Malakai (The Stone Society Book 13)

by Faith Gibson

  The EMT returned with the stretcher, and they got Josie loaded up. Jacinta followed them out but turned at the last minute. “Kaya, please lock up.”

  “I will. I’ll see you soon.”

  “There’s no need for you to stay here. I can lock up,” Presley said.

  “No offense, but I’m not exactly feeling you have any love for your sister,” Tessa said.

  “Whenever someone begins a sentence with ‘no offense,’ it’s usually meant to offend.” Presley crossed her arms over her chest again.

  “Then take it however you want. We’re not leaving you here alone in Josie’s apartment.”

  “I’m her sister. You’re strangers.”

  “You’re not a very good sister. As a matter of fact, you suck at it.” Tessa had stepped right into Presley’s personal space.

  Gregor grabbed her belt loop and pulled her back. “Okay, Red. She gets the point. But Tessa’s right. We’re not leaving you here. Kaya’s the former chief of police, as you already know, and I’m Gregor Stone, Warden of the New Atlanta Penitentiary. This is my brother, Rafael Stone.” Presley’s eyes widened. Anyone who was anyone knew that name, even if they hadn’t met the male. Rafael kept a low profile since he’d been in the city so long. “Malakai is like family to us, and as such, so is your sister. Now, if you would kindly grab whatever file it is you came for and leave, we’d like to get to the hospital and check on Josie.”

  Presley’s phone rang, and when she saw whoever it was calling, she stepped out of the room. “Hey, Dad. No, it’s just a fever, but Mom insisted she go to the hospital. I’m headed there now. You know those two. Yes, okay. I’ll call you soon.”

  Kaya and the others looked at each other. Tessa rolled her eyes and muttered, “Bitch.”

  Presley returned with a file in her hand. “You can go now.”

  “After you,” Tessa said, and after a stare-off that Tessa would never back down from, Presley relented.

  Rafael made sure the door was locked, and the four of them followed Presley down to the parking garage. The blonde didn’t bother saying goodbye. They were on their way to the hospital when Rafael’s phone rang. He put it on speaker. “Go ahead, Nik.”

  “I found something about the Auspice of Sevens. It sounds like folklore, but if it isn’t, we have a big problem. There are several definitions of auspice such as guidance, prophecies, and the study of bird patterns as they relate to omens. But in the archives the text stated that the seventh son of a seventh son’s bond with his mate is special. It goes deeper than any other, and if either of the mates refuse the bond, it’s as good as a death sentence.”

  “So Josie isn’t sick with something like food poisoning. She’s feeling the effects of not accepting Kai,” Rafael said. “Does it say how long we have to get the two of them together?”

  “I expected it to be seven days because why not? But it’s until the next full moon,” Nik answered.

  “That’s two nights from tonight,” Gregor replied from the back seat.

  “Thank you, Nikolas. We’re headed to the hospital now to sit with Josie’s mother. If you would, call Dante and tell him what you found out.”

  “I’m going to drive over there on my way back to the manor. Sophia wanted to stay with Sebastian.”

  “Tell everyone what’s going on, and we’ll be back as soon as possible.”

  “Will do.”

  “Are you okay with going to the hospital?” Rafe asked Kaya.

  “Yes. Bas is in good hands, and Malakai needs us to do this.”

  “And Josie needs protecting from that sister of hers. It’s a good thing I’m family with the police chief, because I swear to you if that bitch starts any more shit about Josie not being good enough for Kai, I’m gonna rip her a new asshole and shove her five-hundred-dollar tennis shoes up both orifices.”

  Gregor chuckled. “Tell us how you really feel, Red.”

  Kaya turned to her mate. “Since we know this isn’t medical, should we call Jonas and get him involved?”

  “He and Caroline took Connor to a science exhibit for the weekend,” Tessa said. “We should call Sabrina instead. She’s already slated to be the new Chief of Staff, so her stepping in won’t seem odd.”

  Rafael called Deacon and explained what was going on. With Sabrina on speaker, they came up with a game plan. They had to convince Josie that Gargoyles were real, and Dante and Frey had to somehow pull Kai out of his sorrow.

