15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Gisett

So... It's the day of the month again. I suppose I should show up for the monthly gargoyle gathering just so everyone will know that I'm still alive.

This is so not fun.

Maybe Laura isn't the only one who doesn't like bars or social situations.

I sigh and make myself go. I peek down the corridor of the dungeon, turning back to make sure I rolled the stone back into its position. Technically, the magic conceals this place from humans and other beings, but I suppose we should still keep the stone here.

Now, the corridor is dark except for the tiny, weak glimmer of light at the corner a distance away. I've been here a lot of times. I can pretty much walk down the path with my eyes closed.

The bar is bustling with gargoyles chatting. There's quite some music too, but I may be able to tolerate that. I've never been to a bar operated by humans for other humans. I'd be dead given how gargoyles have a lot more sensitive ears.

I walk through the door. A few glance at me and resume their chatter.

I head straight to the bartender to get a drink. Mckur is a big gargoyle with a big beer belly. He is a nice older one who takes care of everyone. He is wiping beer glasses with a towel, but it doesn't take long before he sees me.

He grins and sets the glass to the side. "Hello, Gisett, I'm so happy to see you. What's your drink for the night." He goes on to turn down the music for me as he wriggles his fingers, waiting to make me something.

The softer music is a lot better for me, even though it has been right for gargoyles. Some of us like our silence, or at least less of the bustling. "Anything."

"No, that's not called anything. It should be called, let the bartender decide."

I nod while resisting the urge to roll my eyes. He sure thinks he's funny with that. I take a seat, resting my elbow on the bar table.

Usually, this monthly gathering thing is just gargoyles drinking and checking to make sure everyone's doing fine. Maybe for the younger ones, it's fun. I don't understand them.

Mckur hums a song as he gets the bottles and starts making the drink. I lean on the bar table, looking over the scene instead.

There are a lot of gargoyles around, most of them I at least know the name of. I count them in my head. Even though I'm not a big fan of spending an evening sitting around, watching everyone, and knowing everyone's fine isn't that bad. I suppose that's part of my job. Most, or say, unless someone's sick, all gargoyles in the city will gather.

It doesn't take long before Mckur taps my wing. "Here you go, champ."

I roll my eyes at that, but I pick up the glass, regardless. It is a mysterious green drink, which... I take a sip despite it doesn't look enticing at all. It has a weird grassy vibe, but it smoother than I expected.

Mckur watches me with his eyes almost glowing. "How's it?"

"Well... Good?"

"Nice."

"More importantly, how many times have I told you to stop calling me champ?"

He winks. "I know it has been a long time, but before someone else takes your place, the name will follow you."

I huff. "So, when another strong gargoyle comes along, you'd forget about me."

He blinks. "Don't be silly. No one will ever forget about you."

I take another sip of my drink. "Is everyone here already?"

He nods. "I think so. I counted as I served everyone."

"Good to know."

"How's life?"

"Well, it's the same old. Nothing's better than something."

"For sure. But you get to be at the college, man, that has to be amazing."

I smile. I didn't fight hard for that, but I got to stay at the college, which is a bonus. "Yeah, that's pretty cool."

He leans closer to me, so I lean back, but he frowns at me.

I clear my throat. "What's wrong?"

He leans closer again. I resist the urge not to move. He sniffs at me. I swallow, not knowing what's wrong. I don't remember pigeons messing with me. Pigeons can feel vibrations and noises that humans can't, so I know to hum that frequency to get them off me. There's no way I smell bad either.

He rubs his chin with something in his eyes. "So... It looks like you've been having fun."

"I don't get it." My heart skipped a beat when he said that. Is that a reference to Laura? But there's no way Mckur can know about that. He lives in the dungeon like quite a lot of other gargoyles, so...

He smirks. "I may not be that young, but my nose is still pristine." He pinches the air with two fingers. Maybe that means something, not for me. He must have been watching human movies or something.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He glances to the side, apparently making sure no one's too close to us that they may hear us. "Look, I bet you've found yourself a fancy mate somewhere."

