Dante (Stone Society Book 3) (11 page)

Isabelle
was angry, confused, worried, and basically pissed off. The taxi driver must
have thought she was crazy. She explained she was on a scavenger hunt, but by
the look he gave her in the rearview mirror, he didn’t believe her. The first
text sent her to Jefferson Park. Once she was there, she received another one,
telling her to head to the airport, alone. Why had they sent her to the old
industrial park only to tell her to go to the airport? Were they watching to
see if she was being followed? She could see no other cars at the abandoned
warehouse. Just as she was telling the driver to head for the airport, another message
came in, telling her to go to a different address.

“Make
up your freakin’ mind,” she mumbled to her phone.

“Did
you say something?” the taxi driver asked her.

“Sorry.
I need you to go to this address.” Isabelle gave him the information from the
last text, and they were on their way. She leaned her head back against the
seat, her eyes filling with tears. How could she have been so careless? Rico
was dead. That was going to tear Connor apart. They had been so close. Rico had
taken her child in and loved him as his own. Would Dante feel the same way?
Dante. He sounded so hurt on the phone earlier. If she had given in to the mate
bond when she first found out she was his, would things be different? He swore
to protect her above all. Surely he would protect her child as well.

“We’re
here.” The taxi driver’s voice brought her back to the present. The text said
to get out of the cab and send the driver on his way. Isabelle glanced out the
window looking for any sign of someone out there, watching, waiting. Again, she
didn’t see any cars in the vicinity, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any.
She paid the driver and stepped out of the vehicle. The building reminded her
of a smaller version of the Pen. It had the same stone architecture, only it was
one story and wasn’t surrounded by razor wire and armed guards. The November
wind whipped through her hair, blinding her momentarily.

When
she pushed her hair out of her face, two huge men were standing in front of
her. Before she could scream, a large hand clamped over her mouth, gently.
“Shh, Isabelle, it’s me, Lorenzo. You remember Mason? Rafael sent us to protect
you, bring you in.” Isabelle cut her eyes to the younger man, remembering them
both from when she interviewed Vincent. She nodded, and Lorenzo removed his
hand. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“What
are you doing here? They are watching me!” Isabelle looked around, knowing she
wouldn’t see whomever had been sending her the texts.

“No,
they aren’t. We took care of their spy, but we have to hurry before they
override Julian’s override.” Lorenzo gently grabbed her bicep, directing her
toward the back of the building to a blacked out SUV.

“Where
are you taking me?” Isabelle asked as she climbed in.

“To
Julian’s lab. Rafael and Kaya are waiting for you,” Lorenzo told her reflection
in the mirror. “Try to relax, Isabelle. We know what’s going on, and we’re all
here to help you get your son back. You’re family now.”

Isabelle’s
mouth opened then closed. What could she say to that? The ride was mostly quiet,
with the exception of Lorenzo calling Rafael to confirm they had secured
Isabelle. Thirty minutes later they were pulling in the parking lot of a
building that looked a lot like the one they’d just left. Mason opened her door
and helped her out. Isabelle heard a growl and knew Dante was watching. She
mentally rolled her eyes. If he was this protective now, she couldn’t imagine
what he’d be like if they ever officially bonded.

Dante
held the door open but didn’t say anything. He just walked quietly beside her
until they were in the lab. Lorenzo had left out a few people when he said who
was waiting on her. Tessa met her with a tight hug. “Belle, I’m so sorry about
all this shit. We’re gonna get your son back, I promise.”

Rafael
stepped forward and reiterated what Tessa said, “That we are. I know you’re
scared, but on my honor as your King, I vow to bring you and your son back
together.” He fisted his hand over his heart and bowed his head to her. The
tears once again welled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks.

She
felt strong hands on her shoulders and knew they belonged to Dante. “Don’t,”
she said to him over her shoulder.

Dante
removed his hands and held them up in the defensive. “I apologize, I won’t
touch you again,” he said with a defeated look.

“No,
Dante, I meant don’t do that calming thing you do. I don’t want to be calm. I
want to be angry. I want to be pissed off. I want to scream at the top of my
freakin’ lungs!” Isabelle yelled. “You don’t understand. None of you could
possibly understand how I feel right now,” her voice lowered as she placed her
tear-streaked face in her hands. She felt herself being engulfed in strong
arms. This time, she allowed herself to be swallowed in the embrace of her
Gargoyle.

“Isabelle,
give me your cell.” Isabelle handed her purse over, knowing Tessa would dig
through it for the phone. She leaned farther into Dante’s body as she listened
to the voices all around her making plans. Her phone pinged with an incoming
text, and she jerked, trying to get free.

