Fray (VLG #14)

Chapter Two

Len was terrified as Fray bent down and gripped the chain between her wrists, pulling her to her feet. He surprised her when he crouched, lifting her arms above his head. He released the chain, and she found out why he’d done it. The chain settled behind his neck and locked her arms there as if they were in an awkward hug. It jerked her against his body when he straightened to his full height, and she had to go up on her tiptoes. He put an arm around her waist and hoisted her up.

“Wrap your legs around me,” Fray demanded.

She hesitated, really resenting Fray’s sunglasses as she stared at his face. She just wanted to see his eyes. It would make her feel a little better.

“I’ll tie your ankles together if you don’t, vessel.” Fray’s voice came out icy.

She guessed that was her new name for the time being. Or breeder. Either one wasn’t pleasant.

Len spread her legs, and Fray’s other arm hooked her under her ass, lifting her higher. Her skirt rode up, digging into her outer thighs since it wasn’t meant to stretch far apart, but she managed to grip Fray’s waist. His bare skin against hers felt hot. She had to adjust one leg a little higher, though, to avoid the handle of his mini sword from digging into her tender flesh.

Fray turned. “I’d like to take my things with me.”

“Yiz will bring your bags but will check them before they are returned to you,” Zadian decided.

“Fine.” Fray kept hold of Len with both arms. “I have the most important thing.”

I’m a thing now . Len didn’t know what was going on, but she didn’t like it one bit. Zadian spun around, lumbering out the door. Fray followed, carrying her.

The parking lot wasn’t empty of people anymore. It stunned Len as she saw three other women outside on the pavement. They were bound and gagged, wrapped in the motel sheets like mummies with only their heads showing. Rope had been wound around their bodies from shoulders to ankles. The women were either stunned into silence or too traumatized to speak.

She suddenly didn’t mind being in Fray’s arms. Scary-looking men stood next to each bound woman who lay on the ground. Those guys wore black pants, too, without shirts on. They also had muscled pale bodies. Some of them sported a lot of tattoos covering their arms and parts of their chests. They each bent, grabbed a woman near their booted feet, and lifted them into their arms.

The hell? Len had no idea what to think.

Yiz drew her attention when he rolled his shoulders and glared at Fray. “I will attack if you attempt to flee. You’ll lose your breeder.”

Fray’s mouth compressed into a grim line. “Lead the way.”

“What’s up with the shades?” Yiz stepped closer. “Remove them.”

Fray hesitated. “I’m a full silver.”

Yiz smirked. “You can’t pass as human without them.”

“No.”

“You’re amongst your own kind. Get rid of them. I want to see your eyes.” Yiz backed up.

Fray shifted his arm around Len’s waist and reached up, gripping the side of his glasses. He turned his head and ripped them off. He kept his face averted from Len, but his fingers wrapped around the back of her neck. He forced her head to the side and down until her nose smashed against his throat.

“Keep your head there,” Fray demanded. “Don’t move.”

“Better.” Yiz sounded amused. “I’ve never seen one like you before. Your bloodlines are rare.”

“There’s always a first.” Fray kept his hand on the back of her head. “Let’s go.”

“Why are you hiding her face?”

“She doesn’t know yet.”

“You bred her. How is that possible?”

“She can’t see in the dark. You know how they get. I wanted to keep her sane for as long as possible.”

“No more hiding. Let her head go. I want to see her reaction.” Yiz chuckled. “I find it amusing. We have restraints where we’re going. She won’t be able to do anything about it.”

Fray made a low grumble noise. His chest vibrated against hers. “Fine.” He eased his hold on Len’s head. “Vessel, behold the truth of who owns you.”

His hand gripping her hip, where his arm rested under her ass, gently massaged. She wondered why he did it, but she slowly lifted her head. He’d just announced he owned her. That made Len want to give him a dirty look, even if he said things she was pretty sure he didn’t mean to play along with whatever insane situation they were in. She looked at his handsome face before staring directly into his eyes.

It was enough to make Len forget to grip his waist with her thighs. Fray held her in place, though, as she took the sight of his eyes. They were silver, explaining why he’d said he was one. The color was unlike anything she’d ever seen, giving them a surreal appearance.

They had to be Halloween contacts, but as she watched, some bright blue streaks appeared to bleed through the silver in tiny sparks that reminded her of lightning. It disappeared fast, replaced by darker silver. His irises were a liquid pool, flashes of darker silver and bright blue sparking through them like living orbs. The only parts that didn’t change were the pupils and the white area of his eyes.

