Natural Magick (19 page)

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You okay now? They can be such cavemen when they want to be, can’t they? Oh no, I didn’t listen in, not that I could when it’s a mate thing, but I could tell by the expression on your face. Plus, I think you should know that when you are highly emotional as you are now, your eyes glow and your hair sparks. It’s really an amazing sight.”

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Shit! I forgot my glasses. No wonder that lady at the store...boutique looked at me funny when she gave me the price. I must have scared the crap right outta her.” Pete giggled. The woman had been a bitch, and maybe she was glad just a little that she had forgotten them.

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Thanks, Mrs. Larimore, that helped.”

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If you call me that once more, I’m gonna punch you in the nose. My name is Shade. Please call me that. That’s what friends do, and I do think of you as my friend.” Shade hugged Pete to her and they proceeded to the meeting. Being mad at Dominic and Shade calling her friend, for a reason she could not fathom, gave her newfound courage and confidence. She raised her chin high and stepped into the room.

Sitting around a large table were eighteen men and women, all of them were. At the head of the table was Bradley. He was their alpha, which made him their king wolf. He was the one who had asked Karl to set up this meeting, and Pete calling when she did only expedited it.

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I’ve called this meeting to introduce Ms. Pete Bartholomew to each of you, as she will hopefully be working with you all in the near future. I haven’t had a chance to talk with Ms. Bartholomew yet, but hopefully, this will meet with her approval.”

Bradley went around the table and told her who each person was, the company they were there representing, and a couple of issues he or she was having right now.

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All of you have read the report that Karl has had made for us, and as you can see, Ms. Barth...may I call you Pete?” He turned to her so fast she nearly jumped out of her chair.

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Ah, yeah, but it’s Piccadilly. Just Pete is fine.” She stammered a little, but felt good that she could make a full sentence.

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Good. Pete saved the Mackey Corporation ten million dollars over the next five years. Plus, she was able to save the company an untold amount of money by letting him know that an employee was using company funding to finance his gambling habit. Pete found a mistake in Karl’s accounting software and security hardware. Recently, she took on Becca’s Place as a client and the computer systems for that as well as Master MacManus’ and Master Larimore’s home and business securities respectively. Now, there isn’t a company in here that can’t benefit from that kind of help. I’d like to propose that we all hire Pete as our in house consultant. I’d like to have her set up an office in each of your offices and hire her own staffing to be there full time when she is off site. She would be in charge of any programming we have running, including security and finance. I’m sure there are a great deal more applications she could help us with as well.” Bradley turned to Pete. “Well, Pete, will you come and play with us?” She stared at him with open mouth. Why the cheeky bastard!

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I can’t work for you. What I mean is, I don’t think I can work for you. Shit! Sorry. Let me start over.” She drew a deep breath and looked at Shade and Sara, who had been invited to the meeting to make her feel more comfortable, Bradley had said, but also because of their prior involvement with the pack and himself.

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Please take your time. This is a lot to throw at you at one time. I had hoped to sit down with you and work out the details before this type of full scale meeting, but we also didn’t want to wait and let someone else make you a job offer. I’ve no doubt we could compete if it came to that, but I want the best for this pack and from all accounts, you’re it,” he said in way of an apology.

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I think you might be overestimating my value a bit. Plus, Mr. Mackey only had me work for a few days and I found that stuff fairly easy. I mean, I could help you out, you know, consult or whatever, but work for you full-time? What am I supposed to do with all of the extra time after I get you all cleaned up and secure? You going to fire me? I need a steady income, Mr. Alpha. I have people who depend on me for financial help that I can’t let down. This is a good offer, but like I said, I can’t think that it’ll work for either of us in the long run.”

Her belly fluttered a little. These people could eat her for lunch if she pissed them off, she just realized. Literally.

