Chapter Eight

 

“Lucy. Lucy Ball. Lucy.” The whole time Tamian was walking back to where Tessa was picking him up, he said his mate’s name aloud. She introduced herself as Lucy, and he had no reason to doubt it was how she referred to herself on a daily basis. While he still preferred Harlow, he mentally tried to reconcile the new name with the woman he’d met.

“What are you muttering about?” Tessa asked as he slid into the passenger seat.

“Her name’s Lucy Ball.”

“Lucy Ball? Are you kidding me?” Tessa barked out a laugh as she pulled away from the curb.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Lucy Ball. Lucille Ball? The red-headed comedienne from the mid-nineteen hundreds? ‘I Love Lucy’?”

When Tamian just stared at his sister, she shook her head. “I forget you aren’t the classic television type. I’ll educate you when we get back to the hotel. But aside from her name, I don’t have to ask if you got anything else from your little meeting. You have the same look on your face I did after being close to
Gregor the first time. Granted, I went home, curled up in a ball on the kitchen floor, and transitioned after we met, but since you’ve already been through that, I can imagine you’re feeling like you want to kidnap her and run away. Right?”

“Something like that.” Tamian wasn’t about to discuss what he really wanted to do with Lucy. He shut off access to his thoughts so there was no way Tessa could accidently, or otherwise, hear how he wanted to shred Lucy’s clothes from her body and fuck her into next week. In all his years, Tamian had never felt the urge to take a female in such a carnal way. Yeah, he’d taken a couple of women to bed, but without a mate, sex was just an act to assuage a baser need, not the need to claim someone as his. Mark her so the world knew she was no longer available. If Monk hadn’t been there, Tamian would have probably done just that. He had no doubt he was stronger than the biker, even if he was a shifter.

That was another thing; Tamian recognized the beast in the other male. It didn’t feel like a Gargoyle’s energy, but something had been there. Something animalistic. The male hadn’t bothered shutting off his emotions or his thoughts, and it had both thrilled Tamian and pissed him off knowing the man felt protective of Lucy. His thoughts were less than pure when he imagined protecting Lucy from “John.” But Tamian wanted to bide his time until he could get Lucy alone. He wanted to get to know his mate. Wanted to show her who he was and give her the chance to choose him as a mate.

Her thoughts had been completely cut off, but he had been able to sense her emotions. With the other male around, he couldn’t be sure who her body had been reacting to, thus the need to get her alone. If she had feelings for the biker, Tamian would have to take things slow so she had plenty of opportunity to make a decision based on something other than the mate pull. And now that he’d slipped the note into her hand, he had no doubt she knew who he was under the disguise. The ball was in her court to call him.

 

 

Lucy was going stir crazy. Monk continued to stare at her, but he never asked her what the note said, and she wasn’t about to divulge that piece of information. She knew better than to involve the family in the game of cat and mouse she and Tamian seemed to be playing. She hated the fact that they already knew about him. Their guard was up where he was concerned, and that wasn’t something Lucy wanted to deal with.

Everything about the male called to her on a baser level. She should have realized it was him even with the disguise. And what a disguise it had been. It was worthy of being in a spy movie. How had he even managed such a thing?  If she could get her hands on something like that, she could travel the world with all new aliases.

And the way they connected when their hands met? It had been all she could do not to climb his tall, lean body right there in front of Monk. That would have gone over like a lead balloon. Would they have fought each other? A Gargoyle versus a Gryphon… What a matchup that would be! Lucy found herself getting turned on thinking about Tamian letting those massive wings of his loose and going all beastly for her. Sighing, she stood from where she was trying to relax on the sofa with a book, to no avail. The note was burning a hole in her pocket. She wanted nothing more than to call the number and ask Tamian to meet her somewhere, but Monk would never let her out of his sight.

Until she could come up with a plan to get him alone, Lucy tried to find something to take her mind off the Gargoyle. She found herself wandering through the large home, looking at things she ignored on a daily basis. Photos of her from a baby all the way to her high school graduation lined the wall going up the stairs. Candid shots of her and Vera were placed all throughout the house on side tables and bookshelves. The one thing missing were pictures of Lucius.

She’d never noticed before, but now that she was really looking, Lucy could find no evidence of her father – great uncle – anywhere in the common areas. It wasn’t until she stepped into his office or his lab did she find traces of the man who raised her. Now that she’d met Warryck, it was hard for her to think of Lucius as her father.

