Chapter Twenty-Two

Drago grabbed the male around the neck, lifting him off the ground. “I should take your head! ” His claws dug into the male’s neck. What good was spending money on these fuckers if they kept getting away? Granted, the Stone Society was responsible for both abductions, and that was worse. If the two Reborn had simply run away, Drago wouldn’t be as concerned. But these males had information Rafael could use against him. If the two Reborn talked, everything Drago was working toward could be ruined. He tossed the male against the wall, where he slid down, landing hard on his ass. The male simply pushed himself off the ground and waited for instructions. This wasn’t one of the Reborn. This male was still Unholy.

Maybe Drago had been going about this the wrong way. Did he really need his army to be able to think for themselves? No, he didn’t. He needed males who would fight to the death without question. Retracting his claws, Drago stormed off toward his car. He needed to speak with Hagen, who was still living at Drago’s place. The young human was no trouble. He was quiet unless spoken to, and he cooked and cleaned without being asked. Drago found he rather liked the young man, so keeping him at his own home not only saved money, it gave him someone to go home to. It didn’t hurt the man was handsome as well as useful.

When he walked in the door, all the lights were off except the one over the stove. Drago knew there would be a plate of food in the microwave. He was too worked up to eat, so he decided to take a shower first. Soft music sounded from the room Hagen was staying in. Drago bypassed the door, continuing down the hallway to his own room where he made quick work of his clothes. He had just stepped into the bathroom when someone gasped behind him. When he turned, Hagen was rushing from the room, muttering apologies. Drago chuckled softly at the young man. Being over six hundred years old, Drago had long since put things like modesty behind him.

Until he met Audrey, he’d also not given much thought to his random sexual encounters. For a brief moment, he’d imagined what it would be like to come home to a mate every night. Someone who was glad to see him. Someone who cooked for him. Cuddled on the sofa when the mood struck. Drago might have been a bastard in most things, but he wasn’t one to shy away from affection if the person he was with offered it. Being close to another was soothing to his beast. His mate had been taken from him, so those thoughts of what might have been did him no good. He now had other worries to focus on, like whether or not to continue with the Reborn program.

Ignoring his cock, he showered quickly, and then dressed in sleep pants. He didn’t bother with a shirt since he would be going to bed as soon as he ate whatever Hagen had cooked for him. He expected Hagen to be hiding in his bedroom, but the human was waiting for Drago in the kitchen.

“Uh, sorry about barging in on you like that, ” Hagen said, not meeting Drago’s eyes.

“I imagine I don’t have anything you haven’t seen before, so don’t worry about it. ” Drago headed for the microwave, but Hagen jumped down from the stool.

“Here, let me. ” Hagen punched in the time and pressed start. “Would you like your usual beer? ”

“Sure. ” Drago sat at the island, watching Hagen move about the kitchen. The man kept his eyes averted while he poured the beer from the bottle into a chilled pint glass. When the microwave dinged, Hagen placed the plate in front of Drago along with silverware and a napkin. Service with a blush.

“Thank you, Hagen. This looks delicious. ”

“You’re welcome. If you need anything else, I’ll be in my room. ”

Drago stopped him. “Sit, please. I want to run something by you. ”

Hagen nodded and climbed onto the stool next to Drago. He still wouldn’t look at him. Between bites, Drago explained how the two Reborn had been captured by the Stone Society. He then brought up his thoughts on finding more men to turn Unholy to build his army. It wasn’t necessarily cheaper. The cost of the Reborn serum was more expensive than that of the Unholy serum, but if they increased their numbers, they would need more housing. “We also have the problem of the two Reborn talking. If Rafael gets hold of Craven, then none of what we’re discussing matters. ”

Hagen lowered himself from the stool and went to the table where his laptop was. He sat down and talked while he worked. “Have you reached out to the doctor? You know, to make sure he hasn’t been found? ”

“Yes. He assures me he and the child are well hidden. ”

“Okay then. It sounds to me like the Reborn aren’t worth the cost. If you take the money allotted for that program and put it towards Unholy, you could... ” Hagen tapped away and concentrated. “There are several warehouses for sale about thirty miles south of here. With the money you were going to give Craven for the Reborn serum, you could buy these warehouses, and that would give you plenty of room for the Unholy you already have plus a couple hundred more if you wanted to house them all together. The money coming in from Florida would provide the funds needed to feed and clothe them plus pay the utilities. They’re farther away from downtown, but they offer more privacy than your current location. ” Hagen looked up, and his cheeks flushed.

