by Faith Gibson
When Pascal shoved his brother, Cruz said, “What? I paid for it.”
Slade shook his head at the male, but he was grateful for him. For all of them. This was what being a Clan was about. Having each other’s backs. Now, they had one more back to protect.
Chapter Fourteen
Slade and Tamian both thanked the Lopez brothers for their assistance. Cruz fisted his hand over his heart, and his two brothers did the same. Cruz said, “We’ll let you know if we find the women.” The three brothers had offered to go after the truck so Slade and Tamian could focus on getting to Matthew.
Before they boarded Tamian’s jet, he called Julian and Lucy with everything they had. Julian said he’d be able to track Arden’s phone as long as it was turned on, and Lucy was searching for any sign of the SUV the two Gargoyles had told them Arden drove. Slade had contemplated driving in case Lucy located the vehicle, but they had such a large head start, it would be quicker if they flew back to New Atlanta and intercepted them there.
The first half hour of the flight, Slade sat quietly, thinking about all the things he was going to say to Matt as soon as he had his mate back in his arms. Tamian’s phone rang, and Slade reached out to listen in. If it was personal, he’d give the half-blood some privacy.
“I don’t believe Arden is bringing Matthew back to New Atlanta. Julian was able to track his phone when it was turned on briefly, and instead of being on I-75 headed north, they continued on Highway 10 headed west. The last tower put them just past New Tallahassee on Interstate 20.”
“Fuck.” Tamian ran his hand through his brown hair, eyeing Slade. Slade slumped down on the leather bench and leaned his head back. He should have known it wouldn’t be easy. Instead of getting home and rescuing Matt, he had to wait until Arden stopped again, or at the least, turned his phone back on. They were in the air headed one direction, while Matt was on the road headed another.
“The good news is I was able to pick them up on a camera earlier when they stopped for gas. Matthew was sitting in the front seat, and he appeared unharmed. He looked around like he was searching for something, and when he spotted the camera, he stared right at it. I’m not sure how he managed to convince Arden to let him ride up front, but he did, and I’m pretty sure he was hoping we’d see him.”
“Why do you say that?” Tamian asked.
“Because he turned his head to see where Arden was, and then he smiled up at the camera. Unfortunately, the camera also caught Arden tossing his phone before getting back in his vehicle.”
Slade couldn’t help but grin at the thought of his mate smiling for the camera, but his joy didn’t last. Julian had the best technology money could buy. They had been able to find Matthew quickly. Much quicker than the police force he’d been part of would have. The government had to do things by the book, but Julian didn’t follow those rules. For that, Slade was appreciative. Now, if they could figure out where Arden was taking Matt. The Gargoyles back at the hotel said he was taking him to Drago. But Drago was smart enough not to have Matt brought back to where so many of his family – his Clan – would be waiting to help. Frustration ripped through Slade, and he stood and paced the short length of the cabin, tuning out the rest of the conversation.
Tamian stepped in front of Slade, stopping his pacing. “Okay, Sweetheart. I’m going to talk to Santiago, and I’ll call you back.” Tamian hung up and placed a firm hand on Slade’s shoulder. “We will get him, Brother.”
“I know, but… Fuck! We don’t know where he’s taking him now.”
“No, but Julian, Nik, and Lucy won’t stop until they figure it out. They have the best equipment at their disposal, and with all three of them working on this, we’ll have an answer as soon as possible. I’m going to talk to Santiago about turning the plane around.”
Slade nodded and dropped down into one of the captain’s chairs. His mind plagued him with all the “what ifs,” but those never did anyone any good. What was done was done. He had to stay positive, which was easier thought than done.
Tamian returned a few minutes later. “Santiago is going to head south to New Tallahassee as soon as he gets the go ahead.”
“But they’ve already passed through there. We’re going to be behind them.”
