Believing in the Traitor Read online

  He would never admit to being jealous of the other gargoyles, but there were times when he was damn close.

  Setting his plate on a table where Sumak was part of the group, Treatise eased into a seat. He knew the small purple gargoyle worked in the kitchens. For some reason, he always seemed to know the best gossip.

  Sumak would know what was going on.

  “I seem to be behind this evening, Sumak,” Treatise stated, drawing the younger gargoyle’s attention. He winked at the flirty male, then asked, “You gonna catch me up, cutie?”

  He and Sumak had fucked a few times. They weren’t mates, but they both had itches to scratch. Sumak was a fantastic bottom—vocal, enthusiastic, and best of all... bendy.

  Sumak beamed up at Treatise, obviously pleased to be consulted. “The human that took the chest shot for Maelgwn has finally awoken,” he told him excitedly. “I heard from Roland that Tobias didn’t think he’d pull through. I mean, humans are so fragile,” he continued, waving his black-clawed hand around for emphasis. “Not only did the bullet shatter several ribs and puncture his lung, making it collapse, a second bullet grazed his scalp. Poor dear.”

  “I’d heard that’s why he was in a coma,” Treatise stated slowly. He wasn’t in any way part of the inner circle, or even close to the inner circle, but he did his job as a tracker quite well. He heard plenty of the tales that circulated through the place... that included the fact that a group of humans that called each other knights were hunting them. “Is he going to give information on the hunters?”

  Sumak shook his head. “I heard Maelgwn’s gut reaction was that Walter doesn’t know anything about them.” He shrugged as he stuck a sausage link with his fork. “Either that or he was delirious or in shock, but he wasn’t on pain meds anymore, so tough to say.”

  “Is that really what they believe?” Treatise couldn’t believe that. “Since he took that shot for Maelgwn, we thought he was switching sides,” he mused softly, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. “We’ve been waiting for him to wake up for so long, hoping he’d be able to tell us... something.”

  Tobias settled on the chair next to him. The large, green second was followed by his mate, the lynx shifter, Roland. A grim smile curved his lips as he swept his gaze around the occupants of the table.

  When Tobias’ focus landed on him, Treatise felt a niggle of unease in his gut. He set his fork down and focused on the gargoyle. With Maelgwn obsessed with caring for his pregnant mate, Bobby, Tobias had taken over some of the chieftain’s day-to-day tasks.

  “I’m pulling you from tracking duty for a little while,” Tobias stated.

  One of those tasks was deciding jobs for the gargoyles in their clutch.

  Nodding slowly, Treatise asked, “Why does your look worry me? What do you need me to do?”

  Tobias met his gaze squarely. “I know you’ll probably think of this as a babysitting job, but it’s not,” he cautioned. “During the evening hours, I need you to be on hand to escort Walter any time he wants to leave his rooms.”

  “Yeah,” Treatise responded, drawing the word out. “It does sound like babysitting.” He frowned. “So, why do you say it’s not?” Seeing Tobias’ lifted brow, Treatise hurried to add, “If you don’t mind me asking.”

  Roland hummed as he bit into a piece of bacon, breaking the tension.

  Tobias picked up his sandwich as he replied, “The answer is two-fold. First, you weren’t in the fight.” He brought the food to his lips. Just before he took a bite, he added, “If Walter does remember any of the gargoyles attacking, we want him with an escort that he doesn’t recognize as aggressive.”

  Watching Tobias chew his food, Treatise mulled that over as he ate his own sandwich. After swallowing, he hazarded, “So, you want me to gain his trust?” He narrowed his eyes at the second’s pleased smirk. “Try to get him to talk, maybe glean something from his unconscious mind by getting to know him?”

  “Right.” Tobias took another bite of food.

  Treatise focused on his food, too. He wondered just what the hell he could possibly say to the human. Still, he’d do as he was told. He’d try.

  “And the second reason?” Treatise pressed, shoving the last bite of his first sandwich into his mouth. As he chewed, he picked up his second one, then stared at Tobias.

  The gargoyle second took a swig of his coffee, then answered, “You know massage.”

