Dances With Demons - A Phoenix Chronicle Novella by Lori Handeland Page A

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