Chapter 24 #2
Then he handed me a box of tissues so I could blow my nose. Once I got better control of myself, I asked, “Who could do this to any animal?”
“Monsters,” the archangel replied, his tone regretful.
“My brother wants to make certain you know the importance of your chosen role. He chose these two, using our little brother to do so; you are their only hope of any future at all, and they only have that hope because you are willing to bargain with me to give them a life with you.”
“Can we skip the bargaining process and make sure they will be all right?”
The archangel’s chuckle soothed me. “I have already made certain they will not pass on from this life. I prefer a fair bargain. My brother? However much I love him, he would take advantage of the situation. I do not even blame him for that for it is his nature. You can relax. They look terrible, this is true, but those days will pass for them sooner than later. I already took the liberty of borrowing Zenzi, and she will be available to help nurse the little one as needed.”
I frowned at the foal, who proved to be a filly, with interest. “Moon is significantly larger.”
“This youngling was born late. The owner, wretched being that he is, did not breed with care nor responsibility. And yes, these are thoroughbreds. And no, you cannot seek out revenge or lay curses against him. He has already passed into the next life. The horses that could not be spared were taken, in warmth and comfort, through the valley.”
“Thank you for caring for them.”
“Azrael handled the matter with the grace and dignity they deserved. Perhaps their seeds will find their way to your pastures so they might know a life of love and light.”
I considered the archangel with interest. “Can that be done?”
“Easily.”
“I’d like that added to my end of the bargain then, please.”
“I would be pleased to see to this. So, my end of the bargain is simple enough. I will handle healing the horses so they reach tomorrow in a survivable state. They will still amass significant veterinarian bills, but this will be due to your cautious nature rather than need, and you will not miss the money. You will view it as earning the horses you have rightfully goosed out of my brother.”
Despite my tears over their sorry condition, I managed a laugh. “All right. What do you need from me?”
“First, you will issue an invitation to take Yuless on a date this evening to a restaurant. I have already taken the liberty of making the reservation on your behalf. Second, you will do your best to learn his secret. He has one of significance, and it is important you reveal it. Not to the public, mind you, but for your personal knowledge. Third, do not be overly alarmed at the inconveniences in the upcoming days. They need to happen so there are better days to come. One such incidence will be a painful inconvenience, but you and yours will survive.”
“How painful are we talking about here?”
“Quite.”
Ouch. “Can I make the request that Yuless has to nurse me to good health, preferably while in a half-naked state? Because if I’m going to be in that much pain, the scenery might distract me a little.”
“I can pass on this request when this moment comes to be.”
I nodded, certain I would be able to handle a painful recovery if the tall, dark, and handsome nursed me while partially naked. “Anything else?”
“Please drive the Destroyer of Georgia absolutely wild. I appreciate good amusement, and he will provide me with an excellent time while you crush him beneath your heel.”
Despite the situation, I giggled at the thought of tormenting my boss. “I don’t even need to bargain to do that. He absolutely wants to rule over me like I’m available to be conquered. I am not the kind who will sit down and accept being conquered.”
“You will also provide me with most excellent amusement, as he is putting off his ambitions to conquer more of the world because you are the first obstacle he must make fall to his cunning and charm.”
I snorted at that. “He’s going to have to up his ante if he wants to charm me into anything. Yuless is already way ahead of him.” To make it clear what I meant, I pointed in the direction of Peach Pie’s stall. “I love my sweet baby boy.”
“It does appear that Yuless has successfully identified what you want, and you want horses. You do not even necessarily want to race these pricy racehorses you have purchased for yourself.”
I pointed at the Queen of Hell. “I want her to want to run so badly, Gabriel. If I can convince her to work with me, she’s going to be equal to Alligator Bait.”
“May I make a recommendation?”
“Certainly.”
“Pick three horses every year to aim at the Triple Crown. Enter them into races and give them equal opportunities. If a horse doesn’t love the journey, pull them out.
That will make you a rather conservative owner and breeder, but you get what you want, you give your horses a chance to shine, and you give us an opportunity to tease our beloved brother. ”
Right. My horses would need angelic care should I even think of such a plan. “May I propose a bargain?”
