Chapter Eight
Len jerked awake when the door to the storage room opened, and she sat up, glad to see Fray enter. He only wore sweatpants, and his hair looked wet, as if he’d showered. She threw the blankets off, rising to her feet as he closed the door.
“You’re okay?” She just ran at him and hugged him around his middle.
His body stiffened, and he hissed out. She let him go quickly to study him. It was dim in the room, only a tiny nightlight plugged into an outlet. She reached behind him and flipped on the light.
The overhead ones came on. She gasped, seeing bad bruising on his arms in a few places, some over his ribs, and he had another one on his right cheek. Other than that, she didn’t see any other damage.
“I’m fine. Just a bit sore.”
She moved around to his back and found a bandage someone had placed over his skin, rising from the top of his sweats. She instantly reached for the waist to tug it out enough to glance down where his skin had been covered to see how far it extended. It went to the top of his bare ass cheek. He had a nice butt and wasn’t wearing underwear. Fray spun, grabbing her hands.
“I’m fine, Len. I promise.”
She searched his eyes. He wasn’t wearing his sunglasses, which she was grateful for. His silver eyes held a lot of blue sparks at the moment. “What can I do besides not practically tackle you again? I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were hurt.”
“I just need a few hours of sleep before I’ll be completely healed.”
“Really?”
“I’m not human, Len.”
She knew that only too well. “What happened to your lower back?”
“Sword strike. My belt and pants took the worst of it, but it slashed through to my skin. I was only lightly shelled to be able to fight better. I will heal fast from it. He missed my wings, though, which is what he aimed for.”
A sword . She let that sink in, but it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Fray carried one. Thinking back, she remembered seeing some of the other Gargoyles sporting some, too. She just had barely noticed them the night at the motel. Then again, she’d been terrified and shocked by it all. Details remained a little sketchy.
“Are you hungry? I can grab you some sandwiches. Gina and I made a few hundred of them. They are in the fridges.”
“I ate and showered. I promised to come sleep with you.” His eyes flashed a lot of darker silver streaks. “That is, if you still want me to. Otherwise, there are sleeping bags piled up out there.”
“I want you here. How is Chaz?”
“He’s banged up too but alive. We managed to take out four of them. That leaves two that we know of. They are guarding their lair, threatening to kill the women they have as hostages. We had to back off.” He sounded pissed. “We’re going after them as soon as my father arrives. The bastards only know about Chaz and I. We’re going to distract them while my father and Delbius sneak in behind them. Kevin is getting us all the known maps of the mine. There’s got to be other entrances.”
She led Fray to the bed and got him to lie down. He took up the entire twin mattress. His feet didn’t fit, hanging off the bottom. She grabbed a few spare pillows and piled them down there to prop his feet on. He sighed, lifting his arm to cover his eyes. She rushed to the light switch and flipped it off. There was still a small amount of light from a plug-in nightlight in the corner.
“Do bright lights bother your eyes?”
“Yes. But usually only when I’m tired. I wear sunglasses to hide my eyes from humans seeing them.”
“I’m sorry. I have a lot to learn.”
He lowered his hand, and she saw a flash of his teeth in the now much dimmer room as he smiled. “Thank you for staying where you were safe.”
“I told you, I’m smart enough to know when I’m out of my league. I got updates from Gina while you were gone. It was about the Gargoyle bodies.”
“We collected them all, and they are hidden. No humans will stumble upon them.”
That sounded gruesome. “Did you bury them?”
“The pack owns a crematory in town. It’s being handled. Their bodies are being burned right now. We usually try to return the dead to their families, but these bastards don’t belong to a clan anymore.”
“I didn’t know that. I mean, about the crematory. Why would a pack even want to own one?”
“Bodies are proof of what we are. It’s best to burn them while living amongst humans.”
“Got it.” It made sense to Len. “You’re tired. Rest.”
He rolled onto his side, making a little space on the mattress. “Come here.”
“We need a bigger bed.” She didn’t resist, though, giving him her back as she wiggled into the limited space in front of him. Her ass settled against his lap, and his arm wrapped around her middle, pulling her even closer.
