by Faith Gibson
Thinking of the Clan, Trevor asked, “Do you ever think about your family?”
Jasper rolled over so he was facing Trevor. “Every once in a while. I even thought about trying to find them while we’re here, but then I remembered they aren’t my family anymore. They haven’t been for almost five hundred years. Besides, my birth clan has probably moved by now. My family died on the battlefield.”
“I understand. I used to feel that way about my dad, but now look at us, having coffee once a month.” Trevor had finally called his father, and their relationship had gotten better over the last few months. He and Travis met their dad once a month at the diner where Marley worked. He still hadn’t spoken to his mother, and he was okay with that.
“Your dad didn’t sell you to the highest bidder.”
“True.
“I don’t think anything good would come from seeking them out. Besides, I have you in my life. What more could I want?” he asked as he touched Trevor’s cheek where a dimple was hiding.
Trevor had been thinking a lot about that lately. With Kaya giving birth to Sebastian a few months ago, and now both Sophia and Abbi pregnant, Trevor was thinking about children. He knew with them being men they would have to adopt or find a surrogate, but Trevor felt like his biological clock was ticking, as stupid as it sounded.
“I’ve been thinking, Baby.” Jasper began as he snaked a hand underneath Trevor’s shirt so he could be skin to skin.
“About?” It was hard to think with Jasper ghosting his fingers across Trevor’s abs.
“Sebastian sure is a cute baby.”
“How could he not be? Have you seen his parents?”
“You think Rafe is good looking?”
“Jas, he’s a Gargoyle. The badass gene pool doesn’t allow for ugliness.”
Jasper rose up on his forearm and glared at Trevor. “Seriously? You think all the badasses are hot?”
“Not hot, no. You’re the only hot badass to me. Now, why are you bringing up Sebastian?”
“I know he died a long time ago, and he wasn’t really my father, but I was thinking…” Jasper swallowed before he said, “I was thinking there would be no better way to honor the O’Donnell than to give him a namesake.” When they applied for the marriage license, Jasper had Julian “fix” his birth certificate showing his name as Phelam Jasper Jenkins O’Donnell. He wanted to pay respects to the man he’d once thought of as his father. At work he was still Jasper Jenkins, detective, but in private, he was Phelam O’Donnell, warrior.
“You mean a baby?” Had Trevor’s thoughts somehow seeped into Jasper’s brain? Was he appeasing Trevor, or did he truly want kids? “You want to have kids with me?”
“Yeah, I think I do. We don’t have to do it right away, but I wouldn’t mind having a little Trevor running around the house someday.”
“Have I told you lately how much I love you, Mr. O’Donnell?”
“Not in the last half hour, Mr. O’Donnell. Does that mean you want kids, too?” Jasper asked, raising his eyebrows.
“As a matter of fact, it’s what I was just thinking about. I’m not getting any younger, you know.”
“Yeah, but you’re also not getting any older, either,” Jasper said, his smile as bright as the light show above them.
“True. Okay then. We’re going to have a baby. Or adopt, or whichever you prefer.”
“I’d like to try using a surrogate. I want our kids to have our DNA.”
Trevor pulled Jasper down on top of him. “I like that idea. Now kiss me, husband.” And he did. For the third night in a row, they made love under the heavenly Northern Lights.
By the time their week was up, Jasper had made up his mind to seek out his birth family. With Trevor and him deciding to have a family of their own, he thought it might be a good idea to get some closure on that part of his past. It was the only negative aspect of his life still lingering. Whatever the outcome, he knew Trevor would be by his side, supporting him. Loving him.
He had no idea where the O’Hearns would be, but he figured he and Trevor would start at the old family home. Instead of driving straight there, Jasper made a pit stop at a local restaurant. Of course, he was stalling, but they hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast, and it was almost time for supper. Once inside, they seated themselves toward the back of the restaurant, away from the other patrons. Even though they’d been together almost a year, they still acted like the newlyweds they were. If they could sneak in a touch here and there, they did.