“Let us finish this one, and then yes, we can make a second bargain.” Gabriel crouched beside the tiny filly, and blue fire sparked from his hand and passed into her body.
“Please do not worry about the pain of the holy fire. They have both been dosed with medication to help numb them to my work, enough to dull their pain but not enough to stop them from eating or drinking. But that is all I ask of you for this.”
“Bargain made. You get them safely into tomorrow, and I’ll empty my wallet making sure they live long, healthy lives in my pasture.”
Finding Yuless and informing him he was obligated to go on a date with me would prove rather amusing, especially as I could tell him a nosy archangel had already arranged for the reservation. Sure, I’d abuse my wallet a little more, but dinner wouldn’t compare to the impending vet bills.
“The filly might one day run for you. The mare will not. She is incapable of such things. A life at pasture will be good for her, and having a foal every other year would do her spirit well and be gentle enough on her body. She is not physically capable of handling a foal every year.”
The poor babies. “Their temperaments?”
“They will be needy, and Lucifer will resent being your horse hauler. Malcolm desperately wishes to drive the horse hauler, which will work out well, as you will be attending enough races you will need help hauling often. Also, your miniature horses will be arriving at your home today to be reunited with their friend. There are pet sitters at your home making certain everyone is being taken care of, even your alligators.”
“If the dragon puts up a fuss, just kick him in the lake and let Mr. Magic take care of him.”
“I trust you are aware you have changed that one’s nature.”
“It was better than somebody killing him because he’s an alligator. Mr. Magic the Bold is now a pet, and I’ll be feeding him at least a chicken a week. I believe he is hunting fish?”
“Mostly, yes, but he will take wild fowl, as you seem to have excluded them from your protections.”
“The alligators need to eat, and there are enough fish and birds to feed everybody.”
Hiring someone to restock the lake with fish would make certain of that.
“With appropriate interventions, this is the case.”
“I bet I could charge people a small fortune to pet Mr. Magic. He’ll love it. Even if I did it once a week, that’d give him all the treats he could hope for. I’d even buy him a cow leg if he likes chewing on those.”
“Please do not terrify insurance companies more than you already will, especially when you insist on insuring your horses.”
“Why do I need to insure them?”
“Theft.”
I scoffed at that. “Magic can take care of that. It will take a divine to consider stealing one of my babies.”
“That would be more effective than an insurance policy, yes. There is the matter of injury.”
“That’s what you’re for,” I informed him in my sweetest tone. “But I’ll be generous and bargain with you regarding your excellent veterinarian services for all my animals.”
The archangel held up three fingers. “I would ask this many things from you in exchange for either myself or one of my angelic brethren handling emergency or regenerative care of your animals. You will continue to use your farrier as normal, and your regular veterinarian will handle their vaccinations and basic checkups. We will handle anything that is not a part of standard care practices, including disease, injury, colic, and so on. I will give you a number to text when you have a problem requiring one of us. Entry care, for rescued and adopted horses, will count as a service we will handle. We will even do diagnosis if your vet cannot handle the matter promptly, but we do expect you to do basic diagnosis on your own.”
Knowing how pricy horses, chickens, and cows could get, especially when they decided to get a dumb idea in their heads, the angelic care would be priceless. “Does your work include appropriate care of their spines from early racing?”
“We will be handling the care and comfort of your raced thoroughbreds, yes. Mortal veterinarians can only do so much for that. We will also handle post race treatments to make certain they can continue to race.”
After the archangel’s blue fire settled and soaked into the filly, she had a drink, flopped into a large pile of bedding, and went about the serious business of napping.
The mare, who endured similar treatment, did the same, and the archangel assisted her, taking care so the baby wasn’t injured in the process.
That the archangel felt a need to help the mare lie down worried me, but I trusted him to do his job—and harbored more than a little relief that the mare relaxed enough to chase after deep sleep.
I drew deep breaths to keep myself somewhat calm before saying, “All right. Let’s hear your end of the bargain. ”