Blaze (Queen's Birds of Prey 2)

Bryson raised his hand. “It would help if we could have a working printer. Not just one to print out paper, but a printer to make the parts that we are developing so that we can see how they will fit together. A 3D printer. I know that they cost a great deal, but it would be saving money in the long run if we could do just what I said. Print out the parts before we put them into production. It would help with sizes, as well as how to fit the pieces together for any manner of things.”

“That’s an excellent idea.” She heard Bill say that Bryson was a suck up. “I will look into that as soon as possible.” She was glad that Bill was showing himself to not being a team player. It would make her job of firing him much easier. “Anything else you might have in mind?”

The meeting lasted for over two hours. Remi, who was helping her, suggested that they order in lunch for them all. Telling her to go ahead, she was glad when the food showed up just as the meeting was ending. She had her own notes to go over, and was glad that she could sit down someplace and work on them. Boxes were available at each desk for the employees to take their things home so that they’d not be lost when the renovations were being done. Of course, Bill had something to say about that as well.

“You’re firing us all, aren’t you? This is your way of not having to send our things home to us when you do that. Isn’t that right?” She told him that it was just for what she’d said it was. To make sure that his stuff wasn’t lost in the painting and cleaning of the offices. “Sure it is. Sure. And this here lunch, is it another pay off for you to feel better about firing us?”

“I’m only firing you for now.” There was silence in the room. Forks were halfway to their mouths when she spoke to Bill. “I didn’t want to do this like this, but you forced my hand. I’m sure you won’t mind if the new security team helps you pack up and leave, Mr. Shoop.”

The three men that she’d brought over from another of their plants stood near her to take the man away. When Bill only laughed at her, she asked him what he thought was so funny.

“You can’t believe that you’re going to be able to run this place without me, do you?” She said that she did believe that. “And what if you can’t? What will you do when I say no to you when you call me back in? I’m not going to leave here like this and be expected to come back when you need me. I want you to know that right up front.”

“I’m glad to know that. But you’re still fired. If I can’t run this place, which I don’t have any doubt that I can, then I’ll simply find someone that is cooperative, as well as willing to give us a minute or two before they start pointing out what we’re doing wrong. I don’t need the negativity any more than the people working here do.” He laughed again. “Gentlemen, please see Mr. Shoop out and make sure that his badge is disabled, and be sure that only his things go with him. His things, not the company’s.”

As soon as his things were packed up, several items that weren’t his put aside, her security team escorted the man out. Almost as soon as the door closed behind him, Bryson started clapping. Soon the rest of them followed suit. It seemed that no one liked the man any more than she did.

Lunch was fun after that. Not only did each of the people that worked for her now come up to talk to her, but they also were kind enough to tell her their names. Their files, sadly, didn’t have pictures. As soon as the new place opened up, they’d have badges with pictures to make it easier for the newly hired security team to identify everyone that came through the doors.

Bryson came up to her table with a plate of food. Almost as soon as she shook his hand, she knew what he was to her. She had a feeling that he did as well. When he sat down across from her, he set his plate down as well, a look on his face that she couldn’t read. She was sure that she was looking the same way. All thoughts of him being the manager for her flew right out the window when she realized that he was her mate.

“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do now.” She asked him what it was he wanted to do. “I’m no

t sure. I honestly don’t have a thought in my head other than that you’re my mate. Aren’t you?”

“Yes. I don’t suppose you’re related to Clara, are you? I mean, Williams is a pretty common name.” He told her that she was his sister. “You turned in Mr. Deter, too, didn’t you?”

“I did.” He looked around, then back at her. “I’d rather no one knew about me doing that. It’s hard enough keeping a secret from family. Co-workers are even harder.”

“You know that you can’t work here now, don’t you?” He asked her why not. “You’re my mate. What do you think people are going to say about you if they find out about how you’re mate to the owner?”

