by Faith Gibson
“Lucy, it is my honor to meet you. Welcome to the family,” Vitto said, fisting his heart and bowing his head in allegiance to Tamian’s mate. “I’ve already called Mirabella, and she assures me the chalet is ready for your arrival.” Mirabella was Martina’s sister, and she took care of the chalet in the family’s absence.
“Thank you, Vitto. We need to get a move on. Santiago is waiting. Tessa, will you be traveling with us?” Tamian loved his sister, but he wanted this time alone with Lucy.
“No freaking way. It wasn’t that long-ago Stone and I completed our bond, and I remember wanting to have him to myself for a few months.”
“Months?” Lucy asked, her eyebrows shooting up.
Tamian put his arm around his mate, leading her to the car. “She’s joking.”
“Am not. Just you wait. Once you claim each other, you’re going to be thankful you’re thousands of miles away from family. I didn’t have that luxury.” Tessa climbed into the driver’s seat while Vitto opened the back of the SUV and dug two shirts out of a bag, handing one to Tamian.
“Thank you,” Tamian said. After Vitto was covered, he took shotgun so Tamian and Lucy could share the back seat.
“Anyway, I’m flying back to New York with Uncle Vitto. I’m gonna chill with the ’rents for a few days and go see Manny and Laurence.”
Tamian thought after Tessa spoke to Gregor on the phone earlier she would be ready to head back home. He couldn’t ask her in front of the others, so he tapped into her mind. “Everything okay, Andi?”
“Fine. Stone’s busy with the Unholy, so this gives me an excuse to see Mom without feeling guilty about being gone a few more days.”
“Promise?”
“Tam, you need to focus on Lucy, not me. I’m fine.”
Lucy leaned into his side and looked up at him frowning. She glanced toward Tessa before looking at her lap. She took his hand in hers and placed it on her lap, offering... her strength? Understanding? Support? But why? Had she been able to hear their thoughts?
“I need to let my family know I’m safe. I’m not sure what Monk’s going to tell them when he finally shows back up, but I don’t want there to be hard feelings. We can’t start our future together with our families at odds,” Lucy said.
Tessa opened the glovebox and pulled out a phone. “Here,” she said, handing it over. “This is a burner. You can call them on it, and they won’t be able to trace you.”
“Thanks,” Lucy said. She punched in a number and waited. When it went to voicemail, Lucy said, “Hey, Pops. I’m safe, so you can call off the Hounds. Until all this shit blows over, I’m going with Tamian. I’m willfully going with him, no matter what Monk tells you. Hell, the way he was acting, he might not tell you anything, but that’s for Ryker to deal with. Anyway, tell Rory I love her, and I’ll call back soon. Love you both.”
When Lucy held out the phone for Tessa, she shook her head. “Keep it. Unless you want your family to trace your location while you and Tamian are getting to know one another, you’ll need some way to communicate that can’t be traced.”
Tamian tugged Lucy closer and stuck his nose in her hair. When he inhaled, she laughed but didn’t pull away. Instead, she placed her hand on his thigh and rubbed circles with the tip of her finger. If he didn’t know better, he would have sworn she was purring. Then again, she did have a huge cat inside, so anything was possible.
Tessa glanced at Lucy in the rearview mirror. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I was jealous. The male Gargoyles have wings, but you? Holy freaking shit! You are amazing, being able to shift the way you do. Your Gryphon is glorious.”
“Thank you. That’s the first time I’ve called on my Gryphon in over ten years. Most often, I’m my eagle when I shift. It allows me to go undetected by humans.”
“Undetected by Goyles, too. Tamian told me how you gave him the slip in Holmesvik. Is there a reason you and Monk have different coloring?”
“Yes. There are a few different types of Gryphons. Monk is a water Gryphon, thus his blue wings. My feathers are yellow and gold indicating an earth shifter. There are fires with red wings, and the air shifters’ feathers are all white. We have the ability to call on the elements for strength. Since I’m an earth Gryphon, I prefer my eagle, but as you saw, I’m not afraid of my lion.”
