The door opened and Defiance returned with Whitney who was carrying a set of crutches for me. Dr. Anders wasn't far behind. He stepped into the room looking a little frazzled. I realized Whitney and her father were probably missing their Thanksgiving dinner.
Whitney's dad checked my toes peeking out from the end of the cast and pronounced me fit to travel. Then he sat down on the padded stool and dashed off a prescription for me. "I talked with your mother and she's on her way back from California. In the meantime, she said Mim could give you a lift home. Your mom will see you there." He handed me the prescription on the white square of paper. "I hate to heal and run," he joked. "But there's a huge drumstick waiting for me at home with my name on it."
"I understand," I said and grinned at Whitney.
I used the crutches to navigate through the medical center while Valor and the others opened doors for me. We caught up to Mim in the waiting room. She followed us outside to the parking lot where Whitney gave me a hug before she got in the car with her dad.
Back at the house, Valor helped me inside to the living room. As I eased down onto the couch, I realized I hadn't gotten to the grocery store to buy the things we needed for dinner. And by now, the store would be closed. I sent Havoc and Dare to the kitchen to see what we had in the freezer.
Before the rest of the guys could settle themselves around the room, Mim asked if she could speak to me privately. Right away, Victor and Defiance sauntered from the room. I didn't even have to ask them if they'd mind leaving. I thought it was really sweet of them. 'Course it wouldn't do Mim much good. Because the gargoyles would probably hear every word she said…unless they left the house and took a walk over to the park.
Mim glanced uneasily at Valor.
"I'm not leaving," he informed her quietly. He pulled a chair close to the couch and planted himself in it.
I opened my mouth to tell Valor he didn't have to stay with me but he interrupted me before I could say anything.
His tone was firm as he wrapped my hand in his. "Don't ask me to leave, MacKenzie."
I studied him briefly and could tell he wasn't going to budge on the issue. "What is it?" I asked Mim. I wondered what on earth she had to say that she didn't want the guys to hear.
Mim set her chin at a determined angle. "I didn't want to ask any questions while we were at the medical center but I'm still waiting to hear what happened to you today."
I felt really bad. Mim's my best friend. And normally, she'd be the first person to hear the story. But we'd all avoided telling her anything and she was probably feeling horribly left out. I was in no condition to improvise because of the painkillers dulling my wits but I did my best. "I'm sorry I didn't say something sooner, Mim. But I…slipped in the snow and broke my ankle."
"What happened to your face?" she demanded quietly. "And don't tell me you slipped in the snow and landed on your face, MacKenzie. It looks like somebody hit you."
Maybe it was the drugs, but I didn't understand why she seemed so upset. Sadly, even though I was under the influence, the perfect lie jumped into my head. "When I walked into the garage this morning, there were two men inside. They were stealing the step-person's stuff. They'd broken open his wooden boxes and had a bunch of statues loaded into the back of their truck. When I tried to stop them, one of the men…hit me."
"You tried to stop them?" she asked incredulously as she glanced at Valor. "Where were the others? Where were Valor and Dare?"
"They…were inside the house," I lied as fast as I could make things up. "They came out but were too late to stop the robbery. When I chased the truck down the driveway, I slipped in the snow and broke my ankle."
She looked at me as if she didn't believe me.
"So the guys carried me to the car and came looking for you."
"If somebody robbed your house," she said slowly, "then you need to call the police." She pulled her phone from her pocket and offered it to me like she was challenging me to stand behind my story.
I looked at the phone and shook my head. "I can't do that, Mim."
"Why not?" she asked as if my response was no big surprise.
But I had the perfect answer. "Because I'm not sure the step-Greg's dealings in antiquities are entirely above board. I think I'd better talk to him about the theft before I go reporting anything to the police."
She stared at me a long moment then returned the phone to her pocket. But I don't think she was convinced of much more than the fact that Greg's dealings were on the shady side. "Okay," she finally said. "I'd better get going."
