by Faith Gibson
“Right behind you.” When Mikael turned to look back, Natalia yelled, “Hayden, shift!”
Hayden didn’t hesitate to do as she said. His lion came forth and crouched low to the ground. Natalia shot Mikael and Ivan at the same time. Mav ran at Viktor, shifting mid-leap, and his lion pounced on Viktor, latching onto his gun hand. The Russian screamed, but Mav didn’t let it distract him. Rev ran to check on Ivan, while Natalia and Hayden, who had transformed back to his human, kept an eye on Mikael.
“He’s dead,” Rev announced. Mav’s Gryphon bristled at the male being naked around their mate, but Mav wasn’t worried. She was his mate, and she was going to see the others shift from time to time. He had to get used to it.
“Tatiana... what...? What the hell is happening?” Mikael’s eyes were wide. His shoulder was bleeding where she shot him, and the front of his pants were wet where he pissed himself.
“I will tell you what the hell is happening, Cousin. You put a hit out on me after you put a hit out on Maveryck. When we didn’t take each other out, you burned my house down. Shot at me. You missed.”
“Fire... what... I didn’t burn down your house.” Mikael licked his lips, glancing around, his eyes wide. “What... that’s a lion. Why is there a lion here? And why are these men naked?”
“Don’t worry about them. Hayden, please tell Mikael to speak the truth,” Natalia requested, never taking her eyes nor her guns off her cousin. She was asking Hayden to use his shifter voice on Mikael.
“Mikael, tell us everything you have done since you kicked Natalia out of her home.”
“Who’s Natalia? Tatiana, what’s he talking about?”
“I’m Natalia. It’s not like you didn’t know that.” Natalia raised both pistols, aiming them at Mikael’s head. “I believe he gave you an order.”
Mikael held his hand against his shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding. “I waited for you to find Anatoly’s killer and take him out. I couldn’t contact you, because you disappeared. Someone sent me a file about a month after that. It named Maveryck Lazlo as the killer and gave me the name of someone to contact to take a hit out on him. I sent Ivan and Viktor to find him. Why spend a quarter million when we could kill him ourselves? But they couldn’t find him, so I contacted someone called Oz. I don’t know if they’re a man or woman. Their voice was distorted.”
“Did you take a contract out on me?” Natalia asked.
Mikael shook his head. “Tatiana, please...”
“Answer the question,” Hayden demanded. “Truthfully.”
“They sent me pictures of the two of you together. You, Lazlo, and two kids.”
Maveryck’s lion roared, releasing Viktor. When Viktor tried to grab his gun with the hand that wasn’t mangled, Natalia shot him in the chest. If he didn’t die instantly, it would only be a matter of time until he bled out. Trusting Maveryck to watch Viktor, Natalia turned and shot Mikael in the knee, sending him to the ground. “Owww, fuck!” Mikael panted through the pain, and tears rolled down his face.
“Did you take out a contract on me? I’m not going to ask you again!”
“Yes! Fuck, yes. But—” A bullet hit Mikael in the center of his forehead, and he slumped to the ground.
“You crazy fucking bit—!” Natalia silenced Viktor with one final shot.
She slid both pistols into the holster. “Who is this Oz?” Natalia asked Maveryck as soon as he shifted back to his human form.
“My guess is someone from Nexus. We need to get Ryker and the others. I need to get back to the cars and call my parents. The boys...” Maveryck couldn’t get the words out.
“Ryker’s here, Brother.” Hayden pointed to the sky. Three large eagles flew over the trees and landed several feet away, shifting into their humans.
“It’s Digger. Motherfucker sold you out!” Ryker yelled. “I’m going to kill him.”
“The boys!” Natalia yelled. “You have to warn your parents. Go. Use the phone in the house.”
“I’ll go call Sutton and warn him. The rest of you get to the SUVs. I doubt Digger stuck around. If he didn’t, he has at least an hour head start. Maveryck, call Lucy and get her to charter a flight. We need to get back home before Digger does. I’ll gather our bags and bring them after I call Pop.” Ryker shifted back to his eagle and took off.
