[Fiction] A Taste Of... [Complete]

[z-Silvestru]

November 7, 2017

Chloe groaned and stirred as her phone rang; Thistle whined and grumbled in the way that only a dog could before rolling over with an irritated thump. Chloe automatically reached for Satyr, but his side of the bed was empty. It took her a moment to remember he'd gone back to Scotland to be with his coven.

Her phone rang again, waking her up fully this time and sending her scrambling for her phone. A quick glance at the caller ID showed her that it was ten in the morning, and that Bailey was calling. Opening a line, Sylvan flopped back on her bed, releasing a cloud of flowered scent as she crushed one of her blossoms. "Hi, Bailey," she mumbled, pulling the comforter over her head. "Whaz up?"

"Chloe, I wanted to let you know that the jury in the kidnapping case just came back with a guilty verdict for Samuel Berns," Bailey told her in his crisp, precise voice.

Attempts to fall back asleep were forgotten, and Chloe sat straight up. "Does that mean..." Her voice trailed off; she hoped too much to actually put it into words.

"That means only that your trial can proceed," Bailey said, his voice firm but gentle. He'd probably had a lot of practice tempering client's wild hopes. "There will be a hearing on the 10th to schedule your trial date. I'll need to have you ready that morning for court, just as we discussed. You won't need to make any statements, but you will need to look nice."

"I remember," Chloe said, nodding. "I found a nice skirt and top that I can wear. And with my wings under control, I should be able to wear it without incident."

"Very good," Bailey said. "We should prepare to go to court, even if we think the DA might drop the charges."

"What are the chances that he will drop them?" Chloe asked, feeling hope rise even as she knew it might be false.

Bailey was silent a moment before he said, "I would drop them, were I him. But this is partially motivated by predjudice, so I'm not sure he'll make the right choice."

"But even if we go to trial, my self-defense plea should stand, right?" Chloe asked, realizing that she was begging him to say it would all be ok.

But Long wasn't paying him to lie; he was paying him to do a good job. "It should," Bailey replied. "Juries are fickle, but we can use the results of the kidnapping cases to show you were held against your will. Our chances are as good as I can make them."

Chloe took a deep breath and released it with a sigh. "Ok, Bailey," she said. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'll call you again if anything changes," he told her. "Take care."

"Yeah, bye," Chloe said and shut off the phone. For a moment, she just sat tangled in her sheets; then she felt the need to do something. Standing, she pulled on some yard work clothes. Working with the plants always calmed her, and she needed calm right now. Thistle followed her into the cold morning, tail wagging.

Outside, Chloe glanced around at the virtual jungle that grew around the small house she lived in currently. She'd done a lot of work on it, but she'd be glad to leave it all behind, if it meant she'd be free. One way or another, she'd be leaving here anyway soon.

With a sigh, she started working.