by Dianna Love
He’d failed to mention any of this back then.
She watched his face and asked, “How many times have you teleported back here?”
“This year?” he popped off.
“You did this last year, too?”
“What? Should I have just sat tight and waited on yet another group to tell me what to do?” He unleashed anger that she knew had been simmering for a while. When she didn’t reply, he kept going. “Don’t give me any crap about this either. You’d do the same thing in my shoes.”
She slapped her hands over her face and muttered, “You must be suicidal. What could make you...” She couldn’t finish that sentence, because her mind had jumped to what would cause her to make the same gamble.
Storm and Feenix. She’d do anything to return to them. She lowered her hands, feeling the weight of seven other gryphons wanting at least what she had. Why couldn’t the gryphons have lives without this crappy tug of war? Why couldn’t they just live the way they wanted?
Tristan said nothing. She considered where she found him. He’d been leaving a note at that house.
Evalle took a guess. “Do you have a girlfriend here?”
Tristan leveled a hard gaze at her. “You know what? I was captured by Beladors and locked in a jungle prison for five years, then I’m captured by the Medb. They turn me into a gryphon and ship me off to fight a damn war on Treoir. Now I’m a captive once again on Treoir.” His voice turned deep and furious. “No one, not one fucking person, has ever considered that I might have a life if I wasn’t caught in the middle of all this shit that I did not ask for.”
She had the same complaint, but that didn’t change the fact that this was his life. It wasn’t her fault. Wasn’t his fault. They were both pawns in this stupid battle between Macha and Queen Maeve. “You didn’t answer my question, Tristan, but nice sidestep.”
“I don’t have to answer your questions.”
She’d dealt with him during many difficult situations. Allowing him to get under her skin never played out well.
Drawing a calming breath, Evalle said, “Listen, Tristan, I’m not arguing with you. Of all people, I get it. I want every Alterant-gryphon to choose how to live. I’m sick of being a second-class citizen, too.”
“Second-class? Try not even a recognized race. Inmates in human prisons have more rights than we do.”
“I know, but I’ve been sucking it up to do everything possible to keep all the parties happy. I’ve played nice with the damn Medb just to keep things calm here, because we’re so close to getting a vote.”
“On what? The equivalent of living on a reservation like the humans did to the Native Americans? Ask your tomcat what he thinks of that.”
She could not get a break tonight. “What do you want me to do?”
“Nothing. I get your position here, and with the Beladors, but I don’t have one. I’m just one more gryphon in the pack. You’re the leader. We have to follow you at some point, but don’t be surprised if you look around and I’ve decided to find out what happens if I don’t follow you.”
Crossing her arms, she leaned back against the hood. “I don’t want to lead anyone. Besides, you’ve been the one in charge while I was gone.”
“Don’t remind me,” he groused.
She frowned. “In fact, who’s watching over the pack now while you’re gone?”
He scowled and swung around to lean back next to her. “Believe it or not, they’re adults and they’ve been doing just fine without someone standing over them. I don’t stand over any of them when I’m there. All I do is keep them from killing each other out of frustration over being trapped, and I bring them—”
She jerked her head up, but Tristan had clamped his lips. “You’ve been bringing them back here? Are you crazy, Tristan?”
As if he wasn’t already pissed enough, that did it. “No, I’m not. And the only reason they aren’t completely off their rockers is because I teleported each of them here for a holiday break.”
Shocked, she sat back, arms crossed, thinking. What was the point of arguing? He’d said it best. They were all adults, including Tristan.
Changing her tone to one of curiosity, Evalle asked, “Doesn’t it strain your powers to teleport someone else?”
“Yes.”
“How’d you hide that two gryphons were missing each time?”
“Until you came to the island during December, we were flying double shifts, which gave everyone extra time off.” He shrugged. “I had to fly a few extras shifts each time to make up for my place in the rotation, but we all agreed to cover for the group.”
Tristan could be the most infuriating man she’d ever met sometimes, but he had a streak of loyalty he hated to admit. He’d taken on extra duty and pushed his powers to bring members of the pack home for a visit.
Instead of yelling at him, Evalle felt bad about not having helped him. “When was your last trip?”
“The day you showed up to spend the rest of December with us. I’d just returned with Petrina and Bernie.”
“Three? You teleported three at a time?”
He muttered a curse. “I sort of figured out under duress that I can teleport more than one if we link.”
“What kind of duress?”
“Tell you about that another time, but that reminds me of something I did want to pass on.”
“Like you would have found me while you were here?”
“No,” he said with pure honesty. “But I’d have figured out how to send the information before I left.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“There’s a human group hunting for nonhumans. There. I’ve done my civic duty and told you.”
She pondered on that for a moment. “Are you talking about that guy, Kossman? He’s a medical researcher or something.”
“Trust me on this, Evalle, he’s hunting for nonhumans. He’s not out to harm us, but he’s putting big bounty money out. At fifty thousand a pop, it’s bringing in plenty of calls. That’s bad enough, but nonhuman traffickers are getting into the picture. They aren’t taking their captures to Kossman. They’re selling them on the black market to people like Queen Maeve. The only way I convinced the other gryphons to stay on Treoir right now is because it’s too dangerous for them with VIPER, the Medb, and now greedy bounty hunters gunning for them.”
