Gargoyle Sighted: The Vortex Series Read online

  “No worries, Lucy. Are you heading out?”

  “Oh, yes ma’am. Got a hot date with a guy from my apartment building.”

  Cassie laughed. “Well, I wish you good luck. Do you need me to walk you to your car?”

  Lucy seemed to ponder the question for a second, then she smiled and waved Cassie off.

  “No, I’m fine. I’m right out front.”

  Cassie nodded, then pushed through the doors. She stood out in the autumn night, taking in the delightful breeze. Putting her hands in her pockets, she made her way down the block, heading home. Cassie was about three blocks away from her place when the delicious smells coming from a food cart caught her attention. Realizing how hungry she was, she stopped to grab something. It only took her a few moments to scarf down the food, then continue on her way with a full stomach. Her eyes darted up and down the street. She suddenly realized it was too quiet. The sense that someone was watching her crept up her back, and the closer she drew to the alleyway ahead, the stronger the feeling grew.

  She stood at the entrance to the alley, looking down at the black void. All she could see was a large dumpster and a few smaller trash cans littered throughout the area. But the feeling of being watched didn’t go away. A deep growl echoed off the stone walls. Cassie reached for her gun, hoping she was just being paranoid. Clicking and something that sounded like scraping nails grew louder as her breath caught in her lungs. Her gun was in her hands before she knew it, and Cassie slowly entered the alleyway. You know this is how stupid women get killed in horror flicks, you dumbass, she thought. She drew closer to the dumpster. Leaning over, she peered inside to see if anything was there. Nothing.

  Bang!

  Cassie jumped, turning around to see a trash can flying into the wall.

  “Who’s there? Come out, I’m a police officer!” Movement caught her eye to the left. She turned to see a gray tail rise onto the nearby fire escape. Slowly, Cassie looked up, and her eyes locked on a dark mass sitting above her. Red eyes stared down at her. She gulped. Her mouth dried up instantly. What the hell is that thing? The creature or man—she couldn’t tell which—smiled, and large white fangs reflected the moon's light. Cassie freaked out, letting her feet take control. She didn’t care if her mind was playing games on her. Cassie sprinted the last two blocks to her apartment, charged up the stairs, slammed the door shut behind her, and turned every lock into place. Her breath was ragged from the exertion. She walked to her chair and threw herself into it. Looking down at her hand, she realized she was still gripping her gun. She’d been so afraid; she hadn’t thought to holster it. But that didn’t matter then. She was home behind closed doors and safe. At least that was what she thought.

  Chapter Seven

  Garrick

  Garrick crouched near the roof’s edge. He looked out over the quiet street to the small apartment below him. The woman from the street was viewable through the patio doors. She was sitting in her chair, holding her gun in her hand. Her long, chocolate-colored hair flowed over her shoulders. He soaked in every twitch of her body like it was air he needed to breathe. She was gorgeous to look upon. Even in the alley's darkness, she’d taken his breath away.

  Get your head in the game! Garrick shook his head hard, trying to clear his thoughts. The girl wasn’t the reason he was there, let alone in the city. He was after a far greater prize. His men had been scouring the city for a renegade gargoyle for the last several weeks. They had gotten close a few times to snagging the culprit, but the rascal kept slipping away. Today, after four nights of searching, he’d caught the gargoyle’s scent again. He just wasn’t sure why it was on this girl. She wasn’t a gargoyle; she was far from it. At least that’s what he thought. But his gut told him to follow her. Garrick trusted his gut more than anything, and his gut said to monitor the girl. She might be the key to finding this renegade.

  The girl stood up, stretched her long, slender torso, then walked through a door out of his line of sight. Garrick growled deeply, wondering what she was doing. Several minutes passed before she reentered the living space wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and a white tank top. He could see every curve on her glorious body. Gulping, he shook his head again. You need to stop this. It isn’t like you can have her, anyway. She’s a human, and it is forbidden. The longer Garrick sat there, the more he wished he could reach out and touch her. After letting thoughts of her infiltrate his mind one more time, he gave up. Best get back to the guys to report. Once he was sure he wouldn’t forget her address, he jumped into the night sky.

