Although they were brought together by circumstance, Calum enjoyed spending the afternoon with Arielle. It wasn’t like the rush he felt when playing on stage, but a more subdued feeling of contentment. He could speak to her without having to be on guard, like he did with the human women he’d entertained. She listened to him. She asked him questions, eager to hear more, and she seemed to get him.

Hours slipped by as they wandered the isle and talked about anything—their homes, their pasts, even the smallest things. Never an awkward moment.

She surprised him when she stopped to climb a tree.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Getting a better look of the isle. I can see more from above.”

He marveled at her. When was the last time he’d seen a grown woman climb a tree? She had a youthful, adventurous spirit that called to him. He followed her up into the tree and positioned himself on a steady branch. She surveyed the forest from the higher point, pointing out birds’ nests and massive spider webs.

He barely glanced at them—he was far more fascinated by her. “Tell me about your family.”

She settled into a more comfortable position leaning against the tree while her legs dangled over a branch. “Well, you know I’m the youngest of three daughters. My father died in a tragic accident when I was young.”

Calum touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry. That must have been awful.”

Arielle nodded. “It changed my mother, made her worry incessantly about us. With my sisters having found their mates, her focus is now on me.” With a short laugh, she added, “It’s rather stifling. I mean, I want to explore the world, not hide from all its perils.”

Calum chuckled. “I can relate to the overprotective mother. My mum has harped on us to settle down with mates. Luckily, Mason and Kayla’s baby has given her a new focus.”

“That must be exciting for her.” She inclined her head. “It’s a mother thing to worry, I suppose. That’s why I have to get back to mine, to let her know I’m all right. She must fear the worst.”

“It is rather mind-blowing to think of what happened to you. I mean, you passed into another realm.”

She swung her legs in lazy circles before adding, “I know. I wish I knew how we were able to travel between them. My mother must have had a way.”

Her melancholy expression affected him. He couldn’t let her down.

When sundown draped the island, they returned through the forests to meet with the gargoyles at the amphitheater. His brothers and Mairi had already arrived. They’d armed themselves with shields, swords strapped across their backs, and knives attached to their lower legs.

“The witches added a protective spell to the shields, making them fireproof,” Mason said.

“Good. That dragon fucker can hurl flames,” Calum said.

Gavin handed a sword to Calum. He pulled it over his head, adjusting it in between his wings on his back.

Arielle tensed beside him. “You think we need all these?” Her tone was wary.

Calum strapped a knife to his leg. “I’m not going to let anything get to you.”

“What else do you think is out there, besides the dragon?” The concern was apparent in her round eyes.

“Probably nothing.” He squeezed her hand. Although he meant it as a comforting gesture, it seemed more intimate. “Better to be prepared and safe.”

“Aye.” She forced a smile.

“I spoke with Raina,” Lachlan said, snapping Calum out of his head. “My mate,” he added for Arielle’s benefit. “She suggested we search for a difference in energy. The temperature near the portal might be different from the air surrounding it.”

“That makes sense,” Bryce replied.

Lachlan said, “We all know where we’re going, correct?”

The gargoyles affirmed they did. Calum and Arielle exchanged glances, and he caught the worry in her eyes. He didn’t blame her, as she had much to be concerned with. Still, he hated to see the dark shadows in the depths of that pale violet gaze.

“I’ll be within a wingspan of you the entire time,” he said to reassure her.

She shifted from human form to that of a pegasus. All his brothers stared with amazement the same way he had last night.

“Holy fuck,” Gavin said.

It was so unlike Gavin to lose his cool. That’s how stunning Arielle was—able to make even a cocksure shifter stutter with his mouth agape.

Stop staring at her, Calum growled. He didn’t like any of them watching her so closely. It didn’t sit right. Arielle was his.

Well, she wasn’t—but he had more of a claim to her than anyone else.

“Let’s move,” Bryce insisted.

