The last couple days at the manor had been relatively quiet. Kaya and Rocky spent most of their time with Priscilla in the kitchen, more to keep her mind off Jonathan’s condition than anything. Rafael and Sin divided their time between Jonathan and making plans. The four of them were enjoying breakfast on the patio when Rafe’s phone rang.

“Hunter, I am here with Sinclair and our mates, so I am putting you on speaker. Please tell me you have some good news.”

“I have news, but I’m not sure how good it is. I received word from Donovan through another male we have among the ranks. I had no idea he had joined Alistair’s Clan, so to speak. He’s quiet and keeps his head down, so he’s able to come and go without being noticed. Anyway, Frederick got Donovan alone and told him who he was, letting Don know he has an ally on the inside. We now know the schedule for sparring as well as the guard rotation. There are tunnels underneath the compound with various entry points throughout the city. I have a map of those. The one twenty in Don’s previous message was the number of Clan members at the villa during training. There are fifty who remain at the compound at all times.

“That’s the good news. The bad news is neither Donovan nor Frederick know what was done with Athena’s body. Whoever Alistair had take care of it is being tight-lipped. She may still be on the property, but we aren’t sure.”

“This helps, Hunter. If you would, please, send me the schedule as well as the map. We will put together our plan, and I will call you when we have something definitive. We will need your help in securing a location off the island where we can gather beforehand. I will have Sixx get in touch with you in that regard.”

“I’ll be looking forward to his call. I hope you all are doing well, and Sinclair, I look forward to seeing you again.”

Sin replied, “You as well, Hunter. Take care until then.”

Rocky squirmed in her seat, and Sin reached out for her hand. He and his brother had discussed who among their immediate family should go to Greece. They had agreed it would be Sin, Gregor, and Frey. Dante had argued with them about going, but Rafael insisted on one of his brothers remaining behind. Julian was busy rescuing his mate, and Rafael had a feeling Jules would need Nik’s help in getting her settled.

“Rocky, you’re more than welcome to stay here while Sinclair is away,” Kaya said.

“I think I’d like that, thank you. Rafael will get updates first, and that way I’ll know what’s going on. Plus, I’m looking forward to more of Priscilla’s cooking,” Rocky admitted.

“We need to have a conference call and let the others know what we have found out. Ladies, if you will excuse us, we will be in my office,” Rafael said as he and Sin stood. Both Goyles kissed their mates before retreating inside. Once in Rafe’s office, he shut the door and dialed up Frey first.

“Yo,” Frey answered, the sound of Amelia singing coming over the line.

“Good morning, Brother. You sound busy.”

Frey laughed. “We’re on our way to school. Abbi took this week off from teaching since she’s been dancing late each night, and Matt had an early final this morning. What’s up?”

“Hi, Uncle Rafe!” Amelia shouted. She didn’t realize he could have heard her if she whispered.

“Hello, Little One. Are you ready for school?”

“I am. I only have three more days ‘til we’re out for summer. Then I’m getting a puppy.”

Rafael and Sin laughed at the little girl’s antics. She’d been begging for a puppy ever since Frey and Abbi adopted her.

“Good luck with that. You have a good day at school.”

“Okay. Bye, Uncle Rafe.”

“Bye, Amelia.”

“I’ll be at the gym in twenty minutes. Uri’s already there, so if this is about Greece, we’ll both call you back then.”

“It is. We will talk to you in a few.” Rafael laughed as Amelia’s sweet voice came through before Frey had a chance to hang up.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have a girl?” Sin asked. Rafael hated talking about children with his brother. Unless they found a surrogate, Sinclair would never have a child of his own since Rocky couldn’t bear children. “Rafe, it’s okay. Rocky and I will figure something out. I am going to be a father one day, so don’t hesitate in talking about your own child. I couldn’t be happier for you, you know that.”

Rafe nodded. He did know. Sin was selfless when it came to family. “I only want him or her to be healthy, boy or girl.”

“Good answer. If I was Frey, I have a feeling I’d be driving Amelia to school every day.”

