by Faith Gibson
“It’s been a while, but yes, I have.”
Isabelle looked at Dante, and he nodded. “We are all shifters. Gargoyles, to be exact. Dante and Gregor are full-bloods, meaning both their parents were Gargoyles as well. Tessa and I are half-bloods because our mothers are human. We can show you so you know I’m not lying.” Isabelle held out her free hand, and claws extended from her fingertips. Fangs extended over her bottom lip. “The females of our kind only have claws and fangs. The males have wings and special skin which is practically impenetrable. We all have extended lifespans. Full-blooded Gargoyles transition for the first time when they reach puberty. Gabriel, like me, is a half-blood, and we don’t transition until we meet our mate. I didn’t know about any of this until I saw one of my brothers going through his transition.”
Rebekah held up her hand to stop Isabelle. “I need a drink.” She rose from her chair and headed to the stocked bar at the back of the room. She wasn’t a big drinker, but this crazy story called for hard liquor. She poured two fingers of whiskey, downed it in one go, then poured another shot which she took back to her chair. Instead of sitting, she remained standing as she studied the four people. No, they weren’t human if she believed Isabelle’s story.
“I know this sounds crazy, and believe me, I understand. I wasn’t aware of shifters. Had no idea I was one. I also didn’t know I had fifteen siblings either. But back to Gabriel. When you and he were together, it caused his transition. Since our parents didn’t tell us about being Gargoyles, Gabriel wasn’t aware of what being around you would do to him. He was out one day when his first shift came upon him. It just so happened that when he began changing into his Gargoyle, he wasn’t alone. Are you aware of the Unholy?”
“Of course. He’s not one of them, is he?”
“No, but the men who saw Gabriel transitioning were scientists who worked for a man named Gordon Flanagan. They took Gabriel to Flanagan, they studied him, extracted his blood, and used it in an attempt at creating super soldiers. What they ended up with were the Unholy. When they had what they needed from Gabriel, they dumped his body, thinking he would die. Only he didn’t. He made his way home, and that’s the Gabriel you saw the last time you came over. After what was done to him, he wasn’t the same.”
“I hung around, just in case he wanted to see me, but eventually I moved out here. I gave up.”
“I understand. We all did. Gabriel disappeared until last year. When he showed back up, he was someone different. It’s not a happy story.”
“Tell me anyway.” Rebekah’s head was spinning, but she needed to know all about her first love.
“What Flanagan did to Gabriel, it messed with his mind. Gabriel went to work for Flanagan. Changed his name. He basically became Flanagan’s flunky because he didn’t feel like he belonged anywhere else. Not with you. Not with his family. Anyway, he killed people. A lot of people, and then he kidnapped the chief of police who happens to be our King’s mate. Dante’s and Gregor’s brother, Rafael, is the leader of the Gargoyles here in the States. Kaya is his mate, and when Gabriel, a.k.a. Vincent Alexander, took her, it was like this epic showdown. They managed to rescue Kaya and put Gabriel behind bars. I work as the penitentiary’s doctor, and when he and I were in the same room, I recognized him. It’s been a rough year and a half, and he’s shown only slight improvement.”
“Why are you telling me this? Why trust me with your secrets? I assume the truth of Gargoyles is a secret since I would have heard if there were shifters out in the world.”
“It is a secret. My son, Connor, is special. He has an amazing gift of seeing the future, but he communicates what he sees in drawings. Everything he’s created in pictures has come to pass. He drew your picture standing on the Moon Bridge. It was how we knew to look for you in New Portland. Here, let me show you.” Isabelle pulled her phone out of her purse, and after a few seconds, handed it over.
“That’s…” Amazing. Incredible. Eerie. The picture on the phone was so realistic it could have been a photograph. “How old is your son?”
“He just turned seven. Before Dante and I got together, Connor was kidnapped. Somehow, he and Dante, whom he had never met, had a bond. Dante could speak to Connor in his mind, and Connor was able to draw pictures of the area where he was being kept. Dante could see what Connor showed him, and that led us to him. In Greece.”
