Rouen placed the girl gently on the bed and left the room. The woman spoke to him again, and he shook his head, giving her his warmest smile. He totally wooed the old woman, and I grinned to myself.
She thanked us profusely, even my terrible grasp on French recognized that, and we left. We walked back down the stairs, and Rouen wrapped his hand around mine.
“I didn’t know you spoke French.”
He gave me a mock disapproving side-eye. “Our pack was from France. My dialect is a little outdated, but I told her I was French-Canadian. I was worried that she’d call the cops if we couldn’t get our story across properly.”
I grinned at him. “Don’t have to justify it to me. Just whisper dirty things to me in French next time we are in bed,” I purred, giving him a saucy wink.
He turned and had me in his arms and pressed up against the wall in seconds. “I can whisper whatever you like right now,” he said, and kissed me. I kissed him back ravenously, trying to consume him right here in the stairwell. I wanted so bad to let him make love to me right now, responsibilities be fucking damned. But I could feel the pulsing anger from the bond. Something was going wrong in the car, and we needed to be there.
I pulled away and wiggled out of Rouen’s arms. “I wish I could, but the Pack needs us.”
Rouen sighed, and grumbled something that sounded like all the ways he wanted to castrate the guys, but he followed along behind me as I continued down the stairs.
When we reached the car, the tension had rocketed up to nuclear. Rouen opened the drivers door and muscled Nazir out of the seat. Nazir snarled, and Rouen tilted his head to the side exposing his neck.
“We both know you are more Alpha than me, so cut that shit out. You can’t drive. I don’t want our fucking Queen to die because you and Rom went at it in the middle of peak hour fucking traffic. Now get in the fucking car. It's been a long bitch of a night, I have blue balls, and I’m not in the fucking mood.”
He said all this with his throat bared, a sign of submission, but it didn't seem very submissive to me. Naz seemed content with the gesture though, and walked around to the back of the car, climbing in beside Charlie. I got the whole backseat to myself and gladly laid along the plush leather seats.
Rouen drove us out of the city, and despite the crazy tension in the car, I slept.
The sound of gravel crunching beneath the tires woke me. I hadn’t been asleep long, as the sky was still dark, just the edges of the horizon lightening with the rise of the sun. The absolute darkness surrounding the car told me we weren’t in Geneva anymore.
The car rolled to a stop and everyone exploded out of it like a pipe bomb.
“Did I miss something?” I asked Charlie, as we stood next to the car. Romanus and Naz circled each other in what looked like a small clearing in a pine forest. How the hell had Rouen found this?
Rouen was watching the guys warily, standing in between me and what I knew was going to be an epic fight.
“Are they fighting for Alpha?” I sounded breathless. I wasn’t sure if it was from shock, or from the Alpha magic that seemed to permeate the clearing so thickly I was choking on it.
“Yes,” Rouen said, not turning from the two large men who were growling inhumanly.
“Will they hurt each other?”
Rouen did look at me then, and gave me a ‘what the hell kind of question is that?’ look
“I mean, will they kill each other,” I clarified.
Rouen turned away. “I don't know.”
“Will you stop it if it goes too far?”
He shook his head. “I can’t. I couldn’t beat them, but I can protect you against them. My loyalty is to you first, and foremost. Then to my Alpha.” He meant Romanus, but whether he was still his Alpha at the end of the night, or even alive, was now uncertain.
My heart started to pound. Naz and Romanus had started to yell at each other, though it was muffled by the low growls.
“You went against orders.” Naz’s voice had a scary note to it, something disconnected. The voice of a killer.
“She is my priority. I’ll tear your head from your shoulders and stuff it up your ass if it means protecting her. When it comes to my Queen, your orders mean nothing. You wanted to leave her there, with people who wanted to sell her, harm her!”
Romanus’ yell made me wince. He was losing control.
“You ate our only source of information. Against orders. She would have been fine. I’d never let her be harmed.”