  Chapter Eight

  “Kai, Brother, listen to me. Josie is sick. She’s feeling the Auspice of Sevens, and we have to get you to the hospital. Your mate needs you.” Malakai could hear Dante speaking, but he didn’t have the energy to get up. He was doing his best to hold onto his beast, but it was fighting him hard.

  Our mate is sick. She needs us.

  She rejected us. There’s nothing left for us here.

  No! You can’t give up. We’re stronger than this. Do you not feel her pain? I do.

  Once we’re gone, she can find a human. The bond will be broken.

  No! I refuse to let you give up on her. She’s sick. She needs us to get better.

  “Kai, can you hear me?” Frey asked. Kai nodded, but he couldn’t answer his boss when he was fighting so hard with the Goyle inside. Kai wasn’t ready to give up.

  “Nikolas said we have until the next full moon to get Josie to agree to the mate bond. That’s two days, Kai. You can’t give up yet.”

  “Not… fighting…” Kai knew he wasn’t explaining it right to the other male, but he was barely hanging on to the shifter part of himself. He was afraid if he let go of the connection long enough to explain what he was going through to Dante and Frey, he would never get it back.

  “You have to fight. There is nothing more important than your mate. You know this. You can’t let her suffer, and she is. Rafael said she’s burning up with fever and delirious. Come on, Kai. Fight!” Frey all but yelled. Kai squeezed his eyes closed. He couldn’t stand the anguish in the other male’s voice. Kai knew he was the cause of it, but he couldn’t worry about Frey now. He had to focus all his energy on his beast.

  Just let me go.

  Never. We’ve only had four hundred years together. Now we’ve found our mate, and I want at least four hundred more years to spend with her and our children.

  His beast didn’t respond. Instead, it let out a deep sigh in Kai’s head.

  Don’t do this! Don’t pull away!

  Kai reached deep, but there was only the smallest twinge when he searched for his Goyle.

  “Josie, Malakai needs you. He’s really sick, like you are. Neither of you will get better if you aren’t together. Please, Josie, wake up.”

  Josie couldn’t tell what was real anymore. She’d heard her mother and sister fighting. Words being thrown around like coma and quarantine. She didn’t think she was in a coma because the pain was too intense. If she were in a coma, wouldn’t she feel nothing? Josie heard other voices talking about her and Kai being together, but the one voice she kept holding onto was the one who told her sister off. The same voice talking to her now. At least she thought someone was in the room with her.

  A strong yet soft hand held Josie’s, and the feminine voice got closer to her ear. “I know what you saw was hard to believe, but it’s true. I’m Tessa, and I have a feeling you and I could be great friends if you’d wake up. Kaya’s here too. Do you remember trying to search for her on the internet? You wanted to talk to her, and she’s here. Kaya’s as human as you are, and she is a good, honorable woman. You don’t know me, but I’m honorable too. All our family is. My uncle is Joseph Mooneyham, Chief of Staff of this hospital. Sabrina Bailey is here. She’s a doctor, but she’s going to be taking over the chief position soon. Sabrina’s another human mate. I know it sounds far-fetched, but I promise you, Gargoyles are real. Just open your eyes, and I’ll show you.”

  Josie wanted to open her eyes. She wanted to believe what this Tessa was saying was true because Josie’s heart was shredding in her
chest, and she didn’t know how much more she could withstand.

  “Josie, it’s Kaya. I’m here.” Something cool touched Josie’s forehead, and she figured it was Kaya’s hand.

  “Kaya…”

  “Yes, I’m here. Can you open your eyes?” Kaya asked.

  “Too… hot…”

  “I know you are. You have an extremely high fever, and it’s because you and Kai aren’t together. It’s the mate bond. I’m going to be honest. Your bond with Kai is special. Unlike any of us have seen before. It’s because Kai himself is special. When the Gargoyles find their fated mate, the need to be with that person is all-consuming. That never really goes away. I’ve been with Rafael over a year, and I still want him as much as I did the first day I saw him. Tessa has been Gregor’s mate for years, and she’d put a bullet in someone who tried to come between them. Her parents have been together over thirty years, and there’s nothing Xavier wouldn’t do for Elizabeth. They’re still as much in love as they were the day they met. But it’s more than that with you and Kai. The connection you have is stronger because of who Kai is.”

