Finn: Xavier’s Hatchlings ― Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance (Xavier's Hatchlings Book 1)

by Kathi S. Barton

  She thought he was joking. But after one look at Xavier and Cindi, Rachel had a feeling he might well be underselling the size of the greenhouse. Pulling on her sweater, she stepped out onto the back deck to see where the little people might have gone. It didn’t take her long to see. The greenhouse was huge, taller than the house by at least two stories. It was beautifully designed in the front, so it looked like a small house. The greenhouse part going out from the entrance was as long as a football field on either side. She didn’t know how it was going to work when she only wanted herbs, but she didn’t care at the moment. There was a greenhouse in her back yard, and she’d never been so excited.

  Blue came to her when she was standing in front of the doorway. “We have fruit for you now, my lady. There are trees at both ends of the building, so we can bring you things whenever you wish.” She entered the opening and saw there was more here than it looked like from the outside. “Soon we’ll weave some baskets so we might bring you what you wish. A list will be given to you daily on what you can expect in the way of fresh items.”

  “This is really huge, Blue. What will happen to all the things we’re not going to be able to eat? There are only just the two of us in the house right now. Plus, Mildred, the cook.” Blue told her all the food would be enjoyed. Whatever wasn’t used would be put back into the dirt to give it what it needed as well. “I love that idea. I’d like to see if we can give as much as is left over to other places who might not have this sort of help. Like the nursing homes or daycares.”

  “What a lovely idea, my lady.” She wasn’t sure if Blue was humoring her or not, but let it go. “Currently, we are taking fresh fruit into the house for you, as well as there are going to be small herb jars for you to use tonight.”

  Blue went over all the things they could do for her, and Rachel had a hard time holding onto her excitement. It was like a dream come true for her, having all this and not having to go without when something wasn’t in season

  Going back into the kitchen, she wasn’t surprised to find fresh strawberries and blackberries on the counter. Also, the little pots were there with herbs in them. Rachel started working right away on the rest of the dinner, ready to tackle the world if need be.

  By the time they were bringing her green beans as well as green onions, Rachel had set several of the helpers to work on a salad. Several times now, she’d had to ask Cindi if dragons ate this or that, and she’d been just so sweet about telling her things that went with being a dragon’s mate.

  There wasn’t much difference she could see between the two of them. Rachel liked meat a great deal but knew vegetables had to be consumed as well. Reminding herself to ask if someone could tell her what she was, things were being cleaned up behind her as she cooked.

  When the pies were put into the oven to bake, dinner was being plated up and taken to the dining room. All the men carried the heavily laden platters to the dining room without a word about it being something a woman should have been doing.

  Dinner was served by the faeries. It was lovely the way they seemed to be excited about helping around the house. It did worry her about getting used to such help and the little people deciding they didn’t want to do it anymore. But she would take it as she got it and have fun. When everyone’s plate was filled, they all thanked her for the meal and dug in.

  The bread was something she made for the restaurant every night. Using the magic of one of the little faeries, she’d been able to make enough so it would last the entire meal. Theo told her she didn’t need to bother with dressings either, as they could just put what they wanted on their salad when it was put before them. Not sure if it would work for her, Rachel loved it when not only blueberries covered her greens, but the balsamic vinegar dressing was a perfect addition to it.

  “I have to admit when I saw this dining room, I wondered why on earth you’d need one this large. Then when you guys started moving around, I had to wonder if it was going to be large enough.” Dover told her every room in all their homes was magical. “Really? How does it work? I mean, it sounds nice, but what will it do?”

  “This room is larger because the need was there to have it so.” She looked around as Dover explained. “If you wish more natural lighting, say some skylights in here to let in the evening sun, then it will happen.”

  Not only did the room brighten with the new addition of the skylights overhead, but the room enlarged too. Just enough so when Dover and Hadley pushed their chairs back, they didn’t touch the walls behind them.

  “The living room, where we hang out to watch the games, does the same thing. The television will accommodate us all by being larger than life. The couch will clean itself when popcorn or something is dropped on it. There is, as I said, magic throughout the house.” She asked him about the kitchen. It didn’t seem to accommodate her. “I’m betting if you think about it, you’ll know it did. Like these bowls you are serving us from—did you get them out, or were they just there when you needed them? Was the pan you needed to cook all these potatoes, something you brought here? I doubt very much anyone in this house would have decided you needed a pan large enough to cook so many bowls of fried potatoes.”

  Rachel thought about it. “You’re right. Every time I needed something, a fork, or a potholder, it was right where I looked for it. Sometimes even when I wasn’t sure what I needed, it seemed to appear in the right place.” Rachel looked at her brother. “You’ll need this in your room, brother dear, to clean up after you get home from work. Can you imagine having everything you need right there at your fingertips?”

  “I can’t. I was just thinking about having to cook for myself too.” He laughed. “Most of the time, when I’m in there trying to figure out what I need to make myself dinner, I don’t even have any idea what some of the things are called. Like a whisk—or an egg separator. I know for sure Sandra never used anything in there. Cooking for her was ordering out someplace.” Chad looked at her and Finn. “I might just stay here for the rest of my life. I never felt this welcome living at home with Sandra.”

