When A Gargoyle Flies (Gargoyles Book 3) (16 page)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Luc snarled, and his wings flared as Castor burst into Kylie’s bedroom.  Seconds before, he had been running his claws over his naked mate’s breasts and pressing soft kisses to her neck as she prattled about her day.  It had been a blissful after sex moment that he looked forward to every night.  Now it was ruined.

“How dare you?!” Luc howled.  He looked over his shoulder to see Kylie hastily wrapping a bed sheet around herself.

Gracchus followed and tried to drag Castor away, but the belligerent male shook away Gracchus’ grip.

“I am sorry, Chief, Kylie,” said Gracchus.

“Annis is not home yet,” snapped Castor.

“Chris told us he did not know what time they would be back,” said Kylie from over his shoulder.

“Have you heard from them tonight?” demanded Castor.

Luc rose to his full height, wings, and tail twitching furiously.  “No.”

Castor muttered some things under his breath about useless leaders that Luc chose to ignore.

“There is no reason to suggest…” started Gracchus.

Castor scoffed.  “You trust that human male to protect Annis?”

Luc tightened.  “There is no reason to suggest Chris or Annis are in danger.”

“Lief was right; you should never have allowed Annis to go.  You are a fool!”

Luc growled and clasped Castor by the throat.

“Enough!” shouted Kylie, stepping between them.  She appeared to have fashioned the sheet into a toga style robe.  “I will call Chris and find out what’s happening.”

She pulled out her cell phone and tapped her foot as it rang and rang and rang.  Kylie tried calling again, but there was no answer.  “They might be busy with the new gargoyle.”

Luc peeled his claws away from Castor’s throat.  “Gracchus.”

The male straightened.  “Chief?”

“Tell Andrew I will require his services.  You will stay here with Kylie and the clan.  Castor.”  He eyed the male distastefully.  “You will come with me.”

*

Chris took more pleasure than he should while trying to slap their attacker awake.  He was now tied to a tree, and Annis was all for leaving him and hauling their butts away, but Chris was formulating a plan, and he needed all the information he could get.

“Wake up, asshole,” Chris groused.

The man groaned as he stirred.  His eyes suddenly snapped open, and he pulled against his bindings.  He let out a stream of curses, and Chris growled at him to watch his language, conveniently ignoring the fact that they were words he had used in front of Annis numerous times.

“How do we get out of here?” Chris demanded.

“You don’t.”

“You got in, so you must know how to get out.”

The man pursed his lips but did not say anything.

“What is your name?” asked Annis, appearing at Chris’ shoulder.

The man took a leisurely look up and down Annis’ body.  “Zach, sweetheart.”

“Don’t get too close to him,” warned Chris, not liking the way the male was looking at her.  “And don’t call her sweetheart.”

“Looks like your boyfriend’s getting jealous, sweetheart.”

“He is not…”

“Watch your mouth.”  Chris flexed his knuckles.  “How do we get out of here?”

“You won’t.  One of Carlton’s rich asshole hunters will get you before you make it to the fence.  Even if you did, and you somehow managed to stop the electric current, her chip would kill her trying to get through it.”

“Can’t say I’ve been particularly impressed with the hunters so far.”

“They’re not real hunters.  If they were, they’d be out in the wild hunting for real.  You think if they were any good they’d need bear traps and electrified fences?  Carlton usually has to shoot the prey with tranq darts before one of them gets close.”

“How many are there out here?”

Zach scowled.

“How many?”

“I’m not telling you anything.”

Chris rubbed his forehead.  “I’ve been hit over the head, kidnapped, hunted and worst of all some asshole keeps calling my girlfriend sweetheart, I really don’t have the patience for this – and I live with a teenage girl so I know how to be patient.  You start talking, or I let my girl and her claws loose.”

Annis opened her mouth for a moment before grinning and flexing her talons.

Zach squinted at him, trying to decide if he should be worried.  Annis flicked her tail, and he sighed.  “Whatever.  I don’t get paid enough for this, and that asshole Carlton doesn’t give a shit about Zeke.  There're five hunters out there.”

Four thought Chris.  One of them wasn’t getting up again anytime soon.

“And they won’t have any trouble finding you.”

Annis folded her arms.  “Gargoyles can be quite stealthy and if they are not competent hunters…”

“Doesn’t matter.  You got a tracking device in you.  That chip he put in you doesn’t just keep you grounded.”

