She wasn’t shocked by the laws he’d just explained. She’d grown up in a Lycan pack. Some of their laws were downright barbaric. “Why would they want to do that to me? Why are you telling me this?”
He paled slightly. “You don’t know?”
“Know what?”
He closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest.
“Know what? Creed?”
He looked at her, and she saw a deep sadness in the depth of his gaze. “I lost control. I thought you goaded me into it on purpose by biting me.” He held her hands a little tighter. “I changed forms while we were on that bed.” He paused. “While I was inside you. I lost control of my forms and I bit you back. I was drinking your blood during sex.”
Angel was grateful she was already sitting on her ass. The implications sank in. “Oh God.”
He nodded. “We mated. The bond is weak since I only bit you near the end…but it’s done.”
Chapter Six
Angel refused to believe it. Sure, they’d had sex. He had shifted a little but she was pretty sure it was around the time they’d both gotten off. She could see little marks on his skin from when she’d accidently bit him on his shoulder but they were already healing.
He had bitten her.
She looked at the wound, unaware of it until then. She’d been too freaked out over Creed turning to stone. It ached a little and still bleed, but it wasn’t life threatening or really painful.
“I don’t feel any different. I would. I don’t. We didn’t mate.”
Creed tilted his head, his look unhappy. “We did.”
“No. We didn’t. It was one little slip at the end. That’s all. It doesn’t mean we bonded.”
“Denial won’t help. Believe me. That’s why I shelled my skin. I didn’t want to accidently hurt you if I began beating on some walls to air out my frustrations. I could have brought the mountain down around us.”
“I probably only got a drop or two of your blood. That’s not enough. Lycans hav—”
“I’m not just Lycan. We do share our blood with a mate but that’s not why. We do it to help her live longer and be stronger. We also give our blood to women when they’re carrying our children, so the baby will retain strong Gargoyle traits. I drank your blood while I wasn’t in control of my body. That’s what mates us. I’m mostly Gargoyle. I told you, I take after my father. I came inside you when I was fluxing and drinking your blood.”
“Fluxing?”
“It’s what we call between flesh and stone. I looked at my skin. There’s no doubt.”
“But I barely bit you.”
“It’s not a matter of sharing blood with a Gargoyle. The second I bit you in that fluxed state, the taste of your blood in my mouth during sex, it triggered hormones to flood my body. Bonding ones. I came inside you while I was fluxing and drinking your blood. It’s how we mate.” He glanced down at her stomach, then back at her face. He let go of one her hands and reached down between them, resting his palm over her belly button. “I’m inside you right now. My seed is already altering your DNA. GarLycans will know what I’ve done within hours or days, depending on the strength of the bond. They’ll smell it and sense it from you. Lycans and Vampires will as well. You won’t be safe in the human world. You’ll have to live with your pack so they can protect you. It’s done, Angel.” He took her hand again with his, clasping them both once more.
She didn’t know what to say or think. It was the shock.
“It’s my seed that starts the change while in fluxing and I was in the claiming. It’s so you are able to breed with me easier, and hormones were released to make you mine. The good news is that you don’t have to worry about human years. Not for at least twenty or so years, when you’ll start to age again. Surviving mates keep those traits for about that long. You’ll be the same physically, as far as strength and your abilities go, but you’ll have a better immune system and heal a little faster. Remain very still when you have cuts. That’s how we mend wounds.”
“Surviving mates? Why did you say that?”
“I’m going to fall. Lord Aveoth would only kill or enslave you to ensure my suffering.”
“What the hell does fall mean?”
“It’s when we fly so high that the air thins until we can’t breathe and change into human form. We fall.” He clamped his lips together.
Dread and understanding hit. “You’ll die. No one could survive that.”
“That’s the point. It’s an honorable end to our existence. It will keep you safe. As I said, you need to tell whatever guardian that replaces me that I forced you to—”
“No!” Angel shook her head. “Stop it. You’re not going to do this fall thing. No fucking way.”
“It’s the only way to keep you safe. As I said, it’s an honor to fall for you. I will—”
“Will not do that.” She released his hands and sat up, getting in his face. She grabbed a handful of his hair at the base of his neck so he couldn’t pull away. “No, Creed. I’ll go away and not come back. When is your hundred years up? You just said I’ll live longer. Nobody will know what happened here unless they smell me. I’ll go back to Seattle today.”
“I can’t lie. I have to report what happened.”
“Bullshit!” She was furious. “I did this. Not you. You warned me you were losing control. I just thought you meant we might have rough sex. It was an accident. This Lord Aveoth isn’t perfect. No one is! Shit happens. We didn’t plan this.”
“I have honor, Angel. I must confess the truth of having a mate to Lord Aveoth.”
“And I have this thing called common sense, and wanting to save both of our asses if your laws are that messed up. No.” She shook her head. “I won’t let you commit suicide. Do you got that? Not an option. Forget about it. We’re going to go with my plan. I’m going to jump in my rental and haul ass to the airport to fly out of here. You’re going to keep being guardian here until your time is up. Then we’re going to pretend we mated after you come get me. See? No one’s the wiser and no broken laws. Doesn’t that sound like a plan?”
