“CJ, do you know that when a person is hurt badly—a broken neck, broken skull—that cannot be helped with immortality? A person will live forever but will have those things still with them. Rachel’s head had been bashed in. Pfeiffer had taken an axe to her head. She would have been mentally incapacitated even had she been immortal. I could have taken that from her, but she would have suffered needlessly in the meantime. Sally was much worse. Not only had her head been bashed in, but her spine had been severed. She would not have been able to feed herself. Been able to go to the bathroom. Not anything after her mother had hurt her.”
“I wasn’t allowed to see their bodies. The coroner told me it would be better if I only kept the memories of them when they were alive.” Aurora told her that he was good for telling her that. “It still seems so surreal to know that Pfeiffer had held this grudge against me for so long. Even before I was old enough to figure out I wasn’t really her sister. Now she’s going to be gone from my life, along with her daughters, and I have no family left.”
“That’s not true. You have us. All the faeries. As well as Don and the rest of the kiss. Soon you’re going to have a child that will love you as much as we do. You’ve gained more than you’ve lost. I know it’s a terrible loss. I, too, have lost like this before, but you’re a strong person and will come out all the better for it. At least—and I want you to think about this—at least you’ve been able to find a love who has and will love you unconditionally.” She asked Aurora if she meant Don. “He would be included, but I was talking about myself. And I’m sure Melisandre. We both have taken you to our hearts and will never not be there for you. Also, I know you say you don’t want to be the queen of the faeries, but you really should think of all the good you could do. That I know you will do. You have a brilliant mind, CJ. You also make sure the earth is much better than when you left it.”
“You and I will work well together as well. As I said before, I’ll take the planting seasons part of the job, and you won’t have to worry about that at all. That will leave you all the time you need or want on making sure that all the faeries have what they need. I know Lord Bancroft has set aside a great many acres of land for us to use.” CJ said she knew that. “You will also have the army at your beck and call. More than you do now. All of them will work with you, not just the army you have had. It’s my understanding that Lord Bancroft has given you full authority to take out the bad vampires when you find them. That is such a wonderful thing, my child. To be able to make sure they aren’t hurting the land with their death and mayhem.”
“I need to think about it. And to talk it over with Don.” She eyed her hard. “You’ve already talked to him, haven’t you? You certainly had all your ducks lined up to shoot the shit out of them, haven’t you? Damn it, I don’t want to do this.”
After she left them there to go and speak to Don, Melisandre and Aurora continued to talk as if CJ had already taken the job. It occurred to her that at some point, they were going to have to talk to her about her pay, as well as what was in store for the couple when they did start working with the faeries.
“I have already set into motion that her house is readied for them. Also, after speaking to Don, I believe they’re going to put in a place just for the faeries to live in during the colder months. I believe that alone will keep them very happy.” Melisandre asked if she thought she’d turn them down. “No. She wants it, but as she was telling you before I arrived, she isn’t very trusting right now. I hurt for her with that feeling. Once she is working, I think it will be easier for her to move on. The deaths of so many are what is weighing her down. Her guilt, too, for not seeing things earlier.”
“She also told me she believes Cody had been working with Pfeiffer for a while before Cody came to be her faerie. That is why she wasn’t able to see what had changed about him. What have you done with Cody’s family? I think he had himself a mate at one time. But I do believe she’s gone.” Aurora told her what had happened to the mate but that he’d had a girlfriend of sorts. “I’m so sorry for that. I didn’t know his mate, but to have been killed by a car is a nasty way to go. I think that will be another thing CJ will be able to teach the little ones. How to avoid being hit by a car. So many are lost that way.”
“I agree. Bancroft is not only setting aside the land for us to use, but he has also gifted the faeries all manner of things they may have. Cardboard being one of the many things they can upcycle. CJ is also taking some of the crafts they make and selling them. The coin they get, it goes to getting specialty items they cannot make. Small cut glass for windows. Also, she is looking for a potter that will make things such as garden bowls for them. I have to admit, I never thought of a small bowl that they could use to put their gardens in. They like to move them around to get the best light in the day.” She said she’d only just heard about it. “There are also things I have never thought of to help with costs. You know as well as I do that they use whatever they can to work with, but some of the gems they find, they’re being made into jewelry to sell. The money will be used for helping families that might have lost someone or when they are being relocated. I wouldn’t have thought that would have been an expense, but CJ not only found out but has made a way for them to have a home when they get to their new area. Do you know how much she’s done without even taking the position she doesn’t know if she wants?”
“Much more than I did.” Aurora told her that’s not what she meant. “No. I know that. I do. But I did nothing to help them. Only kept them working on flowers and seeds. I know that is an important part of our job, but I forgot to look at the entire picture about what they were giving up or going without to work so hard. I know now that I have to be a task maker, but also I need to pay more attention. I believe CJ will help me with that as well.”
They continued to speak for over an hour about what a wonderful job CJ would be doing. Even going over some of the things that Melisandre had been able to take care of. Aurora was a good queen. She was there for a person when they needed it, but she never pulled back when there was something that needed to be said. She liked that most about her.
