Chapter 3

Sterling - Chapter 3

Marty had three interviews today. It was difficult to get around today since there was snow on every street, and the sidewalks weren't any better. Ohio weather was the dumbest thing. Today it was going to only reach a high of twenty-two. Then in two days it was supposed to get up to fifty-three.

She was just putting her phone back on the charger when someone knocked at her door. If it was the landlord again, she was going to hit him with her bat.

She opened the door with the bat in her hand. Marty, ready to tell him once again that she didn't need to move in with him to save rent, saw an elderly man with a taller younger one.

"You gonna hit us with that?" She put the bat back by the door and said she wasn't. "Glad to hear that. I'm James Calhoun. This is my grandson, Sterling. I was a friend of your grandmomma's."

"Yes. I remember her talking about you. And I think I waited on someone from your family the other day. His name was...I think it was Trent. Anyway, I'm sorry but I have to tell you that Grandma is gone now." He told her he knew. "I'm sorry. Won't you come in? I've been.... Come in."

Sterling stood there for several seconds, staring at her hard, like he found her lacking or something. She was ready to slam the door in his face and leave him out there, but Mr. Calhoun pulled him into the apartment. Marty saw her landlord coming up the stairs just as she was closing the door.

"You entertaining those men?" She said nothing, trying to think why he thought it was any of his business. "You won't live with me and put out for rent, but you're willing to take on strangers."

"I'm not even going to justify that with a comment. I'm not telling you again that I will pay my rent when it comes due." He crossed his arms over his chest and glared. Marty felt the man behind her but didn't turn. "Mr. Billows, I think it's time you went home to your wife. I'm sure she could use your help with those three kids of yours."

"I don't want you doing this. I already told you that we could work out a deal, you and me, that would benefit us both." The low growl from Sterling had her turning to look at him as Mr. Billows continued. "She's a pretty woman who is out of work. And I'm laying claim to her. You get on out of here before I call the police."

"You might want to call a coroner while you're at it. If you talk to her like that again, I'm going to tear your throat out." Mr. Billows looked like he was going to argue when Sterling moved to stand in front of her. "You had best be on your way before you bite off more than you can chew. And if you don't, I'm not going to hold back on how I treat a man who is abusive to women."

When he left, Marty turned to Sterling. He had this look about him, like he was on edge. Then she realized that the growls were telling her something that she'd only just realized. He was a shifter too. Turning to go back into her apartment, trying her best not to think about what he was, she looked at Mr. Calhoun.

"You're not human." He told her they were wolves. "I see. And the reason that you've come here? I'm assuming it has nothing to do with me but your friendship with my grandma. If that's so, then I will tell you that things are settled with her and her estate, and I'd like for you both to leave."

"Sterl?" The younger man looked at his grandfather and nodded. "Holy jumping beans. Never would have thought it would be now. Come on in, Sterl, Marty. We got some talking to do, and I think dinner out would be a bit more private than here."

"Talking about what?" Neither of them spoke and she looked at Sterling. "What is he talking about, and why are you acting like I've just hurt you in some way?"

"You know what we are." She nodded and said shifter, even though it wasn't a question. "Okay, well, I'm not sure how to tell you this but straight out. You're my mate."

"No." She moved to the kitchen area to make her a cup of tea. She wasn't sure why it calmed her, but the task of brewing a cup of tea made her think of her grandma and her being so focused on the task. Sterling came to stand near the sink as she worked. "Would you like a cup of tea before you guys leave? I'm a little short on flavors right now, but I do have some really good dark tea. I don't care for the flavored ones like Grandma did, but I can make you a cup. Again, before you both leave."

"May I talk to you about this?" She shook her head and pulled out two more of her favorite cups and saucers. "Grandda doesn't drink tea, but I will have a cup. But I'd very much like to talk to you about this."

"There's nothing to talk about. As I said before, I'm doing just fine on my own, and I don't want to be rude, but I have no desire to be a mate to anyone. Not even engaged to anyone. I like my life, by myself, just the way it is." He said nothing, and she wasn't sure that she wanted him to. Marty had been around mates enough to know that they were a weird group of people. "I have things to do today, so if you and your grandfather would say whatever it is you need to and go, I'd be happy."

"Let me start by telling you a bit about myself. I'm an artist. Yesterday my grandma took me to see this gallery owner, and he wants to put my paintings in his place to sell. I was thinking that I'd put like fifty bucks on them and hope that they'd sell, but he put tens of thousands of dollars on them and he's already sold one. I don't know why I'm telling you this other than I needed to say it aloud for me. I'm a wolf, a pureblood. I think you understand and know what a shifter is." She nodded and watched him. "I have no idea what to say to you about not being my mate. It's a done deal, so I don't know what to do from here. I never, especially in the last few years, thought that I'd find my other half, and here you are. I've had a rough time of it of late."

