by Faith Gibson
From patrolling for Unholy, watching over the Pen, and hiding from his mate, he was exhausted. That was saying a lot considering he was a Gargoyle. It took a lot for them to get tired. On top of all that was the mental exhaustion from his empathic power. Or curse, as he usually called it. All Goyles felt emotions in others, but it was amplified in him for some reason. Deacon had been around the others when they found their mates, so he knew what to expect. Or so he thought. Staying away from Dr. Sabrina Bailey was equal parts necessary and excruciating. He had too much on his plate to get involved, but at the same time, he needed her like he needed air.
He watched her intently as she came in and out of Jonathan’s room without ever introducing himself. In fact, he did his best not to make eye contact and avoided being in the room at the same time if at all possible. Deacon wasn’t ready for all that came with having a mate, especially one as important as his. What would someone like Sabrina see in one such as Deacon? She was an oncologist in one of the best hospitals in the South, and if Jonas had his way, she would be the next chief of staff. Deacon was a warden at a penitentiary. She deserved someone who had a high-profile job. Someone who was smart like she was. Someone whose looks matched hers. The only thing they had in common was the color of their skin. No, he had nothing to offer the stunning female, and he wouldn’t tie her down with a mate bond. Besides that, whenever they were in the room together? She made it perfectly clear by the way her eyes narrowed she was not interested. If he didn’t know better, Deacon would say the doctor was scared of him.
If Sabrina wasn’t Jonathan’s oncologist, Deacon wouldn’t run into her as often as he did, but he couldn’t stay away from the human male who’d come to mean so much to all the Clan. They all took turns sitting with the man when he felt like company, but each of them had important jobs to do. Lately, Gregor had been spending more time than usual at the Pen giving Deacon days off he didn’t necessarily want.
Pulling the iron skillet of cornbread from the oven, Deacon didn’t register the pain on his palm until he was opening the drawer to grab a knife. Deacon placed the skillet on the stove and held his hand out, watching as the reddened skin turned back to its normal shade of dark tan. He sighed, knowing his scattered thoughts needed to be corralled. He wasn’t worried about himself, but if he wasn’t paying attention when around humans, someone else might pay the price.
After buttering a couple slices of cornbread, Deacon added them to his plate of leftover roast, okra, and mashed potatoes. Normally, he would have added fresh, sliced tomatoes to his meal, but he hadn’t had time for a vegetable garden, and the ones from the store had no taste. Padding barefoot over to the table, he slumped down into one of the chairs. The pine table was large enough for ten people in a house just as spacious. He’d allowed Sixx to convince him to purchase the place in the middle of forty acres, telling him he might one day find his mate and start a family. Hope was an elusive beast most days, but on that day, he’d allowed it to seep in and agreed on purchasing the property.
Deacon couldn’t call it a home, because he knew homes were built on love. Family. Mates and children. As he ate his food without really tasting it, Deacon imagined Sabrina coming home to him after a long shift at the hospital. He would have supper ready for her, and they would enjoy it along with a glass of wine before settling in to snuggle on the sofa while listening to her favorite music. Or curled up together on the screened-in porch while listening to the frogs and crickets fill the night with nature’s music.
Scrubbing a hand over his face, Deacon pushed back the ache in his chest. He should be happy to know he had a mate. Eager to get to know her and let her know him. If he was a different kind of male, he would be. But Sabrina Bailey deserved better than someone as simple as him. If he was ever going to pursue her, and he knew it was inevitable, he needed to go shopping. His black fatigues, worn blue jeans, and T-shirts weren’t going to cut it. He needed some button-ups and at least a couple pairs of nice jeans. The ones he owned were threadbare and had holes in the knees. Perfect for setting out on his Harley but nowhere the type of clothing to take a doctor out to dinner.