Dante
didn’t let go. He did loosen his hold enough so she could turn in his arms, but
he kept her back to his chest as she listened to Tessa read the message.

“You
have one hour to get to the airport. A private jet will be waiting.”

Everyone
started talking at once, but it was Tessa who got their attention. She stuck
her fingers in her mouth and let out a loud whistle. She must have learned that
from Tamian.

“I
have a plan. I am going in Belle’s place.” Gregor was shaking his head
emphatically, and Tessa put her hand on his chest. “I’m trained for this, Belle
isn’t. Just hear me out. I have disguises at home as well as tracking devices
and hidden microphones. I have just enough time to get home and change. Julian,
I can give you all the info you need to track me and monitor all conversations.
Gregor, you will follow in the family jet along with Dante and Isabelle.”

“But
what about Sophia? She needs your help, too.” Isabelle hadn’t forgotten her
niece was missing.

“I’ve
already called Zeke, and he’s meeting up with Nikolas. They can handle a few
more days without us.” Tessa closed the gap between them. “I want to do this
for you, Belle. I’ve let you down long enough.” Isabelle was surprised at the
tears shining in her cousin’s eyes. She’d rarely ever seen Tessa cry.

“Still,
I can’t let you risk your life. This is my child. My past coming back to haunt
me.”

Dane’s
phone rang. He was staring at Isabelle as he spoke, “You did? Are you sure?
Okay, I want round-the-clock protection outside her door. If you can’t arrange
that, I’ll send my own man. Good, call me when she wakes up.” He disconnected
and offered a small smile. “That was Corey. Maria Sanchez was found a few miles
from her home. She’s in a coma, and for now it’s just wait and see.”

Dante’s
arms tightened, and this time she didn’t yell at him when she felt the calming
effects of his touch. She closed her eyes and sent a message through the cosmos
to whatever deity was listening for Maria to pull through.

Rafael
asked Gregor, “Are you good with this? She’s your mate.” Rafael obviously
didn’t know Tessa that well. Once she had her mind made up, there was no
changing it. Gregor, however, did know his mate.

“I
trust Tessa and her abilities. I don’t like it, but I’ll go along with it.”
Gregor’s voice was low, his heart was in each word.

“But
what about the Pen?” Isabelle turned and looked up at Dante. “What about the
morgue?”

“Trevor
can handle the morgue, and Deacon’s got the Pen. We’ve got this,” Dante assured
her. When Gregor nodded, she settled back into Dante’s body.

“Good,
now let’s go. Time’s wasting.” Tessa slipped the cell phone back in Isabelle’s
purse and handed it to her. She then headed for the door without looking back.

Rafael
and Julian discussed the tracking capabilities, as well as some drone that had
been following Isabelle. Dane spoke softly to Kaya about Maria and contacting
some friends of theirs in Tennessee. Lorenzo and Mason stood off to the side of
the room, talking quietly to each other.

Dante
continued to hold Isabelle, placing soft kisses to her hair and temple. In that
moment, Isabelle had perfect clarity. Lorenzo’s words from earlier snuck back
into her mind;
You’re family now.
As she watched Dante’s Clan making
plans to get
her
son back, it hit her; they had already accepted her into
the fold. They were her Clan, her family. Something she had longed for since
she was a teenager.

Whether
it was the mate bond or Dante’s special touch weaving its way into her soul, a
bright light was flipped on in her brain after having been shrouded in darkness
for so long. She wanted this. She wanted Dante. She didn’t know him as well as
she would like, but what she did know warmed her heart. Somehow she knew he
would never turn his back on her and treat her the way Alexi had. Turning in
Dante’s arms, she pulled his head down to hers and melded their lips together.
Sliding one hand up in his hair, she tugged him closer, licking across his full
bottom lip, asking for entrance. If this kiss was all they ever had together,
she was going to make it worth remembering.

He
opened for her. Not caring who was watching, Isabelle slid her tongue into his
mouth. Dante’s hands came alive on her body, one hand fisting her hair as the
other moved down her back, holding her firmly in place. Isabelle’s other hand grabbed
onto his hip, her fingers kneading into his side. Isabelle poured her heart and
soul into their mouths, allowing the kiss to say what she could not. She wanted
him… permanently. First, she had to get her son back safely. If she survived,
only then would she think about the future.

