Heart of Stone (The Stone Series Book 1)

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Five minutes after the last guest of the Friday evening fund-raising gala had exited the front doors of Georgia House, the historic building that housed the main museum gallery, Ella gave in to the pressure she'd felt building all through the evening. She rolled her eyes, blew a raspberry, and thumbed her nose simultaneously. It was childish of her, but satisfying.

The Stone Series by Dakota Willink - Goodreads

Ella liked to think the artist had seen him as she did—a fierce guardian, willing to battle evil on its own terms, determined to protect his charges against any harm. For an instant, her control wavered. The unmuffled touch of this man's tainted skin on hers opened her up to the most intense surge of murky energy, and she could feel the dark, vicious nature of him trying to infiltrate her defenses. And something else, something that frightened Ella more than even the assault. It twisted his lips and carved lines into the surface handsomeness of his features, transforming them into a macabre mask of evil. Without warning, Stanley jerked away, releasing her mouth and leaving her with the taste of her own blood in her mouth.Left alone, she felt the tension drain from her in an abrupt rush, leaving her dizzy and weak-kneed. She needed to sit for a minute and remind herself how to breathe. Most days, things went perfectly smoothly. It was only at times like this, when she had to deal with a special event and potential donors, that Ella ended her day feeling as if she'd been dragged behind a car over a field of broken glass. You know, that pleasant little scene never would have happened if you'd been doing your duty," she griped half-humorously to the silent guardian. "You're supposed to repel evil. Talk about lying down on the job." Pulses of restless energy battered at her weakened barriers, but she refused to let them overwhelm her. If they did, not only would she be unable to fend off Stanley's advances, but she'd also find herself barely able to function for days, if not weeks, to come. The first book in New York Times bestselling author Christine Warren sexy Gargoyle series about a beautiful young woman who uncovers a strong, stoic beast—who turns out to be the man of her dreams…

Heart of Stone (2023 film) - Wikipedia Heart of Stone (2023 film) - Wikipedia

With people all around her, she could never predict what might happen, and the constant tension of holding on to her self-control made her head pound and her nerves fray. Being an antisocial hermit just made life easier. I admit I got a little bit of a scare from Mr. Stanley here," Ella said, her voice tight but determinedly cheerful. The last thing she wanted was some kind of nightmarish scene involving lodging a complaint about the lecher's behavior, or even worse, filing some sort of assault charge with the city police. "I didn't think there was anyone still here but you and me. He startled me."And that wasn't even considering what other things might happen here in this place full of history and artifacts. Old things, especially old things full of talent and beauty, held power of their own, and they could be destroyed if she was so weak as to lose control. If she couldn't hang on, those same things could feed the madness. Suppressing the slight, irrational discomfort the man's presence always inspired, she lifted her chin and pasted on her best professional smile—the one with no actual warmth anywhere near it. She had met Stanley for the first time almost two years ago, shortly after she started working at the museum. He'd come out of a meeting with Bea and the director, Bea's boss, just as Ella was ending a tour in the mansion's front hall. The lighting out here was dim, especially with the caterer's lamps removed and the museum shut down for the night. A full moon partially obscured by drifting clouds made it possible to see, but somehow the silvery sheen it cast only made the quiet of the gardens deeper and reminded Ella of the lateness of the hour. She enjoyed these hours of the night, enjoyed the play of the moonlight on the artful plantings and graceful sculptures scattered through the museum garden.