by L M Lacee
Storm asked Charlie. “Do you know how to find this judge person?”
“No but I will find out.”
Eventually with much grumbling from Stan and Storm they arrived on the main road of the small town that seemed to be the shopping street. Several people walked or hurried by the four large… well three large warriors and one dressed for battle female. As the four walked along the street a skinny young boy who seemed about twelve or thirteen came out of a shop and walked straight into Charlie. She grabbed the back of his neck and lifted him an inch off the ground as the males watched with varying expressions of amusement.”
Charlie growled as she asked. “So do you know the judge?”
The poor boy shook so hard they could hear his teeth chattering as he nodded. Charlie shook him slightly, he gulped and stammered in a high pitched voice. “Yea…yea.”
“Good, where is the judge?”
The scared youth almost fainted with fright as his wide terrified eyes looked into the hardened eyes of the three males, then travelled down the bodies of the leather clad males who were armed with swords and long knives. He pointed down the street further to a two storied building. “In…in there!”
“Thanks.”
When Charlie let him down and he felt his feet touch the ground he almost squealed in delight. She released his collar and they watched him as he ran away fast without looking back. “Interesting technique.” Stan said. Reighn asked “I do wonder what happens when the male is too big to dangle his feet off the pavement?”
“That is why I have guns.” She told them as she started walking towards the building. Storm grinned. “My shadow is resourceful.”
“She is full of something alright!” Stan muttered.
“I heard that Stanvis.” Called back Charlie.
“I was sure you did!” He called to her as they started to follow her. “You live dangerously.” Reighn murmured.
“Nah! She likes my Jacks as does Sage.”
“You would think that would protect you, but we know differently.” Storm told him as Stanvis stopped walking “What are you saying?”
“You live dangerously.” Reighn told him as he passed by him. Leaving Stanvis with a frown of worry on his face.
After two minutes of walking Reighn and the other three found themselves outside an imposing brick and glass building.
CHAPTER TWELVE:
A fter a quick walk up the two fights of narrow stairs they arrived at a small landing, making it necessary for the three males to wait on the stairs as Charlie pointed to the door marked MAYOR. She nodded. “He is also the mayor, Sparrow told us.”
“Busy male.” Commented Stanvis.
“Very!” Reighn murmured. Charlie, who was in the lead with Storm at her back pushed open the door and arrived at a small reception desk, with a thin grey haired woman sitting behind it. “Ca…ca…can I…I help you…” She stuttered to a stop as Charlie raised her hand. “We are not here to hurt you. We would like to see the judge. Is he through that door?” She pointed to the closed solid wooden door. The female nodded as Reighn said. “Dear Lady go home. It will be better if you do not come into work for a few days, do you understand?”
She nodded once again and took out her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk. She stood placed her cardigan around her shoulders and they moved back so she could pass. She looked over the four people and knew her boss was a dead man as she came level with Reighn she looked up and said. “I sent a message to the authorities last night is that why you are here?”
Reighn took her hand in his. “Partly Mrs Harris it was very brave of you.”
She smiled. “My mate is a cheetah he hid his true nature for many years until he went wild and ran off. I hope every day he will return to me.”
Reighn lent near her and looked into her eyes, so she could see the sincerity in his own eyes. “Send me his details. We will have someone look for him. If he is still alive we will find him and let you know he is safe or return him to you. Either way you will know what happened to him.”
Stanvis handed her a card with a number on it she looked at it then nodded with tears in her eyes. “Thank you.”
She looked at the door. “What he is doing with those men and the other things, it is all wrong. I am glad I am helping to stop him. I should have done it sooner.”
Reighn told her “We all do things when we are meant too. Now was the right time. Go home Kate. We have this.”
“Yes.” They waited until they could no longer hear her descending the steps they had just walked up. Before Reighn signalled Storm to enter the inner office.
