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They spoke about the things that they were both getting because of the deaths of the vampires that had been after Katlynne. There had been no more tries with her since Damion, but that didn’t mean they were going to let their guard down. Once word got out that she could take care of herself and that her mate was powerful too, Brew figured that they’d leave them alone for now.
Rutger went home to look over the paperwork he’d gotten from the Brew on the vampires, and he decided that he was going to invest them separately. He’d use the money for something special for Katlynne when they went on their cruise next week, and he thought she’d like that better than thinking she was getting paid for killing people off. She’d not been taking it too hard, but she’d been sleeping better for sure. Just knowing that someone wasn’t going to get her at every turn had made her feel much better.
“Lord Rutger? I have a question for you.” It was Raymond, Katlynne’s faerie. With him was his own faerie. He asked what he could do for them. “We’ve been thinking about the things that you’ve given us to work with. And we were wondering if you could find a way to make us better tools.”
“I’m not sure how I can do that, but I’m willing to give it a try. What have you been using before?” He handed him the little tool that had looked like it had been an ax. But it was so worn down that it only looked like a nail. That’s when he thought of the idea of using nails to make them tools. “I have some nails in the barn. What is this made of?”
“Stone. We have a man who makes all our tools, but he’s getting older now and wishes to retire. We thought that if you could make us something stronger, then we could work him less and he might want to stay around. As you are always saying to us, it can’t hurt to ask.” He told him that he thought that he could make him something out of steel. Using his magic, he made the little cutter into an ax again and handed it back. “You did well.”
“I think I can do better. Wait right here until I get back, and perhaps we can figure out something that will last longer.” He went to the barn and got a handful of nails that had been left out when the kitchen was being worked on. The construction workers had been storing their things there instead of cluttering up the house.
Using his magic, he not only cut the heads off the nails, but he also didn’t think anyone would miss a handful of them, and then shaped them into an ax and a shovel. They were both pleased with the way he was making things work, and he was pleased with himself as well.
“This is brilliant.” He said that he could make them into any shape that he wanted just by using magic. “Now that you’ve shown us how to use them to form them into things we’ll need, we can use our magic as well.”
“There are a great many things that you would be able to make with these nails. Like I was thinking about when you roast your veggies, you could use a longer, thinner one to make them sit over the fire too. The nail would be hot, but I think you’d know that.” He said that they didn’t know how to use one like that, and he showed them by putting the veggies on the nail and laying them across a fire. They both thought that was great. “I’ll buy you a box of nails that you can use. I’m also going to get you a box of screws. There might be things that you can do with them as well. We won’t know until we try it.”
They worked for another hour on things with the nails. He had some screws too and hoped he wasn’t messing up someone’s counts by taking nails and screws from their stash. They had been able to shorten the screws to their size and were able to screw wood together. They also liked push pins; they were a big hit as well.
Enjoying himself, he got the basket that they’d been putting things in and asked if they thought any of it was useful. He was surprised when they went for the small pop tops from cans to use. The ring would be good for ropes to tie off, and he laughed heartily when they showed him how it would work.
The things in the basket turned out to be things that they’d use. He loved the fact that they could use things like thumbtacks too. They were going to shine up the silver ones and use them for mirrors. He thought that was the most fun he’d had in some time with his faeries.
They were also going to come to the site nightly while the kitchen was being remodeled and pick up anything they found. Wood pieces were going to be the next best thing for them, and pottery pieces that were broken when the counter was taken out. He started making himself a list of the things that he could pick up at the hardware store when he went to pick up nails and screws. There were also things like material that he could pick up as well. Things like kite material were a huge thing, and he was glad that he’d found it in the closet. The material was going to be used for things like raincoats for them, and he couldn’t wait to see how they turned out.
After they left him, armed with nails and other things, he helped out by making a larger basket for things that they found. The basket with sides too high up made it difficult for them to get to the things on the bottom. Rutger was really enjoying himself like he’d not done in a while.
“What’s all this?” He smiled at Katlynne when she came into the room where he had things spread out all over the table. “It looks like you’ve been making faerie toys.”
“I’ve been helping them make better tools. Like shovels and axes. It’s been quite an afternoon with them.” He told her how they’d figured out that the basket was too deep for them and he’d made them one that was flat. “I think they’re going to be coming around more often with ideas so that we can make them for them. Just the tools alone were easy for me. Once they learned that they could do it, I’m sure they’ll all have steel tools to work with.”
