“Oh, Lewis. Don’t think for a moment that you’ve gotten the better of me with this move. I knew just what I was doing.” He looked down at her and she smiled. “He needed this much more than we could have imagined, son. I saw the look in his eyes. They were not just desperate, as you said, but insane too.”
“You’re not helping this at all, you know.” She pulled from him and went to the cabinets. When she reached into the first one, he knew just what she was looking for. “The brew is over here in the crock jars. There are different kinds, I’ve learned, depending on what your mood is. What is your mood right now?”
“Murdering you.” Lewis pointed out that was an action, not a mood, and she hit him anyway. “I am stressed out, if you need to know. I didn’t have any idea why I hired him. But it seemed the right thing to do. Tell me something, Lewis…what would you have done, had he tried to take you, or Raven? What would you have done?”
“First of all, Raven can take care of herself.” He winked at his new wife. “Secondly, while I’m aware of how strong you are, and how willful you are, you are still, and will forever be, my mom. A woman who I know killed a man when he tried his best to kill me.”
Lewis kissed her forehead and asked her to have a seat while he brewed them all a cup of tea. There was a great deal going on now; the restaurant was opening tonight, Butler was going to try and hurt one of them, and his brother Vance was going to be leaving soon…and they’d not know until it was over if he succeeded or not. Yes, a great deal was on all their plates, he thought, but his mom was first in this.
“I need for him.... No…he needs to work with me in getting this money going to the right places. Yes, he did try and swindle you, and he did try and kidnap me, but those are things he tried to do. Not succeeded at. He’s a good man, Lewis. You don’t like him, I know, but he’s a good man. Raven told me so.” Lewis looked at Raven and she nodded. “See. He’s going to be just fine.”
“He won’t.” Lewis closed his eyes when Raven spoke quietly, knowing that it was going to be bad news. “He’s a good man that is going to die before he is too much older. Not that there is much that can be done for him at this point, but to work for you, it will give him something that he’s never had before…pride in himself. He will die; not soon, but in the next ten years, at peace with his actions that he’s taken on with you and this family.”
“He’ll work for us.” His mom patted him on the hand when he spoke. “I don’t have to like it, but I would hate to have him feel like he’s failed at anything when he didn’t hurt you.”
“Good for you. I’m very proud of you. Both of you.” When she sat down again, he knew that she was going to ask about Vance. He had no idea why, so when she did, he had an answer for her.
“He said that he was going to take care of some business. That’s all I can tell you.” She frowned at him. “I’ll tell you the same thing you told me a while back. He’s immortal. He cannot die, so you don’t have to worry overly much about him.”
“That’s good to think about, but he is my baby, all of you are, and I don’t want any of you hurt. Not even to scratch yourself.” Mom sat there for several more minutes before she got up. “I have to go and meet with Gavin this morning. We’re already planning next year’s event, and working on the one for October. That one will be the biggest fund raiser that we’ve ever had.”
“Aisha, why not really up the ticket sales?” Mom asked Raven how to do that. “Take some of this money and buy a new truck. I’d try to get a good deal on it first, but why not do that? I’m sure there are a great many people that would buy a ticket or two more for the chance to win a new car.”
“Oh, I love that idea. You’d not believe the donations that we have, but that could be the topper.” Mom looked at him again. “What do you think? Would that be all right with you?”
“Mom, whatever she wants, I’m fine with it. It’s the family money as far as I’m concerned, and if you two agree, then I’m all for it.” He laughed when Mom winked at him. “I will buy the first tickets for it. Put me down for a hundred of them. And if I win, I’ll donate it to the shelter, so they can use it to get groceries and supplies.”
He knew by the end of the day not only would his brothers all buy tickets too, but they’d buy more just to outdo him. Laughing as he made his way to his car, he stopped when he saw Ralph Donavan standing near the garage, and went to talk to the younger man.
“Everything all right?” He nodded and grinned at him. “Then why are you stalking my garage, and not coming in and talking to my wife and mom?”
“Your mom scares me and most of my pack. She does a lot for us, but she can be a little intense when things aren’t going her way. Or what she thinks she wants.” He asked if things were going to upset her. “Not that I know of, but you never can tell. I’m here for a different reason. The goats and such that you have here, we were wondering if we could add a few animals to the pens as well. There are a few members of the pack, younger children, who would like to be able to put them in the county fair for next fall. You can say no, should you not want to bother, but they said that they’d clean out stalls and come by and feed them for you for the usage.”
Raven joined him then, and he told her what Donavan wanted to do. “Wonderful. I love that idea. But I am going to add some chickens, as well as a few other animals. If they tell me what they want to show, I can purchase it for them for my stock as well.”
“Thank you. These kids, they’ve taken a keen interest in school of late. Most of them, the younger kids, they’re bored and get into trouble easily. I was hoping with this project for them, they’d be less inclined to get into trouble.” Raven and Donavan were still talking when he went to his car again.
Lewis had a lot to do at the restaurant for their grand opening today. When he’d left last night, he’d only had about four tables reserved, which was fine by him. It would give his staff time to ease into their different jobs. Even his second chefs, two of them from the college and one a member of the pack that was going to be helping with ordering, were happy with the way things had gone yesterday.