After
a few minutes of allowing herself to feel wanted, she pulled away from Dante. His
gaze was filled with lust and longing, warmth and acceptance. His usual frown
was gone, replaced with a beautiful smile. She couldn’t return the smile; she
was dying inside. Everything she could ever want was at her fingertips, with
the exception of her son being there to enjoy it with her. Sighing, she placed
her hand on his cheek, memorizing his face. Now, their moment was over. She
hoped it was enough to carry them both through whatever happened next. “I need
to use the restroom. Which way?”

Kaya,
who was standing near, said, “I’ll show you.”

Dante
ran his fingers through the tips of her hair. “I need to call Trevor and fill
him in. You’ll be okay?”

Isabelle
gave a weak smile and nodded. “I’ll be fine.” She motioned for Kaya to lead the
way. Once in the restroom, she rested against the wall, leaning her head back
and closing her eyes.

“You’re
doing great, Isabelle. I am a veteran cop, and I’m not so sure I’d be doing as
well as you are.” Kaya was leaned against the sink, arms crossed over her
breasts.

“To
be honest, if it weren’t for Dante’s magic, I wouldn’t be quite so calm. Do all
the Gargoyles have powers?”

“Not
that I know of. At least, he’s the only one Rafael has mentioned as being
special.”

“I
appreciate everyone wanting to help. I need you to promise me something.” Isabelle
pulled away from the wall and put her hand on Kaya’s arm. “Promise me you’ll
take care of Maria. I want to be there for her, but that’s going to be
impossible now. Please, Kaya, promise me if she pulls through, you’ll make sure
she’s safe.”

Kaya
placed her hand over Isabelle’s. “You have my word.”

“Thank
you. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to be alone for a few minutes.”

“Of
course. I’ll go wait with the men.” Kaya patted her hand and left her to her
thoughts.

Isabelle
listened for Kaya’s footsteps to retreat. When Kaya was far enough away,
Isabelle pulled out her cell phone and called the same cab company as before,
scheduling a pick-up at a convenience store down the street from where she was
currently located. Her heart was full as she thought of all the people willing
to put themselves in danger for her, but this was her son. This was something
she needed to do herself.

Silently,
Isabelle exited the building. She kept her body close to the outer wall then
ducked between two of the vehicles. When the coast was clear, she sprinted
across the parking lot and down the street. She slipped inside the store, waiting
for the taxi. She grabbed a protein bar and bottle of water, not knowing when
or if she would get to eat again. Her appetite was absent, but she needed
strength for what was to come. When she spotted the taxi in the parking lot,
she paid for her items, and with a heavy heart, headed to the airport.

Dante
could feel the excitement coming from Trevor through the phone. His assistant
gave him the details of the burned body, and Dante granted permission to
proceed with the examination. He knew there was more to his enthusiasm than being
put in charge of the body, but he wasn’t going to pry. Without going into too
much detail, he told Trevor to man the morgue while he was gone, and if he
needed anything to reach out to Kaya. If Trevor thought Kaya being his point of
contact was strange, he didn’t let on. The kid was definitely preoccupied.

Isabelle
and Gregor returned, with Isabelle looking around. “Where is she?”

The
face was right, but the voice was all wrong. “Holy hell,” Dante muttered as he
looked at Tessa, disguised as Isabelle. “How in the gods’ name did you do
that?” He couldn’t believe how much she looked like his mate.

“Prosthetics.
Now, where is she? I need to get her voice programmed into the distorter.”

Dante
looked around. “She went to the restroom. Kaya, did you leave Isabelle alone?”

“Yes,
she needed a minute. She should be…”

Dante
didn’t wait for the Queen to finish. He sprinted toward the restroom, reaching
out with his senses. He didn’t have to open the door to know Isabelle wasn’t in
there. He let out a roar. She was gone. His beautiful, stubborn woman was gone.
He didn’t wait to get back to the lab. Instead he yelled, “Julian, find
Isabelle!”  He ran outside, looking around, knowing she had a big head start.
Why the fuck had he let her out of his sight?

“I’ve
got her!” Julian yelled, bringing Dante back inside. “She’s headed north
towards the airport.”

“Fuck.
FUCK!” Dante kicked the nearest chair, sending it flying across the room,
denting the sheetrock. Gregor made a move toward him, but Dante held his hands
up. “Don’t. Do not fucking touch me. Julian, I’m headed to the airport. Get
every godsdamned flight plan there is and send them to me.”

“Dante,
I’m sorry.” Kaya was holding her belly, tears running down her cheeks.

