Jasper Page 2

  Trevor asked Isabelle, “So, you’re okay with a mate who has fangs and claws?”

  She grinned, releasing her own special canines. “I sure am.”

  “Huh.” Now, he was at a loss for words.

  Dante and Isabelle laughed. They weren’t laughing at him, just at his reaction to her fangs. “Trevor, are you hungry?”

  “No, thank you.” He was starving, but if he ate, he would probably throw up. Isabelle excused herself to check on Connor, and Dante sat back down.

  Trevor remained standing for the moment. “How long have you and Isabelle been dating? Do Gargoyles date?”

  Dante shrugged. “It’s complicated. Gargoyles have one mate for life. Until we find that mate, we might date others, but there is rarely a relationship. If there is, it has far less meaning than the permanent one we have with the one the fates choose for us. I figured out Isabelle was my mate while we were working together on a case at the Pen.”

  “That’s why Jasper called Tessa the warden’s mate. Do all the mates have fangs and wings, too? Does Tessa?”

  “Only if the mates are part Gargoyle. Females do not have wings, but they do have fangs and claws. Until recently, all female mates were also Goyles. Most females of our kind are mated. The unmated ones are all but extinct now. Since that’s the case, the fates decided we could mate with humans. Tessa and Isabelle are half Gargoyle, so they do phase.”

  “Are the Unholy Gargoyles, too?”

  Isabelle came back into the room and sat down on the sofa. She explained how the Unholy came into being. The world knew Gordon Flanagan was responsible for creating the army of monsters who looked like something out of a bad mutant movie. What they didn’t know was the blood he used to create the creatures came from one of Isabelle’s half-blood brothers, Gabriel. The man was now known as Vincent Alexander, and he was sitting in the New Atlanta Penitentiary for murder. When he was used in a lab experiment gone wrong, he lost his humanity. Gordon lost his humanity when the baby daughter he thought was his disappeared shortly after being cloned by Jonas Montague, the man single-handedly responsible for the near apocalypse. Trevor, a clone himself, realized there was so much more to the world than most people were aware of.

  When Isabelle paused, Dante said, “Remember the night at the morgue when Jasper and I came in all bloody? We had been out fighting Unholy. They are our biggest challenge most of the time. Right now, though, it seems our Uncle Alistair is out for our blood. Or that of our mates.” Dante explained how Jonas Montague was really a Gargoyle, and this Alistair had him thrown out of the clan for mating with a human. Not only that, but Jonas was Isabelle’s father. Dane Abbott was Isabelle’s brother, one of many, and Tessa was Jonas’s great niece. Trevor was going to have to start a spreadsheet to keep everyone straight.

  Both Dante and Isabelle told how Alistair had Connor kidnapped, held Isabelle hostage, and how Dante, Gregor, and Tessa got them back. Their cousin Nikolas was off in Egypt looking for his mate and her parents. Trevor now understood why the badasses had reacted to the news of Theron being Alistair’s son.

  “I don’t get why your uncle is just now going after all the women. Why wait two hundred years?”

  Dante moved to sit next to Isabelle. They looked like a couple who had been together years, not weeks. “We think Rafael finding his mate in Kaya set Alistair off.”

  “Kaya, the police chief? And the plot thickens,” Trevor joked.

  “Yes, only now she is retiring, and Dane is taking over as the new chief. When Kaya mated with Rafael, she became our Queen.”

  “Is she one of the half-bloods?”

  “No. She is a human mate. Like you,” Dante said softly.

  “Me? If you haven’t figured it out by now, Boss, I’m gay. I doubt I’m anyone’s mate.”

  “Do you think there aren’t gay Gargoyles? Trevor, Jasper is gay, and you are his mate.”

  Trevor couldn’t breathe. “No. You’re wrong. I’ve seen the men he’s been with, and they’re gods like him. And you. I’m not anyone’s mate.” He began pacing the room. There was no way the fates, or gods, or whoever was out there picking and choosing, would burden a Gargoyle with Trevor. Especially one like Jasper.

