Galin (8 page)

“It’s a big step.” Judith nodded. “I want it
very badly. And it will be perfect for Kip too. He can walk here after school
instead of taking a long bus ride to the house.”

“I’ll have the contracts drawn up in the
morning, and in the meantime, you and I are going to talk business. Then you
and Kala. She and I are working on three projects right now. My dad’s house is
being opened as a halfway house in a few weeks to help kids get on the right
track. We have a small company that provides men and women who have been out of
the work force for a while help with getting the right look and the right letters
to land a job, and there is my PP&J.”

She was officially overwhelmed. When Kip got
home from school he sat in the kitchen with her and listened to her rant then
rave about the building and what was going on. When she put a plate of food in
front of him, he looked at it for a long time before he looked at her.

“You don’t cook.” She nodded and sat down
with him, looking at her own plate. “Nah, you don’t cook. You put stuff
together but you don’t cook.”

“I hate it actually.” He grinned. “I suppose
you love to cook. If you say yes, I’m going to hire you to cook for us. I don’t
even care if it’s edible.”

“It will be, I promise. When there was food,
I’d make whatever I wanted and I got to be pretty good at it.” She shoved her
plate away after she took a bite…it wasn’t fit to eat. “How about tonight we
have a sandwich, and tomorrow night, I fix dinner? For the two of us.”

“I have a better idea. We order pizza and pig
out on it tonight and forget there is a tomorrow.” Kip laughed and told her it
was a plan. “Good, and you’ll do your homework while we wait. I don’t know a
great deal about sixth grade, but if you need my help…well, we can look it up.”

After dinner Kip had gone to his room but
left the door open. She was sitting at the table and making notes on some of
the things she wanted to work on with Judith’s business when Galin sat down.
She tried her best to ignore him, but he was just too…everything…for her to
make that work. When he lifted her chin up she looked into his eyes.

“I’ve been very rude to you.” She nodded and
he laughed. “I had hoped you’d say that I wasn’t that bad, but you are more
honest than I am.”

“I kinda doubt that. You seem to not be able
to tell a lie.” He told her that was true. “Good, then answer this for me. What
makes you not want a wife? Not that I want you as my husband, but why are you
so against having a wife?”

A cup of tea appeared in front of her and she
tried not to be startled by it. Taking a sip, she knew immediately that it was
a brew that he had made. She had no idea why she thought that, but she loved it
and waited while he took a sip of his own cup.

“I have been on this earth for more decades,
more millennia, than most protectors. And in all that time I never saw a single
marriage or partnership that was perfect.” She stared at him as he continued. “I
wondered most times why the couple ever got together, ever even saw something
in the other to have said they’d spend their entire lives together. So I
thought that if I never married—which I think is an excellent idea—then I’d
never have to be disappointed in someone that I’d be spending the rest of my
life with. And with a person like me, it would be a very long time. Can you imagine
how much hatred there would be after a time? How many arguments that we’d have?
And the—”

“Oh yes, I can see how many arguments one would
have being married to you. Even being in the same room with you causes me to
want to get up and knock you on your ass.” She stood up and so did he. “You
dimwitted moron. How can you be in the position you are in thinking the way
that you do? No, you do not get to answer that. Whatever spilled from your
mouth right now would make me go out and buy a gun just to shoot you with. Of
all the…you cannot believe that drivel you just spat out. People were born to argue.
I love a good argument.”

“I can see that you do. But it’s not
something I want to do with the woman I’m supposed to love.” Dusty stared at
him for a few more minutes before she went to Kip’s door. “What are you doing? He
needs to rest.”

“Get in there and never come out when I’m in
the house. In fact, I think you should make it so that I never even have to see
you again. If I do then I don’t know what I’d do to you.” He came toward her
and she had a feeling he was going to touch her, and she glared hard at him. “You
touch me right now and I will bite your hand off then beat you with it.”