“It’s
not your fault, my Queen. Isabelle is my mate, my responsibility.” He looked
her in the eye, glanced at her stomach, and fisted his hand over his heart.
Bowing quickly, he turned and sprinted from the building. Gregor and Tessa were
hot on his heels as he headed to his car.

“Come
on, Brother, I’ll drive.” Gregor and Tessa waited by the Hummer. Dante knew
Gregor would get them there quickly and in one piece, whereas he would not. He
climbed into the backseat, urging his brother to hurry. He called Julian,
impatient for the information his cousin was searching for.

“Dante,
I was just about to call you. I am sending all data to your phone now. There
are several private planes set to take off within the hour. Just because they
told her a jet was waiting doesn’t necessarily mean they are putting her on a
plane. I am working on tapping into the airport cameras now. I also sent my own
text to Isabelle, begging her to let us help. She hasn’t responded,” Julian
said, while he tapped on the keyboard.

“She
hasn’t responded to any of the ones I’ve sent either. Please keep trying.”

“Will
do. Rafael is going with Kaya and Dane to Tennessee. They want to be there if
Maria comes out of her coma.”

“Thank
you, Julian.”

Dante
was about to disconnect when Tessa said, “Let me talk to him.” Tessa took
Dante’s phone. “Julian, remember those trackers I was talking about? I dropped
a small transmitter into Isabelle’s purse before I gave it back to her.”

“Why
did you do that?”

“Because
I was afraid she might go off on her own, which she did. As long as they don’t
throw her purse out somewhere, you should be able to locate her. The tracker is
new technology, and even if they jam the signal, you can still receive it. You
just have to find the right frequency.”

“Where
did you get the transmitter? This technology is far more advanced than anything
I’ve seen.”

“Where
I get all my toys, from Jonas.”

“I’ll
get on it and keep you posted,” Julian said and disconnected.

Tessa
handed Dante’s phone back to him.

“What
made you think she’d take off on her own?” Gregor asked his mate as he reached
for her hand.

“Because
it’s what I would have done in her place. She has lived most of her life
without anyone having her back,” Tessa told him, a hint of sadness in her
voice.

Dante
sent Isabelle another text. “
I understand why you are doing this, and I will
do everything within my power to find you and bring you back to me.
While
listening to his brother chat with his mate, he opened the document that
contained all flights scheduled for the evening. He thought of Isabelle,
feeling alone at a time like this. It hurt his heart that she didn’t think she
could trust him, or anyone, to help her out. He made a silent vow to not only
get Isabelle back, but to bring Connor back safely as well. When that was
accomplished, he would spend the rest of his long life earning her trust as
well as her love.

“I
want to know how the kidnappers knew Isabelle had a kid. I mean, I didn’t even
know, and I’ve been following her for years.” Tessa was still in her disguise,
and Dante found it a little unnerving.

“Obviously
you aren’t the only one who has been following her, but that doesn’t matter
now. What does matter is we get to the airport before she’s put on a plane.
There are seven private flights scheduled. Five of them are domestic. One is
traveling to Italy, and one is going to Greece. Fuck! This can’t be a
coincidence.” Dante had a bad feeling.

“I
have to agree with you, Brother. Alistair’s hatred for Jonas has been going on
for centuries. What if he’s had eyes on Jonas this whole time? He would have
known about Isabelle and her foster family. I wouldn’t doubt he put Alexi up to
seducing a young Isabelle to gain any knowledge she had of her father’s work,”
Gregor was confirming Dante’s own thoughts.

Tessa
told the men, “I’m calling my dad, see if he can give us a head’s up on where
Alistair lives.” She pressed a button and waited. “Hey, Mom, is Dad home? Shit.
Did you know Isabelle has a kid? Yeah, well I didn’t either.” Tessa told her
mom all she knew about Connor, and what they were up to. “I will. Love you,
too.”

“Mom
gives you both her love. Dad is in Italy, but she suggested you call your mom.
Alistair is her brother after all.”

“I’ve
already thought of that. I will call her as a last resort. Right now, I’m not
so sure I trust her.” Dante called Julian and relayed their conversation,
asking him to find a way to delay the plane headed for Greece.

Trevor’s
mind wouldn’t slow down.
What the hell is going on?
First Jasper asked
him to a concert, and not just any concert: Cyanide Sweetness! That shouldn’t
be such a big deal, but it was huge. Second, he asked him to come over and play
video games. It had been a couple of years since he’d spent time with anyone.
All his friends from college had either moved off or were married. The one time
he had tried dating had been a disaster, so he hadn’t tried again. Even though
he talked to Travis on the phone at least once a week, he hadn’t seen his
brother in almost a year. Sadly, all his friends were bodies on a slab, and he
was even more boring than they were.

