Jasper Read online

  “Where are you going?”

  “If that bastard has broken into my home, it’s not safe. You’re not safe.” He looked at Dante who nodded. “Trevor, I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

  “Jasper, wait!”

  He didn’t wait. He didn’t stop for anything or anyone. If Theron had somehow managed to break into his home and get his gun…

  “Fuck!” Jasper yelled and banged on the dashboard. He flipped on his reds and blues and made it back to New Atlanta in less than forty-five minutes. By the time he pulled into his driveway, Jasper was shaking. Trevor had called a couple of times, but he let it go to voice mail. Dante and Isabelle would stay with him until Jasper got his shit sorted. He slid to a stop in front of his garage and hit the garage door opener at the same time. He held his breath as he opened the driver’s door and lifted the console lid. It wasn’t there. His personal weapon was gone, and it had been used to kill a woman. Jasper backed away from the jeep and phased fully. His wings flapped once, his beast ready to take to the sky. In that moment, if Jasper had known where Theron was, he would have given over to his shifter, daylight or not. He would grab his sword and take the head of the Gargoyle responsible. Instead of flying, he retracted his wings and took off running. He needed to expend some energy, and that was the quickest way. What he really needed was to go about fifteen rounds in the ring with Frey, but he didn’t have that kind of time.

  Jasper needed to calm down and figure out how in the fuck Theron broke into his home. Had the bastard flown? It wouldn’t be that hard for a Gargoyle to get onto Jasper’s property if he was so inclined. The fence that surrounded his fifty something acres was more of a human deterrent. Why hadn’t the alarm sounded? As he got his shifter under control, he returned to his house and called Julian.

  “Jasper, how’s Travis?” Julian answered instead of saying hello.

  “Fine. Listen, has my alarm gone off anytime in the last twenty-four hours?”

  “No, why?”

  “Because someone got into my Jeep and stole my gun.”

  “Are you sure?” Julian was tapping away on his keyboard, but then again, he always was.

  “Pretty fucking sure. It was the gun used to shoot Travis and kill his godsdamn girlfriend.”

  There was momentary silence on the other end, then “I’m looking at your system now. What the? Your system is offline. Fuck! Let me call you back.” The line disconnected. The panic in Julian’s voice spoke volumes. If Jasper’s system was offline, others probably were as well. While he was waiting, he went inside the house and looked around. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary until he got to his bedroom. The picture Connor had drawn of him was strewn across his bed in hundreds of pieces. Jasper’s claws popped out. What if Trevor had been there alone? How could he protect him when he couldn’t be with him twenty-four seven?

  Actually, he could. He had enough money in the bank that he could quit his job and be Trevor’s personal bodyguard. But dammit, he shouldn’t have to be. No one should live their life in fear of constantly being attacked. The only thing to do was to stay away from Trevor until Theron was found and his head was on a pike. Jasper went into his walk-in closet and stopped at the far end. He was just about to push the clothes apart when he hesitated. Trevor wasn’t the only one with a secret panel. Finley, the Goyle who’d lived in the house before, must have asked Rafael to install it. That, or Rafael put secret rooms in all their homes. Either way, he was happy to have it. Unless Theron had installed cameras in his home while he was there, he wouldn’t know to look for it. Until Jasper knew for certain, he wouldn’t tip his hand.

  Jasper realized that Theron had been at his home twice: once when he took the gun, and again when he shredded the picture. He had been in his home in the last few hours. Jasper’s beast roared inside. His phone rang, and he stepped back into the bedroom to answer. “Talk to me,” he barked. He needed to calm his beast.

  “Every one of our security systems was offline. Someone hacked in. Again. They’re all secure now, but I need to call Rafael and let him know what’s going on. I’m going to get Nik in here to help me call everyone.”

  “Is there a quick way to know if someone bugged my house or set up cameras?”

  “You think he’s spying on you?”

  Jasper thought about the photos taken of him and Craig from outside his old home. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “I’ll send Lorenzo over with a detector. Jasper, I’m sorry I let you down.”

