Page 9 of The Gargoyle's Captive

I don’t want to feel kinship with this man, but I can’t help the answering ache that goes through me. “I see.”

“Dinner should be ready soon enough.” He pauses almost awkwardly. “You look really nice.”

I can’t help myself. I burst out laughing. “I’m wearing castoffs from someone else, I still have windburn all over my face, and I probably need a shower.”

He moves quicker than he has right to, pressing one hand to the center of my back and leaning down, then dragging his nose along the line of my neck. It happens so fast, I can’t figure out how I want to respond before he steps back and out of range again. “You smell good. Like the mountains. This way.”

I stare after him for several seconds before I realize he means for me to follow. He just... sniffed me. I didn’t hate it as much as I should have. In fact, my skin still tingles a little. It’s an effort not to lift my hand and press my fingertips there, as if I can steal the sensation of his face against my skin.

I’ve had plenty of bed partners and even a scattering of relationships over the years. Not a single one of them was able to provoke a reaction on this level by doing so little. I want to blame his rugged attractiveness, but I am terrified that the real reason is because I can’t help looking at him and suspecting that we are the same.

I’ve lost everyone too.

It’s a good thing I’m getting the fuck out of here. My instincts are all messed up. If I spend any length of time with Bram, I might just fall right into his bed.

6

BRAM

I’m pleasantly surprised to find that dinner is delicious. Apparently my new cook knows what he’s about, which is a relief. I’m not in a position to replace him. If he were terrible at his job, I’d just have to muscle through eating bad food in addition to everything else.

I find that I am a little embarrassed to seat Grace at this table with only the two of us. There are plates and chairs enough for twelve, but they sit empty tonight just like they always do. Most of the time, I eat by myself. I would love to do away with the damned table and the tradition that demands I take my place at the head of it every single night, but there’s always the risk that one of the nobles in residence will attend. If they do, it’s required that I have a place for them.

Grace watches me fill her plate and then mine, her curiosity a light green that covers the air. “Are we going to wait for everyone else?”

“There is no one else.” I’m being too abrupt, my raw emotions making an ass of me. I’m supposed to be seducing this woman, not snapping at her over every innocent question. I take a deep breath and try again. “I’m the last of my family. It’s tradition for the ruler of this territory to maintain a place at their table for each of the noble families. Sometimes they choose to attend, and sometimes they don’t.” No point in explaining that none of the families have chosen to attend dinner in years.

Grace picks up her fork and pokes at her food. “I’m the last of my family, too.”

“I’m sorry.” I make a face. “I don’t know why I said that. They’re pointless words that do absolutely nothing. And then it puts you in a position where you’re supposed to say something back, and... what are you even supposed say to that? I never know.”

Her lips curve in the first true smile she’s given me. She was beautiful before, but with her dark-gray eyes lighting up, she’s devastating. “Grief is a strange thing, isn’t it?”

“The strangest.” Especially in my case, when the cause for it wasn’t something as simple and horrific as an accident or sickness. It wasn’t chance that brought ruin upon my family. It was foolishness... and malice. But I know better than to say as much in dinner conversation with a person I’m attracted to. “I suppose it’s taboo to ask about why you made a deal with Azazel.”

“I am not entirely certain what is or isn’t taboo with our current situation.” She shrugs. “Several decades ago, a vampire saved my grandfather’s life, and we incurred a life debt as a result. The old bastard couldn’t stand to owe people, even someone he considered a monster. The rest of family took that sort of thing seriously. My grandfather was never asked to repay that debt, and neither was my father. So it fell to me. It gets a little complicated, but the short and simple version is that I agreed to pay the price of Azazel’s bargain in order to balance the debt.”

Fascinating. It’s clear she’s leaving a great swath of information out, but that makes sense since we just met. I’m curious about what her family does that put them in contact with vampires. We don’t have vampires in this realm, but I was under the impression that they kept to themselves and away from humans. Or at least that’s what our lore says, though it’s severely out-of-date. “What will you do when the debt is paid and you go back?”

Her smile falls away. “I don’t know. I’ll probably follow up with Mina and her men and make sure they’re okay. I feel a little guilty that I wasn’t there to help more with her problems. She seemed like a good person.”

Curiosity is a live thing inside me. “Do you help a lot of good people?”

“I don’t know. I’d like to think I do, but some people might not feel the same way.” She shakes her head. “But I guess after I check on her, I’ll go back to what I was doing before. I haven’t really thought about it.” She takes a bite and chews. I’m still trying to decide if I should pursue the subject or try for something safer when she says, “What about you? Why did you agree to this deal? It seems pretty damned risky with very little reward.”

She’s not wrong. I debate whether to skirt the truth, but she’ll figure it out before too long. I don’t have to lay all my cards on the table to make her aware of the situation she’s walked into. “I’m the last one in my family. This territory is essentially a monarchy, and I have no children to inherit. Because of... complications... none of the noble families are interested in marrying one of their own to me. If I die without an heir, they’re contentious enough to devolve into a civil war, which will hurt all my people.” I could leave it at that, but that would just feel dishonest. “There’s an added factor in place as well, which is why all the territory leaders were invited by Azazel. Because of some quirk in the makeup of this realm, the strength of the magic of each territory is directly related to the strength of the magic of each territory leader. Everyone’s magic has been fading for generations, ever since the realms split and crossing over became significantly more difficult.”

Grace nods slowly. “Because humans are one hell of a conduit for your magic.”

Again, she proves that she’s no stranger to magical elements. Again, my distrust of her grows. “Only when it comes to breeding with them.” I shrug, feigning nonchalance. “Any of the territory leaders who are able to convince their humans to procreate with them will have an edge over the others. It wasn’t long ago that we were at war, and it’s very present on everyone’s mind that if war comes again, a half-human leader might mean the difference between victory and defeat.”

She eats slowly, obviously mulling over the information I just imparted. Finally, she takes a sip of wine and sits back. “By the contract terms, you can’t compel me to sleep with you. And you certainly can’t force me to bear your child.”

“I have no intention of forcing you to do anything. That’s monstrous.” Once again, the words come out too harsh. I know I should be focused on setting her at ease, but there are too many thingswrong. Her comment about whether I burn. Her knowledge about the paranormal world. And that damned clause in Azazel’s contract with me.

“Not to mention that you’re notableto force anything.” She takes another sip of wine. “If you harm me, your territory is forfeit.”

I wonder if her low opinion extends to all people she considers monstrous or simply everyone who isn’t her. “The contract is beside the point. You will not be forced.”

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