Myths and Gargoyles by Jamie Hawke (interesting books to read in english txt) 📕

“Get me a glass of wine!”

While usually the bossy woman thing didn’t turn me on, something about it coming from a gargoyle was an entirely different story. I smiled as if she had just complimented my package, then turned to find a bottle of wine.

I found a wine fridge or whatever they’re called in the pantry, took out a bottle, and uncorked it. Moving back to her, I noted how she was sensually licking her lips, eyes moving to meet mine as she did so.

“Two glasses,” she said, leaning with elbows on the kitchen island in a way that made it difficult not to stare at her very exposed cleavage. She continued to eye me as I poured, then cocked her head, motioning me over. I went, holding out a glass for her to take. She put her hands on my chest, grinned, and then moved them down toward my abs. Then, taking the glass and raising it, she said, “Thanks.”

I looked down and realized she had just wiped sauce from the glazed chicken on my shirt. “Really?”

She chuckled and held out the glass. I clinked mine against hers, as annoyed as I was.

“You find me sexy, don’t you?” she asked. “Even… like this?”

I sipped and allowed my eyes to roam over her, as she did the same to me. As odd as it was to be staring at an actual gargoyle, I wasn’t the least bit scared anymore, or even confused. The only emotions running through me were pure lust and infatuation.

I decided to tell her so.

Only, my aunt had just died and my girlfriend had turned out to be evil. We had killed a witch—or rather, I had watched this gargoyle decapitate her right in front of me. Maybe telling her I wanted to bend her over this kitchen island and fuck her raw wasn’t the best move, just yet.

“You are stunning,” I said, going for a complimentary but safe route.

“I see.” She took a sip of her wine while eyeing me. “What are these clothes? This house? It’s so… odd.”

“Not what you’re used to?”

She shook her head with a long sigh. “It doesn’t seem like it, but truth be told, I’m not sure. Everything’s blurry. Not my vision, but the memories.” With a long look my way, she motioned for me to follow.

We made our way to an adjoining visiting room where she sat back on a posh couch, spilling some wine and not seeming to care. She sat like a lady, but after a moment, looked at me and then motioned to the seat at her side.

“I don’t want to have to yell to be heard,” she said.

Certain that wasn’t a legitimate concern, I took the seat and smiled, drinking more of my wine. “You’re sure they can’t get past the wards?”

“Unless they’re invited in, yes. Which makes me have to ask—”

“Please, don’t.” I grimaced, then sighed. “The one with the white hair. She was my girlfriend, until tonight.”

“Ah.”

“Apparently, she’d been setting all this up, planning for it… I don’t know.”

Seeing how distraught I was, Ebrill put a hand on my leg and leaned in. “She might have been being used the whole time, you don’t know.”

I nodded, then frowned. “How much… do you know?”

“About my past?” She glanced up. “I know the other woman’s name is Kordelia, and remember that she has a special sort of magic.”

“You knew how to do the wards,” I pointed out.

She nodded. “Yes. A certain amount of magic makes sense to me, as if it’s part of life. Yet, I feel distant.”

“You have no idea how long you were in stone? Or if you even had a life before?”

“I definitely had a life.” She set her now-empty glass down. “I know more than just her name. Kordelia and I were something like… lovers.”

I both perked up at this image and felt deflated at the idea that my chances with her were shot. Which made me laugh.

“What’s funny?”

“Sorry, just… Damn.” I ran a hand through my hair, then placed it on hers, which was still on my leg. It was only a friendly gesture as I explained, “For some reason, I was imagining—sorry, but I might as well confess—imagining the two of us together.”

“And that’s funny?”

“No, but you said—about Kordelia, I mean.”

She eyed me while gripping my hand with hers from beneath, then started moving it up my leg. “That doesn’t mean we’re off limits.”

“Oh?”

I looked down, watching our hands move to my inner thigh, and felt the blood rushing to my crotch. “But you… Oh.” Her hand had brushed against the lower side of my package, but she pulled it back then, turning to take my hand in both of hers.

“The past is a blur, for now,” she said. “I remember her laughing. I remember her holding me, and me her. The way her lips felt on mine, and… I feel an emptiness no statue can fill.”

“An emptiness no woman can fill?”

She frowned, laughed, and then gently slapped me. “Not what I meant.”

I grinned. “Joking.”

This time, she put my hand on her leg, and leaned back, though not all the way as her wings didn’t fully allow that. Her eyes sparkled as if daring me, trying to see how brave I was. If she thought I was going to back down, she had another think coming. Sure, my mind was going in circles, but she had saved my life. She had kicked my old, crazy girlfriend to the curb, and as far as I could remember I had never seen a woman so beautiful, horns and wings included.

My hand moved along her thigh, feeling the tough but soft skin. I set my glass aside, then leaned in and allowed my other hand to join, the first going instead to her side and wrapping around her back as I scooted closer. My right hand met cloth, and I hesitated.

“Is this too soon?” I asked.

She nodded. “Testing you.”

“What?” I pulled back, confused.

“I had the sense that