Gemini, p.1
Gemini, page 1
Gemini
MASTERS OF THE ZODIAC
BOOK NINE
RAISA GREYWOOD
Copyright © 2023 by Raisa Greywood LLC
All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise - without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is unintended and entirely coincidental.
Photographer/Cover Designer: Golden Czermak (FuriousFotog)
Model: Chase Ketron
Edited by: Briggs Consulting LLC
Masters of the Zodiac
Twelve Signs. Twelve Guilds. Twelve destinies about to unfold.
One by one, the new Masters will be called to take their rightful place in history. But the path to greatness is not an easy one, and each Master will have their own battles to fight along the way. And if they refuse, if they turn their back on destiny, they stand to lose more than just the title of Master.
Because it isn’t only their futures at risk, but their hearts as well…
Libra by Stella Moore
Scorpio by Kessily Lewel
Sagittarius by Honey Meyer
Capricorn by EJ Frost
Aquarius by Poppy Flynn
Pisces by J.M. Dabney
Aries by Ryan T. Osborn & Minette Moreau
Taurus by Eris Adderly
Gemini by Raisa Greywood
Cancer by Jennifer Bene & Shane Starrett
Leo by Golden Angel
Virgo by S. Cinders
Join the Masters of the Zodiac Facebook group for teasers, reveals, and a chance to meet all the wonderful authors who contributed to this project.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
Cancer
Jennifer Bene and Shane Starrett
Chapter 1
Acknowledgments
About Raisa Greywood
Also by Raisa Greywood
Chapter
One
This is Chadrick Cummings, coming into your house with your daily horoscope. Gemini, unless you’re very careful, your duality will be your downfall. Or… It might be exactly what you need.
CHADRICK CUMMINGS, CHANNEL 8 NEWS
GRAHAM
After knocking softly, his butler, Jacob, took a step into his suite. “Sir, Mrs. Tyler has arrived.”
He straightened his bow tie and sighed. “She’s early.”
“Yes, sir. Guests are beginning to arrive as well.” Jacob strode to the sideboard and poured him a double shot of whiskey. After placing it in Graham’s hand, he said, “Happy birthday.”
“Thank you.” He took a sip and savored the smoke and peat resting on his tongue before he let the burn trickle down his throat. “You’re the only person who says that. Tell her I’ll be down shortly.”
“As you wish, sir.”
As the door shut behind him, Graham turned to gaze through the expansive window overlooking the park across the street. If he listened hard enough, he could almost hear children playing.
He finished his drink and told himself to quit fantasizing. Kids born on May thirty-first at five thirty-one in the morning didn’t get to play outside on their birthdays—not in Minneapolis, and certainly not if their mother was Sophia Lennox Tyler.
She’d been so determined to bear a Gemini Master, she somehow managed to evict him from her womb two weeks early. The joke was on her though. The current Masters were only fifty—nowhere close to hanging up their gaudy ceremonial robes.
He shuddered, envisioning himself in the embroidered yellow and green silk with half of the Gemini scepter in his right hand. The deer antler didn’t bother him. It was the glass orb filled with liquid mercury that made him wary.
Thankfully, this would be the last gala he’d need to suffer through. The minute he turned thirty-two, he planned to throw away every last bow tie in his closet and have his birthday supper at Chuck E. Cheese.
If his mother and the rest of the carrion crows in attendance wanted to eat crappy cheese pizza and watch him spend a fortune playing Skee-ball, they were welcome.
He scowled and girded his loins. The house wasn’t his mother’s den anymore, but it didn’t make her any less a lioness.
A larger than expected crowd awaited him in the grand ballroom, most already with drinks in their hands as unobtrusive servers moved through them with trays full of appetizers that were mostly ignored. It was like the guests knew this would be the last Tyler gala.
He pasted a smile on his face and went in. None of these people were his friends, but he knew exactly what to say to each and every last one of them.
After an hour, his lips burned from all the air kisses and he needed an aspirin to ease the ache in his jaw from smiling, but that’s what a proper Gemini did—they made nice with people they didn’t like.
Fucking life of the party.
At least most of the people with marriage on their mind had moved on to greener pastures years ago. Even as a young man who would fuck anything that said yes and wasn’t too drunk to remember it, he’d known better than to touch any of the pampered purebreds gliding around the ballroom like they floated on air.
Hades, if he dared so much as glance too long at one of them, his mother would have started planning a spectacle of a wedding with a person more interested in his checkbook than in what being married to a Guild Master would mean for them.
