by Faith Gibson
“Whoa, easy. You don’t need to leave. In fact, you are probably safer here in New Atlanta than you would be anywhere. Tessa’s my mate, so you know I’ll protect her. Rafael is King, and he will protect you both. You have a big family now, whether you want it or not. You and Tessa will become part of our Clan.”
“Do you know where Andi went? I really need to talk to her before we discuss this any further.”
“I heard she was headed to New Orleans.” Gregor didn’t want to tell him he was having Tessa investigated.
“Ah, hell. Andi tends to get in trouble when she goes to Louisiana. I need to get out of here. She thinks she can take care of herself, but sometimes she gets in over her head.”
“What exactly is she doing there?” Gregor was the one getting agitated now. He didn’t want to hear his mate was in danger.
“Not what, who. I’m sure you don’t want to hear this, but she has a friend she hooks up with when she goes to check on our cousin. That’s what Andi does for the family: she’s a watcher. She keeps an eye on all of our cousins who are spread out over the world. Andi has a tendency to attract some pretty unsavory characters wherever she goes, but this one, he takes first prize.”
“And just who is this particular unsavory character?” Gregor stood from his chair and ran his hand through his short hair. He was going to New Orleans and bring Tessa home, or at the very least, keep her safe and out of the clutches of another man.
“His name is Jacques Dupart. He won’t be hard to find. He owns a seedy bar on Ursulines called Jacques’ Place. If he isn’t with Andi, he’ll be at the bar.” Tamian was giving this information freely.
“Why are you being so forthcoming about all this? Up until now, you’ve been pretty secretive.”
“Because I don’t like the guy. Even without Andi being mated to you, I don’t want to see her with someone like Dupart. I’m not asking you to go after her. I think you know by now how stubborn she is. She has her mind made up that even though you’re her mate, she’s not going to give in to the pull. But if you were so inclined to make a trip to the bayou, it wouldn’t hurt my feelings in the least. I agreed to stay in here and get information, and that’s what I’m going to do. But like I told Andi, someone has to watch the watcher.”
“Where does Tessa stay when she’s there?” Gregor pulled out his cell phone and was dialing Rafe.
“She has her own place in the Garden District. Hand me a pen, and I’ll write down the address.” Gregor slid a pen and paper across his desk. While Tamian was writing, he spoke to his brother, “I need the jet. Now. New Orleans. Of course it has to do with a woman. Yes, a particular redhead.” He hung up and called Deacon. “Can you come in here?”
Gregor took the address as Tamian said, “I would rather you not tell Andi where you got the information. I have kept an eye on her her whole life without her knowing it, and we have a great relationship. I don’t want her to start hating me now. She thinks she’s ten feet tall and bulletproof, but we both know that isn’t the case. ”
“I will do my best to keep you out of it, but I won’t make you a promise I can’t keep. I really appreciate all you’re doing, St. Claire.” Gregor stretched across his desk to shake hands. Deacon knocked and walked in. “You rang?”
“I did. We are moving forward with our original plans; St. Claire is going to gen pop. Put him on the D block in one of the empty cells. Also, I am taking a short trip to Louisiana, and I want you to take over while I’m gone.” Gregor had been giving Deacon more and more responsibility around the prison so that one day he could assume the role of warden.
“You got it, Boss. St. Claire, let’s go get your things and cuff you up. We can’t have you strolling in to your new home without restraints.”
Tamian followed Deacon but stopped at the door. “I know you care for Andi, bond or not. I truly hope she comes around sooner rather than later. You’ll be good for her.” With that, he followed Deacon down to solitary to get his few belongings.
Gregor hoped Tamian was right. He wanted to be good for Tessa. Good to her. If her job was to travel the world and watch over her family, he would be more than happy to leave New Atlanta and watch over her.
On the drive home to grab a travel bag, he called Isabelle.
“Hello?” Isabelle answered the phone almost immediately.
“Isabelle, this is Gregor. How are you feeling?”
