Meddling in Manhattan

by Kirsten Osbourne

  She sighed. "We've only got one more apartment on our list. I would like to have this nailed down today, so we're ready to move on your next days off."

  "I would too!" He sighed. "Well, someone is supposed to be meeting us here in just a few minutes to show us this last place. It's a sublease, but from what I understand we could have it indefinitely."

  "Are we early?" Addie asked, looking around.

  "No, but the guy said he might be late. He said he couldn't leave early, because the paper doesn't sell itself. I don't know what that means, and honestly? I don't want to."

  "Paper? That's weird."

  A man hurried around the corner. "Mr. and Mrs. Roberts? I'm Bob Archer."

  Addie watched the man's face, wondering if he'd recognize her. Of course, he hadn't ever looked at her above her neck, so there wasn't much chance of that happening.

  He unlocked the apartment. "Go in and look around. It was my grandfather's place, but he's in a nursing home now. We can't afford to keep paying rent this steep on it, so my brother and I are trying to sublease." He waved a hand toward the apartment, and they wandered in looking around.

  It was a three bedroom two bath apartment with a balcony that overlooked Central Park. Addie fell in love immediately. It was exactly the kind of place she'd always dreamed of living. She held her breath as she waited for Jake to start listing all the reasons it wasn't good enough.

  She trailed behind him as he opened every closet, and looked at every square inch of the walls. "I want it," he told her.

  She almost squealed with delight, grabbing him in a bear hug. "Me too! I love this place!"

  "Let's go see how much. Don't act excited now. We're likely to get a better rate if you act like you don't care much."

  Addie nodded, knowing they'd really get a good rate if she lifted her shirt and showed her boobs, but she didn't tell her husband that.

  Bob was leaning on the counter in the kitchen, doing something with his phone. "Probably looking at porn," she mumbled under her breath.

  Jake gave her a warning look before asking, "How much?"

  Bob named a figure that seemed much too high to Addie. He was playing them, which didn't surprise her at all.

  By the time they left, Jake had talked Bob down to seventy-five percent of his initial price, and they had a moving date that fit their schedule well. As they stepped out into the sunshine, Addie sighed. "I can't believe we're renting from Boring Bob the Boob. I hope we don't have to see him much."

  "Do you call all men named Bob that?" Jake asked in surprise.

  Addie shook her head. "Nope. Just him."

  "He didn't seem to recognize you," Jake said in confusion.

  "I think he only looked at my face once, for about thirty seconds. The rest of the time he was staring at my chest. Why would he remember me?"

  Jake shook his head with a sigh. "I wish I'd known. I'd never have agreed to rent from Boring Bob the Boob."

  "Why not? If you think about it, I'd never have talked to Lachele if it hadn't been for Bob. He's the one who brought us together. We wouldn't have married without him."

  Jake laughed. "Tonight when we eat, we're going to toast Boring Bob the Boob. If Lachele ever needs an assistant matchmaker, she should call on him. He'd drive every single woman in New York to seek out her business."

  "I'll suggest it to her the next time we talk. She'd probably go for it! Her purple hair indicates a deviant personality for sure."

  "Definitely...I'll call her!"

  Epilogue

  One year later...

  "Did you call your parents?" Addie asked Jake.

  "I did. Mom is ecstatic. They're looking for a house in Upstate New York, so they can be close to us." Jake smiled. He really liked the idea of his parents playing a bigger role in their lives. "Did you call yours?"

  She nodded. "Dad's thrilled. Mom thinks I should sell the store or find someone who can run it for me, so I don't have to leave the house."

  "Don't take it hard. We knew she'd react that way."

  Addie sighed. "We did know that." She patted her still-flat belly. "So we still need to tell Dr. Lachele, and I think she just may be more excited than the other two put together."

  Jake grinned. "Oh, she will be. She's happy with her other Matchrimony Munchkins, but I think this is her first set of twin munchkins. I wonder what she'll call them. Multiple Munchkins?"

  Addie giggled. "There's no telling. We need to call her though. Making two baby gifts will take twice as long! I'll call Scott and Savannah after Dr. Lachele. Our purple haired matchmaker deserves to know first."

  "You do the honors. I just got my galleys back, and I need to get to work."

  Addie kissed his cheek. "All right. I'll probably ask her to meet me for lunch to tell her in person. You sure you don't want to go?"

  "Nah. You tell her. Just promise me you'll count how many times she says 'good gravy' during the conversation. That's so important!"

  "She really needs to be a character in a book. Too bad you don't write romance!"

  "I'm not starting either!"

  Addie sat on the couch looking at her phone, a half smile on her face. They'd known for a few weeks they were expecting, but when the doctor heard two heartbeats earlier, he'd quickly confirmed with a sonogram. Two. They were having twins. Her life would never be the same.

  Read on for an excerpt from Conquered, written by Kirsten Osbourne's paranormal side, Morganna Mayfair.

