Rogue Belador

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  At this point, she didn't care.

  She'd care later once she located Mattie, reunited Oskar with his witch, and returned them both safely home. As Evalle drove off, she warned, "Please stay out of sight, Tristan. If I get called into a Tribunal, there's no way I can cover and lie for you."

  "So you would lie for me if it wasn't to the Tribunal?"

  How did she get herself into these situations? "Just stay put, but let me know before you teleport back, okay?"

  "Sure, Warden."

  "Not funny, Tristan."

  "Neither is living on that island." He was quiet a moment then he asked, "What would you do in my shoes, if you could teleport and had someone here you cared about?"

  She did have someone in this world she loved, and just considering that question hurt her heart. All the gryphons on Treoir wanted some semblance of a life. She gave him the only answer she could. The truth.

  "I'd come back every chance I got."

  When she glanced up at the rearview mirror, Tristan stared back, surprised. Then he nodded and let it go.

  She took Ponce de Leon back into town and pulled to the curb just before Peachtree Street.

  Tristan opened his door, then paused and turned back to her. "I'll let you know before I leave, as long as no one comes for me in the meantime."

  She twisted around. "Fair enough. Just don't get caught."

  "Don't worry, Mom. I'll stay out of trouble." He stepped out, closed the door and sauntered off, blending into the night.

  Just the fact that he was here contradicted his claim to stay out of trouble.

  Whatever. She and Oskar were finally close to the downtown building Storm had remodeled. He planned for offices on the first floor, four rental units on the second floor, and their living quarters on the top two floors.

  Plus the bonus rooftop he'd designed just for her, so that she could watch the sun rise and set without it turning her body into a fireball.

  Storm had been running two crews back in November and early December. He'd backed off during the holidays so that everyone could be with their families, but he was determined to move her and Feenix in soon. Maybe even tomorrow.

  She looked at her watch. Scratch that. Tomorrow was here.

  Her phone played the ring tone for No One by Alicia Keys. That would be Storm.

  Happy to talk to the one person in her life who didn't stress her, Evalle answered her phone. "I'm on the way to our new place."

  "Good thing, sweetheart. The sooner the better."

  She rubbed her eyes then put her glasses back on. "I'm sorry. I meant to get back earlier than this to help pack for the movers, but--" She glanced at Oskar. "Something unexpected came up."

  "I have the movers handled, and I brought Feenix here myself."

  "Really? How'd that go? Is he okay?"

  "You aren't concerned that maybe he lit me up?" Storm chided, but she heard amusement in his voice.

  "He wouldn't hurt you." She hoped. "He didn't ... right?"

  Storm chuckled, "No, he was pretty calm. He's waiting on his beanbag for you."

  Storm would have had to cloak Feenix to get him through downtown to the building, and he'd even thought to bring the beanbag for her baby. "I'll be there in less than ten minutes."

  "Good thing. You have company."

  "Who?"

  "Tzader and Quinn. They--"

  A crash sounded, and squawking came through the phone to Evalle.

  "Ah, hell," Storm muttered. "Gotta go, babe."

  Why me? Evalle gunned the motor, and Oskar started grunting again.

  Chapter 13

  Evalle pulled up to the first-floor garage of a building that had once housed light manufacturing, but had fallen into disrepair as the city grew and left this area behind.

  From what little she'd seen in recent months, Storm had a keen insight when it came to investments, and particularly liked to reclaim abandoned properties.

  She'd been so ready for an early evening at home with just him, but having a life full of people to love was still new for her. Besides, she shouldn't feel annoyed to have company when it was the two men who had been her only friends for a long time.

  Why would Tzader and Quinn be here at midnight?

  Quinn should have called her telepathically to let her know Tzader was back. Did that mean Brina was healed?

  Evalle hit the remote button on the truck's visor to activate the overhead door on the street-level garage, then lowered it back into place as she parked.

  Home. Had the movers finished and left? Had Storm already moved them in? She smiled as she opened the door and stepped out.

  A grating bullfrog sound erupted.

  She slapped her head and muttered, "Storm's going to kill me. Hell, I might help him."

