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

seats over and serving herself some fresh strawberries and melons. “You could say there are less inhibitions, or you could say more built-up sexual tension. Probably a case-by-case deal.”

“And with you?”

She smiled without showing her teeth, and then said, “A bit of both, maybe.”

The others entered then, Red grumbling about not being able to open her eyes without coffee, and Pucky looking chipper as could be.

“Good morning, handsome,” she said, giving me a peck on the cheek and then stealing one of Elisa’s strawberries. “Hope you rested, it’s going to be a big day.”

“Honestly, I think I’m ready.”

“That so, hotshot?” Red said, sitting on the other side and sipping my coffee.

“Maybe you would’ve rested better if you’d gotten more involved last night,” Pucky said with a laugh.

“I know I would’ve,” Elisa said, looking seductively at me and then at Pucky over her orange juice as she took a sip. “Perhaps tonight? We’ll see how the energy flows.”

Pucky laughed again, taking a scone and nibbling on it. Before even swallowing, she said, “Trust me, you’ll love it.”

“Thanks,” I said, wondering if this directness would ever stop feeling awkward.

“And you, Red?” Elisa said. “Do you think that would help you sleep better?”

“Hmmm?” Red took another sip of my coffee, then stood to go warm it up. “Oh, it’s not that. I was up wondering again why the pizza shop hadn’t been more crowded… I mean, the dungeon below. They were clearly on the move, but where? Why?”

“All answers we’ll have,” Elisa said. “But first, we should be appreciative of the time we have to train up our new Protector.”

I couldn’t help but notice that Red had kind of skirted the question as it related to me and the bed, but knew this stuff was more important.

“Question,” I said, swallowing a bit of melon. “I get that I’m now a Protector—”

“The,” Elisa corrected me. “You’re now the Protector.”

“Er, right. But how does that help, really? I mean, you all are powerful Myths, why does having a Protector help? What makes it different?”

“Maybe you don’t see it yet,” Red grumbled, returning and handing me a full cup of coffee to make up for what she’d had, “but you have the potential to be much greater than any Myth.”

“The fact that you can specialize your class, really advance and add skills, for one,” Pucky added. “But also there’s more to it, such as what we talked about with the spiritual essence of past Protectors helping you, as well as being able to call on the Fae.”

“That last part meaning…?”

“When you reach stronger levels, truly connect with your spiritual side, just that. With their help, Protectors have been known to perform martial moves otherwise thought impossible—”

“Even fly,” Elisa said.

“Not true,” Red said with a scoff, now much more alert. “That’s all lies.”

“Believe what you want,” Elisa said. “I choose to believe it was possible once, and will be so again.” She ate a raspberry, watching me with eyes that seemed to dance across my face. “Some people use other words, not Fae. Many of our brother and sister Myths to the Far East refer to it as qi, while others have their own words for it.”

“Qi actually kinda makes more sense,” I admitted, having watched enough movies to be familiar with the concept. I’d read the term Fae before and knew it had to do with fairies or something like that, but growing up I’d gone through a major phase of kung fu and such related movies.

“Well then, consider it like that, in a sense. As you master your skills and inner self, you will be able to better connect with this energy—spirit energy, qi, some divine source, or Fae magic—in ways regular Myths and Legends can never hope to achieve.”

“But you do use those elements, right?” I asked, glancing over at Pucky. “Like your sister?”

“Riak, yeah.” Pucky scrunched her nose to think, then said, “Some can access it, but can’t harness it like a high-level protector can.”

“And until I’m able to level up, to reach this inner place of super-awesomeness… I’m nothing special, exactly?”

“Just another pretty face and a great lay,” Elisa said, eyes moving to Pucky. “Or so I hear.”

“Right,” I said as Pucky chuckled. “In that case, what do you say we get down to some training? Sorry if I’m eager to be able to kick ass and not worry about getting killed. I’d hate to take away your sex toy.”

“Shut up,” Red said, rolling her eyes. “They joke, don’t get all emo on us.”

“Wow,” was all I could say—that, coming from her.

“No, he’s right.” Elisa stood, taking a scone for the road. “Let’s get to it.”

I was eager, so popped right up, glancing around. “You have a dojo, tennis courts we’ll train in or something? What?”

“We’re not training here,” she said with a grin.

“Oh, I just figured…?”

“No, this is my home but also a safe house. Set up like a fortress, it’s the most secure, but hasn’t been made into the type of training environment you need. You’re going to like this.”

“What?” I asked. “Where?”

“Come on, the car should be waiting.” She was already heading for the door, Pucky standing up ready to follow while Red took her time.

“You all really aren’t going to tell me?” I asked.

All three shared a look, smiled, and Elisa said, “Nope.”

We drove for some time, soon hitting traffic but going off onto the side roads and zooming around streets I didn’t recognize. I was pretty clueless, until I saw the Hollywood sign and realized we were in Los Angeles.

“Why here?” I asked. Not that I was opposed to the city, but rarely had a reason to come this far north.

“The real question,” Red said, gesturing out the window as we drove onto a movie studio, then past security for her dramatic pause, “is why here.”

“Fine, yes, this is even more confusing. Are you going to answer?”

She grinned, the other two very amused by it all. Finally, Elisa leaned forward, a hand on my leg, and pointed