“Yes, but in a car, it’s easier to change course quickly. Up here, we can’t just keep flying around in whatever direction we choose. They’ll have to stop eventually, and when they do, we’ll catch up to them. Unless Arden had a spare phone, he’ll have to stop for a burner somewhere, because I can’t see him without a way to contact Drago. Nik and Lucy will continue monitoring any and all cameras along the way. If Arden happens to head farther west, we can always call on some of the Clan in Louisiana to head this way. Arden has to have a destination in mind. If he doesn’t, Lucy and Jules will continue tracking him. If his plan is to try to lose us, it won’t happen. We will catch up to them.” Tamian sat in the chair across from him and leaned his forearms on his knees. “There’s something else.”
Slade waited, hoping it was good news. “Julian has alerts set up on his system in case anyone tries to hack it. An alarm went off earlier, and he was able to find where someone ‘knocked’ as he called it. Like they were testing the waters to see if there were any cracks in the firewalls. He traced it to an IP address close by, and Julian figured out who it belonged to. It was Hagen Rossum.”
“The human working for Drago.” Tamian nodded. “That’s good, isn’t it? If Julian can hack the hacker’s system, that’ll give us the upper hand.”
“If he’s done anything other than try to get into Julian’s system. Julian is creating an algorithm to mimic Rossum’s keystrokes. It will show up on Julian’s end so he can watch what the guy is doing. He’s hoping Rossum will lead us to Arden.”
Slade blew out a breath. All they could do was wait. Wait for the plane to be rerouted and land in New Tallahassee. Wait for Julian to figure out if Rossum led them to Arden. Wait for Lucy to find another camera. He rose from his seat. “You mind if I get a drink?”
“Of course not. If you would, pour me one while you’re at it. Whatever you’re having is fine.”
Slade took the time to admire the jet’s setup. He had enough money to purchase his own jet, but he’d never been one to travel often enough to warrant getting one. Money notwithstanding, Tamian was a Prince. Once he took over the throne from Xavier, he and Lucy would have to travel to Italy for his own Clan’s business. Besides that, they planned to live in New York once Lucy was finished training with Julian.
After choosing from an expensive bottle of Scotch, Slade took both glasses back, handing one to Tamian. “How much longer are you and Lucy going to be in New Atlanta?”
Tamian thanked him and smiled. “Probably not much longer. She’s ready to get home and start working with her family. If I’m being honest, I’m looking forward to working with the Hounds, as well. After hearing about the types of people they go after, I’m going to offer my assistance.” According to Tamian, The Hounds of Zeus were Gryphon shifters created by Zeus to help humans much the same way the Gargoyles had been created. Slade found it fascinating to know there were other shifters besides the Goyles.
Tamian explained how Lucy’s family was a group of bikers who operated as a motorcycle club while searching for the Ministry, the religious faction who claimed responsibility for the near apocalypse some thirty years earlier. Tamian was the result of Jonas Montague cloning Tessa – the first successful cloning in the history of the world as far as anyone knew. Jonas’s clinic had been bombed at the same time the Ministry hit the switch all around the world.
“They had to have been planning something on that scale for quite a while. There’s no way they could rip the world apart in the short amount of time it came to light you’d been born.”
“I wasn’t born,” Tamian corrected.
“You mean, your mother didn’t birth you?”
“She did, but I wasn’t created the old-fashioned way.”
“Does
that bother you? Never mind. I’m getting too personal.” Slade shouldn’t have asked.
“No, it’s…” Tamian ran a hand through his hair. “You would think I’d be used to the idea by now. I’ve had thirty-five years to come to terms with it. Anyway, you’re right. Those of the Ministry the Hounds have found so far have been smaller cult communities, but their ties seem to go back far enough to be connected to the larger group. They—”
“Tamian, we’ll be landing in twenty minutes,” Santiago came over the intercom, interrupting.
“Thank you, San.” Tamian set his drink down and secured his seat belt. Slade followed protocol, even though as a Gargoyle, he wouldn’t be killed if they were to crash. Tamian, being half-blood, wasn’t as resilient. Half-blood or not, Slade was glad the male was there with him. He would take Tessa’s clone at his back just as quickly as he would any of the full-bloods of the Clan.
