Chapter 11

Scott - Chapter 11

"So you know how to cook and bake." The man grinned at her, then told her he had a great deal of experience. Chloe looked over at Anastasia when she laughed. "I know nothing about hiring someone. Perhaps you can tell me just why it is that I need to hire this man."

"Okay. Benton, I want you to show our young friend here why." The man nodded, and in an instant had a plate of cookies in one hand and a glass of tea in the other. "He's magical. You should have known that I'd never leave you alone to fend for yourself."

"So he doesn't really cook, but makes things." Benton told her that he could cook, he had just wanted to show off. "Okay, when you show off again, maybe instead of cookies you could make some scones? Noelle makes them sometimes, and I've fallen in love with the lemony ones."

The plate of cookies was replaced with scones. Warm ones that looked like they'd just been baked, the steam rolling off the top of them picture perfect. And they had a lemony smell to them that made her mouth water. The glass of tea was now a cup of hot, the cup so beautiful and delicate that she didn't want to pick it up.

"My lady, I would also like to take over the construction of the household." Since she had no idea what that meant, so long as it didn't make her have to use a hammer again, she told him fine. "Shall I take care of ordering foodstuff as well? You have a few staples, but not enough to sustain a household this big."

"There are only the two of us. Not including you. How much in the way of staples do you think we'll need?" His only reply was plenty. When he left them to their tea and scones, Chloe looked over at her friend. "You changed me. I'm not the same as the rest of them."

"No, you're not. Neither is your mate." Chloe looked down at the crumbs on her plate, not even sure if she'd eaten one or two of the pastries. The plate they were on seemed to replace each one they ate. "I have some things I should like to tell you. Are you ready for them?"

"No. I've decided just this minute that I would prefer to live the rest of my life in the dark about a great many things." Anastasia laughed. "I'm being serious here. You have no idea how freaked out I am about some of this stuff."

"I'm sure you'll get used to it. I know that it's a lot, but I need you and Scott for something." She asked her if it was dangerous. "No. Not at all. More of a perk job."

"Perk? I don't know why, but I don't think I'm going to think of this job as a perk." She laughed again, and this time Chloe joined her. "You know that I'd do anything in the world for you. You saved my life as many times as you think I saved yours. I owe you."

"You owe me nothing but friendship. And that is what this request is that I ask of you, a friendship sort of deal." Chloe waited for her to tell her, but she changed the subject. "Did you know that there are several hundred acres around this land that are sitting idle?"

"Yes. I mean, I really didn't know there was that much, but I knew there was a lot of land. The area has been in a funk, I guess. There are new businesses coming in. One in particular is nearly done with his building." Anastasia only nodded. "You're making me crazy. What is it?"

"Doug Coulier, he's the owner of the company." Chloe said she thought so. "I should like to meet him. With you there. I have a plan for his business, and I would enjoy having you as well as young Noelle there."

"Are you going to kill him?" Chloe had been kidding, but when Anastasia said nothing back, she got concerned. "Please tell me that I'm not going to be the witness to a murder. Or I swear to Christ, you're on your own from now on."

"Nothing like that, not if he will listen. I need to convince him to hire a few of my people." Chloe asked her why. "Because what he is doing to the earth and the air around the building that his company will be using is very harmful to my kind. I should like for him to hire a few of my people so that they might keep him from harming us anymore."

"I see. And your people there, what will that do to help your kind? Or do you want me to know?" Anastasia shook her head. "Okay, I can live with that. But why do you need us to be there with you? I'm assuming that you think we can convince him to help you?"

"Nay, I think him a man who knows what he is about. This project, like so many that might come here, will boost the economy, but it will also harm others such as myself. I know that he is taking many precautions for pollution and such, but there is so much more that he could be doing." Chloe asked her when she wanted to go. "Now. The timing is right for us."

