by S. C. Storm
“You are worried about her as well,” Ryden said, stepping over to his brother.
“Of course I am. No matter what Richard or Deacon have done, Tessa was always kind to us. Hell, she was like the little sister we never had.” Ryder glanced at his brothers. He could see worry in both their faces. “Maybe I should contact Deacon. I know I am not his favorite person, but perhaps he would discuss her leaving with me.”
“Or he may tell you to shove off and not worry about his sister.” Ryden sighed, walking over to the window. “Perhaps we should offer to help search for her—”
“We can’t. I mean, not for long,” Rian interrupted. “It’s almost time for the Gathering. We have to be here.”
“He is right,” Ryder agreed, seeing Ryden nod his head. “Let me call him. All he can do is tell me to mind my own business,” he added as he stood. Making his way in to the other room, he dialed the phone number Sebastian had given him and waited for Deacon to answer. Hearing the familiar voice on the other end, he hesitated before he spoke. “Deacon. Have you found her?”
Shock ran through Deacon at the sound of the voice on the other end. He debated hanging up or blasting him with a good slur of curse words. In the end, however, his hope that Tessa may contact Ryder or one of his brothers kept him from such actions. “No, I haven’t,” he answered. Then, unable to help himself, he followed with, “What the hell do you want?”
Sighing, Ryder debated on what to say. He opted to go the route of civility. “I am just as concerned about her as you are. You know Tessa means the world to all of us.”
“That was a long time ago. A lot of things happened a long time ago,” Deacon grumbled into the phone. He stared at the ferry in front of him, still debating on what he should do. As the whistle blew, he knew Ryder would hear it. “Listen, I need to go. I have to decide what I am going to do about my sister.”
“What do you mean decide?” Ryder pressed. After hearing the whistle, he knew Deacon was not far. “You are going to bring her back, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know. I spoke to our father about it. He seemed more concerned with punishing her for disobeying than making sure she was all right. Do I truly want to bring her back to a house where she feels as if she is constantly in the pits of hell?” he snapped, then sighed. “I want to do what is best for her.”
“Deacon, I know the time has long passed for the two of us to be considered friends, but I do know better than most the lives you and Tessa led. Perhaps the two of us should talk. It may help you decide which way to go.” Ryder hoped Deacon’s hate for him would not cloud his judgement when it came to Tessa.
Holding the phone, the past seemed to creep up and bite Deacon in the ass. Hundreds of years ago, there would have been absolutely no one he would have trusted more than Ryder Atherton. That trust had been destroyed though. Now there was no one, not even his own father, that he trusted. He could not even discuss most things with his sister. He hated seeing the look of worry on her face. But this, this situation, was different. It was about Tessa. The only thing left on this earth that he truly cared for. Kicking himself for what he was about to do, he made himself speak. “All right. I am at the ferry. Come alone. I do not feel like dealing with the entire Atherton entourage.”
“Tempest dock or over on the mainland?” Ryder asked as he began to pace.
“Tempest. I haven’t left the islands yet.” Deacon hung up his phone.
Sliding his phone into his pocket, Ryder made his way back to his brothers. Seeing both of them looking so anxious made him realize just how worried they all truly were. “I’m going to meet Deacon by the ferry. He has agreed to speak with me,” he told them. Before they could say more, he held up his hand. “He said only me.”
“Dammit, Ryder.” Ryden growled. “You know this could be a set-up.”
“I do not believe it is, but I will be on guard. Do not worry,” he told his brother with a grin, and he disappeared.
***
Longview, Texas
Tossing her bag onto the bed, Tessa collapsed, feeling her tiredness set in. Yes, she was a vampire, but the fact that she had not been tending to herself well was setting in. She needed to drink. It would wait, however. She had driven nonstop since she left Tempest. Feeling she was far enough away, she rented a motel room. The place she had chosen was quite small and off the beaten path. There was no way either Richard or Deacon would suspect her to stay in such a place. For the first time in many years, she felt safe.
Closing her eyes, she remembered back several years ago, sixteen to be exact.
She convinced her father and brother to allow her to go on a vacation⸻alone. Never in all her existence had they allowed such a thing. It had taken quite a bit of convincing, but finally she was granted her wish. She knew exactly where she wanted to go. Having grown up in England before moving to the states, her heart had always been set on visiting Venice. She had always been told her mother had loved it like no other place.
When she arrived, she took in the sights and visited all the places her mother’s drawings had depicted. It was a beautiful place. After being there a few days, she decided to visit a small tavern the locals all spoke about. Ordering a glass of wine, she glanced around the room and immediately realized she was not the only supernatural being there. Her eyes homed in on the other vampire across the room. She had to admit, upon spotting him her heart felt as though it froze. He was tall, muscular, and unbelievably handsome. His hair was slightly long and dark. He wore it pulled back, showing his chiseled face. The slight facial hair only accentuated his good looks. Unable to stop watching him, she was shocked when he got to his feet and made his way toward her.
