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

Sharon asked, glancing down at Red’s hand still on her wrist, then slowly working her way out of the grip. “Well maybe after this, you’ll know you can.”

“I hope so,” Red replied, and then we were all piling out of the car and into the community college parking lot.

“We’ll want to go in through the art wing,” Sharon said, indicating a route between several tall, white buildings to our right. Palm trees stood tall, lining the path in a way that made me feel very Californian, a point that reminded me why we were here to begin with. Chris needed my help.

Sharon took the lead, though when we reached the first tree, she paused, looking me up and down, and then turning to Elisa. “I have an idea.”

“Being?” she asked.

“We haven’t tried it yet,” Sharon glanced around, “and can’t out here. But… Jack has changed before… right? Into a wolf, I mean.”

I frowned, not liking where this was going.

“He did,” Elisa replied. “And lost control, almost.”

“Almost.” Sharon grinned. “If you all… Yes, even you, Red, can try and trust me for this, I think we can make it work.”

“Make what work, exactly?” Pucky asked.

“I can stroll in there as a wolf, with Jack here at my side… also as a wolf. They’ll think we belong, that we’re—”

“Hell no,” Red said, voice rising enough to earn us some looks from several young college kids passing. An older woman followed and I thought it might be their mother, but then remembered we were at a community college and she could just as well be their classmate.

“You think she’d make a move on Jack?” Pucky asked, seemingly not committed either way.

“She’d be leading him into a trap. Think about it—him letting in the shadows, surrounded by Legends. It’s setting up the Protector for a fall, plain and simple.”

“Or it’s me trying to help in the best way I know how,” Sharon spat back. “You’d rather we all run in with weapons blazing?”

“We’ve faced greater foes than whatever’s in there waiting for us,” Red replied.

“But better not to if it’s not necessary,” Elisa said. “And I sense something in Sharon that maybe you don’t see.”

Sharon gave her a very appreciative look, then turned to Red. “I know you’ve had a history with me… and whoever was before me. I get that—but who here hasn’t ever been tempted by the shadows? They took over, and I lost the fight. But not anymore, okay? I’m doing everything I can to ensure that never happens again, and you have my word, for whatever that’s worth to you, that this isn’t a trap. This is just me, standing here trying to help.”

Red glared, seeming madder at this than if the lady had attacked her.

“Let the wolfie help,” Pucky said, half teasing it seemed, but also genuine. “Come on.”

“You’re sure about her?” Red asked Elisa.

Elisa considered her, then walked up to Sharon and held a hand up to her face, white light taking on the form of a swan and emerging, wings spread wide, and then floated into Sharon.

“There you go,” Elisa said, turning back to Red. “Now even if the shadow attempts a takeover, she’ll have a part of me with her to help fight it.”

Red blinked, confused, but nodded.

“How… exactly, does that work?” Sharon looked shaken.

“It’s nothing, really,” Elisa replied. “But if you feel you need my help, say so. You’ll feel a warmth, and I’ll work from out here to walk you through whatever’s happening.”

Sharon ran a hand through her wild hair, nodded, and then turned to me. “So we’re doing this?”

“Do I need to worry about the wolf taking over?” I asked, turning from her to Elisa, then Red. “I mean, is that a concern?”

“My thought is that you’re tied to her, in that sense,” Elisa replied. “If she doesn’t cave, neither should you. But more than that, you are a Tempest now. Tempests actually have a much stronger ability to fight the shadows, as light falls within their powers.”

“It didn’t work for King Arthur,” I pointed out.

“Stronger ability, not perfect.”

I nodded, gulped, and said, “I’ll take those odds.”

“Be careful,” Pucky said, giving me a quick hug, and a peck on the cheek. I never knew how to act around these women in situations like this. Was I supposed to give each of them a hug and a kiss, to avoid any jealousy? Or was it not like a series of relationships, but more like a team that bonded in the bedroom? Judging by the way neither Red nor Elisa seemed to care, I took the gamble that it was more of the latter, though took two looks back at each of them to be sure.

Apparently, I’d been too obvious in my hesitation, as Elisa laughed, shaking her head at me. “Don’t worry. If I’m feeling needy I’ll be sure you give me a quickie before you go. You’ll be fine in there.”

I frowned, and Red frowned back, though I wasn’t sure if she was teasing me or not. There was a hint of humor in her eyes.

“Whatever,” I said, turning to Sharon. “How do we do this?”

“She read minds or something?” Sharon asked in a whisper.

“I’m starting to wonder.”

“Right…” Sharon gave Elisa a worried glance, then said, “if she’s right about your transformation being linked to mine, it should be easy. When I start to transform, do the same. Focus on the good and light and all that, though, and you should be able to do so without going dark.”

“Show us where you’re going in, and we’ll find a good vantage point to be on standby,” Elisa said. “Anything goes south, we’ll come in—how did you put it?—weapons blazing.”

Sharon nodded, gesturing to the theater house. “We have an entrance through there. If you’re waiting at the edge of those trees,” she indicated an area by a statue of a woman holding books to her chest, “you should be in a good position.”

The ladies took their positions while Sharon and I entered the theater. Two