Scarlet Guard (House of Scarlet #2)

Callie finished and packed her supplies away. Poppy sat in the chair swinging her short legs back and forth while Callie went into her room, setting the box of paint supplies on her bed. She brought back a mirror for Poppy to see herself.

Poppy started to squeal but Callie quickly put her fingers on Poppy's mouth to silence her. Confused, she looked at Callie. Callie just winked again.

Hearing her other sisters start to come into the kitchen for breakfast Callie went to the refrigerator pulling out the milk jug. Setting it on the table she reached for bowls and spoons. She also retrieved a box of cereal, placing it on the table with the bowls and spoons. Poppy scooted her chair around waiting patiently while Callie poured some cereal in her bowl for her. Callie added milk to it before Poppy dug into her breakfast.

Tulip came in sitting in her usual spot at the table next to Poppy. Reaching for the cereal box she caught Poppy's new face in the corner of her eye. Her eyes darted to Callie.

"What?"

Tulip pointed at Poppy's face.

"Oh. I think she got too much fairy dust on her last night. She was closest when Rose opened hers."

T Rose wandered in as Callie was explaining. Looking at Poppy she smirked from where she was getting a cup of coffee from the drip machine.

"Callie; when did we get a kitten? You didn't tell me you brought home a kitten yesterday." T Rose set her cup on the table before pulling out a chair to sit down. "Isn't Poppy up yet?"

Poppy started laughing. "It's me Rosie."

"Oh look, it talks. It must be a special kind of kitty. Though it does need to learn not to talk with it's mouth full."

Poppy quickly closed her mouth, pointedly swallowing before she spooned up more of her breakfast.

Tulip looked at each of them. "You guys are weird."

Callie dropped a kiss on Tulip's crown before she sat down to join her sisters for breakfast.

"It's genetic. Welcome to the family. We await the exposition of your weirdness."

After breakfast Callie's piled her sisters into Rose's car, along with a box of her competition trophies, they all headed off to spend Saturday together at work. On the way they stopped at the home supply store for some glass shelves to put up on the wall for the trophy display. Poppy held on to Callie's hand as they wandered down the aisles. Her face paint drawing smiles and comments as she skipped along.

Finished shopping they headed on to the tattoo parlor where Callie's world crashed and burned. Literally.

There were fire trucks, firemen, and police everywhere. The flames had long been doused. Mop up operations were well underway. All that remained was a charred, burnt ruin of her life. Her time, energy and savings had been tied to her shop. All of it was gone. All of it. Destroyed.

The morning's gaiety spilling away as fast as the water which ran in the gutter, she walked up to the tape barrier that kept the gawkers away from the scene. Her three sisters quiet as they accompanied her. Callie was stunned silent.

"What happened?" Tulip's anxious question brought Callie back to her senses.

Nine

Callie, letting go of Poppy's hand, ducked underneath the plastic tape barrier. A uniformed officer saw her. He started their way to head her off.

"Ma'am. You have to stay behind the barrier."

Callie's eyes flicked back and forth. The front window with it's beautiful design and gold leaf lettering was shattered. Blackened from the smoke of the fire. Her front door was smashed open. She could see the word BITCH spray painted on it. Inside she could see that everything was either charred, burnt, or waterlogged. Everything was ruined. Nothing looked remotely salvageable. The firemen were finishing up and she had to move out of the way as one fire engine left to go back to it's station. The men riding inside were smoke covered and grimy.

"Ma'am. You're supposed to say back." The uniformed cop caught up with her.

"It's my shop. I'm the proprietor." Callie pointed at the carnage.

"Oh. Sorry. Could you follow me? I'll take you to the person who's in charge."

Callie nodded numbly. She walked across the slick pavement behind him toward a man in a trench coat. The man was poking through the ashes inside the building while jotting notes on a clipboard.

In less than a half hour, the last fireman and fire engine left the scene. Callie talked with the arson investigator answering questions. Rose, Tulip and Poppy had been allowed to join her once everyone else had gone.

"I told you. I don't have much insurance. Just enough to cover any damages to the building. I'm going to lose everything from this." Callie was distraught at the implication that she had set the fire to collect the insurance money. Stupid pig. This wasn't an insurance fire. This was her life and it was gone! The money she'd borrowed from her parents along with most of her own meager savings. Lost. Now what was she going to do?

