Harley: Prince Of Tigers, Book 5

by Kathi S. Barton

  “Yes, magic does make things easier. Come with me.” He showed her what the refrigerator could do. “All you need to do is think of something you’d like to eat, and it’ll be there. Or the ingredients that are needed to make it if you’re into baking up a batch of homemade cookies. I love them, by the way. Also, when you use a glass, whatever you’re thinking about drinking will be there for you, refilling your glass every time you want more.”

  When they were joined in the large open kitchen by the cook that had been helping him with meals, he introduced the two of them. Peaches was a faerie and was almost too excited to be working for the new princess of the house.

  “You’ll love this house. ‘Twas around when I was but a bud, my lady. The people who lived here, they so loved the help and magic we’d use on her rose garden. And she had the most beautiful herb garden around.” Micky told Peaches that she didn’t cook much. “That’ll be all right with me, my lady. I surely do love to make meals and see someone that will enjoy them.”

  While they were talking, he left the two women to their talk of what Micky loved to eat. As soon as he stepped out of the kitchen and into the dining room, he was greeted by Sunshine, his faerie.

  “She is quite lovely, sir. I love her hair. I wonder if there are many of my kind that has such a beautiful shade of lowering sun like that.” He said he hadn’t any idea, but he would ask the queen when he saw her next. “Oh no, my lord. You needn’t bother her with such a question from someone like me. Nah, it’s just a question.”

  “I’m curious myself. If there is such a male, I think he would do well with Micky.” She looked so sad that he knew at once what she was thinking. “I would never trade you for anyone, Sunshine. You and I have been together for far too long for someone to have to train me again. No, you and I are a pair, and I love it that way.”

  “Thank you, my lord. I do wonder at times if you are humoring me. But I shall not look a gifted pig in the face.” He told her that was a good idea, wondering if any of her kind got a saying right. “I would like to find her someone soon, my lord. She is such a timid thing. Don’t you think?”

  “She took on Toddy earlier. Slapped him in the face quite hard when he snapped at her. Nearly scared ten years off my life when she did that. By the way, I’ve sent him to be looked at in town at the clinic. Would you mind seeing if he got there and if he’s having any trouble? He was pumped up badly with iron. And if you could, Sunshine, please see where he got it from. Micky was very upset that someone hurt him.”

  She said she’d go and check now. After she left, he sat down on the decking and called for Aurora.

  “My beautiful tiger. I have heard that you’ve found yourself a mate.” He said it was more like she found him. “Yes, she isn’t one to suffer fools well. She is a good woman but has no faith in herself. She will need to work on that.”

  He told her about Toddy. “I swear, it was just what he seemed to need. Someone to kick him in the ass a little.” Harley leaned back on the step he was on. “What is going on in her life that I’m going to need to fix for her? I’m assuming since the other mates had someone after them that she is no different.”

  “Oh, but she is, young Harley. It is the sister that is going to need to be kept safe. The man, the one who sent someone to kill her and killed her father, is not satisfied with how things turned out for him. He will be coming once again to get what he thinks he needs.” He asked her what that might be. “I’ve already told you much too much, my child. The rest will need to come to you when it’s time. You must be Micky Prince.”

  He turned to see Micky standing just in the doorway. While he wasn’t sure how much she’d heard, he stood up to introduce her to Aurora. The queen looked at the hand Micky put out for her and smiled before speaking.

  “Should you wish to offer me your hand, my child, I will take it, but you must realize that I will give you more magic than you already possess.” Micky looked at him, but he knew this wasn’t a decision for him to make for her. “He will tell you, as he should, that this will be your choice. To get more magic or not will be up to you. However, I will tell you that it will be something you will need and that you’ll never regret taking magic from me.”

  “You’re the faerie queen, you said.” Aurora nodded. “All right. Then why is it that my sister was targeted? I’m sure you know.”

  “I do, but I cannot offer you a way to change things, or there will be consequences for us both, I’m afraid.” Micky asked her if there were consequences for her being with Harley. He was almost too afraid to hear the answer to that. “Good ones. But yes, consequences all the same. Something else you should be made to realize is that you cannot not use magic. The more you use of it, the more there is for my faeries. Once there is no more used, they will cease to exist. Worse than that, the flowers and other things that depend on the small ones will wither and die. Do you understand the cycle of life?”

  “Yes, sort of like what goes around comes around. Is that what you mean?” Aurora said it wasn’t just like that. “Something about the world using what is left behind by death? I don’t want to believe that one. I’m sorry if that’s what you meant. I hear about senseless deaths all the time, but I see no reason for it to be thought of as a good thing. Especially when children are a part of the life cycle.”

  “It hurts my heart very badly when there is a child killed needlessly. A part of me dies with them, I think. However, I cannot save them all, child. No matter how much I want to, there isn’t a way for me to be there to save every person from death. I tried that once, and I was rarely there on time to save them. And the few I managed to save, they only died later, in a much more horrific way than they would have had I not interfered.” Micky told her she was sorry. “You have a good heart, my dear, one I would like to prevail upon. I have a large favor to ask of you and Harley. It is why I would have come to see you both tonight. I have need of someone to watch over some of the plantings that we have yet to plant. They’ll need constant care, of course, but that won’t be up to you to do. The faeries will live and work here. This is the ideal spot for them both. It’s the trees you have here, you see. They’re perfect for the little ones to build homes high above the ground so they’ll be safe. Also, they’ll be in a better position to keep the seedlings safe.”