Had Vera removed the pictures that included her husband? Had she been so brokenhearted she couldn’t bear to look at things which reminded her of when he was alive? Lucy hadn’t changed anything in the home since her mother passed away, but now that she thought back to when she was growing up, she didn’t remember seeing anything that alluded to the fact that Lucius Ball lived in the large home. Nothing out in the open, anyway.

It had been months since she’d gone into the study, but Lucy found herself opening the door and stepping inside, taking a good look around. As with the rest of the house, everything was as it had been with the exception of the top of his desk. Lucy had dug through the contents of her father’s safe deposit box, pushing his paperwork to the side. All the items she’d pulled from the box were now back in the container beside the desk. Everything except her fake birth certificate. She’d taken it to her bedroom where it was safely hidden away in the closet.

When Lucius had been alive, he’d spent most of his time downstairs in his lab. He used his office to pay the household bills and occasionally jot down information in his journals. The books on the shelves had collected dust even before he’d died. Lucy walked slowly around the room, reading the various titles. Subjects such as chemistry, anatomy, and biology made sense for someone like Lucius. Lucy stopped when she spied “Memoirs of a Geisha.” What was it doing among medical books? When she pulled the book to remove it, a click sounded, and the unit moved.

“What were you hiding?” Lucy asked her dead father. When the bookcase stopped, Lucy pulled it open farther, giving her room to step between the wooden shelves and the wall behind it. She flipped the switch just inside, and a light shined down a set of stone steps. If Monk hadn’t been somewhere in the house, she probably would have waited until one of her uncles was there with her. Since the Hound was there, she slowly descended into a cavernous room she hadn’t known existed. When she reached the bottom, Lucy gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. “Holy mother of Zeus. What have you done?”

 

 

 

 

Tamian had been plastered to the sofa, his eyes on the monitors so he could keep watch over his mate. For a while, she sat reading. Well, she’d been sitting on the sofa with a book in her hand, but her eyes had been forward as if she was lost in thought. Was she thinking of him? Now that Lucy knew he was in town, would she call him? Or would she continue to avoid him as she’d done since Norway?

When Tessa asked him what his next steps were, he admitted he didn’t know. “I gave her a number to a burner phone. Hopefully, she’ll call.”

“And if she doesn’t? You can’t tell me you’re going to wait forever for her to make the next move.”

“No. I won’t wait forever, but I am going to give her time to reach out to me.”

Lucy put the book down and walked around the room, looking at the walls. What was she doing? It appeared she was roaming her home with no particular purpose other than studying the artwork and photos. She eventually disappeared into a room with no camera access. Tamian waited, rather impatiently, for her to return, but it seemed she had found something to occupy her time. When the biker jumped up from his chair and strode with purpose to the door Lucy had entered earlier, Tamian leaned forward. The male disappeared into the room, and Tamian cursed the fact that they couldn’t see farther than the doorway.

“What’s wrong?” Tessa asked.

“The biker hurried into the room where Lucy is. Something’s going on.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do. I don’t think she’s in danger, but something isn’t right. Why else would he have rushed into the room? I need to get over there.”

“And do what? Interrupt an intimate moment? Just give it a few more minutes.”

Tamian growled at Tessa’s insinuation something more was going on between his mate and the male. He didn’t want to give it a few seconds let alone minutes, but Tessa was right. If he went over there now, Lucy wouldn’t have the choice of reaching out to him. As much as he needed to wait, he couldn’t shake the feeling something was wrong. He couldn’t sit there and watch a blank screen without losing his mind. Standing, he told his sister, “I’m going for a run. Call me if anything happens.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked, knowing the direction he was headed.

“I don’t have a choice,” he admitted.

After slipping on running shoes, Tamian left the hotel and took off toward Lucy’s home. He knew better than to get too close, but he wasn’t able to sit still without knowing if she was okay. Without using his shifter speed, it would take him almost an hour to get to the neighborhood beyond the lake. He’d been running for about thirty minutes when Tessa reached out with her mind.

“They came out of the room, and Lucy isn’t physically harmed.”

“But?”

“She does look rattled. Without audio I have no way of knowing what upset her.”

“Okay, if anything changes let me know.”

 

 

“What in the ever-loving hell is going on?” Lucy paced back and forth, unable to wrap her mind around what was downstairs. “What in the hell? I mean, I knew he studied genetics, but that? Uh-uh. Not like that. Fuck!”

