Chapter Fifteen

 

Tamian didn’t sleep. He’d spent all night going over the information Julian sent him. The only thing left to do was observe Lucy’s boss so Tamian could impersonate the human and make the employees at the lab believe they were seeing the real Phil Ramey. Tamian had portrayed others before, but Tessa was the expert, so she was going with him to the man’s home. They were getting ready to leave when Tamian’s phone rang. Having already saved the Gryphon’s number, he knew it was Maveryck calling.

“Hello?”

“Tamian, this is Maveryck.”

Tamian could feel the Gryphon’s hesitancy through the phone. “What can I do for you?” The male had yet to give him the coordinates of the building where Lucy was being kept.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“What’s that?”

“The leader of our family would like to meet with yours. Since you and Lucy are most likely going to be together in the near future, he thought it would be a good time for him to introduce himself to whoever you answer to. You know, to talk about how our different species are going to handle things going forward.”

“What do you mean ‘handle things’?”

“The Gryphons have hidden our identity since the beginning of time, and we’d like it to stay that way. We have no desire to make the existence of either species known to humans. At least those who aren’t already aware. We want to make sure we’re of the same accord.”

“I can understand that. I spoke to my father – he’s the King of the Italian Gargoyles – and according to him, the presence of another species was rumored many years ago, but never confirmed.”

“Your father is King? So, you’re a Prince?”

Tamian almost smiled at the insinuation, but when he thought about it, he could claim the title if he so chose. “Yes, but please don’t worry. I’m not going to move Lucy off to Italy when it’s my time to rule. My father lives in the States, and as long as that is Lucy’s wish, it is where we will remain as well.”

“Getting a little ahead of things, aren’t you?” Maveryck growled into the phone.

“More like wishful thinking. For now, we need to focus on her retrieval and setting up this meeting.”

Maveryck’s tone was more even when he asked, “So, should I tell my brother he’ll be meeting with your father then?”

“Before I give you a name, I’d like to speak with the King of the Americas. Since I live under his rule, he would probably be the one your brother would need to talk to. Let me make a couple of calls, and I’ll get back to you within the hour.”

“That sounds like a plan. I look forward to your return call.”

After they said their goodbyes, Tamian waited for Tessa to come out of her bedroom. She was dressed in all black with her hair braided down her back. “What was all that about? I only heard your side of the conversation, my Prince,” she said, bowing.

Tamian picked up one of the pillows off the sofa and tossed it at his sister’s head. “I thought you only heard my side?”

“Okay, I may have caught a bit of what the Gryphon was saying. Man, I still can’t get used to that. I’d love to see one of them shift into a lion. That’s almost as cool as you having wings.”

“What do you think? Should I call Rafael and give him a heads-up, or should I have Dad handle this?”

“Rafael already knows. Gregor told him about the Gryphons last night at the hospital. I think it would be better for him to meet with the brother since he is King of the Americas. You know Dad doesn’t like to get involved unless it has to do with Italy. Why don’t you call Rafe while I put our stuff in the car?”

Maybe the conversation wouldn’t be as hard as he initially feared considering Tessa had already paved the way by telling Gregor. Five minutes later, Tamian had filled Rafael in on some of the things Tessa had yet to share with her mate, and in turn, Rafael had updated him on Jonathan and what was going on with the Unholy. Rafael mentioned trying to get Gregor to come help, and Tamian told him it wasn’t necessary, but thanked him for the offer.

Tessa had returned and was standing in the doorway, ready to go. Tamian held up his phone. “Let me call Maveryck and give him Rafael’s information. He’s more than willing to meet with the Gryphons.”

After that was taken care of, Tamian followed his sister out the door. Within thirty minutes, they were sitting in their rental down the street from Ramey’s in front of a home where the occupants were on vacation. Tessa had spent the better part of the previous night canvasing the neighborhood and getting Julian to check home security systems. They had arrived while it was dark to wait for Phil Ramey to leave for work since they didn’t yet know his schedule. Getting the prosthetic and voice modulator were the easy part of impersonating someone. It was the mannerisms and attitude that required more time and attention. That was where Tessa came in. She was going to install cameras around the man’s home so Tamian could observe from the hotel suite. Once that was done, they were going to the federal building where Ramey’s office was in the hopes he’d lead them to Lucy.

