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

by Kathi S. Barton

  “Holy Christ.”

  ~*~

  Piper stared at the man who was staring so intently at her. “I have to go as soon as we’re finished with dinner.” Taking her eyes off the man while she looked at Duncan was harder than she thought it should have been. “There was an explosion in Kentucky. They’re saying it is larger than the one they had back in seventy-seven at the supper club.”

  “I remember that. There were a lot of people killed there because of something to do with doors.” She said they’d not opened in the way that was now law. Duncan told her the name of the place. “The fire broke out in the kitchen, and when people rushed to the doors, they were crushed because they couldn’t pull the doors to open inward due to the crush of people behind them.”

  “Yes. That’s it. Over a hundred and fifty people were killed. More were injured. The man that called me to come to the fire said this one is worse. That there might be as many as three hundred dead. I have to head there right after dinner. I’ll probably be gone for a few days.” Duncan introduced her to the man. “Hello.”

  Piper wanted to back away from him. Not that she thought he’d harm her, but she had a feeling she wasn’t going to like it when he touched her. When he left his hand out there, she had no choice but to shake it. The power surge that ran over her body had her falling back on the floor, the same for Grant. When he sat up, his nose was bleeding, as well as his lip. But he didn’t move anymore after sitting there.

  “Mom knew the two of you would be mates.” Taking her eyes off Grant to look at Duncan, Piper wanted to tell him to shut the fuck up for a minute. “She said that great things would come from this union. As well as great power.”

  “I don’t know what to think about any of this.” Grant agreed with her. “I’m not going to be all sappy around you either. I will nip that shit in the bud if you try it. I’m not a romantic type, and I don’t want you fawning all over me either. It’s gross.”

  “Since we’ve only just met, I’m thinking you can take it down a notch or two. My head is spinning from being knocked on my ass, and I have a headache that beats all.” Grant stood up. “I’d like to say I’m happy to meet you, Piper, but so far, all you’ve done is tell me what you’re not going to do. Do you have the slightest bit of happiness about finding me?”

  “I don’t know.” Piper looked at her sisters, then back at Grant. “I don’t know what to think, to be honest with you. I have so many questions right now that I don’t even know where to begin. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

  “Thank you for that.” He put out his hand and asked her if he could help her up. “I don’t know how the power we felt from each other has changed us, but I think I’m even more than I was before. Fae, for the most part. A little of other things as well.”

  Piper took his hand. Standing up, she was startled by how tall he was. He had to be over six and a half feet tall. She, in her bare feet, was six-two. Not letting go of his hand right away, she looked into his eyes. They were almost a clear blue—icy, she thought. Taking a step back from him, she felt the warmth of him leave her too. Piper was tempted to move closer to him again but decided there were things she needed answers to.

  Dinner was called a few minutes later. No one had spoken to her since she’d gotten up from the floor. Not that she thought she could have answered anything asked of her. Her mind was still a mess. She knew some of the things going on in her head were his memories too.

  It was just too much for her, and she stood up. But she’d not meant to draw attention to herself and sat back down. Looking down at her plate, her embarrassment making her angry, Piper wanted to take flight right at that minute and never return. But something happened, and her anger as well as her thoughts, seemed to calm a great deal. That was when she noticed that Grant had simply put his hand on her shoulder.

  “I’m not being pushy, Piper, but you seemed ready to jump out of your skin.” She nodded and thanked him. “No worries there. I’m hoping that when I need it, you can do the same for me.”

  Piper must have eaten. Her plate had little bits of food on it, and her fork was dirty. However, she couldn’t tell anyone, if asked, what it had tasted like. The others around her were talking about the summer plans. All she could think about right now was the man beside her. And what he would expect from her.

  Not that any of the other men in their family had done that. All three of the others had been there for her sisters but never made demands on them. It was one of the reasons she loved them so much—they treated their wives like they needed. Soft and pampered at times, but letting them do their own thing when that was necessary. It occurred to her then that Grant was older than her.

  “You’ve been around a long time.” He told her he’d been born before the king had taken Dante as his wife. “I didn’t know him. I heard a great deal about him. He was a cruel and mean bastard. I don’t think I ever even know how he died. I know it wasn’t Dante that did it.”

  “No. She had nothing to do with his death, which I suppose was a good thing. That would have perhaps made the king of the lands come to her sooner. He died in a war, defending his brother’s castle. They were both killed the same day. His brother, I don’t remember his name at the moment, killed his wife and children when it was obvious he was losing the war. I think that is part of the estate Duncan now owns. As the only living descendant of the brothers, he would have inherited those lands as well.”

  “It doesn’t sound as if his brother was any better than Dante’s husband was.” Grant said he was right in killing his family. “And how did you come to that conclusion?”

