Chapter Nine

 

 

Drago followed the family until they parked in the visitors parking lot. Renneck and Trexon hadn’t been in New Atlanta long, so Drago was taking the time to point out people and places of interest, this family in particular. He had special plans for them. Well, one of them, at least. “That one,” he pointed out so the males wouldn’t have any doubt as to who he meant. “You’ll need to wait until the others aren’t around.”

Trexon snapped a photo of the one Drago singled out before they drove off. “You’ll need to follow him closely for the next few days to ascertain his schedule. It’s recently changed, and he usually has someone with him at all times. It will be tricky to catch him unguarded, but I have faith in the two of you.”

Once they had finished that task, Drago drove the two of them back to their headquarters, and then he headed south to a little town in northern Florida. Drago wanted to build their army in more areas of the country, and after some recent recon by Kavin and Burk, they’d found fewer Gargoyles inhabiting the Sunshine State. Without as many of the Stone Society to watch over things, it would be easier to recruit new members for their army. Renneck had reached out to a few Greek Gargoyles who weren’t happy with the new King and invited them to join them in the Americas. Drago was meeting with them in the ocean town, and he was looking forward to seeing the water again, even if it wasn’t the clear blue of the seas near Greece.

Drago knew it would take a while to build their numbers, but he was a Gargoyle who had plenty of time for patience. His former King had ruled for hundreds of years before being overthrown, and that had taken planning on the part of Rafael. Drago would bide his time, continue creating Unholy, and when things were aligned properly, he would make his move.

 

 

It was going on nine p.m. by the time Lucy walked into her boss’s office. “Agent Ball, please close the door,” Agent Franks said. Lucy did as she was instructed before standing in front of his desk. “Take a seat.” The man leaned back in his leather chair and steepled his fingers together. “You’ve been a good Agent, Lucia. Against my wishes, you were reassigned as of ten o’clock this morning. Your transfer will take place immediately, and you will now report to Deputy Director Ramey.”

“Ramey, sir? I’m not familiar with that name. What department is he or she in?” Lucy had a bad feeling about her reassignment, especially with a director she’d never heard of.

“The department he oversees is classified, but I’ve heard rumor it has to do with research and development. That’s all the information I’m at liberty to divulge at this time. Once you meet with him, you’ll be given the specifics of your new assignment. You are scheduled to be in his office at seven a.m., so I suggest you go check into your dorm and get a good night’s rest. That is all.”

Lucy hated being dismissed with no further information, but instead of pushing the issue when she knew Franks would say nothing more, she stood and left his office. As she rode the elevator down to the ground floor, she pulled out the burner phone and sent the text letting the Hounds know she was okay. Being a field agent, Lucy didn’t have a home in the New DC area. Whenever she was required to stay overnight, she used one of the “dorm” rooms. It was closer to a hotel suite than a dorm in that it had a small kitchenette, but it was sparse for the most part. The rooms were intended to be used as a place to sleep a couple nights.

After checking in with the agent in the lobby, Lucy made her way to the room she’d use until she found out exactly what her assignment was. If they grounded her, she would need to find an apartment to live in for the duration. When she told the family, it wasn’t going to be pretty, but it wasn’t like she had a choice. Until she found a way out of her commitment to the government, Lucy was at their mercy.

Not knowing whether she’d be staying longer than one night, Lucy didn’t bother unpacking only to have to repack the next day. She placed the garment bag which contained her suits in the small closet and pulled her sleeping clothes from her suitcase. She’d already had a shower, but she wanted the hot water to help soothe her frayed nerves. Her brain was on overload with all she’d encountered that day. She hadn’t been able to forget the nightmare she found in the basement. She didn’t want to dwell on it, but she needed to figure out what Lucius had been up to. Then there was Tamian. Lucy smiled when thinking of the Gargoyle. She wanted to know what his agenda was and why he continued to follow her. As she stepped into the tub, she let the hot water beat against her skin. Closing her eyes, she replayed every moment spent with the male earlier.

His voice hadn’t sounded right. It had been deeper than Lucy imagined Tamian to sound like, but she’d not heard him talk before. The disguise he’d worn had been top notch. If he hadn’t given her the clue on the paper, she probably never would have figured out it was him. The one thing Lucy couldn’t shake was the little girl. If Tamian had a daughter, then there was a mother. Was she still in the picture? Was she also a shifter? The jealousy rising inside was ridiculous. Technically, she and Tamian hadn’t even been introduced. She knew nothing about him other than he was a Gargoyle, and he wanted something from her, otherwise he wouldn’t be stalking her. Jealousy was a useless emotion, especially when you had no claim on the one you were feeling possessive of.

When the water was no longer warm, Lucy stepped from the tub and dried off. She had just pulled on her sleeping clothes when the burner phone she’d used to text the Hounds rang. When she answered, Kyllian asked, “What did you find out?”

“Not much. I’ve been reassigned to a different department. All my old boss would tell me was I’ll be working for Deputy Director Ramey, and it’s possibly something to do with research. Director Franks wouldn’t tell me any more than that. I guess I’ll find out in the morning when I meet my new team.”