He looked away from her to glare at Yiz. “Did that make your night? I’d like to get her settled. Breeders are fragile. She needs sleep soon. I was putting her to bed when you arrived.”

Len was mute, even if she’d been able to speak. What is he? Not human. She started to freak out inside. Is Fray an alien? She’d always believed that Earth couldn’t be the only planet to hold life. She just hadn’t imagined that aliens would ever visit Earth in her lifetime, and Fray sure wasn’t little or green. Maybe he can suddenly spring razor-sharp tentacles from his mouth—or worse. Her heart hammered hard, and she tried to lift her arms, wanting to get away from him. She bucked her body, willing to be dropped.

Fray snapped his head in her direction and locked gazes with her. “Stop.”

She froze. His eyes were really flashing now, jagged tiny flashes of bright blue bleeding through the silver. A whimper came from her. Fray’s hand on her hip squeezed. It was almost a reassuring gesture, but she was too afraid to appreciate it.

“Prepare yourself,” he warned. “There’s more.”

What does that mean? Len didn’t want to know what else she was to discover about Fray, but he rolled his broad shoulders and closed his eyes, blocking her from seeing them. His body tensed, and he trembled slightly. She could feel it all since he held her tightly against his chest. Something soft brushed her fisted hands trapped behind his neck, and two dark shapes seemed to grow out of him.

Her mouth would have fallen open if her teeth weren’t stuck together. Big black wings spread out, expanding by the second. She tried to scream when it sank in, but it came out as more of a whimper. Fray’s eyes snapped open and locked with hers when she could pull her gaze away from those big, black wings.

“Easy,” he whispered.

Easy? Is he kidding? She bucked her body, trying to get away from Fray again.

A few of the men around them laughed, reminding her that they weren’t alone. She stopped struggling and turned her head. The men carrying those women had wings, too. They were big, black, and scary to see.

Len had never fainted in her life, but she knew she was about to when she couldn’t pull air into her lungs. Spots danced before her eyes, her body going limp.

Fray held her a little tighter when she sagged against him. It took effort to suck in a deep breath through her nose. It helped when she closed her eyes, not willing to see anymore. She was losing her mind or on the worst acid trip ever. It seemed Fray had given her LSD. She’d heard the hallucinations on that drug could be hellish and wild. It would account for everything.

“The show is over,” Fray ground out.

Len allowed him to adjust her in his arms until her face lay nestled against his throat. His very warm skin helped her fight off the chill of going into shock. She wanted to believe it was drugs. That was an option she could deal with.

She decided to cling to Fray, willing to just hold onto him until the worst of the hallucinations passed. Moe trusted him, and she trusted her stepdad. That had to mean something. She knew it was desperate logic, but at least it helped her remain rational.

Fray bent a little and then leaped. They didn’t hit the ground. It was a strange motion, and she made the mistake of raising her head to peek over his shoulder. They were rising upward, and his wings flapped. She turned her head, watching the ground get farther away. The lights from the motel grew dimmer, and she spotted other buildings and houses, even the highway, which was a few blocks over.

I’m so fucked. She closed her eyes again, purposely hiding her face against Fray’s neck. They were flying. It wasn’t supposed to be possible, but air breezed against her skin, and that sound was definitely his wings flapping.

“I’m going to get us out of this,” Fray rasped close to her ear. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. Be strong and just hang in here with me, Lenore.”

Who is going to protect me from you? That’s what she wanted to know. Chaz was Fray’s twin brother, so he probably had those same strange eyes and wings. They’d been visiting Moe for as long as her stepfather had been in her life. Is Moe aware that his friends have wings and liquid silver eyes? She didn’t think so.

Len braved opening her eyes and peering around. They weren’t alone in the sky. Yiz and those three men carrying women kidnapped from the motel flew close to them. They were shapes outlined by the moon. It made her feel a little sick when she looked down, realizing how fast they moved. The entire town could be seen from that height. She spotted the cars in the distance on a larger highway and realized where they were.

Fray flew closer to the ground, and she could make out the tips of the trees and the shapes of the hills. They were heading right toward three peaks. She shook her head, trying to convey to him that it was a bad place to go.

“We won’t crash.”

He didn’t understand. She tried again by jerking her head toward the hills, then shaking her head a second time.

“That’s where they want us to go.”