Opening her eyes, she pushed the memory aside. That had been long ago and had nearly cost her everything. She could not think of it or him. He was gone, as was most every person she had ever cared about. Her friendship with Cassandra had ended brutally. She and Sebastian had gone their separate ways, thanks to her family. Even her friendship with the Athertons had now vanished. She had not been allowed to speak to anyone, much less maintain a friendship. No, she was alone, as she was always⸻alone with her memories of times and loves she no longer had the right to hold on to, especially the thoughts of him. Closing her eyes once again, she willed herself to find enough peace to sleep. In time, it came to her.
***
Tempest Island
Appearing behind the resort and out of sight, Ryder looked around, easily spotting Deacon. He was sitting on a bench staring at the ferry. It was clear he was still debating on whether he should go in search of Tessa or not. Reaching him, Ryder said nothing. He just took a seat beside him.
As Ryder made his way over, Deacon did not acknowledge him at first. He still did not know how to take his former friend offering help. After several moments, he folded his arms and let out a sigh. “I am worried about her. With how often the reapers are attacking, I hate the thought of her being alone. The thing is, the sound of Richard’s voice struck me as odd. There is something he is not telling me. Honestly, there is a lot he is not telling me, but I mean about Tessa. She is my concern right now,” he said, shaking his head as he looked at Ryder. “I have a feeling he will hurt her if I take her home.”
“Deacon, all of us know Richard has never forgiven Tessa for your mother’s death. He blamed her as a child. That hatred grew over the years,” Ryder said, shaking his head. “None of us ever understood it, but we all saw it. You raised that girl. You took care of her. You care more about her than he ever did.”
Deacon nodded his head but said nothing.
“Tell me now, if he tried to hurt her, would you allow it?” Ryder asked.
“Fuck no. I’d rip his head from his shoulders and leave him lying where he stood.” Deacon growled.
“And he knows this. He would not dare do anything to her that would make you doubt him.”
“You are right. But now he has Anton and his brothers here. He will use them to do his bidding. I do not know if he wou
ld send them to hurt her without my knowledge or not,” Deacon said with a growl. “She cannot go back to that house, not until I am sure she is safe there. But I know she is not safe away from here either.”
“Go find her. If you do, we will allow her to stay at the house. No one will touch her there. I promise you this,” Ryder told him, knowing his brothers would not mind.
Staring at him, Deacon debated for another long moment. Finally, he nodded his head. He knew this was the best thing for his sister. The Athertons had always cared about her, and he had no doubts they would keep her safe. “I will find her, then bring her to your home. We will make her understand that she cannot be out in public. They cannot know.”
“It matters not, Deacon. They will not get to her either way. No one will,” Ryder told him, glancing over. “You have my oath. I will protect her with my life.”
Not saying any more, Deacon looked away. “I do not know all of Richard’s plans. He has never been open with me about them. I just do as I am told. You know my stance with Richard. I never was the important son. I was the backup plan. I just do as I am told so things go smoothly.”
“Things did not use to be that way. However, I know times have changed.” Ryder sighed. “Would you like me to help you search for her?”
With a shake of his head, Deacon got to his feet. “No. I must do this. I will bring her back. Then I will trust her to someone who has betrayed me already,” he added, staring into Ryder’s face.
Ryder tried to explain. “I have told you a million times; I regret that night. There was nothing between us. I swear.”
“Yes, I know. Perhaps if there had been emotions or long-lost feelings, I could have understood. Never the mind, Tessa is what matters. I will be in touch,” he replied quickly as he began to make his way toward his car.
Ryder watched as Deacon drove onto the ferry. He sat there waiting for the ferry to depart. Catching familiar scents, he rolled his eyes. Glancing toward the resort, he saw both his brothers as they stepped out into view. This is bullshit, he said silently in his mind to Ryden.
Instead of making his way over to Ryder, Ryden smiled and offered a wave as he and Rian walked inside. While they were there, they had decided to grab a drink and say hello to Millie.
With a shake of his head, Ryder glanced around, and noticing no one was looking in his direction, he vanished for the gates of Obsidian.
Chapter 23
Moonstone Island
Melody pulled into the familiar driveway. She reached over and grabbed the food she had brought. As she opened the diner that morning, Kane and several wolves she had only met in passing talked of the fight from the night before. Hearing how bad it had been, she worried about Jason. She wanted to make sure he was all right and bring him a bite to eat to get his day started. She also wanted to show him things weren’t going to be strange between them. She hopped out of her car and shuffled the to-go containers as she made for the door and knocked.
Stretching lazily, Jason opened his eyes, realizing it was well past time for him to be awake. Hearing the shower running, he knew Lisa was already up. He thought about last night. It wasn’t the first time that he and Lisa came together after fighting reapers. It helped them forget, if only for a short time, what was happening out there. He got to his feet and started for the bathroom to join her when he heard a knock. Pulling on his shorts, he headed down the stairs. It wasn’t long before he sensed who was there. Taking a deep breath, he went to the door. “Hey, Mel,” Jason said as he opened the door.
“Hey, sweetie. I heard about last night. I brought you something to eat, and I wanted to make sure you are all right.” She smiled at him.
“Uhm, thanks, Mel. I’m fine. No worries,” he said, feeling awkward knowing Lisa was there with him. The talk between him and Mel from days before echoed in his mind.