“What’s your gut telling you?”

“That I should run like hell, but we both know that isn’t an option. At least not yet.”

“You wanna tell me about the macabre setting in your basement and why you didn’t mention it earlier?”

Lucy should have known Monk wouldn’t keep that bit of information to himself. “Because I don’t know what to tell you. I only found it right before I got the call to come to DC. I’m going to need time to figure it all out, and I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t touch anything.”

“Because you’re going to continue in Lucius’s footsteps?”

“What? No. Because I… Just please don’t touch anything.”

“Okay, but Sutton and Rory aren’t pleased.”

“And you think I am?” Lucy stood from the bed and paced back and forth in the small space. Lucy longed for someone other than her uncles and grandparents to turn to. They were family, but it wasn’t the same as having a partner to confide in. Someone like Tamian.

Kyllian sighed, and Lucy could see him pulling on his beard. “No, I can’t imagine you are. We’ll deal with it together when you return, yeah?”

“Yeah, okay. I’m going to turn in. I’ll text or call tomorrow when I know what my job entails.”

“Goodnight, Luce.”

“Night, Ian.” Lucy disconnected. She was still getting used to having family all up in her business, whether she wanted them there or not. Lucius and Vera had been respectful of boundaries, and now, Lucy understood why. At least where Lucius was concerned. She couldn’t imagine Vera knowing what was in the secret room downstairs and being okay with it. Until she could get back home and look around some more, Lucy wouldn’t dwell on it too much. She had other things pressing, like her new assignment.

And Tamian. There was no way John was anyone other than her Gargoyle. He’s not yours. Then why did he feel like he belonged to her? With her? Why else was he following her around the world if he wasn’t trying to get close to her? There was only one way to find out. Against her better judgement, Lucy plucked her cell phone off the nightstand and typed out a text.

 

 

Tamian waited until the lights went off in the room where Lucy was staying. Julian had been able to hack into the system the GIA used for housing, and Tamian knew exactly which room his mate was in. There was no security to speak of other than an agent manning a front desk. The doors leading into the building were accessed by the agents’ ID badges. Getting a badge would be easy, but Tamian wasn’t ready to risk being seen.

When he was sure she was down for the night, he returned to the hotel Tessa had secured for them. It was odd having his sister be in his space twenty-four seven. It had been years since the two of them spent this much time together, and as much as he loved her, he was itching for his privacy. It was close to impossible to think of Lucy without getting a hard-on, but with Tessa hanging around, there was nothing he could do about it. He wasn’t about to jerk one off with his sister in the next room, half-blood hearing or not.

The hotel suite was situated much like the last one had been, and Tessa had the computer equipment set up on the coffee table when he returned. “From what I can tell, there are four Hounds in the area. What we don’t know is if they’ve always been this protective of Lucy, or if they’re crowding her because of you.” When Tamian told Tessa about the note he’d given his mate, she laughed and held out her hand for a knuckle bump. Subtlety wasn’t her strong suit. When Tessa wanted something, she went for it. As much as Tamian wanted to get closer to Lucy, he rather enjoyed the game they seemed to be playing. He kept the burner phone in his pocket, silently willing it to ring.

 “If she stays in town for any length of time, I plan to meet her. If I’m the reason the Hounds are around, I’ll have to prove to her and them I’m no threat.”

“And if you aren’t the reason?”

“Then I’ll get that out of her, and I’ll be the one protecting her.”

Tessa sighed and tilted her head to the side. “I like seeing this side of you. Don’t get me wrong. You’ve always had a protective streak, but now it’s aimed at someone else, and it’s sweet instead of annoying.”

“When did I ever annoy you? You didn’t know I was following you most of the time.”

“You’re right; I didn’t. Why is that?”

Tamian sat down on the sofa and angled his body toward his sister. “I didn’t want you to think I didn’t trust your instincts. Plus, I was hiding, for the most part.”

Tessa’s frown deepened. “Hiding from who?”

“Everyone. You. Xavier and Mom.” Tamian took a moment to gather his thoughts. He didn’t want to bring the mood down, but he owed it to Tessa to be honest. “For the longest time, I drifted with no purpose. It’s an odd thing being a clone. I don’t let myself think about the fact that I’m the first clone, because I still can’t wrap my head around that. But it’s… I wasn’t born from a union between two beings who loved one another and wanted to bring a child into the world. I was created in a lab. I was a science experiment. Maybe my creation had purpose, but I didn’t.”

Tamian stood and went to the small kitchen and searched for something to drink. Unsurprisingly, several bottles of liquor lined the counter, and Tamian poured a hefty glassful of vodka. After downing it, he poured another glassful, but this time he added ice cubes and let them settle, chilling the alcohol. He grabbed Tessa a beer, popped the top off the bottle, and took it to her where she sat waiting for him to continue.

“I wasn’t a child who knew from a young age he wanted to be a professional ball player, or a doctor, or an artist. As far as being smart, I’m not a genius like Jonas. I’m not adventurous like you. The family gave you the job of being a watcher because it suited you. Me? They’ve left me alone to do my own thing, even though I’ve never known exactly what that was.”

