Simeon

by Kathi S. Barton

  “And my dad? He won’t be able to get to it, none of it?” She told him that Harrison would only be able to get to it if Huston allowed it. “I won’t. He’d suck me dry if he was to.”

  After Bryn left him, Huston walked around the place again. Everything was nice. There were good benches in the dining area. New coffee machines, and a pop machine too. Even the floors, which had seen better days, looked nice and new. And all the while Gardena was with him. He sat down and asked if he could talk to her.

  “Of course you can. About anything and everything. What would you like to know?” He didn’t want to offend her, so he had to pause in thinking how to ask her. “I can make sure you’re fed right now, should you wish. But only when we are alone.”

  “All right.” The hot roast beef dinner appeared before him. “This is my favorite meal. My mom used to make it when there was meat enough for it. And I love mashed potatoes too. Lookee, hot rolls too. Are you being punished?”

  He hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that, but he’d said it and now he wanted to know. She asked him what he meant and he explained it to her. How working with him was her punishment for doing something wrong.

  “Nay, I volunteered for this job with you. There were many that wanted to come here and help, but my lady said I’d be best suited to help you.” He asked her if she was kidding. “No. I want to help you. And in turn, help me. I wish to be the envy of all who know me. Not nice, I know, but to make you successful will make me happy too. We will work well together, do you think?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know much about cooking and such.” She said that she’d help him find someone. “I don’t know much about ordering and things like that either. I’m just a dishwasher.”

  “You will be fine. The two of us will take our time and get it right. Hiring people will be simple and easy, as I can read minds. Not yours, because I belong to you, but we will be fine, I promise.”

