by Faith Gibson
“Sin…”
“What happened?” he asked, doing his best to keep his voice even.
“She was cleaning up behind the bar, so I sat down with Bridget to go over some paperwork. Sin, I’m so sorry.”
“Stop with the apologies and tell me how she is.”
“Hanging in there. Barely.”
“I am on my way, but it is going to take at least nine hours to get there. I know she didn’t do this to herself, Banyan.”
“I believe you, Brother. Not only were her wrists cut, but John found evidence of drugs in her system. Sin, whatever she was injected with was so much worse than last time. This mixture was meant to kill her. Dr. Mercato’s doing what he can. He gave her some of my blood, but it would be best if she had yours to go with it.”
Sin tamped down the need to roar. “I have received a text from her phone since she was taken to the hospital. Whoever did this is stupid enough to think a text will appease me. I’ve sent the number to Landon. He is going to call you first when he figures out where her phone is.”
“You got it. Wait, hang on a sec…” Even though Banyan covered the phone with his hand, Sin could still hear his and Rett’s voices.
“Sin, Rett found something. A video camera at one of the stores caught two people, a man and a woman, running down the alley away from the Dumpster. CSU is running their images to see if they get a match.”
“Have him send the images to Landon. Julian has programs in place that are ten times faster than what the local government has access to.”
“Will do. Anything else?”
“Keep my girl alive until I get there.” Sin hung up and scrubbed his free hand down his face, stopping when he got to his chin. His chin that was void of the whiskers Rocky loved so much. Sin continued to pace back and forth as he fought for control over his anger. He’d left his mate in capable hands, or so he thought. Yes, he had. It wasn’t their fault, not really. It was his. Sin should have taken Rocky with him and brought enough Goyles to watch over her while he was looking for his mother and pretending to be Rafael. She was his mate and his responsibility. Getting mad at Banyan and Finley wouldn’t change what had happened, but it would change the way Sin handled his mate’s safety going forward.
Sin stopped pacing and poured a tall glassful of some Irish whiskey Jasper had left on the jet. As he sipped the smooth liquor, Sin reflected on the other male’s life. Jasper’s had been colorful and full of adventure, even if some of it had been marred with a crazed Goyle stalking him over the years. Sin had no wild tales or exotic adventures. He, like Rafael, had been a good and dutiful son to their father, the King. They, along with Gregor and Dante, had spread out over the States when Rafael took their father’s place. Sin wasn’t complaining; he had thought his life full until now. He’d longed for a mate, but he didn’t realize how empty his life had truly been before meeting Raquel. Now that he’d finally been blessed by the fates, Sin was afraid they were toying with him. He had some bad qualities, and he wasn’t always the best Gargoyle, but he did try his best to honor his duty to his King, his Clan, and the humans. If Raquel didn’t pull through, Sin wasn’t sure he could remain the good and faithful servant. He was afraid he would lose all hope and wish to pass over to the other side, because without his mate, his life would be forfeit. For the first time in almost six hundred years, Sinclair Stone was scared.
Chapter Twenty-One
“You did what?” Blake yelled at the idiots standing before him.
“She’ll live. The cuts weren’t that deep, and I did them horizontally. She’ll lose a little blood, and when she starts to come around, she’ll need another fix. Now give me my money,” Tommy said, holding out his hand.
“I told you I was handling it! That’s it. I’m done listening to your bullshit. For three years you’ve been telling me Raquel would come around. That she would get so low she’d sign the bar right over. Well, she did. TO SOMEONE ELSE!” Blake wiped the spit off his mouth and adjusted his coat. Blake’s inside man at the bar had called moments earlier to inform him Raquel had sold the bar to some big motherfucker who’d been coming into RC’s the past two nights.
“You had her here, but you lost her. That’s on you,” Tommy said, poking Blake’s chest with his finger.
“I didn’t lose her. One of the girls followed me down to the basement. When she saw I had Rocky, she freaked. I explained that Rocky had wanted to get high, but I didn’t have time to babysit, and I asked the girl to take her home,” Blake countered, getting in Tommy’s face.
