Page 8 of Sins of the Stone

Turning back to his human, he noticed a small smear of blood smudged on her head. Much to his relief, her delicate chest rose and fell. Scooping her up in his bulky arms, he realized her skin was as soft as in his dreams. It was the first time he felt her warmth, and hopefully not his last.

His heart was pounding, ready to burst through his leathery skin. Finally, she was in his arms, where she belonged. He held her close, her back lying on one arm, her legs hooked around the other.

He felt slightly guilty for leaving the rest to perish, but he would have to flee to save his precious human. With a calming breath, trying to steady his racing heart, he pushed himself off the ground, taking flight and heading back home to where they would be safe from the ambush.

Chapter 7

Ursulette

Ursulette let out a groan, her head throbbing with a fury unlike any she had felt before. Life wasn’t always easy, but she hadn’t ever struck her head so hard that she lost consciousness. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, especially accompanied by the dull throb that seemed to beat with her heart. Her eyes fluttered open as she viewed a dim light illuminating her vision. The ceiling above was unfamiliar, making her throat constrict with panic.

She had no idea where she was or how she got there. The last thing she remembered was chaos, being attacked, and then nothing but blackness. Someone orsomethingdragged her off. She assumed it was a demon until she sat up, realizing it was an average-looking house.

It wasn’t adorned with tools of torment or decorated with the blood of the innocent. As far as she knew, demons didn’t live in houses, though she was still skeptical. Unfurling the snug blanket around her body, she draped her legs over the edge of the bed, her head still light from the injury.

Demons don’t wrap people in blankets,she thought.

Once she knew she would be steady, she stood up, causing the floor to creak below. She hoped that once she opened the door, she would see another human apologizing for taking her away—she was injured, and they decided to help, they would say.

Then, the two of them could both chuckle about the situation, and she would head back home. It would be tough to pick up the pieces if it had beendestroyed, so she hoped someone would be kind enough to help.

She wandered into the short hallway, enveloped by cozy, warm air. A fire was crackling from the living room, making her skin break out in gooseflesh. She ignored the feeling and continued her journey. As she did, the heartbeat in her head did not get any better.

At the end was what appeared to be a living room, and she entered, seeing the fire roaring in the center. The sight increased her morbid chill, reminding her of the turmoil that unfolded back home. She stared into the licking flames, thinking back to the horrors that she had seen shortly before her brief absence of consciousness.

A noise tore her away from her hypnosis, and she turned to greet her rescuer. In her vision was a creature nearly three feet taller than her, with gray, leathery skin. Each muscle was outlined with a boldness that emphasized his powerful body. Atop his head was a crown of silky hair, tinted gray like the rest of his skin, and beside that, a set of curved horns.

And his wings—massive, folded, the tips topped with little talons, just a breath away from caressing the ceiling. He also had a tail that poked out to the side, lengthy and dragging against the wood floor. The sight made her headache increase tenfold. Ursulette felt as if the breath had been ripped from her lungs.

“Hello, little human. Are you feeling alright?” His voice was gentle yet made fear race through her veins and the pulse in her head came to a rhythm, beating repeatedly with her heart. It was so overwhelming that her skull felt like it was filled with clouds. The last thing she remembered thinking as she tumbled to the floor was:

Oh, my gods, he talked!

Chapter 8

Ramuz

Ramuz couldn’t believe he actually had the privilege of touching his human, let alone having her in his home. Now he could see her sea-blue eyes up close—until they rolled back into her head as her legs buckled. He raced forward and caught her before she could plummet to the floor, lowering her limp body until she lay on the ground. His arm was around her back with his claws tucked away to not open up her fragile skin. He pursed his lips, unsure if this was a reaction that relieved him.

At least she didn’t attack me,he thought,or scream.

Her head lulled to the side, exposing the angry welt on her skin. Ramuz cleaned up the excess blood with a cloth he had while she was incapacitated, but the wound was still angry. Her eyes moved beneath her lids as she swayed between consciousness, making her lashes flutter delicately.

A groan escaped her lips as she stirred. It was not erotic but reminded him of the previous night when he saw her in all her glory. It sparked his heart to skip, but he pressed his emotions down, knowing he couldn’t just go from introduction to expressing his affections so soon. The fur above her eyes pinched, and she reached out and grabbed his arm.

She is touching me,he thought excitedly.

If his face could blush, he would be doing so.

“Sorry, this is so embarrassing,” she said. “I thought you were a demon.” Her eyes were still shut as her lips curved into a bashful smile. “I must’ve hit my head pretty hard.” Then, her eyes opened wider until they looked likethey would pop out of her skull.

Her hands covered her frightened face. She probably was expecting a human but got him instead. Despite his lingering worry, Ramuz couldn’t help but smirk while she couldn’t see him. It was the most powerful relief that she appeared unharmed.

She is so cute,he thought.

“Oh god, you’re going to eat me, aren’t you?” she questioned hastily, ripping him from his thoughts. “If you’re going to, please just make it quick.” Ramuz chuckled, though she would’ve likely been right if he were anything else.

“Relax, little human. I am not going to eat you,” he said, tenderly grabbing her wrist and prying her palm from her face, then repeating the action with the other. Her eyes were shining with tears. It tugged at his heart to see her in such a state, but now he was here to protect her. This would be the last time she would ever feel such an emotion.

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