“I have a huge bed at home.” He sounded exhausted, his voice raspy.
She caressed his arm. “Sleep, Fray. I’m right here.”
“Okay.”
She knew he drifted off fast, his breathing slowing, and his hold on her waist loosened. She loved being spooned up against him as heat radiated off his big body like a heater through the thin material of her borrowed shirt. She’d ditched the exercise bra Gina had given her when she’d laid down to take a nap once everyone else in the other room had decided to try to sleep.
Len kept caressing Fray’s arm, grateful he was with her and safe. It stunned her that he and his brother had managed to kill four Gargoyles. She wondered if the jerk from the night before had been one of them. Yiz had scared the hell out of her. Listening to him talk about how he liked to treat women was a thing made of nightmares. The world would be a better place without him in it.
She dozed but woke when someone eased the door open. It was Gina. The other woman put her finger to her mouth, staring at Fray behind Len, and then motioned her out of the room.
Len gently lifted Fray’s arm and slid off the mattress, putting it down where she’d been. She left the room, and Gina softly closed the door behind them.
“What’s up?” Len whispered, aware of them not being alone in the large room and of the people trying to sleep.
“Moe finally got Kevin’s messages,” Gina whispered back, taking her arm. “Come with me. Their cruise ship docked at a port. Moe is making arrangements for them to fly home. Lisa wants to speak to you. She insists.”
They made it to the food prep room, and Gina closed the door, pointing to a cell phone sitting on one of the island counters. “She’s waiting to talk to you.”
Len rushed to it and picked it up. “Mom?”
“Len!” Her mom sniffed. “Are you okay? Tell me the truth. Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, Mom. I swear.”
“We have to watch what we say. Do you understand? Cell signals can be hacked. I have so much to say to you, and we’re going to be there as soon as we get home. I’m packing up our suite, and Moe is calling every airline to find us the fastest flights there. Just hold on, baby. We’re coming. Gina said you’re hanging tough. Just keep doing that. I promise I’ll explain everything to you better once I arrive. Please stay calm and try to reserve judgment, okay? Don’t run away. I swear on everything I am that you are safe there with our friends.”
“Mom, you sound like you’re the one who needs to calm down. I’m fine with everything. I promise.”
Her mom went silent for a few seconds. “Are you mad?”
“Not anymore. I was shocked and hurt at first, but it’s worn off. I’m good. Really.”
“Were you injured at all with the, uh, accident you had? The messages must be kept short. Not many details were clear because, as I said, cell phones can be hacked, but Kevin swore you got away without being hurt. Is that the truth?”
“It is. Fray kept me safe. I just got a tiny scratch. It doesn’t even hurt.” She wasn’t about to mention it was from Fray and located on her upper thigh.
“Tell him thank you, and we owe him.”
“Will do. Just be careful coming home. Things are going our way.” She hoped that was coded enough. This whole secret world thing was new to her.
“Kevin told us. We’re going to be there as fast as possible.”
“I hate that this happened while you guys were on your big vacation. I know how much you looked forward to it.”
“The most important thing is getting home. We’re coming. Just do as Kevin and Gina say and stay where you are.”
“I promise.”
“Okay. I need to go. Moe walked in and said we’re leaving. I love you, baby.”
“I love you too. Tell Moe ditto.”
They hung up, and Len put the cell phone down. Gina took it, shoving it into her back jeans pocket. “Your mom was extremely worried. I told her you were taking the truth of finding out about our kind like a champ.”
“She asked me not to run.”
“I know. Werewolves have amazing hearing. Sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but it’s hard not to.”
Len walked to the fridge containing drinks, grabbed a bottle of water, twisted the lid off, and took a sip. “How is Kevin? The other enforcers? Was anyone hurt?”
“They are all good and sleeping.”
“Have you gotten any rest?”
“A few hours. I laid down when you did. I don’t need much sleep.”
“Werewolf thing?”
Gina grinned. “Yes.”