“Remember the cattle prods.” Charlie reminded them as she thought about what she has just heard, apparently Sage was not the only reason Reighn, Lars and Stanvis were here.
Storm with a hand on the door and about to open it pulled his hand back, he nodded to Charlie. “Thank you I had forgotten.” He then took a step back and rammed the door with his foot shattering the four inch wooden door into splinters. “Well done.” Stan said admiringly. “Good solid technique.”
“It’s all about technique with you isn’t it?” Charlie asked as she followed Reighn into the room, he nodded “Of course, good solid technique carries us forward, ask Uncle Andre` if you do not believe me.”
Reighn ignored their chatter as he with Charlie beside him walked into the large office to be confronted by the tall male, mouth open standing behind his desk. “Sit please.” Reighn said as he moved and took a seat opposite the male who without thought followed the order directed at him. He sat back into his seat and cleared his throat. “Who are you? What did you do with Kate?”
Charlie took the other chair beside Reighn as the Judge’s eyes followed Stan and Storm while they both trolled around the room. Charlie said bringing his attention back to her. “She has taken the day off. You are Judge Ian Sampson?”
“Yes, I am the judge and mayor of this town.”
“Good.” She looked at Reighn who had been studying the male. He was not at all impressed with the tall for a human, thin male who was not well muscled and would never be able to stand up to training. As he and his males did. He had grey in his hair and brown eyes which shifted constantly. Reighn did not like him. When he spoke, he did not temper his voice as he had done when speaking to the secretary his voice he knew was cold as he asked. “Why did you not ask, why are we here?”
“I do not know. I do not know who you are?”
“I am the Dragon Lord overseer of all shifters on this world for the Elementals who have returned to earth.”
Ian Sampson raised his eyebrows and felt sweat break out over his body. He, like every Governor or Mayor of the United States had received notice of the Elementals and the Dragon Lord. He however was under the assumption the male and Elementals never left their place, wherever that was. He wondered if Dragon Lord was just a title. Like Mayor or was this man implying that he was a dragon? If he was then he was obviously delusional and could he use that against him. Reighn read every thought the male had and more. He wanted to just turn him to ash right there but thought better of it. A leader should have some decorum or so his Dam told him.
“I see.” Ian Sampson swallowed the bile that shot into his throat.
Reighn smiled as he looked the male’s desk over. “No, I do not think you do. Explain to me why you think I am here?”
“Again I cannot.”
“Really? Yet I have just released from your cells some of my people. And I have warriors questioning males who were driving trucks that were on their way here to pick those same prisoners up.”
Ian Sampson was no fool. He could see where this was going so he threw his cousin, with his new sheriff Jenkins under the bus. Or into the hands of the dragon sitting opposite him. Without remorse he told them spreading his hands wide in entreaty. “All I can surmise is my sheriff and his deputy Jenkins have gone rogue.”
Reighn looked at the male. “So they put this all together is this what you are saying?”
“Well yes, it stands to reason. They must have come up with this plan behind my back. I would never allow this to happen here.”
Reign nodded. “I see, Charlie if you would please.”
She turned the Judge’s phone around and hit the number that had Ned beside it. Hoping Andre` and Lars would be at the Sheriff’s home by now.
While Reighn and his trio were walking to the town, Andre` and Lars walked into the sheriffs home. Just as he was to sit down to his morning coffee with his wife Cathy. They both looked up in surprise as Lars pushed the door opened and he and Andre` walked into the kitchen. Ned reached for his gun which would normally be resting on his hip. Seriously! He kicked himself. This was not a good day to give up his gun. Andre` smiled. “Forgive us for startling you. I am sure you sheriff Sampson know who we are?”
Ned relaxed back in his chair taking hold of his Cathy’s shaking hand. “I have a fair idea.”
Andre` bowed slightly as he addressed Cathy. “Madam, I am Andre` Kingsley Uncle to the present Dragon Lord, this erstwhile young male is Prime Lord Lars Axton second to the Dragon Lord.”
