Page 34 of Evil Hearts

“I can walk,” she said, surprised she didn’t stutter.

To her surprise, Silas spoke up. “You should put her down, Idris. It might make her feel more comfortable.”

“No,” Idris said, turning slightly away as if Silas was going to pull her away from the gargoyle.

“Idris,” Silas said. His tone sounded very much like a father gently insisting his child be polite. “Do as I ask.”

The gargoyle let out a sigh, then slowly lowered her to her feet. She stumbled a little, surprised to find her legs were slightly wobbly.

“Easy,” Silas murmured, grabbing her arm to steady her. “Maybe I shouldn’t have insisted Idris set you down.”

Being carried by Idris hadn’t been a bad experience, but it felt nice to stand on her own feet.

“I’m f–f-fine,” she promised, trying to smile up at him. It must not have been a convincing smile because his concerned expression turned into a frown.

She felt movement at her back and turned to see Idris swooping in to pick her up again. She reacted instinctively.

“No!” she stated firmly, pulling her arm out of Silas’s grip and stepping back.

The gargoyle flinched back as if she’d threatened to hit him. “I was only going to carry you,” he said plaintively.

Reed came up behind the giant and jumped on his back. Wrapping his arms around the gargoyle’s neck, the wolf shifternuzzled the base of a horn. “I know I ain’t all delicate and pretty like Cassi, but you can carry me!”

The gargoyle’s hurt expression exploded into a smile. He reached back to grab Reed and flipped him over his shoulder. He didn’t let the wolf fall. Muscles bulged as he shifted Reed around until the shifter was cradled against Idris’s chest just as Cassi had been.

Reed smiled and snuggled close. “This is the best,” he declared.

Watching this exchange helped Cassi relax. Reed was delightfully energetic, like a big puppy. Instead of being annoyed by his antics, Idris was patient and loving. It was the kind of relationship she’d always wanted but hadn’t found.

“Everyone inside,” Silas said, wrapping his warm hand around her upper arm again. The touch was comforting instead of forceful and made Cassi want to press against his side.

How had she gone from being terrified to relaxed in less than an hour?

At Silas’s words, Reed gave Idris a quick kiss, then bounced out of the gargoyle’s arms. “I think you’re gonna love the blue room!” he declared as he bounded up the short flight of stairs to the front door. Pushing open the massive wooden double door, he rushed up a grand staircase. “Let me go check to make sure everything’s good. I’ll meet you guys in the kitchen. I’m hungry so that means we’re all eatin’!”

“Reed’s love language is food,” Idris said as he walked to her other side.

“Woah!” she gasped. In the few moments she hadn’t been looking at him, he’d shifted back to his human form.

With the shift, the bit of cloth still clinging to his frame had dropped away and made him seem even more naked.

Cassi knew her face was bright red as she forced herself to look straight ahead. “You might want t-t-to put c-c-clothes on.”

“I guess I could,” Idris agreed, sounding confused. “I’ll be right back.” Then he bounded up the stairs after Reed. Cassi gave herself permission to watch those muscles flex as he took three stairs at a time. She was actually surprised his dick didn’t smack the floor as he went because his human form was almost as well-endowed as his gargoyle form.

“I can assure you that they’re both equally beautiful when they’re naked,” Silas murmured. “It takes my breath away every time I see them flushed with desire and moaning. My gargoyle and wolf are the most beautiful men I’ve ever known, and I’ve met a lot of people in my long life.”

It was both titillating and sweet to hear Silas talk this way.

“You’re nice too,” she said. It was true, Silas might not be as handsome as Reed or as big as Idris, but he exuded a comforting charm that put her at ease. The way he treated Reed and Idris with tender firmness made her think of a benevolent father figure with plenty of naughty daddy thrown in.

Wait, where did naughty daddy come from? And more importantly, was it accurate for Silas?

Did he do the ordering around in bed? What kinds of things would he command them all to do? Her mind filled with X-rated images that might make some porn stars blush.

“I’d love to know what’s going on in your head right now,” Salis murmured as he led her down a hall. “Your heartbeat had been steady since the car ride, but it suddenly sped up.”

“N-n-nothing!” she denied.

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