by Jo Penn
Tyler glared at Dimitri. “I trusted you, gargoyle.”
Dimitri gave a heavy sigh. “I forgot. Cousin, we are going to your place. Now.”
“Wait!” Constantin jumped up and waved his hand at Dimitri. “I don’t want this, take it off.”
“Oh no, I’m not having you teleport away from me. Go, Dimitri.” Tyler waved Dimitri away.
“No way.” Constantin pushed back the chair and walking around, tossed the bracelet at Dimitri, did the finger and disappeared.
“No!” Tyler cried.
That teleporting ability had to go, just as soon as Tyler got his mate back.
Chapter Nine
Madhouse! Tyler and his family were all crazy! Loonies!
Oh man, he’d teleported! What a trip! He’d never felt so free in his life.
Flopping back on his bed, Con gratefully closed his eyes and breathed in the quiet, non-craziness of his house. And laughed more than he ever had in his entire life. Man that had been awesome! Teleporting that is, and he’d had fun in between stressing about the stupid inhibitor bracelet. Once he’d realized there was a clasp on it and figured out how it worked, any panic he’d felt about being confined and suffocated, had fled. Now he laughed, thinking of the Durands all ganging up on Dimitri the gargoyle in defense of their brother Ryson.
He’d have to go back, Con knew that. There was the law which would send soldiers out and arrest his ass if he didn’t return, and then there’d be house arrest and counselling—all of which sounded fun, not. And then there was Tyler. Sighing, Con scrubbed a hand over his face. He didn’t want to hurt the vampire, he just didn’t like some creature restricting what he could and couldn’t do.
Okay, he’d be honest. Teleporting was awesome! The moment he felt the gift moving through his body, Con was hooked. It was freedom unlike anything he’d ever imagined. And power, amazing power. This must be why creatures were always going on about having gifts and how great they were. Con totally got it!
Yeah, he probably shouldn’t have taken off like he did, or got snappy with the big gargoyle, but damn, that’d been fun! It sort of felt like when he was doing archery. He was in control of it, could direct it where he liked and he was frigging good at it. Maybe he should have brought Tyler along. He would next time if the vampire didn’t try and stop him. Going to the closet he grabbed his archery kit and spent five minutes checking and setting it up. He should practice, especially with Renegades coming after him. He wasn’t helpless, he was a damn good shot. He could practice in Alaska. He’d always wanted to go to Alaska.
“Ouch!”
Landing in a pile of snow on the side of a ravine, Con shivered as he sat up and looked around. Yep, he was in Alaska. Now he just wanted a shower and hoped his housemates hadn’t used all the hot water as they usually did. He thought of his shower.
Nothing happened except the snow soaked through his clothes.
Well, wasn’t that just great. Teleporting worked when he didn’t expect it, and didn’t work when he wanted it to. Typical, frigging unbelievable! Grumbling, Con stood up, lost his footing and slipped two feet down the ravine and into the freezing cold stream that had ice crusting over the top of the water.
Un-freaking-believable!
Slipping and sliding his way back up the side of the ravine, swearing every time he slid back down, he managed to get to the top but by then he was shivering and shaking so badly he had to stop and catch his breath. Everything ached, his head and chest the worst and he knew it was from being so far apart from Tyler.
Stupid djinn side.
He needed to get up out of the snow he’d fallen into, again, and get home to a boiling hot shower before his balls froze off. With that in mind, he relaxed and thought of his shower that provided a miserable trickle of rarely hot water. He felt the difference immediately, the movement and opening his eyes found himself in his shower. Quickly he tossed the crossbow and bag out of the shower cubicle and got to work on turning on the tap.
Once he managed to turn the hot tap on despite his shivering and shaking so much, he pulled the black and white jersey over his head and kicked off his shoes, pants, and briefs. He was so cold he didn’t even bother with the cold tap, just let the hot pour over him. He was so glad that big gargoyle dude hadn’t locked the bracelet, for despite the dump in the snow and stream, Con was enjoying the teleportation gift. It was going to be so cool to just turn up in class—
Oh shit! Home! He wanted his shower! Con covered his groin with both hands as he appeared in the middle of his transport distribution classroom and dozens of eyes turned to him.
