Stone In Love

Chapter 42

I had a hard time falling asleep, probably because I went to bed early to force my body back onto a normal person's schedule. This didn't work out so well, since I ended up waking at four in the morning. After staring at the wall for ten minutes, I climbed out of bed and shuffled to the window to check which gollum had been assigned to my alley.

At first I didn't see anyone, then the silhouette of a man walked by the gate, although I didn't recognize him from behind. He walked as far as the front stoop of the neighboring brownstone before turning around and heading back the way he came. Was he pacing? With the help of a nearby streetlamp, I was able to detect blond hair and clearly defined muscles through a short-sleeved shirt. I initially thought it was Jonathan, but this guy's hair was short, so maybe he was someone from the Lassiter domus.

With my curiosity piqued, I grabbed my phone and called Colin, knowing he was likely to be awake at any hour. He answered on the first ring.

"You're keeping gollum hours. What's up, Reese?"

"Actually, I woke up a few minutes ago and decided to check the alley for suspicious characters. I found one, but I don't recognize him."

"Where is he? Can you describe him?"

"He's pacing in front of the gate next to my building. He's got blond hair, but it's not long like Jonathan's. He's wearing dark pants and a black short-sleeved shirt, although it's probably forty degrees outside, and his muscles are pretty sig. At first, I was sure he was a gollum, but now I'm wondering if he's a demon."

Colin remained silent long enough that I started to worry.

"Colin? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm texting Adam. He or Emile was supposed to help out tonight."

I sighed. "That's what I figured. Every member of the New York gollum community is going to know Vincent dumped me."

"He didn't dump you."

I shrugged my shoulders, but of course Colin couldn't see it. "I don't think it's Adam or Emile. Neither of them have blond hair."

"You're right. Adam just texted back and said a Cromwell volunteered to do the job."

"Really? Which one do you think it is?"

"Well, the only male Cromwell with blond hair is Rafael. So, that's not going to go over well with Vincent."

"I'm not interested in Rafael."

"That doesn't matter. He made it clear he planned to challenge Vincent for the right to mate with you."

Ugh. Why did gollums have to use such antiquated terms? Couldn't they just say 'fuck'? "Well, I have the right to say no."

"Actually, Reese, if Vincent loses the challenge, you have to give Rafael the opportunity to prove himself a worthy mate, at the very least. That's how it's done among gollum families."

"That's so medieval."

"Yes, it is. We are bound by tradition."

"And what is the traditional challenge? I assume it takes the form of a battle."

"Of course. The first to draw blood wins. And, yes, you have the right to refuse Rafael sex. I know that's what you're thinking, but let's not worry about that until we have to. I need to decide whether or not to tell Vincent about Rafael playing bodyguard at your gate. He's strung out enough as it is. He's got everyone in the domus on task trying to figure out how to deal with this... situation."

"Is that why a Valentino isn't at my gate?"

"Yes."

I left the window and returned to sit on my bed. "Have you heard from Rizzo? Do you know when he'll be coming home?"