by E A Price
“Not much point in keeping secrets now. I’m sure Gracchus will fill you in. Anyway, Marsters is dead.”
“Yeah, I thought as much,” she muttered, failing to dredge up much remorse for the crazy cow. However, it was a shame she couldn’t be questioned about whether she had any other facilities out there housing kidnapped supernatural victims. Though in all honesty, she probably would have lawyered up and wouldn’t have said a peep.
“We figure that our first vic – Dr. Addams – was a consultant for their supernatural inmates, and our second was a nurse.” He sighed. “Guess my brother remembered them.” He shook his head. “All of Marsters’ office hard drives were wiped, all information about Morgain Pharmaceuticals is just gone. We’ve got tech working on it, so maybe we’ll get something.”
“Who owns Morgain now?”
Colt shrugged. “Not sure yet. The only person we can find who worked for Morgain was the receptionist – and she has no clue about whether her boss ever made a will. If anyone else was working for her, they aren’t holding up their hands and admitting it. Probably afraid of jail, or worse.”
Melissa thought about Dr. Addams, and how she had written the book that Melissa adored so much. It appeared that the author really did have first hand experience of at least some of the creatures she wrote about. Judging by all the notes and pictures they found at her office, maybe she had been working on a book solely about gargoyles. Before all this, Melissa would have loved to have it, but now she wasn’t sure she would even look at her treasured cryptozoology book in the same way again.
“At least she can’t hurt anyone now.”
“Yeah, but Marsters is small fry, the real big fish is Blackthorne.”
“Blackthorne?” Where was he getting these names?
“Yeah, he was Bell’s boss and from what we can tell, Marsters’ boss too.”
“Wow, you really are in the know.”
“Chris can be pretty chatty when you get a couple of beers into him.”
He sat up abruptly, a worried look on his face. “You hear that?”
“What?” she whispered, straining to listen but only hearing the usual hums, beeps, and chatter of a hospital.
Colt held up a hand. “Give it a second.”
She heard babbling, the sound of a large number of people talking all at once, mixed with heavy footsteps – and it was getting louder and louder.
“Is there a fire alarm or something?” It sounded like the cacophony of everyone trying to rush out of the building at once.
“Nope, your family’s here.” He grinned and got to his feet. “That’s my cue to leave.”
“You don’t have to go.”
“I’ve already run into your mother on another visit while you were still unconscious, and I narrowly escaped without being set up on a blind date with a dental surgeon. Trust me; I have to leave.”
Melissa chuckled. “I’d get a wriggle on then if I were you – she’s like a bloodhound for single people. She found husbands and wives for all of her book club members – whether they liked it or not.”
“At the risk of infuriating your gargoyle…” He kissed her forehead. “Heal quickly, Sanchez.”
“Wait, is this goodbye?” she asked in mild alarm. Was he going back to Arizona?
Colt cocked his head to one side. “Of course not, we work together. Besides, now we have a mission.”
“We do?”
“Yeah, to take down Blackthorne and all his minions.” He smiled grimly. “I’ll come back tomorrow.”
She waved him goodbye and steeled herself for her mother’s inevitable probing questions.
As her family burst into her room – her parents, her brothers, nephews, nieces, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, and cousins - all talking and crying at once, she plastered as brave a smile as she could muster on her face. As the onslaught of questions and admonishments for scaring them hit her, she focused on something happy – namely on seeing Gracchus.
*
Gracchus carefully pushed the window back and squeezed into the hospital room. Melissa gasped and then beamed at him.
“Gracchus!”
He had been thrilled to wake up and find her also awake, and talking and laughing. It had been an interminably long hour while he waited for her family to leave. They were endlessly chatty and loud, and even Melissa had looked relieved when the nurse shooed them away.
She held out grasping hands to him, and he quickly took them, bringing her hands to his lips. He wanted to sweep her into his arms, to hug and squeeze her, but he doubted her body was quite ready for that yet.
“Thank Merlin…”
“I was so worried…”
“You are well…”
“I thought you might have gone home…”
They babbled for a few moments until they were finally reassured that the other was well and they weren’t going anywhere for the time being.
Gracchus kneeled by her bed. “I would not have left you. I have been sleeping by your window.”
Her face creased in teary delight. “You have?”
“Of course. I could not bear to leave. Chris has been bringing me food. I do not think much of his choice in sandwich fillings. Yesterday he gave me a peanut butter and jalapeno sandwich. It was… interesting.”
Melissa giggled and cupped his cheek. “My poor Gracchus.”
Gracchus placed his hand over hers. “My poor Melissa. Are you in much pain?”
“Not right now, but I’m on a lot of painkillers.”
His eyes dipped in shame. “I do not think I have ever been so worried. When I saw you…” His heart twisted in agony.
“Hush,” she murmured. “I’ll be fine. I’m sorry I scared you.”
He growled and swished his tail. “It put things into perspective for me.” He took a deep breath and looked into her kind eyes. “Melissa, you are my mate.”
Her eyes widened in surprise.
“I mean, you are mine, no arguments. I mean, I want you to be mine, and I will not take no for an answer. I…”
He flushed in embarrassment. He was trying to ask her to be his mate, but the words he had rehearsed over and over in his head had now fled, and all he was doing was demanding she become his mate.