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Pete, these men aren’t the only group we have in our pack. These are just a few of the ones who could get away today. We also have several smaller and larger companies that are overseas. Believe me; we will be able to keep you busy for a very long time. Daniel Scott, I believe you’ve already worked with him, said that you suggested putting everyone on a large in-house server to make communications better. That alone he said would take you months to set up, and more to install and monitor.

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As for your financial help, I’m well aware of what you do with your income, and that would be a part of your hiring package. You would get a percentage of each savings you make the companies. Your salary will be paid weekly whether you work or not, but I don’t foresee that happening much. I know that you work with the local colleges, taking kids out on jobs to help you so that they can get on-job experience; we want you to keep that up, it’s good for the company image and a great deal of help to the communities. We believe in the same venue, give and it will give back to you. As for your donations, we have found out that you took a large portion of your payment from this company to fund a pet project of ours as well as yours. Becca’s Place is something everyone in this room has a vested interest in. For every dollar you donate and each hour you work, or have your crew work at the house, the Brotherhood will donate equal time and money.”

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Fuck. Sorry. How did you find...the teller? Should have known, it seems no one is what they seem, are they? I can’t make this decision without thinking about it. I know it’s a great deal, hell of a deal, but I won’t make a decision without giving it at least one or two days of serious thought. I mean, I don’t even own anything but jeans and tees. Not really a business suit person, then there’s the traveling. I don’t own a car, just a bike, not so nice in the winter months. Plus, Toby, I help him out sometimes. He’s a very good friend and without his help, well, I don’t know where I’d be right now. Not sitting here with you all, that’s for sure. Did I mention I don’t do people well? Well, I don’t. My language is in the crapper, and I guess you figured that out too.”

She was babbling again. She really hated when she did that, but could not seem to stop doing it when she was nervous.

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You’ll be able to wear what you want, unless it’s a formal meeting, and then only if it is required. As for travel, we have our own planes that would be at your disposal. There are even a few houses that are empty that you can take as a permanent residence on the pack grounds. A car will be provided for you, as well as a driver. Your language is crappy, but as long as you try to clean it up a bit, we should be okay. Pete…” Bradley leaned forward. “We really want this to work out for all of us. And you’re right, you do need to think about this, and if I’m not mistaken, you have a mate of your own. He might want to be made aware of it as well. You take all the time you need and just call Karl here at his office if you have any questions. Plus, here’s my private number and cell number. You think of anything, you just call one of us.”

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Yeah, okay, I’ll do that. But the mate part might be a moot point if I have to stake him later tonight.” She looked up in alarm. She did not know if these people, these wolves, knew about Aaron and his Kiss. But Bradley simply threw back his head and laughed. She flushed a deep, hot red. Damn it, she really needed to start thinking before she spoke.

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Yes, we are aware of each other. And good luck with your mate. I’m sure he’s as sorry as they come. Until then, Pete, I’d like to have a word or two with you about Eon in private, please.” He’d asked politely, but she could hear the tension in his voice.

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Oh God, what’s he done now? I swear whatever it is, I can fix it, but if it’s something he’s said, well, maybe I can just cut his tongue out. He’s really a good kid. He just doesn’t think before he speaks. Of course, I guess I do the same thing sometimes, but...well, that doesn’t make it right, but it could be my fault. Probably is, so whatever he’s done, I’ll...I take full responsibility, all right? You just have to let me make sure he finishes his education. I know he doesn’t act like it, but…”

Bradley was laughing at her. She might have noticed it sooner, because if the tears streaming down his face where any indication, he had been laughing for some time. But they had been walking down the hall to a nice office and it was not until she sat down across from him that she realized it.

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Think you could let me in on the joke maybe?”

He didn’t answer right away because Daniel Taggert walked in and shook hands with Bradley. This was bad, she just knew it. Whatever Eon had done, it was bad.

