Tyler

by Kathi S. Barton

  He watched her as she climbed up to his chest. Tyler knew that she was being careful not to harm him, so he put his hand over her paw and watched her stare into his eyes. When she extended her claws and they bit deep into his chest, Tyler never blinked; he wanted this to work right.

  The pain in his belly, even though it wasn’t too bad, seemed to disappear. It wasn’t until she moved down to his leg that he realized that he was numb from the neck down. Not sure what was going on, he almost panicked until he heard someone speaking to him.

  Hey, buddy, it’s Brian. She told me that she was going to do this soon. I just didn’t expect it to be for a week or so. When did you change her? He told him and Brian laughed. Yes, when I talked to her the other day, she didn’t strike me as a person that would do things like anyone else. By the way, you look into her eyes to show that you trust her. And in doing so, the pain would be lessened by the love that you have for each other. It’s an old wives’ tale among our kind, but I’m glad to hear that it works.

  The numbness, will it go away? Brian told him that he figured that it did, as he had some of his kind walking around still. Very funny. I’m assuming that like our kind, I’ll be down for a while?

  I haven’t any idea, to be honest with you, Tyler. The last one that I witnessed was about ten years ago, and it didn’t end well. There apparently wasn’t any trust in them. But with you two, I should think that you’d be down for no more time than she was. I hope. Tyler looked down his body and could see the wounds that she’d torn into him. I was trying to distract you from looking. Changing a human, or in your case a wolf, into a cougar is a bit more gory than it is for most shifters. Just breathe in and out and it’ll be over soon.

  His belly was torn open. He could see his intestines as the steam from the cold air swirled around them. The place where she’d dug her claws into his chest was open to his ribs, and he was sure that if he looked hard enough, he’d be able to see his heart beating. But it was his leg that made him ill.

  The bones were shattered, the muscle torn into badly, and he was sure that he’d never walk again. Laying his head back, Tyler closed his eyes, and did just what Brian was still telling him to do, breathe. And then, just as he was thinking that he was going to be physically ill, he was out.

  ~*~

  Jazzie just watched Tyler sleep. She was sure that at some point he’d passed out, but it made her feel better knowing that he was sleeping rather than the alternative. She’d thought for a long while that she’d killed him. But Brian had assured her that he was just fine, and that she’d done a fantastic job.

  Brian had shown up about an hour after Tyler had fallen asleep. He had come, he told her, to help her carry Tyler into the house. It occurred to her that she was still weak, but not nearly as much as she had expected, and was glad for the help. Now the two of them were in their bed with Joey between them. He was staring at her with his big blue eyes.

  “I’m a kitty and a doggie.” Joey jabbered quietly, as if he knew that his daddy was resting. “When we get better, Mommy is going to take you on a nice long walk in the snow. And if you’re a good boy, we’ll stop for ice cream.”

  Clapping his hands, he knew full well, she was sure, that even if he was a holy terror, Mommy would buy him whatever he wanted. Ice cream, she knew, was soothing on his poor gums.

  “All your new family will be here for Christmas. This is the first time that I can get you some nice things. And while I don’t want to spoil you too much, you will be getting more this year because I’m sort of making up for last year when we didn’t have all that much.” Joey blinked three times in a row. “You need a nap, little man. And I’m hoping that when you wake up, Daddy will want to play with you.”

  She looked at Tyler and saw that he was watching her. He grinned at her, and then picked up Joey, who squealed with laughter. They loved each other so much all ready, and she was glad for it. When he laid Joey on his chest, he yawned again and closed his eyes.

  “I think he was just waiting for you to wake up so that you could hold him.” Tyler carefully moved over closer to her and kissed her. “Are you feeling all right?”

  “I am. How long was I out? And that thing with the trust, I think that was much better than what we have as wolves.” She laughed and put her hand over her mouth when Joey raised his head and glared at her. He was laying his head back down even as he fell back to sleep. “I guess I’ve been told to be quiet. As for how long you were out, just a few hours. I had your mom bring Joey here, and she was so happy to know that we’ve finished up this changing thing, what she called it, before Christmas.”