Thankfully the teleportation didn’t fail him again and he was quickly back in his shower where he slumped to the floor. Unfortunately, the water was now cold. And his head was hurting, as was his heart and everything was beginning to ache. He wanted Tyler.
And he felt stupid about this morning, really stupid. Tyler had been telling Con for months how much he liked him and yet Con let some stupid insecurity that his pathetic excuse for a father had instilled in him hurt them both by losing confidence in himself and not trusting the truth.
For Con felt it with his gift. Tyler wasn’t deceiving him. Tyler loved Con, was in love with him, wanted him, and really liked Con. And none of Tyler’s friends had been pretending to like him either. They were curious and they didn’t know him, but they liked him, and he’d liked them. Man, he wasn’t going to let the old man ruin this for Con, no way in hell! What’s more, he didn’t give a shit about proving anything or moving past some negative feeling he still carried inside because he had nothing to prove and knew better than most that being yourself, not letting others manipulate and put you down, was what was important in finding peace and happiness in life.
Getting out of the shower and drying off, he hurried into his bedroom and stopped short at finding four creatures there. Two he knew, the others he didn’t.
“Sweets! What happened to you—explain later.” Tyler held out some clothes. “Let’s get you dressed, I’m having a hard time not letting my talons out and poking these guys’ eyes out.”
Con smiled. He couldn’t help it. He’d reacted and then gotten high on the teleportation gift but he couldn’t deny he’d missed his mate. Opening his arms, he was so glad Tyler came straight to him and hugged him back.
“I’m so going to put that inhibitor bracelet back on you, locked this time!” Tyler nipped Con’s ear. “Love you, gorgeous.”
“Yeah, same.”
“What?” Tyler thrust Con back, making his head spin. The vampire got a soft look in his eyes then kissed the breath right out of Con.
This vampire had turned his life upside down and Con was probably entitled to a few upsets and shitty moments, but hurting his mate? Nah, that was just wrong. And why would he want to? He loved the exuberant, extreme creature.
“I wouldn’t mind going back to that mausoleum you call a home. The hot water’s better there and after my trip to Alaska and dip in the ice river, I wouldn’t mind a long, hot shower.” Con smiled shyly when Tyler let him go. “I’ll do better.”
“Oh, sweets, I’m loving you just as you are.” Tyler winced at Con’s irritated look. “Okay, yeah, I might not enjoy just a smidge of what you do.” He held up his forefinger and thumb with a tiny space between. “Forgot you can tell when I lie, and really, it wasn’t a total lie. I love you.”
Tyler shuffled Con into the bathroom where he managed to get dressed and stop Tyler’s octopus hands from feeling him up too much during the process.
“Cool archery set. They’ve got a range at the university. Want to pop in tomorrow? I’m not too bad at this myself.”
“Okay—”
“Move it, we have company.” The dark haired creature that had been waiting in the bedroom with Tyler opened the bathroom door.
“Renegades?” Tyler grabbed hold of Con.
“Yep. I’ll open a portal, you two step through.”
“’Kay—whoa!”
They landed hard
beside each other in the deep snow, Con spitting out a mix of snow, twigs, and dirt. Man, this teleporting ability was tricky.
“That was so cool! But we’ve got to work on your landing style, mate, and location. I don’t mind the snow when I’m snowboarding, and have my snow gear, but I’m not really a wilderness lover, you get me?” Grinning, Tyler helped Con up. “Okay, think of our suite, our big soft bed, all the fun things we can do together there once I get you naked—”
“I’m thinking of a boiling hot shower.”
“That’ll work, too.”
* * * *
“So how’s it going now?” Archie juggled his bag, tray, and laptop precariously while managing to avoid being bumped into and tripping over chairs.
“Good, really good. He loves me.” Tyler grinned. “And I managed to get that inhibitor back on so we don’t end up in Alaska again.”
“Yeah? So…no bonding yet?”