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First, I want to tell you what I am. I know you are aware that I’m a shifter and a were, a werewolf actually. But I’m the alpha, the leader of this pack. All the men you met today, Daniel here included, answer to me and only me. Daniel has a unique situation in that he works for Aaron and does answer to him in business matters, but to me for pack issues. Nothing, and I mean nothing, goes on within my territory that I’m not made aware of. That being said, Daniel came to me the other day about Eon. I’ll let him explain.” Bradley leaned back in the big office chair and nodded to Daniel.

Pete just knew she was not going to like this, but Eon was her friend and she would stand up for him no matter what. If he really had done something so dreadful that they felt she needed to be told in private, well, she would be there for him and fuck these people.

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Pete, how much do you know about his background, Eon’s I mean? Do you know his parents maybe or—”

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Look, I’ve always been a straight to the point sort of person. You know, rip the fuck...flipping Band-Aid right off and get on with it. If his mom is back again and trying to say he’s done something wrong, well, he hasn’t. I know him as well as anyone. I keep an eye on him. If she’s asking for money, he doesn’t have any of that either, at least as far as she’s concerned. If she just wants him back, well fuck her, she can’t have him. I have custody of him until he’s eighteen and that’s another five months. He’s mine. So whatever it is, tell me.”

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You have custody of him? You can’t be much older than him, for Christ’s sake!” Bradley exploded at her.

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Well, the courts didn’t see a problem with it. He just needed to get away from that bitch and they knew it. I just have to make...what the fuck? I don’t have to explain my actions to you or anyone else. Tell me what it’s going to cost to fix and I’ll work something out.” Pete stood up and grabbed her bag that she had put on the stand next to the door when they walked in. She noticed that Daniel was looking at his boss, the King Ding-dong or whatever. She did not care if they could talk that mind thingy or not. As soon as they were done here, she was going back to Dominic and snuggling.

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Pete, I don’t think we’ve handled this very well. Eon hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s a were, or at least part were. And as for his mother, well, I thank you for rescuing him from her if what you’re saying is true about her, and I’ve no doubt that it is. He’s a late bloomer, probably because he isn’t a full blood.” Bradley went onto explain. “Daniel came to me about him last week and asked my advice. I told him that he needed to discuss this with you before he talked to Eon. I take it that he’s right, and Eon doesn’t know.”

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No, I don’t think so. I don’t think he’s...hummm changed into anything either. I think I’d notice if he got fuzzy and howled at the moon once a month. Are you sure? I mean, could it be that he, fuck, I don’t know, hangs with, like, dogs or something?” She was grasping at whatever she could. Eon was a werewolf. A friggin’ werewolf?

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No, I’m sure. He has a scent about him. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed it being that you’re a supe too.”

Daniel grinned at her. This was too much. Pete lowered her head into her hands and rested her elbows on her knees.

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Okay, it’s been a weird few days, Mr. Alpha. I’m a wood nymph who is or isn’t mated to a vampire. My friend is the cousin of the Queen of Magic and my work buddy is a werewolf. My brothers wanted to have a kid with me and let me see, did I forget anything? Oh yeah, I may or may not work for a pack of werewolves.” She looked up at Bradley from between her fingers. “I think I need a drink.”

Bradley winked at her and stood. “You’re doing just fine. Better than most would, I think. I’m sorry, Pete. I wanted you to know before anything happens. If it’s okay with you, I’ll talk with Eon myself. As for the rest, trust me, you have good friends who’ll see you through. And I’d really like it if you’d think of me as one of those friends.” He walked with her to the door.

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What about Aaron? Who’ll tell him? Oh, I guess he knows, huh? Good, it must have burned his butt not to have control over something first.” She laughed when he did.

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I don’t suppose you have any unattached sisters just like you around, do you? If you do, I’d really like to meet them if you don’t mind.”

They had met up with Sara and Shade who were watching some shopping channel with Shelia in her office.

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Nah, just maniacal brothers. But you’re welcome to chew on them if you’d like.” After it was out of her mouth, she realized what she had said and how it could be taken. Sheesh, she thought, she really needed to leave.