Bless Your Heart

by Kimbra Swain

  “Thanks for the coffee. For what it's worth, I know you didn't kill those kids.”

  “My lawyer says I can't talk about that with anyone, Officer Maynard,” I said.

  “Yeah, I'm not supposed to either, but I tried to talk Amanda out if it. She's just eager to find who did that to those kids. I told her you were a good person,” he replied.

  I thought for a moment, and I might be barking up the wrong tree, but decided to ask. “You sleeping with her?”

  “What?” he spun around surprised at my summation.

  “My bad. I just thought the two of you looked cozy before we went into the woods that night,” I replied.

  He blushed. “Well, we were until I found out she lied to us. No one likes a snake in the grass. How did you know?”

  “Just remembered the way you looked at her that night,” I said.

  He smiled wide, and it all fell into place. “You are something else, Grace. If you need anything let me know, my shift ends in a couple hours.”

  “That's mighty kind of you, Troy. I think we are good though,” I said as he walked back to his cruiser.

  When the car door shut, Levi stood up to go inside. “You okay?”

  “If I don't go inside, I'm going to kill a cop in your front yard,” he said.

  I stood up as he followed me inside. He shut the door behind me. “Calm down, Levi. To be honest, I don't think he realizes it.”

  “How can you not know you did that to kids!” he shouted, pacing the floor with his hands on his hips.

  I stepped in his path and stopped him from wearing out my rug. “Because when you shift for the first time, you don't remember it for years. Your mind can't comprehend what your body is doing, and the animal instincts that come along with the change.”

  “He doesn't know he's a werewolf,” he said.

  “Probably not,” I said. “She may not have realized she changed him depending in how rough the sex was. People get kinky sometimes, and she's a wolf. Trust me, they bite. The experience is primal for her. He probably loved it. Besides, we don’t even know that’s what happened.”

  “When he smiled, and I realized he was missing that tooth, I almost beat the shit out of him,” he said.

  “I'm glad you didn’t. One of us being on trial for murder is enough. We will deal with it after the hearing. Either way, I hope you aren't attached to Shady Grove, because we are moving,” I said.

  “Grace?” he said.

  “Yeah, baby,” I said.

  “What about Winnie?”

  “Winnie will be fine. I’m going to handle that too,” I said.

  “What about the demon?” he fretted.

  “What about it?”

  “How do I get rid of it?” he asked.

  “I will have to talk to it and see what the price for your life is. If I can, I’ll pay it,” I said.

  “Grace, you can’t talk to a demon,” he said.

  “Honey, half this world thinks fairies are demons. Trust me. I can talk to it,” I replied. “Besides, I like you, and I’m going to keep you. I don’t care what Jeremiah says.” I washed the coffee mugs, sitting them upside down on the counter to dry. The young brooding Levi resurfaced as he plopped down on the couch feeling helpless.

  Looking out the window above the sink, Cletus and Tater were messing around Bethany’s trailer again. I hadn’t seen much of them since the cops kept a constant watch on my trailer.

  Last year, they were experimenting with empty propane tanks. They saw on the internet that you could cut them open and make them into fire pits. Redneck Pinterest. They cut into one of the empty tanks they had collected, only the damn thing wasn’t empty. The explosion almost killed both of them, and the flying propane tank took out my mailbox.

  “Levi, come here,” I said. I knew those two were good for a laugh. Levi leaned next to me at the sink.

  “What the hell are they doing?” he asked.

  “There is no telling, but it’s better than anything on television. I guarantee,” I said.

  He grinned as we leaned next to each other looking out the window. Cletus pushed Bethany’s gas grill around to the side window on her trailer. Tater hung out of the window with a cordless drill. Cletus took the grate out of the grill, then hoisted up to the window where Tater proceeded to screw the grill to the trailer.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Levi said. “You still have to go outside and turn on the propane.”

  I looked at him. “Oh so, the idea is great, but just has that one flaw,” I teased.

  “Well, I suppose it has many flaws,” he laughed.

