Brynna: A Stone Society Novella Read online

  “I’m so glad you’re here with me,” Brynna said.

  “Me too. Norway is stunning. I can see why Banyan and Urijah would want to build a house here. Even if Banyan weren’t King, I bet he’d still want to live here.”

  “Yes, Norway is wonderful, but I was talking about you. You’ve come to mean a great deal to me over these past weeks. I appreciate you indulging me in my shopping trips and basic craziness.”

  Travis swallowed hard. He figured Brynna only spent time with him because she didn’t really know anyone else, and her brother and his mate were always busy with the armory. “I like hanging out with you and your brand of crazy. Before I met you, my life was rather boring.”

  “Yeah, that’s good old Brynna. The life of the party.” Something in Brynna’s voice was off, and Travis pulled back to look at her.

  “That’s not what I meant. You’re such an amazing female, and anyone would be lucky to spend their time with you.”

  “You think I’m amazing?” Her voice was wistful.

  “Of course.” Travis cleared his throat. “You’re a real-life princess, but you don’t act like it. I mean, look at where you live. Most women would probably be ecstatic about having somewhere like this to call home, yet you find it ostentatious. You’re open and honest. You have a great business sense. And look at all the adventures you’ve had over the years. I mean, come on. Who else can say they were taught to shoot by Annie Oakley? You rode in an all-female motorcycle club. You can wield a sword with the best of the males I know. I bet you’d have been a kick-ass shieldmaiden.”

  “I’d have certainly made the clothing look good,” Brynna joked, but there was no smile to go with it. She laid her head on his shoulder. This was a side of her he’d never seen. Insecure and a little sad. Travis pulled her closer since his hard-on had deflated with her mood.

  “Seriously, Bryn. You’re a remarkable female. One of these days you’re going to meet your mate, and he’s going to be the luckiest male on the planet.” Travis kissed her forehead, doing his best to lighten her mood. He held her tight, swaying to the music while the other couples did the same. Banyan and Uri were lost in each other’s eyes, and their parents were just as focused on their own partner. Travis wanted that. He wanted the connection that would last through the ages.

  When the song finished, Brynna stepped back. “Let’s go for a walk.” When Travis agreed, Brynna laced their fingers and led him out of the ballroom through a set of double glass doors. The night air was refreshing, and the sky was full of stars. Like he’d told her, Norway was spectacular. The stone pathway leading from the house was dotted with lanterns hung from metal shepherd’s hooks. Travis could imagine the original oil lamps being filled then lit by the help years ago. Each lantern came to life as they strolled past. About twenty yards away from the steps, the path split off, forming a circle around a large fountain lit from within, giving the trickling water a golden hue.

  The walkway continued on the far side of the circle, and Brynna stopped when they came to a stone bench, tugging Travis down to sit by her. “Did you mean it?”

  Travis thought back to what they’d been talking about. “Yes. Your mate is going to be the luckiest male, because you’re the most incredible female I’ve ever known.” Travis’s heart would break when that happened because somewhere along the line, he’d fallen for Brynna. How could he not?

  “There’s something I need to tell you. Travis, you’re—”

  A mournful cry rent the air, and they both jumped from the bench. “What the hell is that?” he muttered, pushing Brynna behind him.

  “It sounded like an elk, but there aren’t any around here that I’m aware of.”

  Banyan, Urijah, and their parents appeared in the next few seconds. “Are you okay?” Banyan asked.

  “We’re fine,” Brynna said as another cry came from close by.

  “Stay here,” Uri instructed before he walked the direction the animal’s cry had come from. Banyan followed his mate, and everyone else remained rooted to the spot. Marcie and Lawrence had joined them.

  “Have either of you seen an animal wandering around?” Brynna asked Marcie.

  “I haven’t.”

  Lawrence shook his head. “Neither have I, but that doesn’t mean one hasn’t been hanging around in the woods.”

  Banyan returned, his face etched with worry. “It was a reindeer. It had been shot with an arrow, and Uri is following the blood trail backward to find the hunters. I want you all to go back inside while I go help him search.”

  “I’m going with you,” Brynna insisted, but Banyan shook his head.