Pushing away from the table, Deacon grabbed the empty plate and placed it in the sink. He dumped the rest of the leftovers into the garbage and put the dishes in the sink with the plate. Much like cooking, washing up the dirty pots and pans was soothing most of the time. When he’d dried and put everything away, he crumbled the rest of the cornbread then took it outside, scattering it over the ground for the birds. He checked the hummingbird feeders and watered the various plants and flowers in the small garden he’d designed just off the patio to attract the little birds that fascinated him. He had added this section of plants immediately after moving in, and they came back each year bigger and brighter than the last.
Deacon was on the schedule to patrol the city for Unholy that night, so he changed out of his knit shorts and into his battle gear. Opting to ride his Harley, he left the sanctuary he called home and headed toward downtown. Since he was going to be in the area, Deacon first stopped by the hospital. Hopefully, Sabrina would already be gone.
Jonathan was in a good mood considering all he was going through. He wasn’t getting better. In fact, the cancer was spreading, and he had called Rafael that evening, asking him to stop by the hospital alone. While they waited, Jonathan talked about his family who had dedicated their lives to taking care of the Di Pietros. Rafael’s family, which hailed from Italy, was one of the most well-loved and respected Gargoyle Clans in the world, and Jonathan considered it an honor to have been part of Rafe’s life, as well as all the other members of his family.
When Rafael arrived, Deacon stepped outside the room to give them privacy, and that’s how he found himself in a heated argument with his mate. He felt her before she came into view, and it didn’t surprise him when she headed his direction.
“I need you to step aside.” Sabrina stopped several feet away, tucking her hair behind one ear before shoving her hands in the pockets of her white lab coat.
Deacon crossed his arms over his chest, not to be imposing, but to keep from grabbing the stunning doctor and throwing her over his shoulder like a caveman. Dr. Bailey was an exquisite African American who stood about six inches shorter than Deacon. The perfect height to rest against his shoulder. Her dark hair framed her face, and her eyes were an exquisite shade of light brown. Eyes that were currently lit with fire.
“Jonathan and Rafael are speaking privately. I’m sure you can give them a few minutes alone. Can I buy you a cup of coffee while we wait?”
The doctor took in Deacon, from his fitted black T-shirt, his black fatigues, all the way down to his black boots. “No, you can’t buy me coffee. What you can do is get out of my way before I call someone to have you removed.”
Deacon pulled his phone out of his back pocket and flipped through the contacts. “Here. Call Dr. Mooneyham.”
“Why do you have the chief of staff’s number on your speed dial?”
“He’s family.” Sabrina’s eyebrows dipped, and he pulled the phone back when she didn’t take it. “His daughter works with me, and his niece is my boss’s wife. So, family.”
“You work with Isabelle?” Sabrina’s voice rose as if she didn’t believe him. Deacon didn’t think the doctor was a bad person, but here she stood, judging him without knowing him.
“I do. If you’d like, I can have her vouch for me.”
“What I’d like is to see my patient. I’m a busy doctor, and—"
The door opened, and a grief-stricken Rafael stepped through. “Dr. Bailey, would you please join us?” He motioned toward the room. It didn’t take an empath to know Rafael was reeling from Jonathan’s announcement.
“Of course.”
Deacon stepped aside so the doctor could enter the room. He inclined his head to Sabrina before placing his hand on Rafael’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “I’m going to patrol, but call me if you need me.” Rafael gave a barely perceptible nod before ushering the d
octor into Jonathan’s room. He hated leaving Rafael, but Deacon had a job to do. He knew Rafael had a mate who would comfort him far better than Deacon could, so he exited the hospital, straddled his bike, and met the other Goyles who were patrolling the city with him.
Slade landed next to Deacon on the balcony outside Rafael’s office. They’d been patrolling for hours and had yet to sight one Unholy. Deacon had been surprised to see Slade, but he didn’t give voice to the question of why the Goyle wasn’t with Matthew. Instead, he did question what was going on below. “Where are they?”
“I was wondering the same thing. It’s not like them to hide several nights in a row.”
“Deacon, you need to see this.” Malakai’s voice was strong through the comm in Deacon’s ear. Ever since Julian had upgraded the small device, it had made their lives easier when flying over the city.
“Where are you?”
