Arryn: Mystic Protectors Series (10 page)

When the bitch came, he wiped his mouth with his robe as he was told to do and spit as much of her caustic cum out of his mouth as he could manage. It was burning now, his throat on fire from it, but he knew that it would heal soon enough. But before he could leave to do that, Lord Damon told him to have a seat.

“When this woman of mine comes here, I want to be informed. In fact, when you leave to get her, I will come with you. I should like to see the other world again.” Jonas started to speak but Lord Damon raised a brow at him. “You have some objections, Jonas?”

“It’s just that she might be frightened enough as it is.” He nodded at him and Jonas was relieved. “I shall let you know when I go to get her and when I return. That way she can become used to her surroundings.”

“You have my needs, Jonas. You will let me go with you.” When Lord Damon stood, so did Jonas. “That is all. And if you go against me, what Markum is going through will not even be close to what I do to you. I have come up with some very delightful ways to make you suffer. And suffer you will. For you have thwarted me enough on matters of the other realm.”

As soon as he was in his room, Jonas started screaming out his frustrations. He threw his things—some he treasured, some he did not—around the room until they were in broken pieces at his feet. Clothing was torn to shreds. His mirror was broken and sent flying. Even his bed was destroyed as he let his frustrations out. When he was spent, he sat down. It was time to plan what to do about Lord Damon.

