Hunted Flame

by Rebecca Airies

  Don’t dwell on it. Yeah, right. She’d be lucky if she could sleep tonight.

  “You’ll find a lot that you like about being with us,” Phoenix said. “The attraction will grow, and we’ll build our relationship into something strong that will last as long as we do. But for now, let’s get you into a bath while we get dinner ready.” He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom.

  He ran her a bath. Once she slid into the water, they left her to enjoy the bath. She relaxed back in the big tub. Damn, that had been intense. They’d bitten her. Could it be more than sex? Was there something to what they’d told her? She took a deep breath. If there was, she might have started something that was way more binding than a night of great sex.

  Chapter Nine

  It was time. Phoenix rose from the couch and nodded to Noah. She’d been locked inside their house for long enough. Maybe seeing the community would help her settle in a little, as well.

  “Come on.” Phoenix gripped her hand. This should relieve some of the tension currently tightening her muscles.

  “Where are we going?” She tilted her head.

  Caution, maybe even a little suspicion, gleamed in her eyes. Phoenix grinned. She’d see soon enough she could trust them completely.

  “You, Noah, and I are going for a walk to the park.” Phoenix tugged again, drawing her to her feet. Obstinate woman. As if they’d take her into a dangerous situation. This was just to give her a little more normalcy.

  “Why are we going to the park? I thought you wanted to keep me close.” She planted her feet and folded her arms over her chest.

  “We kept you close to make sure we weren’t followed here, and we’ll stay nearby as long as the threat of the hunters still hangs over us.” He squeezed her hand lightly. Nothing had changed in the last day. The threat still hung over her and the community. They didn’t know where the hunters were or how many there were.

  “And to make sure I don’t run away.” She narrowed her eyes on him.

  “Yes, we are keeping you with us. It’s not just because you’re our mate though. That would be more than enough incentive, but you are genuinely in danger.” He tugged her close. His heart pounded at the mere thought. The isolation and change were hard for her, but the threat to her ripped at him.

  “I don’t remember being in danger though. All I really remember is some guy running at me and then the hospital. It could have been a random mugger,” she said dismissively with a wave of her hand.

  “It wasn’t a random mugger. He wanted to kill you. Do you think we’d hurt you?” Phoenix stepped in front of her. She should know that they wouldn’t hurt her.

  “No, I don’t think you’d hurt me. I don’t know why, and I’m pretty sure that makes me crazy and in need of some help.” She bit her lip.

  “Hey, be gentle with that. I like to kiss you, but if you make your lips sore, I won’t be able to give them that attention.” He stroked his finger over her lips. Slowly, the lush curve slipped free of her teeth. “You’re not crazy. Get some shoes and a coat on. It’s still really nippy out there. We’ll stop at the café near the pool for something to drink and then wander up to the park.” Phoenix released her hand and stepped back.

  She narrowed her eyes on him. “You are doing bossy just too damn much.”

  “Well, I’d like to say that it’s just because of the situation, but really I do tend to be bossy.” Phoenix shrugged. According to his mother, he’d been demanding since he was a baby.

  Noah strode into the hallway. He had a black coat on. “Tend to? He is just plain bossy, but in this case, I agree with him. I’m looking forward to walking with you.”

  “Let me get my stuff on and slip my ID in jeans.” She nodded and walked out of sight down the hallway.

  Phoenix stared down the hall until she reappeared with a coat on and shoes. Even in that bulky green jacket, she was gorgeous.

  “Good, you’re back.” Noah reached out and took her hand. She hadn’t taken long at all. The woman really was a treasure.

  “Is this meant to make me feel less trapped? Because the escort won’t help much with that.” She strolled beside him.

  “You are being provoking today. I don’t know whether to take that as progress because you’re feeling comfortable enough to argue with us or to show you that we do have limits.” Phoenix curved an arm around her. Not entirely true. That was great progress, and hopefully soon, they’d make more with her.

  “I think you should probably go with the first option. I don’t know if I’d want to go with you if you lecture me about limits and respecting them,” she replied with a half-shrug.

  Such a sassy woman. Phoenix grinned. He could totally handle that. “Baby, keep it up and I’ll take you back to the room and let you feel the heat of my palm against your ass.”

  She laughed. “Are you telling me that you like to spank?”

  “Yes, and I’m sure you’ll like it, too, but it’s not that kind of spanking I was talking about. Now, let’s go.” Phoenix guided her to the door. The woman was dragging her feet.

  “Is the café good for more than getting a drink?” She tilted her head.

  “It’s very good. They have sandwiches, wraps, and other things. Why? Are you hungry?” Phoenix zipped up his black and white jacket. They’d eaten only a short time ago.

  “No, I’m not hungry. I couldn’t finish what you put on my plate. I just wondered if it was a good place to eat. You know, for maybe another time. If this works out between us.”

  “It will work out. If you do get hungry, tell us.” Noah tugged her hand. They strolled down the sidewalk.

  Phoenix shortened his stride so she didn’t have to rush to keep up. The walk wasn’t only to get her out of the house. She needed to see that they were more than her guards and lovers. They’d be her partners and friends.