  “I don’t have a problem with you moving here on a permanent basis.” Rachel looked at Finn, who nodded at her. “Then it’s settled. Once this is finished up with Sandra, we’ll sell off your home and move you in here. Or you could live in my home. Wouldn’t Sandra be pissed off if you did?” They all laughed, but the more she thought about it, the better she liked the idea. “Having you close would be just what I need at the end of a long day.”

  “What if you get sick of me?” She just smiled at him. They’d be all right, she was sure of it. “I’m going to remind you how you smiled at me when I suggested you’d be sick of me.”

  “All right. I just want this thing with Sandra finished.” Carson said they could finish it with her and Chad. “I think we’d like for you to. It’s become a nightmare with her stealing things and telling great lies. The sooner we can get this taken care of, I think, the sooner we can get on with our lives.”

  ~~~

  Sandra waited for her turn to talk to the judge. This was just stupid. Here she was trying to get her life in order, and people were getting in her way. When her name was called, finally, Sandra stood up gently. Last night some of the people she’d ended up sharing a cell with had taken exception to something she’d said to them.

  “Ms. Smart, it looks like you had yourself a rough night. Is everything all right?” She told him she didn’t want chit chat. “All right then. Let’s get down to business. I’ll read the charges against you, and you’ll tell me if you want to proceed with a trial or not.”

  “Not.” He told her she had to wait. “No. I don’t think so. I’ve got shit to do today, and letting you rattle on about stuff that is not my fault will get me out of here later and later. My husband thinks he’s going to leave me. Rachel, the woman who managed to wiggle her way into Chad’s parents’ hearts, has taken everything from us, and I want to go and tell her the
way I feel about what is going on.”

  “You’re here on several charges. Charges, as far as I can see, that will not get you out on bail, Ms. Smart. According to the paperwork I have, you were arrested for assaulting an officer. Trespassing and—” She told him it was her business and her home. “No, it says here as well that you own neither piece of property. The house you were living in was in Chad’s name, your former husband, until the paperwork was filed to say he sold it to his sister, Mrs.—”

  “Why are you calling me Ms. Smart? The name is Sandra Merkel. And Rachel is not his sister. Also, he’s not my former anything. When Chad’s parents were younger and oh so much stupider, they adopted that girl. This is what I was talking about earlier. She wiggled her way into their hearts, and they left her things in their will. More money and percentages of things, like Merkel’s Mark.” The judge asked her why Mrs. Manning wiggling into their hearts mattered to her. “Are you even listening to me? They left her more things than they did their biological son. And as I’m married to him, they left her more than they did me.”

  The bailiff leaned over and said something into the judge’s ear. She’d call them out about being rude, but didn’t want to get into another long argument with them about their manners. When the man stood back up, the judge looked at her.

  “There are several things here I should point out to you. First of all, the paperwork was on my desk when I got to work today. In it was the divorce papers from your husband. The note with it said you were being abusive to him, and the divorce needed to be settled quickly. Spending only these last few minutes with you, I’m glad now that I did indeed fast track this divorce. So, he is your ex-husband. Secondly, you should get your facts straight before you come into my courtroom, Ms. Smart. According to the paperwork I have in front of me now, it states the will was read, and both parties, Chad and Rachel, were present at the time of the reading. Both of them were in agreement with the way things were handled and signed off on it. Neither your name nor that of any spouse was mentioned in the will, so you have nothing to do with those proceedings.” Sandra opened her mouth but was cut off by the judge. “And since the issues you have with your ex-husband and sister-in-law have nothing at all to do with this hearing, then I’m going to ask you, how do you plead to the charges before you right now?”

  “Don’t you see? It has everything to do with the will and Rachel getting more than my husband. I went to the restaurant to tell them not to change the locks. Merkel’s Mark is mine.” He told her it wasn’t, actually. “It is until I say differently. The house is mine too. I lived there with my husband until he sold it to Rachel, probably for nothing, so she could change the locks on the doors there.”

  “I’m noticing a pattern here with you, Ms. Smart. It looks to me like you’re not welcome in either of their lives. Why don’t you just call it a day and leave Chad alone?” Sandra asked him if he was serious. “Yes. You’ve been locked out of not one but two different places in the course of a day. Chad filed for and got a divorce. And this is from your sister-in-law; it’s a restraining order for you to stay a hundred yards from her and her brother.”

  “You have got to be kidding.” He said he had no sense of humor at all. “There is no way she is going to get away with this, Your Honor. Rachel is a conniving bitch who should have been left on the doorstep, or wherever my in-laws were stupid enough to get her from. Christ. A restraining order isn’t going to be keeping me from what needs to be done. I hope you’re aware of that.”

  “What I am aware of, Ms. Smart, is that if you disregard this order, you’re going to find yourself back here in this courtroom facing harsher penalties than you are going to now. You’ve been notified the order is in place. If you go near her or any of the properties she owns, or that of the— Is Mr. Manning married to her or not?” The bailiff whispered to the judge again, and Sandra rolled her eyes. Fuck this shit.