Before she could ask her what she meant, Noelle knocked on the back door. And soon after that, a gentleman, a well-dressed man wearing a very expensive suit, came as well. He said his name was Nash and nothing more. When Anastasia said nothing about him, Chloe didn't ask. There were some things, she'd come to realize, that she really didn't want to know.

Doug was willing to meet with them when they arrived. He was polite, but Chloe knew that something was wrong. And when he closed his phone after a very terse call, she asked him again.

"I'm not having a good day." Chloe said she could see that. "There is an EPA guy here that has been hanging around for a week now. It's almost as if he's looking for trouble so that he can pounce on it. I'm so sorry about this."

Chloe thought the meeting was over, but no one moved to stand. Anastasia cleared her throat after several seconds and asked if she might help. If there was an answer to her query, Chloe missed it because she just disappeared. Doug looked at her when Anastasia was gone.

"I don't understand." She laughed and said she didn't either. "I've been extremely pressed to get this building done, but we're running into more trouble than I thought. Nothing to do with the land or the building, but it's almost as if every government agency wants to come in and put me further and further behind. You have no idea the list of shit this guy this morning gave me."

"I should like to stay here and help you." Chloe glanced at Nash as he continued talking to Doug. "I will help you in ways that you cannot even fathom. But I should like a favor in return."

"Is this why these men are here?" It took her a moment to understand that he thought that Nash was responsible for his troubles. "Because if it is, then I'll just close up this place and walk away if you think to blackmail me."

Nash looked at her for an explanation. "Essentially, it's coercion. It involves a threat about one thing or another, and if they don't meet their demands, then they'll cause harm or something like that. There was this case where a little boy had been kidnapped. And when the parents did what he wanted, he was to give the boy back. They wanted this man to stop producing alcoholic beverages because their son had been killed by drinking and driving. They were blaming the manufacturer, not their son."

"I've no wish for a child to be harmed." Nash looked at Doug. "I only wish for you to allow me to stay here so that I might help you. I don't have any need of your money or children, but only wish to make it so that nothing in our area is hurt."

"You just want to come here and help me for no charge." Nash nodded. "And what will you require when I have the building up and running. To take it from me?" Doug seemed to realize that he was being rude and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm being this way other than I've not been sleeping well, nor have I had a decent meal in days. The house that I'm renting is a nice place, but it's hard to get home to relax and eat when this is going on."

Anastasia returned then and told him he'd have no more trouble with the EPA. She also told him that she'd taken care of the two other firms that had been in the building. Then she asked about Nash.

"He said he can help me. But he doesn't want money or anything else." Doug stretched his neck. "I'm beginning to think that this was a major mistake."

"You'll need to plant flowers around the acreage beyond your parking lot. Trees too would be nice. And while the roof is being finished, solar panels will go a long way to making your costs lower, as well as helping the lands around you." Doug asked Anastasia why that was important. "Because I am fae, and you are harming the green around you. The trees are suffering, as are the flowers and grasses. Without them, we cannot survive. We will have to go to war with you should you not help us."

"Fae?" Doug looked at Noelle. "I had no idea there were such a thing as fae. I mean, I've heard of them but.... Why am I just now hearing about this?"

"I had no idea until today." Noelle stood up and started to pace the room as she continued. "How much will he save in the first year if he puts in panels like you said? I mean, a ball park figure."

The total was much higher than she'd thought it would be. Then Nash listed not just the cost of putting them in, but also the savings that he would get in putting them in now rather than later.

"Water can be heated this way as well. Enough so that your emissions from the gas used to heat it would go down significantly. Then there is the shade from the trees, the fauna from the landscaping…all this will improve workers' mental abilities, as well as give the faeries and brownies something to feast upon." Doug asked him about the smaller creatures. "The faeries will protect you in ways that you should never have to worry about your staff. The brownies, while a small group of beings, can clean your building from top to bottom in less time than it would take an entire staff to do so. And a much better job."

"How much will that cost?" Nash told him that the flowers and the land surrounding the building would be payment enough for them. "So I plant a few flowers and they'll come and clean for me? I don't think that's terribly much, do you?"

