This time McCade didn’t go with him. He was at the prison when he got there, but he neither said anything nor looked at him directly. Abe supposed he’d seen and heard enough for one day, and wondered what the man was going to do now that his mission to ruin him was finished.
“Fucker.”
The men that were taking him to his cell looked at him, but he only told them that he was talking to himself. Sitting on the tiny little cot that was going to be his bed for a while, he held his belongings and tried to empty his mind.
He’d woken this morning as President of the United States, and now here he was, sitting in a jail cell with one tiny window, a cot, and a toilet that hung on the wall. “And now, because of some hotshot Army boy, not only am I going to go to prison for the rest of my life, I’ve lost everything to boot.” Abe wondered where his wife was right now. “Packing what she can to get out of the place. And she won’t even think to get me a couple of pens with my name on them either. Ungrateful bitch. Who did she think he was doing this for?”
Well, it was for him, but she didn’t have to know that. But like a lot of things of late, he was sure that she knew she wasn’t going to be in the picture for much longer than it took him to call in a favor and have her killed. Being the president and having a wife killed while they were vacationing would have gotten him a lot of votes too.
Abe lay down on the lumpy cot. He didn’t know what was going to happen tomorrow and really didn’t care, but for now, he was going to think. Closing his eyes, he closed his mind too. There wasn’t anything to think about, as far as he was concerned.
~~~
The trip home was quiet. Vance had a lot on his mind, and he was glad that Micky seemed to understand. They might have stayed for a couple of more days had it not been for the newspaper people, as well as the news reporters, hounding them everywhere they went. He was just glad that they’d been able to keep their residence location out of the news so that they could return there when this quieted down.
“Sergeant McCade?” He looked at the stewardess that had been tending to the needs of those in first class with them. “There’s a phone call for you. It’s been patched through on the air phone. Can you take it?”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.” He knew that it wasn’t his family. They were aware that he was coming home. And if they wanted to talk to him, a phone wouldn’t be the way they’d go. So whoever this was, they were calling with bad news.
“Don’t be such a pessimist. It could be good news.” He asked Micky why they’d not just wait until he landed then. “I don’t know, but maybe they were just so excited to tell you that you’ve won the lottery that they couldn’t wait.”
“And since when are you an optimist, thinking that I won something like the lottery?”
“I’m not, but I hate to see you upset.” He picked up the phone when it was brought to him. “Just don’t kill anyone if it is bad news.”
“I’ll try not to.”
He said hello into the receiver and heard nothing in return. He started to tell the woman who had brought him the phone when he heard someone laughing. It was Speaker of the House Kirk Delaney.
“Sergeant Vance McCade? This is Acting President Kirk Delaney. I called to thank you on behalf of the American country.” Vance told him he’d had a lot of help. “Yes, I’ve heard that as well. We lost a lot of good people in this. And I’m to understand that you have a wife that you’re taking home to meet the family.”
“She’s not my wife just yet. I’ve asked her, but she’s not had a good chance to answer me yet.” He winked at Micky when she slapped him on the arm. “But yes, sir, I’ve gotten permission to take some time off. And to see to something at home.”
“I heard that as well. You’re a good man, McCade. Thank you.” There was a little shuffling going on and he heard laughter again. “I have a mess here that I’m sure.... Well, I was going to say that you’d not believe, but I just bet you can. I’m working my way through this slowly. It’s only been half a day, but we don’t want the American people to think that we’ve totally let them down.”
“No, sir. I can see that happening.” He wondered what Delaney wanted and started to ask, but he started talking again.
“I was wondering if you could come back here and talk to me as soon as you’re done with the things at home.” Vance said he’d be glad to talk to him. “Bring your family. I’m to understand that there was some trouble that was going to have your family brought here under less than good intentions. I assure you, young man, I have nothing but praise for you, and for your family for raising a good man.”
“I’ll have to ask them, sir. I don’t spend a lot of time at home lately, so I don’t know what they have planned.” Vance held onto Micky’s hand tightly. This was too surreal. “My mom, she’s the head of the household, no matter how old we are. She’ll be the one that needs to say yes or no.”
“Good man. Yes, you ask her, and when you have the time set up, you give me a call. I’ll make sure that you have a direct number to me. Also, one more thing; when this is all finished here, with Elliot, Melton, and the others, I’d like to talk to you about some other things. You have a good head on your shoulders, and I want to see if I can get you to come and work for me on a more permanent basis.” He told him he was about ready to retire. “Well, we’ll talk about that as well. Or maybe I’ll speak to that mom of yours. You call me, son. We’ll work it out.”
After ending the call, he looked at Micky, telling her quietly everything that he’d said to him. She asked him what his plans were. Vance told her that he didn’t really have any, other than to be with her.
“I don’t want to think of anything beyond this thing with Butler. He’s enough for us right now. Whether or not you work for the government again, that would be up to you. But for now, I think I just want to meet your family, rest up, and try to make some sense of how this is going down.” He asked her about the jewelry and if she knew anything about it. “Nothing other than what everyone knows was there that night. The necklace was left behind, and it’s not been seen since.”