Matthew continued to watch the road signs. When they passed the one directing them towards Georgia, Arden continued on instead of taking the exit. They were traveling across Florida, headed west. Matthew didn’t say a word. There was nothing to say really. Arden had left his hands unbound, but that didn’t mean he trusted the male. Matthew itched to turn on the radio, but he figured the Goyle wouldn’t appreciate the bands Matt liked, probably opting for some shit like opera. He’d take the silence over that noise any day. Arden also hadn’t offered to stop for anything to eat or drink. Considering it was late at night, Matt would normally be in bed at this hour and not eating anyway. He did need to pee, but he didn’t ask to stop.
Matthew had been paying attention to all road signs, so when they finally took an exit, he knew the town’s name. Not that he could escape to call Slade. There was no way the Goyle would allow Matthew out of his sight. Since they were stopping, Matt did ask, “Is it okay if I use the restroom?”
Arden didn’t answer. Instead, he reached down between Matt’s legs and used a claw to cut the plastic bands. When Matt got out of the SUV, he wiggled his feet to get the circulation going properly. Arden waited silently, then like Matt assumed, the male followed him inside. When Matthew came out of the men’s room, Arden was at the checkout counter, tucking his wallet away. Since he didn’t have a bag, Matt assumed he’d paid for the gas.
“Grab some snacks and drinks,” Arden told him, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
“I don’t have any money,” Matthew admitted.
“I’ll pay. Hurry up.”
Matt didn’t argue. If the male was going to hold him hostage, the least he could do was feed him. Matt didn’t want to get too much, but he had no idea how long it would be before they stopped again. He chose items he could save for breakfast as well as peanut butter crackers that would stick to his ribs. After deciding on both water and an energy drink, he took them to the counter where Arden paid the cashier. The clerk didn’t give either of them a second look as she returned her attention to a TV in the corner.
Once Matthew was back in the passenger seat, Arden pumped the gas, leaning against the side of the vehicle. Matt searched the building, and when he saw a security camera, he made sure Arden still had his back turned. Matt leaned close to the window and smiled at the camera. If Julian was looking for him, Matt wanted his uncle to have a clear shot of his face.
Before he got back into the SUV, the Gargoyle tossed his cell phone in the trash. Well, that didn’t bode well. Arden didn’t bother securing Matt’s feet, so he got as comfortable as possible sitting next to a kidnapper. The longer they drove, the harder it was to keep his eyes open, but Matt needed to pay attention. Just in case. Staying awake shouldn’t be that hard for him. He was used to playing video games until the early morning. It must have something to do with the lull of the road or the bump to his head. He considered the energy drink but decided to save it until they got wherever they were going so he wouldn’t have to pee again.
Matthew wondered where Arden was taking him. He’d expected them to drive straight through to New Atlanta, but now they were getting farther away, and Matt’s nerves kicked back in. The Greeks wanted to take over the Americas. Drago was building an army, and if he was anything like the previous King, he wouldn’t hesitate to keep Matthew as long as he felt Matt was useful.
Matt had to think they would keep him alive for at least a while. Arden had said Drago had plans for Matt. Hopefully, it was something other than killing him and sending his head home in a box. Or cutting off appendages as messages. Matt shivered. Arden glanced his way, but Matt kept his eyes averted. It wasn’t too much longer when Arden took an exit. When they got to the bottom of the ramp, a sign pointed left toward the Apalachicola National Forest. The sign was old and faded, but it was the only directional sign around. If Arden took him to the forest, there would be no way for Julian to track them.
Most of the National Forests had shut down when the apocalypse tore the world apart. Governments hadn’t wasted money on parks or wildlife reserves when so many humans had been affected. It wasn’t that he was interested in parks, but it was something Matt had learned in school when they studied about the apocalypse.
