Revelation (15 page)

“I’m right here
,” Asher says in a low, calm voice from behind us.

I turn around. The minute I glance at him, my heart skips a beat. He’s
in nothing but jeans, hanging low on his hips. Without a shirt, his black dragon tattoo is on display along with every single one of his firm muscles. I think I actually hear Aria purr.

I clear my throat. “I was looking for you,” I say
, trying to catch my breath.

He gives me his signature sexy smile. “I can see th
at. Callan, the pink haired pixie is Aria, Eve’s roommate and Leo’s girlfriend. Aria, this is my brother, Callan, Abby’s boyfriend. Callan, would you please show Aria to the room you and Abby are hanging out in while I talk privately with Eve?”

“Sure
, come on, pixie. Let me show you where the magic happens.” Callan chuckles at his own joke.

Aria looks at me
, waiting for approval. I nod and she follows Callan without a word.

“Keegan told me you were on your way, he was guarding you this evening,” Asher offers.

I just stand there, arms crossed, staring at him. This was a much better idea earlier when he wasn’t standing in front of me, looking all edible without a shirt.

“So are you going to tell me why you’re running around
my home at midnight and yelling my name? Don’t get me wrong, I’m flattered it’s my name you’re screaming, it’s just not how I imagined you doing it.” His eyes sparkle with seduction.

“Asher,” I grit out.

“Siren.”

“Stop
. You’re doing it again and I don’t want to be flustered.”

He takes my hand and leads me to the library. “Come on
, Eve. Let’s get all your questions answered so we can have some peace and quiet tonight.”

After
he, sadly, throws on a t-shirt, we sit on the couch, facing one another in silence. He sighs. “Ask away.”

“Your eyes glow?” I begin.

“Yes, at times. If my emotions are heightened,” he clarifies.

“You can go into dreams?”

“Not all, just yours because I’m your bonded protector.”

“You kill demons?”

“Yes, it’s part of the job.” He smirks, amused.

“B
lood from one human to another doesn’t open up a link. Who are you? ” I breathe.

“I am your protector
,” Asher says with a firm tone.

“No
, I mean WHAT are you? I know you’re not human. You said you’re not an angel, so what?”  I wait, trying to push away the nervous energy.

Asher
exhales. “I’m a—” The word is cut off by a loud, piercing, horrible screech.

I cover my ears and scrunch up my face
. The sound is like someone taking a sharp knife to glass and scratching the shit out of it. It’s actually painful to my ears.

The minute Asher hears
it, he stands and instinctively goes into protector mode, positioned in front of me. His body is rigid, and his fierce warrior face is in place.

Callan, Keegan, Aria, Abby and Kenna
all come running into the room. With the exception of Aria, they all have their sentinel expressions on and are in fighter stances.

“Everyone okay?”
Keegan asks in command of the situation back.

“We’re good
. All clear,” Asher confirms with authority.

“What’s she doing here?” McKenna asks
, pointing in a less than thrilled manner to Aria.

“She’s with me
,” I defend.

The screeching happens again and I cover my ears as Callan
walks to the windows then turns back, face unhappy. “It’s Editha.”

“Shit. How did she get through the protection en
chantment?” Kenna spits out while stalking toward the window. “Yep, the old bitch still looks like death.”

“Alright
. Well, let’s go see what she wants,” Asher says, bored, as everyone but Aria and I makes his or her way to the window.

“WAIT,” I shout
and everyone turns. “Who the hell is Editha?”

“More important
ly, what is with the crazy ass screeching?” Aria adds.

Abby walks over. “
Editha is a banshee,” she says in a soothing voice.

I stare at her. “Come again?”

“A B-A-N-S-H-E-E. Are we always going to have to explain everything in detail to you, blood of Eden?” Kenna questions rudely.

I shoot her a death glare.

“Not to sound dumb here, but what the hell is a banshee,” Aria asks as Editha shrieks again, banging on the window and causing the entire house to rattle.

“Well
, right now, she’s a pissed off banshee.” Callan chuckles.

“A banshee is a messenger from the underworld,” Asher
answers.

I look at him as if he has four heads. “I see
. And this banshee would want…” I wait for him to finish my sentence.

McKenna rolls her eyes at my ignorance. “She obviously has a message for us, so let
’s go see what it is before she gets really pissed off and lights the house on fire.”

I snag Asher’s hand. “Is it safe?”
My voice is crossing into hysterical pitch levels.