  “No. Uri and I are impervious to weapons. You aren’t. Take everyone back to the house, and let Uri and I handle this.”

  “Okay, but when you find the hunters, bring them to me. I want my turn at them.” Brynna fisted her hands and stalked away. Travis trailed after her, and everyone else followed. Once inside, Brynna paced the ballroom. “I can’t believe those fuckers. Reindeer are a protected species, and even if they weren’t, I don’t understand how anyone can shoot an animal for sport. I know it’s hypocritical to say that since I eat meat, but… Oh, gods. I’m going to become a vegetarian after this.”

  Travis pulled Brynna into his arms and held her close. She curled her arms against his chest and buried her face in his neck. His fierce friend had the spirit of a warrior and the heart of an angel. He rubbed her back with one hand and cradled her head with the other while whispering soothing nonsense against her hair.

  “I haven’t seen reindeer in years. I thought they’d all died out,” Halina, Uri’s mom, said.

  Tabor reached for his mate’s hand. “They did disappear, right after the apocalypse. It’s why they’re considered extinct.”

  Brynna pulled away from Travis and wiped her eyes. “I need a drink.” She walked to the bar where she grabbed a bottle of tequila, removed the cork, and took a large pull. “Fuck, that’s harsh.”

  Marcie joined her and opened a container of sliced limes. She then pushed a saltshaker in front of Brynna. “This will help.” Instead of shaking the salt onto her hand, Brynna poured a hefty amount of liquor into a highball glass and squeezed a slice of lime into it. She downed the alcohol, then bit down on the used slice of lime. “Much better.”

  Travis sat on a stool close to Brynna, offering silent support. His dad had taken him and Trevor hunting when they were younger, but neither he nor his brother had the heart to shoot any of the deer they’d been after. They had lucked out when their dad didn’t fault them for it or tell them they needed to “man up.” They both had learned how to handle guns, if nothing else. It was one of the reasons Trevor had been able to shoot Troy Quinn when the cop became unhinged several months ago.

  “I wonder what’s taking them so long?” Freyda asked. She turned to Gautum, and he brushed a finger down her cheek. “Will you—”

  “On it, love.” Gautum kissed Freyda’s forehead and took off out the back door.

  “I can’t see other Gargoyles hunting the reindeer, so B and Uri shouldn’t have trouble finding humans.” Brynna fixed herself another glass of Lawrence’s rum concoction.

  Travis stood and moved closer to Brynna. She was tossing back drinks faster than Lawrence could make them. He knew Gargoyles had a higher metabolism than humans, but he still worried about his friend. By the time the males returned to the manor, she should have been good and wasted, but Brynna didn’t seem any worse for the wear.

  “B? Did you find the hunter?”

  Banyan stepped up to the bar and poured two glasses of Scotch, handing one to Uri. “Yes. There were two of them. We tied them up and called the police. That’s what took so long. We had to figure out what to say so we didn’t give our shifter strength away considering both humans were armed, and we weren’t.”

  “I wanted a shot at them,” Brynna said.

  Banyan cupped Brynna’s face. “I know, but we don’t kill or maim humans. Not for being idiots. In the end, we decided it was
best not to say anything at all. We didn’t want them to have any way of identifying us. We placed the animal with the hunters outside the property line and made an anonymous call.”

  “Don’t you think the humans will tell the truth of how they were captured?” Brynna asked.

  Urijah tossed back his drink. “They never saw us. Even if they are stupid enough to say how they were caught, it won’t matter. We were smart enough to use one of their phones to report them. There’s no way to trace the call back to us.”

  “We’ve never needed to post signs before, but I think we need to think about doing just that if you’re going to turn this place into a hotel.” Banyan rubbed his eyes. “It wouldn’t be good for business to have hunters getting too close to the guests.”

  “Do ya think this could happen again? I mean how many poachers are out there?” Freyda scowled. “This is supposed to be shifter territory.” She glanced at Travis. “Sorry. No offense.”

  “None taken. I know I’m an outsider.”

