Now that the adrenaline was abating, the sadness was returning, as was the fury. Urijah was holding Finley’s body when someone appeared at his back. He didn’t have to turn to know who it was. “This is your fault,” Urijah seethed. “If you hadn’t picked Fin to join us, he would still be alive.”

“Do you honestly believe that?” Banyan asked, his voice cracking.

Urijah glared over his shoulder. “Yes. You could have chosen any twenty-five males, but you had to include him because you knew what he meant to me.”

“I chose him because he was one of the best. I held no ill will toward Finley.”

“I don’t believe you. Just go the fuck away and leave me alone.” Uri couldn’t deal with Banyan any longer. He turned his attention back to Finley. Uri was the older, more experienced fighter. He should have been able to protect Finley. In the end, he had failed not only Fin but the others as well. The Stone Society had suffered five casualties, but only one affected Urijah. The others were males he had met during training, but he didn’t know them well. He had no idea if any of them had family. Mates. Offspring. Where did they come from? Did any of them have pasts as marked by sadness as Uri did?

As he sat silently doing his best to keep his rage in check, Uri was aware of the Clan moving around him, securing the other fallen. Banyan’s shadow fell away and another took its place. Frey squatted down next to him.

“I just spoke to Nikolas, and he said Finley didn’t have family in the States. He was hoping you could enlighten us as to his next of kin.”

“He didn’t have any. He said I was…” Urijah choked up remembering their conversation from earlier that day. No, that wasn’t right. The sun was breaking through the morning, so it had been the previous day. He wiped at his eyes, the blood on his arm mixing with the tears he couldn’t seem to keep from falling. Never had Urijah been unable to keep his emotions at bay. He was a warrior. A godsdamned Gargoyle, yet here he was, crying like a fucking baby.

Sinclair knelt on the ground next to Uri and stared. Uri hadn’t been Finley’s only friend. He wasn’t the only one affected by his death. He didn’t want to think about how Fin and Sin had been lovers, but he couldn’t deny their closeness. “We would be honored to bury Finley alongside our mother in our family mausoleum,” Sin whispered. “Unless you have something else in mind,” he added as he ran a finger along Fin’s cheek before he closed the male’s eyes.

Uri briefly considered taking him home to Norway, but he hadn’t been back in so long, he didn’t want to show up out of the blue, asking his family to help bury his friend. It was time he remedied that, but not until he saw to it Finley was laid to rest. “I appreciate that, and I know he would, too.” Drying his tears, Uri stood, lifting Finley’s body as he did. Sinclair cradled Fin’s head against his chest. Frey led them both inside the villa where the bodies of the fallen were being cared for.

“I’m at a loss,” Donovan admitted, looking around the living area. “I know I’m now King, but I don’t know these males. Don’t know their families or who to contact.”

“I can help with that,” Landon said.

“Landon, I’m surprised to see you here,” Frey growled.

“Honestly, so am I. While we’re all being truthful, my name isn’t Landon. It’s Lachlan Rokesby, and Hector is my mate. He’s the reason I’m here. That and to help out any way I can.”

All eyes turned to Hunter who was staring at Landon – Lachlan – with his mouth open and eyes wide.  “You’re Achilles?” Hunter held up his hands, shaking his head. “I haven’t been Hector in hundreds of years, and I swear on all that is holy, I had no idea who he was pretending to be.” Hunter backed away and fled from the room. Lachlan took a step to go after his mate, but Frey moved in front of him.

“You assisted Alistair in tormenting our family. I should take you out right now,” Frey seethed.

“You should, and it would be your right. I will not stop you. But before you take my head, please allow me to help Donovan in locating the families of his new Clansmen. I have all the information he will need to take over as King of the Greeks. I have already made sure Kallisto didn’t get away with Alistair’s money. She is sitting at the airport waiting to board a plane to Italy as we speak.”

“Why the change of heart? Feeling guilty?” Frey asked.

“I had a change of heart the second I sat down in the lab with Julian. Actually, it was before that. It’s the reason I went behind Julian’s back and began working to undo all the wrong I had previously done. It’s why I helped get the information on where Katherine was being held. I came here to watch over Hector and to try to get him to go away with me after this mess with Alistair was all over. I know that isn’t possible now, but I can continue to right the wrongs I have done for as long as you allow me to live.”

Urijah would have found the conversation interesting had his heart not been aching. Achilles had kept Julian in a constant state of confusion for months while assisting Alistair in going against Rafael. Death might be too harsh a sentence for the male, but that wasn’t up to Uri. He did wonder how Hunter was going to deal with knowing who his mate really was. Would he forgive him or help put him away?

“Lachlan, we will allow you to assist Donovan. In the meantime, I will speak with Rafael, and we will decide your fate. Uri, we will be leaving for Italy as soon as the jet gets to Kefalonia. The other fallen Goyles will be taken back to New Atlanta where their families will retrieve their bodies.”

Uri nodded. He wanted to find Banyan and rail at him some more for bringing Finley to the fight, but when he reached out, he couldn’t feel him near. The bastard had probably already fled the island, not waiting to see to the burial of their fallen Brother.