As soon as he walked in, he got to work. There was soup to make, and decisions to make about what sort of appetizers they were going to serve. Tonight only, he had decided to let people have a small plate of them, as a tester to see what would go over well. Then the hostess, another member of the pack, was going to ask what they enjoyed most on the plate. That way, he figured, he’d get a good accounting of things.
“Hey, Lewis, we need to talk.” Lewis looked at Patty, his hostess for tonight. He was sure she was going to quit on him. “The phone has been ringing since I got here, and I wanted to talk to you about an answering machine or a service. That way we can put it on, so I can help out.”
“Okay, I can see that. But how many people could be calling now? I mean, we don’t open for….” He looked at the clock. “We don’t even open for at least eight more hours. Why are they calling so early?”
“Reservations. I have tonight filled up, and a waiting list. Also, we’ve decided—the staff and I—that we’re going to set a few of the extra tables that are in the back outside for those that want to eat out of doors tonight.” He told her they could hold over a hundred and fifty people. “Yes, well, we’ll be able to accommodate at least a dozen more outside. Twice over, that’s a good number of people. And I’ve called some extra help in here to wait tables.”
“We can hold over a hundred and fifty people, Patty.” She laughed and said she was aware of that. “I don’t understand. Last night we had four reservations. Are you saying now that all the tables are full?”
“Twice.” He shook his head while she nodded. “I know what I’m doing, Lewis. Trust me on this. You are going to be fine.”
“I wasn’t planning on this. I might...I need to go to the store.” She told him he’d better hurry then. “Are you sure about this? I mean, this isn’t a joke, is it?”
“I don’t joke about my job. You know that. Yo
u’re going to be fine. You’ll be a hit, and we’ll be this busy every night. I know it.” She started away, then turned back. “You might want to rethink giving away the plate of food tonight. It might be too much for you. But if you want, I can have the staff tell them about one or two of them verbally. That way the opening menu won’t have to be reprinted.”
Stepping away from the prep table, he stood there with his mind simply blank. When someone said his name, he looked at Raven and shook his head. He didn’t know what she said, but he wasn’t able to speak to her just then. Then she hit him.
“What was that for?” She told him he was freaking out. “Yes, but to hit me means I have to do something to you. Like.... I have over three hundred people coming to dinner tonight. And a town this size? That’s about ten percent of them. Coming here. To eat at my place.”
“Good for you.” She was nodding, but he was shaking his head. “Yes, good for you. I can help too. What kind of things do you want me to do?”
“I need more food. I mean, a lot of it. Chickens, as well as steaks. I need to get more salad fixings as well…. What are you doing now? Having a list made for me?” She said she’d go with someone, and he’d be able to get things done here. “I don’t know what else I need.”
“Am I going to have to call your mom here?” He smiled and told her no. “Good. Okay, what sort of salad fixings? I’m assuming you don’t mean just lettuce and such.”
When she left him an hour later, he’d gone through the walk-in, the pantry, as well as the freezer. There was a great deal for her to get for him, so he had her take his dishwashers to help, as well as someone to direct her around the store and to drive. Lewis decided that he would work on one thing at a time, get it done, and not think about anything else. As soon as he had a plan, he thought he might be just fine.
“Who am I kidding? I’m going to royally fuck this up.”
~~~
Caelin stayed hidden as he watched the restaurant. There were so many people coming and going that he knew tonight was going to be a success for his grandson. Listening to the people as they came out, he was happy to hear that they really were surprised at how good everything was, and that they’d be returning. Caelin loved these little moments in time, when he could marvel that someone he had helped create, a grandchild of many generations past, was making a go at something. He turned to look at Raven when she stood beside him.
“You’re in love.” She nodded, and told him that she was very much in love. “I’m so glad. You deserve it more than most, I think.”
He thought about the magic that she’d helped him with. All the times that she’d been there for him. It never came between them that his own father had done this to her, or that Butler had killed her mother as well. Raven was just kind hearted, a good friend as well as someone that he’d come to love like he did one of his own children.
“I have a gift for you.” She said that she didn’t want a gift from him. He was kind enough to her. “You always say that. Even when I give you something for your birthday. It is coming up, you know.”
“I do. As is yours. We have the same date, though you are a bit older than me.” She laughed. “Not that I’m keeping track, however.”
“You know just how old we both are, and it matters little. I’m so very glad to see you as happy as you are now.” Nodding, they stood there for a few moments without speaking. “My wife, she said to tell you that she’d like some more of your brew. We have another great.... I have no idea how many greats it is now, but we have another coming.”
“It would be my pleasure to help you both. I like your wife.” It took him a moment to realize that she’d made a joke, something that she wasn’t prone to do. “Butler is coming, Caelin. And when he comes here, he will die.”
“Yes, that is the plan. And Vance will do it. He has been the hardest to get a good eye on. I worry for him.” She asked if his mate would help him. “In ways that you cannot imagine. She is going to be his sanity, as well as his balance. I think she might even knock him to his ass a few times before this is done.”
