Defying Eternity (An Obscure Magic Book 5) (4 page)

“He keeps odd hours. While he can go out in daylight, he prefers not to or so the internet would have me believe.” Leo winked and finished loading up the second diaper bag. She wanted to make sure that Minny was okay until she could get back for a visit.

“When will you have a day off?”

“I have no idea. I will hash out the details when I get there.” Leo cleared her throat. “Since I won’t be living with you, how would you feel if I hired a live-in nanny to help you?”

“Where would you get the money for that?”

Leo sighed. “I have some savings. I was going to buy a new car, but this seems a much better use of my funds.”

Tears started in Minny’s eyes. “I can’t let you use all your money for me. You are already selling yourself.”

“I am not hooking. I am renting myself for a finite amount of time. The same thing I do every day.” She chuckled at the truth of it.

She had talked with her boss today, and he had informed her how happy he was to wish her luck on her new position with the mayor. Apparently, the museum was getting a lot of ancient documents on the origin of vampires in the next month.

Not knowing what she was in for when she started work, she dressed for the office. It was three in the morning, and it was time for her to summon the car. Her vehicle was still at the manor.

The rest of her clothing had been picked up that afternoon. The only thing that she had to bring to her new job was herself.

“I am going to call for Nathaniel. Will you be all right?”

Minny came over and handed Melody to her. “One big hug from Aunty Leo, and then, she can leave in peace.”

Leo smiled and cuddled her niece. The warm body and smell of baby powder was a focal point that she wanted to remember. She was jumping into a world that she had no control over to keep this little one alive and healthy. It was a jump she was going to make every day for as long as it took to keep her safe from Robert.

After ten minutes of cuddling, Leo set Melody down in her bassinette, and she hugged Minny. “I will let you know how my first day at work goes.”

“I expect to hear all the juicy details.”

Leo leaned back and gave her a look that told her to get serious.

“I know, I know, you are always the soul of discretion.”

Leo grinned. “It is not a bad thing to be known for.”

Without looking, she reached into her pocket, pulled out the summoner and pressed the button.

Minny sighed. “You are sure that Robert is still out there?”

“Definitely. There would have been a notice for me if he were dead.”

It would also have appeared on the news. New vampires had to be recorded and monitored. A loose or dead offspring would bring shame to its maker.

She checked the timer and inhaled. A minute to prepare to start a new job. Leo smiled at her sister. “Everything will be fine.”

The car glided to a halt in front of the manor doors.

Nathaniel gave her a whisper of encouragement. “Welcome to the team.”

Leo put on her work face, walked up the steps and entered through the door that the butler held open for her. “Thank you, Reed.”

He looked surprised. “I am surprised you remember me, miss. You were not in very good shape when you were last here.”

“I remember everything that happened while I was awake.” She smiled. “I believe I am to start work now?”

“Yes, miss. This way. He is definitely expecting you.”

“Thank you.” Once again, she was led through the halls, but this time, she could appreciate the artwork and the ringing sound of her heels on the stone floor.

Her business dress was knee length and a sober grey. She would be completely unremarkable in any boardroom in the country. Her hair was scraped back in a bun, and she had her unapproachable expression in place. It was the best way to start her workday. It felt so good to let her hair down after she was done for the day.

She swallowed nervously as Reed opened the door to Matthias’s office. She really hoped that her face didn’t show what she felt.

The vampire king who had been elected Mayor of Redbird City was bent over his desk and looking through a stack of reports.

She stepped forward and Reed disappeared. Positioned in front of the desk, she watched as the clock behind him ticked over to four o’clock.

The moment the time had struck, Matthias looked up with a smile. “You are on time. Excellent. It is a good start. Now, go through all of these and sort them by what needs to be attended to immediately while I get something to drink.”

Leo looked at him in surprise, and when he gathered up the documents, walked around the desk and dropped them in her arms, she was speechless.

“Your desk is against that wall. Your computer, phone, tablet and pager are all there, as is your employment contract. Nathaniel is still at your service. I will be up for a few more hours if you have any questions.”

She turned and headed to the desk with its delicate filigree carving. It looked like it was made of lace with a smooth granite top.

She dropped the paperwork he had handed her, and she turned on her computer with the login and password from the small sticky note attached to the cover.

The mayor’s schedule was on the desktop, and she quickly familiarized herself with what he did and when he did it. Most of his activities were nocturnal, but there were a few meetings in the afternoons.

Some of the meetings had a small star on them, and she was going to have to ask about them.

With her immediate need for knowledge satisfied, she turned to the pile of paperwork. After half an hour, she paused to send a quick text to Minny to give her the work cell phone number.

When her sister had been contacted, she continued looking through the petitions and contracts as well as research information that folks were sending to the mayor.

She had three distinct piles worked out by the time he returned to the office.

Leo was onto her own contract and reading all that it entailed. Well, with the rate he was going to pay her, she could afford a nanny on her own. She smiled.

“What was that smile for, Ms. Wicks?”

She smoothed her features. “Apologies, Mr. Mayor. I was just thinking about hiring a nanny to help Minny with the baby. I had always planned to be there for her, but as matters have changed, it is time to make a new plan.”

“I am glad you can adapt. Do you prefer a male or female nanny?”

“It doesn’t matter as long as they are well versed in infant care and very reliable.”

He nodded and picked up his phone. To Leonora’s horror, he ordered a nanny like she ordered pizza—efficiently and with expectation of immediate delivery.

“Is that going to add more time to my service to you?”

“That is up to you. I will provide you with safety for your family until the date that it is no longer required.”

From her desk, she had to ask, “Why me?”

“You took on a vampire queen and her newest offspring with a pregnant woman and a baseball bat. After that, you drove your sister to the hospital and then yourself here to point out to me that my local vampires were behaving in an unseemly manner.”

