Butting Heads With A Gargoyle by Charlie Richards

Chapter Three

Ridger’s mind reeled, even as his dick ached, pressing against the fly of his jeans. His mouth watered for more of Vermidian’s scintillating blood. Even his stomach clenched with anticipation, as if he were an adolescent and he hadn’t drank the sweet, life-giving nectar for days.

Holy fucking shit. What the hell is happening to me?

Ridger still struggled to process the events of the last thirty minutes. Saying no to the gargoyle that he’d suspected was his beloved had been the hardest thing he’d ever needed to do in his life. Still, Ridger refused to walk away from his coven—and his friends—in their time of need, even for his beloved.

Besides, if I start rolling over for everything the gargoyle wants first thing, being an elder, he’ll expect to call the shots all the time, right?

Never in Ridger’s wildest dreams would he have thought Vermidian would immediately offer to live at his coven, instead.

Just damn.

Licking his lips again, Ridger recalled the quick sip he’d taken of Vermidian’s tasty fluid. Even though the gargoyle had claimed they were mates, he’d needed to be certain before taking him home.

And holy shit, I’ve found my beloved in a goddamned gargoyle elder, and I’m taking him home... along with his two Circle Enforcers.

Good thing it was the middle of the night.

Vicon and Donny were following them in a separate SUV borrowed from the clutch.

“I can scent your unease, Ridger,” Vermidian rumbled, reaching over and resting his clawed hand over Ridger’s thigh. “All will be well, my mate. We’ll figure this out.”

Ridger glanced Vermidian’s way before returning his focus to the road. After a split second of hesitation, he rested his hand over the male’s. He squeezed lightly before rubbing his thumb over the gargoyle’s swarthy hide.

“Th-Thank you for agreeing to live, uh, or visit, my coven for a bit.” Ridger wasn’t entirely certain how long Vermidian actually intended to stay there. “I’m needed there right now.”

Vermidian squeezed Ridger’s thigh. “I’m glad we could come to a compromise.” Lightly scraping his claws along the inner seam of Ridger’s jeans, he rumbled, “And any place where you are is where I want to be.”

Ridger had never had someone to call his own, and he certainly had never had anyone say such things to him. His heart actually felt as if it skipped a beat. He felt sweat bead on his brows as his erection gave a twitch behind his fly.

“Damn, but you do smell delicious,” Vermidian growled, leaning toward him.

The sound of one of the gargoyles in the back rolling his window partway down caused Vermidian to ease away from him and relax back in his seat.

“Sorry, Phineas,” Vermidian commented, although he sounded amused as opposed to contrite. “You’ll know how it feels one day.”

“I do hope so, Elder,” the light-brown gargoyle—Phineas—replied with a smile.

“Me, too,” the powder-blue male muttered even as he also rolled his window partway down.

Vermidian squeezed Ridger’s thigh before pulling his hand away. “Guess we should cool it if Keefe is willing to comment.” He glanced toward the back with a smile, a teasing light in his dark-gray eyes. “Got any cute twinks that love computers at your coven, Ridger?”

“Uh, I wouldn’t call Ninevah a twink, but he’s bad-ass on a computer. That would have been Lathe back at the Aerasceatle clutch, actually.” Happy to be focused on a subject other than his and Vermidian’s impending bonding—hell, he knew it would happen soon after they arrived at the coven, that was just the paranormal way—Ridger glanced in the rearview mirror. “You big into computers?”

Even as Ridger returned his attention to the road, he spotted Keefe’s curled lip.

“No,” Keefe muttered, frowning out the window. “I hate computers.”

“Good thing Praerna wasn’t your mate, then,” Ridger commented with a smile. “He’s big into gaming.”

“How do you know that?” Vermidian demanded, a definite note of jealousy in his tone.

Laughing softly, Ridger reached over and patted Vermidian’s thigh. He couldn’t help the way his fingertips lingered over the slightly bumpy mottled hide of the gargoyle. It felt so much different than anything else he’d ever experienced.

Can’t wait to feel more.

Ridger barely managed to yank his mind out of the gutter. Instead, he focused on Vermidian’s question and answered, “The whole reason my buddy Basques met his beloved, Dloben, is because Praerna convinced Dloben to take his kitchen shift so he could play an online video game with some others. Guess they were having a problem getting together, and they needed to do some quest together.” Ridger had never really played games online, so he didn’t know too much about it. Recalling Basques’s shock, Ridger smiled fondly as he added, “Anyway, that’s why Dloben brought us our refreshments that day.”

