by Faith Gibson
“I can’t believe Eli’s on his way here. How do I look?” Mac asked, touching her scar.
“You’re beautiful, and Eli’s going to think so too.”
Rhi wasn’t wrong. When Mac ran to meet Elijah, his face lit up like the sun. Rhi held back, watching the two of them together. She wanted nothing but happiness for her new friend.
Ryker
Ryker turned to go find Rhiannon, but she was there, waiting by the door. He studied her, looking for any signs of distress left over from the poison. He must have taken too long to go to her because the smile fell from her face. That wouldn’t do. Ryker strode up the stairs with purpose, needing to get to his mate and reassure her nothing had changed. He had to force himself to be gentle. His Gryphon wanted to toss her over their shoulder, take her to the bedroom, and fuck her into the mattress. That wouldn’t happen even if they’d been alone. The first time Ryker took Rhi would be gentle and loving.
Ryker cupped Rhi’s cheeks and pressed his lips to hers, keeping it chaste considering the audience they had. “How are you feeling?”
“Better now,” Rhi whispered, a shy smile spreading across her face.
Ryker took Rhi’s hand and pressed it to his chest. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you were in the hospital.”
“I understand. You had business to take care of.”
“I did but—” Ryker’s phone rang, and he sighed, pressing his forehead to Rhi’s. “Sorry.” He pulled the phone out and prayed whatever Lucy had to tell him wasn’t bad news. “Hey, Luce.”
“We have a big problem. Those two men from Haven? They’re dead. The feds are looking for you and the other Hounds. What I can gather without getting into trouble myself is David recorded you going into the warehouse. I swear to you, Ryker. I had no idea there were cameras in the area.” Lucy choked up, and Ryker’s anger at being one step behind David Spencer subsided a fraction. He wasn’t mad at his niece. He was pissed that someone like Rhi’s father was besting Lucy.
“What about the information you sent to the feds?”
“Honestly? I don’t think they received it.”
“I need to call Spyder. He stayed behind in New Roseville.”
“I’ve called Julian. He has a new male – Henry – helping out in the lab. Henry is pretty sure he can find David and stop any more interference, but this damage has already been done.”
“Can this Henry find David? If he’s willing to kill—”
“What? He killed someone?” Rhiannon collapsed to her knees, and Ryker followed her down, wrapping an arm around her.
“Lucy, let me call you back.” Ryker disconnected. He held out his phone to Hawk who had been listening in along with the other Hounds, as well as Mac, Elijah, and Xavier. “Call Spyder. Tell him to lay low. John and Paul are dead, and somehow David made it look like we did it. The feds are looking for us.” Once Hawk was placing the call, Ryker looked up at Xavier. “I’m sorry we’ve brought this mess to your Clan. I appreciate all your help, but this is our problem. We’ll head back to New Troy.”
“Don’t be so hasty. You’re safer here than you are at home. It’s Lucy I’m more concerned about, given her past with the GIA. That and the fact that Tamian is down in New Atlanta with Andrea. The first thing we need to do is get Tamian on his way home. Nobody can protect Lucy better than he can. Until then, she needs to hide. Let Julian and Henry do what they do best.” Xavier stepped away and called Tamian, explaining what was going on.
“This is my fault.” Rhi’s eyes were filling with tears.
“No, Rhi. This is all on your father.” Ryker stood, pulling Rhiannon to her feet.
“But he’s after me. I won’t let anyone else die. I’ll go back—”
“No!” Ryker barked out, and Rhi flinched. Softening his voice, he threaded one hand through her hair, cradling her head, while he brushed the tears from her cheek with the other. “You are not going back to him. We’ll find a way through this.” Ryker was at a loss on how to deal with Rhi’s father, but he would not let her feel guilty for David’s sins.
A male Ryker had never met was standing just outside the door. He held out his hand to Ryker. “I’m Stefan, and this is my home. Why don’t we bring everyone inside? David had drones flying over X’s house, and I don’t doubt he’s already figured out where you are now.”
