Piper: Queen’s Birds of Prey: Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Queen's Birds of Prey)

by Kathi S. Barton

  In favor of working on the castle, she worked on the falcon, Mercy’s bird of prey. The feather she’d asked for a week ago from each of them had done just what she’d hoped. It looked like the big bird had simply landed on her table and had hardened. Piper only hoped the others would go so well.

  “Aunt Piper?” She looked up from the piece she was working on. Piper was her big bird, the only way she could get the heat she needed. However, it didn’t seem to bother the child in front of her. It took her befuddled mind a few seconds to realize who it was. “It’s Abe Dante. I wanted to talk to you if you’d not mind. But I can come back if this isn’t a good time.”

  She shifted back from her bird and sat down. It had startled her, she thought. So involved in her work, she’d completely forgotten where she was, as well as that there might be others in the room with her.

  “I’m sorry.” He turned away from her. “No. Don’t go, Abe. I’m sorry I was so wrapped up in what I was doing that— Well, you must have said my name more than once, I’m thinking.”

  “Yes. But I was watching you work too. I’ve never seen you working before.” He smiled at her, and she knew right then that this kid was going to be a heartbreaker. “You’re all sweaty. I’ll get you a bottle of water.”

  “What time is it?” He told her as he moved to the fridge that was magically filled with water just for her. “My goodness. Six o’clock? Sheesh. I never realized—obviously. How about I take my favorite guy out to dinner for keeping me from working through the night?”

  “You mean me?” She nodded at him as he brought her a drink. “Sure. That would be fantastic. Then I can ask you something. I have to ask my mom and dad first. They’re working late tonight. I told them I was going to come here and see you.”

  “Good. Never take off from anywhere without telling someone. Being the prince of a castle might make people stupid enough to try and hurt you. Then they’d be dead.” All the kids had been talked to over the last few weeks. “Where would you like to go?”

  “I can pay if we go someplace like burgers. I have money now, but I’m learning to make sure I don’t spend it willy nilly. Grandpa told me it’s good to have money, but if you’re stupid with it, you’ll be as broke as you were rich. I love that guy.” She nearly told him she’d pay but saw the look on his face. “I can pay, Aunt Piper. Besides, this will make me feel better about asking a favor of you.”

  She drove them to the hamburger place, driving like she was an old woman most of the way. Piper had great skills at driving fast. Being a racecar driver for a while had shown her moves that she had fun with. But the first time she took a curve today going well over the speed limit, she glanced over at Abe and realized she was scaring the shit out of him. Slowing down had him also stop white knuckling the door handle.

  After they ordered and Abe paid, they sat at one of the many empty tables. Piper watched him as he meticulously set his hamburger on the open wrapper, smack dab in the middle. After getting that set up, he dumped his fries onto the wrapper and made sure they were arranged by size, largest to smallest. Opening just one ketchup tube, he picked up the largest fry, and after dipping it in the perfect red circle of the sauce, he ate it in small bites. He looked at her when she laughed.

  “Has anyone pointed out to you that you’re OCD? Not that it’s a bad thing, but you really should try to lighten up a little, kid. People will think you’re odd.” He told her that most already did. “I love you, anyway. And I’m glad you asked me out.”

  “Me too. I have to retake my tests for school tomorrow. Mom probably told you I didn’t do what I should have on the first one.” Piper told him Jude had told her. “Not that I failed, but I didn’t want anyone to think I was smart. Tracy was a little upset with me for thinking she of all people would care.”

  “She’s right, you know.” He nodded as he ate all his fries before starting on the burger. “Do you ever just mix up what you’re eating? I mean, do you eat a fry then a bite of burger?”

  “No. That would be wrong.” He grinned at her. “I’m just funning with you. I do like order, but not in my food. It’s just me trying to be funny.”

  “You had me hooked. That’s a good one.” She finished off her burger and decided she’d get more food when she got home. She didn’t want to break the bank for him and him not coming to see her anymore. “All right. What is this favor you need from me?”

