Nimravid (The MacFade Chronicles Book 1) Read online

  “Hold on a tic, I thought you were a SHELLY bean.” She rolled her eyes at me, “Shut up.”

  “Are you really going to make her help you pick up all those parts? The child is exhausted and we can do that in a matter of minutes.”

  “I need to make a point, Mai. Trust me.”

  We got the parts picked up pretty quickly. When Shelly wasn’t looking I held out the gauntlet and said “Seishin Jiryoku,” a small cable of Spirit Stone snaked out among the collection of parts as they leaped to stick to it. Nothing like old cast iron construction and a little magnetism magic, all that old iron flying across the floor, was a beautiful thing. Arching the cable up and over a wooden bin, I cut the power. “Voila! Box-o-grinder parts. No fuss, no muss.”

  “That’s cheating.”

  “We aren’t here for me. We’re here to teach Shelly a lesson.”

  “Aren’t you going a little over the top?” The concern in Mai’s voice was plain as day. “May I remind you that she woke me up at 7 am, on a bleeding Saturday?” I could feel Mai’s distain. “Oh by all means. I’ll tie her down and you flog her. Enough is enough, Alex, wrap this up. That little girl is close to dropping.”

  “Fine…Shelly!” I called her in from the garage. She trudged up to the door of my home office. “Yeah, I’m almost done. What’s up?” She looked half asleep and the other half DEAD. I smiled, lesson learned. “Leave the rest of it. I’ll take care of it later.” Relief flooded Shelly’s features as she flopped into a chair. “Oh thank you!”

  “No worries.” I seated myself and whipped out a piece of paper, making a show of unfolding it and scribbling notes. Shelly looked up through tired eyes. “Uh…What’s that?”

  “Oh this? This is your bill.” I whistled for effect, handing it to her. She read it over, both pages, and looked sick. Just the effect I was going for. “I-I-I don’t have this kind of money!” She stammered. “What am I going to do?” I clucked my tongue and tilted my head to the side, as if in thought. “Well, in these types of circumstances, I believe it’s customary to bill the parents.”

  “Alex, what the Hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “Yeah, what the Hell man, that’s not cool! We thought you were being nice.” protested Casey right along with Mai.

  “Shhh… just be quiet and listen guys. I know what I’m doing.”

  “Oh God! Mack. You can’t do that! Please Mack, I’ll do anything!” I quirked an eyebrow. “Anything?” Shelly eyes grew wide. “Please Mack, don’t do this!” I let out an exasperated sigh. “I suppose we are going to have to come to some sort of arrangement then.” Yes! Free house/pet sitting for life!

  I took the invoice back from her. I can’t believe I even added in her half of lunch. That WAS a little petty, I’ll admit. “I reckon you’re going to have to work it off.” Shelly suddenly started crying. “I trusted you. I thought you were different!” She sobbed as she started to slowly disrobe.

  DISROBE? What the Hell? “OI! OI! OI! What are you doing?” I blurted out as I leaped over my desk to stop her. That turned out to be an error in judgment because THEN she started to scream, looking terrified. “Well done Alex, is there an encore coming?”

  I clamped my hand over her mouth to stifle the noise before she woke the neighbors, but that just made it worse, she continued to scream harder. This was officially a disaster. “Oh good work Hannibal. Did that turn out exactly according to plan?”

  “Do something Mai! Turn on the serenity or something! I don’t care how hard you have to push, just don’t do any damage. If you have to knock her out, do it! Make yourself useful!” Mai gently pushed into Shelly’s mind with a wave of trust and safety. “This doesn’t make sense, Mack would never hurt me.”

  “Shhhh… shhhh… Shelly you don’t understand, I was just kidding. Over did it, didn’t I?” There was pain in my eyes. She saw that and calmed down. “Screaming time over?” she nodded. I took my hand away from her mouth and took both her hands in mine, kneeling down, so as not to tower over her and looked her deeply in the eye. This way I can control the situation. With Mai already inside, I could impress the sincerity of what I was saying. I reached up and wiped the tears from her face, brushing a strand of hair from out of her eyes in the process. “Are you OK?” I sat her back down.