"Well, from what I can tell, it was definitely arson. Accelerants were used to fuel the fire until it caught on the structure. It was deliberately set."

"Well, I didn't do it. Maybe you should find who did and go arrest them."

"Do you know who would do this to you? Ex husband? Boyfriend?"

Callie shook her head. "Not married. No boyfriend. Just family and this place."

"The fact that someone took the time to spray paint the door makes me believe this was done by someone who wanted to hurt you specifically. Is there anyone you can think of who would fit that description?"

Again, Callie shook her head. "No. No one. I just opened the shop. I don't even have many customers yet."

"Any of your customers unhappy with the work you did for them?"

"No. I don't know who did this. I don't know who could have done this. I don't know."

Poppy had come up to hold Callie's hand while she talked to the arson investigator. Now she tugged Callie's arm to get her to bend down.

"The flower fairy." Poppy whispered into Callie's ear.

"What?" Callie was caught of balance by all that had happened. Flower fairy?

"The flower fairy. She's here." Poppy pointed.

Callie looked where Poppy indicated. Parked at the curb across the street was a long black limo with tinted windows. Nearby stood Violet and her two suited nursemaids. As Callie looked, Paul slid his sunglasses down his nose to look over them at her. Fingering them back into place he gave her a nod hello.

"I have to go. I have an appointment today. It can't wait." Callie told the investigator.

"I'm not done."

"I don't care. I have to go. You can stay as long as you like. I'm leaving."

The investigator quickly fished a white card out of his shirt pocket. "Here's my card. Call me if you think of anything I should know. I also can recommend a company to board up the windows and doors to keep looters out."

Callie glanced at the card before tossing it into the char on the floor. Walking away she indicated the mess. "There's nothing of any value left here to take. If anyone wants to steal it, let them. If the landlord wants it boarded up, he can pay for it. Rose, Tulip, let's go."

Callie didn't even look as she crossed the street. The way she felt right now, any traffic would just have to get out of her way instead of she getting out of theirs.

"Oh, Callie, I'm so sorry." Violet was sincere as the four girls met up with them. "Do you know what happened?"

"Arson. I suspect our friends from yesterday gave me a midnight visit."

"What friends from yesterday? You never mentioned anything like that." T Rose was upset that Callie had been holding out on them.

"Some guys came in to try a shakedown. I tossed them out. They left. Nothing to talk about."

Paul cleared his throat. Callie looked over at him.

"I don't know. I suspect it was them because the arson guy said that somebody poured flammable liquids everywhere and lit them. I didn't say anything because I can't prove anything. It's a total loss. Everything is destroyed. I'm out of business." Callie's voice caught.

"There was so much original art in there. Some of the flash was unique. Some stuff I can't reproduce. It's lost forever. I put my heart and soul into trying to make this happen. It's gone because some asswipe thought it was a good idea to burn it all."

Tulip gave her big sister a hug. "It's ok Callie. We'll get it figured out. Something good will happen. Just wait. You'll see. We can talk to mom and dad about it too. I know they'll understand."

"Are you really a fairy princess?" Poppy's little voice was quiet, catching them all by surprise.

Violet looked startled.

Callie sniffed and hardened her heart. She gave Poppy's hair a caress before addressing Violet.

"Sorry. I told them you were a fairy princess named Violet. I showed them some fairy dust I said I swept up from the floor after you left yesterday. I showed them the pictures too."

"If you're really a fairy princess, can't you wave your magic wand and make this all better? Callie's really really sad even if she doesn't say so."

Callie choked a bit then bent down so her eyes were level with Poppy's. "Sweetie. It was a story I told you to make you happy. She's not really a fairy princess. It was just a story."

"Is she still named after a flower? Like us?"

Violet laughed softly. She used her finger to push a stray hair out of Poppy's face. "Yes. My name really is Violet. I really am named after a flower. Just like you are."

Violet gave Poppy a smile that was even more beautiful than the one in the picture from yesterday. Poppy gave her a small shy smile in return.

"At least your name is pretty. I don't like mine."

Callie was shocked speechless. This was coming from where exactly? Violet looked just as shocked, but recovered faster.

