Deacon

by Faith Gibson

“Thank you, Evan. If you’ll come with me to the infirmary, we’ll get that taken care of, then we’ll find you a room to rest in and some food if you’re hungry.” When the man nodded, Dante gripped Evan by his bicep and helped him stand him from the chair.

  Frey motioned for Slade to go with Dante. Once the door was closed, Frey said, “For now, put him next to Gabriel where Kallisto is. Make sure he’s comfortable. We’ll have to talk to Rafe about our next steps, but I want to figure out if he’s telling the truth about not hurting humans. I can’t willfully keep him behind bars just for the choice he made to trust Flanagan.”

  “I agree. I wonder how many more were in Evan’s same position when they agreed to the experiment. If we can figure out what the anti-serum is...” Deacon didn’t finish his thought. His heart was leading him in a direction he didn’t know if the others would agree with. “I’ll go make sure the cell is set up.” Frey clapped Deacon on the shoulder as he walked by but didn’t argue. In all his years, Deacon had never killed another being, even an Unholy. He’d fought them plenty, but in the end, he’d used his fists to take them down and send them to the Pen. If he had his way, they would find the anti-serum and return every last Unholy to their former selves. Then they could weed through which ones were good and which were not. If that happened? Maybe their lives could see some peace for a while.

  When Deacon arrived at the room next to Gabriel's, Isabelle was talking to her brother through the glass. The Gargoyle had been through hell when Gordon Flanagan’s men caught him as he was going through his initial transition. Gabriel didn’t remember much of what happened after that, and if it wasn’t for the fact that he was Isabelle’s brother, the male would have been taken out after he kidnapped Kaya. Over the months he’d been in the Pen, Gabriel had come a long way in recovering, but every once in a while, he had moments where Vincent Alexander, the cold-blooded killer Flanagan trained him to be, would try to push his way forth. It was those times Isabelle left her office and went straight to her brother. She was the only one who could calm him down. Isabelle wasn’t allowed around her brother out of his cell unless there were two Gargoyles with her, but she would stand outside his door for hours on end talking to him, reminding him of the brother he’d been when she was a toddler.

  It was also against the rules for Isabelle to give Gabriel cigarettes, but she did it when she thought she could get away with it. Like now. Deacon didn’t have to smell the smoke to know what was going on. The guilty expression on Dante’s mate’s face said it all.

  “Isabelle.”

  “Deacon, I was just...” She thumbed over her shoulder toward the door and backed away.

  “It’s okay. I won’t tell this time.” He grinned at the doctor, shaking his head. He would never admit it, but he had snuck a few cigarettes to the male on more than one occasion, but it was always when Gabriel was allowed outside for his sunlight breaks. Isabelle had tried the stop-smoking patches, but with Gabriel having a Gargoyle’s metabolism, they didn’t work. Deacon didn’t see anything wrong with giving the male the only thing he requested.

  “Did Dante tell you why he’s here?” Deacon asked.

  “Just the basics. I thought I’d spend time with my brother while I waited on him.”

  “Dante has taken Evan, the male we’re interrogating, to your clinic to draw blood. I’m getting this room ready for him until we figure out what to do with him.”

  “If you got a name out of him, that means he isn’t Unholy, right?”

  “He, along with several others, have been given something to counteract the effects. It’s why Dante is taking blood samples. To see if you can figure out what it is that changes them back to being able to function somewhat normally.”

  “Yes!” Isabelle pumped her fist into the air. When Deacon stepped back at her outburst, Isabelle blushed. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but not enough inmates get sick. You rarely call me, and I’m bored.”

  Deacon had a feeling there was more to it than her being bored. “What about Connor?” If Deacon had a child, he would be hard-pressed to spend any time away from him or her. He would want to make sure they were always safe and happy, but he knew that was an impossibility. It was one of the reasons he didn’t want offspring.

  “He is spending a lot of time with Amelia now that school’s out. They play while Abbi’s teaching her dance classes. As much as I miss him, it gives him time to just be a little boy. When he’s around her, he focuses on her and not having a tutor for a while. Against his wishes, Dante and I decided to give him a summer break like other kids get.”