  We stood and watched them for several minutes. I doubted the grill would stay attached to the wall of the trailer without some support. At the moment, its only support was Cletus.

  “Okay, Cletus, try ‘er out,” Tater yelled.

  Cletus backed out from under the grill and appraised their handiwork. Within 2 seconds, the whole thing crashed on to the grass.

  “It didn’t work, Tater,” Cletus said.

  “No fucking duh!” Tater said. “Let me go look up that picture on the internet again. Maybe I missed something.”

  Cletus left the trashed grill in the yard and went back into the trailer.

  “You are going to miss this,” Levi said watching me laugh at those idiots.

  “Naw, there are idjits like them in every trailer park I’ve ever lived in,” I replied. “Well, maybe a little.”

  “I’m going to get dressed. You should too,” Levi said.

  “Who made you the boss?” I asked.

  “Don’t make me take off my shirt in here, Grace,” he teased.

  “Lord help me. Don’t do that,” I replied. He trotted off to the front bedroom, and I decided to get dressed for the hearing before Lysander showed up and blessed me out for not being ready.

  I put on the provided prim and proper attire. After a light touch of make-up on my face, I went into the living room to find Levi on the couch watching television looking very handsome in his suit.

  “Wow! Grace, you clean up nice,” he said.

  “I’ll take your backhanded compliment, and you look nice too,” I said. He pulled down on his lapel and grinned at me. Through the window, I saw the limousine pulling up outside.

  “It wasn’t backhanded,” he pouted.

  “I’m sorry, Dublin. You are just too genuine. Is that the Texas in you?” I asked.

  “No, my momma,” he said.

  “You had a good momma then,” I said. Lysander came in and visually approved of our attire. He leered at me for a moment too long.

  “Ahem,” Levi cleared his throat to break him from the stare.

  “Grace, since you started this charade with Levi in the parking lot of the Food Mart, we are going to continue it in the courtroom. Perhaps it will buy us some sympathy and take the heat off Dylan Riggs. We need him back in the Sheriff’s office,” he explained.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Because he knows about all of us, what do you call us? Creepy crawlies. Well, he knows, yet he treats us the same as any normal,” he said. I studied him for a moment, and it was obvious that he hadn’t told me the entire truth about Dylan Riggs.

  “So, Dublin is my boyfriend?”

  “Actually,” Lysander said plucking a ring box out of his jacket pocket.

  “No!” I shouted at him, looking back to Levi. He looked confused. “You see that face. He didn’t bargain for this. He’s just a bystander who showed up at the wrong time. Leave him out of it.”

  “I’ll do it, Grace,” Levi said.

  “Hush your mouth,” I said to him turning back to Lysander. “This is father’s idea, isn’t it? He thinks if I have a half-fairy boyfriend I’ll decide to come home.” Levi was in my care. It was bad enough he was on the radar of the Sanhedrin and the demon. He didn’t need to be tangled up with me like this. Besides, Dylan would never forgive me, if I decided that I wanted to be with him.

  “I mentioned it, because it will allo
w Levi to be closer to you giving you another level of protection. It also protects him under the law from testifying against you,” he explained. “Yes, your father agrees it is the best option for today’s hearing at the least.”

  I heard Levi open his mouth behind me, and I shot him a murderous look. He clamped his mouth shut, shuffling his feet.

  “Grace, you haven’t involved yourself with this town other than your visits to the Tin Roof. This town is full of normals, but there are a handful of supernatural beings that you don’t even know. They need to see you beat this. If you’d go to church every once in a while, you’d know that,” Lysander said.

  “Church! If I stepped one foot in that church, they would burn me at the stake,” I said.

  “No, they won’t. Well, a couple of them might, but overall, they are good people,” he said. “It doesn’t matter now. Put on the ring.” He handed me the box, and I opened it up to find a simple cushion diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds. I stared at it. Levi approached cautiously, peering over my shoulder at it.

  “I did good,” he said. I turned around swatting him on the arm. “Spousal abuse!”

  Lysander thought it was hilarious, and I glared at him. Levi rubbed his bicep and pouted. “I’m sorry,” I said.

