Rafael Read online

  They swapped places so Tessa could grab under his arms, and Isabelle took his feet. Tessa was surprisingly strong for a woman her size. Isabelle pulled out her stethoscope and listened to his chest. She then took his blood pressure. “One eighty over one hundred.”

  Isabelle pulled a syringe and vial out of her bag and stuck the needle in the rubber covering. She pulled the plunger back filling the tube halfway. Pressing the plunger slightly, a small amount of the clear liquid shot forth, pushing any air out. She stabbed the needle in the bend of Dane’s arm and pushed the plunger all the way in.

  “What is that?” Tessa asked, watching the process with curious attention.

  “A pain medicine that isn’t on the market yet. It should help him to rest easier.”

  “I really don’t think he needs that Belle. And since when do you administer something not yet approved?”

  “Since I found my father’s journals and started studying his formulas. I knew he was smart, but my God, the man was a genius. You’ve been gone a long time. Things change, dear cousin. People change.”

  “Yes, I know he was brilliant. I mean he did make another one of me after all.”

  “Dammit Tessa, quiet.” Isabelle was amazed at Tessa’s nonchalance around strangers, even passed out ones, about being the famous ‘Montague baby’.

  Dane began stirring, moaning, and crying out. “Dane, can you hear me?” His response was more moaning. Isabelle brought out another vial and injected him again.

  “What was that one?”

  “Something to lower his heart rate. Until I find out what is causing his symptoms, I’m afraid the best I can do for him is to make him comfortable.”

  Isabelle watched his face as the medicine made its way through his bloodstream. His thrashing about calmed as did his moaning. She felt his pulse once again, and it slowed to normal.

  They both sat quietly and waited for him to come to. Twenty minutes later, Dane opened his eyes. “What the…” He sat up and looked at the women. “Dr. Sarantos, what happened?”

  “I’d say you passed out, Mr. Abbott. I gave you something for pain, so you should be feeling a little better.” She picked up the bottle of pills she had brought with her. “I’m going to leave these with you in case you need them later. Take one for pain every eight hours, but no sooner. They’re pretty strong.”

  Dane frowned at Tessa. “Who are you?”

  “Her assistant.” Isabelle noticed Tessa didn’t offer her name.

  “Mr. Abbott, how do you feel?”

  “Better. Thanks, Doc. I’m sorry you had to drive all the way out here.”

  “Think nothing of it. I’m just glad you’re better than you were. I will get back to the lab. Tessa and I need to continue testing your blood, but don’t hesitate to call again if you get worse.” Isabelle stood and headed to the door. Tessa follow her outside.

  “I will meet you at the clinic.” Isabelle watched her cousin make a phone call before straddling her bike.

  Chapter 19

  Tessa was bent over a microscope, studying Dane’s blood cells. Isabelle was pacing the floor behind her. “Well?”

  Tessa raised up and looked at her cousin. She was right; shit was fixing to get real. Was her cousin ready for the truth? Belle needed to know what she was in for, same as Dane. If she never met her mate, she would never go through the pain and agony of the change. If she did though, Tessa wanted her to be prepared.

  “Belle, we have to talk.” Her cousin flinched at the nickname, but she didn’t care. “I know what this is. It’s the same abnormality that’s in my blood. In your blood. Have you never tested your own blood before?”

  “I’ve never been sick so no, I’ve never needed to.” Isabelle stopped pacing the floor and was staring at her. “What do you mean abnormality and how do you know I have it? What exactly is it?”

  “Here, sit down.” Tessa pulled out the stool beside her and patted it. “You’re really going to want to.”

  Hesitantly, Isabelle sat next to her. “So spill it, Tessa. What do you know that I don’t?”

  She hated it when Isabelle used her haughty tone of voice. Just because Tessa didn’t have a medical degree didn’t mean she wasn’t as smart. She had spent more time in the lab with her uncle than Belle did going to the university. She was blessed with the one-on-one training of an expert. Therefore, she felt more qualified on this particular subject than her degreed cousin.