A surge of heat rushes to my cheeks. I can only hope my skin color is dark enough that Mckur won't find out. "No."

He examines me, not remotely convinced. "Well, or like what the humans say, getting laid."

"Stop that silliness."

"But I smell that from you. A cute female."

"Shut up." I hiss at him, but he isn't intimidated at all. He knows I'm not going to hurt him, so my glare isn't working well.

He muses, isn't leaving me alone at all. "There's no shame in finding yourself a mate."

Except Laura and I aren't mates. I don't even know whether she feels something for me past lust. I want her. I want to gather her in my arms and share my time with her, not just about sex and how good her tight pussy pleases me.

Mckur continues, "You're the gargoyle who can get whoever you want."

I shake my head. "Stop that."

He moves back to his spot, seemingly finally giving up. Or knowing him... seemingly he thinks that he has confirmed his suspicion. "You should enjoy yourself, you deserve it."

I roll my eyes. "All I've done that's deemed different from other gargoyles is that I had a tiny bit more achievement in the battle that's long over."

"You still get to wear that as a badge of honor forever. Just tell that female you want her." He winks. "I believe in you."

It can't be that simple. He's just making things up.

I down my drink and get off the seat. Coming here is the worst thing I could have done for the evening. I have to fix that quickly.

Mckur yells at my back. "Where're you going?"

"Somewhere."

"But we haven't done the chanting yet!"

Ah... right...

I stop at the door and turn back. I don't think humans have something like this, maybe Laura could have sneaked out of her bar trip, but I can't. "When will it be?"

Mckur eyes me up and down with an annoying smirk. "Are you in a hurry?"

"Yes."

"Hm... Someone's waiting at home?"

I roll my eyes at him. "Can you just stop that stupidity?"

"Fine, fine." With that smile still hanging on his face, I doubt he's going to stop. "Just so you know, I'm more than happy for you."

I hiss at him and flex my wings. If he keeps talking about that, I've warned him. I'm not going to be ashamed of having a mate or embarrassed by that, but Laura and I aren't mates and we aren't even dating. It's not fair to both of us.

Mckur says, "Just enjoy your time here, okay? We'll start the chanting..." He checked the candle that was flickering at the side of the bar. "Probably in ten minutes."

"Okay..."

Mckur is the one responsible for figuring it out and doing the chanting with everyone. It's not like we must do that or everyone will be dead, but as gargoyles, we still do that in every gathering. I don't even know how he determines the starting time, but he has his way of doing it.

I take a seat at the bar table again, but this time, I lean against the table and watch everyone in the bar.

Some of them are chatting around tables, some are drinking and playing some kind of card games.

At least this place smells like gargoyles and partially, like home.

My heartbeat races and there are tingles in my wings. If Laura becomes my mate, I'll get to bring her along and show her the things here. She seems to be interested in statues or something, as seen from books on her bookshelf. While gargoyles can act like statues, we have actual statues that recorded the war that was around, which I doubt humans know about. Maybe she will be interested too.

I want to share everything with her, but I don't know whether she'll be interested. I don't like the guessing game, maybe I have to end it.

What's she doing?

Does she...

I grit my teeth when a surge of fire lights in my stomach. She's an attractive female, if she's in the bar, will some men from somewhere try to get their hands on her?

Fuck that... If I find that male, whatever species that thing is, I'm going to smack him. I don't even care. Laura and I may not have agreed to be mates, I'm always going to protect her.

"Champ... It's time. I thought you couldn't wait."

I shudder when Mckur's voice yanks me back to reality. "I'm just getting ready."

"Yeah, are you ready by now? Everyone's waiting for you or is already moving over to the chamber."

I get off the chair and roll my eyes at him. He chuckles and doesn't seem to care.

It is the thing again... I'm so indifferent about it... I'd much rather be at Laura's place, but who knows whether she is back already?