He gives his hand a quick swipe on his thigh before extending it to me.
“Hi, Tamsin, right?” He licks his lips, his eyebrows scrunched together as though he is trying hard to remember my name.
“Yes, that’s right. Nice to meet you, Ezren.” I’m surprised I didn’t pant. This is seriously not fair.
Our hands touch, sending a wash of warmth that spreads through my whole body, and I have to swallow back a gasp. We both quickly drop our hands. His eyes close a moment before focusing back on me, but a second later, he breaks eye contact to instead look over my head.
I shake my head a little, trying to clear the warm pulsating feeling that is coursing through my veins.
“You’re the gargoyle,” I blurt, and immediately clap my hand over my mouth. “Oh my goddess, I’m so sorry, I did not mean to just say that. Like that.” Then, my words from yesterday come screaming back to me, like neon lights in Vegas. Did hehear me talk about his cock?Did he hear me talk about using him for my masturbation fantasies?I’m considering doing a little spell so the ground could literally open up and portal me back to my apartment above my shop.
His mouth, which had just fallen open, snaps shut, and I see the muscles in his sharp jaw working. His eyes are looking everywhere but at me, and I can see a fine sheen of sweat starting to glisten around his hairline.
“Ah, well shit. You’re with the Coven, I’m guessing?” He runs a massive hand through his dark grey hair, causing his biceps to bulge, before dropping it helplessly by his side. “Listen, I’m not good with people. At all. It’s not you, it’s all me. I don’t get out much, obviously.” He gestures vaguely to the dias, with a look of pure self-loathing written all over his face.
“You’re doing great!” I squeak.More lies. I lift up Beryl, hoping she can save this awkward interaction, who's been eyeing Ezren with interest and has started to struggle to get out of my grasp. “So, this is Beryl. Shall we go see if anyone is home?”
He tucks a sausage-sized finger under her chin, and she immediately drops into a purr. I try not to stare at his finger or get naughty ideas. He glances at me briefly, as though asking for permission to keep scritching her. I watch as a timid smile spreads across his face. “Hey!” he chuckles. “She…kinda seems to like me?”
“She’s pretty friendly,” I agree. “You…wanna hold her?”
He hesitates for a moment, but reaches out with both hands, even though she’s so tiny she’d fit in just one of his hands. “She’s so warm. And fluffy.”
“So, where to?” I prompt, as Ezren doesn’t seem eager to start walking anywhere.
With Beryl balanced on his arm, we start to walk to the few cabins with lights on and people home. I notice that most people are talking to Ezren’s chest, which weirds me out at first, until I realize the veil must have him projecting a much more normal human height. Just as I’d hoped, most people were out, and those who were home didn’t recognize Beryl. She actually hissed at a few people.
As we return back to his office, he fidgets with a few things before offering me a chair.
“Oh, I’m good. It’s getting late, and I have to open my shop early tomorrow,” I respond in what I hope is a nonchalant way.
“You have a shop? In town? That’s cool. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been in town. I’m sure it's so different now.” He says, with longing.
“It’s a rock, crystal, and jewelry shop. How long has it been?”
“A really long time. I’m kinda bound to the property.” A sheepish look crosses his face, and a deeper grey appears high on his cheekbones, with what must be a blush.
“You’re bound? Why?” I find myself asking.
“Ah, well, I helped to build the node system way back in the day. And my essence is tied to the one here on the property. I used to be able to wander into town for a little while and come back, but that hasn’t been the case in a very long time. I guess the original Coven thought a gargoyle would be the perfect anchor, seeing as I’m stone for half the day.”
“You helpedbuildthe node system?” I exclaim. “Holy shit. Well, I don’t know what the Coven of the past was thinking, but you shouldn’t have to be bound to the property forever and ever to support the system. I was here yesterday checking the node, and it's fine now. Come here, give me your hand.”
I grab his hand off the table before he can say no, and close my eyes to center myself. Behind my eyes, I see his essence, and sure enough, it's tangled into the very roots of the trees all around the property, literally tying him here. Minutes pass as I work out enough of the larger knots to free him enough to go to town. Finally, the roots of the trees seem to let go a little, releasing their hold a bit.
Chapter 4
Ezren
Her hand grips my forearm tightly, the yellow static electricity buzzing through my veins like fire and ice, making me want to pull her close to me so I can feel her soft body against my hard stone. Her eyes are closed so tightly that I can barely see her long, blonde eyelashes. When she’s like this, I can focus on just looking at her, how her very presence soothes me, and not feel like a creep. But it’s pretty clear she’s not even aware of what is happening right now; her brain is far away.
My eyes linger on her plump lips, wondering what they might feel like pressed against mine. Would she recoil? What would my lips feel like to her? I’m so focused on their color, like the soft red of the fall leaves outside, when I notice that her face has gone from its normal color to pale and ghostlike in seconds.
“Tamsin?” I shake my arm a little, hoping to snap her back into this plane of existence.
“One more second, I think I just about have it.” She murmurs. Her lovely lips are drained of color.
“Tamsin!” I shout, shooting to my feet as she starts to slide sideways off the chair. She lands in my arms with a softflump, eyelids fluttering. I look around to see if there is anyone coming from the parking lot, but it's deserted.What do I do?Anger flares inside me at the injustice of being trapped here for so long that I never got to know humans enough to ever attempt to revive one.