  “I took the school test last week. I tested out of everything they gave me. Now I have to go to the college to see how much I can test out of there. Mom seems to think I should just take my time in college classes. Not to take a lot so I can ease into this. Dad said I should go for it.” Piper didn’t know where this was going, but she was extremely proud of this kid. “Anyway, I was wondering if you’d help me with an art project I have to put together so I can test out of the art classes they’re giving me.”

  “Okay. I have no idea what you’re talking about. You sort of went around the bush about forty times. Just tell me what you’re kind of not telling me.” He told her he was nervous. “Of me? I’m not going to harm you, kid. I love you.”

  “I love you too. All right. Let me think.” She went to get herself three more burgers and a malt. While she was there, keeping an eye on Abe, she ordered him another burger, as well as a malt. When she sat back down with him, he said he thought he had it. “I’m having trouble fitting in with people my own age. I think that’s why I was so excited to get tested out of high school and being with kids that are more on my level. But that’s not working out so well. The older kids treat me worse than the others do. Not that they’re hurting me, but I guess no matter where I go, I’m going to have people making fun of me. Anyway. There is a college for gifted people. I’m not saying I’m gifted, but I like to read. They want to see some work I can do. I’ve not told Mom and Dad about this school yet. I know it’s really expensive, but I think I’ll like it there better than any other place I’ve been.”

  “What’s the name of the college?” He told her. “Okay. Just so you know, your mom and Aunt Mercy have a lot to do with that college. They donate every year to their fundraisers. So that might be an in for you. What else do you have to do for them to be accepted?”

  “An outstanding art project. Know two languages. I have to show them I’m able to read on a higher level than twice my age. Then I have to be able to be on some of the teams. I’m not sure what that might be, but I think it’s like debate teams or something.” She told him they had competitions yearly for scholarships. Debates were only a small part of it. “I didn’t know that, but I think I can hold my own so long as I don’t have to be in any sports. I love to watch football and other contact sports, but I’m too little for much more than watching.”

  “You’ll grow into it. So, you need me to help you with the outstanding art project. What did you have in mind? And so you know, I’m not going to do it for you.” He said he’d hoped she wouldn’t. “What did you have in mind?”

  He told her how he was thinking of making a map of the United States in relief format. “I know you worked with all kinds of media before you came to blowing heat. I was wondering if you’d show me how to make clay work for what I have in mind. I don’t want you to do it for me, but to show me how to work with the clay so I can figure out what I’m doing.”

  “I can do that. On one condition.” He nodded and said he had to tell his parents. “That’s right. I won’t mind helping you, kid, but I’m not going behind their backs to do that. We’re very close, and I’d hate for any one of them to be upset with either of us.”

  “I understand. The reason I went to you first was to make sure I could get some help with the projects. The others are easy enough for me. I’ve been looking around in the books Grandma Dante left for you guys, and Latin isn’t easy, but I’m learning it. Also, I have a program on my computer that is teaching me Spanish. It’s fun.”

  “Most people wouldn
’t think learning Latin is fun, buddy. It’s a difficult language for most people.” He grinned at her. “Everything else you have on this list you told me about, you have it down pat too, I’m assuming.”

  “Yes. I’ve been reading since I was living with my other parents. I could work with numbers too. That was one of the things that got me into trouble when they had me. Even as a little kid, I was smarter than they were.” He looked around the restaurant and then back at her. “I’m afraid, Aunt Piper. I’m so afraid they’ll know where I am and who’s adopted me and come back for me. I have this feeling they’re not only out there looking for me, but they’ll take me too.”

  “Have you heard from them in any way?” He said he’d not, that he was probably being silly. “You’re magical, Abe. I know you’re aware of that. If you think this, feel it, then I’d think you have the right idea about them. Tell me what you know about them.”

