Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Les Gargouillen #2

Flesh and Stone

Rate this book
While searching for a missing client, Mara Kincaide, who operates a shelter for women, is transported to the realm of Gargoyles, a race of shape-changing immortals who have protected humanity for centuries, and "given" to Connor Rihyad, who might be the man of her dreams, or her nightmares. Original.

297 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 7, 2006

1 person is currently reading
185 people want to read

About the author

Vickie Taylor

41 books52 followers
Vickie Taylor wrote her first novel in 1997. Upon completion, she was too chicken to give the manuscript to anyone she knew to read, so she sent her baby off to a few contests to get some anonymous feedback instead. Little did she know how her life was about to change: a few months later, she had won all four of the Romance Writers of America chapter contests she’d entered, was a Golden Heart finalist and had sold the book to Silhouette Intimate Moments!

Since then, Vickie has written numerous romantic suspense novels for Silhouette Books and Berkley Sensation, garnering such recognition as the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence in Romantic Suspense, a four-and-a-half star “Top Pick” review in Romantic Times, and a coveted RWA Rita nomination for her work.

In 2006, Vickie continued her acclaimed paranormal series featuring Les Gargouillen (the Gargoyles) with FLESH AND STONE, the sequel to the smashing debut CARVED IN STONE. The third book in the series, LEGACY OF STONE, is now on bookstore shelves everywhere.

Vickie lives in a small town in north Texas dubbed “The Heart of Horse Country” where she rounds out her writing days raising horses, volunteering with the local Humane Society, and serving on a K-9 search and rescue team

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
64 (25%)
4 stars
88 (35%)
3 stars
77 (30%)
2 stars
14 (5%)
1 star
7 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Janet.
3,356 reviews24 followers
June 9, 2018
Another enjoyable entry into the world of gargoyles. This is a very good series and loved having the recurring characters from the previous book be a part of it. Connor and Mara's book is so much fun.
Profile Image for georgia.
23 reviews3 followers
February 12, 2020
This book was not as fun as the first, but Vickie definitely revealed some important lore and I loved Marcel (my friends'/my replacement name for the female --> trans man mc). Honestly, though, the pregnancy kink was NOT PLEASANT. But Evil Villain Man's assless chaps were cool + leather thong. Stan.
Profile Image for Cindyg.
1,004 reviews63 followers
June 21, 2010
This one was better than the first one. Conner and Mara work together almost from the start, at least to free the captives. What they have for each other is another story.
This book kept a good pace, had action and some tender and not so tender loving.
Recommend it to PNR fans.
Profile Image for Aideeeee.
611 reviews50 followers
Want to read
July 3, 2014
Normal que te prestan (obligan a leer) un libro y resulta que es una segunda parte. Supongo que el individuo no lo sabía.
Profile Image for Damari Altamirano.
81 reviews3 followers
Read
January 20, 2024
MINIRESEÑA ~ [Sin Spoilers]

Sangra la noche - Vickie Taylor

¡Este libro estuvo guardado en mi librería hace unos 5 años! No lo había leído porque le di prioridad a otras lecturas, pero debo decir que me gustó muchísimo.

Siempre leemos libros clichés de amor, con temas sobrenaturales que también caen en lo cliché, como vampiros, hombres lobos, hechiceros, etc. Sin embargo, este libro nos trae a las gárgolas. Seres inmortales mutantes que han contemplado el devenir de la humanidad durante siglos. Ahora luchan por algo diferente: luchan por amor.

La historia nos presenta a Mara, una mujer que sale en busca del rastro de una importante cliente, pero acaba convirtiéndose en víctima del mismo destino funesto que había alcanzado a su también amiga. Es ahí cuando conoce a Connor, quien se transforma en su guardián para salir de aquel horrible lugar.

Esta novela se publicó un año después de Crepúsculo, y al parecer, no tuvo mucho éxito al quedar opacada por este primer título que se enmarcó como un "fenómeno adolescente".

