Chapter 2 #2
Carleigh took the guest room she’d slept in more times than she could count.
Juniper had her old room at Carleigh’s house, which had belonged to their parents.
Their mom had gotten pregnant with Juniper when Carleigh was only six months old.
Her parents had planned to have a houseful of kids, but for whatever reason, they stopped after Juniper.
Carleigh loved kids, and her job was one she could do from anywhere, so if and when she found her mate, she would love to stay at home and raise a houseful of little shifters while still working.
She placed her phone on the charging pad on the nightstand before sliding under the covers.
Hoping to get a couple hours of sleep, she curled up on her side and did her best to free her mind of everything, the way her uncle Frey had taught her.
It had been a hot minute since she meditated, but it did the trick, allowing her brain to shut off and sleep to take over.
When she woke, the sun was peeking through the slats of the blinds.
She reached out with her shifter senses for movement in the apartment, but all was quiet.
Tossing back the covers, Carleigh sat up and reached for her phone to check for emails or texts.
When she found neither, she stood and padded to the bathroom.
She took care of all necessary morning business, then changed into something suitable for the office.
She and Juniper were the same size with the exception of shoes and pants.
June’s feet were half a size larger, and her legs were longer, and they borrowed each other’s clothes often.
When she reached the kitchen, Carleigh found a note leaning against the coffee machine.
She dropped a pod in before reading the message.
C,
There’s a breakfast sandwich in the microwave. Depending on when you wake up, it might be shit. Christina and I are going to see Connor and Alyssa so we don’t wake you.
She signed off with two hearts intertwined.
Gods, her sister was the best. They didn’t spend nearly enough time together considering their jobs, and Carleigh missed her when she was gone.
While waiting on the coffee to do its thing, she checked the sandwich.
Considering it was past noon, the eggs were rubbery, but Carleigh didn’t care.
A few seconds in the microwave would make them more palatable.
When the coffee finished brewing, she transferred it to a travel mug.
Carleigh ordered a ride since her car was at the office, ensuring the driver was a woman.
She then grabbed her purse and dropped the wrapped sandwich inside.
By the time she was downstairs, the car was waiting out front.
That was one good thing about living in such a busy city – rides were quick.
The driver didn’t make small talk, probably because Carleigh was eating her sandwich.
When the car stopped in front of Walnut Street Towers, Carleigh thanked the woman and got out.
“Good morning, Miss Stone. Everything okay?” Wylie Johnson was a retired policeman who manned the security desk in the lobby.
“Good morning, Wylie. My sister drove me home last night, so I grabbed a ride share this morning.”
Wylie tipped an imaginary hat. He was aware of the Trio’s cyber security business, but it was rare for her or Harlow to use the front door, thus his inquiry.
When Carleigh entered the elevator, an exotic scent hit her nose.
She hit the button for the fourth floor where her office was, and by the time the car started moving, the aroma hit her and not in a good way.
Her stomach lurched, and Carleigh slapped a hand to the elevator wall.
As soon as the doors opened, she crossed the hall and scanned her badge to unlock the biometric panel outside the double wood doors to the office.
She then placed her thumb on the scanner, and the lock clicked.
All the lights were on, indicating Harlow was already there.
“You don’t look better.” Harlow was leaned back in her chair, her bare feet propped against the edge of her desk, with her keyboard on her lap.
Not only was she a Gargoyle-Gryphon hybrid, but Harlow was also a princess.
Her father, Tamian, was the Italian Gargoyle King.
She had learned her computer skills from her Gryphon mother, Lucy.
“I was until I got on the elevator.” Carleigh placed her coffee mug on her desk and put her purse in her desk drawer.
Harlow gave Carleigh her full attention. “What happened on the elevator?”
“Pretty sure I smelled my mate.”
Harlow dropped her feet, placed the keyboard on her desk, and jumped up. “C, that’s wonderful!”
“It is if I can find them. You know how many people come in and out of this building.”
“True, but it has to be a visitor and not someone who works here, or you’d already have noticed. Follow the scent and track them to whatever floor they visited, then we’ll start searching the camera feed.”
“That simple, huh?”