Also, Aurora was quick to compliment you in front of your peers or workers. But when you needed to be spoken to about something that was wrong, she never did it where others could hear. Not that Aurora had to speak to her behind closed doors often, but when she did, no one was any the wiser about it.
“I must be getting back. I have some paperwork I need to go over before I can speak to them when they return. Don is giving her his support, as I knew he would, but he is leaving the answer up to her. He is a good man.” Melisandre agreed. “Will you contact me if you need anything? Oh, before I forget—too much going on again—you will live here if you wish or in the other realm. It is up to you. It’s doubtful to me that CJ will want to be here anymore than she needs to be. She so enjoys the things the other world can offer her.”
“I would love to live here if you don’t mind.” Aurora told her it was up to her. Melisandre thanked her. “It’s home for me now. I think I would be lost in the other world.”
“As would I.”
After Aurora left, Melisandre settled into her work. The charts she had for planting were all hers, something she’d worked very hard on. Now that she could devote all her time to planting, Melisandre couldn’t be happier.
Chapter 8
Gracie watched the water flow over the dam. She’d been coming here to this spot for years now, and it was always different. Today there were families having a nice day in the warm sunshine with a picnic basket and all. There were dogs, too, playing with their masters and retrieving whatever it was they tossed for them to return. Small and big kids were chasing each other, some of them racing the clouds as well. When someone sat down beside her, she didn’t bother looking. She had an idea she knew just who it was.
“Why anyone would want to eat out of doors is beyond me. Bugs and grass all over a person. An
d the food is forever cold. Even things that should not be. Who would have believed that humans would eat a cold chicken leg?” She smiled at Craig. “What have you been doing since we spoke last? Have you gotten things on your end under control yet?”
“I have. There are two shipments going out in the morning. Hopefully, they’ll end up where they’re supposed to be. Yesterday there was a big brew-ha-ha over some damaged merchandise that was sent to them by mistake, but they got it taken care of quickly.” He asked her about the trip that was being planned for next week. “I still can’t find anyone that is going. There is a flight plan made out for the company jet, but no names on the schedule. I’ll keep working on that. I have about four days left to find the manifest of who is going.”
“The boss would like you to pull yourself from the job site a few days earlier than we planned. He thinks that once things start falling apart around them, they’ll start looking harder at the people who were only just hired. You’ve been there how long now?” She told him. “Yes, well, I’ll see what he wants you to do. Getting fired might be hard for you. I’m hearing about how much you’ve contributed to the work there.”
“It’s all right. Whatever is needed.” She looked out beyond where they were sitting at the families again. “Do you suppose there is a person out there for us, Craig? I don’t mean a family, but someone we can have some fun with and perhaps share a good bottle of wine with?”
“It’s doubtful to me that anyone would want an old queer vampire to share anything with them.” She laughed but kept watching the families. “Why are you asking? I’ve never heard you wish for bedpartners or even someone to share a meal with before. Are you getting too old for this, my dear?”
“No. Goodness, no. And before you ask, no, I’m not bored either. I’m just being silly, I guess.” She saw that someone was setting up a few tables. Perhaps a party was going to be going on. Gracie loved birthday parties for the little ones. As she watched the people putting tablecloths on the long tables, she spoke to Craig without turning. “When I was a child, there was a kid in my class that was having a party. Everyone was invited, even me this time. But once at the house, I knew I’d only been invited because his mother had insisted everyone be there. The gift I had was cheap and not wrapped as well as the other things. I never went to another one after that. Have you ever been to a child’s party, Craig?”
A playpen was set up for a baby, and Gracie wished she was close enough to see the child. She’d bet it had pudgy little legs and fat cheeks. The cutest babies always seemed to be ready to explode with good humor and chubby legs. Turning to ask Craig if he heard her, she saw that he was gone.
“Not nice, Craig.”
Before she turned back to the scene below her, she saw that there was ash on her clothing. A great deal of it. Counting to fifty slowly so she could think, she knew it was important to get her ass in gear and out of there. Still seated, she took the briefcase Craig carried with him everywhere he went and shoved it up under her shirt. Then she pulled out her weapon, checking to make sure it was loaded and ready to go. Reaching down to pretend to tie her shoes, she pulled out one of the extra clips and put it in her front pocket. Stretching and looking around, she stood up and made her way out of the area as quickly as she could without drawing attention to herself.
It took her four hours to lose the tag she had on her. Then another hour for her to find the man and kill him. Before she could pull the trigger on her weapon to take him out, he shot her once in the shoulder. Christ, it had knocked her back on her ass, but she’d been able to get up and get rid of the bloodstain before anyone could get to it. Chemicals were forever on her for that very move.
Whoever he was working with, they’d prepared their shooter well. He didn’t have prints on his hands or anything that would tell him apart from every other male in the world. She did, however, take a bit of his blood in a vial and put it in her case.
Knowing that going home would be a terrible move, she made her way to the safehouse she had set up. There she’d be able to get money, a list of contacts, as well as more weapons. Gracie would also be able to fix her wound and get a grip on herself. It wasn’t that she would freak out, but she needed to know who would kill an operative while sitting right next to another one.
