Rafael (23 page)

Rafael hated
leaving Kaya but mates or not, he couldn’t make her want to be with him. Technically,
they weren’t truly bonded and wouldn’t be until he bit her with her permission.
That didn’t negate the fact that she was his. He tried to understand where she
was coming from with regards to her job. Did she not understand everything he
did only made her job easier? If only it were night and he could take to the
skies. Flying helped clear his head better than almost anything.

Lorenzo, Jasper,
Deacon, and Sixx were assigned to the areas around the apartments. Nikolas was
helping Uri and Finley monitor the security feeds. Dante and Mason were meeting
him to sweep Kaya’s neighborhood. Gregor called to update him on the meeting
with the doctor. He asked Rafe, “What exactly do you feel when you’re around
the chief?”

 “At first, it
was like a chemical imbalance, sort of like vertigo. Remember when you phased
the first time, and it took a few seconds to get your bearings? Sort of like
that. Now, gods, it’s like I require her to breathe. If I’m in the same room
with her, I have to be touching her because if I’m not my claws are aching to
burst through my skin. As cliché as it sounds, she completes me. Until I met Kaya,
I didn’t realize I didn’t feel whole. Why do you ask, do you think you’ve met
yours?”

“I’m not sure. I
felt what you’re describing once, but it was a while back. I just thought I was
sick.”

“Gregor, we
don’t get sick, not like that.”

“I know, but I
didn’t know how else to justify the feeling. Then this morning I felt it again,
first when I called Isabelle and then again when she came to visit.”        

“Do you think
it’s her?”                                 

“No, it was
weird. There was something when she walked in the office and then again when
she left. But when she was sitting across from me, I didn’t feel anything.”

“If you meet
your mate you’ll know it.  Our dear Nikolas is either going to avoid the public
library like the plague, or we will never see him again.”

“I have my hands
full enough with the Pen without adding a woman to the mix.  I don’t need the
distraction.”

“The way I see
it, if Kaya chooses me, it will only make me stronger, not weaken me.”

“What do you
mean if she chooses you?”

“She is the
chief of police and has a code of ethics she lives by. Some of our methods do
not fit into that code. Her brain is overruling her heart right now. I have to
give her time and hope her heart wins out.”

“For your sake,
I hope so too. Keep me posted on this Alexander character, and I’ll have a
special cell prepared for him, just in case.”

“Thank you,
Brother.” Rafael hung up just as Dante and Mason rolled up on their bikes. He
knew without looking that Kaya was standing at the window. Instead of turning
toward her, he said, “Mason, protect her with your life. Dante, let’s do this.”

The next few
hours were uneventful and frustrating. Rafe wanted to find the man who was
trying to kill his Queen. He had faith that the bond would win, and she would
rule by his side.

Kaya spent most
of the day fielding phone calls. The weekend dispatcher was getting calls
regarding men in fatigues roaming the neighborhoods. Kaya explained it away as
a military drill. Her neighbors were calling about the motorcycles and extra
car in her driveway. When Katherine Fox was shut down at the precinct, she
called Kaya at home. Kaya hung up on the pest. She wanted to yell at all of
them, “They’re out there looking for the bad guys! They’re keeping us safe!”
but she couldn’t do that.

Even if she and
Rafael didn’t pursue their relationship, she knew. She now knew there were
those out there behind the scenes helping her do her job. Those of his kind had
been doing this for thousands of years, and humans like her had known. Wasn’t
that what everyone hoped for? Some type of superhero hiding behind a mask that
secretly saved the day? Hollywood was full of the pretend heroes that kids
emulated at Halloween. So what was wrong with Rafael and his Clan being real
heroes?

Nothing. Nothing
at all. As a matter of fact, having Rafael at her back would mean putting away
more criminals. She could use his resources since his were obviously more
advanced. This time her cell phone rang. “Kane.”

“Hey boss, it’s
Dane. Listen, I’m sorry I’m just now calling you back, but I was pretty bad. I
just got out of the hospital.”

“What the hell,
Abbott, the hospital? Are you okay now? Wait, we called all the hospitals and
none had record of you being there.”

“It was a
private clinic, and as a matter of fact, I’m better than ever. I plan on being
back on the job tomorrow. I was hoping you’d fill me in on what I’ve missed.”

“Dane,
Jorgenson’s dead. I sent him to the address you gave me, and someone shot him.”
Kaya told her detective all that had transpired since she saw him at his
apartment with the exception of Rafael being a shifter. She couldn’t leave out
the fact that he had been present at the warehouse. There were too many
witnesses that saw him save her life.

