Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead and his strength gave out. Panting softly, he stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds. When Leroy spoke, he returned his focus to the nurse.
“Will you tell me your name now?” Leroy asked. “And I need to know about allergies.”
“Jeremiah,” he responded softly, seeing no reason to deny the man. “And I’m allergic to strawberries.”
“Very good to know,” Leroy responded. “No chocolate-covered strawberries for you. What about medications?”
“No.”
“All right,” Leroy stated, nodding as he picked up and scribbled something on a chart. “So, you probably have questions. I’ll answer them as best as I can.” He set the chart back down on the table then returned to him, pulling a chair close in the process. “So, first you should know that while technically you’re a prisoner, no harm will come to you.” Leroy paused, then waved his hand in the air as he added, “As long as you don’t provoke anyone or attack anyone. Self-defense and all that.”
Jeremiah sighed. “A prisoner,” he whispered. “So you’re here to fix me up, then once I’m better, someone takes me to a cell?”
“No cell,” Leroy told him. “Our hope is that you’ll come around, helping us stop your former companions.” He rested one hand on the bed and touched his shoulder with the other. “I know your first impulse is going to be to say no, that shifters are monsters that all need to be killed, but we’re hoping that—”
“I don’t think they should all be killed,” Jeremiah whispered. His eyelids slid closed as fatigue swept over him. “But there are so many that go feral.” Sighing, he didn’t fight his need for sleep. He’d deal with everything when he woke up.
Jeremiah didn’t open his eyes the next time he woke. He thought about what Leroy had told him, trying to decide if he believed him. Knowing that he was a prisoner, how could the nurse say no one would hurt him? How could a human stop a paranormal? Was the nurse truly human?
“I know you’re awake.”
Upon hearing the deep voice, Jeremiah opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, staring at the ceiling. The overhead light was still off, but from the glow to his left, he figured the lamp on the side table was still on.
“How are you feeling?” the male asked, his voice deep and soft. “Do you want some water? Nurse Leroy says you can have a little, if you’d like.”
Licking his lips and swallowing, Jeremiah realized how dry his throat and tongue were. “Yes, please,” he whispered, finally looking toward the speaker.
Shock filled him upon seeing the massive black creature from the loading dock. He gaped when it slowly rose from the chair and crossed to the side table. It appeared Leroy had left the plastic cup, for he picked it up. The beast’s big, black hand seemed to dwarf the cup as he filled it with water from the pitcher.
When the... thing turned to face him, Jeremiah saw that what he thought was a cloak, was actually wings. Peeking between them was the biggest, broadest naked chest he’d ever seen. Forcing his gaze higher, he saw the beast’s square jaw and pointed canines peeking over his lip. His brow ridges were pronounced and above that... horns jutted from his hairline, sweeping backward over his skull.
“Holy shit,” Jeremiah whispered. “Get away.”
Jeremiah had intended to yell the order, but with his dry throat and thick tongue, he barely even managed to get the words out at all. Or was that caused by the panic tightening his chest? Or maybe the spike of fear that caused a surge of adrenaline rushing through his system that was so powerful, he actually managed to get his battered body to slide sideways across the bed.
“Whoa, whoa, there,” the creature cried, lifting a clawed hand toward him. “Don’t fall off the bed. You might pop your stitches.”
“You do talk,” Jeremiah whispered. So I hadn’t imagined that. That still didn’t make him relax. “What do you want?”
“My name is Grateman,” the creature stated. Holding up the cup, he added, “And I just want to help you with some water.”
“Where’s Nurse Leroy?”
Grateman took another step closer, which put him at the side of the bed. He held out the cup. “If you’re well enough to cringe away from me, I suppose you’re well enough to hold this on your own.”
Tentatively, Jeremiah reached out to take the cup. Except, moving his right arm put all his weight on his left as well as stretched his torso. Pain erupted through his body like liquid fire in his veins. Groaning, he began to flop backward, but he’d run out of bed and he realized with a cry that he was going over the side.
