Theodore: Xavier’s Hatchlings ― Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance

by Kathi S. Barton

  “I’m sorry.” She turned and looked at Theo. “I’ve been in similar situations, but never as bad as I’m sure you had it. Being a surgeon or any kind of medical personnel would have been ten times worse than any other soldier. When you think you’ve been handed just too much for one person to cope with. I served during wartime as well. Not as a surgeon, but as a fighter, and I know how defeated a person can get when nothing seems to stop falling on your head.”

  “My head doesn’t work like most people’s.” It was George who asked her what she meant. “I’ve never discussed with anyone before how it works except my grandparents. They never understood it any more than I did. When I’m really stressed, I can see things three or four steps ahead of what I’m doing—like just enough time for me to duck but not get away from what’s coming at me. Also, I have an eidetic memory. Once I see or hear something, I can recall it, again and again, to examine and use. It was why I was able to be a doctor, then a surgeon when I was in the service. But with that, I also saw all the blood. Bodies. Even hearing the screams every time I closed my eyes.”

  “How does that work with your depression?” Theo asked this time, and she told him how she felt. “So, it’s too much for your mind and body to be able to retain memories like the one where you were shot. I’m assuming you might even be able to feel the pain too. But you had this before you went into the service. Can I also assume that you have bad memories of living with your parents? And that is what had you trying to end your life?”

  “Everything is still there. Every little bit of my life, from having my father drop me several times when I was a baby to the way he smelled when he took my mom’s cancer pain drugs to get high. He knocked me around a good deal too. I will take some of the blame for that. I did, on occasion, correct him on things.” She smiled, and it felt alien on her face. “If that wasn’t enough, I have memories of all the things I did to end my life. The pain of those. The way the water turned pink when I cut my wrists—the feel of the car when it impacted with my body on the street. I couldn’t seem to catch a break on things just being quiet, normal. Whatever the fuck that means.”

  “May I touch you?” Theo didn’t move off the couch he’d sat down on when he’d started breathing again. “I promise you, I won’t hurt you or touch you with anything more than my finger. I have a bit of magic that I can share with you that might well help you with some quiet that you want.”

  “People have tried before.” He told her that he’d not. “What are you? I mean, you said that you have a bit of magic. I think that’s a lie and that you have plenty enough to take my life should you want to.”

  “I’m a dragon. And I’d never harm you or anyone in your family.” She looked at George when he nodded, then at her grandma, who also confirmed that he was telling her the truth. “I do have a great deal of magic. I just didn’t want you to…. I don’t know that you’d freak out, but I didn’t want to startle you into getting more than I want to help you with.”

  “Why?” He nodded and smiled at her. “You’re not as charming as you think you are, Mr. Manning. You tell me why you want to help me when I’m nothing to you.”

  “You are. You mean a great deal to me, Pem. I’m your mate.” He hadn’t moved. Not even to touch her. Even from where he was sitting, he could have touched her without her ever thinking a thing about it. “I won’t lie to you again about what I can do for you. Touching you will share what I have in the way of magic. I don’t know how much you’re going to get, but I would like to try and help you as much as I can.”

  “Why would you assume that I want anything from you at all?” He smiled at her, and she felt her heart flutter. “I think perhaps you should tell me more about what it is you think you can add to my already shitty life by touching me. Right now, all I can think about is that you’re out of your gourd for thinking I’d trust anything about you.”

  “Fair enough.” He didn’t move back on the couch but did put his hand down. “I’ll work on you trusting me if you would do me a favor, and please call me or one of my brothers when you feel the need to end your life again. Not that you can. As of the moment I figured out who you were to me, you became immortal.”

  “How the fuck did you manage that? You didn’t touch me, did you?” He said for her to be safe, all he had to do was to claim her verbally. When she stood up, so did he. “Take it back. Right now, take back whatever mumbo jumbo you used on me to make it so I’d not be able to die.”

  “I can’t.” Theo looked at his brother, then back at her. “Your father is in jail. He’ll only be there for a limited time—three days. After that, I will be around in the event he tries something else. He’s out to get into this house. And he won’t stop at anything or anyone to get inside.”

  “How do you know this?” It was Grandma who told her that her dad had been snooping around since before Harold had passed on. “Did he have something to do with Grandda dying?”

  When her grandma didn’t answer her, she turned and got down on her knees to ask her again. She had tears in her eyes when she finally looked at her, and Pem hurt for them. He had—she knew it.

  “There is really nothing that proves he did.” She asked Theo what he knew. “The death of your grandda is listed as suspicious, not as a homicide—not yet, at any rate. But I’m having my mom and my aunts look into things. We don’t know for sure that he killed him, but with the way things fell into place, it makes him look guilty as hell. It’s one of the reasons that one of my brothers or myself is here with your grandma all the time. I don’t think, even if he didn’t have anything to do with your grandda’s death, he’d not stop at anything to kill your grandmother too if he thought he could make a dime off her.”

