“Yeah, Mrs. Jordan said that in her statement.”
“When he cut me with his knife, I screamed. I couldn’t help it. But hearing my scream made Damien rush down to the basement. They both fought, but Damien was stabbed and then shot. All I could do was watch helplessly.” Kelsey stopped talking as she remembered those moments. “I then heard a shot, and I saw Kevin go down. I didn’t realize at the time, but Sofia had shot him from the window. By then, Kevin was furious and ran out to catch whoever shot him. Sofia slipped in from another window and untied us. I grabbed my gun and went after Kevin. He shot at me, and I shot back. He missed. I didn’t.”
“Mmm hmm. You know there was a close range shot, too.”
“Was there?” Kelsey deliberately refused to explain further.
“You do understand that Internal Affairs are already involved and there will be a full investigation. I wouldn’t worry about it, though. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a hero.”
“I don’t know about all that. There were a lot of people involved to bring Kevin down. One is fighting for his life right now.” Kelsey glanced toward Damien’s bed.
Agent Brown cleared his throat. “I’m sorry again about everything that has happened here. Please continue. How did the fire start?”
“I noticed the house was on fire once I realized Kevin was dead. I think he set it as a last payback to me.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he did. I’ve read your records. I’m sorry about the loss of your family years ago.”
Kelsey didn’t respond to the statement. Instead, she continued her explanation. “I ran back into the house for Damien. Somehow, we were able to get out. Unfortunately, we must have had a lot of smoke inhalation because I don’t remember anything else. I just remember waking up here at the hospital.”
“Okay, thanks Officer Taylor. Again, I’m sorry about all this you’ve had to endure. Call me if you need anything. And I will be praying for your friend, Damien. He seems like a brave man…a man who clearly loves you since he risked his life to save you.”
“Thank you.” Kelsey extended her arm and shook his hand.
As soon as he left, Kelsey climbed onto the bed with Damien. She needed to hold him and feel his heart beating next to her.
“Ma’am, I can’t allow you to disturb the patient like that.” The nurse had peeked in and was scolding her. “You can sleep in this lounging chair if you’d like.”
“Leave me be. I’m not moving.” Kelsey just wanted to be left alone with Damien.
“Cindy, it’s okay. Give her some privacy.” Kelsey heard Dr. Mehta’s voice. To her relief, the nurse walked back out.
The rest of the night, Kelsey held onto Damien for dear life, listening to the steady beat of his heart. She clung on, afraid that if she let him go, he may slip out of her life forever.
The next day, Kelsey didn’t leave Damien’s side except when the doctor was making his rounds on her floor.
“Hi, Officer Taylor. My name is Dr. Robinson. I see you’re doing much better.”
“Yes, I am. You can call me Kelsey.”
The doctor nodded. “When you came in, you were unconscious. You did require some stitches on your cut. I’m sure you saw that.”
“Yes, I did,” Kelsey answered.
“You also needed oxygen because of the smoke that had gotten into your lungs. Other than that, your vitals were very stable.”
Kelsey nodded and waited for him to continue.
“You’ve gone through a lot in the last couple of days. How are you really doing?”
Kelsey looked down, avoiding his gaze. “I’ll be okay,” she finally answered.
“There’s one more thing. I’m not sure if you knew because it’s still very early. But we did blood work on you…and well, Kelsey…you’re pregnant.”
Flinging her head up, she stared at the doctor. Maybe she didn’t really hear him right. How could that be?
“Well, from the way you’re looking at me, I guess you didn’t know. You’re still in early stages. The good news is that the heartbeat of the baby sounds good. We monitored it closely while you were unconscious.”
Kelsey’s throat was suddenly dry, and no words would come out. She shook her head while willing her heart to slow down. So many thoughts were flooding into her mind all at once. As the room twirled, she closed her eyes. She needed to calm down.
“Are you okay?” The doctor asked, reaching for her hand.