  Isabelle stood and stopped Trevor’s pacing. She placed her hand on his chin, holding his gaze. A low growl came from Dante, but she ignored him. “I thought the same thing when Dante told me I was his mate. Tessa, yes. She’s beautiful and free-spirited, and a little crazy. She is prime mate material. Me? I’m just quiet, plain, mousy Isabelle. What did I have to offer a male as amazing as Dante? He made me believe I was worthy. Just as you are worthy of Jasper, and he of you. From what Dante has told me about you, you’re highly intelligent, you’re funny, and you have great taste in music.” The last comment got a hmph from Dante. Isabelle backed out of his personal space, but she said, “You’re a very handsome man, Trevor. Do not sell yourself short, and definitely do not compare yourself to Jasper’s past dalliances. I promise you, they meant nothing to him. You, however, mean everything.”

  “If what you say is true, Jasper doesn’t have a choice. He didn’t pick me. I was chosen for him.”

  Dante stood and pulled Isabelle to him. “We always have a choice, but I guarantee the fates know what they’re doing. Now, let’s go spend some time with Connor. I want to tell you how special he is.”

  Chapter Two

  Jasper drove Matthew back home. The teen was being unusually quiet. When they got inside the house, Jasper broke the silence. “Okay, buddy, what’s up? You’re only quiet when you sleep, yet you haven’t said one word since we left Dante’s. Are your ribs hurting? Do you need a pain pill?” Matthew was still recovering from where his asshole brother-in-law beat him within inches of his life. If Jasper ever got his hands on Troy Quinn, he’d make the man pay.

  “Yes, no. Yes, my ribs hurt, but not so bad I need a pill. I was just thinking about what you said earlier, you know, about being mates. If Trevor’s your mate, why was he ignoring you?”

  “First off, he doesn’t know he’s my mate. Second, someone from my past was following Trevor, and he probably blames me. I doubt he feels very safe right now. He also received some shocking photos that don’t exactly paint me in the best light in his eyes. Right now he feels betrayed, and he’s not letting me explain what’s happened recently. I don’t blame him though, not really. His life hasn’t been exactly stellar. Why would he want to be with me when all I bring is trouble?”

  Jasper didn’t blame Trevor at all. Sure, he’d like the chance to explain about his past and why it was coming back to haunt him. Until he got the go ahead to tell him about the Clan, he’d have to be patient.

  “Are you hungry?” Jasper’s breakfast had worn off with his intense training.

  “Nah, I’m still full from breakfast. You go ahead, though. You probably need about four thousand calories to keep your stamina up, big guy like you slinging that sword around like it was a toy. Where did you learn to do that, anyway?”

  Before Jasper could answer, a vehicle sounded in the driveway. He walked to the front window, peering outside. Lorenzo’s truck parked and the Goyle got out, striding up the front steps. Jasper opened the door. “Lor, what’s up?”

  “I wanted to get in some flying time in the helo. Since you’re suspended, I thought you and Matthew might want to go for a ride.”

  It had been a long time since Jasper had flown any way other than using his wings. “Matt, you feel like going for a ride?”

  “Hell, yeah!” he pumped his fist then grabbed his ribs. “I mean yes,” he whispered. Jasper and Lorenzo laughed at the teen.

  “Well come on then,” Lorenzo said, heading out the side door to the garage that held both the Stone Society helicopter as well as the Blackhawk Frey kept hidden from most of the world. Jasper helped Lor get the passenger bird out of the garage. The three of them were getting ready to climb aboard when Lor’s phone rang.

  “Hello,” he answered as he opened the pilot’s door.

&
nbsp; “Where are you?” Frey’s angry voice came through loud and clear.

  “Getting ready to put the bird in the sky, why?” Lorenzo asked.

  “The bastard has Abbi. I need you to come to the community center. Dane is putting an APB out for the possible vehicle she is in. I have no idea where he’d take her, but I’m hoping Sixx can get a lock on her cell phone.”

  “Ten-four. We’ll be there in fifteen,” Lorenzo said. He shoved his phone in his pocket and began giving instructions. “Get in, hurry. Frey needs us.”

  Jasper helped Matthew into the back seat, showing him how to buckle his harness. He climbed into the front as the blades began circling the air. As soon as Jasper was seated, Lorenzo lifted the helo off the ground. Jasper didn’t want to scare Matthew, but he didn’t want him to be blindsided by what they might find either. He pointed to the headphones on the hook behind Matthew. As soon as he had them situated, Jasper spoke to the teen through the microphone. “Matthew, we have a situation. Troy has Abbi, and everyone’s out looking for her. We’re on our way to pick up Frey now.”

