Aaron's Kiss Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 7) (105 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

“Maddy, honey, you have to calm down, all right?” David was sitting on the floor at her feet. He’d been there since she started crying.

“Calm down!! Are you insane!! Calm do…That woman was killed today and it should have been me. It might have been me. And you want me to calm down. I should bop you in the nose you idiot. Calm down.” She was calming down despite the outburst, or maybe because of it. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right. It was a stupid thing to say to a hyst…to a beautiful woman such as you.” He grinned at her.

“Good save fur ball. I was hysterical too. I’m so sorry. Kyle told me to find you and to stay close. Oh Captain Wolff, that poor girl died because of me.”

“Why don’t you tell me why you think that? I got that you got a new car. Congratulations on that, but why would that lead you to believe that someone wanted you dead?” He stood and went over to the rooms only other chair and sat down. It was then that she noticed that he had blood on his shirt and that it was torn in a few places.

“You were with her. You were…Danny said that he called you. I’m so sorry. You must have known her as well.”

“It was horrible, I won’t lie to you. She didn’t suffer though. Tell me what you think Maddy, and please don’t call me Captain Wolff. We’re practically family.”

She told him everything, even things that she hadn’t had the chance to tell Kyle, the dreams, the room and with the hissing man. Then she told him about the car, and how she had supposed to have been to be driving it, that Kyle had made arrangements with Danny to take the truck, or she would have been driving it instead.

“I can see your concern and I think Kyle is right, I want you to stay with me until he can get here. I’ll have someone stay with you during the day as well. I’ve already launched an investigation into Carol’s murder, I’ll see that it’s stepped up a bit.”

“There’s something else. Hummm…it’s my grandmother. She died a few months back. She was murdered too.” She got up then and walked over to the window and looked out at the late afternoon sun. “She lived here in Ohio, I moved here just out of college to work. We were planning…She was planning to move into a house we’d worked on buying in a few months. Three months ago she called to tell me something, I can’t remember what now. It’s important though. Anyway, she called and told me it was dangerous, something was dangerous. The next day I got a call from the police. She’d been killed. Someone behind her hadn’t stopped at a light and pushed her into the intersection into oncoming traffic. They said that it was a hit and run, that the person just, I don’t know didn’t have insurance or something and left the scene. It’s never been solved.” Her breath had formed condensation and she started making markings in it. 

“Do you know who the investigating officer was, his name and the station?” He was watching her, still as the predator he was.

“Yeah, I talk to him about once or twice a month. It’s Markus Ardmore. I think he’s a captain. I have his phone number and badge number if that’ll help.”

“Okay, yeah, that will help. Maddy, you don’t remember what your grandmother told you? She may have been giving you a clue as to what happened.”

“Don’t you think I know that? That I think about it every day? She’s dead, she was everything to me and now she’s gone.” She walked back over to the chair and picked up her things. “I’ve told you everything I know and I’m hungry. If you’re finished blaming me for her death, then I’d like to go to the cafeteria.”

“Maddy, don’t…” She turned and started out of the room but not before she looked back at the window.

“There’s something there. Something I don’t understand. I’ve been drawing it all my life and…Well, here lately it’s gotten to be something I’m drawing all the time. Do you know what it is?”

David walked over to the window and blew on it. He turned back to her when he saw what it was. “It’s a cross, one I haven’t seen since I was a child. My grandmother had this old book…I don’t know the title of it but she let us look at it. It’s a Morrigan’s cross.”

She nodded. “But what does it mean?”

