Dances With Demons - A Phoenix Chronicle Novella (8 page)

Confusion wrinkled his brow. “I’m aware of everything about you.”

My cheeks heated. “I meant that I can’t teach them.”

“You can do anything you set your mind to, Meggie. You always have.”

For an instant I lost myself in the admiration I saw in his eyes, then I shook my head. “They’ll get behind, I—”

“We’ll enroll them here. They’ll learn Gaelic. It’ll be an adventure.” I opened my mouth, but he kept talking. “It’s have them come here to be with you or have them stay there without. A bit of lost schooling is the least of our worries.”

He was right. Again.

“Okay.”

His brows lifted. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you so agreeable.”

“Nearly being incinerated by a dragon can have that effect.”

The rest of the day passed quickly enough, considering there was no television or radio. I’d at least had the presence of mind to grab a book, but I couldn’t concentrate.

Quinn had Ben bring us food. When the old gremlin arrived I could do nothing but stare at him, trying to discover something that would have marked him as different if I’d thought to look. Like Quinn, there was nothing.

Darkness fell. I began to get twitchy.

One bed in the house and last night we’d shared it. I’d enjoyed the interlude as much the second time as the first, but now that I knew the truth...

Quinn stood and I tensed so violently the book in my lap tumbled toward the floor. He snatched it before it could hit the ground.

“Good catch.”

“I do my best.”

“You aren’t lame.”

“No?”

“Why did you pretend to be?”

“I was trying to appear human.”

Oddly, it had worked. Although, would I have marked him as inhuman if he moved with the same speed and grace he did now?

Maybe.

“Why did you sleep with me?”

“Why did you sleep with me?” he returned.

“I—” My fingers tightened on the book. “Wanted to.”

His lips curved into a sad smile. “I needed to.”

Need. Want. Two things I hadn’t given in to for a very long time and only with one other man. But what about him?

“Do you have sex with a lot of human women?”

“None.”

“Why?” Unease flickered. “Am I going to have kittens?” How in hell would I explain that?

“Of course not.”

“Because something like you and someone like me can’t?”

“No, because you take birth control.”

“Oh.” I rubbed my forehead. Obviously something like him and someone like me could, hence all the beings that both fought against Liz Phoenix and fought for her.

I probably shouldn’t have spoken about what had happened between us as if it were something that might have gone on in a zoo. Certainly, I was freaked that I’d had sex with a gargoyle, but that didn’t mean the sex hadn’t been fantastic. Something I wanted to remember fondly.

But the more I considered what he was, all he could do, the more I thought that a little pill wasn’t going to stop anything.

“You’re certain?” I pressed.

“I’ve never done it before, but—”

“Just because you’ve never impregnated a human before doesn’t mean—”

“I’ve never had sex before.”

I laughed. He didn’t. I stopped, and he looked away, cheeks darkening.

“Wait a second.”

He’d said that before, and I hadn’t believed him. The idea of a man like him, at his age, never sleeping with a woman was unbelievable. But now that I knew he was so much more than a man...

“Look at me.”

Slowly he turned his face toward mine, and in his eyes I saw the truth. “You’re a virgin?”

“No longer.”

“Why?”

“I never met anyone like you.”

What was so special about me?

He glanced out the darkened window. “I have to go.”

“What’s out there?”

“Nothing will hurt you.”

“I know.” Nothing had hurt me while Quinn was on the job, and I knew, without a doubt, nothing would.

“I have to shift,” he said. “It’s time.”

“What if you don’t?”

“I can’t stop it. If I wait too long I’ll just—”

His eyes suddenly shimmered, going from human light green to panther gold.

“Can I watch?”

“You watched me change from panther to man.”

I had, but I’d been a little distracted by the fire breathing dragon that had just died, so I hadn’t observed as well as I should have.

“Now I’d like to see the reverse. Is that a problem?”

He glanced toward the glass again. I followed his gaze and saw his reflection flicker. “I waited too long. It’s happening. Put me outside when it’s done. I need to guard y—”

He crumpled, there was no other word for it. One instant he was a tall, dark, handsome man, the next his very being folded inward. His skin went gray and shrunk. His eyes went panther; he sprouted a tail and ears, some fangs. I tried not to blink; I wanted to see it all. But eventually I had to, and when my lids lifted, Quinn was a statue once more.