  “I forgive you,” he said jerking the ring box out of my hand. I scrambled to get it back. “No, stop, Grace. You allowed me to come in your home, knowing the danger that follows me. I’ve learned who I am since coming here. You showed me the music stuff. If this helps your case, I’ll do it.” He knelt down on one knee like a fool, and I didn’t know whether to slap him or kiss him.

  “Get off the floor,” I said.

  “Say yes, Grace,” he teased.

  “You didn’t ask a question, fool!” I replied.

  “Fine. Grace Ann Bryant, will you do me the honor of being my fake fiancée?”

  “Well, when you put it that way, how could I say no?” I replied.

  Jumping up, he grabbed my hand forcing the ring on my finger as I tried to pull away. He was damn strong, and I hadn’t realized it. “You are such a pain in the ass,” he said. I looked at the ring on my finger and hugged him.

  “Thanks, Dublin,” I whispered.

  “Does this mean I get sexual privileges?” he asked.

  I released the hug and slapped him on the arm again. He laughed along with Lysander.

  “Stupid fairies,” I mumbled.

  “Officer Capps will be here shortly to escort us to the courthouse. They’ve brought in a judge from Montgomery to oversee your case. He is one of us, but he’s not usually kind to those who violate the laws of this land. How he treats all of this will depend on whether or not he thinks you are guilty,” Lysander said.

  She arrived as it started to rain outside. Lysander retrieved two large umbrellas from the limo. Amanda Capps wore a navy pantsuit with a white button up shirt. No jewelry and very little make-up. As I approached, she wrinkled her nose up as if I smelled like a dead animal. “Who knew that you could pull off something other than trailer whore, Grace?”

  I wanted to slap her bitch mouth, but before I could return her underhanded insult, I felt Levi’s warm hand on my lower back. If I didn’t know better, I think he thought I would take a swipe at her. Lord help him if he ever got in my way. “Hell hath no fury, Dublin,” I said.

  “Music has charms to soothe a savage beast,” he replied.

  My mouth dropped open at the Congreve reference. “You think you are smart?” I said.

  “From the look on your face, I’d say yes,” he said.

  “You are gettin’ too big for your britches,” I replied.

  Amanda watched both of us and eyed the ring on my finger. After seeing her shit-eating face, I decided I loved being engaged to Levi.

  She followed us out to the limo. Lysander got in, and Levi waited on me. “You sure about this?”

  “Yes, Grace,” he said soberly. I climbed in the limo and sat face to face with my father. Levi climbed in beside me, shutting the door. He froze when he saw Oberon.

  “Hello, Daddy,” I said.

  “It is good to see you, Gloriana. I hear that you are engaged. It is unfortunate that the young man didn’t ask permission as is the custom of this world,” he said. Poor Levi trembled and moved closer to me on the seat.

  I changed my tone. “Father, Levi is trying to help me. Please leave him alone,” I said.

  “I am thankful for the boy,” he replied. “Perhaps I should work on my tone when I am teasing.”

  Oberon, the King of the Unseelie and the Otherworld, just teased my fake fiancé, and it completely went over my head.

  However, Levi shifted in his seat nervously. I took his hand in mine to assure him everything would be fine. He squeezed it back, and I could feel the electricity between us. There was an undeniable connection because we were both fairy. Plus, I had claimed him as my bard. Most bards had patrons, therefore I guessed the ring on my finger officially made me his patron.

  It was a quiet thirty-minute ride to the courthouse. When we arrived, there were reporters, plus several groups of people protesting something. I could not see their signs. Humans protested and counter protested everything these days. None of it meant much like it did when the anthem was “Make love, Not war.” I particularly liked that one. Hippies were like the Gypsies. They had the wagons minus the mules.

  “What the hell is going on?” I asked.

  “Lysander, tell them we will not go through the front door,” Oberon said.

  Lysander picked up his cell phone, and I could hear Amanda Capps running her mouth on the other end. My lawyer shrugged, and my father growled. “Need I remind her that I can end her?”

