Aveoth Read online

  Understanding dawned in Kelzeb’s steady gaze. “You are starting to care for her.”

  “Jill is going to be my mate.”

  “What if you can’t convince her to agree?”

  Aveoth inhaled deeply and exhaled. “I’m determined.”

  “What if that takes weeks or months? She seems like a strong-willed person.”

  “I’ll wait for as long as it takes. I’m not letting her go. She’s mine.”

  “This will be interesting. Just don’t take off any of my body parts while we spar when you go crazy from wanting her and being denied.”

  A smile curved his lips. “Deal. Let’s stretch our wings.”

  * * * * *

  Jill turned the page of the book she’d taken from Aveoth’s library. It was a classic she’d loved as a child about a magical city by the sea. The fantasy aspect of it appealed to her, since her reality had drastically changed in a matter of days.

  Her mind kept drifting to the tall GarLycan lord, though.

  She wished she could hate Aveoth, but her memories kept replaying only his good points. He’d beat up her kidnappers, saved her from plummeting to her death, chose her over a gorgeous Gargoyle woman…and she liked the way he looked at her most of the time. He seemed like a good man, albeit a scary one. The fact that he wasn’t human was becoming less of a deterrent in terms of attraction.

  Maybe I’ve lost my mind.

  “Hello? Please don’t be frightened,” a woman’s voice called out sweetly. “I’m Aveoth’s mother. I’m going to open your door.”

  Jill gasped, turning her head as the bedroom door slowly opened.

  A tall, regal-looking woman sporting a gown entered but immediately paused at the threshold. Her silky black hair was coiled atop her head in some intricate twists. She was pale-skinned, beautiful, and didn’t look old enough to have an adult son.

  The woman smiled and clasped her hands in front of her trim waist. “My name is Galihia. I’ll stay here so I don’t frighten you, child. May I ask your name?”

  Jill put the book down and stood. “Jill.” She swallowed hard. “You only look about twenty-five.”

  “You’re too kind. I’m much older than that. Please sit and be comfortable, as you were. I wanted to meet the woman my only son has brought to live with him. My curiosity got the best of me. You’re so pretty.” Her gaze lowered, seeming to take in Jill down to her feet. “And dainty! You’re adorable.”

  “Thank you?” Jill wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

  “I am so happy to find you in this room.”

  “I’m not sure how to respond to that.”

  “My son put you next to his bedroom. That tells me that you’re very special to him.” She beamed, her beauty nearly radiant. “I am very happy for you both.”

  She remembered what he’d said about Lane. He’d kept his lover in a room on the lower floor. Maybe the woman thought they had gotten married or something. “Oh no.” She shook her head. “I think you’ve got the wrong idea.”

  Galihia’s smile faded. “Perhaps so. I’m still glad to meet you.”

  Good going. Jill hated to see the look of sadness her denial had put on Aveoth’s mother’s face. “I mean, I only just met your son very recently. I sleep in here and he’s in there.” She jerked her thumb toward the adjoining bathroom that linked their rooms. “We, um…” She closed her mouth. “I’m making a mess of this. I’m not like Lane. Is that a delicate enough way to put it? I don’t want to shock you or something.”

  Galihia cocked her head, smiled, and then laughed. “I’m not a woman who shocks easily. I’m Aveoth’s mother. He tends to be brutally honest and frank.”

  “Of course.” Jill relaxed and took a seat. “Would you like to sit?”

  “No thank you. I can’t stay that long. Renna and I have plans in a bit. We’re watching a movie together.”

  The name rang a bell. “That’s the woman who’s supposed to make me clothes. Aveoth mentioned her.”

  “She is family to myself and Aveoth. I don’t know what I’d do without her. She takes care of me.”

  “Is she an indentured servant?”

  Galihia appeared horrified. “Never! Her mate died, and she knew how lonely I was, so she came to live with me. She’s my best friend, as well as my blood. You’ll like her, and she will love you. She asked to come with me but I didn’t want her to face my son’s wrath.”

  Jill arched her eyebrows.

  “I didn’t get permission from him first to enter his chambers. It’s not that he’s mean. My son has a huge heart and he’s a good man. It’s just that he probably wanted to wait a bit longer before we were introduced. I hope I don’t frighten you. We must seem so strange to you. Do you know anything?”

  It took her a second to figure out what Aveoth’s mother was probably hinting at. “You mean that he’s a GarLycan? I do.”

  A smile returned to her face. “I’m so relieved to hear that. I didn’t want to give any secrets away but I’m so glad, and also that he mentioned Lane to you. She was a sweet woman but they didn’t have a spark. Do you understand?”

  “I think I do. Aveoth said they got along but weren’t close.”

  “It broke my heart because I had hoped he’d be less lonely when she came here, but that didn’t happen. Did he tell you much about his childhood?”

  “A little,” she admitted. “I know he was taken and kept away from you by his father. He said he flew to you when he was young, just to see you, since it wasn’t allowed.”

  She nodded, sadness entering her gaze again. “My mate was a cruel, heartless rock of a man.” Tears filled her blue eyes. “My son was such a happy baby, always smiling, and he loved to be held. Then I watched the life drain out of him a day at a time as my mate destroyed the happiness around him, until he took him from my arms to live apart from me. You can’t imagine the hope and fear I saw in his eyes when he flew to me that first time, as if I’d reject him too. My poor baby. I wanted to escape with him but there was nowhere to go. Abotorus would have tracked us to the ends of the Earth.” She reached up and wiped at her tears. “He would have killed us both; he’d accused me of tainting our son with the pathetic emotion of love. The best day of my life was when Aveoth killed him. I know that might make you think poorly of me, but I lived for years worrying that he’d murder my son. Imagine that.”

  Jill bit her lip and stood. “My biological father is a piece of shit. I don’t think badly of you. I used to dream up scenarios where he was dying and needed a kidney or something. I so wanted to watch him die, since I sure wouldn’t give up a body part for him. He abandoned my mother when she was pregnant, and sent thugs to threaten her since he was so embarrassed that she’d given birth to me.”

  “You poor dear.” Galihia approached, walking very slowly. “Where is your mother?”

  “She died.”

  “I’m so sorry. Do you have siblings? Close family?” Aveoth’s mother reached out her hand to her.

  Jill took it. “No. It was just me and my mom. I’m alone now.”

  “No, you aren’t. You have Aveoth and his family. I always wanted a daughter, and now I have one.”

  Jill let her go. “It’s really not that way between us. We’re not, um…we haven’t… Crap. This is awkward.”

  Galihia was a tall woman, probably nearly six feet. She leaned down a little, bending at the waist to do so. “This room is for my son’s mate. He put you here. That means he must have strong feelings, dear Jill.”

  “I barely know him.”

  “I watch a lot of television. There’s not much else for Renna and I to entertain ourselves with. Human men are finicky creatures, seeming prone to stupidity, infidelity, and telling untruths. My son is nothing similar to them. He’s intelligent, loyal, and honest. Did he explain what a mate is?” She went on before giving Jill time to answer. “He’ll be faithful and loving to you until he takes his last breath. He knows what he wants, and that is you, dear Jill. He doesn’t need mont