern that her eyes were silver since he could only see the world in shades of gray. Once upon a time he could see in color but that was long ago and even in his memory the vibrant hues had faded.

She was a stunning creature with long, dark hair and those expressive eyes, luscious curves and an exquisite face. She was the embodiment of everything he desired in a woman and those silver eyes made her even more beautiful. Her eyes, the color so vibrant even in black and white, were wide and inquisitive and framed by lush eyelashes that made them appear even bigger. Her cheeks were high in her heart-shaped face, her nose slim, and her lips full and she could have any man she wanted.

Well, had he allowed it. Unfortunately for her, he needed her virgin’s blood to release him from this curse. Once he was back to normal, he’d go after the bitch who did this to him and bargain for his freedom, using the virgin as leverage.

Either way, he was glad he had waited for her to grow into her beauty, even if he was cutting it close. Fortunately for him, it hadn’t taken long to influence her interest in gargoyles, to fan the flames of the embers that were already there. The mythology class that she was taking gave her the perfect opportunity to finally research the history of gargoyles. He guided her to the bowels of the library for her research with carefully whispered words as she slept. Of course, he hadn’t been the one whispering in her ear. He left that to his… companion.

Cautiously, she made her way into the dark room and he smiled to himself. There was a core of strength within her and he only hoped she could tap into it before he confronted the bitch who imprisoned him for two thousand years. If the girl was too weak, she’d be little use to him and he’d have to find another way to gain his freedom. No, there was no other way. There was only her.

“Sit,” he said, his voice gravelly. Holding his hand out, the full sleeve hiding his skin, he indicated the seat across from him, a seat that was bathed in the low light. The light served a dual purpose: it allowed him to study her in greater detail and it kept him in the shadows.

“I didn’t realize anyone else would be here tonight,” she said, her soft, dulcet tones caressing his stone skin, sending a shiver down his rocky spine.

Ignoring the pleasurable touch, he rasped, “I prefer the night.”

Her lips quirked up in a slight smile and he had to remind himself that she was just a pawn in the grand scheme of things and he couldn’t afford to feel anything for her. “Hmm, I think I do, too.”

“You look like you should be in the sun. You smell of warmth and sun-drenched flowers.” He didn’t know where the words came from but they were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Worse, he hadn’t realized how tantalizing her scent would be from so close. It wrapped around his brain and fogged up his plan. They had only exchanged a few words and she was already making him feel things he hadn’t felt in ages. He would have to tread carefully.

A soft laugh slipped past her ripe lips as she pulled the chair out and sat down. There was a quiet
thunk
as she dropped her bag and then she said, “Oh, I enjoy the sun as well but it’s the moon I prefer.”

Keeping his eyes on her, he pictured her beneath the moon, her body beckoning him as he stalked towards her as a man. His cock responded to the rush of lust by swelling for the first time in an eternity and he was grateful for the cloak that concealed his reaction. Since the girl brought him back to life, he had slowly, oh so slowly, been regaining his true form, that of a man beneath the moon and a gargoyle beneath the sun.

A
living
gargoyle beneath the sun, not the stone statue that was frozen in place.

“What’s your name?” she asked, sending that pleasurable pulse down his spine again.

His lips curved into a dark smile as he murmured wryly, “Roman.”