 

 

Banyan stripped as soon as he reached the boat and dove into the cold water of the Ionian Sea. He would have preferred to wash the blood off his skin in a hot shower with soap, but this would have to do. He couldn’t stay on the island one more minute and be around Urijah. The sooner he left Ithaca, the sooner the pain would subside. He climbed over the side of the boat and retrieved his duffel from inside the cabin. Banyan found a towel in the lavatory and used it to dry off before putting on clean clothes. He wouldn’t be able to fly out of Greece with his claymore on a commercial flight, so he decided to charter a private jet. It would probably take longer to get to Norway, but he wasn’t going to leave the weapon behind.

Footsteps overhead alerted Banyan to someone’s presence on the boat. Their anger was tangible, and for a moment, Banyan’s heart skipped a beat at the thought it might be Urijah coming after him. But when he walked up the steps, he found Hunter stomping around. “Hunter?”

Hunter was grumbling about the fates being cruel, about himself being an idiot, and how he was going to kick someone’s ass for drinking all the ouzo.

“Hunter!” Banyan called. The male waved a hand at him and continued tossing things aside. Banyan returned below to the galley, grabbed a bottle of the Greek liquor Hunter seemed hell-bent on finding, and returned topside. “Looking for this?”

Hunter grabbed the bottle, removed the cork with his teeth, and chugged. His throat bobbed as he practically inhaled the clear liquid. When the bottle was empty, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Motherfucking Lachlan. Godsdamn mate is a fucking traitor. What am I supposed to do with that shit?” he said, once again pacing in the small area.

“Who is Lachlan?”

“Landon. Achilles. The one who aided Alistair in tormenting your Clan. My godsdamned mate infiltrated your Clan, and now he’s here ‘to protect me and make things right.’ What a clusterfuck.”

“I wondered what he was doing in Greece and fighting on our side no less. Now I know.”

Hunter looked around, and Banyan returned to the galley, grabbing four more bottles of the anise-flavored liquid. Gargoyles didn’t get drunk, but if they drank enough, the pain in their hearts could be mildly dulled. He knew that from experience. It was one reason he had opened a bar.

He handed Hunter a bottle, kept one for himself, and set the other two on the fiberglass seat next to him. Popping the cork, he joined Hunter in a drink, commiserating their bad luck with mates.

After another long pull on his bottle, Hunter swallowed and said, “How could I have been so fucking stupid? I stood on his houseboat and asked him to get me all the information on Alistair he could find. The bastard played me. Fucking played me!” Hunter ran his hand through his hair and drank some more. When he calmed down somewhat, Hunter pointed at the duffel at Banyan’s feet. “Going somewhere?”

“I’m going home. I need to find my sister, but I’m thinking some time in the old country will do me good. It isn’t imperative I find her straightaway.”

“Where’s home, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I don’t mind. Norway. Holmesvik to be exact. My uncle raised me, and I haven’t seen him in far too long. I was thinking of taking a month or so to hang out with him before going to see my parents.”

“Would you like company?” Hunter asked.

Banyan laughed until he caught the look on Hunter’s face. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. No. Fuck, I don’t know. I need to stay here and help the Clan get back across to Kefalonia, but after that…”

“What about Carter? Wouldn’t he miss you?” Banyan couldn’t imagine having a twin. He and Urijah had been as close as two people could be, or so he thought. Sharing a womb and DNA had to make the twins even closer.

Hunter scrubbed a hand down his face and sighed. “Yes, he would. But he would also go away with me if I asked, now that this mess with Alistair is over. Maybe we both could use a vacation,” he said, his eyes looking out over the water.

Banyan leaned over and grabbed his wallet from his bag, digging until he found a business card. “Here, take this. If you decide you’d like to see Norse country, give me a call. Or if you just want to talk.”

“Thanks, Banyan. I appreciate it. How were you planning on getting back across the sea? You weren’t going to steal the boat, were you?”

“No. I was getting ready to head to the marina and find a ride. Do you have any suggestions?”

Hunter looked up at the sky before saying, “If you hurry, you should be able to catch an older human named Milos. He leaves out later than all the other fishermen, letting them get the best spots. He’s docked in the last slip on the left as you walk down the second pier. Tell him I sent you, and he’ll be glad to take you to Kefalonia. It’ll be slower going than if I were to take you, but I promise you’ll enjoy your time with the man.”

“I’ll look him up. Thank you, Hunter. And again, if you ever need a place to get away, give me a call.”

Hunter pointed the business card at Banyan and nodded. “I’ll do it. Good luck to you, Brother.”

“And to you.” Banyan replaced the cork, leaving a half-empty bottle for the other male before grabbing the straps of his duffel and slinging the bag over his shoulder. It didn’t take him long to walk the short distance to the harbor where he found the older man. Hunter hadn’t been lying when he said Banyan would enjoy spending time with Milos. The man talked non-stop as they made their way across the sea. When they arrived at the larger island, Banyan payed him double what he would have earned had he taken his boat out to fish.

