Gregor (Stone Society Book 2)

by Faith Gibson

  “Here’s what I know: Isabelle Sarantos is my sister, Caroline Wexler is my mother, and Jonas Montague is my father, biologically speaking. I was put up for adoption when I was a baby as were some of my other siblings. The older ones were sent to live in various countries around the world. Isabelle was the exception. She’s the youngest, and Caroline didn’t want to give her up, but something happened that caused Caroline to leave when Isabelle was young. I didn’t catch the part as to why Isabelle thought Montague was dead. Caroline didn’t tell me that she’s my mother; I overheard her and Tessa talking about it. Isabelle was also kept in the dark about being a shifter. When I went to her for medical help, she couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me and called Tessa in. What Isabelle didn’t know was that Tessa was already watching me. When I started my transition, Tessa had to tell her the truth. Some of this they told me, some I overheard when they thought I was asleep.

  “I don’t blame Isabelle for not coming to me; she has her own demons to face. I do blame Caroline. How can a mother…”

  Kaya reached across the island to place her hand on Dane’s arm. A low growl came from Rafael’s throat, and she quickly pulled her hand back. Talk about intense.

  “Can I ask a question?” Dane had told himself he was going to find out everything. When Rafael nodded he asked, “Are you two living together?”

  Rafael didn’t hesitate. “Yes. Kaya is my mate, therefore she is my Queen. Your Queen.”

  “Come again?” Dane knew things would be strange but Queen? That would explain the jealous warning when Kaya touched him.

  Kaya spoke up, “I know this is a lot to take in, but quite a bit happened while you were away. For whatever reason, the fates have decided that the Gargoyles can mate with humans, as you now know. It could be because the females of their kind are nearly extinct. For the bloodline to continue, the Gargoyles are now able to mate with humans and have children, just like Jonas and Caroline.”

  Rafael elaborated, “We didn’t know this was possible until I met Kaya. The first time I spoke to her on the telephone, I felt the mate pull. I tasked one of my cousins with the job of finding out everything he could on the subject of mating with humans. That search led him to Isabelle, and in turn Tessa. I need you to tell us all you know on the subject.”

  “That’s just it; I don’t know anything about it. Any conversation I had with Isabelle was before I knew she was my sister, and that was pertaining to my diagnosis. When I was with Tessa and Caroline, I was trying to control my phasing. They really didn’t tell me anything useful. Caroline did mention how the Unholy came to be.” Dane told them about one of his older brothers, Gabriel, being used as a pawn by Gordon Flanagan. He had been found by some of Flanagan’s men when he was going through his initial transition. The scientists took his blood and studied his DNA, somehow using both with the army they were creating. When Gabriel was no longer needed, he was thrown into the river and presumed dead. “This is the reason some of the younger siblings and I were put up for adoption, for our safety. I’m sorry; if I had more information I would gladly give it to you. Even though Isabelle is Montague’s daughter, Tessa seems to be the one with firsthand knowledge of the man.”

  “Yes, Nikolas said as much after he spoke with her.” Rafael stood and rinsed his glass out in the sink before putting it in the dishwasher.

  “Nikolas?” Dane had heard of Nikolas Stone and had seen his picture in the local newspaper.

  “Nikolas is my cousin. You will meet him on Sunday if you come for what I’ve dubbed as family day. Priscilla makes a buffet breakfast. You can come and stay all day or just drop by when you feel like it. I have several brothers and cousins that live here in New Atlanta, and even the Clan members that aren’t related that closely are welcome.” Rafael told Dane a little about each of the Clan that lived in New Atlanta. “I consider all of the Clan family whether we are related by blood or not. You are now part of our family.”

  Dane nodded. “I would like that. Do they all live here with you? I mean this place is so big…” He was interrupted by a voice coming from the back door.

  “Honey, I’m home!” Jasper came into the kitchen with that ever present grin stuck to his face. “Oh, hey partner. I didn’t know you were going to be here.” Jasper helped himself to a cookie before opening the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle. “Beer anyone?”