  Jasper took a deep breath before responding. “You didn’t, Julian. We need to treat this as what it is – war. When you talk to Rafael, tell him he needs to prepare the troops.” Jasper hung up and headed to the kitchen. Grabbing a bottle of Jameson, he went outside on his deck. He took a big swig before yelling, “Theron! You want me? Come get me!”

  By the time Lorenzo’s Harley could be heard rumbling down the road, Jasper had polished off one bottle of whiskey and was half-way through the second. The motor shut off, and Jasper let out a low whistle letting the Goyle know he was out back. Lorenzo strode around the house and up onto the deck. He held his hand out, and Jasper passed the bottle.

  “Damn, that’s good.” Lor read the label. “You don’t play around with your whiskey, Brother.” He passed the bottle back, holding up the electronics detector in the other hand. When Jasper didn’t comment, Lor said, “I’ll just get started.”

  Jasper didn’t follow him into the house. He continued to stand sentry, hoping Theron would show back up so he could end his miserable life. A while later, Lorenzo returned. “It’s all good, Brother. No bugs, no cameras.”

  “There’s nothing good about this situation. He came into my home and destroyed something valuable to me. He stole my gun and used it to kill a woman. He broke into my mate’s apartment. Nothing is sacred to this bastard. I’m going to find him, and when I do, I won’t stop until I have his head,” Jasper seethed, his voice barely above a whisper.

  “I believe you, and I can’t say I blame you. I don’t know what happened in the past between the two of you. Don’t need to know. The way I see it, he and Alistair have already declared war. If you stop Theron before he hurts anyone else, that’d be a win for the good side.”

  Jasper downed the contents of the bottle. “I appreciate you coming out here. If you’ll excuse me, there’s something I need to do.”

  Lorenzo clapped him on the shoulder and left him alone. Jasper called Urijah and asked to meet him at the armory. With that arranged, Jasper went into his bedroom and entered the secret room behind the closet. Jasper didn’t look around. He went directly to his claymore and grabbed the hilt. He wasted no time in putting his beloved sword in the Jeep and driving across town.

  Urijah was waiting for him when he arrived. The Viking didn’t say a word. He already knew what Jasper wanted, and he was more than willing to provide the service. Between Uri’s skills as a swordsmith and Julian’s genius with everything else, his sword would soon be ready to slice through the thickest neck as if it were butter. Jasper trusted Uri, but he wasn’t going to leave his oldest, most prized possession alone with anyone. Not even a brother. He pulled the sword from its sheath and handed it over. For the next two hours, Urijah sharpened both edges before dipping the blade into the special hellebore concoction Julian had cooked up. The amount of poison that coated the blade wasn’t enough to kill a Gargoyle, but it did slow down their movements, giving the striker an advantage.

  His phone rang several times while he waited, but he didn’t answer. He would call Dante later, pleading with him to protect Trevor until this was over. He couldn’t keep his mate safe while hunting down Theron.

  When the process was finished, Uri swung the sword several times, appreciating the weight and balance. Uri crafted all the Stone Society swords, but Jasper preferred his own. In battle, it had been an extension of the warrior, just as his claws, fangs, and wings were extensions of the Goyle. As Uri handed it over he said, “I shouldn’t have to say this, but I’ve go
t your back, Brother. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a good bloody battle.”

  “How long?” Jasper was curious. If Uri didn’t want him to know his past, he’d either ignore the question or tell him to go fuck himself.

  Uri looked at the ceiling. “Four hundred years? Give or take a decade or two.” Jasper whistled low, and Uri laughed. “I know; I’m an old bastard.”

  When they got outside, Urijah reiterated his earlier statement. “I meant what I said. You need anything, you call.”

  “Thanks, Brother.” Jasper got in his Jeep, his mood a little lighter than earlier. He dialed Trevor’s number, not expecting him to answer. He was probably pissed at Jasper for running off.

  “Hello? Jasper, are you okay? God, I’ve been worried about you.”

