Dante (Stone Society Book 3) (31 page)

Isabelle
felt Dante tense beside her. She looked at his face and saw his eyes were
closed.
Connor.
She caught Hunter’s attention and put her finger to her
lips, motioning for him to remain quiet. She sat still, waiting while her son
contacted Dante. Hunter arched an eyebrow, questioning what was happening in
front of him but quickly looked away. Isabelle found it odd a Gargoyle of his
size would be shy around a female.

Dante
opened his eyes and found hers. He squeezed her hand and smiled. “I know where
they are. Hunter, I trust you to keep what I’m about to tell you between us.”
Dante waited until Hunter gave his word. “Isabelle’s son and I have a
connection of sorts. He contacts me mentally and shows me pictures. Isabelle,
this time he drew an exact replica of
The Magdalena
. He has seen the
boat, not just what he thinks a large boat should look like. He also drew
another picture. In this one he was looking off the deck into the water. The
calm water. Connor drew himself into the picture, his feet propped against the
rail, his pad in his lap. He drew a picture of himself sitting on the boat
drawing. He’s okay.”

Hunter
cocked his head to the side. “That’s some connection. I understand it, though.
Carter and I communicate in much the same way.” Hunter looked off as if he were
thinking of his brother. “Anyway, I checked our records. Sarantos still uses
that slip, so Alexi and your son are out on the water. You said the water was
calm. That means they have anchored somewhere. Alexi is an avid fisherman. If
we’re lucky, he will have found a good spot and will stay put.” He went back to
work on his computer. “There are approximately fifty boats on the water, twenty
of which are larger vessels. Ten are anchored. I will contact a few of my men
and we will head out. Give me a few minutes.”

Hunter
made several phone calls, giving orders to look for
The Magdalena
. Once
the boat was spotted, Hunter would take over. He stood and said, “Let’s go for
a little ride.”

As
they walked, Isabelle asked, “If you are in Greece, do you not have to declare
your loyalty to the Greek King?”

Hunter’s
face was blank when he responded. “Who says I haven’t? Carter and I are of
Greek decent. Our families have been loyal to Alistair for centuries. Let’s
just say my brother and I don’t agree with the way things have been
deteriorating for a while now. We aren’t the only ones. By some twist of the
fates, we met Donovan. After a while, we figured out he felt the same way. For
several years, we have secretly been forming alliances with others who aren’t
happy with our King. While we live and serve in Greece, our true loyalties lie
with King Xavier.”

“That’s
good to hear. Alistair is causing trouble for our King in the Americas. We feel
a war is on the horizon and it’s a relief to know we will have allies on
several fronts,” Dante said.

They
boarded a small boat, one perfect for a family of four. If anyone saw them on
the water, they would look like any other couple taking a rental boat out for
the day. They sat on the upper deck close to Hunter. He and Dante talked
strategy while Isabelle found herself taking in the sea. It had been six years
since she had been on a boat. Before the incident with Alexi, Isabelle had
loved the water. Most of the time when they went out, Alexi would fish and
leave Isabelle to her books. She would stretch out on a lounge chair on the
large front deck and relax. The servants made sure her beverage of choice never
ran out.

Looking
back, she had enjoyed life on the water, even if the trips were few and far
between. Her schedule at the hospital had been grueling. When she had the day
off, she actually looked forward to their boat outings. The peacefulness of the
water allowed her a day of relaxation. Those were the only days she could
remember Alexi being somewhat pleasant. If they were stuck at home together, he
was typically in a foul mood. The water had a calming effect on him as well.

“Isabelle.
Izzy!” Dante was calling her name, bringing her out of her memories.
Izzy
.
Why did he keep calling her that? She shook off her mental sluggishness and
looked at him. His face was serious. “We found them.”

Dante’s
beast was begging for a fight. He explained his feelings to Hunter, needing to
know how the other Gargoyle felt about the situation. Hunter remembered the
accident years ago. He had just bought the marina and was part of the search
for Alexi. He had been pissed when Alexi showed up out of the blue after so
many man hours had been spent searching for him. Hunter knew both Sarantos men
by reputation, and he would not feel bad if either one of them disappeared for
good.

One
of Hunter’s men spotted
The Magdalena
and called the location in. Hunter
found the larger vessel and stopped a few hundred yards away. They were close
enough to use their shifter eyesight and far enough the crew of the yacht
wouldn’t think anything about another boat being out on the water. They
couldn’t pull alongside without the crew of the larger boat’s assistance, thus
taking any element of surprise away.

“I’ll
swim,” Dante said his thoughts aloud. “You stay here, and I’ll swim. I will
disarm any of the crew members who get in my way and still be able to surprise
Alexi. If he should put up a fight, let’s just say he won’t win. I will flag
you down when I have Connor safe, and you can pull alongside.”

Isabelle
protested, “Dante, this is my fight. I can’t let you do this.”