Annis’ hands pressed against her stomach.  “You mean these men are already tracking me?”

“No, Carlton is.  If he doesn’t think the hunters are making enough progress, he’ll give them a little nudge in the right direction to your location.”

“So five hunters, Carlton, you – and who else is out there?”

“Just Haddock – guy you met earlier.”  Chris rubbed the back of his head, and Zach snorted.  “When Carlton met you.  That bump on your head was me - should have hit you harder.”

Chris rolled his eyes and took hold of Annis’ elbow, leading her away.  “Jeez, it’s like a hunting trip for kindergarteners.”  He stared at Annis’ stomach.  “I don’t think he was lying about the tracking device.”

“You called me your girlfriend.”

“Focus, Annis,” he grumbled, pretending he hadn’t enjoyed that as much as the gleam in her eyes told him she had.

The wound on her stomach was still dark red, and starting to scab.  Annis ran her claws over it, dislodging the scab.  Blood oozed out of her.

“It is not healing as quickly as I would expect.  That must be because of the thing they have put inside me.  He called it a chip – what is that?”

Chris wiped the blood away with his thumb.  “Electronic device.”

“Ah, it seemed unlikely it would be the kind that goes so well with dips.”

He smiled at her weak joke, but the worry did not leave his eyes.  “We need to get it out of there.”

“But how… oh.  You mean to cut me open.”

“I don’t want to.”

She could tell that he really didn’t.  He looked like he would rather be doing anything at that moment in time – including having another argument with his niece over her mating with Ric.

Annis stroked his bicep.  “It will be okay.  I will heal quickly.  You need not worry about me.”

“I always worry about you.”

Their eyes met, and she felt a flush of emotion for him.  Why could Castor not look at her that way?  Why could Chris not want to mate-claim her?  For the first time, she had two males in her life.  One she desperately wanted to be with but did not want her, and one she felt apathy toward but who did want to mate her.

The sound of Zach grunting broke the spell.  They looked over at him struggling.

“He does not have any weapons, does he?”

“No, I searched him more thoroughly than I care to admit.  But I’m going to tighten up the ropes a little and gag him; then we better get that thing out of you.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Carlton stared at the screen.  The creature wasn’t moving.  He didn’t know a lot about gargoyles.  In fact, he barely knew anything.  They were weird, demon looking creatures that turned to stone during the day.  That was about it.

Belatedly, he thought that maybe he should have asked his mystery caller for a little more information.  Tigers and lions and bears were just animals – they had the same instincts as all other mindless predators.  But this gargoyle was virtually human.  She could plan and create traps – probably almost as good as any human could.

He was starting to grow concerned at how little progress any of the hunters were making, and one of them was already down for the count.  The idiot managed to get caught in a bear trap – Haddock had gone to fetch him.  Carlton knew the clients he selected were pretty incompetent, but given how frustrated they sounded when they checked in, he feared that he had five requests for refunds coming his way.

No way was that happening.  He had lawyers’ bills and a wife who spent money like it was going out of fashion.  They were not getting refunds.

Time to give them a little nudge in the right direction.

*

“You better bite down on something,” said Chris.  “In case you need to scream.”

Cradling Annis’ head, he laid her down on the ground.

“On what should I bite?” she asked gently.

He could see the apprehension in her eyes, but she was being brave.  She was a heck of a lot braver than he had ever given her credit for.  When he first met her, he admitted he thought she was weak, in need of protection – in need of him.  But there was a steeliness in Annis he hadn’t guessed at.  Maybe the years of abuse she suffered from her former clan had made her stubborn, rather than breaking her down.  With every passing moment, he admired her even more, loved her even…  That thought broke off abruptly.  No, that isn’t… no.

“What is wrong?  You look startled?”

Annis gazed up at him with her enormous purple eyes.

“Ah, nothing.  I’m fine.  We better hurry.”

“What should I bite on?  I fear my fangs would crush a stick.”

Chris almost volunteered his neck again.  He couldn’t say he’d ever been bitten before by any of his previous girlfriends.  They may have nibbled on his ear, but a full on bite was new to him.  Vaguely, he suspected that his reaction to it wasn’t quite normal, but he had certainly enjoyed it.  But no, now was not the time.

