Stone Guardian(13)

He was unused to taking orders from anyone, but he could not shake the need to discover himself why the Oracle had sought him out and placed this human woman into his care.

Larissa Miller was nothing like he expected. She was as ill-suited to his world as any being in existence. Instead of a woman wielding magic or sword, he beheld a woman who was petted and protected by her family. She was uninterested in the world outside of the safe confines of the human-only city. Nothing about her spoke of darkness or subterfuge.

All these months watching her, and before this night he had come to believe the Oracle had made a mistake.

Why had she been attacked? It was not a mistake, no matter what she claimed. He needed to unravel this mystery. Somehow she was connected to his Clan, and until he understood the reason for the Oracle’s intervention he would not separate from her.

Before he could speak her voice rang out. “I need to call my father.”

“Why?”

The line of her mouth turned mulish, her look equal parts confusion and annoyance. “Why? He’s expecting me, and I need to tell him what happened. He’s a cop. He’ll want to investigate.”

That could not happen. If her father interfered she would be lost to him. “He is human.”

Her arms crossed over her chest. “My father is a good cop, human or not. You shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss his abilities just because he doesn’t have wings.”

She was insulted on behalf of her Clan and would not let him say anything to degrade them. The last of the trembling stopped as her chin went high, and he much preferred the fire that lit her eyes to the shivers that engulfed her earlier.

Diplomacy had never been one of his strengths, but he must tread carefully here. He needed her to accept her family could not protect her but not feel as though he were dismissing their abilities. “It matters not how skilled your father is in solving human matters. These are enemies he has no hope of prevailing against. Has he ever fought a necromancer?”

Her lips turned in on themselves, but she answered honest. “No.”

He stopped himself from pursuing the conversation and let her think on those words. He asked, “You truly do not know why the zombies attacked you?”

Defiance crossed her features, and for one moment he thought she would once again ask to talk to her father. Instead she seemed to reconsider, because she drew a deep breath and answered instead, “I understand what you are saying about how the necromancers work, but there is some mistake. There is nothing about me that would interest anyone. I’m as ordinary as they come and I know nothing. All I want is to go back to my life.”

She was either the most accomplished liar he had ever experienced or she was telling the truth. He wasn’t sure which of those options he wanted to believe. “Your wants do not change reality. A necromancer is after you. Yes, one is,” he repeated, adding volume in case she tried to voice her negation, but while she did not vocalize her disagreement she did start shaking her head. “You do not know why, but you have caught the attention of a necromancer. This is an enemy you can in no way fight.”

“My dad…”

She would not listen to reason, so bluntness was his only hope of convincing her. “If you involve your father, you will be responsible for his death. Are you prepared to bury him in hopes of proving me wrong?”

All color leeched out of her face, his words penetrating her stubbornness. If anything could change her mind, it would be the protection of her Clan.

She rose from the couch, her movements stiff and jerky. She walked over to the fireplace and stood in front of it, staring down at the flames. The firelight illuminated her hair, creating a glow around her soft face. “What are you suggesting?”

He walked to her until he stood an arm’s distance away, not crowding her, but forcing her to deal with his presence. “Let me and my Clan protect you while we discover why you have been targeted. We can fight this enemy, your father cannot.”

Her head jerked toward him, eyebrows furrowing together and a suspicious cast crossing her features. “Why would you want to do that? Even if you’re right, why do you care I’m being targeted?”

This question he was not prepared for. Of course she would want details. She was naïve and protected, but his little human was not stupid or blindly trusting.

A heavy knock interrupted the moment, and never had he been more grateful for one of the constant interruptions on his time. He walked over and opened the door to see Malek at the ready. “Yes?”

Malek spoke in low tones. “The Council requires your presence.”

News of the human’s arrival had spread quickly it seemed. He said, “I will be out momentarily,” and shut the door.