As Arden wound his way through the deserted area, it didn’t appear he had a certain destination in mind. He slowed at side roads, hesitating before either turning onto them or continuing on. Matt figured they were deep in the heart of the park when Arden pulled over at an abandoned area by the water. Matt gasped when the headlights illuminated an alligator at the water’s edge. Knowing he was safe in the SUV, Matt still pulled his feet onto the seat, hugging his knees.
Arden chuckled, shutting the engine off. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,” he said, his accent thick.
Yeah, but who’ll protect me from you?
“We’ll camp here tonight. If you’d like, the back seats lay down. You can stretch out and get some sleep.”
Matthew must have looked as shocked as he felt. Arden narrowed his eyes. “If I was going to kill you, I’d have already done it and dumped your body along the way. Sleep or don’t. I don’t care.” With that, he removed the keys from the ignition and got out, closing the door behind him. Leaning against the grill, Arden bit off the end of a cigar before lighting it.
Matthew debated whether or not to fold the seats down. He settled for climbing over into the back seat and stretching out as best he could given how long his legs were. He stared at the headliner without really seeing it. His eyes grew heavy, and he did his best to fight it, but sleep eventually won out.
Chapter Fifteen
Slade was staring out the passenger window when Tamian’s phone rang. He put it on speaker and said, “Julian? What do you have?”
“We believe they’re in the Apalachicola National Forest. Hagen did a brief page search, and it’s only fifty miles south of where you are. I’m sending directions to your phone now.”
“Aren’t all parks closed down?” Santiago asked from the back seat. He had offered to come with them as backup instead of hanging around New Tallahassee.
“Yes. The government moved funding for the parks to more necessary things after the apocalypse. The campgrounds were abandoned for the most part, but in recent years, humans have begun using them as free places for wilderness vacations.” Julian’s typing never ceased while he spoke. “This particular area is over six hundred thousand acres and has various bodies of water. That’s a lot of area to cover, but I’m hoping Slade will be able to sense Matthew once you get closer.”
While waiting to land in New Tallahassee, Slade and Tamian had spoken about mate connections. Tamian talked about those couples he knew who were able to speak to each other with their minds, some even before the bond had been completed. Slade would have to rely on his beast, and he wasn’t on speaking terms with his shifter, but if that’s what it took to find Matthew, he’d do it. First, they had fifty miles to go and thousands of acres to search once they arrived. Tamian thanked Julian who promised to call back if they found anything else.
“What’s the range on those comms?�
� Santiago asked.
“About twenty miles,” Tamian replied.
“Good. I think we should split up. We can cover more ground that way. Once we reach the forest, you can drop me off, and I’ll take to the trees. You can drive farther in, and if I find him before you do, I’ll reach out.”
“Sounds solid,” Tamian said, glancing at Slade before turning his eyes back to the road. “This is your mate. Is that how you want to play this?”
“Yes. I appreciate both of you being here.”
“You’re welcome. When I was searching for Lucy, I had Gregor and Tessa helping me. None of the Clan has had to rescue their mate on their own. Every one of us has had backup. It’s what we do.”
Slade inclined his head at the half-blood, acknowledging his words. From what Slade had heard, Tamian had been around somewhat until Tessa mated with Gregor. After that, he disappeared for a while. Then, after helping Julian rescue Katherine from the Super Max, Tamian had stuck around. And even though he was set to become King of the Italians, Tamian was freely claiming the Stone Society as his Clan too. Now, he was mated to Lucy, and he was part of her family. Slade had only ever been part of the American Clan, but that was enough for him.
Being Goyles, it didn’t matter that they were searching under the cover of darkness. Their shifter seeing enabled them to track any time, day or night. The only drawback was they were up against at least one other Gargoyle, and he had the same advantage. He would also be able to hear the rental car coming from miles away. When they’d driven a few miles farther in, Tamian stopped. He got out and went to the back where their bags were located and retrieved a comm for each of them. Santiago slid his into his ear after pulling his shirt off. The pilot removed his sword from its case, nodded at them, and took off on foot into the woods.