  “My mom, you have to love her.” They both laughed quietly. “I heard you telling Joey that you weren’t going to spoil him. You do know that there isn’t any way for him not to be spoiled, don’t you? I mean, he has so many relatives that it’s going to be impossible for him not to be just a little.”

  “I know, but we can try.” She watched them both when Tyler closed his eyes. “It’s been a long night. And I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.”

  “Yes, I was thinking the same thing.”

  They both yawned, and Tyler got up to put Joey in his crib. After moving all his toys away from him so he’d not roll over onto them, he came back to bed.

  They had both decided that while they would bring him to bed with them on occasion, he’d never sleep with them. It was too dangerous, and not to mention, it was also hard to sleep with him there, as all they wanted to do was watch him. Rolling to her side, she was happy when Tyler wrapped his warm body around hers. Exhausted now that she was warm and knew Tyler was going to be all right, Jazzie let sleep take her under.

  When she woke it was bright outside, and Tyler’s side of the bed was cold. Getting up, she checked on Joey and saw that he too was up. Getting into the shower, she decided that she had a few things that she really needed to get done and was going to ask Tyler for an office in the downtown area.

  She had four clients that wanted her help in organizing things for them—a few parties as well. But she was most excited about the school festival that the grade school put on each year. All that money was to go for supplies for the rooms, as well as parties for the teachers a few times a year. Jazzie, being a former teacher, knew that having time to themselves was as much needed as summer break for kids.

  When she made her way to the kitchen, she heard Dominic. It sounded to her like he was talking to himself, but then she realized that he was talking to Joey. As soon as she entered the room, she had to hold onto the table to keep herself from falling over laughing. Dominic was feeding Joey his breakfast.

  Or so she thought. It looked, from one glance around the table and floor, like he was making some sort of art project and Joey was the centerpiece of it all. There were eggs and toast all over the place, as well as strawberries and marshmallows.

  “You do know that I was doing you a favor by feeding this kid.” Joey laughed, squealing happily when he saw her. Dominic called him a turncoat before he looked at her again. “I swear to you, I think that he knew I didn’t have any idea what I was doing and decided to have fun with me.”

  “I’m sure that he was. He has a deviant mind like that.” She handed Dominic the box of cereal that Joey loved to play with as he ate. The little round circles didn’t have much in the way of sugar in them, and it kept him busy for a while. “I have a question for you, now that you’re here. The place you have out at the compound—I was wondering if you have a large dining area, or do the kids mostly eat in shifts?”

  “I’m having a larger one put in. Why do you ask?” She told him about the people who wanted to donate some of their time and money to the place. “I could always use some help out there. Mostly in the summer months. But right now, I could use a couple of people to go out there on occasion and make sure that the water and furnace are both all right.”

  “Because of the cold.” He told her that he was having a furnace put in soon, but for now, he was on a waiting list. �
�I could maybe get that done quicker for you. Mr. Able—he has a heating and cooling place—he said that he’d help you out with that.”

  “Great. Yes, I’d love that. But, do you suppose there is some sort of—I don’t know—a way to get in touch with other heating and cooling places? I was thinking like a club or something.” She asked him why after telling him that she didn’t know. “I’ve been purchasing land all over the world for more places like the one we have here. They’re all going to need to have a building put in, cabins for the kids, as well as a dining hall. I have to find people that can do that for me at a discounted price—or even better, a donation.”

  Her mind started working on networking that for him. She asked him if she could work on it for him, and he, of course, told her to have at it. If she kept this up, she was going to have to hire an entire crew to help her get these things ready to go. Jazzie told him what her plan was.

  “I can help you there. I have two buildings in the downtown area. One of them might be just what you want. And if you hire some of the more advanced people that come out to the camp, I’ll give it to you for helping them out.” She said he didn’t have to do that. “Yes, I do. I can’t bring in any more money. I mean, I don’t mean to brag, but I have more than enough money of my own, and I want to help out if you’ll help me.”

