Chapter Nine

Dmitrei got the feeling it had been a mistake to leave after making love with Elena, but he didn't know what to do. He went straight to Elric the night before, so he could explain what he knew about mating, both the how to do it and the effects thereof. Apparently, he needed to give her the ring he had been given at birth, which had powers that would protect her as his mate.

Dmitrei only knew the ring to be an heirloom. It never occurred to him some of his power might be bound up inside. If it would protect Elena, he wanted her to have it. Once she knew who and what he was.

The problem, was that scared him. Telling her everything about him was almost as scary as hoping for something when that hope could go away. What if something happened? There was too much he couldn't control in the world, but he also knew he couldn't stay away from her. Or Sebastian. Too much was riding on it.

He was getting ready to get into the Volvo to drive himself to the shelter when Elric came out of the house to talk to him, hands shoved in his pockets.

"You doing okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Dmitrei answered.

"Okay… Just checking." Elric looked to the side, "You coming back tonight?"

"I don't know. Should I not?"

Elric leaned on the car for a moment, letting the breeze ruffle his hair. "I think you should consider it. Look, I don't know what changed you all those years ago, but I do know you are finally starting to act like your old self. And if I were you, I would try to hold on to whatever was making me do that."

Dmitrei nodded, "I know that much. I'm just not sure it's fair to her."

"Why?" Elric asked. "You are the most squeaky clean of the gargoyles. She's lucky to get someone as uncomplicated as you."

"What if I'm not uncomplicated?" Dmitrei asked, not wanting to tell his friend what had happened. "What if I have serious issues?"

"Then, perhaps, you should tell someone and let it out, rather than letting it kill you inside or keep you from happiness."

"It's not killing me," Dmitrei muttered folding his arms over his chest. "But it does bother me that I'm not who you think I am. Not who the Oracle thinks I am. Not who Elena thinks I am."

"Just because we do not agree with your own assessment of yourself, does not mean we are wrong," Elric said stubbornly patting the car door as it shut.

Dmitrei rolled down the window, "I don't know if I'll be home tonight, but I'll let you know."

"Aw, sweet," Elric teased.

Dmitrei sent him a scowl that likely only added more amusement and then focused on pulling out of the driveway. Driving was getting easier and he allowed himself to relax in the chair, pulling his sunglasses on as he pulled onto the freeway. Music played on the radio and with the sun shining outside, he truly felt like maybe he was starting to become a part of this world.

A part of him worried he was convincing himself things were fine, just like he had tried to convince himself and the other gargoyles back in the day that it was okay for gargoyles to intervene. But it was different this time. There were no little, vulnerable villages and no marauders, he could protect the people he cared about with his own two hands.

He pulled up in front of the shelter and took a deep breath. Elena was in there, and hopefully, she wouldn't be hiding that disappointed look like she had when he left last night. He hadn't left because he didn't want to stay with her. He left because it was all so fast and confusing and because he didn't want to make the wrong move.

He had been carefree and ambitious in his other life, and this time he was trying to be careful, for everyone's sake. Or perhaps, mostly, for the sake of his own heart.

He locked the car and walked inside, noticing it was a little busier than usual. Elena was in front of the desk talking to a family about adopting. So Dmitrei decided not to bother her. Instead, he took a look at the outfit she wore. Black leggings with a pink pullover T-shirt and black flats. He smiled in approval and headed back to clean cages, and see Sebastian.

He noticed the little cat pop its head up the moment he entered. Despite the work he had to do, he decided he would let himself see how Sebastian was doing. He unlocked the cage and took the cat out, examining his leg. It wasn't better, but it wasn't worse. From what Elena had said, that was the best that could be expected. He stroked the cat, enjoying the calming purr, and felt a prickle of unease move down his spine as the door opened.

He looked over his shoulder and saw Elena coming in with a man he didn't recognize. He narrowed his eyes, scenting the air. The other man was tall, large enough that he could be a shifter, but carrying no scent that would indicate he was one.

Hm.

He had mouse brown hair, a smooshed looking face and he was overweight. Or perhaps he was a really large human. An untrustworthy one. Now that some of his empathy and instincts were returning he was remembering how sharply he could judge people. That would come in handy while protecting his mate.

Shit. Mate? He was thinking it so casually. So openly.