Once he was on land, Banyan grabbed a taxi and headed to the airport. He was torn between going straight to Norway and returning to the States to find Brynna. Once he was able to secure a private jet, Banyan opted for Norway. He wanted to talk to his uncle before he faced his parents, even if being back in the village where he and Uri grew up together would more than likely bring back memories best left in the past.

The last time Banyan and Uri fought side by side, they had reveled in victory. He wasn’t certain this battle could be counted as a win. True, the Greek King had been overthrown, and Donovan was now leader, but at what cost? There were always casualties in war, but this one seemed to have taken more than its fair share when it took Finley away from Urijah. Banyan had counted on the Irish to be there for Uri after they went back to the States. Now, Banyan had released his mate, and Uri had no one he was close to who could help him forget about the loss.

Instead of focusing on the pain in Urijah’s voice and the way he blamed Banyan for Finley’s death, he chose to focus on a battle they’d fought all those years before.

With adrenaline still coursing through their veins, Banyan and Urijah raced through the forest using their shifter speed to put as much space between them and their fellow warriors as possible. They disappeared so no one would ask why they chose to walk instead of ride horses. The two of them would arrive in the next town well ahead of their army, and then they would sneak into the camp like they had ridden in with them. When they were well away from all other living souls, the two of them stopped to make camp for the night.

It always took Urijah longer to come down from the rush of fighting, so after they removed their chainmail and tunics, Banyan set about making the fire while Uri hunted for food. Once their bellies were full, the two leaned against a tree, sitting as close as possible without actually being on top of one another. The closeness was almost more than Banyan could handle. His beast demanded he take Urijah and mark him. Bite him. Banyan refused. Not until Urijah said the words.

They sat in companionable silence, neither finding a need to make small talk. Urijah placed his hand on Banyan’s, twining their fingers together. When Banyan turned his head toward Uri, Uri leaned over and pressed his lips to Banyan’s. Banyan held still. It was the first time Urijah had made the first move, and Banyan didn’t want to spook him by being too aggressive. He shouldn’t have worried. Urijah deepened the kiss as he pushed against Banyan’s shoulders until they were lying on the ground with Uri on top. He couldn’t miss Uri’s erection rubbing against his leg. His best friend was feeling the mate pull, and he wasn’t trying to hide it.

As much as Banyan wanted to take things further, he allowed Uri to lead. The kiss was passionate, with tongues tangling and teeth knocking together. Uri grabbed Banyan’s hands and pushed them over his head while he ground their hard-ons together. He couldn’t help but moan, because godsdamn that felt so good. Uri pulled away and said, “I want you to touch me.”

Banyan wanted nothing more than to flip his best friend over and take control, but instead, he said, “Okay.” Urijah sat up, giving Banyan room to maneuver. He touched the backs of his fingers to the skin below Uri’s navel, just above the band of his breeches. As he dipped his fingertips between the pants and Uri’s skin, his friend’s breath caught and his eyes hooded. Banyan touched one finger to Uri’s leaking tip. He removed his hand and sucked on his finger, getting his first taste of his mate. One taste wasn’t enough. “Stand up,” he instructed, and Uri did.

Banyan got on his knees and lowered Uri’s pants slowly, revealing what was underneath like he was unwrapping a present. Banyan took Uri in hand and stroked, looking up to gauge his friend’s mood. Uri’s eyes were closed, and his fangs were digging into his bottom lip. Banyan continued stroking Uri, desperate to have his mate in his mouth. “Uri, please,” he begged.

“Please, what?”

“I want to taste you.”

Uri nodded, and Banyan licked his lips. He had never sucked a cock. Had only ever dreamed of having Uri in his mouth, but he was ready. Touching his tongue to Uri’s slit, he licked off the wetness and savored the flavor before wrapping his lips around the engorged head. Using the flat of his tongue underneath, Banyan slid Uri’s shaft as far back as he could take him without gagging. After a few passes in and out, Banyan figured out how to relax his throat, taking him farther back each time. Uri sank his fingers in Banyan’s long hair and pulled. The tingle was erotic, sending a jolt of longing to Banyan’s cock. With one hand gripping Uri’s length, Banyan released his own erection from its confines and stroked as he brought his mate to orgasm.

“Banyan, I can’t hold back,” Uri warned.

Banyan wanted to taste Uri. All of him. So he sucked harder. Deeper. Faster. The first spurt of Uri’s release on his tongue brought forth his own release. He shot his seed onto the forest floor while he swallowed everything Uri offered. When there was nothing left and Urijah’s cock was softening, Banyan looked up into the handsome face of his best friend. Where he was sure he would see confusion, Banyan only found a sated grin staring back at him.

Banyan sat back in the plush leather seat of the small aircraft, adjusting his cock which had come to life with the memory. As the plane leveled out, Banyan closed his eyes and prayed to the gods on behalf of Finley and the others who had lost their lives fighting for the Clan. He prayed for Remy, even though the male was strong, and his arm would be reattached with no issues. He prayed for Urijah to find peace without his best friend. He did not pray for himself.

There was nothing left to ask for.