"Sangra la noche" es una historia mucho más cruda que no solo tiene romance, sino que también abarca temas como el abuso sexual, la explotación y la trata de mujeres. Creo que este libro estaba bastante adelantado a su época, mostrándonos a una protagonista de carácter fuerte que lucha para salvar a las mujeres.

¡Cuando busqué este libro en internet, me di cuenta que existe una segunda parte publicada en 2007, que cuenta una historia paralela!

Si te gustan las historias de romance apasionado y el misterio, te recomiendo esta historia.
Profile Image for Anna McFadden.
1,016 reviews8 followers
March 3, 2019
Mara Kincaide had a rough childhood. Now as an adult she is determined to help women who really needs it. Those who has no where else to go. When her good friend goes missing and the police aren't concerned she knows something isn't right. She is more then determined to find her friend or find what happened to her and make the person/people pay for the crime.
Connor Rihyad is a force in his on. Poweful, lithe, cunning and no one not even his fellow Gargoyles will trifled with. With being half Gargoyle and half human and its in his dna to protect the innconent. When Maya is "given to Connor so "knows" he's different from the "other's" but when he discovers the betrayal he has to decide between the way of his people or the way of his heart.
293 reviews1 follower
September 27, 2023
Okay, this isn't exactly the type of romance that I normally read, but, it was still good. Didn't realize it was part of a series until about the half way mark. Didn't like it enough to get the others. But, it's still a pretty good read.
Profile Image for Teacherofbook.
172 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2020
Una novela muy entretenida que me ha tenido enganchada hasta el final. Me encanta haber podido descubrir más cosas interesantes acerca de los Gargoullien.
Profile Image for Meep.
2,171 reviews230 followers
June 16, 2021
Really not for me, admittedly didn't get far but the characterisation and situations were seriously not working for me. No thanks.
Profile Image for Lillie Roberts.
Author 11 books29 followers
February 20, 2010
Mara has had a hard life, nearly raped at 17, she kills her would be rapist. But, she's just a girl from the wrong side of the tracks and the judge doesn't see it that way. She's incarcerated, locked up for protecting herself. After eight years of incarceration and time to think of what's important, she runs a women's shelter, helping others. Until Angela, her one true friend disappears. Mara follows the breadcrumbs and meets the same foul end, kidnapped for whatever reason, she has no idea what's going on.

Connor Rihyad has been sent on a mission. Someone has tried to steal Chicago's Gargouillen children, this cannot happen, the children are the Gargoyle congregation's life blood. Minnesota is where he has been led. The Brethren there aren't willing to protect humanity, they want to use it, abuse it, murder it if they have to. Just to gain entrance, he'll have to do the unimaginable, kill another Gargoyle and just not any Gargoyle, but an old friend and sometime rival, Nathan.

But an ancient evil exists in coldness of Minnesota, and it's haunting the Chicago Gargoyles. Rachel and Teryn can sense it and soon it will be coming for them all.

Flesh and Stone, Book Two of the Gargouillen Series by Vickie Taylor is the continuing story of the Gargouillen from Carved in Stone. Connor Rihyad is Nathan's rival in Carved in Stone. When Nathan is excommunicated, it's Connor that takes his place. When Nathan is returned to the congregation, there's no room at the top for two leaders, so Connor accepts the mission to Minnesota to see what has gone wrong and why. The Gargoyles from Minnesota are like nothing Connor has seen before. They're not interested in protecting humanity, but raising an army, an army of Gargouillen. But why are these Gargouillen so different from all of his past memories? What has changed to cause them to no longer hold with the values of old? And what's worse, a dark evil is echoing through his body that can be felt all the way back to his roots in Chicago. Rachel, our heroine from Carved in Stone, has been searching for her long lost brother for years with no success until Teryn helps her focus her abilities, but the dark evil again seeps into the visions. Mara, our heroine, tries to help Connor in his quest to find out what has gone so terribly wrong in Minnesota. She's tough as nail and she's trying to keep herself and the group of women detained with her alive. While searching for her friend Angela, she and her group were kidnapped and sent to the despicable miscreants living in Minnesota. Her friend, Angela, disappeared after applying for a job. And the same thing has now happened to her. Living with men more animal than human, she bides her time all the while, hoping for news of Angela. When Connor enters the scene, he'll either be her savior and her ultimate downfall, only time will tell.

