by Faith Gibson
Remy turned to Isla. “Let’s go outside. You don’t need to see this.”
“No. I’m not going anywhere. Remy, they took my freedom. They tried to use me as an incubator. I’m not strong enough to take Elias’s head, so would you do it for me?”
Remy wasn’t surprised at his mate’s strength or her need for retribution. “What about Anna?”
Isla narrowed her eyes at the other female. An evil grin spread across her exquisite face. “I know the perfect punishment.” She grabbed the metal cuff from Tamian and strode to where Anna was standing. Anna was shaking her head, muttering “no”, but Isla grabbed the female’s arm and snapped the cuff on her wrist. “That ought to do it.” Isla returned to Tamian and held out her hand. “Key please.” Tamian handed the metal to Isla who looped the chain over her head, the key settling against her chest. “Carry on.”
“Are you sure about this?” Remy studied Isla’s face for any hesitation.
“Positive. Then we’re going to handle my brother.” Her voice was steely determination, and that was all Remy needed. He kissed her forehead before turning and holding out his hand. Lorenzo passed his sword to Remy, and the others took a few steps back.
Elias had been quiet up until that point, but as soon as Remy put both hands on the hilt, the male began begging. “No, please. Don’t do this. I’ll give you anything. Money. My home. We didn’t hurt your ma—” Remy swung, and Elias’s words were cut off, replaced with the thud of his head landing at Anna’s feet. Anna screamed, falling to her knees. The female reached for Elias’s head but pulled back at the last minute.
“I’ll kill you!” she yelled at Isla, not Remy. Anna lunged to her feet, intent clear. Lorenzo caught the female before she got two steps in. “Let me go! You can’t just murder someone for no good reason!”
“No good reason?” Isla crossed the room, getting right in the other female’s face. “You bought me like you would a piece of furniture. You locked me away for months. Used me in an attempt at getting a child with Original blood because Elias found you lacking. How does that make you feel, Anna? To know your own mate needed another female to give him the perfect offspring? You two deserved each other, and now you can see how it felt to be trapped inside.” Isla turned to Remy. “Can we go now?”
“We sure can.” Remy held out his hand, and Isla took it. Their group left Anna screaming at them. When they reached the door, Isla turned to the other female, waved, and closed the door.
Remy turned Isla so she was facing him. “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor? Are you…?” He couldn’t bring himself to finish the question.
Isla’s bottom lip quivered. “I don’t think I’m pregnant if that’s what you were going to ask, but it has been a couple weeks since the last time the doctor tried to, you know.” Isla took a step back. “Remy, what if… What if I am?”
“If you are, then Rain will be an older brother. You said it’s only been two weeks, so if the gods decided you were to have this child, it was for a reason. If you are pregnant, then this will be as much my child as Rain is. Do you understand me?”
Isla nodded as tears streamed down her face. “Gods, I love you. I love you, Remy Durand.”
“I thought your last name was Doucet,” Lorenzo said.
“I changed it when I moved to California. I didn’t want anyone questioning if I was one of the Durands who own the vineyards in France.”
“Makes sense.”
“Remy, what do you want to do about Nash?” Tamian gestured to the SUV where Isla’s brother was still lying.
“He’s here?” Isla asked.
“Yes. I may have paralyzed him a bit. I injected him with wolfsbane, and, well, he pissed me off.”
“You’re not the only one.” Isla fisted her hands. “He claims our father wanted Rain and me dead, so instead of carrying out his wishes, he sold us to be used. How was that any better? If he cared so much, why didn’t he send me back to you where you could protect me?” Shaking her head, she muttered, “Stupid, fucking Hogan males.” Isla began pacing, and Remy let her. His mate had a decision to make. If it were up to him, he would take Nash’s head and send it to Felix in a box. The other males stood silently, watching and waiting. Isla stopped in front of Remy after the twenty-seventh time back and forth.
“I need to talk to my mother. What time is it?”
“It’s going on midnight here, so it should be close to noon there, right?”
Isla counted silently on her fingers. “Ten, but close enough. Fath— Felix should be at the office.”
