by Cree Storm
Standing there, just outside, frozen like a statue, was Emilio Vasquez. They all moved out and stood around him and all smiled when they saw the predicament he was in. Standing before him was a very large gargoyle statue and the gargoyle’s hands were gripping Vasquez’s suit jacket.
“What is this thing? Get it off me,” Vasquez whispered, his voice laced with fear.
“That is not a thing, motherfucker. He is a very powerful man and sexy as sin,” Wade said in amusement as he walked around Vasquez.
Suneth in his gargoyle form blinked his eyes and they turned red as a puff of smoke came from his nostrils.
“Am I turning you on, mate?” Wade asked, as he moved to stand by Suneth.
“Keep that up, mate and we’ll be giving everyone a show,” Suneth grumbled, his voice deep and sounding like gravel.
“Fuck, what is he?” Vasquez asked again.
“Hey, Wade,” Snake said as he came around the corner with Shadow. His eyes were lit up with mirth and he was smiling. “The plane’s back and I think you should all come and see this.”
“The plane came back? Okay, let’s go. Everyone, lock and load,” Wade ordered.
“I don’t think you’ll be needing any weapons,” Shadow said, then looked at Snake and the two started laughing.
“Alrighty then, let’s go. Sunny, mind bringing the prisoner along?” Wade asked.
“Lead the way,” Suneth replied and lifted Vasquez off his feet, then followed the others.
As they reached the front of the mountain, back at the cave’s opening, the men started laughing as their gazes found what Snake and Shadow were talking about.
Coming in slowly from the south was the seaplane, but it was silent, no engines could be heard. But the best part, was the line of dragons and phoenix who held the plane in their grasps as they each flapped their wings. Working in unison, the creatures drew closer, then gently set the plane down on the ground a few yards from where they all stood watching.
Wade took a step closer as he smiled and said, “Illan, Justice, what are you guys doing here and how did you know where to find us?”
Immediately Illan shifted back to his human form, along with Justice, Morgan, Day, York, Zev, Jett, Finn, Marco, Nash, and Pauly. The dragons all turned and picked up something from the ground and placed each thing in their pockets, then pulled clothes from the packs they carried on their backs and handed the clothes to the phoenix. “Rory called and said you could all use a hand. We got here just in time to see them shove Flyer in this tin can, then watched as a brave little porcupine jumped on the pontoon and scrambled into the plane just before it took off.”
“We didn’t know where you guys were, so we took off after them,” Justice added as he pulled a shirt over his head.
“So, Ireland and Flyer are both in there? Are they okay?” Six asked.
“We’re here, and I’m okay, but I think Flyer needs some medical attention,” Ireland said, as he swung his legs out the door of the plane, his arm around Flyer helping him to the edge. That’s when everyone noticed the cuts and bruises on Flyer’s face, along with his swollen lips.
“Jeez, what happened to him?” Wade asked as he ran to the plane to take Flyer from Ireland.
“Those fucktards roughed me up out in the woods for mouthing off, before they shoved me on this plane,” Flyer said in a pained voice.
“I think he has a few broken ribs,” Ireland said, as he climbed from the plane and jumped to the ground.
“So where is Bharrat?” Suneth asked in that gravel voice, still in his gargoyle form.
“He’s still in there. He hasn’t moved or made a sound since the dragons and phoenix showed up,” Ireland answered with a laugh.
“Men,” Wade said simply, then Snake, Shadow, Six, and Bull all descended on the plane and disappeared inside. After a few moments they came out with Bharrat and the pilot, both cuffed with zip ties and looking like they had seen a ghost or two.
“What do you want to do with them?” Illan asked.
“I’d like to kill the fuckers but I’m not a murderer. We need to turn them in to our contact in the government, but I don’t want to do that until we grab the Senator. Before we can do that, though, we need some lock-tight evidence against that bastard,” Wade replied.
“Get this thing to let me go and I’ll tell you where you can find it,” Vasquez cried, and everyone looked to him.