It would be a lifetime commitment to him, and to his chosen time twin. Although not always sexual or romantic, the bond was forever, and there was no such thing as divorce for the Gemini Masters—whether they liked it or not.
Thankfully, Jean and Jacinta Carpenter loved each other, and were devoted to their partner, Richard. They’d even had a commitment ceremony, scandalizing everyone. Privately, he thought their storybook romance sounded too good to be true.
Shit like that didn’t happen in real life—at least not very often.
“Chuck E. Cheese,” he muttered under his breath. “Just three hundred and sixty-four more days.”
No one needed to know he’d been making discreet red checkmarks in his planner, counting down the days until he was free. Maybe being Gemini Master wouldn’t be so bad with the right time twin, but…
He shook the thought away and returned his attention to the crowd. There was no point in worrying about it now. He was a year away from being out of the running entirely and he couldn’t wait.
Besides, there had to be other people born at just the right moment. The odds of him becoming a Gemini Master were slim to none.
“Graham, darling!” His mother laid a hand on his arm and kissed his cheek. “Your staff has done splendidly this year. I understand the lobster croquets are delectable. You simply must tell me the name of your caterer.”
As if anyone in this crowd actually ate…
“I’ll have Jacob give you their card.” Keeping his thoughts to himself, he made his excuses when he saw Richard Carpenter—the one person at the party he didn’t mind talking to.
“Richard, thank you for coming.” Graham embraced the older man and patted his back. “It’s wonderful to see you. Where are Jean and Jacinta?”
“They had a late meeting.” He glanced at his watch and shrugged. “They should be here soon.”
“No worries.” Graham linked his arm through Richard’s and led him away. “We haven’t talked in ages. How are things going?”
“Busy as Hades.” Richard grabbed an entire plate of appetizers from a server and devoured several. “First thing I’ve had to eat all day.”
“Help yourself. I can have the kitchen whip you up a meal if you want.”
“Thanks. This is good.” After finishing the last of the lobster croquets, he patted his stomach and smiled. “Let’s not tell Jean and Jacinta. They’ve been after me to eat better.”
Graham grabbed another plate of food and traded Richard for the empty. “So, is it good busy, or bad busy?”
Richard ate another hors d’oeuvre and sipped his champagne. “Good busy. I’m taking my loves on a cruise in a few weeks.”
“Nice! Where to?”
“Bermuda. We—” Steady footsteps interrupted him, and he brightened at the sight of two Guild security guards. “Excuse me. I need to escort my ladies.”
He moved toward the guards, then frowned when they passed by without acknowledging him.
A sick feeling of dread lodged itself in Graham’s gut as they strode toward him. He wa
Conversation faded, and even the string quartet he’d hired stopped playing. The guards stopped in front of him, and he caught a flash of sympathy from their eyes when they looked at Richard.
Straightening his spine, Graham said, “Welcome to my home, gentlemen. How can I be of service to the Guild?”
The one on the right, Noah Thornton, cleared his throat. “Graham Tyler, you are to accompany us to—”
“No.” Richard stepped between them and pushed Noah back a few steps. “Where are my wives?”
Another pair of guards materialized behind him. “Mr. Carpenter, come with us, please. It’s going to be okay,” one said as he reached for Richard.
Richard shook his head slowly and backed away. “Where are they? Gods damn it, tell me!”
“Let us help you, Richard. We’ll explain everything soon.” The guards assigned to Richard enfolded him in their arms and escorted him from the ballroom as he broke down.
“Mr. Tyler,” Noah said, “Graham… Please don’t make this any more difficult than it has to be.”
He glanced at his mother and saw the barely concealed triumph in her eyes.
Bitch.
Although he wanted to believe she hadn’t arranged whatever had happened to Jean and Jacinta, he wouldn’t put it past her. Focusing on Noah, he nodded. “I’ll have my butler pack me a bag.”
LUCINDA
Keeping her face devoid of emotion, she left the courtroom.
Thomas Flint, the boy she used to tell all her secrets to… The one she married in a playground wedding under the monkey bars in second grade with a flower stem twisted into a ring, and the one who tried to kill her, was going to prison for a very long time, where he’d hopefully fucking rot.
She swallowed, still tasting brackish swamp water in her throat after so many years. Choking her. Filling her lungs as the chunk of concrete he’d chained to her waist dragged her under. Rope cutting into her wrists and ankles…
All because he was weak and delivered his best friend to a man who thought he was above the law and could take anything he wanted. Thankfully, Thomas never could tie a decent knot.