He
appreciated the sentiment, but did she really think he was going to let her
fight her husb…Alexi alone? “Beautiful, if you think for one second I’m going
to let him anywhere near you, then you don’t know me very well.” He pulled her
body to his, brushing the loose strands of her hair out of her eyes. “This is
what Gargoyles do. We take care of our families. You and Connor are my family,
and I’ll be damned if I allow Alexi to harm either one of you.” He kissed her
forehead. “This is settled. I’m going to get our son back.”

He
removed his shirt and shoes. “Hunter, I trust you to keep my mate safe while
I’m gone.” Dante knew the threatening tone wasn’t necessary, but his mate was a
beautiful woman.

“On
my honor,” Hunter responded, fisting his heart and bowing his head. The solemn
oath spoken by a Gargoyle indicated he would lay down his life for the mate of
another.

Dante
pulled Isabelle to him. This time the kiss wasn’t gentle. He crashed their
mouths together, pouring all his love from his body into hers. He ended the
kiss abruptly and whispered, “I love you.” He gave her no time to respond as he
dove into the waters of the Ionian Sea.

He
thought about trying to contact Connor, but decided it was better if the boy
wasn’t expecting him. Connor was a bright child, but he was only six. Dante
glided through the sea until he was close enough to get a good look at the
boat. Treading water, he searched for signs of life other than Connor and
Alexi. Surprisingly, Dante couldn’t detect any others on board. This was going
to be too easy. He swam closer and saw Connor was no longer sitting on the
deck. He was standing with his little fists clenched. Alexi was holding the
sketchpad, flipping through the pages. Dante didn’t bother diving under the
water. Instead he used his Gargoyle strength and swam on top of the water, long
stroke after long stroke pulling him closer to his son.

Dante
reached the back of the boat and pulled himself out of the water. He quietly
climbed the stairs of the transom and paused. He listened once again for crew
members. When he found none he headed to the bow where the arguing continued.
The scene before him had his beast roaring. Not wanting to scare Connor, Dante
tamped down his anger, kept himself from phasing. Connor didn’t need a crash
course in all things Gargoyle.

“You
little shit. I’m your father, and you will do as I say,” Alexi yelled.

“You
are not my father. He is,” Connor yelled back, pointing at Dante as he
approached. His heart caught in his throat as Connor claimed him. Alexi whirled
around, dropping the sketchpad on the wet deck. Connor scrambled to pick it up,
clutching it to his chest.

“Who
the fuck are you, and how did you get onboard?” Alexi looked at the water,
searching for another boat.

“As
he said, I’m his father, and I’ve come for my son.” Dante stepped toward Connor,
but Alexi got there first. He grabbed the boy around the neck and pulled a
knife out of nowhere. Dante froze.

“Alexi,
let the boy go. No matter what happens here, you are finished. You’re going to
jail for kidnapping.” Dante didn’t like the cruel glint he saw in Alexi’s eyes.
The knife was precariously close to Connor’s throat.

“You
can’t kidnap your own kid,” Alexi said with a smirk.

“Da,
please,” Connor whispered.

Dante
made the mistake of looking at Connor’s face. His boy was scared. His beast was
furious. “As I stated previously, Connor is my son. I have the papers to prove
it. Besides, he is not the only child you have taken. Those five little girls
you abducted are now safe with the authorities, and your father is in custody.
You will rot alongside him in prison.” Dante was bluffing. They hadn’t heard
from Gregor since parting ways.

Alexi
flushed, and he yelled at Dante, “You can’t prove anything.”

“Oh,
but I can. I followed you at the pier when you tricked the second child into
going for ice cream.”

Recognition
registered on Alexi’s face. “You were the motherfucker who ran into me.”

“Like
I said, it’s over. Let the boy go and…”

Alexi
yelled, “No!” pulling Connor backwards until their backs were against the
railing. The knife was now cutting into his skin. As soon as Dante saw the
blood, he couldn’t contain the beast any longer. With his shifter quickness, he
lunged at Alexi, praying the knife didn’t do any more damage to Connor than it
already had. Dante held onto Alexi as they both landed in the water. He let the
beast loose and clung to Alexi as he pulled him under the water. Alexi slashed
at him with the knife, but it did no damage against his Gargoyle skin. Dante
swam deeper and farther from the boat, knowing all along he was committing
murder. Humans could claim self-defense, but being a shifter, Dante had an
advantage over Alexi. The human had no chance of surviving. Dante searched his
conscience and knew this was something he would have no trouble living with.
The man had threatened his son, held a knife to his throat. There was no
question about his decision.

Dante
knew as soon as the life left Alexi’s body. He let go and kicked hard to the
surface. Gargoyles couldn’t drown, but they could run out of air, eventually
causing unconsciousness. He couldn’t have that; he had to get back to Connor.
He broke the surface of the water, gasping air into his lungs. Dante swam hard
and fast back toward the boat. Hunter’s smaller boat was already alongside with
both he and Isabelle aboard the yacht. He pulled himself up and held his breath
as he noticed the blood on Isabelle’s hands.