“Mmmmmm.” She was pissed that she couldn’t talk.

“Shush,” Fray muttered.

Frustration rose in Len. Those three hills housed the old mines. The entire area had become completely unstable over the past forty years. Heavy rains flooded some of the tunnels, rotting the ancient timbers completely. The ground above them was known to crumble, randomly opening sinkholes.

Just a year before, a few idiots had decided to go hunting on the fenced land of the old Morter Mining Company. They’d ignored all the warning signs posted to keep people out. Their families had admitted to authorities where the missing had gone after they hadn’t returned home.

The police had located where the earth had recently collapsed by having a helicopter fly over. No one wanted to risk walking over the actual ground to search. The area was too dangerous for rescue workers to recover the bodies. Their poor families had to hold a funeral service at a section of the fence on the safe side. A memorial plaque with the victims’ names had been erected. The flowers their loved ones left there on that spot had become a reminder for anyone driving by of what had happened.

Fray landed with a hard thump that jarred her body. They were close to a big black hole that opened into the side of one of the tallest of the three hills. She frantically shook her head again, but Fray ignored her. He addressed Yiz instead.

“This is it?”

“Yes. The humans stay out. It’s why we picked it.”

Len had a bad feeling that it wouldn’t be the scary strangers that got her killed as Fray carried her inside one of the old mines. The mountain would do it instead when it came crashing down on their heads. It was common knowledge in town that all three hills had been overly mined; numerous tunnels wormed through each one until it became completely unstable. The mining company had to shut it down after too many collapses happened, resulting in dozens of deaths.

Those numbers didn’t include the ones foolish enough to trespass there after it had closed. It was pure insanity to Len that they were there.

Fray knew Lenore was terrified. Moe was going to be furious with him for putting her in danger, but it hadn’t been his fault. He’d never thought leaving a message on the answering machine would encourage her to bring him the weapons bag.

He shouldn’t have called the house, but he’d been frustrated after not getting a call back when he’d tried Moe’s cell number half a dozen times. He’d just figured his messages weren’t getting through due to a malfunction on the device.

There was no way he could have predicted Gargoyles would show up in Wyoming, either. Most avoided entering the United States due to their radar tracking systems. Most of it was too heavily populated by humans. That fact made flying near impossible. Its why he and his twin used an airplane to reach Moe and stored weapons with him. He sure wasn’t getting a sword through security. Even a short-bladed one.

The sheathed blade tapped his thigh as he walked. They hadn’t taken his weapon. That meant the Gargoyles might really want to add him to their colony. He’d never been so grateful to take after his father. They seemed oblivious that he wasn’t a full-breed. The eyes helped. It wasn’t normally a trait carried down to offspring unless two pure-blood Gargoyles bred who possessed the silver eyes in common.

Fray had a plan. He’d scope out their base and escape with Lenore as soon as possible. He wanted to do it before his brother came to town. Chaz would smell the Gargoyles as soon as he entered the damaged motel room and start hunting for him. They’d still be outnumbered in a fight, and Lenore would remain a liability to him.

That’s exactly what Lenore was to him at that moment. He’d have fought his way out of that motel and flown away if she hadn’t been present. He couldn’t leave her, though. The Gargoyles probably wouldn’t have killed her since she was young and pretty. They’d have deemed her breed-worthy and stolen her.

He and Chaz would have hunted down the colony to get her back, but it would have been too late. The damage would have been done. One of the bastards would have chosen her to be his vessel and violated her body. Or worse. She wouldn’t have survived the attack.

His vision adjusted to the dim lights once they were deep inside the tunnel. The place stank of rotted wood, mildew, stale air, and dirt. They traveled deeper into the tunnels until they widened. He paused and saw why they’d chosen it. Many man-created caves branched off from the area. They were in some kind of mining operation that had long since been abandoned.

Yiz stepped closer and pointed. “There. You take that one. We set up each one to accommodate vessels. Only a few of them are occupied so far. We’ll go out each night to hunt until all of them are filled.”

Fray quickly calculated the many tunnels in view and inwardly groaned. They were the kind of Gargoyles that held no honor. It meant that the assholes planned to take a few human women each to increase the chances of getting them pregnant. They weren’t planning on slowly building their numbers. Instead, within a few years, they’d have bred a mini army.

Fray had questions. “When did you arrive here?”

“Four evenings ago. Last night, the hunting began.” Yiz ran his gaze over Len’s backside. “She’s puny.”