“Shit,” Grateman hissed. Somehow, the beast leaped over the bed. He first grabbed Jeremiah’s good arm with one hand, then slid his other arm under his torso. “Easy, Jer,” he crooned, helping him back onto the bed. “Can you imagine how pissed the doc would be if something happened to mess up his hard work of fixing your rib?”
“Th-That explains the pain in my chest,” Jeremiah whispered. “Why do you care?”
Staring up at the huge male, peering into the male’s deep brown eyes, he thought he saw concern, compassion, but how could that be? And why did his prick take that moment to jerk, as if it found something interesting about the male, too? With a catheter in his cock, it was damn uncomfortable. As Grateman released him and pulled his arms away, Jeremiah also found he liked the way they felt, the way his tough leathery-like hide slid across his own skin.
Shit! What is wrong with me?
“One question at a time, handsome,” Grateman stated. “Let me get you that water.”
“Handsome?” Jeremiah whispered, watching him walk around the bed.
Grateman picked up a new, still-wrapped cup, opening it. “Sorry,” he said, smiling. “I dropped the other one when you, uh—” He nodded his head toward the other side of the room’s floor. “Nearly fell.”
“Yeah, sure,” Jeremiah whispered.
“Anyway,” Grateman continued. “Leroy is at his regular job. He works in a hospital in town.”
“So, he’s not a prisoner, too?” Jeremiah questioned. “Even though he’s a human?”
Grateman shook his head. “No, not at all,” he told him. “He’s an extended member of our clutch. He’s mated with a boa constrictor shifter and comes and goes as he pleases.”
“Boa constrictor shifter?” Jeremiah gaped. “Those things exist?”
Chuckling softly, Grateman crossed back to the bed. “I’m not going to try to hand this to you this time,” he told him. “It’s obvious you shouldn’t sit up and put stress on your chest, yet, so I’m going to cup your skull and help you drink. Are you ready?”
Jeremiah hesitated. Was he ready? Was he ready for this creature to touch him again? “What are you?” he asked instead of answering.
“I am a gargoyle,” Grateman stated.
“Right,” Jeremiah whispered. “The nurse said that already. I just, uh, forgot.”
Grateman nodded. “You’ve been traumatized, Jeremiah,” he stated, waving his hand toward Jeremiah’s chest. “And not by us.”
Jeremiah glanced down at his own chest, seeing the scars. Right, he had a hell of a lot of ruined flesh. Why had Grateman called him handsome? He sure as hell knew he wasn’t. While Jeremiah worked hard to keep his body as fit as possible, his scarring caused limitations.
“Here,” Grateman rumbled, drawing his attention. “Drink this, then I’m going to call for Doctor Perseus. I want him to check you over... make certain you didn’t shift anything.”
Nodding, Jeremiah watched as Grateman leaned toward him. He kept his mouth shut as the gargoyle slid a clawed hand under his head and tilted his head up. When he brought the cup to his lips, Jeremiah lifted his right hand and cupped his fingers around the creature’s thick fingers, wanting at least the appearance of control.
Jeremiah swallowed a mouthful, then another one.
Grateman smiled down at him. “There you go, handsome,” he rumbled, looking exceedingly
pleased for some reason. “One more sip, then I gotta pull it away.”
After Jeremiah swallowed some more, Grateman did just that. He set the cup down on the side table, then he crossed to the door. When he opened it, it brightened up the room with the light flooding through the doorway.
“He awake?” a masculine voice rumbled.
“He is,” Grateman responded. “I’m afraid I freaked him out a bit,” he admitted, backing up as he spoke. “He just about fell off the bed.”
The other male hummed. “Right.” Then, he came into view.
Jeremiah once again found himself gaping. The... gargoyle that walked through the door was... green! “You’re green,” Jeremiah whispered. Most of the male was covered in pale green mottled skin, while his wings were black.
The male chuckled. “I am at that,” he replied, clearly not at all offended. “I am Doctor Perseus. Most just call me Doc or Perseus. Feel free to do the same.” He slowly moved toward him. “Now. Are you going to give me trouble examining you?”
