by Erin R Flynn
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Find A New Series To Love…
About the Author
Other Titles by Erin R Flynn
A Supernatural Script Inc. Book
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My name is Tamsin Vale and I’m the last known fairy. Someone found out and that was why I was abducted, which I survived.
And my boyfriend freaking out after drinking my blood.
And all the drama with Mel’s family.
And getting the havens running, which we received so much flack over.
And… A lot. There’s been a lot and it’s sort of a miracle I’ve not been outed or taken out.
Despite the crazy, things are back on track with Darby and I’m enjoying my fun with Hudson. I wish I could say the same about Craftsman, but I can’t. Things aren’t going well there and I don’t know what to do about it.
I’m not sure it’s even up to me.
But there’s already so much on my overflowing plate I’m not sure I can handle him and what’s going on between us—or lack of it. My focus needs to be on Faerie and my people, the fair folk who need me to protect them.
So why does it hurt so much?
At least I have a lot to keep busy with, like our friends starting their business, and the Power Playoffs… Except both come with problems and threats that I can’t hide from or ignore.
So much for the rest of the semester being calm before summer break.
Artemis University is an ongoing hot burning reverse harem, university-age paranormal academy series with darker elements, strong language, violence, and a heroine who follows her own moral compass of what is right… And who she ends up giving her heart to.
1
“It’s a quaint idea to have a shop in a little cottage like this,” Lady Catherine praised.
I swallowed a snicker, more than ready for that bitch’s insults and having read up on who all the guests were. It might have been the launch party for the company I funded for Natalie and our friends, but that didn’t mean I didn’t have to prepare like any other fight.
Or that we’d have enemies pretending to be our friends from the get-go.
I gave her a beaming smile. “Yes, I suppose given you’re used to your mate’s castle, everything else might seem small, but I’m fairly certain in the real world, anything under ten thousand square feet can’t ever be considered a ‘little cottage.’” It was hard to keep the mocking tone out of my voice but I managed it, not even flinching when several people snickered.
Anger flared in her eyes and she went to rally. “The tour was—”
“Besides, as a dragon, I would think you know that it’s not always the size of the gem that makes it valuable.” I smirked at her. “I found some of the brightest, clearest, and best cut gems, made sure to polish them up, and give them the right setting to make it clear they were my gems. That way there wouldn’t be any snakes trying to take the idea we started and steal it for their own.”
Snakes like her. I’d known from Katrina Calloway and Mrs. Vogel that there were people who wanted to start the business we planned after the booth our friends had, but knowing one of the women were coming to the opening party was just too much fun not to enjoy.
“The idea wasn’t mine though,” I said with false modesty, enjoying the steam that was coming out of Catherine’s ears. “I might be the main investor and CEO that pushed the parts together, but Katrina Calloway was a driving force as well. Plus, without Mrs. Vogel’s sage guidance, we wouldn’t have gotten so much done so fast.”
Mrs. Vogel flawlessly took the ball I punted her as we arrived at the party room. “I quite liked the boutique shops of the olden days. I loved the stories my mother and grandmother would tell me of it being an outing for ladies to a fine house that would have fabrics in one room with someone knowledgeable. Then in another would be the designers and seamstresses, all giving you personalized attention.”
“Yes, I did always like that,” one of the other ladies agreed. “Some of the human boutiques have that attention and dedication but mostly for the men with suits. It’s nice that one of our own is remembering that ladies deserve the pampering as well. Plus, ingenuity is always to be praised from any of our daughters. No need to fill another landfill and hurt our planet when magic can do more.”
“Our thoughts exactly,” I agreed, dipping my head to her. “Which is why we purchased this million-dollar estate to—”
“A million dollars?” Lady Catherine challenged with a snort. “You must be joking. Never could you purchase a property like this for that price. You said it yourself it was over ten thousand square feet. How many acres? You’re right on the Washington coast. This has to be high priced land.”
“Yes, it is, and the land was about all we paid for as the house was falling apart,” I answered, biting back yet another smirk. Hook, line, and sinker. I accepted the portfolio from Natalie and handed it over to that other lady, Lady Ruby, who was clearly one of the older and lady elder dragons. “The property was a foreclosure no one could manage to sell because of the state of the house.
“Even if it had twenty-five acres in such an area, it’s too far for a housing development and not close to a major city where it would catch the eyes of companies who do flipping or renovations. The cost of bringing all the equipment out here would be too much of a gamble. Others wanted it to split the land into several luxury vacation houses, but the golf course it abuts to didn’t want that.”
