Gideon Goddard Novels & Stories

“I’m here because her mother asked me to make sure she survived long enough to choose her own path.” That sentence lands differently. I step slightly around Darius—not rejecting him, just needing to see. “Who are you?” I ask. The man bows his head slightly. “My name is Gideon Arkwright.” A ripple moves through the people behind me. Even Selene stiffens. Elder Rowan’s expression tightens with recognition. Cassian goes silent in a way I haven’t seen before. Gideon continues gently. “I was a strategist within the Blackwood inner circle… many years ago.”

I link back, he shakes his head then turns to follow Jonathan inside. "Where is Dagon?" Gideon looks up, and I can see the rage and pain in his eyes as he lets Jyrki take Adaline from his arms. "He fled, and I took care of Sasha." I answer with a deep breath, knowing this is a very painful moment for him. “I'm sorry about Addy, there was no stopping her. She loves you and won't let you lose out on your family, or them lose out on you," I help him to his feet then pull him into a brotherly hug.

****** "You wish to see me, Sir?" Standing in front of the open door of Goddard's bedchamber, Matthew waited until his employer turned toward him and signaled him to come in before entering. At the far end of the room, Goddard sat in a wheelchair by the window, wrapped in a patterned dressing gown and thick layers of shawl. As Matthew advanced down the length of the room, he was struck by how thin and frail Goddard looked at the moment. In the past few days, Goddard's condition had gone downhill rapidly, and it broke Matthew's heart to see him in this state. Joe Goddard was not merely his master. He was also his mentor, the one who lifted him up from the pit of despair, to whom he owed all t

"Can I send someone else to present the array at the tower, High Alpha? Gideon is one of the co-creators of the software. He knows every single line of the spell-craft as intimately as I do." Gideon Frostclaw blinks in surprise, but before he can speak, I reach beneath the table and squeeze Rowan’s cold hand tightly. My dark skin contrasts against his pale knuckles. I know what this project means to him; it is his ticket out of the dust and blood of our past.

"My personal guard never showed up." Zire clears his throat, turning to look out toward the forest that borders the back of the property, like something just caught his attention. Isaiah doesn't look embarrassed, or wary. In fact, a faint hint of anger simmers in his eyes, the same shade as the forest Zire stares at. "I fired him," Isaiah responds quietly. "Isaiah doesn't like the idea of you having sex with someone that isn't him," Zire cuts in. Not afraid to taunt his friend. I bite the edge of my lip, trying not to smile in triumphant, glad Kadrick's presence had the desired effect.

It took all his willpower to rip his gaze off her lips, or else he might… lose it, right there and at that minute. “I can see Alexander Georgia is being lovey-dovey with his wife.” A pot-bellied man who could probably be in his early fifties; holding three glasses of wine, said while walking in their direction. His height was not something to be impressed with. A modest smile finds its way through Alexander's lips as he replied, “Mr. Giovanni, I didn't see you coming.” The pot-bellied man stopped right in front of them and joked, “you were being lovey-dovey with your wife so, I understand if you didn't see me coming.”

He may have been a mobster street tough, but he had honor. When I was given the chance to come home and clean up the mess on our streets as the leader of Black Eagle, the first person I sought out was Gideon. But he was gone, lost in the war against Debrassy’s Downtown Devils. The younger son had taken the reins and broken the truce that had lasted between the families for generations. “We think he may have been behind the Vandersteele slaughter,” Gideon’s widow had confessed. “I can’t stop him myself, I need your help, Hazardous. He always wanted you to lead us someday.”

I didn’t expect that. "Don’t you all know who he is to me?" Adrian yells, his voice thick with anger. Gideon chuckles, leaning back. "Your ex," he replies smoothly. Adrian's grip on me tightens. "And so what? He means a lot to me." Gideon’s eyes narrow. "He broke your heart. And then went ahead to date an enemy of the Dogs of Hell," he states firmly. The gang murmurs in agreement, nodding and whispering amongst themselves.

I didn't jump or look up. "I'm fine," I said, even though I wasn't sure if it was true. The person on the other side didn't push. They left me alone. I looked back down at the papers. One document kept calling to me. It was a secret log from twelve years ago. I’d seen it before and ignored it, but now I read it word for word. The names were in code and the locations were blurry, but one thing was crystal clear: Gideon had been looking for help long before Black Tide made their final move. He didn't go to the police. He didn't go to friends. He went to someone who lived outside the law.

The Cabinet, the Ministry of Defense, and the Department of Justice all backed down. Cody couldn't understand it. He couldn't comprehend the decision. But what he did know was that he had severely underestimated Gideon. Gideon was far stronger and more influential than him. And, the ridiculous thing was that he had thought of himself as some big shot. At the same time, Cody felt a sense of relief. Gideon had moved on and broken off his engagement with Lavinia. That meant he still had a chance.