“I’m alone.”

Yiz nodded. “They aren’t a burden when they are that small and are easier to manage. You’re not on your own anymore. You need to add studier vessels. Zadian has big plans for us. Tomorrow night, you will go hunting, too.”

“How many vessels do you each plan to use?”

“At least four. It will be difficult the first year after the births, but it will be worth it. Our goal is to breed at least two dozen younglings. That should make us strong enough to hold this territory.”

Fray masked his features to hide his disgust. He’d once flown a message from his clan to an upstart colony that had settled in an eastern territory of Russia, similar to what Zadian must have in mind. Four adults had just over a dozen younglings under their command.

They’d all been the products of human breeding vessels. Those younglings had been savage and vicious since they’d never known a mother’s love or mercy from their fathers. The future sons of Zadian’s colony would become the same.

The upstart colony needed to be stopped. The area would be under siege once those youngling Gargoyles learned how to fight and were mature enough to fly. Zadian and his small band were the equivalent of rogues. No good could come from a colony without mated couples or who decided to breed younglings only to hold territory for a crazy lord.

“Sounds good,” Fray lied. “I’ll put this one to bed.” He took a few steps, but Yiz stopped him cold.

“I’ll be watching you.”

Fray turned his head to assess the threat. “You do that.”

“It’s curious.”

“What is?” Fray hated word games.

“I can smell you on her and blood but not sex.”

“I clean her up afterward.”

“Why is she bleeding then? It’s on her and you but nothing else.”

“You interrupted me before I finished breeding her tonight.”

“Don’t let me stop you.” Yiz jerked his head toward the cave he’d assigned Fray. “Proceed, but know I don’t trust you. I believe Zadian is foolish to ask you to join us just because you’re alone.”

“I’m grateful to be asked. We’re stronger with numbers.”

“That remains to be seen.”

Fray faced forward and strode into the dark tunnel. It ran about ten feet deep and opened into a small chamber. He allowed his eyes to adjust and walked over to the battery-operated lantern, flipping it on. It didn’t put off much light, but it was enough for Lenore to be able to see.

Gargoyles didn’t need the light, but he could imagine why they’d brought the lanterns. The bastards had wanted to see Lenore freak out at the motel when she realized what he was. The lighting option was there for the human women they stole. The bastards got off on terrifying their victims.

The bed was a new four-poster, along with the mattress. A price tag remained on the headboard, giving him the indication that they’d stolen a displayed one right out of a furniture store. The mattress remained bare, but a sealed bedding bag with sheets and a comforter inside had been flung on top of it. Restraints of a few feet in length were tied to the upper posts near the headboard base.

Fray’s disgust rose for the rogues. The restraints were the cheap kind humans probably bought in a sex store as a novelty. They’d work, but it wouldn’t be comfortable for the woman. Her wrists would become damaged if she struggled. Fray’s temper raged, but he forced himself to calm. He was currently outnumbered and couldn’t do anything yet.

“Cruel bastards,” he muttered under his breath and bent. “Stand up, Lenore.” He kept his voice soft.

She stood, and he reached back, gripped the chain linking her wrists, and ducked his head to free her from his body. She swayed a little on her feet. He wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. Fray leaned in and pressed his lips close to her ear.

“They have good hearing. I must speak very softly to keep my voice from traveling. I know you’re afraid, but I’m going to find a way to get you out of here.”

“Mmmmm,” she grunted.

He backed up a little and looked at her mouth. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to remain that way for a little while longer.”

She shook her head, her eyes wide. “Mmmmmm.” Her gaze rose to the cave roof and then back at him, and she used her hands to punch his chest once. She reached up, trying to remove the muffler.

He caught her gently by her hands and pulled them down. “Lenore, don’t. You’ll hurt yourself. You’re not going to be able to remove it yet. I locked your teeth together. It will wear off and release you soon.”

She jerked out of his hold and backed up a step, bumping her ass against the bed. She stayed there and pointed up at the roof with both fingers. Her hands flattened and then quickly slammed down toward the floor. “Mmmmm.”

He looked up at the rock ceiling, then her, and sighed. “You think the cave is going to come down on us?”

She enthusiastically nodded.

“Do you know this place?”

She nodded again and raised her hands, making a cutting motion with her throat. She pointed at him before turning her finger at herself.

“Have there been cave-ins here before?”