She was never any good at snappy comebacks
and was sure he was going to laugh at her. He stood there staring at her for
several seconds before he went into the room. But before she could close the
door, he came back and pulled her body to his. This kiss was different from the
one before, and she knew he was going to take her.

Her body pressed against the wall and she
clung to him. There was no doubt that he wanted her; his thick cock was at her
pussy and he was rocking into her like he was actually making love to her. When
he cupped her breast, thumbing her nipple until she cried out quietly, she
nipped at his neck when he leaned down to bite her through her blouse and bra.

“I want to take you right here.” She nodded
at his statement and thought about telling him to do it. But he lifted her up
higher on the wall and licked a path from her bra to her navel and rolled his
tongue around the sensitive area. When he lowered her down the wall he took
nips and bites of her skin until she wanted to beg him to take her then.

She had no idea how they made it to her
bedroom. Suddenly the bed was beneath her and he was pulling at her clothing.
As soon as a cool breeze blew over her nipple, Galin was taking it into his
mouth as he pulled at her pants. She curled her fingers into his hair as he
suckled at her breast.

There were no words spoken between them as he
moved down her body. She was wet and ready for him, and when he nipped at her
hip, she tried to pull him back to her mouth. But he was determined, and when
she felt his tongue roll lazily over her belly button again, she sobbed at him
to take her.

She came when he opened her nether lips and
suckled at her clit. She came again when he slid his fingers into her. Dusty
rode his mouth, knowing that she was going to scream when she came this time,
and reached for the pillow near her head to cover her mouth. When he bit down
on her, bringing her to a climax that made her eyes roll to the back of her
head, Dusty knew that he was going to fuck her. And she could not wait.

“I should like to come on you, spill my seed
on you and watch you peak again.” He fisted his cock and her mouth watered at
the length and thickness of him as he leaked pre-cum onto her. “When I enter
you, I will not be able to hold on. I have wanted to release in you for days
now.”

“Please.” He nodded and moved along her body
as he held his cock. When he was at her entrance, she felt him fill her slowly
and she rolled her hips up to have him take her. As soon as he breached her maidenhead,
she screamed out his name and he stopped moving.

“You were a virgin?” She nodded, knowing that
if he moved now she’d come again even though the pain was incredible. “I’m
sorry. I had no idea that you—”

Dusty rolled her hips when he did. He was moving
in and out of her slowly and she knew that he was trying not to hurt her again.
Wrapping her ankles around his hips she pulled his mouth to hers and kissed
him. When he lifted his head, he wiped at the tears on her cheeks with his
thumb.

“You are wonderfully tight around me.” He
moved her hands to the top of her bed and wrapped her fingers around the
headboard. “I have thought of you this way. Tied to this bed as I explored you.
I don’t know why that appeals to me, but it’s all I have thought of.”

“Are you into bondage?” He pulled at her
nipple hard and she moaned at the pain and pleasure. “I’m not sure how I feel
about that. I wouldn’t mind trying it with you. I need to come again…will you
give it to me?”

“I would like that very much as well. I don’t
want to hurt you, but I need to be overpowering to you. I should very much like
to paddle you as well.” She nodded and moaned when he pounded into her harder
now. “My cock aches to fill you, my balls are tight against my body, and all I
can think about is seeing you bent over my lap while I spank you.”

She rolled him over and sat atop him. Dusty
felt his cock like it was hitting the back of her throat and moved over him
slowly. He sat up and pulled at her nipples until she cried out, then he bit
down on one then the other until she thought she’d die from it.

“Release for me, Dusty. I want to feel you
when you do, see your face when you have your pleasure.” She bowed back and cried
out when she came. He held her tightly against him as he suckled her breast.
When she was coming down, her body nearly lax over his, he rolled her to her
back and took her hard.