Clearing her throat, she opened her eyes and said, “Yes, I’ll be fine. I just didn’t expect to hear that. How is the baby? Can we tell? What about all of the smoke inhalation? Would that affect the baby? I was also punched in my stomach.”
“We can do an ultrasound right now if you’re up to it.”
As if in a haze, Kelsey nodded. She needed to know how the baby was doing.
Within minutes, the doctor was using the ultrasound. Staring at the screen, Kelsey had no idea what she was looking at. Everything just looked like a dark spot, but momentarily, she heard the beat of the heart. The doctor didn’t need to tell her what it was. She already knew. It was a loud and steady heartbeat—that of a strong baby.
The tears silently snuck out when she saw the flashing of the heart on the screen. Although the baby looked like a dark blob, it had a heartbeat. There was a life growing inside her. The life that was created by Damien and her.
“Looks like the baby is doing fantastic. I’d like you to stay here at least one more day so we can keep an eye on everything. If you continue to show improvement like this, you may be able to go home tomorrow.”
Kelsey thanked the doctor as she continued to stare at the screen. “Can I get a picture?” she asked.
“I can print you one, but you won’t be able to see much,” the doctor said.
“It’s okay. I’ll know it’s my baby,” she whispered.
When she finally held the picture in her hands, she stared at it long after the doctor left. Caressing her belly, she whispered, “I know you’re strong. After all, you’re your father’s child. And he is very strong.”
Kelsey then cried. She cried from the trauma of the last three days. She cried for Tina, for Sofia, and for little Samantha. And most of all, she cried for her baby and Damien. Not only did she need Damien, but their baby needed him as well.
Sofia returned later with Samantha and forced her to eat some food. She assured her that Tom was fine and was at her house.
Kelsey didn’t share anything about the baby with her. She just wanted to keep this news to herself. She did tell her that she may disappear for several days and not to worry.
“Some strange things may happen, Sofia, but don’t come looking for me. I’ll be fine. It’s just that I need to do some drastic measures to save Damien. Please don’t ask me any questions.”
Sofia stared at her for couple of minutes. Taking a deep breath, she rolled her eyes. “Kelsey, nothing surprises me anymore. I already know some weird shit is going on here. There’s no way you guys should still be alive. How the hell did Shane get you out of that burning house? But you know what? I don’t even want to know. I trust you know what you’re doing, and whatever you decide, I’m behind you all the way.”
Kelsey’s heart filled with emotions as she hugged her friend. “I love you, Sofia.”
“I know that, sweetie. Tell me if you need anything from me.”
“No, I’m good. I’ll be going back to Damien’s room soon and will crash there.” Kelsey then turned to Samantha. “How’s my brave girl? How come you’re not in school?”
“I don’t want to go back yet,” Samantha mumbled.
When Kelsey glanced up at Sofia, she answered, “Samantha is not ready. She’s pretty freaked out about everything.”
Kelsey knew the recent events will haunt this little girl for the rest of her life. She called her over and gave her a tight hug. “Hey, missy! I’m really proud of you, okay? And I promise, you will get through this. You know why?”
Samantha shook her head, not making
eye contact.
“Because you’re not going to let that bad man win. You’re going to forget about him and live your life. You’re going to smile, laugh, and dream. You got it? That’s how you’re going to show him that you won.”
Samantha smiled and nodded, hugging Kelsey back.
Thirty-eight
As she lay in Damien’s arms in his ICU room, Kelsey placed his hand on her belly. She wanted him to hold their baby, even if it was only through her. Maybe the baby could somehow sense it. She had no idea. All she knew was this felt right.
As planned, the power shut off precisely at eleven o’clock at night. Kelsey was already dressed in her street clothes and had everything packed for Damien and her. Within seconds, Shane flew in from the window. Kelsey quickly unhooked Damien from all the tubes, and Shane grabbed both of them and flew back out.