At the blunt question, Jeremiah realized he still had his mouth open. He’d also unconsciously begun gripping the blanket in both fists. Forcing himself to relax his hands, which also fortunately eased the pain in his arm, he shook his head.
“No,” Jeremiah whispered. “But how could you be a doctor?”
Perseus nodded. “Good. And I’m a doctor because I studied with a human one over fifty years ago,” he explained. “He helped me stay abreast of changing techniques until the invention of the internet. Now, I read a hell of a lot of technical journals.”
“Oh.”
Huh. Gargoyle doctors. Who’d have thought?
Chapter Four
Grateman watched Perseus check over Jeremiah’s wounds.
“I kept you unconscious for a couple of days,” Perseus revealed. “I wanted to give your body a chance to begin healing before running the risk of you freaking out.” He smirked as he ran his claws over his torso. “I’m glad I did.”
“Why are you guys helping me?” Jeremiah whispered. His expression remained wary but he didn’t move. “What do you want from me? Information?”
Perseus chuckled. “Of course,” he responded, showing no remorse. “Well, our chieftain does.” He paused and looked over his shoulder at Grateman. “Should I tell him? Or did you want to?”
Grateman shrugged. “I’ll do it.”
Nodding, Perseus peered down at Jeremiah. “As for me. I want you to get well and out of my medical bay. Having guards for you and the other human is damn distracting.”
“The other human?” Jeremiah whispered. “You took more than one hostage?”
“Your friend from the loading bay,” Grateman revealed. “The one who shot at Vane and took a swipe from his claws for his mistake. He’s here, too. In better shape than you, actually,” he admitted. “He’ll never be as pretty as he was before, but he’ll live.”
“Quinn,” Jeremiah murmured, his brows furrowing. “Quinn is alive?”
“He is,” Perseus confirmed. “Now. If you’re not going to give Grateman a tough time helping you to the bathroom for the next couple of days while you continue to heal, I’ll remove this catheter.”
“God, yes,” Jeremiah responded instantly. Then, he glanced Grateman’s way, his face flushing. “I, uh, won’t give you trouble.”
When Perseus began lifting the blanket, Jeremiah clutched it tighter for an instant before releasing it. He cleared his throat as he glanced between them. “So, uh, would you turn around, please?” Jeremiah asked, his gaze settling on Grateman.
Grateman winked as he grinned at his mate. “I’ve already seen all of you and touched all of you, Jer,” he revealed. “I’m the one who gave you your sponge baths.”.
Jeremiah’s face turned beet red.
Perseus narrowed his eyes at Grateman. “Turn around, Grateman. Give the man the illusion of privacy, at least.”
Lifting his hands in surrender, Grateman turned around. Still, he couldn’t help but say, “Don’t worry, Jer. The next time I run my hands over you, we’ll both enjoy it so much more.”
“Wh-Why would you?” Jeremiah paused as Grateman heard him grunt. “Do that?”
“Done,” Perseus stated.
“Thanks,” Jeremiah muttered. “Where’s the bathroom?”
Perseus chuckled. “Grateman will take you. I’ll order you a light meal.”
Grateman turned to find Jeremiah still lying flat on his back, the blanket returned to cover his waist. His human’s skin still glowed with a blush, though not of the previous intensity. Grateman wanted to see that color on the man for a completely different reason.
Soon.
After that promise to himself, Grateman returned to the bed’s side. He slid one arm under Jeremiah, enjoying the feel of his skin. Feeling the ridges that he knew were claw scars, he wondered what it would take to get the man to open up and tell him about them.
At the same time, Grateman reached for the blanket.
“Wait,” Jeremiah whispered, gripping it tightly.
Grateman lifted one brow ridge. “I thought you wanted to go to the men’s room.”
“Yeah, uh, how about some shorts or something?”
Shaking his head, Grateman offered, “After you piss and shower. I bet you’re ready for one about now.” He easily pulled the blanket from his mate’s grip. “By the time we’re done, I’m certain the food will have arrived.”
Jeremiah frowned at him, but offered no further resistance. Taking advantage of his mate’s acquiescence, Grateman rumbled, “Come on, handsome.”