  Treatise’s brow ridges shot up. His bite of food threatened to go down the wrong way. He coughed twice, able to correct it, then swallowed hard. He took a sip of coffee, then cleared his throat.

  “Massage?” Treatise frowned, still not understanding. “Why is that relevant?”

  Winking, Tobias told him, “Walter has been in a coma for several months. His muscles are weak. That will help him regain his strength.” Sitting, dumbfounded, Treatise just stared at his leader, causing Tobias to chuckle. “Eat up Treatise,” Tobias ordered, pointing at his still half-full plate. “I’ll take you to him shortly. Then, whenever he’s sleeping, you can meet up with Doctor Perseus or Nurse Leroy to get ideas on rehabilitation.”

  After fifteen minutes, Treatise shoved the last bite of his final sandwich into his mouth, then wiped his hands on his napkin. He swallowed, then picked up his last three Pringles. “Where is he being housed?”

  For the safety of the clutch, the several humans they had in custody were held in the west wing. No one in the clutch except those handling the humans directly knew which room.

  Last Treatise had heard, the alligator shifter, Tristan, was the only one who spoke with Bud Wallice. Through some kind of manipulation, the alligator had learned that Canaan Bell, who’d appeared in town with Bud’s wife, was part of the hunter’s group. He’d worked with his new mate, Detective Collin DeSoto, to set up an opportunity to catch them both.

  Within forty-eight hours, Einan—one of their clutch’s enforcers—had confirmed that Misses Wallice had absolutely nothing to do with anything. Their clutch’s computer guru, Raymond, had created a new identity for her. They’d set her up with a small place in Hawaii, gave her a nice retirement fund, and escorted her onto a plane.

  Canaan was being interviewed by Vane. Treatise had overheard that he was likened to a snake-oil salesman. He was glad he didn’t have that task.

  Tobias swallowed his own food, then tossed his napkin on his plate. “I’ll escort you,” he said, rising to his feet. He leaned down and pecked a kiss to Roland’s lips. “Are you going to explore the gardens while I’m gone?”

  Roland shook his head. “No. Matthew needs help picking out a birthday gift for Vane.”

  His brow ridges furrowing, Tobias asked the question that had immediately popped into Treatise’s mind. “Does Vane even know his birthday?”

  “No, so Matthew is going to pick a date and throw him a surprise party,” Roland revealed. Glancing around, he added, “Don’t tell anyone.”

  Treatise nodded. “My lips are sealed.”

  Roland appeared to accept that, going back to his food. He picked up a piece of cinnamon toast and crunched into it happily. Tobias pressed a kiss to his mate’s temple, then beckoned Treatise to follow him.

  “I’ll do what I can,” Treatise promised. He glanced at the pictures on the walls of the west wing hallway, frowning. “Why do we have gargoyle pictures in here?”

  Tobias chuckled. “Bobby didn’t like the fox and hound pictures. He thought they were unsympathetic to some of the shifters at the estate.” He smirked at Treatise as he added, “Maelgwn can’t say no to his lover, so he agreed to let him change out the pictures. Imagine his surprise when Bobby found a shitload of medieval gargoyle pictures and hung them up.”

  Treatise gaped as he swept his gaze over several of the pictures. One was a castle with gargoyle statues gracing the parapets. Another sported a gargoyle squatting with his wings spread and the full moon behind him. Still a third was... a cartoon. Pausing before it, Treatise noticed a Gargoyles TV logo.
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  Shaking his head, Treatise muttered, “Should I be offended?”

  Tobias scoffed. “Just ignore that one. Some of these pictures are actually really impressive.” He pointed at the one of the gargoyle crouching before the moon. “I think that one is damn sweet.”

  “I can agree with that,” Treatise commented as he began walking again. “Okay. Where’s the room?”

  “We have him on the second floor,” Tobias told him. “We don’t bar those windows and he actually has a really nice balcony, not that a man in a coma could use it.” Heading up a side staircase, he continued, “There are motion detectors around his balcony though, just in case he goes out there now that he’s awake. I’m not sure how long it’ll take for him to get up enough strength to do that though, what with his muscles having atrophied from disuse.”

