Chapter Twelve
Fray had to leave again. His lord had ordered the brothers to be there and verify nothing remained of the Gargoyle bodies. They’d had to go to the mortuary. That left Len to watch over the sleeping waitress. Verna had promised that the woman should be waking soon.
The VampLycan blood injected into the survivors had done miracles. All their bruises and cuts were gone. The women had also been more thoroughly cleaned, so no traces of what they’d suffered remained. The little clothing they’d been rescued wearing had been destroyed. Some of their property, like purses, had been found in the mine and returned.
Gina walked up. “It’s time to move this one away from the others. They should be waking soon. The VampLycans are going to start wiping their memories and giving them excuses about where they’ve been.”
“What did they come up with?”
“The VampLycans are going to see where they were kidnapped from and go from there. The motel was burned down, so if any of them were taken from there, they were trapped under the rubble but thankfully not harmed besides being knocked unconscious.” Gina paused.
“I guess that would work.”
“We know one was taken from the gas station. Her car was found abandoned there by the bathrooms. She’ll be told that someone robbed her and locked her in the trunk of her car. The trauma from it caused her to black out, and she woke when one of our officers located her and the stolen vehicle.”
“That will work?” Len still was trying to wrap her mind around mind control.
“Yes.”
“And their memories won’t randomly return?” Len liked clarification.
“No. The Gargoyles who attacked them are dead, and the humans sure won’t be returning to the Morter Mines. Only seeing their attackers or where it happened can trigger flashbacks.”
Len nodded. “That’s good to know.”
Kevin came over and gently picked up the waitress. Her purse hadn’t been recovered, so no one knew her name yet. He carried her into the room Len and Fray had slept in, placing her on the mattress.
He glowered at Len when he stood. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to speak to her alone. This human could attack you. I insist on staying here while you talk to her until the VampLycans can do their thing.”
He really annoyed Len. “You say that like it’s a done deal that she’ll decide not to have that baby.”
“No female wants to birth an infant conceived against her will.” He looked very certain of his belief.
“Maybe. But that’s her choice to make. Not yours or anyone else’s.”
“The truth will just make everything worse for her. Humans don’t handle learning about us well.”
Len gritted her teeth. “Right. Because I went batshit crazy and locked myself in a bathroom while screaming about monsters instead of standing here getting annoyed with your crappy attitude.” She used the story Gina told her about their friend learning about Werewolves to make a point.
Kevin looked rueful. “I still believe it’s too dangerous for you to be in here alone with the human when she wakes. Moe would never forgive me if I allowed you to be harmed.”
“Then send in Verna. No one else.”
“Why her?”
“She’s young, looks harmless, and can answer any pregnancy questions that might come up.”
Kevin nodded and stalked out of the room. He kept the door open. Verna entered within seconds.
“Close the door,” Len ordered.
The healer did it. “Kevin said you wanted me here.”
“Kevin wouldn’t leave unless I found a compromise he could live with. He’s paranoid that I’m going to get hurt, and he’ll be blamed.”
“Our alpha would punish him.”
“Fine.” Len took a seat next to the mattress on the floor, close to the waitress’s head so she’d be the first thing the woman saw when she woke. It was a good time to ask Verna some questions to get to know her better. “Are you dating anyone?”
“Not currently. I refuse to test any matings because I have plans to go to med school at the end of summer. A mate wouldn’t let me leave.”
“I guess women’s lib didn’t reach the packs.”
“It’s more about how dangerous it is to leave the pack and live with your kind. He’d want to protect me around the clock, but that would be impossible. The school I’ll attend will only allow students into the classes.”
Len nodded. “It is a dangerous world out there.”
“I’m willing to risk it. Being a healer is about dedication and commitment to the pack. I’ve just become mature and can find my mate after my schooling finishes.”
“That’s smart.”
Verna suddenly tensed. “Her heart rate just increased,” she whispered.
Len leaned closer to the mattress, watching the waitress’s face. In seconds, the woman opened her eyes, sluggishly staring back.
“Hi. I’m Len. Do you remember me? You’re safe.”
The waitress slowly sat up, staring around the room at Verna, and finally held Len’s gaze.
“You really are safe. It’s okay,” Len assured her. “The men who took you are all dead. No one is going to hurt you.”
“I need to go. My husband―”
“Don’t worry about him right now.”
What Len said didn’t seem to have any effect. In fact, the waitress started to get up, inching off the mattress. Len reached out and firmly gripped her hand. The other woman froze, staring at her again. She did jerk away from her hold, so Len released her.
“Hey, your husband can’t hurt you while you’re here either. We can keep you safe from him.”
