MASH-UP #2
You guys did amazingly well with the first one. So let's see how you do with this!
~~~~~
Shui spun one way, then the other, claws raking the air where Aydin had stood. Gavin grabbed him around the neck and when he shoved that odd but beautiful knife against Shui's throat, the gargoyle froze.
"Don't make me use it." Gavin slid the knife gently over the gray, scaly skin, but didn't cut him. From the panicked look on Shui's face, I could tell this knife was special.
Interesting. The knife held some kind of power over the gargoyle. Was it enchanted? Coated in poison strong enough to kill an immortal?
Shui's eyes closed, an expression of calm replacing his alarm. In that instant he appeared almost human. As if resigned to follow his master's command, he remained still, chest heaving, his leathery wings folded and tucked close to his sides.
Gavin shoved him at me. I stiffened when Shui clutched both my shoulders to flip me onto my stomach on the bed.
"Careful," Gavin said.
His claws sliced through my jacket, his hot breath bathing my neck as the room's cool air chilled my bloody back. Shui hovered close, inhaling my scent, one claw tracing an immature wing that struggled to break free. He'd rip the wing off if he could, and use it like a toothpick after dining on what was left of my human body.
But he didn't. He leaned down and ran his slimy tongue over my tattoo, letting it linger there. I didn't protest. I needed my fix, and maybe it would take longer this time for his saliva to take effect. The fever stopped almost immediately, and I felt my baby wings shrink, drawing themselves back inside my body. It hurt, but I didn't mind. I just wanted them gone.
Shui retreated and hobbled back to Gavin.
I lay on the hard, lumpy bed, silent and exhausted, and thoroughly relieved. I wondered if Aydin was still in the room somewhere. Had he witnessed what had happened, what I'd let Shui do? That was my last thought before I passed out.
#
When I finally woke up, I rolled over and felt a warm body next to me. It was Gavin.
“You know eventually this isn’t going to work anymore and the transformation will happen.” He was lying on his back, speaking so casually, as if we were lovers.
It was easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one changing. However, I knew he was the only one who could help me.
“You’ve reversed the process before. I’ve heard stories about you.”
He sat up and looked down at me. “I’m thrilled that you think that highly of me, but it’s not as easy as you make it sound.” He glanced over at the fireplace. Shui was there, leering at me.
I couldn’t stand the sight of the creature. He was a constant reminder of what I was to become.
“Where’s Aydin?”
“He is safe,” Gavin answered, “for now.”
“Did he see…”
“No. Your secret is still safe.”
I sat up. Waves of pain crashed inside my skull like a stormy sea. “What was with the blade? Quasimodo over there freaked out at the sight of it.”
“A little insurance policy. Sometimes he gets carried away, and I need to remind him there are consequences for his actions.”
“Is that what you’ll do to me? Threaten me with that blade, or worse.”
His eyes locked onto mine, and his features softened. “Never,” he whispered.
“Then you’ll help me?”
Gavin let out a sigh that spoke more than any words could.
I knew he had strong feelings for me. “Please.” I hated begging.
“And if I do… what will you do for me?”
Swallowing hard, I answered. “Anything.”
