Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
“Well, hello!” She beamed, bright red lips pulling into a wide smile. She crossed the grass to us with the confidence of a linebacker, even though she was all of five feet tall. Her gaze swept over us before landing on me. “Oh, my gosh. Is this…” She looked back and forth between Ulric and me. “Well, don’t stand there with your mouth hanging open. Introduce me, Ulric!”
“Oh. Uh…right.” Ulric hastened my way, setting down his suitcase as he did so. “Mom, this is Jessie Ironheart, the alpha of this house and territory. And this is Austin Steele, the original alpha of the shifter territory and Jessie’s enforcer of the house. Alphas, this is my mom, Patty. A little late, as usual.”
“Hello!” Patty reached out for my hand and pumped it eagerly. “So amazing to meet you. A real female gargoyle, huh? I always dreamed that I’d suddenly find out I was a female gargoyle. I hoped and wished and— But no, just a gargoyle’s daughter.” She laughed and turned to Austin. “My goodness. When Ulric said the alpha shifter of these parts was powerful, he didn’t do you justice. I can feel the alpha in you. Usually, I don’t with shifters. You’ll do splendidly as her mate. Yes, oh, yes, you’ll be just fine.”
“Mom, where have you been?” Ulric asked.
“Oh, here and there. I met this wonderful lady on the way, and we got to talking. Well, she’d heard of a female gargoyle, of course. Everyone has. But she didn’t believe it. She just did not believe a female gargoyle was not born but made.” She lowered her head and looked at us from under her lashes. “You know the mages have tried that in the past, right? Mages.” She shook her head and tsked. “Well, I told her all about the house and the original female—that’s what I’m calling her, so it’s easy to grasp—and repeated stories I’d heard from Ulric. She so kindly asked that I meet their cairn leader, and I said of course!” She put her hand to the side of her mouth. “He is very influential. I won’t tell you who it was because I swore I wouldn’t—they want to save face for not believing—but expect a nice connection request from them. Anyway, another large cairn was pretty close by, and I’ve met the cairn leader’s mate before, so I figured I would stop in. We had a nice chat, and I found out they’ve already sent their connection request. I told them I’d put in the good word for them.”
She gave me a look that said she was talking out of her butt on that one.
“And then I got the message from Ulric about the business you all had to attend to, so I figured I’d call on my good friend Vanessa. Her mate is a grizzled old fool, but he has excellent connections. A lot of status. That’s the only reason she mated someone twenty years older and with the personality of a leather boot. Well…that and the money, but you didn’t hear that from me. She was glad for all the gossip, so I piled her high with it. All good stuff, of course. It’ll make us look good. Well, I finally got here, only to see the place overrun with gnomes.” She gave me a concerned look. “Do you have any idea of the infestation you have here?”
“I apologize.” Edgar slunk closer. “That is my fault. I have asked repeatedly to be retired.”
“Good night.” Patty yanked her elbow away from Edgar. “Are you a vampire? I thought they killed vampires that got as old as you?”
“We’re working on it, believe me,” Niamh drawled.
“Well, anyway, I think I’ve got them on the run, don’t you worry.” Ulric’s mom patted me, side-eyeing Edgar again. “Are you sure you want a vampire this old within your proximity? They can be quite dangerous. They get a little…” She made a circle with her finger around her temple. “Then they forget the difference between friend and foe and just bite anything they see.”
“Mom,” Ulric groaned.
“Well, be that as it may, let’s head inside.” She turned and looped her arm with mine. “You must be exhausted. I want to hear all about the journey. Basajaunak, huh? My goodness. I didn’t think any of them were around anymore. I haven’t seen one in…forever. A very long time. I can’t wait to meet one. I hear they’re very scary. From the rumors, I don’t think I’d chase one off the property with a bat. No, no. I’d need something bigger for that job.”
She laughed again, and I was too awestruck to say anything.
The door opened when we got there, and I saw that the little table by the door had been moved back somewhat and doilies covered almost every surface.