Aaron's Kiss Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 7) (102 page)

“Of course she did. And I only thought you were strange because you were sitting there looking at me like I’ve got six heads, when in fact I don’t.” Maddy felt as if she were Alice and had fallen down the rabbit hole. 

“Oh that’s a good one considering. I so love Alice in Wonderland. I met the author, a Charles Lutwidge Dodgson some years ago, very strange man that one. He changed his name to write you know. How are you feeling otherwise?” The other woman, Savannah had asked, but Maddy felt that she already knew that.

“I would very much like it if you’d stop reading my mind, if that is what you’re doing. That jackass Kyle doing that is what got me in here in the first place. Yelling at me, then saying as if it were nothing in the world, ‘I’m speaking to you telepathically’ like I’m fucking supposed to know that,” she flushed when she realized she was ranting at the strangers. But she couldn’t seem to stop. “Well it made me jump. Of course I should have been paying better attention, but I had had a pretty shitty day up until then and…who did you say was running behind again?” She’d been on a tangent and the fact that someone had royal duties just registered with her.

“My granddaughter, Melody, she’s the Queen of magic. We thought you’d take our news better if the men were gone. She said she’s on her way; we just have to make sure you’re prepared for her coming in the room. Are you, prepared I mean?” Maddy could only nod. Either she was off her rocker, or these women were. She had a feeling they were as sane as they came.

“Thank you dear.” Savannah patted her on the head and covered Maddy’s eyes. “It can be a bit disconcerting the first time you see it, so I’ll help you out.”

When she was able to see again, there stood a beautiful woman dressed in a robe and crown. The robe was long and made to look like the earth, the colors fading from the ground up to the sky. The crown was very bejeweled with rubies, emeralds and diamonds all centered on a very ornate tree with apples and other fruits.

“Is that for my benefit, or do you have to where that all the time?” Maddy knew it was rude, the lady was some sort of queen or something, but she thought maybe if she played along for a while, they’d give her more of the drugs she was obviously taking.

“Yours,” she told her with a smile. “Too much?” Maddy nodded. She wasn’t sure what else to do. “Yeah, I thought so too. But Sara, she’s my cousin said you’d had a hard time of it and didn’t really believe in any of this, so I thought, what the hell.” And suddenly she was in jeans and a tee shirt. “Ah, much better. I’m Melody, Mistress of Light, Keeper of all Magic, yada, yada. I’m here to keep you company for awhile and to see if you’re human.”

“Okay, but just so you know I…hummm, I kinda already know what I am. Human. A nutty as a fruitcake human, but human all the same. And I need to get out of here. I have to meet with the bankers at eight in the morning with Mr. MacManus.” She started to rise, but was stopped by the handcuff at her unwrapped wrist and her ankle.

“You had a bad dream and they were afraid you’d hurt yourself again. The leather straps they used couldn’t hold you so they resorted to those. Beastly things, but you were fighting pretty hard,” Savannah said with another pat to her arm. “You should have seen poor Kyle. We thought the man was going to tear that doctor’s arm right out of the socket for making you moan. As for the meeting with Aaron, that was three days ago love. You’ve been in here for four days.” 

Savannah had seated herself on the side of her bed and was fingering the cuffs. And before Maddy knew it the cuffs were off her but still closed and attached to the bed. “We’ll have to put you back in them before we leave, don’t want you to have to try and explain how you got out.”

“No, no of course not. I…thank you, I think. But I couldn’t have been here for four days. He said that he was coming—” Maddy stopped suddenly, not sure she wanted these people to know about that part of the dream. She was supposed to remember something. Her Grammie told her to…something.

“I’m sure she knew what you were and gave you the means to fight your tormentor,” Mel said as she sat down. The chair just suddenly appeared behind her. “And you aren’t human. Well not totally I think. You are half human but the other part I’m not sure yet. I’d like to touch you please? You have a spell on you, a protection charm. A very strong one if it’s kept me from feeling you all these years.”

Maddy felt her first tingle of fear. Not of these women but of what they would tell her. She had a feeling that this was not going to end well. Not for her at any rate. She pulled her arm back and tucked it under the sheet.

“I…I’m sure you’re mistaken. I’m just a normal person. Not that you aren’t normal or a person, it’s just that I’m not half anything. Well that’s probably not true, right now I feel about half baked.” She looked at the three women and felt the room closing in on her. She could feel the air being sucked out as she sat there. “I can’t breathe, I…I need some air.” 