“When Rain told me Nash was responsible for handing him over to Craven, we assumed Nash was acting of his own accord. I called Felix to ask him if he knew where Nash was, and he heard Rain’s voice. He was genuinely surprised to find out our son was alive. When we caught up to Nash earlier, he admitted he was running from your father, so Felix may or may not be at the office. He might be looking for Nash. If you call your mother, be prepared, Sweetheart. She thinks you’re dead. Maybe I should call first. Test the waters, if you will.”
“Yes, that’s a good idea. I don’t know what I’ll do if she agreed with Felix’s ideals.”
“There’s only one way to find out.” Remy pulled his phone out of his back pocket, found the contact number he needed, and pressed the call button.
“Remy, is that you?” Imogen answered.
“Yes, it’s me.”
“What the hell is going on? Felix has lost his mind, saying Rain is alive. He swears he heard the boy’s voice when you called, but Nash sent his and Isla’s ashes. I’m worried about my mate.”
“Imogen, Rain is alive.”
“But how? And why would Nash lie to me like that? Isla and Rain were my whole world. Don’t get me wrong. I love my son, but he’s just like his father, and both of them can be a little much sometimes. Isla was my calm amidst the storm.”
Isla clamped her hand over her mouth, pale eyes shining.
“Nash mentioned something about Original blood and keeping the Hogan line pure.”
“Remy, I’m so sorry. I should have been strong enough to shield Isla.” Imogen’s voice was strangled. “It’s a long story, but Felix isn’t my true mate. I’ve always known this, but I was young when he and I were thrown together. Both our parents had the same idea about the Original bloodline.” Imogen sobbed into the phone, and Isla dropped to the ground. Remy fell to his knees beside her. He scooped her into his arms, the phone forgotten.
“Remy? Are you there?”
Tamian handed the phone to him. “Yes, I’m here. Imogen, I have some great news and some terrible news.”
“Give me the great. I could use it.”
“Isla is alive.”
“Remy, don’t lie to me. I don’t think my heart could take it if I believe my baby’s not dead and then find out she really is.”
“Mum?”
“Isla? Is that really you?”
“Yes. It’s me. Remy rescued me. Just now. I haven’t seen Rain, but we’re both alive.”
“Oh, thank the gods! My baby!” Imogen sobbed some more, and Isla cried along with her mother.
When Imogen got herself under control, she asked, “What was the terrible news? Or do I want to know?”
“Mum, Nash is the one responsible for Rain and me disappearing. He said Felix ordered him to kill us. Instead, Nash sold both of us to a doctor for our blood.”
“I’ll kill him. I’ll kill them both. Damnit. Felix is coming down the driveway. If you see Nash, tell him not to bother ever coming home. He’s dead to me. Isla, I love you, but I have to go.”
“Mum? Mum!” The phone was silent. “Shit. I need to get to Australia. Remy, I have to go.”
“We’ll go, if that’s what you want. First, we have to take care of Nash.”
“You heard her. He’s dead to my mother, and he’s dead to me. Might as well make it real in the truest sense. The bastard sold my Rainier. He didn’t need the money, so that tells me he didn’t really care what happene
d to us.”
Tamian held out a hand to help Remy stand. “Let’s go. We can either charter a jet from here or drive back to Amsterdam and take mine. Up to you.”
Remy lifted Isla’s chin. “I know you want to get to your mom, but it’s well over twenty hours. Is a few more going to make a difference?”
“I honestly don’t know. I don’t think Felix will hurt her, but then again, I never thought him capable of wishing me or Rain dead either. I guess a few extra hours will be okay. There’s no need to spend extra money if you already own a plane.”
“Do you want to confront Nash before we leave?” Remy asked.
“No.” Isla didn’t elaborate as to why she didn’t want to see her brother. There really was no need.
Tamian didn’t question her either. “Santiago, you’re with me. Lorenzo, please drive for Remy and Isla. Leo, you and Pierre handle Nash. Toss him into the house with Elias, then you can head home. Thank you both for the assist.”
Leonardo and Pierre fisted their hearts and bowed their heads. “It was an honor,” they replied to their future King.