The waitress approached their table holding a tray with two glasses of water. The first glass of water slipped from her grasp and hit the floor, shattering all over the place. “Ma’am, are you…”
“By the gods! Colm?” The woman’s eyes were wide as if she’d seen a ghost. It finally registered in Jasper’s brain that she’d called him by his father’s name.
“No, Máthair. It’s me, Phelam.” Jasper had blocked most memories of his biological father, but thinking back, how could he have forgotten what the man looked like? The same image Jasper saw in the mirror every day. Now, standing before him, was the female who brought him into this world. She was probably close to six hundred years old, but she had the appearance of a haggard woman in her forties. Time had not been kind to his mother, and he figured living with Colm O’Hearn had a lot to do with it.
Another woman came to check on the glass breaking. “Aibhlinn, is everything okay?” she asked. When she got a look at Jasper, the woman gasped and crossed herself. “Mother Mary, deliver us,” she prayed aloud.
“No, everything is okay, Maeve. It’s a distant cousin of my husband. It was shocking to me, too, is all. I’ll clean this up.”
Maeve appeared skeptical, but she left them alone to speak privately.
“Máthair, why would you be so surprised to see your mate?” he asked quietly.
His mother’s eyes flashed between his and Trevor’s. “This is Trevor. He’s my mate and my husband. You can speak freely in front of him.”
“How can that be? He’s a man.” His mother didn’t sound judgmental, only confused.
“The fates chose him, that’s how. Now, back to my question about your own mate.” Phelam refused to call the bastard his father.
She looked around before stating, “He lied to the King one too many times. Your Athair was slain four months ago.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. Are your other sons not taking care of you?” It wouldn’t be unlike his older brothers to take off and leave their mother to deal with their asshole of a father.
“Your brothers left hundreds of years ago. They wanted out from under your father’s rule. Colm continued to get me pregnant trying to replace them, but I lost each baby. All but one.”
“Where is this brother? Is he taking care of you?” Jasper was ready to kick some Gargoyle ass if he wasn’t.
“He is a she, and she is only six months old. Phelam, you have a baby sister.”
“Oh.” Jasper didn’t know what else to say.
“Would you like to meet her?” his mother begged with her eyes.
Jasper glanced at Trevor who had yet to say a word. He nodded once, and Jasper told his mother, “Yes, we’d love to.”
“My shift is over in half an hour. I’ll wait for you to eat and then we can go together.”
“Okay. Bring us whatever you suggest from the menu along with two pints of Guinness.”
His mother left to put in their order. A young boy came and cleaned up the glass from the floor. Once he was finished, Trevor grabbed Jasper’s hands. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, it’s just a shock to find her this way. What I can’t figure out is why she’s working in this restaurant. If Colm is dead, she should have inherited all his money and land.”
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
Aibhlinn brought their beer but didn’t speak. When she came back with their food, she deposited two plates of Bangers and Mash along with two bowls of beef stew on the table in front of the
m. “Can I get you anything else?” she asked as if they were any other customers.
“No, thank you,” they said in unison.
While he ate, Jasper’s mind was going in so many directions. He had a sister. Was she a Gargoyle? Or had his mother had an affair? Why did she look run down, and why was she working as a waitress? He scarfed down his food and washed it down with his Guinness. Trevor must have noticed his urgency, because his mate had polished off his plate, too.
His mother was waiting for them at the front door. “Your meal is on the house. Maeve was horrified when I broke the glass at your feet.”
Jasper pulled his wallet out of his pocket as he looked around for the older woman. When he got her attention, he said, “Here you go,” handing her more money than necessary. “The food was delicious.”
Before she could protest, Jasper ushered his mother out the door with Trevor following close behind. “Where’s your car? We’ll follow you.”
“I don’t have a car. I live just over the hill.”
“Then you can ride with us,” he said as he held open the back door for her to get inside. Trevor jumped in, grinning at his mate.