Drago smiled at the young man. It was the first time he’d had something to smile about since losing Audrey. “That could work except for two things. One, I’ve already paid Craven to produce the anti-serum. And two, I’m not exactly a citizen with the credentials to purchase property legally. ”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. These came in today. ” Hagen grabbed an envelope from a pile of mail and handed it to Drago.

“What’s this? ” he asked, opening the flap and dumping the contents beside his empty plate. Drago shuffled through the papers, and his eyes met Hagen’s.

“I started the process for citizenship as soon as Kallisto paid me off in case I needed to get out of Greece. I had to fake all the documentation, because I didn’t meet the requirements. ” Hagen shrugged like fooling the US government was no big deal. “As soon as I arrived here after you called for me, I looked into setting up a company. Everything is in my name, so you don’t have to worry about Julian Stone tracking anything back to you. You now have the ability to purchase whatever you need. ”

“How did you manage this? Where did you get the money? ”

“I used some of the funds Kallisto gave me before she sent me away. ”

“You used your own money for this? For me? ”

“Yes, Sir. I figure we are in this together. The better equipped you are at taking over the States from the Stone Society, the more likely we are to succeed. As for the money, Arden has been more than successful in moving women. I’ll add the money I have left to it for the warehouses. Call Craven, and have him switch from the antiserum to the original Unholy serum. ”

Something shifted inside Drago. The human had taken it upon himself to move things forward. No one had ever been so thoughtful where Drago was concerned. If he hadn’t met Audrey and felt the mate bond, he might have considered this human to be his intended, even though there was no burning desire to get physical. Drago had never excluded men from his bed when wanting to scratch an itch. Pleasure was pleasure, no matter whether the body was soft curves or hardened muscles. Most everyone Drago knew wanted something in return, but it sounded like this man only wanted to help Drago in his plans to take over the throne. Before he could ponder this new situation further, Hagen brought up the project Drago had tasked him with earlier. When he told Drago what he’d found out, it was all Drago could do not to kiss the man.

Deacon had to be lying, but if he was, the rest of the people in the room were in on the deception. Sabrina knew what she heard. Deacon was threatened by Jerrick, and he would do anything to mate with her. Did that mean coming up with a ruse so plausible she fell for it? She didn’t know the Gargoyles and their mates. But she knew her boss. Didn’t she? No, she didn’t. Not really. The man she’d called boss and friend all these years had deceived her, so why wouldn’t the others do so as well? She hadn’t missed Dante sending a text, and soon after the two women and children had shown up. That was for Sabrina’s benefit. It was to set her mind at ease. That or to lull her into a false sense of security. But she did feel secure. Safe. She didn’t want to believe Deacon was lying to her. What if she was jumping to conclusions? She hadn’t heard the whole conversation. Still, it was up to her to protect Jerrick. She would play along until she had proof one way or another.

“Connor’s drawings are from visions he has. In this one, he saw you and the child. Can you tell us where this building is? ” Dante asked Jerrick.

“Yeah. It’s about three blocks from the bus terminal. West, I think? I don’t remember getting there, but when we left, we were ushered into an SUV and taken back to the warehouse. ”

“I’ll call Julian, ” Frey said, leaving the room still holding Amelia in one arm.

Dante stepped closer to the bed. “How do you feel about a vacation in New Orleans? ”

“I’ve never been, but it’s just as good a place as any, I guess. ”

“My brother’s mate has a house there. Julian is already working on a new identity for you. If you were to head down there for a while, you wouldn’t have to worry about anyone recognizing you. ”

Sabrina spoke up before Jerrick could comment. “Jerrick, I don’t like the thought of you going off to a strange city alone. ”

Jerrick rolled his eyes. “I’m not a kid anymore. I’m a trained soldier. But if you feel the need to babysit, then by all means, come with me. ”

“I can’t. I have patients. Look, I know you’re an adult, but I think it would be better if you stay here with me. You won’t know anyone down there. ” Sabrina was being ridiculous as well as selfish. Jerrick had been to war, yes. But he’d also been Unholy, and she didn’t know how much of that mentality was left over.