“He will never harm her.” Caelin said he knew that as well. “What will you do with yourself when you no longer have to plot and plan the lives of all of these people? I think you will be very bored in your golden years. What say you? Will you take that lovely wife of yours on a long vacation? A cruise, perhaps?”
“I do have a plan. I’m going to sit under your large oak tree and have myself a nap. It has been far too long since I’ve been able to do something like that.” He looked at the people enjoying life to the fullest. “You should be having this sort of enjoyment too, my friend.”
“I am enjoying my life. I have my goats and donkeys. Also, we now have chickens, as well as two pigs. I wasn’t sure that Lewis would want them around—they do smell—but he wants me to have what I need. I never thought that I’d find someone so loving and wonderful to me.” He said once again that she deserved it. “I think you might be right.”
“What? You are agreeing with me? My goodness. What ever shall I do now?” He touched his fingers to her cheek, just a small touch that would mean nothing to anyone else, but he gave her magic, a little something that he wished he’d been able to do so long ago. “I must go now. When I return, it will not be a social call. It will mean that the end is coming. I would very much like to come and stay with you and Lewis as well, and bring my wife.”
“We’d love that. I know that the family would like to get to know you. And then the castle will need to be visited. I have in mind that you’ve been there aplenty.” He said that he had, especially of late. “Is it coming along then?”
“Better than we had hoped, I think. And once this is finished, all will be well.” Caelin started to tell her that he knew she had the necklace, but decided that he’d leave that for another time. It was as safe as it could be with her. Kissing her on the cheek, he gave her just a little more and knew that Lewis would benefit from it as well.
Caelin made his way to his castle and marveled at what had been repaired for the family. Not only were most of the walls up and stronger than before, but even the hiding place, the one that he’d been keeping from everyone, was cleaned up and nearly complete. Going there now, he thought of his dear mother.
“You were good to me. And made me what I am today.” Getting down on his knees, he pulled the silken cloth off her portrait and looked at her face. “You were so beautiful, Mother. I miss you more and more every day. And the closer we get to the end of this, I look forward to seeing you again.”
“You know that I cannot come to you.” He said that he understood, but to see her would be good for him for now. “You always were such a demanding brat, weren’t you?”
Caelin laughed and turned to look at the image of his mother. She wasn’t there—she could never be there until the child was born—but he could see and talk to her like this. Sitting down, he told her of all the things that were being done.
“The restaurant, it’s doing well then?” He told her of the comments that he’d heard when the guests were leaving. “I have high hopes for them. Not just because I’ve a softness for Lewis—he does look like you a great deal—but for young Raven as well. She has a special place in my heart.”
“I have given her sight back to her. She will find out when she wakes two mornings from now. It is well past time. Her voyage to Lewis was what kept me from doing it before now. But she will need it, when the children come to them.” His mother sat too, but not on anything where he was. “Also, the children that are coming to the others, I have taken care that things go well for the mothers. They would heal quickly anyway, but there is no need for them to suffer overly much when I can help. It was my own wife that suggested it.”
“I would like to meet her someday as well. And my grandchildren.” He nodded. They had missed so much, being parted the way that they had been. “Oh, Caelin. I am so very proud of you. And all that you’ve done. I could not have asked for a better son.”
&nb
sp; “You taught me well, Mother. Had you not, I would never have survived those first years.” He had been in hiding for five years when his mother disappeared. “And Warrior, he is helping as much as he can. Mostly he keeps Lewis and Vance calm. Especially Vance.”
“I would imagine that he will be glad for his mate when she comes to him.” Caelin said he wasn’t sure about that. “Why not? A woman to balance him? Someone that would be his equal? Vance, of all the men in that family, he is the most wounded. And I don’t mean his body. Though I have seen it. He has been hurt a great deal.”
“His heart will be hard to get into, I’m afraid. And easily broken. When she gets there, I think she will be just as hard. They are a pair, the two of them.” His mother said she knew that too. “I have not given them any information on her. And Warrior cannot. Since she won’t touch the piece until she is with them, I think her to be the safest I can make her. That doesn’t mean that she won’t have troubles, mostly of her own making. But at least Father won’t be able to track her. If he tries. He believes he still has the piece you left behind.”
“Does Raven know you are aware that she took it?” He shook his head. “Good. I think that, for the time being, it would be better if she kept it from you. Should your father find a witch to help him, you know that he would be able to see it in your mind.”
“Yes. I’m aware. Does he see another witch? I have looked, but it is blocked from me.” His mother didn’t answer, not that he thought she would. “I have a bit of news for you that you might like. My son, he is going to live in the area with the McCades. His plan is to take over one of the shops in town and sell his carvings. This keeps up and the town will be known wide and far for the artists that live there.”
“I have missed so much.” He was sorry then that he’d brought it up. “No, don’t do that. I wish to hear all about them all. You will keep me updated on all that goes on, and while it does sadden me at times, I do love knowing that life, no matter how fragile it is, still moves on with you and yours.”
Lewis: The McCade Dragon –Erotic Paranormal Romance Page 11