Kelsey held onto Damien with all her might, hoping she could somehow transfer some of her own strength into him. She was terrified he wouldn’t survive without the help of the breathing machine.
But Shane flew fast, and before long, they were in a huge loft-like apartment. There was an empty bed in the middle of the apartment, surrounded with a lot of medical equipment.
As soon as Shane put Damien on the bed, Kelsey noticed five other gargoyles entering, and they began their work on Damien immediately. He was hooked to the IV and the breathing tube was back on him. Kelsey held her breath until she saw that Damien’s heart was still beating. Shane must have been doing the same because she heard him release a sigh of relief.
Kelsey took in her surroundings and noticed the five new gargoyles were probably twice as big as Shane. She could sense their power, and she knew instantly that they must be the Master Gargoyles.
Once they were satisfied that Damien was stable, they turned their attention to Kelsey. One of the Master Gargoyles stepped forward. “I am sorry. Humans cannot stay here.”
Lifting her head up high, Kelsey said, “I’m not leaving Damien.”
“We have rules. You are violating our rules,” the gargoyle continued.
“With all due respect, Father, Damien has chosen Kelsey as his mate. I know he would want her here.”
Father? Kelsey stared at Shane in shock.
“We have already made exceptions to this case. I am not willing to make any more,” Damien’s father said.
“Sir, I do appreciate all you are doing to save Damien,” Kelsey said. “I also appreciate that you’re even allowing me in this close proximity. Believe me, it’s an honor. I simply can’t leave him, though. You see, when we got married, I promised him I would never leave his side…in life or death. I won’t leave him.”
“It is true, Father. They are married,” Shane chimed in.
After consulting with the other Master Gargoyles, Damien’s father faced her again. “We respect your human traditions of marriage. We simply cannot allow you to witness as we try to transition Damien back. The only way you may stay, however, is if you permit us to put you in a ‘sleep-like’ state. You can stay with Damien, but you will not remember much of what happens. You will be asleep throughout the entire ordeal.”
Kelsey hated the thought of losing control. “But how will I know how Damien is doing? He needs me to be his strength.”
“You can be right next to him on the bed. Knowing how much my son loves you, I know he will be able to sense you,” his father answered. “We do not even allow any other gargoyles to be a witness to our ceremonies. Even Shane will not be able to stay with his brother. We are making this exception for you, but you must follow the conditions we’ve set. We will need to hook you up to appropriate medical interventions to ensure you will be okay while you are asleep.”
“You’ll wake me up when?” Kelsey asked.
“We do not know if Damien’s transformation will be successful or not. But we will make sure you will be okay during the time. We will wake you up whether he makes it or not when it is all done.”
Kelsey tried to swallow the lump from her throat. She couldn’t fathom the thought of Damien not surviving. Lifting her head to meet Shane’s eyes, he nodded, assuring her it would be okay.
“I accept your conditions,” she responded, taking her place next to Damien on the bed. Snuggling close to him while wrapping her arms around him in a protective manner, Kelsey closed her eyes. Before she knew it, there was nothing but blackness.
Kelsey opened her eyes, trying to adjust to the dark room. Blinking a few times, she tried to remember her last thought. As the memories came rushing back, her arm instantly felt for Damien. Feeling a body next to her, she swung her head and saw his gargoyle form. His eyes were closed, and he was completely unresponsive.
Saying a quick prayer, she put her head down onto his heart for the sound of a beat. As soon as his strong heart spoke to her, she released a shaky breath. He was alive! Her Damien was still alive.
When she finally looked around the room, she saw Damien’s father. He approached her and said, “Damien has not woken up yet, but it should be any time. The transformation was successful.”
“Thank you. Oh my gosh, thank you so much.”
“Do not get your hopes high already. I am not sure how happy Damien will be when he wakes up. Even before he met you, he felt being a gargoyle was a curse. He hated turning into stone during the day and told me he was sick of living like that.”