He told her he didn’t know but he’d find out and let her know. David went out with her and into the outer room. She went to stand with Eon and Bradley, who must have shown up while she was talking to David. She shot David a look and walked from the room with the other two men. David was pulling out his cell phone when she walked away.

~~~

“So it was intent you think?” David had been talking with Markus for nearly twenty minutes and had found out a great deal about the accident, but very little about the woman who it happened to. It seemed that Ms. Heather Spring was a very nice older lady. That was it, nothing more. She didn’t belong to any groups or clubs. She would be willing to help out with baked sales, but only as a buyer. She visited her granddaughter twice a month and stayed at the hotel. She had a driver’s license, and blood donors card on her when she was killed, they were in her jeans pocket along with the name and phone number of Madison Harm on a scrap of paper.

“Yeah I do. But I don’t know have any proof. The truck was a big black SUV with dark windows and it rammed into her going about sixty, she didn’t stand a chance. Pushed her into the cross traffic and an oncoming semi going about seventy or so. Death was instantaneous.”

“Did you find the truck, or the driver?” He had a feeling he knew the answer, but needed to ask anyway. Carol had told Danny that the vehicle that had been ramming her was a black SUV and had dark windows. The plates had been missing on the front, either because they’d been removed or it was from a state that didn’t require them to be on both ends of the car.

“No to both. If you don’t mind my asking, why are you interested? I mean that I understand that you know the granddaughter, but why the accident?”

“I have an unsolved accident here that involved a hit and run. The woman was run off the road allegedly by a black SUV as well. Maddy, Ms Harm told me about it and I thought I’d see what similarities there were.”

“Was the woman, did she have a mark on her? A tattoo maybe?” David could hear the hesitation in the other man’s voice, the uncertainty.

David felt his entire body chill and freeze up. He’d heard about the tattoo on Sara and Shade, and the markings that Pic and Dominic carried all over their face and arms. They were markings of their race, species.

“What sort of markings?”

“This lady had a cross, a large cross on her back. It was beautiful, intricate in design with a gold circle at the cross. I had one of my guys look it up, it’s a…let me see. Hang on. I’m gonna go pull the file.” David waited, and waited. It seemed to be an eternity before he came back on the line. “It’s a Morrigan’s cross. Some sort of faerie queen or something, a goddess, can you believe that shit.”

“Yeah, shit.” David talked to him for a few minutes more then hung up. He sat back in the office chair and thought about all of this. Now what? He reached for the phone again and dialed a number as familiar as his own. “Hey Sara, it’s David, what do you know about the Morrigan cross?”

David rode with Maddy to the mansion and Eon and Bradley followed in another car. She still wouldn’t speak to him. She was still mad because she felt he’d been blaming her for the accident. Well, he hadn’t. He’d tried to tell her that several times but she wouldn’t even turn in his direction when he said her name. And shouting at her seemed to make her want to cry, so he stopped that and turned to look out the window. She’d been muttering to herself for the past ten minutes, knowing that he could probably hear her, but didn’t care apparently.

“Stupid arrogant man, no not man, dog,” she continued to mutter to herself. “A stupid arrogant dog. I’m going to insist that we put down papers in every room so he doesn’t accidently piddle on the floor. Maybe the pee with short out his Taser gun thingy and shock his dick off. Would serve him right too.”

“You do know that I can hear you, don’t you? It’s my special wolf ears, not dog, I’m a wolf. Maybe I’ll just show you the difference when we get parked. And I don’t think that you need—”

The rest of his statement was abruptly halted because of the seatbelt across his windpipe nearly tore his throat out. She had slammed on the brakes so hard that the locking mechanism locked up on the belts and with his forward motion, it cut into him. He looked over at her. Now he was not only quiet, he was fucking pissed.

With a little wave of apology to the car behind her and nearly on her bumper, she drove on with a big smile on her face. He looked over at her. She was enjoying herself. He would have laughed if he wasn’t afraid she’d pull out the Taser gun and do just what she’d threatened to do to him. 

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kyle and Aaron met them as they pulled in front of the big house, behind them stood the children, Sara and two women she’d never seen before. Maddy grabbed her bag and ran to met him. He picked her up in his arms and held her tight to him.

“Madison, oh Madison. Are you all right, love? Let me look at you.” Kyle held her from him and touched her face, her arms, and then pulled her back to him. He kissed her then, devoured her mouth, her heat. 

“You might wanna save that for later, we have a great deal to discuss. Kyle, did you hear me? I said to wait until later.” Aaron poked Kyle hard in the shoulder, then a little harder in the back. When he finally got their attention, he grinned at them both.

“Fuck off Daddy dearest.” And Maddy kissed Kyle again, thought not so intensely. 

They adjourned into the house and into the big room with the massive fireplace. There was a fire tonight light in deference of the chill in the October night. The room was cozy and tight, and Duncan had filled his tray with lots of goodies, some of which was pie. When Maddy saw the creamy slices she squealed with delight.

She was introduced to the other two women in the room, though she had already met one of them but wasn’t sure until she spoke whether or not she’d remembered her. The other a Piccadilly Marshall, she didn’t know her.