  She nodded her head but didn’t speak. “I’m sorry I scared you, I must have phrased that badly, eh?” She rolled her eyes and nodded again. “I was talking about you being on a priority retainer, as my house and dog sitter.” Rolled her eyes again, smiled and hiccupped causing her shoulders to shake. “Lucy. Come here. Shelly needs comforting.” I heard the sharp jingle of Lucy’s tags as she leaped up and raced across the house. “Good girl!”

  By now Shelly wouldn’t make eye contact with me, at all, not a good sign. “Are you agreeable to that? Watching Charles and Lucy for me when I am away? And mind you, I am frequently out of town.” Lucy propped herself up on her hind legs and held her paws up in the begging position, pleading my case. “This was all Lucy’s idea, you know.” Shelly snorted at the sight, progress. Lucy jumped up into Shelly’s lap when she turned to look at the little mutt and began licking her face affectionately; while she wagged her stubby little tail at 80 mph. Shelly laughed and hugged the little canine charmer. I started to relax a little. “Is that a yes?” Shelly nodded and squeezed Lucy to her.

  I stood up, picked up a box of tissues and handed it to her. She blew her nose. “Down Lucy, good work” Lucy jumped down and sat next to Shelly’s chair, the little dog giving me a look that said “You’re a jerk!” I really wasn’t in a position to argue with her. Shelly, now relieved still wouldn’t look at me. Something was wrong, I Sensed shame. I knelt back down and took her hands again. “Shelly?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Can you look at me?” She nodded her head and bravely looked me in the eye. “I’m going to ask you a question, think about your answer before you speak. I want you to trust me. You can tell me the truth and I’ll help you or you can choose to maintain your privacy and I’ll respect that, deal?” I could see the dread in her eyes. She nodded her head again. “What did you think I was talking about?” She started to tear up again. “Shhhh… you don’t have to tell me.” I held her in my arms and waited. She felt so frail and so small but all I could think of was the beat down I wanted to put on whomever did this to her. Eventually she stopped sobbing and firmly pushed me back. It was clear I had dredged up some painful memories. She looked me in the eye, the fire of determination now burned in them. I rocked back on to my heels and waited. This was her moment.

  “I… I thought,” her voice was shaking. “Oh Mack! You’ve been so amazing about this whole thing. What I was thinking, so crazy, don’t make me say it.” I held up my hands in a gesture of surrender. “You don’t have to. I had it figured out a little while ago. You thought I was going to force you to perform sexual favors, to pay off your debt, right?”

  “Yes,” she said in a small voice.

  “Why? Did I do something to make you think that? Did I—”

  “No, no, no, stop, you didn’t do anything, Mack. You’re a great guy. It’s me. I’m damaged goods.” I felt my face flush with passion. “No! Don’t ever think that about yourself, because it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, take it from someone who knows. Someone did this to you!” I calmed myself a little. “Who did this Shelly? Because in all honesty, I would like the opportunity…to seriously injury them.”

  “I can’t tell you. I—”

  “Stop, I said you didn’t have to and I meant it. I’m here anytime you want help or to escape, having the means and ability to do whatever you need. As long as it isn’t ongoing, I’ll back off and honor your wishes. I may not seem like it, but I am an incredibly powerful man. Please remember that.” I wanted desperately to help her but I was no child psychologist and didn’t want to make her relive the trauma. She smiled and wiped at her nose and eyes. I grinned and brushed her hair back, generating a slight smile. “There she is…you have ha
d a Hell of a couple of days, eh?” Her smile broadened into a weary grin. “Come on, you can sack out with Lucy in my guest room, if you would like, or do you want to go home?”

  “I really don’t want to be alone tonight. Thanks Mack.” I had a feeling. “Alright then, well you couldn’t want for better company. Just don’t let Lucy hog the bed. She likes to push you out of the way with her bum so she can stretch out. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll be on the floor by morning. Which is in about four hours, what a night! Lucy, show Shelly to the guest room.” Lucy popped up and started up the stairs. She looked back expectantly, waiting. Shelly looked from Lucy to me. I nodded to the stairs, “She expects you to follow her.”

  “Are you serious? She understands you?”