“I’ll hang back with Lolly. You all go ahead,” Hayden offered.
“No. I’m not letting her out of my sight.” Maveryck looked at Natalia and asked, “Do you trust me?”
“With my life.”
“Good. Hop on.” Maveryck shifted, turning the Gryphon loose.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Natalia
Natalia had known Mav’s Gryphon was going to be spectacular. This so-called mythical beast was real. Standing around ten feet tall, the majestic eagle head, wings, and front legs were blended seamlessly with the body, tail, and back legs of the lion. The black eyes blinked at her before it opened its mouth and squawked.
“Up you go, Lolly.” Hayden helped her climb onto Mav’s back, telling her to hold onto his feathers. She straddled his back as she would a horse, tucking her knees behind the massive wings. She didn’t want to hurt him, but there wasn’t anything else to grab onto, plus she didn’t want to fall off. It was surreal. Not just riding a Gryphon, but all of it. Seeing the Hounds in their various animals. Killing her cousins. Finding out someone else at Nexus was at play in the whole thing. Knowing the boys were in trouble. The Gryphon’s wings flapped, their feathers brushing against her knees, and within seconds, they were accelerating into the sky. She looked down just as Hayden and the other Hounds shifted into their eagles and took flight.
Hayden’s wings were blue, where Rev’s were solid white. The two others’ wings were both a golden yellow. When she’d been talking to Mav’s lion, she’d never been happier that he had explained about their elements on the ride there. If she hadn’t known he could manipulate the earth, they might not have been able to distract her cousins long enough to gain the upper hand.
At least this part was over. Now they had to figure out who the fuck Oz was, why Digger betrayed his own kind, and make sure the twins were safe. Natalia dug into Mav’s feathers and leaned forward so she was lying against his back. As exhilarating as flying with his Gryphon was, she needed to be close to him more. “I’m through being an idiot,” she muttered. The Gryphon squawked. She didn’t know if Mav was fussing at her, telling her she wasn’t an idiot, or if he was agreeing with her.
The SUVs came into view, and Natalia saw the flat tires. “Damnit!” As soon as Mav touched down, Natalia slid off his back and pulled her guns. She knew Mav and the Hounds didn’t use guns, but if Digger wanted to take them out, shooting them would be the perfect way. He was outnumbered, but picking them off in their eagles would have been the perfect opportunity.
Mav and the others shifted into their humans, and all five males cursed the condition of their vehicles. Hayden dropped the bag he’d been carrying and dug the keys out, hitting the unlock button. He opened the door and retrieved his phone, tossing it to Maveryck. Hayden and the other Hounds walked around to the other side of the car, probably to hide their nudity. Not that she’d looked. None of them held a candle to her Mayhem.
Maveryck leaned his elbows on the hood of the SUV. “Tell me,” he demanded.
“One of the guards admitted it was Digger who warned the cousins we were on our way. He didn’t know why, just said the man was pissed at you, Natalia, the Hounds, and basically the world,” Ace explained.
“Fuck!” Maveryck yelled into the air. He punched in a number on the phone and put it to his ear. “War, hey. Digger has lost his fucking mind! He warned Natalia’s cousins we were coming... I don’t know why... No, listen. He’s sabotaged our cars. He has a good hour head start. Ryker’s already called Pop, and I was going to call Lucy to charter a jet, but we don’t have a car.”
“Yes, we do.” Natalia placed her hand on Mav’s arm. “There are at least three cars back at
the estate.”
Mav nodded. “Yeah, okay. That’s good. We have transportation to the airport. I’m going to call Lucy, but War, I need you to get the boys. No, War. I know you want to be here, but I need you to take care of my sons. Take them somewhere... What? Fuck, that’s perfect. Take Sutton and Rory with you. Kyllian too. Okay, thanks, Brother. I will. You too.” Just as Mav disconnected, he grabbed Natalia’s hand and pulled her behind the SUV. “What is it?” she asked.
“There’s a car coming.”
Instead of hiding, Natalia handed Mav her pistols. When he took them, she pulled the rifle over her shoulder and aimed it at the approaching car.