“He will not know the meaning of the suffering I shall put upon his body. And I will spit in his face when he cries out his pain.” Jonas sat back against the wall and smiled. “The king himself will say that I’ve done a good job on this, for he himself will not recognize his right hand man when I have finished with him.”

~~~

Arryn watched Renie work. She was onto something, she’d said to him earlier, and he was amazed at the amount of energy she was giving it. Tracking it down, she’d told him; she was tracking it down to find the man who would do this. And no matter what he said, she never heard him.

The bank, it was discovered, was not involved in the theft as she’d thought. Not at the local level, anyway. There was something about addresses that couldn’t be accounted for, as well as a few places that had been bounced from more than once. Arryn had no idea what she meant by that, but it was fun to see her explaining it to him as if he should. When Dan appeared in the room with them, he moved to go and talk to him.

“The pantry is finished, as are the cabinets in the kitchen. I like what you wanted, and would like to use it again if you would not mind.” Arryn told him that it was fine with him, but it was Renie’s idea. “I can see the use of the chalk board and metal fronts on cabinets in the bathroom as well. Leaving notes when necessary, hanging up some of your information you need to see when shaving. Brilliant. And the lighting that you had me put in all the rooms is natural, as well as clean and bright.”

“She said that she likes to cook. I don’t think she believes, however, that she will be here to do any. I think her mouth says what we want to hear, but her heart is thinking she will die on the morrow.” Dan looked at her when Arryn did. She was deep into her work. “Finishing this project is her priority for the moment. She told me yesterday that she was very close to getting the answer for Dusty and the others.”

“I’ve spoken to Judith and Kala as well. I had no idea that so much money was being taken, or that all the accounts we have opened are having the same issues.” Arryn was surprised by that as well. Millions of dollars were taken from the eleven accounts that had been opened recently by the other protectors, as well as the monies set aside for the shelter and other projects. “Do you think she will be able to get it all back?”

“She said that she will. It is only a matter of chasing down the culprit. I think about an hour ago she actually found the money. I have never seen a person so frustrated by finding something they were seeking before.” Dan nodded and smiled at him. “She is a sight when she is frustrated. I was just thinking of ways that I could…well, never mind. I will speak to her about this idea I have.”

It had been almost funny. She had cursed a streak of words that made him think to write a few of them down. Two he was still looking for some information on, and the rest…well, they were ones that he’d never use, of course, but they were quite colorful. Dan told him that he was going to start on the floor now and wondered if they had decided on what they wanted. Arryn retrieved the block of wood that he and Renie had decided on before coming down from their room that morning.

The dining room would have hard wood floors. He had wanted it to be dark, like the walls in their room, but she said that light would be better. It would be friendlier when they entertained, and much easier to keep clean. He really didn’t understand that part since they had a housekeeper, but it was what she wanted and he was in agreement as well.

When he sat back down across from her, he was set to start on his crossword puzzle again. It was amazing to him that a small computer could have so much entertainment value for him. There were more crosswords on this device than he’d seen in a very long time. When he picked it up, he glanced at Renie and noticed that she was staring at him, not through him as she’d been doing all day.

“It’s going to be easier now.” He nodded. “I have to make some notes here and then I want to drop this off at Kala’s house. Do you want to come with me? I want to see the babies again.”

“I would like that.” Arryn stretched out his legs. “You’re going to say goodbye to them, aren’t you? I want you to know that I no longer think it’s necessary for you to say goodbye to everyone. We are going to win out on this, and we’ll live a long and very happy life. Even when I upset you, I think you to be happy.”

Instead of answering him, she turned back to her computer. His heart broke for her and he didn’t know how to tell her that she was going to be fine. Just last night, before they’d gone to bed, she’d told him a few things that had happened to her that made her disbelieve what was going to happen.

“My mother never liked me. Never. I don’t know what it was about me that made me realize that from the start, but she didn’t. For days on end she’d just do what was necessary to keep children’s services off her back. I guess the neighbors had turned her in once before. But by the time I was three or four, I knew that she hated me.” When he pulled Renie into his arms, she continued her story as if she was telling him the weather. It was cold and without emotion. But he knew inside that she was hurting more than she would ever say.

“We were at the grocery store. I had…I guess like most kids, I wanted to have something special for my birthday. Penny told me that I wasn’t worth the cost of the plastic it would cost the store to wrap up a cake for me, and I should get the notion out of my head that she was going to buy me a thing.” Arryn wanted to find Penny Sharp and show her what she’d done to her daughter’s bleeding heart. Before he could tell her how sorry he was, Renie continued. “I was looking at the cakes in the display cakes, not saying a word, when a woman came up behind me and asked me which one I liked the most. I had my heart set on the one with the big blue flowers on it. Chocolate, with buttercream frosting, too. I didn’t tell her that I also wanted my name on it, with hearts all around it. That would have been just too much to think about after…after Penny had told the store that not only was I not worthy of the cake but also that I was a liar and a thief. But the woman told the employee to box it up.”

“She bought it for you.” Renie had nodded and that was when he felt the first of many tears burn into his chest. “Was it as good as you thought it would be?”

“I never got to eat it. As soon as the woman gave Penny the cake, she put it in the trunk of the car and slammed the lid closed. I thanked the woman, told her how much I appreciated it, but Penny just jerked me along and shoved me in the car too. All the way home, she never said a single word to me.” Arryn let Renie go when she stood up and went to the long window. The moon shone in on her, silhouetting her figure for him to see. “The cake was the last thing she brought in that day. It was laid on the table and the plastic was taken off. She searched around for some candles. I had no idea that we’d even had any, but she unearthed five of them. As she lit them, using her cigarette to do so, I thought of how much I was going to enjoy my first cake.”