“Two blocks south of the hospital.”
Deacon and Slade launched themselves into the sky and headed that direction. Rafael’s office was a couple miles from the hospital, but using their shifter speed, it didn’t take long to meet up with Kai and the others. When they landed atop one of the tallest buildings in downtown, Deacon noticed what had the other Gargoyle flustered. Around twenty Unholy were marching in formation down the street. But that was all they were doing. Where the beasts normally fought amongst themselves or wreaked havoc on human businesses, these were silently strolling down a dark alley in a quieter part of the city. The one walking in front of the others was talking on a cell phone.
“When did they start using phones?” Kai asked.
“And walking in formation?” Deacon used his shifter hearing to listen in on the conversation.
“…headed back now. Tell Drago the program was successful. All the men reacted positively.”
“Okay, that’s just strange. They look like Unholy, but…,” Deacon mused aloud. He wondered at the program the man spoke of.
“They sure as hell aren’t acting like it. Do you want to go question the guy with the phone?” Slade asked. “I’d like to know what kind of program he was referring to.”
“So would I. Let me get Frey on the line first.” Deacon stepped away from the edge of the building and pulled out his cell phone. When Frey answered, Deacon said, “Frey, we’ve encountered something strange.” Deacon recounted the scene below as well as the partially overheard conversation.
“Have Kai’s team follow them to see where they go. If you can, you and Slade grab an Unholy from the back and bring him to the Pen. We’ll question him and find out what we can.”
“We’re on it.” Deacon disconnected. He didn’t have to relay the plan, because the others were able to clearly hear Frey’s voice.
“As soon as the others round the corner, you grab his right arm, and I’ll get his left,” Deacon told Slade who nodded in affirmation. In perfect choreography, the two of them dove off the rooftop and used their wings to slow them when they reached the Unholy right before he rounded the corner. Using one hand to grip the Unholy’s bicep and the other to cover his mouth, Deacon dug his claws in to keep a tight grip on the male. The Unholy didn’t fight their hold while in flight, but as soon as they landed on the roof, he struggled to break free.
“Let me go! I wasn’t causing trouble.”
Deacon and Slade looked at one another when the male spoke coherently. Most of the Unholy they’d come across were mindless fighting machines. He continued struggling, but he was no match for two mature Gargoyles. Slade wasted no time securing the male’s arms behind his back while Deacon gagged him.
After making sure there were no humans in the area, Deacon and Slade dropped to the ground with the Unholy between them and met Kai at the tricked-out SUV the Clan used in transporting their “guests.” After getting the male restrained in the back, they waited for Kai and his group to return to the vehicle.
“What the hell, Deke? When did Unholy learn how to talk in full sentences?”
“I don’t know, Brother. Let’s hope he’s willing to give us that answer when we question him at the Pen.”
It took a while for Kai’s group to return. “They piled into a van, and we had to follow in the air. They drove to an old warehouse over off Industry Boulevard. They were alone, but the inside was set up like barracks with room for approximately one hundred males. Since we have the location, we didn’t wait around to see what they did next.” The male inside the SUV was staring straight ahead. “I guess we need to get this one to Frey. You coming with?”
Deacon and Slade both confirmed they were, and they silently walked back to where they’d parked, lost in their own thoughts.
Chapter Two
Sabrina made it to the lounge before the tears fell. Her nerves had been on edge from facing the big man guarding Mr. Holt’s door. His voice had been soft and placating. Hell, he even offered to get her a coffee, but his size had her trembling. On top of that, Mr. Holt had decided to halt all treatment. Sabrina hated when patients gave up, but it was their decision. She saw daily how much the chemo and radiation took out of her patients, but not having experienced it personally, she had no right to argue with them. Not when they were older and tired, like Jonathan.