Jasper shook his head and opened the front door for his mother to ride next to him. Once he was seated, he told her, “I need directions.”
He pulled onto the street, and as soon as he topped the hill, she pointed to the first road on the right. “Turn here. It’s the last house on the left.”
Jasper’s heart sank when he saw where his mother was living. “Máthair, what happened to your home? Why are you living in a shack?”
“The King took everything when he killed your father. He said after all your Athair had taken, what we had was rightfully his.”
They pulled into the gravel slot in front of a house that couldn’t contain more than two rooms. Trevor slid out of the backseat, opening the door for Aibhlinn. He held his hand out, and she placed her hand in his. “Thank you, Trevor.”
“You’re welcome, Mrs. O’Hearn.”
“Please, call me Aibhlinn. If you wish, you can just call me Linn.”
She walked right into the house without unlocking the door. “Ida, I’m home.” She told Jasper and Trevor, “If you’d like to have a seat, I’ll just go get the baby.”
Jasper didn’t sit. He couldn’t stop staring at the sparse interior. Trevor did sit, but he popped right back up. When Jasper looked his way, Trevor mouthed, “Loose spring.”
His mom returned from the back of the house with a small bundle in her arms. “Phelam, this is Cailín.” She passed the baby to Jasper, and he held her close to his chest. A shock of red hair peeked out from beneath a pink blanket. Eyes the same blue as Jasper’s stared back at him.
Both he and Trevor cooed and baby talked to his little sister. “I have to ask, and please forgive me if I offend you, but is she Colm’s offspring?”
“Yes, your sister is a full-blooded Gargoyle.” She sat down in the chair and closed her eyes.
An older woman came out of the back room and stopped short when she saw Jasper. “You warned me, but I still can’t believe how much he looks like Colm.”
“Phelam, this is Ida, my oldest friend in the world. Ida, my son Phelam and his husband Trevor.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jasper said. He should have asked Trevor’s opinion, but he blurted out, “Máthair, why don’t you move to the States with us? I mean, you would have your own place, of course. But I could take care of you.”
Her eyes opened, and she smiled at him. “My good boy, Ireland is the only home I’ve ever known. I’m only hanging on for your sister. Colm might not have been a good mate, but he was my mate nonetheless.”
Jasper felt like the worst person in the world. The worst son, anyway. Why hadn’t he sought his family out sooner? If he had, his Máthair wouldn’t be in such dire straits.
Ida spoke up, shocking them all. “Phelam, you should take your sister. Let your mother cross over to the other side peacefully.”
“I can’t ask him to do that,” his mother said at the same time he said, “I don’t know anything about raising a girl.”
The loud voices startled Cailín, and Trevor took her from Jasper, rocking her in his arms while he softly sang a Cyanide Sweetness ballad to her. She immediately quieted. If the situation wasn’t so dire, Jasper would have laughed at his mate’s choice of song. It wasn’t lost on Jasper that he and Trevor had days before agreed to start a family. What would be wrong with starting one with his own flesh and blood? Maybe the fact that his mother would completely give up on life if Cailín were to go live in the States. “If you won’t move, then I’ll make sure you have the best of everything here. There’s no need for you to work at the restaurant. We’ll get you a nicer place to live, and you can stay home and take care of the baby.”
Aibhlinn sighed and nodded. “I can hang on a little while longer, I suppose. But won’t you at least think about it? You look like you’re doing well for yourself. Do you have a good Clan? Family that could help you raise a Gargoyle? Phelam, you were my last living child before I had her. I’m too old to care for a baby.”
Jasper was tormented. “If I do that, you won’t have anything to live for. I can’t willingly take away your only motivation to live.”
“My motivation died alongside your Athair. Think for a minute, my son. If something were to happen to your Trevor, would you want to continue on without him?”
