Chapter 6

Gage knocked on the backstage door in Brawl.

“What?” Dustin barked from inside his dressing room.

“Backstage” consisted of a long corridor drenched in shadows and a few candles from candelabras in the shape of hands on the wall circling the outside of the fighting pit, all concealed by curtains. There were three doors back here. I had no idea what was in the other two, but Gage had led me directly to the one with a punched indent in the wood.

Gage stared down at me, giving me the arched brow look that said, you sure about this?

I nodded. Because goddammit, I’d been beaten by the gargoyle so many times that having survived so far, I’d make it through this as well. And my priority was gaining freedom, not cowering in fear. Otherwise, I might as well have been dead.

“You decent? Got a visitor,” Gage called out.

“Come in already.”

Gage opened the door to a small room with stone walls. A long table sat against one end…No, it was too low to be a table. A bed perhaps, as it had a sheet over it, or maybe space for Dustin to be bandaged if wounded. Speaking of whom, the man in question lounged on a chair near a dressing table with no mirror. He had his legs propped up on another seat across from him, nearby was a small table with a bottle of what stunk like fermented prunes. Homemade vodka. He wore only baggie pants the color of sunrise, reminding me of a genie, but with the way his lips curled into a wry grin, I doubted he’d find my observation funny.

Dustin swung back a shot of the drink that reeked of poison, and I was convinced it could burn away my nose hairs if I sniffed it. He burped, and I scrunched my nose. Damn he grotesque.

“You brought me a groupie. A bit skinny for my liking, but she’ll do.” He rubbed his hands and lowered his feet to the ground.

Fire jostled through my veins. “I am not a here for your pleasure. And for your information, I’m considered medium-build.”

Dustin boomed with laughter and clapped. “I like her. She’s feisty.”

“She’s here with a proposition for you,” Gage said, squaring his shoulders, his voice deep.

“I’m all for being solicited.” He remained seated, but his lingering gaze didn’t go astray as it sailed down my body and back up, halting on my chest. I resisted the urge to cross my arms and held his stare.

“I’m not here for something like that,” I insisted. “Otherwise, I’d be talking to Gage.” I turned to Gage, and he winked my way, smirking his devilish grin. Damn, the guy had my insides twirling. “Can you leave us for a bit please?”

Dustin howled with laughter. “You heard the lady; she doesn’t want an audience.”

The corded muscles in Gage’s neck twitched, yet he didn’t move.

“I won’t be long—promise. Give us a moment alone.” I touched Gage’s forearm and gently nudged him toward the door. I’d come to the conclusion that Gage wouldn’t go far, so if Dustin pushed his luck, I’d scream for help.

“Little girl, I can promise you that I will need more than a moment. Give us an hour, Gage.” Dustin grunted like a boar, and I might have thrown up in my mouth. Eww.

Unless of course he was the world’s most gracious lover, yet somehow, I struggled to believe it. Yep, by day he slaughtered villages without a sliver of emotion, but by night, he seduced females and pleased them to the nth degree. Something wasn’t right with this picture.

“I’ll be right in the hallway.” Gage eyed me for a long moment before marching outside.

I quickly shut the door behind him and turned to the bull of a man with beady eyes, a crooked nose, and way too many scars across his bald scalp. He was someone I’d steer clear of because just the way he stared at me made me sick to my stomach.

He studied me with a confused look on his face, as if waiting for me to strip or dance for him. Not in this lifetime.

I crossed the room and sat on the chair across from him while pulling out a pouch jiggling with money from my pocket. Money I’d saved for years. How much did one pay a mercenary?

His gaze narrowed and he leaned into his chair. He placed his hands behind his head, smiling. “I won’t deny a woman the chance to pay me for the pleasure.”

“Well, this is your lucky day. Umm, no, that came out wrong.” My face burned up, and I fiddled with the cord from the money pouch. “I mean, I have money for you, and you will do a job for me.” Did I need to act tough and bargain? At the markets, I always haggled over the best price, but this wasn’t me arguing over the cost of a dress.

