Ann enjoyed dinner far too much. Her face hurt from smiling as they all got up to head to their respective bedrooms for the night. It had been fun listening to Kieran and Jurian talk about gargoyle adventures and fun to hear about the missions Michelle had gone on as well, with her healing abilities. She had begun to realize what a large responsibility being a gargoyle's mate was. It wasn't about hot sex and living with a fun, protective man.
Gargoyles had a big role in the world. Though she didn't know what Elric's was yet, she was sure it would be important. He was clearly different from these gargoyles in a lot of ways. He didn't have the same powers, didn't fit into their classification. He wasn't looked for a stone hear. He didn't have a partner he was assigned from birth…
It was all very strange.
Yet, as they talked and enjoyed dinner, she forgot she was in a room with gargoyles who had impossible abilities. She had just been around people she liked, people with fun personalities who seemed to care about the world and the people in it.
Elric had been uncharacteristically quiet, listening intently and touching her hand under the table. As the night went on, he had gotten a little bolder, running his hand over her thigh, making her shiver as she tried to pay attention to the conversation. The gargoyles had a guesthouse in the back that was all ready for her and Elric to use. She called and told Jen to go pick up Peony and take her back to her house tonight. Jen would love spending time with the little kitten, and they would be back soon. But she didn't want her to be alone in case they weren't back. Now that looked like it had been a good call.
As they walked out in the fading light, hand in hand, behind Kieran and Jurian, who were leading them to the guesthouse, she enjoyed how the twilight glowed around them, the soft grass and nice buildings. When they got to the guesthouse, they said their good byes, and she walked inside alone with Elric.
When the door shut, he let out a sigh of relief, shed his leather jacket, flopped on the bed on his back and pulled her onto him, holding her tight. She breathed in his scent, spicy and masculine, woodsy and fresh, holding him tightly. He had been her hero again today. Despite everything she didn't know about gargoyles, and especially about him, she could only think of him as a good person. Gargoyle. Whatever he was.
"Sorry it has been such a hectic day," he said, pushing the stray hair out of her face as she lay on top of him.
She pulled on his hair letting it out of the ponytail so it could spread around his face. His handsome features looked even more rugged with his thick, black hair loose. His dark eyes sparkled at her, but beneath the excitement, she could sense nervousness, and it made her uneasy.
"Elric, what's wrong?"
He sat up keeping her in his lap, stroking delicately over her neck as he looked at the small front window covered with drapes, "I am unsure. Sometimes I feel I was never meant to be here."
She touched his face, "That must be hard."
"Then I look into your eyes, and I feel at home. It confuses me," he said softly, staring down at her with a frown.
She leaned up giving him a quick kiss, he relaxed for a moment wrapping his arms around her. She spoke softly, "I know it's complicated, but sometimes I don't question things when they feel right."
"You are no longer questioning us?" he asked. "You would be willing to mate me?"
She nodded slowly, "I mean, I think I can just feel that it's right. I'd be happiest with you and we'd work the rest out later."
"I wish I could feel the same."
She blinked, "What?"
"I feel right about you. I have from the moment I first saw you. However, I wish I could know everything would work out later. I have this odd, foreboding feeling about the future. And I lack the ability to see it." He stroked her hair, "I wish I could give you my celestial powers."
"What are they?" she asked.
"I cannot tell you yet," he replied.
She rolled her lips together and rested against his chest. In the short time they had been together, her world had begun to revolve around him. He felt so genuine. Even the things that had annoyed her in the beginning became endearing. She guessed she was falling in love with him.
He looked down at her in surprise, "Love?"
"You read my mind," she scolded. "You aren't supposed to."
"You were thinking loudly. It was not intentional," he retorted.
She scowled at him, then sighed, "Either way, I guess so. I do, I love you."
"Is that how humans feel about their mates?"
She nodded, "I guess so."
He was quiet, then asked, "Is it that warm feeling that you would do anything for someone?"
She nodded again.
His hands tightened on hers. "Then I suppose I am in love with you, too."
She didn't know what to say to that. He seemed almost regretful.
"What do you think about this place?" he asked. "About their life?"
She shrugged, "It suits them, I think."
"Is it what you would want?"
She drew a finger down his chest, "I want you."
He sighed, "I want you, too, but I am not sure I am the best thing for you."
She pushed away from him so she could look in his dark, resigned eyes, "Elric, what are you talking about? You've been pursuing me nonstop for days. Why are you hesitating now?"
"It was easier to look down on the modern gargoyles and how they do things before I saw how they live their lives. Now I am beginning to think it would be better for you to find someone like them to protect you."
She shook her head, "I don't want that. I don't need it."
He gritted his teeth, "What if you are a stone heart, like they say?"
"My heart may be anything, but for now, it's most certainly yours."
He still wasn't convinced. She could feel the tension all the way through his body. She wished she could read his mind, see what was going on and why he was so troubled.
"Elric," she said, pushing him back on the bed with a low hum. "Don't question things. Let me remind you how we feel together."
He raised a dark eyebrow, "You still want me after what you saw today? I took out ten men. I enjoyed it."
She shrugged, "They were bad."
He scowled, catching her hands as she tried to touch him, "You are too good for me."
"Stop pushing me away. I want to be close to you. Let me," she said.
He let out a rush of air and lay back, letting her touch him. She pulled up his shirt over his abdomen and shoulders, he lifted his arms to help her. She traced down his body, over his belly button to the top of his pants and flicked them open, sliding the zipper down so slow it hurt. Even in this odd mood, he was raring to go.