"You're babbling, and I have a feeling that it's not a normal thing with you. But I'm sorry to hear about your rough times. I've not had such a good time either of late. And congratulations on your art. I have no hidden talent like that, other than I'm good with people. I lost my job recently." He said that Trent was his brother. "I see, so you know the whole sordid tale."

"Yes. Trent is very sorry that you were fired. I guess he feels like Joe does, that you were shafted by the owner. Do you know him well?" Marty handed him his cup of tea and said she'd only spoken to him when he'd pop into the restaurant. "He's an ass. Tanner, one of my other brothers, knows him well. I guess he has a wife and a couple of kids in addition to this other woman."

"We have to talk, you two. I mean, you can't stay here if that guy thinks you're gonna be his play thing." She told Mr. Calhoun that she wasn't worried about Mr. Billows. "Well, you might want to now. With Sterl being your mate and all, he ain't gonna be long for this world if he pulls that crap on you again."

Marty looked at Sterling. "Is he right? You'd hurt him for thinking that he can try and get me to sleep with him?" Sterling shook his head. "Well, that's good news. I don't think it would be all that nice to hurt—"

"I'd not hurt him, but kill him." She felt her fear of the man wash over her. "I'd never harm you. Not that I could, but I wouldn't anyway. But if he thinks he can bully you into something like this, then he needs to be taught a lesson."

"By killing him." Sterling said if it was necessary. "Killing someone is never necessary. He has a wife and children. What are they supposed to do if you kill him for no other reason than he wants to get into my pants?"

He growled and she slapped him. It was that or run in fear from him, and Marty had had enough running. She was taking a stand against people who thought they'd run her life. When his nose started to bleed, she handed him a towel and bit her lower lip so she'd not tell him she was sorry. She was, but he didn't have to know that.

Mr. Calhoun laughed. It started out low, just a hiccup of one, but now he was holding onto the couch laughing hard enough that she was sure he was going to hurt something. And when she asked him what was so funny, he laughed all the harder. These men were very strange.

"I think it's time that you both left. I'm not sure why you even came here in the first place, but I have things to do today." Sterling leaned against the counter. "Or I can just go. As I said, I have things to do."

"Finding a job won't be necessary. I talked to Wilmer yesterday. He told me that he feels really bad about you losing your job like you did. He said that he gave you a few bucks, but it'd not be enough to keep you in bread and butter for long." She looked at Sterling as Mr. Calhoun sat there talking. He was sipping his tea like he was set to stay with her until hell froze over. "Also, you might want to have some say in things going on at Sterl's house. He's been working on it since I've come back to town."

"I'd not have to work on it still if you were to stay away from the contractors. You keep changing things up with them and they have to find me to okay them. And now that Alta is involved, I might not have too much in the way of home sweet home when we get back. Did you see how Myra decorated it? Christ, Grandda, it's beautiful, but over the top. Why did you think I needed a bigger kitchen and dining room anyway?" They both looked at her. "Okay, I guess that makes sense. But you didn't know about her before this."

"No, but a man can hope, can't he? And with your brother having twins soon, and then there is Joe and Chloe around too, mayhap we can be bouncing a lot of them on our knees." He looked over at her. "You like kids? I do. Lots of them."

"They're all right, I guess. I never really thought about it. But if this is your sly way of getting me to say I want them, it won't work. I don't want to have any kind of relationship with Sterling here anymore than I think he does with me. You two need to go home now." Neither one moved. "Seriously, you two are overstaying your welcome."

Mr. Calhoun stood up and she felt herself relax a little. With them gone she'd be able to think. Right now, all she could think about was what this man would demand of her should she agree to this harebrained idea of being his mate. No way, no how. But when she looked at Sterling, she saw that he wasn't budging and she wanted to stomp her foot at him.

When the elderly Calhoun left them, laughing as he did so, she asked Sterling when he was going. Instead of answering her, he moved to her couch and sat down. Saying nothing, she made her way to her bedroom and locked the door. She needed to get ready for her interviews, and whatever he wanted to do while she was out was up to him.

It took her nearly an hour to get ready. It wasn't something normal for her, to primp and play with her hair and makeup, but the man in her living room was distracting her. And for some reason she wanted to look pretty. Marty kept telling herself that it wasn't for him, but every time she glanced in the mirror at herself, she did wonder, only a little, what he'd think about her appearance. Finally, she gathered her coat and purse and headed to the living room. Sterling was waiting by the door for her.