The Hounds hadn’t given Tamian the coordinates. He promised he would let them be part of the rescue, but Lucy was his priority. If he got to her without their intel, so be it. He’d cross that bridge then. Julian had sent Ramey’s photo to Jonas, and since he wasn’t able to help Jonathan other than keeping him comfortable, he was getting the prosthetic ready and shipping it so it would arrive the next day. It would be hard not to barge right in when he found Lucy’s location, but Tamian wanted her rescue to go as smoothly as possible. Plus, she needed time to gather all the information.

Ramey’s home was a large, two-story house surrounded by other, just as impressive ones. The lots were large, which would aid in them being able to get inside undetected. At least that was the plan. When the iron gate opened, what rolled out wasn’t what they had been expecting. Instead of a standard-issue government sedan, a shiny Mercedes eased out of the driveway and down the street.

“That’s a mighty fine car for a deputy director. I didn’t realize the government paid so well.” Tessa turned over the ignition and followed. “Call it a hunch, but I don’t believe he’s headed to the office. Not in that vehicle.” Tamian had been around Tessa enough to know her hunches were rarely wrong. She had traveled the world as watcher for their family, so she had plenty of experience with zeroing in on her target’s actions.

“This reminds me of when Gordon created the Unholy. Why can’t rich people use their money for good?” Tessa asked.

“If he has a private project going to create super soldiers, he could have investors bankrolling the venture.”

“In either case, he’s going to be hell-bent on keeping that facility as secure as possible. The Hounds need to figure out how many people are coming and going on a daily basis as well as what type of security is in place.”

“After Maveryck’s request for Rafael’s number, I think they’re waiting until the meeting before they trust us to go after Lucy. I can’t blame them; they know nothing about me other than what I told them, and I very well could have been lying.”

“Another reason I’m following Ramey. If he can lead us to the lab, we’ll do our own recon.”

“True, but Maveryck admitted one of the Hounds is sitting on the building at all times. If we go out there, they’ll know it.”

“Then we’ll just have to be on the watch. Do you want me to call for backup? I know we agreed we could do this one on our own, but another set of eyes and claws might not hurt.”

Tamian had almost said yes when Rafael offered to send Gregor, but his earlier conversation with Tessa regarding her not getting pregnant had given him pause. Still, she had to be missing her mate. “I wouldn’t object to help, but there’s a lot going on regarding the Unholy, so it might be better to take Dad up on his offer of sending someone. Then again, if you want Gregor here with you, I’d understand that. Your call.”

Tessa was quiet for a bit as she continued to follow Ramey. “We should probably let Gregor stay home so he can help out there. With the Unholy mess and everyone wanting to visit Jonathan, they’re probably all needed, so maybe Dad could send Vitto.”

“Okay, I’ll call him later.” Tamian hated for Tessa to be so stressed that she didn’t immediately want Gregor with her. But that was her business. For now.

Tessa turned the radio on. It was already tuned to a rock station, and she sang quietly with every song that was played. After driving for over an hour, she said, “Damn. I’m glad I filled the tank last night. Where the hell is he going?” They soon found out when Ramey took an exit off the freeway and drove to an elementary school. “Did Julian’s information say anything about the agent having kids?” Tessa asked as she drove past the school before finding a place to turn around so they could observe without being seen.

“No. According to what he sent, there’s no wife, no kids. He’s been an agent since the GIA first formed and worked his way up the ranks. Before that he was in the army. He’s an only child, so there are no nieces or nephews.”

“Look,” Tessa said, pointing. A delivery van pulled around from behind the school. The driver stopped, got out, and stepped up to the back of the Mercedes. The trunk lid opened, the driver retrieved a cooler, then got back in his truck. Ramey drove out of the parking lot, turning left, and the truck went in the opposite direction. “What do you suppose was in the cooler?”

“If I had to guess, I’d say the serum Lucy mentioned. That, or body parts.”