“Good,” she said, noticing something was off with him. “You want me to heat this up for you, or can you handle it by yourself?” she asked a bit cautiously.
“Hey, Jas, the shower is free,” Lisa called out, rubbing the towel against her hair as she came down the stairs. She slowed seeing Melody at the door. From the tension in the air, she realized something was going on with the two of them.
The look of shock on Melody’s face was clear to Jason. He also saw just how quickly she recovered. “Mel, you know Lisa, right?”
“Yeah, hi,” Lisa quickly said. “I’m going to get some clothes on.” She held onto to the towel around her body and hurried upstairs.
“There’s enough in there for both of you,” Melody told Jason. She handed him the bag. “See you guys around.” She turned and practically ran down the steps.
Closing the door behind him, Jason followed her down. “Mel, wait,” he said. Seeing that she didn’t stop, he reached out. “Mel.”
Stopping inches away from the car, Melody turned and placed the fake smile back into place. “I’m sorry I interrupted like that, Jas.”
“Mel, I don’t want you—”
Her hand shot up. “Don’t. We talked about this, remember? You told me the pack was it for you. And I told you I hoped your found someone who changed your mind about that. So there’s nothing to say.” She turned back to her car. “You better get in there and get you something to eat before Lisa eats it all.”
“Mel, I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to see this,” he said, at a loss for what else to say.
“It’s all right, Jas. It was something I needed to see, I guess.” She climbed in the car. “Take care and stop by the diner if you need anything.” She started her car. Talking to him about the two of them staying friends completely slipped her mind. As soon as she was able, she backed out and took off.
Watching her pull away, Jason shook his head. The last thing he had wanted was to hurt Melody. Sighing deeply, he went back inside.
***
Tempest Island
After speaking with Millie, Ryden and Rian made their way into the small bar at the resort. As they were talking, neither of them noticed the she-wolf behind the bar stocking shelves.
Catching the scent when he came in, Jasmyn glanced up, seeing Ryden. His brother Rian was with him. They seemed to be deep in thought. Smiling, she made her way over. “What can I get you two?” she asked with a smirk.
Hearing the familiar voice, Ryden looked up and let a grin slide into place. “Little wolf, it is good to see you again,” he told her as his eyes roamed over her. “I see you are still as lovely as ever.”
“How sweet, you remember little ole me,” she said with a shake of her head.
“Of course I remember.” He grinned as his eyes ran over her. “Someone so breathtaking is hard to forget.”
“You are such a flirt.” She laughed as she made them each a drink and slid it across the bar. “Enjoy.”
“Don’t rush off,” Rian told her as he motioned to the bottle. “Join us for a drink. We are celebrating.”
“Celebrating?” she asked.
“Ah, you haven’t heard about us taking our council seats?” Ryden asked.
“No, but I haven’t really talked to anyone though,” she said, pouring herself a drink. Holding up her glass, she smiled. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” they both said, and they killed their drinks.
“Wow, council members. That’s a big one. Does that mean the two of you have to start behaving now, or should we all get ready for the new face of the vampire council, Playboys-R-Us?” She grinned.
“Very funny, little one.” He laughed, hearing Rian doing the same.
“Seriously though,” she said, leaning against the bar. “It’s a good thing. I know I’m not a vampire, but I hear a lot on these islands. That Richard guy seems to have everyone in his back pocket, but everyone despises him. He’s playing dirty. No way around it. Maybe you two can stand up to him like Arthur does and help out,” she told them as Jason and Kane entered her mind. She suddenly realized how lucky she and other werewolves were.
“We
plan on it, little one,” he told her as she poured them each another drink. “You should come by the house sometime. I would like to show you around. I do believe you would enjoy yourself.” Ryden smirked.
Jasmyn noticed the evil grin that mirrored his twin’s slide into place. She noticed Rian also watched curiously. “This suddenly feels like one of those creep-tastic old horror movies where the bloodthirsty vampire invites the young naive victim to his home to take her out by draining her dry.”
Both the brothers laughed. “Yes, but the difference here is I’ve seen you fight. I daresay you would get out of said house while handing out quite an ass-whipping in the process.”
She leaned over the bar again, giving him a look. “Then tell me why you want me to come by.”
His eyes went lower. The way she was leaning across the bar, her cleavage showed. Glancing to his right, he saw Rian had spotted the same. Neither of them averted their eyes. Slowly, Ryden’s eyes traveled upward, meeting her own. He smiled seeing the knowing look she was giving him. “We would like you get to know you better. I told you, you are somewhat intriguing.”
“Intriguing? You three must find a lot of women intriguing. My head will probably start swimming the minute I walk in the place from all the scents lingering around.”
This time Ryden threw his head back and laughed hard. He could feel Jasmyn and Rian’s eyes on him as he did so. Slowly he composed himself. “Oh, that was funny,” he said, seeing the look on her face. “Do I hear a touch of reproach in your voice?”
“Reproach? Why would you think that?”
“The women who have made their way through our door, you don’t approve?” Ryden asked.
Jasmyn shrugged. “It’s not my place to approve or not. All of you are seriously old enough to do what you want.”
