CHAPTER 3
Nitro hit Eveque’s number in his phone and propped his foot on the pier post next to his Swamp Dragon.
“Nitro, what’s up?”
“Hey boss. I got a situation in my Hatch.”
“What you got?”
“Yeah, uh. You remember the Bird Whisperer family.”
“The ones that train the birds?”
“That’s the ones. The Mah-Mah and Pah-Pah are actually living closer to the Enclave which is good since they were getting up in age.”
“Yes, that’s good. They had a kid, too?”
“One daughter who’s still living out at their Bird Sanctuary. Which is my problem. Her Mah-Mah and Pah-Pah are worried because of everything going on and with my Hatch located where it is, I think they should be worried. So, I’m trying to figure out a way to get the girl to live closer to the community, but she’s not going for it. Said somebody has to take care of the birds.”
“I see. And so what do you need?” he wondered, curious.
Nitro slid a hand over his head. “Ideas. Maybe from another woman.”
Eveque chuckled. “I know I’m good looking, garcon, but I’m not the Belle Eveque.”
“I didn’t feel right calling her without talking to you.”
“Oui. By all means, call her.”
“Merci. I appreciate it. After I get that taken care of, I’ll be at my Hatch working on those explosives for our next job.”
“Perfect,” Eveque said, his hunger eager. “Let me know when you have something for me to see.”
“Oui Monsieur Eveque.”
“Mon Dieu, since when do you yes sir me?”
Nitro grinned, tossing his gear into his Swamp Dragon. “Guess since you’re an old man now.”
“Don’t make me challenge you to a Bat-tie mon-ami.”
Nitro laughed and shook his head. “Hell no. I don’t play with that kind of dynamite.”
“You’re a smart garcon,” he laughed. “Call me with updates.”
“I will,” he said, hanging up and searching for 8-Bit’s updated GPS for all hidden things in the swamp. The Bird facility was surely hidden. But then many things were. Even living there all his life, he sometimes got turned around.
He stared at the Belle Eveque’s number for many seconds. What could she possibly say that would actually help? Maybe he’d try first then call if he failed.
Nitro looked at the GPS wowing over the thirty-five-minute ride. Nothing in his fifty square mile Hatch should take more than twenty minutes to get to. He opened the route and shook his head at the tangled mess explaining the time. Bon Dieu. If anybody found that place it would be a miracle. Or a curse.
Last time he’d been out there was pre-GPS era. He’d gone to help sort their bird shit. Literally. The college wanted to study the feces and he helped build holding containers for the various species. He recalled their daughter. Little spit-fire runt of a twelve year old bossing him around and threatening him with her pet falcon she carried on her arm. Also a runt. He recalled she’d had a huge crush on Hurricane. Asked all about him. Maybe he should’ve sent him out here to convince her to move to town. Hell, how old would she be now? Nitro finally guessed she must be at least twenty. Eligible maiden material. He could possibly use that angle. Let her know Hurricane was looking for the perfect mate. He was sure she could pass the tests. Unless she grew up to be ugly as sin.
Nitro used the ride time to listen to his gardening book he never got time for. By the time he’d get done with the thing, he’d miss planting season again. He needed his own food supply. Eating fresh was important to him and taking the time to get it and use it always resulted in not fresh.
Nitro hardly recognized the place when he arrived. He hopped out of his Dragon and made his way down the pier that was now covered in a canopy of vegetation with orange flowers that looked like trumpets. He cleared the tunnel, greeted by a big ass bird in a nose dove for his head. “Whoa, shit!” he gushed, dropping to the pier as a whistle pierced his ear.
He spied a woman running toward him and rose to his feet, eyeing the pretty face with the long pony-tail flying about. She held out her arm and the massive bird that had nearly took his eye landed on it. “I’m looking for…Felix Champlain?”
“I’m Felix,” she said, eyeing him with a curious blue gaze. “Sorry about Falcore, he’s very protective.” She tossed the bird into the air. “Go play,” she ordered in a gentle voice before returning her serious assessing look on him. “How can I help you?”
