Page 4 of Mated to the Gargoyle
Theshorter one demanded, “Where’sthe book?”Heran up the stairs toward me with a threatening gleam in his dark eyes.
Mybrain finally jolted into action from its frozen state.Run!
Astrangled scream ripped from my throat asIbolted up the stairs.Bothmen chased me, their footsteps approaching asItried to outrun them.Ibroke onto the upper level and turned right in the direction of my desk, not that there was any way to escape them.
“Stop!” one of them shouted.
LikehellIwould.Allmy senses fired up, shoutingrun.Irushed past bookshelves and around tables, gauging ifIcould use anything to my advantage or to shield me.
Onewas so close his panting seemed to surround me.Hegrabbed me around my waist.Ishrieked asIstruggled to escape his hold, but he tackled me.Asthe hard tile floor reached up to smack me,Ibarely had time to put my arms before me to break my fall.Igreeted the tile with a wincing kiss and enough of an impact to steal the breath from my lungs.
Myassailant pinned me down from behind.
Iscrambled to crawl away from him. “Getoff me!”Iscreamed. “Help!”
Hecovered my mouth with his hand, andIinhaled a whiff of garlic.
“Stopit,” he seethed in a low, warning tone. “Orthis will end up much worse for you.”
Everyinch of me, every sense, was on high alert for what he’d do next.
“I’mgoing to remove my hand from your mouth.Ifyou cry out,I’llbreak your arm.”Hetwisted one of my arms behind me, emphasizing his threat.
Imoaned at the sharp pain and closed my eyes.
WhenIreopened them,Iblinked hard.Adark shadow moved above me.Thegargoyle perched near my desk moved.Itfreakingmoved.
Massivegray wings unfurled as the enormous creature lifted from its perch and ascended into the air.
Igaped.Itcouldn’t be happening.Couldit?
Thegargoyle flew toward us, a dark shadow blocking out the light from overhead.
“Lether go,” the gargoyle said in a deep, seething voice iced with fury. “Now.”
Thegargoyle swooped down toward us.Iwinced, closing my eyes, as the man holding me down shouted in terror.
Hisweight was lifted off me.WhenIopened my eyes, the masked man was caught in the gargoyle’s talons, both rising toward the mosaic ceiling.
“Whatthe fuck are you?” the taller man cried.
Aboom shattered around us.Agunshot.WhenIrecovered from the shock, the assailant hollered as he fell to the stairwell.Thegargoyle had dropped him and was heading back in my direction.Thesecond guy had a gun aimed at the flying creature and fired again.Thegargoyle’s wing recoiled, but then he swooped down and picked up the second guy in his talons.
Thegargoyle flew up toward the chandelier and murals on the ceiling.Thenhe crushed the second man in his claws.Theman squealed in anguish before he was dropped and landed with a horrid thump.Helay still in a crumpled lump on the tile and turned silent.
Ohmy god.Howwas this happening?Agargoyle came to life in the library and killed two men?
Forseveral heartbeats,Iremained frozen in my crouched position.Theonly sound was that of my rapid breath and my heart echoing in my ears.
Andthen the sound of flapping wings.
WasInext?
Asthe gargoyle soared toward me, adrenaline spurred me into action.Iscrambled to my feet and hurried toward the stairs to get away from this monster.Iwas trapped with it inside the library, and allIwanted was to escape.WhenIdescended the stairs,Ialmost tripped on the body of the guy who’d tackled me and had to skid around it, grasping the handrails so as not to tumble.
Myheart had never beat so fast before.WhenIreached the door handle, my hands were trembling and slick with perspiration.Ittook me a few excruciating seconds before they cooperated and yanked open the heavy door.
Iran outside and onto one of the paths leading away from the library through campus.Thedarkness enveloped me beneath the canopy of trees, even though the path was illuminated by streetlamps.