She nodded and pointed to the floor. She flipped her hands over until they were palms up and flat. She suddenly curved her fingers, dropping her arms down. Both arms raised, she bent her knees fast, almost falling over. She stopped, straightened, and glared at him.

He resisted the urge to laugh. He’d never played charades, but he was aware of the game. Lenore was good at it, and she was cute, too. Her body language message wasn’t.

“Great. The ground is known to give way, too? Collapse?”

She nodded.

He glanced back at the opening, not hearing any motion from there. The loose dirt floors would warn him if someone crept down the tunnel. He faced her once more and stepped close.

“We’re trapped here for a bit. They’ll sleep at some point, and we’ll try to sneak out then.”

She surprised him when she approached him and flattened her hands on his chest to peer deeply into his eyes. He could guess where her thoughts lay. He also once again noticed her beautiful eyes. They were a pale blue, reminding him of the sky. He leaned in closer, softening his voice more.

“Yes, Moe knows. No, you aren’t going crazy. I won’t hurt you. That’s the most important thing you need to know right now.” He reached up and brushed her hair back from her face, his fingers stroking her cheek. “Just hang in here with me, and I’ll get you home in one piece.”

She hesitated before closing her eyes, pressing her face against his chest. He forgot how to breathe as Lenore just stayed there, seeking comfort from him. He wrapped his arms slowly around her, and she allowed it. He held her, admitting she felt good against him.

Fray figured that Lenore must trust him, at least somewhat. She sought solace from him. He heard footsteps suddenly and released her. He stepped back, his tone harshening. He made sure his voice carried.

“I’d hate to tie you down, vessel. You’re so weak that any blood loss may put my youngling you carry inside your womb at risk. Do not run while I ready the bed for you.” He hoped the warning worked to let Lenore know they were about to have company as he moved to the mattress and tore open the bag that held the comforter.

Yiz entered the room, and Fray grabbed Lenore by her arm, hauling her behind him. His trust in the Gargoyle not hurting her was zero. He faced off against the threat.

“Do you have everything you need?”

Fray wasn’t buying it. The jerk was checking to see what he was doing. “It’s fine. I can’t wait to get my bags returned to me.” He glanced at the bed and the restraints. “Those can cut her skin if she struggles.”

“It won’t kill them.”

“They are prone to infections.”

Yiz shrugged. “I don’t care as long as they last long enough to birth our younglings.”

“I want a healthy vessel for my child.”

“You had a mother in your life, didn’t you?”

Fray didn’t bother to deny it. “I did. My parents were mated.”

Yiz sneered. “That’s a weakness. Your mother probably tainted your mind by telling you to treat vessels with care.” He leaned a little to stare at Lenore before glaring at Fray. “Are you gentle when you breed her? I like it when they are in pain. They don’t just lay there. It feels better when they struggle and thrash.”

Fray wanted to kill the bastard for admitting that. It was a shame they weren’t alone, or he’d do it. “I like good results. I bet not all your vessels will survive to birth your younglings.”

“This is the first time we’ve been allowed to breed. Our old lord forbade it. Do you have younglings? Where are they?”

“I don’t have any yet, but I’ve been around for a long time. I don’t need to figure it out after I’ve killed a vessel and lost a youngling before it’s birthed. Treat your vessel with care, and they last longer. It’s called common sense. You should try it sometime.” Fray hoped the asshole would heed his advice. It would make his victims suffer less.

“Show me how it’s done.” Yiz crossed his arms.

“I’m not breeding my vessel in front of you.” Fray released Lenore and advanced a step, making sure to keep her safely behind him. “Perhaps you want to see my dick. Is that it?” He flashed fangs. “Go watch one of your comrades fuck if that’s what it takes to get you hard for your vessel.”

Yiz’s eyes showed his fury, and his body tensed, claws sliding out of his fingertips as he lowered them to his sides.

Fray knew his irises were swirling with fury and the other man would see it. “Yeah. I know I’m hot, but you’re not going to get to check out my ass. I’m not judging you. It wouldn’t be the first time some guy wanted to fantasize I was fucking them instead. There’s nothing wrong with that, but guys aren’t my type. You’re shit out of luck.”

“How dare you! I’ll kill you.”

Fray smirked. “My rejection isn’t personal. I prefer pussy. There’s therapy available for humans dealing with your homophobic indignation. Seek help instead of being enraged all the time, looking to kill anyone you find attractive. I’ll even give you free advice. You’ll be much happier if you just admit you prefer dick.”