“This is all too much. I’m a psychologist, for God’s sake. I study the mind, and I’ve never come across anything of this nature in all the years I practiced.” Rebekah handed the phone back. “So why did you come here?”
“I’m hoping since you’re Gabriel’s mate, you can help him. Help heal his mind and heart. He won’t be getting out of prison anytime soon because his sins are too great, but as his sister, I want him to stop hurting. And Rebekah, he’s hurting badly.”
“But if he’s in prison, how am I supposed to do that through a plexiglass window?”
“Gregor’s the warden there, and he can get you in to see Gabriel. Not through a barrier but in his actual room. I know it’s asking a lot, but I really think you can help him.”
“What do you mean I’m his mate? We were only dating when he disappeared. We didn’t…” Rebekah wrapped her fingers around her neck, embarrassed. “We weren’t intimate,” she lied for some reason.
Tessa laughed and slapped Gregor’s thigh. “You don’t have to be. I ran into this one” — she nudged Gregor’s shoulder with her own — “in a convenience store. I had dropped some cash, and when I bent over to grab it, I bumped into the male standing behind me. That was all it took. I transitioned for the first time after that brief encounter.”
Rebekah chugged the rest of her whiskey. Was she willing to leave her life in New Portland and travel back to New Atlanta to see Gabriel who was a murderer? “What if he tries to hurt me?”
Dante was the one who answered. “He wouldn’t. He would rather die than harm you. You were married?”
“Yes.”
“I assume you loved your husband. Would you have harmed him?”
“Ours wasn’t a typical marriage. He was a colleague. He lost his wife, and the two of us became good friends afterward. We were married, yes, but it was purely platonic. Two people easing the pain and loneliness in the other. But no, I would never have harmed him in any way.”
“Was your pain from losing Gabriel or something else?” Dante asked.
“I never got over Gabriel. He was my everything, and it broke something inside of me when he disappeared. I became a psychologist in the hopes I could figure out what might have happened… Oh my God. I became a psychologist to help Gabriel should I ever see him again.” Rebekah laughed, but it wasn’t joyful. “This is what I’ve been waiting for my whole adult life. When can we leave?”
Dante stood. “I’ll call and get the jet ready.”
Isabelle rose to her feet. “Is there someone who can watch after your cat? Animals don’t like Gargoyles. They sense the beast inside us. Not that we’d ever hurt them, but they don’t know that. If not, we’ll get Tessa’s brother to talk to her. Tamian’s like an animal whisperer.”
“I’d rather not leave her behind since I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”
“Okay. Do you have a carrier to put her in? She’ll be upset until we can get her on the plane. We can put her in the bedroom and close the door.”
“Yes, I do. I need to go pack. Please, help yourselves to anything in the kitchen or to something to drink.”
Tessa pushed against Gregor’s leg and got to her feet. “Do you need to call someone to watch over this place? If not, I’ll toss the perishable food so your home doesn’t stink once you return.”
“No, there’s no one. I would appreciate you taking care of that for me.”
“Not a problem.” The redhead sashayed out of the room with her husband following.
It took longer to coax Esmeralda out of hiding than it did to pack and ready the house to be closed up for a while. Rebekah packed as many clothes
as she could in her three bags. Her hands shook, and her heart thumped heavily in her chest. She was going to see Gabriel. Rebekah was worried as much as she was excited.
Three hours later, they were in the sky. Rebekah peppered them with questions about their lives as Gargoyles, and in return, she told them about her life in Oregon. When Tessa relayed about the latest attacks on their families, Rebekah cried for the ones she’d never met. Her heart broke when she found out the Queen, Kaya, had nearly been killed in the explosion that tore apart hers and Rafael’s home. The closer they got to New Atlanta, the more Rebekah wanted to be part of their lives. Not only did she want to help Gabriel but all those who were hurting. Yes, she was getting ahead of herself, but if she had her way, Rebekah might never leave Georgia once they landed.
