by Faith Gibson
“What I saw earlier between you and Blake. Or was I hallucinating?”
“What did you see, sweetheart?”
“Fangs. Claws. Your eyes so dark there was no white showing.”
Sin stood from the bed and walked over to the window. She could take his silence as admission, but she needed him to be honest with her. She’d heard of the Unholy. Had seen photos of them. She knew there were monsters in the world, but Sin wasn’t a monster. At least not to her. He had saved her life. He could have snapped Blake’s neck, but he didn’t.
“Sin?”
He glanced at her over his shoulder and nodded almost imperceptibly.
Rocky held out her hand and kept it there until Sin finally returned. Instead of taking her hand, he looked at it like it would bite him. “Sin, take my hand.” His eyes searched hers. He must have found what he was looking for, because Sin sat on the bed next to her and took her hand.
“You wanna explain what I saw?” she asked.
“You saw me.”
“I saw more than you. You promised to never hurt me, right?”
“I did.”
“Then I’m okay with that.”
“Rocky, there is more to me than what you saw.”
“How much worse could it be?”
“Worse?” Sinclair’s face blanched like she’d slapped him.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean worse as in I think you’re a monster. I meant worse as in scary. You have to admit those claws are pretty damn scary.”
“They can be. Rocky, this can wait. You’ve been through enough, and I want to have this conversation when you are ready to hear it.”
“I’m ready now, Sin. If you still want me to give us a chance at a future, I think I deserve to know who I’m having a future with.”
“Fair enough, but I would still rather have this conversation when you are better.”
“What else are you keeping from me? Is there something wrong with me?”
“No, sweetheart, nothing’s wrong, we just want to give you more time to heal is all.”
“I appreciate that, but I also want to know about you. Sin, please.”
“Do you read or watch movies?” Sin asked. He was delaying the truth, for a moment anyway.
“I haven’t read in a while, but I do like to watch movies. Why?”
“Do you ever watch werewolf movies?
“Are you a werewolf?” Rocky gasped. There was no way Sin turned into a dog.
“No, nothing like that. I am a Gargoyle.”
“Those little concrete critters on the tops of churches?”
“I am a primordial shapeshifter. The Gargouille date back to the birth of civilization. The name has been modernized over the years to Gargoyle. We were made to look human so we could blend in with those we were created to protect. The little stone creatures were constructed by those who were aware of us as a symbol of sanctuary. When I said there was more, I meant more than claws and fangs. I also have a set of wings that almost came out and destroyed this room when I dove on Blake.”
“That was hot, by the way.”
“You’re not scared?”
“No. Not of you. I was scared when I thought I was going to die at his hand. Scared of not seeing your bedroom again. Scared of not getting to take a ride in an airplane before I die. Scared of not driving your Lambo, airing her out. I was scared when I first woke up, because I recognized you. My heart recognized yours, and your soul called out to mine. Hell, maybe I am hallucinating and all this is a crazy dream. But when I woke up and you were sitting in that chair, I was scared you were going to take control of my life, and I wasn’t ready for that. I’ve lived under someone’s thumb for so long, all I’ve promised myself is I’d never succumb to another man as long as I lived. But I realized giving in to you isn’t submitting, but living. I’d rather be alive and have you call the shots than to not be alive at all.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Sin couldn’t believe what Rocky was saying. When she first came to, she hadn’t wanted him in the room. The wariness coming from his mate had been intense. Now, even after seeing him phase, she was singing a different tune. He had saved her life, so it was possible she was feeling thankful, and that was seeping into her other emotions. The effects of the blood loss were still being monitored by John, and he hadn’t convinced Sin Rocky would recover completely. She didn’t act confused, but he wanted to make sure she was mentally competent to make sound decisions before he told her about being mates.
Having her in his life would have to be enough for now. Sin planned to continue on with Rocky as if nothing had happened to slow things down. He would keep her by his side and monitor her while moving forward with their relationship. Sin still had to make the trip to Greece to locate his mother, but this time Rocky would be going with him. He would take a small army with him to protect her while he was doing his job, and after that was taken care of, Sin planned to stop off in Italy and spend time with her at Rafael’s villa.