“Hello.” She said bravely. “I am Cathy Sampson, wife to my Ned.”
Andre` inclined his head “We are here to bring to a halt a travesty before it happens. May we be seated?”
“Please do so and what travesty is he talking about Ned?” Her voice took on a hard tone as she asked her husband knowing that she had been right he was not home early for no reason.
“So I am going to assume by your attitude you both know who the Dragon Lord is?” Andre` asked the couple who both nodded as the sheriff answered.
“Yes, we received a notice about him and the Hunters and Shields as well as the Elementals.”
Cathy smiled. “My Ned tells me what he can, he told me about you all.”
Lars asked the male. “And yet you still took down the males that arrived in your town yesterday?”
Ned hung his head as shame coated his thoughts. “Yes!”
Lars was confused, here he was presented with a large well-muscled male who obviously loved his shadow and felt shame for what had happened. As well as what was to happen and yet he sat here and did nothing. Lars said. “I do not understand. You were willing to allow them to be sold like animals. Why?”
Sighing Ned answered. “I did not want too.”
“Oh Ned no!” His wife pleaded. “Say you would have not allowed that to happen?”
“I resigned, I told him it was wrong.” He pleaded with her to understand what he was saying. She shook her head her eyes downcast. ”Cathy… my Cathy he is my cousin and our mayor.”
She snapped her head up, her eyes fill of fire and disgust as she told him. “He is a nasty evil little man. You were not here but I know he rigged that election to become mayor and now he is a judge, this is all wrong. You are twice the man he is and always were, and I thought always would be.”
Ned took her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles sadness crowded into his throat. “Oh Cathy I am so sorry. I should have listened to you and trusted my own instincts.”
“Yes.” She said softly. “You should have, you fought for us. I thought for all of us. No matter who we were.”
“You know I did. It is what I believe.”
Andre` asked softly. “So why would you go against your own integrity?”
“I am ashamed to say. I do not know why.” He looked at his wife. “I just do not know why?”
“Because he is family and together we have so little family.” She looked at Andre` and Lars a deep hurt in her eyes. “I am unable to have children, so we tend to cling and…”
Lars said. “It is hard to believe family will betray your trust. We pray each day they will see the error of their ways.” They both looked at him and nodded. “Yes, that is what we hope for.” Ned said as he held tight to Cathy’s hand. Just then the phone rang Cathy got up and answered it.
“Sheriffs residence…oh…oh of course. It is for you.” She told Lars as she hit the speaker button so they could all hear. “Lord Andre` and Lars are you alright?”
“We are.” Andre` assured Charlie with an eye roll for the two people sitting at the table who managed to crack a smile each. “Good so are you with the sheriff?”
“We are.”
“Okay well kill him.”
“I beg your pardon?” Andre` asked shocked a little at her casual tone. Lars remained expressionless. As the couple cried out in alarm Andre` waved them to silence. “Well, the Mayor has said this is all the sheriffs idea his and a deputy named Jenkins arranged the sale of the Elves and the escape tonight.”
Ned rose slowly white with rage. “That son of a bitch is a liar. I never did that. I would never he is a lying dirty bastard.”
Andre` eyed the male. “So he is lying?”
Hoarsely he stated. “Yes, I may be guilty of nearly allowing this to happen, and I hope I would have come to my senses before the trucks arrived. With my Cathy’s help but I would never arrange this.”
“But you allowed the deal to be made!” Lars quietly stated. Ned agreed his head high as he looked both males in their eyes. “For my shame I did. But I swear I did not believe it would happen. Who would come here? We barely are surviving as it is. We have lost most of our citizens. We are a dying town. I just never believed it would happen.”
“Thank you!” Reighn said through the phone, Andre` bring Sheriff Sampson and his delightful wife to Dragon’s Gap they need to learn what we have in store for their town. Lars explain it to him and have him and his lovely wife pack a bag.”
