Gavriel had just reached the kitchen when he heard Beth’s startled gasp and then the sound of something or someone tumbling down the stairs.
Beth!
He ran to the foyer to see his mate laid out on the floor looking up. She blinked slowly then began moving each limb separately. Gavriel knelt at her side checking for any signs of head injury. Colton and Keelan came running from the media room. They looked down eyes wide.
‘Shit! Elizabeth are you okay?’ Keelan asked kneeling at her other side taking her hand. He spoke a spell softly and their joined hands began to glow.
‘Fine, this is normal. Arms and legs are okay, but I think my ribs are cracked,’ she said in between shallow breaths.
Keelan nodded. ‘I can’t ‘see’ the injury, but there’s definitely a crack, you’re lucky I don’t sense a break. This spell should help you heal faster, but you’ll need to rest for a while.’ He sat back on his heels.
Gavriel picked her up gently and held her close. Keelan stood and brushed off his pants. Gavriel was thankful that Keelan had been home to heal his mate, but what about next time? What if no one had been home? What if she had been seriously hurt? His heart continued to try and climb up his throat. He turned to Colton. ‘If I could beg a favor? Could you see Ryuu in the kitchen and see if he can put together a lunch for us? I want to take Beth upstairs and put her to bed to rest.’
Colton looked at him. ‘Of course I can. You take care of Beth and I’ll be up in a bit.’ He winked at Beth and turned to head towards the kitchen.
Keelan smiled at Beth and looked at Gavriel. ‘If you need me just call. I can do another healing spell in a couple hours that should knit the bones together completely.’ He cracked his neck. ‘You know, lunch sounds really good right now. I’m always hungry after doing spells and we’ve done a lot today.’ He gave a salute and followed Colton to the kitchen.
‘I can walk,’ Beth protested, blushing.
‘If I had my way you would never walk again.’ He turned and started up the stairs. ‘I’m just going to tie you to my bed where I know you’ll be safe.’ He almost stumbled himself when her pupils dilated.
‘That doesn’t sound so bad,’ she whispered, smiling.
Politics. Politics and council meetings. Think of anything but her naked and tied down to the bed.
‘If such things interest you, it would be my duty as your mate to indulge you,’ he murmured against her ear. When they reached the top he turned left and walked towards their room.
‘A duty huh?’ she asked, arching a brow at him.
‘I am very diligent and thorough when it comes to my duties.’ He reached down and turned the door knob. He pushed the door open with his shoulder and kicked it closed behind him. Gently he lay her down on the bed and pulled the covers up. The shock on her face soothed his pride. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.
‘No, seriously, I’m okay.’ She went to push the covers back and he shook his head.
‘You rest for a bit. I’m going to call your uncle.’ He pulled the covers back up.
Pouting, she glared at him but then yawned. Blushing again she snuggled down into the covers.
‘Okay, but wake me up for lunch.’
‘Of course darling.’ He leaned down and kissed her temple.
‘Best. Mate. Ever,’ she said and closed her eyes.
Feeling like he could take on the world he walked out of the bedroom and into his study. He shut the door and walked over to sit down at his desk. He picked up the phone and dialed the number to the vampire leader’s main office.
‘Elder Rioux’s office, may I ask who is speaking and the nature of your call,’ a crisp female voice asked.
‘This is Gavriel Ambrosios calling to speak to Magnus,’ Gavriel said.
‘Mr. Ambrosios, what is your position?’ she continued.
Gavriel pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it. He had dropped out of vampire society for a while, but dammit she should know his name! As much as he appreciated the fact that his people had structure and weren’t aware of his age, he didn’t like having to dance to someone else’s tune.
‘I am second in command to Unit Commander Aiden McKenzie of the Alpha Unit in Lycaonia,’ he explained.
‘Oh. Shifters,’ she sniffed and continued. ‘Mr. Ambrosios, if you leave a message, Elder Rioux will get to it as soon as he can. Otherwise, I can schedule you a phone appointment. Let’s see, his next available opening is March 17th.’ Her voice was condescending.