Jasper didn’t have to think. He knew there was no way he could live without Trevor by his side, kids or no kids. This wasn’t a decision he could make alone. He and Trevor were partners in every sense of the word. If he promised his mother to take care of his sister eventually, wouldn’t it be better to take her now instead of later? Uprooting her from a totally different environment? Trevor was smiling at the now sleeping child. When he looked up at Jasper, his slight nod was all the confirmation he needed that his mate was okay with whatever he decided.
“Are you sure about this?” His mother and Trevor said “yes” at the same time. He had been asking his mother, but it was good to know where Trevor stood.
“I feel like I’m signing your death certificate.”
Aibhlinn stood and reached for Jasper’s hands. “You are giving me the best present a mother could ask for. You are giving me the peace of mind knowing my baby will have a good family. You are her blood, Phelam. I knew you were a good boy, and it broke my heart when your father sold you. But I would rather he sold you to an honorable man like the O’Donnell than to have taken your head as ordered. It was the only noble thing Colm ever did.”
Jasper visited with his mother until well into the night. Ida gave them a crash course on preparing a bottle and changing a diaper. When Jasper noticed his mother fighting to keep her eyes opened, he asked Ida to help gather the baby’s things. They loaded clothes, toys, formula, food, and diapers in the rental car. Jasper assured his mother he would see to it her bank account was filled with enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her days. She would no longer need to work. He left his phone number with her and made her promise to call if she needed anything at all, or if she just wanted to check on the baby.
Finally, they said goodbye to Aibhlinn and made their way south to the airport where the Stone Society jet waited to take the three of them home. Jasper called Kaya and told her the news. He enlisted her help in finding items they would need for Cailín. His Queen readily agreed, promising to enlist the other female mates’ help as well.
As Trevor held Cailín and fussed over her, Jasper’s eyes filled with tears. He’d hoped to find his family for closure. In a way, saying goodbye to his mother was closure of a sort. It was also the beginning of a new chapter in his journey through life with Trevor. Now, they just had to figure out how to raise one of the last Gargoyle females in existence.
Cast of Characters
Gargoyles (Mate and Family)
Rafael Stone - King (Kaya Kane)
Rafael's Brothers
Gre
gor Stone (Tessa Blackmore)
Dante Di Pietro (Isabelle, Connor)
Sinclair Stone
Rafael's Cousins*
Geoffrey Hartley (Abbi, Matthew, Amelia)
Nikolas Stone (Sophia Brooks)
Julian Stone (Katherine Fox)
*Nik, Julian, & Frey are brothers
Other Cousins or Unrelated Gargoyles
Jasper Jenkins (Trevor McKenzie)
Michael “Sixx” Gentry (Rae Rothchild, Desi Rothchild)
Dane Abbott (Marley Sperry)
Urijah Aldobrand
Lorenzo Campanelli
Deacon Wright
Mason Steele (Willow Bridges)
Dominic Dubois (Lilly St. James)
Finley MacNevin
Malakai Palamo
Donovan Lindholm
Carter (Castor) Thomason
Hunter (Hector) Thomason
Quinten Davis
Other Players
Jonas Montague Gargoyle/scientist
aka Joseph Mooneyham
Caroline Wexler Jonas' mate
Xavier Montagnon Tessa's biological father
Priscilla Holt Rafael's housekeeper
Jonathan Holt Rafael's butler
Tamian St. Claire Tessa's cloned brother
Travis McKenzie Trevor's brother
Elizabeth Flanagan Tessa's mother, Xavier's mate
Edmondo Di Pietro Rafael's father
Athena Di Pietro Rafael's mother
Alistair Gianopoulos Rafael's Uncle (Athena's brother)
Theron Gianopoulos Alistair's son
Robert Di Pietro Frey, Nik, and Julian's father
Gordon Flanagan Tessa's "father"/stalker
Jonas and Caroline's Children (named so far)
Dane Abbott
Isabelle Sarantos
Samuel Brooks
Ezekiel Seymour
Gabriel aka Vincent Alexander