"For them you are giving them hope of having a land plentiful of foods. The trees will provide places for them to raise their families without the fear of being killed by large machinery coming in." Nash took out a thick file and handed it to Doug. "These ladies have been kind enough to help us enter your fine establishment by setting up this meeting. And to see what you have done here. You are working to becoming a green warehouse, and you have done an excellent job thus far, but I can take you further. If you would allow me to do so."

As they worked out the details, Noelle taking notes, Nash telling Doug that the people he had in place would help as well, Chloe looked over at Anastasia. She looked sad and she asked her quietly about it.

"This will help so many, you know that, don't you? I mean, not just the man here, but all the creatures that have about given up hope of having any sort of place to call their own." Chloe asked her what else was bothering her. "The man there, he is my mate."

~*~

Scott had never enjoyed running in the woods with his brother as much as he was today. Chloe had an appointment in town with the Feds about her new job, and he'd been bored out of his mind at home waiting for her to return. Then Trent and Randal had shown up and asked if he'd run with them.

Tomorrow was going to be hard on Chloe, he knew it. The building that Scott had purchased from his grandda earlier had been closed off tighter than he'd seen a building. Not only were there chains on the doors, but two armed guards patrolled the place at all times.

William was mourning the death of his son. Not in the way Scott thought that a man would, but that he no longer had anyone to come and bail him out. Not that there was any money for bail, but William was pissed that there wasn't anyone gathering something up for him. According to him, the Calhoun family had ruined him. Scott saw Randal and was ready to pounce on him when he felt the earth beneath his nails shift.

Not yet. Scott felt his wolf freeze at the voice in their head. Not just yet, my lord. He will change direction in a moment.

Sure enough, Randal moved to his right and had Scott leapt at him, he would have fallen head over ass, making a fool of himself. When Scott's wolf lay in the dry leaves, Scott asked who the person was.

Person? I'm not a person, my lord, but the earth beneath your feet. Should you dig your nails a little deeper for us, we will have a better connection. His wolf just yawned and didn't move. I see you are going to be stubborn, my young pup. I promise you, should you do as I ask, I will reward you greatly with the knowledge on how to take down the big alpha.

Taking his time, his wolf did stretch out his paws and dig his thick nails into the soil beneath him. Scott felt the connection immediately. He was pretty sure that the wolf in him did as well.

I'm not sure that taking down the big alpha is a plan I can live with at the moment. Not without knowing who you are and how you contacted me. Well, us I guess. The laughter in his head had him smiling. There was something so childlike about it that he was nearly charmed by it. Please, I don't know you, nor what your plans are.

I am of the earth, as I said. Anastasia, she has given us all the ability to speak with you, to help you in any way that we can. I was with your young mate today when she was out in the earth. She is much better now that she's listening to me. Scott wondered why Chloe hadn't told him about talking to the earth. She did not know, my lord. I believe she thinks us a figment of her mind. Or perhaps a part of it. I did not want to frighten her, so I let her believe what she needed. But you are stronger in that you are aware of other creatures that can be out there. The young mistress, she is as new to this as the grass that grows in the spring.

But she's aware of fae. She's a good friend of Anastasia. The earth said that was correct. Then how is she not receptive to your talking to her?

She is still young in her knowledge of us. It has only been a few winters since she met the queen. And Anastasia, she has given you both a great deal of herself, but you have grown up knowing what you are, who you will become. She is yet but a babe. Scott said he could see that. Then what she'd said occurred to him. But before he could ask, the earth spoke again. Your alpha, he is like you? A brother?

Yes. He is my oldest brother. Randal is here as well. He was the first person you warned me about. The earth said nothing, so he asked her about the queen. Who is the queen you were talking about? Is it Anastasia? Is she the queen of fae?

