Taking Back His Life [Nakaka 2]

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

“So I called him the “A” word but didn’t actually have to say it.” Jory said, with a large smile on his face.

Nug whispered to Elijah, “And then he apologized if he seemed rude.”

Elijah did his best to hold back his laugh. Jory was just too damn adorable. The man could work with Doc Oleander all he wanted to, but not even that psychiatrist would be able to bring out a tough bone in Jory’s tiny body. Jory didn’t have it in him to be mean, and as far as Elijah was concerned there was nothing wrong with that. Some people were just nice… period. “Jory, what is it you are trying to accomplish by seeing Oleander?”

Jory tried on one wig and then another, saying, “I… I don’t know. It’s just that when people see how small I am compared to all the other Nakaka I’m always… coddled, or picked on. No one actually sees me for who I am. It… it makes me sad.”

“Jory, there is nothing wrong with you. The issue that is out there are the people themselves. Not everyone can be big and bad. Some of us are just not built that way, but we have our own special qualities that we bring to this world.” Elijah said, applying his black eyeliner.

“Like what?” Jory asked.

Petree stepped out wearing black platform shoes and a black leather formfitting body suit with a white hair wig. “Like the fact that you cook like a dream and we would all starve if not for you.”

“You look fantastic, Pea!” Elijah exclaimed.

Smiling shyly, Petree replied, “Thanks. I saw this in a video and always wished I was in it next to Lady Gaga.”

Nug jumped up excitedly, “I know that video. Come on, let’s do it!”

Elijah laughed as he joined his friends on the stage of his new club. He still couldn’t believe that Hron had given him and his brother the place. Performing had always been a dream of Elijah’s, and to be just handed it was overwhelming, scary as f**k, and exciting as hell.

“We’re ready! Let’s do this.” Nug said, slapping the long platinum blond wig on his head.

Poker Face began to play, and Nug and Jory started swaying their hips as Petree crawled on the stage in a surprisingly sensual way. Elijah smiled and even laughed when the three men stood up and started dancing like Lady Gaga did, even swirling their hands around their heads when they sang out, “poker face.”

Looking back, Elijah could see Mason was flipping the bottles in the air as he practiced his bartender flair, and poured drinks in glass after glass, all to the beat of the song. That’s when he noticed Doc Oleander sitting at one of the tables drinking something and watching the stage.

Elijah knew the man was watching him. They had met earlier that morning for their regular meeting and Elijah could tell the doc wasn’t buying Elijah’s everything is great attitude. He wished the man would just leave it be, but no, the damn armadillo shifter was just too thorough for his own good. He had even planned on telling the man he wasn’t coming back, but he had promised Mason he would keep going once a week for his one-on-one and once a week group with the others. Elijah just didn’t know how long he could keep it up. All he wanted to do was forget. Just forget and move the f**k on. Why wouldn’t anyone let him be. He was standing in the middle of his dream and the past was the f*****g past. Elijah didn’t want to remember the humiliation of Chan… that man, and his dickhead fuckwads touching him, or the fact that they did what they did in front of his own brother. It was not just a violation of his body, it was humiliation beyond anything. Elijah could still hear Mason’s screams as he was forced to…

Petree jerked Elijah out of his memories when he pulled him on the middle of the floor, yelling,

“Dance with us, Eli.”

Elijah hadn’t even realized the song had changed to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. Shaking off his anxious memories, Elijah started singing and dancing, “I want your love and I want your revenge…”

They got into a triangle and started to do the dance like was in the video. Arms dropping down to their sides, then covering their mouths as they marched up the stage bringing their hands back up then down again. They jumped stepping right, then jumped stepping left, dropping their torsos down, then lifting back up with their hands held out front and wiggling their hips. They moved as if they had been dancing this video song all their lives… and then Elijah watched as Khall walked in with three small gargoyles, Hron, Groth, and some other really f*****g large men.

From the way they looked with the dark hair and just by the regal way they stood, Elijah figured it had to be Hron’s brothers and fathers.