I lifted him with shaking hands, strode to the back door then the garden. I’d just reached the tangled mass when the shriek of a big cat split the night. I whirled.

Out of the darkness stepped another black panther. I bobbled the gargoyle, and it fell toward the ground.

Right before it hit, the thing changed. Instead of stone bouncing then shattering, a second panther crouched.

“Quinn,” I murmured, and let my fingers trace his back. Beneath the ebony coat, muscles bunched.

And then he was gone, bounding toward the intruder, snarling. The two bodies collided, rolled, massive paws shot out, spiked claws scraping, shredding. Blood flowed. I had no idea which panther was mine.

Mine. Huh. I’d examine that thought later. If we survived.

One of the creatures gained its feet, swung its head in my direction and snarled. The revelation of fangs gave me a sudden desire to run inside. Fantastic idea. I did so and retrieved my sickle.

When I returned, they were rolling and slashing and bleeding again. Only death would end it.

The moon peeked over the horizon, spreading silver across the grass, across them. Their ebony coats shone slick with blood, the ground was spotted with black dots of it.

One of the beasts managed to fasten its fangs on the other’s throat. Instead of waiting for surrender, it jerked its powerful head, ripping out the other’s jugular. Blood sprayed. The degree of viciousness made me think Nephilim, which meant the dead panther was Quinn.

“No,” I whispered. Hot tears threatened to blind me.

The creature stalked in my direction. I tightened my grip on the sickle. I could lop off its head and hope for the best, but what if...

I stretched out the blade, brushing its tip along the panther’s fur.

Zzzt!

The scent of burned hair and ozone rose along with a thin veil of smoke. That didn’t mean this creature was Quinn. It might just mean they were both gargoyles.

Shit. Now what?

It stood between me and the cottage. No red door test unless it moved.

Then the panther’s snout lifted. Tiny sparkles of light swirled around its head like a drunken bunch of fairies.
Was
it a drunken bunch of fairies?

Quinn Fitzpatrick.

The voice came from those lights, neither male or female, but something in between. I was too bowled over by talking lights to feel the level of gratitude I should that the panther was Quinn and not... whoever.

You have gained humanity. Bow and accept the gift.

The panther shimmered, shifted and became Quinn. My breath caught. He’d done it. He was going to become human and then...

Then I’d have to think twice about ditching him.

The sight of Megan with the sickle, uncertainty on her face, fear in her eyes, had made Quinn want to shift so she could see it was him and not the other, but he hadn’t been in gargoyle form long enough to return to his human one.

However the lights—God, an angel, who knew?—had trickled over him, through him, and then he became himself and he was glad. Because only as a human could he voice the inevitable.

“I choose to remain what I am.”

The lights, which had been swirling so madly they made his eyes hurt, paused.

“Quinn?” Megan whispered.

He ignored her, gaze on those lights.

You have killed legion. You have saved multitudes. It is your destiny.

“No,” he said. “She is. And if I’m human, I can’t protect her against those that aren’t.”

“Quinn, don’t.”

If he was a gargoyle, he would lose her. He’d seen that truth the instant she’d seen what he was.

But if he accepted his due, that gift he’d worked so long for, the humanity he’d strived even harder for once he’d found her—then she would die. No one would protect Megan like he would. So he would protect her always.

He had no choice.

Besides, even if he were human, she would never love him. The only man she would ever love was Max. Quinn had hoped it might be different once he was different, but he knew better.

Choose, Gargoyle. Humanity now, or never?

“Never,” he said.

So be it.

“No!” Megan ran forward, but it was too late. The stars swirled up and away, as Quinn turned to stone.

* * *

Hours later, when he was able to walk on two legs once more, he found her at the kitchen table. At the first sight of him, she gasped.

He looked down. Clawed, bitten, bloody. He was a mess.

“Your hand,” she said.

He turned it over. His hand was fine.

“The cut healed.”

“’Twas a burn, but aye.”

“What about those?” She waved at the marks on his body. “Should I clean them?”

The idea of her running a damp cloth all over him made him turn away so she would not see what those words did to him.

“They’ll heal.” If he’d been less human and more gargoyle they would have already.

“Quinn?” When he didn’t answer, she stood and came closer. “Why did you give up what you wanted so badly for me?”

“You’ll die, Megan. I can’t allow that.”

