by JL Madore
“I have a dossier with all the information on my laptop. I’ll print it for you the first chance I get.”
“Speaking of dossiers,” Calli says, straightening in my lap. “Hawk, you picked up all the folders on the kitchen table when we left. One of those was the folder of information Mama researched and put together for me about possible fae species who could live on both sides of the portal gate or resurrect on the other side or who knows what.”
“In other words, your Riley file,” he says, his eyes rolling closed once again. “My bag is in the entrance closet. It’ll be in there. You’re welcome to get it.”
She kisses my nose and does just that. A moment later, she comes back with the information Jaxx’s mom dug up for her. As a long-time historian for the fae community, Mama Stanton knows a lot about many of the fae races that didn’t settle on this side of the portal gate.
When she comes back, it looks like she’s about to take her seat, so I scoop her back into my lap and get her settled the way she was.
“I’m more convinced than ever that Riley is alive and waiting for me on the StoneHaven side of the Portal Gate. That’s why I hear her best at the palace. That’s close to where the gate is, right?”
“Yeah,” I say, skimming the text of what she’s going through. “The Bastion, the palace, and the Portal Gate are all in Lebanon Kansas.”
“Good. Now, all I have to do is get strong enough so my phoenix can crack the tab on that sucker and voila, I’m reunited with my bestie.”
I pat her thigh. “I hate to be the wet blanket in this fiery phoenix scenario, but we need one more soul crystal before your pendant is complete and your full-power unlocks. Which means… Hawk’s up next.”
Hawk opens one eye a crack and frowns. “I’m aware.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Calli
Hawk’s plane touches down outside of Montclair, New Jersey at shortly after three in the afternoon. We divide into three SUVs. Hawk, Mama, and I take the wolves. Lukas is driving Jaxx, his dad, Doc, and Brant in the second truck. And Keyla’s two security guys are in the third truck with the two local FCO personal security officers who met us at the airport to watch over Jaxx’s parents.
“How long until we get to where we’re staying?” I’m not usually a ‘are we there yet’ kinda passenger, but it’s been a long and emotional day.
Hawk reaches over to where I sit in the shotgun seat and squeezes my hand. “Not five minutes. I chose the location specifically for its access to the airfield and because the cul de sac backs into the forest reserve. We’ll be there soon.”
I look past Maggie sitting in the middle to where the wolves are laying in the back of the truck. “I thought once we got on the plane and Kotah’s wolf knew he was safe, he’d relax enough to allow Kotah to come forward again.”
Mama reaches forward and takes my hand. “Give him time, sweet girl.”
“Time is something we’ve run out of,” Hawk says, following the GPS instructions to turn. “Someone tried to kill him. Was it an attack on the quint or the Prime in Waiting? And speaking of Kotah’s destiny, what do we do if the Prime dies before Kotah’s in control? If we can’t produce the Prime in Waiting for his coronation, we’ll be up shit’s creek.”
I chuckle but there’s no humor in it. “When are we not up shit’s creek? It seems to me we should know how to maneuver those particular rapids by now.”
“One would think.”
I reach sideways and lace my fingers with Hawk’s. “And about what Brant said in the plane about you being up to complete the pendant…”
He pulls his hand free and grips the steering wheel. “I’m aware that things need to be finalized with the quint. I’m doing my best—”
“Not what I was saying.” I cut off his rant and retake his hand. “I wanted to say that I’m so proud of how far you’ve come. I don’t want you to pressure yourself. Accepting people into your heart and learning to trust someone soul-deep, takes time. I think you’re doing great.”
He huffs. “The universe has spoken. It’s time to open the Portal Gate. To do that, you need to be at full strength. For that to happen you need four, fully-bonded mates.”
“And to be fully-bonded, you’ve got to live and breathe it.” I reach up and press my hand to his forehead. “It can’t come from here. It has to come from here.” I move my hand from his head to his heart.
“That doesn’t bode well for the two realms, does it?”