Kelsey swallowed hard. She knew she had made a selfish decision, refusing to let him go. She’d have to deal with the consequences of her decision later.
“I understand,” she whispered.
“I could also sense you are carrying his child.” When Kelsey’s head flung up, he continued, “Do not worry, only the Master Gargoyles could sense it. We have not shared that with anybody else. We do not have much in our history books of a child that is half-human and half-gargoyle. We, of course, believe that this has happened in our ancestry, especially since some of us can take either a human or a gargoyle form.”
All Kelsey could do was nod.
“We have no idea how your pregnancy will go. I think you may need us to monitor the baby and the pregnancy.”
“I understand,” she said. Her attention shifted to Damien, and she lowered her face to his ear. Softly caressing his chest, she whispered, “Damien? Sweetie? It’s me. I’m here. Can you hear me?”
When he didn’t respond, Kelsey continued to talk to him for another half an hour, not giving up. He was alive and whole. And that counted for something. There were no more tubes attached to him. He was breathing on his own, and all of his wounds were healed. He would wake up if Kelsey had anything to do with it. They had already come this far. She wouldn’t give up now.
And, just like that, his eyes opened. Kelsey held her breath as he continued to stare at the ceiling. Allowing him some time to process the recent events, she finally said, “Damien?”
As soon as he heard her voice, he turned toward her and pulled her in his arms. “Kelsey! What are you doing here? Are we dead? You were supposed to live! To grow old and have lots of babies. Tell me this is not happening.”
“Damien, no, no. We’re not dead. We’re both alive.”
“How?”
“Shane. He found us and pulled us out of that house. And Kevin—that horrible monster—is dead. We’re safe. Everybody is okay.” She smiled, trying to assure him.
“Shane? My brother saved us?” Damien closed his eyes, letting the information to sink in. When he realized he was back to his gargoyle form, he said, “Why am I a gargoyle again? I don’t understand. Did the transformation wear off after a while?”
“Um, no, Damien. That’s not what happened.” Kelsey cleared her throat. “A lot has been going on. You were dying at the hospital, Damien. There was nothing the doctors could do for you. The only way to save you was to change you back. That way, your gargoyle powers could heal you.”
“Change me back? Who changed me back? Where are we?” Damien scanned the room. “I’m sensing Master Gargoyles here. And my fat
her. They transformed me back? Why would they do that? They already knew that I chose to be a human. That meant to take whatever the human world threw at me.”
“Please, don’t be upset. You can still be a human. It would be just like before. You can be a human or a gargoyle.”
“But I turn into a stone in the daytime? Like before?”
“Yes,” she whispered as she waited for his wrath.
After a brief silence, he said, “I see. Why would they break their own rules?”
“Damien, it was me, okay? If you need to hate somebody, you can hate me. I made the decision. I was selfish and couldn’t imagine my life without you. I’m sure you’ll hate me for making that choice for you, but I was willing to deal with whatever you’d throw at me. I’d rather have you in this world…even if I can’t have you. At least, I’ll know you’re still existing somewhere in the same world as me. If that makes me a selfish bitch, then so be it. I just couldn’t watch you die.”
When her voice began to shake, Damien took a deep breath and pulled her back in his arms. “No, honey, I could never hate you. You could torture me slowly, with each agonizing breath being my last, and I still wouldn’t hate you. I don’t care if I’m in this world or the next, as long as you find your way back to me.” Damien paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “I’m not gonna lie. I hate turning into a stone every single day. It feels like my life is slowly being sucked out of me.”
“But I will always be there for you when you wake up. I promise you.”
Damien sighed and turned into his human form. “How are you doing? Did the doctors say you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Damien’s father stepped back into the room. “Hello, son. Welcome back.”
“Hello, Father.”
“Kelsey, I think you should tell Damien everything. It is important he knows. I will leave you alone for now. We will see each other soon.”
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