“When can I see your wings?” Rocky asked with childlike wonder. The excitement was evident in her eyes, and it warmed his heart to see, but at the same time, it worried him she wasn’t thinking clearly. Shouldn’t she be scared out of her mind? Or at least cautious because he was something other than human? The other mates had each taken to the truth differently, but they had all accepted it. Maybe his girl was accepting him, too.
“Soon, sweetheart. But listen, you can’t tell people what I am. Do you understand? We have kept our secret this long, and it wouldn’t do to have the human population knowing the truth of us. It is bad enough they have to deal with the Unholy.”
“I’m not stupid. Of course I can keep your secret.” Rocky tried to cross her arms over her chest, but the IV line got in the way.
“Hey, look at me. I didn’t mean to imply you are. Baby, it’s… You know what? Never mind. I trust you with my secret. And I am trusting you with my heart.” Sin leaned over and gently pulled Rocky to him so he could kiss her.
“Toothbrush, remember?” she fussed.
“I remember. Come on, I’ll help you.” Sin assisted Rocky to her feet. She was weak, so he held her close but still allowed her to walk. He really wanted to carry her, but he didn’t know how she’d feel about being coddled. With his free arm, he pushed the IV pole beside them and maneuvered them both into the small bathroom. Rocky placed both hands on the sink for balance, and Sin put toothpaste on the toothbrush for her.
While Rocky brushed her teeth, Sin placed his hands on her thin waist. He planned on putting a little more meat on her bones. He didn’t mind her lean frame, but she wasn’t healthy in his eyes. Sin wanted his mate whole in every way, and he was going to make it his mission to see she was. After Rocky spit the foam out and rinsed her mouth, she said, “I need to pee.” Sin turned her around and helped her to sit on the toilet. He hadn’t realized she didn’t have panties on, or he’d probably have had an even harder time keeping his hands off her. His libido had been surprisingly calm, but Sin chalked it up to her not being well. He cared more about her well-being than having sex with her.
“This is embarrassing,” she muttered as she pulled some toilet paper off the roll. Sin turned his back to her so she could wipe without him looking, but he had news for her – he’d wipe her ass if she needed him to. Sin would take care of every single need Rocky had. When the toilet flushed, Sin helped Rocky to her feet, and she shuffled back to the sink to wash her hands. As he helped her get back to the bed, Sin’s heart was full. Human vows said for better or worse. Sin vowed the same thing with his mate, and this was one of those worse times as far as he was concerned. Better would come when he had her naked on the beach.
When Rocky was settled in the bed, Sin sat next to her so he could hold her in his arms. Rocky nestled against his chest, her fingers playing with the strands of his long hair. He kissed her on the temple, and said, “I don’t want you to ever feel embarrassed around me, beautiful girl. There is no situation I’m not willing to go through with you. Noth
ing you can do will change the way I feel about you. One thing I have yet to tell you about my kind is that we have one mate for life. You are my mate. It’s why we feel the deep connection. You have a choice in whether you want me in your life, but if you give us a chance, I think you’ll be happy you did.”
“Now I’m beginning to understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Your friends. The way you all talk. The odd things you do. All the men you hang around are straight out of superhero movies. I have a question. Do all of you share women?”
“No, of course not. Why would you think that?”
“Because you and Finley did. You were going to share me, right? I don’t think I want you to share me with anyone.”
“I explained that to you, sweetheart. I had given up hope on ever finding my mate. I had no reason to remain celibate. Now that I have you, there will never be another woman in my bed but you, and I’m sure as fuck not going to allow anyone to touch you. Man or woman.”
“So you don’t want Dana? Or Finley? Vivian said…”
“Forget what Vivian said. I want you and no one else. I deeply regret having Dana in my home, and Finley and I have never had any type of sex before that night. Had I known about you, I would have never done anything to disrespect you and our bond. Can you forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive. I mean, you can have anyone you want, so…” Rocky’s words faded off, and Sin pulled her chin up to look into her eyes. He reached out with his senses and found her to be upset. Her heart was racing faster than it should have been.
