needed to serve to make up for what was done. He thought that he
wouldn’t be chosen if he had recently married.”
The position of mayor here wasn’t the same as it was in a
human town. He led the city’s Aelfir. They didn’t hold elections for the
position. He was selected and marked by the Goddess when the last mayor’s rule
ended. Sometimes with death, other times through divine termination. Normally,
when a new leader was selected, the old one stepped down. There had been a few
instances where the old leader tried to keep his place.
Chelsea had heard that the person behind the fire was sick.
Most of the time, that didn’t lead to service. The family must have done
something. Maybe they tried to keep her crimes a secret.
“How are you? How do you feel about this?” Chelsea put her
hand on Joy’s arm.
“Well, he kind of creeped me out with the sudden press for
marriage. So I had drawn back from him.” Joy sighed.
“I’m sorry he tried to use you, Joy.” Chelsea squeezed her
sister’s hand.
“Yeah, he didn’t get out of it and the mayor learned of what
he was trying to do. I wasn’t the only one that he tried to rush into
marriage.” Joy shrugged.
Her sister felt more upset about it than she would admit.
Stress or maybe anger had tightened the skin over Joy’s cheeks and jaw. Chelsea
wouldn’t push anymore. Her sister would talk when she was ready. It had to hurt
that the man had tried to use her, but also that he attempted the same with
others to make sure that he didn’t have to serve.
Joy stayed with her until Alex arrived. Chelsea smiled when
Alex strolled into the room. He still wore his uniform with the lighter blue
shirt and dark black pants. Damn, he looked handsome. He strolled around her
desk and took her in his arms.
“Hey, Chelsea, have a good day?” Alex leaned down and
dropped a kiss on her nose.
“Ugh, boring. Tonight, we have to go to my mother’s. I
forgot about it until Joy reminded me. We’ll need to go there after we stop by
the house. The good thing is she’ll feed us though.” Chelsea smiled. She hugged
him tight.
“Hey, I’m always ready to eat your mom’s food. Let’s go.
I’ll change clothes and we can go straight over there.” Alex nodded. “Do you
have everything?”
“I was ready a few minutes after you called.” She released
him with a last hard squeeze. She’d love to kick Joy out, lock the door, and
enjoy the privacy of the office for a little while.
Alex brushed her hair back behind her ear. “We’ll catch this
man as soon as we can, baby. I know you’re not fond of staying in the office.”
That was an understatement, but she didn’t to say anything
about it. She’d seen the guilt on his face at times. It wasn’t his fault. She
didn’t want to make him feel any worse. They couldn’t make the stalker reveal
himself. She’d find the patience to wait.
“I can deal with it. There is a plus. I get to spend time in
the development greenhouse.” She tightened her arms around him, hoping to
reassure him. “Let’s go so you can change.”
He guided her out to his car. She noticed the tension in his
shoulders and his back. He settled into the driver’s seat. When he started the
car, he took a deep breath before beginning the drive. They headed home.
Chapter Eight
Chelsea talked about her day, as well as two new flowers
they were trying to develop. He talked a little about his day. By the time they
pulled up to his house, he’d relaxed a little.
“Stay in the car. I’ll come around for you.” Alex glanced
over at her.
She hadn’t even moved. She’d gotten used to his insistence
to get out first to check for any danger. He slid out of the car. She watched
his smooth strides. He rounded the front of the vehicle. His eyes never stopped
moving. He looked over the yard, searching for anything out of the ordinary.
When he got to the passenger side of the car, she saw a dark
streak flash through the air. Alex flinched and
wouldn’t be chosen if he had recently married.”
The position of mayor here wasn’t the same as it was in a
human town. He led the city’s Aelfir. They didn’t hold elections for the
position. He was selected and marked by the Goddess when the last mayor’s rule
ended. Sometimes with death, other times through divine termination. Normally,
when a new leader was selected, the old one stepped down. There had been a few
instances where the old leader tried to keep his place.
Chelsea had heard that the person behind the fire was sick.
Most of the time, that didn’t lead to service. The family must have done
something. Maybe they tried to keep her crimes a secret.
“How are you? How do you feel about this?” Chelsea put her
hand on Joy’s arm.
“Well, he kind of creeped me out with the sudden press for
marriage. So I had drawn back from him.” Joy sighed.
“I’m sorry he tried to use you, Joy.” Chelsea squeezed her
sister’s hand.
“Yeah, he didn’t get out of it and the mayor learned of what
he was trying to do. I wasn’t the only one that he tried to rush into
marriage.” Joy shrugged.
Her sister felt more upset about it than she would admit.
Stress or maybe anger had tightened the skin over Joy’s cheeks and jaw. Chelsea
wouldn’t push anymore. Her sister would talk when she was ready. It had to hurt
that the man had tried to use her, but also that he attempted the same with
others to make sure that he didn’t have to serve.
Joy stayed with her until Alex arrived. Chelsea smiled when
Alex strolled into the room. He still wore his uniform with the lighter blue
shirt and dark black pants. Damn, he looked handsome. He strolled around her
desk and took her in his arms.
“Hey, Chelsea, have a good day?” Alex leaned down and
dropped a kiss on her nose.
“Ugh, boring. Tonight, we have to go to my mother’s. I
forgot about it until Joy reminded me. We’ll need to go there after we stop by
the house. The good thing is she’ll feed us though.” Chelsea smiled. She hugged
him tight.
“Hey, I’m always ready to eat your mom’s food. Let’s go.
I’ll change clothes and we can go straight over there.” Alex nodded. “Do you
have everything?”
“I was ready a few minutes after you called.” She released
him with a last hard squeeze. She’d love to kick Joy out, lock the door, and
enjoy the privacy of the office for a little while.
Alex brushed her hair back behind her ear. “We’ll catch this
man as soon as we can, baby. I know you’re not fond of staying in the office.”
That was an understatement, but she didn’t to say anything
about it. She’d seen the guilt on his face at times. It wasn’t his fault. She
didn’t want to make him feel any worse. They couldn’t make the stalker reveal
himself. She’d find the patience to wait.
“I can deal with it. There is a plus. I get to spend time in
the development greenhouse.” She tightened her arms around him, hoping to
reassure him. “Let’s go so you can change.”
He guided her out to his car. She noticed the tension in his
shoulders and his back. He settled into the driver’s seat. When he started the
car, he took a deep breath before beginning the drive. They headed home.
Chapter Eight
Chelsea talked about her day, as well as two new flowers
they were trying to develop. He talked a little about his day. By the time they
pulled up to his house, he’d relaxed a little.
“Stay in the car. I’ll come around for you.” Alex glanced
over at her.
She hadn’t even moved. She’d gotten used to his insistence
to get out first to check for any danger. He slid out of the car. She watched
his smooth strides. He rounded the front of the vehicle. His eyes never stopped
moving. He looked over the yard, searching for anything out of the ordinary.
When he got to the passenger side of the car, she saw a dark
streak flash through the air. Alex flinched and
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