Tamian and Santiago made their way to one of the vehicles. Remy led Isla to the other and helped her into the back, while Lor slid into the driver’s seat. Remy pulled her onto his lap, needing her as close as possible. It was several miles to the interstate, so he would hold her until then.
Isla laid her head on Remy’s shoulder. “Tell me about Rain. Do you have any more pictures? It’s been over two years. I bet he’s grown so much. At least I hope he has. Tell me, what did Craven put him through? Do you know?”
“Right after I got him back, he wouldn’t talk about his time with Craven. He’s been in therapy for a couple months, and he’s opened up a little. At first, he was terrified to even leave the house, and he had nightmares several times a week. He’s much better now. He has a couple little friends, and he’s really thriving. We have been staying in New Atlanta. When I thought I’d lost you both, I left France and moved to California. I didn’t want anything to do with grapes. It brought back too many memories, so when I was offered a job overseeing the new prison being built, I took it. The ones building it own the one in New Atlanta, so I flew there to learn all I could. The Stone Clan is like one big family. They have helped Rain and me these last few months. I can’t wait for you to meet them.”
Remy showed Isla all the photos of Rain he’d taken on his phone. Isla touched the screen with her fingertips, gushing over each picture of their son. “I can’t wait to hold him.” Isla kept Remy’s phone opened to a picture of Remy and their son smashing grapes as she rested against his chest. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, and Remy pressed his cheek to her hair, inhaling deeply. He sent up another prayer of gratitude to the gods for bringing her back to him. He also prayed she wasn’t pregnant, but if she happened to be, he would love the child as his own because it was a part of her. She said it had only been a couple weeks since the doctor had last visited, so that wasn’t enough time for a heart to form. He planned to keep his ears open, just in case.
When they reached the interstate, Remy had settled Isla on the seat with her head in his lap, and she’d slept the entirety of the drive without stirring. Remy had stared at his mate the whole time, much how he hadn’t been able to let Rain out of his sight the first few days after he’d been found. It was early morning when they arrived back in Amsterdam. There was food on the jet, so he hadn’t bothered asking Lorenzo to stop. Lorenzo parked next to Santiago in a secure lot close to where the jet was waiting. While they boarded the plane, Santiago went about his pre-flight routine, double-checking to make sure it was ready for their long trip.
Remy and Isla sat together on one of the sofas with Tamian across from them. Lor was in the cockpit. Once they were in the air, Tamian played host, getting them something to eat and drink. Isla wanted to hear all about Rain as well as what Remy had been up to over the last few months.
“Now that we’re back together, are we going to return to France?” Isla asked.
“If that’s what you want, but first, I’d like to take you back to New Atlanta for a while. I did make a commitment to the Clan for the new prison being built in California, but since my situation has changed for the better, they’ll more than likely be willing to find someone else to take over.”
“Honestly, I just want to be with you and Rain, wherever that is. You said Rain is doing well with his new friends, so maybe we shouldn’t take him away from them so soon.”
“I have a few more months with Gregor and Aldredge before the new prison is finished. I think you’ll like it out in California. We can buy a house on the beach or one up in the hills.”
“What about friends for Rain?”
Remy ran his thumb over the back of Isla’s hand. “I’m sure there are others who have children, but since I thought I lost you both, meeting those in the Clan who had families wasn’t on my radar. I was only focused on work. I can call Sinclair and ask. He’s Rafael’s brother and oversees the Clan out west.”
“Did I make the wrong call?”
Remy gripped Isla’s hand tighter. “About what?”
“Going to confront Felix instead of heading to see Rain. I can’t wait to see him. I know we should have headed to the States immediately, but I can’t let this mess with my family go. I have to look Felix in the eye and let him know he didn’t get away with wanting me and Rain dead just because you aren’t from an Original line.”
“I don’t think so. The Clan in the States went to war with the Greeks for the same reason. Rafael’s uncle disowned his own sister because she mated with an Italian. He also had Jonas Montague ostracized for mating with a human. That lasted over two hundred years until the Stone Clan went to Greece and put an end to his tyranny. But know this, my love – you aren’t alone. I want Felix to pay, and I will be there by your side when you confront him.”