Tyler looked around the university cafeteria. Constantin still hadn’t arrived for their lunch date, which they did every day they were here the last three days. He checked his watch again as he placed his tray on the table Blazh had secured and slid the second tray he’d been carrying across to the sprite.
“No. He asked for some time, which is fair enough.”
“Vicus gave Ran time.” Blazh sniffed the wrap cautiously.
“Yeah? But Ran’s a wolf shifter, he would have wanted to claim and mate straight away.” Archie unwrapped his burger and bit in. “Ow, they put pickles on it!”
“Yum.” Blazh grinned. “Ran couldn’t scent Vicus at the time. I met Constantin’s friend Hadley yesterday at the Sanchez Compound.” Blazh nodded his head energetically as Archie removed the pickles from his burger and put them on the cutie’s tray. “He said Con’s one of the only guys to ever help him out. And not just Hadley either, but all of the roommates, and the ones before them. When they can’t pay for rent, or transport, food, whatever, Con would cover the cost, which usually meant doing extra shifts at work. Hadley said Constantin just has this huge barrier around him to protect himself. Probably the knowing when people lie and deceive gift must have made him real wary and seen not such a good side of people. You’d think that gift would be cool, but I think it’d suck.” Blazh winced. “You know what I mean, right?”
“We do, buddy, don’t stress.” Archie patted Blazh’s hand comfortingly. “So, this is what you lot do at university? Gossip and sit around in the cafeteria?”
“We attend classes.” Some of their other friends from the local pack, pride, and covens joined them at the table. “Unlike Durand here, who’s been absent this morning. Did you get a note from your momma?”
Mock hissing at the creature, Tyler just grinned. “I had a coven meeting I needed to attend. Hey, have you seen Constantin around?”
“Yeah, he’s in the lecturer hall next to me.” Grey, the wolf who had been asking Tyler out, leaned against the table. “Now I know why you weren’t interest in me.”
“That, and you’re a smelly wolf.” A fae grinned.
“Yeah, found my mate and didn’t want to scare him off. Did you see Constantin when you left your classroom?”
“Nope, their doors open before us. I can sniff him out if you need.”
“Thanks for the offer, I’ll just call him.”
It wasn’t like Constantin to be late. Sure, his mate may have stood Tyler up that day a week or so ago after finding out they were mates, but since the fiasco in Alaska, Constantin had been trying. He studied with Tyler in their suite, they ate meals in the family dining room with Tyler’s assortment of family who were around, which often included Archie. Funnily enough, Ryson had taken a great liking to Constantin. Probably because Constantin had quizzed Ryson continuously when receiving the skipping meals research. What Tyler really liked was that he kept Ryson’s attention and had his brother happy. Plus, Constantin got irritated with Dimitri and gave the big gargoyle the finger a lot.
Dimitri wouldn’t admit it but Tyler had caught glimpses from the gargoyle’s mind and saw the creature actually liked Constantin, his courage and work ethics, his curiosity and his insubordination. Yeah, Constantin still bucked the system and now wore the inhibitor bracelet because he’d taken a flight of fancy a few times and Misha got pissed off that they couldn’t keep him safe.
Which was all true.
But aside from that, his mate was dropping his barriers more and more, learning to smile often, laugh and joined in a prank or two that Tyler played. As well, Constantin had his own way and Tyler discovered his mate enjoyed playing people a little bit also. When someone irritated him, Constantin would nod at whatever they were saying then begin talking in a loud, obnoxious voice repeating back everything the person said and asking, repeatedly, if that was right. Misha had cracked up the first time Constantin did it while they were waiting for the coven car to collect them. Tyler had been on his phone when this older coven member approached and snottily asked if Constantin had yet obtained his teleportation gift now he’d been claimed. Of course, the mate took offense at being asked something personal by someone he didn’t know but attempted to be polite. But then the old vampire made a comment about djinn never being helpful and using their gift for useful things, like assisting others to get places quicker. Constantin’s jaw clenched and then he began speaking, loudly.
Tyler had to bite his lip to stop from laughing as the older vampire got so embarrassed he’d scuttled away, calling Constantin uncivilized as he went.