“Okay then.”
“Okay then?” he repeated slowly.
She nodded. “Yep. As you say, I’m your mate, and you won’t take no for an answer so… okay.”
“You are sure?” he asked slowly.
Melissa pursed her lips. “You just said you wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“And I meant it,” he rumbled, “but…”
“Gracchus,” she cooed, “I want to be with you, and I’m thrilled that you’ve changed your mind and want to be with me.”
He huffed. “It was never a matter of not wanting to be with you. But tradition…”
“Yeah, I put together like forty questions about that.”
“That does not surprise me,” he said almost teasingly.
Melissa pinched his cheek, and he chuckled.
“So what changed your mind?”
“My beautiful Melissa,” he purred, making her blush in pleasure. “I have been alone for over a thousand years. I realize that I could lose you at any time, and I would rather have you as my mate than not have you at all. You are special and perfect, and the only female in the world who could tempt me to mate again, and I feel lucky to have met you. Gargoyles are not known for sharing love between mates, but I do love you, Melissa Sanchez.”
“Wow,” she breathed. “That was lovely.” She bit her lip. “Ditto! Well, apart from the thousand years of being alone and the tradition thing and actually I would still like to ask you all my questions about that and…”
Gracchus surged forward and kissed her. They had the rest of their lives for her many questions. For now, they could just enjoy their moment.
Thirty-Three
“No, Mom, I don’t need help,” said Melissa in mild exasperation as she climbed the
stairs.
“Well, maybe I should just stand and watch in case you need assistance,” said her mother, trailing after her.
She was going to bed. She was going to be changing into her pajamas and brushing her teeth, not trying to do anything as arduous as say captaining a cruise shop.
“Mom, I love you, and I thank you for everything you do, but please just relax, I can manage to change into my pajamas solo.”
Her mom stopped halfway up the stairs and pouted in disapproval. Melissa would have been happy to return to her own apartment after she was discharged from the hospital, but after her mom harassed the doctor into telling her she had to stay with family, she was at her parents’ house, where at any given moment five or six family members were breathing down her neck. They seemed to be taking it in turns to come over and stare at her. It was a little disconcerting and suffocating, and she kind of felt that her being there was more for their sake than hers, but she loved them for it. Besides, just a few more days and she could go home. Her shoulder was a lot better, and not even her mom could justify keeping her in her house anymore.
“Sweetheart, let her go to bed,” called her dad from the kitchen.
He and her brothers were playing poker, and after joining them for a few hands, she ducked out and declared she needed some sleep.
Her mom started walking up the remaining stairs. “Well, at least let me turn down your bed.”
Melissa pushed the door open to her bedroom and bit her lip to stop the gasp.
“Nope, no need. Night, Mom. Night all!” she called quickly and ran into the room, shutting the door behind her amid a chorus of “good night” from her family.
Gracchus smiled at her from his perch on her bed. She leaned against the door waiting until she heard her mom’s footsteps retreating on the stairs and then breathed out.
“Sorry,” she said, walking into Gracchus’ arms. “I couldn’t get away.”
“You are here now,” he murmured, inhaling the scent of her hair.
Gracchus had visited her every night. It was a risk given that her parents were only two rooms away, but it was worth it.
Melissa snuggled against him and brushed her lips over his neck. Gracchus’ warm body stiffened beneath her.
“Melissa,” he warned.
“I feel fine,” she groaned.
It had been a small source of contention between them. She wanted to be with him, but he was adamant that he would not touch her that way until he was sure she was healed. She was sure she was recovered, but apparently, that wasn’t enough.
She traced a finger over his chest. “Gracchus, I’m back at work on Monday – I can’t get much better than that!”
“Hmmm.” He wrapped his tail around one of her legs. “You do not feel any pain?”
Melissa opened her mouth to say no immediately, but the denial died on her tongue. She couldn’t lie to him.
“I still feel a few twinges.”
“Hmmm.”
“But if we’re gentle,” she cooed in between kisses to his chest, “and quiet,” she added thinking of her brothers downstairs, “then I will be fine.” She leaned back slightly and gave him a pouty look. “Don’t you want to make your mate happy?”
Gracchus narrowed his eyes, and she sighed.
“That won’t work on you, will it?” He didn’t bow down to coquettish behavior.
He grinned a toothy smile. “No, but I want to please my mate.”
Melissa’s face lip up and she immediately grasped at his belt, trying to rid him of his loincloth. It had been far too long, and her patience had run entirely out. Actually, it ran out after fifty minutes of being in her parents’ house. She had just been treading water since then.
He chuckled lowly and stilled her hands. “Patience my mate.”
Amid her serene complaints, he rose and laid her back on her bed. She sprawled over the pink princess sheets – her bedroom really hadn’t changed since she was eleven.
“Relax,” he commanded gently.
Melissa closed her eyes as he carefully divested her of her pants. His claws gently scraped her skin as he pulled them down her legs. Her panties followed and her breathing shallowed in expectation.