“Hello, Warden. I’m doing really well. I was actually thinking of returning to work tomorrow instead of waiting.”
“That’s why I’m calling. I have to go out of town, and I don’t want you coming to the Pen without me there. It’s not that I don’t trust you; I would just rather be there with you while you are getting re-acclimated. I do remember what it’s like to transition. I hope to be back in a couple of days. You can get back to it then.”
“What if someone needs medical attention?” He liked that about Isabelle, ever the doctor.
“My cousin is on call. If there are any emergencies, he’ll take care of them. I tell you what, since you have just changed and Tessa is out of town, why don’t you take down his number, just in case.” He waited for Isabelle to get a pen and paper, before giving her Dante’s information. “You take care, and I’ll see you soon.” Dammit. He realized just as he hung up that he had given her Dante’s phone number but not his name. Hopefully she wouldn’t need to call him.
Gregor had mixed emotions about this trip. On one hand, he would be close to his mate. On the other, if he had to watch her with another man, it would probably crush him. Or, his beast may be the one doing the crushing.
Twenty-One
The flight attendant in first class handed Tessa another plastic cup. It might be a little early in the day to start drinking, but after the morning she’d had, she deserved some alcohol. Her mother finally convinced her to tell her father about Gregor. If he was shocked by the news, he didn’t show it. Xavier was over seven hundred years old and had seen a lot in his lifetime. She doubted there was much that could surprise him.
Before her conversation with her father, Tessa had been of the mindset that Rafael should know about human bonding so he and his newfound Queen could begin making little Gargoyle princes and princesses. Now, she wasn’t so sure. If what her father said about Alistair was true, did she really want to be the cause of more death? She already felt guilty about her cousin losing his life posing as Magnus. Tessa had always been so headstrong, so sure of her beliefs. Now…
The pilot came over the radio and announced they would be landing in approximately fifteen minutes. She downed her drink and gave the empty cup to the attendant. Tessa was wary about this visit. Normally she loved coming to New Orleans. This was one of her favorite homes. With the exception of New Atlanta, she spent more time here than any other. She was very fond of her cousin, Lillian. Lilly was a talented artist who had a display set up at Jackson Square. Tessa’s home was filled with various paintings she’d bought from her cousin.
Tessa loved the free spirits that lived in the city. Whether it was the voodoo or witchcraft, or just the vibe that came from the riverside area, she truly felt right at home. The only downside was Jacques. Tessa had tried to break things off with the man the last time she was here. Their relationship, if you could call it that, had run its course. If she was honest, she liked the sex, but couldn’t stand the man. When she first met Jacques in his bar, she had been young and intrigued by his brazenness. She thought of him as a kindred spirit. However, the more she got to know him, the less she liked about him.
Being a shifter meant enhanced hearing. On her last trip, she had overheard a phone conversation in which he was making a drug deal. Not just a small, I need some weed to get me through the week, deal. This was a major transaction in which he was the distributor of a lot of heroin. She had made the mistake of telling him she moved antiquities. Did he expect her to help him with his shipment? The excitement that had once shone brightly was now dimmed to the point of pitch black. The man wasn�
�t used to hearing the word no, so when Tessa told him she didn’t want to see him anymore, he hadn’t taken her seriously. She knew he had eyes all over the city, so getting in and out without him knowing would be tricky. If she had to face him, she would deal with it.
After departing the plane, Tessa hailed a taxi and headed to her house. The ride was quick, and she paid the driver handsomely for getting her home safely. She hated taxis, but they were a necessary evil in this town. She climbed the steps to her porch then opened the mailbox and pulled out a few advertisements. All utility bills were paid online, a year in advance. The name on the deed was one of her many aliases: Tabitha Stone. If Gregor ever found out she used his last name as often as she did, he would probably get a bigger head than he already had. He also had a lot to do with her not wanting Jacques.