  Twenty-Six

  Tessa heated her sandwich in the microwave. While it was nuking, she called her mother. “Hey, Mom. Sophia just called. She received a cryptic message telling her that Sam and Monica have been abducted, and if she wants to see them alive, she would have to travel to Egypt. She was given an address, and the note said she would get more information upon her arrival.”

  “This was what I wanted to talk to you about when you visited. I was afraid something like this had happened. When I couldn’t get in touch with Sam, your father started checking around. He can’t prove it, but he believes that Alistair is causing another stir with regards to Jonas. Andrea, please tell Sophia not to go after them. This is more than likely a trap.”

  “Right. Like she isn’t going to go after her parents. Do you honestly think if someone told me you and Dad had been taken that I’d sit on my ass and do nothing? Sophia loves both her parents, but if something happened to Sam while she did nothing to find him, it’d kill her. Besides, she’s already gone; she called me from the airport. I am going to check on Lillian first thing in the morning, and then I’m going to go after Sophia.”

  “Andrea, no, you can’t! It’s too dangerous,” her mom declared, with her father yelling in the background, “Here, let me talk to her.” Tessa hung up the phone before she could get orders from her dad to stay put. Since she lived in the States, technically Rafael was her King. Xavier was King in Italy, but he liked to throw his crown around with her since he was her father. There was no way she would let Sophia go off to a foreign country alone.

  Shifter blood kept Tessa from getting too drunk or having massive hangovers. The sandwich and glass of water helped clear the alcohol from her system and the fuzziness from her mind. She had a lot of planning to do. Knowing Gregor was lurking about didn’t help. She needed to be as far away from him as possible, and going to Egypt was just the ticket out of town. With Sam missing and Ezekiel still away, Tessa decided to tell Lilly the truth about being a shifter. With no one to help her through the transition, she needed to know what to expect. Tessa would go to her stand in the Quarter first thing in the morning.

  Tessa grabbed more water from the kitchen as she dialed Dane’s number. She felt bad that she had left both him and Isabelle to their own devices so soon after transitioning, but there was only one of her. By the time Sophia was able to help, all the cousins would probably have changed. It was the cousins’ kids that Sophia was going to watch. She was the only child of the half-bloods old enough to go through a transition, and so far she hadn’t. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t. When Dane’s phone went to voice mail, Tessa called Belle.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey Belle, I was calling to see how you’re doing and when you are planning on returning to work.”

  “I’m doing really well. I have the phasing under control, but I’m getting restless staying at home. I had planned on going back to work tomorrow, but Gregor called and said he had to go out of town. I’m to wait until he gets back. Since I don’t know when that will be, I am going to my own clinic and get some work done. I want to look through Jonas’ notes to see if there’s anything I can do to help the inmates that Henshaw tampered with.”

  “That sounds like a great plan. Listen, I wanted to let you know that Sophia isn’t around.” Tessa filled Belle in on the note, Sophia leaving for Egypt, and Tessa’s plan to go after them all. “I’ll be home tomorrow night, but only long enough to pack for the trip. Have you talked to Dane?”

  “No, I tried calling, but it went directly to voicemail. I left him a message to call me.”

  “Same here. If you do talk to him,
try to get a feel for where he is with the Gargoyles. We need to stay as tight-lipped as possible around them. I found out some more information about why your father was banished. Rafael’s uncle was the one who instigated that. It seems he’s humanphobic or whatever the word is.”

  “I think the word you’re looking for is anthrophobic. And who is Rafael?”

  Tessa was relieved Belle was talking and hadn’t hung up on her. “Rafael is one of Gregor’s brothers, but more importantly, King of the Gargoyles in the Americas. Technically, he is our King, but until the half-bloods are acknowledged by the Gargoyles, we will continue on as we have been. I have a feeling it won’t be much longer until he wants us all under his rule. With Gregor knowing about us, I am certain he has already told the King.”

  “So, that Nikolas that came by, is he their brother?”

  “No, he’s a cousin. There are a slew of cousins in and around New Atlanta. I would have to ask Sophia for a list. She has been keeping up with that information since she was old enough to write. She probably knows more about the Gargoyles than most of them do. The other two brothers are Dante Di Pietro, who lives in New Atlanta, and Sinclair Stone, who lives out west.”

