Stone Lover (13 page)

    His luscious lips were moist and he was smiling, his golden eyes sparkling with pleasure and happiness. Softly, she ran her fingers over his lips, his cheek bones, the ridge of his brow; he was so damn beautiful and he held himself motionless, letting her explore him at her leisure.

    His body was hard beneath hers, the golden hair on his chest tickling her breasts. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, almost as if he never wanted to let her go. She had to swallow against the tears that were lodged in the back of her throat. How come it felt as if she had known this man all of her life and yet it had been less than a day since she had met him?

    “How did you get in?” The question came out of nowhere. It should have bothered her that he was able to get past her locked door but she was too happy being with him to care.

    He didn’t answer right away, his eyes moving over her face as if looking for a sign. Finally, he took a breath and slowly let it out. “We had the key from the previous tenant.”

    Her brow furrowed in confusion, “You live here, too?”

    “I do,” he answered solemnly, raising his knees and boxing her in as if she’d bolt at the unexpected news. “My brothers and I all live on this floor.”

    She giggled, absurdly pleased with this information; she had no intention of bolting. “Had I known that I would have knocked on your door as soon as I woke up this morning.”

    He merely smiled so she continued, “Could you give me permission to go through
your
rooms to reach the roof? Your brother has taken offense to me traipsing through his apartment; he has even threatened to have me evicted.”

    “That sounds like Armand,” he grinned, unable to help himself. Pursing his lips, he asked, “What’s up on the roof that you risk eviction to get up there?”

    “Oh, Vaughn,” She pushed against his chest and sat up, beaming down at him. He rested his hands on her hips and he didn’t mind one bit that her breasts were bare and swaying right in front of his have as she talked. “There’s this gargoyle up there and he is just… well, he’s just magnificent. He… he has the facial features of a ferocious lion and the body of a porn star. Since you live here I’m sure you’ve seen him; he’s beautiful.”

    “A porn star?” he choked on horrified laughter.

    “He’s enormous.” She shimmied her hips, letting him know that she was talking about the gargoyle’s massive cock. “Honestly, it’s a bit frightening. But the gargoyle himself is just… He’s just wonderful.”

    Vaughn wasn’t too proud to admit that he was a little jealous of his gargoyle form; the glowing look of awe on her face as she talked about him was incandescent in its beauty. He had to clear his throat before he asked, “And, ah, what do you think of the other two?”

    She shrugged her shoulders, crinkling her nose as she considered the question. He wanted to kiss her until no thoughts of gargoyles remained in her head. And then kiss her some more until he was the only thing she thought about. Sliding his hands up her side, he waited for her answer, hoping he wasn’t going to have to take a chisel to either of his brothers.

    “The other two are… okay,” she answered, not going into any detail of their masculine, porn star bodies or beautifully carved faces. “But they aren’t….” Her words trailed off as she gave him a considering look, perplexity wrinkling her brow, “Did you know that the lion reminds me of you.”

    His entire world stopped spinning at her words; she had no idea how close she was to the truth. Curious despite the warning bells clanging in his head, he asked, “In what way?”

    “I don’t know how to explain it; it’s just something in your manner, sort of predatory and sexual.” She scowled at her inability to explain further. Climbing off his body, she lay down next to him and placed her head on his shoulder and her hand over his heart, “Vaughn?”

    “Yes, love?” he murmured, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her closer until her body was flushed with his. He could feel her body relaxing as she yawned, knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to let her go again, damn the consequences. He would keep her safe; he would….

    “You’re not human, are you?” she asked softly, but it wasn’t a question.

    “What makes you say that?” His heart raced in his chest, this time from fear instead of ecstasy. Armand was going to kill him…. No, he would defy his brother and protect her with his life. He just didn’t know if he would be able to save Melanie from herself, should she fail to accept what lay beneath the veil. She was stepping into a whole new world and he could only hope she was prepared to face it.

    She yawned again, rubbing her nose against his chest and making herself comfortable. “I don’t know, it’s just a feeling.”

    “I think you’re just tired,” he murmured, staring up at the ceiling, his mind racing with terrible thoughts. He couldn’t lose her; he wouldn’t. He would do anything to anything to keep her safe, including….

    She laughed softly, tightening her hold on him in a hug. “It’s okay, you know; I don’t mind falling in love with you no matter what you are. I just hope no one will be trying to erase my memory again.”

    “How… how did you escape this morning?” he swallowed against the blockade in his throat at her simple confession; she was falling in love with him; how could he do anything less than keep her safe from all harm?

    “Wrong girl,” she mumbled, her body relaxing further and he knew she was almost asleep. “I couldn’t sleep and so Armand seduced Vanessa into submission.”

    “I see,” he said softly, his muscles flexing as he considered Armand’s fury; it almost made him smile except Melanie was in over her head and she didn’t even know it.

    “Don’t go,” she said, a hint of panic in her voice.

    “I’m not going anywhere,” he assured her. “But I have to leave before the sun rises so if I don’t see you before I go, know that I will return.”

    She smiled at that, falling asleep in his arms while he lay awake, wondering how the hell his life just got so complicated. And why he didn’t care that she knew he wasn’t human.