“Princess Badass, the Gryphon Rider,” Hayden whispered. Natalia winked at him, and Maveryck growled. She knew Mav would have smacked his brother if his hands were empty.
A familiar face rolled down the window. “Don’t shoot. It’s me,” Ryker yelled. When Mav and Natalia lowered their weapons, Ryker got out of the car, holding several bags of clothes from where they had stripped. He strode to the SUV and handed them out. The Hounds looked through the pouches, handing over the correct one to whoever it belonged to. While they got dressed, Ryker ran a hand through his brown hair. Where the twins and Hayden were blond like Rory, Ryker and Kyllian had darker hair like Sutton.
Natalia went to the back of the SUV, removed her vest, and broke down her rifle, storing it in the case. She took her pistols from Mav and put them in her holster. When she walked back to where the males were talking, she stood with her arms crossed over her chest, but Mav maneuvered her so she was standing in front of him. He settled his hands on her shoulders, massaging her neck with his thumbs. She bit the inside of her jaw to keep from moaning.
“What the ever-loving fuck is going on?” Mav asked Ryker.
“Have you called Lucy?”
“No. I just got off the phone with War. The boys’ safety was my first priority.”
“You know that’s going to piss Rory off.”
“I don’t give a shit. Besides, I told War to take Sutton and Rory with him. Kyllian too.”
Ryker stroked his beard. “Call Lucy, then we’ll talk while we’re on the way to the airport. Hayden, you’re with us. The rest of you head back to the house. There’re more vehicles to choose from. Take care of the men in the guard shack, if they haven’t fled. Don’t kill them; just instruct them to find another line of work in a different state. Afterwards, go home and protect your families. If any of you hear of something that’ll help us figure out this shit with Digger, give me a call.”
“If you head through the woods there between those two trees, there’s a path that leads directly to the property,” Natalia instructed. Rev and the other Hounds took off jogging through the trees. While Mav called Lucy and told her what they needed, Natalia walked to the back of the SUV. When she returned, she was carrying her case and duffel. Ryker took them from her and put them in the trunk of the car he’d commandeered.
Natalia leaned against the car, staring off into the woods. She had thought when her cousins were taken care of, things would be over. They would go home to the twins, and she would start on her plan to prove to Maveryck she was worthy of him and his sons. First, they had a rogue Hound to hunt down. When Mav hung up, he opened the back door for her. She removed her holster and sheaths before climbing in. She placed them on the floorboard so she would have her weapons close, just in case. Mav levered himself into the back seat and buckled up.
Hayden turned around and looked at Natalia. “I’m really sorry, Natalia. I let you down.”
“You did no such thing. I’m the one who didn’t scope out the area before I charged out of the tunnel. We’re both alive. That’s all that matters.”
“Can I just say I’m glad you’re on our side?” Ryker asked, looking at Natalia through the rearview mirror. “I admit, I doubted your sincerity in the beginning. But you saved my baby brother’s life. I’m in your debt.”
Natalia pressed against Mav, placing her hand on his. “You help us keep the twins safe, and consider the debt paid.” That was all she wanted from any of the Lazlos. Safety for the twins. Anything else wasn’t necessary. She’d taken care of herself for so long, and the only one she wanted something from was Maveryck, and that was love.
Mav put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. “Lucy’s going to call back when she gets us a jet. She’s also going to see if she can’t get a location on Digger.”
“That bastard’s as good as dead,” Hayden seethed.
“I agree. He’s been distancing himself from the club for months now. I didn’t question him whenever he said he needed time on his bike. We all have those moments when nothing but the open road will soothe the soul.”
“It obviously didn’t work. I haven’t done anything to him for him to turn against me.” Maveryck got quiet, and Natalia figured he was thinking about his relationship with Digger.
“While we’re looking for your Hound, we need to also look into Nexus. Whatever is going on has something to do with them. I can feel it.” Natalia’s gut hadn’t led her astray yet. Ryker didn’t respond. Neither he nor Mav spoke the rest of the way to the airport. Hayden found a rock station on the radio and they all let the music fill the empty space.