  Turning back to the interior of his classic Land Cruiser, she considered leaving Oskar in place for the moment. "I'll be right back and--"

  With his eyes locked on her, he sank his front fangs into the seat.

  "No. Don't do that."

  The skin around his mouth lifted, showing the rest of his fangs not buried into the leather padding. One little push and he could probably bite all the way through.

  She'd met humans who were less devious. "Okay, I'll take you with me."

  Oskar released the seat and sat up with that disturbing, happy look on his face.

  She ran around the truck and lifted him into her arms. "No biting, okay?"

  He clicked his fangs together. Then his snake tongue made an appearance.

  Oh, boy.

  Hurrying over to the new door between the garage and the offices, she entered what would eventually be a reception area once it was walled off and had a corridor installed.

  Right now it was one large room with occasional wall studs.

  "We're in here, sweetheart," Storm called from the other side, where a hall connected to more of the unfinished ground-level area.

  Only one part of this floor had been completed.

  Soft light shone out of an open doorway. Storm had finished a conference room early on for meeting with contractors, decorators, permit officials, plumbers ... Everyone. It would eventually serve the people renting the office spaces. All the lights in the building had dimmer switches just for her.

  She started toward the conference room. Just as she passed the stairwell to the second floor, she heard happy squawking.

  Her little gargoyle came flying down the open chute.

  Evalle jumped out of the way and spun with her back to the conference room.

  Feenix zoomed into the reception area, flapping and chortling. "Evalle! Evalle! E--"

  Oskar tensed and cranked up his grunting, sounding like a terrorized bullfrog with loud cricket chatter interspersed.

  Feenix took one look at Oskar and reversed his flight, flapping as he backed away. He stared at Evalle with big orange eyes, shocked. Her gargoyle had a limited vocabulary, but he could say a lot of things with his eyes and face.

  Right now, his expression cried betrayal.

  She couldn't put Oskar down or hand him off in case he attacked someone. "Feenix ... baby ..."

  Feenix demonstrated his ability to spin in midair, and flew back up the stairs.

  Storm walked up behind her. "Wonder what upset Feenix? I had him all calmed down." He stepped around to the front of her and his eyes widened. "What's that?"

  "Uh ..." Evalle stalled. "Oskar."

  "You didn't answer my question."

  "He's a witch's familiar."

  At least Storm didn't back away like Lucien had.

  Oskar opened his mouth, and let out a gruesome sound that he probably thought was a growl.

  "What the devil is that sound supposed to mean?" Storm asked, studying Oskar with undisguised disgust.

  "I think that might be his warning croak."

  Only Storm would be amused that Oskar tried to intimidate him.

  To avoid discussing it more than she wanted right now, Evalle hedged, "I didn't have a choice. L
et me find some place to put him and I'll explain."

  Looking down at the critter, Storm sighed and reached for Oskar. "I'll take him."

  Oskar snarled and snapped his fangs.

  Storm snatched his hand back and a deadly jaguar stared out of brown eyes that quickly glowed golden. "You don't want to do that to me," he warned Oskar.

  Evalle had no doubt that Storm could make good on his warning, but harming Oskar would stir up more trouble than she already had. "He's okay. He seems to like me. I'll find somewhere to put him."

  She turned to the conference room where Quinn and Tzader stood. Tzader had lost some weight, which honed his powerfully built body to sharper edges. He commanded a room just by walking through the door. That was a man born to lead. He took one look at Oskar and scowled.

  An inch taller, and refined as usual in his mega-dollar suit, Quinn stared in horror. "What have you brought home this time?"

  She snapped, "It wasn't my idea. I tried to get someone else to deal with this little guy and what can I say? I drew the short straw."

  Oskar lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at her.

  How much did he understand?

  She asked Storm, "Do you have some towels I can put on the floor?"

  "Is it housebroken?"

  Now Oskar made a grinding sound deep in his throat.

  If she had to guess, she'd say Storm had just insulted Oskar.

  Trying to find some happy medium, she said, "That's not the issue. I just want something I can pile in the corner that he can lie down on."