Frantically she pulled at the IV in her arm and tried to get the rails down on the bed at the same time. It wasn’t until she felt Savannah’s touch that she calmed down. It was warm and comforting. Her heart rate seemed to slow and her breathing became easier.

“Shhhh, it’s all right. You’re just a little stressed right now. Close your eyes.” Maddy did as Savannah asked. “That’s it. Calm breaths Maddy, in and out. Good girl, now I want you to think of Kyle, reach for him mentally, see him in your mind. When you have a clear picture, I want you to say his name, form the word in your head and wake him.” Maddy nodded and did as she instructed, not really sure why but said his name.

“Kyle?” S
he felt a little silly, but was immediately engulfed in a glow of warmth. She felt him, felt him as if he were standing right next to her.

“Madison, are you all right?” S
he heard the concern in his voice and the slight amusement too.

“I…You’re there. I didn’t know what to expect, but there you are. Where are you? I mean, I’m sorry, it’s none of my business where you are.”
She felt better for just being able to speak to him, to hear his voice. That scared her a little, but she didn’t want to analyze that just now.

“You can talk to me anytime you want. I’ll always be here for you.”
His laughter seemed to move over her and through her.
“I’m at the mansion in my lair. My sheets smell of you. I wouldn’t let Duncan change them. I wanted to be able to smell you whenever I wanted. I want to bring you back her and make love to you. Would you like that Love, to come back here and fuck each other senseless?” 

She felt his arousal then, and he sent her graphic thoughts of them together. Maddy felt her body flame up and her pussy expand, her need immediate. She wanted him, right now and she didn’t care how.

“I guess you were able to talk to him.” Maddy had forgotten that they were there, and blushed harder because she was sure they knew what they had been talking about. “We don’t cross the line into mates, but from your blush I’d say it would be worth the risk. Feel better now?” Maddy realized that Savannah had done that to make her feel better and to calm her.

“Thank you. Yes, I feel much better.” She felt the connection between her and Kyle lessen and knew that he’d fallen back into a light sleep. “You say that I’m not completely human, how do you know?” Might as well join them she thought, it was much easier than fighting them.

“Good girl. I’ll be in to see you when the sun is going down. You and I have much to talk about.” A
nd with a finally erotic thought Kyle fell into a deeper sleep. She could still feel him there, but she could also feel him at rest.

“I’m not sure, but something wants to get to you. I can smell it on you now. And Kyle told us he could smell it on you a few days ago.” Mel had pulled her chair closer and put a small basket of fruit on the little hospital table that hung across the bed, after taking an apple she handed the whole thing to Maddy.

“That’s right, I remember now. He asked me what I’d been burning. It was the next morning. The voice had come to me that night.” She pulled an apple out as well and was slightly disconcerted that one appeared in the same place to replace it. She looked up at Mel and was winked at. 

“It’s my basket. I love fruit and take it with me everywhere. The fact that it replaced the fruit you took tells me that you have some magic in you, strong magic. Otherwise it would have waited until you were no longer present or not looking to do so.”
Of course
Maddy thought, a basket that knew more about her than she did.

“So this is a test of sorts.” Anger made her mouthy…well more so anyway. “What’s next, you sit down a hat and I pull a rabbit out? I don’t like being put on display like some kind of performing monkey.”

“The basket wasn’t a test I assure you. I simply wanted you to eat more fruit. Living with a vampire can be sorta draining, no pun intended. I was more surprised than you were the basket accepted you.” Mel wasn’t mad or upset Maddy could see. She seemed amused more than anything.

“So, I have magic,” Maddy asked as she took a bite of the apple half expecting it to do something to freak her out. “What kind of tests do you have to throw at me?” 

“I’d like to take your bandage off if you don’t mind. You were cut very badly just a few days ago and I want to see how well you’ve healed.” Elizabeth moved toward the bed as she spoke.

“Okay. But what do you hope this proves?” Maddy began unwrapping the gauze not sure why she was complying and more than a little afraid that she was.

She was very careful not to bump the wound. When she was perhaps two or three layers from the skin she stopped. Her stomach had started jumping. She didn’t want to see the deep gash again. Watching it bleed like it did when it happened was enough.

