When she stepped on the porch, Sienna went completely still for a second, and Kallie knew she’d picked up the flow of her emotions, not just the arousal.
“Here.” Sienna held a large brown envelope out to her and their fingers touched—skin against soft skin.
A spark of pleasure lighted in Kallie’s stomach and a tapping sound coasted to her ears. She frowned, wondering where the noise was coming from. She knew it, had heard it before, but being away from here, from her own kind, she’d forgotten what it meant.
“Your mother asked me to give this to you,” Sienna said.
“Thanks.” She raised her left hand to brush a wisp of hair that had escaped her braid from her face, and she watched Sienna’s gaze track her hand. A small butterfly tattoo with copper and black checks across its back from wing to wing adorned her ring finger. The wings were spread wider than normal and the colors were more vibrant.
“What are you doing tonight, Kallie darling?”
Kallie blinked. “Uh—”
“I’d like to come over for dinner or take you out.” Sienna reached out to stroke her knuckles along Kallie’s bare arm.
Heart thudding hard, she looked up. She knew she had to tread carefully, or she could find herself caught in Sienna’s web before she knew what hit her.
“To discuss the house?”
“We can talk about whatever you like,” she murmured. “Besides, I am your coven sister, and I was your mentor.”
Bitch. She knew she was trying to resist her. A knowing smile tugged at Sienna’s lips. She couldn’t say no. It could be misconstrued as a rejection of the friendship of a high-ranking member of the coven. It was cause for censure, shunning, or even blocking her training when it was time for her to take the next steps to becoming a high-ranking member herself unless she had a real reason for the rejection. “Okay.”
Sienna smiled, mischief gleaming in her eyes, and she laughed. “I’ll see you about seven?”
“Seven will be fi—I don’t have anything in the fridge.” No good southern girl allowed company over without something to serve them.
“No worries, Kallie darling, I’ll bring something.” She grinned. “Seven?”
She nodded and watched Sienna turn and stride away. Her gaze went to the sway of her hips. That gentle movement was seductive, almost animal-like in grace that was alluring. She was almost six feet of long, lithe woman and the flex of her taut ass told her Sienna still took great pride in her body.
She tore her gaze from Sienna and a light breeze caressed her cheek just like her mother had that last time she had spoken to her before the fight, before she stormed out, before she allowed her anger to keep her from speaking to her mother again.
A tear coursed down her cheek as regret seized her by the heart and held her tight. She lifted her hand to wipe it away and remembered the envelope Sienna had given her. She quickly went inside and opened it once she stepped into the parlor, finding inside a photo album and a note.
My dearest Kallie,
As I write this I regret I’ve allowed so much time to pass before telling you that I love you and I’m sorry. You are a most precious gift to me, and I miss you. I miss the spirit of you and your laughter, but I don’t suppose I am the only one.
You’ve always wanted to own a B&B and this house would be perfect for one. I smile with pride to think of the business owner you’d make. You’re strong and smart, and I am proud of you.
I was never happy about your sexuality. I had rather see you promiscuous than a lesbian in the closet or otherwise. I know you stayed in the closet and dated very little because of me. I pushed you on boys I liked and thought would give you a good life, but I never took into consideration your happiness. None of them would have made you happy. They would have given you the children you wanted, but never the love.
I’m prepared to accept who you are and to see you with her. It will be hard, and my coming to terms will probably take longer than I hope. I won’t try to come between you although my first instincts will be to do just that.
Love,
Your mother.
* * * *
Sienna climbed out of her truck at the office, not fifteen minutes later, with Kallie on her mind. She’d felt Kallie’s overpowering desire to touch and be touched by her. She’d also felt her need for comfort, and her fear of being in that big house alone. Rather than ask her to stay, Kallie had kept her silence and that pissed Sienna off. Her sweet little butterfly was trying to keep her at arm’s length when she needed her most.
“Sienna!” The sound of her name jerked her head around. Her gaze went over the island of oaks and winter flowers before falling on the tall older man striding toward her clad in a pair of old work khakis and a T-shirt. Her lips pulled into a smile of greeting, and she went to meet him halfway.
“Hi, Dad.”
He put a hand on her shoulder when he reached her and gave it a squeeze. “Hey, my girl. Did you get over to the Checkwing’s?”
“Yep.” She nodded.
“Does Kallie want to continue the work or sell it as is?”
Her father was starting to gray at the temples after one hundred and seventy years of life, but he was still fit as a thirty-year-old. His beard was neatly trimmed and his black hair cut short. His golden brown skin was indicative of the Creole blood that ran through his veins. He was a box spider from New Orleans raised on traditional spider values. Two parents raised their children together in a monogamous relationship.
“She wants the work finished,” she answered. “She mentioned she might sell after the case is solved, but I think she might change her mind.”
Kemp Haze, studied her with a concerned frown. “The sheriff doesn’t have any leads,” he murmured. “With no apparent reason for Maggie’s murder, the coven is meeting tonight to decide how best to protect Kallie until this is over.”