“Now why the hell would I have him release you? So you can run?” Wade asked.
“Yeah, but didn’t he just see a shit ton of dragons and phoenix pluck a freaking plane out of the sky and land it? He’d have to be pretty stupid to try and run with all of us here,” Jett said.
“No one claimed he was smart,” Snake said.
“I swear, Wells. You help me out, get me a deal and I’ll give you all the evidence you need against the Senator, Bharrat, and a few others. I have it all at the ranch. Help me and it’s all yours,” Vasquez pleaded.
Wade looked around to the others with a smirk on his face and they all began to chuckle. Wade looked to Illan and Justice. “We have more of their guys inside along with crates of their shit and now that you’ve got the plane back, there’s even more in there, too. Vasquez’s ranch isn’t too far from here. Think you and your guys could give us a hand?”
“Sure, what do you need?” Illan replied.
“I’ll call it in to Rory and have him get some US Marshalls along with DEA out here ASAP. Maybe one of your guys could handle getting Flyer and Ireland to the hospital, while the rest of us head over to Vasquez’s to get that evidence he’s promised.”
“No problem. Day, grab Flyer, and Morgan, get Ireland,” Illan began, but Ireland cut him off.
“It’s okay. I don’t need to go to the hospital, I wasn’t injured.”
Wade looked to Ireland and gave him a smile. “You made it through a plane crash, then got Flyer out of there and to safety. You found this cave and were able to escape again, then you climbed that damn mountain, with an injured Flyer, and also jumped into a moving plane from what I hear. Just let the guys take you to get checked out and make sure you’re okay, yeah?”
“And you haven’t been drinking or eating right for a shifter out here, man. You may be dehydrated,” Canuz added.
“I understand, but do you really want me to go to a human hospital? I promise I’m okay. I could use a nap and maybe some food, but otherwise I’m alright,” Ireland insisted.
“He’s got a point there, Illan,” York said. “I can check him out and stay with him.”
Illan and Wade both nodded, then Illan agreed.
“What about Flyer man, he hasn’t said much,” Marco asked.
They all looked to Flyer and saw that he looked very pale and his head was dropped down to his chest. He also looked like he was having trouble breathing.
“His chest sounds like it’s rattling. He may have a punctured lung from the broken ribs,” York said as he moved closer to Flyer.
They carefully laid him down on the ground and York began to check him over. Flyer started to cough and wheeze, then asked for Ireland. “Where…Ireland?” His voice came out in a whisper.
Ireland moved closer and dropped down on his knees beside Flyer, then took his hand. “I’m here, Flyer.”
“You…did…it,” he said then began to cough uncontrollably. Once the coughing stopped he opened his eyes and looked to Ireland. “You… did… good. And… human… again… finally. Can… go… back… to… your… life. See… you… around… Timmy’s… zoo. No… more… stalk…ing…me.”
They could all see Ireland’s face fall from Flyer’s words. The poor man looked like someone had kicked his puppy and ripped his heart out at the same time. As Flyer finished speaking, he started coughing again and Ireland released his hand, stood up straight, then walked away.
“That’s enough talking for now, man, trust me,” York said between clenched teeth, then leaned in to inspect Flyer’s wounds.
* * * *
Ireland stood and walked away. He was numb. Now that everything was over, and they were all safe, except for Flyer’s injuries, all the stress of the events since he’d got on Flyer’s plane hit and Ireland needed to break down. He went behind a large group of boulders and sat on a low one, then wrapped his arms around his stomach and bent over as his heart filled with pain. The tears began to flow, and he released all the emotions he had trapped inside him while they were trying to survive.
His mate didn’t want him. Even after everything they had been through and all the things Flyer had said, Ireland had held onto hope that after they got out of this mess and were back in Crystal, they could get to know each other more and start a new life together. But all those wishes, hopes and dreams, had come crashing down with Flyer’s final words to him. And they would be his final words.