  Deacon knew Connor’s special gifts had made it hard for the boy to thrive in school. On top of being able to see things in his mind, he was years ahead of his peers when it came to knowledge. The boy was a genius, and his parents were trying to give him a normal childhood instead of allowing him to skip grades just because he knew more than some of his teachers.

  “Izzy,” Gabriel called from inside his cell.

  Isabelle turned her attention to her brother. “What is it, Gabriel?” She insisted everyone call him by his real name and not the one he’d gone by when he worked for Flanagan.

  Gabriel didn’t say anything else, and Deacon couldn’t see inside his room, because the window in the door was small. Isabelle pushed open the slot where they passed his food tray to him and held out her hand. Deacon could smell the stench of extinguished cigarettes. When Isabelle pulled her hand back, she glanced up at Deacon. “I would apologize, but it’s his one enjoyment in life.”

  “Like I said, I won’t tell. Now, I need to get this room ready for Evan. You need to go throw those away and wash your hands.”

  Isabelle told her brother she’d see him later, and as Isabelle passed by Deacon, she patted him on the arm. “You’re a good male, Deacon Wright.”

  Deacon shook his head, grinning. He wondered what Dante thought of his mate breaking the rules for her brother. He had a feeling the medical examiner would chastise her then pull her in for a long kiss. Thinking of kissing had Deacon thinking of his own mate. Would he get on to her if she broke the rules? Probably not. He’d rather get to kissing her. When his jeans started getting a little too tight, he did his best to push those kinds of thoughts from his mind and got back to the task at hand.

  Chapter Four

  SABRINA INCLINED HER head to the man standing inside Mr. Holt’s room. She was equally relieved and disappointed it wasn’t Deacon. He had been front and center in her dream, and in it, he was gentle and loving. Sabrina was pleased to find Kaya Stone sitting quietly with Jonathan when she went to check on him. It wasn’t the first time she’d found the former police chief visiting with Jonathan, but knowing the man worked for Kaya and her husband, she wasn’t surprised. He wasn’t just an employee; he was family.

  Sabrina approached the bed, and Kaya gave Sabrina a sad smile as she rose to her feet. Kaya’s hand immediately cradled her large belly, and Sabrina was briefly hit with a wave of jealousy. She hadn’t been lying when she told Joseph she didn’t plan on being single the rest of her life. She wanted the husband and kids and dogs, and the chaotic life that went with having those things.

  “How are you?” Kaya asked, pulling Sabrina’s hands into her own, offering comfort. Sabrina almost lied, because it would have been easier and more professional to tell the other woman she was fine. When Kaya squeezed her hands, Sabrina found herself telling the truth.

  “Not too well. I...” Sabrina looked to Jonathan to make sure the man was sleeping.

  Kaya released her hands and put her arm around Sabrina’s shoulder, ushering her out into the hallway. “You can talk to me, Dr. Bailey.”

  “Please, call me Sabrina.” In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be talking to Kaya as a friend and not a doctor. She didn’t have any friends, only colleagues and acquaintances. Lately, she’d been realizing how lonely her life had become. All she had was work and her patients. When she first started out, that had been enough, but seeing Kaya and the other w
omen who visited Jonathan with their husbands had been a wake-up call. The love between not only the couples but between all the visitors to Mr. Holt’s room was both heartwarming and bittersweet. What would it be like to have a man look at her the way Rafael did Kaya? To know you had so many who considered you family? Sabrina had her siblings, but with them scattered across the country, they weren’t close.

  “Okay, Sabrina. If I had known the reason Rafael was coming to see Jonathan last night, I would have come with him. This can’t be easy for you.”

  “No, it’s not, but in my line of work, you either learn to compartmentalize the pain, or you go home every night and cry yourself to sleep. He’s not the first patient to decline treatment, and he won’t be the last. The only bright spot is knowing he has such a huge support system in place.”

  “That he does. I wanted to speak to you about that. Jonathan doesn’t want Priscilla to know about his decision.”

  “But she’s his sister.”