  “So he’s pretty laid up at the moment?” Treatise asked, looking for confirmation. “Then what am I actually going to do?”

  Tobias shrugged. “Talk to him to start with,” he recommended. “Maybe try to convince him to leave his room, even for a few minutes at a time. If he sees our people as something other than the monsters Bud made us out to be, you should have a better chance of getting him to open up.”

  “Swell,” Treatise grumbled. “I’ll ask him if he knows how to play pinnacle.”

  Tobias stopped before a door and turned to face him. “You know how to play pinnacle?”

  Treatise shrugged, glancing around uncomfortably. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I learned online because I was bored.”

  Grinning, Tobias clapped him on the shoulder. “Well, there ya go then. Maybe Walter likes card games.” He pulled a key out of a pouch attached to a belt wrapped around his loincloth. “Who knows, huh?”

  When Tobias opened the door, Treatise paused in following him. A scent tickled his senses. He felt a tingle of arousal zing through his system, causing blood to rush south. His balls even rolled in his sack.

  “You coming?”

  “I just might,” Treatise muttered, reaching down to adjust his growing erection.

  Tobias turned to face him, standing a few steps beyond the doorway. “What did you say?”

  Treatise realized he’d said his thought out loud and it was probably disbelief that had his second asking for a repeat, not because he hadn’t actually heard his words clearly.

  Grimacing, Treatise slipped past the second. Once inside the sitting area of the suite of rooms, he inhaled again and just managed to hold in his moan. He did, however, have to press the heel of his palm against the base of his now-straining erection.

  “Whoa,” Tobias murmured. “What the fuck? What’s wrong?”

  Treatise breathed through his mouth, but that didn’t help. Instead, that only caused the scents to flow over the hundreds of receptors on his tongue. His cock thickened painfully, twitching and oozing in his loincloth.

  Hissing, Treatise turned away from the bigger gargoyle. He couldn’t stop the moan that time. Yanking open the left tie of his loincloth, he freed his dick. He gripped the base, but it was too late. The simple touch meant to regain control threw him over the edge.

  Grinding his teeth together, Treatise leaned over, placing his free hand on the end table. His orgasm bowled through him, sending tingles of blissful fire coursing through his blood. He aimed his prick at the floor and just held on, trembling and panting, riding out the sensations blindsiding him.

  Treatise breathed harshly, struggling to get enough air into his lungs. His head swam, black spots dancing across the backs of his eyes. Shuddering, he fought to get his body back under control.

  Slowly, Treatise felt his dick soften a little. He peeled open his eyelids, uncertain when he’d even closed them. Staring down at the mess he’d made, he realized he wasn’t even down to half-mast. With the scent permeating the air, he knew his arousal wasn’t going to diminish.

  “H-Holy hell,” Treatise mumbled. “That was, that was intense.”

  “Do you want to tell me what the fuck just happened, Treatise?” Tobias snarled. While he stepped into his line of view, he didn’t actually look at him. Instead, he stared at the picture on the wall. “You better clean that up before it stains.”

  Treatise jerked a nod. Straightening, he tucked his dick into his loincloth, adjusted it, and tied it back into place. “He’s my mate,” Treatise whispered. “There’s no other explanation. Walking in here.” He finally glanced his second’s way, noting the gargoyle’s clear discomfort. “Walter hasn’t left the room in months. His scent permeates the space. It was like... liquid Viagra. A shot to the veins.”

  He had no other way to explain it.

  A muscle flexed in Tobias’ jaw and he jerked a nod. “Well, after you clean that up, I’ll introduce you.” He glanced Treatise’s way for a second, a half-smile curving his lips. “At least the massage will help him get used to your touch.”

  Treatise nodded and turned toward the kitchenette, knowing it would be stocked with towels.

  “Oh, and Treatise,” Tobias softly called, his voice just reaching his sensitive ears. Looking over his shoulder at the second, Tobias met his gaze and stated, “I don’t ever want to discuss this. Ever.”

  Chapter Three

  Walter listened to the sound that had woken him, trying to figure out what it was. While his body didn’t always cooperate, his mind had cleared. Once the sound cut off, he realized it had been water running. The direction told him it was from the kitchenette he could just see from the angle where he lay.