“Fuck you,” Yiz snarled.

“You wish. Are you done trying to see my ass? I’m not breeding her until I know you aren’t around.”

“You won’t survive long,” Yiz threatened before he stormed out.

Fray relaxed and glanced at Lenore. Her eyes were wide, and she appeared stunned. He shrugged and lowered his voice to a whisper. “What? Do you want me to fuck you with him watching? I could bring him back if you’re into that.”

She jerked back from him, her outrage obvious. She almost hit the rough rock wall. He lunged forward, grabbing her before she made contact. He pulled her close and locked his arms around her.

“Relax,” he whispered. “I was trying to lighten the mood with humor. You’re safe with me, but he makes our situation more complicated. He’s already suspicious. That changes things.”

She lifted her head, and he held her gaze. The confused and frightened expression on Lenore’s face tugged at his heartstrings. He didn’t blame her for feeling those emotions, but he had to give her credit for seeming to hold it together more than he figured most humans in her place would. She wasn’t sobbing and trying to climb under the bed to get away from him. He wouldn’t blame her for either option.

He released Len’s waist and cupped her face, studying the muzzler he’d put in her mouth. Fray used his thumbs to gently test to see if the adhesive had loosened somewhat against her teeth. He’d hated to put one on her, but it had been necessary. One wrong word from her could have gotten them both killed. They needed to have a talk first.

“As you’ve found out, there’s more in this world than just people like you. These assholes can’t find out that we’re friends.”

Her eyebrows arched.

“We are. I’ve known you for years. I’m going to get us out of this mess, but you need to pretend I’m a total stranger until we’re safe. This clan will be watching us very closely, and that asshole Yiz is probably going to try to spy on us every chance he gets.”

Lenore shifted her arms between them and reached up, softly gripping his jaw. She tugged, and he opened his mouth. Her gaze darted lower to his upper teeth, then up at him.

He tried to guess her thoughts. “Yes, you saw fangs. They slide down when I want them to. You also know I have wings. Gargoyles exist.”

She released his jaw.

“That’s what they are. What I am.” He couldn’t tell her about his mother or having Lycan blood running through his veins. Not at that moment. It would expose him if she let it slip once she could talk again. The Gargoyles would immediately kill him. “Moe knows about our race. He always has. I need you to trust me, too, the way he does. Can you do that?”

She seemed to debate it but finally nodded.

“Good. If I remember correctly, you were in a few plays during junior high school. Moe mentioned it. Brush up on your acting skills, Lenore. We need them to think you’re my captive. These bastards are into stealing women and forcing them to get pregnant. They call them vessels at that point because that’s what they use them for. To carry their babies until birth. I’ve never forced a woman to my bed, nor would I. I’m not a rapist. Every race has a history of doing messed up things. Welcome to the lesson of what a fucked-up Gargoyle clan used to do. Modern ones like I’m in don’t pull that barbaric shit. This is a new colony that is forming, and they are the type that gives us all a bad name. Do you follow me so far?”

She nodded.

“Good. Yiz is going to be a problem. As I said, it complicates things. I need them to think I’m breeding you to have my baby. It’s why I scratched your thigh and shoved a piece of your shirt with your blood down my pants. You smell like me with my shirt on, and I’m carrying your blood scent on my body.”

She cocked her head, looking confused.

“Blood?” He guessed that’s what she wouldn’t understand.

She nodded.

“These bastards don’t care about hurting women. I want them to think I’m like them, but I’m not. Hence the blood. You’d get hurt if I forced you. Understand why I did that now?”

She gave a sharp nod.

He released her and finished removing the bedding from the bag. He put on the sheets and tossed the comforter at the end of the bed. There weren’t any pillows, but that was the least of their troubles. He pondered how Lenore would withstand the next thing he needed to do without her balking.

Hell, he wasn’t looking forward to it either, but he really needed the clan to trust him until he could get Lenore out of there. He couldn’t screw around on time, either. His brother might start searching for him as soon as the next evening if Chaz showed up earlier than planned.

Fray turned, finding Lenore watching him. “Yiz is going to check on us. He’ll wait and try to come at us after we’ve bedded down.” He reached out and gripped the chain linking her wrists together, holding onto her in case she tried to run. He wouldn’t blame her if she did. “We need to make him believe you’re my vessel.” He paused, trying to think how to say it best. There was just no easy way. “We’re about to lose some clothes. Sorry.”

“Mmmmm.” She shook her head.