  “Yes.” Micky looked at him. “I suppose I should ask you first, but I think if there are more faeries around us all the time, we’ll be stronger for whatever comes. Don’t you think?”

  “You’re right about the magic. And the new seedlings would be nice in the woods behind here. We’ll do whatever you think is necessary to make sure they’re safe. Would a fence help? Anything you need, we can help you with.” Micky came and sat next to him as she peppered questions to Aurora. “Yes, that is a good question. How soon will they come to us? Enough time for us to get things settled between the two of us?”

  “I don’t know the answer to that question. I thought things were settled between the two of you. You do seem to be getting along much better than your brothers with their mates when they first arrived, don’t you think?” Harley looked at Micky and then nodded at Aurora. “I thought as much. The house didn’t need much in the way of changes, I heard. That alone tells me that you two are more in sync than the others.”

  “We’ve only just met today, but I agree, things do seem to be all right with us. So long as he doesn’t get all antsy when he’s around me.” Harley laughed and asked her what her definition was of him getting antsy. “You know. Wanting to jump my bones all the time. I don’t know. Is this something we can talk about later?”

  “Sure. But I want you to know that I do want to jump your bones on a minute-by-minute basis.” Micky slapped him on the back, and Aurora laughed. “Anyway. What do you need us to do to ensure that the plants are safe from harm? Also, what sort of harm do you think will come to them? Human, I’m sure, but other animals munching on them too?”

&n
bsp; “Yes to both, as a matter of fact. Mostly it’s the smaller animals that will want to treat themselves to the tasty new leaves. But the larger ones will enjoy the sweetness of the branches. They’ll need to be kept clear of the plants until they are mature enough to continue their growth after a few seasons.” Aurora snapped her fingers. Two beautiful brownies appeared on Micky’s knee. “I will be assigning you two helpmates to help you on your day-to-day tasks, Micky. I think you’re going to need the extra help once you and Harley become true mates. I know some of the things you’re involved in and a few that I’m not sure you’re aware of. But soon, Toddy will come to you about a special favor he has for you. Your sister, I’m sure you know, healed you from your terminal illness. However, what you don’t know is that she passed the magic on to you. What you got, because of Harley, is that you can help the shifters. It takes a great deal of magic to heal a shifter of any kind. One of great power to heal one from iron.”

  “I don’t mind helping him. However, he won’t be snarky to me again.” Aurora said she doubted anyone would be. “Oh, so he told on me, did he? Does he know I’m not going to be thrilled about having to explain myself to others?”

  “He only told me that you hit him when he was being rude. I’m assuming you pointed that out to him in no uncertain terms.” Micky smiled while Harley explained what had happened. “Oh my. He’s been trying to hide what is ailing him. That cannot be good. I’ll send him to you at once. Also, the little ones, sometimes they’re hurt as well. Humans will be cruel to them, and they’ll need to be nursed back to health when they’ve had their wings torn off. They can still be faeries, but they’ll need to be helped to heal. There are plenty of jobs they can work at in my world.”

  “I don’t mind that at all. Do you have a book or something so I can read up on things to do for everyone?” The touch happened before he could warn Micky that she might be a little dizzy from it. “Christ, what the fuck did you do to me?”

  Chapter 2

  “So, what you’re telling me is that you not only didn’t kill Rowan Bronson, but you did murder her father. And in doing that, had the entire clan brought to her side so you couldn’t finish the job I’ve already paid you for.” The man knew better than to answer him. Had he done it, Carlton would have gladly blown his head off. He might still do that. “What is it you do for me exactly? I mean, other than fuck up a very easy job that I assigned you.”

  “Mr. Parkerville, the two of us did shoot her several times in the chest as well in her upper thigh, trying to make it so she suffered a great deal before she died. Just as you wanted. However, her brother came to the house. I barely got out before I was caught. As it was, Roger was shot to fuck when she pulled out her gun and blew him away, and she was laughing the entire time. She’s nuts.” Carlton told the man sitting there, looking like he was shocked that someone had tried to defend themselves that he should perhaps hire her. “I thought she already done did work for you.”

  Growling low, he pulled out his service revolver and laid it on his desk. He’d not kill the kid, not in his office, but he’d arrange it so he’d be in the right place at the right time for him to do so later. Telling him to get out of his office, Carlton sat there and contemplated what he needed to do next.

  Rowan was a cog in his wheel that was keeping him from doing what he wanted most in the world—retire on a good note. He would have been praised wherever he went if the men he’d hired had done what they were supposed to have done. He’d be the man who had found the killer of a decorated cop, one that had worked for him on special cases all the time. That was fucked up now.

