Valyn_Mystic Protectors_An Angelic Paranormal Erotica

by Kathi S. Barton

  Jenny decided to head over to the compound to tell Valyn what had happened. When she got there they were going through drills and she sat back to watch. There was something so soothing about watching someone do simple tasks like exercising in the outdoors.

  Others were working on speech, as well as common words that could trip someone up. Learning how to recognize money and the worth of each denomination. Writing a check out to pay for goods, even how to use a credit card and how to track how much was being spent. These were things that she’d never thought of as something that people like these wouldn’t know.

  “They’ve been here for a very long time, yet never thought to learn any of the human ways. They just protected.” Jenny asked Boss when he joined her if that was why so many of them were wanting to do something else. “I believe so. I have seen that they’re better equipped at keeping an eye on their humans too. How to spot a scam, and when it’s time to call the police.”

  “I was just thinking how it seems so unreal to me that they wouldn’t have picked some of this up. But I guess, as you said, they were only there to protect.” The two of them watched the field for a little while longer. “I had a productive day. But now that I think on it, I got at least two people fired today. I don’t know if that was such a good thing to be happy about.”

  “You did what was right for the children, all of them coming and going through those classrooms. Think how much better at being around strangers your sons would be if they’d had the proper care, or someone to take the time to see what was going on. They might not have spent so many years in such an abusive home.” She nodded and told him it was still difficult. “Yes, I know that as well. Sometimes it’s harder to do the right thing than the one that isn’t so smart. I heard that your mother came to see you all.”

  “She did. And now she’s in jail. I had no idea she was wanted in other states. I mean, I guess I could have figured that out, but she really hasn’t been all that good of a person.” He didn’t say anything, for which she was grateful. “I’m going to go and see her today. I have a few things I’d like to clear the air with her about.”

  “You should do that. I’m to understand from a contact of mine that she will be moved to one of the states that she has a warrant in to have her day in court.” Jenny said that she’d heard that as well. “I think you should take one of the other women with you. Not because you need protecting, but it would be nice to have someone there when she gets to spewing forth her belief about how you have mistreated her.”

  “Yes, well, she’s been telling me that for a long time. And the fact that she left me beside the road, while she went on her fun, in her mind was saving me. I don’t understand her. Or even people that treat their children this way.” Again he said nothing, but she could see the pain in his eyes. “Are you getting enough rest? I mean, I know from Tholan that you never sleep. But you are taking a little time off now and then, aren’t you?”

  “I come here when I can get away. I wanted to talk to you about Valyn. I despaired of him falling in love with you. He had his heart hardened long ago.” She said that he’d told her. “Did he tell you also that he would have nightmares for a very long time after that? Even before you came, I think they were still plaguing him. But he’s been well since the two of you have been mates. I thank you for that.”

  “It was my pleasure, actually. I’m in love with him, and I don’t think I could have been this loved by anyone else but him. And now we have children of our own. I love them to pieces too.” He told her as it should be. “Who is next on your list of Mystics? I have an idea, but will you tell me who it is?”

  “Tholan. I think he will be the hardest of all to convince this is the right thing for him to be doing. He has had his heart broken as well, but by his own deeds. He does not get out as much as I’d like for him to either. That is why he has so much trouble relating to the others.” She said that she’d thought that he hated her for a while. “He doesn’t know how to show that he likes someone. It’s been...I was going to say that it isn’t in his heart, but that’s not right. It’s his head that prevents him from being one of the greatest Protectors ever created.”

  “The woman that comes to him, she’ll need to be very capable of kicking his butt but good.” He laughed and she smiled. “You should do that more often—laugh, I mean. But Tholan, I’m not sure if he’s had that particular emotion taken out of him at some point. He needs to laugh more too.”

  “I hope for the same thing daily.” He nodded toward the field. “I do believe that they are ready for their lunch. You go and tell Valyn about your visit, and I will work on what I have in store for our Tholan. And please don’t tell him. It’ll be more fun if he is unaware until it’s too late.”

  “I won’t tell anyone.”

  He nodded and told her goodbye just as Valyn joined her. After the two men shook hands, Boss disappeared and she and Valyn went to the large dining area. She couldn’t wait to watch Tholan come to terms with someone to love him.

  ~*~

  Kala had jumped at the chance to go with Jenny to see her mom. The woman should have been horsewhipped a long time ago for what she’d done to her child. But, if she was honest about things, Jenny might not have turned out so nice had she been able to hang out with her mother and been a part of her deeds.

  “She doesn’t like me.” Kala stared at her before bursting out laughing. “Yes, well, I guess you would know that. I think that everyone does.”

  “Yes, I heard that one of your sons punched her in the mouth. I wish I could have seen that. It must have been a sight. I do hope you sanitized his hands when she was taken away.” This time Jenny laughed. “They’re coming along nicely, the boys are. It’s hard for me to believe that only a week ago they were terrified of everyone and wouldn’t allow anyone to touch them.”