“That I’m a lucky man? That I’ve hit the jackpot? I don’t know. But then, I’ve only been mated to you for about ten seconds.” She nodded. “I have about ten million questions going through my head right now. None of which I can catch long enough to ask you about it.”

“I was going to make you the manager here. I don’t think that will work out well now, do you?” Again, he asked her why not. “I don’t know, really. Because, I guess I thought that you’d want to be a man of leisure.”

“Are you a woman of leisure? I’m assuming that you have money. Yet here you are working to keep a small printing company running. Also keeping the people here with a job. I’m not much into lying around anymore than I’m betting you are.” She said that she wasn’t. “Good to know. What else do I need to know about you? I can tell you anything that you might not have found out about me by having me investigated.”

“I’m not human. Not a shifter either. When I was made, I was a bird—a hawk. I’m thousands of years old, and very powerful.” He nodded. She wasn’t sure if he believed her or not. “You’re human. Or you were until we shook hands.”

“What am I now then?” He was so calm that it was scary for her. “Am I a bird too? Powerful, like you?”

“Yes. You’ll also have some magic of your own. I don’t know what that will be, but that’s what my brother-in-law got.” Bryson asked her if the rest of her sisters were hawks. “No, we’re not even blood sisters. Only by heart. Mercy is a falcon. She’s married to Joel. Judith, or Jude, is an eagle. Piper is a phoenix. Remi, who you met today, is a vulture, and Esmeralda, or Esy, is an owl. We’re larger than life too. Much larger than you can imagine.”

Bryson nodded and sat there while two more people came to ask her questions. She was so rattled by Bryson just sitting there taking it all in that she pleaded a headache and made her way to the office that she’d been using since she’d taken over. She was annoyed when Bryson joined her.

“I have a lot to deal with today. So, if you’d just come over tonight at Mercy’s house, they can all meet you and you can ask them questions too.” He sat down instead of going away like she wanted him to do. “Really. I don’t have time for this.”

“My father is around. I just found out yesterday that he was willing to sell my sister or me to cover his gambling debt. He’s not at all good at it—gambling, I mean. I can’t remember a single time that he ever won more than what he lost. You might be thinking that I have no reason to tell you this, but I think he might hit you up for money too. He always has a reason for why he gambles, but we, Clara and I, have cut him off at the knees, so to speak.” She asked him where the man was now. “I don’t know, to be honest. I’d like to say that I don’t care either, but knowing what you are to me, I’d hate for him to hurt you.”

“He can’t. I mean, he could try, but he’ll only get killed if he messes with any of us. I should also tell you that you’re an immortal, as well as Clara now. I know that part, but whether she gets any magic, I don’t know for sure. Joel’s daughter did—that’s what I’m basing this on.” He asked her what that meant, to be immortal. “You can’t die, for one thing. You also can’t have your head removed—that’s a biggy where we’re concerned. Nothing can pierce your heart either. As I said, I’m not sure about Clara, but I’d assume she is as well.”

“You’re not afraid of him, are you?” She asked him if she should be. “I don’t know. I’m assuming that you’ve dealt with this sort of thing before—having a madman want you to give him money. Do you have a great deal of money?”

“Billions. You?” He said that he had a little money, less than a hundred thousand. “That’s not bad for what we’re paying you. I’ve looked into your life, as you have said. The house that you and your sister own, you’ve been pouring all your money into it to get it up to standard, as well as paying off the taxes, correct?”

“Yes. My father again. We were both sending him money to get things fixed. They actually did need to be repaired, but he was using the money for other things. Gambling for the most part.” She nodded at him. “Then the night before last he spoke to Clara, and said that he’d tried to sell us off for his debt. I think that was the last straw for her. Me too, but I’ve not been happy with him for a good deal longer than her.”

“I’m assuming that it’s your family home or something? The reason I ask is, I’ve just started looking for a home.” He said that they’d only grown up in the house. It didn’t have great meaning to him. “I have two appointments this afternoon to look at some housing. Would you like to go with me?”