Night Angels (Beast & Beauty) (16 page)

“Well thanks for nothin' kid.”

“You're welcome....” he replied levelly. He was trying very hard not to be riled up by this guy who obviously hated his guts. “You okay, Kat?” he asked her kindly. She was looking even more distraught than Tank.

“Yeah, I'll get by I suppose... thanks hon.” At least she was civil and pleasant about his act of compassion, however misguided it was.

“So I'm out of a job, am I?” Tank spat at him.

“Looks like it, but it's better than being fucking dead!” he spat back, losing his cool for a second.

“Not to me, it ain't.”

“Well there's two ways you can go pal, sink or swim. If I were you, I'd swim. You’re a long time dead. Make the most of the ‘alive’ part.”

“Swimming don't hold much appeal, besides I can't fucking swim one armed, can I?”

“You're such a whiner. Go do something useful.”

“Don't order me about sonny.”

“As I'm in charge, I'll do and say what I like.”

“The fuck you will.”

“Wanna make something of it? You know you can't run things like that. If you were dead I'd be in charge. And alive with one arm I'm still in charge. Accept it and grow. I'm happy for you to stay here and carry on as we were, but things are going to be a little different. You and I need to get along. I'm willing to give it a go. What do you say?” He held out his hand.

“No way rich brat. I'd be givin' away my soul.”

“That's your problem. The offer is always there.”

“Tank, please think about it?” Kat pleaded.

“Not for a second. Go and get our stuff, we're leavin'. Got somewhere else I wanna be.”

“No, you can... but I'm staying. I've had enough of your orders. Being at your beck and call. You treat me like shit, Tank.”

“But Kat...?” He said, the shock of her uprising clearly evident on his face.

“No ifs or buts...  I'm staying.” She announced, folding her arms in defiance.

He marched past her with his bandaged half arm in a sling and gathered his stuff, returning to the living room and looking around in the hushed silence.

“Well I hope you're pleased with your choice,” he said nastily to Roxy as he left the house. Her eyes filled with tears. She started to sob and Kat joined in, in fact all of the women were sobbing as they heard his bike rev up outside and the crunch of gravel as he left.

Kyle felt bad. But he'd given his olive branch and it had been rejected.

“I'm real sorry Kat,” he said sadly, walking off to his room to leave them all to grieve about their old alpha's departure. But she grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“It's okay, I'm free of him. He bullied me for years. I can find someone else now, be happy like you all are. It'll be fine,” she said with a tiny smile, through the tears. He kissed her wet cheek.

“You're a lovely girl, if it wasn't for Roxy... I might have snapped you up myself.”

“I heard that...” Roxy said loudly, un-amused.

“Hey, I'm not coming between you two, I'm dead happy about it Roxy. You deserve happiness. Mine can wait a little longer,” Kat replied, giving her a hug.

“I know you're happy for me. I love 'ya Kat. Really I do. Maybe you can pal up with Mutt and go on the hunt for some hot talent?” Roxy suggested.

“Hey, you know that's not a bad idea...” Kat replied with a smile in Mutt's direction. “What d'you say old fella?”

“I'm always 'appy wiv a lovely chick in tow...” he beamed, displaying his delightful gappy teeth. “Hey Kat, how's about you and I just get it on, and not bother wiv the looking for talent part...?”

“Mutt...! What are you saying?” Kat's eyes opened in surprise.

“I was simply suggesting we had a fuck or two and see how it went?”

“Just tell me straight, why don’t you...” she laughed.

“I like to get things out in the open... and from now on... while everyone’s 'ere... I'm Matt, no more of this Mutt guy, okay? I've 'ad it wiv the crazy animal 'andle. That were Tank's fault, starting all that up. So it's Matt or else you get a bunch of fives to eat, got it?” he chuckled. They all laughed and agreed he was rechristened Matt from that moment forth.

“I need to sleep...” Saffy said. “Much too much excitement for one day...” She swept off, full sail, with Max to their room.

Kyle gave Roxy a 'that could be you soon’ look and she blushed prettily and flashed her eyes at him...

He wasn't sure how long they'd been asleep, because they'd been very busy with each other beforehand, and time flew by until they collapsed in exhaustion...

But he heard voices and strange noises... He jumped up, dressing fast, fearful of what it might be, but up to the task, whatever. On leaving the bedroom he heard it again in the kitchen. He looked inside the room to see Saffy doubled up in pain on a kitchen chair and Max rubbing her back furiously... obviously in a mild state of panic.

“Did the excitement set things off...?” he asked.

“Something did, and it might have been me...” Max explained with a grin. Saffy thumped him for having a joke about sex while she was in such dire agony.

“Fucking hell, I wanna die...” she groaned, pink faced and sweating.

“Come on missy... let's get you sorted, shall we?” Kyle said softly. “Max, go cover the bed with towels... it can get messy, based on my dog experience... Where's your gas and air stuff and your other thing?”

“In the room,” he replied.