“Yeah, well it’s not my fault you had to drug the bitch to get her to fuck you. She gave it up to me for free,” Tommy bragged, laughing.
The girl standing next to Tommy gasped and backed away from him. “You fucked your own cousin?”
Blake shook his head and also put a little room between himself and the other man. “Goddamn, Tommy. You’re even sicker than I thought. We’re done here. I don’t want you coming around anymore. When the cops figure out you’re the one who cut her wrists, I don’t want them to have any way to tie you to me.”
“You forget, buddy boy, we are tied together. The drugs came from your club, and your fingerprints are all over the bags.”
“I’ll tell the cops you stole them from me.”
“And you’ll still go to jail for possession.”
“I’d rather spend a few years behind bars for possession than murder one.” Blake was pissed beyond measure, but he kept his face impassive in front of this loser. When Tommy refused to leave without the money Blake owed him, Blake pulled a 9mm out of the holster at his hip. A 9mm he’d stolen from Raquel’s bedside table the last time he’d slipped unknown into her apartment.
Cocking the hammer back, Blake leveled the gun at Tommy’s head. The woman continued to back up towards the door, but Blake let her go. She was too stupid to rat either one of them out. “I should shoot you for raping Raquel.”
“You can’t rape a willing bitch,” Tommy sneered. Blake knew Tommy’s taste in women ran along the young side. The side younger than legal, and he had a feeling it started while Raquel was living under the same roof. Thinking of this bastard putting his dick anywhere near Raquel had bile rising in his throat. He swallowed it down and took a step forward, putting the barrel to Tommy’s forehead.
“You would do well to get out of here now, before my finger happens to slip. And Tommy? If Raquel doesn’t pull through, you won’t have to worry about the cops, because I’ll kill you myself.”
Tommy spit in Blake’s face. “I’ll get my money one way or another, you sorry motherfucker.” The threat wasn’t an idle one; Blake knew this. If the man was crazy enough to slit his cousin’s wrists, he was crazy enough to come back for the money.
God, he’d been so stupid to trust the loser in the beginning. When Blake first met Tommy, the man was coming into the strip club every night the doors were open. He was a bad tipper, but he didn’t bother the dancers. He ordered the watered down Scotch and nursed one as long as he could. He was a cheap bastard. When the crowds began thinning out, Tommy asked Blake what was going on. He’d made the mistake of confiding in the man that things were going downhill fast, and if he didn’t find someone new and fresh to generate more business, he’d end up closing the doors.
Tommy told Blake about his hot cousin who’d inherited their uncle’s bar. A bar that was doing really well. Once Blake “got all up in that” as Tommy put it, he could wrangle the bar away from her. Tommy had also introduced Blake to the drugs. At first it was roofies, but Tommy eased him into the hard stuff much the same way Blake had eased Rocky into it, a little at a time. Blake grasped at the lure Tommy dangled above his sinking head. He took the bait, and Tommy dragged him out of the water onto the waiting shoreline, ripping the hook out of his jaw. Blake had been ready to close the club. To give up everything. But once he got a glimpse of Tommy’s cousin, Blake was done for. One look at Raquel Cartwright, and Blake was heels over fucking head smitten with the raven-haired beaut
y, that’s how much she tore him up. Blake had to have her. The girl was almost perfect. The only thing missing had been big tits, and Blake eventually convinced Raquel to have hers enhanced. Then she’d been fucking perfect.
Raquel hadn’t wanted to go out with Blake, so when he finally convinced her to go to dinner with him, he didn’t take a chance on it being a one-time deal. He slipped her a little something to make her more amenable to sex with him. He didn’t give her a full dose. Not the first time. Blake eased Rocky into it so she didn’t get suspicious. By the time he had her good and hooked, Raquel was willing to do anything he asked just so she could get her next fix. And by anything, he meant anything. Even stoned, Raquel was the best lay he’d ever had. And god-damn! Could the girl dance! She was the reason the club went from near bankruptcy to tipping the scales to the black side of the column. Yes siree, his Raquel was something else. Until that bitch Vivian came in and hauled her away.