“No!”
he yelled as he neared the boy. Isabelle was cradling him in her lap, rocking
him back and forth. She looked up at Dante smiling. Why in the gods’ names was
she smiling? He heard a small voice, “Da, I knew you’d come for me.”

Dante
dropped to his knees. The blood was coming from Connor’s cheek. The knife had
sliced a gash down his angelic face, barely missing his left eye. Hunter
appeared from somewhere inside with a towel. Isabelle took the cloth and
pressed it gently to Connor’s now smiling face. He reached a tentative hand out
to his son’s shoulder and let the tears fall. The absolute, pure, unconditional
love Dante felt for this small being was so much more than he would have ever
fathomed.

“Don’t
cry, Da. I’m fine.” Connor looked from Dante to Isabelle. “Momma, you don’t cry
either.” Dante put his arm around Isabelle’s shoulder and pulled them both
close. His son was going to be okay, and now their family was complete.

Dante
took Connor from Isabelle’s lap and carried him below deck so Isabelle could
search for a first aid kit. She wouldn’t be able to stitch his wound, but she
could clean it and bandage it for now. Hunter’s phone rang. He answered it and
passed it to Dante. “It’s for you. Gregor.”

“Hello?”
Dante asked, not taking his eyes off Connor.

“Brother!
What’s going on? I’ve been calling, and neither you nor Isabelle was answering.”

“We
have him, Connor’s safe. I’ll fill you in later. How are things on your end? Are
the girls okay?”

“Yes,
Stavros showed up at the villa along with the buyers. The girls are safe and
being returned to their families. Stavros and the others are in custody.
Where’s Alexi?”

“Swimming,”
was the only reply Dante could give in the presence of Connor. Isabelle looked
at him. If she was listening in on their conversation, she would know what he
meant. Her eyes met his, and he saw no judgment there. No sadness, no disdain.
Only relief. She gave him a small smile and returned her attention to her son.
Their son. One day he would have to talk to Connor about Alexi. Just not this
day.

“I
understand. We’ll talk about it later. What happens now?” Gregor asked with
Tessa fussing in the background. “Hush, Red.”

Dante
let out a chuckle. He didn’t envy his brother at all. Tessa was a handful. Now,
Dante had his own hands full with his woman and their son, and he wouldn’t have
it any other way. “We are taking Connor to get stitched up. He has a small cut
on his cheek, but it will heal. Once we return home, I’ll have the scar removed.
We haven’t decided if we are heading back immediately or if we’re staying a
while.”

“Tessa
and I really need to get to Egypt. I’m going to call Xavier and ask to use his
jet. We’ll leave the Society jet for you and Isabelle.”

“Gregor...”
Dante couldn’t find the words to tell his brother what he was feeling. They had
rarely been apart in five hundred years.

“I
know, Brother. Me too.” Gregor hung up without saying goodbye. Dante knew
Gregor would do everything within his power to come home safely, bringing
Nikolas and his mate with him.

Hunter
pulled Dante outside the cabin, away from Connor. “I have some of my Clan
coming to wipe the boat down. Nobody will ever know there was anyone else here
besides Alexi. Lucky for us he dismissed his crew today.” Hunter paused and
looked through the door at Isabelle. “Your mate is a trooper. She remained calm
until we saw you and Alexi go overboard. Then she pretty much threatened my
malehood if I didn’t get her to her son,” he said, grinning.

Dante
smiled, thinking of Isabelle threatening a Gargoyle as large as Hunter. “I
appreciate your help today. If you ever need anything, I am indebted to you.”
Dante fisted his heart, bowing his head.

Hunter
clapped him on the shoulder. “Eh, I’m a sucker for a happy ending. Let’s get
you all to land.”

Dante
found Isabelle and Conner chatting. “Are you two ready to get off this boat?” he
asked. Isabelle nodded, but Connor jumped off his seat and ran at Dante,
flinging himself into his arms. Dante caught him and stood, wrapping his large
arms around his small boy.

 Connor
touched his forehead to Dante’s. In his mind, Dante could hear Connor say, “I
knew you’d come for me.”

Dante
responded silently, “Always.”

Isabelle
was amazed at her two men. They were practically inseparable. When she thought
of how close she came to losing Connor, her heart seized and she could barely
breathe. When her thoughts turned to Dante, her Gargoyle, her mate, her heart
unclenched and felt as if it would burst with so much love. She loved him. Looking
back, the feelings she’d felt for Alexi hadn’t been love. Infatuation possibly.
The way Dante’s soul entwined with hers, that was love. She welcomed it,
embraced it, and vowed to hold on to it for as long as she was of this earth.

Hunter
drove them to a Gargoyle doctor who took care of Connor’s cut. The gash wasn’t
as deep as they first feared. Once the blood was cleaned off, they could see it
could have been much worse. Dante held Connor in his lap as the doctor tended
to their son. Once the cut was taken care of, Dante asked if they wanted to
stay at the Clan villa, or if they wanted to go home. Isabelle was ready to get
home, but she would stay if that’s what Connor wanted. He was the one who had
been through hell and back. “What do you want, Connor?”