“Raquel, look at me.” When she found his eyes, she blinked a couple of times. Sin cupped her jaw and traced her chin with his thumb. “I have the woman I want. You. I don’t care how long it takes; I will make you believe my words. You are the most exquisite creature I have ever seen, and no one else will do.” Sin poured his heart into his words.
Rocky settled her cheek against his shoulder. “Will you sing to me?” she asked against his neck.
“I don’t sing, sweetheart.”
“But you hum. Will you hum to me?” Rocky’s heartbeat was slowing. His mate was falling asleep, and she wanted him to hum. It was something he’d always done without realizing it. Rafael often joked with him about it, but when they’d lost their father, Sinclair had soothed his older brother by humming some song they’d loved as young boys. With Rocky’s hand playing in his hair, Sin hummed his mate to sleep.
John came in several times to check on Rocky. He changed out the bag of fluids before drawing more blood from Rocky. “There was a significant amount of heroin in the concoction her cousin injected into her body. I’ve been giving her small doses of methadone, and with yours and Banyan’s blood transfusions, her blood is cleansing. I want all traces of narcotics out of her system before I release her, but you should be able to take her home soon.”
“Thank you, John.” Sin was worried about her, but the doctor explained it would take time, patience, and lots of rest for her body and mind to completely heal. Sin didn’t move from his position on the bed. He’d known she was close to death when he connected with her subconscious, and her words had told him she felt alone. Sin would never leave Rocky alone again. He would hold her as she slept, offering his strength and comfort as best he could. During her waking hours, Sin would make sure Rocky had someone who loved her close by at all times.
Several Goyles came in during the night to check on them both. Rafael had called, but Sin let it go to voicemail. He wasn’t ready to talk to his brother. Not yet. He knew what happened wasn’t Rafael’s fault, but if he hadn’t been asked to travel, Rocky wouldn’t have been harmed. Before the sun came up, the last male he expected to see walked through the door. Urijah raised his hand then shoved both into his pockets. He padded quietly to the bed and stared at Rocky.
“Brother?” Sin asked, getting Uri’s attention.
“Is she going to be okay?” Uri whispered.
“She has a long way to go, but yes. She will be fine.”
“I’ve forged all the weapons you need. I know you asked me to stay while you went to Greece, but I feel like it’s time I head home. I just came to say goodbye.”
“Thank you for putting your feelings aside and staying as long as you did. Uri, I need to apologize.”
“For what?”
“For asking you to come over. It was a shitty thing to do knowing how you feel about Finley.”
“I was pissed, but honestly, I was also turned on. Watching you two together, that was… I have no claims on Fin, so don’t worry about it.”
“No, but you do have claims on Banyan. Have you told him you are leaving?”
Urijah didn’t respond, and Sin had his answer. “Uri, I don’t know what has happened in your past, but I do know you only get one mate. Forever is a mighty long time to refuse yours.”
“I… I must go. Take care.” Uri didn’t wait for Sin to respond. He rushed out the door and didn’t look back. It wasn’t any of Sin’s business, but now that he had found his mate, he couldn’t imagine knowing she was his and not doing everything in his power to keep her. Something bad must have happened for Uri to refuse Banyan.
Finley came in almost immediately after Urijah left. “Did you see Uri?” Sin asked.
“Yes. I’m going to miss having him around, but I also understand wanting to be home.”
“Do you really think he missed New Atlanta that much? Or is he running away?”
“Both, probably. Uri’s always been hard to figure out.” Finley stepped over to the window and looked out. He stood there quietly for several long minutes, but Sin let him have the quiet to think about his best friend.
“What do you want to do about the girl”? Finley asked.