“So that was you causing the dust storm?” Tessa asked. When Lucy admitted as much, Tessa shook her head and smiled at Lucy before looking at Tamian. “Tam, you need to contact Uri and Banyan and let them know who Lucy is so their parents can rest easier.”
“I’ll do that. We might make a pitstop on the way home so I can properly introduce them to Lucy.”
“When you get back, you know Mom’s gonna want to meet her too. Especially after I tell her how awesome she is. Lucy, I’m not scared of much, but when you bared your lion’s teeth, I almost peed myself. Sorry about calling you a kitty. I meant no disrespect.”
Lucy grinned. “None taken. I just didn’t know who you were to Tamian, and I guess I was marking my territory, so to speak.”
“I don’t blame you. I know all about being possessive. I’d cut a bitch if she tried to get between me and my mate.” Tessa’s face fell when she mentioned Gregor, and Tamian considered something he vowed he’d never do once she was mated. He was going to butt into his sister’s life. By the time he and Lucy returned from Italy, if Tessa and Gregor hadn’t sorted their shit, he would talk to his brother-in-law. He couldn’t stand for Tessa to hurt, and as far as he was concerned, it was for no good reason.
The rest of the ride to the airport was filled with Tessa and Lucy chatting about the differences between Gryphons and Gargoyles. It allowed Tamian to learn more about his mate while enjoying her presence at his side. The longer they were together, the harder it became to keep the beast at bay. They would have plenty of alone time on the eight-hour flight, but he refused their first time making love to be anywhere other than a bed. On the ground. They could join the mile-high club on the way home.
Keep telling yourself that. She wants us.
And I want her, but I want her to want more than sex.
What’s wrong with sex?
Nothing, but there’s more to being mates than fucking.
Says you.
Yes, says me. Now, behave. We need to get to the plane and on our way before Monk decides to make another appearance.
Let him.
Tamian ignored the beast and helped Lucy from the back seat. Santiago and another male Tamian had never met were waiting for them. Santiago came forward and fisted his heart, bowing. “Lucy, it is my honor to meet you.”
“Lucy, this is Santiago. My pilot and friend.” Lucy held out her hand, and Santiago took it, kissing her knuckles instead of shaking it. Tamian growled low, and Santiago laughed while Lucy rolled her eyes.
“Down, boy. I’m all yours,” she said, comforting his ego. When she turned to tell Vitto and Tessa goodbye, Tessa pulled his mate into her arms.
“Take care of him,” Tessa whispered.
“I promise. And when we get back, I want us to spend more time together.”
“I’d like that,” Tessa admitted. The smile she gave Lucy was one Tamian hadn’t seen in a while, and as much as he wanted alone time with Lucy, he wanted the mess with Ramey to be concluded sooner rather than later so he could get his mate home and begin their lives together.
Tessa stepped into Tamian’s waiting arms and wrapped him up in a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you,” she said, silently. Her happiness was mixed with sadness, but he knew it had nothing to do with him finding his mate.
“Don’t stay away from Gregor too long, Andi. He misses you.”
“How do you know?”
“The same way you do. I feel it.”
Tessa stepped back and brushed a tear off her cheek. “Go on. Take your girl and enjoy the quiet while the rest of us take care of the shitshow known as Ramey.”
Tessa walked off without another word. Vitto clasped Tamian’s shoulder. �
��I’ll take care of her, I promise.”
Santiago grabbed Lucy’s bag and strode toward Tamian’s jet, leaving just Tamian and Lucy standing there. He held out his hand and asked, “Are you ready to go?”
“I’m ready,” she responded softly. With a wink, Lucy tugged Tamian’s hand, and he let his mate lead him to the plane. He was ready, too.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rafael was anxious to get Kaya home and check on Jonathan, but finding out more about the Hounds was necessary, so he was glad when Ryker accepted the offer of a ride back to New York in the jet. The males didn’t hesitate to discuss Monk and his disappearance in front of him and Kaya, and that went a long way in easing his mind about the type of relationship they would all have going forward.