  “Your majesty, I suggest we refrain from killing any human law enforcement today. It will not help Grace’s situation,” Lysander coaxed.

  “Levi Rearden, whatever you do, do not let go of her. The two of you move quickly to the door without stopping. Do you understand?” my father instructed.

  “Yes, sir,” Levi responded. “Grace, I’ll climb over you and get out first, okay?”

  “What’s going on? I don’t understand,” I said.

  “Grace, these people think you ripped two children to shreds. They may not wait for a trial,” Lysander explained. “You wanted to see this through. This is it.”

  “What are you doing here, anyway?” I shot at my father.

  “Grace!” Lysander scolded me.

  “Sit here and watch this happen to prove your fucking point,” I screamed at him. “I don’t care what happens. I’m not going back to the Otherworld with you!”

  “Get out, Lysander,” Levi said taking over the situation. He rolled around in front of me and looked me in the eye. “Let it go.” I felt a wave of force flow over me. My anger subsided, and I waited on Levi’s next move. It wasn’t involuntary, but pretty damn close.

  He followed Lysander out of the car putting his hand out to help me out. I placed my hand in his and noticed Amanda stood waiting for us with cuffs. When she stepped forward, Levi stood in front of me. “She has a GPS tracker on, Capps. I won’t let you put those on her with all these people here,” he said in a calm, authoritative voice. She stood stunned at him, but didn’t protest it. Then, I realized what was happening.

  Lysander walked toward the building as the reporters spouted questions. Levi held me close to him, and we walked quickly into the courthouse. As we passed the reporters, they all paused to watch Levi and I pace past them. I squeezed his hand to let him know I knew what he was doing.

  “I’ll be dammed,” I muttered.

  “We both are,” he said as we slipped into the front door.

  “Where the hell did you learn to do that?” I asked, pulling him aside as Father and Oberon continued toward the courtroom.

  “After you went to bed last night, a messenger delivered my clothes, and there was an old book in it,” he said. “It’s boring, but it’s a bard book.”

  “A song book,” I corrected.r />
  “It doesn’t have songs in it,” he said. “I know, but that’s what you call it,” I said. “You just enthralled all those people out there including Amanda Capps! I may have to actually marry you now!”

  “Don’t tease me, Grace!” he smiled.

  “I never felt the magic move, except over me in the car,” I said.

  “That’s because you were under the spell, too,” he waggled his eyebrows at me.

  “Oh, please, keep telling yourself that,” I said, but I hoped he wasn’t right. I knew if I claimed him as my bard, he might have some power over me, but I’d know when he used it.

  “Enough. We need to move to the courtroom,” Lysander said impatiently. He must have been under the spell too because he was annoyed.

  We entered the courtroom. As the bailiff at the door started to close off the courtroom, Dylan Riggs slipped in the door with my father. Father sat down on the row behind me with Levi. Dylan sat down in the back, and I turned away because I didn’t want to look at him.

  The judge entered the room, and we all stood to our feet. “Please rise for the Honorable Judge Phillip Chastain,” the bailiff called to the already standing room. The judge came in and sat down at his chair. Once he was seated, we all sat down.

  “Preliminary hearing for the State vs. Miss Grace Ann Bryant in the murders of Colby Martin and Elizabeth Shanteal. This hearing is to determine if the prosecution has enough evidence to prosecute. By the order of the court, there is enough evidence to hold trial by jury in this matter. The accused is currently under house arrest, is that correct?” The judge asked no one in particular.

  The county prosecutor spoke, “That is correct, your honor.” Recognizing the voice, I leaned forward to lock eyes with Remington Blake. He refused to look at me, and I leaned back.

  Lysander leaned into me, “What was that?”

  “Um,” I said.

  “Oh hell, Grace, have you slept with him, too?” he asked.

  “He wasn’t the prosecutor when I did, and it was a long time ago,” I protested.

  “Something you would like to add, Mr. Lysander

  ?,” the judge interrupted us.

  Lysander stood, “No, your honor, but we formally request that the court continue to allow Miss Bryant to stay in her home.”