~*~

Sterl helped her on with her coat, against her wishes of course, but he was enjoying himself. As they made their way out of the apartment building, he put his arm around her and pulled her a little closer when the landlord came out of his door. He'd have to be dealt with, and soon. Marty refused to get into his car when they were standing in front of it.

"I can walk." He said that he was aware of that, but that he didn't want her to. "You want a lot of things, don't you? Well, I have interviews all over town, and I won't have you sitting out in the car waiting on me. Your grandfather won't care for it either."

"He won't care. In fact, I bet when you're between interviews, he'll talk your arm off. If my dad was here, he would. My dad is a talker." She glared at him and did the most incredible thing…she stomped her foot at him. "You're adorable. I can't believe my luck in finding you today."

"You didn't find me because I wasn't lost. I was right here, all by myself, having a life. I don't need, nor do I want, you in it." He smiled at her. "I don't even like you."

"I can live with that. We've only just met. But if you were to get hurt falling on the ice or were too cold, I'd never forgive myself. You're my mate." She growled at him and he laughed. "I've not had much of a reason to laugh lately, so I thank you for that."

"You're odd." Sterl told her that he'd been called a lot worse. "What is this tragic thing that has changed you into a sour man? I can only assume it was tragic, because you're otherwise seemingly nice and normal."

"A she-devil thought that I'd make a nice alpha to her, and decided to kill all the people I was with one night and poison me with her magic. She decided that I'd be perfect in helping her create an army of monsters like her. And not only did she not stop there, but she also put into my memories and thoughts the need to kill anyone who tried to help me. I wanted to die, mostly every minute of every day. But this vampire friend of mine and his day walker helped by calling in a witch. It saved my life, because I was ready to throw in the towel and end it all. I would have, too, had it not been for the fact that I'm an immortal. You too, now that I've found you." He kissed her on the mouth when she stood staring at him. "You're looking like you don't believe me."

"A she-devil? A witch and a vampire? How stupid do I look to you?" Sterl asked her if she didn't believe in them. "I do, at least the vampire and witch, but a she-devil? No, not so much. And what do you mean, an army of monsters?"

"She thought I was an alpha, do you know what that is?" She nodded at him and he wanted to kiss her again, but decided that perhaps if he explained things to her better, she'd be more inclined to allow it. Not to mention, she'd not hit him again. "Okay, she thought that since I was an alpha, which I guess I could be, my seed would be stronger for it. And she was thrilled that I was a wolf. Her thinking was that her monsters would be stronger for it, and being able to shift would help them kill. The plan in her head was that should she get her little monsters from me, they'd be able to take over the world and I'd be with her for all time. I have no idea why she thought that I'd just agree to such a plan, but that's what happened. That is until I was able to draw first blood and injure her before she could kill me."

When she shivered, he took off his coat and put it around her. She didn't object, but he thought it was due more to her thinking about what he'd said than letting him protect her from the cold. As they stood there, he gently wrapped his arm around her and guided her to the car. It really was too cold for her to be out in it. Once he had her in the truck, Sterl wasn't thinking that he'd won any round with her, but was sure there were going to be fireworks when she realized it. He asked her where her first interview was.

"Berry's Steakhouse just out of town." It was out of town and about ten miles from where she lived. Sterl asked if she had a car. "No. It was on its last legs when Grandma was alive, but once she was gone, there wasn't enough money for gas anyway. Where is this she-devil now?"

"She's.... Her maker came to get her." Marty asked him what that meant. "I'm trying to give you this a little at a time. I don't want to overwhelm you. But a demon named Richard came and got her because we drew first blood. It was part of the pact he'd made with her when she'd been created. A long time ago, as a matter of fact. Richard took her to his lair and made her his sexual slave. Her parents too, I heard."

Marty was quiet for the rest of the ride. The roads were bad so he had to concentrate on keeping the car on the road and not in a ditch all the way there. Grandda talked to them both quietly too, but Marty didn't say anything back to him. When they pulled up in front of the restaurant, she looked out the front of the car.

"I'm late. I'm thinking that this is not going to bode well for me and a job." Sterl wanted to tell her that she didn't need to work when he realized perhaps she did. Not for the money—he had plenty—but for her own self-worth. "Will you be here when I get back? The reason I'm asking is, I think I might have overestimated my ability to get around in this stuff without help."