Asher looks at me like I
’ve insulted him. “I wouldn’t allow her within ten feet of you if it weren’t safe.”

I nod my head as we make our way to the French door leading to the backyard and patio
. Editha screeches again, her sound like nails on a chalkboard. This time, the octave chills my bones, shaking off the icy sensation. My nails dig into Asher’s arm.

As we walk outside, I nearly faint. In front of us is a
floating, ghost-like, transparent creature. I think it might be an old, decrepit female dressed in a tattered, gray, flowing gown. Her eyes are yellow, her hair is a straggly gray, and her teeth crooked. She smells of sulfur, which makes me nauseous.

I stand behind Asher and McKenna
, who are both in attack mode, while Keegan and Callan flank my side and Aria and Abby are behind me.

“
Editha, what’s with all the dramatics?” McKenna prods.

The banshee gets right in McKenna’s face as Kenna just stands there
, not even flinching. Then Editha screeches again and Kenna’s hair flies back. I can feel the wind from the shriek behind her and smell the acid-like sulfur floating with it.

“Point made
. Perhaps a breath mint is in order,” Callan offers, mocking her. I glare at him.

“I haaave a messsage for the daughterrr of
Heavvven.” Her voice sounds like an eerie whisper as she slurs her sounds and draws out her words like a slither. “Wee arrre awarrre of yourrr exissstence. The darrrk arrrmy isss coming for you. Not evvven yourrr gurrrgulio claaaan willlll sssave you.” With that, she vanishes in blue flames.
Awesome. More blue flames.

“Well
, that was a letdown,” Aria jokes. We all turn to her. Asher and Keegan exchange a look that says they’re less than thrilled she just witnessed the banshee.

“What? I thought a little humor might ease the tension,” she offers.
Wow, she’s oddly calm.

Keegan turns to Asher. “Well, that confirms Lucifer knows about Eve. We need to let Michael know right away
and then figure out how to deal with the pixie.” His blue eyes shift to Aria.

Asher nods.
“Agreed.”

Everyone
starts back toward the house as I stop in my tracks.

“
Wait,” I demand as everyone turns to me. “What does Gugulio clan mean?” I ask.

In unison
, everyone but Aria says, “Gargoyle.”
Holy Hell.

13
The London Clan

Aria and I sit on the couch. Callan brought in a plate of cookies, which Aria is chomping on
at the moment, and some hot cocoa. 
She seems to be taking this all in stride.
Abby and McKenna sit on the other side of the couch and Keegan takes his place next to the fireplace. Callan sits on the arm of the couch next to Abby while Asher sits in front of me on the coffee table.

The fact that they’re all sitting is making me nervous. We really need to stop hanging out in the tension room.
Whatever happened to normal college activities like frat parties and beer pong?
I sigh.

“What do you know about
Gothic folklore?” Asher asks.
Here we go again.

Aria and I
shrug noncommittally. “Not much. Just a small amount from Professor Davidson’s class as it relates to architecture. Why?”

“What does folklore have to do with the little ugly stone creatures found on buildings? How does th
at explain what that screeching banshee was yapping about?” Aria asks, void of patience.

Callan laughs. “No
, you’re thinking of a grotesque. A grotesque is a stone carving that has a face resembling a monster or scary creature. A gargoyle is a human or animal face or figure.”

“I didn’t know there was a difference,” I say
derisively.

Asher gives me his signature sexy smile. “Maybe you should pay more attention to Professor Davidson’s lectures, instead of gawking at me.”

I wrinkle my nose at him.

Asher smiles at me,
his eyes twinkling before going serious. “Anyway, what if I told you gargoyles are living, breathing creatures? What if they’re perceived as noble beings, protectors of mankind and over the centuries, they have bound themselves to ensure human safety?”

Aria rolls her eyes. “I think we’d say you were certifiable.”

I just hold Asher’s eyes with mine, scanning his face. It shows nothing but sincerity.

“Gargoyles are supernatural beings in human form that protect a charge,” he says slowly so it sinks in.

“Gargoyles are protectors,” I repeat as understanding sets in.

He nods his head, biting his lip, which causes my eyes to dart to his lips. Before I get sucked into thinking how amazing his lips feel on mine, I check my hormones and scan the room, seeing everyone’s genuine faces. Realization dawns on me.

“Oh
my god. Are you telling me you’re a gargoyle?” I whisper.

