Blaze: Queen’s Birds of Prey: Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Queen's Birds of Prey Book 2)

by Kathi S. Barton

  “No, you won’t. You can’t. And it has nothing to do with me blocking you, does it? You see, Piper went to the council about you. You’re no longer an immortal, Dawn.” She screamed at him and raised her hands above her head. “You can’t destroy me either. I know that for a fact.”

  The small voice in his head, he didn’t know who it was, told him to raise his arms up too. To do what she was doing. He did that and felt power that he’d never felt before rise up his arms. Just as she lowered her hands, he did as well, and the voice told him to shove it at her.

  Pushing his palms out, he shoved at her all the power that was racing over his body. Before he could begin to figure out what it was supposed to mean, Dawn slammed back against the wall behind her and a chair leg hit her in the stomach. The voice, again, told him to destroy her or he’d be too badly damaged to want to live. Raising his arms up, he did it again, shoving more magic at Dawn until he was weak with it.

  The next time he opened his eyes, not even sure when he might have passed out, he looked at Blaze. She was talking to someone on the phone as he lay next to her in the bed. Sitting up, she told whoever she was talking to that she had to go. Blaze put the phone on the nightstand.

  “You all right?” He said that he didn’t know, but he didn’t hurt. “That’s good. How much do you remember? Anything at all?”

  “A voice told me that if I didn’t destroy Dawn, then I’d be badly damaged.” He turned to look at her. “I saw a picture of you with a baby in your arms, and that gave me the extra that I needed to kill her. Why? I mean, why did she turn on me?”

  “I would imagine that in that moment she figured out that you were much more powerful than she was. I don’t think she cared for that.” Nodding, he pulled Blaze into his arms and held her as he laid back down. “She’s been manipulating a great many things we’ve only just figured out. Meeting me and the birds, that wasn’t a part of her plan.”

  “She had a plan?” Blaze told him what she’d figured out. “So, she was working this around so that I’d have to depend on her for the rest of my life? Why would she even care?”

  “Because you’re human. Or you were before meeting me. She could have had your child, and that’s what she needed to complete the circle of life that she needed. Beyond that, I’m not really sure what else she had in mind. But I do know that you wouldn’t have survived after she conceived.” He told her how he’d felt the insanity. “Yes, I’m sure that you could. But I think she’s been that way for a very long time. I believe that was why she had Curt kill her mother. So that she could get their magic.”

  “Where is it now?” When Blaze didn’t answer him, he looked down at her. “You’re not telling me that it’s mine, are you? I don’t want more magic. I hope you understand that.”

  “Too bad. You’ve gained a great many powers that I don’t have. Not to mention, the council has granted you all the money that Dawn, or whatever the fuck her name was, couldn’t have. They knew that she killed for it. It’s a considerable amount of money. Just over ten million dollars.”

  Bryson laid back down and closed his eyes. He needed to think. Needed to do something that had nothing to do with magic, money, or family. There was just too much of everything going on in his head right now.

  ~*~

  Paul loved the house. It was much larger than he thought they’d need, but he was happy that it was so close to the kids. He had to smile about that. Kids. He had a feeling that he’d been so far off the mark about calling Blaze or the rest of the women kids that he’d make himself nutty trying to think how old they might be.

  “There is food in the pantry, Paul.” He looked to where Reba was standing. “And look here. There is a freezer too. You think that it’s full too?”

  “I do. I don’t know why, but I think when they told us that they had us set up, they meant for everything.” He hugged his wife to him. “You all right with living to be thousands of years old?”

  “I am so long as you’re with me. I can do just about anything so long as you’re around.” He smiled at her. Just a few weeks ago he’d been told that she’d not live until Christmas. Now here they were anticipating having great grandchildren around. “I’ve talked to Remi about our money. She said that it was there for us to use if we wanted, but all bills and other things are to come to them. Even the staff. They’re really going to take care of us, aren’t they?”

  “Yes. And I have to tell you, Reba, I’m glad that we have granddaughters as well as Bryson back in our lives. Those girls, they already call me Grandpa. I know that I should probably call them Grandma or something, but I feel great having them here.” They both laughed. “We’re to go to Mercy’s home tonight. Joel told me that it’s going to be a hell of a party. I don’t know what’s going on, but they sure do know how to make a man feel like he’s got life again.”

  “I know what you mean. Did I tell you that I went to get my hair done yesterday, and they all showed up to take me to lunch? I could get used to this sort of treatment. I’m so glad that Bryson took us out of that old home. I was beginning to feel like we’d have our last breath smelling like old people.” He pointed out that they were old people. “I guess. But this is nice too.”

  The two of them toured the rest of the home. There were five bedrooms not counting the master suite. Staff too, and a limo for them to ride around in. Bryson told them that if they needed anything, it was theirs. Paul believed him.