She had found more pop tops today while at work. And she’d found some kite string that had been left behind while they were working today. He told her about the raincoats. She was just as excited to see them as he was.
“I was just thinking about all the tools they might need in caring for the flowers. I bet that they use their magic a great deal when having to make sure that they’re all right. The flowers in our gardens have been gone over by them, and they’re doing a great job. I’m excited to see what else they can do with a little bit of my magic.” They talked about what they used the things for, and they were both laughing about what ideas they came up with. Silly things too that they could make, and it would be fun for them all. “I find myself looking at things now, thinking about what the faeries would be able to do with it. Silly, I know, but that’s been what I’ve been thinking about for the day.”
“I did the same thing.” Katlynne laughed when he did. “I had to keep telling myself that they’re very small and wouldn’t be able to use some of the things that I found out and about. I do know that I was thinking about doll things too. Furniture from doll houses would be good too if they actually were usable. You know, the drawers pull out and such.”
After dinner, Katlynne, having a pork chop, and he, a rare steak, sat in the living room and talked about the baby. They knew when the child was conceived and had a good accounting of when it would be due; they talked about how great it was going to be to have a spring baby.
They still hadn’t told anyone yet and were happy with that. Rutger knew that they’d not be cruel or anything, but he wanted to keep the secret to himself for a little while longer. It was fantastic too that they knew the sex of their first child, so it made shopping for her so much easier. They were going to start on the nursery first thing—just the bedroom closest to theirs and turn it into something a little girl would love.
“We’ll not just have a pink room. There are other colors that she might like that aren’t boyish. But then again, she might be boyish when she’s little, and that would be all right too. Whatever she needs or wants, she can have.” But no spoiling, Katlynne said. “No. Only a little. I don’t want her to feel like she’s owed the world, but I do want her to have the best of things too. It’s only right.”
“I quite agree.” They were working on girl names when Brew had Rutger come over to talk to them about the paperwork that had been done and filed for the vampires. Also, they wanted him to help out with another nest of vampires that were causing trouble. These wouldn’t be killed but would be fined and talked to about how they were doing things.
“Do you think that will do any good? I mean, they have broken the laws.” Brew said he just didn’t have it in him to kill any more vampires. It was taxing on his body and mind. “I’m sorry to hear that. I truly am. Why don’t you let Kimber do it and have it finished? She doesn’t seem to mind killing off the bad guys.”
“She’s the one who suggested that we talk to them. Just to let them know that we’ll kill them easily if they get out of line again.” He didn’t know that and told him so. “She doesn’t want us to become the killers of all things vampire. And in the last thirty days we’ve killed at least a dozen nests of them, and they’re all about half a dozen a piece. I just can’t keep doing this and expect to have any young vampires around that will serve me later.”
“That’s one way to look at it. I wouldn’t have thought of that. But I can see your point. Without new vampires, there will be no old ones later on. You’re pretty smart for an old vampire.” He thanked him. “But seriously, what are you going to do about them? Without killing them, they’re not going to learn a lesson. Do you think?”
“I just don’t know.” He sat down in his chair and looked across the table at him. There were empty wine glasses on the table, and it looked like one of them had belonged to Calla Lily. There was lipstick on the rim. “It’s been difficult to get them to understand that it’s against the law to make them baby vampires. And they are. Every time there is a baby made, they figure it’s all right to make a half dozen more of them. It’s a drain on them and me.”
He didn’t bother pointing out that it was his job to make sure that there were no deaths in making baby vampires. He figured that Brew knew and that he’d figure it out sooner rather than later. Instead of going down that path again, he changed the subject. It was about the houses along Main Street that needed to be taken down before they fell. It was a subject near and dear to his heart.
“They’re not in good shape, and leaving them to rot more is just making it so that people move into them. And that’s another danger. They build fires there that don’t help the structure at all. Then there is the way that they just throw their trash all around like it’s their own personal trash can.” Brew said he’d been looking into hiring a company to come in and bring them all down. “That would be the best way. Then you don’t have anyone around here getting into something they have no idea about.”
“I’ll call them right now and get it started. The inspector said that there are four that needed to come down last year and four more that need to come down now. We can’t have them standing when they have running water either. That just invites them to stay in them when they are homeless.” Brew agreed with him. “I’ll get on it today and have them torn down by the end of the week. It’s too much trouble having them standing when they should have been taken down years ago.”