“I’m not handsome,” Jeremiah muttered. “Why do you keep calling me that?”
Grateman’s brow ridges shot up and he looked into the face of the man he held. “Not handsome? Is that what you think?” he asked incredulously.
Seeing the way the man scowled even as he rolled his eyes, Grateman knew Jeremiah believed his words.
Deciding he wanted to change Jeremiah’s mind, Grateman thought about what humans found appealing. “Your shoulders are wide. Your chest is broad and well-muscled. Let’s not forget your thick head of auburn hair which I find stunning,” he admitted. “I want to run my fingers through it and massage your scalp.”
“Wh-What?” Jeremiah sputtered.
By then, Grateman had them in the attached bathroom. He lowered his mate to the toilet. Cupping his human’s jaw, he tilted his head up as he leaned close.
Seeing Jeremiah’s wide eyes, the measure of fear in their green depths, Grateman just managed to rein in his desire to kiss his human. “In your time hunting paranormals, have you ever heard the term mate?”
Jeremiah’s brows drew together. “Leroy used the term mate,” he whispered. “He said his mate didn’t like it when I grabbed him.”
“You grabbed Leroy?” Grateman asked. This was the first he’d heard about it. Surely if the nurse had been injured, he’d have been told when he’d woken from roost, the gargoyle’s equivalent to sleep. They just happened to do it as a stone statue during daylight hours.
“I grabbed his wrist when he said gargoyles are like humans. I just... wanted him to clarify,” Jeremiah admitted. “I wasn’t trying to hurt him or anything.”
Grateman heard the truth in his words as well as smelled it in his scent. He nodded. “I’ll give you a few minutes,” he told him, waving vaguely toward the toilet he was sitting on. “Then I’ll help you in the shower.”
Jeremiah pinched his lips together, but didn’t respond.
Taking that as acceptance, Grateman exited the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He found Perseus standing in the room, leaning one shoulder against the wall. The other gargoyle lifted one brow.
“What?” Grateman growled.
“Don’t push too hard,” Perseus warned. “He’s a hunter. He could feel like you’re only coming on to him to get him to trust us... to get him to give up his hunter companions.”
Grateman humme
d. “Then I will just have to convince him otherwise.” He cocked his head. “Double date with me. He could use a solid friend like Wren. Someone new to our world who can share his own misgivings and how he overcame them.”
Perseus scowled. “You want me to introduce Wren to a hunter? What if he tries to kidnap him?”
“Your mate is a big-ass human, and not from eating all the food at that restaurant of his... Goldy’s Burgers and Bites,” he added on a growl. “I think your guy could take him. Besides, Jeremiah is no longer a hunter. He’s my mate. He’s one of us now.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Perseus snapped. “Just because he’s your mate doesn’t make him one of us. You haven’t claimed him, yet.”
“Only because you kept him sedated for three days and I haven’t had the chance,” Grateman snarled, pointing his claw-tipped forefinger at the doctor. “So don’t give me that shit.”
Perseus scoffed. “And if I hadn’t given his bones an extra couple of days to heal, the first thing he would have done is re-injure himself trying to get away from you,” he snarled indignantly.
“Hey, is everything okay in here?” Sumak asked, walking into the room. The small, pale-purple gargoyle held a tray laden with covered plates and bowls. “What’s all the yelling about? And where’s your sexy human, Grateman?”
“In the bathroom,” Grateman growled. “And no... everything is not okay, but thank you for the meal.” He focused his gaze back on Perseus. “I would have thought you of all people would understand needing to change the way you view things.”
Perseus crossed his arms over his chest. “Me of all people?” he countered. “What does that mean?”
“It means, you fought gargoyle doctors throughout the country, trying to convince them that human style training and treatment would be beneficial to our kind,” Grateman snarled. “You know it takes time to educate people.”
Perseus’ jaw clenched for an instant, then jerked a nod. “Sure. Once he’s educated, then I’ll introduce my mate to him.” After that parting shot, he pushed away from the wall and stalked out of the room.
Claiming the Hunter Page 3