“I will.” He pointed to the bed and she sat down. “I am, as I have explained, a protector. The others, they were mated to their mates, the females of the family, in secret. Boss and Michael threw them together and let the feathers fall where they might. But in the end, as he will tell you he is all the time, Boss was correct in the pairing. You and I, we’re not different, I suppose. But he has put us together in a different way. He wished for me to be your friend and you mine first. All the other urges, such as sex, have been put on the back fire.”
“Burner. What do you mean, all the other urges? And sex?” Tholan told her. “So, once the two mates come together, they’re horny for each other to the point where they might have sex within like, minutes of meeting.”
“I can only guess what the word horny is, but if it is as I think, then yes, they are very horny for each other. But there is also a great deal of fighting.” She asked him when he’d found out about this, and not to dismiss a fight. “No, I will not. But I only found out about it when we were in the living room of Riss. After your dream. Michael told me.”
She stood there for several seconds. Then a minute of pacing. When she stopped and looked around, Parker thought that this was as good as any place for a fight and yelled for Michael and Boss to come to her now. When they both appeared in her room, she drew the sword that had been given to her and pointed it at Michael’s heart.
“Which one of you will die if I don’t get some answers right now?”
Chapter 5
Boss had nearly burst out laughing several times already. The woman was just as he’d thought she’d be. Loving, and mean when pushed. And right now, Michael was pressed up against the wall of her room begging for help from him. Boss might have helped but he was dangerously close to laughing, and he was afraid she’d turn the sword on him. But it was Tholan who cooled her temper.
“I do not believe you can kill him. You might nick him a few times, but—”
Michael cut Tholan off before he could continue. “Tholan, you are not helping me. Please do not tell her those things. I should like to be unharmed when I return to the other realm.” Michael looked at Boss. “Will you stop laughing for two seconds and come here and talk to Parker? She might do more than nick me, and then turn on you.”
“She cannot, and this you are aware of.” Boss laughed out loud now. “Parker dear, if you were to put away the sword for a moment or two, I shall answer any and all questions that you have. Oh, before I forget to tell you, the demon is free to continue with his plans for now. I have a plan that will benefit you more than you can imagine.”
“Well, aren’t you a wealth of not good information. And with this guy, I don’t know. I can imagine a great many things to do to him. Like having him tied up by one leg hanging from the nearest tree like a fucking pinata. He might not have candy in him, but I’m sure that it would be just as delightful for me to bang him around for a few days.” Boss laughed harder. He wasn’t sure if it was from the look on Michael’s face or what Parker had said. “Then there is you. What if I stuck you over a pit and roasted your ass for a while? Do you think you’d be tender?”
“Nay, I would not.” He snapped his fingers and Michael was returned to his realm and her sword was put away. The pouty look on Parker’s face nearly had him doubling over again, but this was serious, and he needed to calm the young lady. Then the most incredible thing happened.
Tholan took Parker into his arms and held her while she cried. It wasn’t anything that he had expected—hoped for, yes, but not expected this soon. He had thought that they’d take their relationship slowly, the two of them getting to know each other, but their attraction for each other had gone beyond what he’d stipulated with his powers; they were already a couple.
“Don’t you think I’ve had enough stress? I’ve only just gotten out of prison, and my stepmother has turned me over to a demon, who thinks it’s his life’s work to annoy the shit out of me. You turn up at the strangest times, and you took away my plaything.” She glared at him. “You had better do some explaining, or I’m going to find me something else to hurt you with.”
“I wanted you to be safe. I have thought of Tholan as your mate for a good many decades. I thought him to need someone like you in his life. Someone that doesn’t pull back when necessary. A woman that would take him to task should he need it, but who could also be soft when needed. And you have both done that.” Parker pointed out that Tholan was right there. “Yes, I think that he should hear this as well. But the two of you, you have gotten to the point in your relationship that should have been decades away. Or at the very least after you have become partners in all ways.” She asked him what in all ways meant. “Sex. And in love.”
“I don’t understand this. You picked him out for me, or whatever, decades ago? Before prison?” Boss told her that it had been before she was born. “That’s not...I guess it is possible, but why me? And none of this bullshit about me being someone strong. In the event you didn’t notice, I’m about as far from strong as a turtle on his back.”
“You are much stronger than you give yourself credit for. Both of you. You just needed the right person to bring it out of you. And you have for each other, beyond what I thought was possible.” He smiled at them both, and he could see that Parker was getting her dander up. If that saying was apt for someone, it was her. “If you would see your way to it, I would like to marry the two of you right now. It would go a long way in making you safer, Parker. And I think that Tholan would feel better if he could stay here, rather than lurk outside your house.”
“I do not lurk. I was simply making sure that nothing untoward was coming for her. That stepmother, she is going to be causing us all trouble, and I do believe that you know it. Of all the things to say to me. I do not lurk.” Boss nearly laughed again; the man was as indignant as he’d ever heard him. “And only should she want to marry a man such as me will your services be required.”