"Why not? I think it's pretty."

"B'cuz everybody makes fun of me. My name. They say it's ugly and stupid."

Light dawned on Callie. Straightening she told Violet. "She's been having some problems with a bully at school. I've tried to get the school to do something but they're blowing me off because I'm not her parent. I have guardianship rights while our parents are out of town, but they won't even let me make a complaint. I didn't know it was this bad. She didn't tell me. I don't think she's told anyone."

Violet looked at Paul. He nodded.

Turning back to Poppy Violet continued. "Well, I wouldn't make fun of your name. Not even because I'm named after a flower too. Do you know there is a place in California where people go every year just to look at the poppies? Do you know where California is?"

Poppy nodded though Callie wasn't sure that she did.

"Thousands and thousands of people take vacations just to go see them. They drive a long way just to look at poppies. If poppies were ugly and stupid they wouldn't do that. So poppies can't be ugly or stupid.

"And, now that I've met you, I know you aren't either. You are adorable. I wish I could take you home with me. But, your parents and sisters would get lonely for you. It would make them sad. So, I can't. It will make me sad too. I'll have to settle for remembering you."

"I could visit you. So, you wouldn't be so sad."

"You are such a good girl. However, I think that is better left up to your mom and dad." Violet smiled her beautiful smile once more. Poppy smiled shyly back at her again.

"Would you like to come with us? Callie has an appointment with some friends of mine. You and your other sisters could come too if you want."

"Violet, I'm not sure that's a good idea." Callie tried to interrupt, stopping as Violet held up a hand.

"Callie, it's obvious that someone is out to get you. I'm sure that you'd prefer, and I'd prefer, to know that your family is safe while you have your meeting with my friends. So, let them come along. My friends won't mind. I'm sure of that. If necessary we can go get some snacks or something while you have your meeting. Please?"

T Rose broke in. "What? Are we like hostages now?"

"Excuse me? I don't understand."

"Hostages. You know; do what we tell you or else . . ."

Violet laughed. "These are my friends not the mafia. Honestly, if you'd rather not, then that's fine. I just offered because you all look really stressed. If you come with us, I promise you'll be perfectly safe."

Paul's quick nod of agreement caught the corner of her eye. Still, the girls were her responsibility. Not Violet's.

A trio of black cars slid into sight. A limo and two SUV's. All three parked quietly at the curb in front of the burnt remains of her dream. The doors on both SUV's popped open, disgorging several men in suits. They fanned out in a perimeter around the new limo. Violet looked up at Paul lifting an eyebrow.

Paul shrugged. Holding his hands out in an I dunno gesture.

Violet gave a huge sigh as the driver opened the rear door to the limo. Once the door was open, the most beautiful woman Callie had ever seen exited the car. She stood on the curb looking in their direction. Everything stopped. People on both sides of the street paused. Just to look, or stare, at the woman standing quietly on the sidewalk next to the limo. Nothing moved. There was no sound. Just her.

"Really?" Violet called across the intervening distance. "You couldn't wait?"

"You're late and it was taking too long to get updates. We decided someone needed to come to you to find out why." The silver haired woman called back as she began to walk in their direction. Her perimeter guards, and Callie did not make any mistake in her assessment of them - they were obviously guards, stopped traffic so the silver haired woman could cross unimpeded.

"So you came? Have both of you gone crazy?" Violet's stunned questions carried clearly. Callie tore her eyes away from the gorgeous woman walking carelessly across the street to look at Violet. As she watched, Poppy gently slid her hand into Violet's. Holding on as her mouth opened at the sight of the silver haired woman.

"A princess! A really real princess!" Callie heard her littlest sister's awe filled whisper and didn't know if she was right or wrong.

Ten

She wore blue and gold and the sun rose every day to shine just for her. When she walked, the world stopped just so there would be no chance she'd misstep. She was, beyond any doubt, a Goddess come to earth. The penultimate vison of beauty by which all other beautiful things were measured, coming up short at the comparison. And, she was heading in their direction.

An eager noise from Tulip had Callie glance over at her sister. Violet placed her free hand on Tulip's shoulder while keeping her eyes on the woman crossing the street toward them.