  A shadow crossed in front of a light source in the front room, creating a silhouette of a big form.

  Another gargoyle?

  After Walter had eaten Leroy’s food and slept for a while, Doctor Perseus had arrived. He’d been shocked to see that the doctor was also a gargoyle. The creature was a pale green with black wings and claws. He’d also had a hell of a calming bedside manner.

  Walter had listened to Perseus explain what gargoyles were, along with paranormals, including shifters and vampires. He wasn’t certain why the male was being so forthcoming. Maybe it was because he’d taken that bullet for someone they called their chieftain.

  How do I explain it was a knee-jerk reaction?

  Listening to a couple of voices mumble, Walter strained his ears. He still couldn’t make out what was said. Seconds later, a pair of shadows appeared, then two forms passed through the doorway.

  Walter used his hands to ease into a sitting position, his arms trembling just a little before he managed to get a pair of pillows behind his back. That was a win, he supposed. After all, the previous day he could hardly squeeze Leroy’s hand or pry open his eyelids.

  While his muscles had weakened, at least he’d lost weight, too. He’d been trying to get rid of his damn spare tire for months, but the fatty foods at the carnival coupled with the slow patrol or standing around required for his job made it tough. He guessed that was all behind him now.

  “I remember you, from yesterday,” Walter stated, looking at the larger male. The massive, dark green gargoyle paused just inside the doorway. “But I didn’t catch your name.”

  The second male passed him and strode closer. He even passed the door that led to the bathroom, the door to the front room—it seemed the suite was designed like an O—and settled in the chair near the nightstand.

  For some reason, Walter couldn’t take his eyes off of the new gargoyle. The male was broad-shouldered and gold. Literally, his skin tone was a mottled gold color. He’d never seen anything like it.

  Walter had snuck off to the big city a couple of times to share a hand job with another man when the need to feel a dick not his own in his grip grew to be too much. He’d never been fixated on a one night stand before, though. The black wings draped over his shoulders and the black-clawed hands gripping the arms of the chair just accentuated his features.

  It was the male’s intense emerald-colored eyes that truly drew him, completely focused on him.

 
; He almost found it disconcerting.

  “I am Tobias,” the first male stated.

  Walter blinked, realizing he stared at the gold gargoyle. Yanking his gaze from the handsome male, he focused on the green creature. Holy shit, do I really find the gargoyle handsome? He knew he did, but that didn’t mean he wanted the other male to realize it.

  “Uh, nice to meet you?”

  Tobias smirked at him. “Doctor Perseus told me that he gave you a broad rundown of gargoyles and a couple of other paranormals.” After Walter nodded, Tobias continued, “That means you must know that by me saying I am the second of this clutch, I am second-in-command behind our chieftain, Maelgwn. If you ever have any issues, you are welcome to come to me with them.”

  Unable to help himself, Walter scoffed. “Come to you?” He managed to lift his right hand and wave it for a second or two before returning it to his lap. “How would I do that?”

  “I will help you with that,” the second male stated softly, redrawing his attention. “My name is Treatise, and I’m here to help you rehabilitate. Help you regain muscle control. I have many things in mind to help you get moving, from massages to nature walks.” His smile appeared encouraging. “We will get you back on your feet.”

  Walter actually felt his face heat in a blush. Plus, much to his chagrin, his dick began to plump. Never had he had that happen from just a smile.

  Shit! What the hell does that mean?

  Seeing as he couldn’t understand his own body’s strange reactions, Walter jerked a nod at the gargoyle. “So you’re like my physical therapist, then?”

  “I suppose that’d be right.”

  Returning his focus to Tobias, Walter asked, “Why are you all doing this?” When staring at the green gargoyle, he felt a little more in control, and he really did want some answers. “Why didn’t you just take me to a hospital?” Another option flashed through his mind. “O-Or kill me?”

  The golden gargoyle growled, drawing his attention. “No one will kill you,” he snarled. His clawed hands actually twitched as if ready to rip apart some would be attacker.