Monk didn’t bother to sign or text about the situation , but the expression on his face was enough to project he felt as sick as Lucy. Why in Zeus’s name would Lucius have—? Her cell phone ringing stopped Lucy’s internal rant. The ringtone was the one she used for work, and considering she was supposed to have the next day off, it didn’t bode well they were calling so late in the day. Instead of answering, she let it go to voicemail to allow her time to calm her mind. It wouldn’t do for her boss to hear how rattled she was. No, she wouldn’t give Theodore Franks any ammunition to use against her.

Lucy pressed the arrow to listen to the message. “Agent Ball, I realize this is your weekend, but something has come up, and we need you in the office immediately. The jet is waiting for you.” That was it. No please or thank you or if you’re available. What if she was out of town? What if she’d planned a long weekend to relax? That didn’t matter when you belonged to the GIA, and Lucy was getting tired of it. She had to find a way to get out from under their thumb. Sighing, she tossed her phone down and went to her bedroom to change clothes and pack. “I have to go into work,” she informed Monk as she passed by.

The biker pulled out his phone and sent a text message. She didn’t have to ask to know it was to her family. Monk could shadow her as far as the building, but he couldn’t go inside. Within those four walls, Lucy was on her own. She was tucking her blouse into her pants when Monk knocked on her door. He held her cell phone out to her.

“Hello?”

“Lucia.” Ryker’s deep voice sent a shiver up Lucy’s spine. She wasn’t scared of her uncle, but he was a commanding male. “Monk let us know you were called into work. Kyllian is on his way to you now with a special device that will allow us to monitor you.”

“Like a tracker?”

“Like a tracker. He is also bringing a burner phone you will use to send us coded messages whenever you leave the building. If we see your tracker moving but don’t receive a text stating you’re okay, we’ll move in and follow. Hounds will be in the vicinity at all times.”

“What do you mean in the vicinity? You can’t send Hounds to New DC.”

“We can, and we will. But until they get there, I have reached out to some fellow Hounds to keep eyes on you until our men arrive. Kyllian should be there any minute. He’ll walk you through the tracker.”

Lucy sighed, knowing there was no arguing with the family. “Thanks, Uncle.”

“You’re welcome, Little Dove.” The phone disconnected, and Lucy sucked in a breath when he used the same nickname Rory did.

Blinking back the tears, she straightened her shoulders and turned to leave her bedroom. Monk was standing against the door frame. Instead of his usual solemn scowl, his eyes were soft. These men were going to wreck her. He stepped back, motioning for Lucy to proceed. By the time she got downstairs, Kyllian was walking through the front door.

“I knocked, but you didn’t answer.”

“I was on the phone with Ryker. Show me what you have.”

Kyllian gave Monk a chin lift when he walked up behind Lucy. The biker went outside, probably to check the perimeter. “Here’s your burner phone. All the numbers programmed in it are also burners. They will be in the hands of the Hounds closest to your location. If you leave the building of your own free will, press one and hit send. If you are under duress, press two. If you are unable to send a text before you leave, the Hounds will move in to retrieve you.”

“Got it. Tell me about the tracker.” Lucy dropped the burner phone into her bag while she waited for Kyllian to unwrap the nearly imperceptible device which would allow the family to keep tabs on her.

“This needs to be attached to something you have on you at all times. A ring, a watch, a necklace… something you are never without.”

Lucy pulled off the onyx ring she wore on her right hand. It had been a gift from her parents on her sixteenth birthday, and it still fit. It was the one thing she was never without. After handing it over, Kyllian turned it over and attached the small device to the underside before giving it back. His phone pinged, and he read the message. “Havyk says it’s online and he can see you.”

“Thanks. Now, I guess I better get to the airport before they send someone looking for me.”

“Monk, if you want to head back to the compound, I’ve got Lucy,” Kyllian said, looking over Lucy’s shoulder. She turned around to find the biker propped against a stool, his arms crossed over his chest. Damn, she hadn’t heard him come back in the house. He inclined his head in acknowledgement but didn’t move otherwise.

Lucy made her way out to the SUV. Kyllian placed her bag in the back and slid into the driver’s seat. She watched the landscape go by as they made the trip to the airport in silence. When they arrived, Kyllian drove directly to the private hangar. Lucy wasn’t surprised he knew which one she would be flying out of. Turning in his seat, Kyllian said, “I want you to watch yourself, kiddo. I know you’re trained, but if someone’s out to get you, you might not see them coming.”

