Gray

Chapter 22

Avery

I grumbled as I leaned over and turned off my alarm, then groaned as I felt a sharp kick. "Ease up there, killer," I muttered, rubbing my stomach.

Warm hands covered mine as he asked, "I take it our son is an early riser?"

Laughing softly I looked into his blue eyes and sighed, "Yes, he seems to be better than an alarm clock. So what time do we need to be at the church?"

"In about three hours, love. Let's get you two some food and a shower." He moved out of the bed and held his hand out to me. I gladly took the help as I was finding it difficult to keep my balance these days. This boy was growing by leaps and bounds. He pulled me toward him, his lips brushing against the soft spot on my neck, "So beautiful. I love you, Gracie."

I gave a soft moan as he sucked on my skin, "I love you too, Reid."

Sean

"What the hell?" Nate yelled out. A few moments ago, Silas, North, and Gray were before us, having sex, then in a flash - they vanished. We all dressed quickly and began searching the RV.

Luke let out a strangled cry, his finger shaking as he pointed at one of Victor's computer screens. "Holy fuck," Gabe muttered as we all looked on the screen at what appeared to be the old church from the town. Silas and a petite redhead were on the front steps looking like they had just been married as North shook his hand. Gray stood only a few feet away, smiling broadly as the creature Reid held her protectively with one hand on her very pregnant stomach. "He pulled them in...he fucking pulled them into another lifetime," Gabe's pained voice said.

"How do we get them out?" Luke asked.

"We need answers, and fast," I answered. "I say we keep the plan and head to her cabin. There has to be something there for him to be fighting so hard to keep us away.

"Sean's right," Kota added, "We need to keep moving. Will the RV make it, or are we going on foot?"

Nate shook his head, "The road won't support this rig. Although, I'm not sure if all of us should go. I think at least two should stay behind to track what is going on in the spell. From the looks of it, none of them have a clue who they really are, but I'm betting Reid knows everything."

"I'll stay," Victor offered.

"Me too," echoed Luke.

We gathered radios and supplies, then headed out on foot for as far as we could. The terrain was harsh and dense with towering trees. We walked in silence, keeping our eyes and ears open to the noises around us. The road, if you could call it that, began to narrow to just a trail. The ground was overgrown, with only a few bare patches to indicate where it had once been.

"There's no way she just recently used this road," Nate said, kneeling down to feel the ground. "I mean, yeah the rain has done a real number on it, but this section hasn't seen a vehicle in years, maybe even decades."

"Wait, does that mean time moves differently inside those spell loops?" I gaped, "Is that why Gray looks so heavily pregnant?"

"Or does time just skip?" Gabe countered.

"Not to complicate matters further, but if she's pregnant now, did Reid do something magically, or was she pregnant when they pulled her into the spell and it just accelerated?" Owen added. My eyes went wide as I considered that possibility. "I know we aren't supposed to be able to father children, but nothing about this entire bonding is normal..."

"Oh shit, but who...when...well fuck," Gabe sputtered.

I snorted, "Well, who are you, North, Silas, Luke, or Nate. As for when, well that would be the million-dollar question, now wouldn't it?" A roll of thunder brought all of us back to our task as we began climbing higher.

The sun was low when Kota pointed to the chimney in the distance. "There it is, it looks abandoned, just like the trail." We found a smattering of flowers and herbs in overgrown beds littering what once appeared to be a yard. The wooden structure was heavily aged and the porch sagged. "Do you hear that?"

"Kota, I don't hear a damn thing," Nate barked as he frowned, trying to see in the windows.

"That's my point - no wind, no bugs, hell the thunder and rain have even stopped. It's like we stepped into a pocket of some kind." We looked at him as everyone came to a full stop. Nothing moved.

I almost jumped out of my skin when the walkie crackled. "Hey guys, um, something weird is happening," Luke's shaky voice spoke. "It's like everyone just froze in place. Is there something happening where you are?"

"We just reached the cabin and it seems to be some kind of out-of-time pocket. Nothing is moving or making sound except us," Kota replied to him. "So what's our next move?" We looked at each other with uncertainty when Nate growled and made a move for the door. His hand touched the knob before any of us could stop him.

The door swung open as Nate vanished.

Author's Notes:  Sorry I'm still out of sorts.  My health isn't great these days - both mentally and physically.  I'm hoping to start writing a bit more once my summer course ends this month.  Blessings, my lovelies!