One of his eyes closed, as if it normally did when he thought. Maybe he’d been hit too many times in the face. “Keep talking.”

I swallowed past my dried throat and lowered my voice. “I need you to take out a gargoyle.”

“Come again?” He boomed with laughter, his hand slapping his thigh. “One of the guys put you up to this, didn’t they? Who was it? I’m gonna get him back good.”

I gritted my teeth. “Can you just pay attention? This isn’t a joke.”

“There’s no such thing as gargoyles.”

“Yes, they exist.” I raised my voice, then glanced at the door, expecting Gage to barge inside. “You have to stab the creature in the heart.” I mimicked the action, yet it worried me that this wasn’t going to work. Dustin wasn’t taking this seriously and what if he panicked when he saw the gargoyle? When he realized it wasn’t as easy as I’d made it sound? But I didn’t want him freaked out or he’d never take the job.

“Easiest money you’ll ever make.” I forced a smile.

He scratched an ear and stood up, shadowing over me like a giant who could just as easily stomp on me if he so chose. I held back a shiver at his overbearing size. “I don’t work with myths. You’re wasting your time.” Dustin strode to the bed where a rack of clothing hung, and he reached for a cloak. “Now unless you’re here to suck my cock, fuck off.”

I cringed but held back my response and stormed after him. “All the legends are true. I’ve seen one myself.” I shoved the bag of rattling money against his arm. “One hundred gold coins is on offer. Think of how many girls you could hire with this. Your own harem. Maybe you won’t need to fight here anymore.”

His attention stayed on the bag of coins despite his frown. “I like fighting.”

“Okay, fine, keep the job, but who doesn’t need more money, right?”

He nodded, and I stuffed the purse back into the pocket of my pants, bulging like I concealed a ball.

“I’ll make an agreement with you,” I said. “If I can’t show you the gargoyle is real, I’ll suck your dick.” That time bile hit the back of my throat from disgust, and I swallowed past it. “But if I’m right, you kill it and get the coins. Win-win if you ask me.” I gripped my hips and lifted my chin, though I’d never let Dustin touch me. Sometimes showing confidence was half the trick to winning jobs. I’d learned that with getting people to help my clients with their problems. Like the time I’d convinced a cunning fox shifter to part with some of his tail hairs for a sorcerer. Two unrelated people whom I’d brought together. The magician had gotten the last ingredient for the healing spell for his daughter, and the fox shifter had gained a spell to help him run faster than any wolf chasing him down.

Dustin swiveled his chin from left to right and snatched my arm. He reached out for me with such swiftness, I lost my breath and iced over, and I gritted my teeth.

“Get off me.” I pushed against his chest, but it was like trying to move against a mountain.

“Girl, you make a fool of me and I find there’s no creature, you’ll do more than suck me off.” His large nose scrunched, lips peeled back over yellow teeth.

My insides curdled like milk, and everything about Dustin repelled me. But I couldn’t lose this challenge. “Agreed.” I wriggled out of his grasp. “Now let’s go,” I hissed.

He swung the cape over his shoulders. “Got a few more fights first. Then we leave.”

I huffed, and a sinking sensation rattled through me. I wanted to get this done now. “How long will that take?”

“I finish around dawn.”

“No, that won’t work.” I paced in a circle now. “That’s too late. We have to be there to do this before sunrise.” I clasped my hands to my stomach.

You’re cutting it too short. Forget this plan.

“What about tomorrow? Can you finish earlier?” I asked, hating my pleading voice.

“No can do.” He reached over and tenderly cupped my face, as if we had a thing going on, and trust me, nothing would ever happen between us. “Tomorrow I leave for Utaara realm, as I’ve been hired by the sultan as his personal guard for a few weeks.”

Scenario after scenario whirred through my mind. I had the perfect man to take down the gargoyle within a tiny window of time. And sure, I could find someone else, but how long would it take to track down a person with precision knife skills and brawn? I didn’t want to wait for weeks either because what if Dustin never returned or something happened to him? Nope, I couldn’t pass on this opportunity.