  For the first time in his life, Huston thought that he might be okay. He was worried about his dad coming along and messing it up, but he was going to find him a nice place to live and stay away from him. There wasn’t any point in making things bad for himself when he had it so good now. Yes, Huston was going to make this work.

  ~~~

  Her next visit was to Harrison. He wasn’t going to be as easy to fix, if she could fix him at all. Huston had wanted to change his life around, needed to, but his father was going to be a lot harder. If she could change him at all she had a feeling that it wouldn’t last long. That he’d be back to his old ways in no time, and trying to bring his son along with him.

  Bryn found him in the kitchen of his house. It was in ill repair; the lawn was mostly scrub and there was trash everywhere. He was trying to cook him some dinner…dinner that he’d bought himself with the stolen money from his son. Bryn let out a long breath before entering the house, just to calm her beast. Clearing her throat, she stood firm when he turned to look at her.

  “Who are you? You know what, I don’t care. Get out of my house. And if you’re from those people that are on that committee or whatever, you can tell them for me that I’m not going to do squat until I want to.” He sat down to his dinner of burnt steak and a half-done potato. She sat across from him. “Did you hear me? Get on away from here.”

  “I’ve just come from visiting your son, Huston.” He called him an ungrateful cur and cut into his meat. “He’s going to run the local restaurant and hire some people to work for him and with him.”

  “Yeah? Well, he’s too stupid for that. I’ll have to help him. You might want to keep that in mind when you visit him again. Where’s he getting the cash for that?” She told him that she’d given it to him. “Well, ain’t you the nicest thing. Stupid too. Next time you’re parting with money, you can give some of it to me. Like I said, I’ll have to help him. That is until I get this other project going that I’m working on.”

  “You mean capturing a dragon? That’s not going to happen. You’re not going to be able to collect on that ever.” He asked her why not. “Because I’m protecting them. With my life, should the need arise, but it won’t. I’m an immortal, unlike you.”

  “You don’t say.” He ate another bite of his food before pushing it away. “Nobody around here to cook for me, so I have to make due. I don’t suppose I can persuade you to cook me a nice fine meal, can I?”

  “No, you can’t. I’m here to warn you away from Huston. He’s going to make something of his life, and he’ll do much better without you around.” Harrison laughed and she smiled at him. “If you don’t do as I tell you, I’m going to kill you.”

  “I don’t think so. First of all, you might want to think about what the police will say when they find your prints all over the house.” She told him that she’d not touched anything. “Then you got your DNA shit everywhere. They’ll put you in prison for the rest of your days. I ain’t worth it.”

  “No, you’re not. But back to your son. He needs for you to leave him alone.” Harrison started shaking his head even before she was finished. “Why not? Don’t you want him to succeed? To make something of his life?”

  “I don’t care if he does or not, but he’s gotta take care of his old man. What sort of son would he be if he didn’t?” Bryn told him a smarter man. “Now you’ve gone and hurt my feelings. Huston is as dumb as a rock. And he’ll need me to keep him on the straight and narrow, so to speak. And that will cost you. You do want to pay me for keeping him in the flush for you, don’t you?”

  “No, I’m not paying you a penny.” He seemed so confident in her paying him that he started listing what he was going to need in the way of cash and merchandise. “You’re not going to get any of that, Harrison. Either promise me that you’ll leave him alone, or you’ll end up at the wrong end of death.”

  “This is how it’s going to be. And so you know, I’m gonna get me a dragon. Have you seen how much they’re worth? Christ, I’ll be as rich as Simon.” While she didn’t know who that was, she did understand his greed. “Anyways, I’m going to mosey on over there now and prove to you that I’m going to be taking over. At least the finance part of your relationship with him.”

  Bryn had tried. And she didn’t want to have to fuck with him anymore. Snapping her fingers, a feast appeared before the man and he looked at it greedily. She stood up and moved to the door, making sure that his greed was just a little more than it was. Not enough to kill him—she’d leave that up to him—but enough that he’d be so hungry he’d not think about the consequences of eating too quickly. Just as she was leaving, she heard him coughing. Smiling, she willed herself back to the house.

  “Have you done it? Are you satisfied with the results?” She told Asher that she’d helped Huston. “And his father, he’s finished as well? I know you told me that he’d be trouble, but I hope you did try.”

  “I did. And he won’t be any more trouble to anyone after today.” He eyed her and she smiled at him. “You told me that I had to make this work for the boy. I did. And the father, no matter how much faith you had in me making him understand, didn’t work. He’s choking on his last meal. Fitting, I think. He stole the money from Huston when that was all he had.”

  “I see.” He didn’t, but she didn’t care. Rubbing her belly, she sat down when he spoke again. “The restaurant, it’ll do well, you think?”

  “Yes, very well. And he’ll succeed with the help that we’ve set up for him.” Bryn wanted to take a nap. Her body was exhausted from holding her form, and she felt her eyes getting heavier with each passing moment. “I have one more project to do, and after that, I’m going to sleep for a month. I have to take care of the monument to the fallen in a couple of days.”

  “All right. Why don’t you take a nap now?” She nodded, her body sliding into sleep even as she sat there. “Simeon and Akassa are here to take you home. You need to rest more.”

  “I will.” Arms lifted her up, and she looked into the face of the man that she loved…one of them, anyway. “I love yo
u, Akassa. So much.”

  “And I you, mother of my child. Come now, off to bed with you.” Nodding, she felt hands undress her. Even in her advanced state of pregnancy, they seemed to find her nakedness appealing. “Goodnight, my love.”

  She was closing her eyes even as blankets were pulled up over her. Exhaustion like this was too hard to fight, and she didn’t. Bryn put her hand over her baby and let sleep take her.

  Epilogue

  Anthony watched the couple. He was going to be in so much trouble if Eve didn’t make it before the big event. As he looked around for her, hoping she’d make it, he wondered where all the years had gone. And now they were here for this great day.

  “I’m here.” Anthony held her to him. “I was trying to stay hidden away as long as I could so that I’d not miss anything.”

  “As have I. But today, this minute, it’s happening.” They moved to the room where everyone was gathered. “Asher has things under control, as usual. I could not have asked for a better replacement than him. I swear—”

  “Anthony, do hush. I want to hear what is being said.” He nodded, loving his wife more today than he did even an hour ago. “They’re saying soon.”

  “Yes, I heard that as well. Did you have any idea this was going to be today?” He knew that Eve had known about this day for many years. Her ability to see into the future was better than his. “Eve, darling, I love you.”

  “And I you. But no, I did not know about this. This was a surprise for even me.” He nodded. She would never lie to him. “I am so excited, Anthony. Our hundredth baby is being born today, and we’re here.”

  “We are here for every birth, my love.” She kissed him on the cheek as they waited with the family. He missed them.

  Over the years, it had become harder and harder for them to be with them, and not be where they could see and speak to them. They could see each of the children of their children, but they could no longer interact with them. He wanted to touch them, hold them in his arms. He’d done it once, held one of his grandchildren, but now…well, it wasn’t nearly enough. As they walked the halls, seeing people that they’d not in many years, he thought of the first time he’d come to this place and the people here.

