Blackstone Manor Box Set

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Early the next evening, still too soon to be venturing out, Io paced his room. Normally he found comfort in his personal space, all of his favorite things stashed away within. Well, most of his favorite things, there was one specific beam of light that lit up his whole world, the one that held the key to his heart, and if he could get that guy back to his room…Io sighed, checking his watch more for something to do than because he needed it to tell time. Every few passes he would stop and glare at the closed door, willing it to open.

Time was wasting.

And with every second that ticked by he grew more impatient.

The big party for the alpha would be taking place in a couple of hours and Io fretted about the ability to get his gift. He chewed his bottom lip, hands clasped behind his back as he verged on waring a path in the floor. Giving presents wasn’t considered a high priority so much as being there, presence counted for everything. But Io wanted to do something special for the one person that meant the world to him all while making a declaration of his love.

“Maybe you’re crazy,” he muttered. He sank onto his bed, deflated, doubt filtering in and swirling around him. “He’s never going to want me. Why would he when he has the beautiful Ran’imy at his side? He probably doesn’t even realize that I exist. I’m just another one of the mindless drones, nothing more.”

Io buried his face in his hands, fighting back the urge to cry. That was the sort of thing best left for places far more private than a small room in a vast mansion.

Where anyone might walk in on him.

Except, obviously, for the person on which he waited.

As though reading his mind there was a resounding knock on the door. Io practically jumped across the room to answer, yanking the door open. He grabbed the person outside, there was a startled yelp, and dragged them inside, shutting them in. Perhaps his eagerness had been a touch too much as his guest spiraled into his bed, landing heavily.

“What gives?” Daisy asked, sitting there with her knees pressed together, her legs askew.

With one finger she pushed her glasses back up her nose. Definitely something she wore for effect because all gargoyles had perfect vision, unless of course they’d been maimed or such in a battle. The pink sparkly frames matched perfectly with her ankle length peasant skirt and buttoned up blouse. Not for the first time Io wondered if she ever cut loose and had fun, just once let down her long brown hair instead of shoving and twisting it into a bun.

“Sorry, but what I have to ask you is very important,” he replied, keeping his voice low. “You are an archivist and I was wondering…” For some reason he felt his nerve waver. What he was about to ask may very well be against a long list of rules and if anyone higher up found out about it, his goose would be cooked. “Daisy, I need you to swear you won’t say a word to anyone about the stuff we discuss in here.”

She fixed her posture, smoothing her skirt over her lap. When she looked up at him she stared with wide eyed innocence. “Are you going to ask me to break the rules, Io?”

He could sense her fear simmering between them, but was that a light undercurrent of curiosity he sensed as well? “Please, can you just promise?”

Daisy gave his request considerable thought, never having been the sort to just jump in with both feet. No, she was the sort that wanted to test the water, make sure everything was just right before she even dipped in so much as a toe. Cautious to a fault, he often thought, whatever that meant. One of these nights he was going to take her out to see the sights, he couldn’t even recall the last time he heard her speak of leaving the mansion. Then again, the fact she sat before him at least killed the rumor that she never left the library.

Finally, she sighed, giving a firm nod of her head. “Pathetic as it may be to some, you are my only true friend around here, Io. Nobody else has ever gone out of their way to help me find a book or to have dinner with me among the stacks.” She smiled warmly at him. “How may I be of service?”

Io crossed the room and settled at her side, lowering his tone until he was practically whispering. “I need to know how I can get in touch with a Guardian.”

Her mouth fell open.

“I know, I know.”

“Io,” she hissed, “have you an idea the sort of red flags that raises? Not to mention all the lines you would be crossing? The alpha is the only one of us allowed to contact them. Oh, Io, if Ran’imy found out you know what she would do and the likely outcome.” She shook her head, setting her jaw. “No, I absolutely won’t help you with this. I am not going to get you into such serious trouble.”

“Won’t you even hear me out?” he pleaded, feeling a crack slice across his heart. Without her help he was left with two options, neither of which he cared for; breaking into the library and ransacking the place to find the needed information or giving up on his idea altogether.

“No. I’m sorry, Io.” She went to stand. “If it were anyone else I would be forced to write a report on this, for you, I won’t mention a word.”

Io grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. “What if I told you I needed the information for the purpose of love?”

“What?”

He managed to get her sitting again. Looking into her hazel eyes, he laid out his plan, explaining how he wanted to make Blackstone Manor his gift to the alpha. He knew he took a risk letting his secret slip, almost certain it would be safe with Daisy. She listened intently while he spoke in rushed, run on sentences afraid that too much time was passing. At this rate he would wind up being late for the whole shindig. “You have to understand, Daisy, no one else can help me, in either situation. You have the information I need to get in touch with them and they should be able to find the soul I need.”

“Io…”

“Please,” he pleaded, just shy of getting down on his knees to beg. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if she turned him down. All his hopes had been riding on her agreement.