Life just never got any easier. But that gave her an idea. “Have you heard of Kossman putting a bounty out on witches?”
“No. He’s after something that no one would believe is real. A lot of humans know about witches.”
“You mean he wants something like a gryphon?” Evalle joked.
“Alterants, to be specific.”
She sighed. VIPER knew about Kossman, but didn’t consider him a serious threat. She’d have to inform Quinn and Tzader that his hefty bounties presented real issues. “So what are you doing here, Tristan?”
“That’s my business.”
She silently bounced around her options, and only one made sense. “You can’t stay out here. Come back to my place.”
“With you, a fire-breathing gargoyle, and a Skinwalker who’d just as soon gut me as look at me? Pass.”
“Feenix will not torch you, and Storm won’t kill you. Not unless you do something to harm me.” She grinned then a new thought hit her. “Can’t you just teleport back to Treoir?”
“Not yet,” he admitted. “Not without linking. I need time to rest and regain enough power to teleport alone, but don’t worry. I’ve got a place to stay out of sight until then.”
“Are you teleporting to this safe place?”
“No. I don’t want to waste even that much energy. It was actually pretty easy when I linked with Petrina and Bernie.”
When Tristan stepped away and turned to face her with goodbye in his eyes, she asked, “Really, are you involved with someone here? I’m not going to tell a soul, but she might be in danger when you’re not around if someone finds out she’s involved with you.”
; “I know that. I’ve taken precautions to protect her, but she’s out of town right now. Out of the country, in fact. That’s the only reason I’m not staying long.”
That was all she would get out of Tristan. She angled her head toward Storm’s truck. “I’ll give you a ride.”
That got his attention and softened the grim look on his face. “Deal.”
Evalle opened the driver’s door. “Hop in the back.”
“What’s the matter? You don’t want to be seen with me in the front seat?” he chided.
She smiled. “Go ahead and sit in the passenger seat. I just thought you’d be more comfortable in the back.”
He gave her a curious look, but walked around and opened the passenger door to get in.
Or, rather, he tried to get in.
Oskar stood up, showing his pretty teeth and giving Tristan a throaty bullfrog snarl. Impressive.
“Shit!” Tristan backed away from the door.
“Hey, be nice to Oskar,” she warned.
“What the hell is an Oskar?”
“My new sidekick.”
Tristan climbed into the back seat, sliding over directly behind Evalle. With everyone loaded, she watched the rearview mirror as he shoved his sunglasses to the top of his head. When he met her gaze, she asked, “Where to?”
He kept cutting his eyes toward the passenger seat, but Oskar had quieted. “You can drop me at the Ponce de Leon and Peachtree Street intersection.”
What was there? Fox Theater came to mind. Tristan would not give her his actual address.
At this point, she didn’t care.
She’d care later once she located Mattie, reunited Oskar with his witch, and returned them both safely home. As Evalle drove off, she warned, “Please stay out of sight, Tristan. If I get called into a Tribunal, there’s no way I can cover and lie for you.”
“So you would lie for me if it wasn’t to the Tribunal?”
How did she get herself into these situations? “Just stay put, but let me know before you teleport back, okay?”
“Sure, Warden.”
“Not funny, Tristan.”
“Neither is living on that island.” He was quiet a moment then he asked, “What would you do in my shoes, if you could teleport and had someone here you cared about?”
She did have someone in this world she loved, and just considering that question hurt her heart. All the gryphons on Treoir wanted some semblance of a life. She gave him the only answer she could. The truth.
“I’d come back every chance I got.”
When she glanced up at the rearview mirror, Tristan stared back, surprised. Then he nodded and let it go.
She took Ponce de Leon back into town and pulled to the curb just before Peachtree Street.
Tristan opened his door, then paused and turned back to her. “I’ll let you know before I leave, as long as no one comes for me in the meantime.”
She twisted around. “Fair enough. Just don’t get caught.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll stay out of trouble.” He stepped out, closed the door and sauntered off, blending into the night.
Just the fact that he was here contradicted his claim to stay out of trouble.
Whatever. She and Oskar were finally close to the downtown building Storm had remodeled. He planned for offices on the first floor, four rental units on the second floor, and their living quarters on the top two floors.
Plus the bonus rooftop he’d designed just for her, so that she could watch the sun rise and set without it turning her body into a fireball.
Storm had been running two crews back in November and early December. He’d backed off during the holidays so that everyone could be with their families, but he was determined to move her and Feenix in soon. Maybe even tomorrow.
She looked at her watch. Scratch that. Tomorrow was here.
Her phone played the ring tone for No One by Alicia Keys. That would be Storm.
Happy to talk to the one person in her life who didn’t stress her, Evalle answered her phone. “I’m on the way to our new place.”
“Good thing, sweetheart. The sooner the better.”
