The Stone and the Star — Jillian Graves

Colossus is the only living gargoyle still in existence...or so he believes. The massive stone monster doesn't trust his faint memories of his time before guarding Pittsburgh's Fine Art Conservatory's belltower. Without a clear sense of his purpose, Colossus's days are long and his nights are lonely. The single point of light in the dark monotony is the voluptuous blonde ceramics professor whose easy laugh echoes up to his perch from her faculty apartment each night.Too bad the little human doesn't know he exists.Or does she?Astra loves digging into a fresh block of clay, but after a packed teaching schedule and a serious case of burnout, the creative juices just aren't flowing. The deadline for the artist residency of her dreams is looming-she needs to rediscover her artistic spark.Astra's only comfort comes when she unwinds at home. Inspired by the alluring gargoyle statue across from her window, Astra indulges in a little self-pleasure almost every night. While the stone figure on the belltower seems to watch her work her way to gratification, she assures herself that her exhausted mind must be playing tricks on her. But that doesn't mean she doesn't like the feeling...or that Colossus himself is inspiring.When a late session in the studio forces the professor into the path of danger, Colossus defies his solitary nature and intervenes. Now there is no denying that the gargoyle is real and that he liked watching her just as much as she liked him watching.Their bond should be impossible, yet it feels more real than anything Colossus has known for hundreds of years. But will Astra follow her monstrous new muse wherever he might take her? The Stone and The Star was originally featured in the Monsters in Love: Wicked Tales and Monstrous Ever Afters Anthology. This edition includes a bonus twenty page epilogue.The Stone and The Star is connected to the Strange Universe and takes place in the same universe as Titan: A Gargoyle Daddy Dom Romance and Blood Moon: A Rivals to Lovers Vampire and Witch Novella, but doesn't require prior reading of wither story to enjoy.