Hawk’s right. It doesn’t take long to get to where we’re going. I’m surprised too. The neighborhood is upscale residential but it’s not Hawk’s kind of upscale. The cul de sac has seven houses on it, two on each side as you drive in toward the circle, and three houses angled around the circle of the dead end.
Hawk pulls into the open court and slows the truck to a stop. A moment later Lukas pulls up to our left and rolls the passenger window down.
Brant sticks his head out and leans on the window ledge. “Where we headed?”
“Ladies choice,” Hawk says, looking back to me. “Which one suits you?”
I look at him and blink. “What? You want me to pick a house? I thought you already bought it.”
“I bought them. So pick the one you want to stay in.”
“You bought three houses?”
“Three very small houses, yes. I’ll tear these down and build something more appropriate. I didn’t have time to get everything I wanted to be finished in such a short timeframe.”
I roll my eyes, but I should be getting used to this by now. “I like the stone two-story in the middle. Maggie? Which one would you and Jonathan like?”
“We’re fine anywhere, son, but the bungalow on the left does remind me of our home in Texas. And it has lovely flowerbeds.”
Hawk points out the window. “Jaxx’s parents are in that one, Keyla and Doc are in that one, we’re in this one.” When everyone nods, Hawk drives straight up the driveway and parks in front of the two-car garage. We all bale out and Hawk and I meet at the back bumper.
The moment the hatch opens, Kotah and Keyla hop out. “There are four-hundred acres of protected forest behind the house. Go get some dirt under your claws, Wolf.”
The two of them trot off between the houses and I sigh. “I want my sweet prince back.”
“I know you do, Spitfire. So do I.”
We’re still standing there looking sad at one another when we’re interrupted by a neighbor.
“Hello, newcomers,” a soft-middle, silver-haired man says, jogging over. “I’m Andy Mandle. Welcome to Carter Court. Are you folks all together?”
Hawk turns, hand extended. “Hawk Barron, and this is my lovely wife, Calli. It’s nice to meet you, Andy. And to answer your question, yes, we’re all together.”
“Were those wolves? Did I just see you let wolves out of your truck?”
Oh, awesome, nosy neighbors.
Hawk forces a smile. “It must’ve been the view from your property. Sweet Prince and his younger sister Princess are Alaskan Malamutes. Highly trained and completely domesticated. Nothing to worry about.”
“Because we don’t allow exotics in Montclair.”
“Good to know.”
“We also don’t allow dogs off-leash.”
Hawk rolls his eyes and waves his hand. “Lukas, could you come over here and meet our neighbor, please.”
Lukas strides over from where he’s speaking with the four security officers. “Yes, sir?”
Hawk straightens. “This is Andy Mandle our new neighbor. He’s awfully concerned that we know all the rules of this road. Could you please reassure him there’s nothing to worry about and escort him back to his property, please.”
“Of course. I’ll take care of it.”
Lukas escorts Andy back the way he came and I don’t even care enough to ask what he’ll do with him.
I’m too tired to care.
Once inside, my bag plops onto the floor of the master bedroom and I check out the space. The house i
s freshly furnished with the linens stacked on the bed still in the plastic.
There’s nothing of us here.
It’s stupid. I should be used to drifting from place to place. I lived most of my life from a backpack until Riley and I got our shithole apartment. Why aren’t I happy to be here?
I remember Kotah showing us into our Timber Trails Suite at the palace and loving it instantly. It spoke to me. It was Kotah and it exuded his love.
My feet wander the room, my mind only partially engaged in where I am.
The oversized windows face out on the sea of bushy green behind the house and my heart sinks. I drop to my knees at the low window ledge and rest my chin on my folded arms.
The trees sway with the pull of a gentle breeze and I search for a glimpse of Kotah and Keyla’s beautiful, thick, coats. Nothing. Wherever my wolf is, he’s not here.
I’m losing him.
My chest tightens as the familiar ache of the past two months overwhelms. I’m as useless to him as I was the day I found Riley. There’s nothing I can do. It’s one of those slow-motion moments when you know your heart is breaking but there’s nothing to be done to fix it.