“Who did you contract?” Lady Ruby asked, blinking at several of the pictures before flipping the page. “These renovations are astounding. It’s my understanding this property was bought not months ago.”
“Yes, before winter break,” I confirmed. “Natalie’s family owns Higgins Remodels and Expansions. They did all the work on my own mansion after I inherited it, a few other properties as well. The havens and this place
, plus now they’re contractors Katrina Calloway brokers for.”
“I see why,” she praised, giving Natalie an assessing look. “I see talent runs in your family. My compliments to them. They did a marvelous job here.”
“Thank you, Lady Ruby,” Natalie accepted, dipping her head. “Tamsin gave my family the chance to shine and turn this estate, with so much potential, into a glowing portfolio of what my family can accomplish that people can visit anytime. Unlike other people’s homes we’ve worked on. That was an opportunity we wouldn’t pass up.”
“Not if one is wise and clearly your family is,” she chuckled, handing over the book to the next person. “I will remember that, as I have some areas in my country estate that I feel could use a marvelous job done with them.”
“My father would love the chance to impress you.”
“Wonderful.” She smiled at me. “Now, what fun do you have on the agenda for us today? Queen Sasha’s parties never disappoint and I doubt if she put her trust in you that this will be the first.”
“I promise you we have lots planned to entertain you,” I purred with a smirk.
“Oh dear, that sounds like you’re up to something even I don’t know about,” Mrs. Vogel grumbled good-naturedly, still giving me a curious look.
I didn’t reply, focusing on the party plan. “During the tour all of your aides have set everything up in the designated areas. If each of you would please change into one of the dresses you brought, we will proceed in a round-robin fashion so everyone doesn’t have to sit and watch as one lady is the sole focus and belle. That would take too much time and leave others to be neglected.”
Which was exactly the plan of some of the bitches like Lady Catherine who wanted to take this opportunity to preen and shine and show she was above others.
Yeah, not on my watch. She opened her mouth to say something, a few standing at her back, but the majority agreed and immediately went to where their aides were.
We designed the party room just for this use so while it was a ballroom with elegance and class, each arch also had partitions that were hidden in the pillars. They were pulled out and each lady had a room of her own for her items and changing.
We were clever like that.
And because I couldn’t deal with bullies, when everyone was finished, I went right for Lady Jean who was the target of many. They were relentless, mostly focusing on her being ugly and “fat.” She wasn’t. I had yet to see an overweight supe and yay for that metabolism but there were lots of gorgeous people who were overweight. That was bullshit.
It was really bullshit given she wasn’t fat at all, but had huge breasts and lush hips the women were simply jealous of as most dragons were tall and athletic. They were built like warriors, most muscular and lean and Lady Jean was a woman with a booty and tits most men would drool over. So, like the ladies they were, the bitches of the nobles bullied her and set her up at every turn.
Not anymore.
I used the metal plate Natalie had showed me first when renovating my house as I checked out the frumpy and misfitting dress Lady Jean wore. It was two sizes too big with no shape. Searching Lady Jean’s thoughts, I got a clearer picture of how deep the bullying went—even from her own family—and basically, she had no style of her own which was why she didn’t know her own value.
And how gorgeous she was.
“I’m going to go with some styles and options that work best with your figure, assets, and best attributes since you don’t seem to have a preference of your own, Lady Jean,” I said gently. “From there, you can find what you feel more comfortable with, like best, and work with the team here going forward. Okay? That way you don’t have to work with the failure who dressed you in this again.”
“Pardon me?” Lady Catherine demanded from her station behind me. “I have the best taste.”
I glanced at her over my shoulder, letting her see in my eyes that I knew exactly what she’d done. “Of course, Lady Catherine, everyone knows how good you are with your style. No one can be perfect though. Now we know that your style gifts don’t lie in recommending designs for others.” I gestured to Lady Jean. “Unless you think this is flattering.”
“I only worked with the canvas I had,” she chuckled.
“Well it’s good you can admit when you’re lacking,” I threw right back. “That’s the only way we can improve. Others are better suited to see gems. Good thing this wasn’t a type of business you were ever going to venture into or I fear you would have failed.”
Several people coughed or choked on their laughs or outrage at my very pointed comments. I ignored it and what she was probably going to say next, instead picturing a flattering mermaid style dress that would go well with her chestnut hair.
I picked up on several thoughts from both her and Catherine that about set off my temper but I swallowed it down as I went over the details with Natalie. The tablet showed the image over the prism Natalie was holding and she was used to how it worked so I wasn’t too worried.