“There are others who could protect me.”

He turned. “None would protect you like I can.”

She searched his gaze, then she reached for his hand, tangled their fingers together and held on when he would have pulled away. “Why is that?”

“You heard the sparkly lights. I’ve killed legion.”

“Oh.” She looked down and sighed. He’d disappointed her somehow. “I thought maybe...”

“What?” He discovered himself running his thumb over the back of her hand and stopped. His nails were crusted with dirt and panther blood. Maybe dragon blood too, it was hard to tell. He tried to tug free again. Again, she tightened her hold.

“I thought...” She lifted her eyes, swallowed, then swallowed again. “I thought you might have done it because you loved me.”

“I’m stone, Megan.”

“Stones don’t bleed.”

“I’m a beast.”

She shrugged. “Who isn’t?”

“I will never be human.”

“Because you chose to give that up for me. Why?”

He couldn’t speak; he couldn’t think. He wasn’t sure what to say.

“Come on, Fitzpatrick. You faced a dragon and who knows what else. You can’t be afraid to tell a woman you love her.”

“You love Max,” he blurted. “You said his name in your sleep.”

Sadness flickered over her face. “I’m sorry if that hurt you. He came to say goodbye.”

Quinn frowned. “Goodbye?”

“I’ll always love him. But he’s gone. He isn’t coming back. You’re here, and I don’t think you’ll ever leave.”

His eyes met hers. “I won’t.”

“I swore I’d never love another man.”

Quinn’s throat went tight. She didn’t love him; how could she? “I understand—”

“I don’t think you do. Losing Max devastated me. I didn’t think I’d survive it again, so I cut men, love, sex from my life.” She shrugged. “Didn’t miss it.” He scowled, and she laughed. “Until you.”

“You’re going to have to explain just what in hell you mean, Meggie.”

“You’re damn hard to kill, Quinn.”

“Aye.”

“That’s just what I need. You’re who I want.”

“Because I’m hard to kill?”

He wasn’t sure he liked that.

“I’m not saying this right. I don’t love you
because
you’re hard to kill. But it sure makes loving you easier.”

Before he could get the sense of that through his head—she loved him?—Megan kissed him, and then he couldn’t make any sense at all for quite a while.

Eventually she lifted her mouth from his. “Never leave?”

“Never.”

“Don’t die.”

“I’ll do my best.” He felt compelled to clarify something. “You understand that I was given a choice. The one I made means I’ll never be human.”

She touched his face. “You’re more human than anyone I know.”

She believed it. How strange.

“It might be a bit difficult to explain why I never grow old, and you do.”

“That sucks.” Her hand fell to her side as she wrinkled her nose. “The way you and Liz tell it, we’ll all be lucky to grow old at all. Explaining your lack of wrinkles and gray hair is going to be the least of our worries.”

“I’ll never let anything hurt you,” he vowed.

“I know.”

“Nor the children.”

“The children!” She glanced at the window, through which the morning sun shone. “How long before they arrive?”

“A few hours yet.”

“We should probably wash up.”

“We?”

Her lips curved, and his body responded as bodies do. She led him toward the still broken red door. “A few hours might be just enough time.”

* * * * * * * * *

If you enjoyed this Phoenix Chronicle novella,

please check out the other books in the Phoenix Chronicles.

Any Given Doomsday

Doomsday Can Wait

Apocalypse Happens

Chaos Bites

as well as the short story “There Will Be Demons”

in the collection
Hex Appeal

Lori Handeland
sold her first novel in 1993. Since then she has written many novels, novellas and short stories in several genres—historical, contemporary, series, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and historical fantasy—for such publishers as Dorchester, Kensington, Harlequin, St. Martin’s, HarperCollins, Simon and Schuster and Penguin.

She has been nominated five times for the RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, winning twice, for Best Paranormal and Best Long Series Contemporary. She is a Waldenbooks, Bookscan,
USA Today
and
New York Times
best-selling author.

As well as writing The Nightcreature Novels, The Phoenix Chronicles, The Shakespeare Undead series, The Luchetti Brothers and several stand alone novels, Lori also writes the gritty, sensual western historical romance series Once Upon a Time in the West under the name Lori Austin.

Lori lives in Southern Wisconsin with her husband enjoying occasional visits from her grown sons.

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