“I can finish for you. Just turn your head please just in the event that we’re wrong about you. I know that you don’t want to look at it so soon after it happened.” She felt Mel gently remove the final layers and heard her hiss of breath.

“It’s bad isn’t it? I…I didn’t realize the knife was so sharp when I was using it. And it went in so quickly that I didn’t even feel the pain until just before I hit the floor.” She still wasn’t ready to look, but knew eventually she’d have to change the dressing herself.

“It’s healed. There isn’t even a scar. I thought as much.” Mel sounded so smug that Maddy wanted to hit her.

“That can’t be, I…oh shit, and it’s gone. You can’t even tell where I cut myself.” 

Maddy ran her hand experimentally over the area, the turned her arm over to check the other side. It really was gone, nothing there. When she looked down at the gauze she noticed little black threads caught in the material. It made her dizzy to realize that it was the stitches that the doctor had put in to hold the wound together. 

“I think I’m gonna be sick…” She suddenly had her head between her legs, and was held there by one of the women. 

“Breathe deep. I take it you’ve never done this before?” It was Mel’s voice, but it might have been Savannah’s as they sounded the same with the blood roaring through her ears.

“Passed out, cut myself or healed this fast? Because I gotta tell you,” she said slightly panicky, “I can’t think past those little black fuzziness.”

Chapter Eighteen

Kyle woke around sunset and made ready to go to the hospital. They were releasing her tonight and he wanted everything perfect for her when he brought her home. He’d had Duncan pick her up several pies from Sam’s Bakery and he’d also had him bring in fruit and juices. He wanted to keep her healthy.

He’d been pleased and surprised when she reached out to him this morning. He grinned when he thought of her reaction to the images he had sent her, the need she was feeling. He couldn’t wait to get her home, and beneath him. And he wanted to complete their bond. His need for her to taste him, to drink from him was paramount.

He could hear Mel’s laughter when he got off the elevator and then Madison’s. His entire body reacted to the sound as if she’d stroked him. He’d never had such a reaction to a woman before and was still marveling at it when he opened the door to her room.

Every eye in the room turned to him, but he only saw her. Her cheeks were rosy and flushed; her hair was hanging down and mused. The hospital gown she had on was unbuttoned save one and her creamy shoulder and neck beckoned him, his mouth watered at the sight. He could hear her heart beating and felt his own pick up the pace when hers did. Even from across the room he could see the beating of her pulse at her neck. 

Moving forward he nearly reached her and the bed when someone took the flowers from him. He’d forgotten all about them, he brought her daisies, colorful daisies.

“Hi. I didn’t expect you…I mean I thought you’d have to…you know, have dinner.” She looked away, her face red.

“No. I didn’t. I came as soon as I could. They’re letting you go tonight and I thought you’d need a ride home.” He was flustered and unsure of himself. He was fourteen hundred years old for Christ’s sake and was acting like a teenage boy.

“I was going to take her home. She has some things she needs to get from her friends, and then she’s staying with us at the pack house for a few weeks.” Kyle growled at Bradley. Bradley just grinned in return.

“Did you just growl at him? Oh grow up. He was kind enough to offer a place for me to stay. Why on earth would that make you mad at him?” She asked him.

“He knows. And you won’t be staying at his house, or any others. You’ll be coming back to the estate where Sara is.” He folded his arms over his chest and glared at her.

“Sara is there because she lives there and in case it has escaped your notice, I don’t. What the hell does that have to do with anything?” She couldn’t be this dense he thought, he’d bet even Mac could figure it out.

“She’s a woman, and the pack house has no bitch, so you won’t be staying there without one.” He glared at her harder to make his point but for some reason he felt he was failing. “I mean it Madison; you’ll be coming back to the house with me tonight.” He sat down in the chair and waited for her to comply.

“Oh I got news for you, you big headed jerk, no matter where I’m at there’s gonna be a bitch.” She got up from the bed and he stood up as well. She started poking him in the chest with her finger, hard. “I don’t know who you think you are, or where you think you might have gotten the idea that you are in any way shape or form my lord and master, but you are not going—” He wasn’t going to let her win in this.