  “I know. But they were still healing from some of the wounds that had been inflicted on them. And then the accident too. Every time I close my eyes, I can still see Connor attached to all those machines to help him breathe.” Kala said that she might not have driven again. “I didn’t want to, but Valyn said that if I didn’t right away, then I never would. He assured me over and over that it was an accident and those happen to everyone.”

  “He’s too smart for his own good, that one is.” They were at the jail when Kala turned to Jenny. “Why are you doing this? Seeing your mom, I mean. You know that whatever she says to you, it’s either going to be a lie or something that she wants to hurt you with. I don’t want you hurting that way again.”

  “Neither do I, but I’m doing this for me, not her. I need for her to know that this is over, there will not be any more visits, and I’m not going to give her any money. I don’t know that it will work, but that’s the plan.” Kala got out of the car when Jenny did. “Besides, I’ve heard that she’s been bathed, and her hair fixed. While I’m not sure what that would entail—it was all nasty if you ask me—but she might be better to stand next to now.”

  “I heard that she was foul smelling. Hopefully they get her to take a shower every day, or it won’t be as pleasant at the next place she goes. Where is that, by the way?” Jenny told her that the larger crime that she had committed was in Georgia. She’d go there first. “What was that one, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “Armed robbery, and a hit on a liquor store too. She had people with her, and I guess if she gives them up, it will lessen her sentence. But when I spoke to Renie about it, she said that with all the other charges she has against her, she won’t be getting out for a very long time, if ever.” Kala knew that she’d serve each sentence consecutively for each state she was tried in. “On a more pleasant note, the boys both tested higher than their grade level. Connor is a whiz at math, and one of the teachers is going to have one of the high school teachers come over twice a week to challenge him with harder things than he will get in second grade.”

  They were in the jail now, and one of the officers was leading them back to the cells. He was t
elling them not to be too surprised by her appearance. The hair had to come off, as it was full of lice and other things. Also, while she was clean, she still had a strong odor about her.

  Kala watched Jenny brace herself to walk down the short hall to her mom’s cell. It was the last one in the row of cells, and if she wanted to, they could leave and Beth would never know they were there. But Kala was there for support, not to talk her out of seeing her. Jenny was a lot stronger than she was. Kala would have just left Beth to rot her ass in jail for the rest of her life.

  Their footsteps seemed to be loud in the otherwise silent hall. She thought it odd that all the other inmates were as quiet as church mice. Looking in a couple of the cells, she noticed that no one was looking at them after the first glance. Kala was glad for that. She didn’t want them trying to talk to them today.

  “Mother.” Kala looked at the woman in the cell when Jenny called out to her. “Mother, I’ve come to tell you a few things.”

  “I don’t give a holy rat’s patootie what you have to say to me. So, fuck the hell off if you’re not here to bail me out or give me some cash so I can pay these fuckers off to let me slide on by them.”

  Kala watched Beth. She looked all of her fifty years and more so. With her hair gone she looked thinner, gaunter than she imagined she’d be. There were sores all over her face and arms, and it looked like she’d been scratching at them until they were bloodied. Her lips were dry, and it looked to her like they were peeling off. Then her smell hit her.

  “Holy crap, you still smell like the back end of a horse’s ass.” Jenny laughed. Beth, however, didn’t think it was the least bit funny, and came at her, screaming. There wasn’t any way that she could touch her, but Kala still backed away from her. “You need to back up, woman. Otherwise I’m going to be sick all over you.”

  Beth didn’t move, but she didn’t try and grab her again. Jenny just stared at her, and Beth seemed more interested in her dirty nails than her only child. When Jenny said her name this time, forgoing calling the woman “Mother” anymore, that finally got her attention.

  “What the hell do you want, Jennifer? I guess that’s what you go by now. That fucking shit, your husband, calls you that. Are you all formal now that you married above your paygrade?” Jenny asked her what that was supposed to mean. “You’re nothing but white trash and always will be. Your father could be any one of a million men that I slept with, and none of them were very smart to begin with. Hell, for all I know, you could be some foreigner’s kid. That would be just dandy, don’t you think?”

  “I couldn’t care less how I was conceived. And for the record, I knew you were a whore before you left me by the road that day.” Jenny smiled at her and Kala looked at Beth. Whatever Jenny said next, it was going to be impressive. “I found your mother and father. We’re going to have dinner next week when they come to town to meet my sons.”

  “You lie. They’re both dead.” Jenny just stood there. “What the fuck are you going to them for? You got enough money. Are you hoping that they’ll leave their long-lost granddaughter all that they have? They won’t. Because they hate me that much.”

  “Yes, they do. And you might be happy or not, I don’t care, to know that you have a sister and a brother. Your parents adopted them when you left home.” Beth called her a liar again. “No, I have no reason to lie to you, as you have me all of your life.”

  “So the fuck what? You going to go home and cry on your pillow because your mommy treated you badly? Grow up. No one cares how I treated you, and I doubt very much that your husband knows all about you either. I give you six months. Wait, that won’t work, will it? You already have kids older than that. Did he have to marry you, Jennifer? Is that the reason that you got such a rich fuck to marry you?”