  Brynna grabbed a fresh drink and turned to him. “No, you aren’t. You’re family. Ours isn’t this elite town where humans aren’t welcome. It’s just somehow been kept off their radar with all the other cities who advertise as being tourist attractions. As for the hotel idea, there isn’t a Gargoyle network where I’ll advertise. Maybe this is a bad idea, and I need to just remodel the house to make it somewhere I’d want to stay.”

  Travis wanted to take Brynna in his arms and comfort her, so that’s exactly what he did. He removed the drink from her hand and set it on the bar. “Come here,” he urged. Brynna curled into his chest, trapping her arms between them. Travis brushed her long hair with his hand and kissed her forehead. If he didn’t know better, he’d have sworn she purred. The rumble from her throat wasn’t a sigh; it was deeper.

  “What a night. This was supposed to be fun,” Brynna muttered against his throat. Her warm breath did things to his body he didn’t want her aware of, so he angled his hips away from hers slightly.

  “It was. I enjoyed dancing with you.” Travis enjoyed everything with Brynna. That was the problem.

  “Yeah?” Brynna leaned back so she could look at him. Travis nodded, and she smiled. It wasn’t her usual, playful grin. It was full of something he could easily fool himself into thinking of as love. He knew Brynna cared for him but not the way he wanted.

  “Travis,” Brynna whispered as her smile fell. She leaned in, and he licked his lips, waiting.

  “We’re going to get out of here,” Tabor called out, breaking the moment. Brynna laughed and bounced her forehead on his shoulder a few times before pulling away. He knew how she felt. At least he thought he did. They kept getting interrupted.

  After saying goodbye to the older Goyles, Marcie and Lawrence excused themselves to their rooms. Travis had hoped Banyan and Uri would retreat to their wing, but instead, Banyan had other ideas. “Let’s move this party to the kitchen.” Banyan grabbed a couple bottles from the bar and headed to the smaller, cozier room.

  Brynna retrieved the half-full pitcher of whatever concoction Lawrence had mixed and followed her brother. Travis excused himself to the bathroom, and when he got to the kitchen, Brynna and her brother were having a fierce, yet almost silent conversation. They moved apart and each grabbed a drink.

  Travis pretended not to notice and stepped past them to start a pot of coffee. He was already feeling the effects of all the alcohol, and he didn’t want to pass out at the table. Travis stood at the counter while the coffee brewed, studying the three Gargoyles. He should have felt out of place, but he didn’t. Banyan and Uri had always made Travis feel welcome whenever they were around, and tonight was no different.

  Banyan cradled his drink as he spoke to his sister. “I think holding off on the hotel is a good idea. Maybe once you redecorate and make it yours, it’ll feel more like a home than a museum.”

  Was that what they were talking about when he came in the room?

  “What do you think?” Brynna turned and asked Travis.

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you. Want to help me transform this place into Casa Bryn and Trav?”

  “I’d love to help you, but why would you want my input?” The coffee maker beeped that it was finished percolating. Travis turned and poured himself a cup to get his emotions under control. Of course he wanted to help Brynna, but he didn’t understand why she wanted him to.

  “We’re going to head upstairs so you two can talk,” Banyan offered.

  “That’s okay.” Instead of sitting down, Travis opted to go upstairs so they could speak freely. “I think I’m going to turn in. The alcohol caught up with me, so I’ll see you all in the morning.”

  Brynna looked disappointed, but she quickly put a smile on her face. “Good night. If you need anything, you know where my room is.”

  Travis nodded. What he needed he would never ask for. When he turned the corner, he overheard Banyan say, “You have to tell him the truth.”

  “I can’t, B. I don’t want to hurt him.”

  Travis wanted to turn around and find out what they were talking about, but if it was going to hurt his feelings, he needed to wait until he wasn’t so tired to face whatever it was.

  Chapter Three

  Brynna poured another drink from the pitcher and sat down, rubbing her temple with her free hand. “I don’t think Travis is ready for the truth, and I don’t want him to think I’m insensitive to what he’s been through.”