On
top of all that, Dante was turning the morgue over to him for the time being.
What the fuck was up with that? Dante never went out of town. He had sounded
really stressed on the phone, too.

Trevor
knew Dante had his secrets, and he was okay with that. He had some of his own.
It didn’t mean he thought less of his boss. It just meant theirs wasn’t a
relationship solid enough to confide in each other. However, it felt as if things
were changing. When Trevor told Dante he was a clone, Dante hadn’t flinched.
Then again, neither had the warden. Being a clone wasn’t his biggest secret,
but he wasn’t ready to share the truth with anyone.

He
pulled the business card out of his pocket and put it on the kitchen table. He
wanted to shower before he hung out with Jasper. Not that he was trying to
impress the guy. He just didn’t want to smell like a burned corpse the rest of
the night.
Yeah right
.

He
was too nervous to call Jasper, so he sent him a text. “
Leaving soon. Need
your address
.”

Jasper
responded immediately, telling him where he lived. He followed up with “
Do
you like pizza?”

“Yes,
anything but anchovies. Those are gross.”

“Dude,
you work in a morgue. How is anything gross to you?”

“I
have my limits. Do you need me to bring anything?”
Trevor was enjoying the banter.

“Nope,
not unless you don’t drink beer.”

“I
drink beer. See you soon.”
 
Trevor didn’t drink a lot of beer, but he would probably need some liquid
courage tonight. He showered and changed clothes in record time. While he was
brushing his teeth, he looked up Jasper’s address on his phone. He knew the
area; it was close to where the warden lived. With one last glance in the
mirror, he was out the door of his apartment and on his way.

As
he drove across town, he let the sounds of his favorite band fill the car. Cyanide
Sweetness was hardcore. It amazed him Jasper liked them. It didn’t surprise him
Dante didn’t. His boss was more of a classical music lover. The closer he got
to Jasper’s, the more nervous he got.
Dude, chill the fuck out. It’s not a
date. It’s just you and your new friend hanging out.
He continued to give
himself a mental pep talk until he finally arrived at the address Jasper had
given him. Trevor pulled in the driveway and looked around. This couldn’t be
right; the property was secure, much like Gregor’s. He was just about to call
Jasper and ask for the right address when the gate opened. His phone pinged
with a message. “
Are you just going to sit there? The pizza’s getting cold.”

Huh.
Trevor pulled down the long driveway that curved between stands of pine trees
on either side of the paved drive. The home that came into view was impressive.
It was like Gregor’s house in that it was log and stone. However, this one was
not a three story monstrosity. Jasper was waiting on the front porch, leaning
against one of the massive log posts, hands in the pockets of his jeans. Trevor
turned the motor off and wiped his sweaty hands on his own jeans.
We’re just
friends. This is just two guys hanging out.
Steeling his nerves, he got out
of his car and walked up the steps. When he saw the tight black t-shirt stretched
over Jasper’s chest, he laughed.

“What
are you laughing at?” Jasper straightened up and looked down at his shirt. “What?
You don’t like Star Wars? You better ‘fess up right now, because if you don’t,
you need to leave,” Jasper teased him.

Trevor
unbuttoned his long sleeve shirt, showing Jasper the same black Darth Vader tee
hidden underneath. They both laughed, and Jasper wrapped his arm around
Trevor’s shoulder. “I knew I liked you.” Trevor had to make his body relax. The
feel of Jasper’s hand on his shoulder had his body zinging. Jasper led Trevor
into his home, stopping in the huge family room. A large cedar chest topped
with pizza served as a coffee table. The sofa was a leather sectional. A
seventy-two inch TV hung over the mantle of the stone fireplace. Game
controllers were scattered on the floor beside the sofa. Trevor had died and
gone to geek heaven.

“Are
you on the take?” he blurted out before his brain could stop his mouth. How
could a cop, even a detective, afford a house this massive and all the luxuries
that came with it? He hadn’t seen the rest of the house, but he was certain it
would be just as impressive.

“You
mean like a dirty cop? What the fuck?” Jasper dropped his arm from around
Trevor’s shoulder and turned, facing Trevor with his arms crossed over his
massive chest.

“I’m
sorry, that slipped out. No, I don’t think you’re a dirty cop, but dude, how do
you afford all this?” Trevor didn’t want to ruin his friendship before it
started.

“I
have a really good investor. Now, do you want to eat pizza and play games, or
piss me off some more?” Jasper replied, his face barely hiding a smirk.