“What sort of man do you think you are?” Boss was curious about this as well and waited for an answer. “I mean, I’m not going to marry anyone, but why do you think that you’re—I don’t know, less than someone else?”
“You think me foolish.” Parker cocked a brow at Tholan and put her hand on her hip. “I think me foolish then. You could do much better, I think. I’m a protector who has messed up terribly, and—”
“We are not going to go over that again. I have told you, Tholan, everything worked out well. And even though at the time I was mightily upset, I am no longer, and I do not think that you should—”
“Hush.” Boss was taken aback. He didn’t think anyone had ever told him to hush before. “What did you do, Tholan? I’m sure that whatever it was, you’ve paid your price. And if you will remember, I’m just coming out of prison myself. I might not have done anything to warrant it, but I was there because the law sent me. And how does society see me right now? An ex-con with a great deal of shit going on. Whatever you’ve done, I’m sure, as mouthy over there said, you’ve more than paid the price for your actions.”
“I took a woman too soon.” Boss held his breath. He didn’t want this brought up now. Perhaps never, but he said nothing as Tholan continued. “She was hurt, and I thought her dead. But in the end, her life, that of the man she was to marry, generations of children that might have been born to her, were wiped out. Her mate, the one set to marry her, had no one to love in his life. It was something that I have thought about my entire life since then. You have nothing to be ashamed about that has happened to you. You were just a spawn in all this.”
“Pawn. And I was. But as I said, that doesn’t mean much to some people.” Parker turned and looked at Boss. “You set us up to come together. I have no reason to think that you’ve made a mistake, but if you would please explain to me how this will benefit us both, then I’m willing to listen. Tholan has come to mean a great deal to me. And while I’m not sure that I love him, I’m sure that I could be happy being with him for the rest of my life.”
“You’re immortal.” Parker said nothing but looked at Tholan. “He didn’t know. And I swear to you, Parker, it was my intention to tell you, but with this demon and you seeing him, it has thrown my plans and thoughts off a bit. As I told you before, I cannot see things going on in the other world. But as soon as you told me what you knew, I made sure that I got as much information that I could. And I have it.”
“So, I’m immortal. What does that have to do with this? I’m assuming something is about to occur and you want...I have no idea what you want, but I’m betting that it has something to do with what you’ve found out.” He nodded and glanced at Tholan. “Does he know?”
“No, not as yet. It is why I came here, to tell you what I knew, ask that you marry him, and to get a look at the piece that you have of him. And please, do not say his name aloud. You have contact with the others in the group now, all of them. So, if you must mention his name, say so with that link.” Parker told him that she could do that. She went to the floor and pulled up the rug there. “If you were to allow me to simply put my hand on that device, I can see into it. You do not have to open it for me.”
When he put his hand on the unopened safe, he saw what he’d been asking about. He also saw that the letter from her father, as well as other items, were still in the safe, some of them yet untouched. He wondered if she was waiting or if she’d simply missed them. Moving the items more out in the open, he took his hand away and nodded to her. They made their way to the living room, where Maggie was there waiting.
“Miss, I didn’t know you had company. I should like to speak to you when you are free. It is...it’s important.” When Maggie put the thick envelope in her pocket, Boss sent a little more strength her way. Maggie would do this and make the household better for it. “I shall bring in some scones, warm from the oven, and tea then.”
Before anyone could answer her, she left. Boss looked at Parker. She was thinking hard on what to do. It was in her nature to hit things straight on, but in this, it was better that Maggie come to her. Things, he knew, were never as easy as they seemed. Nor as difficult for one person as they might be for someone else. It would work out, this he knew.
“As I have said, I should like to have you wed. Being done by my hand will give you so much more than you both have now. And in dealing with this particular demon, you will need the strength of this as well as the rest of the Mystics. I have it on good authority that you will have your license to practice law reinstated should your sentence for the crimes that you did not commit be removed. Is that true?” Parker was lost in thought and he asked her again. “Is it true then? You could become an attorney as you should have been all along?”
“Yes. I guess. I’m not sure that I’d be any good at it anymore.” Tholan asked her why not. Boss wanted to know was well, although he could guess. “I’ve been to prison. I know how they are treated, the inmates. And a great many of them profess to be innocent. While I’m not stupid enough to think that they all are, I do think that a great many of them are in there because of bad representation. I was actually thinking that I’d like to help with the charities and such that are going on around town. I certainly have enough to keep me busy for a while.”
“I have a great deal of money as well. We all do. I do not know if I’d still be getting paid or not, but I’d enjoy you using it for good as well.” Boss said that they’d both be paid, a goodly sum too. “There, see? We have plenty of money for you to help with.”
“You both will. And with a license, you’d be able to help with all the paperwork that comes with running charities, as well as corporations such as the one that the others are thinking of opening.” He had only heard about the corporation from Michael; it was still being talked about by the others. “Not to mention, you’d keep them out of hot water should it come to that. I know that there are rules in donating money, as well as costs that come with that. I think that you’d be able to help them in all sorts of ways, my dear.”
