by Faith Gibson
The warden and some of the guards came and talked to the prisoner in the next cell over. Why were they so nice to him? The warden even let him out of his cell every once in a while. Maybe he gave the warden information he wanted, and he got to go out in the sunlight. Vincent was cold. So cold. He just needed the sun on his face for a few minutes. Sunlight. Rebekah.
Nineteen
Tessa’s plane landed at LaGuardia as scheduled. While it wasn’t the closest airport to her destination, she preferred the larger, busier hub where she had a greater chance of being lost in the crowd. She wove her way through the throngs of passengers rushing to make their flights on time. Since she wouldn't be staying, she had no luggage to wait for at the busy carousel. Instead, she headed for the passenger pick-up area where her ride would be waiting.
Even though it wasn’t necessary, her driver held up a sign that said “Greystone”. Manny had been driving Tessa around as long as she could remember. He was one of her best friends in the world. Actually, he was one of her only friends. She loved the man as much as she loved her own father and would usually stay at his home when she was in town. Soon after she transitioned, Tessa went to visit Manny and his husband, Lawrence. Both men were longtime employees of her family, and they knew the truth of the Gargoyles. When Tessa told the men who her mate was, she had cried. And laughed. And cried some more. They dubbed Gregor “Greystone” as a codename. Since Tessa wouldn’t tell her family she was mated to a full-blood, it was their secret.
Manny was smiling, his beautiful face almost cracking. “My girl, how I’ve missed you.” The older man pulled Tessa in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “No luggage? I’m hurt. I was hoping you would be staying with us a while.”
Tessa snaked her arm through her friend’s as they walked. “Sorry, Man, but this is a quick brief with the fam and then I’m headed to New Orleans. I have a lot to tell you, so let’s get to the car.” They strolled arm-in-arm looking like father and daughter instead of driver and passenger. Tessa hated coming to New York for these short meetings. While she loved her mother, Tessa preferred the times when she was staying with Manny and Larry. She had long ago asked that Manny not drive the limo when picking her up. She wanted to be able to sit next to him and chat, not be separated to the back of the lonely monstrosity that shouted, “Look at me, I’m somebody.”
Tessa couldn’t help but smile when Manny opened the passenger door to his personal vehicle. He may appear refined, but he was as much of a speed freak as she was. While she preferred the Chevrolet, Manny was a Dodge man. The Challenger was sleek and bad-ass, and she knew there was a hemi under the hood. Even with technology finally getting back to where it had once been, there was nothing like these classic muscle cars.
Tessa pulled her seatbelt across her body, clicking it in place, all while enjoying the rumble of the engine. Now that the weather was getting colder, she would be pulling her own car out of the garage and parking her bike. Manny got as far as heading north on the 678 before he couldn’t wait any longer. “Okay, Missy, spill it. You look different than the last time you were here. Does this have anything to do with Greystone?”
Even though it had everything to do with her mate, she still had to grin. “Manny, you know me too well. Actually, it does.” She sighed then continued. “He knows. I screwed up, and now he knows. Not only does he know I’m his mate, but he knows about half-bloods.” Tessa started at the beginning and told him about Isabelle taking the job at the Pen, about finding Tamian, and about flying off the roof.
“Why is your brother in jail?” Manny knew Tamian well and was shocked to hear of him being behind bars.
“The do-gooder put himself there on purpose, but I can’t really fault him for it. He’s trying to find Gordon’s location just like we are. Hopefully, he’ll be able to accomplish this without anyone else dying.” Tessa filled Manny in on the ruse at the World Council Delegation that had gone horribly wrong. “Right now, he’s in solitary. I’m not sure how he expects to gain any information from the general population when he’s stuck in a hole.”
“So you jumped off the roof. I always miss the good stuff.” Manny was chuckling.
“Yeah, well, it was good until Gregor phased and came after me. He was pissed. He knew at the bar that I was his mate, he just didn’t know who I was exactly. Now he knows, and I have a feeling he’s going to be a pain in my ass. Manny, the Gargoyle King has found his mate, and she’s a human. I need to tell him that Goyles have been mating with humans for a long time now. He needs to know.”