  “He’s been sneaking into the house for years. Your grandda and I, we’ve been putting some things away so we could make sure we had a little to tide us over when we were old enough to stop working. Patrick, he found it and took it all before either of us knew what he was about. I just don’t know what I would have done living out here all by myself if these Manning boys hadn’t come around when they did. Thanks to them, I have a roof over my head and some money to get by on.”

  “Thank you.” Neither man said anything when she spoke. “What can I do to help you keep my grandma safe? You do know that there is another son, correct? While he likes to put on airs that he’s wealthy, I know that Austin is broker than my grandma here. He needs watching too.”

  “If you tell me their names, I’ll have my aunt look into them. She has connections that you’d not believe.” George laughed a little at that. “Okay, all of my family has connections. Aunt Carson is more connected than I think most of the world leaders. Including the president.”

  “I don’t know why you’re doing this or why you took my grandparents under your wings, but I do appreciate it. Even though I have a father and an uncle, Grandma is all I have.” She told him the names of the other two—even the kids. “The kids, Stan and David, are shits. Neither one of them would have lived very long if they’d spoken to me the way they have their parents. They need their asses beaten.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” Theo put out his hand. “I want to help you, Pem. I need to see that you’re going to be all right. I won’t push you into anything. But for the sake of your grandma and you, I’d like it if you were to take the magic I have to offer you.”

  “What will it do to me?” He said other than giving her something that would protect her and a few little things, he didn’t know. “I guess that is about all I can expect. But no more. I don’t know what this shit is going to be bringing around, but I want to deal with it as best I can. If you show any fear to my family, they’ll eat you alive.”

  “I’m a dragon. I’ll be doing the eating if anything goes tits up.” She stared at him for several seconds before she laughed again. It was the first time she’d laughed…well, in longer than she could remember. “If you would, just touch my hand, and
we’ll both be safe.”

  “How will you be safe?” He told her. “Oh. I guess I never thought about it along those lines. If I’m hurt, you’ll kill someone and go to jail. Please don’t kill anyone.”

  She put her hand into his. There wasn’t anything at first, just a tingle that started at the tips of her fingers. Then as she stood there, she realized that whatever she was getting, it was powerful as fuck. Trying to pull her hand from his, it was like they were glued together. Pem had a feeling, just as she was falling back that he hadn’t any idea at all it that going to be this epic.

  Chapter 2

  Theo finished cleaning out the gutters as he spoke to his aunt. Aunt Carson was able to find out a great deal about Pem’s relatives. Not only were there several warrants out for her dad in different states, but he also was wanted in connection with a few mailbox robberies.

  This guy Austin. He’s a piece of shit of the highest order. His wife, Caroline, she’s someone I would absolutely hate. One of those “my shit doesn’t stink” kind of club women. Theo laughed and asked her if she’d found out much about the kids. Yes. They’ve been in three boarding schools since they started school. The oldest one, Stanley, is a failure at about anything he does. I don’t say that to be mean, but he can’t even read. He’s twelve years old, for Christ’s sake. Right now, they’re being homeschooled. I bet that is going over well too.

  Pem told me yesterday that she hadn’t seen them in a while. Also, she told me that she’s been paying for her grandparents’ upkeep since she joined the service. When I asked MaryBeth about it, just to make sure it wasn’t stolen out of her mailbox, she told me it went straight into a bank account. Pem made it so no one could take that money out except her grandparents.

  I found it. There is just a little over fifty thousand in the account. She really did take care of her grandparents. She also paid for the taxes and repairs around the place. Were you aware that there are about five thousand acres around that place? He told her that Harold told him about it. It was the nest egg that none of them could touch. Speaking of which, I have some other things you should be made aware of. Pem is a decorated officer. Major in the army. She’s been on their payroll since she was hurt overseas. Theo, by all accounts, she should have died over there. The fact that she was able to get away from the chopper makes me think that she’s got some magic of her own.

  She told us about that. Theo explained to his aunt what she’d said about being stressed and what she could see. It could well be magic. But since she has an eidetic memory, it’ll be hard not to attach some of what she can see to that. I’ve seen others with that sort of memory that can do all sorts of things without the benefit of magic.

  I have, as well. Aunt Carson asked him to hang on. As he was coming down the ladder, he saw Grandma sitting in her usual chair out in the grass. He asked her how she was getting along.

  “Just fine. It’s lovely to have Pem here again. I just wish her grandda had been here to see her too.” She looked away, and he didn’t comment. “I was thinking that since she’s your mate, she should meet the rest of your family. There are a lot of them.”

  “Yes, there are six of us here, along with our parents, and I have five uncles, five aunts, as well as a bunch of cousins.” She just shook her head. “My mom is going to come out soon with my Aunt Carson. They want to meet Pem, but also Aunt Carson wants to go over some paperwork for the halfway house we’re putting together for women getting out of prison who need to be helped to the world again.”

  “I heard about that. I’ve yet to go out and see it, but I’m betting it’s a humdinger of a place. The newspaper said that it’ll be run by the Manning Foundation. That it would be maintained throughout its standing. I’m assuming that means you guys will keep it up.” He said that was right. “I feel for those women. Some of them, the paper said, have been in there more than half their lives. I think that would be scary to be released without some kind of help.”

