by Erin R Flynn
I used the bathroom and went through my nightly routine only to find Brax in nothing but shorts and with his wings out. He held out his hand to me, and I went over to him, climbing up onto the middle of the bed and then sort of rolling into his embrace so I didn’t hurt his wing.
“They’re pretty damn durable, and you weigh like two pounds,” he chuckled as he hugged me to him, bringing his other wing down on me.
“They are so soft,” I moaned, squirming against the softness like I’d never felt before. Hunt jumped up onto the bed and gave me a worried look like he was going to get yelled at like a bad dog. I had such a soft spot for animals—even when I knew they were shifters and people—so I couldn’t even think about being mean to his wolf. I patted the spot for him, and he carefully laid there.
“You good?” Brax asked.
I went to answer, but I had this feeling that something was coming again and I wasn’t going to be enough to stop it and keep us all safe. I shook it off and told him I was fine, but I was pretty sure it was a lie.
It was as good as I ever got. That was the truth.
I had such low expectations that really it was pretty sad most days.
7
I woke to Hunt eating me for breakfast and Brax kissing me silly while letting me feel how happy he was to wake to me and naked was even better. Brax hid his wings, and we moved to the shower. I gave Hunt some relief while Brax took the chance to touch me a bit more as he washed me. Hunt took care of the rest of me, and by the time they were washing my hair, I was mush, completely mush.
And then they deep conditioned it, and I almost had to lean on one of them to stay standing.
When we were done, I used my magic to finish getting ready, dressing myself in a white, high waist, super short flare skirt with a black off-the-shoulder, ultra sexy, long sleeve crop top. I rounded it off with knee high black boots and my hair down wild and fun makeup. I turned and let them see.
“Yes?”
“Yeah, it works for you, Soraya,” Hunt muttered, clearing his throat and looking me over. “Really works for you.”
I smiled at him and changed his collar so he wasn’t popping away to where I was. “I’ve got a few things to handle. Thanks for the shower, boys. See you at breakfast.”
“I’ll be there,” they said together. I wasn’t sure how angels handled normal things like getting ready or changing clothes, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t be taking him long to do it.
I popped over to The Resort and found Helen all over breakfast. Today was some beignet truck along with the others for some extra fun. She gave me a look and headed my way, not saying a word until we were at the front desk. We checked with them, and everything was fine, no complaints, and all the guests seemed happy.
“Did you have a dream?” she asked me quietly.
“No, just still feeling like I’m not going to be enough for whatever is coming,” I admitted with a heavy sigh. “I think yesterday went too well. Even with James being a total douche, nothing blew up.”
“Yeah, there’s at least one tantrum the first day, and we’ve never had so many people, so I think I’m in shock,” she admitted. “We didn’t even get one emergency call at the stores that didn’t have healers yesterday because they were helping. Everyone was nice, and we’re switching which stores today so… Nothing ever goes this well.”
“We’re just that good?” I tried, biting back a smile when she snorted. No matter how good we were, we couldn’t control other people being assholes. “We threw them off with the level of spoiling, and then I dropped that huge bomb on them. Most seemed in shock for a variety of things.”
“Can you do it again because it’s nice for there not to be huge bitching out?” she teased me.
“I’ll get right on that,” I drawled. It did give me an idea thought. “Let’s have Jerome bring over an array of spell stickers and the condoms we’ve decided on already. Let’s tell our friends what we’re up to and let them see how we’re expanding in ways they can’t. Plus, it’s the perfect setting for them to let loose and play.”
“I was thinking a car, but that might be better,” she agreed as we headed back.
Yes, a car might have been the only thing to outdo what I’d done the day before, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to go to that extreme.
I met up with Brax and Hunt and told them of the change as we headed out onto the terrace to get food. I received several compliments from other elders about how festive and perfect everything was.
“Thank you, I have a truly talented coven who puts it all together,” I said, making it clear that I didn’t do it and I gave credit when it was due.
“I wish we could do this once a year, tribunal or not,” Cameron admitted. “There’s no real good way for any of us to have a vacation. Safely.”
“True, but this was a huge thing for my coven,” I reminded her, as it would have to be done by me to have the security they wanted.
She shrugged. “I would help. Have each elder help with some of the catering or bring their own people to help feed the vamps if we can’t have humans. I could have had some of mine perform with some fun. Your people do the teleporting all over the place and you give the security, and we could absolutely do the rest.”
A few others echoed that, and I promised to think about it, wanting to rub my hands in glee. It was a perfect idea to show solidarity and make them nice to my coven always, as they’d need us for their relaxing fun. I caught Helen’s gaze and saw she was of the same opinion.
We survived by being smarter than others, and that was a smart move.
I sat on Brax’s lap while Hunt moved in ridiculously close so I was basically sitting on both of their thighs. We fed each other, and I had a moment to wish I could always have this. That maybe love could be this simple and nice.
And then I yelled at myself for being so stupid to hope. Enjoying it while it lasted was the way life worked. Nothing more.