No, he didn’t want to talk about the ugliness going on. Elijah wanted that ugly world to just f*****g go away. All he wanted was a little peace. No more talking about Cha… that fucker, or his heathen idiots. No more fighting to stay alive… peace! He needed peace, damn it.

The song ended and Elijah turned to Petree, “I… I can’t do this now, Pea. I just… I can’t.”

Petree gripped his wrist, whispering, “Then we won’t. How about you sing me a song. I know when you do that it helps calm you down, and you know it calms me down as well.”

“But Hron…”

“Can wait. He and his family can wait. Honestly they make me really nervous, Eli. Right now we are going to sing a song to help both of us loosen up a bit. How does that sound?” Petree suggested.

“I’d like that.” Elijah answered.

“Then, that’s what we are going to do.” Petree said. “And I know exactly what song.”

Elijah watched as Petree whispered something in Nug’s ear. The gargoyle nodded and went to the music machine and the next thing he heard was the starting chords to Super Trooper by ABBA.

Petree grabbed two microphones and handed one to Elijah. Petree started singing, “I was sick and tired of everything…”

Nug and Jory joined them dancing in circles with their elbows locked together. Elijah couldn’t help but smile, and then it came to his part. “Facing twenty thousand of your friends, how can anyone feel so lonely…”

Yes, that’s exactly how Elijah felt… surrounded by hundreds of people, but still so damn alone.

Except when he was around Khall. The man listened to Elijah talk and never pushed him to say anything he didn’t want to say, or do something he didn’t want him to do. Everything was at a pace Elijah could manage. He was a good friend… if only Elijah could remember that he and Khall were just that… friends. However, just standing across a room from the man had Elijah wishing he had the nerve to walk right up to that tall dark sexy fucker and just lay one on him…

but that was never going to happen no matter how sexy the man was. Elijah just wasn’t ready to jump into something right now. Besides, he was so f****d up there was no way Khall would even give him a second look.

“But I won’t feel blue like I always do, ‘cause somewhere in the crowd there’s you.” Elijah sang looking at Khall, letting him know how much he meant to him even if Elijah could never have him.

The guys joined in for the chorus, and then Petree walked toward Hron singing, “So I’ll be there…”

Hron looked like a besotted puppy. Elijah sang, “And when you take me in your arms, and hold me tight, I know it’s gonna mean so much tonight.”

The four of them danced around the stage singing the chorus, Mason ran to the stage and they got into a train line and danced, all singing the chorus again and once again until the song was finished.

Everyone was laughing and smiling as they dropped on the stage trying to catch their breath.

“That was good.” Hron said with a smile.

“It was fun, you should try it sometime.” Petree said, looking at his mate, his eyes saying even more than his words.

Hron helped Petree up, saying, “I wish I had the time, little one, but you know how hard I’m working to make this clutch safe for everyone.”

Petree turned away from Hron, and Elijah could see the sadness in Petree’s eyes as he muttered,

“Yeah I know.”

Hron pulled Petree into his arms, saying, “Tonight is a special night for our clutch. Elijah and Mason are having their opening night. How about I promise to set aside work, then you and I can come and have a night out together.”

Petree lit up like a Christmas tree, “Really?”

“Yes, really. So is it a date?” Hron asked.

Nodding, Petree wrapped his arms around Hron, whispering, “Yes, it’s a date.”

“Son, you know we are too busy to take time…”

Hron turned to one of his fathers, saying, “My Viata is feeling neglected and quite frankly, so am I. We’ve waited this long, taking a few hours to spend with my Viata isn’t going to change anything.”

The man nodded, saying, “Of course.”

Petree quickly stammered, “If… If you need to…”

“The only thing I need is my Viata in my arms. You better not stand me up, little one, or you will have one very upset Nakaka.” Hron gently warned.

Smiling, Petree replied, “We live together, Hron. I can’t very well stand you up.”

“Good.” Hron said with a laugh.