  “Seven…,” Josie muttered. Josie remembered Malakai talking about being the seventh son.

  “That’s right. He’s the seventh son of a seventh son, and because of that, you need each other. Josie, if you don’t accept Kai, he’s going to die. I know this sounds really shitty right now, and it’s a lot of pressure to put on you, but it’s the truth. I’m a straight shooter, and that’s what I’m doing now. I’m telling you the truth. It was hard for me to believe at first, but when Rafael wrapped his wings around me and stopped a bullet from taking my life, I knew the truth.”

  “Crazy…”

  “Yes, it is crazy, but that doesn’t make it any less true. You saw proof with your own eyes, as scary and crazy as it was. What’s even crazier is my son, Sebastian, came to me in visions. He warned me about the man who was trying to kill me. He warned Rafael in a dream. That was before I was even pregnant. Connor, another child of a Gargoyle, was kidnapped, but he reached out with his mind to his mother’s mate, a male he’d never met, and showed Dante how to find him using pictures. Tessa and her mate, Gregor, they can speak to each other with their minds. Tessa can also speak to her brother the same way. Josie, the Gargoyles are special, and they are real. I promise they’re not some cult using elaborate tricks of the mind.”

  “I need you all out of the room if this is going to work,” another female voice said.

  “Mom…”

  “Your mom is in the waiting room. She’s been with you this whole time. The doctor asked her to wait outside so Tessa and I could speak privately with you. For now, you need to rest.”

  “Don’t go…”

  “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here when you wake up,” Kaya promised.

  Warmth flooded Josie’s veins. It was different than the heat coursing through her body, and soon, she was floating again. Or moving. Hushed voices talked above Josie, and then she felt a rumbling. Was she in a car? Josie tried to open her eyes, but she was so tired. And hot. Why wouldn’t the heat go away?

  “My apologies, Josie. I would never touch you if it weren’t absolutely necessary,” a deep, male voice said.

  “Who…?”

  “My name is Rafael. I’m taking you to Malakai. Hang tight. You’ll feel better soon.”

  Malakai knew he was being moved. Several pairs of strong hands pulled him from the chair and carried him into the house. He wanted to yell and tell them he was still alive, but he couldn’t find his voice. Dante had to feel Kai’s pulse beneath his skin. Someone removed his jeans. Why were they taking off his clothes?

  “Everything’s going to be okay, Brother. We’re just getting you comfortable,” Frey said. At least Kai thought it was Frey. The males’ voices were so far away. The pain made it hard to concentrate. Not his pain – Josie’s. Kai didn’t know how it was possible to feel her when she was at home and their connection had been severed when she refused him.

  He had no idea how long he’d lain there when the most blessed scent filled the air. The bed dipped, and Kai imagined one of the males sitting down. Too soon, his body was assaulted with intense heat.

  “Josie, Kai needs you. You need him. He can take away the pain.” Why was Frey talking to Josie? She was gone. The heat increased when someone touched his skin. Kai thought he was burning alive; the searing pain was unbearable. Was this what it felt like to cross over? He’d always thought it would be a peaceful slipping away into nothingness. His beast stirred somewhere deep in the farthest recesses of his mind. Kai had thought it was gone for good.

  “Kai…”

  Josie’s voice sounded so close. Yes. This was what he needed to cling to. Instead of holding onto the anguish left by her refusing their bond, Kai held tight to everything that could have been. That searing heat that touched his hand now trailed down his chest through his shirt. At least he thought he was still wearing one.

  “Kai, come back to me.”

  Water.

  Malakai needed water, so he turned toward the lapping waves of his beloved ocean. He looked around for his paddle board, but he must have forgotten it. Why would he do that? He walked toward the surf’s edge, noting the sand was pristine. Untouched by feet. There were no birds circling above, no laughter from children chasing one another.

  Water.