“Yes, good thing,” Keefe commented dryly.

“Basques is a coven enforcer?” Vermidian asked.

Ridger nodded and gave a quick run-down of his best friends and their coven’s inner circle. “In fact, I should really call Krispin and let him know you’re coming.” Pushing a button on his steering wheel, Ridger ordered his vehicle to call his coven master as he muttered, “Can’t believe I forgot to do that.”

Vermidian’s low chuckle caused the hairs on Ridger’s nape to stand on end. “I’m just that distracting.”

“Ridger? Who is with you?”

Krispin’s voice coming through his car speakers made Ridger realize his vampire master had picked up the line. He guessed his friend was dropping titles just in case whoever was with him wasn’t a friend and didn’t know who they had on their hands. His buddy was never if not careful—always focusing on the safety of his people.

“Hi, Krispin,” Ridger answered. “I have a few unexpected guests in tow,” he admitted. Glancing Vermidian’s way, Ridger claimed his beloved for the first time. “I have Elder Vermidian with me from the gargoyle Circle of Elders as well as two of his enforcers. Uh, Vermidian is my beloved.”

For a long moment, quiet came over the line.

Ridger actually felt a measure of unease slither up his spine when he heard Krispin sigh.

“I’m very happy for you, Ridger,” Krispin began slowly, although he didn’t sound it. His next words explained why. “But I’m going to miss the hell out of you.”

Understanding slammed into Ridger, and he smiled as he admitted, “We’re still working that out, but Vermidian will be staying with us for”—he glanced toward his beloved for an instant, relieved to see the male’s encouraging nod—”well, the foreseeable future. I told him I couldn’t leave my coven right now, and he understands.” Needing to voice his concern, Ridger admitted, “I don’t know for how long we should expect a gargoyle elder to live at our hotel, though.”

“However long you need,” Vermidian rumbled, touching his shoulder. “If something at home needs attending, we can go there for a visit after things calm down.” Offering a toothy smile, he added, “But I have excellent staff, so I don’t expect any trouble.”

“That reminds me,” Phineas piped up from the back. “You should call Norad to let him know of our change of plans.”

Vermidian nodded. “You’re right. I’ll do that shortly.”

“Was that one of Vermidian’s enforcers?” Krispin asked. “I’m assuming they need rooms, too?”

Glancing into his rearview mirror, Ridger replied, “Yeah, that was Phineas. And yes to the rooms. Uh, from your comments earlier, neither of you are mated, right?” After both males shook their heads, Ridger told Krispin, “I’m sure they’ll want to be on the fourteenth floor.”

“I’ll check with Ninevah to see what’s open,” Krispin claimed. “When should I expect you?”

Just as Krispin finished his question, the vehicle lurched to the left, and the sound of crunching metal filled the air. Ridger gritted his teeth as he twisted the wheel, struggling to keep the vehicle on the road. He glanced to the right and watched as the navy-blue SUV that had slammed into his front end veered toward him again.

“Son of a bitch,” Ridger snarled as he jammed the brakes, watching the SUV speed past them. It immediately spun, nearly doing a one-eighty, before skidding to a stop and blocking the road. When a number of doors opened and humans poured from it, Ridger curled his lip in a sneer. “What the fuck?” Judging by their dress, Ridger answered Krispin’s question as he guessed, “I think we’re being attacked by either hunters or priests.”

“How the fuck could they know the elder is in your car?” Keefe demanded, obviously jumping to the conclusion that Ridger was at fault.

Ridger didn’t bother to comment on that as he mentally weighed his options—gun the engine and try to smash past the larger SUV or fight. His instincts screamed at him to get his newly found beloved out of danger.

Before Ridger could come up with a decision, the lead male yelled, “Get out of the car and put your hands up.” Pointing a gun toward the driver’s side, he added, “Don’t try anything, freaks. You’re covered from all sides.”

Well, that was news. Ridger responded by rolling up the back windows.

“No, they’re not,” a deep voice called.

Another male cackled.

A pair of men behind the speaker immediately began moving their guns to the left and right. They were obviously trying to zero in on where the noises were coming from as the men continued to laugh and taunt their attackers. Screams and gunfire filled the air.

Grinning, Ridger recognized Vicon and Donny. “Well, it looks like our back-up arrived. Vicon and Donny were following us and appear to be taking out their reinforcements.” Ridger heard something thud against the side of their vehicle followed by the crackle of glass. Spiderwebbing appeared in the windshield. “Don’t worry. Just sit tight,” Ridger told Vermidian. “The SUV is bulletproof.”