“You need to walk around as long as you can love, gravity helps... When the time comes to lie down, you'll know because you'll want to push, apparently... Max is chief back rubber and I'm reserve, okay?” Kyle explained in as calm a voice as he could manage, which was difficult considering he was more nervous of doing this than fighting Carnage 666.

“Are you sure you can do this Kyle?” she asked with real fear in her eyes.

“Hey, I told ya' I'm experienced in matters of this kind. Martha had six pups, all delivered by yours truly. I know what to expect... and it's only one tiny little baby...” he said, comforting her by rubbing the back of her hand gently.

“It don't feel very tiny right now, the little bastard's killing me...
oowwwww
!”

“Yep, it's gonna smart a whole lot more as well... but shout and scream all you like if it helps, and we'll get that gas stuff set up for when the really bad contractions start.”

“Oh shit... I can't do this, I just can't Kyle, I'm so scared...” she said sobbing openly.

“Yes you can Saff, it's a natural process. Your body has been preparing itself for this for months. You can and you will, you need to be strong minded and keep on saying that, okay?

“I can and I will... Repeat after me...”

“I can and I will,” she sobbed unconvincingly.

“No more tears... come again...”

“I can and I will,” she said more forcibly...

“Right, we'll say that together when it hurts bad, okay...?”

He led her back, waddling wide-legged to their room, as Roxy came out of their room, yawning.

“It's okay, go back to bed. Saffy's just having her baby at the moment,” he explained with a real calmness descending on him. “I'll let you know when it's born.”

“
What
? How the hell can I sleep with a baby being born next door, you dumbass...?”

He supposed she had a point there.

“Go play me some music Roxy, and sing some lovely soft soothing stuff... When I'm pushing you can up the tempo...” Saffy suggested.

“Sure... I'd love to. Just call out your requests, okay?” She smiled happily at the prospect of being considered useful in some way.

Roxy busied herself getting set up as the others filtered out, keen to see what was going on. Jobs assigned, they all settled in their designated roles for the birth party. The food and drink supplier, the water and towels supplier, music and entertainment and The Front Line. Angel was going to be at the forefront, to keep an eye on the progression of things ‘down south’.

Kyle didn't feel that was his place.

“Ooooh.... I can see the baby's hair... oh my God ... the whole head's nearly there!” Angel squealed in a state of wild excitement... jumping up and down at the end of the bed.

“Thank fuck for that, this stings like absolute hell..!” Saffy huffed, lying back for a rest after pushing with all her worth.

Kyle and Max had an arm each, and were encouraging her with everything they'd got.

“In a few minutes you'll have that little bundle in your arms. Come on... Push just a little harder next time...” Kyle said, desperate for it to be over.

“Yeah honey, it's nearly over... You can do it...” Max said giving her a quick kiss and wiping her forehead with a damp sponge.

It had been such a strain. She’d been cussing and thumping them both for eight hours now, screaming with pain, despite the gas and air and pethidine, which hadn't even scratched the surface...

She was close to exhaustion.

He really felt for her.

He was damn glad he wasn't a woman. He now knew why they called it ‘LABOUR’. There was nothing as hard and laborious as giving birth. It was a feat of endurance... A Mount Everest of pain.

A moment later she seemed to find an inner strength from somewhere, and with an almighty heave, the baby was born... in a fluid gush, just like that.

“Oh sweet Jesus!” Angel exclaimed, picking the baby up in her hands and looking it over like it was a precious gem. “It's a boy.... a big one... and he's perfect... Those little toes... Awww, I'm gonna cry...” She turned him over, put her finger in his mouth to clear his airway, and patted his back gently. And the next moment a tiny cry filled the room. A sea of faces appeared at the doorway as the noisy flurry of activity ensued.

Kyle smiled the biggest smile he'd ever smiled as Angel laid him on Saffy's chest, bloodied and wrinkled and totally beautiful.

“Congratulations!” he choked, with a huge lump forming in his throat.  He slapped shell-shocked Max on the arm and gave the very relieved and equally shell-shocked new mother a big smacker on the cheek. Angel tied off the cord and passed Max the scissors for the ceremonial cutting of the cord. “I'm gonna give you guys some time alone with junior...Angel, you stay in here... to deal with the other stuff coming after. You've been a complete marvel, a real treasure, honestly you have....” Her face glowed brightly, pink with embarrassment at the big compliment.

He left the room, shutting the door and grabbing a tearful Roxy. His eyes were brimming. They just about made it inside their room before he broke down.

He hung onto her in a deluge of tears as she stroked his head sobbing her own heart out.

Everything came out... The gang war, Tank, Roxy... and finally that baby. He'd never seen anything so wonderful and cute. And he'd never felt so emotional in his entire life.

God knows how he'd cope with his own child's birth.

It seemed they had a few problems to get past. The places they lived in all belonged to Tank. Kyle had no idea where he got his money from, and neither did Kat, so it seemed. But the gang planned to stay put in the Lincoln house for a while. They'd already been there for four months, and maybe another two or three would be good, until the baby was a little older and they'd heard from Tank. Kyle had the means to rent a place elsewhere if need be, based on his own income, and Matt had his Suffolk digs. He was hoping Tank would see his way to leaving them the Lincoln place, now that they had the baby in the pack.

