Stormcrow: Book Two: Birds of a Feather

by N. C. Reed

  And her mother was of the Blood. Had sent him just hours ago to kill one of her own children. Those were just the few things that came to him right off the top of his head. In addition to all that was the fact that the last thing he needed was for this girl to end up dependent on him to feel 'safe'. She would in all likelihood never be 'unsafe' again in her life. He doubted she'd be allowed, or would want, to venture off these grounds with less than a dozen guards around her. While she might think she needed him tonight to be 'safe', he knew she didn't.

  Or did he? The thought hit him all at once and he was amazed that he hadn't considered it before. He was prepared to think that whoever was breaking into his room was a supporter of Roberto Delgado, so what made him so sure now that he didn't have someone working still inside the house?

  I should have put him to the question before I killed him, he thought to himself suddenly. In the old days I'd still have been working on him, getting information from him. He was definitely going soft.

  For that matter, could they even be sure that someone on the house staff wasn't helping him? Sean didn't know any of them at all so he had no way to gauge how loyal or not they might be to the parents. Or to the family as a whole. What if the Falcone witch had someone working with her that was somehow inside the house? Even just providing information?

  “What is it?” Lucia asked, seeing his face as his mind worked over all of this.

  “Nothing,” he told her, shaking his head. “What makes you think it's safe to be here with me?” he asked her.

  “You. . .I mean it was you that. . .you were the one who came and got me,” she stammered finally.

  “That doesn't make me safe to be around,” he told her flatly. “And there is no way, and I do mean no way that your family will take kindly to finding you here in the morning.”

  “Don't worry,” she smiled weakly. “I'll protect you!”

  “Great,” Sean sighed. After everything that had gone through his mind just now, there was no way he could send her out again. Like it or not, he was stuck with her for tonight.

  “Fine,” he sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. “You can stay, but just for tonight!” he emphasized with a finger pointed toward the ceiling.

  “Thank you!” Lucia smiled brightly and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly before he could stop her.

  “What the hell are you doing!” he demanded, prying her away.

  “Sorry,” she sounded in no way apologetic. “Sorry. I was just really relieved, that's all. Thank you,” she said again, almost murmuring this time.

  “Lay down then, and be quiet,” he told her, getting up. He took a chair and wedged it under the doorknob, blocking the door from being opened again as she had.

  “What's that for?” she asked as she bounced onto the bed, moving to the other side and waiting for him to return.

  “To keep anyone else from using their discretion and a key to not break into my room,” he told her, his tone acidic to say the least. “Here,” he tossed her a blanket that he had left at the foot of the bed.

  “You don't snore, do you?” Lucia asked suddenly, spreading the blanket out over herself.

  “What?” Sean looked at her over his shoulder, having sat back down on the bed.

  “Do you snore?” she asked more pointedly. “That might keep me awake,” she explained.

  “I don't snore,” he promised. “We're taught not to as children,” he said without thinking.

  “What?” she looked at him oddly. “How do you teach someone not to snore?”

  “I'm too tired for this,” he told her, shaking his head as he hit the light and leaned back onto his pillow. “You can stay, so long as you're quiet. I'm tired too and need to sleep at least some, alright?”

  “Okay,” she said softly, turning on her side to face him. “I'll be quiet,” she promised.

  “I'll believe it when I see it,” he scoffed.

  “That's mean,” she semi-pouted. “I promised, didn't I?” He felt her moving and suddenly she was a warm presence at his side, her arm coming to a rest on his abdomen.

  “You don't mind, do you?” she asked timidly.

  “I guess not,” he sighed, defeated. “Your brother will probably kill me tomorrow, so don't get used to this.”

  “He won't,” she promised, hugging him tighter. “Thank you,” she murmured, already drifting off to sleep.

  “You're welcome.”

  Beside him, Lucia smiled in the dark, completely satisfied with how her plan had turned out. She hadn't lied to him, she really couldn't sleep and she was scared. And he really did make her feel safe.

