Marigold

Chapter 9 - Meira

Meira opened her eyes and had to wave the smoke away to be able to see that Ashton had brought them to the parking lot in front of the school. "Ugh!" she said, "It may be faster to travel your way, but I always feel so nauseous."

"That's because genies were made to travel by smoke; elves were not." Ashton looks around and points toward Hunter's Hummer (?) sitting toward the back and starts walking toward it, "It also took forever to learn how to take someone who can't make themselves smoke along. So feel lucky you don't have to be left behind."

Hunter looked up as the girls came closer. "Finally!" he seethed, "When I tell you its an emergency you don't need to wait fifteen minutes to answer me and then have to travel here. This is a work day and you are expected to work if you want to get paid."

Meira rolled her eyes, "You messaged Ashton to get us both here, if it was that big of an emergency, then you should have messaged us both. What if we weren't together?"

"I had already been told you were both in Jewel's Cafe with some random guy, drinking and flirting and not doing your damn job!" Hunter was practically screaming at this point. 

"You told us to take the rest of the day off," Ashton pointed out, "so you can't be mad that we were doing what we wanted to."

"You girls are all the same," he told them, "All it takes is a man to show you attention and you fall all over yourself and forget any responsibilities you have." 

"Bullshit!" Meira lunged forward with her arm raised. Ashton grabbed her around the middle to stop her from hitting their boss. 

"You should probably tell us what you need before this ends in a fight," said Ashton struggling to keep her hold on Meira, "And with how pissed she is, I don't think you'll win."

Hunter just laughed and looked the girls up and down, "I doubt that's true, but come this way." He led them around to the trail at the back of the property that was lined with fruit trees. The smell of rotten fruit hung strongly in the air. "These were suppose to be picked to be sold around town and used in the restaurants, but as you can see, they rotted too quickly for that to happen. This is how the department makes most of the money for our paychecks and without the fruit we aren't getting paid. So fix it." He looked at Meira. 

"The fuck?" she asked, "When did you know you were suppose to be picking the fruit, today? These have been falling to the ground for at least two weeks and going to waste." She looked around at all the fallen peaches and apricots. 

"Well..." said Hunter, "I know we've all been very busy these past few weeks, and it just slipped my mind. But I know you can make the trees produce a second round of fruit, so no harm, no foul. You do a little magic and we all keep our jobs." 

"You have to be the laziest son of a bitch in this whole town," stated Meira, "You've sat on your ass ordering us around and making me clean up your mess, but I'm done! I'm not cleaning up after your lazy ass anymore. You can go explain to the city that they don't have anything to sell because you won't do your job. And besides, I don't make nature do anything. I ask and sometimes she will but sometimes she won't."

Hunter's face turns red as he splutters back, "You selfish little bitch! I'm trying to save both our jobs! Just fix the damn trees and let's move on!" He grabs Meira by the arm and starts to drag her toward the trees. 

"Let go of her!" comes a deep shout from behind her. 

Getting jerked around as Hunter spun, Meira sees Desmond striding across the field towards her.

"I said, 'taking your hands off of her'" Desmond repeated. 

Hunter starts to laugh, "And who do you think you are?" 

"I'm her mate and you are going to take your hands off her right now or you are going to be answering to me," Desmond said evenly. 

"Okay sure," said Hunter turning back toward the trees, "everyone knows elves don't have mates, so you can fuck off." He only made it one step before Meira felt herself pulled free from Hunter's grasp and saw him flying through the air. He landed in a heap about twenty yards away. 

"What the fuck man!" Hunter yelled getting up and turning back to where the other three were standing. Desmond had placed himself between Hunter and the girls. "We are out here to do a job, just let us get finished. Meira is happy to help."

"It didn't look like it, if she' happy to help you wouldn't need to put your filthy hands on her," Desmond voice was turning growly as his dragon came closer to the surface. He stalked closer to Hunter in the middle of the field. 

"She didn't mind," Hunter stated, "She likes it roug-" Before he could finish his sentence, the crack of flesh on flesh rang out. He backed up a few steps holding his cheek. "You could have broken my jaw!" 

Desmond stared at him showing no emotions, "You are disrespecting my mate, I suggest you stop before I do start breaking your bones."

"That bitch isn't worth the trouble, you should get out while you can," Hunter said looking back at where the two girls were standing, "At least go with genie, she has social skills unlike the elf."

Desmond didn't respond in words, he just let the shift come over him. One moment he was standing in the field and the next a sixteen foot dragon was staring at Hunter. 

"What the fuck?!" Hunter screeched in terror.

The dragon blew a stream of fire at the other man. Hunter turned and ran across the field back to his car and took off in a squeal of tire and a shower of grass. 

Meira turned to look at the dragon feeling a strange pull of needing to get closer to the magnificent beast. She started taking slow measured steps toward him. He lowered his head and moved to her until she was resting her hand on his snout. After a few minutes, he shifted back into his human form with Meira's hand on his cheek. As soon as she realized the change she backed up a few steps. 

"I guess a thank you is in order, but were you stalking me?" she asked Desmond, "because that's creepy!"

"Stalking no," he said, "I can sense your emotions. It's part of the mating bond. If you accept it and we get to know each other, I've heard it will progress to where we can hear each others thoughts. But for now, I sensed your anger and fear and couldn't stay away." He shrugged. "I was worried someone was hurting you and it seems like I was right. What happened?" 

"Hunter is shit at his job, and decided to make Meira fix his problems again," Ashton called reminding them both that she was still there, "But this time Meira said no and he lost it." 

"Men like him don't deserve to live around other people," Desmond stated. "Will you please let me come with you if you have to go near him again. I don't want him putting his hands on you again."

"Umm that sounds  controlling. You show up and now you are trying to tell me who I can see without you," Meira said, "I don't take orders from anyone, as Hunter learned today."

"It's not an order, but a request,"  he told her. "Hunter won't even need to know about me being there unless he can't keep his hands to himself and his words respectful. I just want to protect you." 

"I don't know but I'll think about it," Meira relents, "but you keep your hands to yourself too!"

"Of course," he answers immediately, "I would never touch you without your consent." A smile creeps across her face at those words, "Maybe we can try being friends. Then it wouldn't be as weird that I am around to protect you."

"I don't do friends, but I can try," Meira decides holding her hand out for a shake. Desmond takes it in a gentle yet firm grip and shakes. 

"I can do friends if that is what it takes to be close to you," he smiles as he lets go, "I'll see you girls around. And let me know if he or anyone else causes any more trouble."