“Can I ride with you?” the mother asked.
“Of course. Let me go get a stretcher,” the man said.
“Hey, you’re Kaya Kane,” Presley said, holding out her hand. “Presley Pierson, partner at Pierson, Pierson & Hobbs.”
Kaya reluctantly shook the other woman’s hand. “Yes, I know who you are. Mrs. Pierson?” Kaya turned her attention to the older woman.
“Please, call me Jacinta. You say this Kai cares about my daughter?”
“Very much so. I will follow you to the hospital and sit with you while you wait.”
“I can sit with my mother,” Presley said.
“Stop being rude, Presley. You have work to do. Get the files you came for. I’ll be perfectly fine with Chief Kane.”
“Oh, it’s just Kaya now. I’m retired.”
The EMT returned with the stretcher, and they got Josie loaded up. Jacinta followed them out but turned at the last minute. “Kaya, please lock up.”
“I will. I’ll see you soon.”
“There’s no need for you to stay here. I can lock up,” Presley said.
“No offense, but I’m not exactly feeling you have any love for your sister,” Tessa said.
“Whenever someone begins a sentence with ‘no offense,’ it’s usually meant to offend.” Presley crossed her arms over her chest again.
“Then take it however you want. We’re not leaving you here alone in Josie’s apartment.”
“I’m her sister. You’re strangers.”
“You’re not a very good sister. As a matter of fact, you suck at it.” Tessa had stepped right into Presley’s personal space.
Gregor grabbed her belt loop and pulled her back. “Okay, Red. She gets the point. But Tessa’s right. We’re not leaving you here. Kaya’s the former chief of police, as you already know, and I’m Gregor Stone, Warden of the New Atlanta Penitentiary. This is my brother, Rafael Stone.” Presley’s eyes widened. Anyone who was anyone knew that name, even if they hadn’t met the male. Rafael kept a low profile since he’d been in the city so long. “Malakai is like family to us, and as such, so is your sister. Now, if you would kindly grab whatever file it is you came for and leave, we’d like to get to the hospital and check on Josie.”
Presley’s phone rang, and when she saw whoever it was calling, she stepped out of the room. “Hey, Dad. No, it’s just a fever, but Mom insisted she go to the hospital. I’m headed there now. You know those two. Yes, okay. I’ll call you soon.”
Kaya and the others looked at each other. Tessa rolled her eyes and muttered, “Bitch.”
Presley returned with a file in her hand. “You can go now.”
“After you,” Tessa said, and after a stare-off that Tessa would never back down from, Presley relented.
Rafael made sure the door was locked, and the four of them followed Presley down to the parking garage. The blonde didn’t bother saying goodbye. They were on their way to the hospital when Rafael’s phone rang. He put it on speaker. “Go ahead, Nik.”
“I found something about the Auspice of Sevens. It sounds like folklore, but if it isn’t, we have a big problem. There are several definitions of auspice such as guidance, prophecies, and the study of bird patterns as they relate to omens. But in the archives the text stated that the seventh son of a seventh son’s bond with his mate is special. It goes deeper than any other, and if either of the mates refuse the bond, it’s as good as a death sentence.”
“So Josie isn’t sick with something like food poisoning. She’s feeling the effects of not accepting Kai,” Rafael said. “Does it say how long we have to get the two of them together?”
“I expected it to be seven days because why not? But it’s until the next full moon,” Nik answered.
“That’s two nights from tonight,” Gregor replied from the back seat.
“Thank you, Nikolas. We’re headed to the hospital now to sit with Josie’s mother. If you would, call Dante and tell him what you found out.”
“I’m going to drive over there on my way back to the manor. Sophia wanted to stay with Sebastian.”
“Tell everyone what’s going on, and we’ll be back as soon as possible.”
“Will do.”
“Are you okay with going to the hospital?” Rafe asked Kaya.
“Yes. Bas is in good hands, and Malakai needs us to do this.”
“And Josie needs protecting from that sister of hers. It’s a good thing I’m family with the police chief, because I swear to you if that bitch starts any more shit about Josie not being good enough for Kai, I’m gonna rip her a new asshole and shove her five-hundred-dollar tennis shoes up both orifices.”
Gregor chuckled. “Tell us how you really feel, Red.”
Kaya turned to her mate. “Since we know this isn’t medical, should we call Jonas and get him involved?”
“He and Caroline took Connor to a science exhibit for the weekend,” Tessa said. “We should call Sabrina instead. She’s already slated to be the new Chief of Staff, so her stepping in won’t seem odd.”
Rafael called Deacon and explained what was going on. With Sabrina on speaker, they came up with a game plan. They had to convince Josie that Gargoyles were real, and Dante and Frey had to somehow pull Kai out of his sorrow.
Chapter Eight
“Kai, Brother, listen to me. Josie is sick. She’s feeling the Auspice of Sevens, and we have to get you to the hospital. Your mate needs you.” Malakai could hear Dante speaking, but he didn’t have the energy to get up. He was doing his best to hold onto his beast, but it was fighting him hard.
Our mate is sick. She needs us.
She rejected us.