Romanus launched himself at Nazir, the thud of their bodies colliding making me cringe. He had Naz pinned beneath him, and his fist cracked into his face, once and then again. “You have never lost a Queen. Felt their pain as they died screaming and you are helpless to defend her. To comfort her. You’ve never had to hold your Queens body in your arms and weep knowing you will never have another. You’ve never walked for centuries alone and missing a vital piece of your soul. You don’t know!” he screamed in his face.
I thought it was going to be over, that Naz would submit beneath the weight of Romanus’ body, and his words. But Naz was no longer a newly made gargoyle, weakened by blood loss. He bucked Romanus off, rolling away from the smashing fist that hurtled toward his face. They were like lions fighting, each blow as punishing as a hammer to an anvil.
They were both on their feet lightning fast, back to circling each other. Romanus was big, and his reach was massive, but Naz was fast. His gargoyle boosts had only made him faster, his movements barely a blur. Romanus didn’t seem to have any problem following the new gargoyles movements though, his arms blocking the brutal kicks that Naz was trying to hammer against his thighs. Naz feinted a left hook, and instead kicked out at Romanus’ knee, making red hot waves of pain spear into my head.
I knew Rom could block me, so Naz must have really caused some serious hurt for the pain to leak through to me. The big gargoyle fell to the ground and Naz was on top of him in an instant, pounding punishing blows into the side of his head with his elbow. The sound crunching bone echoed in the silence making me feel ill. Any wildlife that had been here had left as soon as they recognized the predators in their midst.
I was going to throw up. Blood poured from Romanus’ nose, and he couldn’t get his arms high enough to protect his face.
This was it. Naz would be Alpha.
I should have known better. Gargoyle hides were as tough as stone, and it was never going to end that quickly. Romanus stopped trying to protect his face, letting blow after blow land, and instead moved both of his arms between their two bodies. With a stunning feat of strength, he pushed making Naz flip backwards and slide across the pine needle covered ground.
Romanus rolled onto his feet with dexterity that spoke of centuries of training and prowled toward Naz, who was back on his feet too. I couldn’t see how this was going to end. Would they always clash? Did one have to die? Could I look into the face of the other knowing he’d killed someone I cared for?
Romanus shook his head. There had to be some kind of internal bleeding or swelling or something in there. Could gargoyles die from internal injuries? What about half-gargoyle hybrids?
All these questions swirled in my brain as I watched them circle each other warily again. One would feint forward and then retreat. They did this for a few more moments, both of them heaving in air.
Romanus grinned. His face covered in blood, his lip split, and he smiled at Naz. I couldn’t work out if it was sweet or unnerving as hell.
“You are a great fighter. A worthy addition to the pack,” he said, though he remained tensed to defend.
Was he conceding Alpha?
He answered my question in the next move. With more dexterity, and defiance of gravity itself, he did a hard turning kick to the side of Naz’s temple. Naz’s head snapped to the left and I sucked in a hard breath. That had to have broken his neck. I was running toward them before my brain even comprehended what my feet were doing.
Naz was on the ground, and Romanus was over h
im, sharp canines pressed so hard into the column of Naz’s neck that rivulets of blood pooled on the ground underneath him.
“Do you submit?” Romanus growled, and the sound was not even remotely human. It was the voice of something primordial. Alpha power pushed Rouen to his knees. Even Charlie looked shaken, and he wasn’t even gargoyle. While the alpha power crawled against my skin, I didn’t feel the need to submit. I continued to run toward them, but I skidded to a stop a few feet away.
“Submit,” Romanus growled again. Naz didn’t answer. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He was dead. This couldn’t be happening.
A huge shudder ran through Naz’s body, and he tipped his head to the side.
“I submit, Alpha.” The words were a choked out growl, but they were sincere. Thank god.
Romanus pulled back and ran his tongue over the puncture marks on Naz’s neck, and they healed before my eyes. I hesitantly walked the remaining steps, falling to my knees beside them.
