6. Flora

Flora

“ I don’t know about this Henry. Are you sure it’s absolutely necessary for me to hire a bodyguard?”

“Flora, we can’t ignore the threats you’ve been receiving. And that business with your car…”

“I remember,” I interrupted, not wanting to be reminded about the day last week when I pressed on my brakes at a stop light and nothing happened. I’d just narrowly missed having an accident in a major intersection before careening down a steep hill and through a city park before hitting a patch of thick shrubs that finally stopped the car. It was a miracle no one was killed. Especially me, given that we’d later found out that my brake lines had been cut.

“I already have a security team at home and the office,” I reminded him.

“Yeah, and they let your car get tampered with, so right now you have to assume that no one can be trusted,” Henry continued.

“Even you?”

I’d known Henry Shapiro my entire life. He was the best man at my parents’ wedding and had been our family’s personal attorney for as long as I could remember. He and his late wife were my godparents.

“Your father was my oldest and dearest friend. I’d protect you with my life and, as you know, I have more money than I know what to do with, so I don’t need yours. Even so, I’d be remiss if I didn’t suggest you be cautious around everyone, including me.”

I sighed. “Okay, when does this bodyguard arrive?”

“She should be there by noon. Her name is Teresa Taylor.”

“What firm is she from?” I asked.

“They’re called Sapphic Security. It’s a well respected company with offices around the world. They’re a bunch of ex-military types, primarily women, but every one of them is tough as nails. They have a great success rate, probably because most of them are supernaturals.”

“Supernaturals? Wow, that’s unusual. I didn’t know they were allowed to serve in the military.”

Unbeknownst to most humans, there was a supernatural world that operated alongside our own. Vampires, witches, and even shapeshifters lived as humans, except when they didn’t. My mother had some shifter cousins, so we were a little more up to speed on the supernatural world than most humans. The average person was completely unaware of their supernatural neighbors, and my understanding was that the supernatural creatures preferred it that way.

“Oh yeah, they always have served. It’s encouraged, actually. Some of them are embedded with humans, but most of them are assigned to special units working on covert ops or the types of assignments the military likes to pretend they’re not involved in.”

“How am I going to explain this person’s presence if I can’t say she’s a bodyguard?” I asked.

“She’s going to be your personal trainer.”

I laughed out loud at that. “Henry, you know I don’t like to break a sweat.”

“Well I figured you could get healthy while we’re figuring out who’s trying to kill you.”

“I’ll have you know I’m a size two.”

“Your clothing size does not mean you’re healthy Flora. To be honest, you could stand to gain a few pounds of muscle. You’ve been wasting away since your parents passed. I’ve been worried about you, and this bodyguard is some kind of a health nut.”

I huffed impatiently. “If I gain weight I’ll never be able to find clothes that fit me.”

I was petite, but my hips and breasts were a little too big for my frame. When I gained weight I looked like a giant apple with arms and legs.

“You’re super rich Flora, you can have your clothes made special to fit you.”

“This is a ridiculous conversation,” I said. “Besides, maybe the cops are right and there’s some other explanation for what happened with my brakes.”

“If you suggest that mice chewed through your brake lines or something equally ridiculous I’m going to hang up,” Henry threatened.

I sighed. I knew Henry was right. I didn’t think my cut brake lines were an accident any more than I thought my parents slipped on black ice that night. But if I focused on the idea that someone wanted to harm us, kill us even, I just wanted to cry. And I never cried.

“And let’s not forget the threats you’ve been receiving the past few months.”

I was trying hard to forget that actually. Maybe vague threats about killing me just came with the territory given my wealth and stature in the company. There were a lot of crazies out there, that didn’t mean that anyone would follow through on those threats.

Hopefully.

“Okay, so my personal trainer slash bodyguard is going to be here for how long?”

“As long as it takes for us to figure out who’s behind these attacks,” Henry replied. “I’ve got an entire team at Sapphic Security running down leads on this. Hopefully they’ll turn something up quickly and you can go back to living your normal life.”

“A normal life without my parents,” I reminded him sadly. “Keep me informed how things are going, will you please?”

“Of course. And please be careful Flora. You’re like a daughter to me. I don’t want to lose you too.”

After I hung up with Henry I felt out of sorts. I headed downstairs to the private gym in the basement and did some gentle stretches before getting ready for my new bodyguard to arrive. I might not like to work out, but I loved yoga and pilates. They kept me slim and flexible and helped center my mind.

By the time I was finished I was already feeling better. I headed upstairs to change my clothes and get ready for the day. I’d just finished my hair and make-up when I got the call from the guard stand at the front gate of my family’s estate.

“Miss Meyer, there’s a Teresa Taylor here for you. She says you’re expecting her.”

“Send her through Bob, thank you.”

I headed to the front door, waiting as someone pulled around a nondescript sedan to the parking area on the side of the house. About a minute later a woman came striding towards me, looking everywhere at once. She was dressed in black jeans, a black tank top with no jacket despite the chilly weather, and black boots.

My breath caught as I saw her face. She was beautiful. Her features were perfectly symmetrical and smooth, her skin extremely pale, even by Seattle standards. Her plump lips were dark red, although I didn’t see any evidence of a lip paint on them. Dark brown eyebrows curved over her wide, almond shaped eyes that were an unusually bright shade of blue.

She was tall and muscular but still feminine with high breasts and rounded hips. A large duffel bag was slung over one shoulder with something sticking out of it that looked like…

“Is that a sword?” I asked.

The woman’s eyes snapped to mine. “Flora Meyer? I’m Teresa Taylor from Sapphic Security and… uh...”

She stopped in front of me, looking like she’d just seen a ghost. I stretched out my hand.

“Yes, I’m Flora. Nice to meet you Teresa.”

When I took her hand I felt a weird little tingle, as if she were electrified. I guess she felt it too, because Teresa just stared down at our joined hands like she’d never seen fingers before.

She seemed to snap back to the present as I pulled my hand away.

“Why don’t you come inside and I’ll show you to your room?” I suggested. “Then we can have some herbal tea and get to know each other.”

“Do your guys do perimeter checks?” she asked.

“What? Perimeter checks?”

“Do they go around the edge of the property at least once an hour and check your doors and windows, that kind of thing?” She sounded impatient.

“No clue,” I shrugged. “Now let me show you…”

“I’ll need you to find out immediately,” she interrupted. “You should know what your security contract says.”

“There’s a contract?” I frowned.

“Of course there’s a contract, do you think they just show up here for fun?”

This lady was pissing me off.

“I realize I pay them for their work,” I said with exaggerated patience. “I just never thought about there being a contract. My parents used to take care of all that.”

“Your parents have been dead for over a year, haven’t they?”

I blinked rapidly to keep from crying. “Yeah.”

“Well, it’s time to learn how to take care of yourself.”