  Matthew only nodded. He closed his eyes, and balled his fists in his lap. Troy fucking Quinn had done enough damage to Matthew and his sister already. Jasper prayed after today that would be all over. He had a feeling Matthew was doing a little praying of his own. The helo banked right and the community center where Abbi had been practicing for the fall festival with her students came into view. At one time, Abbi Quinn had been destined for the New Atlanta Ballet Company. That was before her parents were killed in a car crash, and she married Troy. Now she taught second grade at the elementary school as well as dance class at the local community center.

  Lorenzo lowered the helo away from the crowd, and Frey jumped in. Lorenzo lifted the bird back into the air. Frey’s voice came through the headset, “Sixx has a lock on her phone. She’s headed north on Guntersville Road.”

  Lorenzo patched Sixx through to the onboard communication system so he could give them immediate change in directions. “Her signal has stopped. She is on the bridge at the Brockton train yard.”

  As the helicopter neared the bridge, Jasper yelled, “Fuck, there they are!” Jasper pointed to the railing of the bridge. Troy was carrying Abbi fireman style.

  “What the fuck did the bastard do to her?” Matthew screamed. “Frey, you have to stop him; you can’t let him do this, Frey! He’s going to throw her over!”

  Lorenzo kept the helo steady while they watched in horror as Troy dropped Abbi over the bridge. Frey dove out of the helicopter, phasing in mid-air. Once Frey was out of sight, Jasper returned his attention to Troy. He was running toward his car. Jasper wasn’t about to let the motherfucker get away. Before Lorenzo could land, Jasper dove out his side of the bird, shredding his shirt as he unfurled his wings. Troy fucking Quinn was not getting away. Once on the ground, Jasper tucked in his wings and used his shifter speed to catch up with Quinn.

  Troy was yelling, “What the hell are you? Stay away from me you faggot freak! Get your hands off me.”

  Jasper began punching Troy, telling him, “I’m going to do to you what you did to Abbi.” He punched him in the stomach. Troy doubled over, gasping for breath. Jasper brought a knee up, snapping Troy’s head back so hard he landed on his ass. Jasper picked him up off the ground, holding him by his collar and the waistband of his pants so his feet weren’t touching the ground. His eyes grew wide as Jasper released his fangs. “You are a worthless piece of shit. You killed Abbi’s parents, you abused Matthew, you raped Abbi, and now you’ve murdered her, too. You don’t deserve to live, but death is too easy for a worthless maggot like you.” Jasper threw him to the ground, his head cracking on the concrete.

  “He killed our parents?” Matthew asked from behind Jasper. The teen glanced at Jasper’s fangs but chose to ignore them. Instead, he turned his attention to Troy. Matthew ran at his brother-in-law, the one responsible for putting him in the hospital, and kicked him in the face. Matthew was probably causing more damage to his ribs in the process, but the boy deserved to dole out whatever punishment to the man he chose. “I hate you! I hate you! You stupid, evil fuck, I hate you! All I ever wanted was a father. You couldn’t be that. You were so fucking jealous of Abbi’s love for me that you hated me. I hate you back, you fucking fuck!” Matthew kicked Troy until his body gave out. Jasper gently hauled him away, holding him in his arms while the boy cried.

  Red and blue lights flashed in the distance. Sirens interrupted the sound of sobs coming from the teen in his arms. Jasper had no idea who all had arrived and were now watching the interlude between him and his friend. He didn’t care. He would hold onto the boy as long as he needed.

  When someone yelled, “Gun!” Jasper immediately phased, wrapping Matthew in his wings.

  Trevor was hungry, and he was tired. He wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl under the covers for three days straight… after he ate a large pizza. He closed his eyes and thought about the pizzas Jasper made the first time Trevor visited his house. That night seemed like a lifetime ago.

  For the past couple of hours, he had sat in Connor’s room while the young child spoke as if he were an adult, telling about being kidnapped. More than once something passed between Connor and Dante that only they could hear. He didn’t know how they were communicating wordlessly, but if men existed who had wings and fangs, why couldn’t there be those that had special psychic abilities?