Somehow, Blake would get Raquel back, and when he did, he’d never let her escape. Not again. He needed a plan. One that didn’t involve Tommy.
“Don’t move, motherfucker.” Cold metal met Blake’s head as a sinister voice met his ear.
That wasn’t part of his plan.
Sin knew the pilot could only go so fast, but he was ready to throw the Goyle out of the cockpit and take over the controls. Not that he’d ever flown a plane before, but he could call Frey, and his cousin could talk him through it. Thinking of the large Goyle, Sin thought back to what Frey went through when Abby had almost died. Frey’s pretty mate had been raped by her husband before he tossed her over a bridge. Luckily, Frey had phased and flown fast enough to catch Abby right before she hit the concrete below. Still, she had been unconscious, and had Frey not bitten her, she’d have died.
If Rocky was still unconscious when he arrived at the hospital, he was going to bite her and count on whatever it was in their saliva being enough to save her as it had Abby. Sin’s phone rang, halting his pacing. When he saw his cousin’s name on the caller ID, Sin prayed Julian, or Landon, had good news.
“Go ahead,” he answered, since he didn’t know who was calling.
“I have good news and bad news. The good news is I located Rocky’s phone. Whoever took it wasn’t smart enough to turn it off. I traced it to a club in New Pasadena. It’s a strip club owned by Blake Stansbury. I checked it out, and it’s a really shady place. The owner sells drugs out of a back room.”
Sin didn’t want to hear how bad the club where his mate used to dance was. “What’s the bad?”
“The phone didn’t remain static. After remaining still for twenty minutes, it started moving, but I lost the signal once it had gone about thirty blocks.”
“Did you call Banyan?”
“Yes. Finley and Rett are headed to the club to see if they can get anything out of the owner.”
“Thanks, Landon.” Sin disconnected and dialed Finley.
“Sin, we’re about to go in and question Stansbury,” Fin said as soon as he picked up.
“Call me back as soon as you have something.” Sin disconnected and sat down in one of the leather captain’s chairs. Neither pacing nor drinking was doing him any good. It made the beast even more restless. Sin closed his eyes and concentrated on his mate. The other males who had found their own mates had shared stories of being able to connect with them spiritually. Since Sin had bitten Rocky, even if it hadn’t been deep, he was hoping the little bit of transference was enough to bond them together. It might not work since she didn’t know the significance of the bite, but he had to try.
Sin called forth all the memories he had with Rocky. There weren’t many, but most of the ones he had were good ones, especially when they shared a kiss. Concentrating, as Frey had taught them all to do, Sinclair emptied his mind of everything except the feel of Rocky’s lips on his. The way her tongue melded to his in the perfect slow dance. The sweet smell of her oxygen as Sin breathed her into his lungs. The way her body arched into his to get even closer.
“Rocky…”
“Beautiful girl…”
Rocky sat at the water’s edge, giggling every time a wave broke and the foam covered her feet. Her parents were lying together on a blanket, lost in each other as they always were. They didn’t have a lot of time or money to go on vacations like most families, but Rocky didn’t care. It was days like this she cherished. Just the three of them. Laughing and loving, even if they weren’t doing anything thrilling. Rocky loved seeing her parents together. She was only ten, but she understood those silent moments the two of them shared. She wanted that for herself. One day, she would have a boyfriend who looked at her the way her dad looked at her mom. He would be tall and strong, and he would move heaven and earth for her. Words wouldn’t be needed. He would be able to touch her, and she would feel the love without the words.
Something weird happened with the waves. They stopped rolling in. The water had calmed to an eerie silence, and the wind was no longer blowing. She stood to go back to her parents, but they weren’t there. Rocky scanned the beach and found herself alone. “Momma! Daddy!” she yelled. Frantic, Rocky ran toward where they’d parked the car thinking they had packed up and left her there. As she struggled with the thick sand, Rocky tripped, falling to her knees.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Momma!” Rocky screamed again, her voice breaking on a sob.