Her climax took her breath away. She cried
out his name over and over as he slammed hard inside of her. Just when she was
ready to beg him to stop, her body spent, he threw back his head and roared.
She felt his hot cum touch her as he filled her. Dusty held on to him as her
own body released again and again. When he dropped over her, she felt him roll,
taking her with him until she was laying over him, sated. Closing her eyes, she
let sleep take her.

Chapter 6

Galin moved about the house, keeping an eye
on the windows and doors as he moved. He’d just left Dusty’s bed and he
felt…well, he’d never felt this way before, and wasn’t sure what to call the feelings.
Kip was with the night watcher and he decided that he’d let him go and sit with
the boy for a while. But Boss standing in the living room startled him.

“You have taken her.” Galin nodded. He
couldn’t lie to Boss and found no reason to do so. “Will you marry her now?”

“No.” Boss only nodded and Galin had a moment
of fear. But all He did was turn and walk out of the house by simply fading
through the wall. Galin started to follow but found himself in Tholan’s office
instead.

“You have been sent to me.” Galin sat in the
chair where his friend and boss indicated. “I have a list of things you are to
do from now on. I…you have messed up severely, Galin. He is most upset with
you.”

“I’m not going to marry her. I know that was
His plan when He put me to watch over Kip. But I don’t want a wife, nor do I
feel that I should be forced into it. So if that’s what the rules are, then you
can just tell Him I refuse.” Tholan shook his head and Galin felt his body
tense. “What is it I have to do, Tholan?”

“If you wish, you may continue to watch over
Kipling. But you are no longer to have any contact with the woman. She will no
longer be able to see you or hear you, no matter what. Her watcher will not
give you—”

“No.” Tholan raised a brow at him in
question. “No. I won’t not see her. That’s not fair to either of us.”

“Be that as it may, it is what He has said.”
Tholan picked up the paper and looked at him before reading. “You will do as he
says, Galin, and not be punished more. He told me that you have no wish for a
bride, and it is completely unfair of you to make her suffer when you are only
wanting to bed her. You are lucky this is all He has decreed for you.”

He got up to pace. Galin was trying to think
what was going on, and all he could think was he was being blackmailed into
something that he didn’t want…had never wanted. This wasn’t fair, and he wanted
to hunt Boss down and tell him that. Before he could leave to go and do just
that, Michael came into the room.

“You will do as you are told.” The thunder in
his voice made Galin drop to his knees and his wings to open. Anger was not
something he’d expected from Michael, but he was upset too. They were ganging
up on him and Galin wanted to fight back.

“I cannot be in the same house with her and
not talk to her. We have slept together. Had sex. What will she think when I
don’t come to her if she calls?” Michael said nothing and Galin looked at him. “Is
this a plan to make me do what you want? Is this how you’ll make me marry her?”

“Nay, it is not. Do you wish to stay with
Kipling or not?” Galin had to think about that for several seconds before
nodding his head. “Then you will do as you are told or so help me, you will not
like the consequences. Understand me?”

“I do.” Galin stood up. “But you will also
understand that if anything happens to her because I cannot help her, then I
will quit you all.”

Galin left the rooms and made his way to Kip.
The other watcher was still there, and as much as Galin wanted him gone, he
knew that the other protector would be in a better frame of mind to keep Kip safe
right now than he’d be able to. His mind was a turmoil of confusion. Making his
way to the bedroom that Dusty slept in, he watched her sleep until the sun rose
in the sky. When she opened her eyes, Galin felt his heart twist in his chest
and he knew he’d made the right decision. There was no way he’d spend all his life
with the same person and be happy. And for as much as she loved a good argument,
as she’d told him, he wanted peace. When it was time, Galin made his way back
to his charge’s room.

Kip moved around the room as if he’d not
slept well and would like nothing better than to crawl back into the bed. Galin
tried to keep him focused on his tasks, but his own mind was adrift so he had a
hard time as well. When Kip was sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal in
front of him, Dusty came in. Galin wanted to pull her into his arms and tell
her everything would be all right.