Ryker took the proffered hand and shook. “Ryker Lazlo. Again, I’m sorry for bringing trouble to your family.”
The Gargoyle smiled, mischief dancing in his eyes. “Eh. It’s been a while since we’ve had any excitement around here. All I can say is let the human try getting into my home.” Ryker prayed it wouldn’t come to that, but for the first time in twenty years, true dread filled his gut.
Stefan introduced everyone to his mate, Claudia. She then welcomed them to their home and told them to make themselves comfortable.
Ryker kept Rhiannon close while he watched Mac and Eli become reacquainted. The love Mac had for Eli was evident in the way she couldn’t stop smiling and touching him. Eli was hesitant, but his face was… hopeful. They both looked so young. Too young to have been through so much already, but he vowed to help heal their mental wounds. Theirs as well as Rhi’s. He didn’t have to be psychic to know she was fretting about David. Learning your father was capable of murder would do a number on anyone, but as someone who had been sheltered for the last ten years of her life, she had to be feeling it deeper. She hadn’t been out in the real world where violence and killing wasn’t as surprising.
Sitting on the sofa, Rhi sagged against him. He took her hand in his, threading their fingers. “How are you feeling? Really?”
“I’m tired even though I took a long nap.”
“Why don’t you rest your eyes?” Ryker pulled Rhi closer so she could lay her head on his arm.
“Maybe for a minute.” Rhi felt good against him. Ryker was ready for this shitstorm to be over so he could take her home and spend some alone time together. He appreciated Xavier and Stefan opening their homes, but there were too many others around for Ryker’s liking. Before Mac came to live with him, Ryker had been a solitary soul. Other than seeing the Hounds at the clubhouse or his family in their homes, he spent most of his time out on his bike, letting the wind hitting his face soothe him. Even when they rode as a group, being on his Harley was a solitary experience.
Xavier stepped into the room with Elizabeth at his side. “Tamian is on his way back. He’s threatening to put Lucy on the jet and take her to Italy.”
“Does she know that?” Ryker knew his niece was stubborn. She was loyal to her family, and she wouldn’t want to leave them while all the shit was going down.
“Yes. Those two are brutally honest with one another. He won’t force her to leave, but he’ll argue his case.”
“It might not be a bad idea. Especially considering her past with the GIA. If David puts the wrong words in the right ears, it might not end well for her.”
“That’s his argument. Tamian suggested leaving all computer work to Julian and Henry for the time being. Not that David can’t manipulate situations to make Lucy look guilty even if she isn’t using her computer. According to Tamian, Henry, who is Malakai’s nephew from Samoa, is just as good if not better than Julian. The younger male is determined to take down David. Beat him at his own game. Until that happens, we need to make sure Lucy and Rhi are safe. Tamian will take care of Lucy, whether she goes to Italy or not.”
“There’s something we’re not seeing where Rhi’s concerned. David ignored her for ten years, so why does he want her back so badly?” Ryker mused aloud.
“It’s because of her gift,” Eli said.
“How do you know about that?” Ryker asked.
“When you’re an outcast, people tend to forget you’re around. The barn I was held in wasn’t only used as my prison. Josiah used it as a place to talk to David. Getting outsiders to agree to join Haven wasn’t about gathering lost souls. It was so they could entice people with certain skillsets or those wh
o had access to money. From what I overheard, they were using Rhi as a healer of sorts. Josiah had James target people who needed medical attention. Those who, say, had cancer or other life-threatening diseases. James promised a ‘cure’ in return for their money.”
Rhi raised her head, but still leaned against Ryker. “I never healed anyone. I wasn’t allowed to use my gift because Josiah said it was an abomination.”
Elijah’s eyebrows dipped low. “What are you talking about? According to Josiah, you used your gift often.”
“No, I…” Rhi trailed off, eyes unfocused.
“What is it?” Ryker asked.
“The chip in my leg. What if it isn’t just a tracking device?”
“What makes you ask that?”
“What happened yesterday? It wasn’t the first time. Whenever I felt the pain in my leg, it would become so unbearable I’d pass out. Then, when I came to, I had lost hours. After coming out of it, I would be dizzy. Disoriented. While I was unconscious, I had dreams. At least I thought they were.”
