Butting Heads With A Gargoyle by Charlie Richards

Chapter Ten

Moving silently, Ridger crept through the shadows. He could feel his beloved thirty feet to his right. Only his hazed eyesight allowed him to make out his big gargoyle’s blood signature in the darkness.

Ridger wanted to tell Vermidian to be careful again. He resisted only because he knew his gargoyle would respond the same as he had the last three times he’d said it.

Always, my mate.

Besides, Ridger really needed to focus on what he was doing. He carefully moved through the building. The ceiling was high overhead, once having been able to accommodate the huge machines they’d needed for timber work.

There were still a few chains hanging from the ceiling. Large crates lined the floors, making the interior a maze. Dust and debris on the ground acted as a minefield, forcing him to be mindful of every step.

If Ninevah’s satellite scans were accurate—and their tech vampire would give him a scathing look if he were to even suggest his intel was wrong—this building was supposed to be empty of life.

Ridger moved through with Vermidian to his right and Keefe to the right of his beloved. Phineas had ended up going with Krispin and Wash. They were using a building a half a street up to converge on the location where the paranormal hunters appeared to be hiding.

Catching himself just in time to keep from stepping on a broken piece of glass, Ridger eased his foot to the right. He slipped around a crate. Something flashed in his peripheral vision, and he crouched down.

Carefully, Ridger leaned forward and peeked around the crate. He spotted the telltale red of blood flowing through a body. Knowing that wasn’t where any of their people should be, Ridger reached out to Vermidian.

We have unexpected company to my left.

How many?

Ridger eased forward, keeping in the shadows. Not sure. Checking. Darting forward, he slipped around another crate.

Don’t go alone, damn it!

Ignoring Vermidian’s order, Ridger skirted around another crate until he could get a better look at whoever was walking down the street. He spotted a pair of men with guns. They were obviously supposed to be patrolling, but the guys were too busy whispering about their latest conquests—snickering about the size of the tits on one of the women—to have had a chance to spot anything amiss.

A very noisy pair on patrol.

Good grief. You’re going to give me a heart attack.

Grinning, Ridger turned and started back the way he’d come. Come on, my beloved.No heart attacks—

Ridger’s foot landed on something that crunched... loudly.

Shit.

“What was that?” The concerned voice of one of the guards filtered through the air to Ridger’s sensitive ears.

“Probably a cat or rat or something,” a second man replied.

“Should we go check?” Even as the first guy offered the idea, the quiver in his voice said he wanted to do anything but that.

Someone—probably the second guy—sighed, sounding put upon. “Yeah, I guess that’s what we’re getting paid for. Come on.”

“Maybe we should check in, instead,” the first man countered, their voices growing louder.

“Nah,” the second man replied. “We’re not due to check in for thirty minutes. They’ll just dock our pay for having to send out more guys. Let’s just make sure it’s a cat and be on our way.”

The two guys are coming this way. They’re paid guards. We’ll put them to sleep.Ridger couldn’t help the disdain from creeping into his mental voice. They’re lazy, but they’re not due to check in for another thirty minutes, so we have plenty of time.

Got it. We’re on our way.

An instant later, a weird grunting cluck reached Ridger’s sensitive hearing, and he guessed it to be Vermidian communicating with Keefe.

Ridger spotted a broken board in the side of the crate to his left. Using it as a foothold, he easily scaled the side. Lying on his belly on top of the twenty-foot-tall box, Ridger easily made out the humans.

The pair moved fairly stealthily for humans. He pegged the one on the right as the first speaker, for his knees practically knocked together with each step. The second man moved with much more confidence.

Still, the stench of their fear hit Ridger’s senses when they were still fifteen feet away.

Gods. They smell like they’re about to piss themselves.

Ridger’s lips twitched upon hearing Vermidian’s words in his head. His tone of disgust was unmistakable.

The man on the left will be next to my crate in about six seconds... assuming he doesn’t decide to run away first.

Vermidian’s laughter echoed through his mind. I’ll conk out the scaredy-cat.