As soon as she realized he was her mate, she began fantasizing about being his wife. She might act like she hated his guts, but she was totally infatuated with the Gargoyle. Who wouldn’t be? Gregor Stone was a stocky, gorgeous specimen. She had spied on him over the last three years whenever she could. The one fantasy she used most often when she was in bed at night with her vibrator was when he was in the boxing ring. She had followed him to his cousin’s dojo and watched through a side window as her shirtless mate sparred with his much larger cousin. Gregor was probably the shortest of his Clan, but he was the most beautifully built. As Gregor had jabbed and kicked, Tessa had moaned and swooned.
Not only did he have the body of a god, he also had the most mesmerizing eyes she had ever seen. She never allowed herself to look at them long, because she knew she would get lost in their blue depths. Now that she knew the full story of why her uncle had been banned from his Clan, she was even more confused than ever. Her heart wanted her to throw caution to the wind and go after Gregor. Her head told her to hold off and do the smart thing. She would just have to wait and see which won out.
Tessa usually called her next door neighbor to let her know she was coming to town. Gladys was an older woman who lived with a cute little dog. Most animals didn’t take to shifters, but Toby didn’t seem to mind Tessa. Gladys had never married, but she still entertained gentlemen often. She had told Tessa that she got bored easily, and if she never married, she wouldn’t have to worry about divorce. Tessa flipped the thermostat up a few degrees to knock the chill off. She threw the junk mail into the recycle bin and headed for the refrigerator. She didn’t keep it stocked with food, but she always had beer.
She twisted the top off a bottle and took a long pull. After she relaxed for a bit, she would see if Gladys was home. If she was, Tessa would visit with her for the remainder of the day and go see Lilly tomorrow. She pulled off her boots and turned on the stereo. Normally, she opted for hard or classic rock. Today she was in a pensive mood, so she opted for some classical. She sat on one end of her leather sofa, pulling her feet under her. Placing the bottle on the end table, she leaned her head back. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander to the Gargoyles, one in particular.
The doorbell ringing woke Tessa. The classical music had lulled her into a nap. She slowly walked to the front of her house and peered through the sheer curtains that covered the long windows on either side of the door. The silhouette was that of a short person. Gladys. She opened the door for her neighbor.
“Hello, Dolly. I came to get your mail and heard the music.” Tessa stepped back to allow her friend in then shut the door and locked it. Gladys’ nickname for Tessa always brought a smile to her face. There was nothing doll-like about Tessa, and they both knew it.
She hugged the older woman before leading her into the living room. Tessa’s home was one of the smaller houses in the district. Considering she spent so little time in the city, it didn’t make sense to purchase a huge house. She had considered it an investment. Eventually, all the cousins would transition and she would not have to travel as often. She loved this city and hoped to spend more time there in the future, just not on official family business. Would Gregor like New Orleans?
“Can I get you something to drink? I think I have a bottle of wine somewhere.” Tessa rarely drank the stuff, but she kept it for Gladys.
“I’m fine, my girl. I want to know how you are. You don’t look happy. Tell Gladys your troubles.” The older woman sat down next to Tessa on the sofa and patted her leg.
“I never could get anything by you, could I? I have some major decisions to make. I couldn’t do that with the distractions back home, so I decided to come here for a little down time.” Technically, she wasn’t lying. She did have major decisions to make, and Gregor was a distraction. A big one.
Gladys knew Tessa had more than one home. Being an archaeologist meant that she traveled the world, and having have homes in multiple places made sense. When she was younger, the cover had been fun, adventurous even. She had gone on a few digs with real archaeologists to see what it was like and had thoroughly enjoyed herself. Now, she was ready to settle down a little. She enjoyed watching over her cousins, but most had transitioned. When she no longer had to worry about them, she would need to find something else to fill her time. Blue eyes came to mind. She would like to fill her time with Gregor. She’d like to fill herself with Gregor. Fuck.
“Tabitha, did you hear what I said?”
Tessa sighed. “I’m sorry, Gladys. My mind was elsewhere. I’m afraid I’m not going to be very good company today.”
Gladys patted her leg. “You have man troubles, I can tell. I sure hope it has nothing to do with that Jacques person.”
