had their meal, the only sound they made was the brush of one leathery body against another and the scrape of talons against flesh. Every so often one of their gaping mouths sucked like a baby trying to latch onto a nipple.
Tristan’s voice filled the air, and the pale green glow flared up to an almost blinding flash. When it was gone, so was Minh and all the gargoyles attached to her.
“What happened?” Paige asked.
“This nymph would not let us help you!” Milosh roared.
Tristan stepped onto the shore and lowered herself to sit with both legs tucked beneath her. “I needed to use what you could gave me. The pain. The fear. It was strong enough to open a bridge and send her away.”
“Away to where?”
“Deep into a Japanese bamboo forest where one of our temples was built,” Tristan replied. “The gargoyles should have plenty of space to hide themselves when they’re through, and Minh should be disoriented enough to let them finish what they started. Someone should check to make sure she was contained, though. Also, some Half Breeds were sent with her as well, and the ones who don’t fall prey to the gargoyles will make trouble if they catch the scent of civilization.”
Blinking as if none of that had sunken in, Paige gasped, “Did you say Japan?”
“Cole will explain. We just needed to separate the Full Bloods before they got too powerful.”
“You mean return them to their territories?”
“Exactly,” the Dryad said. “Didn’t Cole warn you?”
Rubbing her shoulder, Paige winced and looked around. “It’s a lot quieter now. Can’t figure out if that’s a good or bad thing.” She watched as sections of the sky sprang to life with gargoyles gliding up and down to attack the remaining Half Breeds. “You seem to know a lot about those things,” she said to Tristan.
“Yes. We have many gargoyles back home. Dangerous, but merely pests if you know how to handle them. After feeding this much in one night, they will find a place to hibernate for a few months.”
“Will they kill her?”
They all looked toward the spot where Minh had stood.
“No,” Milosh sighed. “They will not be able to kill a Full Blood.”
“But can one be contained?” Tristan asked. Now that she’d gotten to her feet, she took on a presence that made her seem somehow beyond human. The sight of her supple body encased in wet veils and moonlight was enough to calm even the most raging soul.
Milosh looked at her with the same mix of awe and arousal that showed up on everyone’s face the first time they gazed upon a Dryad. “I think so, but not for long.”
“How long?” Paige asked. When she didn’t get an answer or even a glance in response, she reached out to snap her fingers in front of his face. “Hey! How long?”
“I don’t know! Maybe a few days or weeks.”
Placing a hand gingerly upon Paige’s shoulder, Nadya asked, “Do you need a sling?”
“No,” she replied while gently flexing her arm. “You must’ve popped it back into place when you dragged me away. It’s already healing. At least something went better than expected tonight.”
“Where is the trickster?” Tristan asked.
Paige’s head drooped forward. “There goes the better than expected thing. How the hell could I have forgotten about him?”
“The same way your civilization has forgotten him throughout every human era. The First Deceiver survives through lies and being able to slip away after telling them. All he needs to do is distract someone long enough and the memory of him will fall to the wayside.”
“And there,” Paige said while cautiously approaching one of the many Half Breed statues, “is one hell of a distraction.”
“What do we do now?” Nadya asked.
Tristan placed a hand on Paige’s shoulder, but not in a comforting manner. Using the Skinner to keep her upright, the Dryad said, “Cole is alone with Liam. That animal cannot be allowed to claim his prize from this night.”
Paige felt a surge of adrenaline rush through her that was the instantaneous equivalent of two nights of sleep followed by a cold shower. “Where are they?”
“Finland.”
“Finland?”
“The Torva’ox will be drawn to the Full Bloods more than any other creature on this earth,” Tristan replied. “Now that they are spread out, the power they seek is unfocused. I can’t take you to him without the energy to open another bridge.”
“Tell me where the closest strip club is and—”
“No,” Tristan snapped. “We don’t have time for that. We need more power than a local temple