“She goes to the same school where Abbi teaches.”

“Still, she’s so fucking cute,” Sin gushed. Rafe smiled at his brother. When Sinclair did become a father, he was going to make a good one.

As soon as Frey arrived at the gym, he and Uri called Rafael, and they discussed what each of them had found out. Bryce had spoken to his friends, and as soon as he landed back in New Atlanta with Julian and Katherine, he was going to the gym to meet with Frey. Once they agreed to take a total of fifty Goyles, Urijah promised to get with Banyan and determine who those fifty would be. After they ended their call, Rafael got on the phone with Sixx and asked him to call Hunter regarding accommodations for the Clan. Rafael wanted things with his uncle to be over and done with, but he wouldn’t rush his Clan to Greece without a plan in place that promised the outcome they desired.

 

Kallisto was pleased with herself, even if Alistair had yet to utilize Hagen. With her father ignoring her, Kallisto had plenty of work to keep the young man busy. The first thing she had him do when he passed her test was to find out where Drago, Kavin, and Burk were staying in New Atlanta. With Alistair preparing for war with the Stone Society, Kallisto had come up with a plan of her own, one that involved taking over a small group of Gargoyles should her father fall. She should have more faith in the male who raised her, but his prejudice was getting in the way of rationality. Besides, he’d already proven how little he thought of her when he slashed her face. Only his need for her assistance kept him from taking her head.

Should Alistair lose against Rafael Stone, Kallisto would no longer have the villa to call home. Whoever took Alistair’s place as King would inherit not only his Clan, but all his real estate, money, and assets as well. Kallisto didn’t want to be included in that list, because she’d seen what Gargoyles did to human women. Hagen knew nothing of the Gargoyles, but Kallisto had told the man enough truth about the Clan for him to be leery of the large males roaming the villa. He kept his head down, stayed in his computer room, and spoke to no one except for her. The Gargoyles Alistair had watching over Kallisto had no use for the human. Once Kallisto told them he was Alistair’s new computer hacker, they left him alone, enabling her to use him for things like moving Alistair’s money around a little at a time so it wouldn’t be missed. War was imminent, but her demise didn’t have to be.

 

Julian stopped at an ornate, iron gate, rolled down his window, and said, “Open Says Me,” into a security box. When the gate swung inward, he pulled the Corvette into the long driveway leading to his house and said, “Welcome home.” Kat had been quiet on the ride from the airport, but when she saw what was hidden behind the wrought iron fence and tall trees, her mouth fell open and she asked, “This is where you live?”

“Yes, and now it is where you do as well.”

“I… Julian, this is incredible.”

“I like it, but then again, Rafael designed it for me, so it is exactly as I wanted it.”

“But…” Katherine frowned. “This house is as old as you are. How could your cousin have designed it?”

Well, fuck. Julian was either going to have to tell Katherine the truth or remember to think before he spoke. “We are older than we look. I happen to be five hundred and eleven. Now, let us go inside and have a look around, shall we?” Julian said with a wink. Kat rolled her eyes at him, and he laughed, pulling her hand to his mouth and kissing it.

Julian was proud of his home. It wasn’t nearly as large as the manor, but it was plenty big enough for several kids. He prayed to the gods Kat wanted kids. “I decorated a long time ago, but hopefully things are not too outdated. If there is anything you would like to change, don’t hesitate to tell me. I want you to think of this as your home. If you don’t like the colors or the furniture or–”

“Julian, stop. Your home is beautiful.”

“Let’s go upstairs, and I will show you to your room.” Julian led her up the curved stairway to the second floor where all the bedrooms were located. “Here we are,” he said as he indicated the large bedroom across from his. Nik called Julian earlier to let him know Sophia had managed to get Katherine’s things from her apartment, and they had put them in the spare bedroom across the hall from the master suite. That was the logical place for her things, though Julian hoped Kat moved into his bedroom soon.