  “Yes. You’ll find towels and toiletries in the bathroom. The room has its own facilities. Brunch will be served at…” I looked at my watch and grunted. “One o’clock God willing. Good night Shelly.” I started the long walk to my bedroom. “Mack?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I really don’t know how I will ever be able to thank you and I’m sorry for all of this, including making you feel like—”

  “Shelly stop, you’re going to make me blush.” I winked at her. “After all, it’s not like I had any plans for the weekend. Wash up and get some sleep. I promise not to attack you in the shower.” Shelly inhaled sharply and stamped her foot. “Not funny, Mack, I said I was sorry!” She said, pretending to pout. Very cute, but cliché. “Good night, Shelly.”

  “Good night, Mack.” I walked into my bedroom and fell face forward onto the bed. I must have been asleep for maybe twenty minutes when someone, very stupid, woke me. “Mack?” Casey, what the hell does he want? “Yes?” I spoke directly into the mattress, too tired to turn my head. “Can I peak?” I turned to give him a hard glare, my eyes flaring like hot coals. “Do you wish to spend the next week in a mayonnaise jar?”

  “You can’t do that,” he didn’t look too certain.

  “Try me.”

  “OK, I’ll just sleep in the living room.”

  “Yes you will.”

  “But if she were to be uh, walking around the house in her panties—”

  “You had better avert your eyes and hope to God I don’t think otherwise. Casey if you want to continue staying here I suggest you start thinking of Shelly like a sister and nothing more, savvy?”

  “Jawohl mein Furher!” I threw a shoe at him. Passing right through, it bounced off the wall. “That was pointless.” Mai remarked from inside my foggy brain. She sounded as tired as I was. “Yeah, but it felt good.” Sleep blissfully came a few minutes later.

  Chapter 10

  I slept so deeply, I barely felt Casey poking me awake. “WHAT! What do you want Hellman?”

  “Huh? Oh mayonnaise, right. Hah, hah, hah, very funny. Dude Shelly’s doing it again!”

  “What Casey? For the love of God, WHAT? If you’re waking me up for this, she had better be on fire.”

  “She’s walking around the kitchen in her panties!” Casey gushed excitedly. “Casey.” I growled. “I swear if you’re jerking my chain, I’LL find a way to kill you all over again.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, just check it out.”

  Mai appeared looking disgusted. “He’s such a pig!”

  “We’re all pigs, according to you, Mai.” I grunted wearily, “It’s starting to mean less, every time you say it.”

  I blinked my bleary eyes and focused on the clock. One fifteen in the afternoon. Well at least I got a full night’s sleep. I trudged across my bedroom and slipped on a robe, closing it tightly in the front, remembering the previous morning. If there was a 15 year old girl walking around my house in her underwear, it was my duty to put a stop to it. I had some neighbors that were nosey, as all Hell and with my luck the curtains were open.

  As I pulled open my door, my nostrils were assaulted with the glorious aroma of sausage and waffles. Shelly had made breakfast? I knew I liked this kid for some reason. I walked in the kitchen door just in time, to see Shelly bending over in front of the fridge. Her cute little bum, peeking out of the bottom of her tank top and a nearly non-existent pair of thong underwear. “Ye Gods! When did kids start wearing those? For cripe’s sake, this girl is fifteen! Don’t her parents pay any attention to her?”

  “She’s used to nobody being home in the morning, Alex. She probably just tumbles out of bed and begins her routine, be diplomatic.”

  “You mean to tell me girls really do that? I thought that was just a product of the porn industry and cheesy teen movies. AND I am always diplomatic; I’ll have you know.”

  “Apparently not, you can stop staring now. You’re starting to enjoy the view.” Bloody hell, she was right! I shook my head to clear it. “What’s wrong with me?”

  “You’re a man, enough said.”

  “That’s your answer to everything, isn’t it? She refused to respond but the smugness radiating off of her was thick enough to walk across. Turning aside, I started banging my head on the door jamb to the kitchen. I could hear Shelly close the refrigerator door and put the food down on the kitchen table. “Good morning, sleepy head… What’s wrong?”

  “Oh nothing, just purging myself of impure thoughts.” I continued my banging, with my eyes clamped tightly shut. “You’re killing me, kid.”

  “What?” I kept my eyes shut, pointing my finger, flailing in the general direction of her legs. “Pants, Shelly, pants…we wear pants in this house.”

  “Oopsy! Sorry. I wanted to surprise you with breakfast.”