March 17th was over four months away!
Grinding his teeth he took a deep breath. ‘I cannot wait four months to speak with him. If you would just let him know who is on the phone I’m sure he’d take my call.’
‘Mr. Ambrosios, Elder Rioux is a very important man; he doesn’t have time to speak with every person who thinks that they have a problem. I must suggest you take your problem to your local Elder first, if he deems it important enough I’m sure that he will reach out to Elder Rioux,’ she advised, taking the offer to schedule him a phone appointment off the table.
‘What I need to speak to him about is of a personal nature and cannot be discussed with René. Please put me on hold and tell Magnus that I am on the phone. Like I said, I’m sure he’ll take my call,’ he explained again. Like hell was he going to go to René to ask about Beth!
‘That is Elder Evreux and Elder Rioux to you, sir! I honestly don’t know who you think you are, but I won’t allow you to speak about our Elders so disrespectfully!’ she practically screeched before the line went dead.
Gavriel took a deep breath before he attempted to use his phone again. He didn’t want to buy a new one because he had crushed the one in his hand.
He dialed the number again and waited.
‘Elder Rioux’s office, may I ask who is speaking and the nature of your call,’ the same female voice asked.
Gavriel didn’t even bother with the niceties this time. ‘Put Magnus on the phone in the next five minutes or you will have to explain to Magbus why he has suddenly lost his council seat. I am Gavriel Ambrosios. I was defending our race before you and your Elders were born. Not only am I old enough to have fathered both René and Magnus, but I also own fifty-five percent of every major vampire holding since the dawn of our people. After you get your Elder on the phone I suggest you take the time to brush up on our people’s ruling houses. House Ambrosios is the oldest and most revered house of the vampire race,’ he hissed.
‘What? I? H … h … hold … please,’ the woman stuttered.
Breathing hard he silently cursed himself for losing his temper. His transition was coming to an apex soon and he was finding it harder and harder to keep himself under control.
‘Who in the hell is this? And why is my secretary in tears?’ an angry voice demanded.
‘Hello Magnus, it’s Gavriel Ambrosios. You might want to make sure your secretary knows who the founding families are before she tells another one of us to leave a message or to go to our local Elder for insignificant issues,’ Gavriel said acerbically.
‘Oh for crying out loud Gavriel!’ Magnus’s voice became more muffled. ‘Yes he is who he says he is. Yes, he is a founding member. I don’t know why he isn’t listed in your literature, you will need to find that out and fix it before coming back here tomorrow. Oh, for goodness sake woman quit blubbering and take the rest of the day off.’
Gavriel heard a click, silence and then seconds later Magnus’s voice was back and sounding much clearer than before.
‘There. I have transferred you to my personal line. You’d better be treating my Bethy better than you treated my secretary,’ Magnus growled.
‘Don’t. Magnus, just don’t. Later. You can berate me later all you wish, just not now.’ Gavriel brought a hand up and rested his forehead against it. How was he supposed to keep Beth safe when he could barely function himself?
‘Hell, Gavriel, I’m sorry. How bad is it? I won’t waste my breath asking which transition this is for you, since I know you won’t answer, but know that you’re family now. I would never do anything that would hurt my Bethy. You have your reasons for keeping your age a secret. If it’s important to you, it’s now important to me.’ Magnus’s voice sounded sincere.
Gavriel closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. ‘I’ve lost count. But this one, it’s the worst it has ever been. I can’t get enough blood, the hunger, it’s always there. The only time it recedes even for a little while is after I feed from Beth. I’m not sure if her being my mate is what makes the difference.’
‘If it’s as bad as you say your body is preparing for a major power increase. It’s not even December, Gavriel, how much longer do you have? Most vampiric apexes happen around Long Night.’
‘My apex should be hitting soon. I don’t remember much about my childhood, but I do remember my mother telling me I was special because I was born early, I think my birthday is soon.’
‘You don’t even remember your birthday anymore?’ Magnus asked softly.
‘I have forgotten more than our entire race remembers.’ Gavriel opened his eyes; leaning back further he stared at the stark white ceiling.