  “Why does this Dante go by a different name?”

  “Beats me. Maybe one day you will get the chance to ask him yourself. I’m going to get off here and make my travel arrangements. It was really good talking to you, Belle.”

  “You too. See you when you get back.” Belle disconnected on her end, and Tessa was glad her cousin was being inquisitive about her new world.

  Gregor parked his rental in the paid lot across from the casino then walked east toward the river. The day was losing its light, and this was one of Gregor’s favorite times of day. When the sun faded, giving way to the moon, the blood coursed through his veins. The cells that fabricated his being ignited, as if they knew night was growing closer. Gargoyles relished the dark, reveled in the lack of sun, giving them the opportunity to spread their wings and soar. The breeze off the Mississippi River tugged at his shirt tail and softy blew through his short hair. Gregor ran a beefy hand through his cropped cut.

  This brought to mind a few hours earlier when Tessa ran her fingers through his hair just before she kissed him. Even if it was a kiss to fool Jacques Dupart into believing they were together, it had been one of the best kisses of his life. Tessa’s mouth was crafted perfectly for his, and now that he had tasted her essence, no other woman would do. If he was truthful, he didn’t want any other woman. The few he had on speed dial could be removed from his phone. Gregor was determined to make Tessa his, no matter how long it took.

  Sitting on a bench, looking out over the water, Gregor pulled out his phone and deleted every woman who was listed for nothing more than fucking. After that was done, he called Dominic.

  “Salut.” The voice coming the line was definitely French.

  “Hello yourself, Dominic. This is Gregor Stone.”

  “Ah, Gregor. What can I do for you?”

  The sound of silverware being placed on a plate came through the airwaves. “If I caught you at a bad time, I can call back.”

  “No, I was just finishing my meal. What’s up?”

  “I am in New Orleans on personal business, and I wondered if I could meet with you about a little problem I have.”

  “Of course. Anything for the King’s brother.” Dominic wasn’t being sarcastic. Rafael was a great King, and the leaders of the other Clans respected him and offered their services freely and eagerly.

  “Excellent. How about eight a.m. at Jackson Square?”

  “I will be there. I must say you have me intrigued.” The grin in his voice was apparent over the phone.

  “Yeah, well, as much as I would love to take care of this myself, I have a prison to tend to and just don’t have the time. Thank you, Dom. I will see you in the morning.” Both men said goodbye, and Gregor rose from the bench. He wanted to check out a certain bar before heading back to Tessa’s for the night. He walked along the river a little farther then crossed the train tracks and headed west toward Ursulines Avenue.

  Gregor had never spent any time in Louisiana. He’d never had a reason to, until now. He wanted to see what the allure was. Tourists filled the sidewalks along with street entertainers, drunks, and vagrants. Young people all dressed in the same drab clothes sat on the sidewalks, some playing instruments for spare change while others just sat and talked. One such young man was walking with a dog draped over his shoulders. People would ask about the dog, was he hurt or did he just like to be carried. Gregor was certain it was a ruse for the man to get attention as well as money.

  Once he crossed over Bourbon Street, the crowds thinned out. The busiest road in the French Quarter seemed to be the barrier for tourists. It marked the edge of let’s take a look over here and I don’t think we should venture over there. Gregor did venture on, noting a few of the locals who lived past the famous street sitting on stoops, enjoying the night. Even though Halloween was a couple of days away, the air in the southern town was still warm and sticky.

  Gregor’s shifter ears picked up the noise coming from the bar on the next block. He didn’t have a plan if he happened upon Tessa’s ex-lover. He walked into the crowded room and scanned the patrons. As luck would have it, the man was nowhere to be seen. Gregor raised his voice over the noise and ordered a draft beer crafted at the local brewery. He gave the bartender a ten and told him to keep the change. Leaning against the crowded bar, he sipped his beer and looked around again. The customers could easily fit in at The Tavern. He finished his beer, and seeing no sign of Dupart or any nefarious deals being made, he headed back to his car.