“Raven has it.” She looked at him. “She took it from him the night that he made her his slave and he killed her mother. Butler thinks he’s had it since that night too. But he only has a copy of it, not the real thing.”
“Do you know what that means?” He told her that he thought they were ahead of the game. “Not only that, but you can call the dragon without him even being aware of it. I have to look into a few things, but I’m sure that it should end as soon as he’s called.”
“I doubt if it’ll be that easy, don’t you? I mean, in my experience, usually things that look easy and sound that way are far from it.” Micky said she had to do some research when she got herself a computer. “Yes, me too. I have to see if I can find someplace that I can hide away with you for a while. I was thinking a few months of nothing but us having sex all the time.”
“You have a lot of confidence in yourself there, big boy. What are you going to take to make this happen? I’ve a few tricks up my sleeve to help you should you want to try.”
Vance laughed. “I think you might just kill me without any magic. You’re almost too much for me.”
They were laughing when the pilot told them they were ten minutes out. Gathering up what they’d brought with them, which wasn’t all that much, he was happy to be home. And to see his brother when he picked them up.
Lewis had said he’d be there, and he was glad it was him. He didn’t want to overwhelm Micky with his family right off the bat. They were too much for most people. But like him, she’d been alone for a long time, and he didn’t want her to turn them into ducks or something.
Getting off the plane, he saw them all. Shaking his head, he decided not to warn either of them. They were all on their own with this one.
His mom was the first to hug him. She gave the best hugs in the world, and Vance couldn’t help but hold her a little more when she started to let him go. Then he hugged h
is brothers, all of them giving him a hardy pat on the back that was meant to make him stagger a little. He was made of sterner stuff than that.
“Everyone, I’d like you to meet my mate, Micky Oliver McCade. She came to help me when Caelin sent her.”
No one moved, nor did they say anything to her. He started to tell them to get their heads out of their asses when Raven came forward first.
“I’m glad to finally meet you, Micky. I’ve talked to you so much over the years. It’s nice to have a face to go with your voice.” She thanked her and then Emma moved to the front. “This is my sister-in-law, Emma. You and she have a mutual friend as well. Jeff.”
“Yes, he’s told me all about you. He’s slightly in love with you, I think.” Emma laughed and said he was like her little brother. “Yes, he is a good man.”
Mom hugged Micky next and then looked her in the eyes. Vance wondered if she was looking for some kind of flaw. When she turned to him, he could see the tears that sprinkled over her cheeks, and told her not to cry.
“She’s everything I hoped that you’d find in a mate, Vance. And so lovely. What are you dear, if you don’t mind me asking? Military, or just bad assed?” Micky told her that she was a little of both. “I’m betting more of the bad assed than anything. You’ll fit right in with the rest of them. Welcome to the family.”
As they made their way to his mom’s home, Micky told them how she’d ended up helping him. He looked out the window, seeing the town that he’d grown up in and been away from for far too long. The visits were nice, but he was glad to be home now.
“We’ve read about what happened in Washington. They never mentioned either of you by name, but then I get this very nice call from Acting President Delaney. He invited us all to the White House for a dinner.” Vance groaned and said that he was going to talk to her about that. “Yes, I’m sure you were. But we’re going, even if I have to drag you there by your ear. You tell him, Micky, that he is going.”
“I don’t think I should be the one to do that. I don’t have any plans of going either.” Mom smacked her on the leg and said she’d work on them both. “I don’t even own a nice dress. What on earth does one wear to that sort of thing, when jeans are all I’ve worn for most of my life?”
“We’ll fix you up. I’ll have the girls go with us when we go shopping. I’m quite the shopper, so you know. I can find a deal like it’s my job.”
Vance was still laughing when they were in the driveway. His mom would have them convinced to go, even if she had to have them there at gun point. Vance was wondering if he should get his uniform out and get it cleaned when they pulled up in front of the house. It was good to be home.
Chapter 4
Jorden worked until his hand cramped up. It was nearly finished, and he was excited to see it complete. Just last week he’d been working on it, stepped back from the family portrait, and was startled that instead of his brothers that had their mates, they were their dragons. But when he looked again, it was just the men he’d grown up with and not their other halves. Today, his plan had been to put Vance in, with Micky.
My lord. Jorden paused in his painting to wait for Warrior to speak again. The young lady that is with Lord Vance. She has not put the necklace on as yet. I cannot speak to her or see if I can help her.
“I think that they’re resting. And knowing you like we all do, we figured that they’d get no rest like they need if you were talking to them.” He said that he’d not bother them too much. “That’s the point, Warrior. They don’t want to be bothered by anyone. My brother has been on the go for a very long time. And last night when he was having dinner with us, I could see the fatigue that was all over his body. The two of them have worked very hard this past week in getting the country back to something safe for us all. Just let them rest, okay?”
I should have been better prepared for them. Jorden told him that they’d not known about Micky either until they arrived. She is well then? The young lady?