"Dare can take you home," I offered. "Or you can drive my car to your place and he can bring the Jeep back here."
She shook her head. "I'll call my mother and ask her to pick me up."
I hated, hated, hated lying to Mim. And I had an uncomfortable feeling that she hadn't told me everything she wanted to say. Unfortunately, I was too drowsy to give the idea the attention it deserved.
"What was that about?" Dare asked darkly after Mim had left and the gargoyles filtered back into the living room. "What does she think happened to you?"
"I'm not sure," I answered, again feeling like I'd missed something that Dare had somehow picked up on.
He shared a grim look with the others. They looked uncomfortable but not as unhappy as Dare.
"My mom's on her way home," I pointed out in the moody silence. "She'll probably be here in a few hours."
"We'll straighten up our rooms and make ourselves scarce," Victor offered quietly.
"Where will you go?" I asked, worried about where they could spend the night. There was a foot of snow on the ground.
"We need to clean up the mess we made at that big house on the ridge top," he answered. "We can spend a few nights there while we're fixing the place up."
"We'll be careful not to attract attention," Defiance added.
My gaze rested tentatively on Valor.
"I'm not going anywhere," he assured me. "Dare and I will stay here with you."
I nodded groggily. I was relieved that he and his brother were staying. But I wondered what my mom would have to say about it.
Valor was still holding my hand when my mother hurried into the house. I was dozing on the couch but she startled me awake when she called my name from the mudroom. Her anxious gaze was fixed on my face as she crossed the living room toward me.
She didn't see Dare who was down in the family room, printing out emails. At first, she didn't even notice Valor sitting in the chair beside me. "MacKenzie," she exclaimed, looking positively ruffled which is unusual for Mom. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I soothed. "Just a few scrapes and bruises and a slightly broken ankle."
"What do you mean, slightly broken?"
"Well, mostly broken," I admitted.
"How did it happen?" she cried, her eyes looking a bit moist.
"Don't cry, Mom. It's not that big a deal," I insisted before she started crying. And I told her my brief lie about the robbery.
She was more concerned about me than the theft. "What did Dr. Anders say?"
Before I could answer, she finally noticed the beautiful teenager holding my hand.
Valor stood as her gaze connected with his. "Please don't ask me to leave."
"Who are you?" she asked, clearly stunned by his words as well as his extreme good looks.
"My name's Valor Greystone," he answered. "And I'm in love with your daughter."
She slid her wide-eyed gaze toward me and I nodded. Composing herself, she reached out and shook his hand then wrenched her curious attention from him and returned it to me. "Did Dr. Anders okay your release?" she asked.
"He sent me home with a pair of crutches," I replied with a shrug.
"Does it hurt?" she asked as her unhappy gaze rested on my dark toes.
"I'm on pain medication," I assured her. "I can't feel a thing."
Mom sniffed. "Is there anything I can get you?"
I knew she'd feel better if she had something
to keep her busy so I told her some tea would be nice.
"I'll start a pot," she offered, and moved toward the kitchen.
Dare was waiting quietly for her in the entryway. "Can I help?" he asked.
Mom gave him a startled look while Valor scrambled to introduce his brother. She shook Dare's hand and tilted her head as she asked, "Do I…know you?"
"You've probably seen me around," he answered with one of his rare, stunning smiles.
"Where…are you guys from?" I could tell she was a bit puzzled by their accents, which didn't sound quite British.
"York, originally," Dare answered.
I had to smile. Originally went back a ways for Dare and Valor.
"Do you have a place around here?" she asked.
Dare responded smoothly. "We're staying in a house on Evergreen Mountain."
"That's a nice area," Mom commented as she peered at him, probably trying to figure out where she'd seen him before.
Dare nodded. "The place is a little run down at the moment. But we're fixing it up." As they turned toward the kitchen together, he added, "I hope you don't mind if we spend the next few nights here with you and MacKenzie. Considering everything that's happened, my brother and I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving you alone."