“My sister lives in the French Quarter. She’s mated to the leader of our Clan in that area. Lilly and Dominic would be willing to keep an eye on him, ” Isabelle said.

“You all have an answer for everything. This is my brother’s life you’re playing Russian roulette with. ” Sabrina wrapped her arms around her waist and blinked back the tears. Was she being unreasonable? She didn’t think so.

“Sabrina, we all want what’s best for Jerrick. We’re not going to make him go anywhere he doesn’t want to. We aren’t going to force him to change his name or wear a prosthetic. He’s free to do what he wants. We’re just giving him options to keep him safe from Drago, ” Deacon said.

“Can I talk to my sister alone? ” Jerrick asked.

“Of course, ” Deacon said. He grabbed Sabrina’s hand and squeezed it before walking off. The electric spark between them was still there. The need to be close to him hadn’t dissipated. If anything, it was getting stronger, and that was messing with her brain. She needed a clear head to think about her brother, not about hauling Deacon back to his house and sealing the bond the way she’d wanted to earlier. Had that only been a couple hours ago?

“Sabrina, you need to stop, ” Jerrick said.

“Stop what? ”

“Trying to mother me. I appreciate your concern, but I got myself into this mess, and I’ll get myself out of it. ”

“I’m not—”

“You are. You took care of us even when Momma was alive, but I’m grown now. It sounds like you have a good family with Deacon and the others. I know they’re looking out for me because of you, and it feels good. They have every right to toss me in the Pen, and not in a room, but in a cell. ”

“I’m not so sure that’s not what they have planned. I overheard Deacon talking with Dante, and he said you’re a threat. ”

“No, he said Drago is a threat. You must have only heard part of the conversation. ”

“How do you know what they were talking about? ”

“Because I can hear exceptionally well. I have been able to since I became Unholy. I guess that’s one of the side effects, but I heard every word the two of them said. Well, most every word. I was trying to pay attention to you at the same time. I know Deacon loves you. I can see it in the way he looks at you. ”

“He can’t love me. We haven’t known each other long enough. It’s what they call the mate bond. ”

“So, are you saying Frey doesn’t love his mate, or Dante doesn’t love Isabelle? Because Deacon looks at you the same way they look at their mates. And if it isn’t love, it’s at least a deep devotion. They don’t have to help me, but they are, and it’s because of you. You don’t see them offering the man in the Pen the chance to vacation in New Orleans. I know who they’re talking about. Evan is his name. We are both ex-military. We both saw and did things while serving our country that most people would think unforgivable, but when it’s at the government’s discretion, it’s considered a duty. Neither he nor I ever harmed a human after becoming Unholy. We’re basically the same, so why do I get special treatment and he doesn’t? ”

“Maybe they’ll let this Evan go with you to New Orleans. I’d feel better if you had someone with you that you know. ”

“I don’t have the right to ask that of them. ”

“No, but I do. ”

“And you’re willing to ask that of Deacon even though you don’t trust him? ”

“I don’t… God, I can’t wrap my head around all this. ”

“Cut yourself some slack. I can’t imagine what I put you through acting like a stalker. I’m so sorry I didn’t trust you enough to come to you. ”

“And I can’t imagine what you’ve been through. Being Unholy? What was that even like? ”

Jerrick shook his head. “You really don’t want to know. I’m just glad Drago chose me to become one of the Reborn, or I might have never gotten away from him. ”

“Are you sure you want to go to New Orleans? ”

“Definitely if Evan can go with me. If not, I’ll need to think about it. ”

“Okay, I’ll talk to Deacon. If he meant what he said, he would give me anything. ” Sabrina was a fool for ever doubting Deacon. She prayed she hadn’t screwed everything up with him.

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