“Holy shit! That
should’ve been me. I was supposed to check that out. Dammit, Kaya, I just…” Dane
was silent. Kaya knew how he felt. She’s the one who sent Jorgenson out there.
But as officers of the law, they all knew the risk they took every day.

“Have you
contacted his family? I don’t remember him mentioning a wife or a girlfriend.”           

“I’m still digging.
There was nobody listed as an emergency contact in his file. Dane, I’d really
like to know where you got that address. I know you said you promised you’d
keep that to yourself, but that tip led to Kyle’s death. It could have led to
yours. Do you think your source was setting you up?”  

“No, I think
whoever she got it from was probably using her to get to us. I’ll call her and
find out where she got it. You said you knew who the killer is.”

“About that, I
was given a false lead, and when I followed through I figured out it was
bogus.” If Dane was on his game, he would hear the lie for what it was. When
she called him, she had been frantic, panicking almost. Now she was
nonchalantly blowing it off. She didn’t miss that he used “she” for his
informant. Kaya had no doubt it was that reporter.

“So, what’s this
Rafael guy like? The papers must have it wrong if he saved your life huh?” Yep,
definitely off his game. He must have listened to her messages while still
sedated.

“He’s
complicated.” Kaya didn’t know if she was allowed to talk about Rafael with him
being so private. “Back to you, are you sure you’re ready for duty? The
doctor’s gonna release you?”

“Yeah, she
released me. Listen, do you want me to come get you tomorrow, you know, as your
bodyguard?”

“Shut up,
Abbott. I can drive myself. See you tomorrow.” She hung up before her detective
could offer any more smartass remarks.

She wanted to
talk to Rafael and get some clarity on their relationship. He told her if he
found someone to share his life with that it would be in private. Was she going
to have to pretend she wasn’t in love, that she didn’t have someone to share
her life and her bed with?

The rumble of
the bikes in her driveway meant Rafael was back. She glanced around the curtain
to see him walking up the steps. She turned the locks and opened the door. He
walked right in and kept going to the kitchen. She followed him to see him
sitting at the table.       

“What are you
doing?” She was really confused. Did something happen? She wasn’t used to this
Rafael, the one who wasn’t loving and kept his hands to himself.

“I’m sitting
down. We have to talk. I cannot do that if we are sitting next to each other,
because I have a constant need to touch you.”

Kaya sat down
across from him. “Okay, talk.” She placed her arms on the table, crossing one
over the other. She knew what he meant though. It was all she could do to keep
from reaching out and touching him. It was like there was an invisible force
constantly pulling them toward each other.

“We haven’t
found Alexander. We have eyes on all of my warehouses and any other property I
own in case he gets ideas about those. Julian is on his way now to upgrade your
security system. Mason will be guarding your house tonight and will escort you
to work tomorrow. I will have someone escort you home as well.”

“And where will
you be?” She really didn’t like the look on his face or the tone of his voice.

“I’ll be giving
you space. Kaya, I will not pressure you, ever. I want you to have time to
decide with no interference from me if you want me in your life. I will be
watching you, though. I will not stop until Alexander is no longer a threat to
you. If you need me for anything, if you feel threatened, whatever, just call,
and I’ll be here.” Rafael stood. “I really want to kiss you right now, but I’m
not going to. The way I feel, if I kiss you, I’m not going to stop there. So I
will just say goodnight, Miss Kane.”

“Rafael…”  Kaya
blinked back the tears she felt in the back of her eyes. She didn’t need time.
She was sure, but maybe one more night would give her even more clarity.
“Goodnight, Mr. Stone.”

For the first
time ever, Rafael felt completely lost. The unknown was part of life, but
having his mate within his grasp, only to lose her, would be more than he could
withstand. He was ready to claim her and put her in his bed, never letting her
leave it. If he didn’t find Vincent Alexander before… he wasn’t going to allow
himself to even entertain that thought.

As he drove the
Jag back to the manor, the sky clouded over, and a light rain began to fall.
That was perfect for when he hit the skies. His claws ached with a demand to
tear something apart. Rafe had to have release. He needed his mate. Since that
wasn’t an option, he was going hunting. It had been a long time since he had
sought out Unholy to decimate. Kaya would probably be appalled if she found out.
He would just have to hope she never did.