My mother seemed charmed by the idea as well as the good-looking gargoyle. "Thanks for the offer. That's probably a good idea, at least until I can have an alarm system installed. We have a couple of spare bedrooms." As she stepped into the hall, she turned suddenly. "Don't you think you'd be more comfortable in your bed, MacKenzie? I'll bring the tea up when it's ready."
"That's a good idea," Valor agreed before I could answer. He swept me into his arms and headed for the stairs while I looped my arms around his neck. He didn't really have to carry me. I could have used the crutches to climb the stairs. I think he just wanted to hold me.
"I guess I'd better call the police and report the theft," my mother called from the kitchen.
As Valor carried me up the stairs, I convinced her to check with Greg first.
"That was pretty impressive," I told Valor after he'd settled me on my bed. "Especially that part where you expressed your undying love for me and refused to leave my side."
"I never expressed undying love," he murmured. A crooked smile curved his lips upward.
"No?" I questioned him, and pretended to look disappointed.
"Not yet," he answered softly. "But I'll probably work my way around to it one day if you give me a chance."
I reached behind my head and pulled my pillow down behind my neck. "Tell me more."
Valor's beautiful face turned grim as he looked down at my fingers laced with his. "You can't imagine how terrified I was when that harpy tossed you through the doors of that house, Kenz. I about died. You can't begin to understand how helpless I felt, trapped in my stone form and unable to help you. And when she started hitting you…"
He shook his head and dropped his face into his hand.
"Hey," I soothed. "It's okay."
He nodded shakily. "It's okay, now," he agreed. "But if anything had happened to you…" He lost his voice and lifted his head as he held my gaze. "You shouldn't have waited so long to spell me out of my stone form."
"I'm sorry," I murmured. "But I had to wait until the harpy was close enough for you to reach her with your blade."
His voice rose with emotion. "I should have been the one fighting that monster, MacKenzie. I should have been the one protecting you. All of my instincts were screaming for me to act and I couldn't do a thing to help. I thought I'd lose my mind."
I began to realize how hard it had been for him.
"You should never have come after me," he added in a low mutter.
"Technically, I didn't come after you," I argued with feeling. "The harpy came and got me and dragged me into it."
"But you were coming before she captured you," he accused me solemnly. "You were coming with Dare in the car."
"What was I supposed to do?" I exclaimed softly. "Sit at home and wait for you to escape?"
"You should have let the pack deal with it, Kenz. I could handle anything as long as I knew you were safe. I'd have come back to you, even if it had taken years."
I lifted his hand to my face and rubbed my cheek against the thick skin on his hackles. My heart fluttered with emotion. His words were scored into my memory forever and I'd treasure them for the rest of my life. But if Valor thought I would stand by and let him face danger alone, he was stark, barking mad as my grandfather would say. Maybe it was Valor's venom running through my veins, but I had a protective streak of my own.
Besides, he'd forgotten I was one of the pack.
On top of that, I'm not as patient as gargoyles are. There was no way I'd wait years for Valor to wake from his stone form because I'd end up being older than him. And I wasn't convinced he'd still think I was cute at forty. But I didn't say any of that. I just told him I wouldn't let what happened to Dare happen to him.
He kissed my fingers, closed his eyes and opened them again. Then he pinned me with an intense look as he said, "I love you, Kenz. More than anything. You're the most beautiful, loyal, brave and daring lass I've ever known. I want you to wear my rune."
I just stared up at him.
"Will you wear my rune, MacKenzie?"
I realized he was holding his breath and could tell how important my answer was to him. I wanted to answer yes, without reservations. But I remembered Dare's earlier warning to me. "I'd love to wear your rune," I whispered. "As long as your brothers think it's a good idea."
He shook his head and chuckled softly. "Believe me, MacKenzie. This decision doesn't require a pack meeting."
"Just the same," I said quietly. "I want to make sure your brothers consider me a good risk."