  “What I’m going to tell you will sound absurd, but please just hear me out. Isabelle, we are not fully human. We are…” Isabelle jumped up from her stool.

  “We are not Unholy!” The doctor was wringing her hands, pacing back and forth.

  Tessa stood and grabbed her hands. “Stop. Isabelle, no! I didn’t say that. You have to let me finish. Of course we’re not Unholy. We come from a line of shapeshifters dating back thousands of years.”

  “Shapeshifters, you mean like werewolves? Tessa, they are a myth. Purely fiction.”

  “I assure you we are not a myth. But not werewolves, no. We come from the Gargouille line. Gargoyles to be more modern.”

  “You mean we turn into those stone creatures? You are right; this is absurd.”

  “No, you and I won’t turn into anything. Listen, let me start at the beginning. Full-blooded Gargoyles date back hundreds of thousands of years, if not longer. Males of the species have claws, fangs, impenetrable skin, and wings. Females don’t get wings. Half-bloods like you and I are children of Gargoyle males and human females.

  “Dane is also a half-blood and, as far as we know, will get the full package when he transitions. Instead of the change happening as it should, when he matured, it happened later in life, when he met his mate.”

  “So what you are telling me is that our mothers had sex with some creature that is a shapeshifter and you and I are part shifter?” Isabelle laughed and shook her head. “I don’t believe this. Did you drink some tainted water while you were off on your last adventure? You really are mad.”

  “I’m not and I can prove it.” Tessa waited until she had Isabelle’s full attention. Once she did, she allowed her fangs to elongate from her gums. Instead of scaring her cousin with a horror movie growl, she gently touched the tip of one with her finger. Isabelle’s eyes widened but instead of backing away she reached out and touched the fang herself.

  “Holy shit!” Isabelle sat back down on the stool, holding on to the lab table for support.

  Tessa held up her hand, and her claws extended. “For some reason, unlike the males, we don’t get the special skin. The original female shifters lived long lives, but there are few left that we are aware of. Female half-bloods get an extended life cycle, enhanced hearing and eyesight, and extra strength. That my dear cousin is the extent of my parlor tricks. The guys get all the cool stuff.”

  “What do you mean the cool stuff? That right there is beyond believable.” She was pointing at Tessa’s sharp claws.

  Tessa was waiting on the reality of what she said about their parents to sink in. “Like I said, the males get special skin and wings. They are almost impossible to kill, and they get to fucking fly. How unfair is that?”

  “Fly? You mean like a bird?”

  “Yep. Totally unfair.”

  Tessa gave her cousin time to digest all she had told her. It was a lot to take in, but she needed to know. “Listen Belle, the reason I told you is twofold. One, you should be prepared for your own change. I take it you haven’t experienced it yet, or you would have known what I’m talking about. The second is that we have to help Dane through his transition.”

  Isabelle stopped and stared at her. “Hold up. You said our human mothers. If our fathers are these shapeshifters, that means Jonas isn’t my father. If he’s not, then who is?”

  “Jonas Montague is your father, Belle. His real name is Jonas Victorious Montagnon. In the old days, he went by Victor. He is one of the original Gargoyles, and he’s alive.”

  Nikolas was excited. He finished reading the nov
el and began research on the infamous author. Dr. Jonas Montague, deceased, was survived by one daughter, Isabelle Montague. After deeper digging, Nikolas found that the daughter had moved to Greece and married a native. A boating accident claimed the life of her husband, and Isabelle Sarantos moved back to the states. Now he just had to find her.

  Nik was going to check out every book ever written by Montague. That required him going to the library. Sure he could probably download them, but there was the little problem of one cute librarian he was curious to work through. If she affected him again like she did last time, he would know she was his mate. What were the odds of that? Julian could probably tell him without deciphering, but he knew it was a long shot.