“It must be nice. I’d kill for coffee right now.”
“Try to go back to sleep. I hated waking you, but Lisa needed to hear your voice. I think she feared that we were lying to her to keep her from flipping the hell out.”
“Would you have?”
“Lied to her about your health if you’d been severely injured? Yes. They need to make their way home. That means traveling with humans. It would have drawn attention to the two of them if she was sobbing and falling apart. That’s something we need to avoid at all costs.”
“I’m glad you didn’t have to lie then.”
“Me too.”
Len drank more water. “Is there anything you need me to do?”
“Just rest. You’re human, hon. You need more sleep than we do.”
Len finished the water and tossed the empty bottle into the bag they had for recycling. “I’m going to go pee and then return to Fray.”
“Moe isn’t going to like it when someone mentions Fray and you were sharing that storage room. Tina will tell him for sure. She was waiting and awake when the guys returned. She hit on Fray again, but he turned her down flat. He ate and showered. Then that bitch tried again. He ignored her by marching right to you and closed the door in her face.”
Len didn’t like hearing that one bit.
Gina had more to say. “Tina listened to whatever was said between the two of you, and I could almost see steam coming out of her ears. Whatever she heard, I think she knows you two are together. Moe will be even more pissed if he smells the mattress and realizes you both shared it. Just be prepared for a shit storm to hit once this crisis is over and your father can focus on what’s happening between the two of you.”
Len paused on her way to the bathroom. “Who I’m with is up to me. Not Moe.”
“He’s our alpha.”
Len bit her lip. “He can’t order me not to be with Fray. I’m not what you are, and that means he’s not my alpha. I will live my life how I want to. I’ll make that clear.”
Gina grinned. “Do you want to know another secret?”
“Sure.”
“It’s been amusing as hell since you hit your teens. You had no clue about pack hierarchy, so exceptions had to be made for you. A teen talking back to Moe the way you always did would have gotten someone from the pack punished. You were always mouthy and headstrong. Moe and Kevin always had to calm everyone down when they accused you of being disrespectful by not following our alpha’s orders without backtalking. They had to remind the pack that you were human and didn’t know any better. Don’t change, Len. Stand up to Moe when he forbids you from being with Fray.” She winked.
Len smiled. “I will.” She entered the cramped bathroom, used it, and brushed her teeth. She washed her face and hands before returning to the storage room. Fray slept on, but he’d turned onto his back in her absence. She had to lay on most of him to fit in the tiny space that left her.
First thing on my to-do list today is getting us a bigger bed. Her old bedroom upstairs had a queen-sized mattress in it. She planned to go retrieve it and drag it down to the basement once everyone in the other room woke up if they had to spend another night in the storage room.
Exhaustion had her yawning and falling back asleep.
* * * * *
Fray woke alone when the door opened, and Chaz entered. “Dad and Delbius are here.”
He threw off the covers, rising to his bare feet fast. “Where is Len?”
“Showering upstairs in what used to be her private bathroom. Gina is with her to keep guard since she left the basement. The house is secure above. She’s fine.”
Fray relaxed. “I didn’t want her leaving the basement.”
“It’s two in the afternoon, and our location is secure. Scouts are keeping watch.”
His father pushed Chaz out of the way and grinned. “Sleeping so late?” He inhaled and frowned, his gaze going to the bed on the floor before he speared Fray with a glare. “Explain.”
“What?” Fray wasn’t awake enough to try to figure out what his father was talking about.
“Female. Human. Her scent is as strong in here as yours.” His father sniffed again. “Arousal.” He rumbled his displeasure at Fray.
Chaz cleared his throat. “Busted.”
“Arousal. Not sexual activity,” Fray pointed out. “We shared the bed. Excuse the hell out of me for being aware of that and my body reacting to hers. I’m a healthy male.”
Hawk came closer, holding his gaze. “I know that scent. It’s familiar. Why?”
“Lenore,” Chaz ratted him out.
His father’s eyes widened. “Moe’s adopted daughter? Are you trying to piss us both off?”