She still hated herself for running. It made her no better than Thomas in a way. Too afraid to go to the police, she’d packed up her car, transferred to a university in Ohio, and left Florida behind forever. Lucinda tried to tell herself she’d done the smart thing, but even after ten years, her cowardice still stung. At least she’d stopped looking over her shoulder for them.
Mostly. She still had panic attacks every time she saw a dark-haired man with facial tattoos and a long beard. Thankfully, it didn’t happen very often. Carl Renfrew was nothing if not distinctive.
At least Thomas was no longer a problem. After having the new Aries Master and his partner testify against him for multiple counts of attempted murder, the jury deliberated for less than an hour, and his sentencing went just as quickly.
When she reached her rental, she tapped the fob to unlock it and allowed herself a small smile as she removed the black wig covering her red hair. “You didn’t make it stick, sugar. You didn’t make it stick.”
Thomas was small potatoes though, and unfortunately, she didn’t have time to dwell on the man she really wanted to see put behind bars.
Carl Renfrew, the president of the Blood Born motorcycle club and all-around asshole, was out of her reach. Well, for the moment anyway. Every police officer in the country had his picture and a hard-on to be the one to catch him.
Snickering, she started her car and exited the parking garage. When he was finally brought to justice, she’d be sitting in the gallery and laughing.
She might even decide to testify against him.
Nah.
One more charge of attempted murder wouldn’t add much to Carl’s list of crimes. Besides, life was too short—Lucinda knew that better than anyone. Carl and Thomas could be prison lovers for all she cared. Even better, maybe they’d meet someone named Bubba who needed a sweetheart.
Of course, she’d rather see them both dead, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
Her phone chimed with an incoming call, and she glanced at the small screen. She accepted it and scowled. “Did I not say I was on vacation?”
“Sorry, Lucy. Something came up and we need you in Minneapolis tomorrow.”
She grimaced and tightened her hands on the wheel. Her fucking name was Lucinda. Nobody called her Lucy—except Edward Summerland, her elderly boss who was too kind to yell at.
And Thomas. Also, Carl when he wasn’t calling you a stupid cunt.
“What’s in Minneapolis?”
“The Gemini Masters passed away early this morning. The Guild wants an independent research historian to certify the selection of their successors.”
“Zeus and Hera! What happened?”
If she had to guess, she’d have said Jean and Jacinta Carpenter were in their early fifties. She only remembered them because they’d had a formal commitment ceremony with a male partner, and back in the day it was considered scandalous enough to make the news.
“They were in a car accident last night. The Guild wants a historian with a good reputation for document authentication who isn’t associated with Gemini, and since you’re already out that way, I figured it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”
She laughed softly and shook her head as she took the exit toward her hotel. “Edward, I’m in South Carolina. That’s nowhere near Minnesota.”
“It’s close enough. My secretary has already changed your flight, but there’s one more thing.”
“Of course, there is.” She wanted to bang her head against the steering wheel but kept her chill. “What is it?”
“They want you to hold a press conference to announce your findings.”
Le sigh. She supposed Minneapolis wasn’t the worst place to be. After she authenticated the birth certificates for a pair of time twins, she could finish her vacation. Maybe she’d catch a baseball game or something.
Gemini was odd. It was the only Guild with two Masters, and to be eligible, they had to be thirty-one at the time of selection and born on May thirty-first at five thirty-one in the morning. Lucinda had no idea why that date and time were so special. It seemed like a lot of bullshit to her.
Given the birth rate in America, there were maybe a dozen people they could choose from. Probably fewer, considering there were only about seven babies born every minute. How hard could it be to search hospital records and call everyone in for interviews?
She pushed away all thoughts of being allowed into the Gemini Archives. According to rumors, it was the most complete collection of Guild artifacts and history ever compiled. It was like finding an undiscovered time capsule—a treasure beyond price.
Unfortunately, one did not simply walk into the Archives without a very good reason and probably written permission from the gods. No outsider had ever seen the treasures held within the multilevel building, and she almost drooled at the fantasy.
“Have they been chosen yet?”
“No.”
“You’re killing me, Edward. How long am I supposed to sit around and wait?”
“It’s a thousand a day, plus expenses. They’re putting you up at the Four Seasons.”
“You should have led with that,” she murmured. “I want a corner suite. Throw in as many spa treatments as I want, comp my bar tab, and I’ll stay as long as they want.”
“Yes, to the suite and the spa. I’ve seen you drink, so no, to the bar tab, but Gemini will cover your meals,” he countered. “You’ll also make yourself available upon request to Guild officials.”