“I’m here, Rocky.” Her mother’s sweet voice called to her, but Rocky couldn’t see her.
“Where, Momma? Where are you? I can’t see you!”
“I’m here with your father, sweet girl. We’re both watching over you.”
Rocky couldn’t see her parents, but she wanted to. She wanted to be back with them. She missed them terribly. Bad stuff happened when they weren’t there to protect her. Too much bad stuff. “Here, Momma. Take my hand. I need you.” Still on her knees, Rocky reached out blindly, praying her mother would latch on and pull her to where they were.
“Rocky?” Someone else called out to her, but whoever the voice belonged to was far away.
“Beautiful girl?” This time it was closer, but still faint.
Rocky looked around for the man. Why was it familiar? Why couldn’t she see anyone? “Momma, help me.”
“Rocky, can you hear me?” The man’s voice was closer still, but this time was panicked.
“Who are you?” Rocky was confused, and she was scared. Normally she didn’t mind being alone, but the stillness around her wasn’t normal. The ocean was unmoving, like Poseidon himself had calmed it. There were no seagulls circling overhead looking for a crumb of food. No crabs scampering along the sand. No breeze pushing her hair around her face.
The deep voice echoed around her. “It’s me, beautiful girl. Sinclair.”
That name sounded familiar, but she didn’t know him. “Stay away from me. I don’t know you. I want my parents. I need to see them.”
Something surfaced at the back of Rocky’s brain. Something sinister that had the hair on her arms standing up. A man… Was he this Sinclair? She didn’t think so, but she couldn’t be sure. “Momma, where are you?”
“I’m here, sweet girl.”
“I need you. Why can’t I see you?”
“It’s not time. Fight, Rocky girl. You have a lot of living left to do.”
“But I’m scared.”
“It’s okay to be scared, but we’re watching over you, honey,” her father added.
“Daddy?” Rocky wrapped her arms around her waist and sobbed harder than she could remember ever doing. She missed her father. He was the only man she’d ever been able to trust. Even Uncle Ray had left her alone with her aunt Linda and Tommy.
“I’m here, baby girl. But your mother’s right; you need to fight. It’s not your time.”
“Rocky? Are you there, beautiful girl?” the deep voice whispered along her skin. “Please hang on, baby. I’m coming for you.”
Rocky sank down deeper in the sand, burying her face against her knees. “No, pl
ease don’t leave me alone with him,” she silently begged her parents.
Sinclair concentrated on his mate. “Rocky...”
“Who are you?” Rocky asked. Yes! He’d made contact, but wait…
“It’s me, beautiful girl. Sinclair.”
“Stay away from me. I don’t know you. I want my parents. I need to see them.” But Rocky’s parents were dead. Was she even talking to him?
“Momma, where are you? I need you. Why can’t I see you?” His wasn’t the only voice she was hearing. But if she could hear her parents, that mean she was worse off than anyone knew. She was closer to crossing over than they realized.
“Raquel, it’s me, Sinclair.”
“But I’m scared. Daddy?”
Both her parents were reaching out for her.
“No, you cannot go to them, Rocky! Listen to me, it’s Sinclair. You are my mate. You can’t leave me!”
“Rocky? Are you there, beautiful girl? Please hang on, baby. I’m coming for you.”
Sin lost contact with Rocky, and he let out a roar that shook the plane. Andre immediately rushed to where Sin stood, staying far enough away where Sin couldn’t reach him with his claws. Most of the employees of the Stone Society were human. Their families had been serving the Gargoyles for centuries. Andre was one of those, so he was well aware of the extra appendages the Goyles had. He also knew to keep his distance when one was upset. The man kept quiet while he waited for Sin to either phase back or turn on him. Sin calmed down and retracted both his fangs and claws.
“Sorry,” Sin muttered.
“Please, do not apologize. I have a wife at home, and even though we don’t have the mate bond that’s present in your kind, I still feel a deep connection to her. If she were in the hospital and I were on an airplane thousands of miles away, I wouldn’t be calm either.”