  His wings stretched out from his back and billowed in the wind. Streetlights passed in a blur below him as he made his way to the Brooklyn area. Once he spotted the old, run-down apartment complex they were using for their base, he swooped low and landed on the roof. Garrick’s claws dug into the brick surface, leaving small craters as he walked. He pulled his wings in close to his form, then passed through the rooftop entrance. The stairs were a pain to navigate with his large, clawed feet. But soon he found himself on the second level of the building. His eyes took in the small hallway that had six doors, three on each side. Two doorways were missing their doors, while one had its door still clinging to its hinges. The last door on the right drew his attention. A bright light spread across the floor from beneath the door. Making his way down the hall, he snatched the door handle in his clawed hand and flung it open. Voices echoed out into the hall as he took in the small group of gargoyles sitting within.

  “Well, it looks like our leader has finally graced us with his presence,” said Deryn.

  Garrick growled, showing his fanged teeth. Deryn grinned, flashing his fangs right back. He jumped to the edge of his seat, looking Garrick up and down.

  What is he so eager about? Garrick wanted to smack the smile off Deryn’s boyish face, but let it slide. He was always making sly comments and trying to be the joker. Deryn’s brown body shifted as his wings made room for Garrick to sit on the sofa next to him. Lucien was too deep in thought over his small laptop to take notice of the banter going on between the two. Garrick sat with a thud. The poor couch groaned under the weight of the winged men. Deryn chuckled and mumbled something to himself. Garrick didn’t catch it and thought it better to leave it alone.

  “So, what did you two find out on patrol?”

  Lucien’s copper-toned hands stopped mid-click. “Patrol?” His eyes turned towards Garrick like he’d just seen him for the first time. Garrick was two seconds from smacking the guy back to reality when he blinked. His eyes shifted and realization filled his expression. “Oh, right, the patrol? I found nothing. It’s like this gargoyle just disappeared without a trace.”

  Garrick turned his attention to Deryn’s compact figure next to him. Deryn just shrugged. “I got bubkes.”

  Then all eyes were on Garrick as he contemplated his response. He didn’t even know what he’d found but thought it best to share with the group. The way their eyes glazed over with excitement, he got the feeling they were like eager children waiting for a bedtime story. They were just dying to hear if he’d succeeded where they had failed.

  “I might have found something.”

  Lucien and Deryn looked at him with exhilaration. They were ready to hear what their leader had to say. The only sad part was Garrick didn’t really know how to say it. Every time his gut went into play, everyone thought he was crazy. But his gut always turned out to be right.

  “What exactly did you find, boss?” Lucien asked, tapping his nail on the desk.

  “A girl with the gargoyle’s scent on her.”

  Both Lucien's and Deryn’s eyes widened in surprise. They looked at each other, and Garrick could see the gears turning in their heads.

  “You don’t think…” Lucien began before Garrick interrupted.

  “No, there has been no inter-species mingling. The scent of the girl is too weak. She knows the gargoyle in passing or has been around him for a period.”

  “Hmm…what does this mean, then?” Lucien asked, turning back to his computer.

  “Not sure, but my gut…”

  “Your gut! Oh crap, we’re in for it now,” Deryn barked out laughing.

  Lucien turned faster than a bullet and backhanded Deryn over the side of the head.

  “Ow, that hurt!”

  “Good, now shut your mouth and listen. We don’t need your smart-ass behavior—we have a job to do. And Garrick’s gut has never been wrong before. Got it?”

  Deryn smirked, holding his head. He nodded in agreement, then turned his dark brown eyes on Garrick, waiting for him to continue. Garrick rolled his eyes and began.

  “My gut tells me the girl is the key to finding the renegade. I just don’t know who it is or how she knows him. Which means we have to do some recon and try to figure out this girl’s every move.”

  “Do you know where the girl lives?” Lucien asked, while typing away on the computer once more. He was filling out a report to send back to the base. Garrick didn’t enjoy having nothing good to report back, but he had no choice. He just hoped this girl was the lead he was hoping for.

  “Yes, I followed her back to her apartment. Once you finish up your report, I can take you there.”