I brush away hot tears and draw a shuttered breath.
“Hey now, kitten. Enough of that.” Jaxx lifts me off the floor and hugs me tight. “What’s this about?”
I force a laugh. “Ignore me. I’m being emotional.”
Brant and Hawk are both there too, looking worried.
“Seriously, just a momentary lapse. I’m good. Let’s get this place set up. Lots to do. Busy. Busy.”
I move to leave but Jaxx won’t have it. The pure love in his beautiful turquoise gaze nearly does me in. I hold up my finger and blink fast. “Don’t look at me like that, puss.”
“Like what? Like I love you? Like I’d slay any monster that dared to make the female of my soul cry? I would… and I will. Say the word and it’ll be done.”
“Tell us, Spitfire,” Hawk says, easing closer. “We not only sense your pain, we feel it. What brought on the tears?”
I turn back to look out the window and sigh. “When I found Riley in that alley, the life we were building shattered. All the hope and excitement of getting off the street, of the two of us building something… it fell apart in front of my eyes. There was nothing I could do.”
“You got even,” Brant says. “We got Sonny and his gang and shut down the guns and trafficking of women along that stretch. The Sons are done.”
“I think she means nothing to do to save the dream of a new life,” Jaxx says, pressing his lips against my forehead.
“Nothing’s falling apart here,” Hawk says.
I shrug. “Just now, I stared into the woods and tried to send Kotah my love. I can’t feel him. He’s the first one I connected with. He’s always been so easy for me to feel, his emotions so steady and reassuring. Now… he’s lost.”
“He won’t be for long. Trust me, Spitfire. Kotah’s a lot tougher than he looks. He’ll fight his way back to us. I’ve talked to him more than once about the quint. There’s nothing in the two realms he wants more than our family.”
“Me too,” I choke out. “Gawd, I love you guys so much. But the universe makes it a habit of taking things away from me. What if this is another cruel, cosmic joke and the shoe is about to drop?”
“Not gonna happen.” Brant tugs me free of Jaxx’s arms and hugs me until I can’t breathe. “You picked us and now you’re stuck with your choices.”
With Brant’s height and bulk, I’m practically swallowed up by my bear. That’s fine. I don’t mind at all.
Hawk takes hold of me next. He chucks my chin and his still gray eyes peg me in place. I used to think they were cold and held no feeling. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Hawk’s eyes hold nothing but emotion. And now that we are past the walls of hostility he defended himself with, there’s nothing but miles of hope, compassion, and fear.
I’d never call him on the fear because I know he fears the same thing I do… that this will be taken away from us.
“He could’ve died today,” I whisper. The words burn like acid on my tongue.
The dip in Hawk’s chin is almost imperceptible. “But he didn’t. We’ll figure out who did it.”
“And get even.” I make sure my murderous expectations are plain in my expression. “People will learn they don’t take what’s mine. If they try—they die.”
All three of them nod. This time around, neither Brant nor Jaxx balk at the idea that I mean it. My resolve to keep them safe is no less committed than theirs to me.
After another deep breath, I swipe my cheeks with both palms and dry my hands on my pants. “Okay, first things first. Where’s the office? I want to set up our suspect wall and get back on track.
Hawk nods. “Main floor. I’ll show you where.”
Jaxx
After Hawk takes Calli down to the office to get set up, Brant and I undo the bags of sheets, towels, and whatnots. “There’s a grocery delivery down in the kitchen. I saw laundry soap and fabric softener. Can you grab it? I don’t want Calli sleeping on scratchy, fresh from the store sheets.”
“On it.”
I noticed an upstairs washer and dryer at the end of the hall and take the linens in there to get started.
“Hey, baby boy,” Mama says, coming up to join me. She’s got the jugs of laundry soap and softener I sent Brant for and I have no doubt she commandeered them without giving him the option to turn her down. “Let me do that.”
“I’ve got it, Mama.”
She nods. “I have no doubt you do. Busy work has always been your way when there’s trouble in the air. Now, go join your mates in the office and figure out who did this to my sweet boy.”