Tessa took a long pull off her beer before asking, “Do you honestly believe Dad would ask you to take over the throne if he didn’t feel you were more than capable of being King? Tam, you can’t rule a Clan without being smart as well as ambitious. Xavier might be ready to step down and take Mom around the world, but he won't jeopardize his Clan by handing the reins over to just anyone. No, you weren’t born, but by being cloned, you have the best parts of not just me, but Jonas, too.”

Tamian choked on the liquid he’d just sipped when Tessa’s words registered. “What?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know he mixed his cells in with mine. If you were my clone and only mine, we would basically be twins. You would be closer to a half-blood like me, but you already said you transitioned when you were younger. That wouldn’t be possible without having a little help, and I know Jonas. He’s never come out and said he regrets not having a Gargoyle mate, because he loves Caroline with everything he is. But I’ve read his journals. Since he couldn’t have an offspring that had all traits of a full-blood, he did the next best thing when he made you.”

Tamian didn’t deny her words. He couldn’t. But he wouldn’t admit she was right. Tessa’s phone ringing interrupted their conversation, and for that he was glad. While she took Gregor’s call in one of the bedrooms, Tamian stepped out onto the balcony, staring into the New DC night. He placed his drink on the railing and watched the condensation roll down the clear glass. He hadn’t been lying when he said he didn’t have a purpose. That was until he saw Lucy’s face for the first time. When he’d followed her to Norway, the mate pull couldn’t be denied. Now that he’d been in her presence and was positive they were meant to be together, his purpose was clear. Protect Lucia Harlow Ball. Make her his mate, and love her for the rest of their lives.

It took several seconds for the buzzing in his pocket to register. When he pulled the phone out, he didn’t recognize the number, but nobody had that number except Lucy. His heart beating wildly, he opened the text message and froze.

Lucy: Did you find what you were looking for?

Tamian’s heart sped faster as he typed out a response. He deleted and retyped several messages, but none sounded right. Finally, he answered honestly.

Tamian: I found her, but now I want to get to know her

Lucy: So the puppy was a ruse???

Why so many question marks? Was she hoping he’d say yes? Tamian responded truthfully.

Tamian: Yes.

As he thought about what he wanted to say, Lucy’s response was immediate. She must have already been typing.

Lucy: Are you a Gargoyle?

Tamian should have expected her to ask, but it still took him aback. He knew she’d seen him, but she didn’t ask if he was something different. Lucy specifically asked if he was a Gargoyle.

Tamian: You’re aware?

Lucy: Of the species or the fact that you’re one?

Tamian: Yes?

Lucy: Let’s just say I’m not a stranger

Tamian: That’s good. I think

Lucy: It’s very good. You don’t have to hide your true self from me, unless you’re stalking me for nefarious reasons

Tamian: Nefarious… I like that word, but no. Nothing shady here

Lucy: Then why the disguise and ruse?

Tamian: Honestly? I wanted to get close to see if my earlier feelings had been a fluke

Lucy: Feelings?

Tamian: How much do you know about Gargoyles?

Lucy didn’t respond straightaway. Tamian drained the contents of his glass in one swallow. The melting ice had watered down the alcohol, but he allowed the coolness to quench the tightness in his throat. He couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. It probably wasn’t smart to put the truth into words she could share, but he trusted Lucy. When her response came back, it was a long one.

Lucy: Genetically speaking, I know quite a bit. Since you know who I am, you no doubt knew of my father – uncle – Lucius. He spent many years studying genetics, specifically the differences between Gargoyles and another species. The Gargoyles live thousands of years where others do not. Lucius thought that unfair, and he was trying to come up with a way for others to maintain that same longevity. As for the societal aspects, I’m in the dark

Other species? Tamian had seen the claws of her uncle, and he and Tessa had noted the differences. How was it possible for there to be a species of shifter other than Gargoyle and the Goyles not be aware of them? And how had they obtained Gargoyle DNA to test? Tamian didn’t want to tip his hand that he wasn’t aware of other shifters, so he addressed a different topic.

Tamian: I can explain the societal aspects, especially the ones concerning you and me. But I’m curious as to how your father obtained DNA to study

Lucy: This is a conversation best had in person. I had to fly to New DC unexpectedly, and I’m being reassigned tomorrow morning. I don’t know where I’ll be, what I’ll be working on, or for how long. How about we meet when I get home?

Tamian: Or we could meet tomorrow night after you get finished working if they don’t send you out of town. I can’t imagine your room has a large kitchen. How about I take you to dinner?

Lucy: You’re here? Of course you are. We have lots to talk about “John”

Tamian could hear the sass in her voice. She hadn’t spoken many words earlier, but her tone was forever entrenched in his mind.

Tamian: Is that a yes?

Lucy: Yes

Tamian: Then I look forward to officially meeting you tomorrow. Text me when you get off work

Lucy: Will do

Tamian: Goodnight, Lucy

Lucy: Goodnight, Tamian