Rina strode toward the entrance of the lair with Vikuth at her side. She kept glancing at him, seeing him in his human form.

“What is it?” he asked, clearly sensing her attention on him.

“Nothing. This the first time I’ve seen you as a human.” She smiled as they continued.

Nerves filled her belly at the thought that her parents would be here any minute. The dark lair of gargoyles was in an uproar due to the arrival of Faery’s royalty. Servants and guards scurried around preparing for the regal couple.

They came to the stairwell that led to the ground level of the warded building. Rina paused at the bottom stair and tried to slow her racing heart.

“What is it?” Vikuth repeated, pausing on the stairs.

He leveled his ice-blue eyes on her, and she returned his gaze.

“I haven’t seen my parents since I was eight years old. I don’t even know what to say to them,” she admitted. She pushed her hair behind her ear, tremors in her hands.

He came down the stairs to stand next to her. His eyes searched hers as if he were looking for something. “Rho has been my friend since we were young.”

“Rho?” She raised her eyebrow at the nickname.

“Don’t tell anyone.” He smirked.

Vikuth was handsome by many standards, but he just didn’t make her heart flutter as Rhodack’s intense gaze did. Some lucky woman would win a prize in Vikuth.

“He told me of you fighting off the demons. You impressed him something fierce, and let me tell you, he doesn’t impress easy. He holds me to a higher standard than any of the warriors because we trained together and fought together.”

A small smile appeared on her lips, and she glanced down at her hands. She knew what he was doing. Creating a distraction. She clasped them together, trying to still the nervous tremble. Her thoughts went back to the fight with the demons.

“You really think he was impressed?” She looked at Vikuth in time to catch his nod.

“Yeah. For what you’ve been through recently, I think its badass. I can’t wait to see what you do with more training. Now come, the king and queen should be here any moment.”

He gently gripped her arm and guided her up the stairs to the main level that led to the lobby. The building was a gateway to the underground world, and the main lobby resembled Grand Central station.

The air was filled with magic as inhabitants of the world came and went. She glanced about. Gargoyle warriors spread out around the lobby.

“Have you seen Rhodack?” she asked. When she’d awoken, he was gone. She’d laid there thinking of the events from the previous night, and her cheeks flushed.

“He’s around here somewhere. With your parents coming here, he has to make sure that our realm is secured. He’s been working with the other gargoyle clans around the world to ensure we can handle the Fae royalty coming. It’s been centuries since the Fae have stepped foot in this realm.”

“What did Rhodack mean when he said that my parents had broken a treaty?” she asked.

“Around the time of your disappearance, gargoyles had come to an agreement that no Fae would cross over into this realm because of the war. We had to protect the Terra realm at all costs, and the war between Fae and necromancers could not spill over here. This world wasn’t built for it. It still isn’t.”

“So planting me here on Earth broke that agreement,” she murmured.

“Come.” He guided her over to where Solana stood.

Rina smiled at her foster mother. She rushed over to her, into her waiting arms. Even though Solana wasn’t her birth mother, she would always hold a special place in Rina’s heart.

“Nervous?” Solana asked, pulling back. She gripped Rina’s chin and stared deep into her eyes. She could always read her emotions.

Rina had figured it was mother’s intuition, but now she knew it was the witch in Solana that allowed her to tap into Rina’s emotions.

“A little,” she admitted.

Solana let her go. “Don’t worry. Your parents are probably just as nervous as you are.”

Rina relaxed at Solana’s words. She nodded and turned away, feeling a heated gaze on her. Her nipples tingled, and she searched the bustling lobby. The night sky was visible through the glass walls.

Her gaze finally met the intense stare of Rhodack. He stalked his way to her. Two massive gargoyles flanked his sides. He approached her, and her breath caught at the thought of his gaze when he’d braced himself over her as his stiff length had penetrated her that morning.

Her feet unconsciously moved her to him, meeting him halfway.

“You look beautiful.” He pulled her close to him.

She smiled and cocked her head back to meet his gaze. She’d ensured her dress today showed off every curve of her body. Something in her had changed. She felt more sensual.

A sexual awakening.

Her body still hummed from their lovemaking escapades earlier. It was like her body had a mind of its own. When she’d conjured this dress, she’d pictured a sexy and sensual fae, and it had appeared on her. Her ice-blue dress was low-cut, putting the swell of her breasts on display and showing off plenty of skin while hugging all of her attributes.

“I missed you when I woke up.” Her cheeks warmed, and she was sure the gargoyle guards were hanging on to her every word.

A growl vibrated from Rhodack’s chest, and his eyes darkened. She bit her lip, the evidence of his thoughts pressing against her belly.

He glanced over her shoulder and released her. “Your parents are here.”

She jerked her head around to take in the sight that greeted them outside on the street.

They walked to the entrance and stepped outside. The night sky lit up with streaks of lightning followed by rumbles of thunder. The energy in the air thickened, and she glanced up. A massive cloud hovered over the building.

Any humans nearby would assume that a harsh thunderstorm was rolling in. She smiled, watching the swirling mass increase in size.

“Shit. They’re using the portal on the rooftop,” Rhodack cursed, looking up. He eyed the men and gargoyles around them. “Gargoyles! Rooftop.”

The winged warriors leaped into the air and flew off toward the top of the skyscraper.

“Want a ride?” she asked with an eyebrow cocked.

“No. Take Solana.” He nodded toward the figure that appeared at her side.

She glanced over at her foster mother and walked farther into the street and stared at the sky. She glanced back in time to see him morphed into his gargoyle. His dark eyes met hers before he flew into the air to join his warriors.