“I have two meetings today. I should be home
in time for dinner.” Kip nodded and Galin told him to speak to his aunt, not
nod. The boy perked up a little but still looked exhausted.

“I’ll make us some dinner, if that’s okay?” Dusty
nodded and sat down with him. When she winced a little, Galin smiled. He’d done
that to her. She looked around the room and he wondered if she was looking for
him.

“Have you seen Galin today?” Kip shook his
head. “Me either. I wonder where he might be. He’s still your guardian, I guess,
but…well, he’ll be around I’m sure.”

“I guess he’s supposed to be with me all the time.
Maybe when he’s working with me, you aren’t supposed to see him.” Dusty nodded
but still seemed distracted. “You like him, don’t you?”

“I don’t know. It’s very complicated. And he
has these ideas that are…irritating.” She got up and walked to the sink to dump
her untouched tea before she continued. “I was wondering if you could give him
a message for me if you see him. Tell him…tell him I said thanks.”

“Thanks?” She nodded at Kip and he shrugged.
“Okay, if that’s what you want. I don’t know if I’ll see him or not, but I’ll
tell him. Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m very okay. You?” Kip shrugged, and
before Galin could tell him to answer her again, the boy stood up and kissed
his aunt on the cheek before going back to his room. Instead of doing what he
wanted, like pulling Dusty into his arms and kissing her as well, he made his
way into Kip’s room.

Galin went to the grade school with Kip for
the rest of the day. He was bored most of the time, but during lunch he got to
talk to a couple of other watchers that had children that sat with Kip. While
they were talking about nothing really, one of them brought up Markum.

“I heard that he is near us all the time now.
That he’s waiting to take our charges when we least expect it. And that someone
from the training area had told him to go away. Is that true?” Before Galin
could tell them that it was true about the training area, one of the others
spoke up.

“I heard that there was a sword fight and
that many men were involved.” Galin rolled his eyes. “And that two of the
others were injured.”

“There was no fight. He was told to leave and
he did.” They all turned to look at him. “I was there as well. He was told to
leave and he did so. I doubt we’ve heard the last of him, so we’ll be prepared
for him at all costs. He is an evil man and will stop at nothing to get what he
wants.”

The conversation moved on and Galin found
himself thinking about Dusty, wondering what she was doing and how she was
feeling. He flushed slightly when he thought about the things he’d confessed to
her last night, and wondered how she would feel if he were to tie her to the
bed and have his way with her. Then he thought of what his punishment was.

Never to speak to her again. That was harsh,
but he could see why. It would hurt her more and more to have him around her
and him not marrying her. And a woman who had saved herself for all these years
would want marriage. He watched Kip move through another class as Galin thought
more of his aunt.

She was not like other women he’d taken care
of in the past. Not that he’d ever slept with any of them, but he had known
them by watching them daily. Dusty had been through so much and had seen a
great deal as well. But she had taken her nephew in as her own without any help,
or for that matter knowledge, of how to raise someone. As far as he could tell,
she was doing a splendid job of it as well. Kip was going to be a good man when
he grew up.

“I know you’re there.” He looked at Kip when
he spoke. “I know you’re listening to me but for some reason not showing
yourself. So this is good. I wanted to talk to you about something. And if you can’t
tell me how stupid I am, then that’s good too.”

They were walking home from class and Kip has
stopped at the PP&J to pick up a few things his aunt had asked him to. They
were going to have grilled chicken and salad for dinner.

“You told me once that the man who hurt my
leg was trying to get me. I think I know why. It’s because I was so mean to my
aunt, right? I brought him here because I was a real bastard.”

Galin leaned closer to him and answered him.
It’s
nothing to do with how you and your aunt came to know each other, and
everything to do with this person being evil. You are a good young man.

“Good young man. I like the way that sounds.”
He walked another block before he spoke again. “I’m not though. Not a good
young man. There were times when I had to steal stuff to have something to eat.
I lied to the landlord a lot. Especially when my mom was either stoned or not
there. Hadn’t been there for days, as a matter of fact.”