“Well, that’s boring,” Phineas grumbled, unbuckling his seatbelt. “Stay with the elder, and close the door behind me.”

In the next instant, Phineas opened his door and lunged from the vehicle. Keefe cussed under his breath as he leaned over and shut the door. Ridger hit the lock button, sealing them back inside.

“He’s a little brash,” Ridger commented dryly, even though he wished that he could have been the one in the thick of things.

“I do understand how he feels,” Vermidian commented with a sigh. “Sometimes, being an elder has its drawbacks.” Reaching over, Vermidian seemed to be ignoring the action outside as he touched Ridger’s jaw. “I know you’re the second of the coven, but that does mean the need to safeguard your security just went up, too.”

Ridger grimaced. “I hadn’t thought of that.” Offering Vermidian a wry smile, he admitted, “I’ll try not to get into too much trouble, but I am a coven second. I have certain responsibilities.”

Holding Ridger’s gaze with a serious one of his own, Vermidian stated, “And one of those is staying safe.” Then, after a wink, he added, “Especially when you’re carrying our offspring.”

Sucking in a sharp breath, Ridger gaped at Vermidian. “Oh, fuck me.”

“I intend to,” Vermidian quipped.

Ridger barked a sharp laugh before getting himself under control. “Y-You’re a gargoyle.” Rubbing the back of his neck, he mumbled, “That means you can get me pregnant.”

“Breathe, Ridge,” Vermidian crooned. Unbuckling his seatbelt and doing the same to Ridger’s, he wrapped his arms around him and tugged him close. “It was supposed to be a joke,” Vermidian whispered into Ridger’s ear as an odd vibrating noise rumbled through the gargoyle’s chest. “I didn’t mean to upset you. You have other gargoyles in your coven. You know about cinnamon, right?”

Forcing his thoughts to slow, Ridger focused on one thing at a time. “I’m okay,” he murmured, needing to reassure his beloved. “Just, um, sort of hit me. I watched Krispin go through his pregnancy. It seemed... odd.”

Actually, for the first couple of weeks when Ridger had seen his best friend’s waistline increasing, it had freaked him the fuck out.

Not gonna tell Vermidian that, though.

After Krispin had laid the egg—yup, that was exactly as it sounded—crazy shit—his buddy had been ecstatic at impending fatherhood.

“As it doesn’t happen in any other species, I can see how you’d find it odd,” Vermidian replied, nuzzling his temple. “And we have centuries together, so perhaps, in time, you’ll grow accustomed to the idea and wish to have a little one for us.”

Ridger nodded absently, hoping Vermidian was being honest about giving him time. In the past, he’d thought about kids every now and then. He wouldn’t mind a rug rat running around his feet, but after not finding his beloved in any of the Aerasceatle gargoyles, he’d dismissed the idea of him needing to carry it.

Guess I did that a little too soon.

Addressing the second thing on his mental list, Ridger asked, “So, is this trilling?” He referred to the soft vibrating noise that filled the cab. “It’s nice.”

“It’s designed to be,” Vermidian admitted. “When we find a human mate, sometimes it’s the only thing that can get them to calm down and relax.” Meeting his gaze, he curved his green lips into a depreciative smile. “Fate’s way of giving us a leg up when most think we’re monsters.”

“Well, I definitely don’t think you’re a monster,” Ridger countered. Even if he did, his hard dick didn’t give a flying fig. Feeling the vibration against his torso, another thought entered his mind. “But I can definitely think of other places you could vibrate with that trilling.”

Vermidian’s rough chuckle almost covered up Keefe’s quiet snort, reminding Ridger that they weren’t alone in the cab.

In fact...

Ridger eased partway free of Vermidian’s hold and glanced around. Most of the windows would have to be replaced, but they’d held, doing their job. He imagined the exterior of the vehicle didn’t look much better.

Unfortunately, it made it incredibly difficult to see what was going on outside, but from the sounds of it, the area had been secured. Someone was mumbling something about how demons were real. Another person vowed to never talk, no matter what they did to him. There was even what sounded like a woman whimpering.

Turning his attention to Vermidian, Ridger grinned wryly at him. “Guess we won.”

Vermidian chuckled as he nodded. “Guess so.”

“Yes, Elder.” Phineas’s amused voice came through the glass. “The area is secure.”

Ridger reached for the door locks and unlocked them. “Let’s go see who these bastards are.”

Growling softly, Vermidian countered, “I want to know how they knew we were in this SUV.”

“That’s a very good question,” Ridger conceded, exiting the vehicle. “Let’s go ask.”