  He handed her a copy of his birth certificate. She had a feeling he’d gone online and ordered it for himself. She read the two names there and felt the hair at her neck tingle. Putting it away by sending it to her home, she looked at the kid.

  “I have two questions for you. You have to be honest with me about it, all right?” He told her he’d never lie to any of them. “Good. The first question. Do you know how you ended up in the home in the first place? What I mean is, did they take you there or was it someone else?”

  “The police. I guess they dropped me off at the hospital. I’d been hurt by my parents, so they’d have a reason for wanting me there. Then they left. The police took me to the home that night. That’s where I met Tracy.” She nodded and thought about the second question. “Ask me. I can take it.”

  “You were sexually abused at the home. Did you...were you abused at home with your parents?” He said no. No hesitation, just a simple no. “How were you hurt when they dropped you off?”

  Abe stood up and pulled his sleeve to his shirt to his elbow. The mark there made her think the fucking shits had burned him. However, when she touched it, Piper saw just what had happened to have scarred the kid for life.

  “What do you want me to do?” He sat back down, and she watched his face. He wasn’t as readable as she had hoped he’d be. When he put his hands on the table, laying his over hers, she braced herself for whatever he was about to say to her. “Tell me, Abe.”

  “Dead. I want them dead.” He squeezed her hands. “I know you can do it. I know you and the other birds have killed before. They’re not going to stop, I don’t think, until they have me dead. I know I can’t die, but I was told I could be mutilated in a way that would be forever. Like blinded. They cut off my hand or something. They’ll also try and hurt Mom and Dad. Tracy too. I don’t want them to come here at all.”

  Piper told him she’d talk to him later about what he wanted. After that, the two of them talked about the clay and how to work it. She was sure that whatever else they’d done to him, it was going to be far worse than anyone had thought. Piper was afraid to look and see what she could learn about his biological parents.

  When she took him home, Piper was glad to see the others were at the castle. After Abe said he needed to work on something, he left them in the living room. Piper stood up and started to pace. Telling them what she’d learned tonight was difficult to share. It wasn’t breaking a promise to him—he’d told her she could talk to the others. But it was going to hurt Duncan and Jude a great deal, she thought.

  “I’ve had a long conversation with Abe. There are things he told me, things I’m sure you’ve not been aware of. Mostly it has to do with his parents.” Piper looked at Mercy. “You need to find them. Now. He believes they’re on their way here.”

  “They are. That’s why we’re here tonight to figure out what to do about it. Since Christmas, I’ve had a couple of people keeping an eye on them. They’re making their way here to reclaim their son.” Piper asked her where they were. “They’re having difficulties that are keeping them from arriving too soon. What is it you know that we should?”

  “Abe wants them dead.” No one said a word for several minutes. “He’s terrified they’re going to try and take him and then harm you guys. I didn’t tell him they were coming; he knew they were. I think, like Dante, he can see bits of the future.”

  ~*~

  Abe waited in line to purchase the map he was going to work from. After reading the instructions through twice, he knew he could use a purchased map to start his project, but he had to make it wholly his. Excitement ran over his body as he was next in line to buy what he needed.

  The little store wasn’t busy. It was one of the new shops that had opened in town a few weeks ago—an art supply store that had everything a person could want to work on something fun. He’d been tempted to buy himself some of the paints that were on the shelf, but he didn’t want to be distracted from what he was doing now. Maybe later, he told himself.

  Then he saw the woman coming into the store with a big man. As they walked by him, Abe was pushed back a few feet. Neither of them said a word to him, but Abe knew they were in here for trouble. He did the only thing he could think of and reached out to his dad. He knew he was in town today for several meetings. Mom was looking for some plants to put around the house.

  I’m at Arts and Crafts. Dad asked him if he was short on money. No. I have enough. There are two people in here that have plans to kill the woman that is ringing us out.

  Do you see any guns? Abe told him they didn’t have any. They were going to cut her up with the knives they had on them. What will happen to the others in the store, son? I’m on my way there with Joel.