Nitro’s brain stuttered through the changes all around him, especially in her. Definitely not a child anymore. She’d grown into a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. He looked around to keep from making obvious notes of that with his eyes. “The place has changed,” he said.
“It has,” she agreed with a fondness in her voice. “Except for Falcore. He still doesn’t like you.”
He eyed the barest smile on her mouth while his mind searched for glimpses of the little girl he recalled.
“I think you trained him not to,” he said, earning a laugh that said he might be right and she found it entertaining.
“I may have let him practice on you.”
He nodded. “He learned well.”
She crossed her arms under her breasts, and it was difficult not to note the change there as well. “You haven’t changed a bit,” she said.
The temptation to talk about her obvious changes came next and he redirected. “Your Mah-Mah and—” He paused with her abrupt raised hand.
“I already know. Is that why you’re here? To talk me into leaving?” Her disappointed tone made him regret his approach. “There’s an entire bird sanctuary here. This is their home, and I am their Falconer. They depend on me for food, training, socialization and mating.”
“It’s dangerous in this location,” he said, moving the conversation to the meat of his visit. “We’re on the brink of a war with devils and I can’t have you out here alone in the most vulnerable spot.”
“I have an army of winged demons to protect me,” she assured.
“Your birds?”
Her blue eyes sharpened with anger. “I didn’t just raise messengers out here,” she said, piquing his curiosity.
“Even still, you’re my responsibility. Your safety is my legal jurisdiction,” he added, putting weight behind it.
She stared him down like any man might in a fight. “The safety of my birds are my jurisdiction.”
More staring happened as he struggled to find a foothold toward compromise. “I see you still hate me,” he muttered, hoping to take the cut from their conversation at least.
“Hm.”
The simple sound could’ve meant yes, or no, or funny you should say that, or what’s your point.
Another angle presented itself. “Did you hear the news? About The Twelve?”
She kept that poker stare on him and put her hands in her back pockets, forcing more evidence of her maturity to the forefront. “What about them?”
“They’re all getting married. Within six months.”
He assumed it was surprise and curiosity that broke through her hard facade. “I thought they weren’t allowed?”
“They are now,” he said. “I may as well also tell you since it’ll be in our Nouvelle soon.” He paused to let her bite, but she only waited for the information. “There’s going to be a ball.”
“A ball,” she said, not understanding the word it seemed.
“A swamp dance. All of the eligible maidens will be invited.”
Her face crimped with confusion. “Eligible for what?”
“To marry The Twelve.”
Open shock dropped her jaw a little. “Are you kidding?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“But…why?” she wondered, like the idea was insane.
“Yeah, good question. The Belle Eveque somehow convinced all of us that to be a full man required having a woman.”
She gave a light gasp and he had to agree with her astonishment. “I’ve heard good things about her.”
“She’s been…quite an addition to the family,” he admitted. “Our Eveque is happy and for that we’re grateful.”
“And…how do you feel about it?” she asked, her curiosity measured.
He glanced around, putting his hands on his hips. “I’ve submitted to the idea.”
“You,” she muttered, getting his direct attention on her pretty face now hinting with a smile.
“Hard to imagine, I know.”
“More like impossible.”
He wondered what that was supposed to mean, especially given the humor in her tone.
“So, the Twelve are marrying,” she repeated, still not hiding her astonishment and it was definitely humor he heard and saw.
“Well… there’s only nine left now. Lesion and Spook are hitched along with Eveque.”
She sucked in her breath, her blue eyes popping. “Lesion too?”
“You don’t keep up with the swamp news I see.”
She shook her head. “No.”
Her unapologetic answer intrigued him. Everything about her intrigued him now. He remembered his reason for being there, then. “If you still like Hurricane, here’s your chance,” he tossed out casually.
A tiny snicker came before her, “I was thirteen.”