That got the woman’s attention, and she stilled. “Harry will find me. He always does.”
It confirmed what Len suspected. The waitress was afraid of her husband. “Look, we have a lot to talk about. Let’s focus on that right now. You’ve lived a hard life, haven’t you?”
The waitress hugged her middle, frowning. Then she suddenly jerked her hands up, studying them. She paled.
“All your injuries have been healed.” Len guessed that was what had caught her attention. “That’s one of the things we need to discuss. My mom was in a really abusive relationship with my biological piece of shit. That’s what I call my father. He was a terrible man.”
“Lenore,” Verna hissed, shaking her head. “I don’t think―”
“No,” Len cut her off, keeping her attention on the waitress. “I’ve got this. You’ve had a hard life, haven’t you? I’m asking because you’ve survived. That means you’re stronger than you realize. I’m about to tell you some things that are going to be difficult to hear, but I know you can take it. Are you ready for the truth?”
The waitress lowered her hands, staring at Len. “What’s going on?”
“You were kidnapped and attacked by Gargoyles. They are real and exist. I recently discovered that myself. It was shocking, and I thought I’d been drugged or was crazy. Did you see things that you told yourself couldn’t be real?”
Tears welled in the other woman’s eyes. “He had wings, and we flew in the sky after he grabbed me.”
“Gargoyles have wings and can fly,” Len confirmed. “You know how some people are good, and others are horrible? The same applies to Gargoyles. The one who took and hurt you was an evil asshole. Good ones came to rescue you and the other women. Can you tell me your name or at least what I should call you?”
The waitress hesitated. “I’m May. I thought I was going crazy.”
Len had a feeling that wasn’t her real name, but she didn’t press the issue. “You’re totally sane, May. Everything you think you saw and experienced was, unfortunately, real. I’m so sorry about that. The asshole who hurt you is dead, along with his friends. I hope that gives you some comfort.”
Tears welled in May’s eyes, but she didn’t say anything.
“The bad Gargoyles invaded this area and kidnapped women to get them pregnant so they could increase their numbers. Unfortunately, you were one of the women they grabbed. Are you following along with what I’m saying so far?”
May hesitated for long seconds before she spoke. “Are you messing with me?”
“No. I’m giving it to you straight. You’ve got two options. I’m going to tell you what they are and then answer any questions you have. The good Gargoyles who rescued you have a way to erase your memories, and you’ll forget that any of this has ever happened. You won’t remember being kidnapped, attacked, or even having this conversation. That’s what is going to happen to the other women who were taken. You’re different, though.”
“Why?” May tensed, a scared look on her face.
Len figured it was best to just be blunt. “You’re pregnant.”
May gasped and grabbed at her stomach. She even looked down before snapping her head up. “I can’t be. Harry’s been gone for three weeks, and I had a period right after he left.”
“It’s not his,” Len blurted. “You got pregnant from the asshole who hurt you.”
More tears welled in May’s eyes and slid down her cheeks. Long seconds passed before she spoke. “Harry is going to blame me for this.” She protectively cradled her stomach. “He didn’t want to leave me alone because he doesn’t trust me, but his boss made him go for six weeks of training on some new equipment the company is buying. He’ll think I cheated on him. Harry is going to kill me and the baby.”
Len hated how terrified the other woman looked. “He’s not. No matter what you decide today, I’m going to help you escape your husband. Okay?”
“Lenore,” Verna warned.
“Shut it,” Len snapped. “We’re aware of her situation, and that means we need to help her. Gargoyles exist. So do other things.” She wasn’t about to mention Werewolves yet, figuring that would be overkill. The waitress had enough to deal with already. “We can deal with one abusive piece of shit if it comes down to it after taking out a bunch of winged assholes.”
Verna loudly sighed but didn’t protest.
Len decided to go on talking. “You have two choices, May. One is to terminate the pregnancy, have your memories wiped, and you’ll forget all this happened. That would include being kidnapped, attacked, this conversation, and that you were ever pregnant. I’d say you’ll just go back to your life like nothing happened, but I’ll make sure you get a fresh start somewhere safe from your husband.”
“I want this baby,” May blurted. “I’ve lost three already. The doctor thought I wouldn’t be able to get pregnant after the last time.”
“Did your husband have anything to do with that?”
May lowered her gaze, but Len saw the tears. She wanted to hunt the bastard down and hurt him. Her mother had once confessed that she’d miscarried after suffering a beating. Len would have had a sibling if Deacon hadn’t been such an utter bastard.
“I’m going to just be blunt,” Len went on. “The father of your baby was a Gargoyle. We’re human. Your baby is going to need to live with them so it can survive and thrive.”