“I think I’m going to use a lot of magic at the farms and greenhouses we visit today to boost production,” I teased Hunt, brushing my lips over his. “What will you do to your master if I do?”
“Everything,” he growled. “I will do everything to you and everything you want, Soraya. I’ll make sure to have extra breakfast so I’m loaded up.”
I smirked at him. “Yes, we should make sure you let out a good load.”
Brax choked on his coffee, getting the innuendo. “I’m going to be hard around you constantly.”
“Only if I do my job right,” I teased him.
It was time for court to start, and I was annoyed with Colin again, as I’d been having fun. We all headed to the event room with plates of food and more trays waiting for us. Everyone else seemed to be of the opinion I was and ready for this to be over. But I understood their need to see it through. Some of them barely knew me. If they were going to be party to the execution of an elder, they needed all the facts.
Hell, I respected them for that and not being able to be fooled.
First, we listened to the testimony of the five hawks I’d rescued with the help of my translation spell. The elders asked a few basic questions, mostly about the hawks they knew who had been killed for trying to escape being forced to make babies. That was a huge no-no across the board. We didn’t force our own to mate or procreate.
Which was why most hated the enchanter elders—and even enchanters—on so many levels, as they threw people out of covens for not doing just that. They did it all the time.
It was how over half of my coven had come to me.
We finished all the food and then the amazebowls that were brought in. Next came Colin’s interrogation.
“I can’t listen to any more of this crazy,” Bacchus said about an hour in. “He’s guilty as fuck and enough. Sitting here listening to his madness won’t change anything but give us more upset. Sentence him, let this settle, and we can convene on how to handle the ripples of this. Personally, I think all the shifter elders of that area should work to
gether to handle those kettle leaders and investigate if they were forced or willing.”
“I agree,” Sangria said. “Plus fixing the problems of bringing random women into kettles and the lies that were told. Maybe get some of them out of Russia where it’s not safe. I think that should be up to the shifter elders present, and if they need our assistance in any way, we are here for them.”
That seemed to be the agreement across the board, and I was all for it. Mostly because I had my own piles of shit already. The shifters could handle this one, as it was one of theirs.
“Instead of just draining him, is there some way you could use his chi for good?” Cameron asked me. “Whatever you’re doing in Peru?”
I nodded. “Or I could put it towards refreezing some of the polar ice caps like I do when my energy spirals out.” I shrugged when I got a few dozen shocked looks. “Yeah, I don’t make that public knowledge, but I’ve done it a few times. It’s been so much better having a collar tied to me that they help fuel and keep me even that I might think to do it more often now and again.”
“You mean tie the chi of like a whole pride to you for a day while you help the environment?” Cameron checked.
“Not what I meant, but yeah, that would be a huge help,” I admitted. “I could do a lot of good with that much power.”
“Might be an idea of how to spank the groups who have been misbehaving with you,” Bacchus suggested. “Let’s get on with the tours, and then you can show us what you plan to do with Colin’s chi.”
“Fair enough.”
It was actually the perfect timing, as Helen came in with a bunch of enchanters pushing carts for lunch. We were having a few options, poke bowls along with fried chicken sandwiches or wraps from a food truck called Free Range LA that were amazing. Jerome joined us with the list of where was best to go, along with Hunt and Brax once they learned court was over.
I brought everyone over to the biggest farms that were also the biggest pain in our asses. A pride of leopards in Sri Lanka was our biggest provider of tea leaves and seemed to forget much of their history.
I let the Alpha explain about their setup and business as the elders ate and walked along to see the fields of tea plants and harvesting. He showed the process after harvesting to dry out the leaves, though some were immediately picked up by us, as we needed them freshly picked for a variety of reasons.
“It’s impressive,” Cameron praised, everyone able to understand each other because of my translation spell. “To have built this whole everything for your pride is truly impressive.”
“Oh, sorry, he didn’t build it,” I purred. “I did.” I rolled my eyes when the Alpha gave me an angry look. “Yeah, I’m going to let that go. You’ve kept it going, and that’s impressive, no doubt, but you had none of this before I helped you.”
“Is that true?” Cameron asked, her tone clear he better not fuck with her right then.
“Yes, the Enchantress helped us set this up,” he answered.
I snorted. “Helped? I bought the land.” I looked out to the other elders. “I bought this land for the pride and got it for a steal because it was unfarmable land. My coven fixed that. My coven was the reason anything grew here at all. We taught his pride how to farm, and they were diligent students and hardworking people that should be praised. But they knew nothing.”
“So it’s your farm?” Bacchus checked.
“No, I sold it back to the pride for the price I paid only. No interest. No inflation because of what we did to the land. Only what I paid.” I smiled at the Alpha. “And what was the deal we struck for that?”
His jaw ticked. “We would pay back the purchase price only and receive your continued help to keep bugs and pests away along with nutrients for the fields, and in turn you would purchase as much as you needed for twenty percent under current market value.”
“And how many times have you recently said you’ve already sold harvests to other vendors before checking with us?” Jerome asked, looking lighter and relieved that someone was putting a stop to the shit. “Or tried to tell us that market price has risen and give us new ‘information’ to show that as if we’re too stupid to check?”