Fuck, she was a hard baller. And yet he wasn’t sorry to hear it. “So…I should let him know?”
She angled her head on him. “Or you can let him do his own maiden hunting.”
She seemed to be having a lot of fun watching him run into her cute walls. “So, are you going to be signing up?”
Her brows rose. “Are you asking?”
“Yes, I’m asking.”
“For who?”
“You’re in my Hatch, Felix. I find things out. For whatever reason I need. Right now, I need to find a way to make sure everybody is safe in this war.”
She nodded, lowering her head. “And me being a maiden helps you figure that out.”
“It does. You want to stay here—”
“Need,” she corrected.
“You need to stay here, and I need you safe.”
“And marriage makes me safe?”
“Having protection makes you safe.”
She gave a big laugh with that. “I have my birds, Lukas. I don’t need a man.”
The use of his Christian name threw him along with her absurd bird defense. “Birds aren’t enough,” he said with finality.
“So, what, are you going to force me to leave them? Force me to get married if I don’t listen to you?” She aimed a finger at him. “I may say yes to the marriage circus just to get Mah-Mah and Pah-Pah off my back for a bit. At least until I find a way to assure them I’m capable of living here. Alone.”
He shook his head, his frustration climbing. “Here’s the deal, Felix. The danger you’re in exists now. That’s what I’m here to resolve. I’m sorry, but you’ve got two options. You agree to move closer to the Hatch, or I’m going to use pushier options.”
Another stare-off ensued before she said, “Okay then.” He felt the light warning in her tone as she turned and headed down the pier. His gaze lowered to find the most perfect ass he’d ever seen winking at him with every step.
She’d said okay and he wondered what the hell that was supposed to mean. Okay she agreed? Okay whatever you say? Okay fuck you?
He pulled out his phone and found Belle Eveque’s number, then stared at it. Fuck. He hardened his jaw and returned it to his pocket, heading to force the issue till he got an affirmative, clear answer.
He climbed the dozen steps to the small wooden house and opened the screen door to the porch.
“Oh, you’re still here,” she said from a swing on his right.
He regarded her then ducked as a flock of small birds flew past him and into the house. “Yes or no, Felix.”
“Thought I was pretty clear on that.”
He sucked in a measured breath then released it, ready to play hardball. “Guess as the Hatch leader, I’ll just elect to relocate here till you come to your senses. But I can’t promise your reputation will remain in-tact given you’ll be living with one of the eligible Twelve who happens to be looking for an eligible maiden.”
Her laughter came, and he crossed his arms over his chest to keep from tossing them in frustration. “Now that would really intimidate me Nitro if everybody didn’t know you can’t even like the leader of your own Hatch!”
He stared at her before jumping on that shocker. “And who told you that?”
“Told me what?” she asked with her oblivious smile.
“That you couldn’t like the leader of your Hatch.” He shook his head, eyeing her. “I never read that anywhere, and I’m sure I’d know.” Watching that smile gradually fade with the lowering of her head came with quite a few thrills.
She gripped the edge of the swing with a shrug. “Something I assumed, I guess.” She looked at him with eyes bluer and bigger than he ever remembered. “You were seen as the father of the Hatch so liking you never even entered my mind, obviously.”
He paused at the distinct change in her countenance with that, pretty damn sure she’d just lied. His brain buzzed with what that meant or could mean. If she’d liked him then, there was a chance she still did. And that could be persuasion power. But discovering if she still liked him meant finding it under that mile-thick exterior. But if she did like him, he could use that. Should he? He considered or remembered the point of him being there and there was no doubt about it. Safety trumped scruples. “So… you coming or am I staying?”
She stared at him, weighing and studying. “I have a couch with your name on it.” He watched as she walked past him into the house. “But if you stay here,” she warned from inside, “don’t be expecting maid service or any other service. In fact, I charge rent.”
“Name your fair price,” he called, making his way to the door leading into the foyer where more birds flew about. The whole damn place was a birdhouse, he realized, looking around.