  The crowd had picked up even more as Gregor eased his way along the various streets that led to the river. Young boys wore flattened aluminum cans tied to the bottom of their shoes, tapping out a rhythm while another boy banged away with drums sticks on an overturned pickle bucket. A man dressed in a coconut shell bikini and a long blonde wig was strutting down the sidewalk as well as he could wearing five inch heels. Young women wearing nothing but body paint were walking in the middle of the street, stopping for pictures whenever asked. These sightings didn’t disturb Gregor, but neither did they hold any appeal. Having lived over five hundred years, he had seen a lot of shit in his time. The only sight that held his interest at the moment was around five foot eight with long red hair.

  Gregor found an empty church parking lot close to Tessa’s house. He didn’t see any signs posted stating overnight parking was prohibited. Getting his rental towed would be a pain in the ass. He locked the vehicle and took off walking. He wasn’t the only one on the sidewalks. Even though it was late in the day, individuals were jogging, walking their dogs, strolling with their babies. He tried to avoid those with dogs since animals could sense he was something other than what he appeared to be. He couldn’t help glancing into a baby carriage as a young couple passed by. A tiny, round face with eyes as blue as his own stared back at him. The couple didn’t hesitate to allow him to coo at their infant. It was a little disconcerting they weren’t scared in the least. There was no fear coming from either of them. He ran a beefy finger along the fat jaw that was grinning at him then thanked the couple for allowing him that small pleasure.

  Gregor wanted children. Always had. In the past, he tried not to think about kids, even though he built his home with the hope of one day filling it with children. Now that he knew Tessa was his mate, he couldn’t help but thinking about little black haired boys and petite red haired girls running all over his cabin. If it were up to him, he would be building on additions to make room for more kids. He trusted when he finally got Tessa to see they were meant to be together, she would want a houseful, too. After all, she was the one who would be carrying and delivering the babies. Julian’s background check into Tessa had come up lacking. He didn’t know any more now than he had before. She or someone she knew was just as good as Julian with their computer skills. Tessa Blackmore was still a mystery.
One he intended to crack.

  As he closed in on her house, he scanned the streets for any sign of someone who shouldn’t be there, someone who might be spying on Tessa for Jacques. He doubted the man was brave enough to stalk her himself knowing Gregor was there. At least he hoped not. Seeing no one lurking, he stealthily ascended the tree outside Tessa’s window and settled in for the night.

  Twenty-Seven

  Tessa finished her coffee and helped Gladys clear the breakfast dishes. Gladys had drilled her about her handsome cousin, and Tessa had lied her ass off, making shit up on the fly. She had to laugh at her older neighbor gushing so hard on her mate. She knew how gorgeous he was, but to hear her old friend go on and on about him was quite amusing. They said their goodbyes, and Tessa hopped the streetcar on St. Charles and headed to the Quarter. She was excited about seeing Lilly. She just hoped they had enough privacy this early in the morning where they could speak freely.

  The early morning crowd was sparse. Tessa loved this time of day in the city. She could enjoy her town without the throngs of drunk tourists marring her morning walk. Jackson Square came into view and Tessa felt her breath hitch. The fence along St. Peter Street where Lilly showcased her artwork was bare. The black iron bars were void of the colorful masterpieces that normally brightened the dull walkway. She knew she was early, but any other time she had visited, Lilly was already setting up her display.

  One of the tarot readers, John, according to his sign, was unfolding his table and chair. Tessa decided to ask him about her cousin. “Excuse me, I’m looking for Lilly. Does she not set up along the fence anymore?”

  “Good morning. Yes, she does, but she’s been sick the last few days. She is supposed to be back today, but I guess she’s running late. Would you like a reading while you wait?”

  Tessa had never let anyone read her cards. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in the occult, quite the opposite. She knew better than most there were those among the humans who were more than they appeared to be with just a glance. She, herself, was much more than just a red haired biker. Sure, there were charlatans among those with true abilities, but the vibe coming from this man indicated he was the real deal. “No, thank you. I have a feeling I know exactly what my future holds for me, but I do appreciate the offer. I’m going to grab a coffee. Would you like one?”