  “He looks so much like our baby, doesn’t he? I mean, every time I look into his eyes, I see Rose there. I think he has a kinder heart, even though I thought that Rose was the sweetest girl a dad could have.” Reba told him about the marker that Bryson had put on her grave. “I’m going to go see it today. I have a plan to tell her all about her little boy. My goodness, it breaks my heart when I think of everything that she missed. I’m going to see it all for her.”

  “I’ve been thinking of planting a few trees in the back yard in her honor. She so loved apples. While you go to her marker, I think that I’ll have me a sit down out there and talk to her. You know how I feel about cemeteries.” He did—she hated them, mostly seeing the small gap between the years for birth and death. “I keep thinking how much more I miss her because of Bryson being here.”

  “I think that was what they were talking about when they told us to think hard on being immortal. I have to tell you, honey. I think the little pain of missing our daughter will be fine when the kids start to come around. Why that little Miley, she sure is a hoot. And so smart too.” Reba agreed with him. “Did I tell you that she’s going to come over after school and show me how to use the computer? I have a little knowledge about using it, but not enough to use it daily. The nursing home, they should have computers there for people like us. You know, so we’d have something to do rather than think about how time was passing so slowly for us.”

  “You know, I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Paul thanked her, then asked her what he’d done. “Get someone to see about computers in the homes. I mean, even if they only watched movies or played games, it would be a sight better than just reading ten year old magazines and going to bed at five-thirty.”

  “I only did that the one time. You know what happened, too, when I did that. I was up at five in the morning without anyone to talk to and nothing to eat. I hated that we couldn’t have snacks and things like that in our rooms. What’s up with that? I think they forget sometimes that we’re paying them, not the other way around.” She pointed out about allergies. “I don’t have any allergies. I should be able to eat an apple when I want to. Besides, who could be allergic to apples? No one, that’s who.”

  “You’re getting your dander up, Paul.” He laughed. “You can have an apple anytime you want now. We no longer live there.”

  “Yes, that’s right.” He pulled his lovely wife into his arms. “You’re always right, did you know that? And I love you more than I could ever tell you. Or s
how you.”

  He kissed her then, holding her body to his as he did so. Paul did love Reba, and would for the rest of his days. Knowing that she had cancer before had made him want to remember every word she said, everything she did. Even now, knowing that she was going to be around for him forever, he still tried to remember everything about her.

  “You have the most beautiful eyes, my dear. And your skin is so soft and pure. You’ve taken such good care of yourself over the years, and you’ve aged very well.” She thanked him. “Why don’t you and I go into town and have us a nice dinner tomorrow night? Then see a movie or two? I can’t remember the last time that the two of us had a date.”

  “I love that idea.” She kissed him again on the mouth before moving away. When she turned back and looked at him, he could see the sadness in her eyes. “Paul, don’t you ever leave me, all right? I really could not live without you.”

  “I couldn’t you either, Reba.”

  Looking around the room they were in while Reba went to get dressed, he saw their life laid out in pictures. There where framed pictures of him and Reba all over the room, and pictures of them with Rosemarie. The few that they had of Bryson when he’d been just an infant were plenty, but they stopped at the same time they lost his little girl. He decided then that he was going to fill the house with good memories, and replace the old pictures with new ones. New memories that included the family that he’d been given as a gift.

  When Reba came down the hall from their bedroom, he told her his plan. That they needed to get a camera that took amazing pictures. Then he remembered the phones that they’d been given, and worked to get a selfie of the two of them. He needed to get dressed as well, but he loved the way they looked together.

  It took him three tries, but he was finally able to send the picture out to his grandson and granddaughters. He was glad when they all messaged back that it was a fantastic picture. Miley told him that she was very proud of him for making it work.

  “We need to get us one of those picture frames that will change out the picture all the time.” Paul asked Reba what that was. “I don’t know what it’s called, but I’m betting that Miley does. Wouldn’t it be nice to have pictures around us all the time so we can remember every minute that we have to spend with our new family?”

  “Yes. Yes, it would.”

  Kissing her again, he went to get dressed. All he could think about was all the time they both had to make more memories. But they would not to forget the old ones while making new ones. He wanted to share with Bryson about his mother and her childhood. Then he’d do the same with all the children that came along. Rosy would be so happy to know that they’d gotten her boy back. She’d be even happier to know that he was married, and happy too.

  “Rosy girl, I love you with all my heart, and I promise you, I’ll tell the world about you so you’re never forgotten.”

  Chapter 9

  The key fit. Blaze didn’t know why she thought it wouldn’t, but when it slipped into the hole and opened the box, she let out a long breath. This was going to be the turning point for a lot of unsolved crimes. At least she hoped so.

  There were only a few things in the box. A pair of wedding rings with nothing written on the zippy bag they were in. A book, which was what she’d come to find, as well as money. Pulling it out of the box, she could see right away that it wasn’t real. Counterfeit. Wondering what that meant, she put all the things into a bag that she’d brought and put it aside. There was still one more thing in the box.