“How do you know about him?” Tessa never brought Jacques back to her home. She had no doubt he had followed her and knew where she lived, but she tried to keep him separate from her personal space. The first few times she visited the city, she had stayed in a hotel. When she realized how much she loved New Orleans, she searched for a small house and had found the one next door to Gladys.
“He’s been coming around, asking about you. He’s a shady character, that one. How did you get messed up with him, anyway?”
Tessa had a cover story for just about every situation. “He was looking for a certain rare object and hired me to find it. When did he come by here?”
“When didn’t he? He knocks on your door and then sits in his car, waiting. Eventually he gives up. I’ve called the police a couple of times, but when he sees the patrol car, he drives off. He came to my door once, asking if I had seen you. I told him in no uncertain terms that your whereabouts was none of his business.”
“Oh, Gladys. Thank you for looking out for me, but you are right. Jacques Dupart is not a man to be messed with. I was hoping this trip would be drama free, but it seems I’m going to have to have a chat with him. But you, you do not open your door to him again, okay?”
“Okay, but you be careful. If he isn’t a nice man, you shouldn’t be around him either.” Gladys stood, crossing her arms over her chest. “Promise me you’ll be careful, Tabitha.”
“I promise. And I apologize for not being good company. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.”
“I can cook dinner, if you’d like.” Gladys was not the best cook in the world, but she tried hard and always made a decent spaghetti.
“I would like that very much. Thank you, Gladys.”
“No need to thank me yet. Get some rest, and I will see you tomorrow.”
Tessa shut the door behind her neighbor and leaned against it. “Fucking Jacques. What are you up to?” She hadn’t seen him in almost six months, and the last few times they had been together had been less than stellar. He couldn’t understand why their sex life had gone from down and dirty to non-existent. She couldn’t tell him it was because he disgusted her. She needed to come up with a plan to get rid of him once and for all. She hated the idea of selling her house, but the man had lived here his whole life. He definitely wasn’t going anywhere.
Her stomach growling reminded her she hadn’t eaten in a while. Cassandra had insisted on feeding her before she left for the airport. When she
asked the older lady why she was sad, Cassandra told her they were happy tears. Finding one’s mate was a big deal, and she hoped Tessa blessed them with little shifters before Cassandra was too old to enjoy them.
Tessa laughed and played it off. The thought of having Gregor’s children made her nauseous after the conversation she’d had with her father.
Knowing there was nothing to eat in the house, Tessa decided to walk to the local Irish pub and grab a sandwich. She was taking a chance on one of Jacques’ men seeing her, but she needed the fresh air. Instead of going out the front door, she went out the back, and snaked through some of the neighbors’ alleys. If Jacques was around, she wanted to avoid him as long as possible.
Twenty-Two
Gregor’s flight had taken forever. Not really, it just seemed that way. He spent the short forty minutes studying everything Julian could dig up on Jacques Dupart. On the surface, the man seemed like an honest business owner. His bar, Jacques’ Place, was lucrative, even if it was a seedy dive. The tourists more than likely avoided it since it appeared to be a rough joint. The locals probably called it home. The man in the picture was not the type of man he figured Tessa would go after. But then again, he knew very little about his mate, including what type of man she found attractive. The guy in the picture was the complete opposite of Gregor: long blond hair, dark eyes. He was dressed in a suit and tie. His bio put him at six-two, two hundred twenty pounds. That didn’t bother Gregor. Being a shifter, he wasn’t intimidated by anyone.
Gregor punched in the address for Tessa’s home and set out in his rental car. The ride from the airport was lengthened due to rush hour traffic. He didn’t know the area, so he had to rely on the GPS to navigate the busy streets. Half an hour later than he should have arrived, he pulled onto her street. Slowly, he took in the beautiful houses that lined the road. Finding Tessa’s home was easy since the number was nailed to a post on the porch. The pretty little house was nestled between two larger ones. Gregor sat at the curb, car idling, while he thought about something else Julian had dug up: the house was registered to Tabitha Stone.