Arryn knew that whatever had happened after that was going to be bad. He knew that Renie had not only not gotten any of the cake, but something had been done to her that she’d never asked for it again. He would bet, with all his life, that Penny had done something so horrific to her daughter that day that it had stayed with her for the rest of her life. And he was sure he didn’t want to know what it was.

“Plates were bought out. The candles sputtered and burned while she fussed with the table cloth, something we never used. Then just as she sat down to cut into it, she asked me to make a wish and blow out the candles. I was leaning forward to do just that when she hit me; doubled her fist and hit me in the face. As I tumbled back, she picked up the cake, still with the burning candles, and threw it on me. My dress, the one that I’d found in the garbage the week before, burned my skin before I could get it out.”

He’d gotten up and held her then, sat on the window seat and held her while she sobbed. Arryn talked to her, never really sure what he said, but he knew that it was all he could do, because the alternative was to find Penny Sharp and harm her…hurt her for all the pain she’d caused such a wonderful, loving person.

Arryn held her long after he’d put her to bed and she’d fallen asleep. Thinking of all the things he was going to do for her, he reached for Kala. After he told her what Renie had told him, Kala decided that she wanted to plan a party for the woman, and give her the best birthday that anyone could ever have. Arryn thought it a wonderful idea, but asked her to do it the day after the thing with the demon was over.

“We can celebrate it then without having this pall hanging over us.” Kala agreed and asked him to describe the cake for her. He gave her as much detail as he could find in her memories, and told her of one more thing he’d found there. This really was going to be a grand party.

Chapter 10

Today. Today she was going to hell. As Renie went over her notes again for Riss, she thought of this morning. Arryn had been so tender to her at first that she’d cried after he made the sweetest and most gentle love to her. As she sat there she thought of it again, of how he’d taken her hard enough that she was still sore even hours later.

“I love the way you moan when I touch you.” She had moaned, a great deal as a matter of fact. His hands could do things to her body that defied description. “Your skin is so soft, smooth. I could touch you all the time and never get enough.”

He had her on her belly and he sat on her thighs. Arryn was digging deep into the muscles of her ass so hard that she knew that she’d be bruised the next day and not even care. As he moved over her thighs, then down to her knees, every part of her body seemed to melt under his administrations. When he lifted her leg up and bit into her calf, she nearly came and begged him to do it again.

“Not yet, love. I have so much more of you to explore, and if you finish now, whatever will I do?” She’d been too overwhelmed to answer him, but his soft chuckle had her wanting to turn over and show him what she could do with her own toys. But the sound of her vibrator turning on made her look over her shoulder at him. “You can come with this device. I’ve seen it used before, but I’ve never had the pleasure of using one.”

“Are you going to use it on you?” He nodded, then ran it over her ass. It was too much and not enough at the same time. “Make me come, Arryn, please. I need to come.”

“In due time.” He moved down her legs with the vibrator, then up over her ass again. She was so wet by then that she knew that the bed was going to be soaked. As her legs were spread open, she tried to fight the urge to beg him again, and that was when he nipped at her ass.

Renie thought for sure that he was going to kill her. Every time she was close to coming, he moved his mouth and the vibrator to another sensitive part of her body. By the time he had told her to move to her back, she was a bundle of tense nerves. A cool breeze, she had thought, would have sent her over the edge, and she was suddenly craving a big fan.

He held the vibrator to his cock, stroking the length of it as he held it in his other fist. Renie sat up, watching his face for moments and then his hands on his cock. There was so much precum leaking from him that she felt her mouth water at the thought of tasting him. Moving to the foot of the bed where he was, Renie took him into her mouth just as he pressed the vibrator to her pussy.

She was sure that the entire house had heard her. Her scream of release—and that was just what it was—had felt like she’d been set on a rocket and it had blown her up. Even as she was coming back to earth, her body came again…not just her, but her entire being seemed to have been put on a ride of coming that was never going to end. And as soon as Arryn came, his cum hitting the back of her throat with enough force that she was surprised that her head wasn’t thrown back, Renie came again and again. But he hadn’t been finished. No, not yet.

He threw her back on the bed, she with her legs wide and his cock buried into her, even as she reached for him. Arryn slammed deep, and Renie’s body bent nearly double with her legs up and over his shoulders. The odd position didn’t take away from her pleasure. Even as he squeezed her breasts, bit them hard, she cried out her release. And when he came too, filling her with his seed, Renie felt the earth move beneath them, the bed trembling in response as he threw back his head and cried out how much he loved her.

“Renie?” It took her several seconds to focus on the man in front of her and she moved back in fear. “It’s me, Riss. You called for me to come here.”

Her heart was pounding as she tried to think. But he never moved, never came any closer than the doorway as she tried her best not to let her fear take over.
It’s today
, her mind kept saying in a loop. Today she was going to die.

“Renie? I’m not going to hurt you.” She nodded, not really sure of anything right now other than she had been scared. “I’m going to come closer to you so that I can touch you. All right?”

“I’m…it’s okay. Just give me a minute.” Riss nodded and moved into the room with her. He never touched her like he had said, but she did put out her hand to him. “I’m not sure if it will burn you, but I would like the contact please.”

His fingers brushed gently over her hand, then he took it into his. There was no heat this time…warmth, but nothing like when she’d touched Boss or Lily. His arms wrapped around her as she stood up, and Renie let his comfort wash over her. When he finally let her go, he held her hand while he sat at the table with her. It was as if she’d been bathed in his comfort and love. Looking at him, she gave him a half smile and shook her head.

“You must think I’m a dork.” He told her that he had no idea what that could be, but he was sure she wasn’t anything like that. “I’m scared, if you want to know the truth. I wonder…I keep wondering if I’ll be lit on fire, or will he just take me there like I am right now.”