His employer, Rafael Stone, had sat stoically while Jonathan told Sabrina of his decision. She didn’t have to be empathic to know how badly Mr. Stone was hurting. The haunted eyes belied the calm outward façade. She was glad Mr. Holt’s sister hadn’t been in the room upon his announcement. Sabrina could only imagine how that conversation was going to go. On more than one occasion, Priscilla had been physically removed from her brother’s room, and Dr. Mooneyham had even given her a mild sedative one of those times. Seeing the two siblings together made Sabrina think of her own brothers and sister.
Sabrina had no idea what it would be like to have a sibling hurt so badly on her behalf. Maybe Jasmine would be sad. Sabrina had kept in touch with her and her brothers as much as possible while they were growing up in different homes. They’d lost contact the years Sabrina was in college and then med school. By the time she was finished, Jasmine had gone to college as well, getting her degree in social work. Sabrina was proud of her sister, wanting to help children who had lost their parents or been kicked out of their homes.
Terrence had gone to college, and last Sabrina spoke with him, he was living in California working for a pharmaceutical company. Jerrick had joined the military, but Sabrina and the others lost touch with him once he enlisted. Both Jasmine’s grandparents had passed away, but before they died, they hadn’t heard from Jerrick in years. The four siblings had been lucky after their mother disappeared. Sabrina had been worried the boys would have to go into the foster care system, but the Wilsons had moved heaven and earth to keep the three siblings together. Sabrina often wished she'd been with them, but whenever she had that thought, she felt guilty. Her own grandmother had given Sabrina what she could monetarily, even if it was more out of familial obligation. Never once did her grandmother tell Sabrina she loved her.
The door to the lounge opened, and Sabrina swiped the tears off her face. Sabrina was surprised to find Dr. Mooneyham standing there. “Sabrina, my dear. Are you all right?”
“Yes. Just…” Sabrina sighed. “It never gets easier, but you probably know all about that.”
“I do. Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something. When you have a few minutes, please come find me in my office.”
“Of course. I’m finished with my rounds, so do you want to meet now or tomorrow?”
“That’s up to you. If you aren’t too drained, we can talk now. It might help take your mind off Jonathan.”
“How did…? Never mind. Let me grab my things and I’ll meet you downstairs in, say, twenty minutes?”
“I’ll be waiting.” The chief of staff left her alone in the lounge, and Sabrina blew out a breath. She was curious as to what Joseph wanted to talk to her about, and if it would help take her mind off Mr. Holt, she was all for it. After mak
ing sure she didn’t look like a racoon, Sabrina retrieved her purse from her office after inputting some notes into her computer then headed downstairs.
It had been a couple years since she’d been inside Joseph’s office, but it hadn’t changed much. The only thing she noticed different was the addition of some photos. She took one of the plush, leather chairs opposite his desk and relaxed as much as she could. Sabrina had no reason to be nervous, but being called to the office without being told why was enough to give her pause.
“I’ll make this quick to ease your worries. I will be retiring soon, and I’m hoping you’ll be interested in taking my place.”
Sabrina sat up, her hands on the arms of the chair. “You want me to be chief of staff?” Sabrina never would have imagined that was what he was going to discuss with her.
“Do you have a better candidate? Sabrina, you’re one of the best doctors I have ever had the pleasure of working with. You’re smart. You are dedicated. But above that, you care. I need to pass the hat to someone who has the patients’ best interests at heart, not someone who’s going to run the hospital like a business.”
“Isn’t it a business, though?” As chief of hematology and oncology, Sabrina knew what it took to oversee a department. For the last several years, she had run her group like a well-oiled machine, but did she want to be in charge of all departments?
“In a sense, yes. But the business end is for the CEO to handle. My job is to oversee the other chiefs and make sure the patients are taken care of first and foremost. You manage your department better than any of the chiefs we have on staff. You may treat it as a business, but you do it with care and compassion. If one of your doctors isn’t available, you’re always there to take up the slack. Your department is the only one which hasn’t received a complaint filed since you’ve been head of your department. I know what it takes to run this hospital, and I believe you are the best doctor for the position. I don’t need your answer right away. Take time to think about it. I’m not one to pry into my staff’s personal life, but as far as I know, you don’t have a partner at home to discuss your decision with.”