He didn’t go in
the house. If Priscilla saw him, she would know something was wrong. He took
the hidden staircase that led to the roof of the garage. The sun was no longer
an issue since the clouds had covered the sky. He stood unmoving, allowing the
mist to dampen his skin and hair. He drew in a breath and phased, launching
himself upward and heading where Unholy usually congregated. He knew going in
alone was asking for trouble, he was King after all. He didn’t have an heir to
take over like his father had when he was killed. If he perished before he
could produce an heir, Sinclair would be next in line.

He circled
higher and higher, allowing the cooler air to fill his lungs. When that didn’t
help calm his mood, he retreated lower, scanning the streets for those monsters
that Gordon Flanagan called his army. Rafe knew for every Unholy he took out,
Flanagan created two more.

Something was
wrong. There was no brawling in the streets, no claws meeting flesh. He
continued through the various quadrants where he was sure to find
confrontation. When he saw nothing happening below, Rafael flew to one of the
buildings he owned and landed on the rooftop. He pulled his cell phone out of
his cargo pocket and called Nikolas. “Nik, status report.”              

“Nothing to
report. Everything is eerily quiet.”

“Yeah, out here
too. I’ve been over every quadrant, and there’s no movement at all. Alert your
brothers. Something is very wrong, I feel it. I’ll call Mason.” Rafe hung up on
Nikolas and immediately dialed Mason’s number.

When his younger
cousin answered, Rafael asked, “Mason, is all well? There is something amiss
with the Unholy, and I am checking in with everyone.” He didn’t want the
younger Goyle to assume he was picking on him.

“Yes, my King.
There has been no movement since Julian left. Chief Kane has showered and is
now in her bedroom.”

“You do know
that is my mate you are watching?”

“You have my
word that I would never disrespect her or you. I am not looking in on her, only
listening. She has made several phone calls to her coworkers updating them on
the events leading up to and including Jorgenson’s murder. Dane Abbott is
coming back to work tomorrow, and she likes pepperoni and green olives on her
pizza. Thin crust.”

“Thank you,
Mason. Hopefully one day soon that woman you are guarding will be your Queen.”

“I hope so,
Brother. I truly hope so.”

Rafael flew to
the manor after checking back in with Nik. He was given the all-clear by each
team. He took a quick shower then went in search of food. Priscilla was in the
kitchen covering several dishes to put in the refrigerator. “Oh, Rafael, there
you are. I was getting worried about you.”

He kissed his
old friend on the cheek. “Please, leave the dishes out and I’ll make myself a
plate.” He wanted to be alone right now.

“Nonsense, I’ll
be glad to do it.” She began uncovering the dishes.

“Priscilla, I
need your help with something.” Jonathan was standing just inside the kitchen.
He was much better at gauging Rafael’s moods than his sister. She just wanted
to mother him all the time. “Can’t it wait? Rafael’s hungry.”

“No, it cannot
wait. Now, Priscilla.” When Jonathan was stern, she listened. She glanced at
Rafael then gave in. “Okay, but you leave everything out, and I’ll come back
later to clean up.” She patted his arm then followed her brother to their wing
of the manor.

Rafael dished
out the food then nuked it in the microwave. He stood at the counter, eating
without truly tasting anything. He had popped open a beer while waiting for his
plate to heat up. Having a Goyles’ metabolism, it would take a case of beer
before he even felt a slight buzz. He still enjoyed a good Scotch, but his
tastes had changed over the years and craft beers were his drink of choice at
the moment.

Rafe rinsed his
plate and put it in the dishwasher. He grabbed another beer and made his way to
the patio. The sky had cleared and was now cloudless. The moon was almost full,
and the stars were visible. He took a pull from the bottle and glanced up at
Perseus. Rafe wanted to be Kaya’s hero. He walked shoeless down to the garden,
enjoying the feel of the damp grass on his bare feet. He sat on his favorite
bench, not caring that it was still wet from the rain. Taking a few cleansing
breaths, he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to clear.

Kaya rarely went
to bed before eleven, but tonight she did. She was ready for tomorrow. She
hadn’t really needed the extra time to decide whether Rafael was where her
heart was, her future was. If he hadn’t been so adamant earlier, she would have
told him then. Maybe
he
needed time to think. Whatever his reason, she
hoped that tomorrow they could start their life together. She turned her
computer off, brushed her teeth, washed her face and double checked the new
security system.