“He is to meet you here, I thought.” Renie nodded. “There will be no taking you, Renie. You know that we have your ribs.”

“Back. You have my back.” He nodded and smiled at her. “Why is it that Arryn seems to be more…I don’t know…up on things, I guess? Most of the rest of you seem to be stuck forever in the dark ages. Well, not quite that far back, but you know what I mean. And Michael? He is positively adorable the way he messes up nearly every word.”

“Arryn’s interaction with humans is legendary. One time, during a war between some of the states, he was found beside some of the other protectors fighting as if he were human too. I am not sure how long he had been there before it was discovered, but he said that he learned a great deal during that time. He told me later that he never fired his gun, but it was a learning experience that he would never forget, and that the food served was as bad as anything he’d tried to cook for himself.” Renie laughed, as she was sure Riss had meant for her to. “It has been that way for so many years. On his time off he would work the counter at fast food restaurants, or in a clothing store. He knows money, too; not as well as you do, but he has a better understanding of it than I do. And you should see his closet. There are so many shirts that he was required to wear on these jobs that it is amazing to me that he has not had to have a bigger storage place put in just for them. When I think on it, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen him wear them other than to work. You think he keeps them as something he treasures?”

“I think you’re right about the shirts. He showed them to me after he moved them to our home. And they are in a separate closet from the one in our room. It’s filled with jeans and tee shirts now. But the rest of you? I’ve noticed that…what’s up with Valyn? I mean, he doesn’t even seem to like us…human’s, I mean.” Riss nodded, then looked away. “You don’t have to tell me. I know that whatever it is, it must have been terrible for him.”

“It was. And while I know of the story and what transpired that year, I do not have all the details. Valyn took some time off after that. A decade or more. I thought him never to return.”

“But he has. And I think the scars are still there. Has it been…how long ago was this?” Riss looked like he wasn’t going to answer, but when he did, Renie felt something move in her heart. “So long ago. Two hundred years is a long time to hold so much pain in your heart.”

“I agree. And I hope…I am not sure, but I do hope that Boss has a bride for him. She will need to be strong, much stronger than even you and my Kala. She will need to be something more than…it will be a hard boat for her to row.”

Riss asked her what it was she wanted and she opened the file in front of her before speaking. “This is the address that is moving the money. It’s not a physical address but one that the computer has. I think it’s the bank manager, but I’m not a hundred percent sure at the moment. Do you understand IP addresses?”

“I have some knowledge of them. You have narrowed it down then? Will the others be able to get their money returned to them?” She nodded and smiled. “I do not think that is a smile that I should like turned on me. What is it you have done?”

“The day after tomorrow the money will be returned to all the accounts. Some of it has been moved, but not a lot of it. I think this person thinks that he’s much smarter than me. But he’s not. There is another person helping him. A nephew, I think. I know of him, but I have never met him personally. His skills are good, but not…I’ve called in a few favors, and he’ll be arrested while this is going down with the bank.” Riss asked her if she knew it was a man. “No, not really, but a woman would be more precise in her taking it, I think. She’d have a better system set up. I have no idea why I think that, but there you have it. Also—and this is way out there—I think a woman would have been more inclined to stop at a certain point. So as not to get caught. Not to say that there aren’t more than a few greedy women out there, but this just feels like a man’s job.”

“But why are you handing this off to me? Or the group, as you will be able to do this on your own?” Renie handed him another file. It was the real reason she’d invited him there. “What is this?”

“It’s my will. I had it drawn up last week. And if you would be so kind to have my wishes taken care of, I’d be very grateful.” Riss looked it over, and she knew when he got to the part where she distributed out her funds. “I’ve been paid well over the years. And I’m pretty good at investments too. Very good. My last several jobs paid me so well that had I wanted to I could have retired on the funds. But I got bored just sitting around, and that was what landed my butt in jail. I think knowing that my…that Penny had done this to me was more than my heart and mind could take at the time.”

“Understandable. But you know that you will not need this. We will be there for you, every step of the way.” She pushed the file back at him when he started to hand it back. “You’re not going to be his plaything.”

“And if something happens, then this will be taken care of. Penny will come after you, I’m sure. When she does, you’ll find a letter there for her. Not that it will help her understand what I’ve done, but it did ease my heart some.” He nodded and took the file. “And the other things? You’ll take care of them as well?”

“Yes.” Nodding, she sat back down at the computer. “Renie, can you tell me why your mother did this to you?”

“I believe…no, that’s not right. I know that she hated me. And she hated everyone along with it. I’m sure if someone were to ask her she’d tell them that she did the best she could for me. You know, sending me away when I turned six. But she didn’t send me so much as I ran. And every time I ran and I was brought back, I would get further and further away from her. Until one day, I just never returned.” She looked at Riss, one of the nicest men she knew. “She did this to me because she felt that she deserved it. That her life was forever changed because someone had planted me in her belly. Does that make sense?”

“Yes. In a sad sort of way, it does.” Nodding, he turned to the door as if to leave, then stopped before speaking again. “The protectors are all here that could be. All of them have you in their prayers today. And you’ll see that we really do have your back in all of this.”

Renie got up when he opened the door wider. As they made their way to the front of the house, she could feel it. And when he opened the outside door for her and she stepped onto the porch, it was to see a sight that she would bet her very life on that no one had ever seen before. Protectors—hundreds, maybe thousands of them—standing in Arryn’s yard with their wings spread and their swords drawn. They had come to save her. She could only nod at them as the tears fell down her cheeks, and each of them bowed before her with their swords to their forehead.

