Chapter 13 – Evangeline
T he walk to the hospital isn’t the same.
I stop at the cathedral, expecting to feel that strange tug in my chest, but it’s not there. It had to have been Xander all those times. He’d mentioned that he stands guard on the church’s roof nearly every night. It’s somewhat of a headquarters for him.
Is that why I was so drawn to the location?
While there was no tug at my heart tonight—only the unease of not having Xander by my side—I do sense that something is watching me. I almost call Xander in a panic until I remember he has two of his human assistants following me.
They could at least introduce themselves so I can stop freaking out.
I make it to work with five minutes to spare and clock in for my shift. I meet with the day nurse I’m replacing for reports on patients. By the time that’s done, the sun is set, and a gorgeous gargoyle enters through the emergency room doors.
My eyes widen because I always forget no one else can see them like this. Then my cheeks redden because I’ve only met Elara once, and I was as flustered then as I am now.
She’s tall, at least six feet, and curvy with black hair, a light shade of purple skin, and silver eyes like Xander.
“Hello, human,” she says as she approaches me.
“Hello, gargoyle,” I counter.
“Cute.”
“I know I am.”
She snorts, a small smile trying to break through her grumpy fanged face. She’s quick to put that tough mask back up.
Her phone rings, and she rolls her eyes before answering.
“Yeah.” Pause. “Oh, I’m sorry. Yes, Your Majesty?” Pause. “Fine.”
She stuffs the phone back in her tight jeans and sighs.
“There’s unusual activity near the hospital, and I’ve been ordered to take you into hiding until the threat has been cleared. ”
“Oh. Okay, but wouldn’t I be safest here in the hospital?”
She shrugs. “I don’t question my brother’s orders.”
I take out my phone to text Xander, but Elara snatches it from my hand.
“No phones. They could be tracking you.”
She tosses it in the trash, and I almost punch her in the face, but she has more muscles than me, so I resist the urge.
Xander is not going to be happy that I’m without a phone, especially when he can’t get a hold of me. Plus, who is this “they” she’s talking about, and how would they be able to track me?
Something’s not adding up, but what the hell do I know about gargoyle protection and evil threats against New York City?
I ask a coworker to cover for me, then Elara leads me down a less busy hallway until we reach an exit door. She opens it and waves her hand toward the dark trash area behind the hospital.
“We probably shouldn’t leave.”
Not to mention, my gut is telling me something is wrong. My heart pounds against my chest, almost painfully. My fight or flight is preparing to kick in.
“My brother is out there waiting for you,” she says.
I expect the words to taste sour like the day Locheran lied to me, but all I taste is the coffee I had for breakfast, so I have to believe she’s telling the truth that Xander is really out there.
Besides, this is his sister. Why would she lie to me?
We exit the hospital, and I stop in my tracks.
“Brandon?” My ex-husband stands next to the back of a van, doors wide open. He looks...different. Disheveled. His light brown hair is ratted around his head, and he hasn’t shaved in weeks. His brown eyes almost seem glazed over. “What the hell are you doing here? And how did you find me?”
Before he can answer, a deep voice in the shadows to my right says, “A job well done, Elara. Brandon, put her in the van.”
“I’m sorry, Evangeline,” Elara whispers before Brandon pistol whips me.
My vision flickers, and I fall into my ex’s arms. “Why?”
“Because he promised me power,” he says, his voice void of emotion.
“You fucking dick,” I mumble, fading in and out of consciousness.
He drags me to the van and stuffs me inside. The last thing I see before passing out is a gargoyle who looks a lot like Xander.
I wake up in a cold, dark room that smells like mildew. Water drips from somewhere, and the only light is a dulled bulb in the middle of the low ceiling. The space is empty except for a thin, dirty mattress where I lie.
“Finally,” says the same deep voice I heard before being knocked unconscious.
I scramble to my feet and teeter with dizziness from my head wound. My hands are tied in front of me, and I pull at the rope, trying to loosen it.
Not that I would have anywhere to go.
I scan the room for an exit, but there are no windows and only one door, which Brandon is currently blocking. He stands there in a zombified state.
What the hell is wrong with him?
My eyes fall to the dark corner where the voice came from, and a gargoyle emerges, stepping into the light.
“Who are you?” I ask.
“I’m Magnus.”
Wait. How do I know that name? Did I hear it from Xander?
I gasp.
“You’re Xander’s brother?”
That’s why the gargoyle looks so familiar. He has the same lavender skin tone as Xander, same hair color except shorter, and his eyes are silver. The main difference is Magnus has a long face with sharp features, and Xander has a rugged appearance with a wide jaw and sculpted cheeks. Magnus is shorter by a couple inches too.
Elara wasn’t lying because her brother really was outside waiting for me—just not my king. Was Magnus the one who called and claimed there was unusual activity outside the hospital too?
“Xander’s told you about me?”
I ignore his question and ask my own. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because it’s time I get what I deserve, and that’s New York City.”
