Gargoyle (Woodland Creek)(36)

I stuffed another bite into my mouth and turned my gaze to Isaac. With a mouth full of awesomeness, I mumbled, “I think I got your mom’s approval.”

He snickered softly. “I think you did, too.” He nodded to my food and waggled his black brows. “Hurry up and eat. I want to get back to bed.”

Finn groaned and jumped from his chair. “Where the hell are your earbuds at?”





“Where the f*ck are you?” Rachel complained over the line. “You just disappeared and you haven’t answered any of our calls for a week!”

I held my cell phone to my ear and lifted a finger to Mandy. “Just give me a second.” Mandy nodded her head and continued flipping through the black, ancient book we were studying again. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I didn’t have my phone on me and I went out of town.” I hated lying to her but it just didn’t make sense to say I was holed up in the Mayor’s house. “I just got back into town and turned it on.” Really, Isaac had gone to my apartment and bagged up a few of my essential belongings…though I was still wearing all of his sweatpants. They were soft and comfortable.

Her exasperated huff filled my ear. “Where did you go?”

“To my grandma’s grave.” That would stop her line of questioning. “It had been a while.”

“Oh.” She paused. “I think you lost your job at the florist. They called me.”

Shit. “I had you down as an emergency contact.”

She hummed softly. “Well, do you want to meet up later? You won’t believe the news about Jackie.”

My eyes widened. “What news?”

“She has a boyfriend!” she squealed. She sped on, words just tumbling out. “The guy she slept with that night? Well, he found her and asked her out. And she said yes!”

“Oh, my God.” I smiled, hearing the glee in her voice. “What’s his name?”

“Michael something. I can’t remember his last name, but he is gorgeous!”

I laughed softly. “Good for her.”

“I know, right? Anyway, we’re going to a movie tonight. Come with us.”

My smile instantly faltered. “I can’t tonight. I’m exhausted from the trip.” I glanced at the book, praying it held the answers to our problems—soon. “Maybe next weekend?”

Rachel growled quietly under her breath, but she mumbled, “I understand. I’ll let Jackie know.”

“Thank you,” I murmured. “And tell her I’m excited to meet her new boy-toy.”

She laughed. “Will do.” A pause. “I’ve got to go. She’s calling on the other line.”

“Okay. I’ll call you later.” I hung up and placed my phone on the table. I leaned closer to Mandy, peering over her shoulder. “Find anything yet?”

She snorted. “All it talks about are silver and orange bringing permanent darkness.”

“Yeah, I read that, too.” I pulled my hair up into a ponytail. “Could it mean a shifter? There are tons of creatures that are orange.”

“But not many that are silver, too. And none that have the power to do this.”

Isaac walked into the living room, sporting a pair of running shorts and tennis shoes. His tan skin was damp with sweat. He smirked, catching me checking him out. “Did you discover anything new yet?”

“No,” I grumbled, more than grouchy on that topic. “Absolutely zilch.”

He hummed and sat behind me, pressing his heated side against mine.

My nose crinkled. “You smell like the outdoors.”

“Well, I just ran seven miles.” He chuckled softly. “You didn’t seem to mind how I looked when I walked in.”

“That was before you sat down next to me.” I pinched my nose, teasing him. “Thank goodness I don’t have a Gargoyle’s sense of smell.”

He sniffed in my direction, his lips twitching. “Ah, but I can scent how much you want me.”

Mandy grunted. Waved a hand in front of her face. “Quit flirting with her. It makes it worse.”

My jaw gaped and heat flooded my cheeks. “You guys don’t need to bring it up!”

Isaac snickered, leaning to kiss my rosy flesh. “But you blush so pretty when I do.”

I slapped at his hand creeping on my thigh. “Stop it. Or your sister will run away to smell daisies or some shit.”

Mandy choked on a laugh but didn’t glance in our direction. She did point at the page. “It says here that the owner of the book will know where to look.”

“The owner is dead, though. That doesn’t help any.” I sighed heavily.

She shook her head, peering at me. “You’re the owner of the book now.”

I stared. Blinked. “We’re even more screwed then because I have no clue.”

Her Gargoyle huffed. “Think. Where would you look?”

I snorted. “If it were shifters or wizards, I wouldn’t. You guys terrify me.”

She stared. “That doesn’t help much.”

The three of us sat silent for a full minute in thought.

“Wait…maybe it does.” My brows puckered. The wizard had said ‘When it’s time, you will hand over that knowledge.’ I lifted the book from Mandy’s hands and hesitantly turned to Isaac. Because if this worked, then what I was feeling for him was real—not just lust. I licked my lips and slowly held the book out to him. “I want you to have this.”