“Okay, fine, we do it tonight. I’ll wait in the audience. But if you want this job, we need to leave way before dawn. Or no deal.”

“Girl, such things can’t be rushed. There’s a method to my approach.” He refilled his shot glass and swung it back.

I rubbed the ache settling across my temples, not interested to get into the mind of a killer or understand his so-called methods. “Let’s just focus on you finishing your fights quickly, okay?”

“For you”—he adjusted his package, and I gagged—“I’ll try.” He headed out of the room, and I followed, finding Gage farther down the corridor arguing with another wrestler, Gage’s arms flailing about. Good. He hopefully hadn’t heard our conversation. But I now had to wait for the meathead to finish his fights.

***

“Run.” I glanced over my shoulder at Dustin.

He marched behind me down the narrow track in the woods, not seemingly in a rush, and I suspected this was his normal pace. “Why rush? I finished my last fight early for you.”

Branches and leaves rustled around us through the night, and sunrise wasn’t too far away. Prickles hadn’t coated my arms yet, but they would soon once the sun rose. Around us, darkness permeated the woods, and only the occasional sliver of moonlight illuminated the track. But I knew exactly where we were. Not far now from my home.

“I appreciate it, but we don’t have much time. The gargoyle comes to life at sunrise, and you need to be in place to stab it just as it comes alive if you want to defeat it.”

He sighed. “Girl, no one will defeat me. Now you sure you know where you’re going? Aren’t the haunted ruins this way? Or are you into kinky shit? Because I’m up for it.”

“Just zip it and keep moving. This is the right place.” I picked up my pace, and his footfalls closed in after me.

You sure you can trust him?

“Not really.” But at the edge of the woods surrounding the ruins, he seized my wrist and wrenched me backward. I gasped and pivoted on the balls of my feet as he shoved me up against a tree, his body so close, I inhaled his gross perspiration. Shadows concealed his face…all except his teeth from his open mouth grin. He revolted me.

“Don’t think I forgot your promise. No gargoyle and you’re mine for the day.”

Liar. That was never the arrangement.

“Sorry to disappoint, but you may want to look to your right.”

And the moment he did, the shift in his posture switching from proud and stiff to slacking. In the distance stood the stone tower. Moonlight lit up the gargoyle crouched on the roof.

Dustin didn’t say a word, but I slid under his arm and rushed into the open area. “Are you satisfied now?”

He pointed to the tower, teasing me with his glare. “You want me to assassinate a statue?”

“Don’t be a dumbass. He comes to life once the sun rises. Now let’s get moving.”

“Something’s wrong with you, right? I heard Gage say you weren’t fully there, but this is crazy shit.”

I twisted around as he tapped the side of his head. “He said that?” Asshole. Now I didn’t feel so guilty for slipping out of the club without saying goodbye. Back in the club, Gage had jumped in to stop a fight between two men. It could have been over anything, like money owed, someone had stepped on someone else’s foot, or someone had said the wrong thing. Fights at Brawl happened most nights between spectators.

Next time we see him, jab Gage with your dagger.

“Shut up with the stabbing.” I glanced up at Dustin, who smirked, as if I were proving his point.

He laughed loudly and explosively, like a sprung leak in the pipes in my tower. His mocking tone raked claws down my back, but whatever. He wasn’t the first person to laugh at me, nor would he likely be the last. “So how do we reach this gargoyle?” he asked.

While normally, I let people drown in their own sarcasm, taking too much satisfaction when I proved them wrong, I didn’t have the liberty with Dumballs here. “Listen, we’re climbing up the wall to defeat a monster, so you need to get your head focused. The moment he awakens, he’ll try to crush your skull in a heartbeat. So be ready.”

“Ahem. So are we going inside the tower? Is that where you live?”

I exhaled loudly. “Are you listening to me? You’ll have seconds before the gargoyle comes to life, its stone exterior will morph into smaller stones, so you must slam the blade into a gap between the rocks just above his heart. That will kill it. Okay?”

Dustin studied the tower with big goofy eyes, and I grabbed his arm, forcing him into a walk.