“Did you need something, Hron?” Mason asked.

Hron nodded asking, “I just wanted to make sure there will be enough room at my table for my fathers and brothers?”

“Of course.” Mason said, giving the men a once over.

“It might be nice to introduce them, love.” Petree whispered.

Hron looked baffled for a moment, then said, “Oh yes, I’m sorry.”

Walking to the two older men that looked so much like Hron it wasn’t hard to figure out that they were his fathers.

It still freaked Elijah out that men could have babies… or chickpeas as the Nakaka called them.

The way Elijah understood it was that their tails had some kind of special sperm or gel, or whatever that they would secrete out of the tip, and it would literally change the gallbladder into a womb, and then they would secrete something else and an egg would be discharged into that

person… he had no idea what happened after that and honestly, he was too freaked out to learn any more on the subject.

“This is my birthing father, Krerr and this is my seed father, Stok.” Hron said pointing first to a dark haired Nakaka with a light scruff of facial hair and then to a lighter brown haired Nakaka.”

It was weird when Elijah first met a Nakaka with facial hair. Everywhere he had seen a gargoyle before, it never showed one with hair. Hell, Elijah hadn’t even known it was possible. Khall had explained that it sometimes happened, but their facial hair never grew all that long, no more than a five o’clock shadow.

Hron then went to three larger Nakaka, introducing them as his brothers. All of them were tall and had different colors of brown hair, “From oldest to younger, this is Gern, Nelo and Klyn.”

“Nice to meet you.” Elijah murmured, backing up from the large strangers. f**k, they were huge. What the hell did Krerr eat when he was pregnant for f**k’s sake?

Khall must have sensed Elijah’s unease, because he took that moment to step closer to Elijah, whispering, “No one here will hurt you, Elijah.”

“Of course we won’t. We are not heathens.” Stok snapped.

“Father!” Hron growled.

Giving Khall a shaky smile, Elijah quietly replied, “I’m fine, Khall. Thank you.”

Doctor Oleander walked up to where Hron and his family were standing, saying, “Is everything alright here?”

Elijah was mortified. Everyone was looking at him as if he was a glass ready to shatter. The f****d up part was that’s exactly how he felt with all eyes on him. So many large men surrounding him… the room was closing in and he couldn’t breathe.

“Eli, are you alright?” Petree asked.

Elijah tried to answer. He really did, but no words would come out. Funny how a person needed to be able to breathe in order to speak, and right now he couldn’t seem to catch his breath.

“Elijah! You must calm yourself. No one is going to hurt you. I will kill anyone that even tries.”

Khall stated firmly.

He almost laughed… and maybe would have if Hron and the large brothers with him hadn’t stepped forward with their arms out.

Falling to his knees, his breathing coming faster and faster. His heart felt as if it was going to beat out of his chest as small flashes of light swirled around him. Son of a b***h my chest hurts…

am I having a heart attack?

“Groth go get Caden!” Hron shouted out.

Mason gripped Elijah’s chin, “Slow your breathing like we practiced, Eli.”

What the f**k is wrong with Mason? Can’t he see I’m dying here? Elijah thought to himself. His body trembling as sweat started running down his temples.

“What’s wrong with the human?” Someone asked from a distance.

“Everyone step back, he’s having a panic attack.” Doc Oleander ordered.

Anyone would have a panic attack if they were having a heart attack… duh.

“Get out of my way, damn it! Let me through!”

The sound of Caden’s voice was the relief Elijah needed. He had Khall to his right, Mason in front of him and so many large men surrounding him… so many large Nakaka men… he could feel them all around… please god help me.

“Tell me what to do and I swear I will help in any way I can.” Khall insisted.

Elijah had no idea he had even spoken aloud.

“I tried to get him to calm his breathing like you said, Caden, but he went from fine to this in a nanosecond.” Mason said.

To Elijah it sounded as if he was in a long tunnel… oh lights…

“He’s going down!” Caden shouted.

That was the last thing Elijah heard before darkness finally took him.