Chapter Three
Gabriel lost count of the handstand pushups he had done. His mind hadn’t allowed him to focus on the book he was reading, and the only other thing for him to do was exercise. Being stuck in the small room sucked, but it was his life now. After a year, he’d learned to deal with the lack of freedom. Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and Gabriel paused and lowered his head so he could see the door. Figuring it was the guard bringing his breakfast, he was pleasantly surprised to find Isabelle’s smiling face filling the small window of his door, so he dropped to his feet and waited for his sister to come in. Their parents visited every once in a while, but it was Izzy who visited almost daily. She had been absent the last couple of days, and Gabriel was glad to see her.
“Izzy, where have you been? Is everything okay?” Isabelle kept him apprised of everything going on in the world outside the prison’s walls. She showed him pictures on her phone, mostly of Connor and his two friends, Amelia and Rain. She did her best to keep things lighthearted, but when she told him what Drago Costas had done, he wanted to dig up the male’s body and kill him all over again.
“Everything’s good. As a matter of fact, I have a surprise for you.” Isabelle was practically pulsing with excitement.
“You brought me a carton of smokes? I get to go outside for the rest of the day?”
“Even better. There’s someone here who wants to see you.”
Gabriel reached out with his senses, expecting it to be their parents or maybe Connor. Instead, he found… “No.”
“No? Gabriel—”
“No, Izzy. I don’t want her to see me like this.”
“Gabriel?” The sweetest voice he had ever heard said his name from the doorway. Rebekah, his mate, was just as beautiful as he remembered. Unlike him who looked like a fucking monster.
That’s because you are one.
Gabriel’s inner voice never failed to remind him of every bad thing he’d ever done.
Rebekah stepped farther into the room, her happiness outweighing her hesitance. It amazed Gabriel how in tune he was with other’s emotions. He practiced this ability with each guard who entered his room. Being able to read his mate… That was both a blessing and a curse. Gabriel wanted her happiness. Wanted Rebekah to be glad to see him. He was frozen in place as he took in the sight of his mate after all this time. Her hair was graying, and she had lines around her eyes, but she was still the most magnificent creature he’d ever seen.
“Rebekah,” he managed to whisper. Unlike him, Rebekah wasn’t frozen. She ran across the room and threw herself at him. He didn’t hesitate to catch her. He would always catch her. “Rebekah,” he muttered against her hair and hugged her tighter. His mate’s body began to shake, and the sobs escaping her throat pained his cold heart. If anyone could thaw the organ, it was her. The sound of the door closing caught Gabriel’s attention. For the first time in what felt like forever, he was alone with his mate.
“Let me look at you.” Gabriel set her on her feet and brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “Just as beautiful as the last time I saw you.”
“Y-you remember that day?” Rebekah’s voice was small and pained. He had done that.
He went to take a step back, but Rebekah grabbed onto his forearms. “No. Don’t. Please.” She slid her hands down until they were clutching his. Squeezing, she smiled up at him. “The past doesn’t matter. I’m here now. I’m here, Gabriel, and I’ve missed you so much.”
“I—” Gabriel stopped the lie from spilling from his mouth. Until he was reunited with Isabelle, he hadn’t given much thought to the past other than the bad things he’d done. “I’m glad you’re here. Why are you here? And how?”
Rebekah pulled him toward the bed and sat down. Gabriel sat next to her, turning so he was facing her. “Honestly? Connor drew a picture of me, and Isabelle saw it as a sign. She, Dante, Tessa, and Gregor flew out to New Portland to find me. Not a day has gone by in these last thirty-one years that I didn’t think about you. I waited around after the last time I saw you hoping you’d change your mind, but I didn’t know what you’d been through. Isabelle told me everything, Gabriel. I’m so sorry for what happened to you.”
“Not as sorry as I am. But if you know everything, why did you come here? You have to know I’m never getting out of prison.”
“Maybe not, but that doesn’t matter. What does matter is I now know what happened. I know you’re alive. You may not be well, but you’re well enough for me to want to talk to you. Get to know you again. Gabe, I never stopped loving you.”
“So you didn’t move on with your life and find a man?” Fuck, Gabriel didn’t want to know the answer. She was his mate. His heart and soul.
“I did get married, but he was only a friend. Our relationship was one borne of loneliness. I loved him as a friend only. I gave my heart to you, and it’s still yours.”