Elizabeth sat down next to Rhi and held her hands. “What were these dreams about?”
Rhi shook her head. “They were never clear, but I had a feeling I had done something I shouldn’t have.”
Ryker glanced at Xavier. The expression on the Gargoyle’s face said he was thinking the same thing Ryker was – the chip in Rhi’s leg had been a way to manipulate her.
“Rhi, can you remember anything about the doctor your father took you to before going to Haven? His name? What he looked like?” Xavier asked.
“That was a long time ago. I was a scared teenager. I hated needles, and the ones being used were larger than any I’d ever seen. I passed out. Seems like I do that a lot. Anyway, when I came to, David was arguing with the doctor. He…Wait.” Rhi snapped her fingers. “He… he looked like that doctor from the hospital, only younger.”
“Dr. Chastain? The Chief of Staff?” Elizabeth clarified.
“Are you sure?” Xavier squatted in front of Rhi. “Think hard. This is important.”
“No, I’m not sure they’re the same person, but if not, they look similar. I remember the way one of his eyes was green where the other had more brown in it. I tried to focus on his eyes to keep from fainting. It didn’t work.”
The bad feeling Ryker had earlier got worse. “I need to call Rev. If this is the same man who was responsible for the implants, I have a feeling he didn’t remove the one in her leg. We need to be sure.”
“Y-you th-think it’s still in m-me?” Rhi was shaking, and her breathing was coming in short pants.
“I’ll call Rev,” Hawk offered. “You take care of Rhi.”
Xavier moved back, giving Rhi some breathing room. “I’m going to call Julian and have him look into Dr. Chastain. We need to know more about him before I barge back in and string him up.”
Ryker stood and picked Rhi up, cradling her against his chest. “Is there somewhere I can take her to rest for a bit?”
“I’ll show you,” Claudia offered and led him to a bedroom on the second floor. “If you need anything, just let us know. Otherwise, we’ll give you some alone time.”
“Thank you.” Ryker placed a quiet Rhi on the bed and removed her boots before taking off his own. He lay down next to her and pulled her against his chest. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise you that.”
“I just don’t understand why he would fight with my mom about my gift if he was going to turn around and use it.”
“I’m not going to pretend to understand how David’s mind works, but it’s possible he realized he could use your gift for gain. You said your grandmother was against what you and your mom were, so maybe he was playing both sides. Telling his mother one thing while realizing your gift could be used to profit him. Don’t worry about it now. Just try to get some rest. Rev will be here soon, and he’ll make sure the chip is removed if it hasn’t already been.”
With Rhi splayed against his side, he cradled her head with one hand while rubbing her arm with the other. Ryker was seething inside. Rhi’s gift was special. He had experienced it for himself. When he’d been shot, she had given him her energy. The gift of healing. He just didn’t realize it because he was a Gryphon. Ryker knew she took the pain away, but the wound had healed quickly without him shifting. How many others had she shared her ability with? How many times had David or Josiah triggered the chip in her leg to use her while telling her what she was able to do was wrong? Rhi shook beneath his hands. His shirt was becoming damp from her tears. Zeus, he wanted to take her pain from her, but he didn’t possess a special gift.
You could kiss her.
She’s vulnerable. I won’t take advantage of her.
It’s not taking advantage. It’s making her forget. Taking her mind off her father for a while.
His Gryphon was right, but it would also need to be strong so the kiss didn’t lead to more. Ryker gently pushed Rhiannon to her back, rolling with her. He propped on his forearms to keep his weight off her. Ryker didn’t ask permission. Instead, he bent his head and pressed their lips together. He tried to keep the kiss innocent, but Rhi had other ideas. She carded her fingers through his hair and tugged. Rhi opened her mouth, silently giving permission. Ryker knew it was a bad idea, but she was his mate. He couldn’t deny her this. She was a virgin, but the way she kissed was without hesitation. Like she needed it as much as she needed air. Rhi clung to him tightly as she explored his mouth with her tongue. Ryker had kissed plenty when Juliette was alive. Since then, he kept any physical contact to fucking. To him, kissing was more personal. It had pissed Cassandra off when she tried to latch onto his mouth and he refused. Theirs had been a mutual release. Nothing more. At least that’s what it was to him.