“Maybe not, but we haven’t had a challenge since Tabitha’s case, and I’m ready for some sleuthing.”
“No time like the present.” Carleigh took one last sip of coffee before going hunting.
She entered the elevator and punched the button for the top floor where Sebastian’s company was located.
She figured working her way down would be easiest. The doors opened and she stuck her head out.
The scent was strong, and she knew she’d hit the jackpot.
Carleigh pushed open the glass door into the lobby.
Grace was sitting at the receptionist’s desk.
She was so much more than that, being both Sebastian’s and Travis’s assistant, but like Willow had, she preferred to sit out front where she could greet anyone who stepped into their office.
“Good morning, Grace.”
“Hey, Carleigh. What brings you up to our world?”
Grace was human, but her adoptive dad was a Gargoyle, so she knew all about shifters. “When I was getting on the elevator earlier, I smelled my mate, and now I’m trying to figure out who it was. I don’t have to look further because his scent is strong in here.”
Grace clapped her hands together. “Your mate? Oh, Carleigh, that’s wonderful.”
“It will be if I can figure out who it was. Since they were here, it’s probably a customer or a vendor.” Carleigh’s body began heating from the inside as though she had the flu. Gargoyles didn’t get sick so… “Oh, shit. I hate to rush this along, but I need to get going. Stat.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m going to transition, and I don’t want to do it here.”
“Oh. Oh! Okay. This should be easy considering there have only been three people in the lobby within the past week. Everything else has been taken care of via phone or video conference.” Grace wrote down three names, explaining who they were and why each one was there.
The first two were follow-up meetings with Travis, and the third was someone new wanting to speak with Sebastian about a custom-built home.
“If it is this one,” Grace tapped the third name, “He was here this morning. A strange thing happened, though. He was mid-sentence when he froze, his eyes going all distant. He then held his hands out in front of him, staring at them, before apologizing. He ran out of here like his ass was on fire. As strange as that was, I will say if any of them are your mate, I’m putting my money on him. ”
Carleigh took the paper, staring at the name. “Why is that?”
“The first two are old enough to be your dad, but Bayu Tan? Let’s just say that man is hotter than the sun. He looks like that actor from Breaking the Jungle. The Asian one.”
“No kidding?” Carleigh didn’t have a type, but she had to admit if her mate was half as handsome as Brandon Cho, it wouldn’t hurt her feelings.
“Did he schedule a meeting with Bas? Because if he’s going to West Virginia, I need to head that direction.
Well, not immediately. After I go home and, you know. ”
“I’m afraid not. Like I said, he did that freezing thing after little more than an introduction.
There was something weird, though. Well, weirder than him staring at his hands.
I could have sworn his eyes were brown, but when he turned to leave, they were a vibrant blue.
Anyway, I only got his name, not a phone number or anything else. But if anyone can find him, you can.”
“I hope you’re right. Thanks, Grace.”
“Keep me posted. This is so exciting.”
Carleigh tapped the paper on her hand. “I will.” Instead of taking the elevator, Carleigh raced down the steps. When she got back to her office, she grabbed her purse. “I’m fixing to transition, and I’d rather not be stuck at the office afterward.”
“Fuck. Let me drive you just in case.” Harlow snagged her own purse and all but pushed Carleigh out the door. She waited until they were in her car before asking, “Did you get anything from Grace?”
Carleigh put the air conditioning on the lowest setting and turned the vents toward her face. “Whoever he is went to Sebastian’s office. I have a name. Well, three actually, but Grace said two of the men are too old for me.”
“There’s nothing wrong with a silver fox,” Harlow countered.
“Not if you’re into that, which I’m not. So that leaves the younger, Asian one. His name is Bayu Tan. He came in to talk to Bas, but Grace said he stopped mid-sentence, staring at his hands, then ran out before she could get his number.”
“Hmm, that’s odd.”
“Yeah, and she said she could have sworn his eyes were brown, but as he turned to leave, they were blue.”
“As soon as I get you situated, I’ll start looking into him so when you’re all fangy, you’ll have some info on the guy.”
“Not sure I’m going to make it to my house. Better go to June’s.”
“Hang on.” Harlow turned the car around and headed the opposite direction.