  But he also made her feel other things as well. Things that made her stomach flutter and her breath catch. It was hard to impress a girl who had someone like Jerome Delgado for a father. She learned what a real man was supposed to be like from him, and none of the 'boys' she had ever spoke to or dated had ever really impressed her. As she'd grown up, older men had began making their approach, hoping to snare her hand and implant themselves into the 'family' by marriage. As the only daughter of the Delgado family she was seen as something of a hot property. She had never liked that feeling, but her parents had never once acted like they considered it a possibility. They didn't need to sell their daughter off to remain in control.

  But now she just might have found one who measured up.

  Curled into that very man, she drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep of someone who was truly exhausted, but felt truly safe.

  Beside her, Sean Galen stared at the dark ceiling above him, wondering how he was going to explain this to Tony, let alone to his parents.

  -

  “Did she go to him?”

  “Yes, Dona,” Marisa replied tiredly. “She is in his room.”

  “Very well,” Antonia smiled softly to herself. “You have to be exhausted, Marisa. You will not work tomorrow. You will rest.”

  “That isn't necessary, Dona,” Marisa said at once.

  “Yes, it is,” Antonia insisted. “Today has been hard on you as well. And I have leaned on you a great deal. You will rest.”

  “As you say, Dona,” Marisa was too tired to argue. “Dona, se mi permesso ?”

  “What is it?”

  “Are you sure that this is wise, Dona? That man is. . .I sense a dark nature about him, Dona. Is it good for the bambina to be around such a man?”

  “She is safer where she is than if she were in my own arms,” Antonia assured her. “I know that man, Marisa. I know the well he springs from. I would not have allowed Lucia to 'sneak' out if I did not. You may rest assured that she is completely safe. I should imagine she will rest better tonight with him than with a dozen guards around her.”

  “As you say, Dona,” Marisa didn't sound convinced, but she wasn't going to argue. “Good night.”

  “Goodnight, Marisa.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  -

  Tony stirred slowly from his sleep stupor, head pounding from both the cognac and the bump where he landed the night before.

  “Uhn,” he grunted. “What the hell hit me?” he asked the floor as he tried to get to his feet and failed.

  “I'll just rest here a minute and try that again,” he told himself, taking that minute to assess his situation. He looked around him in puzzlement until it dawned on him where he was.

  “I'm at home?” he asked his bedroom. “How the hell did I get home?” With renewed effort, he struggled to his feet, stumbling a bit as he did so but managing to remain upright. He looked down to see a bottle still clutched in his hand.

  “Damn that hurts!” he swore as he released his grip only to find his hand and fingers aching from having grasped the empty bottle so tightly all night. Shaking the hand that he had freed, he lifted the bottle with his better hand and read the label.

  “Four hun-, holy shit!” he blurted. “Where did I come by this stuff?” was the first thought he had. “My old man's gonna kill me!” was the second.

  “Wait,” he paused, st
ill speaking aloud to his bedroom. “Wait, I think he gave me this last night. I got here. . .Lucia!” he had taken three steps toward the door when he stopped short again.

  “No, wait a minute,” he told himself. “Me and Sean, we went and found Lucy yesterday. Didn't we? Yeah, we did,” he nodded to himself firmly. “Okay, that prob'ly explains the booze I guess, but what happened to my head?” he rubbed the back of his head as he turned to look at where he'd woke up.

  “Ah,” he grunted, seeing the overturned chair. “Guess that explains the knot.”

  Mystery solved, he headed for the shower.

  He needed coffee and some breakfast before he could handle any higher thinking today.

  -

  Sean hadn't realized he had gone to sleep until he woke up. As was his habit he lay still for a moment, allowing his senses to adjust to what was. . . .

  There was someone next to him. His mind raced for a moment until he remembered; Lucia Delgado had come to his room last night wanting to stay with him. He relaxed as that memory came to him though anyone watching would have noticed no change. He opened his eyes only to see a pair of bright blue ones looking back at him.

