Hunting Down Dragons (Moonlight Dragon #2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

seconds, then abruptly stood up and strode away. "You're right."
    Of course that only convinced me that I must be wrong. I climbed to my feet with a groan, a myriad of tiny aches making themselves known throughout by my body.
    "Wait. Vale, why did you say this wasn't all about me?" I tried my hardest not to stare at his bare backside. "Is it because you're the heir to the Gargoyle Throne? And thanks for telling me that, by the way. I appreciated learning it from a disembodied voice."
    "I'm not the heir," he said with an impatient wave of the arm. "My brother will inherit."
    "Fine, you're the dashing, wastrel younger brother. Why didn't you tell me who you are?"
    He turned and glared at me. "Does it matter? I have nothing to do with politics. I'm on my own; otherwise I'd be back in Europe."
    "But that's why the Oddsmakers grabbed you, isn't it? Because of your position?"
    He turned around again, putting his back to me and hiding his expression. But I wasn't about to let him get away with it. I grabbed his arm and tried to spin him. I'd forgotten how strong he was. He didn't budge an inch. He turned on his own to study me with annoyance.
    "It's my business, Moody."
    "Apparently it's mine, too, since we were both snatched by them." I hesitated, and then laid my hand on his bare shoulder, just above the giant, finger-shaped bruises on his arm. "I'm not your enemy here. I think I've proved that a couple of times now. I want to know who you are. Not just to protect my own butt but because…well, I just do. You're interesting."
    His dark gaze held mine. "Interesting. That's like telling a guy he's swell."
    "Hey, I've gotta play coy. That's what Cosmo tells me."
    "I think we're beyond coy. I'm naked."
    "And I haven't looked lower than your chin for at least ninety seconds."
    His lips twitched. He ran a hand over his face. "Remember when your friend Orlaton told you that gargoyles traditionally possess the souls of demons?"
    "Sure. I thought he was being paranoid."
    "He was right, Moody. The gargoyle that sits atop our throne isn't my father. It's a demon that overthrew my father—killed him—and replaced him. No one's supposed to know that because it would put me and my brother and other gargoyles in danger."
    As I gaped at him, he continued.
    "The original gargoyle curse, cast nearly a thousand years ago, turned a stone statue into a flesh and blood man but kept him trapped in a cycle of transformation. That's why I have three forms: gargoyle, statue, and man. But somewhere along the line a sorcerer decided gargoyle forms would provide a great place to hide a small demon army. He bound a handful of lower tier demons into the form of gargoyles. They can't shift into human forms, however they look like gargoyles and they turn to stone like gargoyles. They did a lot of damage to the gargoyle reputation, which Orlaton and others are aware of. Trust me when I say I didn't appreciate it when I was possessed by Vagasso's demon. It struck too close to home."
    I nodded. "You and I are two peas in a pod, tainted by the actions of some bad apples."
    "The Oddsmakers know I'm not a demon, but they're aware that the current king is. They have me under constant surveillance because they think I might start a war against demons."
    "Wouldn't that be more your brother's goal, since he's the one who's next in line to inherit?" A thought occurred to me. " Can he inherit? Demons don't die."
    "Exactly. The current Gargoyle King is under the thumb of its human handler, and the Oddsmakers believe that either my brother or I will eventually go after him to regain control of the throne. My brother probably will, but that will be his battle to wage, not mine. Too bad the Oddsmakers don't want to believe me about that."
    "Why were they torturing you?"
    Vale looked away and muttered something.
    "What was that?" I prodded.
    His brows drew down fiercely. "I said they wanted me to look pathetic so you'd do what they said."
    His humiliation burned off him in