“Come get you?”
She nodded. “I’m your mate. Don’t think I’m going to let you forget that. I’m willing to wait for you.”
Creed wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. It smashed her breasts against his chest when she almost fell into him. He reached around her with his other arm and hooked her under her ass, dragging her closer. He took a seat and adjusted her body until she sat on his lap.
“I’m glad you were the one, Angel. You’ve always been my weakness. That’s why I stayed away when you said you had feelings for me. I knew I couldn’t resist if you touched me. I wanted to bring you home and live in your warmth. You are life and everything that matters to me.”
Tears swam in her eyes. “Now you’re going to be all lovey and wonderful. Damn it, Creed. Tell me we’ll go with my plan.”
“I must confess the truth to Lord Aveoth that I have a mate. I could never live with a lie that big.”
“Then I’ll go with you. We’ll do this together.”
He reached up and forced her to release his hair. He brought her fingers to his lips and brushed a kiss over the back of them. “No. I won’t risk your life or them enslaving you.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks. “I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. I won’t survive if you do this fall thing. Do you understand? Especially now that you’re mine.” She leaned her head against his chest. “You are mine. Not anyone else’s.”
He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Not according to my people. I had no right to take a mate. I broke the law. The fact that we didn’t mean to form this bond won’t matter. We’re ruthless with laws for a reason. I’ve always understood that.”
She realized he was as stubborn as ever. She had to go and fall in love with someone like Creed. It meant she had to accept there were some things she couldn’t change about him, even if right now, she really wished she could. “Fin
e. You go take your lashes and be locked in some dark hole for ten years, but know I’ll be waiting for you when you get out. Does that mean you’re totally free when you’re released?”
“Yes, but Lord Aveoth could kill you, and you are too kindhearted to survive being enslaved. Did I not explain what would happen?”
“My ass will be in Seattle. Don’t worry about me. Just come for me when you’re done being noble.”
“They’d send scouts from my clan after you.”
“Fine. I won’t be in Seattle. I can get lost for ten years. I’ve gotten to know the human world really well since I’ve been living with them.” She curled into him. “I can take care of myself. I’ll let my parents know where I am when you get out so you can find me, or I can come to you. It will be tough keeping them in the dark for that long but they’ll be safer if they don’t have a way of telling anyone where I am.”
“It would be too dangerous for you if you left the pack. Any Vampire or Lycan will know you’re a mate. We’re feared by most, and you will smell like me.”
“Like being a vessel to any asshole would be better, if your lord doesn’t take off my head. I can handle avoiding suckheads and tail chasers.”
He chuckled when he leaned his head down.
She met his gaze. “What?”
“You grew up with Lycans. Tail chasers?”
“It’s accurate. Have you seen young Lycans play? Or our men on the hunt for a woman to nail? My parents think it’s cute that I call them that. The others, not so much. I live in Seattle. Do you know what we have there?”
“What?”
“Lots of rain and people, but also lush green spaces. It’s a playground for Vampires and Werewolves. I already avoid both. My parents kept reaching out to the packs there to look after me and possibly find me a mate. That got old real fast. I avoid clubs and anywhere a lot of people hang out, since the blood hunters think those are all-you-can-eat buffets. Humans have their own predators. Those are the toughest things I deal with. Human-on-human crime is way out of control, yet I’ve survived just fine. I only had to send one person to the hospital. I never saw any guardians there, and believe me, I always watch the skies at night.” She wouldn’t admit she had hoped to spot him.
“You could get hurt.”
“You seem determined to go home to tell your Lord Aveoth what happened between us. I know I’d be wasting my breath trying to talk you into keeping silent. I get that. Unlike you, my head doesn’t fill with rocks.” She smiled at him to soften her words. “I also don’t want to find myself chained down by anyone unless you’re the one doing it. That means this is the only option we have so we can be together again one day.” A horrible thought struck. “Nobody ever dies from this encasing thing, do they?”
“Not to my knowledge. I’ll survive. I’m young and strong.”
She hated knowing what he’d go through. “Are you sure I can’t talk you into running away with me? We could find some tiny town with like ten human residents. Nobody would look for us there. Ever want to take up farming? I could probably learn how to grow corn or something. You could chase off the crows. We’ll find somewhere super flat with no mountains within a hundred miles. That way we’ll know none of your people could be our neighbors.”
He smiled. “You always amuse me with your silly suggestions.”
“What’s wrong with corn?” She tossed off the brave front. “I wouldn’t care where we lived or what we did to survive as long as I have you.”
The sad look returned to his eyes. “You really do love me.”
“I always have.” She knew he’d probably never be able to say the same words to her. He had her on his lap though, holding her. Emotion shone in his eyes when he was looking at her. He felt things for her. She believed that. It was enough. He’d admitted she was his weakness. That was almost equal to love from a GarLycan with mostly Gargoyle traits.
“I concede to you on your first plan.”
