Page 15 of Kiss of Embers
Across the clearing, the gargoyle maintained his protective posture, his wing flared in front of my female. In some dim corner of my mind, it occurred to me that ripping the gargoylelimb from limb was probably a bad idea. But he’d stepped between me and my mate.
Unforgivable.
Noise swelled around me, the demon’s shouts mixing with snarling male voices. My blood pumped faster, possessiveness gripping me.So many males.Too many to fight, even with Struan at my side. They could take our female from us.
The chatter increased, along with the commotion on the platform.
The demon strode to the edge. “This competition can’t begin until I have order!”
Someone in the crowd snickered. “Give the man his order already. He’s going to stroke out.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd, followed by someone yelling, “Oy, Bolveg, you want fries or onion rings?”
A woman’s voice rose above the din. “I saidno, Brader, and I meant it!”
The gargoyle swung around, giving me a clear look at my woman and the blond man. She glared up at him, two spots of color on her cheeks. The man’s jaw tightened. My woman gave him a final, withering look and then turned away.
He grabbed her arm.
The world dissolved. Wind whistled in my ears, and then I gripped the man by the throat. His blue eyes widened above my hand, and his voice emerged as a strangled yelp.
“What the—?” He clawed at my hand. “You’re…a…dragon.”
“No shite.”
“But…” The man wheezed as his face went from red to purple. A human would have already been unconscious. The man’s immortal strength and stamina allowed him to continue fighting my grip. “You…channeled.”
“Aye. I’m my mother’s boy, too. You should learn to keep your hands to yourself,wolf, lest I remove them.”
He kicked at my shins. “Put…me…down.”
“I think not.”
Footsteps sounded behind me, and then Struan was at my side. Anger flowed off him as he studied the flailing male. “I think you should remove his tongue first. His voice irritates me.”
The werewolf gave another clumsy kick. He was weakening, his voice going reedy. “Fuck…you.”
I tightened my grip. The wolf’s face turned an interesting shade a blue. For a moment, I considered snapping his neck. It wouldn’t kill him. But it would shut him up for a day or two.
The scent of apple blossoms flowed around me, and then my female stepped into view.
“Put him down!” she ordered, authority ringing in her voice. Her eyes were a soft brown, and her lips were plump and pink. Her breasts rose and fell rapidly, her nipples taut under her tight-fitting shirt.
The gargoyle stood just behind her, his expression wary as he looked from me to Struan to the female he seemed determined to protect. After a second, the gargoyle’s nostrils flared, and understanding flooded his gaze.
“Zara,” he rasped. “We have a problem.”
“I know,” she snapped without looking at him. “Let me handle it.”
Lust crackled through my veins. Beside me, Struan moaned, and I might have laughed if not for the werewolf dangling from my grip. Nothing got Struan hotter than being bossed around. Aye, he was going to enjoy the hell out of our pretty mate.
Assuming she accepted us. The thought made another sucker punch of possessiveness slam into me. My instincts screamed at me to grab her and run. To carry her off to a place where Struan and I could woo her properly.
The gargoyle touched her shoulder. “No, Zara. This problem is bigger than Brader.”
Confusion flickered in her eyes. She turned her head enough to meet the gargoyle’s stare. “What do you mean?”
The pudgy, spectacle-wearing demon from the platform shoved his way through the crowd. He huffed as he stopped a short distance away, his sweaty face etched with alarm.