  “Your Honor, just let me go. I have shit I have to do.” He told her to watch her language. “I will not. The last time I looked, this was a free country. I’ll say fuck fuck fuck if I want to. There is nothing you can do about it.”

  “Oh, but there is. Officer, please take Ms. Smart back to her cell. When she’s figured out I’m in charge, say next week, we’ll try this again.” The gavel banged down on the desk, and she was pulled away from the line. “Wait.”

  She knew he’d see reason. This was going to be good. With it being just before noon, she’d have the rest of the day to get ready for reopening the restaurant after having someone to go in and change the locks back to ones she could get a key to.

  “Ms. Smart, I’d like you to come to my chambers with me.” They didn’t uncuff her as she thought they might. Dragged into the room, she noticed Chad, Rachel, and the man from last night. “You’re here to bear witness to the wedding of your sister-in-law and Finn Manning. They decided having you here, now, would save them from having to explain to you that they were indeed married every time something came up about it.”

  “Whatever they do on their own time is no matter to me. Why do I even care if they’re married or not?” It was Chad who answered her. “So? Again, what do I care if he’s now in partnership with everything she owns? It can’t be much. Your parents didn’t have anything of value except the little bit of money they left you and the restaurant.”

  “No, my parents were very wealthy, Sandra. Millionaires, as a matter of fact. Most of which, as you’re aware, Rach received. I have a percentage in all of the business. Again, not as large as Rach does, but enough we could have lived a good deal better than we were. I just never saw the point.” Sandra tried wrapping her head around millions when it occurred to her what had been done. “I can see by the look on your face that you’re plotting again. It doesn’t matter now, does it? We’re divorced. I’ve decided, since speaking to my attorney, that you can have the house we shared. Rachel agreed to sign it back over to me so you’d have a place to live. Or sell it, I don’t care what you do with it now. It’s paid for, as is the furniture. The car, however, is going to be sold off. You’ll be responsible for taxes and upkeep of the house, but you now own it.”

  Good, she thought. Chad was coming to his senses about this. Once she had him at home again, Sandra was going to show him what it was like to piss her off. She looked at Rachel when she laughed.

  “What are you laughing about? Did you just hear him? We’re millionaires. I might even let you work at Merkel’s again after this.” Rachel shook her head, and the judge asked if they were ready. “Ready for what?”

  “We’re getting married.” It took less time to marry Rachel and the big man, Mr. Manning, than it did for them to kiss when they were pronounced man and wife. Rachel looked at her when the man pulled away from her. “I’m pressing charges against you, Sandra. For embezzlement of Merkel’s Mark. Also for other things missing at the restaurant. The computer, the—”

  “Why the fuck did you have to marry him in order to say those things to me? Christ, you just shackled yourself to someone for no reason whatsoever.” Rachel told her she married Finn because he was a good man and that they were meant to be together. “Christ. Give me a trash can, I’m about to puke all over the place because that was so sappy. You can’t press charges against me because I’m getting Merkel’s back from you. My husband just handed it over to me.”

  “No. I didn’t hand anything over to you, Sandra. I said that you could have the house. Nothing more than that. I won’t be paying you support. I’m not going to allow you access to my bank accounts. The credit cards you took out in your name, all five of them are your responsibility as well.” Chad smiled at her. “You’ll have to get yourself a job too. Someplace where you can get paid well in order to pay for the upkeep of your new home.”

  “Surely, you jest, Chad.” He just smiled at her. “Even if you are divorced from me—I’m not saying you are, just if—you’re still going to pay me a monthly check. I’m not going to a
llow you to cheat me out of money anymore.”

  No one said a word to her, and she was fine with the silence. As they shuffled her back out to the courtroom, Sandra felt like she’d won the lottery. A millionaire. She loved the new title. As soon as she was out of there, the first thing she was going to do was sell the home—it was much too small for what she wanted anyway—and buy out Rachel. Her home was the one that should be hers anyway.

  She was taken out to the van, sidestepping the courtroom. Sandra was confused when told that she was going back to her cell. No amount of yelling at someone to tell her what was going on would make them stop for a moment to release her. Finally, at the jail, she refused to get out until she had some answers.

  “Why am I here?” The officer told her she’d been sent there by the judge. “I’m to be released, not brought back here. I have my house and my money now, and there isn’t any reason for me to be locked up. Let me go, and we’ll pretend this didn’t happen.” Sandra put out her hands to have the cuffs taken off.

  “No. Either get out on your own or I drag you out. I’m supposed to bring you here.” The officer looked at the paperwork in her hands. “It says here you’re to spend time back here for cursing and interrupting the judge. Also, there is the matter of you not paying your fines.”

  “What fines? I wasn’t told about any fines. I was told I could go to my home.” The officer asked her who had told her she could go home. She had to think on it a moment. “Well, no one. I was told I could have the house and the money due to me when my in-laws were killed. I have things I should be doing. Not hanging around in a jail cell getting me nowhere.”