“I am your mate and I will—”

“You will shut your fucking mouth while I’m talking,” she shouted right back at him. “I have never…And you,” She’d turned on Aaron so quickly Kyle thought he might be off the hook. “Don’t you dare pretend that you aren’t laughing. Coughing isn’t covering anything.” She turned back and picked up just where she’d left off with him. “You will get out of this room and you will not return, or so help me I will cut that impressive dick of yours off and plaster it to your forehead. That way everytime you look in the mirror, you’ll see just was a dick head looks like. Mel, you said I could come to the castle. I’ve never seen a castle. I think it’s time I visit one. Right now.” 

With a whirl of magic, both Mel and Maddy were gone. Kyle sat heavily down in the chair and rubbed his chest where she had poked him a good dozen times. He looked over at Aaron then at Sara. He felt like he’d be hit with a bat.

“That could have gone better.” He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but it slipped out before his mind could censure it. Aaron’s laughter only served to piss him off more. And when he looked to Sara for help, thinking as a woman who needed protecting she’d understand, but knew immediately that he’d find no help from that quarter. Her tears of laughter were streaming down her face faster than Aarons. “You people are nuts.” He murmured as he got up and left the room. He could hear their laughter all the way down the hall.

~~~

The next morning at seven forty-five Maddy was in the downtown courthouse waiting for Danny to show up and her escort for the day. Mel had told her that she’d be better off taking the person to stay with her until they found out who was threatening her.

Her first official case on her own, and nervous did not even begin to cover how she was feeling. She’d gone over her case several times last night and had finally given up and took a walk around the realm. She’d been gone from the room about five minutes when she realized that she was in a place where no human need tread. She’d seen more creatures in that few minutes than she’d believed were real. She spent the rest of the night huddled under the covers in the massive bed she’d been given. 

Maddy tugged at her skirt again, trying to bring it down to at least her mid thigh. When she had realized that she had nothing to wear today, Mel had suggested that she wear something of hers. They were about the same size and there were plenty of beings around that could handle a needle, a few who could fit into the little eye.

“Will you stop pulling at your clothes? You’re going to look all rumbled if you keep that up. You look fine. Trust me.” Mel said with a grin.

“I trusted you when you said that you’d have this altered in time to fit me. Silly me, I thought you were going to have it let out and lengthened not shortened to my who-haw and so tight I’m afraid to take a deep breath.” Maddy tugged again. 

The stupid thing was not moving down, but seemed to keep moving up. If this kept up she thought it’d be around her neck in no time.

“You look like a very chic young lawyer, and you should wear clothes like that more often. Are you even aware of the looks you’re getting? You look stunning,” Mel told her. Maddy had noticed.

“They are probably wondering how much I cost an hour.” But Maddy had to admit, she did look good, despite the short skirt.

The skirt and little half jacket were made of silk and linen and of the most beautiful shade of lavender she’d ever seen. The jacket had three quarter sleeves, wide collar and two small buttons in the front. The buttons themselves were a work of art, ivory carved to look like small wild violets she picked in her yard as a child. The silk camisole was a deep, deep dark purple with the same small buttons around the scoop of the neck line that hung lovingly across her breasts. The skirt, while short had a tiny belt that just peaked below the jacket and was the same color as the camisole. The shoes were the thing she loved most about the outfit. The same color as the suit it featured the flower pattern over the top of her foot and along the strap that buckled them on her feet. The three inch heels were thin, but not dangerously so and made her legs look a mile long and her calf thick and strong. The thigh high stockings were sleek and felt decadent on her legs.

Maddy sat down again and fingered the beautiful bag that had come for her this morning before she’d left to come to the courthouse. It was a gift from her new bosses. They had decided on a name and B.A.C.K. Incorporated wanted to thank their new attorney in an appropriate way. 

The leather satchel was dark brown and had a long strap and a pocket on the outside. But it was what was inside that surprised her even more. They had gotten her a laptop, and not just any laptop, but state of the art. It had a large hard-drive, CD burner and player, and was internet and Y-five ready. She fell in love with it and had played with it for nearly an hour before going to bed. The bag had also been filled with every lawyers needs, from yellow pads and pens, to a small digital recorder and calculator. 

The appointment book was already marked with important dates, one of which had been circled in red marker. She had gone to see Mel to ask her about it last night.

