by Faith Gibson
“He’s not lucid, so I don’t know if what he told me will be of help. He’s talking to someone, but when I asked who he was talking to, he said his other half.”
Rae squeezed Simone’s hands and offered comfort of her own. “That’s okay. Tell us his exact words.”
Simone nodded and continued. “I asked who he was talking to and he said, ‘My other half. He said tell you I’m buried. In a box. I’ve been poisoned and can’t move. Just my eyes, and they don’t work right’. Does that make sense to you?”
Tessa slammed the drawer where she was looking for a spoon. “That motherfucker. He’s done it again. Fuck! I need to call Lilly. Sixx, we’re going to need to test Desi’s blood immediately. If he’s been given the same thing Jasper was, Lilly can help.”
“Are there any doctors in the area we can call? Do we have a Dante on the West Coast?” Gregor asked.
Sixx had no idea. “Sin would be the one with that information. Will you call him and ask? Also tell him what Simone said.”
Before he left the room, Gregor asked Simone, “Did he say anything else? Something that might tell us his location?”
“He said they’re not far from where the rivers come together. Who is he with? I didn’t hear of anyone else being kidnapped.” Simone searched their faces, waiting for an explanation. Tessa had already left the room, stepping outside to call her cousin.
“Thank you, Simone. I’ll go call Sinclair.” Gregor excused himself and followed his mate out onto the patio. Simone didn’t need to hear those conversations yet. She still had no idea of the Gargoyles or what Desi was. Rae looked over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows. He knew what she was silently asking. Should they tell Simone the truth? In all honesty, he didn’t know. Desi should be the one to break the news to her, but it might help if she knew everything. If Desi was paralyzed, he was going to need a lot of support, and Simone was the one to give it.
“Simone, you were great. There’s something I need to explain to you about Desi. About his lineage. It’s going to sound crazy; just ask Rae. I have only recently shared this news with her, so she can help you through the questions and adjustment period. The best way to do this is to just spit it out, but I need you to keep an open mind for me. Can you do that?”
“I... I guess so.” She looked as if she was ready to bolt out the door, but Rae tightened her grip.
“Simone, Michael’s right. It will be a shock at first, but once you’ve seen the proof of what he’s going to tell you, it will all make sense.”
“I come from a long line of non-humans dating back to the beginning of time. I’m sure you’ve seen or read stories about shapeshifters such as werewolves. While those stories are fiction, Desi and I are a different species of shifter. We are Gargoyle. We don’t turn into beasts when we phase, but we can look a little scary. Do you remember when you were trying to fit Desi for his fangs and he refused?” Simone nodded, so he continued. “That’s because he has his own fangs. Real ones that he can show when he needs to. Like this...” Sixx let his canines elongate. Simone gasped and jerked her hands away from Rae. Sixx retracted his fangs and smiled. “Sorry, it’s the best way to show you the truth. I am a full-blooded Gargoyle male. Since Rae is human, Desi is a half-blood. He didn’t transition into his new being until he met his mate. You.
“Remember when I said I had to be away from Rae when Desi was born? At that time, we weren’t aware Gargoyles could mate with humans. When Gargoyles find their mates, they bite them to seal the bond. I bit Desirae, but I thought I had lost control of my shifter. I hadn’t. It was the mate bond calling to me. It wasn’t until someone saw Desi’s photo and showed it to me that I realized I had a son. The reason I look more like Desi’s brother than father is because once a Gargoyle reaches maturity, physical aging stops, and we maintain our appearance from that point on. With our mates, as soon as they are bitten, they stop aging as well.”
“So you’re saying I’m Desi’s mate, he’s going to bite me, and I’ll never look older than I do now?” Simone crossed her arms over her chest.
“Only if you want to be mated to him. It’s ultimately your decision. I stayed away from Gregor for three years after I transitioned before he finally wore me down,” Tessa told Simone as she reentered the room. Gregor was smiling behind her, obviously proud of himself.
“You’re one too?” Simone asked Tessa.
“Yeah, but I only get part of the cool shit. The males get wings and can fucking fly! How awesome is that?”