I cried. I couldn’t tell if it was the rush of adrenaline from my fear, the reverberation of Rouen’s worry, or the lingering pain from both Naz and Romanus’ injuries, but the whole thing was suddenly just too much. I sobbed my black little heart out and hated every second of it. I hated showing weakness. I hated being a fucking damsel.
Rouen barreled into us, the weight of his body knocking me into the guys until we were one huge puppy pile. The breath left my lungs in a whoosh, though Romanus was doing his best to take the brunt of his Beta’s weight.
Rouen hugged us all, his huge arms made to encompass his pack. I could feel his overwhelming relief as if it were my own. Eventually, we all extracted ourselves and Rouen moved back a few feet. He took off his shirt, slowly exposing his gold dusted skin.
“Uh, Rouen, what are you doing? Put your clothes back on.” Or not. I enjoyed the view but I had no idea why he’d be stripping in the middle of a forest. He leaned over and kissed me, and I reveled in the feel of his lips against mine.
“There’s not some kind of ceremonial orgy that’s about to happen, right?” I shot a look at Charlie, who was watching our little group like a starving man. His eyes were big and brimming with longing, his normally smiling mouth turned down at the edges.
“Normally, yes. It cements everyone’s position in the pack, strengthens bonds and doubles as a celebration at the completion of the pack.” Rouen followed my gaze. “But our pack still has one member to go.”
He turned toward Romanus and Naz. He crawled toward Romanus first. “Alpha.” He pressed his cheek to the ground, his neck bared, but he looked up at his Alpha, grinning.
Romanus hauled him up onto his feet. “Beta.” Then he kissed him hard on the lips, before taking the vulnerable neck gently between his teeth. Rouen shuddered, and Romanus released him.
Then Rouen turned to Naz, and did the same submissive gesture, cheek to the ground. “Second.”
Naz raised both eyebrows. “I'm not gonna kiss you, man.”
Rouen laughed, but didn’t rise from his position. “I wouldn’t want you too. You’re not my type.”
I coughed. “Liar.”
He smiled at me wickedly. Naz ignored the expression, leaning in to bite hard on the back of Rouen’s neck. And that was that. Weird dominance ritual complete.
Romanus turned toward me, his expression one of love, his body brimming with power. “Do you accept me as Alpha, my Queen?” I nodded as words failed to get past the swelling lump of emotions in my heart.
“Always.”
Romanus raised his eyes and looked behind me. Charlie stood staring down at me, his expression even more shattering up close. I stood awkwardly, uncomfortable like I’d been caught doing something intimate. Which I guess we had been. I hated excluding Charlie.
“Turn me.” His voice was rough, as he held back the emotion that was displayed so openly on his face.
I reared back in shock. “What? No! We aren’t vampires. I’m not turning you.”
Charlie grabbed my shoulders. “I want to be part of the pack. I want to know if you’ve been stolen away right under my nose and I don’t even notice because I’m just standing there with my thumb up my ass waiting for you to come out of the bathroom. I want to know when you are hurt, or happy, or angry. I want to be almost indestructible so I can protect you.”
I was shaking my head before he’d even finished. I could feel the intensity of the eyes behind me. None of them spoke, a silent statement that it was up to me.
I reached up and pressed a hand to his cheek. “Charlie…”
“It was the worst feeling ever, Rella. I thought you were going to die, or worse, and it would have been my fault.”
I tried to wrap my arms around him, but he pulled away, stepping around me to stand in front of my Alpha. He looked down at Romanus. “Change me like you changed Nazir.”
Romanus stood, coming to stand behind me. He towered over me, but his body language was clear. He was second to me. My decision would be final.
“I want you to be Pack, Charlie. It's an ache in my soul, a loose connection where you should be. But not like this. Not with your head all messed up about tonight. Not because you feel guilty, or hurt, or left out or whatever is going on in that sexy head of yours. I want you to join us because you want to be with us forever. Because you seem to forget it is forever, Charlie. No take backs. And it's not just with me, it’s with all of us. That's a lot of people to have in your head. A really long time to be with another person, another four people, no matter what you might feel for me now.” I grabbed his hands, squeezing them tight and imploring him to understand with my eyes.
