D uring the drive home, Anthony asked Elle to recount everything that happened after he left her at the farmhouse.

Grevolus had already lured her downstairs and knocked her out by the time Anthony got back.

That was why he couldn’t hear her moving around.

She also said she’d dreamed about Novus, and she assumed that was what drew the ravens to her since she didn’t consciously do it.

Carleigh called to let them know the Jeep’s tracking system showed it to be stopped outside Waynesboro, which meant Grevolus was traveling north.

At least he had been. Carleigh was searching nearby car lot cameras.

She’d also set up alerts for stolen cars in the area.

Anthony didn’t understand how it all worked or if what the Trio did was legal, but that was why his cousins were the brains, and he was the brawn.

Gregor in turn called Dominic, and once they got to the house, Dom and Lilly were there waiting.

The two males went to retrieve Anthony’s vehicle, and after Anthony got Elle situated on the sofa, Lilly worked her magic again.

She wasn’t able to undo the paralysis, but she did ease the pain in Elle’s head where the bastard hit her.

While Anthony and Lilly sat with Elle, Tessa focused on rearranging Tony’s drawers and closet so she had somewhere to put Elle’s laundry she had washed the night before. When she finished, she joined them, taking one of the recliners.

Elle was able to ingest small doses of liquid, but she wasn’t able to chew, which meant eating was out.

His mate needed nutrition, so Anthony called Connor, informing him of the situation.

Connor had passed off his clinic to another Gargoyle, but he still had access to medical equipment and promised to come check on Elle soon.

Anthony took Elle’s hand. “Sweetheart, do you mind if I step outside for a few minutes? My beast is going nuts.”

“I’ll be fine, Tony.”

Lilly had hold of Elle’s other hand. “I’ll keep her company. Maybe I’ll tell her how your mother and I met.”

“Would you like that?” he asked.

“I would love it. Give me a kiss.”

Anthony complied, keeping it chaste. “I won’t be long.” He touched her cheek before standing and glancing at his mom.

“Take your time, Son.” Tessa got it. She might not have wings, but she had her own Goyle inside who often needed to expend energy.

Anthony removed his shirt, tossing it over one of the stools at the kitchen island.

Once outside, he inhaled the crisp air deeply as his wings unfurled behind him.

One of the benefits of living in the middle of so much property was he didn’t worry about outing his kind to humans.

Sure, there was the chance someone would fly a drone overhead, but he would hear the whirring well before it reached him.

As he took to the sky, Anthony kept his eye on Elle through the bond.

He’d heard the story of how Lilly and Tessa met, and since Elle seemed happy, he figured Lilly was divulging more about their time in New Orleans, including stories of Dominic.

Considering the circumstances, Elle giving off good vibes went a long way to soothe the beast. It didn’t take long before his Goyle had calmed down and was ready to be back inside with their mate.

“Connor’s here.”

“I’m on my way.” Tony didn’t linger. He made a beeline toward the house, and when he walked inside, he was glad to see Ally was with Connor.

His cousin’s mate was one of the sweetest humans Anthony had ever met.

She was also smart and funny. With them was Gannon, a Goyle who’d known Alyssa for many years, having been a guard at the lab where she used to work.

When Alyssa moved to Atlanta, Gannon followed her, bringing his mate and three daughters.

Gannon worked with Anthony at Steele Securities.

Connor, a brilliant physician, preferred to spend his time making art.

Rico Di, as the outside world knew Connor, made more money with his artwork than he had at either the hospital or his clinic.

Anthony had a few of his paintings scattered throughout his house, as did most everyone in their family.

Anthony snagged his shirt and pulled it on. “Con, thanks for coming so quickly.”

“Of course.”

After Anthony made the introductions, Gannon stepped outside to stand guard, and Alyssa eased down on the sofa next to Elle, taking her hand. “Gosh, you are something.” Turning to Connor, she said, “I bet her aura is pure white.”

“Actually, it’s an icy blue, but you are correct in that it is good.”

“That’s interesting,” Lilly said. “Where you see blue, I see white, except for where the sigil is.”

Connor angled his head, thinking. “I believe I see it differently because she is fae. Each type of being shows their own color of strands, and Elle’s blue strands are mixing with her good aura.” To Anthony he said, “Please tell us everything.”

