Born of Stone by Missy Jane Page A

only one who had considered having children.
    A now-familiar ache formed in his chest at the thought. He was one of the few who frequented the human villages, though he bedded their women rarely. But they always had children everywhere. Big ones, small ones, clean ones, dirty ones. Some were light, some were dark, some could speak in spectacular whole sentences, and yet some would simply stare at him as if he were in his Gargoyle form. He laughed at the thought and leaned his head back against the bed.
    Why he would be thinking of human children now of all times, he didn’t know. But he did know the ache to create a child was only getting worse. If the Kevan couldn’t conceive with his kind—and it was apparent after fifty years they could not—then what kind of woman could? Not even the human pairings had created offspring.
    He stretched again while he considered the various female creatures on the continent of Lenara. Halstrid took up the northern quarter of the vast continent but there were other, smaller kingdoms beneath it. Perhaps it was time to travel farther south and bed other females? He shuddered at the thought. The action moved his wrist and he once again jerked on his restraints. There was still no give but the wooden bed creaked beneath him. He stilled.
    Up to this point, he hadn’t been alone while conscious long enough to explore all his options. Now he looked more closely at his situation. Both wrists and both ankles were surrounded by a metal cuff that was, in turn, attached to a length of chain made from the thellomonite. This afforded him some limited movement—more for his feet where the chain was longer. He twisted as much as he could to inspect the points of restraint at the top of the headboard. It appeared the thellomonite was imbedded within the wooden posts. But how deep did it go? With time he might be able to pull the chain loose.
    He took a deep breath and calmed his racing thoughts, centering all his significant power. Then he applied slow and steady pressure to the wrist cuffs. The chain pulled taut beneath his strength and the wood creaked again. Unfortunately, it held, but he knew if he kept trying it wouldn’t hold indefinitely. Hopefully, he could free himself before Iva accomplished whatever she had set out to do.
     
     
    For two full days, Astrid was in heaven. Orestes treated her like his most prized possession, bathing her, feeding her, and making love to her until she begged him to stop. He was insatiable and for the moment, he seemed to only want her. Even the delectable food brought to their door on a regular schedule never kept his attention long. He would ensure she had eaten her fill and then be ready to take her again. It was…daunting. But she had never been happier in her life.
    And so, like all good things, it finally came to an end like she’d known it would.
    She remained naked in his bed, trying to catch her breath from their last bout of lovemaking, while he stood to don his clothes. The Masters had no official uniform since even their clothes turned to stone when they changed. He pulled on a simple shirt and thick, coarse pants with buttons up the front. Then he pulled on his long leather coat and began sticking various weapons in the many pockets. She watched in fascination while he slipped a dagger into each sleeve.
    “I want you to remain here, in my room, as long as you like. In fact, it would please me greatly to know you’ve slept every night in my bed while I’m away,” he said.
    It would please her greatly as well, but she was afraid to admit that aloud. “As you wish. Who is now in charge of the staff? I’ll have to find out where my duties are now.”
    He turned to face her with a frown and shrugged. “I don’t know, but I can ask Wynn before I leave.”
    “Thank you.”
    He nodded but was still frowning. “Astrid, I don’t…”
    She waited but he seemed to be struggling for words.
    “Yes?” she asked.
    He faced her fully, leaning both