Sin eased out from under Rocky and made sure she was still asleep before he accompanied Finley to the hallway. They had already discussed the fate of the two males, but Sin was still trying to decide the fate of the female accomplice. She swore she didn’t know her boyfriend was going to try to kill Rocky, but she had gone to the bar knowing they were going to drug her and return her to Stansbury. “I haven’t decided. But I’m ready to handle the other two. I’ll do that tonight while Rocky’s asleep. I need you to watch over her for me.”
“You’d trust me with her?”
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”
“I let you down, Brother.”
“No, I failed my mate. That is on me. Now, will you watch over Rocky while I take care of business?”
“Yes, and thank you for giving me another chance.”
“I need you to do something else. I need my laptop from my office and a change of clothes. Will you bring those to me?”
“Of course.” Finley fisted his heart and took off down the silent hall.
The other rooms on that end of the floor had been emptied so the Goyles could come and go freely. Sin was thankful John was not only an excellent physician but also the Chief of Staff at the hospital. He could bend the rules as they suited the Clan’s needs.
Sin leaned back against the wall. Being so close to Rocky didn’t allow his brain room to think about anything other than her. She was his first priority, but he was the Clan leader on the West Coast, and he had things to take care of. It was in that moment he appreciated Rafael more than he ever had. Not only did his brother have a mate, but a mate who was going to have a baby. Sin was barely holding it together after knowing his mate a few days. He couldn’t imagine how protective he would be if she were pregnant with his child. It hurt his heart she couldn’t have children of her own. He was going to make the man responsible for that pay dearly. Whenever Sin thought about Tommy Cartwright, his shifter came alive and demanded retribution. Sin needed to remain calm while he was with Rocky, but come that night, he was going to let the beast loose.
Urijah couldn’t get out of the hospital fast enough. Sin apologized for asking him over, and Uri lied, saying it had been okay. It wasn’t okay, but there was no need to add fuel
to Sin’s already burning fire. The Goyle had enough on his plate with his mate being in the hospital. When Uri reached the bottom step, he grabbed the door knob. Before he could twist it, the door was pushed toward him. Banyan stepped through, and Uri growled.
Banyan held up his hands. “Whoa, easy tiger.” The only thing that kept Uri in check was the fact Banyan wasn’t teasing him.
“Here’s my key to the armory,” Uri said, fishing the metal out of his pocket. He was going to leave it at the armory, but now he didn’t have to make a special trip out there.
“You’re leaving?” Banyan asked, his eyes filled with hurt. If only things could be different. Urijah couldn’t get over their past together, and now that he knew Banyan came from the Original line of shifters? Things were too fucking complicated for it to ever work between them.
“Yes. I did what I was asked to do, and now I’m going home,” Uri said, looking at his boots. Banyan’s eyes had always given away too much, and Uri couldn’t deal with the pain he saw there.
Banyan’s boots came into view right before he slammed Urijah against the concrete wall. Uri opened his mouth to protest, and Banyan took advantage. He crashed his mouth to Uri’s and kissed him like his life depended on it. Oh, fuck. If there was one thing Urijah couldn’t resist, it was his mate’s kisses. Banyan breathed his life force into Uri’s mouth while stealing a little bit of Uri’s soul in the process. He’d stolen his heart a long time ago. So long ago, in fact, Uri couldn’t remember having one. Banyan’s stiff cock rubbed against Uri’s own hard-on, and his beast roared inside his head. Uri was too close to letting it loose. Letting it take over and do what it had wanted to ever since he arrived in California. Claim this male.
No. No! Urijah pushed Banyan off him and bent over to catch his breath. Banyan’s hand branded Uri’s neck. Everywhere Banyan touched him had always caught fire, but this was too much. He had to get away. “I have to go.”
“Urijah,” Banyan begged with one word. Uri made the mistake of looking at his mate. “I still love you,” Banyan whispered. Uri’s heart, the one he thought he no longer possessed, exploded within his chest. He couldn’t breathe. Banyan had promised to let him go thirty years ago. Guess he’d been lying. Urijah pushed past his mate and jogged until he reached the front door of the hospital. When he got outside, he ran full out to his waiting car. He couldn’t get back to New Atlanta soon enough.