Manny grabbed Tessa’s hand. “You’ll do the right thing, sweet girl. You always do.” He released her hand as they pulled up to the entrance to her parents’ estate. Manny waited until he got the all-clear from the security patrol that had followed them for the last hour. He placed his forefinger on the scanner, and the gate opened. He and Tessa often joked about “keeping their digits” intact. If either one ever lost a finger, whoever took it would have access to the compound.
Elizabeth was waiting at the front door when the car pulled into the circle. Tessa leaned over and kissed Manny on the cheek. “Thanks, Man. I’ll come back soon when I can stay awhile.”
“You do that. At least call me. I want to hear more about you and Greystone.” His eyes were wet with unshed tears as Tessa got out of the car.
“Andrea!” Elizabeth was now down the steps and welcoming her daughter into her arms. With the aging process having stopped, Elizabeth didn’t look any older than Tessa did. They held each other in a tight hug then Tessa pulled back. “I know you called me here, but we have problems. Full-blooded ones.”
“And what might those be?” Tessa’s head jerked at the sound of her father’s voice. Well shit. Why had her mother not warned her they wouldn’t be alone? She left the warmth of her mother’s embrace and went to Xavier. “Dad! I can’t believe you’re here!” She hugged the man she rarely saw anymore and looked around his shoulder at her mother who was shrugging.
“Tessa, my girl. How are you?” her father asked.
Xavier was smart and very adept at reading body rhythms. She had to get hers under control. She smiled her best smile and turned to her mom. “With the exception of being extremely tired, I’m great. I’ve been up with Isabelle. She finally transitioned.”
“Let’s get in out of the cold.” Elizabeth made her way into the massive home Tessa had partially grown up in. The housekeeper, Cassandra, was standing just inside the door. As soon as Tessa crossed the threshold, she was in the older woman’s arms. It had been a while since Tessa visited, so it didn’t surprise her she was being smushed by everyone.
“Cassandra, how are you?” She loved the older woman like a grandmother. Having been whisked away when she was a baby, Tessa never knew her biological grandmother. She felt the tears falling down the older woman’s cheeks. “Hey, now, what’s up with the waterworks?” Tessa wiped away the tears with her thumbs and searched her eyes? “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve just missed you is all,” she whispered.
Tessa patted her on the shoulder and responded, “Well, I’m here now. After I speak with the ‘rents I will come see you in the kitchen, okay?” Cassandra nodded then excused herself.
“What was that about?” Tessa asked when the housekeeper was out of earshot. Her mom gave a slight shake of her head. Whatever it was, Elizabeth obviously didn’t want to discuss it in front of Xavier.
“Let’s go have a seat.” Xavier ushered the women to the lounge at the side of the house. The room was a sunken area with four sofas surrounding a fire pit in the middle of the room. Both Tessa and Elizabeth loved a fire. Once they were seated, Xavier asked, “Now, what is this about the Gargoyles?”
Tessa didn’t miss that her father eluded her question. He had questions of his own and she had to answer them. She didn’t dare look at her mother. That would give away that she was omitting some of the truth from what she was telling. “It appears the King has found his mate. A human.”
“Yes,
Rafael said as much when he all but threatened me at the Elder Council. Why do you feel this is a problem?” Xavier may be leaning back, seeming relaxed, but he was not shielding his own vitals. He knew about Rafael?
“Because he and his Clan are searching for answers. Answers that Isabelle and I both have. Answers that Rafael and his mate need. Nikolas Stone found one of Jonas’ journals at the library. It was the first one where he talks of meeting Caroline. Nikolas came calling, asking if Isabelle had the other journals. His timing couldn’t have been worse. She had just found out what she is, about Gargoyles, and the news Jonas is alive. Hell, she even came face to face with Caroline. Imagine Belle’s shock at not only watching a brother she didn’t know she had transition, but seeing her mother for the first time in probably twenty years. A mother who looks as young as she does. Dad, Isabelle has taken a job at the Penitentiary working for Gregor Stone. He was there when she began her transition. He knows about us. Therefore, Rafael knows about us. It’s just a matter of time before they start demanding answers.”