  Lucia Delgado was laying on her side, head propped on one hand, looking at him in silence. She smiled softly when he looked at her.

  “Good morning,” her voice was as soft as her smile.

  “Morning,” he nodded. “Sleep well?”

  “Like a baby,” she sighed, stretching herself now that he was awake. He very carefully ignored how that stretch just 'happened' to emphasize her curves. Maybe he'd been a bit premature calling her a little girl the night before.

  “So,” he said, rising to a sitting position. “Now that you're all rested you'll be going back to your own room then? I mean before the alarm is raised and what not?” Just as he spoke they heard a shout from the hallway.

  “Too late,” she sing-songed, smiling again. “Looks like we've been discovered, Sean Galen. Whatever will we do now?” she batted her eyes at him theatrically.

  “I assume I'm probably going to die,” he sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Why didn't you leave when you woke up?” he asked.

  “I didn't want to,” she said plainly. “I was very comfortable right here, thank you. I never realized just how comfortable these guest rooms are!” she exclaimed, bouncing a little on the big bed.

  “Neither did I,” he said dryly.

  “Now don't be like that,” she mock pouted. “There are plenty of boys who would be glad to wake up next to me!” she pretended to be indignant.

  “Then go find one,” Sean wasn't impressed. “I'm not a boy,” he added with a semi-growl. He wasn't looking at her and so missed the little shiver that went through her at the sound.

  “No, you aren't,” she admitted, laying her chin on his shoulder, one hand idly tracing along his back. “And that's why I like you. Not to mention that you're my hero!” she kissed his cheek.

  “Stop doing that!” he scolded, getting to his feet.

  “Afraid you'll like it?” she teased, sitting up on the bed.

  “Afraid someone will see you is more like it,” he replied, though without any real heat. “You really shouldn't be here, Lucia,” he told her more seriously. “It's bad for you reputation, for one thing. And I'm not the best person for a girl like you to be around,” he admitted.

  “I'm not a girl, Sean Galen,” Lucia said plainly. “I am a grown woman. I admit I may not always act like one, but I still am one. And I grew up a lot yesterday,” she added, her voice falling to a near whisper.

  “You handled yourself just fine, I'd say,” he complimented her. “You were trying to get yourself free when I found you. And you were preparing to attack whoever I might have been if you'd had the chance, too.”

  “How can you possibly know that?” she looked dumbfounded.

  “I could see,” he shrugged. “You tensed, then went slack just a couple seconds later. Completely still. That signaled you were planning to take action if the opportunity presented itself.”

  Lucia didn't say anything but her eyes told him he was correct.

  “I really did sleep well,” she settled for saying instead. “There's no way I would have if you hadn't let me stay here.”

  “Don't get used to it,” he told her flatly. “I imagine I'll be leaving today. Assuming of course that your father or brother doesn't kill me first,” he added dryly. “You'll be on your own soon, either way.”

  “Where are you going?” she asked, drawing her knees up beneath her chin and hugging her legs to her.

  “I have a job, remember?” he told her as he went to the bathroom. “I have to get back to it. I'm sure the Captain will want to know what we've been up to. And she can be pushy about that,” he said, turning on the water and washing his face. He took a new toothbrush that had been left on the sink and the paste and began to brush his teeth.

  “Why not quit then?” Lucia was standing right beside him when she spoke again. “No reason to put up with that.”

  “Ah 'ike mah 'ob,” he said around the brush.

  “You like your job?” she translated. “Well, why couldn't you like something else, then?” she asked him. “I'm sure you could find a job here,” she added. He rinsed his mouth out and began to lather his face to shave.

  “I get to travel a lot with the job I have,” he said, wondering all the time why he was explaining that to her. “See a lot of places. I like that.”

  “Well, if you stayed here, with me, then we could travel together,” Lucia said slowly, drawing out the words as if she were afraid to say them. Afraid of the answer.