“Excuse me?” Simone shrieked.
“Uh, yeah. We hadn’t got that far into the cool shit.” Sixx sighed, but Simone needed to hear, to see, everything. “Tessa’s right. We do have wings, but we only let them out when we need to. Since humans aren’t aware of our existence, we don’t get to take to the skies as often as we would like.”
“You have fangs?” Simone was still focused on Tessa.
“Yes ma’am,” she confirmed, letting them slide over her bottom lips. “And claws, but they aren’t as pretty. They’re more of a necessity.” When Simone pointed at Tessa’s hands, the redhead let her claws loose. Tessa held up her hand as if she were inspecting a polish job. “See, not very pretty. And my shifter gets pissed when I try to paint them,” she joked. Or maybe she was being honest. Hell, Sixx had never given any thought to the females who were also shifters.
“Simone, I know we haven’t even begun to cover most of what you need to know, but I’m asking you to come with us and help find Desi. What you do after he’s found is up to you. Whether you need time to digest this information or whether you want to remain by his side during his recovery is a decision you’ll need to make. Tessa, what did Lilly say?” Sixx wanted Simone to have time to think about everything, but they didn’t have time. If Desi had been injected with the same shit Jasper had, they needed to get to his son and quickly.
“She still has all the ingredients needed for the antidote if we can confirm Desi was given the same concoction as Jasper.”
“Sinclair has a doctor on standby as well. The Chief of Staff at New Angeles Medical is one of ours,” Gregor confirmed. “Sin and the others are ready to move out. They just need to know where.”
“Good. I’m going to conference Julian in with Sin and the others. Ladies, if you’ll excuse us...” Sixx kissed Rae on the temple as he stood to go to his office. He knew the females would be part of the rescue mission, but Simone needed them to answer questions she might have, not be included in the battle plans. He, Uri, and Gregor left Rae and Tessa to tend to Desi’s mate.
After the video conference was concluded, the Goyles had a fairly good idea of where Desi might be. When they returned to the kitchen, the females were all dressed, including Simone. Tessa was making sandwiches while Rae and Simone loaded bottles of water into a cooler. They were preparing for a long day. When they had everything ready, Sixx and Gregor loaded the supplies in the back of the rental SUV, and they headed out toward Three Rivers with Urijah following behind. The mood in the vehicle was almost somber until Tessa decided Simone needed to hear more about the Gargoyles and their mates, especially Jasper and Trevor.
“So you think it was Trevor who helped Jasper come back from the poison?” Simone asked from her spot in between Rae and Tessa.
“I think it helped a lot. Without Lilly’s antidote, Jasper would have surely died, but it was Trevor’s willingness to be his mate that gave Jasper hope. Theirs was a rocky start. Like most mates, Trevor found out about the Gargoyles during a crisis. Theron was following him, and Dante decided it was best that Trevor know the truth. Trevor felt as though Jasper didn’t have a choice but to want him because of the mate bond. A lot of mates feel that way, but the truth is, we all have a choice. I chose to ignore Gregor for three years all because my uncle, Jonas, thought it best to hide the truth from the Gargoyles, but there was no one else who I wanted to be with. I tried dating someone else, and it didn’t work out.” Gregor growled from the passenger seat, and Tessa reached over the seat an
d slapped him on the shoulder. “Behave, Stone.”
Simone laughed, but through the rearview mirror, Sixx could see the wheels turning behind her beautiful brown eyes. Everything Tessa was saying was sinking in. Simone had a choice to make, and for Desi’s sake, Sixx hoped it was the right one. When they arrived at the preassigned meeting spot, an old campground that was no longer used, the others were waiting for them. They had been able to park fairly close to where they thought Desi might be.
Urijah exited his vehicle and strapped a sword to his back. He wasn’t the only one who came ready for a fight. The hilt of a sword protruded over Banyan’s shoulder. If they had been dressed in something other than shorts and t-shirts, the two Goyles could have doubled as characters in a Viking movie.