Cameron held up her hand to stop the leopard from answering, looking ready to pound him. “How many of these sort of farms have you helped start and buy from?”
“Just tea?” Jerome checked, sighing when she nodded. “Seven? Two others that we had no hand in helping that we get ten percent discount for aiding with pests and magical, organic nutrients.”
Cameron bobbed her head as she took that in, staring out at the huge setup. “Alpha, I believe I’ll send one of my aides to stay with you the next few months and learn about how your pride runs to maybe help other of our prides or groups.” She gave him a hard look that it wasn’t up for debate. “And to make sure you’re honoring your deal and not straining the very precious relationship we have with the Enchantress and her coven, as if I find out you are, there will be new leadership put in place of your pride.”
Well dayumn.
“You were always one of my favorite,” I told her quietly as we grabbed more lunch and headed to a new farm.
“Can I get another wall TV then for a friend?”
I snorted. “I’ll give you two because Jerome looks ready to sob in relief at the help instead of things getting worse.” I happily accepted another fried chicken wrap from Hunt as we toured the largest operation of greenhouses that grew herbs we bought.
The nest leader was just as openly hostile that I was involving his elders as the Alpha had been. Pride was such a dangerous emotion and the downfall of too many.
“And you built all of this too?” Brax asked.
“No,” the nest leader snorted.
I swallowed down the anger I felt building at his dismissive attitude. “You understand that is an angel you just answered for me and I’m a fucking elder, yes?” I waited until he nodded, anger in his own eyes. “So are you stupid, or did you just want to become ash today?”
“I apologize, Enchantress,” he bit out.
Oh yeah, I bet that was what he wanted to say never.
I rolled my eyes at the lame attempt of an apology and focused on Brax. “Yes, this nest asked me for help some decades ago, and I bought the land and put in the greenhouses, only making them pay me back what I paid and the cost.”
“Except you didn’t build anything,” the nest leader snapped. “You used magic to make all the greenhouses appear and then charged us for materials.”
“You idiot,” Bacchus hissed as I turned on the nest leader.
“Do you think that had no cost to me? Of course it did, asshole! I only charged you the cost of raw materials to build one such greenhouse from what a contractor provides us. That makes up for what it took from me, all the extra calories I had to eat. All I couldn’t do instead that has value as I used that magic to help you. I explained all of this before you signed the deal. I didn’t charge you labor like a builder because I did it in an instant.”
“She provided all of this, and now you forgot to be grateful and are biting the hand that fed you,” Bacchus snapped. “And it ends. I will follow Cameron’s lead and send an aide here to inspect how the nest is run in the hopes of maybe helping other nests but also making sure that the important relationship all vampires have with Elder Devil’s coven is being respected.” He got in the nest leader’s face. “Let me be clear that I care more for that than you or one nest. Do you understand?”
“Yes, of course, Elder,” he muttered, bowing to Bacchus with respect, afraid of him.
“Why are they all scared of you guys and not me? I’m more powerful than you,” I grumbled, going so far as to pout as I kept eating.
“Because most men are sexist, and you’re a gorgeous woman who most wouldn’t think scary,” Bacchus answered, holding his hands up in surrender when I gave him an unfriendly look. “They’re stupid. That’s the answer because I know how terrifying you can absolutely be.”
I left it at that and kept eating as we moved on to other farms. We made sure to hit at least one farm from each group, and all were being problems, so no one could act like they were the good kids or species. Assholes were in all races and species.
By the time we were done, there was an array of energy coming from the group. Some seemed shocked, never knowing all of this because they had other things on their plates and going into the specific income of each group would have been crazy. Others seemed happy that maybe they have other groups get in on it. And some seemed upset that their people were being problems.
Life was never one emotion after all.
I brought everyone to my land in Peru, showing them the state it had been in and how the spell was working to fix it. Then I admitted I had originally thought to simply restore it, but now I was thinking of something smarter.
“You need to expand?” Sangria asked as she glanced around.
“Yes, we’re going to need a reliable and safe source of latex for the factory we’re building in Alabama. We’ll also need sea sponges, but those are animals, so that I can’t help as much and will take a long time to get set up and going well. However, loofah is a plant and easy to grow, so what we really need is organic sponges and not synthetic for this to work well.”
“So you’d be open to adding some loofah greenhouses and rubber tree orchards?” Sangria checked.
“Yes, but rubber trees are natural in the rainforest anyways, so I’m thinking of having a section of this land be those trees we can harvest and will be protected by Tanesha’s pride, plus some extra fruit trees as my coven eats a lot.” I shrugged. “I really don’t have all that much time to plot while counting my toes. And people keep piling on more, which trickles down, and I’m sort of worried about breaking my coven on a regular basis.”
“Well, in the interest of making you smile more and not add, I wanted to give you these,” Brax said as he gave me a bouquet of pretty yellow flowers that looked like a species of daisy. There was a bag of seeds tied around them, and I gave him a curious look before focusing on them.