“Well,” she hemmed, “since it’s for a matter of the heart. Okay, I’ll help you. But,” she held up one finger to stop him, “if this in any way comes back on you, please make it known that this was your idea. I don’t want to get canned from my job. I can’t imagine what it would be like not being surrounded by my shelves filled with their beautiful books.”

“You have my word. If this goes south, it’s all on me.”

She got to her feet, a frown creasing her brow. “Keep your butt right here while I fetch what you need,” she even went so far as to waggle her finger at him. “The less people see us together the more likely I can claim deniability.”

“Just be quick. Time is running out.”

“Don’t rush me,” she remarked. Even so, she peered into the hall before hastily leaving his room.

Io looked at the slab of wood, the polished doorknob, uncertain of what to do next. How long would she be? Eventually Ran’imy would send along one of her underlings to start gathering everyone to bring them all to the Great Hall for the festivities. His absence would be noted and he could already picture the expression of glee that news would bring to Ran’imy. Another nail in his coffin, one more checkmark beside his name. There was no telling how many more of those he could endure before she got permission to kick him to the curb.

And a gargoyle without his clan was fair game to countless other spooky things lingering in the dark.

He definitely didn’t want to be eaten by one of the Shadow People. Just the thought was enough to make him shudder, his skin crawling. He’d never met one, thankfully, but Daisy regaled him with tales of their dastardly, totally unbecoming habits. Apparently gargoyles, to them, were like slices of wedding cake or a brownie drizzled in chocolate sauce, dessert. What a disturbing thought, Io thought, as an image of him trussed up in raspberry sauce crossed his mind.

“I don’t even like raspberries,” he said to no one in particular.

For lack of anything better to do and to keep from totally losing his nerve Io wiggled further back onto his bed and assumed a meditative position. Closing his eyes, he let out a deep breath, trying to force his hyped up self to relax, just focus on his breathing, and let the tension wash away every time he exhaled. Right now he needed to think of something, anything else, and like in every moment of down time he pictured the alpha.

Io’s heart swelled, its beat quickening.

Though their hierarchy followed a similar path as wolves, nothing in their history said alphas had to mate with betas to ensure species survival. The mysterious elders were the ones concerned with generations and all that stuff Io couldn’t possibly care less about. Most bedroom play time was for fun more than anything else, and Io had his short list of flings, so to speak. Both male and female. But there was one man who starred in all of his fantasies.

He thought of stripping down the alpha, slowly, sensually, savoring every moment as he unwrapped the treasure he yearned for, fingers gliding over bare skin. Would he have the courage to do such things, to be so bold and go after what he wanted? He wanted to touch, to taste, and get hopelessly lost in the heat of two bodies pressed together, pleasure flooding every fiber of his being. Io shifted around on his bed. He’d meant to redirect his nervous energy and clearly he was doing a good job. If he kept it up there would be a new problem, however, which would simply delay him even longer. He tried to think of something else.

But his body was already turned on, fired up, raring to go.

So when there was the soft rapping of knuckles against his door he startled, quickly trying to banish the image of the naked man dancing provocatively in his mind.

“Come in,” he called, his voice husky with desire. He cleared his throat.

Daisy ducked inside. She looked hurried, a few strands of hair having sprung free of her formerly perfect bun. All she carried with her was a slip of paper, which she held out to him. “Here, this is all the information I could find on getting in touch with the Guardians.”

“Thank you,” he said, taking it and making it disappear about his person. He wanted to give her a hug to show his appreciation, all things considered he figured that might not be the best idea. Daisy was attractive in a cute bookish way and often he wondered if she might be the sort who really let loose between the sheets. He may have considered giving her a chance, except his heart already belonged to another. “I owe you, big time, anything you want, remember that.”

“I want you to not do this,” she whispered, fear edging into her words. Was it possible the shimmer he caught in her eyes was produced by unshed tears? Did his safety matter that much to her? Definitely something to consider at a later date. At present he had things to attend to.

He gave her a soft peck on the cheek. “I have to, for love. I’ll be okay.”

“Io, this is dangerous,” she pushed. “What if the Guardian who answers isn’t supportive of your cause? He could go to Cinder or worse.”

“What could be worse than that?”

His question prompted her to shudder, sorrow leaching into the air around them. “Trust me, Io, I’m not entirely sure you want to know, or to find out. There’s a reason they’re put in charge of the most important thing on this planet. Guardians are strong, diabolical, and from all accounts, extremely decisive. My sources say that once their mind is made up on a subject it’s hard to sway them in any other direction.”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to make a good case,” he said, refusing to let her kill what little courage he had left. He already knew the risks, the potential outcome if this blew up in his face. Nonetheless he had to do it. Waiting one more day in hopes he found the nerve to tell his beloved how he felt, one more day of torture, he couldn’t do it. It was tonight or never. “I’ll see you at the party. Everything’s going to be okay. You’ll see.”

And in a flash he was out the door.