When they were all standing together, Sixx instructed, “Since we have a pretty good idea of the area where we think Desi is, we’re going to start off combing that location together. We’ll pair off and spread out, but not too far. If any of you see anything that looks like freshly turned dirt, don’t hesitate to start digging. Even though he’s a half-blood, Desi’s been without oxygen for a while now. It might be why he’s having a hard time maintaining contact with Simone.”
Banyan and Sinclair took point while Sixx, Rae, and Simone brought up the rear. Only Urijah was behind them, guarding their backs. They had discussed the possibility of Crane being out there, watching to make sure Desi wasn’t found. When they got to the point where two rivers intersected, they spread out and began their search. Sixx had asked Simone to keep her mind open and try reaching Desi. He knew it was a lot to ask of the girl, but his son’s life might depend on it.
The terrain was hilly and filled with rocks. It was slow going when the pathways narrowed to an end and they had to find their own way through the dense undergrowth. After an hour of searching with no luck, Rae grabbed Sixx’s arm. “Can we rest for a few minutes, please? I’d like to catch my breath.” Sixx reached out to check his mate’s vitals, and they didn’t alert him to any overexertion. He then checked on Simone, and her heart rate was elevated.
“Of course, Doll. I think you both should drink some water.” He slid the backpack he was carrying off his shoulders and retrieved two bottles from inside. Urijah stood sentry while the others rested. Simone sat down on a rock a few feet away and closed her eyes. Either she was really tired, or she was trying to reach out to Desi. After about five minutes of silence, she shook her head. They finished their waters and continued down the trail they’d been following. After another hour, they stopped again. Simone attempted to contact Desi, but as with the last time, she wasn’t successful.
The one hour intervals continued. When they had walked several miles away from their starting point, Sixx suggested they turn back. He had a feeling they were going in the wrong direction, and he trusted his instincts. They each ate a sandwich and had another bottle of water before retracing their footsteps. Simone handed Rae her empty wrapping and finished off her water. “Is there any way we can walk closer to the river?”
“Do you think that’s where we’ll find him?” Sixx asked.
“I’m not sure, but something’s been pulling me toward the water for a while now.”
Sixx knew all too well how gut feelings were usually the cosmos’ way of telling you what to do. They packed up their empties and found a trail that led to the river. Another path, one less traveled, ran parallel to the water, so they followed it. They stopped a couple more times. They were nearing the point where they began when Simone found a low spot in the grass where she could walk to the water’s edge. She knelt down, placing her hand in the water, swirling it back and forth. This time when she closed her eyes, she was successful.
“He’s close. I can feel his heartbeat. Is that possible? Or is it wishful thinking on my part?” Simone asked.
“No, it’s entirely possible. Did you talk to him?” Sixx asked.
Simone shook her head. “No, but I can feel a pull toward him. We’re going the right direction.” She stood from the river and took off down the path, slowing every few minutes to listen for Desi’s heartbeat. Rae had kept quiet all day except to ask to stop and rest. She was being so strong, holding her shit together, and Sixx was so proud of her.
“Stop!” Simone cried. “Here. Somewhere around here. I can feel him.”
Urijah let out a whistle as he began searching the ground around them. Within a few minutes, several other Goyles joined. “Simone feels Desi’s heartbeat in this area. Everyone, look for anything that is out of the ordinary, but also be careful of traps. We don’t know what the Goyle has done to secure the area,” Sixx instructed. Now that they were closing in, he kept Rae and Simone out of the dense grass, where snares could be hiding. “Simone, honey, please tell Desi we’re here, and if he can help us at all...”
She nodded and closed her eyes. “He’s not answering. Rae, why won’t he answer me?” Simone’s eyes filled with tears. Rae pulled Simone into her arms and did what a mother would do. She comforted the young woman when her own heart was barely hanging on. Sixx had been monitoring both women, but the longer they went with no sign of Desi, the harder it was on them both.
“Shhh, listen to me. Sometimes we have to dig deep and find something inside ourselves we didn’t know we had. You feel his presence, so you just need to dig a little deeper and find him. You can do this. You are the only one who can do this,” Rae assured her.