Snowy copper butterflies were mutations of the checkerspot butterfly and were generally prone to allergies, small and non-aggressive. They were usually protected by the more aggressive checkerspot males, but Kallie had no male family to do that. As a result, her protection fell to the male members of their coven.
“Of course I’ll be part of the detail,” Sienna said with a frown because the meeting wouldn’t even include women. The males of the coven were traditional in their beliefs in the roles of men and women and protecting Kallie was a man’s job.
“I know you and Kallie are good friends, but we’ll handle it the way we think is best.”
Did he really think that was going to fly?
“You need to let us handle this,” he said firmly. “She doesn’t need you and your BDSM bullshit right now.”
She glared at him. Her father wanted a straight daughter, and he hated her lifestyle. He’d always viewed Kallie as a fragile, submissive butterfly who needed the right man in her life.
“She needs time to rest and heal,” he said. “She needs time to figure out where she goes from here.”
“I am where she goes,” she snapped as she pressed a finger to her chest. “She is mine to protect, and I will not shirk my duty while you men sit around and plan.”
He pushed out a rough sigh. “Damn it, girl, you’re more arrogant than any young man I know.” Kemp shook his head, consternation in his eyes. “Don’t you force yourself on her.”
There was no need for force unless her father and the rest of those asshole males thought they were going to put a male enforcer on Kallie to protect her.
Sienna gave her father a cold glare. Did he really think that was going to fly? “You have your meeting, make your decisions, but I am in charge of my woman, not you. As such, I will be leaving early.” She stalked toward the building, leaving her father to follow. She knew he was angry. Box spider males expected their females to take the traditional role of following, but she hadn’t been the little submissive since she could walk. She wasn’t about to fall back into the role now.
* * * *
Kallie climbed out of the sh
ower and toweled dry with a feeling of anticipation and apprehension warring within her. Her butterfly was happy to be home again and near the one woman that made it flutter its wings in delight. The other part of her was afraid of being hurt and used. Sienna had made it clear she wasn’t capable of being with just one woman.
She was also afraid of pursuing her dreams of owning the B&B, too, without her mother here to guide her. Her mother had been a strong force, a woman who knew how to protect and lead yet nurture.
Kallie reached for her favorite moisturizer—alluringly musky lavender. Her mother had been a great mother, and she wanted a family of her own too. She had known for the last few months she wasn’t going to find that in the city with a mortal woman.
She padded into her lavender and pink bedroom and came to an abrupt halt. She cocked her head and strained hard as her eyes fell over the plain lines of her Shaker-inspired bed. Danger, sharp and cold, brushed her psychically. A clicking sound made her tense.
Kallie hurried back to the bathroom to grab her robe from inside the adjoining walk-in closet that led into her bedroom. She tugged it on quickly and heard a crash from downstairs and jumped. Her heart stopped, and a cold chill traced down her spine. The silence around her was unnatural and disconcerting.
Then, the lights went out, and fear gripped her with a merciless hand as she stood in the middle of the room, rooted to the spot. A loud bang from downstairs sent her scurrying to the dresser for her cell phone.
As she started to punch in 9-1-1, a dull thud against the window jerked her around to face it. A large shadow played against the curtain and she stepped back. Stumbling on something, she dropped her phone, and her heart pounded so hard in her chest she thought it was going to explode.
It was a large scorpion in his human bug form. The tail rose to smash her window and something snaked around it. Then the scorpion fell backward and a hard male cry pierced the air.
She rushed to the window and yanked back the curtain in time to see the scorpion taking human shape. He struck out at someone, landing a punch before he was hit back. The power play of fists with a symphony of grunts went on for a few minutes before the scorpion hit the ground with a hard thump.
She didn’t see him in the silver of moonlight, so he must have shifted into his micro or normal arachnid size. That might aid him in his escape since scorpion poison was stronger than most butterfly venom.
The scorpion’s poison was more potent but not deadly unless the butterfly had a genetic defect or compromised immune system that left it defenseless against animal shifter venom. However, it would slow a butterfly down, giving him a chance to escape.
Kallie let down the curtain and hurried to find her phone again. Just as she found it, a loud rap sounded at her door. She tensed. She wasn’t a fighter and would be defenseless against a scorpion. Although her immune system wasn’t compromised, the genetic defect that made her a mutant also left her vulnerable to the scorpion’s venom.
The knock came again more insistent, and she hurried downstairs the door that connected the two additions. “Sienna?” she quizzed. She could see out into the breezeway and blood stained the glass insert.
“Kallie!”
With shaky fingers she reached out to unlock and then open the door. She felt sick when she saw the blood on the floor and a male body lying there on his side. “Oh my Goddess.” She breathed shakily and Sienna moved quickly to block the sight.
“I’ve called the sheriff, baby, just relax.” She hugged her and smoothed her damp hair. “Go back upstairs and get dressed. I still expect that dinner,” she murmured against her ear.
Kallie blinked as Sienna leaned back from her. Her gaze unerringly tried to find the man on the floor, but Sienna grasped her chin and forced her gaze back on her.
“Hey, do as I say, or I’ll paddle you, and I really love to use a paddle on a fine woman’s ass.” Kallie’s eyes widened. “You’re not moving fast enough. I think little Kallie wants me to introduce her to a little discipline.”