  “She is, but you’ve seen her when she thought he had a chance at getting better. If she knows he is no longer receiving treatment, we’ll have to keep her sedated. Her brother is her whole world, and I can only hope this little one will be enough to help her through her loss.” Kaya patted her stomach. “Oh, crap. Sebastian, calm down, kiddo.” Kaya smiled. “That’s better. Thank you.”

  That tinge of jealousy was back, but Sabrina did her best to hide it. “I like the way you talk to him like he can understand you.”

  Kaya’s cheeks flushed, but she smiled and admitted, “I feel like he can. Do you have kids?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “Well, when you do, you’ll understand. I carry around this little person with me twenty-four seven. Sometimes, he’s the only one I have to talk to, and I’ve always had regular conversations with him. I tell him how much his Papa and I love him. Tell him all the things we’re looking forward to when he gets here. I try to keep my fears to myself, but I swear, he already knows my moods. Like now, when I mentioned Priscilla, he pushed at me so I’d know he heard me. Maybe I’m crazy, but...” Kaya shrugged, the pink in her cheeks returning.

  “I don’t think you’re crazy. I think it’s wonderful, and hopefully one day, I’ll get to experience it for myself.”

  “Are you seeing anyone? Because I happen to know a certain someone who is quite smitten with you.” Kaya cocked an eyebrow, grinning.

  “Uh, no. I’m not seeing anyone.”

  “Good. That gives me hope.”

  Sabrina couldn’t help her own grin. “And why is that?”

  “Because the—”

  “Kaya.”

  Sabrina shivered at the deep voice. She already knew who it belonged to, but when she turned to face him, she took a step backwards. Then Sabrina remembered Joseph’s words from the night before about how all the men who visited Mr. Holt were kind despite how large they were.

  “Hello, Dr. Bailey.”

  “I’m just going to go back and check on Jonathan.” Kaya pressed her hand to Sabrina’s, giving her a wink. Oh. Oh.

  “Hello, Mister...?”

  “WRIGHT. MY NAME’S DEACON Wright. I was hoping you’d take me up on my offer for coffee, and if you’re too busy for coffee, maybe I could treat you to dinner sometime soon instead? How do you feel about Italian?” What in the name of all that was holy was he doing asking her to dinner?

  Deacon had been around the others when they found their mates, so he knew what to expect. Or so he thought. Resisting Sabrina was an exercise in futility, but the way she was studying him didn’t mean she felt the same. His beast was rumbling in the recesses of his mind, which meant it was butting in. Stop pushing.

  It’s inevitable.

  He knew his beast was right, but he thought he was stronger than that.

  There’s nothing stronger than the pull to our mate. You know this.

  He did know it, but he didn’t have to act on it. When he stepped off the elevator, Deacon had reached out to see if he could sense Sabrina. Not only did he feel her, but he also heard her voice as she and Kaya spoke softly outside Jonathan’s room. And it seemed his Queen was trying to play matchmaker.

  Sabrina studied his face a few seconds before she sighed. Deacon braced himself for rejection, but the doctor surprised him. “Actually, Italian is my favorite, so yes. You may take me to dinner.”

  “Really?”

  Sabrina cocked her head to the side, frowning. “Do you often ask women out expecting to be turned down?”

  “No. I don’t ask women out.” When she raised her eyebrows, he continued, “I don’t date.” Deacon should really shut up, but her confusion was as tangible as her distrust. He knew the mate bond should have already kicked in, drawing her to him. There was an undercurrent of lust, but reluctance was shoving her desire out of the way. That made sense, because under normal circumstances, there was no way a smart, sophisticated woman like her would ever be interested in a commoner like him. “What I’m trying and failing to say is I’m a busy male without a lot of free time, but I would never forgive myself if I didn’t take you out.”

  “May I ask you a question?”

  “Of course.”

  “How do you know Mr. Holt? I assume you’re close to him with as much time as you spend in his room.”

  “He’s family.” When Sabrina crossed her arms over her chest, he explained, “Long story short, he and his sister, Priscilla, are the caretakers for Rafael and Kaya. That part you already know. Rafael’s brother, Gregor, is my boss, and over the years, all the Stones welcomed me into their homes as part of the family. I spend every Sunday at Rafael’s manor with his extended family. I love Jonathan like a father. We all do.”