“Yes my Lord.” They both said as he hung up. Ned asked. “What does all that mean?”
Cathy laughed. “Oh my Ned it means we get to go on vacation. Now would you all like coffee or tea while I pack?” She smiled at her bewildered husband.
Reighn looked at the male who had paled as the sheriff had spoken. When Charlie replaced the phone. Reighn said. “You picked the wrong side, did you not?”
“Please, you do not believe him do you?”
“Of course I do also I have corroborating evidence. You are a very detestable male who has run this nice little town bankrupt of people and money. For your own gain. You have a valuable commodity at your doorstep. Which I am sure your residents do not know about and which could have placed your town on the map. Yet you as the mayor did nothing about it.”
“What are you talking about?” He asked fear evident in his voice. Only Stanvis was not surprised by Reighn’s revelations. Storm and Charlie eyed him and the Mayor wondering where this was going. Stan said as he looked at a book as though he was not really intersected in the conversation. “The water you had tested and surveyed five years ago.”
Ian Sampson scoffed and flicked his hand on the desk casually, like what Stanvis had said meant nothing. “It all came to nothing if that is what you are referring too. Several of the older residents talked about its healing qualities but it failed to have any.”
Reighn sighed as he stood. “You cannot seem to help yourself from lying we know you have been trying to make deals all over the world to sell the rights to the water.” Stanvis replaced the book and moved closer to the desk. “We know you have driven owners from their lands and brought it for pennies on the dollar for yourself, so when you have finally procured a buyer you stand to make a lot of money.”
Reighn looked at him with disgust. “Foolish male!”
Ian stood and smirked knowing this male could do nothing, it was too late for them and the town now. “You think you know everything. You know nothing, as of this morning I have a buyer. The deal is as good as signed.”
Reighn smiled. “I know as I said foolish male.”
Stanvis was the one to smirk now. “Sad that all your hard work was for nothing you will never know how rich you could have been. The town will I am sure, thank you in the future for all the effort you put into the exploration of the water and securing their future, and the future of the town.” Ian’s face was goin
g slack as the fill impact of what they were saying was filtering through his mind. Reighn held his arm out for Charlie. “Charlie my dear it is time for us to leave.” She nodded and went to him with one long look at the male who was slowly realizing his dreams were about to be over. Reighn told him. “My warriors will explain why you should always look after your people first, you I hope will carry the lesson into your next life.”
He walked from the room with Charlie by his side without looking at the shattered male. As she skipped down the stairs after Reighn, she read the message on her phone. When they reached the last step, she told him. “We have to go to the witch’s house, Sage and Phoebe are still there.”
“Alright.” Reighn agreed he then said as the exited the glass doors. “This is a nice town.”
“Yeah, I suppose.” Charlie agreed with him not really seeing anything special about it as they walked along the main street. “So is the water that valuable?” Reighn laughed. “It is very valuable a fortune is to be made from it. The town will benefit, and shifters will have a safe place to live.”
“Oh so you are going to make some deals of your own then?”
He smiled as he looked at her. “I will, with the new mayor.”
She grinned broadly. “Huh you brought the whole town didn’t yah?”
“Of course I did very early this morning after the very brave Mrs Harris contacted us.”
While Reighn was discussing revelations with the Mayor. Sage was having a conversation with the witches. Sonia hurried back into the room with a book, the spell drawn and written carefully out in detail. Sage read over the notes looked at the drawing and nodded. “I see where you changed it and for that I will grant you a reprieve.
“You will?” Sonia looked relieved and faint, her sister looked startled but more suspicious. “Why would you do that?” Before Sonia could scold her for looking a gift horse in the mouth. Sage said. “I refuse to waste talent, why are you only hedge witches?”
“It is what the females of our family have always practiced.” Linda told her with dignity.
“Of course I meant no offense. I forgot we tend to be traditional. But ladies you are much more than this.”