Descended from Dragons: an Urban Fantasy (Moonlight Dragon Book 1) by Tricia Owens Page A
Authors: Tricia Owens
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had when I'd viewed him through the magick mirror, although I hadn't anticipated how tall he would be.
And that he would still be wearing clothes.
Trying to figure out why he hadn't shifted into a naked state like Lev always did when he transformed from wolf to man would destroy my brain. Or maybe just the image of Vale naked would. Regardless, there were too many magicks involved for me to make sense of them.
"Yummy," Liliana cooed.
I didn't like her perving on him. Vale wasn't mine but she was a succubus. I wouldn't have wanted to see any friend of mine unfairly influenced by her. Still, her power was what had pulled him out of his gargoyle form, so I couldn't exactly throw a fit.
"Come along, darling." Liliana hummed approval as Vale, head slightly down, moved closer. "As I said, Anne, this is only temporary. I have the power to call out the man from within the gargoyle, but he's still bound to the form. His nature will want to revert to that, especially with the curse on him."
"Will he turn to stone when the sun comes up?" Melanie asked worriedly.
"He's a gargoyle. It's what he does. I can do nothing for you after that."
Watching Vale closely, I asked, "And the demon?"
"Oh, it's still there." I detected a touch of distaste in Liliana's voice. "He's possessed by it, which is why I'm able to do this. He doesn't have the strength to fight both me and the demon at the same time. He's just powerful enough to keep the demon suppressed. But the clock is ticking, darling. Not even a deliciously strong gargoyle like this one can keep this up for much longer."
We had until sunrise, so maybe ten hours. As Vale's face came into view and I saw how hard he tried to resist Liliana only to fail because he was weakened from his struggle against the demon, I vowed to banish the demon inside him if it was the last thing I did. This was breaking Vale's pride. I wanted it to stop.
He came to a stop before us. His hands curled and uncurled by his sides, expressing his inner battle against the demon.
"I've pulled you out," Liliana purred at him. "Are you alright to stand on your own two feet now?"
"Yes," he gritted out. He sounded better than he had in my head, his voice warmer and deeper. He took a deep breath. His scowl cleared. "Thank you."
"Oh, it's my pleasure…though not my complete pleasure."
Vale eyed her warily, which pleased me. Most guys would be groveling at her feet for a chance to polish her shoes with their tongues, much like the club manager had.
"You're not putting your hands on him, Lili," I said, which earned me Vale's guarded approval.
She shrugged, unrepentant. "I have an addiction. What am I to do?"
Melanie snorted and then laughed.
"Are you okay to walk to our car?" I asked Vale.
Though our discussion while he'd been trapped in his gargoyle form had been G-rated, I felt self-conscious now, like I was meeting a stranger with whom I'd been talking dirty to over the phone.
He narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm not a child."
I guessed he'd reached his limit of being pushed around.
I held up both hands. "It was just a question." I turned to Liliana. "Thank you for your help, Lili."
"I owe you, Anne. This won't pay off my debt, but it's a start, hmm?"
I nodded, ignoring Melanie, who was giving me a questioning look. My history with Liliana was a story for a day that didn't involve cursed gargoyles and demon possessions.
Liliana's grin was blinding. "Ta-ta, darlings. I hope you get your pesky demon sorted. You two make a luscious couple."
Cheeks hot, I began walking in the direction of Melanie's car. She hurried to fall into step with me.
"I'll tell you later," I said, warding off her curiosity.
"You'd better!" She glanced back at Vale. "He seems a little ungrateful, don't you think?"
"I guess I can't blame him. What have we done for him, really? He's out of his gargoyle form but so what? He's still possessed."
"But Orlaton may be able to help him."
"Hopefully." I was learning not to expect too much
And that he would still be wearing clothes.
Trying to figure out why he hadn't shifted into a naked state like Lev always did when he transformed from wolf to man would destroy my brain. Or maybe just the image of Vale naked would. Regardless, there were too many magicks involved for me to make sense of them.
"Yummy," Liliana cooed.
I didn't like her perving on him. Vale wasn't mine but she was a succubus. I wouldn't have wanted to see any friend of mine unfairly influenced by her. Still, her power was what had pulled him out of his gargoyle form, so I couldn't exactly throw a fit.
"Come along, darling." Liliana hummed approval as Vale, head slightly down, moved closer. "As I said, Anne, this is only temporary. I have the power to call out the man from within the gargoyle, but he's still bound to the form. His nature will want to revert to that, especially with the curse on him."
"Will he turn to stone when the sun comes up?" Melanie asked worriedly.
"He's a gargoyle. It's what he does. I can do nothing for you after that."
Watching Vale closely, I asked, "And the demon?"
"Oh, it's still there." I detected a touch of distaste in Liliana's voice. "He's possessed by it, which is why I'm able to do this. He doesn't have the strength to fight both me and the demon at the same time. He's just powerful enough to keep the demon suppressed. But the clock is ticking, darling. Not even a deliciously strong gargoyle like this one can keep this up for much longer."
We had until sunrise, so maybe ten hours. As Vale's face came into view and I saw how hard he tried to resist Liliana only to fail because he was weakened from his struggle against the demon, I vowed to banish the demon inside him if it was the last thing I did. This was breaking Vale's pride. I wanted it to stop.
He came to a stop before us. His hands curled and uncurled by his sides, expressing his inner battle against the demon.
"I've pulled you out," Liliana purred at him. "Are you alright to stand on your own two feet now?"
"Yes," he gritted out. He sounded better than he had in my head, his voice warmer and deeper. He took a deep breath. His scowl cleared. "Thank you."
"Oh, it's my pleasure…though not my complete pleasure."
Vale eyed her warily, which pleased me. Most guys would be groveling at her feet for a chance to polish her shoes with their tongues, much like the club manager had.
"You're not putting your hands on him, Lili," I said, which earned me Vale's guarded approval.
She shrugged, unrepentant. "I have an addiction. What am I to do?"
Melanie snorted and then laughed.
"Are you okay to walk to our car?" I asked Vale.
Though our discussion while he'd been trapped in his gargoyle form had been G-rated, I felt self-conscious now, like I was meeting a stranger with whom I'd been talking dirty to over the phone.
He narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm not a child."
I guessed he'd reached his limit of being pushed around.
I held up both hands. "It was just a question." I turned to Liliana. "Thank you for your help, Lili."
"I owe you, Anne. This won't pay off my debt, but it's a start, hmm?"
I nodded, ignoring Melanie, who was giving me a questioning look. My history with Liliana was a story for a day that didn't involve cursed gargoyles and demon possessions.
Liliana's grin was blinding. "Ta-ta, darlings. I hope you get your pesky demon sorted. You two make a luscious couple."
Cheeks hot, I began walking in the direction of Melanie's car. She hurried to fall into step with me.
"I'll tell you later," I said, warding off her curiosity.
"You'd better!" She glanced back at Vale. "He seems a little ungrateful, don't you think?"
"I guess I can't blame him. What have we done for him, really? He's out of his gargoyle form but so what? He's still possessed."
"But Orlaton may be able to help him."
"Hopefully." I was learning not to expect too much
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