“Hello Ms Harm, it’s nice to see you again.” Shade looked so different that it had taken Maddy a few seconds to place where she’d met her. Then when she had she marveled at the difference in her appearance.

“Shade Doe! You look great. I can’t believe it’s you. And please call me Maddy. I’m so glad to hear about Brent. He must be getting so big by now. I read about you and the house you are running in the paper. I’m so happy for you both.”

Maddy had been the court appointed lawyer for Shade when she had been accused of attacking a man in the apartment of Brenda Shell. Shade had gone there to feed the two small children that lived there, Brenda’s children and got there just as a man by the name of Robert Peterson had murdered a little four year old girl by the name of Becca, Brent’s sister. Brent had also been injured and at that time feared would die as well. But the paper had said that she and another man…Colin had adopted the little boy she remembered no.

The women promised to get together after the meeting tonight. And Maddy hoped that she and her would become friends. She seemed so less bossy than the other women in the room…namely Sara MacManus.

“I telled Aunt Sam to bring you some pie tonight. I thought you’d like it. There’s more in the kitchen for later. I needs to talk with you Aunt Maddy, okay?” Mac had sat down on the couch next to her. Maddy leaned over and kissed him on the head and pulled him into her lap. She laughed out loud when Kyle made a face at the kid.

“I’ve wanted to talk to you too. I have something in the car for you and Lizzy. Ask your mom if you can have it now, or later.” He took off like a shot and when permission was given, Kyle went out to her car and got the large box out of the back.

“I had these when I was little. I’m not sure where my Grammie got them, but she came home with them one day and said that I needed to keep them nice. She said I meet a little boy and a little girl one day and I was to give it to them.” She was on the floor now with Mac and Lizzy on either side of her, opening the box and taking out the packing. First she pulled out a little box and handed it to Mac. “This is old, like I said I don’t know where it came from, but it still works.” 

Mac opened the box slowly and sat back hard on his bottom when he looked inside. Reverently he pulled out a long gold chain, attached to it was pocket watch. The watch design was a wolf and a bat. The wolf was sitting on his haunches seemingly baying at the full moon, his canines long and sharp looking. The bat, flying across the moon was turned to the side and his fangs were fully extended. The carvings were deep into the gold and had darkened over time. Opening it carefully, music spilled out into the room, loud and clear. It was Beethoven’s Fifth symphony, the notes perfect and in tune. 

“Look on the back.” And she helped him turn it over and when he read what was there he turned to his father and walked over to him and handed to him. 

“It’s yours, daddy. It has your name on the back of it, and a date.” Mac sat up on his father’s lap and watched as he stroked the watch, tears in his eyes.

“It’s not…it wasn’t mine. It was my fathers. I remember this. He wore it all the time and before he died…he…we had to sell it. It was made by a Bartholomew Manfredi during the fifteenth century.” Aaron handed it back to his son. “The doctors wouldn’t treat my father without money so my mother sold this to help. In the end it matter little. He died anyway, long before the doctor came around. We were very poor, you see. You say your Grammie found this?” 

“Yes. She said that she just came across it. And I had it appraised it once, it worth a fortune, nearly three million dollars, but she said I couldn’t sell it, that I would meet these two one day.” Maddy turned to the box and starting taking out the rest of the packing and began talking to Lizzy. “I played with this more than the watch, really. I didn’t want to ever put it up at night. She served me my first lemon meringue pie on it.” 

She handed Lizzy the first tea cup. Lizzy turned to her mother who came to sit beside her daughter. Then the tea pot, complete with handmade cozy was removed from the packing. Maddy kept handing her pieces as she unwrapped them and then to Sara when Lizzy’s little hands filled with pottery. There were twenty five pieces in all, the pot with lid, sugar bowl and creamer both with lids, six cups, six saucers and six small plates. There was even a serving tray all made of fine porcelain. The design was the birth flower for October, three large yellow, red and orange marigolds hand-painted on the front, Lizzy’s and Mac’s birth month.

“Grammie made the cozy for it. It was all she could do really was to crochet some blankets and such and garden. She had beautiful gardens.” Maddy wiped the tear from her eye and looked at the little girl.” I hope you like it. I’ll get you a fun gift later, I don’t—”

Lizzy threw herself at Maddy, hugging her so tightly around the neck it was nearly impossible to breathe. Her tears streaming down her face blended with Maddy’s as she returned the hug. They sat that way for perhaps five minutes until Mac came over and interrupted them.

“Let me hug her too. She gave me a gift too you know.” Maddy laughed at his disgruntle tone and pulled Mac in with them. 

“I don’t want nothing else Aunt Maddy. That’s the best present. Mom, can I show her, can I?” Lizzy ran from the room before getting her answer. She returned only a few minutes later with a big picture album. “This was my daddy’s pictures. He said he didn’t have many things left from when he was a kid, but these here pictures.” She was turning the pages quickly. “Here! Look at this one.” She turned the picture to Maddy.

It was Maddy’s turn to be shocked. It was an old tin type, faded and worn at the edges with time and fingers touching it. There in the picture was a little boy and a little girl. It looked to be a small kitchen with a hearth fire going, they were in front of it. On the floor in front of them was the same tea set, complete with cozy and pie on two of the plates. She looked up at Sara, then at Aaron.