He saw the man grin creepily from across the room, his hand raised and ready to land on Elena's shoulder just before she stepped forward, out of his reach. Dmitrei let out a small sigh of relief and set Sebastian back in the cage, locking it behind him.

"Sorry little guy, I can't play long today," he said softly.

He straightened and grabbed the cleaning supplies so he could work while still keeping an eye on Elena. It was awkward between them. He could tell. She caught him staring and there was a slight glare in her eyes when they made eye contact. He sighed inwardly. He would have to explain everything later. She would have to trust him for now. He had never expected everything to go like this, and he was learning as he went. Still, he didn't like the guy next to her, and he didn't know how much longer he could wait before letting her know.

"So, you were saying a puppy?" she asked looking down the rows. "Did you have a breed in mind?"

"No," he said following her a little too closely. Dmitrei glared at him, but the man ignored him as they crossed to the other side of the room. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Elena turned to him in shock, her gray eyes wide. Her dark hair pulled into a ponytail that laid over her shoulder, soft and tantalizing. Then again, Dmitrei thought every part of her was tantalizing. He tried to read the other man's thoughts but didn't hear anything. That was odd.

"Um, that doesn't have anything to do with an adoption," she said sending Dmitrei a worried look like she thought me might pop off and cause trouble. He could, but he wouldn't. He had already learned the other night that he could hold off his beast for her. Still, the guy better watch it.

"So, Bill, do any of these dogs look like what you're looking for?" she asked.

The man finally stopped ogling Elena long enough to look at the cages in a bored motion. A thought from the creep finally came into Dmitrei's mind. The man didn't really want to adopt a puppy. But he would enjoy hurting one.

Dmitrei stood abruptly. "You are not adopting," he snapped furiously, walking over to stand between them, blocking the man from Elena and the pets. The red-haired jerk folded his arms over his huge belly and sneered, "You're just a volunteer. I think it's up to the employees to make that call."

"I…" Elena looked between the two of them, then she sighed taking Dmitrei by the arm and hauling him into a corner. She lowered her voice to a whisper, "What are you doing? You know we need every adoption we can get."

Dmitrei shook his head, "Not that one. Trust me."

"What is it?" she asked.

Dmitrei didn't know if he wanted to tell her. The thought that someone would hurt animals was a gross one, and he wished he could get the man's nasty thoughts out of his head. So, why share them with her?

"I don't like him," he said.

"Dmitrei…" she sighed. "You don't have a right to get jealous when we don't even know what this is."

"What, what is?" he asked, perplexed.

She motioned between them with her hand, "This. You know? We work together, and I've only just met you, and yeah, we went out on a date…"

"We did more than that," he retorted tersely, looking over to make sure the other man wasn't watching. "I think we did enough you should be able to take my word for it when I say someone is a creep."

"Is he a creep, or are you just jealous?" she asked. "Because, so far, I don't have any reason not to trust Bill. He's been a donor here for a long time."

Dmitrei's mouth twisted, "So, you're going to trust him over me?"

"What choice do I have?" she asked folding her arms. "It's not like you're giving me any information."

"Should I have to tell you exactly why every time I don't want you around a man?"

She shook her head, "You aren't my boyfriend, as far as I know, so you don't get to tell me when you do or don't want me around a man. Last night was fun, Dmitrei. But it doesn't give you the right to control me."

Dmitrei frowned. Something was wrong with the entire situation. She wasn't being her usually bright, sunny self. She was defensive toward him. "Is this because I left last night?"

She flipped her hair, "Because you left? How about because the second we finished, you literally jumped out the window? That was a big deal for me, and you didn't say anything. You didn't--" He leaned in for a kiss, but she pushed him back. "No," she said firmly. "You can't solve this one like that. You can't just kiss the problems away." She looked around him, "Besides, I'm at work."

"What is it you want?" he asked. "I feel like I've done something wrong and I have no idea what it is."

"Look, Dmitrei, I really like you, but you need to decide what you want. What we are, because I can't do things like we did last night and watch you disappear through the window. I need someone who is going to stay."

He blinked, stupefied by her words as she walked back to Bill, the douchebag. He realized she walked away and shook his head. She was talking to him again and she saw Bill reach up to put his hand on her arm. She drew back politely, and Dmitrei slumped on a bench, looking at Sebastian.

Sebastian raised his head, looked in Bill's direction, and hissed. Dmitrei grinned, "I'm with you, buddy. He's got to go."