Her sister. Anastasia was the sister to the queen of fae? Christ, that would make her a princess. You should stop thinking so hard, my lord. I think you are disturbing the land around you. Breathe slowly and I will tell you when to pounce.

When she told him now, Scott and his wolf leaped up and grabbed Trent by the neck. It was play so he didn't hurt him, but he did take him down twice before he was able to get free. As their wolves stood there staring at each other, they were both surprised when their dad came out of the dark woods laughing.

"He got you good, didn't he? Darn near wet my socks when I saw him get you. Jumped out like he knew you were there." The voice in his head cautioned him from sharing just yet that he did have help. "I tell you, I never would have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes."

"Dad, he was lucky, that's all." Trent wasn't pissed but he was shocked. So was Scott, but he took his body back when his brothers did. "I guess I owe you dinner. Last man standing gets to pick, too."

"How about we all come over to the house and we'll have a cook out?" Scott explained how Chloe was stressing about the foundation being opened in the morning. "That way we can have some fun, make her laugh, and she'll feel better."

"Excellent idea. I'll call your grandparents and your momma right now. That'll be good. I hear you have yourself a fine cook." He told his dad that all he'd had to eat at the house so far was cereal. "Cereal? You mean that processed crap that they put in boxes that ain't worth the dirt of a land fill? That crap?"

"Yes, Dad, that crap. I have crap like that every morning. My particular favorite is the crap that has little yogurt balls in it. Tasty." His dad glared at him. "It's not crap. And Chloe likes it. So I eat it so I can have breakfast with her every morning."

"Oh well. Not the best stuff, but that's sure a good reason." His dad's approval made him smile. "Mom said that she's picking up a few things. I'd say it's gonna be a lot, so just be ready. And when we get there, I'm going to have to have a little talk with that girl of yours."

They made their way to the house, and almost as soon as they let Benton know that others were coming for dinner, he said he had it taken care of. Scott wasn't worried in the least bit that there wouldn't be enough food, or that it would be anything but delicious. He knew that the man was fae; Anastasia had sat him and Chloe down and explained to them what he was, why he was there, and even the extent of his magic. Which was a great deal of it. But she'd never mentioned being the sister of the queen.

"Benton was at one time a part of a great army of his kind. He and his men fought wars so great that many lives were lost, and the land suffered greatly for it. When he retired, his mind and body no longer able to deal with such horrors, he took to cooking. For a time, and he probably won't tell you this, he was considered one of the greatest cooks of all time." Chloe asked her why their home, why now. "Because I love you both so much."

It was a fantastic answer, but not the real one he'd bet. Anastasia did indeed love them, he had no doubt about that, but he was sure that the reasons she gave for Benton being in their home wasn't the honest answer.

Dinner was a great success. The steaks were perfectly cooked for each of them, and baked potatoes were served with not just sour cream, but thick chucks of bacon fried crisp, green onions, and cheese. Green beans with ham, corn on the cob, and the freshest tea. Biscuits too. Not as good as Joe made, but they were right up there, and Scott noticed that Trent was hoarding a few under his plate. The man had a very strange obsession with biscuits. Just when they were all groaning about how stuffed they were, Benton brought out pies.

Banana cream was Scott's favorite. Ginger snap crust with vanilla pudding was the only way to make it as far as he was concerned. But there were cherry and apple, as well as Boston cream, just like his grandma used to make for them on the holidays.

"I'm telling you right now, Benton. If you ever want to leave this son of mine, you got yourself a place in my house. You and Meggie, you can take turns making this old man fatter." Mom smacked him on the arm. "Oh Chrissie love, you cannot tell me that's not about the best throw together meal you ever ate."

"It was, but you cannot be taking away their cook right under their noses. You should do it later, when no one is around." When she leaned over to Dad and whispered loudly in his ear, they all laughed. "Double his pay, and give him perks if you have to."

Scott thought it was the best time they'd all had in a while. Even his lovely mate looked a little more relaxed. Tomorrow was going to be a long hard day.