“Where you go be noble and I don’t get caught until you’re freed?”
“That one.”
Her heart was breaking. She tried to hide the pain. Creed was her mate. She’d just found that out, only to lose him. It was almost too cruel. Ten years would seem like an eternity but in the end, he’d come for her.
“I have a question.”
“Of course you do. You’re always curious, Angel.”
“Just please tell me we’re going to have sex when you find me, and that I won’t have to wait until your next ravaging thing. That’s really going to suck if being mated to you means only getting you naked with me every three decades. It’s not a deal breaker, but I’m warning you that I’ll be buying batteries. I’ll also probably make you watch just to see if you get turned on enough to want to join me.”
“Batteries?”
“Oh, come on. You have a television. I saw it in the other room. Batteries. As in, I own a vibrator. Know what one of those are? Don’t you ever watch porn? I thought all men did. I know Lycans do.”
The color of his eyes bled silver. “You do?”
“Watch porn? Not really, but I do own a vibrator. I’ll show you when you get out of prison.” She paused. “Those are words I never thought would come out of my mouth. It proves how much I love you. Now stop avoiding my question. Do you only want to have sex when you’re ravaging?”
“You’re my mate.”
“And is that a yes, we’re going to have sex often, or your way of working up to telling me that I’m just going to have to deal with it because I’m signed on to being with you?”
He chuckled. “I can’t ignore your touch.”
She opened her hand and lightly slapped his chest. “Now you’re purposely talking in riddles. Give me a straight answer.”
He pulled his arm out from under her knees and she gasped when he slid it between her thighs, cupping her pussy. He rubbed his hand across her clit, back and forth. She was still wet from them having sex. He was teasing her and it felt really good. She moaned.
“Does that answer your question?”
“I don’t know. You seem to like being mean to me sometimes.”
He pulled his hand away from her pussy and she clenched her teeth.
“I guess you being my mate doesn’t dull your asshole attitude any, huh?”
“Get up and find out.” He forced her to stand when he gripped her hips, lifting her.
She stared at his groin. He was getting hard. She backed up toward the bed. “That looks promising.”
He arched one eyebrow—and then lunged.
He could move fast, and she didn’t have time to even try to dodge his outstretched arms, not that she wanted to. He grabbed her around her middle and her feet were jerked right off the floor. He rolled and she landed half on him, half on the bed. Creed adjusted, coming down fully on top of her.
She opened her mouth but his kiss made her forget what she had meant to say. Her arms wrapped around his neck. He had a fantastic mouth. He pulled away before she could really explore him. His eyes were so beautiful that she couldn’t look away when he stared at her.
“You touch me and I feel more than I ever have. I can’t resist you. Is that clear enough? I can’t build a shield strong enough to keep you out. You’re a part of me.”
“I’m glad. Are you mad at me?”
“No. Never at you. It’s the situation and the danger it puts you in that sent me into a rage. I won’t allow you to be hurt, Angel.”
“The situation could be better. I want to protect you, too. We should strengthen the bond between us.” She tilted her head to the other side, exposing the shoulder he hadn’t bitten. “Do that fusion thing.”
“Fluxing?”
“Yeah. That.”
He frowned.
“What? Do you think I can’t handle seeing you that way with my eyes open and when I’m not coming down from how good you make me feel? I can. I accept everything about you, Creed. I love you when you’re in skin and when you’re a bit stony. I love your ey
es, regardless of what color they are. I even think you’re cute when you’re grumpy as hell and brooding.”
His features softened.
“Get hard for me, baby,” she teased. “Bring on the gray and the wings.”
He hesitated. “No.”
That stabbing sensation to her heart wasn’t expected. So much for her thinking he wouldn’t be able to reject her in any way, now that they’d mated.
“Don’t look at me that way. I plan to strengthen our bond, but not until after this is over.”
“Why? We’re mated. We might as well make it a strong bond.” She tried not to feel hurt.
“Gargoyles can sense and track their mates for long distances. Our bond isn’t strong. It means you’d have an easier time going out range and making it very difficult for me to find you.”
“You’re saying that like it’s a good thing.”
“It would be tragic if Lord Aveoth decides to use me to hunt for you. It’s called the glooming. It’s when a mate is critically or fatally wounded, and he automatically tries to reach his mate. They used to do it the old days in Europe, when some of the clans fought amongst themselves. It’s how they located their enemies’ fortresses. They would seize a mated male and wound him so badly that he couldn’t think through the pain. It was instinct to go to his mate. They’d just follow him and attack.”
“That’s really messed up.”
“Yes. It’s also why I’m waiting to strengthen our bond.”
“What’s your range now?”
He rolled away from her and climbed off the bed.
“Where are you going?”
“A test. I need to know. Don’t move.” He left the room.
She sat up and crossed her legs, her attention fixated on the doorway. He was gone for several long minutes. He didn’t look happy when he returned. He’d also put on jeans.
“Well?”
“It’s stronger than I thought. I went to the mouth of my home and could tell exactly where you were. I would say a hundred miles right now. Maybe two. Not more than that.”