~~~

Damon watched the little pisser as he snuck by the doors. Jonas thought that he could do this and no one would be the wiser. Well, he was wrong about that, almost dead wrong. And only because he wasn’t going to die. Not today anyway, and more than likely not for many, many years to come.

When a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, Damon did not have to turn to see who it was. He knew. The man behind him would make others tremble in their boots, wet their pants, and then die where they stood. The king of this world had come to see the sight, he was sure. Damon had told him everything that was going to happen today.

“I should like to be there, but not where anyone can see me.” Damon nodded and bowed lower when his king stood in front of him. “This demon, does he have a clue what is going to happen to him? What will befall him once he tries to take this woman from her family?”

“I think he believes himself to be above such punishment. He even lied to me when his cohort was there beside him. Jonas will suffer greatly for his actions. And I only wish I could be the one serving it to him.” The king nodded as he told Damon to stand up. “Sire, should you go, the other king will need to know you are there. You know how he is on rules.”

“I have spoken to him.” Of course he had. Damon should have known that they would have spoken. “The woman, the one that signed the contract, she is to come here. Now.”

When the woman appeared before him, Damon looked at her with the eye of one who knew evil, and this woman was more evil than any human he’d seen brought there before. When she asked why she was there, no one answered her. Damon wasn’t sure either, but he would never question his king.

“I asked you a question. Are you so stupefied by my looks that you are not able to speak? If not, then why the hell am I here?” Damon was sure that was not what she had meant, but said nothing as she repeated her demand for answers. She dared gaze at his king, and then she smiled at him. “I’ve been brought here to see her, haven’t I? I mean, today is the big day, isn’t it? It might be tomorrow or the next day, but I know it is soon. I want to see the party going on with my daughter.”