  Once Storm had the towels piled like a bed, the men all stood back to allow Evalle to enter the conference room and settle Oskar. She held up a hand. "I need a minute with Feenix."

  "We're not in a hurry." Quinn waved her off.

  Storm headed for the doorway. "He's upstairs."

  Evalle dashed out behind him, hurrying up the steps. When she reached the second-floor landing, her eyes bugged out at the trim work and paint in the hallway. "Wow. When did all this get done?"

  Storm turned around. "These apartments are finished, and the furniture was delivered yesterday. We already have a guest. I set up Lanna with a new set of sheets, and stocked enough food in the apartment from our supplies for her to be set for a day or two."

  "Lanna's here?"

  Storm led Evalle down to the first door on the left. "She was with Quinn, and he wanted to talk to you. I figured she'd be good company for Feenix. He must have heard your voice and made Lanna let him out."

  One tap on the door and Lanna opened it, smiling. "Evalle! I am glad to see you."

  Evalle was still working on allowing people to get close, but Lanna was basically family. She hugged the teenager, then asked, "Where's Feenix?"

  Lanna had an 'oh-no' look on her face and tilted her head to her left.

  Evalle stepped all the way into the room and found Feenix on his beanbag chair, hugging his stuffed alligator and ignoring her. She walked over and squatted down. "Hi, baby. Do I get a hug?"

  He seemed torn between sulking and getting a hug from her. He finally dropped the alligator and climbed onto her lap, tucking his wings. She let out a sigh. She could fix his hurt feelings.

  Then he whispered, "Mine?" and she flinched at the doubt in his voice.

  Hugging him tighter, she said, "Of course I am, and you're mine. Okay?"

  He patted her with his chubby paws. "'K."

  Storm said, "I've been waiting to show you both something. Now seems like a great time."

  Turning to him, Evalle hesitated. Feenix had just gotten over one shock, but the tenderness in Storm's gaze convinced her to trust him not to add to her little gargoyle's stress. "Sure. You good with that, Feenix?"

  He lifted his soft bat wings in a shrug.

  Lanna bubbled, "Am I invited?"

  Smiling, Storm said, "Of course."

  Once they were all in the hallway, Storm led them to the third floor. He'd kept the only door on that floor locked the entire time Evalle had been coming to the building. He said it hid a surprise, so she'd never pushed him to show it to her.

  When he opened the room, she followed him in, unable to speak. All the floors had twelve-foot ceilings, but this space was huge and open and beautiful. Large video screens scrolled through different images. Pipes had been constructed into connected rectangular shapes in one corner, with an open platform eight feet up. Ten different whirly toys flew around the room. Half of the floor was covered in sod, and there were piles of toys and building block games scattered around.

  This space was equal to ninety percent of the ground-level footprint. Two large beanbags had been tossed in as well.

  Storm had made Feenix a playhouse.

  Feenix was flapping his wings, trying to take flight.

  Evalle gave his chubby little body a lift and let go.

  He flew after something shaped like a four-winged bird that darted all over the place. And he was making the happiest noises she'd ever heard from him.

  Lanna stood next to her, awestruck. "Beautiful. All this so good for Feenix."

  Evalle finally found her voice, but it was thick with emotion when she stepped into Storm's waiting arms. He hugged her, and kissed the top of her head.

  She said, "I have no words except thank you. I love you so much."

  "Best words in my world," he murmured. "By the way, this doesn't mean I don't want Feenix in our living space, but in here he can't hurt anything. If he does, I'll replace it."

  Lanna's sigh was all teenage girl. "I want a Storm."

  Chuckling, Evalle said, "There's only one, and he's taken."

  She turned in his arms in time to see Feenix catch a silver lug nut that shot off like a missile from the flying toy he chased. He snapped up the silver treat and chomped it.

  "Wait one minute." Lanna ran out of the room, which reminded Evalle she had to get back downstairs. Evalle had to call Feenix's name several times before he fluttered back over to where they stood.

  She squatted down to his eye level. "Are you happy, baby?"