Once Arielle extended her wings and moved forward, Calum unfolded his own. He cloaked himself with invisibility and ascended into the night sky. He headed back to where he first laid eyes on Arielle.

Although there was safety in numbers, something was different this time. Was it because he was no longer alone with Arielle?

No. That wasn’t it. It was something—deeper.

As they flew, he tried to identify it.

Finally, it came to him.

It had been the first time he’d taken such a big risk on his own.

The fight with the dragon had been his first engagement without his brothers involved. A personal test, in a way. As the youngest brother, he was the baby of the family, and they treated him as such, even though he was in his early twenties. Add that to the fact they were gargoyles, making overprotective an understatement.

He loved his brothers, being part of both a band and a clan with them, but that altercation had been a step forward. A threshold he’d passed over as he entered adulthood.

Not to mention that drive to protect Arielle…

That was a huge development in itself, like it woke up a dormant part of him. Something had changed in him last night. What he’d do with it, he didn’t know. And what that meant in the future remained a mystery.

Once he recognized the dark verdant landscape, not far from Loch Ness, Calum said, “We’re here.”

Arielle hovered, beating her wings ever so softly.

“Since we didn’t have much luck with a visual search yesterday, Raina’s suggestion of a more tactile approach sounds like a good plan to me,” Lachlan said.

She nodded.

Since a fog hung low over the windswept plains, a less visual tactic was even more appropriate. Gargoyles had excellent night vision, but it couldn’t penetrate fog.

“Since there are six of us,” Calum said, “We should position ourselves like points in a circle—like when we are perched on stage.”

“Aye,” Lachlan agreed. “But what about Arielle?”

Calum moved closer to her out of instinct. “I will stay with her.”

“You don’t want to spread the search?” Bryce asked.

“No.” Calum’s jaw tightened. “She would be vulnerable out here on her own. I will not leave her side.”

She hovered closer and rubbed her head against his hand. He ran his fingers over the soft fur in between her ears and over the back of her neck, and she nickered.

“If you two are in danger,” Lachlan said, “You know how to reach us.”

“Aye.” Calum glanced at each of his brothers.

“Let’s meet at this spot in three hours.”

“And if anyone discovers anything before then,” Bryce said, “Let us know.”

They flew to cover the ground more quickly. Calum focused on his other senses to catch a hint of the portal. He closed his eyes, searching for a change in temperature or a different scent. Minutes stretched on without any indicative signs. No change in temperature. No sense of greater energy. It was as if whatever portal Arielle had slipped through had disappeared once she passed through it.

Minutes ticked into hours. Anything? He checked in with his brothers. Considering he hadn’t heard from them, he already knew the answer, but a glimmer of hope still remained.

Each answer proved negative.

His wings felt heavy, weighed down with the growing realization. They’d failed.

More specifically, he’d failed to help Arielle.

He turned to her, reluctant to admit what he was about to say. “It doesn’t look like we’re going to find any—”

Before he finished the sentence, a dark figure pierced through the fog and landed on Arielle’s back, wrapping a black rope around her neck. It wore a black hooded robe that shrouded most of its face. What shined through were glowing yellow eyes in a human’s face.

Arielle reared back and whinnied, raising her forelegs into the air to unseat the attacker, but it held on, trying to take control of her with the rope. Horror washed through him like a wave during a storm, followed by a surge of red rage. Nobody could touch her that way.

Come! He notified his brothers as he shifted to gargoyle form and soared after her.

What is it? Lachlan asked.

He reached for the figure, attempting to unseat it and failed as it slipped out of his grasp.

Not sure. Some kind of demon?

Arielle’s attempts to free herself weakened as the demon or whatever it was gained a better grip on the rope and redirected her.

Calum calmed the raging instinct so he could home in on her attacker with pinpoint precision. Calum had weapons, but didn’t want to use them while the creature was on Arielle. Too close. A hairbreadth off or a deflection could injure her. Forcing the demon to dismount before attacking was essential. To do so, he couldn’t just fly blindly at it and throw his fists in a wild frenzy. He needed to hit this thing in precisely the right spot to get it off of Arielle.