“I—”
“Get dressed. I’ll have the lights back on in a second.”
She nodded and hurried up the stairs, too shell-shocked to do anything else.
She supposed this answered any questions she might have.
Whoever had killed her mother wasn’t done yet.
Chapter Three
After dressing and braiding her fire-red hair, she crept downstairs to silence, but the thrum of energy told her Sienna was close. She assumed she’d gone back into the Victorian so Kallie headed toward the breezeway. It opened into an enclosed sunroom with a glass wall that overlooked the garden and a skylight of frosted moons. The concrete floor shone in the dim light, but the space was devoid of anything including the body that had been there moments ago.
“Sienna?”
“Miss Checkwing.”
She pulled up short as a man clad in a police-blue shirt and pants came out of nowhere. “Is that you, Charlie Weed?”
The dark-haired male gave her a welcoming smile. “I heard you were back.” He went to give her a hug. “Wow! You still look the same.”
“You’re still cute as ever,” she said, smiling. She had dated Charlie for nearly two years, and her mother had still thought he was the perfect man for her eight months ago. He was a beta monarch butterfly who would provide well for her and love her but wasn’t the dominant spirit her butterfly craved.
“Awe girl,” he said and blushed. “I tried to talk to you after the funeral, but your coven elders wouldn’t let anyone near. I’m sorry about your mom.”
She nodded and squeezed his arm, taking comfort that she hadn’t known she needed. “Thank you, Charlie.”
He nodded. “Everybody will miss her.”
She knew when someone said that here, it was true. She nodded again.
“The sheriff is checking out the back of the house. Sienna said she saw someone out there.”
“I saw a shadow after the lights went out.”
“We got one of the guys.”
“Is it the guy w–who was on the floor in here?” she asked wincing.
“He’ll be fine,” he said. “It looks like they tried to break into this part of the house. Then, Sienna knocked him out. That damn girl is so aggressive.” He shook his head. “She could wrestle a bull and win.” He laughed.
Kallie laughed, too. She rather liked that assertive side of her, but she had no idea Sienna could knock out a fully grown man, especially another shifter.
“But it’s probably a good thing she is, or the guy might have gotten away.”
“Oh.”
“You want to have dinner with me tomorrow evening?” he asked. The hope in his eyes was a bright light that nearly blinded her. “We can talk about old times.”
She smiled at him. Charlie would be so safe and so faithful. He would never break her heart. At the same time, he’d never spark passion in her with a mere glance.
“Charlie, you’re such a charmer,” Sienna drawled in a mocking tone as she entered the room.
Kallie detected a chill and saw the glitter of disdain in Sienna’s eyes but if Charlie noticed he didn’t show it.
“Yeah, I—”
“Should get back to work.” Sienna turned her gaze on Kallie as she went to stand next to her.
Kallie shivered as those caramel eyes darkened and the flecks of red stood out in sharp relief.
“The sheriff will be in, in a minute to talk to you.” She captured Kallie’s hand and brought it to her lips. She kissed the palm, keeping her eyes on Charlie as she did so as if she wanted to make sure he saw.
Kallie shivered at the territorial look on her face. Sienna had just made a statement that even Charlie couldn’t miss. Being the beta he was, she knew he’d back down from a dominant like Sienna.
“I better get back to work,” Charlie said quietly and crossed the room, shoulders slumped like a dog with its tail between its legs. He picked up the black case he’d left open next to a window. “You’ll
have to get some of the windows replaced.”
“I’ve already called my dad,” Sienna assured her as she released her hand. “He’s sending over some boys to board them until they can be replaced.”
“Thanks, Sienna,” Kallie said, her eyes on her as she moved toward Charlie. She watched as she knelt down to speak to him. Before her curiosity could run away with her, the six-foot-seven sheriff strode into the room, all dark skin and skin-fade haircut. Donald was a sexy man with a contagious laugh, and he’d been the sheriff since she was a teenager.
“Miss Kallie.” He gave her a nod as he approached. Her gaze wandered to Charlie and Sienna before he took her elbow and led her into the original section of the Victorian. The corridor just off the kitchen was aglow with soft light, and as he led her past she saw a man moving around inside.
“What’s he doing?”
“Dusting for prints,” he told her. “The east parlor is a mess and it looks like the thieves were looking for something upstairs, too. I don’t want to scare you, but it’s likely the work of the person who killed your mother.”
His words barely registered as she looked back wondering why Sienna was so interested in Charlie. She’d been talking to him long enough to have warned him off her ten times.
A splash of anger mixed with jealousy and her nails elongated to the claws they became in her butterfly form.
“How are you holding up?” Donald asked.
His voice cut into her thoughts but not her jealousy. She drew in a slow quiet breath as she replayed his last words in her mind. The funeral would have been hard on her had she not had the help of the coven elders. They’d swarmed around as if it had only been yesterday since they’d last seen her.
“I’m managing.” She sat down on the soft cushion of the settee with her back to the door.
His large dark hands covered hers and she looked up at him. He gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re safe now.”
Training an Unruly Submissive Page 2