“Now there’s really just one rule you must know. If you don’t kill the gargoyle in time and it comes after you, run. Don’t stop to fight or try to protect me. Just run for your life. Understood?”

“Why would you live out here? It’s creepy as shit. What kind of sex games are you into ’cause I want some of that.”

“Listen to me,” I snapped. “Kill this gargoyle, and I’ll tell you about my entire life story. Sound good?” Doubt flooded me. If he couldn’t concentrate, would he react fast enough when the sun climbed over the horizon? Maybe I was mistaken. I should’ve spent more time explaining the situation to him back at fight club. Make him understand this wasn’t a game or me leading him to a sexy dungeon for playtime.

“Deal. Plus, you’ll show me your tits.”

I didn’t warrant that with a response, and I clenched my jaw. By the time we reached the tower, Dustin still smirked and eyed me as if he were about to be fed ambrosia. I curled my hand into a ball, tempted to smack it into his face.

“Follow my lead,” I said. “There are grooves in the wall for your fingers and toes.”

I scaled the wall as I did most mornings. Halfway up, the familiar prickling danced down my arms. “The sun’s almost here,” I called out. “Hurry.”

Behind me, Dustin climbed, and despite his size, he moved with swiftness. At the window, I spotted Gingernuts watching me with intrigue. He hissed at Dustin.

The roof had only a gentle slant going upward to a pointed tip in the center. I lifted myself up, gripping the gutter, and pushed one leg up alongside my hands and then the other. I crawled forward and stood up. Dustin followed suit.

The gargoyle perched on its hind legs in the middle of the roof next to the weathervane, its wings tucked behind its back, its wide eyes and ears upright, as if listening for any sounds. It was as tall as Dustin but wider.

“Fuck, it’s high up here.” Dustin stood alongside me, sweat beading on his brow. “Didn’t look so tall from down below.” His shoulders curled forward.

I rushed to the gargoyle’s back. “Suck it up and help me push him to the ground.”

“What the fuck for? I thought I was just stabbing the thing, and then I was getting a go with you.” He smirked my way as he rocked his groin toward me.

“Double eww. Anyway, do you want to face off with this thing up here? We get it down and then you do your stuff.”

His nose creased and already the orange glow of sunlight smeared the horizon. “What if we smash it?”

“Just get here already and help me. And you think I haven’t already thrown him off before? It never smashes no matter what I do.” Together we wedged the statue from his position, the stone screeching, sliding along the roof.

My pulse raced, and I drove all my weight behind my shoulder. Last time, it had taken me half a night to get him off the roof. But Dustin put his back into it and the gargoyle slid forward.

The familiar itch raced across my scalp, and I panicked. “Oh shit. The sun’s here. Change of plans. Get ready to stab it.”

“Damn, you’re one crazy bitch. You better make it worth my while.”

But just as his words died, the rock beneath my palms shifted.

“Hurry!” I yelled as my head itched to insanity.

“What the fuck? And what’s happening to your hair?” His face paled as he recoiled.

I grabbed the dagger from my boot and pressed it to his hand as my growing hair hit my shoulders. “Stab him as soon the gap appears above his heart!”

But Dustin flinched back, his eyes bulging as he gawked at the gargoyle shifting from solid rock to a creature made up of a myriad of stones, grating against each other as they shifted across the body.

“Do it!” I bellowed, wringing my hands.

Dustin stiffened at first, then launched himself forward, his knife poised for attack. The moment felt like a lifetime—the sun beamed behind us. I held my breath, unable to move.

The gargoyle jerked around. Dustin wavered and slowed. The creature’s clawed hand snatched him by the throat and tossed him off the roof. His yells pierced the night. And just like Reed, Dustin was gone.

I screamed, my heart pummeling in my chest as the monster who’d tortured me for years pivoted in my direction, its wings spread wide and its mouth gaped open, revealing sharpened teeth.

My knees wobbled beneath me, and I lost my footing. I slid and flew off the ledge, praying death collected me before the gargoyle would.