Piper (Queen's Birds of Prey 4)

“It is.” He looked at who he thought was Jude. He didn’t remember names well from a few days ago. “Come on, Benson, join us for lunch. You were right. I’m Jude. This is my husband, Duncan. Everything Abe has told you is true. We’d love for you to stay and get to know him. Also, as he said, the house is there for you to use. It’s a lovely older house. Furnished and well maintained. It just needs someone there to make it a home again.”

“You don’t know me. Why would any of you do this for a man down on h

is luck?” She asked him if it was true that he had been a physician. “Yes. I was a pediatric physician for a long time. But when it was discovered that I had AIDS, everyone dropped me, including the partnership I’d started. I can no longer afford my insurance either. So I guess I’m sort of a doctor.”

“I think we can take care of all of that, including a nice salary for you.” She asked him to sit down again. “My sister, Piper, and her husband are going to try and save as many abused children as they can. And when I say to save them, if necessary they’re going to snatch them from the hands of the people hurting them, then that’s the route they’re going to go. We all agree it’s far better to have them missing with us than to be missing and dead.”

“You wish for me to help you by making sure they’re healthy. I’d gladly do that for what you’ve done for me. But I don’t think you having to pay me much is necessary. I have a home now. Food and friendships. Plus, I get to be uncle to this little guy.” They all laughed, but Jude told him it was a done deal for him to make money. “We’ll work something out on that if that’s all right with you.”

She didn’t answer him but did smile. Benson thought he was going to be making what they said he would and that he’d just have to live with it.

As soon as the food was placed in from of him, he realized he was starving. Pacing himself so he’d not make himself sick, he ate smaller bites as he talked to the family. When Piper and Grant joined them, they told him more about what the job would involve.

“I like that. Having a cook in the home will make sure that I have plenty of time to take care of the little ones. And from what I’ve been told about the house, it’s large enough for us to be able to take on as many children as you save.” Piper told him she’d be getting some more beds in the rooms, with Abe’s permission, to house children in rooms together. “That would be nice for some of the younger ones. Children that are terrified of being left alone, or worse, afraid of the dark, or just need someone there to hear their breathing. That’s a nice thing to do for them. I’ve heard of children that were left on their own when the parent or someone watching over them had OD’d, and they were left with the bodies. Yes, I can see where having others would be a good thing.”

They spoke for another hour or so. Then they went to the Bloom house to look around. Benson couldn’t believe he was going to be living here and doing something he loved so much—taking care of children. He was also going to see Abe grow up. Not that he wanted to be his father—he thought Duncan was doing a better job of that than even Benson’s own parents had, and he had always thought they were great parents. No, Abe was in the perfect spot now, and he’d not do anything to mess that up for him.

The house was much nicer than he thought it might have been. Even from the outside, he thought the house was big. Going inside only made it seem like he was getting the better end of any deal they were making with him. Benson even thought the furniture was something he might well have picked out for his own home. He was sitting in one of the oversized chairs, enjoying the view out back when Molly, Grant’s mom, joined him.

“I’ve heard a great deal about you from Piper and Grant. They said they were going to talk to you about having the children they rescue come here to be put back together. They didn’t say that, but it’s my understanding that you’ll be doing a lot of medical work with them. Is that right?” He told her he hoped so. “I’d like to help you here. Move in with you and work from here. My son, he’s going to take the other castle that belongs to Duncan, and I’d just be in the way. They said I wouldn’t be, but I’m thinking that with them being newly together, I will be. I’m not saying we have to sleep together, but I’d love to live here because of the work you’re doing, and you and I…. Well, I’m hoping we can get to know each other.”

“I’d like that. I’ve heard a great deal about you as well. All of it glowing reports. Abe and his sister, they love you to pieces.” Her face pinked up, and he smiled. “I’d be honored if you were to live here with me. I think, between the two of us, we’d be good for the children too.”

“I thought so as well.” She leaned back on the couch as if asking him to live here had exhausted her. “You have magic. Did they tell you that? Not as much as the others do, but you have some. Fae is a little of it. I’m not sure of the rest. I’m assuming Grant is the one that kept you from dying.”

“He did. Do you know what I can do as a little fae?” She said that for the most part, he’d have to trial and error his magic. “I can understand that. Piper told me that sometimes magic mixes in a way that is different for each person. One thing I have discovered, quite by accident, is that I can change my clothes. I thought that to be the best. I’ve lost a great deal of weight of late, and I’ve not had much in the way of clothing that fits me.”