She rubbed her eyes then put her glasses back on. “I’m sorry. I meant to get back earlier than this to help pack for the movers, but—” She glanced at Oskar. “Something unexpected came up.”
“I have the movers handled, and I brought Feenix here myself.”
“Really? How’d that go? Is he okay?”
“You aren’t concerned that maybe he lit me up?” Storm chided, but she heard amusement in his voice.
“He wouldn’t hurt you.” She hoped. “He didn’t ... right?”
Storm chuckled, “No, he was pretty calm. He’s waiting on his beanbag for you.”
Storm would have had to cloak Feenix to get him through downtown to the building, and he’d even thought to bring the beanbag for her baby. “I’ll be there in less than ten minutes.”
“Good thing. You have company.”
“Who?”
“Tzader and Quinn. They—”
A crash sounded, and squawking came through the phone to Evalle.
“Ah, hell,” Storm muttered. “Gotta go, babe.”
Why me? Evalle gunned the motor, and Oskar started grunting again.
Chapter 13
Evalle pulled up to the first-floor garage of a building that had once housed light manufacturing, but had fallen into disrepair as the city grew and left this area behind.
From what little she’d seen in recent months, Storm had a keen insight when it came to investments, and particularly liked to reclaim abandoned properties.
She’d been so ready for an early evening at home with just him, but having a life full of people to love was still new for her. Besides, she shouldn’t feel annoyed to have company when it was the two men who had been her only friends for a long time.
Why would Tzader and Quinn be here at midnight?
Quinn should have called her telepathically to let her know Tzader was back. Did that mean Brina was healed?
Evalle hit the remote button on the truck’s visor to activate the overhead door on the street-level garage, then lowered it back into place as she parked.
Home. Had the movers finished and left? Had Storm already moved them in? She smiled as she opened the door and stepped out.
A grating bullfrog sound erupted.
She slapped her head and muttered, “Storm’s going to kill me. Hell, I might help him.”
Turning back to the interior of his classic Land Cruiser, she considered leaving Oskar in place for the moment. “I’ll be right back and—”
With his eyes locked on her, he sank his front fangs into the seat.
“No. Don’t do that.”
The skin around his mouth lifted, showing the rest of his fangs not buried into the leather padding. One little push and he could probably bite all the way through.
She’d met humans who were less devious. “Okay, I’ll take you with me.”
Oskar released the seat and sat up with that disturbing, happy look on his face.
She ran around the truck and lifted him into her arms. “No biting, okay?”
He clicked his fangs together. Then his snake tongue made an appearance.
Oh, boy.
Hurrying over to the new door between the garage and the offices, she entered what would eventually be a reception area once it was walled off and had a corridor installed.
Right now it was one large room with occasional wall studs.
“We’re in here, sweetheart,” Storm called from the other side, where a hall connected to more of the unfinished ground-level area.
Only one part of this floor had been completed.
Soft light shone out of an open doorway. Storm had finished a conference room early on for meeting with contractors, decorators, permit officials, plumbers ... Everyone. It would eventually serve the people renting the office spaces. All the lights in the building had dimmer switches just for her.
&n
bsp; She started toward the conference room. Just as she passed the stairwell to the second floor, she heard happy squawking.
Her little gargoyle came flying down the open chute.
Evalle jumped out of the way and spun with her back to the conference room.
Feenix zoomed into the reception area, flapping and chortling. “Evalle! Evalle! E—“
Oskar tensed and cranked up his grunting, sounding like a terrorized bullfrog with loud cricket chatter interspersed.
Feenix took one look at Oskar and reversed his flight, flapping as he backed away. He stared at Evalle with big orange eyes, shocked. Her gargoyle had a limited vocabulary, but he could say a lot of things with his eyes and face.
Right now, his expression cried betrayal.
She couldn’t put Oskar down or hand him off in case he attacked someone. “Feenix ... baby ...”
Feenix demonstrated his ability to spin in midair, and flew back up the stairs.
Storm walked up behind her. “Wonder what upset Feenix? I had him all calmed down.” He stepped around to the front of her and his eyes widened. “What’s that?”
“Uh ...” Evalle stalled. “Oskar.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“He’s a witch’s familiar.”
At least Storm didn’t back away like Lucien had.
Oskar opened his mouth, and let out a gruesome sound that he probably thought was a growl.
“What the devil is that sound supposed to mean?” Storm asked, studying Oskar with undisguised disgust.
“I think that might be his warning croak.”
Only Storm would be amused that Oskar tried to intimidate him.
To avoid discussing it more than she wanted right now, Evalle hedged, “I didn’t have a choice. Let me find some place to put him and I’ll explain.”
Looking down at the critter, Storm sighed and reached for Oskar. “I’ll take him.”
Oskar snarled and snapped his fangs.
Storm snatched his hand back and a deadly jaguar stared out of brown eyes that quickly glowed golden. “You don’t want to do that to me,” he warned Oskar.
Evalle had no doubt that Storm could make good on his warning, but harming Oskar would stir up more trouble than she already had. “He’s okay. He seems to like me. I’ll find somewhere to put him.”