Spotting Vermidian and Keefe in the rafters high overhead, he lifted a hand and gave them a thumbs-up, knowing the pair would be able to see it.

Counting down in his head, Ridger adjusted his position, readying himself. As soon as the human was within range, he leaped. Ridger landed to the left of the unsuspecting human, and in his peripheral vision, he noticed the dark shadow descending from the ceiling. Grabbing the human’s rifle in one hand, he wrapped his other hand around the man’s neck and squeezed just hard enough to cut off his air supply.

Panicking, the guy clawed at his neck, trying to pry Ridger’s hand away.

Ridger easily held his grip as he tugged the man’s rifle free of his body. Silently, he leaned the rifle against the crate. The human’s eyes began to bug a bit, so he eased his hold just a smidge. A second later, Ridger watched the human’s eyes roll back, and he slumped in his hold.

Carefully, Ridger eased him to the ground, placing his back against the crate so he was sitting up. Just to make an impression, he picked up the rifle, bent the barrel to a ninety-degree angle, then set it back down again. He turned and spotted the second man in a similar position, although he’d been laid out on the dirty floor.

Keefe stood beside Vermidian, his arms crossed over his brawny chest. “I could have taken him out,” the enforcer hissed. “You didn’t have to do it.”

Vermidian grinned broadly at Keefe. “Where’s the fun in that?” he teased softly. Then he crossed to Ridger and cradled his jaw. “You okay?”

Ridger felt his heart flutter as he read the concern in Vermidian’s eyes. “Not a scratch on me,” he assured. “You?”

“I’ll be perfect in about two seconds.”

Surprised and confused, Ridger opened his mouth to ask. Except, then he found his mouth full of his gargoyle’s tongue. Gripping Vermidian’s upper arms, he went with it, kissing his lover back.

The kiss scorched, even as short as it was.

Vermidian lifted his head and grinned down at Ridger, leaving him panting.

“Yep. Perfect,” Vermidian teased, easing his hold. “Let’s get moving. We’re behind schedule.”

Blowing out a breath, Ridger reached down and adjusted himself. “Thanks a lot,” he grumbled good-naturedly, since he would never deny his beloved a kiss. “They were meant to check in in thirty,” he reminded, turning back in the direction they’d originally been heading. “Let’s hurry.”

Ridger picked up a careful jog, weaving between crates. A glance back showed him the gargoyles spreading their wings. In seconds, they were back amidst the building’s dark rafters.

Are you going to take me flying some time, Dian?

He projected the thought as soon as it popped into his head.

I would truly love that, my mate.

Smiling, Ridger focused on getting to the other side of the building. A silent buzz in his pocket alerted him to a text message. Pausing, he pulled out his phone and read it.

Fifteen on the main level. Five upstairs in the offices. Felistria is in chains up there.

Ridger quickly relayed the information to Vermidian.

How about the gargoyles take the second level, and the vampires can clear the bottom?

Even though Ridger knew that was the most logical, there was no way he would be able to leave the side of his newly discovered beloved. He figured Krispin would be right there with him. Deciding on a course of action, he typed a slightly alternate idea into his phone.

Have Phineas wait for us at the north corner. We’ll take the second floor while everyone else hits the first, taking them all out at once.

Then Ridger relayed his changed plan to Vermidian and asked for a lift.

Vermidian dropped to his side with a grin and whispered, “You just couldn’t wait for that chance to go flying, could you?”

“You know it,” Ridger replied. Feeling his phone vibrate, he checked the message before nodding at Vermidian. “We’re set.”

Ridger wrapped his arms around Vermidian’s neck when his beloved picked him up bridal style. When his gargoyle spread his wings and leaped into the air, he felt as if his stomach fell out from under him. Only knowing that Vermidian would never allow anything to happen to him kept Ridger from tensing and clutching at the male.

Inhaling slowly, Ridger did his best to quiet his nerves. After all, he was about to go into battle—again. He needed to be relaxed and ready.

Relax, my mate.Somehow, Vermidian had picked up on his nerves. You’re safe in my arms.

