Page 98 of Hidden By the Gargoyle

I rested my hands on his chest. “What’s that?”

“I want to enjoy living it with you. I might decide to do something else after a while, but, right now, I just want to be with you. I have more money than I could spend in three lifetimes, and I don’t need a lot of things. Except time with my mate.”

Goddess, I loved the sound of that.

“And, when our children come along, I want to be there as much as I can to watch them grow, to teach them. To love them.”

I faceplanted against his chest and sniffled. One of his hands moved from my waist to the back of my head, cradling me against his heart.

“I’m hoping this means you like the idea,” he murmured.

I tilted my head back and made a face at him. “You know it does, you can feel it through our bond,” I retorted.

He smiled down at me. “I can.”

“Then, stop teasing me.”

He kissed my forehead. “But I’m finding that I enjoy teasing you.”

I sighed, pressing a kiss to his heart. “I would love to build a home here with you. Though I want some time with just the two of us before we start working on filling it with baby gargoyles.”

“Gargoyles? Plural?”

I moved back so I could see his face. “I hated being an only child growing up. I always wanted brothers and sisters. I’d like two or three children. I might even consider four if I don’t feel completely overwhelmed.” I saw the look on his face. “I’d be fine with just one if you don’t want that many?—”

He shut me up with a kiss, his mouth taking mine firmly. That was when I felt it. Pure joy. Through the bond, his emotions told me that he would be happy with however many children I was willing to have. And that he would love them all as much as he loved me.

When his mouth released mine, he hugged me close so that my cheek rested against his heart.

“I’ll call Martinez tomorrow,” he said.

I shook my head. “Next week.”

“Why next week?”

I hugged him tighter. “Because we’re going to go back to your cave and spending the next few days in bed. We can begin preparing for our life together next week.”

He laughed, sweeping me up in his arms. “If that’s what my mate wants, then that’s what she’ll have.”

Once he had me securely in his grip, he launched us into the sky. And I could feel his love for me through every beat of his heart and every breath in his lungs.

And I knew he could feel my love for him the same way.

Epilogue

Minerva

I couldn’t sleep.

Since I’d woken up on the floor of the cave after Ally healed me, something just wasn’t right. I felt restless and uneasy, as though I was missing a vital part of my body or memory.

I turned over in my bed again, trying to find a comfortable position. To find the peace that I usually felt every night.

But it wasn’t possible.

Finally, I sighed and tossed back my blankets, climbing out of bed.

I would make myself a cup of herbal tea. My own personal blend that I took when the voices in my head got too loud and the world seemed too bright. It always helped me relax and eased my anxiety.

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