  Nik took the steps to the third floor. He let his senses fill. There it was: that hint of honeysuckle. Okay, a hint was good. He could handle a hint. He pulled open the door, and the scent became stronger. Avoiding the desk, he headed in the opposite direction to a row of computers. So far so good.

  The lingering essence was causing his cock to come alive in his jeans. He sat down at a computer and pushed his chair under the desk. Put it out of your mind stud, you can do this.

  “Excuse me.” There was that heavenly voice, the one that sounded like an angel had descended upon the earth, if you believed in that sort of thing. Don’t turn around. Do Not Turn Around. He turned around to see that cute button nose squinched up like a rabbit.

  “How are you feeling?” She pushed her glasses up only to have them slide back down. She was dressed in a long, colorful skirt topped with a bright orange t-shirt. Even though it was October, she wore sandals. Nikolas could see the bright orange nail polish on her toes peeking out from beneath the skirt.

  “Fine, thank you.” He couldn’t stop staring. Was she truly his mate? Could this be the one he was meant to bond with, live with, have babies with? Love?

  “Well, I’m glad. You really worried me. If you tell me what you’re looking for, I can probably find it a lot faster than you can.” She didn’t sound cocky, just sure of herself.

  “How long have you worked here?” Nik was trying to determine her age without being rude. She appeared to be late twenties.

  “I’ve been here since I was sixteen. Started part-time, then when I graduated college, I got put on full time. So twelve years.”

  Twenty-eight. Perfect. “I see. Okay then…” he glanced at her name tag… “Sophia, let’s see if you can help. I am looking for every book ever written by Dr. Jonas Montague.”

  The surprise on her face showed only for a second before the cute grin was back in place. “Oh my, now there was an interesting man. Not only was he a brilliant scientist but an excellent writer as well. I so enjoy his fiction. Follow me.”

  Nikolas was glad Sophia was not paying attention to him, but rather the rows of books she was walking through. The nausea was barely lurking in his throat. He couldn’t say the same for the hard-on in his pants. “All those stories about shapeshifters and vampires just seem so real. I’ve only read a couple of authors who could make you believe in the unbelievable, you know? Here we go.” She reached up to pull down a thick hardback. Under the pretense of helping, Nikolas leaned over her, grabbing the book at the same time. The need to touch her was stronger than his willpower not to. His body was more alive than any time he could remember in five hundred years.

  Sophia glanced over her shoulder, her eyes never leaving his. Did she just shiver? She whispered, “This one is my favorite. He writes as if he were alive during the Renaissance era. I just don’t recall a famous scientist also writing fiction. Non-fiction, sure, but his stories…”

  “Are you one of those romantics who wishes she would be swept away by a creature of the night?” Nikolas was smiling down at the cute librarian, but his synapses were misfiring. He felt as though he would pass out. Shit, is this what Rafe felt? Instead of trying to get himself under control, Nik allowed the feeling to wash over him, filling him with an intensity like he had never experienced.

  “Creature of the night? Oh my, no! I prefer shifters.” Sophia blushed. Fuck, she was so pretty.

  “Shifters huh? So if I told you I was a shifter and wanted to steal you away, you’d be okay with that?”

  She gave him a sideways look that was a cross between lust and a mischievous grin. He could smell her scent; she was feeling the pull too. Sophia took another book off the shelf. “What do we have here?” She flipped the book over and scanned the blurb then opened the book to read the inner jacket. “This doesn’t look like fiction.”

  “So what is it?” Knowing it was only going to make things worse, he leaned over her shoulder and glanced at the book. Her scent was infiltrating his nose, making its way into his system. He would be smelling honeysuckle for days. “What the fuck?” He pulled the journal out of her hands and started flipping through the pages.

  “What is it?” Now she was looking around his arm, leaning against him. The warmth from her chest was seeping through his shirt. Was that a nipple poking his back? Concentrate Nicky boy. Focus!

  “I’m not sure; it looks like a journal. I want to check this out. Sophia, load me up with every book written by Montague. Please.” She nodded and pulled an armful of books off the shelf. Nik took the books from her and followed her to the checkout desk.