"Every woman I know has tried to imitate that walk. No one has done it yet. She says it's because her bones do the walking while she just goes along for the ride. If you want, someday I could, maybe, introduce you to someone who might know how to explain it better."

"Bones?" Tulip reluctantly tore her eyes away to look at Violet.

"I don't understand it either. If I did, I could walk that way too. Believe me, I tried. I failed. Just like everyone else."

"Bones." Tulip said again softly to herself as she studied the woman coming toward them with narrowed eyes and a pensive expression.

The silver haired woman reached them. She stepped onto the sidewalk to stand in front of Callie. Violet's escort pair bobbed their heads at the woman. She nodded back distractedly. Her attention was centered directly on Callie. Only on Callie. The intensity of her gaze made Callie harden her eyes to hold her visual ground. She let a hint of her competition smile hover at the corners of her mouth.

"I hate you, you know." Violet's bald statement was shocking. Both of them broke off their stares to look at the statement's author.

"You do not." The silver haired woman's voice was low and melodic. It carried hint of humor as well. She gave Violet an intense smile, more beautiful than any smile Callie had ever witnessed, before leaning over giving Violet a gentle kiss on the mouth.

'I Love You' was built into that kiss from the ground up. Violet's response sent a return message just as strong. There was no doubt both of them loved the other with their entire being.

"I do." Violet obviously lied as she broke off the kiss. "I try hard to be pretty. I dress up. I wear makeup. I wear high heels. Well, usually. I've even got that glow that pregnant women have. You know, the one that everyone raves about. You show up wearing a burlap sack and all anyone can do is stare at you. Everyone forgets me completely."

The woman laughed. "Violet, you are the prettiest woman I will ever know."

"Liar."

"Truth. And, you know it. Now, will you please introduce me before I forget my manners again?"

Violet looked at them all. She waved the hand not captured by Poppy. "Miss Calla Lily Mee. Along with mistresses Tea Rose Mee and Tulip Mee." Lifting her other hand she indicated Poppy. "This adorable bundle of cuteness is currently under a fairy spell that only makes her look like a talking kitten. In reality she is just as adorable. This is Poppy Mee, Calla Lily's youngest sister. Ladies, please meet my friend Karen Harper."

At her introduction Poppy flashed Violet a toothy smile that rivaled the silver haired woman's in wattage if nothing else. "I think you're prettier too."

Violet wrinkled her nose at Poppy. "That's just silly."

"It is not!"

"It is too. Who would ever believe anything a talking kitten says anyway."

The silver haired woman, Karen, laughed. "Out of the mouths of babes."

"Four minutes." One of Karen's guards behind Callie called softly. Karen nodded

"Understood. I've been here too long. Miss Calla Lily Mee, would you please accompany me in my car? There is another person I'd like you to meet before we can talk about the information you want to share with us."

Callie turned a curious gaze at Violet.

"If she stays anywhere outside too long crowds tend to gather. Crowds tend to cause her escorts to get a bit nervous. To prevent that as much as possible, they have a policy where she only stays in one place for no more than five minutes at a time. She really does need to get moving or there will be a riot here. I'm not kidding either."

Callie looked at her sisters.

"Like I said, they can ride with me if they'd like. Or not. But, you guys need to get going. If you don't her guards are going to go into panic mode."

Callie could see the crowd swelling. Some of the people were holding up phones to capture the silver haired woman's image. Flash from built in cameras began to go off.

"Great. Another Karen sighting." Violet grumbled almost to herself as she saw how huge the crowd was getting. "For someone who tries to be anonymous, she sure gets a lot of public attention."

Shaking herself, she looked at Callie. "Your sisters should ride with me. They aren't going to get through that crowd without being caught and questioned about who she is. Believe me, I've seen that happen too many times to want your sisters to get trampled by a mob. So, you should go with her while they come with me. We can pick up your car later. For now, you guys need to get moving. Go!"

Callie could see that Karen's guards were getting nervous. They had opened the door to the limo across the street. One guard stood there along with the car's driver. Even Paul had opened the door on Violet's car in case they needed to use it instead of the car across the street.

"Come." Karen beckoned Callie.

Callie looked at Paul.

"I will keep them safe and bring them back without harm. My word of honor, sister."

"Sister?" Karen's question hung in the air as she focused her suddenly blazing eyes on Paul.