Rafael walked to the window and looked out into the darkness. His mate, his beautiful wife, needed reconstructive surgery. Kaya wasn’t a vain woman, and her outer appearance didn’t matter to him, but he prayed her looks wouldn’t change drastically. For her sake. Rafe sent a quick group text to Frey, Dante, and Gregor, telling them of Kaya’s condition. They each responded with words of encouragement. What they didn’t say was how things were going outside the hospital. Rafe trusted his family to handle whatever Drago threw at them. He didn’t know if other homes had been lost. If one of his brothers or Clan was also now homeless. They all had plenty of money, so rebuilding wasn’t a problem. It was what they lost in their homes being taken. All the Sunday Family days at the manor. Him and Kaya setting up Sebastian’s nursery. Priscilla hiding cookies in all the places she knew he’d find them. Making love to Kaya in most rooms of their home. Even though parts of their home were still standing, he knew it was a total loss. All that was left were the memories.
We’ll make new ones.
We will. I’m not sure where though.
Italy is a good start.
For a vacation. I want Sebastian and his cousins to grow up together. You know what it’s like having a big family around all the time. I’m not taking that away from Sebastian.
Even to keep him safe?
There’s strength in numbers. Plus, Kaya’s going to need the other mates to help her through her recovery.
His mate was strong, and Rafael was going to ensure her happiness returned no matter what it took.
The only good thing about the Unholy causing chaos was the late hour, or early, as the case was. New Atlanta, like most big cities, got an early start, but there were a lot less people out at this time of morning than if it were the middle of the day. At least that’s what Malakai thought until he saw where the monsters were targeting.
The Unholy weren’t going after humans, but they were destroying businesses all along State Street. Windows were broken. Doors were hanging off their hinges. Dane had sent in police to keep those humans already downtown as far away from the chaos as possible. They had learned many years ago the Unholy weren’t afraid of guns. While their skin wasn’t as thick as a Gargoyles, it was tough enough to take a bullet and keep going. These males had no self-preservation, and the police were the ones who were harmed if they attempted to take on an Unholy. News crews were filming the destruction, so the Gargoyles had to keep from phasing, or they would put themselves front and center on the mid-morning newscast.
Malakai and the others went in swinging. When the Unholy had first been created, there were a few human activist groups who opposed killing the monsters. Their outcries lessened as more humans were harmed. In that moment, the Gargoyles weren’t worried about anything other than stopping the destruction while keeping the secret of the Goyles safe. Never had Kai seen so many Unholy in one place. He realized their number had been greatly miscalculated. He and Dominic took down six males who were focused on a coffee shop. When they were able to get past the six, they focused on the ones who were ripping apart the café on the inside. An espresso machine flew through the air, barely missing Kai as he ducked out of the way. The male who had thrown the machine jumped over the counter with a roar. Kai gripped his sword tighter, ready to put the male down.
It wasn’t a fair fight, as the Goyles were armed with swords while the Unholy had only their claws and fangs. The Unholy launched itself, claws first, and Kai swung his weapon in an upward arc, splitting the male from his crotch to his sternum. The other Unholy stopped focusing on tearing down the building and fled toward the back of the structure. Kai and Dominic followed, chasing them out the back door into the alley. Like something out of a horror movie, several more Unholy dropped from the rooftop. With no thought to their own safety, the males used their own bodies as missiles with the Goyles their targets. Kai was crushed under the weight of a falling monster, his sword slipping from his grip. He had no choice but to release his claws as the male on top of him slashed at Kai’s face. The Unholy were strong, but they were no match for a full-blooded Goyle. Kai blocked the attack with one hand while ripping into his opponent’s neck with the other.
Other than the Unholy, Malakai had never taken a life, and this situation didn’t really leave him a choice. It was kill or be killed. He shoved the bleeding-out male off to the side and retrieved his sword. Dominic sliced through his own opponent, sending him to the ground next to his comrade.
When Dominic looked at Kai, the pirate was grinning from ear to ear. “It’s been a long time since I swung my sword in battle. Feels good.”
Malakai didn’t necessarily feel the same joy as Dom, but he couldn’t dispute the adrenaline rush. They had no time for discussion, though. There were too many Unholy to face. He was grateful they were fighting in the alley and not on the sidewalk where humans with cellphones and news reporters with cameras could bear witness to everything. As he and the other Goyles took down one Unholy after another, Kai got an uneasy feeling.
This is nothing more than a distraction.
Probably, but we don’t know what they’re distracting us from.
His thoughts