  Jacob’s mother had welcomed them first. It was why he’d taken such a shine to the younger man. Bethy had baked them pies too, to welcome them. She’d even invited them to dinner a few times. But she never once ate with them at the castle. It was unfitting, she told them.

  Eve had befriended a lot of the families, a great many more than he could have. For some reason, they thought that he was too above them. It wasn’t until Eve had started taking him along with her that he was more accepted. He loved that about his Eve. She could make a friend of anyone.

  And all of it had been for naught when a man decided that they were to pay for deaths that neither of them had had anything to do with. He tried hard not to think on such things, but it was hard, especially today, on this day of happiness and love.

  Anthony paused in a hallway just beyond the nurses’ station. There was a young woman there, someone that he’d seen before but not recently, who was staring at him as if she could see him. Anthony looked behind him, just to make sure that he wasn’t mistaken. But there wasn’t anyone there. When she approached him, pointing to a room to his left, he followed.

  “Hello.” He nodded at her. “I know you. I mean, I’ve seen images of you. You’re the king of dragons. Or you used to be, correct?”

  Anthony nodded and held onto his mate when she joined them. The young woman knew her as well, and he felt uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he didn’t like it. Not one bit.

  “Who are you? You look like someone that we should know.” She nodded at them. “How is it that you’re seeing us?”

  “My great grandmother is Lindsey. She speaks with the dragons. When I was born, it was said that the moon was full and that the storm came in so violently that I was named for it. My name is Storm.” Anthony remembered that night too. It was a good, long time ago, but he remembered it. “And as for how I can see you, I’ve always been able to. I’m sort of an odd duck out when it comes to magic, like my mom before me. She so loves you guys; did you know that?”

  “I think her brilliant. But what do you mean, odd duck? In what way?” Storm didn’t answer them, but looked to their right. The woman standing there was a nurse, and she asked Storm what she needed.

  “Nothing. Just waiting for the baby to come. You can go now, and not bother us again, please. And thank you for your services. You’re a good person.” The nurse looked confused, but left without another word. “I can manipulate people into doing things I want. Well, sort of what I want. Like just now, that’s easy, but I have other talents as well. I can see the dead, talk to them, help them. I love that part of my magic. Do you need help?”

  “No.” He wasn’t sure why he was so set against her helping them, but when the girl laughed, he smiled. There was something very familiar about it, like Lindsey had joined them. “We’re here to see the baby born and nothing more. I don’t want to take you from that. It’s a big event.”

  “All right. My great grandmother is coming. So, you can feel better about me being here. But until she does, I’d like to talk if you don’t mind.” She sat on the bed and smiled at them. “When you were killed all those decades ago, it was violent. The kinsmen that were with you tried to help, but they couldn’t do much against so many. You were brilliant in making sure that your children were safe, and in that, you helped a great many people, not just your family, but many.”

  “We were only worried for the hatchlings and a few other people. We would like to have saved them all, but it would have been impossible.” Storm nodded at Eve. “When I was killed, I had hidden myself away so that I could take care that our children and those born to protect them were safe as well. It was purely a selfish act, I’m afraid. You make it sound as if we were heroic, when all we wanted to do was keep them safe. It’s all we ever wanted.”

  “Not to the others that you saved.” The door opened and Lindsey walked in. She looked just as she had all those years ago when they first saw her as a new mate to Jed and Zac. “My great grandmother is the only one that knows what sort of powers I hold. And the only reason that she does is because, as I said, I’m odd duck out.”

  “I don’t understand what that means.” Storm told Lindsey that they were there and what they wanted to know. Lindsey laughed, her beautiful voice making him smile again. “What does it mean, you’re odd duck out?”

  “She’s different than the rest in her magic. Not as powerful as Lelani, nor as elemental, but she is as strong as Essie is in some things. It’s as if she got a bit of everyone mixed into her body. She is very powerful, especially with being able to work with the passed on.” Lindsey held Storm’s hand as she continued. “I’ve been helping her when I can. Mostly it is to lend her some of my magic, but today, we had hopes that you’d be here and that we could talk.”

  “I want to help you.” Eve asked in what way. “To bring you back to us. I’ve been working with a couple of people, using their magic to bring them here. I would very much like to have you join us. Would you like that? To be among us again? I know that I would, as would a great many people.”

  “You mean as ghosts that can be seen?” Storm shook her head at him. “Oh. Then I don’t understand. What can you do for us?”

  She smiled again, and he was struck by how much she looked like Lindsey. His son too, he supposed, in a female sort of way. But when she laughed, which she did often, he knew that was purely the woman with her, their Lindsey. He’d forgotten what was being said for a moment, and asked her what she meant.

  “I’d like to bring you here, as Grandpa and Grandma Benson are. To be whole.” Anthony staggered back; he wasn’t going to get his hopes up on something like this if it was a joke. When she stood up, Storm came toward them, but slowly, as if she were afraid of startling them. “You see, as I was saying, when
you were killed, it was violent. And the magic that does this has rules about that. Vengeance, mostly. They don’t want the dead who have been murdered or killed in such a way to be able to return and harm those, or the family of those, that brought them to their deaths. But with you, you did so much to insure that your family would be safe. Making arrangements that babies be born with more than they might have had. Some of them even brought into the world when their fate was sealed that they would not. And through this all, you could have left here. Left the kingdom and started anew. That, my dear grandparents, is the most unselfish act there is. And that negates all the things before, all the thoughts of vengeance that you might have. It’s not in your hearts any more than it was back then.”

  “I don’t understand.” It wasn’t as if he didn’t understand, but he didn’t want to believe. She seemed to have understood that and nodded at him. “We’ve been gone for so long. In fact, we were just speaking that we’d not return. It’s hard on us, being here but not.”

  “We would miss you. And even though they can’t see you, they know that you’re around. I’ve let them know.” Eve asked how it would work, if it would work. “Yes, it’ll work. It will drain us all for a little while. So, I’d very much like to wait until the baby is born. That way, Shelby will have all she needs for her child. But after, as soon as she’s asleep, I’d like to do this for you. I need to do this for all of us. We all, as a family, need you here with us. And the babies, those here and coming, they would so love to see their grandparents. You both.”

  “You’re saying that it does work.” Storm told him it did work, but she’d never brought a dragon back. “You’re thinking that there is a chance that we might not come back at all.”

  “No. I’m saying that you might not be a dragon when I bring you back. I can do it, it’s just a matter of your other halves.” He wanted to tell her that he needed his dragon, but thought about seeing the children of his children, all of them that he’d not been able to before. “As I said, that part I’m unsure of.”