“It’s my little sister and me. She had that tea set, Marie Jane. My sister had that same tea set when she was six. My mother took in laundry to pay for it, the watch too. She washed other people’s clothes to get them for us for Christmas one year. I had a gun, a little toy gun, it shot little pellets. It was destroyed when our house was burnt to the ground some years later. Those were sold as I said for my father’s physician and then for his funeral.”

The children played with the small tea set for a while and the adults talked. When Maddy had finished her second slice of pie and laid back on the couch, Mac came and sat beside her and started eating a hunk of cake.

“I have to give you your message. I remember it all now. You have to let me tell you.” Maddy nodded for him to continue. “Your Grammie said I had to hurry. She said you have free willie and you should never forget that.” Mac had his mouth full, but no one seemed to notice, especially Maddy.

“I’m sorry, did you say free willie?” She was slightly confused then it hit her. “Oh! You mean free will, well yes, everyone has free will. What else did she tell you?” After the past few days, Maddy was willing to believe anything, even a six year old.

“Yeah, she said she loves you very much, and that she’s sorry she left you. Where did she leave you Aunt Maddy?”

Maddy thought about how to answer him, death was such a touchy subject for some people and she didn’t know the MacManus’ well enough to make any kind of statement concerning her grandmother death.

“Well, she passed on. Although, I’m not so sure she’s actually passed on just yet. She left me when she died I guess. I miss her terribly and I loved her too. Would you mind telling her that next time you see her, that I love her too?” 

“Of course I can do that. I like you Aunt Maddy. You’re special.” Then he laughed. He really was a cute kid she thought.

The kids were put to bed a little while later. Their treasures put in their rooms and marveled over again and again. Maddy kissed each of them good night and received another hug from them. She really liked them.

“David called me this afternoon, just after Carol’s accident. He said that you and he had talked,” Aaron said as they settled back down in the living room.

“Yes, but we argued more than talked, but okay. He…I think that the murder of Ms Martin was meant for me. I should have been driving that truck, and if you guys hadn’t of gotten me one, I would have been.”

“Why? I mean why do you think that? Is there something going on that you haven’t told us? And does it have to do with the dreams at the hospital?” Kyle put his arm around her, pulled her close as he asked.

“The dream at the hospital wasn’t the first time I’ve dreamt about this guy. He…I’m not even sure it’s a guy, just an eerie feeling. Anyway, he comes to me and we’re in this void with stale air. He hisses, all of his ‘s’s all snaky like. And it says that I’ve been promised to him and that we are to breed lots of children, that the first will be his son.”

“What do you mean void? And do you see him?” Pic asked. She had a very old and very large book in front of her with a laptop. She was making notes in the latter while she thumbed through the book.

“No, I’ve never seen him, like I said, I’m not even sure it’s a guy. But the breeding part kinda makes me think it is. The void? Well, that’s another weird feeling. It a completely white place, but not a room, a…void. I’m sorry, that’s the best I can describe it. The air is stale and old smelling, as if it’s been closed up for centuries and a breeze has never passed through.” She felt ridiculous telling them of a bad dream, but thought that if telling it could make them go away then great.

“No, please you’re doing great,” Pic smiled encouragingly. “You can smell? Are you smelling the room then, or are you thinking that it smelled that way when you wake up?”

“Oh I see, did I add it later. Let me think…no, I smelled it when I was there. I remember thinking that at the time just how bad it was. The air, the second time, it was hot and hard to breathe. Then there’s the pain, it horrible, just burning and searing.” Maddy looked around the room. At first she thought they didn’t believe her, and then she realized that they did. She wasn’t sure which was more frightening.

“What does he say? Does he tell you why he’s there, why now?” Pic was still making notes and had hardly looked up since she started.

“He told me his name if you want that.” Maddy looked up from the glass she has just sat on the end table. The room had suddenly gotten quiet, deadly quiet.

“He told you his name? Maddy do you have any idea what it means to have his name,” Sara said in awe. “No, I can see that you don’t. There is great power in having a name. Has he ever used your name, your whole name?”

She thought for a few minutes, over each word that had been exchanged between them, what he had called her and what wording he had used.

“No. He’s never used my name in any form, not even ‘Maddy’. All he has called me is his love and ungrateful bitch. His name is Patcalus, but he pronounces it Patcalussss. He claims that I was promised to him, that all I need to do is tell…oh my god! Mac! Mac told me that I have free willies, err, free will. That’s what she meant. I don’t have to go to him, I can keep telling him no.”

“You can keep telling him no, but it won’t last for long. He’ll tire of asking and just take what he wants. And when he does, he’ll kill you for mating with someone else and your mate,” a woman said. “Hello all. It’s so nice to see you all.”

Everyone in the room turned to look at the woman who had just suddenly materialized in the room. No one moved nor did they seem the least bit surprised to see her. Mel and her mother Savannah were just behind her, one on her right the other her left. Maddy looked at her hard and had a slight…memory or feeling she knew her.

“I know you…I…I remember you from somewhere? With my grandmother, but I…I was smaller.” Maddy couldn’t place her, her mind refused to let her remember fully. “You’ve not changed. You’re very beautiful then and now.”

“Thank you my child. I’m Morrigan, the Goddess of all Faeries. And you are the fair Madison Shelby Harm, direct descendant of mine, my seventh daughter of seven times seven.”