“Come on.” Rina grabbed Solana’s arm and pulled her against her body. “Hold on.”

Solana gasped and hugged Rina close to her, and the city street around them disappeared.

Rhodack landed on the rooftop as the wind kicked up. His gargoyle growled, and they strode toward the portal entrance. The royal family hadn’t confirmed where they were going to enter into their realm, which was a safety precaution for them, but it wreaked havoc on Rhodack trying to provide security for them in this realm.

Preferring to stay in his gargoyle form, he stalked to where the portal should open. The wind whipped around him, and he caught sight of Rina appearing with Solana. He motioned for her to come to his side. The wind picked up even more, and the cloud turned into a funnel that moved toward the stone staircase that led to the sky. They waited for the portal to form.

The air was laced with a powerful energy. His gargoyles were prepared for anything. Should it not be the Fae royal couple, they would be ready to do battle with whatever crossed over.

“Stay behind me.” He trained his eyes on the portal.

Rina stepped to his side. He glanced over at her, seeing defiance in her eyes. She shook her head.

“At your side,” she replied with another shake of her head.

He hissed at her blatant display of insubordination. He would have speak to her about her defying him. His gargoyle was built to protect, and protect his mate he would, but for now, he switched his attention to the bright light that formed when the portal opened.

Two strong Fae warriors in their official royal garb stepped through with their swords drawn. They paused on the top of the stairs and scanned the rooftop. Rhodack tunneled his focus on them and waited.

They took in the gargoyle warriors that also waited, braced for action. They studied Rina. She stepped forward in front of him. He snarled at her foolish move. Had the two come through to kill her, she’d have left herself directly exposed.

“Your Grace.” They both greeted her by kneeling on the stairs.

“Welcome. It’s safe here,” she called out. She turned to Rhodack with a small smile on her lips.

He ached to pull her back and claim those plump lips but now was not the time. Later, he’d tan her hide for not listening to him. Her safety was the utmost priority for him and his gargoyle.

The sound of Rina’s quick intake of breath had his attention going back to the portal. A few more royal soldiers entered before a tall, broad-shouldered Elf stalked through the opening.

The king of the Fae realm.

King Khantar Omaris stood, regal and bold as his sharp gaze roamed the rooftop. His stern eyes softened at the sight of Rina standing at the base of the stairs. His lips turned up into a smile, and he reached behind him and placed his hand back in the portal, guiding a mirror image of Rina through.

Queen Roshi Omaris smiled wide when her eyes met Rina’s. The queen was in a similar dress as Rina’s, displaying her curvy figure.

“Larina,” the queen breathed. “My baby. It’s really you.”

A sob broke through the air, and Rhodack looked Rina’s way.

Fuck.

He didn’t think he could take her tears. His stone heart cracked even further with the thought that she was in pain.

He didn’t know what to do.

He moved forward, but she stepped forward as well, and her mother flew down the stairs and met her for a tight embrace. The two females cried tears of what he hoped was joy.

He turned to Vikuth, who shrugged. Gargoyles weren’t a race that shed tears at all.

The king made his way down the stairs and pulled both women into his arms. If Rhodack didn’t know any better, he would have sworn the king’s eyes misted over.

“It’s okay, gargoyle. She’s fine. This is a homecoming that’s been a long overdue,” Solana murmured by his side.

He glanced over at her, and she must have seen the confusion in his eyes.

“If they’re happy to see each other, why the tears?”

“You have much to learn about Rina—hell, females in general if you don’t understand why they cry.” Solana chuckled and turned back to witness the reunited family.

Shaking his head, he stepped toward the royal family. The Fae guards moved to block him, but his growl vibrated through the air, pushing them back. He narrowed his eyes on them and bared his fangs.

No one will keep me from Rina.

“Let him through,” Khantar snapped. The king drew back from his wife and daughter.

Rhodack approached. He passed the guards and snorted. They wouldn’t be a match for him together.

“Rhodack Gahnoth.”

Rhodack clasped the king’s strong grip with his talon, careful not to scratch him. “Welcome.” He drifted his gaze to the queen and offered her a nod.

She smiled at him, holding Rina close to her.

“We have much to discuss.” The king was all business now. The emotional display was long gone.

Here before Rhodack stood the king of the Fae.

An ally.

“Let’s go to my office,” Rhodack suggested. He turned, catching the happiness beaming from Rina’s eyes.

The tension on the rooftop was thick as they walked to the elevator shaft, but something was off.

Rhodack gazed around. Rina and her parents surged forward. He looked toward where the portal had closed after the last Fae warrior had made his way down the stairs. Just wisps of clouds lingered where the once powerful portal from Faery had hung.

“What is it?” Vikuth asked, coming to stand next to him.

“Don’t you feel that?” Rhodack turned back to the where the portal had formed.

Electricity brimmed midair where the portal had once stood. Growls filled the air—the other gargoyles had taken notice. The light grew, and electricity crackled, lighting up the night sky.

“Get Rina and her parents to safety!”

“Rhodack!” Rina hollered his name.

He glanced over. The Fae warriors dragged her away toward her parents. He turned back and took a step forward, ready to meet whatever dared to break through into his realm. His muscles tense, he strode toward the stairs.

An explosion burst forward, blinding Rhodack. The strength in the power of the blast sent his body flying back. A deafening screech sounded. He landed on a few gargoyles behind him, their bodies falling to the ground. Curses lined the air as a mass of bodies were strewn all over the roof.

Rhodack pulled himself into a standing position and ripped out a curse.

The Fae had brought the war with them.