Natalia had a feeling she was getting a glimpse into the lives of the Hounds. Granted, she was the one who shot at Maveryck, but he and the others took jobs all the time. This couldn’t be the first close call they’d had, even if it was one of their own putting them at risk. Before she met the Gryphon and his boys, all she had to worry about was her cousins and herself. Now, she had a whole family she cared about. If she pursued a relationship with Mav, she would be bringing more danger to their door. But she could also be another line of defense standing guard. Gryphons weren’t immune to guns, and if this Digger was coming after them, she would stand on the front line for all the Lazlos. She would protect Martina’s Tank. She hadn’t met the other mates, but Rev, Ace, and King had gone with her to fight her cousins, even though they didn’t know Natalia. She would gladly repay these males, and in turn their women waiting at home by being the best guard to them she could be. Even if Mav decided he didn’t want her as a mate, she silently vowed to protect them.
When they arrived at the airport, they boarded a small jet. Maveryck led Natalia to the plush leather seats in the back of the cabin. She had flown first class on a commercial plane, but she’d never flown on a private jet. Ryker and Hayden sat in the front, giving them what privacy they could. When they were in the air, Natalia asked, “Where are we going?”
“The cult we are hunting has a compound in New Basom. When we went in to take them down, they had fled. Lucy’s still trying to figure out where they moved to, but their old compound is in the middle of nowhere. We are going to meet up with the rest of my family until we figure out our next move. It’s not a five-star hotel, but if hundreds of people can live there comfortably, we should be okay for a few days. War and Kerrigan are stopping by our house to grab some things for us and the boys. I know this isn’t your fight, but—”
“Stop.” Natalia placed her hand on Mav’s arm. “Going up against my cousins wasn’t your fight, either, but you and your Hounds joined me anyway. It almost got Hayden killed.”
“That’s different.”
“How? How is you being there for me any different than me wanting to protect you and fight alongside you? If you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty good at what I do. And one more person standing between danger and my boys is a good thing, in my opinion.”
Maveryck grinned. “Your boys, huh?”
“Oh, well, I mean—-”
Mav leaned over and kissed her. “I’m glad you’re claiming them, because they’ve already claimed you.” Maveryck unbuckled Natalia’s seatbelt and pulled her onto his lap. She clasped her hands behind his neck while he held onto her hips. “And what about their Daddo? Do you think you might want to claim him someday?”
Natalia studied his eyes looking for any s
ign he was joking. All she found was sincerity. “I—”
“Sorry to interrupt, but Lucy wants to talk to us.” Ryker motioned toward the front of the jet where a low table sat in front of one of the sofas. Natalia wished she and Mav could continue their conversation, but it could wait. Knowing he wanted her was enough.
When they were seated, Ryker tapped a few buttons on a laptop, and Lucy’s face appeared on the screen. “Go ahead, Little Dove.” Natalia smiled at the endearment.
“We have a problem. I asked Hawk to drive by Digger’s place since he lives in the same neighborhood to see if he had taken his bike or his truck. Both are in the garage. I tapped into all the local rental companies, and I can’t find where he rented a car. I don’t know what he’s driving, so I can’t find him. Do you know someone who would have loaned him a car?”
“He was closest to Monk before Monk took off. He really hasn’t been very social with anyone since.”
Lucy frowned. “Have you heard from Monk?”
Ryker rubbed his hands down his face and sighed. “Yeah. He sent me a message about a month ago. He’s not coming back.”
Natalia didn’t know who they were talking about, but it was clear by the way Lucy turned away from the screen she was fighting her emotions.
“This isn’t your fault, Little Dove. But look at it from his perspective. You’re around all the time, and that means Tamian is too. He needed to put space between you so he could move on. I know you cared for him, just not the way he wanted.”
“Do you...” Lucy cleared here throat. “Is it possible he’s helping Digger? Would my rebuke make him turn against all of you?”
“If you had asked me that yesterday, I would’ve said no. But I didn’t think Digger could do something like this either. Monk was supposed to have packed up his house and taken everything with him to New Mexico. I never thought to make sure that happened. Why don’t you ask Hawk to drive by and take a look?”