It was just that when Constantin said he would do something, he would, because he really disliked deceitfulness and lying. So he should be here by now. Putting the phone to his ear, Tyler scowled at getting voice mail.
“Hey, sweets, we’re in the cafeteria and I’m wondering why you aren’t. Call me…Now.” Tyler couldn’t resist adding the last bit, he couldn’t help being bossy occasionally.
Just as he was putting his phone down, Misha and a horde of vampires stormed the cafeteria. With his brother in fighting gear, weapons strapped to his muscular body and dressed all in black, Tyler knew something bad had happened and had the feeling Constantin was gone.
There was so much noise, so much happy chatter and activity. Opening his gift, Tyler swept out with his mind and commanded quiet, sending everyone into a type of dazed state except for his friends and the vampires and creatures with Misha.
“Tell me.” Tyler stood, shoving away his backpack and food.
Aston security snatched Blazh, grabbing the sprite right out of his chair and a fae opened a portal.
“Grey, Archie, Milo, Trilby, through the portal,” a big fae commanded.
“Constantin went to one of the teacher assistant’s offices. Before security could intervene, a potion was used to blind them. Constantin and the assistant teacher are gone. We are hunting.”
“I’ve got a good nose, I’ll help,” Grey volunteered.
A security wolf grabbed the younger wolf and pushed him through the portal, along with Milo and Trilby. Archie evaded and held tight to Tyler.
“I stay with you.”
Worry consumed him. Fear threatened to take away all his sense and turn him into a weak mess, or into a revenge filled soul destroyed creature. Tyler would not let that happen. He had his mate to find and if anyone had harmed Constantin, he would show how good a fighter he had actually become under Lord Baron Sanchez’s tutelage.
Now, though, he pushed Archie to one of the vampire security and waved him toward the portal. “Stay safe, brother.”
Archie nodded. “Get Constantin back and be safe.”
The portal closed after them. Tyler turned to his brother. “Let’s hunt.”
“You stay with me and your bodyguards at all times.” Misha tossed Tyler two guns and a knife.
A dozen more creatures stormed into the cafeteria. “What are they doing here?”
“It appears you and your mate are well liked, little brother. Dimitri has taken to our djinn and called his own brothers in to find Const
antin.”
Dimitri had a lot of brothers. Dareios, the King of the gargoyles, Davor, Anton, Damir, Paskal, and many more all stood looking ferocious and ready to tear creatures apart. Behind them arrived Alpha Urian Starters and dozens of wolves, including the powerful three wolf, Enforcer Drax Charmers, who was Luka’s older brother and had higher levels of paranormal abilities and possessed three forms instead of a shifter’s two. As well as the wolves, there were the bear shifters Tripp and Trekk Croggen, and dozens from the Sanchez pride also. And here came Ryson, Xavier, Syndal, and Val Baby.
“Valiant?” Tyler rushed over and hugged his brother.
“Ma wants her new son found and the creatures who took him nothing but a blood stain left on the ground,” Val murmured. “We’ll find him.”
“I hope so.” Tyler felt that drowning fear and pain rise and slammed it down.
He would find his mate.
* * * *
Constantin glared at the human and slapped the gun away.
“What the fuck are you doing, Melissa?”
“I’m sorry, Con.” Melissa scrambled to pick up the fake gun. “I had to get you out of there. Dan has a spy at the university watching out for when you and Prince Tyler returned. He planned to have you abducted then kill you and Tyler when the vampire came to rescue you.”
“So you kidnap me? With a fake gun? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Con pulled out his phone. “Shit, no reception.”
“No, I put up jammers so Dan can’t track us via our phones or computers to here.” Melissa slumped against the brick wall and rubbed an arm. “He’s gone bonkers. He came to me after you complained about him hitting on you and he was exposed as a fraud. He threatened me if I didn’t help him kidnap you. Apparently, the Renegades are pissed off with him for exposing their plot here at the university and his failure to capture you to get to Tyler—”
“Hang on.” Con crouched down and unzipped the large knapsack he was carrying. “So he hit on me to get close to Tyler?”
