Gargoyle (Woodland Creek)(34)

Mandy chuckled quietly next to Finn. “It sounded as if you liked my brother just fine tonight.”

I cleared my throat, flicking a sheepish glance to Isaac. I clarified for him, “What I meant is I don’t like what shifters or wizards do to humans.”

His black brow lifted as he placed his left arm on the back of my chair. The heat from his flesh warmed my shoulders perfectly. “You mean trick them?”

“I mean kill them.” I waved a hand. “The tricking I understand. You need to stay hidden so the entire world doesn’t freak out. But it’s the killing of innocents that I don’t agree with.”

He hummed quietly, glancing at his mother as she warmed up our dinner. “Mom, no extra spices, please.” He wiggled his nose at her. “Kennedy does need to be aware of her surroundings.”

Mrs. Stone growled under her breath and yanked a dish out of the microwave. She tossed the food into the trashcan. “I only wanted to question her.”

“You can do that without the drugs. She’s been honest so far. I doubt that will change.”

I shut my gaping mouth. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll answer any questions you have honestly.”

She huffed…or her Gargoyle did…and lifted a knife to cut out a new piece of lasagna.

Isaac crooked his arm on the back of my chair, placing his hand on my shoulder, grabbing my attention. “So you don’t like when a shifter or wizard kills a human.”

I stared. “No.”

“What about when a hunter kills a shifter or wizard. Does that make it better?”

My blink was ever so gradual. “Hunters only kill shifters or wizards who have murdered innocent humans. There is a difference there.”

He chuckled. “That’s not entirely accurate for every hunter. But, let’s just say it is for this discussion.” His fingers dipped under the collar of my shirt and played absently with my collarbone. “Do you think all magical beings kill humans?”

I shook my head. “No. There are good wizards and shifters. Just like there are good and bad humans.”

“And what makes them bad?”

I blinked. “Uh, for you guys…temperament?”

He hummed quietly. “That’s close, in a human’s point of view. But what you’re not viewing is the shifters or wizards side. What makes us uniquely us.” He raised both brows. “Like me for example. I am a predator. How do predators act in the wild?”

“This isn’t the wild. This is Woodland Creek, Indiana.”

“Exactly. Can you imagine an actual lion set loose in our town?” He shook his head. “Honestly, the way shifters behave is far better than what it could be. We have the intelligence of a human, but the instincts of a magical being. I think what you honestly don’t like is the fact that you’re not the top of the food chain.”

My lips pinched as I glared.

He merely shrugged a shoulder. “Tell me, Kennedy. Jonathan said you had found faith recently. Was this when you found out about the people really living around you?”

I ground my teeth together. “Yes.”

“Was it because you were scared?” A black brow lifted. “Were you afraid you would die with all of the wild creatures around you?”

I snapped, “I would be stupid not to think about that.”

He nodded his head, his fingers running over my skin in a soothing brush. “So tell me again. Why do you really hate shifters and wizards?”

I tapped my own fingers on the table in irritation. “You guys still kill innocents.”

He shook his head. “It isn’t as common as you think. Any real skirmishes that end with a dead body normally have a backstory that explains the situation—more times than not. Most of our kind are good people here. We protect what is ours, and if the humans can’t keep up with a fight they start, then it is their own misfortune.”

My nose crinkled…somewhat understanding that.

“This is the world you live in, Little One. You either adapt or get left behind.”

I dug a fingernail into the wood of the table. “I still don’t like it.”

“But that’s the way it is.” He leaned down and kissed my temple gently. “And you’ve done fine so far. Especially with the knowledge you hold. No one ever came to me with the worry of a human knowing about us. You hid your gifted power well.” Another soft brush of his warm lips against my flesh. “Just like we have to hide who we are.”

I tilted my face toward him, our mouths close together. My gaze ran over his plush mouth, unable to look away. “Why do you hate humans?”

“I don’t hate them. I just find most of them to be a nuisance.”

“Because you have to hide what you are?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” I leaned forward on auto-desire-pilot. “That makes sense.”

His Gargoyle huffed quietly. “Do you hate me?”

“No. You may play too many games for my taste, but I don’t hate you.” My lips curved up at the edges. “But you already know that.”

“Yes, I do,” he whispered. His head tilted forward the rest of the way. He pressed his lips against mine, kissing me sweetly. Smooth glides of heated caresses. He eventually tipped his head back. “I don’t find you to be a nuisance either.”