Simone pulled back and dried her eyes. “You’re right. I’m sorry, it’s just...” Simone jerked her head toward the trees and gasped. “Oh my god.”
Sixx followed her eyes. A large Gargoyle, with wings spread, was headed right toward them. Crane. Sixx roared and phased, meeting the Goyle in the air. “Uri!” Sixx yelled. He needed someone to protect the females while he was engaged in battle. The male was strong, but Sixx refused to let him get the best of him. It was hard to get a good swing in with their wings extended, but Sixx did his best to keep the Goyle engaged in the air, away from the females. Crane dove for him. With arms locked, the two of them fell to the ground, landing on their sides. Sixx had retracted his wings just before impact. He rolled to his feet, but before he could engage his opponent again, the Goyle stood in front of him, sword raised. Well fuck.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Tessa had told her the Gargoyles had wings, but Simone was still shocked to see two men flying through the air, locked in mortal combat. She’d never really understood that saying. Never really thought about it until now. With them being shifters, would it be immortal combat? Tessa had explained how the males of their species could live thousands of years, so that had to be as close to being immortal as one could get. And if she mated with Desi? She could live a long life as well. Desi? Can you hear me? We’re here for you.
It was hard to concentrate on Desi when the scene playing out before her held her attention. Rae was freaking out next to her. “No, no, no! Michael!!!” Simone caught Rae before she could run to her mate. “I have to help him!” she shrieked.
“You can’t help him, Desirae. Look at them.” No sooner had those words left her mouth than the two Gargoyles fell to the ground.
“No! Michael!” Rae was crying now, and there was nothing Simone could do for her other than hold her tight. Together they waited for what would happen next. Urijah, who was now standing between the women and the battle, pulled his sword from its sheath, ready to protect the women. Another Viking-looking Gargoyle also pulled a sword. The Gargoyle Michael was fighting had a weapon in his hand. It seemed the only one without a weapon was Michael.
Michael’s wings appeared once again. Simone had a feeling she’d never get used to the sight. Instead of trying to fight the other Gargoyle, Michael launched himself into a tree, and the blond Gargoyle tapped the bad guy on the shoulder. He swirled around, sword at the ready. “You fucking coward!” the bad man yelled up at Michael.
“Coward? Who’s fighting an unfair fight? You’ve a weapon when he has none. You want a fair fight, here I am
,” Blondie said.
“Banyan, we need him alive!” Urijah stressed to Blondie. Banyan. What a cool name.
The bad man launched at Banyan with his sword. Banyan easily knocked the blade away. “They want you alive, Crane. I personally want to remove your head from your shoulders. Where’s the boy?”
“Fuck you. I’m not leaving here alive, and if I did, Alistair would have my head, so what’s the difference? I’d rather face you than that old prick any day. At least with you I have a chance.”
Banyan let out a deep belly laugh. His sword was in position, ready to strike, but he found Crane’s words hilarious. Maybe he knew something the bad man didn’t. Crane struck, and Banyan easily flicked the other weapon to the side. “Where’s the boy? Tell us, and I’ll spare your life. You can take your chances with the Greek.”
“The boy is dead. That’s why I came back – to make sure I’d taken care of the whelp. You can’t help him now,” Crane taunted. Simone’s heart sank. She couldn’t lose Desi before she had a chance to be with him. At the man’s words, Rae sank to the ground, sobbing. Simone sat down with her, the earth loose beneath them. Simone pushed at the debris under her legs. The leaves and brush were different than that around them.
“Rae, help me!” Simone began swiping the greenery to the side. Rae rose to her knees, shifting the brush away when a roar sounded behind them. Simone turned her eyes to the noise and froze.
“No!” Crane yelled, running toward her. Faster than she could imagine someone being, the evil Gargoyle rushed her way like something out of a vampire movie. She threw her arm up in front of her face as a shield, but Urijah moved in front of her with his sword to intercept the man.
“You’re going to have to get through me to get to them,” Uri taunted.
“I have no problem with that!” Crane seethed as he lunged at Uri.