  “Mission successful, I’m certifiably surprised and maybe a bit emotionally scarred.” (Having seen what is essentially my little sister’s bare ass in lingerie.) “Shelly, please put some pants on. The image of you, bent over the fridge, is seared into my brain right now.”

  “Jeez, don’t act like it was so awful.”

  “It wasn’t. That’s part of the problem, pants now, please.”

  “OK, OK; keep an eye on my waffles?”

  “Pretty sure I’ve already seen them and when you’re older you can take pride showing them off, but in the meantime…” I grunted through clenched teeth. Just to make matters worse, she gave me a hip bump as she passed by. “Aw, flattery…you’re so cute!”

  “I am not! I am bloody OLD MAN; we’ve already established this, remember?”

  “Awww…is the big scary badass a grumpy bear in the morning?” She tittered. “About to get grumpier,” I growled. She laughed at me, as she ran back up to the guest room. I let out a breath and looked at the ceiling. “What? You got nothing better to do, than torment me? Isn’t there a hurricane somewhere you should be stirring up?”

  “Dude this chick’s got your number.” Casey remarked from inside the kitchen.

  “You care to explain that?” my tone ominous.

  Casey was peering into the oven. Well, actually part of his head was INSIDE the oven. It’s really disconcerting. “Take it easy, Mack, just look.” I walked over to him and noticed the oven was on “warm”. I opened the door and the heavenly aroma hit me 100 fold. Inside was a cookie sheet with about two dozen waffles and a mound of sausage patties. Have I mentioned I adore this kid?

  “Hey! No samples!” Shelly was standing over me in her outfit from last night. Cutoffs, the tank top with bikini and flip flops, everything that needed to be covered was, gratefully. There was one added accessory though, my silicone spatula poised to strike. I threw my hands up. “Ease off sheriff, you got the drop on me, just couldn’t resist the smell.” I straightened up and backed away. “You know those are just about ready to come out.” I pointed to the waffle iron. As she turned to check it; my finger darted for the batter bowl. I just wanted a taste. I was rewarded with a resounding smack on the back of the hand with a lightning fast spatula. She’s quick, I’ll give her that. “No! Go sit down and I’ll feed you when it’s ready. Set the table if you need something to do.”

  I snapped to attention and saluted. “Ma’am! Yes Ma’a
m!” For that, I got a light elbow to the gut and a soft shove towards the table. I set the table and sat down with the paper scanning the headlines and sports scores; looking up as Lucy trotted in and sat down next to her water bowl. “Lucy! Naughty girl!” Shelly scolded her. “Where are your pants? We wear pants in this house young lady!” I gave Shelly a withering look. “Eh, heh, heh, heh, don’t quit your day job, sweetheart.” Lucy, naturally confused by the scolding, looked to me for clarification.

  “Shelly sick in head?”

  The coffee I was drinking nearly shot out of my nose. Managing to recover from my seemingly unexplainable malady, I responded. “Shelly thinks she’s being funny Lucy, just ignore her.” Shelly turned to me, spatula in one hand and the other on her left hip. “See, now you hear how stupid it sounds. It’s just a little skin, Mack.”

  “It’s not the skin, Luv. It’s who’s wearing it.”

  “Oh, so if I was your girlfriend, it would be just fine?”

  “If you were my girl we would’ve been back in bed as soon as I saw the thong,” I mumbled.

  “ALEX!”

  “SHIT! Did I say that out loud?”

  “Yes, yes you did!”

  “Just as I thought,” Shelly snipped “typical adult double standard.”

  “Yep, and that’s why we’re in charge of everything.” Lucy snorted, lightly stamping her feet, to get our attention back on her. Wagging her tail, she looked at me expectantly, nudged her food bowl with her nose for emphasis. “Lucy hungry.”

  “Here you go, Lucy.” Shelly poured kibble into her bowl and sprinkled little bits of waffle edges on top. Lucy leaped into it, faster than I’ve ever seen. I blinked for a second. “I think I’ve been replaced.”

  ”Not at all, this is what you wanted, Shelly is taking care of Lucy. She’s a natural and Lucy adores her. Just eat your breakfast and don’t worry about it.” Shelly started to snap her fingers in front of my face. “Huh?”

  “Mack, Mack, you OK?”

  “Oh, sorry. What?”