  “Had he not taken their lives as he did, quickly and without much in the way of pain, he saved them from being tortured as well as raped. He had two little girls, and they wouldn’t have been spared anything that the person that eventually took the castle would have done to them.” She said she’d not thought of that. “There wouldn’t have been anyone to hide them away either. As you pointed out, he wasn’t much different than his brother. He had no loyal people, such as Dante did. Nor did he have much in the way of ships to send them away. When the brother was killed, the people of the land celebrated for days afterwards. Then I think they too were killed when the man who won the castle took over. Dante made sure the lands were seized back for Duncan some years before her death.”

  She noticed that everyone at the table had gone quiet. Looking at Mercy when she asked for more stories, Piper realized that more than they did, Grant would have a lot of stories about living in the castle before and after Dante. Grant smiled at her when she asked him about the other lands.

  “They’re still there, as far as I know. I believe they abut this land.” Duncan confirmed that it did, and the castle was still intact. “When your father was brought home to be buried, it was thought he’d been killed by his own men. There are still a few of the old guard left in New Town. When I was younger, I would sit with them, and they’d tell me stories of the cruelty of your father. I won’t tell them if you’d not like to hear them.”

  “He was dead before I was born. I know from my mother’s books that he wasn’t considered a good king. Nor did he stop from putting my mother in her place at times.” Grant told Duncan he was sorry for that. “Don’t be. There are ways she got around him, mostly because of her magic. But he was a drunkard too. From what I was told, not only did he drink entirely too much, but—my mom’s words here—he whored around too. Still, he never had a son by anyone but my mom.”

  “There were others born to the women he raped. They’re all dead now, I believe. I can show you where they’re buried if you’d like.” Duncan told him he’d like that, then asked Grant what he meant by there being other children. “The women of the castle were raped daily by not just him, but anyone that came to the castle. Three of them and one that lived here had daughters. But they were killed when they were born. The mothers as well. He wanted sons and nothing more. There we
re no second chances if someone he’d raped had a daughter.”

  “I didn’t know that. I wonder if my mother did.” Grant told Duncan she had known about the ones born within the walls. She’d taken care that the families of the murdered were given money. “She never mentioned it in the books. Not even a little bit of that sort of information.”

  “Something else you might not have known is that we all knew who you were and that your mother was keeping you safe.” Duncan looked shocked. Jude asked why no one had said anything. “Dante was good to us all. She never once made any of the people that were hers to protect do anything she’d not do herself. Even going so far as to helping with the dead. We were all loyal to her and only her. Even in her death, she made sure that each and every one of us were able to live out our lives without fear of anyone finding us.”

  Duncan stood up and asked to be excused. Grant told him he was sorry as he left them there. Looking over at Jude, Piper asked her if he was all right. He did seem to be really upset about the news.

  “Yes. He’s wonderful, as a matter of fact. These things you’re sharing with us, Grant, are things we might never have known. The very fact that you were around much longer than any of us were gives an insight to Dante and her life that we did not know until now.” Jude looked sad herself. “The things she had to endure would have killed a lesser woman, I think. Dante was never perfect, but she was the type of person whose flaws you could ignore because her kindness was so bountiful. We were very lucky to have had someone like her at a time when women were thought of as nothing more than breeding machines. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for sharing. I do hope you’ll continue to do so. Oh, welcome to the family, Grant.”

  After Jude went to check on Duncan, Grant looked at Piper. She was sitting there with her head bowed, and he wondered what she might be thinking. He touched his fingers to her chin and lifted her face up to see her. She’d been crying, and Grant felt his own heart take a tight twist at the sight of so many tears.

  “I’m sorry.” She shook her head and said it was all right. “Not if I made you cry. I only meant to tell you the stories, and when he asked, I couldn’t have turned him down for any reason.”

  “As Jude said, it’s great hearing things that none of us knew. The very fact that you have information she wouldn’t have kept in her diary is wonderful news.” Piper stood, and so did he. “I have to go. I need to catch the next flight out.”

  “I’m going.” He could tell she wanted to tell him no. “Please? May I go as well? I’d like to be helpful to you if I can. Staying here, without you, I’ll not know what to do with myself.”

  Piper laughed. “I have a feeling you have plenty to do to keep yourself busy. But all right. You can go with me. But you have to do what I tell you. I don’t want you hurt any more than I want to be.” He said he’d do whatever she told him. “Good. I need to talk to my sisters, then we can leave.”

  Grant told his mom he’d be back but not to worry. She hugged him several times. Excitement from him having a mate was making her giddy, an emotion he’d never witnessed from his mom before.

  Once they were on the plane and in the air, Grant wondered what he would do now that he had a mate. Things, he supposed, would change a great deal for the two of them. How, he wasn’t sure, but there would be a lot of laughter and tears before they came together. Smiling to himself, Grant was up for this. He was looking forward to getting to know Piper in any way she’d allow him to. She certainly was a beautiful creature. Grant couldn’t wait to see her bird. He had a feeling she was more beautiful than even her human self when she was flying through the sky.

  Chapter 3

  Piper had to walk around the area she was in three times before she finally just stepped back and took in a deep breath. She was still standing there with her eyes closed when Grant spoke to her through the link that no one else could breach to find out what was going on.