  Banyan took the chair across from her. “And I don’t think you’re giving him enough credit. It’s been over six months since Rachel died. Besides, I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”

  “It’s nothing more than lust. He’s a young man with needs, and I’m just a pretty face.” At least that’s what Brynna kept telling herself. Why was she so hesitant in moving forward? If she were being honest with herself and her brother, she’d say it was fear of rejection. Of not being enough. Brynna had been alone for so many years, and the thought of Travis not wanting to be her mate downright mortified her. Sure, she’d taken lovers over the years, but sex was all they’d wanted from her. For whatever reason, not one single male had wanted a relationship. Her good looks were either too intimidating to get a nice male, or those who sought her out only did so because she was model perfect. Their words, not hers.

  Uri gripped Brynna’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “This is the way I see it, so please forgive me if it sounds harsh. Everything happens for a reason, and that includes Rachel’s death. I have no doubt Travis loved the girl, but she wasn’t his intended. You are. I’m sorry she had to die at the hands of Theron, and I’m also sorry Travis had to endure the heartache that came with it. But he’s your mate. What he’s feeling isn’t merely lust; it’s the mate pull. Even if she had lived and they had married, it would have ended eventually because he belongs to you.”

  “That’s not fair to him, though. I would never want to be the cause of someone’s death or someone else’s heartache.”

  “Of course you wouldn’t, but what happened is done. None of us can change the past. What we can do is look to the future.” Urijah moved around the table to sit beside Banyan. “Take us, for example. Banyan killed my husband because he knew I was his mate. A little extreme? Yes. But that’s how strong the bond is.”

  “And how many years did it take for you to forgive him? I don’t have thirty years to wait. Travis will be nearly sixty by then.”

  “I guarantee you won’t have to wait that long, especially since the two of you are going to be together twenty-four seven for the next month or two. Close proximity is going to drive you both crazy. Speaking of crazy, how is your beast with the waiting?” Banyan asked.

  “Not happy. It never really came to the forefront on its own until I met Travis. I’ve never felt like it was a part of me unless I phased for whatever reason, and those instances were few and far between. Growing up the way I did meant I wasn’t encouraged to embrace the Goyle. I did let it loose when I’d go swi
mming in the fjord. Getting that extra boost of power was exhilarating. Mother about had a stroke the first time I slipped off on my own. She chastised me for not acting like a lady. Seriously? I get she was born in a different time, but did she never let her own beast loose?”

  Banyan frowned. “You’re telling me during those years you were on your own, your shifter never came out to protect you?”

  Brynna picked at the chipped polish on her nails. She was in serious need of a manicure. “I said those times were few and far between. I didn’t say nonexistent. The day I snuck out of here headed to Paris was the first time it really pushed against me. It convinced me I needed a weapon, so instead of heading straight for France, I stopped off to see Gautum and had him craft me a short sword I could carry in my luggage. Back then there weren’t metal detectors or baggage inspectors. It was quite freeing to travel without worrying that someone would rummage through my things. I mean, who wants a stranger to sort through your unmentionables?” Brynna scrunched her face, and both Banyan and Uri laughed at her.

  “Did Gautum ask why you wanted a weapon?” Banyan asked.

  “He did, and I told him the truth.”

  “And he didn’t try to stop you from traveling on your own?” Uri asked as he added more Scotch to both his and Banyan’s tumblers.

  “Nope. Instead, he convinced me to stay at his home for a couple weeks so he could train me to use it properly. Then he gave me a going-away gift of a handsome sheath and a large sum of money to add to what I’d taken from Father. Oh, he was leery at first, but during those two weeks, we had some really nice conversations where I complained about being stifled at home and wanting to find my mate. I think he understood my need to stretch my metaphoric wings. He did offer to travel with me, but I declined. It was something I needed to do on my own. Prove to myself I was more than a pretty face.”

  “Did you? Prove it?” Banyan asked.

  “I like to think so. Don’t get me wrong; I had no trouble using my looks over the years to open doors, but it was those times I was dressed down when I felt most alive. Like when I convinced Annie Oakley to teach me to shoot a rifle. Here was this little slip of a woman who could best any man out there with a gun, and I was completely in awe of her. We became fast friends, and I even accompanied her back to the States when the Wild West show ran its course in Europe. That’s how I ended up in America.”