With a mighty roar, he launched himself at the demon’s left flank, and used all the gargoyle strength he could muster to knock it off Arielle.

“Go!” he shouted at her.

Free from the demon’s control, she flew away. Calum and the demon grappled in the air, spinning in circles. The demon slashed at him with vicious claws that made Calum roar.

He needed to pull out his sword…

But, the seconds to do so could be costly. The creature was too quick, too dangerous.

What he needed to do was increase the distance between them to gain a few precious moments. He flew in the opposite direction of Arielle to pull the danger from her, hoping the demon would follow. She’d be safer that way.

Unless other demons haunted this land.

The demon followed, pursuing Calum in the skies. Damn thing was too fast. It would reach him in seconds.

Gavin approached in gargoyle form.

Protect Arielle.

What about you?

Take care of her!

Gavin soared toward Arielle. Relieved that she had some protection, Calum shifted his full focus to the advancing demon.

Calum reached for his sword as the demon closed in, a blur of darkness with outstretched claws. The moment was precious—only one would get the first blow in.

With the sword free from its sheath, Calum swung, slicing through the thick flesh on the creature’s abdomen. The demon shrieked an unholy sound that pierced Calum’s ears. Black liquid trickled out of the wound, and a pungent odor permeated the air.

The demon flashed its glowing eyes at Calum, but then faded and vanished.

Calum stared, too surprised to blink. Where did it go? Was it gone for good?

After a few heavy breaths, Calum turned to find Arielle. She was in human form. Gavin had his arms wrapped around her from behind and she was struggling to break free. What the bloody fuck?

Calum roared toward them with clenched fists, his wrath redirected at Gavin. “Get yer hands off her!”

Gavin’s expression flashed with surprise before Calum shoved him with both hands. Gavin tumbled backwards, releasing Arielle. She fell with a shriek. Calum soared and caught her, pulling her into his arms. Her scent reached him, piercing through the jealous haze. He tightened his embrace.

He shifted to human form so as not to frighten her with his gargoyle form.

“You’re all right!” She searched his face, relief evident in her voice.

“Aye.”

“Why did you do that to Gavin?”

A low growl escaped him. The rage burned as bright as the dragon’s flames, blinding him to reason. “I’m going to kill him!”

“What? Why would you say that?”

Gavin recovered and flew back. “What did you do that for, ye daft fuck?”

“You were grabbing her!”

“You told me to protect her,” Gavin spat. “That’s what I was doing—mate.” He added the last word with contempt.

“That’s not what it looked like to me. Your hands were all over her!”

“He was holding me back because I was trying to get to you!” Arielle said, catching up to him.

Was that what had happened? Calum had been quick to jump to the worst conclusion. “Is that true?”

“Of course it is, ye jealous prick,” Gavin replied. “You think I’m that twisted to feel up a lassie while you’re in a bloody fight?”

The realization sank in, and he winced at his behavior. Gavin was right—he was acting like a jealous prick. He tightened his hold on Arielle. “Why would you come after me? It was too dangerous.”

“Because—” she began. “Because—I couldn’t stand to see you in trouble.”

Did that mean she cared for him? Enough that she’d risk herself?

“Sorry, bro.” He told Gavin. “I was out of line.”

Gavin drifted over and smacked playfully across the side of Calum’s head. “All right, mate. Now get yer head out yer arse instead of thinking the worst of me.”

Gavin was right. Calum deserved that. What mattered most was he had Arielle safe in his arms, and he intended on keeping it that way.

“What the fuck happened to that thing, anyway?” Gavin asked. Whatever it was?”

“I don’t know,” Calum replied. “I wounded it, and it disappeared.”

“Think it’s dead?”

“I hope so. The dragon also vanished last night.”

“What if they’re slipping through the portal?” Calum suggested.