  There won’t be any of us in here. They’re waiting on all of us to leave. Dad, I’m the last person in line. I think the three people ahead of me are together, so when they leave, it’ll just be me and them. Dad told him that they were nearly there. All right. I’m not afraid. I just don’t want Mrs. Clarity hurt.

  Joel entered the store first. He looked at him and winked, then asked if he had everything he needed. It wasn’t until he was ushered out of the building that he realized what Dad was doing—getting Abe out of harm’s way as well. Dad told him to go get the police and to stay there. Running down the sidewalk, he forgot to tell them to be careful.

  The police were still talking on and on about leaving the station, and Abe wanted to beat them up. They were taking their time about going to help his dad. When it looked to him like they weren’t ever going to get going, he called for his mom and the others. He was sure the next time he needed extra help, the police weren’t going to be called. They weren’t taking it seriously at all.

  When the man was brought into the station where Abe was, he was mad. Not only had the police only just left the station, but his family had been the ones that had stopped the violence in the shop. He wanted to say something to the officers, but he was afraid he’d be in trouble. However, his dad had no such problems and told them off. Then he fired them.

  “I’d rather know my family is safe because of the response from the police than think that my wife and her sisters needed to be called in for back up.” The chief said they’d not believed the kid. “That kid is my son. And it shouldn’t have mattered one bit that he came to you to tell you about what was going on. It should have had you out the door as fast as you could be.”

  Hiring a new set of policemen wasn’t nearly as difficult as he thought it might be. Dad not only had a new crew in place shortly but more of them than before. The man in charge of the station now was someone he knew. Mr. Pilgrim was teaching him to tell the difference between shifters and humans at the packhouse. He asked Dad what had happened at the shop.

  “Mrs. Clarity had had some issues with her daughter and son-in-law before, but usually they’d just rob her then take off. After she opened her shop, they’d been hanging around more. When she wouldn’t give them any cash, they decided they’d kill her. Great family there, I th
ink.” Dad looked at him as he continued. “I’m going to have to have Abe here tell you how he knew. But it’s not to go any further than this room.”

  “I think I know. He’s got some kind of magic that tells him what’s going on. He’s been displaying it at my house for the last few weeks.” Dad asked him what he’d done. Abe was curious too. “Mae, my little girl, was playing on the floor, minding her toys when Abe there jumped up and took one of the blocks from her. He said she was going to swallow it. Not that she could or might, but that she was going to. There were other things too. Like he grabbed a cup just as it was crashing to the floor. He was in the living room when he rushed in and caught the cup as it tumbled off the table I’d hit with my body. I figured he was either seeing things that were gonna happen, or he was just one lucky kid.”

  “I have to touch someone to know what’s going on.” Dad got down to his level and asked him if he’d seen what they did to Mrs. Clarity. “Yes.”

  Dad only looked at him for a few seconds before he nodded. Abe was glad he didn’t ask more. He didn’t want to have to explain to him how terribly bad they’d cut her up. She was a really nice person.

  Uncle Joel had gotten his map for him as well as the paints he’d wanted. He told him that Mrs. Clarity had seen him eyeing them, and she wanted him to have them. He felt bad that she’d given them to him, but Dad told him to take them, as she was grateful to be alive, and that made her feel better. So he went home with his dad and family to start on his project.

  He had talked to them last night about the college. Abe had really thought they’d be mad at him for doing things behind their backs, but all they said was, it was good. That doing research on the college had been the right move. Knowing about the place made them think he was serious about attending as well. Abe told them that Aunt Piper was going to show him a few things about clay usage.

  Now, here he was working on his project on the dining room table. Abe was having fun with it and was excited to see it come together. Mostly, he thought, he wanted to show his parents that he was very serious about this school and hoped he’d be able to get in on his own without having his mom telling them to take him. She said she could do that for him and would be glad to do it.