Mama faces off with the washer like the force she is and I kiss her cheek. “I learned busy work from you, Mama.”
Her smile is stiff. “Yes, you did. Now figure out who’s behind this, Jaxxy. No more close calls.”
I see the violence stirring in Mama’s gaze and hear it in her voice. I know enough not to argue. Mama is the all-time sweetest and warmest woman on the planet but if you fuck with her cubs you lose more than a limb. “Love you, Mama.”
“Love you more, baby boy.”
Hawk
By six o’clock the houses are settling, and Brant, Doc, and I take the helicopter into Manhattan to meet with Brant’s contact in accounting. By six-thirty Brant and I are alone in a private room of an Italian restaurant a few blocks from the FCO headquarters awaiting their arrival.
“I take it by the way the maître d’ greeted you that you own this place?” Brant finishes spreading his napkin over his lap and gestures to the room.
“No. I just like it here. Great food. Great service.”
“Mmm, that’s nice to hear.”
I stand as Carina Scapetti steps into the room. Brant rises as well, and I don’t blame him for his mouth falling open.
Carina is a breath-stealing, long-legged, brunette, and the scarlet, crushed velvet dress clinging to her curves could stop a man’s heart. “Sit, baby,” she says, eyeing Brant up and down. “I’m Carina.”
When she offers her hand, Brant doesn’t miss a beat. He gathers her fingers in his snow-shovel hands and plants his lips. “A pleasure to meet you, beautiful. Now I see why Hawk said this is one of his favorite places.”
“Mmm, another playboy. Two of you in one of my private rooms. Lucky me.” She winks and sidles her way over to touch my shoulder. “So, after you drop off the map for what now, almost six weeks, you bring me an apology?”
I chuckle knowing exactly where Carina thinks this is going. “Apologies, bella. Brant and I are both off the market. I’m afraid our private room wining and dining days are over.”
She pushes out her red, painted lips in an adorable pout and I realize how deeply Calli’s hold on me goes.
I’m not even tempted.
I remember all the highlights of those lips and how good it could be with Ca
rina and nothing within me is interested. I admit I’m surprised. I worried I might screw up or self-sabotage if things got tough.
It’s a relief to know I’m all-in with my phoenix.
“Over sounds final, Barron. How over are we talking?”
Brant chuckles. His brow is arched as if he’s reading me and finds my mental meandering amusing. Can he sense my revelations? He surely smells that my attraction hasn’t risen. “Yeah, Barron, how over are we talking? Just how off the market are we?”
I arch a brow and flash him a droll smile. I can read him too and I know where he’s going. “Really?”
“Oh, yeah, I think so.” He waggles his brows. “You’re up, remember? Time to put up or shut up.”
Carina shifts her weight on her Stillettos. “What am I missing?”
Brant says nothing—he doesn’t have to—the challenge clear in his gaze. Fine. If it makes him happy. I toss my napkin onto the table and stand. He does the same.
Brant and I haven’t had any one-on-one but as he says—it’s time to put up or shut up.
Carina is human. She can’t smell Brant’s mating scent flaring, but I can. Fuck.
It’s a blend of his mated scents.
He’s got the sweet, feminine succulence of Calli, the wild spice of Jaxx, and the earthy warmth of Kotah respiring from his skin. My hawk recognizes those scents as home. And yeah, now that I’m committed to this little PDA, it’s a lot easier than I thought to ramp up.
Rarely have I ever had a tryst with any female as tall as I am. I can count those moments on one hand. But Brant and I look straight into one another’s gaze. I study the emotions swirling in those golden eyes of his. On the outside, everything with Brant is a game. When I look closer, I see the truth.
He wants more.
“You sure about this, Bear?”
“Don’t I look sure?”
He does. I guess it’s me who’s not. There’s something exotically sexy about having our first kiss in public and in front of one of my ex-lovers.
I slide my fingers under his brunette waves and grip his neck, pulling him closer until we’re chest to chest. His pecs are broad and it’s like cozying up against a brick wall.