Asher nods once
, afraid to speak. I exhale an uneven breath.

Aria forces out a laugh. “What?
That’s insane. Gargoyles don’t exist. Neither do vampires or werewolves or anything else supernatural, for that matter.”

Silence.

It’s Callan who breaks it. “Actually, we do exist and so do vampires, though most are nasty little leaches. Werewolves are also real. Just ask Leo.” He smirks, waiting for the fallout.

“Wait!” Aria screeches
. “Are you saying LEO is a WEREWOLF?”
There goes her calmness.

Callan nods his head and bites into a cookie, as if he said her shoes didn’t match her outfit.

Aria huffs, folds her arms, and sits back on the couch with her jaw hanging open in annoyance. She thinks for a moment. “Well, he is pretty hairy, super loyal, and very gentle,” she says in an offhanded manner.

I turn to her and shoot her an annoyed look. “What?” she asks innocently
. “For fucks sake, Eve. I just saw a screaming banshee. Gargoyles could be real. It certainly would answer many of those questions you were asking me earlier.” She changes her tune quickly with a pointed glare in my direction.

Still in shock, I return my gaze to Asher. His face
is guarded. “So, to clarify, you’re maintaining you’re a gargoyle,” I confirm.

“We
,” he motions to everyone but Aria, “are the London clan of gargoyles and members of The Royal Gargoyle Council of Protectors.”

What the fuck?
Seriously, is no one I hang out with a normal human being, I mean really?

“The London
clan is a family that has loyally protected charges from evil for centuries. All of our parents were original clan members,” Keegan explains.

“I see
.” I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.

“The first
gargoyle clan was the Rouen clan in France, tied to Archbishop Romanus. During the first war between Heaven and Hell, the gargoyles were charged with protecting humans. Unfortunately, there were a lot of causalities for our race and we almost became extinct. After the peace treaty was signed, the remaining clan members scattered all over the world and began their own clans. Our father started the London clan, Abby’s the Irish clan and McKenna’s the Scottish clan. Each clan has a particular charge, region, or calling they are to protect,” Keegan explains with formality.

“Do you take a different form or something?” I ask in disbelief.

“No, we’re always in human form. We have abilities or powers, heightened senses, and wings but other than that, everything else is the same,” Asher answers.

“Do you turn to stone?” Aria asks
with a childish innocence to her face.

Callan laughs boisterously. “Jeez
, girls, we’re supernatural beings not cartoon characters.”

Abby scolds him with her eyes. “We don’t turn to stone, but we do need to be around stone in order for our energies to recharge. It’s also why we wear stones in our jewelry or on the leather bands.”

I look around. “Is that why your home has so much stone and granite in it?”

“Yes. Granite heightens our powers and also helps us heal faster,” Asher explains
in soft tone.

I stare at him. “So you have abilities? You can heal? Did you heal
yourself from the dog attack?”

“Yes. We h
eal quickly from injury, though if it’s severe or from illness, we need to heal in a ‘stone state.’ Basically, it’s a deep sleep to help our bodies regenerate with rest.”

“Are you immortal?” I hold my breath.

Asher shakes his head. “No, we’re not immortal. Our lifespan is longer than a normal human. Partially because our chemistry slows the aging process, but on average our life cycle is about ten times as long as a human lifespan.”

“That would make you how old?” I ask
, not really wanting to know.

“I’m in my first cycle, so
almost one hundred,” he answers. “Each cycle is one hundred years. If we live a full lifetime, we can live to be one thousand years old.”

I blow out a breath.
Gross. I’m attracted to an old man. Focus on something else, Eve.

“So you can be killed?”
I inquire to change the topic.

“Yes. There are only two ways to
slay a gargoyle. The first is to penetrate their heart, which causes them to turn into stone and crumble into dust, ending their existence. The second is while in stone state. If you pierce their heart during the sleep, a gargoyle will turn to stone for eternity. However, their body and mind remains living inside the statue, essentially burying them alive.” It’s called stone petrifaction,” Asher explains with a smooth voice.

“Although
, if the gargoyle is half-demon, you have to use the Angelic Sword to pierce their heart,” Callan explains without thought.

Asher shoots him a death glare.

“Why? Making plans, blood of Eden?” McKenna asks tersely.

I
narrow my eyes at her. “I can imagine you being half-demon. It would explain a lot about your lack of persona.” I throw her a sweet smile. In return, she snorts at me.

