by Faith Gibson
JONAS
A Stone Society NOVELLA
By Faith Gibson
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction.
Copyright © 2016 by Faith Gibson
Published by: Bramblerose Press LLC
Editor: Jagged Rose Wordsmithing
First edition: December 2016
Cover design: Jay Aheer, Simply Defined Art
Photographer: Randy Sewell, RLS Model Images Photography
Cover Model: Nathaniel Bell
ISBN: 978- 0998516103
Dedication
To everyone who is adopted. You were chosen to be loved no matter the reason you were given up.
Acknowledgements
From a conversation about “The Princess Bride”, the idea for this short story came about. I hadn’t planned on Jonas having his own story, but once I thought about the idea of a grandfather/grandchild book, it made sense that Jonas would be that grandfather. Thank you, Candy, for giving me the idea and for tweaking it to make it that much better.
A huge appreciation to Amy, Jen, Kendall, and Nikki for your input. More eyes are always better.
A special thank you goes out to Ana Martinez and Vernon Donbraska for choosing Deacon’s mate’s name. Sabrina is perfect!
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter One
December 2057
Anthony
“Tabitha Elizabeth Di Pietro!”
Oh, crap. When Mom used our whole name, we were in trouble. When she used our whole real name, let’s just say it wasn’t good. Tabby’s eyes widened, and I shrank back into Aunt Izzy’s closet where Mom wouldn’t see me. “Yes, Momma?” my twin asked sweetly. That crap never worked for me.
“What are you doing pilfering through Isabelle’s things?” I didn’t have to see Mom to know she was standing with her hands on her hips and her head cocked to the side. It was her “mean momma” look.
“Grandpa said he’d read us a story. I was looking for a story.”
“In Isabelle’s closet? Where’s your brother? And don’t tell me you don’t know.”
Double crap. Tabby never ratted me out if she could help it. I was her protector, after all. But sometimes the truth couldn’t be helped. I pushed the leather book a little closer to my sister. Grab the book and hold it up. If Tabby was concentrating, she’d hear my thoughts. Luckily, her mind wasn’t too bogged down with fear of getting a whipping, and she heard me.
“Look, I found one.” Tabby grabbed the book and stood, holding the journal towards Mom.
“Let me see that,” Mom said as she began flipping through the pages. I held my breath and prayed Tabby led Mom out of Aunt Izzy’s bedroom so I could move. “Huh. I haven’t seen this in a long time. You want your grandpa to read his journal to you?”
“Yes, Momma. Please?”
“Okay, but first, you’re going to apologize to your aunt for digging through her things.”
“Yes, Momma,” Tabby agreed.
I waited until I couldn’t hear footsteps before letting out my breath. Dang! It’s a good thing I was part Gargoyle, or I might have suffocated. I waited a few more minutes, praying the coast was clear before I peeked out the closet door. Not seeing anyone, I crawled out of the cramped space and silently closed the door. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I felt the air behind me shift. Triple crap.
“Antonio Andrew Di Pietro, you should be ashamed of yourself, letting your sister take the fall for your antics.”
I turned to face the most terrifying person in the world – my mother, Tessa. She was only half Gargoyle, but I’d go up against Dad or any of the other males any day if it meant I didn’t have to face her. Don’t get me wrong. I love my mother something fierce, but she’s one scary female. “I didn’t let her, exactly.”
She pointed her finger in my face, so I shut up. Mom expected me to always stand up for my sister, and this time, I had let her take the fall for my idea. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It was all my idea, and I’ll apologize to Aunt Izzy, too.”
“Damn right you will. And to your sister.” Her finger that had been pointed at me was now pointing down the hallway. I turned to head that direction only to find my Dad staring at me.
Whatever comes after triple crap. “Sorry, Dad,” I muttered as I slowly dragged my feet toward him. He ruffled my hair, letting me know he wasn’t angry. I didn’t press my luck any further and went in search of Tabby and Aunt Izzy, but not before I stopped off in the kitchen to see if there was a spare cookie or something. Not having any luck, I headed to the family room. Tabby was already sitting in Grandpa’s lap with the book open. Christina was sitting in Uncle Gabriel’s lap. Anytime he was allowed to visit, Gabriel kept Christina close to him. Mom said it was because she looked like Aunt Izzy did when she was little. Once, Gabriel slipped and called Christina the wrong name, but I figured it was an honest mistake.
Deklan and Lydia were on the floor playing with Uncle Dane’s daughter, Amber Marie. She was kind of cute for a toddler, even if she couldn’t keep up with the rest of us. For some reason, our cousins never got into trouble. Just me and Tabby. I think we got the trouble gene from our mom, even though she denies it. I didn’t have to go looking to know Connor was up in his room.
I stopped in front of Aunt Izzy and said, “I’m sorry I was pilfering.”
“You’re forgiven. Now, have a seat so Grandpa can get on with the story.”