  “If you’ll just swipe your card, Mr. Stone, you’ll be all set.”

  “How did you…”

  “Nikolas Stone, everyone knows who you are. Now, do you have a card?” She was squinching her nose as she grinned. He would never look at a rabbit the same way again.

  Nik pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and dug out his fake twenty year old card. “Uh, not sure this will swipe.” He handed her his paper card that showed a young boy’s handwriting scrawled on the signature line. Her fingers brushed his as she took the paper from his hand. Electricity flowed between them.

  If she felt it, she didn’t let on. “I’ll make you a new one. Hang on a sec.” She pulled out a new card with a magnetic strip on the back, typed in his name and handed it to him. “Here you go.”

  He swiped the new card and put it in place of the old one in his wallet. “Thank you, Sophia. I’ll get these back to you in a couple of days.”

  “You’re going to read all these in a couple of days?”

  Nik grinned at her, “Yep.” His bunny grinned back.

  Chapter 20

  Nikolas mentally patted himself on the back for being around Sophia without dragging her to the back corner of the library and having his way with her. He opened the car door and tossed all the books onto the passenger seat with the exception of the journal. Someone put a fiction jacket on it, maybe to disguise it? This journal seemed out of place like it had been bought at an estate sale and then donated. He still found it odd that it was camouflaged. He opened the first page and began reading.

  Italy, January 1822

  If she only knew the truth. How can I tell my dear Caroline what I am? What would she say? Never has one so fair come across one of our kind but the pull I feel to her is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. How can someone so frail be destined to be mine? I do not understand why the fates would do this to her, to me. Surely we are not meant to be bonded.

  “This isn’t a journal; this is a diary. Holy shit. 1822? That’s over two hundred years ago.” Nik continued reading.

  March 1822

  Caroline continues to brighten my otherwise dreary existence. Father is getting suspicious. I tried to tell him there is nothing to our relationship, but the way she lights up when she sees me and I her, it’s going to be hard to continue the ruse for much longer. I cannot continue to shirk my duties. The others are getting suspicious as well. We do not get sick. How do I convince them I’m lovesick? With a human, no less. I know I need to let her go, but the pull to her is too strong. I need answers. I have searched the archives, and there is nothing there about human bonding.

  “Well hell. Looks like we’re in the same boat but Jonas Montague, a shifter? If t
hat’s even what he was.”

  May 1822

  I told her. I told Caroline what I am. She was pressuring me to get married before we make love. I cannot be around her any longer without succumbing to my desires. I cannot marry her with her not knowing the truth of who I am. My dear, beautiful love, she just laughed. Until I phased. And bless her, she laughed again. I could see the fear in her eyes, smell it on her, but she just grabbed my face and kissed me. She asked me what I am, and I told her. Gargouilles are depicted as monsters, dragons even, but we are protectors, warriors. We have been looking after humans since time began. The chimeras used on building facades portray us as ugly, evil. It breaks my heart, but my sweet Caroline explained it away. ‘People have believed in fairy tales for centuries. Look at Beauty and the Beast,’ she said. ‘I bet the Beast was really a shifter!’

  Nikolas thought about Caroline. How lucky Jonas was to find someone so understanding. His thoughts immediately went to Sophia. She laughed and blushed when talking about choosing a shifter over a vampire. Would she truly?

  A tapping on his car window found Nik looking at a police officer. He rolled down his window. “Yes officer, how can I help you?”

  “Mr. Stone, your parking meter expired. Either add more money, or I’ll have to write you a ticket.”

  “Sure, no problem. Thank you, officer.”

  He rolled his window up and started the engine. Jonas and Caroline would have to wait.

  Kaya had driven around for half an hour trying to get Rafael Stone out of her head. What a kiss! Not only had she initiated the kiss, but she had rubbed against his erection. Her hands had wanted to grab hold of his cock and stroke him through his pants. She barely managed to keep them fisted in his hair. The magnetism between them was almost beyond her control.