  “I’m fine. Now. How’s Travis?”

  “He’s asleep again. He’s having a hard time accepting Rachel’s gone. I think he’s gonna need time to get over losing her that way.”

  “I’m sure he will.”

  “I miss you, Jas. When are you coming back?”

  Trevor had relied on Jasper for strength all day, and he just up and left his mate. He’d had most of the afternoon to decide what he felt was best and staying away finally won out.

  Jasper closed his eyes and told his mate, “I’m not.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Trevor must have heard him wrong. Jasper wasn’t coming back?

  “Trev, I miss you too, but I want you to listen to me. Until I take care of Theron, I think you’ll be safer with Dante or Frey. I’m not saying I don’t want you in my life; you know I do. It’s just that I can’t watch after you and go after him at the same time.”

  He hadn’t heard wrong. Until that moment, Trevor hadn’t realized how much Jasper’s presence had meant to him. “How are you going to take care of him? Do you know where he is?”

  “No, but I’m going to find him. I promise. Then you and I can get back to the way things were. Until then, I need you to stay safe for me. Can you do that for me, Trev? Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “Only if you promise me the same thing. We have the Cyanide Sweetness concert to go to, and I’m gonna be really pissed if we miss it.” Trevor didn’t want to think about something happening to Jasper. He hadn’t been willing to complete their bond, but that didn’t mean he was ready to lose the Goyle. Jasper was slowly worming his way into Trevor’s heart. Even though it was an odd feeling, it was one he wanted to continue growing. Never did he think he would have the opportunity to love another man. Now, instead of grasping that opportunity with both hands, he might be allowing it to slip away.

  “I promise. We also have a date for Stone Mountain, so I’m going to make this as quick as possible.”

  Trevor didn’t know what else to say. He wouldn’t give Jasper false hope for a future together as mates. Dante cleared his throat from inside the waiting room where he and Isabelle were sitting. His boss had probably heard the whole conversation.

  “Trev…”

  “Jas…” After that there was silence. Trevor wanted to throw his phone against the wall. He wanted to ball up and cry. He wanted to find the bastard Theron and cut his head off. He was standing in the hallway with his head against the wall when Isabelle came to check on him. She pulled him into her arms and hugged him. Dante was probably having a Gargoyle aneurism right about then, but damn if Trevor didn’t need the comfort. He allowed Isabelle to hold him for a few minutes while he regained his composure.

  She stroked his hair as she told him, “As much as I want you to stay with us, Frey wants you with them. Matthew is out of school for winter break, and Frey thinks the two of you can keep each other occupied. The decision is yours, though.”

  Trevor pulled out of her embrace and asked, “What about Travis? We can’t leave him here without someone. He’s going to have a hard enough time dealing with Rachel’s funeral and healing. I can’t just up and leave him here to deal with all of this alone.” Rachel’s parents had been in earlier to check on Travis even though they were dealing with their daughter’s death. They promised Travis they would hold off on the funeral until he was well enough to attend.

  “Dante was going to talk to you about that. Travis is welcome to come to New Atlanta until this blows over, or we’ll have someone stay here with him.”

  “I need to stay with him. He’s my family.” He had mentioned Travis moving in with him until Dante told him about the break-in at his apartment. Dante explained how Jasper wanted to wait until Travis was out of the hospital to drop that bomb on him, but Dante felt he had the right to know. The fact someone had been in his home made him want to throw up. He didn’t have a lot, but what he had was his. He agreed then that he wouldn’t go back to his apartment until this was all over. At that point, he thought he’d be staying with Jasper.

  “When he wakes up, why don’t we ask him if he’ll come with us? I’d feel much better with you both around so I can keep an eye on you,” Dante said from behind Isabelle. He had walked up behind his mate right as Trevor moved out of her arms. Thankfully, his boss didn’t look like he wanted to maim him.