Arielle bit her lip. “If that was the case, I think you would have, as well. When I slipped in, the dragon came through with me. I think it’s some other form of magic allowing them to escape danger.”

Gavin raised his chin. “The boys are back.” He flew past Calum.

When Calum turned over his shoulder, his other brothers approached. That was fine—Gavin could fill them in.

Something didn’t make sense about the situation. “Why did you shift from pegasus?” he asked Arielle. “You can’t fly as a human, can you?”

“No. I didn’t mean to shift,” she said. “Gavin tried to prevent me from flying to you. When he wrapped his arms around me, it happened.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t let anything happen to you.”

Calum stared at her face, only inches from his as they still hovered. Both of them had acted irrationally to save the other. Despite their foolishness, her action ignited odd tingles inside his chest.

“Still, it was rather mad,” he said with a one-sided smile. “You could have died.”

“Same for you.” Her eyes shined with concern.

“But also brave,” he admitted.

His gaze dropped to her lips. So many things happened at once, impulses shot through his body like the rapid pounding of Bryce’s drums. The pull to her was inexplicable. He didn’t understand this compulsion to be near her. It drowned out reason. Overwhelming emotions roared through him, distorting his sense of time. Something pierced through the muddle in his brain—a sudden and primal instinct to kiss her.

It was stupid, but he didn’t care. She might reject him and push him away, but he lowered his mouth to hers as if on autopilot. His body’s demands overruling his chaotic mind.

The moment his lips touched hers, a current of heat pulsed through him. She tightened in his arms at first, her muscles clenching, while they hovered in the air. Then she relaxed and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. A fresh surge of desire rushed through him, the need to taste overwhelming.

When her lips parted, he slid his tongue in. He pulled her closer with a possessive urge to claim her. It was mad, and he couldn’t explain it if he tried. His body came alive, burning with vitality. His blood pulsed with life, invigorating him with a more potent rush, even more so than when he shifted from cold hard stone to a flesh and blood male.

Flight was one of his favorite things, and to kiss someone like Arielle while holding her in the night sky—it was exhilarating.

Something told him it was more than that. It was who he’d kissed, not where.

She curled her fingers around the back of his neck, a small gesture that shot erotic impulses tingling down his spine.

A small moan escaped her. A tiny sound that sealed his fate.

He was undone.

He lost himself in the sensation of their tongues sliding against each other in this intimate caress. He wrapped himself in her scent, her taste. Holding her body tight against his made him feel complete in a way he never thought possible.

He pulled away only when desperate to catch a breath, so consuming was the kiss. The dark heat in her hooded eyes and the way her soft, parted lips glistened made his heart pump in a pounding staccato.

He’d failed in his mission to get her home safely. Yet, he’d never felt more victorious in his life.

“That was—” Her chest rose and fell as she searched for the right word. “—Unexpected.”

“Unreal,” he added. He couldn’t describe it any other way.

Raucous hollers and applause interrupted him.

Mairi tried to quiet Bryce, putting her fingers to his mouth, but even she smiled.

“Is that what we looked like when we first kissed?” Bryce teased her.

“Perhaps. I was a participant, not an observer.”

Arielle’s cheeks turned pink. “I better shift back now,” she said. “Is it all right if I come back to the island for another night until I figure out what to do next?”

Another night with her—his body and mind screamed in agreement. It was an effort to keep his voice level. “Of course.”

The change of her body in his arms was odd as she transformed into her magnificent equine form. Despite the hulking weight, he refused to let go until she extended her wings.

Might as well call it a night, he told his brothers. We’ll try to find the portal again tomorrow.

Although he began the flight buoyant, still reflecting on the kiss and how right she’d felt in his embrace, his wings soon became heavy as reality sank in. Their time together was fleeting. A moment in which their universes crossed. He was falling for her, but he had to stop. It would make it more difficult when she finally found a way back to her realm and out of his life forever.

He should pull back, stay detached. It would be much easier to return to his life, without longing for someone he could never have.