Once they settled down, Rafael said, “Tell me about the Ministry. I know they claimed responsibility for taking down Jonas Montague’s clinic when the world fell apart, but other than that, I’ve not heard much about them.”
“Because they’re slicker than whale shit,” Kaya claimed, surprising the Hounds.
“She’s not wrong,” Maveryck muttered, grinning at her.
“During all the years I was on the force, not once was anyone connected to the Ministry convicted of a crime. Without anyone willing to testify against them, the evidence never held up.”
Ryker nodded, and explained further. “They are exceptional at keeping their business hidden and their members in line. They claim to be a religious group, but in reality, they are a cult with factions worldwide. The Hounds of Zeus, like the Gargoyles, come from all areas of the globe, and we have made it our mission to take down the Ministry, one group at a time. The Hounds aren’t as connected as it seems your Clan is. You have Kings to rule your respective country. The Hounds pretty much govern ourselves within our own areas. We do communicate with yearly gatherings, unless we hear of a cult in an area we don’t control. Then we reach out to the head of the family. Before Lucy was hired on with the GIA, we did the best we could finding them without her computer skills. Granted, she isn’t the best hacker in the world, but she was able to help before this latest fiasco came about.”
“Once this is all over and we have proved Lucy’s innocence, Julian can teach her more about computers, if that’s something she would be interested in. That is, if she doesn’t stay on with the GIA.”
“She didn’t want to join them in the first place, but it was either that or jail time. Proving her innocence won’t necessarily enable her to get out of her contract.”
“Then we’ll need to figure out how to help her with that as well. I’m not sure where she and Tamian will end up, but since she lives in New York, I would suspect she’ll want to remain close to her family. Tamian’s parents also live there, so I don’t think he would be opposed to moving there with her. He has a place in New Atlanta, so they could stay there while she’s training.”
“Why would Julian do that?” Maveryck asked.
“Because Lucy’s part of our family, and we take care of our own. Don’t worry; we aren’t trying to take her from you, but she now has an extended family that reaches across the country. We will all be connected once Lucy and Tamian mate, and it would be in our best interests to work together. Just because the Gargoyles handle the Unholy and the Gryphons take on the Ministry doesn’t mean we can’t help one another going forward. Both our species are honor-bound to watch over humans.”
“What happens if they spend time together and decide not to complete the bond?” Hawke asked.
“I have every faith Tamian and Lucy will be mated soon, but if something were to happen and they go their separate ways, Lucy will still be considered family, and the Clan will work with the Hounds regardless. We have a common goal, and nothing will change that.”
The rest of the flight was spent with Ryker and the Hounds recounting times they’d infiltrated the Ministry and how they took them down. The good thing was the cult members who weren’t there of their own free will were directed to rehabilitation centers set up by the Hounds. The only negative was the Hounds didn’t see to it the heads of the cults found their way into the human justice system. Instead, they meted out their own brand of justice. Surprisingly, Kaya didn’t flinch when they explained how their family worked.
When Rafael asked her about it later, she said, “There’s too much wrong with the world as it is. If the Hounds can rid society of these bastards, I’m all for it. That’s one less thing I have to worry about when Sebastian is born.” He couldn’t fault her thinking.
After dropping Kaya off at the manor, Rafael made his way to the hospital. He was pleased to find Jonathan in good spirits, and that meant Priscilla was behaving. She still hovered, but not nearly as badly as when her brother was feeling down. Deacon was leaned against the wall on the far side of the room, staying out of the way. Rafael made a mental note to ask the male how often he visited Jonathan just so he could keep an eye on Dr. Bailey.
To take his human family’s minds off things they had no control over, Rafael told them all about meeting the Gryphons, but he didn’t linger too long after answering all their questions. He didn’t want to cause Jonathan more stress than Priscilla would by herself. After promising to stop by again soon, Rafael headed to see Julian.
Rafael was surprised to find Julian alone when he walked into the lab. “Hey, Brother. When did you get back?” Julian asked, taking his eyes off the monitors and turning toward his cousin.
