Dark Enchantment (Elvis Presley Story)

Chapter 37

Both woman turned to Elvis. He smiled at them, all teeth.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sophia asked.

"Sure, honey. It's only an eternity."

Aurora twisted her ring. Sophia frowned. "Elvis, is there anything you haven't told me?"

"Plenty. But nothing relevant." He hoped.

Next to the door, two giant stone half-bird, half-imp gargoyles ruffled their feathers and moved their hideous heads, as though awakening from a long slumber. Sculpted veins and bones sharpened, sinewy muscles stretched taut as they unfurled their wings. Fierce hooked beaks looked vicious enough to rip a man to shreads. The gargoyles pinned Elvis with stony gazes.

He spread his arms out from his body, meeting one then the other, eyes without hesitation. "Search my soul, guardians, and you will see it harbors no malicious intent towards this place or those within its walls."

"Brave man, I'll give him that," Aurora murmured.

"I told you," Sophia said, "Elvis is only interested in making a trade for the diamond. He has no evil purpose."

Her defense of him warmed his heart. He wanted to smile at her, but was too busy staring down the gargoyles.

"Then why was Marcolf shooting at him?" Aurora asked. She sounded beyond skeptical.

"He doesn't know."

"Hmph. Well, guardians?" Aurora commanded the bird-imps. The gargoyles seemed to the flight. But it was just their indwelling demons that lifted off, leaving the carved stone statues in place next to the door. The silvery mist-like demons swooped and circled around Elvis's head. Energy flowed outward from their phantom forms like ripples of electricity. It penetrated his body, surrounding each cell with heavy, probing power, as though someone was peering at him from inside out.

A very creepy feeling.

Suddenly his arms flew up and his body locked in place, unable to move. He felt the whisper of wings against his back. At once one of the gargoyles was staring at him in the face, just inches away. Primitive eyes looked deep, deep into his soul. They widened, then they were gone.

A sharp sensation stabbed through the left side of Elvis's back. He gasped, breathing through the pain as an invisible claw gripped his heart and for a moment seemed to rip it from his chest. Pulsing energy swirled around the organ like a tornado. He didn't have a chance to panic, for again, as quickly as it started, it was over.

Both guardians hovered before him for a moment on silent wings. They looked at each other, then at him, then back to each other, as if undecided about something.

His restored heart started to pound like thunder. He sucked in a breath, relief pouring through him. Removing a demon's heart from his body was one of the few ways to kill him.

"What is it?" Sophia asked the gargoyles worriedly.

They bowed their heads at Elvis, then swept away on wraith-like wings, melded with their stone images and came to rest, solid and unmoving.

Aurora blinked. Twice. "Well! It seems you have passed the test, demon." She looked none too happy. "When Charles has shown you to your rooms, Sophia, I'd like a word."

With that, she turned and disappeared through the door, which Charles managed to reach and open in the two seconds it took her to get there. He bowed formally as she strode through. "Shall I get your bags from the car?" Charles asked, turning to Sophia.

"No luggage this time, Charles. We were-it wasn't safe to go back to the suite."

"Oh, OK." With that, he melted into the Manor and disappeared.

"Demon?" Elvis asked.

Sophia gave him a quick, distracted look. "Who, Charles? Don't know. I've never asked."

Elvis raised his brows in suprise. "I thought cadre initiates could recognise demons on sight."

"Many kinds, yes. But more evolved species, only if they give themselves away."

He nodded thoughtfully. "You spotted me right off. What gave me away?"

She was still gazing at the gargoyles as she answered. "I knew you were a para by the way you moved. Too fast for a human. But it was your whisper that told me what you were. Only demons have that power."

"To influence a mortals thoughts by whispering in her ear. A very handy ability it is, too. Very annoying it never seems to work on you."

She finally turned to him and smiled. "The benefit of a lifetime of cadre training. But you do all right sometimes." She stepped closer, her thought obviously not on that topic. "What did the guardians see in your heart, Elvis? I've never seen them to react like that."

His answering smile froze on his lips. "I have no idea."

"They seemed almost...puzzled. are you sure you can't think of anything?"

The only thing he was sure of was that he never wanted to go through that so-called test again. As for what they'd seen, or felt, within him, he was afraid to speculate. He had not been himself lately. Some of the changes were down right frightening. Maybe they had thrown the gargoyles, too.

He forced a grin, waggling his eyebrows. "Maybe they saw what I plan to do to you in bed tonight."

She glanced around on an intake of breath. "Shhh! You can't say things like that."

"Can't help it, baby. It's my wicked nature."

She made a face at him. "Come on, you. We should go in."

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And thanks for reading! xoxo