"We'll be right here waiting for you." Marty nodded but didn't move out of the truck. "We could just go back to your place if you'd rather."

"I don't know what to do. I don't.... This is all so very strange to me. While no she-devil tried to take me, I've had a shitty couple of days. And my birthday is tomorrow. I just wanted to have a nice few days off and then go back to work on Sunday to make up the money in tips." Sterl said nothing, not even sure what to say. "I'm out of work. I have about two hundred dollars to my name after I paid my rent for the month, and I don't know what I'm going to do now. I'm not sure how I'll react when he tells me that he won't hire me."

When she started to cry, he pulled over into a parking space and held her to him. The sobs were tearing at his heart, but he didn't comment. He knew from watching his brothers that there were times when it was better if you didn't say a word but let them ramble. Not that she was saying anything either, but he held her all the same. Grandda got out of the car and made his way into the restaurant.

"He didn't have to leave. I'm okay now." Sterl let her go when she pulled away. "I've been under a lot of stress the last few days, that's all. I'm not usually so weepy."

"I can tell that." She looked up at him and he wiped at a tear that was on her cheek. "I have an idea. I'm sure you're not going to like it, but I'd like to propose that we go back to your place, pack a few things up, and you come out to the house with me. I will let you have your pick of rooms and you can spend a few days getting to know us all. And let me tell you, it's a lot to take in with this family. That way we can have a wonderful birthday dinner, just the two of us. Celebrate it any way you want, and then you can get some much needed rest."

"Why are you doing this? And don't tell me it's because you have some sort of idea that this will change my mind. It won't. I don't need any more stress in my life." He said he just wanted her to relax for a few days. "It's more than that, isn't it?"

"Some, but nothing you need to be worried over. I do want you to relax. I also want you to meet my family. They're a big lot, too noisy most of the time, but they're as kind and generous as they can be. And I love them with all my heart." She looked at the restaurant. "I would like for you to come home with me."

"This doesn't mean that I'm agreeing to anything." He said he understood that. "I just...I have no idea why I think this is a good idea other than I'm nuts, but I'll do it. Under a few conditions. No sex. I don't know you well enough for that, and I might never know you that well. Also, when I want to go, you take me back. Or have your brother do it."

He nearly told her that they'd not live if they tried, but nodded. She'd understand that soon enough. Calling out to his grandda, he told him the plan. Grandda said he'd be out in a moment, he had something to check on.

When he finally got in the car, he was angry but didn't say about what. Sterl thought that whatever had happened in there, he'd tell him about it later. But he told him before he could speak again.

She's all worked up. I hate that. To have someone so sweet and innocent just upset like this. I'm not mad, mind, but just upset. He told grandda that he was as well. You make her happy, Sterl. She needs it. Sterl agreed, then told Marty what had happened yesterday at the gallery.

"I took in four pieces of my work. This guy, Isaac Sullivan, was really excited about them, and once he looked them over, he was talking contracts and showings. Like it was a done deal." He drove slowly, but was enjoying it because she was coming to his house. "He asked me how many more I had at home and I told him ten, but I really have a bit more. Not all of them were as dark as the ones that I brought him, but nearly so. He said that he thought they'd all sell before the showing. I was okay with that. I mean, I was going to use the money to buy more canvases and paint. Never did I dream that he'd be putting such high tags on them."

"I've been to the Sullivan Gallery. They do a great job putting things in all price ranges. And they have a little gift shop where I've gotten a couple of things for Grandma in over the years. You're very lucky to have gotten in with them. They've been around for a little while, but made a great name for themselves." Sterl told her that he was glad his grandma had found them as well. "What sort of dark work do you do?"

"The she-devil…I told you that she was in my memories. I painted that night that she killed my friends from memory. And some of the nightmares that I had because of what she'd done to me." Marty nodded and Grandda asked about the showing. "It's in November. I have to gather up four more pieces that I want to sell, and then let him have the others for showing. Not to sell, you see. Which I don't know why he thinks they'll sell at all, but he called me before I came here to tell me that he had a buyer on one of them. For twelve thousand dollars."

"Wow, lucky you. And I'd love to see them. I don't know a lot about art, but I do like it. To see someone's work that they spent so much of themselves creating is a wonderful sight. If you don't mind, that is." He smiled and told her it would be his pleasure. "Great. Maybe you'll sell them all and be able to buy yourself a lot of paint and canvas."

Sterl thought with the sale of the first painting that he'd be able to do that. Especially since most of what he'd picked up was from auctions and garage sales. Yes, he was going to be able to afford a lot more in the way of supplies now.