  November 1066

  Christiana stood with her bow at the ready, her eyes closed. The enemy was approaching. With only a few female servants and her sisters to help her hold down the manor, she knew it was time for them to put into play, for the first time, the powers they’d toyed with since childhood. And not only the powers. Their mother had insisted they learn to shoot and hunt. She was such a sweet natured woman, and obedient to her husband in every way, that when she’d gone against his wishes and insisted her daughters learn the skills of men, no one had protested much. They knew she had a reason.

  Marina had done some small healing over the years, and Christiana had helped coordinate when it was time for their father to leave to help King Harold defend his throne, but this was the first time they’d really used their powers in a life or death situation: to help others and to do something important. Christiana sent up a quick prayer that their practice had been enough.

  She sent out a telepathic message to the servants who were high on the wall outside the manor with her and her sisters. “We’re about to project an image that is not real. Do not fear. Stay at the ready.” Just to her sister, Eva, she sent the message, “Now!” The sisters stood close together to help Eva. They all knew they were much stronger together than they were apart.

  Christiana opened her eyes and watched with awe as armed knights, five deep and one hundred across, lined up in front of the castle. The knights’ armor shone in the autumn sunlight, and was armed with a sword.

  After their mother’s death when they were nine, they had been raised by their father and their old nurse. Their father hadn’t been as open in acknowledging their gifts as their mother had been. Father had insisted they hide their gifts from everyone, including the servants. Mother had wanted the powers hidden from everyone who was not part of their household. She trusted the servants in a way Father never had.

  None of them had enjoyed having to hide their powers, because to them not using them was like someone else not using their arm. If they had it, it was meant for them to use, they’d argued many times. Their father had feared them being accused of witchcraft so much, he’d not allowed them to use them openly since their mother’s death years before.

  When King Harold’s army had come through just months before, their father, his knights, and all the male servants of the household had joined him on his quest to defeat William the Bastard who wanted to usurp the throne of England. Father had needed to leave in a hurry, but he’d been careful to admonish Christiana on his way out, “Do not use your powers li
ghtly. If you must use them to defend yourselves, do so, but make certain you are equipped to win. If your powers are found out, you could be condemned as witches.”

  “But we’re not witches, Father. We’re Christians. We all wear crosses!” Christiana had promptly sent the thoughts to her father before he rode out of range of her powers. Her hand automatically went to the cross at her neck. Witches were said to be caused pain if they touched a cross, and she and her sisters had worn crosses since birth.

  “I know that. The invaders do not. Use your powers if you must, but use them carefully.” The fear was apparent in their father’s voice, even over the distance.

  “We love you, Father!” She was never certain if he’d heard her last message before he rode off down the road toward Hastings.

  They’d received word of the defeat of King Harold and his death in the battle. There was no word on their father or any of the servants or knights who had ridden off with him. The girls waited every day in fear of hearing their father had also died in the battle, but no word had come.

  Instead, they’d received word that a small army of knights were on their way to Howard Manor to take their home and land.

  Christiana watched carefully as she caught the glint of sunlight off a shield in the distance. It wasn’t just one shield, but many. Christiana knew if the illusion didn’t hold the men would be able to easily take the ten servants and three sisters holding the manor.

  She heard a gasp of breath beside her. She wasn’t certain if it came from one of her sisters or one of the servants. “Stay calm. They see the men in front of the castle. They will not try to fight that many. They will believe it to be a suicide mission. Raise your bows.” They should not need the bows. The men should not believe they could defeat the army of men in front of the manor gates.

  Christiana had been told the army coming toward them was only fifteen men, because they had heard the rumors the manor was only guarded by a few servant women and three ladies. Hopefully the men would believe their eyes over what they’d heard. She notched her arrow and drew back the bowstring.

  Christiana wished, not for the first time, that her sister, Eva, had the ability to add sound to the visions she projected. If she could create sounds, the army of men in front of the gates could be sent chasing the men coming toward them. It would be quite a sight to see how fast the invading army would then turn tail and run. Of course, then they would know the army was an illusion when it suddenly disappeared. Their way was the better way.

  Christiana knew the exact moment the leader of the enemies spotted the guards. The entire procession stopped and gathered around the man leading the way. They spoke to one another, and no matter how hard Christiana tried, she could not hear their thoughts or words. Her powers had limits just like her sisters’ did.

  The men, after a brief conference, turned back.

  Christiana sent out the message to hold steady. She could feel her sister Eva weakening beside her. The illusion was so large and had been held for over ten minutes already. She couldn’t last much longer. “Just another minute. When they are out of sight, you may let go.”

  The women watched the men go over the hill. Christiana counted aloud. “Break the image at the count of ten.” All the women counted together. Once ten was reached, Christiana dropped her bow and grabbed onto her sister as she dropped to her knees.

  Marina was on Eva’s other side. They each took an elbow and supported their sister. Both knew the dangers of using their powers for too long. Eva would need to be in a quiet room for many hours to sleep off her headache. She’d overextended herself, but none of them had a choice.

  The three sisters made their way into the manor and to Eva’s bedchamber. Marina dropped to her knees to remove Eva’s shoes, while Christiana helped her sister take off her cloak. By the time they’d removed enough clothing to make her comfortable, Eva was sound asleep. Christiana and Marina laid their sister down and tucked the blankets around her. “Sleep, my sister.” Christiana pressed a kiss to Eva’s forehead as she and Marina settled in to watch over their sister.