  “All right. By the way, why are you watching Joey? I thought that the meeting that Tyler had wasn’t until later this week.” Dominic said that he didn’t know. That he’d come by to see Tyler and he’d asked him to do this. “I see. I should just reach out to him, but I really thought that he was here.”

  When she touched base with him as she took Joey to be changed, he said that he was on his way home. She asked him to meet her at the building that Dominic owned.

  Great. I was going to bring you down here to look at a couple that Caleb has, but this will work too. I have also hired you a temporary staff. One that will get you on the right path in getting things organized in the building. She asked what was wrong with them. Nothing that a good bit of cleaning won’t fix up. Is Dominic coming with you?

  Yes. What’s going on? He said he’d explain when he saw her. No, I’d rather you tell me now.

  There are four things going on downtown. One of them is getting you a new building. Another is that the grocery store has been robbed. Jazzie paused in getting Joey ready. No one was hurt, but it’s a mess. What was left there anyway. Lucky for Mr. Carter that he hadn’t gotten his truck in, and that most of his shelves were empty thanks to us.

  Does he need any of us to help him clean up? Tyler paused. What is it, Tyler? You’re starting to scare me a little bit.

  It’s just that I think that Dominic needs to come here with you. Some of his new friends are helping out. She asked what sort of friends. Little people. As in leprechauns. There must be about two dozen of them, and they’re having a really good time with it, if their laughter is any indication.

  Uncle Lloyd said that he’d watch the baby. She wasn’t sure she wanted to take him out in the cold anyway, so that worked out well. She loved the old man, and sometimes forgot that he now cooked for the household. As she and Dominic made their way slowly to the downtown area, she told him what she knew. He was still laughing when they pulled up in front of the store.

  Chapter 13

  Charlie knew that something was up. What it was she had no idea, but everyone was avoiding her, and that usually meant that they were afraid to tell her. Going to her home, she spotted the little envelope right away that was perched on her table like a beacon.

  Picking it up without reading it, she knew that it was going to be something that she’d not want to see. Finding that O’Reilly and Sham had gone to the big world, she made her way to the portal when she saw Mabel. She loved the other woman but was hurt that she backed away from her.

  “They’ve gone to help with a happening.” Everything was a happening. It mattered not if it was good or bad, or even if it had started to rain, that’s what everyone called it. “A store that sells food of all things was robbed, and they made a mess. It was all they could do to open their doors.”

  “And why, pray, did they think that the big people would need them to clean it up? I’m sure that they own a broom or two.” Mabel, cutting up some carrots that Charlie herself had given her just yesterday, nodded. “Why do I have a note on my table that I’m sure that Sham has left for me? The fool can’t spell worth a spit.”

  “He’s afraid to tell you.” Charlie tried her best not to show her hurt once again. “I’m thinking that if’n you read it, you’ll know as much as he does.”

  “I don’t want to read it.” Mabel snatched it out of her hand and tore the fine envelope open. “You can’t read. What do you think you’re about?”

  “You can read it and I’ll hold it for ye.” Charlie lost her temper and snatched it back. She looked at the poorly written note and sat down on the floor. “’Tis bad news then?”

  “They found me a mate.” Mabel sat with her, holding her hands in hers. “The note says that he be a man from the big world. That he and I are suited. I have no wish to be suited to anyone.”

  “Aye, I heard you say that before. You’ve no desire to be shackled, I think you be calling it, to a man.” Charlie nodded, but didn’t speak as a thousand and one things seemed to whirl around in her head. “What else do it say? I’m thinking that there be more words than you just be having a mate.”

  “He said that I’m to make his acquaintance soon, and that he’ll be a waiting for me.” She looked around the little home that Sham and his mate, Mabel had. “He has money, it says. Money enough that I can never work again.”