‘By the First Blood, you’re serious aren’t you?’ Magnus whispered.
‘I’m afraid so. Let’s just say there is much I could correct even within our history books,’ he said, hoping Magnus would read between the lines concerning his age.
He heard papers being moved and typing. ‘I’m making an announcement to our people regarding your mating with Beth. I’m also going to make it known that unless I find a mate of my own and produce an heir, I am naming Beth the heir to my house and you the heir to my council seat. The people here in Noctem Falls know and respect Beth despite the fact that she is a shifter. They will listen to her should something happen to me.’ He paused and lowered his voice. ‘I spoke with Beth earlier, something is coming and I want our Houses to be joined and impregnable before this unknown threat descends upon us. We may avoid possible threats if the enemy has to take on Houses Ambrosios and Rioux combined,’ Magnus said.
Gavriel heard the sound of more papers rustling. ‘You don’t have to do that, you still have plenty of time to find your own mate. You’re not that old Magnus.’
Magnus laughed. ‘Gods, you actually make me feel young and that is saying a lot, my friend. Look at it this way, our enemy may assign me a protection detail to avoid having to deal with you.’
Gavriel smiled. ‘That’s probably at least half true.’
‘You didn’t call to harass me did you?’ Magnus asked.
‘No, actually I called to get Broderick Monroe’s phone number.’
‘I’ll text you his information so you can add it to your contact list. Are you sure Beth is well?’
‘She took a tumble down the stairs and I almost swallowed my tongue. I was hoping Broderick could provide some insight on how he was able to raise her to adulthood in one piece.’ Gavriel’s phone chimed as the contact information came through.
Magnus started to chuckle. ‘Neither Broderick nor Beth know, but Caspian came to me right after he mated with Beth’s father. She was only about one years old at the time; I don’t think he had slept in days. Every time he turned away, she found herself in some new life-threatening situation. What scared us all to death was that she never cried or tried to find help. One day I found her limping through the palace hallway with her arm dangling broken at her side. Poor Cas was at a breaking point. From the age of two until she was thirty, I had one witch healer and one vampire assigned to her almost around the clock. By the time she was thirty she knew to find someone or call out for help when she got hurt. I won’t tell you how much I had to pay for the severance package for the two on her protection detail, but I will tell you it had to cover PTSD therapy, the poor bastards.’ Magnus chuckled again and Gavriel put a hand to his stomach, he felt like he was going to be sick.
‘Still, despite her unnatural bad luck, I’ve never had a more dedicated assistant. It took me years to find a replacement after she decided to leave home to see how humans lived. No one was even half as competent as she was. I don’t suppose you would be interested in giving up being a unit warrior to move back to Noctem Falls? Beth could go back to pretty much running things for me and you could make sure that our people don’t forget what you look like,’ Magnus wheedled.
‘I’m afraid not. I am needed here; you’ll just have to keep replacing your secretaries,’ Gavriel teased.
‘Damn. Keep me posted about what is happening out there. Bypass René and call me directly.’ Magnus instructed.
‘Make sure the secretary knows to put me though,’ Gavriel said sourly.
‘Hah! Give Beth my love.’
‘I will, thanks again, Magnus.’
‘Anytime.’
Gavriel hung up feeling exhausted. Knowing Magnus, his mate had grown up with the highest level protection detail money could buy and she had still managed to hurt herself on a regular basis. Was she cursed? What had Magnus called it? Unnatural bad luck? Shaking his head he dialed the number for Broderick Monroe.
Broderick picked up on the second ring. ‘Hello? Who is this?’
‘Hello sir, this is Gavriel Ambrosios.’
He heard a chuckle. ‘I thought I might be hearing from you.’
In the background Gavriel heard a second male voice ask ‘Is that him?’.
‘Yes, Caspian, it’s Beth’s mate. Gavriel, I’m putting you on speakerphone.’ After a brief pause he heard Broderick come back on the line. ‘Okay we’re both here. How did Beth hurt herself?’ he asked.