Elizabeth, who had been quiet until then, turned to her mate. “My darling, you have to tell her.”
“Tell me what?” Tessa wasn’t used to being kept in the dark.
Xavier stood and began pacing the room. Tessa had never seen her father appear anything less than calm and collected. The version of the man before her was anything but calm. “Rafael’s uncle, Alistair, is the one who convinced Jonas’ Clan to ostracize him. Alistair was at the meeting when Rafael announced to the room that he had found his mate and he suspected Jonas was really a shifter. I’m afraid Rafael has opened a can of worms that could lead to another Clan war.”
“Gargoyles were put on earth to protect humans. Why did Alistair want Jonas banished?” Tessa stood and walked over to the window, taking in the vastness of their property.
“Because Alistair is a prejudiced old fool. He felt the line should be kept pure. In his opinion, mixing with humans is an affront to the species.” Xavier leaned his backside against the bar, crossing his arms over his chest. “I shut down the meeting as quickly as I could. Alistair not only loathes humans, he also holds a sore spot for his sister as well as his nephew. He despised his brother-in-law because he was of Italian descent, not Greek. He didn’t care that Athena had found her mate. When Edmondo was slain, Rafael should have taken his place on the Council. He refuses to do so. Therefore Athena still has the family vote, and it pisses her brother off.”
“So this is why Jonas is so hell bent on keeping the mate bond from everyone. It makes sense now.” She turned to her mother and asked, “Is this the problem you wanted to tell me about?”
Elizabeth joined her at the window and took Tessa’s hands in her own. “No, but the other can wait for now. This is more important, Sweetheart. Your safety and well-being are more important to me than anything else we need to discuss.”
“I’m not worried about me, Mom. You know I can take care of myself. Dad, I understand why Jonas wants to keep the human bonding info secret, but after what you just told me, shouldn’t the King be told the truth? Wouldn’t it be better if he had all ammunition at his disposal?”
“Better for whom? If Rafael knows the truth about bonding with humans, he will mate with his woman and have children. His brothers and cousins will do the same thing. Not only will the Goyles be at risk, but their families as well.”
Tessa didn’t want to hear this. She had enough to worry about with her cousins transitioning and having children. Now she had to watch out for the full-bloods, too. “I’m afraid we might be too late. I think they are already mated. Fully.”
“How do you know this?” Her father knew she and Elizabeth were very close and told each other almost everything.
Elizabeth squeezed her daughter’s hands. “Tell him the rest. Tell your father who your mate is.”
Twenty
Gregor’s phone pinged with a text notification. “Your woman is on her way to New Orleans. If you care.”
He replied to Julian: “I would appreciate a background check.”
His phone pinged again. “I knew you’d say that. Already on it. Either she doesn’t exist, or someone as good as I am has covered her tracks.”
“Search for everything on Andrea Flanagan.”
“WTF? Are you serious?”
“Just keep it quiet for now.”
“Ten-four.”
Gregor wasn’t ready to accuse his mate of being the Montague baby, not that accuse was the right word to use. She couldn’t help if she was part of the destruction of the world thirty-three years earlier, but he knew in his gut it was true. How he knew was beyond him. Dante was the one with the voodoo-like feelings. It could have something to do with the mate bond. Gregor had never studied or asked anyone about the bond, because he thought his chances of finding his were slim to none.
First New York and now Louisiana. He couldn’t stand it. Gregor had to have more information on Tessa, and Tamian was going to give it to him. He headed to the lower level, stopping to talk with Deacon when he passed him in the corridor.
“Deacon, anything happening?” Like ninety-nine percent of the guards, Deacon was a shifter.
