I grinned, relaxing a little more around him. “You’re probably not anything water-based. So not a kraken. Or a lamia.”
He frowned. “Lamias are all female.”
“Really? I didn’t know that. You don’t give off faun. I lived next to a faun family when I was younger. Hmm… demon?” I didn’t really think so, but I had to try.
“Nope. Demons wouldn’t need glamour either.”
I thought long and hard and remembered him saying something about me needing to stay somewhere for my protection because I’d witnessed a murder. Wasn’t there a well-known protection agency that also worked security at Desmon’s wedding? I now wish I’d actually paid attention to the gossip column.
I brought out my phone and looked up the event. The media didn’t actually cover it because Desmon’s bride had wanted privacy, but several photos still got out.
Bingo! I found an image of Graham apprehending an acne-covered teenager. He was still in his human guise, but inuniform, which was totally hot. According to the caption, it stated that Redrock Protective Services, a gargoyle-owned agency, didn’t usually do events.
“You’re a gargoyle!”
“You cheated.”
“Bah! There were no rules.”
I looked him up and down, seeing it now. There was a slightly grayish cast to his skin that the glamour couldn’t hide, and the chiseled, granite-like sharpness of his jawline. Didn’t gargoyles have wings and a tail? I looked at the area where his back met the seat and suddenly had a strong urge, an unexplained compulsion, to look away.
“Don’t test the glamour,” he warned. “It takes magic, and we can’t use too much or else it will put a spotlight on us.”
“Is that how it works? I don’t really know anything about magic. And I don’t trust anything I read online.”
“Magic takes energy. Like light. There are plenty of dim lights everywhere in the city, and they all kind of blend in together. But stadium lights are super bright, and you could see them from miles away.”
“I see. Can you turn the glamour off for a moment and show me?” That could very well be rude too, but I was beyond caring. I wanted to know who I was traveling with. Graham quite literally had my life in his hands, and I hated feeling so out of control.
“I could,” he said playfully. “But if I did, I’d have to kill you.”
I rolled my eyes. “You don’t scare me.” He had at first, but not anymore. “Can I at least touch your wing? Or your tail?”
He swallowed hard enough for me to see the muscles on his neck working in the dim streetlights. “No.”
“Fine, be that way.” I yawned, the excitement of the day getting to me.
“Sleep,” he said. “You’re safe here with me.”
I searched his gaze for even a flicker of betrayal, but all I saw was honesty.
“If you murder me in my sleep, I’d never forgive you.”
His low chuckle filled the vehicle. “How about this, if you wake up tomorrow and still want to touch my tail, I’d let you.”
“Deal.”
I rested my head against the window and closed my eyes. After a moment, Graham spoke again. “Just so you know, tails are erogenous zones. But I’ll let you touch it, even if you’re not really my type.”
My jaw dropped.
“Goodnight, Trouble.”
Iwokeuptothe car lurching to the side and throwing me against the window. I grabbed my head and swore. That was going to leave a bump.
A warm, solid hand clamped on my knee. “You okay?” Graham’s voice sounded tight.
“I… think so.” My pulse was racing, and I looked around in confusion. “What happened?”
