Piper (Queen's Birds of Prey #4) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,50

her mate feel as much a part of her family as she had them all those years ago.

She knew that Dante had sewn some of the tapestries. They were scenes of the castle, crudely done, but lovely enough for them to hang. Piper had noticed that they had windows with glass in them in all the rooms. The addition that had been put on the right side held not only several bedrooms but also a place she thought would be perfect for children to play. The way it was filled with soft carpet, a fireplace, as well as a great many windows also had her thinking that the room would also make a nice room for family gatherings, like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Here it was only June, and she was ready to put up Christmas again. Shaking her head, she helped Grant hang not just the tapestries but also the other paintings that Dante had wanted him to have.

There was one Piper loved more than the others. It was a painting of the six of them sitting on a fenceline someplace. As their small birds, they were lined up in order of being changed. After her were Remi and Esme. Piper had hopes that they’d find their mates soon. It was wonderful having someone around you all the time that didn’t annoy the shit out of you. Laughing to herself, she did wonder what Grant would say if she told him her thoughts on having him around. He’d more than likely tell her the same about her being around. She so loved this man.

By the time they finished putting up the things from the trunk, the two of them were starving. It was still early morning, and she realized it had been a while since she’d eaten. Once she decided she was hungry, Piper thought she could eat an entire vat of seeds. Settling on a bowl of cereal while Grant fixed them something more substantial, Piper thought of the other things she needed to get done before she went to bed tonight.

Right now, she thought she might not make it another hour. Once her belly was filled, all Piper wanted to do was nap. Lying down on the couch while Grant read the recipes he’d gotten, Piper was asleep in no time.

Chapter 7

The things that had been brought up from the underwater graveyard were beginning to fill up the large barn that had been put up to hold it all. Not only had they been able to find several large trunks of coins, but there had been a great many swords as well. Piper had been able to get them looking good again with her heat. Remi had used a sword at one time in her life. Being a pirate with the others had been fun too. Pulling one of them from the scabbard that had also been found with them, she played with it for several minutes before she realized she was no longer alone.

“I didn’t see you there.” Grant told her it was all right, that he’d been coming here to do the same thing. “I used to be really good at one of these. But after all this time, all I can do is mimic the moves. I’d never be able to survive if I had to defend myself with one again. How about you?”

“I had several of these at one time. I thought of myself as a collector of all things violent. That period of my life only lasted long enough for my mom to have found them. I think I was all of ten at the time. But the queen, Dante, she gave me one when I was a little older. And she left me one in my trunk.” Remi told him she had some too. And that she too had a trunk for her mate. “She was a very generous person. I wish I’d known her as well as you guys did.”

“I remember one time when we were all away from the castle. I never really minded being away from the people there. But I was able to have a little fun with being a bird of prey. I guess having to fend for myself back then made me realize how much I depended on the others for help. The queen, she needed us all, not just one of us, to help her. Not that she was cruel to me or anything, but being a vulture, I’m not exactly the most beautiful bird