 “I asked Nik’s mate to gather some of your things together so you would feel more at home. I hope you don’t mind.” Julian opened the closet where Sophia had hung a good deal of Katherine’s clothes.

“She went through my apartment?”

“Yes. I should have asked your permission first, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“No, I don’t mind, it’s just… what if the Feds were watching my place? Wasn’t that dangerous for her?”

“Maybe, but Nik was with her, and they were careful. They did not bother any of your things other than the essentials Sophia thought you would like to have. Anything else you need, I can get for you.”

“That’s very thoughtful. Thank you. And, I guess I need to thank her too.”

“I am sure you will be able to do that soon. Now that we are home, I doubt the two of them will be able to stay away long. They will want to hear about the rescue and find out how you are.”

“Since we’re talking about my apartment, I don’t know what’s going to happen with my things. I doubt the landlord is going to hold it much longer since I haven’t been paying the rent.”

“You let me know what you want out of it, and I will make it happen. Anything that is sentimental, we will retrieve. Things that we can replace like furniture, movies, books, we will replace so as not to draw any unwanted attention. We will need to do that soon in case the owner does decide to toss your stuff or give it to charity.”

“I’ll make a list of what I’d like to keep.” Kat looked around the room before stepping into the private bathroom. “Holy shit!” she exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?” Julian asked as he rushed to her side.

“I forgot I was wearing this,” she said, pointing to the mask. “Is it safe to take it off now?”

“Yes. You should keep it in case you want to get out of the house at some point before we clear your name.”

Katherine removed the wig first, unpinning her hair so it could fall around her shoulders. While she removed the prosthetic, Julian reached out and touched a red strand, rubbing the silkiness through his fingers. When he looked up, Kat was staring at his reflection, her eyes on his fingers. “Oh, sorry.” He turned loose of her hair and shoved his hands in his pockets. “If you are ready, we will go see the rest of the house.”

“I didn’t mind,” Kat whispered.

“What?” Julian heard her, but he wasn’t sure of her meaning.

“I didn’t mind you touching my hair. I’ve never had a man pay attention to me the way you do, so it’s a little daunting.”

Julian removed his hands from his pockets and slid them underneath her hair, cradling the back of her head. “You will need to get used to it, Sweetheart. I plan on paying so much attention to you…” Julian slanted his mouth over hers, letting his kiss finish the sentiment. Kat grabbed onto the sides of his shirt, bunching it in her fists, pulling him closer. Julian’s beast was ready to take control.

Take her. Now.

Shut up. We just got her home, and she has been through an ordeal. We need to ease her into being around us.

Bullshit. Take her and make her forget about her ordeal.

No. We will do this when she’s ready.

Kat moaned into Julian’s mouth, and his dick hardened. He couldn’t help the way his mate affected his body, but he could help how he behaved around her. Pulling his hips back so she wouldn’t feel his erection, Julian continued kissing Kat, only backing off when he felt she needed to take a breath.

“Wow,” she mumbled.

Julian kissed Kat on the nose and grabbed her hand. “Plenty of time for kisses later. Let’s head back downstairs.” It wasn’t that he didn’t want to kiss her, but if he didn’t get her out of such close quarters, his beast was going to win the battle. Once they were downstairs, Julian showed her the library, his office, and the den, before ending up in the kitchen. “Are you hungry? I can make us that breakfast I promised you.”

“I am, but you don’t have to cook for me.”

“Do you like to cook?” he asked.

Katherine frowned and admitted, “I wouldn’t say I like it or don’t. I’m not very good at it. When I lived with the Praters, Lucinda always had supper fixed by the time I got home from school, so I never really got to watch her and learn. Living alone, I usually heat up a frozen dinner after I get home from work.”

“Well, I love to cook. Unlike my brothers and cousins, I do not have a housekeeper or mate cooking for me, so I taught myself over the years.”

“You said brothers as in plural.”

“Yes, Geoffrey Hartley, the owner of Lion Hart Dojo, is also my brother.”

“And your cousins?”