“Just feed your own face and clean your own mess,” she yelled from another room.
“Fair enough,” he said back, entering the house more. Fucking birds everywhere. He searched for the piles of shit you’d expect with so many free roaming critters and found none. Interesting. House trained? Was that even possible?
Two days. That’s all he’d give her. If a solution to this problem didn’t present itself, he was hauling her ass out even if it meant bringing her to the Hatches Rest Stop until she came to her senses. She needed to agree to let some of his men stay there and run the place till everything blew over or even temporarily relocate her. What the fuck more could he do? This was war. The law required him to defend his hatch and nothing would stop him from doing that. Not even the sexy as fuck bird whisperer.
****
Felix watched Nitro from her attic bedroom. She gasped when he unloaded a bag from his boat, bringing a crazy pound to her heart. He was actually going to stay? Shit!
She wanted to turn and pace in her room, but she couldn’t with him walking back. Her breath turned shallow as she studied him. How had he not changed a single bit? Usually, people seemed smaller when you grew up, but he looked bigger somehow.
She jerked back from the window when he looked around. God, how embarrassing to learn from him about liking the Hatch leader. She’d been maybe twelve at the time. He was referred to as either big brother or father of the Hatch, of course she assumed he was off limits to like him. She hadn’t listened, but she’d kept that to herself. How could anybody not like him? She could stare into his two different colored eyes all day. Hazel green and brown. Back then he was cute. Now he was damnbeautiful.
She ventured to the window again. A light gasp came regarding what he’d said. Her liking Hurricane. He’d remembered. She also remembered how he’d thought that was cute. No, what he’d said was, ‘you’re cute’. She both loved and hated the compliment because she’d changed into her mature dress when she knew he was coming. And it was not cute.
When it was obvious he’d had no real interest whatsoever in her, she’d decided to do what she always did with stupid boys. Give ‘em hell. That’s what Pah-Pah insisted was the way into their heart. That was before she’d figured out he’d told her that to make sure she never got a boyfriend.
But how was she supposed to deal with him living in the same house? The idea to pack up and run streaked through her like a sudden storm. But she couldn’t run even if she wanted. She paced real good now, thumb nail between her teeth. Dammit. This was intimidation, pure and simple. She knew it very well. There was only proving him wrong. She’d find his weakness and stomp all over it real good. She was twenty years old, a full-blown woman. She lived hard years to get where she was. She’d been a good daughter for as long as required and now she enjoyed her practically brand-new adulthood at her paradise sanctuary she never intended to leave, nor did she intend to let anybody run for her. These were her birds. She’d spent her entire life training them and truth be told, nobody else could do the job since she’d trained them to listen to only her.
She dashed to the mirror, gasping at her appearance. “God almighty.” She turned, finding her ass as fine as it always was in jeans then swapped her filthy t-shirt for a cute red blouse that showed off her womanhood. She took one final glance, wondering if he’d even looked at all the woman she now was.
She sucked in a sudden breath, grabbing hold of the door frame. Nitro was eligible. LukasBatesDehmond was getting married to some lucky eligible maiden in their swamp. She closed her eyes at the impossible miracle right here in her face. She snapped to attention, remembering the whole thing. How did it all work? She’d need to find that out. And who was her competition? Lord, she had a lot to dig for without looking like a digger for the wrong reasons. Hurricane. She could dig for him, and he’d be none the wiser. Plus, if there was even a smidgen of hope that he might consider her as his… She swallowed down sudden excitement induced nausea, panting for air. The idea she might have a chance with him after all this time. Jesus was real. Momma always said good things came to those who waited. And even though she’d not waited, it was because of what she’d wrongly thought about liking Hatch leaders, so that didn’t count. This was hers and she was claiming it.
She remembered her other problem. The one that had him in her house. The one he wouldn’t let go of until it was resolved. Something would present itself. Surely. She’d just look out for it as she went one crazy step at a time.