Once again, Anthony recounted Elle’s story as succinctly as possible without leaving out too many important details. He wished he could have a video conference with their Clan and explain Elle’s story one time instead of having to retell it so often.

“This makes more sense now.” Connor was holding one of his infamous scrolls.

Ever since he was little, Connor had visions of future occurrences, not all of them good.

Anthony prayed this wasn’t an omen. He took the paper and unrolled it, placing it on the coffee table so Elle could see it too.

On it was a farmhouse with dozens of ravens circling above.

The house was different, but the scene was almost identical to what Anthony witnessed.

The one thing that stood out was a strange man with his arms raised in the air.

“That’s not Grevolus unless you were seeing him using glamour. Elle, do you recognize him?”

“No, but something feels... familiar.”

“She said he feels familiar, but she doesn’t recognize him.”

Connor sat on the arm of the sofa next to Alyssa. “If this isn’t Grevolus, then this male’s part in all of this has yet to play out.”

“The farmhouse is different, but the ravens caused a ruckus already. Is it possible this male can hide in the shadows the way Elle can, and I didn’t see him?”

“Anything is possible.” Changing the subject, Connor asked, “When was the last time Elle had something to eat?”

Anthony cursed at himself internally. Elle’s health was the most important issue at the moment. “Yesterday, when we had supper here.”

“Good. I don’t want to start PPN yet, since Elle can tolerate water.”

“What’s PPN?” Anthony asked.

“Peripheral parenteral nutrition. It’s a less concentrated solution used for short-term nutritional support. The IV goes into a peripheral vein such as in the arm instead of a more centralized one. If the paralysis continues for an extended period, we’ll need to consider a feeding tube.”

A feeding tube? Anthony’s heart squeezed in his chest. That shit was serious. He swallowed hard, doing his best to keep from yelling the house down. “Whatever you think is best. You’re the doctor.”

“Also, we need to think about continence. If Elle’s able to tell you when she needs to use the restroom, it shouldn’t be a problem. She’ll need someone with her at all times to avoid accidents, but I wouldn’t rule out using incontinence underwear.”

“She won’t be alone, and both Mom and I can carry her.”

“Well, this isn’t embarrassing at all.”

Anthony squatted in front of his mate, placing his hands on her knees. “I’m sorry, Sweetheart. It’s either one of us helps you to the bathroom or you wear a diaper. If you were bedridden, you would need a catheter. I don’t think you want that.”

“What’s a catheter?”

“It’s a tube inserted into your body that allows pee to empty into a bag. If you have to poop, there’s a different procedure. I’m sure Connor could give you the details, but it’s basically your waste ending up in a bag too.”

“No diapers. I’d rather you carry me.”

Tessa, who’d been quietly listening, walked over and knelt next to Anthony.

“I bet you’re saying this is embarrassing, right?

But we’re family, Elle. Like the human vows say, for better or worse.

With you being Tony’s mate, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for you.

There’s nothing Gregor or I wouldn’t either.

It might be embarrassing, but we won’t think anything of it. ” Tessa touched one of Elle’s braids.

“Tell her thank you, and maybe we can change the subject before I start crying?” Elle blinked rapidly, and Anthony leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers.

“She said thanks, Mom, and asked if we could change the subject. Alyssa, maybe you can tell Elle about Chester?”

“Oh, my goddess, yes.” Alyssa dug in her purse and pulled out her phone. “I have pictures! Chester is my pet gecko, and Picasso is Connor’s bearded dragon. Look how cute they are.” While Alyssa went on about their pets, Anthony stood and motioned Connor to the kitchen.

“How long before we should start the PPN?”

Connor leaned against the counter and shoved his hands in the pockets of his khakis. “No more than a couple of days. Her body won’t start shutting down that quickly, but I’d rather keep her healthy since there’s no reason not to. All of this can be done here instead of at the clinic.”

Anthony blew out a breath. “That’s good. I want her as comfortable as possible, and that means in my bed.”

“I get it, Tony. If that were Alyssa, I’d keep her at home too.” Connor lowered his voice. “About the drawing, I get the sense that the male is something different. His strands were a grayish purple color. When I had my vision, his image flickered from man to bird.”

“Like a shifter?”

“That’s what it felt like, although I didn’t actually see him shifting. There were too many ravens flying about.”

“Let’s hope he’s one of the good guys.” Anthony ran a hand through his hair. “Other than giving Elle water, what else do I need to do for her?”