  There was no need to guard her room, but she would need to be fed broth until she awakened. They were all left helpless by intense use of their powers, and must eat as much as they could following the exertion. The other women of the castle would go about their business now. They still had to eat their supper.

  *****

  Roland Nobilis rode between his brother, Charles, and his childhood friend and protector, Hugh. Roland led the small band of men to the manor house, land, and woman he had been promised by Duke William.

  He’d heard many rumors about the lack of men left at the manor and the woman herself. She was said to be the eldest of three sister-witches. He chuckled to himself as they rode up the hill that would afford them a view of the manor. Witches? What type of ignorant fool did they take him for?

  He’d been told repeatedly that all men had left the manor with the girls’ father including the male servants of the household. It should be easy to take on a few women with his small band of fifteen soldiers. He’d left the others to rest, promising they would be able to help with the next attack when they’d protested.

  Once they were atop the hill, the manor house came into view. He blinked twice to assure himself he wasn’t seeing things. There were at least four hundred men guarding a manor he’d been promised was only protected by women. Even if he went back to camp to get his other knights, they would be hard-pressed to win the attack. He only had two hundred men with him in his entire army. Of course, his men were Norman, and therefore superior fighters, but they would still be outnumbered by almost two to one.

  Roland pulled back on the reins and stopped his horse, waiting for his two most trusted men to stop beside him. “Where did the army come from? We were assured there were no men left to guard the manor.” Roland looked from Charles to Hugh. “Did either of you hear there may be an army waiting for us here?”

  Charles shook his head. “Not a word. How could they have gotten an army here so quickly?” He turned and stared at the manor. “That’s not a small army either. Why weren’t they helping their king?”

  Hugh looked at the army as well. “Something’s just not right here, Roland. I think there’s witchcraft at play.” Hugh had obviously heard the rumors of the three sister-witches as well.

  Roland laughed. Hugh had been born a peasant, and was one of the few men who followed Roland who hadn’t been born a nobleman. His peasant upbringing was surely what made him believe it could be witchcraft. “I don’t believe in witchcraft. What I see in front of me is what I believe. Somehow the women of that household were able to gather an army to defend them, so we must go and get the rest of our army.” He turned his horse and headed to the other side of the men following him. “We’ll get our army and return for my bride!”

  Roland was strangely disappointed. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he hated warfare. He had only followed William because he so desperately wanted to have land of his own. As a second son, the castle he’d grown up in back in Normandy would go to his older brother. Roland loved his brother but had no desire to spend the rest of his life living in the man’s home and taking orders from him. No, he would return to this small manor house and take it and the eldest sister for his own.

  He’d hoped to ride in peacefully and be able to woo the girl while convincing her that marrying him would be the best thing for her, her family and her home. Now he would have to go into battle and possibly injure someone whom she loved. That wasn’t what he wanted at all. Foolish woman. She should accept what fate had given her. With him, she would have a strong husband who would replace her old manor home for a castle which would be strong and more easily defended. She would have peace and prosperity. He would be a good husband to her and give her children. What more could a woman want?

  He shook his head slightly as he thought about it. Yes, he was a good man, and she should be honored he wanted to take her as his bride. He could take care of her f
or the rest of her life while she bore sons for him. He would treat her with respect and she would be content. She didn’t know it yet, but her fate was still tied up with him.

  He would ride back to camp and the entire army would rest for the night, but on the morrow, they would return with all his men. Then she would see that she was fated to be his wife and fall into his arms, happy to give up trying to live a man’s life and having to defend the place on her own. He would even remove the burden of her sisters from her and find men they could marry.

  Yes, her life would be perfect as soon as he rode in and took over her home. She would no longer be under attack by any roving army that came along. He would remove the strain of having to think about everything she did. She would simply have to follow his orders and occupy his bed. Well, she must also bear him sons, of course. He needed many sons to build a legacy.

  He smiled at that thought. He had heard rumors of the beauty of the three sisters. Of course, the same men who spoke of their beauty were the ones who called them witches, so obviously the men could be telling lies about their beauty as well. He recalled what one of the men had said about them.

  “They are the three most beautiful ladies I have ever seen. If it weren’t for their witchcraft, men would be lined up trying to talk their father into marriage contracts. As it is, most of the men are afraid of them. I hear he has finally found a man to marry the eldest, but he’s as afraid of her as anyone else. Rumor has it he just wants the power that will come from inheriting the manor and having power over the witch.” The dark haired man had taken a huge drink of his ale. “The only odd thing is with all the talk of witchcraft, you hear they attend mass every day. Well, they did when there were still men of God left roaming around. They’ve all locked themselves away in a monastery at the warning of Duke William’s men coming.”

  Roland had tried to question the man about his future bride more, but he’d known little else. He wasn’t certain how much the man had to drink before he began talking, so he had listened to everything warily to begin with. The only part he wanted to believe was of the girl’s beauty.