  “Well now. I don’t see you be doing that, do you? You like to work. And you’ve been good at it all these years. What do you want money for anyways? Everything you want, you can get all on your own. And you be the best cook around too.”

  Leaving Mabel to her baking, Charlie made her way home. It occurred to her at one point on her walk, she didn’t know if they’d finished their conversation or not. Sitting at her table, one that she’d made all on her own, she looked down at the letter. They were a feared.

  When Charlie had first realized that her temper could keep people away, she had used it for that. Yes, she’d been lonely, at first anyway, but after a while when she was never bothered, it had been something that she had enjoyed—still did to a point. It saved her a lot of time in not having to explain what she was doing or why. Charlie just did what she wanted. But just lately, she realized that she didn’t care for it. Not the explaining part. She’d been doing for herself since she was old enough to know that she could do it on her own quicker than most. But she did miss someone to talk to. To have a nice conversation with.

  Aye, she thought, she still lost her temper a great deal. There was just no hope for it when people, humans, would do the stupidest things and then blame it on others. Like just the other day when she’d been in the world of the biggers. That’s what she mostly called humans while she was out.

  The man and his woman—not his wife, but a woman—had been arguing about some kind of syrup. While she had an idea they were talking about the nasty stuff that they had poured all over their pancakes like maple syrup, it was anything but. But they argued about the different flavors of such a thing. Like there was such a thing as a blueberry maple tree. Or one that gave out strawberry syrup.

  And all the while they were arguing, she was trying to make herself eat the things on her plate that she swore could have patched a roof and t’would never leak. They called them flapjacks; they were no such thing. Flapjacks were made of purer things, while this...whatever it was had not only been mixed with strange things, but it had been fried too.

  Charlie had left before her side dish, another thing she didn’t understand, was brought to her. There was plenty of room on her first plate for them to have put her side of food, but they insisted on putting it on a separate plate that would need to be washed up before being used again. S
tupid, she thought—just plain stupid.

  While she thought on the mating that they’d figured out for her, she began pulling things from her shelf. Items that would make her sup. The tea that she’d brewed early this morn had a touch of lavender in it, just to give it a little more taste. She was nearly ready to put her meal in the hot stove when she heard the knock at her door.

  Working up a fine temper after she figured out who it was, Charlie snatched open the door and asked Sham what he thought he was doing by finding her a mate. The man started sputtering and spitting out words that made nary a lick of sense to anyone around.

  “I’ve no more use for a mate than I do you at my own doorstep. And if this person, this mate you’ve found me, is even a bit like you are, then I’m thinking that I’ll cook him up in my pot and be done with him.” She glared at the little man. “And if you don’t tread your steps lightly, I might just be doing the same to you, Shamus James. The thought of you, of all the people I know, thinking to be making me mate to someone makes me want hunt him down and see if he be as dumb as you are.”

  “Now, Charlie. We had your best interest—”

  “If you tell me that you have my best interest at heart, I will rip it from your chest and smash you in your empty head with it.” He took a step back from her, his hand covering his chest as if she’d really do that. “Who is the ‘we’ you talk about? Your brother, the good king? So help me, the two of you don’t have a brain between you. And I’m to trust you with my heart? I do not think you even have one. Thinking that you could match me to a man that would want someone like me.”

  “Aye, and we did.” She stomped after him when he backed away. “Now, Charlie, don’t be hurting me. I came here to tell you that the man of your heart is coming to this side. Right now he’s helping with the others—the mess that was made. Oh my corn buckles, it was a mess too. But he’s a good lad, cleaning up even though it not be of his making.”

  “Do you think I give a tinker’s damn who made the mess or how it’s being cleaned up? I want to know why you got it in your empty head that I would like to be shackled—yes, shackled—to a male for the rest of his days.” He told her that he was an immortal. “You are not helping yourself, Sham. I swear to you, had I a goat’s tail, I’d turn you into a frog and drop you in the fast-moving creek.”