The voices blended until they became one voice – that of his beast.
I’m with you now.
The torment gave way with his shifter’s words, and Manaia embraced the strength to transition. When he opened his eyes, Manaia found himself on the shoreline. Wings unfurled. Fangs digging into his bottom lip as claws reached toward the glorious sunlight shining down upon him. With a thought, his fangs retreated into his gums, and he licked the blood from his lip. It tasted of fire. Of strength. Of rightness. This was who he was – Manaia Palamo – seventh in a long line of sevens. He was Manaia Palamo – fire Gargoyle.
Chapter One
Malakai crossed his wings over his head to shelter him from the downpour. He knelt atop a four-story building, peering in a window across the street. From this vantage point, he had the perfect view inside Presley Pierson’s living room. From what he could tell, the woman lived alone. This was the fourth night in a row he had followed her home and invaded her privacy. From the moment she walked into Hartley’s, he had scented his mate on her, but it was faint. Since it didn’t appear she lived with someone, that meant his mate was likely a coworker or possibly a family member.
He didn’t want to bother Julian by asking him for information on Presley, but he was getting desperate. Unless he waited until morning and followed her, he didn’t have much choice. While sitting in the dark wasn’t risky, being there when the sun came up was. Presley turned off the lamp and retreated to her bedroom. That was his cue to leave. Spying on her as she watched TV was one thing. Continuing to watch her as she slept was crossing a line, so Kai unfurled his wings and launched himself into the dark sky.
When he got home, Kai toed off his boots and stripped in the mud room before padding naked to the shower. He was living in Sixx’s house for the time being. Kai planned on staying in New Atlanta, but he was hoping to find his mate before he bought his own place. He wanted his female’s opinion on where they lived and the type of house he bought. He had to admit, Sixx’s place was perfect for him, but he wouldn’t purchase it without his mate’s input. If only he could find her.
He had to locate her because his beast was getting restless. Kai refused to get himself off. Not knowing who his mate was or what she looked like had him picturing Presley after scenting her the first time. He felt it was disrespectful to his intended to think of another female while stroking one out. He could deal with blue balls a while longer; his beast be damned.
Watching the other Gargoyles find their mates had been both a blessing and a hardship. Kai came from a large family, and he was ready to settle down and have a brood of his own. He had been praying to the gods for a long time to send his mate to him. His mom was from Aunu’u, and his father from the island called Manono, both in the South Pacific, where most of his family lived. None of the Samoan Islands had been touched when the world fell at the hands of the Ministry, a religious cult responsible for bringing the world to its knees over thirty years ago. Manono was mostly inhabited by shifters. The few humans who lived there were families who had been entrusted with the secret surrounding Gargoyles for many generations, and they worked for Kai’s family over the years, thus becoming family themselves. Malakai was one of the few who hadn’t met his mate, and one of the fewer who had moved off the island.
He first stopped in California about fifty years ago, and as he never aged, he had needed to move again. New Atlanta had been an easy choice since it’s where his King lived. Kai felt at home in the Georgia city. The Clan who lived there was one big family, and they had welcomed Kai with open arms and wings. Hartley’s Gym was where he spent most of his time since he lived and breathed martial arts. Being a shifter gave him an advantage over humans, so he had never entered the sport on a professional level as a fighter. He enjoyed the few classes he taught at Frey’s facility, but Kai wanted more.
“Hey, Brother.” Frey strode into the gym looking weary.
“Morning, Boss. Everything okay?”
Frey ran a large hand through his short hair. “No, but hopefully it will be.” Frey glanced around the gym as he stepped behind the counter.
“Is it Matthew?” Frey’s son had recently mated with Slade, but things seemed to be going well for the young man and his Gargoyle.
Frey actually smiled. “No. He and Slade are perfect together. It does my heart good to see that kid smiling after all the shit he’s been through. It’s… I’m worried about Abbi. She refuses to stop teaching, and I think she’s doing too much.” Frey’s mate was four months pregnant.
“What does the doctor say?”
Frey rubbed the back of his neck. “That she’s perfectly healthy. The baby is too. She says Abbi can continue teaching until it’s time for her to deliver. Fuck, Kai. I know I’m being unreasonable, but…”
“But this is your first biological child, and you’re experiencing ‘new papa’ fears. I’ve been through this with