Gabriel couldn’t stop himself from reaching for her. He placed his hand on her cheek, and Rebekah leaned into his touch, her eyes closing, and her mouth tilting up at the corners. Gods, she was still stunning.
“Where’s your husband now?” Gabriel pulled his hand away.
“He passed away a couple years ago. In those two years, I traveled a bit. I volunteer at a place called The Japanese Gardens. I mostly read and spend time with my cat, Esmeralda.”
“Sounds lonely. I’m sorry you lost your husband.” Gabriel meant it. If Rebekah had remained in New Atlanta for him, she’d have missed out on having someone in her life. Gabriel was glad the relationship had been platonic, because she was his mate, even if he couldn’t do anything about that. He was incarcerated, and they would never have a normal life together.
“He was a good man, and he left me with enough money to retire. I am free to move about as I wish, so now I’ll be able to stay here and be with you.”
Gabriel pushed to his feet and rounded on her. “Be with me?” He huffed. “Rebekah, look around you. This is my life. There is no being with me.”
Rebekah stood and placed a hand on his chest. “It won’t be conventional, but I’m not going anywhere. Gabe, I never thought I’d see you again. But now, here we are. No, we won’t be together on the outside of these walls living a normal life, but I don’t care. I still love you. Always have. Always will. Don’t you get that? I’ll take as much time as I can get with you, even if it’s visiting an hour a day.”
“That’s no kind of life for you though.” Gabriel placed his hand over hers and pressed it harder against his chest. The need to kiss her, to make her truly his mate, was getting stronger by the second. But he wouldn’t do that to her.
“Shouldn’t I get to choose? We’ve missed out on so much time already. Years, Gabe. Years I’ve walked this earth with a shattered heart. I feel as though I’ve been given a second chance. I know I’m older, and you might not feel the same—”
Gabriel cut her off with a kiss. He had never kissed another woman. Never held anyone other than his mate. In the years after he disappeared from his family, Gabriel had never so much as looked at another female. Any time he jerked off, it was her face he pictured. He’d given his heart to her as well. Had been planning to propose before Flanagan got hold of him.
&n
bsp; Rebekah slid her hands up his chest and secured them behind his neck, holding him in place. She kissed him back with all the fervor and love he remembered. His cock throbbed behind his cotton pants, and his beast urged him to take her. To toss her down on his shitty bed and complete the bond.
“Gabriel.” Rebekah pressed her body to his, rolling her hips against his erection.
“No.” Gabriel jerked away.
“I’m sorry. I thought…” Rebekah turned away, but Gabriel didn’t miss the pain in her eyes.
Scrubbing a hand down his face, Gabriel sighed. “Rebekah, I won’t do this to you. I’m a killer. I murdered both men and women with no remorse. I am not a good male.”
“You don’t regret killing? Now that you’ve had time to think about what you did, are you saying if you were let out today, you would go back to killing without a second thought?”
“Yes, I regret it, and no, I would never harm an innocent again. But that doesn’t change the past.” Gabriel ran his hands through his hair and pulled the short strands. “You can’t tell me you would willingly choose me, a stone-cold killer, as a mate.”
“From what Isabelle told me, you and I don’t have a choice in the matter. The fates choose who the mates are, and they chose me for you, which means they chose you for me. If that’s true, we are supposed to be together in whatever capacity your current situation allows.”
“What else did Izzy tell you?”
“Everything. Well, as much as she and the others could cram in during the flight from Oregon.”
“Did they tell you how the mate bond works?”
Rebekah hugged herself. “Yes.”
“My life is forfeit. I won’t be selfish and tie you to me that way. You deserve to live freely, not bound to someone unworthy.”
Rebekah stood stiffly, her face a mask of fury. “What if that’s exactly what I want you to do? Gabe, do you honestly believe if they thought so badly of you, they would seek me out and bring me here? Isabelle is your sister, so maybe she’s biased. But the others? All of them think you are worthy of redemption. You have an extended lifespan. If we complete the bond, my life will be prolonged as well. You will eventually get out of here. It might not be for many years, but it will happen. Gregor said so. I’ve waited thirty-one years for you, and I’m willing to wait that many more. Longer if that’s what it takes. I will visit you every day until you get out.”