“You more than likely have things that will make it easier to be around for a long time. Talents you didn’t have before, such as cooking, and things you might have had a handle on, but nothing you were proficient at.” He smiled at her. “I’m going to tell my son that you’re all right with me staying here. I needed a place I could be in without my son. We’ve been together for such a long time that I’m fearful of missing him terribly. He’s a good boy, my son, but he’s got himself a mate now.”

“Perhaps they’ll have you grandchildren soon.” She had such a hopeful look on her face that he hoped even if Piper and Grant didn’t want children, they’d at least have one for this woman. “I’ve been wanting to ask but wasn’t sure who it would be that I could ask without causing trouble. Are Retha and her husband still on their way here? I hate that they cause so much trouble for everyone.”

“They’re both dead.” He didn’t know if he wanted to ask what had happened, and Molly seemed to understand that. “They were in the area for about three hours, I guess, when Mercy and Piper came upon them. It was quick, much quicker than I think they deserved, but they’re no longer a problem. I think, for the time being, we should just leave it at that.”

“All right. Thank you for letting me know. Now I have enough information that I won’t be making a fool of myself by asking.” He thought about the two people and shivered. Whatever reasons the two women had to kill them, he was glad it was finished. Benson didn’t know why, but he had a feeling it was about Abe, or something close to it. “I’ve been thinking about just keeping to one of the bedrooms down here. There are three of them. Which would you like? I can move into another one if you wish the one I’ve picked. I took the one facing the side and back yards.”

“How very nice of you. No, I’d like the one nearer the kitchen if you’d not mind. That will leave the one between us for you to use as an office should you need to.” He said he’d not thought of that. “The family, they’re going to outfit the basement with medical supplies for you. If you don’t want every little gadget around, I’d try to get them a list.”

“Yes. I’ve noticed they don’t do things halfway. I think I’m going to enjoy living here with you. You’re kind-hearted, and you don’t seem to want much more than I do. A roof over our heads and a full belly.” She said that was her in a nutshell and a garden in the summer. “Fresh things to eat sound wonderful. I’ve never had an opportunity to have even a plant where I was before. I think I’m also going to enjoy the outdoors if we’re not too busy all the time.”

The others joined them as he and Molly were out looking at the herb garden in the back. It was in need of a good weeding, as well as some of the things that would need to be transplanted. Piper said they had a lot of seeds they could plant that would help them. Benson was as excited as he’d ever been.

“I wanted to thank you for taking this on with us.” He told Grant that it was his pleasure. “You might not think so if I have to wake you in the middle of the night too often. But we are going to make a difference here. And with your help, we might even be able to save a few children that would otherwise be dead. Thank you.”

Benson shook hands with the older man. He knew, even though he looked like they were the same age, that Grant was thousands of years older than him. As they parted ways, he saw Molly ask to speak to Grant. He supposed they were going to talk about her moving in here to help. The two of them were old enough to make decisions on their own, he supposed, but he was happy she cleared it with her son before he found out on his own.

Benson went to find his room again. He was going to make that list before, as Molly said, he ended up with more equipment than he had room for.

~*~

The castle was much larger than Duncan’s. Piper did wonder why Duncan and Jude had not moved into it instead of the other one, but she remembered that Duncan would want to be closer to his mom. She could understand that better than most. She missed Dante more the longer they were around here.

“How do you open it? I mean, is there a special word or phrase you use?” She told Grant she hadn’t any idea but did touch her hand to the stoned off area where the drawbridge would be. “Do you feel the earth around us? I do. It’s like everything is waiting for you to open up the magic the castle has. I’m not sure why that is how I feel, but it’s there. A pause in their lives until we arrived.”

“I can feel it here. The warmth of the stones. These stones would have been carved from the mountain behind it. Then brought here by the slaves that would have been doing most of the heavy work.” She stood up and looked at where stone met stone against the mountain. Also, where the six turrets were. “I wonder why six? I mean, usually, a turret would have been built with a staircase in it, with windows. At least that is what I’ve discovered with Duncan’s. Do you think we’ll have six flights of stairs leading to the same part of the castle?”

“The middle ones are there for storage. It came in quite handy when we had stuff to sort and store. My name is Baker. I guess you could say I come with the house. The master of the house, he figured I was useful and spelled me to the stone here.” Piper asked him what he was. “Troll. A runt too, but I’m a troll. My family kicked me to the side of the sea there and hoped I’d drown. The mistress of the castle, she found me, shook me out, and had me stay with her while the king of this place was away. He wasn’t a g

ood man, my lady. Cruelty was how he got what he wanted in everything.”