“I’ll be careful.” Lucy ignored the urge to lean over and kiss his cheek that was rough with a couple days’ stubble. She retrieved her bag from the back and headed to the jet. As much as she wanted to, Lucy didn’t look back before she boarded the small plane. She had no idea who within the government she could trust, and she didn’t want anyone thinking her “driver” was someone special to her. Then again, all they had to do was have Lucy’s house watched and they’d see the Hounds coming and going.

After stowing her carry-on, Lucy took a seat and buckled up. The flight was a short one, so she didn’t bother finding a book or magazine to occupy her mind. Instead, she closed her eyes and let the image of Tamian St. Claire take center stage.

 

 

Tamian continued on, but when he got to the sidewalk outside her gate, he slowed to a walk, pretending to catch his breath. Reaching out with his senses, Tamian tried to get a read on the male inside the home. After several long minutes, he finally detected emotions from the male. Shock and disgust were the strongest reactions. What had he seen in that room to feel disgusted by? Maybe he was projecting feelings regarding Lucy, but Tamian didn’t think so. If Lucy had been rattled, whatever set her off was probably the same thing the male reacted to. Tamian seriously wanted to get inside the house, but that wasn’t going to happen. Not at the present when he wasn’t disguised, nor did he have a good reason to be near her. When a phone rang in the distance, Tamian opened his shifter senses to listen in, just in case.

After a couple minutes, Lucy told the biker, “I have to go into work.” She’d obviously let the call go to voicemail, but regardless, it meant Tamian would have to travel to New DC if he wanted to stay close to his mate. “Tessa, Lucy is headed back to Washington. Pack my bag and come get me. Call Santiago and have him ready my jet.”

“You got it. Where do you want me to pick you up?”

“The intersection of Morrison and Aztec. I’ll be waiting.”

Lucy’s phone rang again, but she didn’t answer it. The biker made a gruff sound, and a few seconds later she said, “Hello.” As Tamian listened to the one-sided conversation, he momentarily forgot where he was until the same SUV pulled up to the gate that had been there earlier. Tamian ducked down, pretending to tie his shoe. When he stood, he made sure to keep his back to the vehicle and took off jogging in the opposite direction. He didn’t have to wait long for Tessa to pick him up. Sliding into the passenger seat, he took his phone when she offered it to him.

“Santiago will be waiting, but I figured you’d want to call Jules.”

“You’re right. Since I only caught bits and pieces of the conversation, I don’t know her flight schedule.” After placing a call and asking Julian to find out anything he could, he told Tessa, “I hope Lucy stays in New DC for at least a few days. All this moving around is making it hard to get close to her.”

“What do you need me to do?” Tessa asked as she took the exit leading to the airport. Traffic was at a standstill, so she turned to look at Tamian.

“At this point, nothing. You should fly home and be with Gregor.”

“Or I could go with you.”

Tamian had never known his sister to spend this much time away from her mate. “What’s going on with you? Why don’t you want to go home?”

Keeping her eyes on the road, she shrugged. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the Washington area, and besides, you might need my computer expertise.” Tessa pulled forward another car length. “Holy shit, Batman. Don’t look now, but your girl is right beside us.”

Of course, Tamian turned to look. His mate was staring out the passenger window, looking right toward their vehicle. Before Lucy had time to recognize them, Tessa backed off the accelerator, allowing their SUV to merge in front. Since they were both taking private jets, Tessa followed the vehicle around to where the small hangars were located. She continued to ease off the gas so Lucy and her uncle wouldn’t think they were being followed. The hangar where Tamian’s plane waited came into view, and Tessa veered off as the other car continued on.

Tessa parked the rental just outside the hangar and shut the engine off. “Come on.” When she popped the trunk, Tamian wasn’t surprised to see all their luggage and equipment. When he cocked an eyebrow, she grinned. “I’m bored, so sue me.”

Tamian helped his sister unload their things, and together they made their way to where Santiago was waiting. When the male took Tessa’s bags, she asked, “What’s shaking, San Man?”

One side of Santiago’s lip tilted up just the slightest bit as he shook his head but didn’t respond otherwise. Once he helped them stow their things, he disappeared into the cockpit.

Tamian remained in the cabin with his sister instead of joining Santiago like he usually did. Something was going on with Tessa, and he planned on finding out what it was.