“No!”
Len understood. “Take some deep breaths, May. Don’t freak out on me now. You’ve been taking all this like a champ. I know it’s hard. I just found out about all this stuff recently myself, remember? I told you that I’m going to be completely honest with you. As a human, if you don’t live with Gargoyles so you can drink a little of their blood on a regular basis, I guess human bodies tend to reject pregnancies. You’ll also be in danger of other species that I just learned are real. They could hurt or kill you. It’s against their laws for humans to know about them unless you’re, like, married to one. I happen to be related to one by marriage. We are two different species. Are you following me?”
Tears slid down May’s face. “I’ll miscarry if I don’t drink blood from a Gargoyle?”
“Yes.” Len was impressed that May was paying that close attention. “Think of it like a prenatal vitamin. It will help your baby be healthy.”
“Why do I have to drink blood? I’m not a Vampire.” May’s eyes widened, and she lowered her voice. “Do they exist too?”
Len gave a little nod. “I haven’t met a Vampire yet, but I was told that, yes, they are really out there. I had the same question.”
“Oh, fuck.”
“Yeah. That’s about what I said when I learned all this,” Len sympathized. “My first reaction was wanting to get shitfaced drunk. Okay, so here’s option two if you want to have the baby. The good Gargoyles who would never hurt you and would take great care of you will let you live with them. It’s in Alaska.”
“Len,” Verna warned.
She shot her a dirty look. “Alaska is a huge freakin’ state. It’s not like I’m telling her what area or the exact town she’ll be going to. Hell, I don’t even know that info.” Len gave her full attention to May again. “I asked questions to my…um…boyfriend. He’s a Gargoyle.”
May gaped at Len.
“I told you there are good ones. Fray is amazing and sweet, and I’m falling in love with him. He helped save you and killed the bad Gargoyles. Anyway, back on the subject here. A male will volunteer to host you. That means he’ll kind of adopt you like you’re part of his family. It’s not a sex thing. He’ll give you a little of his blood every few days, he’ll provide everything you need, like food and stuff, and you’ll get your own place to live. Once the baby is born, this male will help you raise it. Spoiler alert: most Gargoyles are boys. It’s super rare for them to have girls.”
Len paused, watching May’s features. The poor woman looked overwhelmed. She didn’t say anything, just blinking. A quick glance at Verna revealed that the Werewolf was also watching May. Her expression showed curiosity.
“I know it’s a lot to take in.” Len reached over and picked up a sealed water bottle, offering it to the stunned woman. “But if you have the baby, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. The kid will probably be a boy Gargoyle. He’s going to have to learn a lot of things that you can’t teach him, like how to fly. Their bodies can shapeshift. They look human but can grow wings out of their backs, and their skin hardens. Because…Gargoyles. Your host will help you raise the kid and teach him or her everything they need to know.”
May snatched the bottle from her, broke the seal, and took some sips.
“Or we’re back to option one. You can forget all about this, what happened, that you were ever pregnant, and we’ll send you somewhere safe from your husband. You’ll believe you were in a car accident or something along those lines once you wake. It will help explain why you have missing days if you believe you had a head injury and passed out. They will also implant that you decided you were done taking Harry’s abuse and someone like me helped you find a safe place to go. Do you have any questions?”
“Is that a joke?” May took more sips of water.
“I know it’s a lot.”
“A lot.” May capped the water and hugged her middle. “I want my baby. It’s mine . How do I know I won’t go where these Gargoyles live, and one of them decides to hurt me, too? Or they’ll take my baby away from me once it’s born?”
Len hesitated. “Can I bring in one of the Gargoyles to answer your questions? I swear he won’t hurt you. He’ll have all your answers since I don’t. I’ve never been to their home before.”
“You promise I’ll be safe? That this Gargoyle won’t be like the one who took me?”
“I promise, May.” Len looked at Verna. “Get Delbius.”
“Not Hawk?”
“Delbius is less scary,” Len admitted. “Get him since I don’t know how long Fray and Chaz will be gone.”
Verna rose to her feet. “Okay.” She left the room.
“Delbius is a big guy,” Len warned. “But he’s nice. I think he’s a little shy, too, or maybe he’s just not much of a talker. Fray told me he trains boys and adults how to fight with a sword. Gargoyles are kind of old-school like that. I promise he won’t hurt you. All the Gargoyles that I’ve met are tall, buff, and look kickass. But the good ones are nice and sweet, okay?”
May hugged her waist. “Okay.”
Verna returned with Delbius following. He looked a bit grim, but once he entered the room, he knelt down on one knee and stayed about eight feet back. His attention was locked on May.