I know.Ridger did know, too. We’ll have to do this often, so I can get used to it.

I’ll make it so.

When they reached the rafters, Keefe sprung into flight next to them. “Plan?” he asked simply.

Using minimal words, Vermidian explained.

Keefe growled low in his throat. “Why the hell do you have to be involved at all?” he grumbled. “Phineas and I can take out four humans and free a vampire.”

“Well, if one of those humans happens to be Fiona, I want her taken alive,” Ridger countered. “Do you know what she looks like?”

Growling under his breath, Keefe cast a frustrated scowl in his direction.

“Stop griping about it, Keefe,” Vermidian ordered, mirth coloring his tone. “This is happening.”

Keefe stopped grumbling, but his growls of annoyance only stopped when they slipped out of an upstairs window to meet up with Phineas. After a quiet conference, where Phineas explained where he’d seen the people through the upstairs windows, they moved into position. Phineas took the window at the top of the stairs, allowing him to block their escape. Vermidian helped Ridger onto a ledge next to the window to the left of Phineas before moving to one farther away. Keefe set up on Vermidian’s other side.

As Ridger waited for the signal—essentially, a lot of glass breaking and screaming, maybe some gunfire—he heard Fiona in the room, obviously speaking to Felistria.

“Why can’t you see that I’ve done this to help you,” Fiona whined. “These guys can help exorcise the blood demon from you. They’ll make you normal.”

Felistria sighed softly, sounding tired. “Oh, Fiona. I’m so sorry you believe them.” Sadness filled her answer. “There’s nothing wrong with being a vampire. I’m not possessed by a demon. When you sought me out, you said you understood that... that we’re just different races.”

“You are possessed,” Fiona insisted. “Gary explained it to me. We can help everyone in that nest of demons where you live.” Her voice became more impassioned as she spoke, telling Ridger that she must have been spending a great deal of time with that Gary fellow. “Just tell them the new codes, and they’ll help all your friends, too. Once you’re no longer possessed, you’ll understand, and you’ll thank us.”

“Not likely,” Felistria muttered. “Gods, now I’m sorry I trusted you, half-sister or not.”

While Felistria and Fiona shared the same mother—Tamara—they’d been born at opposite ends of the woman’s life. When Tamara had been sixteen, she’d gotten knocked up by a vampire. The vampire had paid her off and taken Felistria to live with him.

From the bits and pieces Felistria had occasionally dropped, the vampire had been a true asshole. Still, her grandparents had been wonderful. When they’d passed and Felistria had been twenty-seven, she’d searched for a new coven and ended up with them.

Nearing the end of Tamara’s life, she’d had another daughter. Tamara had taken the secret of how she knew about vampires and how she’d kept track of Felistria to her grave. Still, she’d shared enough with Fiona that the human could track her down.

Due to the family connection, Ridger and his friends had chosen to allow her to keep her knowledge. After all, who were they to take away her sister? Now, however, he wished they’d done a memory alteration, taking away her knowledge of the paranormal, even if that meant Felistria would have had to play that she was a human to her own sister.

“You’ve had your chance to convince her, Fiona,” a man stated, his voice hard. “It’s time to step back.”

“Wait, please, Gary,” Fiona countered. “Just give me a few more minutes. I’m sure I can—”

Ridger heard glass shatter somewhere below followed by a shout. Taking that as the sign, he tightened his hold on the gutter above. Pushing away from the building’s wall, Ridger bent at the waist, brought his legs up, and twisted toward the window.

Hitting the glass feet first, Ridger easily broke the nearly hundred year old pane. He allowed his legs to buckle as he hit the floor, rolling twice to minimize himself as a target. Then Ridger jumped to his feet and lunged toward the nearest man, who happened to be swinging a gun in his direction.

Ridger twisted as he gripped the muzzle of the weapon. Hearing it fire started his ears ringing, but it was the spike of pain in his left side that told him he hadn’t been quite fast enough. Ignoring the searing sensation, Ridger spun and raked his three-inch talons across the man’s gut.