  I can help you. She told him she wasn’t sure what she was doing, so she didn’t know that he could. I’m fae. I would imagine you are as well now. Or at least partly so. Just dig your fingers into the soot, and you should be able to connect with the land around you. The earth will tell you answers to whatever questions you have.

  This fire, it was set. He said he knew that. Not gasoline. But something just as volatile.

  It smells to me like burnt grease. She looked at him as he stood there on the other side of the burnt out building. I’m not saying that’s all I can smell, but I would say it’s at least seventy percent of what was used as an accelerant.

  She did as he asked her to do and bent down to the burnt out area she was standing next to. Digging her fingers deep into the debris as well as the dead soil beneath it, she could feel the earth speaking to her just beyond where she was.

  My lady. How may I help you today? I must say I’m glad you are a part of Lord Grant’s family. He is a good man. His help with the earth is all that keeps us alive in some areas. She asked where the fire had started. Just to the north of you. There you will find what you are searching for. There are others as well, the placements of the cause of the fire. But the item there will show you what you can look for.

  Thanking the earth, giving it a little of her own magic, she felt the shudder of the earth beneath her feet when it thanked her. Moving to where she was told, she sensed Grant coming around the side of the shell that was left and standing by her as she searched for what she’d been told.

  “You were right.” He said he didn’t feel any better about being right. “No. Neither do I, as a matter of fact. But it is grease. She told me there were several more around, but this would help me in what to look for. Do you know if the people have all been accounted for?”

  “Two are still missing. But the three hundred dead that they’re working with now have all their attention. It’s going to be difficult to make sure they’re all named. Having the cars on the lot is going to help a great deal.” She knew that, as well. It would help them understand who hadn’t left as soon as their meal was over. “I have an idea that I can help with the identification of the dead. If you’d not mind, that is.”

  “If you can make it so the families can be notified sooner rather than later, that would be wonderful. I think if you can name then, there will be less of a chance that a family member will need to see them looking like they do.” She had been in the makeshift morgue twice now. The smell alone was more than she could handle. “The man in charge is Agent Parkerson. He’s the one that called me to the scene.”

  After he left her to find out if he could help, Piper set about finding the other accelerants around the building. It took her six hours to find them all, fearful if she missed anything, it would cause the case to be thrown out of court. The people that had caused this, they needed to be dealt with in the worst possible way.

  As night fell on the shell of the building, she found Grant in the makeshift morgue. He had identified the bodies, all of them. It was difficult enough having to go through the place where they had all perished. She could not imagine going through the dead and naming them for their families. Piper found herself a place to rest and to be alone while he finished up. Three hundred and seven people had lost their lives today. The two that had been missing had been found in part of the building, usually left for storage. They’d both been killed as well.

  We have an idea of who caused the fire. She told Remi she didn’t want to deal with anything more today. I’m sorry, love. I truly am. But you’re the only one I can speak with, and you’ll need to tell the police.

  Nearly everyone in this building is dead, Remi. Women and children made up most of the people here today. Please tell me the people who did this are still alive for me to kill. Remi told her she couldn’t do that. Why not? Who will ever know?

  The Hillary Corporation will need to be exonerated from this. People will sue them anyway—there are greedy people around every
where. But if they go under, no one will get paid. The insurance companies need to have someone to blame it on. The owners of the building will also need to have a person they can point to in order to justify paying out so much. Piper told her all the doors had been locked with chains and locks. I heard that, as well. The fires were started at each of the exits, so there would be a larger death count. Piper, the five people that did this, they’re currently planning another fire to top this one.

  After Remi gave her the information she’d need to tell Parkerson, she went to find him. Her heart was broken for the senseless deaths of the people here. They had come out for a children’s event that had been planned for months, only to end up dead.

  Grant came to her while she stood telling Parkerson what she knew. Parkerson wrote it all down in his book, then sent his men to the address the people were at. He promised her they’d be in jail before the sun came up. Grant held her after the agent left her.

  “I’ve never considered myself to be a person who would get their heart hurt over something like this. I’m not saying I’m cold and unfeeling, but the very fact that I have done this for so long sort of jaded me into thinking I’ve seen it all.” Piper looked up at Grant. “They did this for one reason—to have someone speculate on who had done this. How it had been done. They were planning another fire while they were together. That alone makes me want to hunt them down and kill them where they stand.”

  Grant didn’t say anything, but he did continue to hold her. Venting to him, it felt right for some reason. Easier than even screaming at her sisters for what she’d discovered. When she felt him pick her up in his arms, it took her a few seconds to realize she’d fallen asleep standing up. As soon as he sat, she closed her eyes again and let the nightmarish day and night leave her for just a few minutes.

  When she woke, she was still in his arms. He was speaking quietly to Parkerson, and she sat up to let them both know that they could speak normally. Grant kissed her on the cheek, then turned her to see Parkerson.