I sat down on the hearth next to the chair Grandpa was sitting in. Tabby held her hand out, and I grabbed it. People at school called us names when we forgot where we were and held hands in public. It’s another reason I stayed in so much trouble. Nobody – Chip Abernathy – called my sister names and got away with it. Tabby squeezed my hand, and I forgot about school.
Grandpa opened his journal and cleared his throat. “Here we go…”
Jonas
“Grandpa, I found a book for you to read,” Tabitha said as she skipped into the family room. Even though Jonas was technically her great-great-uncle, both she and Anthony considered Jonas and Caroline another set of grandparents. When she handed him the leather bound book, Jonas’s heart nearly stopped. It wasn’t merely a book – it was one of his journals. And not just any journal, but the one that told of his meeting his mate.
“Where did you get this, sweetheart?”
“I… uh…” Tabitha looked to her mother for help.
“I gave it to Belle a long time ago,” Tessa admitted. He had known his great-niece pilfered his journals all those years ago. He also knew she had given them to Isabelle, because his daughter often referred to them when she and Connor were in the lab working out formulas. What he didn’t know was that Tessa had shared the most personal of his writings; but she was Tessa, and he never could get mad at her. Worried? Yes. Mad, never.
Thinking of the words in his journal, Jonas swatted his mate on the ass as she walked by. “Watch it, mister,” she chastised before turning to sli
de her hand along his bearded jaw. Caroline was just as beautiful as the day Jonas met her all those years ago. The fact she still appeared to be in her late twenties might have a lot to do with it. Then again, as deeply as Jonas loved her, it really didn’t matter how old she appeared to be. She was his soul. His heart. His every breath. She was the reason he’d been ostracized from his Clan, but he wouldn’t do things differently if given the chance. Not where she was concerned. There was nothing more important than having this wondrous creature by his side.
Standing in the large family room of Dante and Isabelle’s home, Jonas took in the faces of everyone present. His children had all found their mates and were having children of their own. One day, Jonas hoped to have a gathering where all his offspring were present; but for now, he was thankful for those who were there, but none more so than Isabelle. Turning his face toward his youngest, Izzy smiled at her father as she stood wrapped in the arms of her own mate. It had taken a long time for Isabelle to come around – to forgive Caroline for abandoning her when she was so young and for Jonas passing her off to live with Rico and Maria Sanchez soon after. It had been ten years since the three of them were reunited. Since their daughter had found out what they were. What she and her siblings were. Isabelle had only accepted them into her life in the last couple of years, but they were now a family, the way they should have been all along.
Dante and Isabelle, who had taken an impromptu overseas trip for Thanksgiving, were hosting the holiday gathering, and their home was filled with adults and children. Jonas’s heart bubbled over with love. Their family, their Clan, continued to grow each year, even if their children were half-bloods. Like the members of the Stone Society, the fates kept Jonas waiting a long time to find his mate. As Jonas grew older, each member of his family found the one they were meant to spend their long life with. Then one day, Jonas spotted a dark-haired beauty, and he was lost. And found. The day Jonas caught sight of Caroline had been the day that changed Gargoyle history. A history that continued to change, even now.
Before Jonas met Caroline, he had not heard of Gargoyles mating with humans. He thought she must have been an anomaly, and being the scientist he was, he had to know everything there was about this rare creature. This human who not only made his body crazy with lust but his heart fill with hope. There was only one problem – the elders of the Council believed in purity of the species. Jonas did his best to stay away from Caroline. To keep his true feelings for her hidden from his family. But in the end, his heart won out over his senses. Their story was not always a happy one, especially where their children were concerned. He and his mate did what they thought best with regards to their many offspring. They put most of them up for adoption in hopes they could watch them from afar while keeping them safe and out of the hands of the one Goyle responsible for Jonas being ostracized from his Clan – Alistair Gianopoulos, King of the Greeks.
When Rafael and the Stone Society began finding their mates in humans, Jonas had been adamant Tessa and the others keep the half-bloods a secret. It wasn’t that he didn’t want his children and grandchildren to find happiness, because he did. He was more concerned for their safety and about Alistair finding out they existed at all. In the end, love and the mate bond won out. He couldn’t be upset, because that would have been hypocritical.
Jonas ran his hand over the worn cover. His heart was buried within the words he’d written in this particular journal. Surely the children didn’t care about a two-hundred-year-old love story. “Wouldn’t you rather hear about Santa Claus or some other nonsensical story?” he asked Tabitha.
“No, sir. I want to hear about you and Grandma.”
Jonas found Caroline’s eyes. This was as much her story as it was his. When she inclined her head, he couldn’t say no. Not to her. Nor to the child in front of him. Tabitha was the spitting image of her mother when she was that age, and Tessa had always been Jonas’s favorite, even though she was his great-niece. Now, her daughter was running a close second. He had tried to stop playing favorites, but Tessa had spent so much time with Jonas when she was young, and he couldn’t help the way he felt.