  “Is the park used a lot?” She glanced over at him.

  “Yes, there’s usually someone doing something there.” Noah chuckled. “This community is one of the few places we can feel free to be ourselves.”

  “Are we talking gargoyles walking around all gray skin and everything?” She leaned into him a little.

  “Probably not gray skin unless one of the younger males is giving his wings a little stretch. There won’t be any actual flying here in the daytime, more like hovering.” Phoenix shook his head. Most adults only changed in safe places and when absolutely necessary. “We’re aware of things like drones and such. While a lot of it can be explained away with suggestions of computer manipulation, we try not to get to that point.”

  “I hadn’t thought about that. It must be hard for you to practice, and you’d always have to think about who could see,” she mused. Suddenly, she tripped.

  He tightened his arm, keeping her on her feet. His heartbeat quickened. He glanced at the sidewalk. Nothing there. “Watch it, sweetheart. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

  “I just tripped. Nothing to worry about. Everyone does it sometimes.” She shook her head.

  “Do you do that a lot?” Noah asked.

  “No, I worked as a waitress. If I stumbled a lot, I wouldn’t have kept my job very long.” She poked her finger into his chest. He barely felt it through the coat.

  “Okay, just wondered if I needed to get you a bubble.” He chuckled.

  “You’re the one who might need the bubble, because I might have to hurt you.” She turned her head.

  “I know he’s annoying, but let’s keep going. You can think about hurting him later.” Phoenix tugged her along. Now was not the time to push her.

  They swung by the café and got their drinks. She chose a hot chocolate, and he and Noah ordered hot tea. No use creating any risks of her even getting a taste of coffee. After they’d received them, they continued walking to the park. As they approached the park, he turned his head to the left and right. It was a nice day. The sun shone brightly, even if the air was chilly, and numerous people were at the park, including some that he hadn’t expected.<
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  “This is nice. I expected swings and other playground equipment with maybe a walking path and a clear area or baseball diamond.” She glanced around, but her eyes stopped. “Who are those women, and why are they playing with knives?”

  Phoenix laughed. Okay, it did look like they were playing or maybe practicing a scene with the blades. “They aren’t playing with knives. That is Moriah and Naomi. They’re Branal. They’re practicing channeling power. Moriah didn’t grow up with the Branal and is still learning about what she can do.”

  “What do you mean, channeling energy? Is a Branal a different type of gargoyle?” She put her hand on his arm.

  “No, a Branal is a different type of being. They don’t get tougher skin and they aren’t as physically strong as we are. Although, they’re usually a little stronger than a human. They can pull energy from things, creatures, people,” Noah explained as he tugged her along.

  “And they need a knife to pull power from things?” She looked back at the two people. “Do I even want to know what you mean by creatures?”

  “No, technically, they don’t need the knives to pull power. They can do it with their hands, but the knives are for drawing it from a creature that can pull energy itself and has some claws.” Phoenix curled his arm around her. Much as he’d like to shelter her, she had to learn about the dangers they faced.

  “Oh, well, I guess you’d want a weapon then. Are they able to touch other people without pulling energy?” She bit her lip.

  “Yes, they can. Drawing in energy is a choice for them, a talent.” Phoenix leaned down and placed a kiss on top of her head. The urge to touch her pulsed through him, almost irresistible.

  “Are they here to help if needed?” She frowned. “Are there more of them here? Where do they live? I thought one of you said only gargoyles lived in the community.”

  “They live here. They’re mated with other gargoyles. Moriah is mated to the betas. You met one of them the first time I went to the restaurant. Naomi is mated two gargoyles you’ll probably meet soon. Neil, one of them, works at the same company that I do.” Phoenix smiled. The questions were good. If she learned more about them, everything wouldn’t be so strange to her.

  “There are more Branal in the city, although, generally, they keep to their side and we keep to ours.” Noah patted her hand. “There will be another Branal joining us though.”

  “What do you mean they keep to their side and you keep to yours? Like rival gangs?” She frowned. “And if there’s going to be another Branal joining, why isn’t he here? Or are all of them female?”

  “There are male and female Branal. It’s not like rival gangs. More like two different groups trying to share a place without conflict. We form treaties with them so we can live in the same area and work together occasionally. They have some valuable talents of their own. The boundaries are there so that any Branal crossing them will know that they’re coming into gargoyle territory and are fair game,” Noah said with a laugh.

  “What about the other Branal who are supposed to come here? Why would they come here? And if someone comes in your territory, do you fight them? Is that what you mean by fair game?” She sipped at her smoothie.

  “If it’s a female, no, we don’t fight them. If it’s a male, they better have a damn good excuse to come into our territory.” Phoenix tugged at her hand guiding her across the grass. Not that it happened very often. Most of the time, males would clear it with the gargoyles if they had business that took them into their territory. “The other person is a female. She’s the Cim’s mate.”

  “Why isn’t she here if she’s their mate? You three didn’t delay long in bringing me here.” She stopped and glared.

