Page 1 of Guarded By the Gargoyle

PROLOGUE 1

KAEL

For untold centuries I was frozen in stone.

It was a punishment for my disobedience—for choosing the wrong side in the great war of Heaven. A punishment for my pride.

The one I followed promised freedom…so I was given servitude as my penance. He swore that we would rule…and so I was tasked with protecting and bowing to those lowliest of all of the Almighty’s creations—the humans. But not just any humans—I was bound to protect and serve women, those descendants of Eve who first tasted the forbidden fruit and caused all of humanity to fall, as I had fallen myself.

Nor was that the end of my punishment. I was given a new form—a hideous visage I would be forced to wear whenever I did battle. No longer was I a beautiful archangel…now that I was fallen I was also a gargoyle. One doomed to serve forever or until the holder of my key no longer needed me and released me.

At first my pride was hurt—I wanted nothing to do with my new role. But then I was called forth, called out of stone and given one to watch over. She became everything to me—my light, my life. But she was not free—she was owned by another. The one who tasked me with her care.

He hurt her—the one who first held my key. He made me watch over her but he kept me from protecting her. When she died, I could not save her.

I vowed then that never should another male hold my key. Before I turned to stone again, I asked a witch to place the spell on me. I begged her to make sure the next woman I protected would also be my keyholder, so that none should stop me from keeping her safe.

Whoever she was, I swore to guard her with my life, to protect her from any danger, and to give her my heart…even if it meant my death.

PROLOGUE 2

WILLOW

My Grandfather left me three gifts when he died. The first two were keys—a huge old, wrought iron monstrosity with an intricately formed head that looked like a lion and a tiny golden key that looked like it might open a little girl’s music box or unlock a diary.

“Keep them with you always, Willow my love,” he told me in a husky whisper—his voice a sad shadow of the friendly bellow it had been when he was healthy. “One will lead you to safety and the other to protection—never let them leave your side.”

I swore to do as he asked—it was his dying wish, how could I deny him? I put the two mismatched keys on a thick silver chain and hung them around my neck. I didn’t do it because I truly believed that the keys could really keep me safe or protect me—I did it to remember Pop-pop who had loved me and raised me since my parents were killed when I was only eleven.

But I told you that he left me three gifts, didn’t I? Well, the third gift I didn’t know about until it was almost too late—and it nearly got me killed. I didn’t truly understand what it was until I was running down a dark alley not far from Bourbon Street, being chased by creatures beyond my mortal comprehension that hungered for my soul…

I cast a glance over my shoulder and saw that they were still there—the red, glowing eyes and the slavering mouths, open and panting for my blood. Oh Goddess, what was I going to do?

“Faster, my child!”whispered a voice in my ear.“They are almost upon you, Willow my love—you must hurry—HURRY!”

“But where…where am I…going?” I panted. As a curvy girl, I wasn’t exactly built for this kind of exercise. Also, the voice I was hearing was absolutely Pop-pop who had been dead for over a year now, but I wasn’t about to question him or wonder how I could hear him speaking in my ear.

“You will know it when you see it. And you must not hesitate!”my Grandfather’s voice warned.“Hurry, Willow my love—those are Hell Hounds. If they catch you, they will drag you down into the Pit with them!”

I put on another burst of speed, though by now I felt like my lungs were going to explode! I nearly tripped over a drunk sprawled out in the alley as I passed several stinking dumpsters, overflowing with last night’s waste. We party hard here in The Big Easy and we leave a big mess too.

“Around the corner, Willow my love!”Pop-pop’s voice urged me.

I saw a corner straight ahead—I nearly missed it because I was going too fast to stop. But I managed to skid to an almost-halt and run down an even darker and narrower alley. The breath was tearing in my lungs and my thighs and calves were on fire. I couldn’t keep this up much longer!

And then I saw it—there, glowing at the end of the alley, was a door.

I don’t mean the whole door was glowing—it was more like the frame of the door was outlined in light.

“There—the door! Use it—use the key!”my Grandfather urged me.

“Wh-which…k-key?” I gasped, so out of breath I was barely able to get the words out. If I got out of this mess, I wasdefinitelygoing to hit the gym, I promised myself. Not to lose weight—just to be sure that it was easier to run for my life. I skidded to a stop in front of the door which was outlined in silvery light and started fumbling for the keys around my neck.

“Pop-pop…which key?” I panted again.

But there was no answer from the little voice in my ear. Instead, I heard a low, ominous growling coming from the other end of the alley. Turning my head, I saw three sets of glowing red eyes glaring in my direction.

Shit.

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