He smiled at her. “You are a very impressive human. It is a rare thing and will throw off those that I do business with.”

“So, I am a collectible?” She raised her brows.

“Indeed. Unique in my experience and that encompasses thousands of generations.”

“You have to have met other people who did stupid stuff.”

“Yes, but never with the calculated thought that you put into your reaction to the situation. You thought, reacted and operated with no calculation of your own survival in the equation. You committed before you could think and that is a definite asset to my team.”

“It is funny how everyone refers to it as a team.”

She took the different stacks of paperwork and got up from her desk. Leo walked over to him and handed him her contract.

“I would prefer to make the arrangements for a nanny myself.”

Matthias arched his brows. “I have already made the arrangements.”

She frowned. “That is not necessary.”

“Yes, it is. I will put it on your tab.” He winked.

“At this point, I will have to work for you for two decades before I pay this off.”

He shrugged. “That is a flicker of time for me.”

She was aghast. “It is my niece’s entire trip to adulthood.”

“You don’t say?” His lips curled in a smile.

Her fingers clenched on the paperwork. “When will I get to see her?”

“You will have one day off per week. It will depend on the schedule.” He folded his fingers together and propped his chin on them.

“Speaking of the schedule, what do the stars mean?”

“Ah, those are meetings that you must accompany me. Now, what have you done with that paperwork?”

She frowned and got back into work mode. “Right. This bunch is infrastructure renewal. The two with flags on them are the urgent ones. The rest of the requests can be delayed without any damage to your approval ratings.”

“Fascinating. Thank you. How long can they be delayed?”

“Into next quarter. In the fall, you will need to have the snow clearing ready, but you don’t need it in the summer. You do need the potholes filled.”

He smiled. “Excellent. What is next?”

She handed him the next pile of requests for personal appearances. “The ones with flags do not conflict with your existing schedule, and the ones with two flags would help you with your appeal to the humans and extranaturals who live standard lives.”

They went through the letters of critique, the invitations from other mayors and vampire kings, and finally, she was able to take the documents that were rejected and return to her desk, writing up polite letters declining the meeting, goods or services.

Reed brought her in a tray with a sandwich, a bowl of soup and some tea. “Here you are, Ms. Wicks. I am going off shift soon, but Dorn will be in to meet you and take you to your quarters when you need to change for the day.”

She nodded. “Right. I am the day shift.”

“Well, the deputy mayor and his assistant will be in shortly, so you need only worry about the documents you have already been assigned.” Reed smiled and inclined his head.

“So, there is a different set of tasks for night and day?”

“Yes. The deputy mayor only appears at events and in conferences when they cannot wait for the mayor.”

Leo pulled the reference out of her memory. “Able Rickman is the deputy mayor.”

“Correct.”

“And he is a zombie.”

“Correct, as is his assistant, Mr. Crombie.”

Leo kept a straight face with effort. Crombie the zombie was just too easy. “I am sure I will enjoy meeting them.”

“I am glad you have confidence. Good morning, Ms. Wicks.”

“Good morning, Reed.” She smiled at him and kept typing a polite letter to indicate that the mayor would not be attending the sixteenth birthday of the untransformed werewolf daughter of the local pack. It had been in the schedule-conflict pile of documents.

She checked her schedule to see if she was required that evening, and it was free. She added a line that if they wanted the mayor’s assistant in attendance to carry his regards, she was available.

Leo didn’t know why she put that sentence on the document, but she printed it off on the heavy paper and set it on his desk with a signature flag before she could change her mind.

Three hours after she started, she was ready to take a rest. Her desk was clear, her phone was in her purse and the laptop was tucked under her arm when she left the office.

She looked to the left and right before she walked down the hall in search of Mr. Dorn.

For such a large man, he moved silently. Apparently, the day shift was a giant.

“Ms. Wicks?”

“Yes, good morning, Mr. Dorn.”

“Just Dorn. This way to your quarters.” He walked past the office and deep in to the manor house.

Leo followed him.

“The number to the kitchen is marked on your phone. If you are awake, food will be brought to you every four hours. The mayor does not eat, so you will get authorization to eat in his presence.”

Leo snorted.
I will see about that.

“During your monthly bleed, you will be asked to work from your quarters.”

Dorn was walking slowly, but she still had to trot to catch up.

“Wow. Can I get time off?”

“No. You still have your duties. You will simply execute them from your chambers.”

“Are there any other women here?”

“No. No other females live here. Frankly, when the mayor first mentioned you as Leo, I thought he was hiring another male assistant.”

She quirked her lips. “I get that a lot.”

“Your clothing has been unpacked and arranged. New work wear has been ordered for you based on your sizes, and you are to report to the mayor’s office at midnight every night unless you have accompanied him to a meeting. Your schedule will be dictated by his.”

“Of course. That is why I am here.”

Dorn looked a little perplexed by that. He led her down a quiet hall and opened the third door from the end. “Here you are. Everything you require is inside your quarters. Good day.”

“Good day.” She stepped past him and into her room. The door closed behind her, and she whistled softly. The space was larger than the floor plan for Minny’s house.

She put her computer and purse on the bedside table and checked out the bathroom. It was big enough for her to host a sleepover.

She glanced over at the tub, the white marble sink and the shower with enough heads in it to have a starring role in off-colour porn. She wouldn’t be cleaned so much as assaulted.

The toilet was blissfully non-threatening.

She washed her hands, splashed her face and returned to her room to send Minny a text. When she got an answer, she sighed in relief. Everything was fine, baby was sleeping.

Leo checked her schedule and walked into her closet. Next to her modest clothes were a selection of work dresses that were in a variety of colours, all brilliant and attention getting. They were definitely not what she was used to wearing. Leo grabbed another bland dress.