‘She fell down the stairs.’
‘Ahh. Yes, she doesn’t get along well with stairs or rugs. Basically anything that could be a trip hazard is a disaster waiting to happen,’ Broderick said.
‘Flat surfaces are best, but not a guarantee,’ he heard Caspian chime in.
‘She won’t want to wear it, but make her reset her ‘Alert’ necklace. You’ll need to change it so that if she activates it will reach out to you and local friends instead of us. She absolutely hates it, but it has saved her life more than once,’ Broderick said.
‘We had it made for her sixteenth birthday, a lot of fae magic went into it,’ Caspian explained.
‘How did you not lose your minds with worry?’ Gavriel exhaled.
He heard the men laugh. ‘Who says that we still don’t?’ Caspian asked.
‘There were so many nights where we just laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling and prayed to whoever was listening that she would outlive us. We were thankful each and every evening after she went to bed that she had survived one more day. The years she lived out amongst humans were the worst.’ Broderick’s voice cracked.
‘She’s safe now love.’ Caspian murmured.
‘Is she? Is she really? Gavriel, she told us you were going through transition, that you have an enemy stalking Lycaonia that has even threatened Unit Commander McKenzie’s mate and on top of everything my precious baby is the type of person who can’t even check the mail without sustaining a concussion. Is she safe there with all the dangers and with you?’ Broderick asked.
Gavriel moved the phone to his other ear. ‘All of the unit warriors have been patrolling night and day in addition to daily training to keep the city and people safe. We have created new protocols and drills to help us fight this new enemy. Just today we installed alarm and protection spells here at the Alpha estate to keep our mates safe. Even with this new threat, I honestly feel she is safer here with the Alpha Unit than anywhere else,’ he said.
‘Is she safe with you? My brother’s last transition was brutal. The more we gain in terms of abilities and strength, the harder the transition is on us, and this was the transition that put him in position to become our Elder so you know how perilous it was. Towards the end, right before his apex, he turned savage. We are at our most aggressive right before we gain our new abilities. Given Beth’s uncanny bad luck, is she really safe at your side?’ Caspian asked, his voice hard.
Gavriel didn’t answer right away. He thought about the growing number of instances where he had lost control recently. His first encounter with Beth had been almost violent and he knew it would get worse the closer he got to his apex. He searched himself for the answer. When the time came, would he recognize his own mate? Finally he gave the only answer he could.
‘I don’t know. I want to assure you … hell, I want to assure myself that I would never hurt her. But I can’t guarantee it. I can swear to you that I would never knowingly or willingly lay a single finger on her in anger. That I would die to protect her, but you may be right, I may be more of a danger to her than our enemy.’ He covered his eyes with his hand. ‘Maybe I should send her back to Noctem Falls and to you.’
One of the men exhaled loudly. ‘Safeguard yourself. Right before my brother’s apex hit, he knew it was coming and he asked to be chained. It was the only thing that kept those around him safe, including myself. I want to tell you, ‘yes, send her to us’, but I know that would be wrong. Mates belong together. If Fate has brought Beth into your life, now of all times, then I have to believe that she is there for a reason. I have to, or lose my mind with worry,’ Caspian admitted.
‘Thank you for that. I’ve been without a mate for so long, I thought Fate had forgotten me,’ Gavriel said ruefully.
‘If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my short life, it’s that Fate has a design of her own weaving. We may only catch a glimpse of the pieces, but there is a much bigger tapestry being woven that we know nothing of. Fate didn’t forget you Gavriel, she was just waiting for our Bethy to grow up,’ Caspian said kindly.
‘Thank all the Gods you watched over her the way you did, or I may not have gotten her at all. Is there anything I can do to minimize the, um, accidents?’
‘Not to make Beth sound juvenile, because she isn’t childish by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, when she isn’t actively tripping, falling or tumbling she’s very graceful and poised, but you may want to consider ‘baby proofing’ the estate,’ Caspian advised.
‘Baby proofing? What’s that?’ Gavriel got out a pad of paper and pen. At the top he wrote a reminder to get her alert necklace reset.