Her toes curled waiting for him to touch her. She let out a tiny eep as unexpectedly he sliced through her shirt and bra, baring her completely.
“Oh,” she whimpered as his large hands cupped her breasts.
His touch was warm, soft and her tips pebbled under his tender touch. His claws grazed her nipples, and she bit her lip. It felt marvelous, though not as exquisite as his mouth on her breasts. He sucked and lapped at her, growling softly around her flesh as his teeth toyed with her nipple. He moved to the other breast affording it the same attention.
Her eyes fluttered open as he freed her breast. She thought to object, but as he pressed a knuckle to her sex, dusting over her opening, she bit her tongue.
He hunched at the end of her bed, bent over her, consumed by his task. She watched, enraptured as his fingertips found her slick entrance. She pressed her lips together, trying to muffle the sounds of desire that wanted to escape. Her hips bucked as his thumb grazed her clit. He rolled the tiny bundle of nerves under his thumb, smiling as his teasing elicited muffled sounds of enjoyment.
Gracchus pressed a finger inside her, and her thighs tried to close around his hand, trying to keep him there as her inner muscles desperately contracted around his finger. But she could no sooner move the man kneeling between her legs than she could a mountain, particularly as his tail and his free hand were defiantly opening her for him.
Melissa squirmed as he pushed another finger inside, flirting with her inner sweet spots, her nectar easing the way for him.
“Gracchus,” she pleaded. “Please. I want you.”
After everything, it was what she wanted and needed. She wanted her mate. She wanted to take and be taken.
Gracchus’ fingers slowed but did not still entirely, and he growled softly. Clearly, he wanted her too, but he was trying to hold back. “I do not wish to hurt you.”
“You won’t,” she murmured, rolling her hips.
“You will say if you are in pain?” he asked slowly, making her quiver as he added yet another finger.
She smiled like a cat. He took much less persuading than she thought. “Of course,” she cooed. Though she doubted anything could really persuade her to make him stop mid-passion.
He withdrew his fingers, leaving her bereft, but oh, she knew what was coming, and it was enough to quell her aching body, if only for a moment or two.
Gracchus tossed his loincloth away, his manhood jutted straight out, large, and thick, and oh so ready to press inside her warmth.
“Yes,” the word danced across her lips as she reached out to him, wanting to pull his body over hers.
He growled lightly as he covered her. Even in the darkness, she could see the intensity burning in his eyes.
Melissa cupped his cheeks and kissed him, moaning against his lips as she felt the blunt tip of his member pressing against her opening. Her body shuddered in excited expectation. She had been dreaming of this moment ever since she got out of the hospital.
He slid halfway in, and she gasped at the remembered pleasure, at the remembered fullness. He waited for a beat, his dark eyes searching her face, making sure she wasn’t in pain. Far from it. Melissa cooed at him and bucked her hips, trying to take more of him. He answered her with a growl and pushed inside her, taking her breath away.
Gracchus waited again, staring down at her with lust and love in those beautiful, burning eyes, allowing her to adjust to the huge intrusion.
“Melissa, my Melissa,” he growled.
“Yes,” she smiled.
His lips twitched into an almost smile before an almost animalistic expression took over. Then, he began to move.
He was more careful than their first time, perhaps in deference to her injury, or the fact that her family was downstairs, but it was amazing. A mere roll of h
is hips had her whimpering and dissolving in contentment.
As he pressed inside her over and over again, she pulled his mouth down to hers, making him swallow her moans and cries. She could tell he was struggling to control himself too. His hands were on her hips; his clawed fingers felt like they were bruising her flesh as he fought not to roar and rock into her with the force he wanted.
There would be time for that later. They could howl and cry all they wanted later, for now, she would take him however she could. Yet, he didn’t need to be quite so tentative.
Melissa angled her hips, lifting them, allowing him to sink even further inside her. A low rumble vibrated out of his chest, and he drove into her more urgently.
“Yes,” she hissed.
Heat surged through her body, and he did it again, driving himself home over and over so forcefully she could barely catch her breath. She tried to push herself against him, but he held her still, held her in place while he took what he needed and gave her what she wanted.
The last few weeks of her life had been a whirlwind. Her life had changed in the most incredible way, and for once, she didn’t feel like the weird girl, the outsider, no, she finally felt like she belonged. Who knew she had just been waiting for a centuries-old gargoyle to show up?!
Her body tightened and pleasure curled inside her until she couldn’t bear it anymore.
“I love you,” she whispered as she exploded.
She bit her lip in silent bliss as her body fluttered and grasped at the man above her. Gracchus gritted his teeth, flexing his hips, once, twice and then he plunged deep inside her and filled her with his hot seed.
His colossal body quivered over her, and she drew him in, wrapping herself around him, never wanting to let him go. He panted in her arms, and he buried his head in her shoulder.
“Mine,” he rasped, his voice little more than an animal’s.
“Ummm, yes,” she murmured.
She closed her eyes, exhaustion, and satisfaction competing for control of her limp body. Vaguely, she was aware of Gracchus pressing kisses to her tired body, of him withdrawing from her and dragging her over his chest.
Melissa sighed as the steadying thump of his heartbeat lulled the last sliver of wakefulness from her.