  They didn’t have to wait long to have the conversation with Travis. Even though he was in ICU until morning, the staff was being lenient with their visitation. Dante said something to the doctor earlier, and ever since, the staff had given them some leeway. Travis woke, asking for something to drink. Trevor sat down on the bed next to him as he helped him with his water.

  “Travis, there’s something we need to talk about.” Trevor was going to tell him as much of the truth he could without mentioning Gargoyles. “The man who killed Rachel is still out there. We’re pretty sure it wasn’t just a random attack.”

  “Why would he target me? I don’t have any enemies.”

  “To get to me. And Jasper. The killer is someone from Jasper’s past. Up until now, his victims have been random men, but this hit too close to home for us not to take precautions.”

  “So, that’s why there’s been a cop at my door.”

  “Yes. I will stay here with you until after the funeral. Then I want you to come back to New Atlanta with me.”

  “I have a job, Trev. I can’t up and leave because some psycho is on the loose. I have bills to pay.”

  Dante had been quiet up to that point. He sat down in the chair next to the bed and leaned his forearms on his legs. “Travis, don’t worry about the money. If Theron were to come after you again, I doubt he’d miss a major organ this time. We want you safe. I will take care of your bills while you are off work. I will see to it your employer holds your job for you. If you decide you wish to stay in New Atlanta instead of coming back to Athens, we will find you employment there. Our family is large, and our resources are vast.”

  “Why would you do this?” Travis asked.

  “Because Trevor is family, and you are his brother; therefore, you are family as well.” Dante leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. Before Theron chased Trevor to Dante’s, he had never seen his boss laid back or casual. Since then, he had rarely seen him any other way. Isabelle and Connor were making the serious, frowning Gargoyle into someone softer.

  “What about you, Trevor? Are you moving out of your place?”

  “At least for the time being. Travis, this monster broke into my apartment. If I had been home…” He didn’t want to think about what could have happened. Trevor didn’t own a gun, nor did he practice martial arts, not that either would do any good against a Gargoyle. He didn’t think of himself as a killer even though he had taken Quinn’s life. The man had been shooting at Jasper, and instinct took over. He still wasn’t sure how he managed to get Dane’s gun out of the holster since it was designed to prevent someone else from taking it. He chalked it up to being left-handed and fate being on his side. The Pen was too good for someone like Troy Quinn.

  “Why’s he after Jasper? Did your friend arrest him or something?” Travis had asked Trevor earlier about Jasper since he’d been weari
ng his badge and service weapon on his hip.

  Trevor didn’t want to tell him the truth. He didn’t want to think about the awful things Theron had done to Jasper. Dante intervened. “It’s a family feud. Theron and his father are prejudiced tyrants. They are targeting others in our family as well. We are doing everything we can to put a stop to it. Until then, we are keeping our family members close. That includes you and Trevor.”

  “I’ll think about it. Besides, I can’t go back home and see…” Travis choked up. Jasper had told Trevor he would have the blood professionally cleaned. Since he was off looking for Theron, he’d probably forgotten about it.

  “Don’t worry about that. Your home should be released this evening or no later than tomorrow. I’ve already hired a crew to come in and clean,” Dante assured him. Huh. He and Jasper must have discussed it.

  Travis nodded and turned his head away from them both so his tears weren’t as visible. A nurse came in to check his vitals, so Trevor took advantage of the time to talk to Dante out in the hall.

  “I can’t thank you enough, Boss. I don’t know what I’d do without you and Isabelle right now. I thought I’d have… I’m sure you already know Jasper is looking for Theron. Until this is over, I will stay with Matthew as long as Travis agrees to come, too. If he decides to stay here, I would like to stay with him. I know this puts you in a bind at the morgue, but Travis needs me.”

  “You don’t worry about work. I have a feeling Travis will come to New Atlanta. If that’s the case, you will still be able to work. You will have company while you do so as one of the Clan will be with you at all times.”

  “Thanks. Since we have Slade covering the door, why don’t you and Isabelle go home? I doubt Theron will try anything in the hospital, especially when he figures out we have our own Gargoyle standing guard.”