  Deryn squirmed next to Garrick without saying a word. Garrick pretended not to notice, but he had the feeling that Deryn was eager to get out of there. It was far too cramped in that small living space for three full-grown gargoyles. Their wings and tails took up half the space on their own, and the poor couch was seconds from breaking apart under their three massive bodies. Clicking continued for a short period until Lucien shut the laptop and placed it safely in a hidden bag beneath the coffee table he’d been working on. Squaring his shoulders, he got to his feet and stretched, running his claws along the ceiling.

  “I don’t know about you two, but I’m ready for a night out on the town. Perhaps we can go find this girl and stretch our wings.”

  “Yes, finally!” Deryn said, jumping from his spot on the couch.

  Garrick shook his head, then stood. His wings once again trailed behind him as he took the lead. “God, I can’t wait to get out of this dirt hole. My wings are so cramped up. I don’t know why you have to take so dang long on your reports when there is nothing to even share.”

  Lucien only grumbled as he followed Garrick up the stairs. On each pass, the stairs seemed to fall away in chunks as their clawed feet dug into them. Soon there wouldn’t be any stairs to use to get back up to the roof. Garrick grunted, swinging open the rooftop door and walking out into the moonlight. He took a deep breath and enjoyed the sweet smell of the autumn winds. The other two came out grumbling. They stretched and waited for him to jump into the sky to show them the way. His tail twitched, sliding a loose brick away from him. With a deep sigh, he launched himself into the sky once again. He veered to the right and headed back toward the girl’s apartment. Everything blurred beneath him as his two companions followed close behind. As the streetlights disappeared and her apartment came into view, he wondered if he would get another glance at the beautiful woman before the sun came up and they had to go back into hiding.

  Chapter Eight

  Cassie

  Cassie pulled a white tank top down over her head. She walked to her vanity, snatched up her hair, and pulled it into a ponytail. Once ready for the night, she jumped into bed and snuggled deep down into the covers. She smiled to herself. The warmth seeped into her body and all her worries disintegrated. Cassie’s eyes drooped as sleep slowly crept up on her. Then she fell into the darkness...

  ***

  Cassie awoke, lying on a hard surface. She felt around her and realized it was concrete. “Where the heck am I?” She sat up and took in her surroundings. Somehow, she had found herself on a bridge—lying in the middle of it, to be exact. A grunt escaped her lips as she hoisted herself to her feet. Gravel dug into her feet, making her wince in pain.

  A horn suddenly blasted, scaring the hell out of her. Cassie looked up to see a pair of headlights coming straight at her. She jumped to the side of the road near the guardrail to get out of the way. The car barreled past her, its driver angrily honking the horn. Equally irritated, she flipped them the bird, then took a moment to collect herself. Everything seemed to be intact as she dusted off all the dirt from the road.

  “How did I get here?”

  Cassie circled around, watching the fog swirl in off the bay. The water crashed into the rocks below with such power it took her breath away. The sound had an ominous quality as it rose from the darkness, sending chills down her spine. From what she could see, she was on the outskirts of the city. The bridge looked familiar. “I wish I could see in this blasted fog!” The wind picked up, blowing the surrounding fog until her eyes locked onto a sign. She moved closer to read it. “King Center Bridge. This is the bridge just three blocks from my apartment.” That meant the main road was only about thirty feet away.

  She stepped forward to head in the sign's direction when something else caught her attention. Someone was faintly whistling a tune. She turned from the bridge’s handrail to look down the street. A dark shadow was coming towards her. The shape seemed familiar, but she couldn’t get a clear view through the fog. As the person got closer, Cassie saw something flash on his shoulder. It was a police badge, and the guy was in uniform. “Why is a cop walking out in the fog by himself?” She squinted to see better, recognition finally hitting her as Max stepped out of the fog and into the light of the streetlamps.

  “What the hell is Max doing here?”

  She waved at him, but he didn’t respond. He looked directly at her and continued to whistle his soft tune. “Why can’t he see me?” Cassie flung her arms up over her head and screamed at the top of her lungs, “Max!”