Deacon held out his hand for a fist bump. “Good morning, Brother. All’s quiet except for the albino. He must have been having a nightmare. I was going to take St. Claire’s breakfast to him when I heard Alexander yelling. I looked in and he was fully phased. He was pale; well, paler than usual. He yelled out, “Rebekah, I’m so sorry.” I don’t know who she is or what he did to her, but the dude can talk, obviously. When he saw me at the door, he asked for a cigarette. I slid him a patch, but you and I both know that will only help him for about two point five seconds. I did tell him that if he would give up Flanagan, you would get him a carton of smokes.”
“If he gives up Flanagan, I’ll buy him a whole fucking truckload. Thanks, man.”
Gregor stopped at Vincent’s door and peered in. The albino was once again on the floor doing push-ups. Even though he didn’t work out as much as Frey did, Gregor couldn’t imagine being a shifter and cooped up in such a small confine. He opened Tamian’s cell door as quietly as possible. He motioned for Tamian to follow, and they headed toward his office.
Gregor poured them both a cup of coffee then motioned for Tamian to take a seat. “I hear your cell buddy had an outburst this morning.”
“Yeah, it’s not the first time he’s had nightmares. He mumbles in his sleep, and most of it isn’t coherent. This Rebekah’s name has been spoken more than once. So has Flanagan’s. Now that we know he can actually talk, I think it’s time you bear down on him. I’m no psychologist, but I truly believe if you offer him cigarettes and sunshine, he’ll give you something. The man is obsessed with both.”
Gregor barked out a laugh. “Sunshine? He looks like he hasn’t seen a ray of sun in his life.”
“Maybe that’s why he craves it so much. When something you love is taken away, it’s all you can think about.” Tamian’s pained expression told Gregor the man knew this from experience.
“I agree. I want to transfer you out of solitary into gen pop. You up for that?” The original plan had been to put Tamian in general population to see if any of the inmates talked about Flanagan. When they captured Vincent, the plan changed. Now that he had determined the man knew something, his job there was finished, and he could do what he was originally brought in to do.
“Absolutely. It will be interesting to listen in on all the crazies.” He laughed before taking a sip of coffee. “How’s Isabelle? I have never actually witnessed someone’s first transition, but I hear it can be quite painful.”
Gregor was confused. If Tamian was a half-blood, surely he had gone through his own transition. “Are you telling me you haven’t phased yet?” He knew Tamian wasn’t comfortable talking about himself, he just didn’t know why. “Look, your sister and I are mates. Eventually, we are going to be together. That means you and I are going to be brothers. I get you have your secrets, an
d I also get you’re probably trying to protect Tessa. I just don’t know why or from whom. I care about her. Yeah, those emotions stem from the mate bond, but that will only get stronger. If you know anything at all about the bond, you know she and I belong together.”
He could tell Tamian was conflicted by his facial expression. “Like I said before, mine and Tessa’s story is a little different.”
“I’m pretty sure I have figured that part out. I know who you are, who she is. You said you wanted her to be the one to tell me your story, but she’s gone. I can’t wait for her to return and possibly tell me what I need to know.” Gregor was getting agitated. Why did the fates think he was capable of dealing with a hothead like Tessa or her closed lip brother?
“What do you mean you know who we are?”
“I may look like a big oaf, as your sister calls me. I actually have a brain inside this stubby body. When you think about the facts, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out Tessa is the Montague baby and you are her clone.” Gregor stopped because Tamian had literally jumped to his feet. “Calm down, man. I’m not shouting the news from the rooftops. I just put two and two together and came up with the answer. I figure if you are the clone Jonas created, then you are probably something even more special than the other clones in the world. I have a feeling you were given a little extra something during the process. If I’m right, you are probably one unique shifter.”
Gregor knew he had hit home. Tamian sat back down and slumped in his chair, leaning his head against the back. “If you figured this out, who else has? Shit, I need to talk to Andi. We need to leave, get out of New Atlanta.”