  Kai could enjoy the ocean without his board. He could swim for miles without tiring. Find a pod of dolphins and spend an hour or so chasing them like he did when he was a kid. The water lapped at his ankles. The small waves broke against his knees. When his feet no longer touched sand, Kai flattened his body and propelled through the mighty ocean. His sanctuary. Kai never felt as small as he did when he entered the cavernous depths. He never felt as one with the universe either. Gargoyles were called to the moon, their wings itching to unfurl and take flight. But for Kai, the water called to his soul in a way the moon never could. Why had he left his island home?

  To find our mate.

  Ah yes. Josie. His perfect female. Too bad he couldn’t have met her a hundred years before when he still lived in his little house close to the sand. His beast must be happy with Kai’s remembering their last day on the island. It was pushing against Kai’s mind for the first time since Josie drove away. Kai was glad. He didn’t want to be separated from his Gargoyle for all eternity. Crossing over should be a relief, not an excruciating experience.

  The memory of swimming was working to douse the flames. The heat had lessened, leaving behind a cool balm against his skin. In reality, Kai was lying on his back, so in his mind, he flipped over and floated on the calmer waters away from the shoreline. His body dipped and rose as the sun sank lower on the horizon. Soon, it would be dark, and he would be able to gaze on the millions of stars twinkling overhead.

  “Kai? Can you hear me?”

  I hear you.

  That wasn’t me.

  I know. She’s with me, in here. Kai mentally tapped a finger to his chest where his heart beat. I’m taking her with us on the last part of our journey.

  “Malakai, please come back to us. To me. It’s not working. Why won’t he wake up? Being here healed me, so why am I not doing the same for him?”

  “You have to keep trying. As long as there is breath in his body, there is hope in his soul. It might be a sliver, but our bond with our mate is the strongest force in the universe.”

  That sounds like Rafael. What is he doing here?

  “Stronger than love?” Josie asked.

  “Stronger than love. Your mother loves you, but even she couldn’t heal you. Your connection to Malakai did that. Just being next to him took away your pain.”

  “Why am I not healing him?”

  “We don’t know that you aren’t. Kai’s anguish runs deep in his soul. Please tell me, what did you feel when you drove away from Malakai?”

  “Heartache. Like I was making the biggest mistake of my life. It was as if a part of me was being ripped away,
and all I had to do was turn around and go back to him.”

  “Multiply that times one hundred. Kai’s Gargoyle experienced the worst thing it could possibly ever endure – the loss of its mate.”

  “What about death?”

  “When a mate dies, it’s the beginning of the end for a Gargoyle, but we’ve gone through life with the other half of our soul. It’s painful, but we have the memories we shared of our lives together. We willingly continue on for a while using those memories to keep us going for the others still in our lives. Or we choose to follow our mate into the next part of our journey. For Malakai, he hadn’t known the bond with you. Hadn’t experienced life with his soul completed by being with you. Think of it in terms of the human Christian belief. Mated Gargoyles who die move on to a heavenly realm. Kai is going to cross over into hell. Not because he was bad or sinful, but because his soul has been shredded. I know this is hard for you to understand because just yesterday, you knew nothing of our kind.”

  “I laughed at him. I thought it was a joke.”

  “And you believe him now?”

  Kai held his breath. He was no longer floating on water. Instead, he was lying in bed with his mate’s hand rubbing soothing circles on his chest.

  Are you with me?

  Hush. I want to hear her answer.

  “How did I get here? I remember my mom and sister arguing. Someone named Red was giving my sister a tongue-lashing. I remember my mom riding in an ambulance with me, but everything after that is blurry.”

  “We brought you here. Kaya, my brother, Gregor, his mate, Tessa, and me. My cousin is the archivist for our Clan. When Kai mentioned the Curse of Sevens, Nik did some digging and discovered it is actually called the Auspice of Sevens. The bond Kai has with his mate is special. We knew then what he was experiencing, but it wasn’t until we got to your apartment that we knew you were going through your own ordeal.”

  “Who are you exactly?”

  “My apologies. My name is Rafael Stone. Kaya is my mate. The four of us paid you a visit after finding out you were searching for Kaya. That’s when we encountered your mother and sister. Red is what Gregor calls Tessa.”