“All right.” He looked at Tholan when she spoke. It was him that asked what she was all right with. “All of it. Marriage, licenses if I can get them back, as well as the magic. But I do have two things that I’d like to see happen. There was a woman that was in one of the cells close to mine. I would like to know if she really did kill her family because a demon told her to. Also, the cook at the prison—is she using poison to kill all the inmates off that use catsup? She seemed like she was just a little off—but then, I’m hardly a judge of that.”
“Yes, she did kill her family because of a demon. But, as I have said before, I cannot see things in the other world until it’s too late. She is happiest there, I think, where the other world demons cannot get to her. It is what kept you safe for all those years.” She nodded, then asked about the catsup. “No. Just a nasty rumor that was started before she was incarcerated. It was the previous cook that was poisoning the inmates. But she has been dealt with. I believe that she is being taken care of by the state and is living out a happy life away from the kitchen.”
When she seemed satisfied with the answers, he pulled the rings that he’d had made for these two from his pocket. They were getting a great deal more than the others. It was necessary for them to have it. But until she had told him about the demon, he’d not a clue why. Boss decided that he’d be much more diligent from now on about his plans.
Taking their hands into his larger ones, he looked at them both. They were in love, just the beginnings of it, and Boss thought that he might well enjoy watching it blossom between them. The rest of them had come together hard. Their anger at each other was also fun, but this was something that he would enjoy more. Romance was a beautiful thing, and he was so glad that it had been something that he’d figured out long ago.
“These rings are made of my love for the two of you. Magic to keep you safe, and a bit of myself so that others, otherworld creatures, will know that not only are you mine, but that you will forever be in my heart.” He kissed their cheeks and gave a bit more of himself to them before continuing. “Forever will your hearts be one. Your children will be safe as well. Anything and everything you do, it will be for the good of the world. And no one could ask for two better people to do that than the couple before me.”
Tholan was shy, but then so was Parker for all her troubles. So when they only touched their lips to each other’s cheeks, Boss took away the hold that he had on them and stepped back. They would be stronger than anyone that he’d ever created before, and they would need to be.
“Now, I should be going. I have a great many things to do between now and forever.” He laughed and was happy that they did as well. “I think that you should go to the compound and let them know what has happened today. I love you both.”
Going to his office, Boss sat down at his desk. It was easier on him now, the work. It wasn’t as hard on him as it had been so many years ago. There were so few people in the world then that Michael and he had been there for each passing. Then it was as if he barely had time for doing what needed to be done. Now, even though it was still stressful at times, he was getting more done, and he was getting out of the office more. That, to him, was the best of the best.
~*~
Parker went to the kitchen with Tholan. She had to talk to Maggie anyway, and thought this was as good a time as any to tell her what she knew. Also, she wanted to be able to tell someone that she was married, and Maggie, while she was in trouble, would be the best for her to talk to about it. As they sat at the kitchen table, Maggie pushed a thick envelope at her.
“Before you were arrested, Mr. March came to my husband and I and, uh—told us that we were to get a cut in pay. That the household was spending too much, and since we lived on the grounds in the cook’s house, we shouldn’t have as many bills as the rest, but we did. We had our own power and water bills like the house did. And we didn’t order our food with the household. We did our own shopping.” Parker opened the envelope and looked at the paycheck stubs that were in it. She was stu
nned to see how much they had been cut. “We didn’t have the funds to even feed ourselves after that. It was as if—well, we thought your father was punishing us for something, and we were to speak to him the morning after he was arrested.”
“How long? When was it that Mr. March cut your pay?” She knew but wanted to know it from Maggie as well. “Six years. He took half your check for six years. I wish you’d have come to us, Maggie. This is not what my dad would have done, and I know that he didn’t order this.”
“We took food.” Parker nodded. “And a little of the petty cash when we were going to get our power cut off. I know that we live in the house, but there were expenses too. When I’d try to tell your father about the stove that went out or the furnace that had stopped working, Mr. March said that he’d handle it.”
Maggie started to cry, and Parker took her hand in hers. It was almost scary to see how much she had suffered; how cold they’d been living back there until the weather turned. She decided right then and there if Mr. March weren’t already dead, she’d kill him herself. There was more too, things that Maggie wasn’t going to bring up, but Parker pushed her, not sure if it worked until she started talking again.
“My Lanny, he got sick that year. The cold was too much for him, and I nearly lost him. Had it not been for the insurance that was provided, I don’t know what would have happened to him. We’d hide in the house on the coldest nights…to keep warm, you see. I felt horrible about it, knowing that the mister was only trying to save money. But when Mrs. Brooks came into the house with new shopping bags filled with things that I’d have to wash and iron for her, it made it hard for us to want to stay around. Then I heard that you were in prison, that you’d done it for your daddy. And that was when we decided to stay. After Mr. March passed, our checks were the same as they’d been before. We’ve been putting the things back that we took. The list of the food and other things are there as well, and how much we have paid back. It’s not a lot, I’m sorry to say, but we’ve had to catch up on our other bills or be tossed out.”
Tholan: Mystic Protectors: An Angelic Paranormal Erotica Page 7