‘Oh hell, I guess you wouldn’t have much experience with children. But doing things like placing pillows around a brick fireplace so that the angled edge isn’t exposed or replacing glass furniture with blunt edged pieces. Lots of soft surfaces and padding. Stairs will always be a danger but by now she’s learned how to fall down them with minimal damage,’ Broderick explained.
‘If you’re together try to keep one hand on her at all times, you never know when she’ll just topple over.’ Caspian added.
‘Never, ever let her in the kitchen, ever. There are too many ways something can go wrong.’ Gavriel could almost see Broderick shuddering. He took notes quickly.
‘We have a squire living here at the Alpha estate so she shouldn’t have to go to the kitchen often,’ he said.
‘Thank the Gods,’ Caspian murmured.
‘Don’t let her order fish too often; we had a scare when she choked on some bones that were supposedly removed,’ Broderick continued.
‘Bathrooms are dangerous too, but, well, we had to let her on her own in there for obvious reasons; but you aren’t restricted in that area,’ Caspian said then cleared his throat.
‘Garages, hardware stores, warehouses, and workshops are especially hazardous.’ Broderick went on listing the places his mate couldn’t go.
Gavriel paused in writing the list. ‘We have an armory on premises.’
‘Oh. My. Gods,’ Broderick whispered.
‘No. Just, no! Not only do you need to lock the door you need a biometric sensor to keep her out!’ Caspian sounded like he was hyperventilating.
‘Easy my love, breathe,’ Broderick said.
‘She isn’t stupid enough to play with weapons!’ Gavriel said heatedly. His mate was not immature or reckless.
‘Of course she isn’t! She’s a mature, responsible and grounded woman. But she will somehow find herself in a situation where she has to go in the armory and then once she’s inside something horrible will happen.’ Caspian said between gasps.
‘Gavriel, Beth isn’t klutzy; she literally has the worst luck I have ever seen. She’ll walk into the armory and for some unknown reason a stack of crates holding grenades, that haven’t moved in years will suddenly come tumbling down. In the process several pins will dislodge and she’ll be trapped under the fallen boxes.’ Broderick paused. ‘I don’t suppose you watch human movies?’
‘Meryn has been having us watch them more so we can understand her.’
‘Have you ever seen Final Destination?’ he asked.
‘Oh fuck,’ Gavriel whispered.
‘Yes, that about sums it up.’ Broderick sounded defeated.
‘Do they make bubble wrap body suits with tracking devices?’ Gavriel joked.
‘We could start on a prototype,’ Caspian offered immediately.
‘I’ll just keep her in our room,’ Gavriel said putting the pen down. That was the only way to keep her safe.
‘That’s just it, you have to let her walk out on her own. You’ll watch her trip and tumble. She will break bones and scrape her skin off. You’ll want to cry for her as she’s getting bones set and skin stitched back together, but you have to let her fall,’ Broderick said.
‘Why in the hell would I do that?’ Gavriel practically yelled.
‘If you are constantly holding on to her and guarding her every step she won’t have the strength or confidence to stand on her own. If you tell her how and where to step she won’t be able to walk through life, and if you don’t let her walk, you’ll never see her fly. And when she is confident and flying through life, she shines.’ Broderick’s voice sounded reverent.
Gavriel felt a deep sense of admiration for these two men. They had been strong enough to watch the one person they loved more than life struggle through so much pain to become the strong woman she is today. ‘It must have been so hard watching her grow up. I don’t know if I’ll have the strength to watch her get hurt,’ Gavriel admitted.
Both men laughed. ‘Growing up? Gavriel, that was last week watching her recover from crashing out of that office window. She fell out of her wheelchair and broke her other arm.’ Caspian laughed along with his mate.
Gavriel pulled the phone back and stared at it in horror. His mind raced. How could he keep his mate alive? He put the phone back to his ear.
‘So, what kind of a timeline were you thinking of for that bubble wrap suit?’ he asked.
The men just continued to laugh.
Shit!