He bowed his head, put one fist to his chest, and cleared his throat. “I apologize for the harm my brethren have caused you, female. I give you my sworn oath no harm will befall you.”
Len was a little impressed by his actions and words. She studied May’s reaction. The other woman seemed a bit stunned, but some of her fear also seemed to fade.
May gave a little nod. “Thank you.”
Long seconds ticked by. Len decided to jump in since neither one of them seemed to know what to say. “May here wants to know what to expect if she goes to live with Gargoyles. She’s afraid someone might abuse her or take her baby from her once it’s born.”
“No male will harm you. I would personally kill anyone if they tried. We are honorable males at the cliffs. Females are to be protected and cared for. No one would take your child from you. Mothers are sacred, and many of my kind weren’t fortunate enough to have one. Females provide love and care for younglings. The only time your youngling would be away from you is when they are in training. It would only be for a matter of hours, and then they would be returned to your loving care.”
Len was impressed. That was the most she’d heard Delbius say at one time. His sincere expression made her believe him. She looked at May. The other woman seemed to relax even more.
“I don’t have much work experience. I wait tables. Would there be a job for me there?”
Delbius appeared confused. “Your only job would be to care for your youngling.” He paused. “Child. That’s the term humans use, correct? Your host will provide all you need. Food, clothing, anything.”
“What about earning a living? I don’t want to owe anyone.”
Delbius looked at Verna.
She smiled at May. “We don’t use a monetary system the way you humans do unless we’re dealing with your kind. Your only job will be to take care of yourself and your child. It’s very rare for women to work when their children are young. They need a lot of attention and love from their mothers.”
May looked at Len. “Really?”
“Delbius and Verna would know. You can trust them.”
May was silent for long seconds, her gaze on Delbius. “Would I have to have sex with you?”
His eyes widened. “No.”
“Fine. I will go to your Gargoyle home with you. You seem nice. I’m willing to give you my trust. I want this baby really bad. I’ve always dreamed about being a mother. Len said I need to drink some blood to make sure my baby stays healthy. Can you give me some of yours now? I don’t want to lose this one.”
Len jumped in. “I don’t know who will be hosting you yet.”
“I would be honored to be that male,” Delbius quickly offered. “I’ll be right back. I need to find a cup. I doubt the Lycans have goblets.” He rose to his feet and hurried out of the room.
Len looked at Verna. “Did he just offer to be her host?”
“I believe so.”
“He swore to kill any man who tries to hurt me.” May glanced between the two women. “I choose him.”
Len wasn’t sure if their Gargoyle lord would be happy about their sword teacher being the one to take responsibility for the care of a human, but May had made her choice. “Good. Delbius does seem nice and trustworthy.”
The male returned with a plastic cup. He knelt again about eight feet away, his gaze on May. “Can I approach you?”
She nodded.
He walked on his knees to get closer, placed the cup on the floor between them, and then reached for his ankle. “I will withdraw a small dagger to cut my palm. Then I shall bleed into the cup for you to drink. Is this acceptable? I don’t want to frighten you in any way.”
Len watched as May nodded, and Delbius proceeded to do as he’d stated. He used a small dagger to cut the fleshy part of his palm near the edge, let some of his blood flow into the cup, and then offered it to May.
“My blood will strengthen you and your child. I will bring you food afterward. It’s best for you to eat each time you take a little of my blood to help it settle in your stomach.” Delbert then offered May the plastic cup as if it were a precious commodity.
Len figured it was. Delbius was not only making certain that May didn’t lose her baby, but she’d get a better immune system and longer lifespan from what she’d learned. May took the cup with both hands and held his gaze as she tipped it up to her lips. That part Len looked away from. She didn’t want to see how the other woman managed to swallow warm blood without gagging.
“That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” May admitted after accomplishing that. “I pretended it was a shot of hard liquor and downed it.”
Delbius took the used cup from her hand and bowed his head. “I’ll be back with food. Do you need anything else, my lady?”
“My lady?” May appeared shocked.
“That is your new title, Lady May. You are officially a part of my clan now that you have agreed to be under my care and drank my blood. I will protect you and your youngling from all harm. You have my oath.”
“I…thank you. Food sounds good. I also will need some shoes. I don’t have any,” May admitted.
“I will see to it.” Delbius rose and quickly fled with the empty cup.
May looked at Len with a small smile. “I think he means everything he said.”
“I agree.”
“Lenore? A moment, please,” a deep voice demanded from the open doorway.
She turned, seeing Hawk standing there glaring at her. She had a sinking feeling she was in trouble. “Verna will stay with you, May. I’ll be back soon.” She got up and left the room.