He hobbled back over to Zach and removed the man’s leather belt.  That would do nicely.

She took it and bit down, nodding at him to start.  She clenched her small fists, and Chris desperately didn’t want to have to do this.  Annis assured him she would be fine, and she would endure the pain and heal.  But could he endure causing her pain?

Chris shook his head and grasped the knife in his sweating hand.  Slowly, he pierced her pink skin.  The ugly wound marred her perfect skin, and he resolved to get the damn chip out of her as quickly as possible to allow her to heal.

Annis flinched and squirmed a little, but she held herself remarkably still.  The knife burrowed inside her as blood bubbled out.  Chris almost felt queasy, not enjoying seeing this much of her blood.  After what felt like an age, he touched something with the tip of his knife – hopefully, the chip and not something vital.  He pulled the knife out and plunged his fingers inside.  Muted moans came from Annis, but he could not stop now.  His fingers squelched inside her until finally, he found it and pulled it out.

Chris panted as if he had run a marathon and displayed the tiny device for Annis to see.  Also panting and sweating, she spat the belt out and frowned at it.

“It is so tiny; I find it hard to believe it is capable of so much damage.”

Chris pressed his palm to her wound.  “You did wonderfully, sweetheart.  Well done.”

Gingerly, she pulled herself into a sitting position.  “It is you who did all the work.  Thank you.”  She brushed a kiss over his lips and then licked her own, savoring the flavor.

His heart, which was already banging like a drum started thundering, almost trying to get out of his chest.  “You are more than welcome.”

Carefully, she pushed his hand away and fingered her gaping cut.  “I believe I will use Zach’s shirt to staunch this wound while it heals.  It seems only fair that he donate it to my cause.”

“That seems more than fair.”

“I take it you have an idea of what to do with that?”  She nodded at the chip, still lying in his palm.

“Yeah, I think this is just what we need.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Andrew hurried back to the van where an increasingly irritated Luc and an increasingly impatient Castor waited.  He got in the driver’s seat and winced as he looked into the faces of the huge gargoyles.

“I spoke to the guy on the front desk.  Chris booked in for two nights, hasn’t checked out yet.  Doesn’t know where he is.  Says he hasn’t heard or seen anything suspicious, but I kind of get the feeling he’s the type of guy who would go out of his way to avoid trouble.”

Andrew had driven at breakneck speed to look for Annis and Chris.  They were planning on heading straight to the location of the gargoyle, but they noticed the van parked in the lot of the motel where Chris told them he was staying.

“I slipped him a twenty, and he gave me a key to their room.  It’s the one at the end.  I’ll go and…”

Castor interrupted.  “I shall be the one…”

“No, we all shall,” corrected Luc.  “Andrew, drive around to the side of the motel.  The overhead lights all appear to be broken.  I believe if we are careful, we will not be seen.”

Andrew gave them a doubtful look, but given the mood on the long drive over there, he wasn’t about to voice his objections.  Maggie would never forgive him if he went home dead!

*

Chris dragged Zach’s clothes onto his body.  He was grateful to be out of his dirt and blood encrusted jeans, and was virtually jumping for joy at having found a pair of boots that would fit him.  Not that he could really jump at that moment.  His ankle was turning a charming shade of purple.

He heard a crunch behind him and nearly toppled over as Annis came into view.  He hastily buttoned up his new trousers, hoping she didn’t see him blush.

“You need not be modest.  I have already seen you naked,” she said unabashedly.  “You do not have anything to be ashamed of – quite the opposite.”

“Ah – thanks.”  He didn’t know what else to say.  The nature of his relationship with Annis was changing and fluctuating so fast, and he had no idea where they stood at that moment.  He didn’t want her to say things like that, not while his head was so muddled.  But then he also didn’t want to see her parading around with her perfect long legs, and peachy, round breasts – but she couldn’t help that.

“You are welcome, of course.”

Annis picked up his dirty jeans as he finished dressing.

“Don’t bother,” he said, “I think they’re past saving.  Leave them here.”

She started folding them when something dropped out of the pocket.  It made a soft clinking sound as it landed on the ground.  Annis grasped it between two claws and held it up to him.

“This was in your pocket.”

Chris stared at his wedding ring.  He’d forgotten it was there.

He held out his palm, and she dropped it into it.  “Thanks.”  He quickly stuffed it into his new pocket.