  Bright lights broke through the fog as an SUV barreled in Max’s direction. Tires squealed to a halt, causing the vehicle to do a half circle in front of Max. His smile disappeared as he took in the SUV before him. Cassie tried to get a better view of who was in the vehicle, but she was on the opposite side. The doors opened and three strangers jumped out. They walked around the vehicle to stand in front of Max.

  Cassie slipped between the vehicle’s nose and the guardrail to get a better view of the perps. The three men were drastically different, but all dressed in black attire. The guy standing in the back was huge—about 6’2 or 6’3. Cassie had to crane her head back to take him all in. The look in his eyes seemed kind of distant, like he didn’t have too much going on upstairs. “He is just the muscle,” she thought. She watched as Max eyeballed each guy without his smile faltering once on his perfect lips.

  “What do you want?” Max asked.

  The man in the center stepped forward and laughed, holding his hands open wide before him. He wasn’t as bulky as his two companions, but he seemed to be the ringleader. Cassie thought she was definitely going to watch out for that one. He took one step forward, looking over his shoulders before he spoke.

  “Look what we got here, boys… A mangy wolf out all by himself.”

  “Wolf? What the hell is he talking about? There is no wolf here.” Cassie looked around, trying to spot the fury creature with no success. Max’s body language shifted from relaxed to tense in seconds. Cassie looked at him as he clenched his hands into fists.

  “What do you want?” Max growled.

  The ringleader smiled, flashing his teeth. His eyes grew darker as Cassie looked on from the sidelines. Sandy blond hair fell into his eyes, which he quickly swept back to clear his vision. Cassie felt the tension growing between them. She didn’t know what these guys wanted. All she knew was it wasn’t good for Max.

  “You don’t know who we are, do you, Wolf?”

  Max glared at the men, his eyes darting from one to the other, making sure they didn’t move. Cassie wasn’t certain, but Max seemed to sniff the air like some kind of hound. “What in the world is he doing?”

  “Warlocks,” Max sneered.

  Clap. Clap. Clap.

  Cassie turned her attention from Max back to the men. The man in charge had a smile on his boyish face as he continued to applaud Max. A flash of light reflected in his eyes and Cassie knew something was about to happen.

  “Looks like we got some spunk in this one, boys. Let's hope he doesn’t disappoint.”

  She watched in astonishment as he pulled out a whip from beneath his long coat. He let the tail slip to the ground with a soft plunk as he gripped the handle. A chuckle escaped his lips.

  “Let’s see what you're made of, you abomination.”

  Max shifted his weight, taking on a defensive stance. His foot slipped back as he braced himself. Cassie’s breath caught in her throat.

  “Slacëa!”

  In the blink of an eye, the whip came alive, zipping across the distance like a serpent striking at its prey. Max dashed out of the way, dodging each strike as it landed. He moved left, then right, staying one step ahead. Moments passed as Max’s motions blurred into each other. Cassie found herself shocked at how fast he could move. The sound of leather slapping against concrete filled her ears, as her sharp eyes caught the third man pulling out a gun from his leg strap. He aimed and waited.

  Cassie screamed out, “Max!” His footing slipped as the whip wrapped around his ankle, immobilizing him. His eyes darted up as he looked into the barrel of the gun.

  BANG.

  Max dropped to the ground with a loud thud. Cassie ran to his side. His body convulsed and jerked where it lay on the ground. She reached out toward his chest and tried to steady him, but he couldn’t seem to see or feel her. Cassie ripped open his shirt to inspect the bullet wound. Black lines spread from the bullet hole, extending throughout his body. The lines snaked their way up his neck and onto his face. Blood gushed from his mouth all over her shirt. His eyes turned red and blood ran down his face. Max screamed out in pain, slamming his head back against the ground multiple times. Tears ran down Cassie’s cheeks as she watched her partner suffer. She pleaded with God to spare him. Then the most horrific sound hit her. Laughter. “Who the hell would laugh at this?” She turned to see the three men without names laughing their heads off at Max’s pain. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She never had understood how someone could enjoy the act of killing another. The way Max was dying was especially horrid—she’d seen nothing like it in all her years as a police officer.