“You sure her heart isn’t made of stone?” Aria asks Asher
, tilting her head to McKenna.

“Positive,” he confirms
, smiling.

“Your eyes glow
. I’ve noticed it on occasion,” I say to Asher, ignoring McKenna.

“Yes, as I explained earlier
, if emotions are running high, they glow. To the normal eye, it just appears as if they’re brighter, almost like contacts. We have excellent eyesight and night vision for hunting demons. Each clan has the same eye color. Obviously, ours are blue,” Asher confirms.

“We also have heightened
senses which helps us hunt demons,” Keegan continues.

“Did you hear McKenna that night in the club?” I turn to Asher.

He nods, confirming that’s why he waited for me in the hallway.

“
You said you have wings?” Aria asks.

“We have wings. They’
re not soft and large but more compact. The feathers are rough like birds, allowing us to glide rather than flap and fly. Each clan has a set color. Ours are black and are retractable. They’re only visible when we wish them to be,” he answers.

“And powers?” I whisper.

Asher moves from the coffee table to the couch. “Aside from all of us having heightened senses, we can fly, realm jump, astral project, and dream walk. Keegan is a ‘lie detector.’ He can sense when someone is not being sincere or truthful. He also has ability identification, meaning he can discern the type and strength of a supernatural gift. Kenna has the power of pheromone manipulation and energy sourcing or absorbing other’s abilities.

Callan can project visions into others’ minds making them think
something’s real. Abby can control elements: air, fire, water and earth. She also has this really cool sonic scream she can produce that sort of fogs your brain.”

I look at him. “What about you?”

“I carry the dragon spirit which allows me to sense demons, heal, and manipulate darkness or shadows. Also, I have been granted the Angelic Sword and the influence that comes with it. My gargoyle powers change depending on my assignment and who or what I need to protect.”

I tilt my head
, studying him. “Why is that?”

His face softens. “I’m not mated
. Therefore, my connections and powers change with my assignments and charges.”

Confused, I look to Aria for clarification but she just shrugs. 

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Before he can answer, Abby steps in. “Gargoyles survive in clans or families. We have affiliations with other clans and members of the councils but each family is usually just a small handful of members.

“
Once we mate, we’re bonded for life. Callan and I are mated, as are Keegan and Kenna. This allows for our emotional and physical connection to be open with one another. We can mind read, teleport, dream walk, feel the other’s sentiments, and also connect on a different level with our bonded partner. Mated partners’ powers complement and enhance each other. Callan needs my sonic scream to fog minds so he can visually project clearer. Keegan needs Kenna’s energy sourcing to decipher other’s gifts. However, you cannot connect on those planes with a charge. That’s why none of us can be your main protector. We’re just guardians. Since we’re already partnered, we would not be able to have a protector connection with you. We just protect you as sentinels.”

Aria speaks up. “So you’re like werewolves in that aspect
. Does that mean you’re married or something?”

Abby nods.
“In a way, yes, to both questions. Once you mate with a male clan member, your eyes and wings change colors to match their clan. All female gargoyles are born with light grey wings and eyes. We also receive this.” She lifts her shirt in the back and shows us her stunning, circular dragon tattoo. It’s tinted green and located on the small of her back.

Aria stands and squeals. “OMG, you have a tramp stamp?”

Abby huffs. “No, it’s a protector mate mark.”

Callan smiles proudly and takes h
is shirt off, showing us his amazing physique and his dragon tattoo. It looks like Asher’s but is shaded in with green. Abby’s is an identical miniature version of his.

“Mc
Kenna and Keegan have the same ones in red.” Abby beams.

I ponder this. “You have matching tattoos once you
’re bonded and connected, making you life partners with a physical and mental connection?”

“In a way.
It strengthens our bond to one another, allowing certain power swapping, connections, and physical pulls. There is more than just the mating ritual that goes into bond heightening but, yes, I guess you’re generalizing correctly,” Abby answers with honesty.

“What do the colors mean?” Aria asks
, fascinated.

“They symbolize our healing and strength stone. Callan and I heal faster and our powers increase around emeralds
. Keegan and McKenna use rubies and Asher’s is onyx,” she reveals.

Turning to Asher, I panic. “Holy
shit, this doesn’t mean we’re mated, does it?”

He looks hurt then angry. “No, don’t be ridiculous
. Of course, we’re not mated. By the grace, Eve,” he huffs. “In order to be bonded, you would need a matching mate mark.”