Flyer would be taken to a hospital to heal and Ireland would head back home. Not to Timmy and York’s little private zoo at the gargoyle compound, but his actual home back in Texas with his parents and siblings. Well, in his little house out back from his folks, if it were still there after all this time. He had never told Flyer where he was from exactly, and truth be told, his mate never asked.
Now that he thought about it, Flyer hadn’t asked him much about his life before he was cursed and stuck in his animal form. Maybe Ireland should have seen it then and accepted it, but how would you accept that your mate didn’t want you? That last little bit of insight just proved to him that Flyer really wasn’t interested in him, or them, at all.
It was time to go home and lick his wounds, then try to find a way to go on. Ireland knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it was better than staying in Crystal and having to see his mate everywhere knowing he wasn’t wanted.
Pain gripped his heart like never before and Ireland let the tears come. He hadn’t lost his mate. He never had him to begin with.
CHAPTER 17
Flyer slowly started to wake up but couldn’t see anything due to the gauze still covering his eyes. It took him a second to remember where he was, and he almost panicked until he heard his Commander speaking with someone. “Doc, is he going to make a full recovery of his sight?” Wade asked with concern.
“As I told you, nothing is definite. We have to wait and see what happens. Now please stop talking to me so I can finish examining my patient,” said another man in a cold monotone voice.
Flyer figured it had to be the doctor. Hell, his head was pounding, but at least he didn’t have brain damage.
“Dr. Rob, don’t speak to my mate in that fashion. Flyer is an integral part of our family and we’re concerned. Flying for Flyer is like you caring for a patient. If he can’t see, he can’t fly. How would you feel if someone told you that you could never practice medicine again?” Suneth said with a low growl.
Flyer could have sworn he heard the doc say, “You might be surprised at how I’d feel.” Before stating loudly, “Look, I’m a doctor not a psychic. When he wakes up, I’ll remove the bandages and we’ll go from there. I have a specialist coming in and he will be able to tell you more.”
“Shit! I hate this wait and see crap. No pun intended,” Wade said in exasperation.
“You both need to remember. I am a doctor, yes. However, I am a doctor for shifters and other paranormals mostly, and rarely work on the humans who come in here. That was Doctor Billings’ job when he was here. Humans are fragile beings who need far more care than I’m used to giving,” Doc Rob stated.
Suneth growled low and must have approached Flyer’s bed because his voice was much louder and clearer. “You had to go through the same medical school as a human doctor. Don’t pretend ignorance. Gods! You are one of the most insufferable—"
“Wait, are you saying you refused to do anything for one of my men because he’s human?” Wade snarled.
Wade must have been coming towards the doc because Flyer felt the bed jolt as Doc Rob quickly said, “Of course not! I rinsed his eyes and added some special drops. That’s what I was doing when you barged in here just now. I would never allow another to suffer if I could help it—human or not. It’s just that eyes are not something to mess around with. It’s like if I was presented with someone who had brain damage. I would treat what I could, but I would need a brain specialist to come in and do what needed to be done, because they are trained in that field.”
“Just leave the poor doctor alone, Commander. I’ll be fine soon enough,” Flyer rasped.
They must have rushed towards the bed because Doc Rob snapped, “Let me look him over first and then you can talk with him.”
He felt the eye wrap move and the gauze was lifted. Flyer could see light, but everything was blurry.
“Tell me, how is your sight now compared to when you were first hurt?” Doc Rob asked.
“I can see light a bit more, but everything is really blurry, like an out of focus camera,” Flyer replied.
“Uh huh. That is most likely because I just put the eye medicine in. Had you woken five minutes earlier we may have known more,” Doc Rob replied.
Flyer snorted, “Well I do apologize for the inconvenience.”
Doc Rob fixed the eye wrap, saying, “Yes well it can’t be helped now. The eye specialist should be here in an hour or so.”
“Thanks Doc,” Flyer said.
Once the door opened and then closed, Flyer could hear Wade’s footsteps coming closer to the bed and then felt a warm hand on his forearm. “How are you feeling, Aiden?”