  “There are things in the place to help us get them trained for jobs too. Computer skills. Their high school education, if that’s needed. Most of the legwork has been done for us. The place they were using here in town had all the things listed that they needed. We took that list and put the things that we could into the new building.” She told him she was proud of him. “It wasn’t my idea, but I thank you for that.”

  Pem came out of the house just as he was moving the ladder. She did look better today. Rested, at least. When she stretched and yawned, he made himself turn away and go up the ladder again. Christ, she was beautiful.

  “I’ve just heard from the attorney that he’s going to make plans for us to meet at the jail. He told me he thought it would go better if we didn’t allow Dad to be freed long enough to go to his office. I told him I liked that idea, but that if you had any qualms about it, I’d call him back.” MaryBeth said she liked that idea as well. “Also, Austin and his family are in town. I guess they’re staying at the little hotel not far from here.”

  “Did he bring his family?” She said that he had. “Great. Now I have to make sure that I’m not sitting next to them. I know it sounds horrible to say that about one’s grandchildren, but they aren’t the grandchildren that I wanted. Mean little shits.”

  Theo laughed as he pulled the last of the leaves out of the gutter. Tomorrow someone was coming out to put guards on them, so it wouldn’t be necessary for this to be done again. Harold used to do it, and Theo had been terrified for him.

  “Theo, I wanted to ask you if you’d come with us tomorrow.” Theo told Pem that he’d be there. “I don’t know what is going to happen, or if anything will. I want my grandma safe, and I have a feeling she won’t be if they find out about a few things she and I have set up.”

  “I’d be glad to be there for the two of you.” Pem nodded. “My mom and Aunt Carson will be arriving tonight. Not just to meet you, but to bring some paperwork that we have to go over with the foundation.”

  “I’m not ready to meet parents yet, Theo. I know that yesterday I might have given you the impression I’m all right with this, but I’m not.” She looked worried for a moment before continuing. “Your family, they’re well connected, you said. I’m assuming they’ve looked into my life?”

  “Yes.” He decided he’d tell her if she asked, but not before then. She was stressing again, and he could almost taste it in the air around her. “Finn and his wife, Rachel, are hoping you and MaryBeth will join us at their home with the rest of my family. Nothing formal, but we do have a lot to talk about with the new building.”

  “I have to have a lie down, I think.” MaryBeth got up from her chair and made her way to Pem. “Honey, don’t push him away too much. He’s a good boy and has a good heart. You and me, we might wonder someday why we even thought of not being a part of all this.”

  Pem sat down in her grandma’s chair and watched him. Theo let her, wondering what she thought of him but afraid to ask. When she let out a long sigh, he asked her if there was anything he could help her with.

  “No. I’m fine just the way I am.” He nodded and sat down on the porch steps. “I slept all night. Not a single dream that I can remember. Also, I was thinking of getting dressed, and this is what appeared on my body. I’m assuming that is one of the little things you were talking about. Someone should be warned about something like that, don’t you think?”

  “I had an idea you’d be able to dress with a thought. But if you remember, I told you I wasn’t sure of what you’d get. I am glad to hear you slept well. You look refreshed. Which I’m thinking you’re going to need when you take on your family tomorrow.” She nodded. “Have you discovered anything else?”

  “It’s weird, so you tell me if it’s something you’ve never heard of. I can turn down the images in my head. Not turn them down, but off, I guess. I know they’re still there, lurking in the background to jump up and put me under again. However, it’s like I have some
control over it.” He told her he didn’t know what she might be able to do with her mind. “I thought so. Is it weird?”

  “Weird? No, I don’t think so. I think it’s more of a defense mechanism than weird. It’s to help you, and that’s what you needed more than anything else, right?” Pem nodded. “There are a couple more things I’d like to talk to you about. If you’re ready for it.”

  “So long as it’s not too much. But I guess you’d not know what I think of as too much yet, would you? Just tell me.” He put out his hand, and she stared at it. “If you think I’m going to touch you again, you’re insane. Once was enough for that shit.”

  He knew the precise moment she saw the faerie when it landed in his hand. “This is Bubble. They get to pick their own names when they’re deemed powerful enough to work with a dragon or his mate. In this case, Bubble will be your faerie. All dragons have one. Mine is Rose. She’s here on my shoulder.”

  “Oh, Theo, he’s wonderful.” When Bubble realized she was happy with him, he went to stand on her outstretched palm. “My goodness, you’re very handsome too. I don’t know what you and I can do together, but it will be fun having you nearby, I think.”

  “Yes, mistress. I will be with you at all times. Not the bathroom or shower. It has been explained to me that you might not be comfortable with someone in the bathroom with you.” She laughed, and Theo felt his heart fill with the sound. “I’m here to do your bidding. Whatever it might be, I can do it for you. If you have a thought to change up something, like a wall or anything like that, I can get a crew together and fix it right away.”

  Pem looked at Theo. “I don’t know what to say.” He asked her what she meant. “This is the first gift someone has given me in longer than I can remember. Thank you for him. Bubble and I will get along nicely, I think.”