  “You can think whatever you want about myself and my family. But I came here to tell you that you’re no longer going to be able to contact me. There will be no visits to you while you’re in prison. No money for you to try and bribe someone to let you out. As of when I leave here, you no longer exist to me or my boys.” Beth laughed, and Jenny took a step closer to the cell. “You might want to ask your doctor what sort of things you might have picked up with your habit of borrowing needles, Elizabeth. I think you only have about a year left anyway.”

  With that she turned and walked away. Kala stood there for several seconds, just watching Beth as she dealt with what Jenny had just told her. When Beth finally looked at her, she asked her if that was right. Did she really have that queer disease?

  “You’re a piece of work, aren’t you? Christ, and to think that you birthed that wonderful human being. I want to personally thank you for leaving her beside the road that day. I can’t even comprehend what was going through your mind when you did that, but I’m glad you did. She turned out to be a human being of worth, while you are nothing but a.... You know, I have no good name to call you. Everything I can think of pales in comparison to what you are.” Beth told her if she came closer to the bars, she’d show her what sort of person she was. “Yes, a bitch to the very end. No, I think I’ll go with my friend and laugh about the pitiful woman that we left here. You are a sick fuck, and I’m so glad that I got to be here when Jenny told you.”

  She walked away then. Beth was screaming at her to come back, that she wanted to know what Jenny was talking about. But she didn’t even turn around. There wasn’t any point in standing there talking to a woman like her. She was only out for herself, and Kala wanted no part of her madness.

  Jenny was sitting on one of the benches outside the station house, holding her face up to the sunshine with her eyes closed. Kala wasn’t sure that she realized she was there until she spoke to her.

  “My grandparents were so happy to hear from me. They said that they had written Beth off years ago. And they’d not known that she had abandoned me.” Kala asked her how she’d found them. “Boss helped me some, but Dusty did the rest of it. They’re not going to see Beth. I don’t think it would do them any good to be insulted or hurt by her. And she would, simply because she can.”

  “You’re right about both of those. She isn’t even close to being nice. She’s like, mean times a million.” Jenny looked at her with a smile. It was a good one too. “How about I call in the other troops and we have dinner in town? Just the women. It’ll be fun, and I think you can use it.”

  “I could, and thanks, I like that idea. Valyn said that he was getting off early and picking up the boys. They’ll love having manly time with him.” Jenny stood up and hugged her. Kala asked her what that was for. “You gave me strength in there. I didn’t get in the mud with her, so to speak. I let her say what she wanted, then I said my piece. I think that I’ll rest better now knowing that she can no longer hurt me.”

  Kala thought it would be a long time before her friend rested easy. She would still have feelings about her mom, no matter what sort of person she was. As they drove to the restaurant in town, Kala wondered if her own children would be the same way. No, she’d not be someone they would hate. She’d love them forever.

  Epilogue

  Tholan looked over the rotation again. He had sent it to Michael, as he did every week to let him approve it. There had never been any changes before, and he was flabbergasted to find that he’d marked through a couple of the names and put Tholan’s there. He couldn’t be a Protector. He just couldn’t. He went to find Michael to ask him about it.

  “I’ve been thinking that it might do you some good to go out once in a while. You’re always stuck in the office, and you’re getting behind in some of the things that are going on this century. It will be fun for you.” He shook his head, his heart going so fast that he was sure Michael could hear it. “I can partner you with someone if you would like. I know that it has been a very long time for you.”

  “You keep saying that. It’s been a long while because I want it to be.” Tholan let out a long breath as he tried to control his emotions. “I cannot go back and mess up again, Michael. You
know what happened the last time I was there.”

  “I do. And I believe that everyone would think that you’ve more than paid for what you’ve done. You made a mistake; we all do, and you’ll be fine.” Tholan shook his head, his fear of screwing up making him ill. “Why don’t you go and talk to the others? Riss and Galin, any of them, for a few pointers.”

  “No one has ever made the mistake I have. That woman wasn’t to die, and I took her too soon.” Michael said that he was aware of what happened. “What if I do it again? I might, you know.”

  “No, I don’t believe that you’ll ever make that mistake again. I have faith in you.” Michael smiled at him. “You’ll do fine, Tholan. As I said, it will be very good for you to get out again.”

  Tholan made his way back to his office. He was going to mess up again, and this time there wouldn’t be any making up for it. This time he’d be cut asunder by Michael. There was no coming back from that. Michael’s sword was made just for that.

  He was sitting at his desk again, his head in his hands, when he felt someone in the room with him. It was Boss, and he hoped that he was there to tell him that Michael had made a mistake and that he’d not have to go. But he sat down and asked him if he was excited to be going out on a mission.

  “No, I’m not at all excited. I’m terrified, if you wish the truth of the matter. Please tell me that you will reconsider this. I would rather watch a worm than to be with another human. And worms, you know as well as I, are very boring creatures. But I won’t harm one of them should I make another mistake.” Boss asked him if he would purposely harm a human. “Goodness no. I’d rather cut myself than to harm even a hair on someone’s head. No, but I might make another mistake.”