Page 10 of Rock Hard

I nod my head but I can’t help thinking about my best friend, Jemma. She moved to Magic with her cousin who’s her only living relative. We’ve been friends since school so I tried to keep in touch. But whatever is going on in that town is obviously freezing me out.

I hope she’s alright.

I turn back to Granite and he eyes me sympathetically. “I’m sure your friend is alright. Sheriff Canton is a great guy and a very strong wolf shifter. He runs the town like a well-oiled machine and doesn’t put up with any shit.”

I nod my head but my eyes keep drifting back to the dome over the town. “I’m sure she’s alright. Jemma is strong as hell. She’s been through a lot over the years.”

“Magic has been a very safe haven for shifters and magic folk for a long time. But the shifters have moved inward towards itfor awhile now. Like they know that something’s going on and they wanted a stronger, larger group of them for safety’s sake.”

“But we’ll worry about that another day, mate. For now…I want you to get to know me.”

I should tell him to take me home. But I don’t fucking want to. I want to find out what it’s like to be claimed by magic.

Find out what all the fuss is about. Since I’ve never been with anyone. But this isn’t just anyone and it wouldn’t just be sex. This male thinks that I’m his. He thinks he belongs to me too.

My heart flips when I think about that. He keeps talking about me belonging to him but by the same token that means that he’s mine. I belong with this magnificent creature according to him.

That’s a wild fucking thing to think about! I’m just not sure how or what I should feel.

Other than hungry as hell.

“Hold on, mate.” Granite dips and his wings expand around us, the leathery texture flapping lightly in the breeze as we come down and the ground comes up under us. “His clawed feet hit the ground and dig in. The smell of earth around us tickles my nose as we finally drop to terra firm.

He gently sets my feet on the ground. So gently that I barely feel the earth beneath me. But my body settles for the first time in at least half an hour.

My head clears and I realize that I’m alone out here with a male I barely know. Should I trust him?

Hell, should I trust myself?

He sweeps a hand out and my eyes lift, settling on the walls of a dark stone castle. “Welcome to my humble home, mate.”

My eyes sweep up and up and my mouth falls open on a gasp. “Holy shit! It’s a castle. You live in a castle.”

CHAPTER 8

Granite

“Of course! Where else would a gargoyle live but a castle,” I huff.

She turns to glare at me. “Honestly, I don’t know what to think about you most of the time. Do you think maybe you should have mentioned we were going to a castle?”

My brow quirks. “Why would that make a difference? You are beautiful and truly, the only place special enough for you is a castle.”

I shake my head. “You’re ridiculous. I’m nothing special.”

I lean closer and touch her cheek gently, the softness of her skin making my rough fingers flex lightly. “You are special. You are the most special woman I’ve ever met.”

Her green eyes lift and I can see the uncertainty in her gaze. “But…why? I’m only human.” Her slim hand waves at me. “You are special, magical. I’m none of that.”

I cradle her face lightly, my claws dancing on her sharp jaw gently. “My love, none of that. Even if you are human, there is no other human like you. You are one of a kind. A magical being in your own right. You were made for me. No other woman will do.”

Her skeptical eyes drift towards the castle. “It’s very imposing.”

I shrug. “I’m a big gargoyle. I need space. And this place belonged to my family. Five generations of gargoyles have called this place home. Don’t you have anything that belongs to your family? Something that you’ll pass down to our children?”

She shakes her head sadly. “Most humans don’t have things like that.” Her eyes turn inward. Then a slight smile curves her pink lips. “Well, except for this.” She holds up a hand with a silver ring on it. The gem in the middle of the ring is round and glows with an inner fire. “My mother loved fire opals and when she passed away when I was young, my dad put this ring away for me. He passed away about six months ago. He was sick for a long time before that.” Her shoulders slump and she sighs. “I spent the last two years taking care of him. As soon as he passed away, I came out here looking for Jemma but I just haven’t been able to find her and the town is strange.”

I nod my head but my eyes stay fixated on the cool rock on her finger. A puff of smoke curls around my head and Angela waves her hand at me. “What the hell is going on with you, Granite?”

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