  The picture startled her when she uncovered it from under the book. Just looking down at it, Blaze wasn’t even sure what she was looking at. Then when she picked it up, turning it right side up, she stared at the photo for several seconds before it dawned on her what she was looking at.

  It was a slightly blurred picture of a couple that was obviously dead. She was sure that it was Bryson’s parents, but since she’d never met them, she couldn’t be sure. But the picture, she realized, was more than just a picture of a dead couple. It was very telling in that the man holding the gun was none other than Curt.

  He was standing over the body of the woman. It looked as if he’d only just fired at her head, judging by the small puff of smoke from the gun. When she turned it over, she noticed that there were several pictures and looked them all over. It occurred to her that they were in the wrong order.

  After setting them the correct way, she looked at them once again. She could see now that they were pictures of Curt first killing the man by shooting him in the head, then the woman. As he put the gun in Rosemarie’s hand and fired it up into the air, for what Blaze thought was to put gun residue on her hands, he stood over her, laughing.

  There had been no murder suicide, but a double homicide. Curt had killed both of Bryson’s parents and taken the baby. There was no doubt to her now who they were. The final picture was of him coming out of the house with the child in his arms. Christ, he’d killed them.

  Putting the photos in the case that she’d brought, Blaze had to sit down. This was an entirely different can of worms here. It was bad enough that he’d taken the child from them, but he’d actually killed them to get Bryson. She knew that he’d killed Dawn’s mother, but that crime was being taken care of by the witches’ council, where he would be punished much worse than he would if it were a human court. This murder would be taken to the highest courts.

  Leaving the bank, she was worried that somehow Ellen had been in on the murders. Who had taken the pictures? Who had put them in the box? Blaze thought that of all the things Ellen had told her were in the box, she’d not mentioned the fact that there was proof that he’d murdered two people.

  Then it occurred to her where the pictures might have come from—they might well have been from a recording. That would explain why they weren’t in perfect focus. They were good, but not perfect. Then someone could have slipped into the bank after it was closed and put the pictures into the bank drawer. It would have to be someone who could see into the future enough to know just where the pictures could be found. It was all speculation, but Blaze thought that she had it right. Of course, there was no way of knowing who had done it just now.

  As soon as she arrived home, she realized that she had to talk to Bryson first and foremost. He would want to know, and she would hate for him to find out about what really happened that day from anyone but her. When he came home from the meetings he had lined up for today, she almost hated to tell him. Bryson looked as if he had had a wonderful day.

  “I have a line on getting a thousand bottles of water. Not really a great deal when you think about how many people will need it, but it’s a start. Also, the man who said that he’d give me the coats? Well, they arrived today. Not only did he send along coats, but— What’s happened?” She shook her head and told him to tell her. “No, I want you to tell me what’s happened. I can see it on your face and feel it. What did you find in the safety deposit box that you don’t want to tell me about?”

  Instead of telling him, she showed him the pictures. When he sat down on the couch where she’d been waiting for him, he just stared at them for several minutes before going to the next. When he had looked at all of them, he moved back over them and studied the one where Curt was leaving the house with Bryson in his arms.

  “Do you know who took these?” She said that she didn’t, but had brought them to him. “Ellen never mentioned these. Not once. Do you think that someone else put them in the box for us to find?”

  “I don’t know. There are people that could do that, but I’d have to talk to them all to find out who it might have been.” He nodded and kept staring at the picture of him in Curt’s arms. “You do know that he’s going to have to go down for this, if nothing else. I have the book, but this, these pictures, they’re going to go a long way in convicting him for these crimes.”

  He nodded while laying the pictures down. When Bryson leane
d back on the couch, she let him think. Thinking was something that he did well. But he didn’t want to be pestered, and he didn’t just toss out ideas only to have them cut down. Bryson could have the best thoughts on whatever he was thinking about.

  “I don’t think we should take this to the police.” She started to protest when he spoke again. “I think we should give it to my grandparents. The police, I have a feeling, would just blow it off. I don’t know why I think that. But you have to admit that it’s a very old crime, and the only two people that were really hurt by it were my parents. They would just go through the motions, but not really work very hard to solve the crime.”

  “Why your grandparents? Why not you?” He said that they’d have a more vested interest in this. “You don’t?”

  “I do. But again, I wasn’t harmed by it. Neither were my grandparents for that matter. Not physically anyway. But they will put up a bigger fight than anyone around. And they have the power to back their issue about how long it took the police to solve it more than we do. Understand?” She said that she really didn’t. “My grandparents knew that Curt had killed my parents. They just didn’t know how he’d done it. This proves that not only were they right in wanting him checked out, but that there is also the added crime of kidnapping. They would take a better stand on that than either of us would.”