His dark eyes burned up at her as she started to slide off his pants, he sat up and flipped them over so she was beneath him. He began tearing off her clothing, pulling ravenously until she was bare before freeing himself as well. This time between them it was fierce, naked, and hungry. His hands were everywhere, branding her skin with intense heat, making her body burn as she writhed beneath him.
"Elric," she cried out, digging her nails into him as he suckled at one breast, then nibbled her nipple sending shocks through her. "Oh, Elric, don't stop."
He didn't stop, simple moved to the other and continued his sweet torture. She could feel every slick, hard curve of his body as it moved against hers, and it felt so right to be so close, almost one. His hand slipped between her legs, making her go once, twice, three times before he was satisfied, catching her cries with his lips, giving no release. Then he moved between her legs. His tousled dark hair framed his face as he gazed up at her, looking like a hungry pirate. He spread her as wide as she could go and began to lick fiercely, her hands twisted in his long hair.
Their first time together had been slow, languid, exploratory. This was claiming, conquering, intense. He licked and thrust with his tongue. She screamed out his name as she came in another intense orgasm, sweetness rippled through her. There was no time to be exhausted by his onslaught of pleasure, he always pushed her toward another rising wave, whether she was ready to catch it or not. His tongue and hands would drive her right over, cresting into wall after wall of hot pleasure as her whole body seemed to melt around her. She gripped him hard around the neck, letting her nails dig into his shoulders. "Elric, Elric," she cried out, egging him on, making him more zealous in seeking her pleasure.
When she was trembling and exhausted, he looked at her like he was ready to begin again. She put a hand on his slick, muscled chest. "Wait," she panted. "I want you. Inside me. See how good we are together. Why there's nothing to be worried about."
He hesitated, tucking his hair behind his ears. He was beautiful, glowing from exertion, muscles tenses and swollen, a powerful warrior looking over her. "Inside me," she said breathlessly. "That's where I want you."
"I wanted to make sure you were ready," he said with a grin.
"Wanted to make sure I was desperate is more likely," she scowled at him.
He gave her that pirate's grin, "That works, too."
She wiggled down toward him and he positioned himself only to be stopped when she grabbed for a condom. He sighed rolling it on before sliding into her. Her whole body groaned in relief at the feel of him. Deep. Whole. Stimulating. Tired as she was, as worn out as each nerve was from relentless pleasure, she felt another part of her waking up. Enervating with each stroke as he pulled out and plunged back in.
This is heaven, she thought and twisted her hands into the sheets meeting his every thrust. She looked up at him, strong and focused on her pleasure, filling her in every possible way, keeping out the whole world so it could be them and them alone. She didn't think anything better could exist.
She could suddenly see a life after this. It didn't matter what it involved as long as it held nights like this, heated and loving, and quiet times watching movies and laughter. And Peony, of course. She could imagine Elric holding her now. Elric. As long as he was there, everything would be find. She threw her arms around his shoulder as she came, bright lights exploding inside her as she screamed his name a final time. He jerked inside her, uttering her name over and over again in her ear as he founds his own release inside her. They rode the wave together, and when it ebbed, he sank over her murmuring words of love in her ear, his body trembling and heavy but welcome still inside her.
When he finally pulled away, reluctantly, he looked down at her in wonder, "You are amazing, you know that?"
Was she imagining that she saw something sad in his eyes? Most of him looked sated. She stroked his soft hair, loving the feel of it. She hadn't known when he first walked into her life, she could never have designed a more perfect man for her if she tried.
"I am flattered," he said. Then raised his hands. "I apologize. I was not trying to read them. I just happen to be… very connected to you at this moment." He got up, cleaning up in the bathroom before returning to her. He wrapped her in a warm blanket and trapped her against him as if she were his own special treasure. She could feel his hard warmth all around her.
"I love you, Rhiannon," he said quietly. "More than life."
She swallowed, "I love you, too."
"I will never let anything happen to you."
"I know," she said.
"I am going to make sure you are always safe. Do you trust me?" he asked.
"Yes, I trust you."
"And you will never be mad at me?"
"Why are you asking that?" she asked trying to look back at him, but he held her tight.
"You will try to understand me?"
"Yes," she said. "I can't promise I'll never be mad, but you know, I'll try." She rolled over to face him, staying in the circle of his arms, putting them nose to chin. "I'll do my best."
"I will as well," he said quietly.
"You're acting odd."
"I have never felt this way before. It is completely new," he said.
"For me, too. Hot men don't just waltz into my life and sweep me off my feet."
"Until me," he grinned.
"Until you. I guess it takes a gargoyle to make me soar," she teased.
He frowned for a second, then relaxed. It reiterated to her there was some emotion he was hiding.
"I wish I could read your mind," she said.
"No, you do not. It is a mess in there. Gargoyles used to communicate through thought, so we did not keep secrets there. Now I find myself hiding everything."
"You aren't hiding anything from me, are you?" she asked vulnerably.
"I am not sure what to say to that," he said stroking a hand through her hair. "I can only say it will be okay in the end."
She nodded, resting her head against his chest as he leaned onto his back.
"Sleep now, my love. You deserve rest," he said softly.
"Okay. Only because I get to wake up next to you," she replied sleepily.
"I love you," he whispered, kissing her temple. Alarm bells rang in her head, but she brushed them aside and slipped into pleasant dreams of her life with her gargoyle.