Watching Charlie’s face as he processed my rejection was like watching the seven stages of grief in time-lapse, his face contorting rapidly with so many emotions. Rejection, despair, anger, sadness. I was waiting for acceptance, but all I got was a dismissal as he wrenched his hands from mine and walked back to the car.
Nazir came to stand on my other side. “You made the right choice.” He wrapped his hand around mine, but it was still tacky with blood. Charlie didn’t understand now, and I could only hope that when the events of tonight weren't quite as fresh, he’d forgive me.
Chapter Nine
For the first time in a two weeks, I slept alone. I kicked the guys out of my room and snuggled down in the blankets by myself. I didn’t want to pour salt in Charlie’s wounds, although he’d disappeared as soon as stopped outside the hotel. Nazir had followed along behind him, melting into the bustling crowds.
I laid long ways across the bed. I stuck my head under the pillow. I laid on my stomach, my back, the freaking downward facing dog position, but nothing was comfortable. I missed them. I’d gotten used to sleeping wrapped in a cocoon of hard muscle.
I tiptoed out of the room, moving on silent feet. I walked toward the sound of voices, and I knew the guys would be in front of the windows, letting the sun heal their wounds and restore their energy.
What I didn’t expect was for them to be completely naked. They looked like lizards in the sun; a comparison I wasn’t sure they’d appreciate. The sun shimmered off their skin, making it look like it was oiled, but I knew their skin was smooth and soft. They didn't move from their positions, lying on their stomachs, perfectly muscled asses on display like beautiful sculptures. I wanted to run my hands over the hard lines of their body about as much as I wanted my next breath. Maybe more.
They both slid their eyes to me but didn’t say a word. Romanus crooked a finger, beckoning me forward. I sat down between them.
“The sun will help,” Rouen said from the corner of his mouth. “It works better if it can touch your skin.” He didn’t clarify what it would help, but I trusted Rouen.
I was only in one of Naz’s shirts and my panties on anyway, so I peeled the shirt off. I left on my sports bra and underwear, not quite game to go as naked as my gargoyle lovers. They looked at my body appreciatively, but neither one of them looked lascivious. Now was not the time for sex.
I laid between them, my
head on Romanus’ back and my thighs draped over Rouen and let the sun soak into my skin. I sighed at the blissful feeling. I could almost feel every cell of my body vibrating with renewal, bursting with life. No wonder Romanus and Rouen spent so much time just lying like statues. I could feel my body restore itself one cell at a time. The newly minted nymphomaniac inside me wondered what it would be like to make love to them in a field, the sun shining down on us all, a light breeze cooling kisses over bare skin.
I smiled at the thought as the warmth of the sun, and the comfort of my guys, lulled me into an exhausted sleep.
A shadow blocking out my light woke me. I looked up to see Naz smiling down at me, his head silhouetted by the setting sun.
I blinked, lifting a hand to wipe the crud from my eyes. “What?”
He shook his head, making the tattoos that crept up his neck dance. “Nothing. I was thinking about this whole...situation. Just looking at this beautiful woman that stole my life and somehow transformed it into something better, that I’d made love to only days ago, and here you are draped over two naked guys, and I feel nothing but contentment. If I’d tried to explain how things would turn out to eight year old me, the boy that lived in a city torn apart by war but didn’t know any other life, he would never believe me. Or even ten year old me that walked over the corpses of his dead family to have his little brother healed by an archangel. That boy didn't believe I would live to see another day, let alone another twenty years” He reached down and lifted me up, pulling me into his arms. “Even thirteen year old me who was now loved, but I still had such raw pain in my heart the I could never shake. Hell, if you’d told me last year, when I’d put a gun in my mouth in a bid to hold back the darkness, that less than a year later I would be here, immortal, oddly happy and half in love with a Gargoyle Queen… well I probably would have pulled the trigger because I would have thought I was crazy.”
The Unrepentant- Part Two Page 8