Tessa cursed under her breath and pulled back onto the street, once again following the agent. “If either is true, that means he isn’t working alone. When Lucy mentioned torsos, I didn’t think Ramey would be doing the deed himself. Of course, he’s going to have lackeys working for him. I want to know how they go about finding these humans with special abilities.”

“We both know it takes more than one moving part to make something run, and this man didn’t get where he was with the agency by being careless. He is going to have others doing the dirty work, plus he’s also going to make sure they’re the ones implicated if they ever get caught.”

“Like Lucy and her uncle. Lucius was a willing participant, but he’s dead.”

“That doesn’t mean there isn’t something in Lucy’s house to tie Ramey back to the experiments. If he gets wind of someone trying to bring him down, he’ll destroy all evidence at the lab. We need to get her out of there.”

“We do, but we don’t need to rush in unprepared. We need to stick with our plan. Get in his house, install the cameras, and do this the right way, trusting the Hounds don’t do anything stupid. If Ramey goes back to his house, we’ll have to wait him out before I can get inside.”

“I’m calling Dad and have him send Vitto. We need more eyes.” Tamian placed the call to Xavier. Their father promised his friend would be on his way within the hour. Tamian had always felt nervous around the Gargoyle. He had been Xavier’s second in command since before Tamian came into being. He couldn’t help but wonder how the male felt about being passed over for the throne.

“I can feel you thinking over there. You need to stop worrying about things you can’t control.”

“But I can control it. All I have to do is say the word, and I’ll become King. I’m not ready for that, especially since I’ve found my mate. I need time with her before I even contemplate such a large change. Being with Lucy is going to be change enough.”

“And Dad knows that. Besides, Vitto thinks of you as a son. He’s going to have your back no matter what you decide. But for what it’s worth, I think you and Lucy would look stellar sitting on the throne together.”

Tamian snorted at the image of the two of them sitting on actual thrones in royal robes and crowns. “Yeah, no,” Tamian said. Besides, Lucy was only twenty-five. Becoming an agent so young, she had probably seen and done plenty in her short life, but Tamian wasn’t going to put such a large responsibility on her shoulders. Not if she didn’t want it. He wouldn’t be the type of King to rule alone without input from his mate. There was too much to do before any of that was a possibility, so he did his best to put the throne out of his mind.

 

 

Rafael hung up from a call with Travis. The young human was doing an outstanding job watching over Stone Incorporated while Rafe took care of the Clan. There was so much going on, and Rafe was feeling the strain. He wanted nothing more than to spend time with Kaya and enjoy the pregnancy. He didn’t want to add any more stress to his Queen, but he vowed when he married her she would be an integral part of running the Clan. So, when he hung up from speaking with Travis, he asked her to walk with him out to the garden. Sophia was in the house watching over Priscilla, so going outside was a welcomed break.

“What’s bothering you?” Kaya asked when Rafe pulled her down to his lap once they reached “their” bench.

Rafael wrapped his arms around her waist, cradling their child and pressed his forehead to her temple. “Lucy’s family has requested a meeting.” Rafe had already told Kaya about the other species and that Tamian’s mate was one of those shifters. “I wanted to talk to you before I made the call. It would be easier for me to fly to New York, but with everything going on here, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Sometimes easier isn’t always the right thing, but if you’re worried about me, I’ll be fine. There’s nothing either of us can do for Jonathan except help make him more comfortable. As for Priscilla, you’ve already seen to it that she cannot stay overnight with him. I think between me and a few others, we can handle things long enough for you to attend a meeting. If it’s a simple conversation, it’ll be a quick trip up there and back. Right?”

“I would hope so. They’ve been aware of our kind for a long time, but they don’t know us. They need to see what type of Clan their niece is getting involved with.”

“How have they been aware of Gargoyles without you being aware of them?”

“I’ve thought about that. Tamian mentioned they can shift into either the lion or the eagle, and I imagine at some point the eagles have seen the Gargoyles taking to the skies. They would be able to observe us while remaining undetected.”