“I think she’s my mate.” Fray crossed his arms over his chest. “Adopted being the key word here. Len is aware of what we are now. You’ll notice you’re not picking up that she was afraid of me.”
Their father threw his head back and loudly sighed. “Both of you have always been trouble.”
“Fray is trouble. I’m the good one,” Chaz teased.
Their father lowed his chin and cocked his eyebrows.
“I’ll deal with Moe when he arrives.” Fray wasn’t sure how to calm his uncle down about Len, but he would.
“Update,” Chaz told him. “Moe’s ship docked in a port. He got the messages that Kevin left and called in. He and Lisa are on their way back here as fast as possible.”
“That wasn’t necessary.” Fray wanted to groan. “They should have stayed on their cruise.”
“This is Moe’s pack. Of course he’ll return. Anyone would.” Their father scowled. “You just don’t want to face him once he learns about you and Lenore.”
“True enough,” Fray admitted. “But I’ll handle it.”
“Sure you will.” Chaz rolled his eyes, staring at their dad. “When do you want to hit the colony to rescue the hostages and take out the remaining Gargoyles?”
Kevin entered the room. “I have those old maps, not that we can really trust them. I mentioned before that the mining company was bad at keeping records. There’ve been reported sinkholes opening from old mining shafts where none were supposed to be.”
“Did you find a second way into where the Gargoyles are dug in?”
Kevin nodded at Fray. “Two, actually. One might be a bit of a tight fit to use. It’s an air shaft that was dug from the top of that mountain where you said they are living inside, but it’s probably the best way to surprise them. According to Ushi, he knew a few men who worked at the mine when it was operational. They built a brick shed-sized structure over the top of it to prevent rain and snow from seeping into that shaft. It might still be standing even after all these decades, hiding the opening from the Gargoyles.”
“We might as well get this shit over with. Delbius hated to leave the cliffs, but I told him it would be a swift mission.” Their father studied Fray for a few seconds. “I don’t want to be here when Moe arrives. That mess is yours to deal with, son. I’m here to kill Gargoyles.”
“Good to know,” Fray muttered. “Thanks.”
“I love Moe.” His father held his gaze. “I always feel guilty that I didn’t protect his sister better. I can’t stand to see him upset again. He will be if Lenore ends up being your mate. It means you’ll take her from him. He’s lost too much already.”
“Mom’s death wasn’t your fault. Stop with that shit,” Chaz snapped before Fray could. “Moe knew how Mom was. No way was she going to let us go hunting without her. She grew bored as hell at the cliffs. She died doing what she loved.”
Fray nodded. “Moe has never blamed you for Mom’s death. I’ll also assure him that I’d never take Lenore away from him.”
Hawk scowled. “You’re going to leave the cliffs to live here? I don’t think Moe will like that either.” He lowered his voice. “You know why.”
Fray did. Moe feared it would undermine his authority with his pack. “I plan to live at the cliffs, but we can visit every summer. Visit being the keyword.”
Hawk relaxed. “Mention that fast. It might appease Moe and his mate. I’d also let him know that things have changed at the cliffs since Lord Aveoth took Jill as his mate. Lenore will be able to make friends easier than your mother did.”
Chaz grunted. “As if she’ll have time for that with Fray as her mate.”
Fray shot his twin a dirty look.
“You know it’s true. We’re too much alike in that regard. I’d keep my mate in bed most of the time if I ever took one. Not that I’m going to. But it’s the thought that counts. Especially in the winter months.”
“Enough.” Their father sighed. “We’ve got Gargoyles to kill and humans to save. Let’s plan this out and get it over with. I want the threat gone before Moe returns. I won’t allow him to lose his mate or his pack.” He spun on his heel and left.
Fray met his brother’s gaze. Both had watched their dad give up on life after their mother’s death. They had taken turns staying at his side during those dark weeks of intense grief, urging him to live.
“Never again,” Chaz whispered.
Fray nodded. They weren’t going to allow Moe to lose his mate or his pack. They loved him almost as much as they did their own father.