“All of us will be there,” Tamian said from across the aisle. “Felix is an older Gargoyle, which means he’s strong. Not that Remy can’t hold his own, but there’s strength in numbers. I won’t allow him to talk his way out of what he attempted.”
“Thank you, Tamian. For your hospitality as well as helping Remy find me. It’s a comfort to know he has Clan who cares for him.”
Isla turned her face up, smiling. Remy pressed a soft kiss to her lips. He couldn’t wait until they were alone. He needed his mate desperately, but he wasn’t about to take her to Tamian’s bedroom where the other males would hear them making love. He and his mate tended to get a little wild between the sheets. Or they had before. Remy would let Isla set the pace whenever they came together. She had assured him she hadn’t been harmed while in seclusion, but he worried about her mental state. He also worried about the possibility of her being pregnant. He hadn’t lied when he said he would raise the child as his own, but Isla would be the one carrying another male’s baby no matter how it had come about.
Isla fell asleep against Remy’s shoulder, and Tamian insisted he take her to the bedroom to rest. Remy relented, praying his beast would contain itself and do what was best for Isla, not encourage Remy to ravage her. It had been years since they had been alone. He placed her on the bed, then curled up behind her. The bedroom was small but just as opulent as the rest of the jet. The pillows didn’t carry anyone else’s scent on them, so either no one had used the bed recently, or Tamian made sure the bedding was changed out.
Remy and his family had money but nowhere near as much as Isla’s. Her family had been in the wheat business for centuries having bought up all the property they could get their hands on. Over the years, the Hogans had branched out into other ventures, but the grain was their main source of income. Remy had no idea what Nash had been doing in The Netherlands other than hiding. With Felix alive, Isla’s legacy was in jeopardy. Not that his mate was worried about inheriting the business. She had never cared about the money.
Remy’s vineyard would eventually go to Rain. If his son decided he didn’t want anythi
ng to do with the grape business, he could pass it on to someone else in the Durand family, but it would never be sold to outsiders. Remy wondered what contingencies Felix had in place, if any. The whole debacle gave Remy a headache, and since Gargoyles didn’t get human afflictions, that was saying a lot.
Closing his eyes, Remy inhaled deeply. He had missed her unique scent. Remy did his best to think about happier things, like reuniting Isla and Rain. Isla meeting the other mates. Showing her both New Atlanta as well as California. He wanted his little family to walk the beaches of the Pacific. Sit and enjoy the sunsets over the water. As much as he enjoyed the Clan in Georgia, Remy was looking forward to getting back to the West Coast. He was also ready to take vacations back home in France. His nephew, Renauld, was looking over Remy’s vineyard in his absence. When Rain was older, Remy and Isla would take their son back and teach him everything there was to know about their family business. If he decided he’d rather do something else, Remy was okay with that. Maybe their second child would be interested. Because there would be more children for Remy and Isla. They had always talked about having siblings for Rain, whether they had them naturally or adopted. For Gargoyles, that option was more painful because any human child wouldn’t live hundreds of years, unless Lucy and Jonas were successful in their endeavors.
Isla slept the duration of the flight, showing how tired she had been. Remy left her for about an hour so he could talk with Tamian, but he left the door open so he could keep an eye on her. Remy only woke her when it was time to land. The long sleep did his mate wonders, because as soon as her feet hit the ground in Australia, the fierce female he had first met came back to life. She was in familiar territory, and Isla took over their mission.
“She reminds me of my Lucy,” Tamian muttered with a gleam in his eye. The half-blood merely inclined his head when Isla began barking orders.
It was over three hours’ drive from the airport to where Felix and Imogen made their home. It was a gaudy monstrosity, and Remy hated it. The former abbey was a castle complete with dining hall and chapel. The building was less than three hundred years old, but it felt as though all the souls who ever walked the grounds still inhabited the place. Frankly, it gave Remy the creeps. It was another reason why he hadn’t wanted to visit with Isla and Rain over the holidays. He’d never make that mistake again. If ever Isla wanted to visit her family, Remy would be plastered to her side for the duration.