  Carlton didn’t deal in drugs. Nor did he condone prostitution. He didn’t own any titty magazines either. He went to church on Sundays. Carlton even put money in the tray when it came around at the church. However, he hated Rowan Bronson and her entire family. Their father had worked for him, a beat cop, even though he could have been sitting where he was in half the time it had taken Carlton to be there. Instead, he spent his entire life walking the beat, walking the neighborhoods at his age.

  It had been on his mind for some time now to have someone killed off so he could live off the good will he’d get from the city. Not to mention the family of the fallen. The Bronson clan had been his first and only choice when he’d figured out that it was the only way he was going to be able to get what he wanted.

  At first, it had been Rudy, their father. But he was well loved by all the people in the neighborhood he worked. Carlton couldn’t even get the worst criminal sort to go after him because Rudy had slipped them a good one, whatever the hell that was supposed to mean. But that had been the beginning and end to getting the older man killed.

  Roone had been next. However, the man was a Fed, and that might well have gotten Carlton famous in a way that wouldn’t open doors for him should someone figure it out. In fact, he was sure there would be only one door that opened and closed for him tightly. Then he’d realized that right there in his own station house was the perfect Bronson to fit the bill.

  Rowan had been just a kid when she’d started working as a cop. Of course, she had graduated at the top of her class in the police academy. Her first day on the job, she’d not only made a collar, but she’d run down the perp and tackled him in what had been described as a first-rate tackle that football players used. He supposed that being a cop, she’d be about as rough and tumble as a man. Since then, Carlton had had to pin several medals on her shirt—Medal of Valor, Medal of Distinction, as well as so many more he’d lost count. It hurt him deep in his belly every time he’d had to pin her when he had nothing more to show for his forty years of service than a badge. One that he’d had to murder for at that.

  Not that he considered himself a murderer. No, he had a purpose when he killed someone—to get himself ahead of the others. It wasn’t murder, but a way for him to be able to retire with his name on the lips of every person that heard his name.

  “Captain, there’s a call for you on line one. It’s Rowan, sir. She said she tried your phone, but you didn’t answer.”

  He said he’d left his cell at home. The officer looked at his phone lying on his desk when he told him he’d get it now.

  “Hello, my dear. How are you feeling? I’m to understand from your doctor that you’re going to be off for some time. That’s a deep shot in the arm for us around here. We sort of like you.” She laughed, and he joined her. It was funny because he was the only one that didn’t want her to return. Not at all. “Where are you convalescing now? I’m to understand you’re not at home.”

  “No. I sold my home. It was just too difficult to think about going back there.” Well, that wasn’t going to help him. “I’m staying with some friends. They’re making sure I’m doing well and resting. It’s amazing, I guess, that I was able to live through what happened to me. Did you get the other man yet?”

  So she did remember there were two men in her house. Carlton asked her what she meant, that he’d only been told there was the one man. Rowan told him she’d gotten all her memories of what happened back in bits and pieces.

  “I didn’t remember it at first. Then just yesterday, I remembered there was a second man there with Jackson. His name was…let me think.” Carlton closed his eyes and hoped to Christ she never remembered his name. “It was Noble. I believe he’s a friend of yours. I mean, I’ve seen him in your office a great deal in the last few months.”

  “Connor Noble? No, I don’t believe it would have been him. Last I heard, he’d been killed. I think that was a couple of days ago, now that I think on it.” Carlton closed his eyes, wondering how she was forever making him say the wrong things. “I mean, that’s what I heard. I’d not heard anything from the streets about him being dead. Just a rumor, I’m sure of it.”

  “No, I believe it was him. And if he’s dead, it had to be recent. It was him. I have my friends looking at the security cameras from my home.” He hadn’t known about t
hat. Damn it. Why were people always fucking with his plans? “I’ve not seen them yet, but when I do, I’ll show you—”

  “Why don’t you send them over to me and let me have a look at them? I wouldn’t want you to relive that nightmarish encounter again, Rowan. Just let me look them over, and I’ll get back to you with the information.” She said that Roone was having them looked over as well. “You’re involving the FBI in this? It was only a home invasion. I’m sure they have plenty enough to do without pulling favors for your brother.”

  Rowan was quiet for several moments, and he thought perhaps they’d been disconnected. At least he hoped so.

  “You don’t want to know who tried to kill me and murdered my dad? He was a cop too, you remember.” There was a bite to her voice that he didn’t care for but was cut off again before he could remind her who she was talking to. “I won’t bother you about what I find, Carlton. I’m sure you have better things to do than to figure out who tried to kill one of your own. Not to mention my father, who was the greatest cop there ever was.”

  When the line went dead, he sat there for several seconds, counting. When counting to ten didn’t calm him, counting again didn’t either.

  Putting the phone into the cradle, he noticed that two of the officers were looking at him through the glass front of his office. Surely they’d not listened in on his conversation. There had to be some other explanation for them looking at him the way they were. He started to stand up, to go out and have a talk with them, when the officer that had told him he had a call simply shook his head at him and walked out of the bullpen. Christ, they had listened.

  He knew all the way to his toes that they’d heard what Rowan thought he was doing. That he had no intentions of finding the other man. Noble had only been in his office an hour ago, so they knew he’d lied about hearing that Noble had been killed too.