“I know.” He pulled her closer. She resisted, but he was stronger. “Don’t freak out on me, Lenore. I’m not going to really fuck you, but they need to think I did.”

She appeared frightened.

“Sorry. Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.”

He used his free arm to hook her around her waist and hauled her off her feet, dumping her onto the bed. She tried to roll away but couldn’t turn over with still him holding the chain of the handcuffs where he bent over her. He got closer, staring into her eyes.

“Stop.”

She froze.

“Do you want to live?”

She nodded.

“So do I. Both of our asses are on the line here. Work with me.”

She closed her eyes, and her nostrils flared when she took a few deep breaths. She looked at him again and nodded.

He admired her courage. “Okay. This is going to be as awkward for me as it is for you if that helps. Moe is going to want to kill me when he finds out I had to strip you from the waist down.”

He released the chain. “Arms up.”

She hesitated but lifted her arms, resting them above her head. It stretched her body out on the bed, and his gaze lowered down her. His shirt dwarfed her body, but there was no denying she had great curves.

He gripped the bottom of his shirt she wore and pushed it up to her hips. Her skirt needed to go, and so did her panties. He clenched his teeth and went to work on rolling her onto her side and unzipping the garment in the back that hugged her hips. He jerked it down, careful not to rip it.

He let it drop on the floor and swallowed hard when she rolled flat onto her back on her own. She wore sexy black lace panties. He tried not to notice, but it was impossible. He’d been attracted to Lenore for years. She was Moe’s full human stepdaughter, though, and off limits.

He looked up at her face and found her grimly regarding him. He could relate. “Couldn’t you wear ugly granny panties, honey?”

One of her hands shifted, and she flipped him off.

He laughed at the crude finger gesture. “Fair enough.”

He focused on her lower half and put his hands next to her hips. Her skin was pale compared to his. “I can do this.” He spoke more to himself than her. “I guess I’m going to find out if you have any naughty hidden tattoos.”

She tensed when he curled his fingers and hooked the thin material on her hips. He expected her to panic or try to twist away as he started easing her panties down, but she surprised him when she braced her feet and lifted her ass a few inches to help him. He tugged them down her legs, cursing himself repeatedly for doing a bit of staring.

He didn’t spot any tattoos, but she didn’t seem to be a fan of body hair either since her mound lay bare. The sight of the scratch on her thigh made him inwardly wince. It wasn’t a big one or deep, and he doubted it would leave a scar after it healed.

He averted his gaze as he totally removed her panties and dropped them on top of her discarded skirt. He tugged his shirt down her body to hide her pussy and straightened. He met her gaze.

“You get to keep the shirt on. Lucky you. Now it’s my turn. Feel free to close your eyes. Moe is going to kill me.”

He removed his belt first but rested the sword on the bed next to them to keep it within easy reach when he planned to lay down with Lenore. He bent, tearing off his boots. The socks went next. He straightened, only to find Lenore watching him.

He gripped the front of his pants. “It’s all got to come off.”

She lifted her head, openly gazing at him. He guessed that was fair, considering he’d just seen so much of her, and unzipped his pants, opening the top of them. “I don’t have any naughty tattoos either. Maybe we should get matching ones after we are out of this mess.”

He thought she might have smiled, but it was tough to see around the muzzler. He shoved his pants down and stepped out of them. He had a semi-hard-on from having to strip her, and there was no hiding that as he straightened, hooked his thumbs on the waist of his dark gray boxer briefs, and pushed them down.

He stood and looked at Lenore. She’d dropped her head back, her eyes closed. It amused him that she’d lost her nerve. Fray turned off the lantern and eased onto the bed next to her. He hooked her around her waist and easily moved her to the center of the bed. He let her go and used his foot to hook the comforter. He pulled it up to cover them both.

“Arms up all the way.”

She followed orders. He regretted that he couldn’t remove the cuffs. The key to them was in his backpack. That was probably a good thing since it would raise flags if she wasn’t restrained.

Yiz would be back soon. Fray would bet his life that asshole would try to sneak in within the hour to see if he could bust him on something before running to his lord to tattle.

Fray shifted his weight on purpose suddenly. The wood frame creaked a little. He closed his eyes. Fucking wonderful. They probably gave me the loudest damn bed in the place. He opened his eyes to stare up at the rock ceiling, debating on how the hell he was going to fool the Gargoyles inside the cavern without completely freaking Lenore out .