“A couple hours ago. I dropped Kaya off at home then stopped by to see Jonathan. How are things going here?” It was hard to miss the distress in Julian’s eyes, but his cousin would never complain. He might be Gargoyle, but at some point, they all needed to rest.
“Like you’d expect when the human government’s involved. Phil Ramey is a piece of work, and the more I dig, the deeper the hole gets without hitting bottom. How he managed to pass the GIA’s security clearance is beyond me, unless he had inside help. He’s been good about covering his tracks over the last twenty or so years, but in the past few years, he’s gotten sloppy. That coincides with Lucius Ball’s death. When I can finally get through the files from the lab where Lucy was working, I might be able to discern why that is, but I’m assuming the specialists Ramey hired after Lucius died weren’t as adept in what it was they were tasked to do, and Ramey kept looking until he could get Lucy transferred to his area.”
“Are they encrypted?”
Julian’s frown deepened. Scrubbing a hand down his unshaven face, he said, “No, I just haven’t gotten to them yet. I’m trying, but there’s only one of me. Rafe, I know you don’t trust him, but I could really use Lachlan’s help.”
“You’re right; I don’t. There’s no way I’m letting him out of the Pen.” Julian’s shoulders slumped, and Rafael felt the impact of his words as if he was sitting in Julian’s place. “After everything he did to aid in Katherine’s arrest, can you honestly say you want his help?”
Julian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he looked at Rafael, he said, “If we can’t find someone else, then yes. It’d go a long way in allowing him to redeem himself. I’m...” Julian shrugged, his voice trailing off.
“Jules, I’m sorry. I —”
“I understand. You’re King, and you have to do what you feel is best for the Clan.”
“That’s not what I was going to say. I’m sorry I didn’t realize how stressed you are. If you, Frey, and Gregor can work out a way to keep him under twenty-four-hour surveillance, then I’ll allow it.”
“No. I can’t let you do that. I’ll keep searching for someone else.”
“While you’re doing all the other work I’ve asked of you? No. We’ll make this work, at least until we find another suitable replacement. With the number of Goyles we have in the States, there has to be another genius among the bunch.”
“Did you know Hunter calls Gregor at least once a week to check on Lachlan?”
“No, but I don’t doubt it. He might not be able to forgive his mate, but
if I were in his shoes, I’d check on him, too. For whatever reason, the fates put those two together. They had to see some good in Lachlan, or I doubt they’d have given him such an honorable Goyle as Hunter. Before I talk to Frey and Gregor, I’ll give Hunter a call and tell him what we’re planning. Now that Donovan has a good grasp on being King to the Greeks, Hunter might be willing to relocate to New Atlanta for a while and help us watch Lachlan.”
“That’s a good idea. Last time he called, he informed Gregor several Greek Goyles disappeared. I haven’t had time to track them, but if I were a gambler, I’d bet they’re here with Drago.”
Rafael took a deep breath. When had things gotten so out of hand?
“I didn’t tell you, because you have enough going on with Kaya being pregnant and Jonathan in the hospital. Add finding out about the Gryphons on top of that, and your family thought we would try to take some of the load off your shoulders.”
“While I appreciate the sentiment, it’s my responsibility to bear that load. Kaya’s doing fine. There’s nothing I can do to help Jonathan other than keep Priscilla from driving him crazy. This thing with the Gryphons will work itself out. After meeting with them, I have a feeling they’ll be good allies. Is there anything else my family has been hiding from me?”
“No, Brother. Not as far as I know.”
“Okay then. I’m going to call Hunter, and then I’m calling a family meeting. You’re excused from the meeting. As a matter of fact, I insist you go home and take tomorrow off. I know we need to help Lucy, but Tamian has her, and she’ll be fine long enough for you to take a break.”
“I’m fine.”
“I’m not telling you as your cousin; I’m giving you an order as your King.” It wasn’t often Rafe pulled the King card with his immediate family, but Julian needed the downtime. “Go home to Katherine. Now.”
“Thank you,” Julian whispered.