“That makes sense. Was Tamian able to give you any more insight into what type of shifter the Gryphons are? Not in the physical sense, but what is it they do? The Gargoyles protect humans. Do the Gryphons?”

“He didn’t go into detail about what their mission is, so it’s another reason for me to meet with them. Feel them out. See what type of shifter Tamian’s bringing into our Clan. That goes both ways. He might be the Italian Prince, but he’s still one of ours. If they’re truly mates, this could possibly be the first time our species come together. So, in essence, we’re going to be family. We need to all be on the same page as to how we approach this knowledge.”

“Are you sure it wouldn’t be better for them to come to you? Or are you taking someone with you as backup? Not that you can’t handle yourself. I have every faith in your abilities, but one against who knows how many isn’t very good odds, even if this is just a meeting to talk.”

“I am going to take backup. I want you to go with me.” Rafael knew it was a risk, but a calculated one.

“Me? That’s… I’m shocked.”

“We won’t be gone long, and I trust our family to take care of things while we are away. I want the Gryphons to see not just the King and Queen, but two mates. I want them to see how devoted I am to you. Maybe that will put their minds at ease about how Lucy will be treated by Tamian. He mentioned Lucy’s grandmother. I’m hoping you can appeal to her, female to female. Not only about the two of them mating, but also about our kinds living in harmony.”

“You think I can do that?”

“I think you can do anything.” Rafael tipped Kaya’s chin up with his fingertip and settled his mouth over hers. Their tender moments had been few and far between lately, and he needed his Queen’s love as well as her strength. “I need you,” he whispered against her mouth.

“You have me.”

“Yes, but I need to be in you,” Rafael husked, pressing his erection harder against her ass. Kaya slid off his lap, pulled her dress up so she had access to her panties, and slid them down her legs. Rafael’s breath hitched. Kaya was always sexy, but seeing her carrying his child had his beast ready to fuck her constantly. Rafe unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down along with his briefs, exposing his hard, leaking cock. He wrapped it in his fist and gave it a few slow strokes. Kaya licked her lips before straddling his lap, easing down on his shaft until he was filling her up.

Kaya moved against him, using the muscles in her thighs to raise and lower her onto his cock. She gripped one of his shoulders for leverage while the other teased her nipples through the fabric of her dress. Her breasts had filled out even more since becoming pregnant, and Rafael couldn’t keep his hands or his mouth off them. Pulling the fabric down, exposing one of the hard peaks, Rafael tilted his head down until he could suck the nub into his mouth. Nipping with his teeth, he teased with his tongue and sucked just hard enough to elicit a gasp from his mate. He gave the other breast equal attention until Kaya pushed his head away. “I need you to move,” she urged.

Knowing the bench wasn’t comfortable for her knees, Rafael grabbed Kaya’s ass and stood. Using his shifter strength, he easily made love to his mate, thrusting up slowly before easing back out until the tip of his cock was at her entrance. Never taking their eyes off the other, Rafael loved Kaya as gently as possible while she held tightly around his neck. “Gods, I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you, too. More every day.”

Rafael kept a slow, steady pace, patiently waiting until Kaya’s body tightened inside, close to falling over the edge. When her breathing sped, he speared his cock deeper. Harder. Kaya closed her eyes and tipped her head to the side, offering him access if he wanted it. When her orgasm hit, Rafael’s fangs extended as her pussy gripped him from the inside. He knew they would make a mess, but he still couldn’t stop from spilling his seed deep within his mate. Not so gently, Rafael sank his teeth into the flesh between her neck and shoulder, growling against her skin.

Kaya grasped Rafael’s head with both hands, keeping his fangs where they were. She’d admitted long ago that his bite added to the euphoria of their coming together, and he always wanted each of her orgasms to be better than the last. The sigh leaving her mouth was the signal she was thoroughly blissed, and he retracted his fangs while settling back down on the bench, his half-hard cock still buried inside. Kaya’s mouth was on his before he could lick the blood from the puncture site.

When she leaned away, Kaya muttered, “It’s been a while since we made love in the jet.”

Rafael chuckled, and leaned in to kiss her nose. “Then I guess we should do something about that.”

“Yes, let’s.”