When I first met Connor Rihyad in Carved in Stone, I wasn't sure I was going to like him. He's unwilling to change with the times, he wants the Gargouillen to remain the same as they have been for centuries. But, this is a different time, a different place than he has ever existed in before. The times have change and the Gargoyles need to change with it or die out. It's hard won knowledge for our alpha hero, Connor has to grow. When Mara enters his life, his beast comes to life, begging him to take what he wants, daring him to give what she needs.

Flesh and Stone is an exciting conclusion to the story which began in Carved in Stone, without spoilers ruining the tale, I can't say much more. The story continues with Levi's story yet to come in Legacy of Stone, the long awaited third book in the Les Gargouillen Series. Flesh and Stone was very quick read for me. It was begging to be read after Carved in Stone. Connor's story was waiting to unfold and I needed to see how he had changed or if he could change. Again, I wasn't disappointed. Another fun read from Vickie Taylor, an excellent addition to the Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genre.

I picked up this book for my own pleasure (Anna from Anna's Book Blog sent me this one as well). All opinions I expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Paranormal Romance.
1,317 reviews47 followers
August 15, 2025
The hero is willing to surrender himself to darkness in order to infiltrate the rogue group of his kind- well, he'll at least pretend to surrender. He had to fake the murder of his friend to gain access and now that he's in, he's got to appear like he's on board with the bad stuff these people are doing. Including kidnapping, enslaving and raping women for the purpose of begetting an heir on them and securing their reincarnation. But the hero refuses to do this. Instead, he claims for his own one very strong and very beautiful woman.

The heroine herself is a spy. Infiltrating this bunch of nut jobs was easy but getting out is going to be a bitch, especially with 8 other pregnant women. When the newcomer sets his sights on her, at first, she is horrified by the prospect of warming his bed. Then furious over the injustice. But when she realizes he is in fact a good man, she willingly becomes his partner in crime. Together, under the guise of sexual late-night meetings begin to plot and scheme their plan to save these women and bring down the organization on a whole.

They may start their relationship as pretend lovers but that doesn't stop the real and intense chemistry that does in fact exist between them. The hero is very protective of her and with the childhood she had growing up, she's not used to others caring for her. He comes to mean a great deal to her in a very short period of time not just because he is her ticket out of this mess but also because he's become dear to her heart. Their plans for escape are cut short when the whole household is summoned to the main hideout where the hero is to be introduced to the leader- finally. It's there that the heroine is introduced to a whole farm of pregnant women, in the same predicament as herself. She's startled and unnerved by the discovery of her own pregnancy because the hero made it clear his people do not accept females into their group. The female child and the mother will be left alone while the male is taken and raised as Gargoyle. No matter how badly she wants the hero and no matter how indecisive he is between his people’s customs and his own love for the heroine, it seems they are destined to part.

I've got to say, I quite liked this book. Once again this is a series that I don't recall much of from the first read but I found this book enjoyable and unique enough to capture my attention. The cultish setting, the mythology of Gargoyles and the characters intense and immediate bonding all came together to create a book that was memorable. From the start, the hero and heroine became a very trusting and dedicated pair. They worked together well and hardly disagreed other than the hero not wanting the heroine to put herself in dangerous situations. The chemistry was great and the hero was super sweet to the heroine when she didn't know a lot of tenderness growing up. He walked a fine line between his mission and rebellion. He disagreed with things his group was doing so at times it made him capable of faking his dedication to the rebels. He was a convincing liar and could plan his way around issues with a good deal of confidence. The heroine was a strong woman who sacrificed herself for her friend. She became a slave to save this other woman but, in the process, became a source of strength for all the others who have been enslaved with her. She could rally the troops and project a confident self when needed while being able to play shy little slave when required. I really really liked these characters and their easy and comfortable relationship. Perhaps a bit too easy? I couldn't rate it a 5 star because sometimes the plot and scenes were a bit slow or rushed depending on the topic and I wanted the ending to be a bit more drawn out. That was when the hero had to decide whether to uphold tradition and let his woman go or fight for his love. I wanted more from that that I got. Still a good book though.
Profile Image for Anita.
2,821 reviews182 followers
November 3, 2008
Book 2 of a trilogy