  Trevor couldn’t stand the thirst any longer. He returned to the kitchen to ask for a glass of water. One of the badasses, Urijah, was sitting at the table talking with Dante about security for Trevor. Dante hadn’t been lying when he said they would protect him. Dante’s phone rang and he excused himself and stepped out onto the deck. As he listened to whoever it was on the other end, both Isabelle and Urijah stiffened. Isabelle handed Trevor his water before she picked up a pair of boots she had recently discarded and slipped them on. “Uri, I can’t leave Connor here. Will you please stay with him?” She asked as she grabbed a set of keys off the counter.

  “Of course,” he responded, fisting his chest in the same way Connor had earlier. Trevor wanted to know what that was about.

  As soon as Dante opened the door, Isabelle kissed him and said, “I’m on my way,” and took off out the side door.

  Trevor was confused. “Did I miss something?” he asked his boss.

  “Gargoyles have enhanced hearing as well as eyesight. Isabelle heard my conversation with Frey. It seems Frey’s mate has been kidnapped by her husband and there’s a little girl involved. Isabelle is going to assist with the child.”

  “Well let’s go! We can’t just sit here and do nothing,” Trevor stood up but sat back down. He was a little light headed at not having eaten in over twenty-four hours.

  “I think it best if you stay here with Connor. Things could get ugly.”

  “Urijah has already said he’d stay. What are you hiding from me?” Trevor was sick of secrets. First Jasper, now Dante.

  When Urijah nodded at Dante, he told Trevor, “I’m not hiding anything, Trevor. Let me tell Connor I’m leaving, and we’ll go.”

  Dante headed toward his son’s room, and Trevor stood slowly, getting his bearings. While he was waiting on Dante, Urijah spoke up. “Trevor, don’t let what has gone before ruin what is to come. Anyone else is Jasper’s past. You are his future.”

  Trevor opened his mouth to respond, but Dante entered the room and said, “Okay, let’s go. Uri, thank you, Brother.” They grasped arms, and Uri inclined his head. Trevor followed Dante outside into the garage. Dante slid behind the wheel of his Aston Martin and Trevor got in the passenger side. He’d seen Dante’s car outside the hospital, but had never had a chance to ride in the sweet vehicle. He buckled his seatbelt as Dante rolled down the driveway. The gate automatically opened for them. As they turned onto the road, Trevor looked all around for the SUV.

  “Do not worry about Theron. He isn’t around.”

  “How do you know?”


  “Because, Deacon made sure of it.”

  Trevor didn’t ask any more questions. For now. Instead, he sat back and enjoyed the ride. Dante didn’t hold back on the accelerator. As they neared the exit for the community center, Dante’s phone rang. He pressed a button on the steering wheel and answered, “Hey, Beautiful. We’re almost there.”

  “Lorenzo just picked Frey up in the helicopter. I’m not sure where they are going, but I think they know where Abbi is. Dante, I hope they don’t need you for anything other than congratulations once you find them.”

  “I’ll call Sixx. He should have their location. How’s the girl?”

  “She’s shaken. Troy Quinn used the child to get to Abbi. He’s a sick man. Another thing, Matthew was in the helicopter, too.”

  “Abbi is Frey’s mate, so she and Matthew will both find out sooner or later about us. Thank you for doing your part, Beautiful. I’m going to hang up now.” Dante disconnected and immediately called Sixx for information.

  “Abbi’s signal stopped on the bridge over the Brockton train yard. Frey, Lorenzo, and Jasper are in the helo, and Dane is in his car. Please keep me posted, Dante. I’d much rather be on the ground with you than stuck behind this computer. I don’t know how Julian does this day in and day out.”

  “It’s important work, Brother. I will let you know what’s going on as soon as I can.”

  “How many Gargoyles are there?” Trevor asked as he held onto the door handle. Dante wasn’t wasting any time getting to wherever they were now headed.

  “I would have to ask Nikolas the exact number. Our Clan in the States has hundreds, but there are many more clans than ours. Here in New Atlanta alone we have probably eighty or so.” As he drove, Dante told Trevor about some of the others in the area. As they approached the bridge, Dante cursed. He slammed on the brakes and skidded to a halt behind flashing red and blue lights. Since Jasper had been in the helicopter, it had to be Dane.