He took the chair closest to the fireplace, and Tabitha climbed onto his lap, settling in to hear the story. Anthony moped into the room, head down. He stopped in front of Isabelle and mumbled an apology. She accepted and told him to find a seat. When he shuffled over to the hearth taking a seat next to Jonas, Tabitha reached out for his hand. The two of them were closer than any siblings Jonas had ever seen, even more so than Tessa and Tamian. The other children were already seated on the floor close to the Christmas tree where presents waited to be opened.
Tessa took up residence in front of Gregor, who held her much the same way Dante held Isabelle. Dane and Marley were snuggled on one end of the large sofa, with Nikolas and Sophia on the other end. Sophia was only five months pregnant, but she already looked ready to pop. Her parents, along with Zeke and Stella, were in South Africa visiting Xenia and Keene. Gabriel, on a weekend pass from the penitentiary, sat in a recliner with Isabelle’s youngest on his lap. Jonas tried not to think too hard on the older children whom he hadn’t seen in many years.
Not wanting to get too lost in his thoughts, Jonas cleared his throat. “Here we go.
“September 1821
“Today I gazed upon the most beautiful sight I have ever seen in all of my seven hundred years. Her raven hair glistened as the sunlight caressed each strand. Her gold dress hugged her waist as it flowed around her hips. I knew by the way she carried herself she was human. If only, I thought to myself. The most exquisite creature in the world is human and, as such, off limits to me. Then why am I pulled to her? Why does her very essence call out to me, beckoning me to follow? What could it hurt to follow along at a fair distance behind?”
“Grandpa, what’s essence?” Tabby asked.
“Let’s see how to explain it. It’s what makes someone who they are. Each individual piece, the heart, the spirit, the very breath of a person, all added together is their essence. Everyone is uniquely different, even you and Anthony.” When Tabby was satisfied with his answer, he continued.
“Being Gargouille, I was able to follow this beauty with her being none the wiser. My duties forgotten, I stayed to the shadows so I could observe her, drinking my fill.”
“Is fill anything like beer?” Tabby asked.
Jonas laughed and explained, “No, sweet girl. I drank in your grandmother’s beauty until I was full. You’ll understand when you’re older.
“She made her way along the cobblestone path that narrowed down into an alleyway between two buildings. All she had to do was turn around, and she would know she was being followed. Instead, she hummed as she continued on as if she did not have a care in the world, while all around the city was in turmoil. When she arrived at her destination, an older woman stepped out of the front door of a rather large estate. ‘Gabriella Rosetti! Come inside this instant.’ I had a name to go with my beauty – Gabriella.”
Tabby shook her head. “But Grandma’s name is Caroline. Did you have a girlfriend before her?”
Jonas turned to where his mate stood, their eyes meeting in an unspoken understanding. “No, Grandma’s middle name is Caroline.”
“But Gabriella’s a pretty name. I’m going to name my daughter Gabriella,” Tabitha stated as if it were fact.
“It is a beautiful name, but for reasons that are her own, your grandmother didn’t like it. When you are older, maybe she will explain it to you.” Jonas didn’t want to put a damper on their holiday by telling his family why his mate hated her first name. That was a story for another day.
“Tabby, let him tell the story. I’m hungry,” Anthony chastised his sister. She frowned at him, but didn’t respond. The way the two looked at each other, Jonas could have sworn something silent passed between them. He often wondered if they could speak mentally to one another the same way Tessa and Tamian could. When the kids settled down, he continued.
“Gabriella pa
used in front of the woman who I can only assume is her mother. They have the same dark hair, and her mother is almost as lovely on the outside. By the scowl on her face, though, I have a feeling her countenance is not quite as pretty. As she reached the open door, Gabriella’s shoulders fell as did her face. I waited in the shadows as my beauty entered her home. When I could no longer see her, I stayed where I was momentarily, trying to get myself under control. I wanted nothing more than to beat the door down and take Gabriella away with me.”
“So why didn’t you? I mean, you’re a Gargoyle. Were you scared of her dad?” Anthony asked.
“Of course I wasn’t scared, but I couldn’t bare my fangs and demand they turn their daughter over to me. Besides, your grandmother was a human. Back then, humans and Gargoyles didn’t mate. Very few humans knew of our existence. Only those families sworn to be our loyal friends and caretakers were allowed to know what we were. When I followed her, I knew it was but a fool’s endeavor to want what I couldn’t have, so I returned home, however reluctantly.
“It’s been three weeks since I have laid eyes on Gabriella, but I cannot clear my thoughts of anything but her. Father is getting suspicious of the late nights I have been keeping. I can only blame my strolls through the dark streets on the unrest of the human soldiers for so long.”
Anthony interrupted again. “Soldiers? Was there a war? Did you get to fight alongside them?”
“Things during that time were unsettled. Six years prior, Napoleon had been defeated, and the country was still divided and states were being fought for. As Gargoyles, we did our best to stay out of human affairs, but to blend in, sometimes it was necessary to get involved, lest our neighbors think we were traitors. Even back then, I was a physician, so ‘following’ soldiers at night was not within the scope of my duties. My father knew of my comings and goings, even though I had my own home. He had one of our Clan watching me. This I knew, but I still couldn’t help myself.