Usually she wore
very little to sleep in but with Mason standing guard outside, she felt she
should cover herself. She pulled on some sleep pants and a t-shirt and slid
under the covers. She glanced at her cell phone just in case. No messages. What
the hell. She sent Rafael a quick goodnight text then closed her eyes.

“
Momma wake
up. Momma!  Momma you have to wake up!” 
Kaya felt herself being lifted.
She tried to open her eyes, but everything was black. Her arms wouldn’t move.
They didn’t feel like they were tied, just that she had no control over them.
Sleepy, she was so sleepy. The house phone was ringing. She couldn’t reach it.
Her cell phone was going off on the nightstand. Why couldn’t she get to her
phones?

Kaya woke to
that little voice she had come to know was her son.
“Momma, that mean man
has you. I don’t like that man, Momma.”
Kaya opened her eyes to see a very pale,
very blond man walking out of the room.
Oh my God!  That’s the albino.
That’s Vincent Alexander.
Kaya tried to yell, but no sound came out. Why
couldn’t she talk? Her eyes were getting heavy again. No, no, no! You have to
stay awake!  As hard as she tried, she couldn’t hold her eyes open.

Rafael found himself
once again standing on the cliff overlooking the sea. This time the sky was
gray and lightning flashed in the distance. The water was ferociously crashing
over the rocks. He felt a tug on his hand. Looking down, he saw his little boy.
His frantic little boy. “Papa, Papa.” He squatted down until he was nearly eye
level with his child.

“Yes, my son,
what is it?”

The strong winds
were blowing his dark hair about as he implored, “Papa, you have to help her.
That mean man has her.”

“Who, has who my
boy?”

“Momma. That
mean man has Momma. Papa, you have to help her.”

Rafael came out
of his trance to Jonathan yelling his name. “Rafael, Jesus Rafael!!! His cell
phone was ringing at the same time. He took off running toward his servant.
“Tell me she’s ok.”

“Here, Sir. When
you wouldn’t answer your phone, Geoffrey called me.”

“Frey, tell me
you have her! Tell me she’s okay!”     

“Rafael, I’ve
been calling for an hour. Where are you?” Frey forewent the formalities. “Mason
called me when he couldn’t reach you. Said it was too quiet in Kaya’s house and
when she wouldn’t answer either of her phones he wanted permission to go inside
and check on her. I gave him permission. Rafe she’s gone.”

Rafael dropped
to his knees and roared.

“Rafael…RAFAEL…MY
KING!!!” Frey yelling into the phone got Rafael’s attention.

“Frey, I’m going
to kill that sonofabitch. I’m going to tear him apart with my claws and my
fangs, and then I’m going to shove his parts down his own motherfucking throat.
Do you hear me?”

“I hear you, but
for now we need to go. Nikolas knows where she is. You were right to have them
monitor all the office buildings. She is being held in the basement of the
State Street Towers. Rafe, there are Unholy everywhere. We have been fighting
them for the last hour while we were trying to get hold of you.”

“I’m on my way.”
Rafe didn’t bother taking off his shirt; he just phased and launched himself
into the sky. He heard Jonathan say, “Bring her back safely, my lord.”

Rafael still
clutched his phone in his hand. He called Nikolas. “Tell me what you see, Nik.”

“About an hour
ago, Vincent Alexander took Kaya out of the back of a nondescript white van and
into the lower level of the building. I pulled the plans, and the place should
be empty. It’s the one we gutted and renovated a few months ago. We were still
waiting on the final electric inspections to pass before we began leasing the
offices.

“The internal
security feed was cut earlier this afternoon, so this was premeditated. Mason,
Jasper, Sixx, Gregor, and Deacon are on their way there now. Getting there is
an issue seeing as there are Unholy everywhere. I’ve called in Clan from other
cities to come fight. Rafe, even the police are involved in this. We’re doing
the best we can to keep the public out of it, but it’s difficult. Right now you
just need to make a beeline for State Street and get your woman. We’ll worry
about the rest.”

Rafe hung up and
flew faster than he’d ever flown before, not caring if humans saw him or not.
Gordon Flanagan had been busy.  Rafael had never seen this many Unholy, dead or
alive, in one place.  Knowing his brothers would take care of them, he
continued on to Kaya. Arriving at the State Street Towers he headed to the back
of the building where he landed amidst more fighting.  Sixx and Gregor cleared
a path for him.  “Go get her, we’ve got this,” Gregor said as he slashed his
claws at an oncoming Unholy.

Rafael opened
his senses and found his mate.  He ran full out until he got to the door.