  “That explains why there are so many visitors. I asked Dr. Mooneyham about that, and he said you all were family but didn’t go into detail.”

  “It’s going to be a huge loss to all of us when Jonathan passes.”

  Sabrina saddened at Deacon’s words. He wanted to pull her into his arms and offer comfort, but he didn’t want her pushing him away. He used his words instead to help ease the pain. “Death is inevitable, Dr. Bailey. Especially when someone is as sick as Jonathan.”

  “We were hopeful the next round of treatment would make a difference. You knew Mr. Holt decided to stop treatment, didn’t you?” Her tone wasn’t accusing. Not exactly.

  Deacon wouldn’t lie to her. Not about that. He would do his best to always tell his mate the truth, but until they were truly bonded – if they were ever bonded – he might have to omit things she couldn’t be aware of. “Yes. It’s why I wanted to give Rafael time alone with Jonathan.”

  “I don’t understand. There are other options we haven’t tried. I hate seeing any of my patients give up.”

  Deacon reached out, against his better judgement, and took her hand in his larger ones. The need to touch her was great, and as soon as she felt his skin against hers, her eyes widened. “The fact that you care so deeply about your patients is one of the things which makes you a great doctor, but sometimes, a person can only take so much before they need peace. You’ve already tried several regimens, and Jonathan is tired and has been for a long time. He’s lived a good life, but he’s ready for the peace that only death will bring.” His mate stood there, staring at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Deacon took a step back, releasing her hand.

  Sabrina shook her head. “No, you didn’t. Not really. I understand what you’re saying about wanting peace. There are times when a person comes to a point in their life when all hope is lost.”

  Deacon wanted to know at what point in Sabrina’s life she’d lost hope, because he had no doubt she was speaking from experience. As her mate, it was his duty to protect her from anything that impacted her, whether it was keeping her safe physically or making sure she had the best life possible to ensure she was content mentally. His beast was right. It was inevitable, and he needed to get over his insecurities that he wasn’t the best male for her. He couldn’t le
t one thing from his past dictate his future. If the fates deemed him worthy, who was he to argue? They had their reasons even if he couldn’t see them. The only way he was going to be able to give her that best life was to move forward instead of hiding from her.

  “About that dinner. If I may have your phone number, please?” Deacon pulled his phone out of his back pocket, unlocked it, and handed it over.

  Sabrina hesitated, but she eventually took it and added her contact information. “I’m free Thursday night,” she said, handing his phone back.

  “Excellent. How’s six o’clock?”

  “That works for me. I’ll text you my address.” Sabrina smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Deacon figured she was thinking about Jonathan. “Now, I’m going to go in and check on my patient.”

  Deacon pushed the door open, allowing Sabrina to enter ahead of him. While she walked over to the bed, he stopped to speak to Kai.

  “I was on my way to the morgue and thought I’d stop and say hello.” Deacon was using Trevor as an excuse to try and catch a glimpse of Sabrina. He had no business at the morgue, but he’d become fond of Jasper’s mate. The human was funny as well as quirky, and the two of them had bonded over their love of video games, even if Trevor kicked his ass more often than not.

  Deacon glanced over at Kaya who was grinning at him. He shook his head and rolled his eyes at her. He knew his Queen meant well, and he couldn’t be mad at her for trying to put in a good word for him with Sabrina. He was glad he interrupted her, though. It wasn’t her place to get him and Sabrina together. Deacon felt his mate’s eyes on him, and when he turned to her, she had an amused look on her face. She’d no doubt caught the silent exchange between him and Kaya.

  Malakai motioned toward the door. “Let’s give them some privacy.”

  Deacon wanted to remain in the room with Sabrina, but he had work to do. He’d only stopped by to see how Jonathan was feeling, hoping to see his mate, and since he had Kaya and Malakai keeping him company, Deacon didn’t want to overwhelm the man. He took one last look at Sabrina before closing the door.