“Gregor, as you know, is Rafael’s brother. They have two more brothers – Dante Di Pietro, the medical examiner, and Sinclair Stone, who lives in California.” Katherine stared with her mouth open. Julian probably should ease his mate into the information about his family, but he thought it best to go ahead and get at least some of the truth out there. “I can see I have stunned you. There is a lot about our family most people don’t know, and there is a reason for that. When you have had time to settle in, I will tell you all about me as well as my family. You will meet everyone in due time, and that includes the women and children. You are already considered a member of our family, so don’t be surprised when you are treated as such. If the situation in Texas hadn’t been so traumatic for you and we hadn’t been running from the government, Tessa probably would have taken you out shooting pool and drinking beer.”

Kat sat down on one of the stools at the bar that separated the kitchen from the dining area. “Don’t get me wrong, because I promise I’m not complaining. I’ve never had family with the exception of John and Lucinda, so being part of a large group will take some getting used to. I just don’t understand why.”

Julian was thankful for the coffee pot Nik had bought him several years ago. He never used it, but Nikolas did when he came to visit. He fixed a pot for Kat while he talked. “There is something about you that I am drawn to. If things were different and you were not a fugitive, I would take you out on dates. Get to know you the proper way. We can still do that, if you wish, but you will need to disguise yourself.”

“Maybe. For now, I’m okay hiding out here. The only place I’ll want to go is to see a therapist. I’m not naïve enough to think I won’t have trouble getting over what happened. I’m already scared to sleep,” Kat admitted. “And there are things from my past that don’t make sense. Things being under hypnosis brought to the surface.”

“I will hire the best there is. If you want to get out of the house, I will take you to the doctor’s office. If you prefer to stay here, I will have them come to you for your sessions. I want to help you start the healing process as soon as possible, and I want you to be comfortable when doing so.”

“I won’t be able to see someone using my insurance since I’m sure I no longer have a job. I have some money saved up, but–”

“Sweetheart, I might not have made myself clear. You are mine, if you will have me. I know this isn’t how most people go about relationships, but I want you in my life. If you decide after living here for a while you do not want the same thing, we will deal with that then. Until that happens, I want to take care of you as if we were already an established couple. I am not trying to put pressure on you or add to your stress. If anything, I am trying to alleviate any stress I can. I have more money than our grandchildren will be able to spend, so please don’t worry about that.”

Kat slid off the stool and stepped up as close as she could get to Julian, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Kiss me,” she whispered. Julian didn’t hesitate to lower his head to hers, sealing their mouths together. If his mate wanted to kiss him, he wasn’t going to turn her down. Kat licked at his lips, and he opened for her, melding his tongue with hers. Kat eased her hands between his shirt and skin, raking her nails along his back. Even though she couldn’t hurt him, the sensation caused by the motion sent an electric current through Julian’s body. His cock pulsed, so he pulled his hips away from her stomach. Kat wasn’t having it, though. She reached between them and unbuttoned his pants.

“Kat,” Julian husked.

“Do you not want me?” she asked, looking at him with hurt in her eyes. “Did you not say you wanted to pursue a relationship?”

“Yes, but–”

“A platonic relationship?”

“No, but–”

Kat continued cutting him off. “No buts, Julian. If you want this, us, then I’m ready to get to know you, in every way. I find you irresistible, and I’m tired of fighting the urge to touch you. To kiss you. To… do other things with you. I’ve never felt such desire for a man before, and I want you.”

Julian picked Kat up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. As he carried her upstairs to his bedroom, she threaded her fingers through his hair and trailed kisses from his ear down his neck. Julian had been with countless females over the years, but never had one ignited a need so great. When he reached the bed, he gently set her down on her feet and began undressing her, pausing every few seconds to not only gauge her mood, but to also keep the beast under control. It was one thing to have sex with a random woman, but to finally be with the one the fates had chosen for you was beyond anything he could have imagined, and he hadn’t even touched her yet. Not in the way that mattered. If the simple act of removing her clothes had him this fired up, getting inside Katherine was going to be nothing short of an explosion.