  Phoenix turned and shook his head. Another prod, but that one had some justification. “At the moment, the Cim aren’t a complete bond. Not all of the males of their bonding has been found. There are two of them, but they know there’s a third male. And Calista, the woman, had to leave the area because of protocol when the Branal change leaders. She’ll be back in a few months.”

  “So they can’t mate unless their bond is complete?” She tilted her head.

  “If it was an emergency, like the woman was human and in trouble, they could do it, but it could cause problems for the bonding later. Jealousy, fighting, and insecurity. Insecurity in a bond can be a very bad thing.” Phoenix stopped near a bench. That kind of tension could cause problems for years.

  “So, they have to wait for that man to come along?” She leaned into him. “That sounds frustrating.”

  “They’re not waiting for him to wander into the area. They’re looking for him actively. They were recently contacted by some clans in Europe who have some unmatched gargoyles.” Noah squeezed her hand. “But there are times when they are pretty frustrated. I can understand that.”

  “So, these other people in Europe, how will they meet? Will they go there, or will the men come here?”

  “Unless there’s a reason they can’t come here, and it would have to be good, the men will come to the Cim. But probably not just yet,” Noah explained as he urged her along the path. “No one wants to lead those hunters to another group of us. We’ll make sure that these don’t target anyone else, but we’ll also have to check to see if they’ve contacted any other group once we know more about them.”

  A couple of young gargoyles ran partially shifted across the grass. They tossed a ball back and forth between them. Tempest watched them. Phoenix smiled. At least, she was curious and not scared.

  “Does that hurt?” She nodded to the young men. “Aren’t they cold?”

  Phoenix turned to her. “Does what hurt? And no, they’re probably not cold. Gargoyles run hotter because of the fire within us.”

  She nodded to the males. “Running around partially shifted, does it hurt?”

  “No, they’re learning to control their shift. The first time, you might feel a little discomfort, but it will pass quickly. Most of that discomfort is because it’s so strange.” Phoenix smiled. At least, she knew now and wouldn’t fear the change when it happened.

  “If they have trouble holding a shift, is there a school here?” She tilted her head. “What do they do about college?”

  “They can do some college courses if they’re online, but most of their time is taken up by training. They learn to fight while they learn to control their shift.” Noah leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

  “Let’s walk back around and you can stare at the women again,” Phoenix teased, guiding her along the path toward the front of the park. Perhaps it would help her see that she wouldn’t be trapped or held here forever. They only wanted to protect her.

  “I wasn’t staring. It’s just strange to see someone playing with knives in public.” She nudged him with her elbow. “Are they supposed to change like you said I was? They’re not human.”

  “Yes, they’re changing like you are.” Phoenix combed his fingers through her hair. The silky strands flowed around his fingers. So soft.

  “Will that change what they can do?” She pressed her hand to his chest.

  “It will give them more that they can do and make it so they’re tougher to hurt.” Noah nodded. “I’m sure that makes their men a little happier.”

  They arrived back at the beginning of the trail. The women were gone, but the young men still raced across the open space. He, Noah, and Tempest headed toward the parking lot to begin walking home.

  Crash!

  Phoenix tensed and pushed Tempest behind him. His heartbeat raced. What the fuck? Down the street, a car rolled to a stop in the middle of the street. One of the metal gates from the community entrance tumbled over the pavement.

  “Take her home!” Noah shouted as he ran down the street to help the other men swarming to the vehicle.

  Without hesitation, Phoenix picked her up and ran down a side street. He had to get her to safety, away from any possible gunfire. She held onto him, tightening her arms around his neck, but she remained still. He
didn’t stop running until they reached their home.

  It had to be the hunters. No one else would try driving into their community. Gobel preferred sneakier means.

  At the door, he put her down and pulled his keys from his pocket. The metal bit into his palm as he finally palmed them. Home safe. Hopefully, they caught all the bastards.

  “That was them, wasn’t it? Those hunters.” She drew in a deep breath.

  “Yeah, it probably was,” Phoenix said as he nodded. “It’s kind of hard for a gargoyle to get drunk. Unless someone’s brakes completely failed, someone driving through was intentional.”

  He exhaled. The danger had probably come to them. No matter what, they had to protect her from those bastards.

  Chapter Ten

  Maybe today, she could at least pretend everything was normal. Tempest stood by the counter slicing fruit. Today, she’d finally see Kelly and Maria again. Not that the men had agreed to her meeting them at a restaurant away from the community. Too much danger to her apparently if they left the community. They wanted her to meet them here.

  So, her friends were coming to Sawyer, Noah, and Phoenix’s house. It surprised her that her friends could come here. They’d told her that humans didn’t come to the community, because this was the gargoyles’ one place to be truly themselves.

  “How is it my friends get to come here?” she asked Sawyer as he walked into the kitchen. “You said that the community was a safe haven for your people and that humans were kept out so that they could relax.” She mixed up a pitcher of sangria. Snacks done. Everything was ready.

  “We’ve arranged it with the Betas. Your friends will be escorted here, and they’ll be escorted out. They know that there’s danger to you.”

  “What did you tell them about the danger to me?” She blinked. What had they told them? She hadn’t even wondered about it until now. If he hadn’t mentioned it, she might have messed everything up.