He hoped common decency might prevail. His continued absence was looking like this may well be a possibility.

Kyle had arranged internet access for the two homes, and after a week, he was set up and working from their room. He bought a TV and another computer for the others to use. He was settling into his new role well. He had been surprised at the keen acceptance and respect he had earned from the gang in such a short space of time.

Ryder was another surprise. He'd gone out of his way to be the handyman of the moment. Anything that needed doing got done and fast. The house was now painted red and had a smart new sign on the wall outside. Matt ran the errands for the food and essentials, and he was always accompanied by Kat, who kept them supplied with the mountain of baby gear they seemed to need.

The two of them were forming a real bond. Whether that would turn into something deeper in time he had no idea. But with Matt now on medication, at Kyle’s suggestion, to stop him fitting, or whatever it was he did, he felt they stood a good chance of becoming a couple. Matt was a good looking well built man with a heart of gold. She couldn't find a better one, in his opinion, and he kept reminding her of that, at every given opportunity.

Max and Angel were working in a packaging factory on a temporary basis, to get some extra cash for the baby and household things.

Little Jack was a completely gorgeous and very fat little boy at four months of age. Everyone was in love with him and carried him around like he belonged to them. He was such a little charmer already, blowing bubbles and cooing like a hot little guy. His looks were definitely were-baby of the highest order, with bright blue eyes and lots of thick dark hair. Dead handsome too, just like his dad.

There were already issues becoming evident, present and future, in having a child living with a pack of biker werewolves. Education, socalising, transport, and full moon childcare, of course. It was more complicated than it seemed, but problems were there to be solved, and Kyle was so good at that.

He enjoyed tackling things head on and finding a solution. That was his job. Paid and unpaid. He revelled in it.

He finished his Skype chat with Anya and closed the session with a sigh. It had been hard letting go of the gaming. It was deeply engrained in his blood. Almost like a drug... But she'd said she understood.

He had responsibilities now. Big ones. He'd finally grown up. Completely.

Besides which, he just hadn't got enough time for it anymore.

“You got a minute, babe?” Roxy asked, hanging her arms around his neck, as he sat staring blankly at his desktop screen-saver.

“Yeah, what's up?”

“There's someone here to see 'ya... In the porch.”

“There is?” Who the fuck that could be, he hadn't got a clue.

He got up and made his way to the door gazing out of the living room window as he went through. It was icy cold out today, sleet whipping through the air. He hated January with a passion.

To his complete surprise, there stood Chris with a dark haired and very attractive woman at his side.

“Bro... What the hell?” He was flummoxed, but soon he was hugging his brother and slapping his back. He was so pleased to see him, his eyes smarted with tears.

“Whoa... that hair's getting way too long....” Chris guffawed, grabbing a handful of his unruly locks... “Thought I'd pop in... and see how you're doing. Brought Carly to meet you. She's another math genius, like me,” Chris explained with a little grin, as he was ushered inside.

“Real pleased to meet you...” he said, kissing her cheek as she passed by. His brother certainly knew how to pick 'em. What a babe, and brains too?  “But how did you know I was here, Chris?”

“I have my ways.” He gave Roxy a little look.

No, she couldn't have told him, surely? Actually yes... that was exactly what she'd done...

“But...?” A dozen questions burned in his brain.

“Look, this is between you and I. Mum and Dad don't know and don't need to. So... with that said, happy birthday Kyle!” He handed him a gift and a card.

“Happy birthday to you too...” Kyle replied with a burst of happiness... “Sorry, but I don't have a card for you...”

“That's fine... I've surprised you, I didn't expect one. Go on, open it.”

He tore open the gift.

A Hells Angels vest lie inside.

“Roxy sent me a letter... about her gang, and how you helped them out after the old leader left, having to cancel your plans for travelling. Anyways, she thought it'd be a fitting present for you.”

“It's great pal! Really great,” Kyle said as he held it up, admiring it, and then he slipped it on proudly.

“I'm sure you could tell Mum and Dad, they're both open minded enough and you're still working, aren't you? Not a complete society dropout just yet...” he joked, punching his arm playfully.

“I don't know... perhaps in a while. Not yet, okay?”

“Not a bad place this, nice in fact...” Chris said, looking around and taking a seat with Carly.

Kyle took a seat on the sofa opposite his brother as Saffy appeared from the kitchen with the baby and a bottle of milk.

“Well I say... this is all very, errrr... domestic..... Isn’t it?” Chris laughed.

“Meet Jack... He's our newest recruit...” Kyle explained with a grin.

Roxy sank to his side with a sigh, cuddling up to him, her head drooping with tiredness. She was always tired lately, but that was to be expected, he guessed. He rubbed her arm and his hand slid down to her stomach, circling it lovingly. Nothing was visible yet, as she was only two months gone. 

“But not for long...” he added with a smile and a flash of his eyes in his brother's direction.

“Fuck no? Now this I really, really don't believe...” Chris spluttered in complete shock.

“That's your problem...” Kyle laughed... “You never do...”

~ The End ~