“It is your wedding ring, is it not?”

“Yes,” he replied shortly.  Chris felt a twinge of annoyance that this would be the human custom Annis knew about.  There was plenty she didn’t, but she just had to know this one.

“Kylie also wears one,” she murmured, as if in explanation.  “When Luc learned of the custom, he insisted a ring be found for her.”

“I’ve never seen it on her finger.”

“She wears it around her neck.  She carries it with her, as you carry it with you.”

He grunted and pulled the boots on, ignoring the swollen ankle that was begging him to put it out of its misery.

Annis rubbed the edges of her wings.  “You do not want another mate?  I understand it is acceptable for humans to accept a second mate.”

Chris snorted.  “Sometimes a third, fourth, even fifth – in fact, there’s really no limit.”

She took a step closer to him.  “But you do not want one?  You wish to remain true to her?  That is the gargoyle way also.”

“It is?” he asked impassively.

“Indeed.  Gargoyles may slake our need with as many partners as we choose, but when we mate, we mate for life.”

He decided to circle back to the whole slaking a need business.  He didn’t want Annis slaking anything with anyone.  The visage of Castor flitted through his mind, and he beat it away.  “What if your mate dies?”

Annis squared her shoulders, and her wings twitched slightly.  “Then we must stay true to their memory.  That is not to say that we cannot lay with other gargoyles, but we may not mate, and we may only produce younglings with our mate.”

“Pretty strict.”  By gargoyle logic, he wouldn’t be allowed to marry another woman.  He wasn’t sure why he cared; a few days ago, he wouldn’t have given a shit.

“It was much stricter for humans in my day.”

“Yeah, I guess it would be.  Divorce is still new – or at least relatively new to you.”

Annis hesitated.  “Castor was once supposed to be mated, but he never went through with the ceremony.  Time ran out before he could complete the mating.”

Chris couldn’t help the jibe, “Guess he doesn’t want to remain true to her.”

Annis shot him an indecipherable look.  “They never had a love match.  His mating was not like yours.”

Chris looked away partly in shame for the untruth in her words, and partly out of fear that Annis had already made up her mind to mate Castor.  Above all, he didn’t want that.

“Your wife, she was very lucky.”

“She’s dead.”

“I am sorry,” Annis stammered, raising her hands to her face as her cheeks bloomed dark pink, “I did not mean…”

“I know.  But even before the accident, I would hardly call her lucky.”

“I meant that you are a good man.  She was lucky to find a mate like you.”

Chris swallowed as he remembered the days following Mara’s death, as the lies she’d told him, truths she’d kept from him unfolded.  “I wasn’t a good husband.”

Annis shook her head.  “I do not believe that.”

“Believe it or not, it’s true.”

“You are still in love with your wife,” she whispered, unable to look at him.

He wasn’t sure whether it was a statement or a question, but his heart squeezed in pain.  He wasn’t in love with her.  He should have been, but he wasn’t.  Not one tenth of the feelings Annis incited in him were ever present in his heart for Mara.

“What do you know about my wife?”

“Not much,” she replied uncertainly, “only what Bea has mentioned in passing – and I assure you, Bea meant no harm.  Her name was Mara, was it not?  You must have loved her very much.”

“I don’t think I ever loved her at all.”

Annis gasped softly, and Chris let out a mirthless laugh.

“That sounds harsh, right?  But I can’t imagine she loved me either.  The whole thing was just crazy and impulsive.  It was just an infatuation, and it didn’t last.”

“I am sorry, I did not know.”  She looked at him with pity, and that just made him madder.

“No,” he growled almost accusingly, “you thought I was a good man, thought I was a good husband who lost his wife in a tragic accident.  Truth is, I was relieved when she was gone.  I was a lousy husband, and it was a relief when she was no longer around to fuck with me and make my life hell and…”

“Sshhhh.”

Annis took him in her arms, cradling his head against her shoulder.  Her hands gently moved up and down his back, and she rocked him slowly.  She was treating him like an infant, and he did not care.  For the first time since Mara died, he allowed himself to cry.  Allowed a few tears to trickle down his cheeks in grief.  For a long time, he had held onto his anger at himself for being a bad husband, for not stopping Mara on her self-destructive path and for his guilt over her passing.  Perhaps it was finally time to let it go.