  “That's not a good idea,” he told her at once, picking up a knife and beginning to shave with it.

  “There's a razor, you know,” Lucia pointed out, indicating a brand new razor lying on the sink.

  “This works just fine,” he told her, scraping his whiskers off with the small knife he normally used for such things.

  “Why isn't it a good idea?” she asked. She was jumping from point to point, possibly trying to confuse him, or else camouflage what she was really trying to say.

  “It's just not,” he told her. “I don't always do well in civilized areas,” he admitted without thinking.

  “You make it sound like you're some kind of savage!” she laughed. Her laughter died as she realized he wasn't reacting to what she'd said.

  “That was a joke,” she clarified.

  “I wasn't joking,” he told her flatly. “I wouldn't make it a week here before I killed someone.” He kicked himself mentally as soon as the words were out of his mouth. How was she getting him to talk like this?

  “That's nothing,” she waved the concern away. “People get killed here all the time. Just a way of life for us.”

  “Be that as it may, there's still some authority here and I don't do well with authority figures,” he replied. Finished shaving, he took a washrag and removed the excess soap from his face.

  “My father is generally the authority here,” Lucia said candidly. “And I'm pretty sure he likes you,” she added.

  “Until he realizes his pride and joy spent last night in my bed,” Sean nodded. “At which point I would imagine that any goodwill he has for me will go right out the airlock.”

  “It's not like you violated me for God's sake!” she rolled her eyes. “Not that I would-”

  “Stop,” Sean raised a hand to shoulder level. “Just stop.”

  “Fine,” she huffed, arms crossing beneath her breasts. “All I'm saying is that there are worse places to be than here on San Lucia. With me,” she added plainly. He sighed suddenly, looking up at the ceiling as if to say 'why me?' before looking back at her.

  “You haven't even known me a full day, girl,” his voice showed his exasperation. “You don't know the first thing about me. And how long would it be before you got bored with me? Hm? Before you lost interest and realized that your 'hero' is just a plain old ordinary guy. An engineer on a small-time space freighter. There's no
thing glamorous or heroic about any of that, Lucia. I promise.” He moved by her back into the bed room.

  “I'm not that shallow!” she shot back at him. “I may act it on occasion, not that you would know, but I'm not. And I fully realize I don't know much about you, hence my asking you to think about staying around so that I can get to know you!”

  “For what?” he demanded, sitting down on the bed, pulling on his socks and then his shoes. “What does a girl like you want to get to know a guy like me for anyway?”

  “I. . .I just think you're interesting, that's all,” she managed not to stammer too badly. “And you're still my hero, no matter what you think.”

  “I. Am. Not. A. Hero,” he bit the words out, pulling his boots on. “I never have been. You may see me that way, but that's just because I helped you out of a bad situation. That doesn't make me a hero, Lucy,” he used the name her brother had used. “It just makes me in the right place at the right time. Nothing more.” He stood, looking down at her.

  “There are things about me you don't know that would have you running to hide if you did,” he told her plainly. “I'm not a good guy. I'm not even an okay guy. I don't know that I ever was, and if I was I haven't been one in a long time. Odds are I never will be, either.”

  “I am nothing but trouble to a girl like you, or to any woman for that matter,” he continued as he gathered his things and stuffed them into his pockets. “Now, as flattering as your attention is, and it is flattering,” he promised, “it's better that you forget about it. Understand? I'm not fit company for civilized people and that. . .that's just the cold hard facts of life.”

  “It's time you got out of here and got back to your own room, or wherever you normally go this time of morning,” he said gently. “Preferably without anyone seeing you leave,” he allowed her a small grin as he spoke.

  “Fine,” she told him. “I'll go for now. But I'm telling you right now, Sean Galen,” a small finger came up to his face. “You won't be rid of me that easy!” With that she whirled on her heels and yanked open the door, not quite slamming it behind her on the way out.