But this? This was everything he’d been missing in the last two decades since Juliette was taken from him. Ryker thought he would feel guilty if he ever found someone to share his life with, but he didn’t. If Juliette had lived, they would still be together. They would have raised Mac and possibly her siblings. Ryker never would have strayed. He would have loved her until she passed away from old age. But she had been taken from him before they had the opportunity at a long life together. Now, he had a second chance at those things. He wanted that second chance. Ryker wanted love and companionship. Waking up to this amazing woman every morning. Sharing their days together. Making love every night before holding her in his arms while they slept. When he thought of her being a virgin, it no longer felt wrong. He would be her first, and that was a gift.
Rhi was nothing like his Juliette, but she didn’t need to be. She was her own person with her own special qualities. Her inner light was just as bright as her outer appearance. Yes, she was young, but that just gave him more time with her.
Rhi wrapped one leg around his hip. Her whimpers started out soft, but the longer they kissed, the louder she became until Ryker realized she was in distress. He jerked back. “I’m sorry. I got carried a—”
“My leg. It’s my leg.” Rhi hadn’t been trying to pull him closer; she’d been trying to rub away the pain.
Ryker rolled off to the side and sat up. “What can I do?”
“Get it out of me, please,” she begged. His talons were itching to burst through his skin and do as she asked, but that would cause more harm than good.
“I’m going to call Rev and see where he is. Hang on, Angel.” Ryker prayed to Zeus to help Rhi because he was helpless otherwise.
Chapter Nineteen
Rhiannon
Rhiannon was ready to cut her leg open. The pain from a knife couldn’t be any worse than the burning. How could she have forgotten what it was like every time this happened before? Granted, it had been months since it happened while she was still at Haven. Knowing what it meant, that her father had used her gift without her knowing, was almost worse than the pain. Not that Rhi regretted helping someone, if that’s what happened when she blacked out. If her gift helped even one person, she was happy for it, but she would have pref
erred to be aware of what she was doing. She would have freely helped another. It was how she had been told her gift was wrong, then used anyway. Had it been so Josiah could claim it was somehow divine intervention? Had he taken credit for it when Rhi was able to take away someone’s disease? Her grandmother always said Rhi had the devil in her. Rhi didn’t believe in the devil. She didn’t believe she was going to burn in a fiery pit at the end of her life for having something good inside her.
And why now? Why, when she was under Ryker’s body with his mouth on hers, did the pain have to kick in at that moment? Speaking of fires. Ryker lit one deep inside Rhi with nothing more than sensual kisses. Her body was burning up in more ways than one. Her mother always told her Rhi would know who Rhi should give her body to. Now she understood. Ryker was that man. She didn’t care that he wasn’t fully human. It didn’t matter that he was older. She wasn’t worried about him having been married before. Knowing he had been married meant he was capable of loving someone enough to make a vow to them. If Juliette had lived, Ryker would still be with her. Rhi knew in her heart he was honorable. If Juliette were still alive, Rhi wouldn’t be here with Ryker. Their paths would never have crossed, but to her, that meant someone else would have rescued her. All she knew was things happened for a reason. At least that’s what her mother had believed.
The pain she was having to endure was worth it if it was what brought Ryker to her. She gritted her teeth to keep from passing out. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breaths were coming quicker. Why was her father or Josiah or whoever controlled the chip hitting the switch? Was it to cause her pain? Were they punishing her for running away? If so, it was working. If she passed out, she couldn’t feel. Instead of fighting it, she let the torment wash over her, and Rhi succumbed to the darkness.
“Anna, the woman in the next room has a tumor on her brain. You will go into the room, lay your hands on her head, and you will use your power to heal her. You will not speak. You will do God’s will and use the gift He has given you to help this woman.”