“But Xander is ki—”
“Xander has the ability to transfer his royal duties to me.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because if he refuses, I’ll kill you. With no fated mate, he permanently turns to stone when he turns one thousand. Of course, him dying before giving me the throne makes things more difficult for me. Another gargoyle will be sent in his place to assume royal duties. That’s why you’re here, short one. He will hand me the throne to save you.”
Tears fall down my cheeks, but I need to be strong. I can’t let Xander down by breaking apart.
“He’s your brother. He did nothing wrong. He didn’t ask to be king. He was chosen. Take it up with your Council of Elders.”
“My brother has been sharing all our secrets, I see.”
“He tells me everything. I’m his mate.”
“Yet you haven’t accepted the bond. Why?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Humans and their feelings,” he scoffs. “When I found my fated mate, we performed the bonding ritual the next night. We were married a week later. Why deny your destiny?”
“You don’t know shit about my destiny.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You see, my sister has been telling me everything I need to know. The visit with your mother. That mark on your palm. You being the one thing standing between me and my plan to rule New York City.”
Why would Elara betray Xander? I can’t think about that now. I need to keep Magnus talking. Xander is on his way, and he’s close. I can feel him .
“You gain control over New York City and then what? What’s your plan? Because I know you won’t keep me and Xander alive once he transfers over his royal powers.”
He chuckles and slowly paces the room.
“You’re a smart human, aren’t you? I can see why you’re my brother’s fated mate.”
He stops and looks me up and down.
“How lucky he is too. If I didn’t have my own wife, I’d consider keeping you for myself.”
Gross.
Magnus slowly walks toward me, and I back up against the wall, closing my eyes as he enters my personal space. His finger traces along my tattoos peeking out from my scrubs, creating little lightning storms of electric currents. It’s shocking him, a warning not to hurt me. If it’s painful, he doesn’t show it, because he hasn’t stopped touching me.
“My sister told me about these. They’re meant to protect you from evil, but the thing is, they’re useless against humans. Lucky for us, you have an ex-husband who’s a money-hungry, power-seeking twat. All we did was offer him his own law firm and a hefty paycheck to help us kidnap you.”
If Xander doesn’t kill Brandon, I will .
Magnus leans in and sniffs my neck. I shiver, revolted by his nearness.
“And my plan for New York City? It’s time for supernatural beings to take over. We are at the top of the food chain. Humans are beneath us. I’m growing an army, short one. This is why that rogue vampire failed with his plan. He didn’t have the support, the numbers. The shifters, demons, orcs, and all of the other supes around this city will switch to my side once I remind them that we’re too powerful to be hiding in the shadows. It starts with New York City, then the United States, and the world.”
A giggle slips past my lips.
“What’s so funny, human?”
“Xander is going to kill you before any of that happens.”
“He can try.”
“Oh, he will.”
My mate is in the hallway. He’s already killed the handful of gargoyles and other supernatural beings that have been standing guard. At least, that’s what the vision that crossed my thoughts just showed me.
I’m not sure if it was sent by him through the fated mate bond. He’s been able to speak to me telepathically before, despite us not completing the bonding ritual.
Or maybe the vision is a power I inherited from my mother .
The door bursts open, and Xander and Locheran enter with long spear-like weapons in their hands.
“Grab her,” Magnus growls, and Brandon lunges for me, clutching me by the throat and tugging me against his body, my back to his front. The sharp tip of a blade pierces the side of my neck.
“Don’t move, or she’s dead,” Magnus says to them.
“Brother?” Xander asks, betrayal clouding his panicked face. “What are you doing? Does Father know you’re here?”
Xander’s eyes move to me, and he’s both relieved I’m alive and furious that my mother’s visions have come true.
“Father knows nothing. I’m here to take what’s mine,” Magnus says and gestures to Brandon, who pushes the knife in deeper. I cry out in pain, and Xander takes a step toward me. “Careful, little brother, I will have that man end her life. I don’t need her for my plan.”
“You don’t have to do this. Tell me what you want and it’s yours.”
“Xander, no,” I say, and Brandon covers my mouth with his palm.
“Transfer your royal powers to me. I will rule New York City, and you can have your mate and live happily ever after.”
“Done,” Xander says and holds out his hand .
“That easy? Are you so pussy-whipped that you’ll throw your life away for a human who has yet to accept the bond?” Magnus laughs. “How sad, little brother.”
He clutches Xander’s hand and light shoots out from the embrace, filling the room.
It lasts barely a minute before dimming. Xander releases his grip and stumbles backwards.
“It’s yours,” he says weakly.
“One more thing, brother,” Magnus says, smugness filling his voice. “We can’t have you bonding with your mate and gaining strength to fight me for your kingdom.”
A sharp pain rips through my chest. I look down to see a knife protruding from my heart.
“You stabbed me?”
“He told me I had to,” Brandon says, his voice still monotone, as if he’s been hypnotized.
I fall to the ground and darkness threatens to take me. Everything seems to move in slow motion, including Xander, who rips Brandon’s head off his body.
My mate’s agonizing roar as he takes me in his arms is the last thing I hear before I die.