“She’s not young. Beautiful, yes, but she’s as old as Raven and Caelin, I think. Might even be older.” Warrior said nothing, but Jorden knew that he was far from finished talking. “You know her?”
Nay, I do not. But then, I only knew some of the people in the castle. I was hidden away, much like young Caelin was. Jorden had figured that. I will wait, but I should tell you that Butler is making plans to come here soon. And will be arriving even sooner now that all the women are here. He will think that he has only to come and call to the dragon.
“We’ve been talking about that as well. I think we’ll be just fine.” Warrior said of that he had no doubt. “Once they are rested and well enough to get up and around, then we’ll all sit down and figure out the completed plan for getting rid of Butler. Did you ever find out how much longer he has on his magic? I know that you mentioned once that his is depleting. Is it still?”
It was something that had been brought up a few days ago—that the magic Butler had was wearing off. He might be able to sustain himself with magic that he could take from anger, something that most people with black magic could do, but it wouldn’t stay with him for very long. Raven was working on keeping others like her, witches with both kinds of magic, out of his view so that no one else could get hurt.
He is no longer using it to keep himself well, but I believe he is banking it, I believe it is called, for when he comes to you. When I last felt him on the earth, I could feel his weakness, as well as that he is very sick. Black magic must be maintained, and he is doing nothing to do that. I would say that once he is here, he’ll show himself to be well, but you’ll be able to see his faults too. Jorden thanked him for that. Nay, you all have that ability now. And more magic than you did before. With Micky being here, you have received a great deal of faerie magic. She is very powerful. I just didn’t know where it was coming from until now.
“I’ll have to thank her for the things she’s sharing with us. It might be helpful to practice a little before Butler gets here.” He felt Warrior’s hesitation and wondered if it was just him or the dragon was worried. “What is it, Warrior? Something that I can help you with?”
If he gets to any of the women, especially Micky, if she is indeed the source of the extra magic, he’ll drain her to have more magic to hurt you with. She will be able to replenish it, but it will take her some time. I would like to suggest that you put in supplies for her. She’ll need fresh fruit, and juices from those and fresh vegetables. And greens. Like lettuce and other things that come from the garden. He asked about red meats. She can eat them, but the others will be more helpful. She should be able to store extra magic in it as well, if she is as old as you think.
He made a mental note to make sure that all the houses had what she’d need. When Warrior said that he’d come back to him later, Jorden told him he was there for him. Putting his painting away and pulling out a new canvas, he thought of the dragon, the one that he’d seen in his dreams.
He wasn’t as large as he’d thought he’d be. Nothing like the size of the one that was now living at Lewis’s home. But he was beyond beautiful. His scales were blue, of course, but not a single color. He could see so many different shades of blue that it boggled his mind to try and come up with ways to paint them. Jorden was sketching the likeness on the canvas when he saw him again, this time nearly on the cloth he was working with.
“You will allow them to hang this in the castle.”
He knew the beautiful woman that had joined him. She wasn’t here, he supposed, but he had spoken to her on other occasions. Jorden told her that he’d be honored to have it there.
“You will see so many paintings when you are all there. I have hidden them away for your family.”
“You’re stronger now, aren’t you?” She nodded at him and asked to see the other painting he was working on. He pulled it out for her. “I see dragons there sometimes. I didn’t paint them, yet they look just like my family’s dragons.”
“That is the magic. And the likeness of
them all, it’s very good too. You are going to give this to your mother?” Jorden told her that was his plan. “She will love it. I think her to be a strong woman, your mother. She will make a good queen.”
“I don’t think she thinks so. She’s told me, when it comes up, that she thinks that it should be Emma, not her.” Prisane nodded but didn’t say anything as she looked at his painting. “Why is she the queen and not Emma? She’s Kenton’s wife.”
“Because without her there would be no dragons to save us all.” She smiled at him. “Emma will be a queen soon enough, when your mother decides that she no longer wishes to do so. I’d not tell her that as yet. You will know the time better than most. You have a good eye for people.”
“Thank you. But she might be upset when she hears it. Are you going to make sure that I’m safe?” Prisane laughed with him. “Warrior is worried about our newest member to the family. Her name is Micky. She’s a faerie, and has not put the necklace on yet to suit him.”
“Warrior was always a worrier. When you have finished with the painting, what will you do as a background? I would like to show you the castle from my days. It will be ready soon, and I think it a nice place for you all to be while you get to know everyone. And you can all rest too.” He asked her what she meant. “It’s time that you go there, all of you. And I’ll make sure that Butler is there too, when the time is right. But he’ll come, as soon as he feels the magic there.”
“I thought we’d take care of him here.” She shook her head. “All right. I’ll make the arrangements for us to go there. And—”
“The castle has been readied for you all. Everything you need, servants as well as clothing, has been provided. Go there soon, please. There is much that I would wish that you’d do before Butler arrives. And the young miss, yes, I know Micky. Have her put my necklace on when she gets there. Nothing will make him go there but that, I think. Not even me telling him that you are all there.” He asked her if any of them would be in danger. “No, not any more. You are as safe as I could make you.”
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