  "Yeth." He hadn't stopped smiling.

  "Storm built all this for you."

  Storm put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "That's not necessary."

  "Yes, it is. I want him to know who did this for him. I want him to understand so he can appreciate this. He has to do his part here, too." She turned to Feenix. "When people do nice things we say thank you. Remember?"

  "Uh-huh."

  Argh. He was being stubborn. "Do you want to go back to our old place to live?"

  Feenix's orange eyes strayed, taking in his playroom. He came back to Evalle and said, "Nuh-uh."

  "Me neither. I like it here. I'm happy to be with you and Storm. It would make me very happy if you told Storm how much you appreciate this."

  Feenix licked the tip of a claw, thinking. Then he waddled toward Storm and looked up. "Apprethiate thith."

  Storm's face relaxed. "You're welcome."

  "That's my baby." She opened her arms and Feenix lunged for her.

  Lanna came back in, dragging Feenix's original beanbag that had his stuffed alligator on it.

  Feenix jumped from Evalle's arms and landed on the beanbag. Pulling his stuffed toy into his arms, Feenix said. "Lanna thay."

  Lanna called out, "Yes, I will stay, and look at that!" She walked over to a small barrel the size of a five-gallon bucket. Reaching in, she pulled out a handful of lug nuts and tossed one to Feenix. Feenix started clapping and chortling.

  Seeing things calm again, Evalle told Feenix, "I have to take care of some business downstairs, but you can stay here or with Lanna, if she wants, for the night. I'll see you in the morning. That okay with you?"

  "Yeth." He was ignoring her in a moment of lug nut nirvana.

  Lanna laughed. "Is fine. He will keep me company. Much better here than in Treoir."

  Evalle started to ask her what she meant, but Tzader would fill her in as soon as they got back downstairs.

  With her pet garg
oyle finally content, Evalle and Storm headed back down. She asked, "Where did all those shiny new lug nuts come from?"

  He shrugged. "Here and there."

  She snagged Storm's sleeve when he was a step below her on the stairs and pulled him around then kissed him, thanking him the best way she knew how. She loved this man to the point it scared her at times when she thought about anything happening to him.

  He must have liked it. He started growling under his breath and made it clear with his next kiss he wanted full body contact soon. Bring it. She missed Storm the minute she left and never got enough of touching him.

  Breaking away, he cursed in his Navajo language. She only knew that because she'd asked him to translate once. "What's wrong, Storm?"

  His dark gaze churned with simmering heat. "Another second of that and I'd take you right here."

  "Oh." She enjoyed the heady feeling of turning on a man as sexual as Storm. Leaning in again, she brushed a kiss over his lips. "I only wanted you to know I really appreciate all you're doing to make Feenix happy."

  One of his dark eyebrows climbed up at that. "Let's get this meeting done, and I'll let you take more time showing me that appreciation. When you're done, I intend to make Feenix's mama a very happy woman."

  Another word out of him, and she'd be the one crawling up his body right here on the stairs.

  He smiled and kissed her forehead. When she stepped down, he slung an arm around her shoulders. "I feel better now that I'm not the only one ready to call it a night."

  "I get it. Misery loves company."

  "Think of it as motivation to make this a short meeting."

  When they reached the conference room, Evalle took a chair at the table on the end near Oskar. He seemed to be sleeping. Good news on that front.

  Storm sat next to her on the other side and whispered, "If he gets out of hand, I could calm him down with a little something special."

  Oskar's head popped up and turned, much the way an owl's head rotated. He sent a withering look toward Storm, who watched him the way a predator studies something new in its territory.

  She knew that look. Storm was assessing Oskar as a threat to her. Evalle said, "He'll be fine. Let's talk about it later."

  Oskar's intense gaze slid over to Evalle. She smiled at him, and that must have been enough for him to relax. When she turned to the three men, she had a hard time deciding who had the more grim expression--Tzader or Quinn.

  She understood Quinn's. He had to be juggling stressful situations related to being the new Maistir, but that was likely second to his grief. He normally kept his emotions shielded, but he would probably grieve in silence for a long time.