* * * * *

    Feeling wonderful and chilly, Melanie snuggled deeper into her covers and realized she was alone. Opening her eyes, she saw… her gargoyle. He was walking across the small room towards the door; his big, stone body was heavily muscled and he was remarkably graceful for a marble statue, his movements fluid and elegant instead of lumbering and awkward; he was exquisite. He even had a tail. “What are you doing here?”

    He turned and she almost laughed at the panicked expression he wore. “Shh, you’re dreaming. Go back to sleep.”

   “Oh,” she grinned lazily. Of course she was dreaming; gargoyles didn’t walk and talk and sound oddly like Vaughn. “Okay. Goodnight, Vaughn; love you.”

    Jenna walked through the door of Melanie’s apartment and dropped the small bag she had packed and peeled off her winter coat. Stomping the snow from her boots, she glared at her sister, “It’s freezing outside, Lenni; why the hell did you call me up and insist I rush over and bring my bikini?”

    “You’ll see.” She said, smiling at her sister and pulling her into a fierce hug.  They were definitely sisters but there were noticeable differences between them. Where Melanie’s hair was long and brown, Jenna was short and midnight black; where Melanie was curvy, Jenna was delicately slender, even after having had a baby. The only thing that was exactly alike was their blue eyes, but on Jenna they just looked so much more exotic.

    “I’m so glad you’re here,” Melanie beamed, dragging Jenna further into the room, excitement emanating off her in waves. “Did you have any trouble finding the place?”

    Jenna’s brows drew together as shook her head no. “It was surprisingly easy. This building is really unique, isn’t it?”

    Melanie grinned, “It is; don’t you love it?”

    “I’m surprised I hadn’t noticed it before; especially with it so close to the candy store,” Jenna returned. “But why would you want to live in this little room when you could be living back home with me and Ferris?” Jenna shook her head and laughed, “Never mind – you don’t have to answer that. This place is great.”

    “You haven’t even seen the best part.” Melanie paused a moment and considered that, “Well, one of the best parts.”

    Jenna glanced around the room and wrinkled her nose, “While it
is
gorgeous, I am pretty sure I’ve seen everything; there isn’t a whole lot to see.”

    “Trust me,” Melanie said, waving her hand through the air to get her sister to hurry up. “Now, get changed and we’ll talk on the roof.”

    “Are you freaking nuts?” Jenna’s voice rose in disbelief. “It’s cold as hell out there.”

    “Just trust me, Jenna; please.” Melanie winked, taking Jenna’s hand and twirling around like they used to do when they were younger. “I have so much to tell you.”

    When they stopped spinning and Jenna was able to catch her breath after laughing, she looked around at her surroundings, impressed with them in spite of its size. “I do like your apartment.”

    “Really?” Melanie’s entire face lit up at the simple compliment. “I’m so glad; Vanessa wasn’t very impressed.”

    “What’s not to like?” Jenna asked, looking at the stone walls. “Other than being really small, it’s like living in a castle, isn’t it?”

    “Exactly!” Melanie knew her sister would get it.

    “Ferris will be begging me to let her spend the weekend with you,” Jenna said with a small smile. “She was so torn when I told her I was coming here while she was at her grandparents’ house.”

    Melanie knew Jenna was referring to Ferris’s father’s parents, since Jenna and Ferris still lived at home. Travis and Fiona Mitchell loved Jenna as if she were their daughter-in-law in truth. And they spoiled Ferris mercilessly, loving her all the more because she was a part of their beloved son, who had been killed a week before their wedding. Jeremy had been coming home from work when a group of kids who had had too much to drink or took too many drugs crashed into his car. Out of the wreck, Jenna’s fiancé had been the only who didn’t survive; he hadn’t even known about Ferris.

     Melanie was in awe of Jenna’s strength, not knowing if she’d be able to survive such devastation and remain so strong. And she was such an incredible mother to Ferris; Melanie was in awe of her sister.

    “Oh, there will be plenty of opportunities for her to hang out with her favorite aunt,” Melanie grinned, grabbing Jenna’s bag and steering her towards the bathroom, not dwelling on the tragedy in Jenna’s past, not wanting to make Jenna cry. “Now, get changed and I’ll show you my absolute, most favorite part of all.”

    Jenna groaned but did as Melanie instructed. It wasn’t long before she was standing before the mirror in her red bikini; her skin was so pale she resembled a ghost. Otherwise, she looked pretty good, not at all like a mother of an almost six-year-old whirlwind. Of course, she thought her sister was insane; it was freezing outside.

    But who was more insane, the person suggesting the insanity or the person following?

    Opening the door, she stepped out just as Melanie was adjusting the bottoms of her pale peach bikini. Jenna was always jealous of Mel’s hourglass figure; all of the boys in high school had pined for her and if Melanie hadn’t had her head so far up in the clouds, she would have realized it. Even so, high school had been a blast, and some of the adventures they had….

    Sometimes, she missed being young and reckless and daring, with no responsibilities or sorrow. Of course, she wouldn’t give up Ferris for the world….

    “Wow, you look amazing,” Melanie’s compliment interrupted Jenna’s ruminations. A large beach towel was thrust into her hands and Melanie smiled, “Ready?”