You did what you needed to survive.
Kip nodded as he
moved up on the porch and into the house.
You cannot take on the blame of
things you had no control over, Kip. Had you not done what you did, then you’d
not be here now. That would be a great loss to us all.

He watched Kip cut up the chicken then put it
into the oven after he finished dipping it into batter. Then he cleaned up his
area, scrubbing down not just the cutting board but the knife, counter, and his
hands. As he moved to bring things from the refrigerator to the counter to make
a salad, Galin thought of the file that he’d seen on the boy.

Do you know that most of the time—and I do
mean most of the time—others in your situation would have given up? But you
didn’t. You made it work for you and your mother. Because without you, she
might have died long before the day you did lose her.
Kip paused in his
cutting of a carrot and Galin felt badly for bringing her up.
She was a good
woman in her own way. She did keep you safe a few times.

“I was seven when she stopped that druggy
from taking me. He was going to hold me until she gave him the drugs she couldn’t
pay for.” Kip snorted. “I shouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place,
but she didn’t let him take me. Pounded him in the head with that ball bat that
sat by the door until he dropped me and ran off.”

See?
Kip nodded and cut up his carrot as well as
a cucumber.
She did love you very much.

“And I loved her.” Galin watched the boy cook
and marveled at his ease at the task. He had a salad finished in no time and
was putting rice on the stove to cook by the time he sat down to finish his
homework. When the phone rang he answered it with politeness and a smile. But
it soon turned to fear as he listened to the caller. Galin moved close to the
boy, knowing without a doubt who was on the other end of the call.

“I don’t know what you want, but you’d better
stop calling here. My aunt won’t like those things you’re saying to me.” Galin
told him to hang up the phone and was relieved when Kip finally did. But he was
shaken and afraid, and Galin told him to call the police.

“I should call the police.” He even picked up
the phone, but put it back as he sat back at the table. Try as he might, Galin
couldn’t make him call. It was nearly an hour later when his aunt came in.

She’d had good day, he could tell. Even Kip
remarked on how happy she looked. Galin told him to tell her about the call but
Kip ignored him. By the time his night watcher came to the house, Galin was as
frustrated as he could be.

“He did not want to ruin her mood.” Galin
looked at Michael when he appeared in the kitchen with him. “Kipling decided
that having her smile was better than worrying her, I believe. And in his own
way, he was right. She has had few days where she has been as carefree as she
was this evening.”

“But he’s afraid. What if that was Markum and
he threatened him to—?”

Michael cut him off and Galin sat down hard
in the chair. “It was him. He called to tell him that he was coming back for a
second round of torture. I don’t know all the details of the conversation, but
he did frighten the young man. Markum believes that he will get to the woman through
the boy. It will be most unpleasant for them both should that happen.” Michael
sat down as well. “How was your day? I have always liked going to school with
my charges. They are—”

“Why does he want Dusty? And what does he
think we’re going to do? Give her over to him?” Michael said nothing and Galin
knew it was a part of his punishment for not marrying her. “You think to
blackmail me with information about Markum? This is not becoming of you, Michael.
To cause harm to someone just to make me do what you want.”

Michael sat there for several seconds just
staring at him. Galin started to shift uncomfortably on the chair before Michael
finally spoke. And when he did, Galin knew that he’d hurt the man a great deal.

“I do not have to resort to harming another
being to get what I want. I think it a bad idea anyway to leave you here so
that you can see her. She will move on eventually and will have a happy life
for a time. You will only make it harder on her until you and Kip leave this
house. And you will should this thing with Markum pass. But you will leave her
alone. She cannot have a life at all if you are a constant reminder of what she
could have had.” Galin started to tell him he was sorry but didn’t get the
chance. “I will speak to Boss in the morning to have you removed. It is
becoming too much for you to stay here and not cause her trouble.”