I'm completely shocked that this book turned out to be good. I put off reading it because a gargoyle love story seemed too silly an idea; I couldn't imagine anything good coming of it. Fortunately, thr author is a lot more creative than I, and she did a very good job crafting a story that is interesting with exceptional character deveopment.

The premise of this trilogy is that gargoyles are similar to weres - humans that change into fantastic creatures at will. A magically spell initially created them over a thousand years ago and gave them the mission to protect people, which they now interpret to mean killing human psychos. )The stone gargoyles on buildings were based on the living gargoyles as a token of reverence back in the day.) Only males inherit the ability to change, but they can do so from a very early age, so the men have formed small congregations where they raise their sons and teach them to manage the beast inside. Unfortunately, this requires taking sons away from mothers, who the men are certain would not understand children sprouting horns. Any gargoyle who produces at least one son is later reincarnated, so many of the gargoyles have memories dating back hundreds of years.

In this book, Conner infiltrates the group of corrupt gargoyles who burned down his congregation's headquarters and tried to kidnap children. The Minnesota-based nutjobs have set up a kidnapping ring where they kidnap single women who won't be missed, then rape them until they conceive, then keep the babies. They are trying to build an army of evil gargoyles. While taking the operation down, Conner falls in love with Myra, a spunky woman who wants to take them down to save her best friend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jodz.
391 reviews5 followers
September 17, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. As a devoted reader to paranormal romance it was good to read something a little different to the rest!

Who knew gargoyles could be as delicious as hunky vampires =)!

Mara the main female charecter is a little different to the general female in distress...she is strong willed, bold and daring - She is deffinitly one of my fav charecters!

only 3 stars because while i really did enjoy this book it was a once only read, i dont see myself reading it again...
Its one of those books you have to read just the once and thats enough (To me anyway)
Profile Image for Cindy Roa.
505 reviews44 followers
July 29, 2016
Un libro divertidísimo, que solo hasta que lo abrí en Goodreads descubrí que era una segunda parte, pero por fortuna para mí, la novela en sí no necesita de haber leído el libro 1 para entender la trama, en ningún momento me sentí perdida, por el contrario, me topé con un balance genial entre literatura erótica y fantástica, con personajes bastante interesantes y una propuesta mitológica sólida, que explica el porqué de las gárgolas y sus poderes ¡nada mal nada mal!
33 reviews
July 18, 2008
I actually liked this one better than Carved in Stone. The story is different from most paranormal. I love good characterization and this book definitely has that with all of the characters.

I have to say to date Mara is one of my favorite female main characters. She works from her past and has it help her in this situation.
Profile Image for BookAddict  ✒ La Crimson Femme.
6,923 reviews1,439 followers
November 1, 2021
Had to pick this book up because... GARGOYLES! As the second book in this series, it was good. This was straightforward with Guy and Girl meets up. Human girl finds that her dream man is not exact a man. He's male alright, just with a rocky twist. After this book, I kind of lost interest in the series. Other than the fact that there are gargoyles, this series isn't too memorable for me.
Profile Image for Andrea.
620 reviews9 followers
May 15, 2010
I loved it, it was the first book I'd read about Gargoyles and I'm looking forward to all the books in this series!
Profile Image for Judith Galaviz.
9 reviews
November 3, 2010
this book was pretty good it really caught my attention I recomend it but just to warn you it has some sexual parts in it.
Profile Image for TINNGG.
1,238 reviews20 followers
June 1, 2011
This series is just interesting enough to make you want to follow it, but not to make you wanna keep for future rereads.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
9 reviews
August 1, 2012
I was rather disappointed. didn't even finish it before I put it down. it sounded more interesting than it really was.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.