“What’s this date?” There was no entry, but just a time and an address, the MacManus address.

“Oh that’s the twin’s birthday party. It’s in ink, you have to come now. Every good lawyer knows that.” Mel had told her with a wink.

“Will you please stop pacing? You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet. He’ll be here soon and so will our guy.” Mel had told her right before they’d left that she was Fae.

“And a full blood one too. How you got past my radar is beyond me.” Mel had continued on.

The thing from her dreams he was a demon and a dream walker. And until they could determine who or what was helping him, she would need to be very careful and not be left alone until they caught the being that had been invading her dreams. When she had asked her why, Mel didn’t know, not really. But she had a few ideas and wanted to talk to the Printer, a hired gun for the realm to see what they could find out. 

“Also, Kyle is looking into it. He is by far the most tenacious investigator I’ve ever met. If there is information out there to be found, he’ll find it.”

Maddy wasn’t sure what to think of a hired gun for the realm would entail. She’d thought that Mel being the queen and all she’d only have to zap someone to get rid of them. But apparently even queens had rules to follow. Before she could ask her again about the printer, Danny came running down the hall towards her.

“Hi. I’m sorry I’m late, I got hung up on a tyranny and couldn’t seem to get it in straight, and then I couldn’t get this ridiculous tie to work right. I’m telling…Christ Mad, you look fucking great! Sorry. Who knew you had legs that long, and shapely…could about make a faggot turn hetro really fast.” Danny had finally made it with ten minutes to spare.

“Behave you old poop, you’re just being nice. Now as soon as someone from the p…my bosses bodyguards get here so Mel can leave we’ll be all set.” Maddy was blushing a deep shade of crimson, but felt flattered by Danny’s sincere words.

“I’m here. I’m here. Mel, how are you? You must be Danny March, I’m Bradley Wolff. I’ll be hanging out with you for part of the day love. The one I had lined up hit a snag.” Maddy just looked at him and when she started to question him about why he was there and not one of the other wolves her case was called and she needed to get inside.

“All raise this court in now in session. Mr. Button you will now state your case, and be quick about it, no preaching or postulating if you please.” The Honorable Hamish Cornwell was a no nonsense judge and Maddy couldn’t be happier with him being with her today.

“Your Honor, I’d like to state for the record that Ms Harm is being sued by my firm for breach of contract and would like to have a change of venue, if it pleases the court.” Mr. Button said with a touch of impatience in his voice.

“You finally get away from these Jack wipes, Missy?” Hamish turned toward Maddy with a huge smile on his weathered face.

“Yes sir. I have moved on and up. It’s amazing what an office with a window and eight hours a day can do for a girl’s disposition.” She had always had a cheeky relationship with Hamish. She had loved clerking for him when she was in her second and third year of law. He’d also warned her not to go with Schaller and Schaller. Live and learn.

“Yeah, I’ll just bet. Seems to have improved that wardrobe of yours a tad too. If you’d of dressed like that when you worked for me, you wouldn’t have gone any further than my desk, as my law partner that is.” He winked at her and turned to Button. “No, no change and no it does not please me. You never have you overblown excuse for a man. Now, state your case and try not to piss me off any more than you already have.”

Bob blustered around and made it crystal clear that he had not been prepared to try this case, but to have had it thrown out on merit.

“Your Honor, I must in—”

“You do and it will be the last thing you insist on.” Hamish picked up his gavel and banged it twice on the desk. “Proceed damn it.”

Hamish Cornwall had been a judge for longer than either Bob or Maddy had been living and was due to retire soon. He was also a wolf and one in good standing in Bradley’s pack or so Mel had told her. 

Apparently when Bradley had called to tell him he’d be in the courthouse on Tuesday morning, “in case you see me around, I don’t want you to worry,” Hamish had asked him why. It didn’t take him long to hunt down the assigned judge and have him trade sessions with him. His Honor hated Bob with as much passion as he loved the young Ms Harm Mel had told her with a huge grin.

“I will need a few minutes then, perhaps a recess until lunch? My second seems to have forgotten the file, err bring the right file.” Bob was sweating. His very expensive suit was going to be ruined if he kept this up Maddy thought. Then she grinned. The stupid man might have looked around a bit before claiming that his ‘second’ forgot the file, as he was standing alone at the table.

“Wrong file you say? Ms Harm, I don’t suppose you have an extra copy of the charges do you, for the Counselor and his…hummm, second chair?”

“No your Honor, I don’t. Perhaps I can read my counter suit against Ms. Rosewood and that’ll refresh his memory?” Maddy chanced a glance back to Bradley and was surprised to see both Kyle and Aaron with him.