He smiled as if he didn't think that was going to be a problem.
"Will you wear my rune, MacKenzie? If my family agrees you're a good risk?"
"Yes," I whispered. "Absolutely, definitely, yes."
Leaning toward me, he tucked my hair behind my ear but it just spilled forward again and covered half my face.
I pulled the unruly mass of red behind my head and trapped it against the pillow. "It doesn't behave," I explained in a shy mumble.
"Just like you," he murmured before he lowered his lips against mine. "I like it that way."
Epilogue
Three weeks have passed since Valor marked me with his rune. I think there must be some sort of numbing agent in gargoyle venom because it hardly hurt at all. Valor wrapped his strong fingers around my upper arm and exposed the barbs on his free hand. Then he slowly carved his rune into my skin. It was pretty much exactly the way Reason had said it would be.
When Valor was finished, he blew on the rune for a few minutes. Then he kissed it better. He was really cute. Afterward, I got the longest kiss ever.
You'll be glad to know that his barbs don't leak anymore when he kisses me, which is a good thing because those blue stains don't come out. I had to tell my mother I spilled some blue ink on my bedroom carpet while making an art project for one of my classes.
I hate lying. Sadly, I'm getting better at it.
Mom got all ready to freak when she saw the blue artwork on my arm. Then she realized it was the same as Valor's tattoo and decided it was romantic. My mother is incurable. If all of her friends jumped off a cliff, she probably would too…as long as they were doing it for love.
She met the rest of the guys on her last trip home. Even though she's had a security system installed at the house, I think she feels safer knowing they spend a lot of time here. Dare is probably her favorite, which might have something to do with his being a Beatles fan. But she bought all of them gift cards for Christmas.
Christmas is less than two weeks away. I've wrapped all my presents and they're underneath the tree in the living room. I bought up all the old emo belts I could find on the internet, so the guys are all getting white belts. Except for Dare. His is powder blue.
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In addition, Havoc's getting a cookbook. And I found an old hardback copy of Great Expectations for Dare. I bought Defiance a pair of designer sunglasses that are gonna look really hot on him. Victor was harder to shop for. I ended up getting him a small digital camera that will probably make Havoc totally jealous.
I've wrapped up a cell phone for Valor. Mom said she'd add him to our plan as long as he paid the monthly charges. That shouldn't be a problem; we sold a bow last week and have had several more inquiries.
I even picked up a set of drawing pens for Reason in the hopes he makes it home before Christmas.
Maybe it's my imagination, but sometimes I think I look more like the picture Reason drew of me. Some of the girls at school have asked what I'm doing different and some of the guys, who were never interested in me before, are suddenly hanging around and asking what I'm doing next weekend. Three months ago, I would have been thrilled if Josh Saxon had asked me out. Now I try to avoid him. I don't know how many ways I can tell him I already have a boyfriend.
It might be the venom pumping through my veins that has caused the difference in my appearance but my skin is definitely clearer. Mom says it positively glows. My lashes are thicker and I'll swear my lips are fuller. I can't help but wonder if that's the way Reason and the rest of the pack saw me right from the start, because they don't think I've changed at all. If that's true, then I wonder how they see Mim. I wish one of the other gargoyles had Reason's artistic skill. If one of them could draw, I'd ask him to sketch Mim's portrait.
That's assuming she'd let him.
On a negative note, Mim seems to think the guys had something to do with my injuries. I'm horrified she reached this totally wrong conclusion but I can't tell her the truth because of the promise I made to the gargoyles. So now she doesn't trust them.
I hate the fact that she thinks they might be capable of hurting me when the exact opposite is true. They'd do anything to protect me. It's really sad. Dare is devastated. He's so upset that she thinks his family could ever do anything like that. The others seem to understand she's only being loyal to me but Dare is taking it personally. I don't know if he'll ever forgive her.
The Greystone Bundle (Books 1-4) Page 20