Page 49 of Secondhand Garagyre

Mutteringunder my breath,Igo around the truck and deposit both of them in the back seat. “I’mnever going to hear the end of this,”Isigh.Gettinginto my one-tonKingRanchford truck,Istart the engine and put it into gear, backing down and out of the driveway.

Rollingboth back windows down halfway for the irritating little shitheads,Iput the truck in drive and head to the cemetery.

“Heyguys,it’s me again.Thiswill probably be my last visit.LaithogandIhave to move.EventhoughIdon’t want to, we really don’t have a choice.I’m…pregnant.Notto mention the not aging thing.”Joyrips through me asItell my parents and brother the news.

“Laithog, andIdidn’t think it was possible.We’vebeen mated for almost twenty years and never hoped for a child.Ahuman doctor cannot deliver my child as it takes years for aGaragyreto master their inherent magick in order to glamour themselves.Thismeans our baby would come out looking decidedly unhuman, and we can’t take that risk.Laithoghas reached out to some of his people, and we’ve been invited to move to a village with multiple interspecies couples, soIwon’t be the only human there…or the only human raising a hybrid child.Thesnag is…this village is on another plane of existence.Sortalike another dimension.Mostof the other species left this plane long agodue to humans and their almost zealous need to attack what’s different.”

Thejingle jangle of tags on collars catches my attention right beforeMerryandPippinappear in front of me, their adorable fluffy butts doing a wiggle dance with happiness at the sight of me.Ismile asIstart shaking my head.Ifmy dogs are here, that means my mate is not far behind.

Laithogadores my corgis.Hejust won’t admit it.Ifhe actually didn’t care for them, he wouldn’t have bound their souls to ours so many years ago, and then left their souls bound.Hecould have undone the soul weave at any point in time to let nature take its course years ago, and letMerryandPippinage like normal dogs.Instead, he made the excuse that he couldn’t bear to see me grieve them, and he kept their souls linked to ours.

Somethingdefinitively taboo in his society,Ifinally found out, but he told me he didn’t care.Theyweren’t a dangerous species and posed no threat to anyone, so it didn’t matter if he made my two little loafs immortal or not.Tohide it over the years,Itold folks in town thatIreplaced my dogs with ones as similar as possible and named themMerry2,Pippin3, and so forth.

Heatenvelops me asLaithogdrapes a blanket around my shoulders. “Littleone, you are with child, and it is cold out.Youshould have brought your coat,” he gently admonishes me, the heavy silver cuff on his left wrist flashing in the fading light.

“It’sthat time of year again, warm in the afternoon with the temperature dropping in the evening.Ididn’t realize how cool it’s gotten.Ihave to come say goodbye…” my voice trails off, butIknow he understands.

Afterso long together, we don’t have any secrets from one another. “Iknow.Iam surprised you have not come sooner or with more regularity in the days leading to our departure.”

Hiswords hit home with the accuracy of a well-placed blow, making me grimace a bit. “I… well,Ishould have done this sooner, butI’veput it off becauseIdon’t want to say goodbye.Iknow that these graves are not my family, but they are the last placeIsaw any of them before they were lowered into the ground,”Iexplain despondently.

“Iunderstand, little flame.Wouldyou like me to hold you while you finish your goodbyes?” he lovingly asks.Readingthe emotions their human andGaragyreare emitting,MerryandPippinglay down on our feet, smothering us with doggie love and comfort.Laithogclicks his teeth, making me giggle a bit. “Oh, stop.Youlove them, and they love you,”Icheerily admonish.

“Iwill never admit to this, little flame.Theyare as vexing today as they were the dayImet them,” he deflects while settling himself next to me.

Withmy mate by my side on the stone bench that instigated our meeting so many years ago,Ifinish my goodbyes to my family. “So, anyway.LaithogandIcan’t stay here.It’sjust too dangerous for our child, butIdid want to tell you thatI’vethought of some names for the baby.Ihaven’t even toldLaithogyet,”Isnicker.

Laithog’sbody starts a little with surprise.Wehaven’t discussed names sinceI’mbarely past my first trimester.Turningmy head to look up at him,Isee his true face under his glamour, a trick he devised when he figured out his human glamour disturbed me.Ireach out and slide my hand along his jaw, cupping it with all thelove and affectionIhave for him asIfinish relaying the news to my family. “Ifit’s a boy,I’mthinkingPaidrag, forPatrick…but if it’s a girl…Ithink we should call herIlayahan.”

Iwatch as tears fill my mates’ eyes, spilling over to run down his cheeks, unchecked, as he gazes at me with incandescent joy. “MyPaisley, you bless me with this gift, butI, too, have a surprise for you…” a slight hesitation before he continues. “Wewill have to use both of your names, little flame.Youare carrying twins.ThissecondhandGaragyrethanks you from the depths of my hearts and soul.Youare a giftIdo not deserve, but oneIwill cherish until we take our final breaths.Ilove you, my preciousPaisley.”

Shockrenders me speechless for a moment, closely followed by apprehension.Regularhuman pregnancies with twins can have complications…but my children aren’t fully human.Myhands dart down to hold the swell of my belly protectively asLaithogwatches me with concern.Takinga deep breath,Iforce myself to quiet my thoughts.Aslong asIhaveLaithog,Iknow that we, my children andI, will be just fine.He’staking us to a place with healers that have delivered multiple blended species babies.

“Wewill be fine.Afterall we’ve been through, nothing will take our joy from us, andIwill deliver our twins safely.Ilove you, my warrior ofLight, andIalways will”

Hislips meet mine in an achingly tender kiss, pulling me closer with one of his wings, while one large hand cups the small swell of my belly over the top of my hands.

Holdingall of us close, sheltered under his wing and close to his heart.

Rightwhere we belong.

Ilayahanlooks over atPatrick,a question on her inhuman face and at his answering silent nod, she reaches out, firmly grasping his hand.

Itis time for them to go.

Longhas she kept vigil over her mate, unable to leave him on this plane alone.Nomatter that he thought she ascended long ago.Shecouldn’t leave him knowing how he suffered.

Andsuffered he had, for far too long.

Stubbornmale.

Toher surprise, she was accompanied by the spirit of a human male,Patrick, several decades ago.

He, too, was unable to leave the other half of his soul while she grieved his loss so deeply.

Tobe honest, both spirits have lingered far longer than they should have.

Theirloved ones were happy and were in no danger.

---