After pulling the bullet free of her shoulder and cleaning up the wound, she took a large bottle of whisky off the shelf and drank straight from the bottle. Sitting down in the kitchen, she opened Craig’s briefcase and was startled to see her name on an envelope.
Getting herself a glass, knowing that Craig would be looking down on her, upset that she was drinking from the bottle, she poured the liquid to the top and sat back down. Emptying out the rest of the things in the case, she set the letter aside.
Her employment file was in his case, along with his own. She set those aside, wondering why he’d have them on his person. Then she looked at the map he had, as well as a few notes that had been written on it. Craig would never stoop to using GPS. He told her it was too easy to trace. She didn’t use it either. Nor even a cell phone.
Putting the things in piles, Gracie put her hands over the case to see if he had hidden anything else in the thing that no one would be able to find without her kind of magic. Finding the small piece of silver there, she knew without looking at the note with it that it was what had killed his lover. Contrary to what he said to people, Craig was a heterosexual and had had a very long and wonderful life with his wife Margaret before her death, before Gracie had even been born.
Pulling the envelope to her, she opened it up carefully and laid not only the money to the side but what looked like a passport. Opening the letter, she read what her only friend in the world had left her.
“If you’re reading this, I’m dead. If I am, I hope you have the good sense not to call it to the office nor to let anyone else know. I’m dead—having others know will not bring me back no matter how much you’ll miss me.” She would too. More than she would anyone. Taking another drink from her glass, she refilled it as she continued. “You’ve more than likely gone over everything I have in this case before reading this letter. Good girl. I’ve taught you well. However, don’t let that go to your head. There are things afoot that you must now be made aware of. Like there is someone in the office looking for you. Through me. I do believe he will likely kill me to get to you. Don’t go looking for him. If you do, you might as well sign your own death warrant. You’ll need to get yourself someplace safe for now.”
She had to pause in her reading. Gracie knew he’d make sure she was safe, even after death. The man had a way about him that would make her pissed off at him one minute, then wondering how she’d ever lived without him. The living without him was hitting her very hard right now.
“There is a man that I neither know nor have spoken to other than through our link. He is the king of all our kind. You must go to him. Don’t even think about telling me no. You will do it because I’m dead, if for no other reason than that. I cannot go to the afterlife wondering if you’re safe too.” Nodding to the letter, she said to him that she’d go. “Good for you, my dear child. His name is Bancroft Dalton. He is, by all accounts, a good man, as well as a man that gets things done. You will go to him, and he will not only keep you safe, but he will make sure justice will be served for my death.”
After reading the rest of his missive to her, she found out that she was his only heir. Not that she really was, but he told her she was his child, no matter that he didn’t sire her. After gathering up the other things he’d sent with her, she found the key he’d mentioned too. She’d be able to get in and out of the bank holding whatever he wanted her to have without anyone being the wiser.
Gracie made plans to leave this place first thing in the morning. There was nothing here to indicate she’d been here at any time, but she would still destroy the place after she left. Not a soul lived in the building but her, and even though she owned it,
no one would ever be able to track down the rightful owner. She had learned a great deal from her friend, the vampire.
Gracie took a long hot shower and figured out her plans for the next morning. Gathering up all the things she would need—guns, ammo, as well as her first aid kit—she put it all in her magical backpack. It would hold a car, and she’d be able to carry it if it came down to that. Studying the passport and gathering the money up with what Craig had given her, she ate a bowl of cereal that had expired three years ago dry and set up her bed. Tomorrow she’d be leaving this country forever. There wasn’t any reason for her to return now that her friend was gone.
By six the next morning, she was inside the vaults at the bank. The key she had opened one box that led her to three more. Taking all the money and gems out of them, she put them in the bag. Also, she was able to find Craig’s will, along with the deeds to all his properties. Not bothering to read them right now, she slipped out of the vault, then the bank, before anyone came into work.
The second place she went to was an unmarked grave. There were no dates on it. Nothing to indicate that someone was buried beneath the large headstone. She took out the bullet that had been left on the seat where Craig had been sitting and shoved it into the ground along with the little piece of silver. Putting her hand on top of the ivory stone, she felt the marker give under her fingers and pulled the last thing she needed with her. A thumb drive.
It was updated daily and brought here under cover of darkness and vampire skills. She didn’t know what was on it but had been told no less than fifty times a day that she was to get it and take it with her if she needed to run. Today was the first time she’d been able to open the mechanism. More than likely because the magic knew Craig was gone.
There were two cars for her to use. Gracie took the one that had fewer people lingering outside the building. She didn’t recognize anyone as being operatives, but it made her no less careful of getting in and out. By the time she was pulling into the airport to get a flight out of the country, not only was the building she’d been in last night nothing but rubble but Craig’s place as well as his desk at work were destroyed. She never worked there often enough to have a desk, and Craig had already taken her file.
Donald: Dalton’s Kiss: Vampire Paranormal Romance (Dalton's Kiss Book 3) Page 12