The human’s screams were almost immediately cut off since Ridger was using him as a human shield and someone was shooting at him. Lifting the dead man, he heaved the body at the shooter. The live human let out an alarmed cry and dodged right and out the door.

Phineas walked in with his right hand around the guy’s neck, forcing him forward. He carried the human’s weapon in the other. Glancing around, he took in the commotion.

At some point, Keefe had killed another guard.

Vermidian was currently holding another unarmed human in a tight hold.

“No! No, please, don’t hurt Gary,” Fiona pleaded on her knees halfway between a chained Felistria and Vermidian. “He’s just trying to help.”

However, Vermidian was ignoring her. His focus was pinned on Ridger, instead. He frowned at him, glancing meaningfully at the blood on his side.

“I’m fine,” Ridger assured. “It’s just a scratch.”

At least, he knew it would be once he enjoyed a little of Vermidian’s blood.

Ridger’s mouth watered at the prospect.

Yanking his focus from Vermidian’s thick neck, Ridger turned his attention to Felistria. “Well, it looks like we made a bad judgment call on that one, huh?” he murmured sadly as he flicked a finger toward Fiona. “We’re going to need to have a talk.”

Felistria nodded once, smiling wanly at him. “Yes, Second Ridger.”

“You’re the second,” Gary whispered. His eyes narrowed, his expression turning calculating. “Now we know your face. We’ll never stop coming for you.”

“And we’ll always be here to stop you,” Vermidian vowed. He focused on Ridger. “Do you want these assholes alive?” Vermidian tipped his chin toward the other human still held by Phineas.

“Felistria?” Ridger arched one brow. “Who’s the leader here?”

“The one the brown one is holding,” Felistria replied, surprising him. “Gary is just a charismatic figurehead.”

Ridger hummed and pointed at Phineas’s guy. “Alive.” Then he pointed at Gary. “Dead.”

As Vermidian snapped Gary’s neck, Keefe crossed to Felistria and popped her free of her chains.

Screaming, Fiona jumped to her feet and sprinted from the room.

“Grab her,” Vermidian ordered, and Keefe took off after her.

As Ridger helped Felistria free of the broken links, Keefe returned empty-handed. He sported a sheepish expression and quickly apologized.

“I’m so sorry, Elder.” Keefe rubbed the back of his neck and looked truly upset. “She jumped out the window and slid down a pole. There was a man on a bike waiting for her.” Spreading his palms in a helpless gesture, Keefe finished, “She hopped on, and they sped toward town. I couldn’t follow.”

Ridger shook his head even as he stated, “It seems she was more involved than we thought.” His attention fell to Gary. “She was definitely a good actress.”

“That she was,” Vermidian agreed. He wrapped his arm carefully around Ridger’s shoulders, sweeping his gaze up and down his frame. “Are you injured anywhere else?”

Ridger shook his head. “Really. I’m sure he just grazed me.”

Vermidian growled. “I want to see for myself. Let’s get out of here.”

By then, everything had quieted on the floor below.

“I’d be happy with that,” Ridger agreed, smiling at his gargoyle. Then he turned his attention to Phineas and the waiting guard—or leader. They weren’t certain which, yet. “Will you take him to Krispin, Phin? He’ll deal with him.”

“Will do,” Phineas replied, turning the guy to head back out of the room. “Meet you at the SUVs.”

The stranger chuckled darkly as he peered at them over his shoulder. “An elder, huh? Very interesting.”

“Get moving,” Phineas snarled, removing him from the room.

Sighing, Ridger admitted, “I’m afraid we haven’t seen the last of these guys.”

“Unfortunately, I think you’re right,” Vermidian agreed. Then he urged him toward the window. “Let’s get out of here.” Vermidian glanced toward Keefe as he pointed at Felistria. “Why don’t you bring her? I bet she’d like to avoid walking through the mess downstairs.”

Keefe narrowed his eyes just a smidge, but he did as he was told, picking up Felistria and following them out the window.