“Ayesha, do a full makeover. Something quick, but flattering instead of this frumpy bullshit. We can give her the full treatment and help her aides not leave her to be chum with the elites later,” I told our friend in her mind.
She flinched but hid it well, all of them ready for me to use my telepathy to communicate with them this way for the party. She shot me a quick look. “What are you up to?”
“Getting her a deserved pound of flesh. Send her out to the carriage house to find me the moment she’s ready. I have an abusive mate to knock some sense into.”
“Be careful.”
I mentally snorted. More like she was warning me not to kill a noble dragon at the first event we were having. Yeah, I could manage that.
I’d just maim him a bit maybe.
Calloway got her wish and we added a carriage house with a super swank cigar and scotch bar for the men off the veranda. The garages were refurbished into more storage since the house wasn’t going to be lived in besides the hobgoblins that would be taking care of it so we didn’t need a lot of vehicles there.
At first the party was just going to be the women, but when their mates heard about what we had, they came with their suits as well, just as Calloway said they would. That woman was scary when it came to business. At least they were donating some of their suits for their guards and agreeing to use one of Calloway’s best tailors. He was a pompous and rude man.
But he was a smart man who saw value in our business idea and made an alliance with us early. So fine, he was who we went to and he would recommend us to his male customers as a way to save them money and curtail the spending of their mates.
Yes, because that was all elite females knew how to do in their eyes—spend money. Whatever, it was playing the game and helped us get the old suits. Plus, the douche knew we weren’t his competition. Well, not really because if people could refresh suits, they weren’t ready to tailor new ones that cost that much, so best not fight us and work together.
I made that clear when we met and my guards made it extra clear if he so much as played any underhanded pranks that might hurt a hair on my head, they would make him disappear. Funny how that scared the shit out of people.
I breezed right into the carriage house, not worried about seeing too much as the measuring, changing, and anything for the suits was done in the rooms off the bar. I locked eyes with my prey and went right for him, giving the dragon a shove right in the chest.
“I beg your pardon,” he exclaimed as his eyes went wide.
“You’re not forgiven,” I seethed, shoving him again. He didn’t stumble as bad this time, not as shocked and unready.
“Are you planning to always assault your customers, Ms. Vale?” he demanded.
Which was exactly what I had hoped he’d say. I smirked at him. “Oh, I thought you didn’t think that was assault, Lord Nicholas. Are you saying for all here that it is?” He opened his mouth to blast me but I continued. “So, you abuse your mate?”
His eyes filled with rage. “I have never. I’ve never laid a hand on my mate.”
I sneered at him. “You’ve never struck her but as you just said, shoving is assault, right? But that’s not what you tell her. It’s just a shove. You don’t hit her. News flash, you can abuse a mate and never lay a finger on them and you do. You abuse her by not being loyal to your mate every time you throw her to the wolves and enjoy that they bully her.”
He curled his lip at me. “She is disloyal if that’s what she said and I won’t comment on such unfounded gossip.”
“I’m a telepath,” I snarled. “She said nothing.” I held up my hand to hold him off. “And I didn’t get it from her. I got it from Lady Catherine who enjoys it. And you know that. Your former lover enjoys bullying your mate constantly and you let her because you hate your mate for not being Lady Catherine.” I shoved him hard enough that he went flying into the wall. “You’re pathetic.”
“That’s enough,” he bellowed as he pushed to stand and came towards me. “You’re a child who knows nothing of the world—”
“Bullshit, you pampered sheltered bully,” I snapped. “I’ve seen lots of men who abuse their spouses and just because you’re rich or a dragon or any list of excuses you can come up with, you’re no different or better than the drunk trash who comes home and smacks his wife. It’s disgusting.
“If you and Lady Catherine love each other, then divorce your mates and be together. You don’t abuse your mate because she’s not the woman you want. Be a man and set her free if you won’t appreciate the treasure you have as she’s amazing.” I flinched at what I heard in his mind. “You look down on women but you’re not even a man. You’re a whiney boy and it’s sad.”
I spun to handle my other target, coming face to face with Lord Warren, Lady Catherine’s mate. He raised an eyebrow at me, arms crossed over his chest. “And me? Are you going to start in on me next?”
My anger deflated at what I heard in my head and I closed my mouth, shaking my head. “No, and I’m sorry I made such a scene that embarrassed you when you’re just as much a victim as Lady Jean. What I heard from Lady Catherine said otherwise.”