Atlas chuckles, his belly bouncing with movement. “Auri gets summoned a lot. He realized that humans and even some supes often need help from the underworld to get the things they want. Auri, being the strategic thinker he is, decided to use that tohis benefit. We do all sorts of things for him, mostly collecting artifacts that add to his powers and negotiating ability.”
“Like the amulet,” I say dryly. “What did he do with it?”
“He displayed it.”
I narrow my eyes. “What?”
Atlas nods. “It’s in his trophy room.”
“He wasn’t planning to use it for evil? Or barter it to someone who will?”
“Nope. He just wanted it. The more rare, the more evil, the more desired, the more he wants it. He’s been able to build a nice life for himself by bartering artifacts with other demons, but he keeps the most dangerous and prized items for himself. For the plot, as he puts it.”
“Do you like it here?”
Atlas pauses, opening a heavy wooden door and gesturing for me to enter first. I step inside, looking all around the cavernous space.
“I do. After roaming around for too many years to count looking for a community, I found it here.”
“I’m dying to know how you met Auri.”
“He found me. I was in France looking for others like me. We’re a dying breed, as you can imagine.”
“But how?” I drag my hand over a statue. “Gargoyles are immortal.”
“To some extent, yes, but there have been many wars, and if destroyed while in stone form, there’s a limited amount of time for intervention, and the process to save a gargoyle is an arduous one, requiring many to work. That’s not really possible in times of war. Bombed castles, cities destroyed—broken gargoyles become part of the rubble swept away.”
The sadness pouring off him swirls in my chest, and I move closer to him, pressing my hand over his heart. “I’m so sorry.”
He shrugs. “Then modern building practices took over. Gargoyles aren’t born, we’re created.”
“And your shift comes from…?”
“Centuries-old magic. I’m not the last alive, obviously, but one day there could be none of us left.”
A sad thought hits me. “Would you have mated with another gargoyle then, if it was like it used to be?”
“I think so. Maybe not though. Who knows how fate really works?”
“True.”
“I’m not unhappy that it’s you. Just the opposite. We’re fated—there’s nothing more special than that.”
I nod, smiling, but my head still swirls with questions and ideas. “You didn’t tell me how you and Auri met.”
“Come.” He takes my hand again, leading me deeper into the house. “I was sitting in a ruined castle and I was deeply sad. I hadn’t found anyone like me, so I was planning to go to Paris, but I was tired.” He smiles. “I looked up, and across the field there was a building that drew me towards it. I thought it was a bar or a pub, but when I entered it, it was the workshop where I was carved. Auri was there, chiseling away at a piece of stone.”
His hand warms as he speaks, softening even more as he gently squeezes mine.
“That’s when he offered me a home, a place to belong. I somehow knew that it was my best choice. I wouldn’t be lonely anymore, traveling the world on my own with no home base. I longed for companionship so much, so I said yes. That day I met Roman and Drax. It was just us for a while, then we got Cassius, and finally Mac. He’ll add more as he sees fit.”
“But you don’t do anything evil?”
Atlas shakes his head. “Evil is subjective, but we don’t hurt people, if that’s what you mean. Not unless it’s absolutely necessary, which is rare. Usually, we’re able to retrieve objectswithout dealing with people at all. Sometimes we rescue people or just throw our weight around a little.” He stops in front of a door. “Here we are. This is my apartment.”
I step inside, and when I look around, I’m completely blown away. It’s so normal. Like any apartment in the human realm. It’s tidy and clean, with oversized furniture that makes me want to sink into it.
“One hot shower coming right up.” Atlas smiles.