“Like I crashed a plane. How’s Ireland? He did get checked out by the doc, right?” Flyer asked with concern.
There was an uncomfortable silence and then Wade said, “Yeah he got checked out. He was fine.”
Flyer was really happy to know that his mate was well. He was just surprised he wasn’t here to tell him himself. “Good, where—”
“This plane is on Flyer! This plane is on Flyer!” Jett sang loud, in the tune of This Girl is on Fire. Flyer couldn’t help but laugh, however, Twix didn’t seem to find it so humorous.
“Jett, stop that. This isn’t funny. Flyer could have died, and you want to joke about it.”
“Okay, how about this. Well the plane exploded with a mighty crash as they fell—”
Twix jumped in before Jett could finish. “It’s train not plane and again not funny. Zev, do something with your mate, please.”
“Gladly,” Zev replied.
“Oh, dear lord. I swear this family is five cents short of a quarter,” Twix muttered.
From the sounds Flyer was hearing, Zev and Jett were putting on a good show for all to see. Too bad one of those people wasn’t him.
“Knock it off you two or I’ll have you doing KP for the next month,” Day stated.
Jett scoffed, “Only if you want to put yourself through it again. I do believe I saw tuna on sale, honey. We might want to stop at the store on the way home.”
“Oh Gods, you are not making tuna surprise again like the last time Day put you on KP. I couldn’t get that shit taste out of my mouth for a week,” Morgan complained good naturedly.
“Just knock it off,” Day muttered, then Flyer felt a hand on his ankle. “How are you doing, buddy?”
“Thinking now might be the time to work on the pin the tail on the donkey game. Jett, did you bring your tail, you ass?” Flyer asked as he laughed.
“Hey, Flyer, how’s it hanging?” Six yelled out.
“To the left,” Flyer shouted back.
More and more people started coming into the room. Flyer laughed and joked with everyone, but it didn’t go unnoticed that Rory and his mates weren’t there, and neither was Ireland. “Where’s Rory and Ireland? I really want to thank both of them for saving my ass out there.”
The room went silent, and then Wade said, “Rory is pretty pissed with you right now, Flyer. He just needs some time to cool down.”
“Pissed? Why? Did something go wrong with our mission? Don’t tell me Bharrat and his goons got off,” Flyer quickly questioned.
; Wade answered, “No, they’re all safely tucked in their cells where they will be for the rest of their lives. Carl Harris has been singing like a bird ever since we got him here. It seems his daddy has been working with Bharrat for quite some time. He’s been using his contacts and jetting around the world selling guns and other military weapons for years.”
“Yeah, and that time we were sent to ‘rescue’ him, he was making sure the weapons and drugs were ready for shipment and got the warning too late to leave. He planned the whole fucking thing,” Six said in disgust.
“Rory’s doing some digging, trying to find the son of a bitch. So far, no luck,” Wade finished.
Flyer nodded, but he still didn’t understand. “So why is Rory pissed and where is Ireland? You weren’t lying to me when you said he was alright, were you?”
“You know, we really should be going. The kids don’t like it when their daddies are all gone. And besides, Rhys gives them way too many sweets and the next thing you know they’re popping over to their grandpa’s house,” Twix said with a laugh.
“Where’s Luka?” Wade asked.
“He needed a couple of days off to attend to some family business,” Twix said.
“Take it easy, Flyer. We’ll come back again soon,” Day said.
Flyer heard the door open and everyone started to leave. He thought that it was just him and Wade but was shocked when Zev began to speak. “Flyer, I know we don’t know each other well, but I asked Wade if I could speak to you alone.”
“Okay,” Flyer said in confusion.
Flyer heard what sounded like a chair being pulled closer, then Zev said, “Ireland isn’t here because he left to go home to his family when the doc gave him the all clear.”
“He left? I don’t understand. Why would he leave?” Flyer asked, sounding as shocked as he felt.
“Because you told him to,” Rory said from across the room.
Flyer turned his head quickly in the direction of Rory’s voice. “Rory, you’re here. Hey, I want to thank—”