Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4)

"You lie down,’ Kate said. "You look like you're in pain.’

'I need to find Victoria,” Natalia said.

“If we all go running out of here, they'll be on to us in a second,’ Bonnie said. “We can find her.’ “Uri can't be alone,’ she said, resisting Kate who was pushing her down.

“I can handle that,” Bonnie said.

“In the bag,’ Mag said.

Bonnie pulled out cell phones.

This is yours. We'll get Uri his. Only doctors and nurses will be checking in on him anyway.’ Natalia could smell the smoke residue on the phones

Anpu stepped into the room. He held his hand out for the phone.

“I can give it to him."

There was some tension in the room.

“Are you tilted? You're under the command of the Council,’ Natalia said with force.

“I'm under your command, Nattie. I know how to handle the Council."

“I'll make sure,” Bonnie said.

She pushed Anpu out of the room, and they both left.

“Get that leg up,’ Kate said, adjusting the bed and putting a pillow under her leg.

“It is pounding,’ Natalia said.

“Even a Viperian would need to be off that leg for twenty-four hours,’ Kate said. “You've already been running around on it. It won't do to have you immobilized. You have to do some healing first." Natalia had to agree. She needed to get off the leg. When Kate offered her a drink and some pain pills, she didn't refuse. She closed her eyes as if she was sleeping, but her brain was speeding through ideas faster than a Viperian could wolf down meat. The Council needed to have more checks and balances: like the bank did.

She thought over what Anpu had said.

"You are powerful.’

Power. Money is power.

"You've pulled in the clout of Undent women that the Council never thought were worth it." Those women are worth it, she thought.

She knew she had to make a few phone calls, but she needed to do so in private. That was her new goal: to make a private call while in a hospital surrounded by people.

When she opened her eyes, she realized she must have slept. It was almost three in the afternoon. The other ladies were playing cards, except Rayna was gone. She rose.

“Bathroom?’ Kate said.

She nodded, but when she came out of the bathroom, she headed out into the hall towards Uri's room. Anpu was still standing out in the hall. No one followed her.

Uri's eyes were closed, but she could still see his heartbeats and his breathing. She straightened the blankets around him to make sure he was covered. His hand was a little warmer when she touched it.

“Uri,’ she said right by his ear in barely a whisper. “Did you get your phone?

“Other hand,’ he mouthed.

She lifted the cover to see the phone. The charger was connected up to it.

“Use the word Tail as a code, so I know it's you?"

Yes.’

“Now I have a question. How do I open up a new bank?’

It felt like a long moment before he responded. He smiled and opened his eyes.

“And is there a property in Hell I can use? Didn't there use to be a bank?

Mess

His eyes focused in on hers.

“Who owns it? Someone we know I hope."

Yes.’

“Give me one more single word answer.’

“Grazie, he said.

She kissed him on his cheek.

"You are never alone, she said. “We have allies beyond what you would have ever dreamed of having.’

Yes.’

'I have some work to do.’

“I love you.’

She smiled.

“I love you.’

She stepped away and brought out her phone, but she stepped into the bathroom of Uri's room and shut the door. The room was dead quiet. She made her first phone call.

Hello.’

“Grazie. I hear you own the bank in Hell."

“Nattie?"

"Yes, this is Nattie."

“Nattie, there's something I need to tell you. Hold on.’

She felt him muffle the phone.

“I have another lease request. Excuse me a moment.’

She heard him walk. Then things became very quiet.

"Yes, Nattie I own the bank.’

She jumped at his voice which made her realize how jumpy she was.

“Can I rent it?’ she said, recovering.

“Before you do anything drastic, let me tell you that I wish I could return the favor for rescuing Grace last year, but someone beat me to it."

“What are you talking about, Grazie?"

She wanted to get on with securing the bank property.

“Victoria is safe.’

'What?'

“Don’t worry about Victoria. The Council doesn't have her.’

“Where?’

I'm not going to say. Just know she is safe.’

Natalia breathed in the new information, but found it didn't change what she wanted to do. “Grazie, the Council went too far."

Yes. Tia thinks so, too. As a community we've grown and matured. It's time to stop these strong- arm tactics.’

“Can I rent the bank?’

“Are you going to do what I think you're going to do?’

'Yes. We're going to add some checks and balances to the Council.’

I'm in. Do we need a Q5?'

I'm concerned about the other Council members.’

“Tia is with us.’

“I don't want her in on this just yet."

“Okay, I understand. Yes, the bank property is yours forever and day for rescuing Grace.’

I'll be coming over later today. I hope. If not me, then Bonnie or Zena."

'l understand. I'll be here.’

“Damn, I forgot about Lisa. I told her I would be over.’

'I saw her today in the shop. She seems very happy.’

“Maybe I can swing by."

She paused to take a big breath.

'I have no idea the condition of the house.’

She heard a noise outside.

“Later.’

She ended the call and cracked open the door. The noise was just someone walking down the hall. She shut the door and made her next call.

“Sittel...”

Natalia thought this would be the hardest call. How do you convince the wife of a Bank President that the bank needs to lose some of its customers?

“Nattie, I'm behind you all the way,” Sittel said. “Even just among the ladies I have tea with I know of many who have been refused loans from the Bank. They had to go elsewhere and pay higher interest. I've told Ravi I don't like the current direction the bank is going. He has mentioned he thinks it has gotten too big. Taking it down a notch might be helpful.”

“We need a bank for the people. The other people who really run all the small businesses that make up our city. We could use a few women as our board members.”

Sittle laughed.

“No woman will ever sit on the Bank's board. Ravi tried to promote Ivy Beckwell a few years back, but he got shot out of the water on that one by all the other board members.”

“I've heard of her.”

“She owns over a dozen shops and restaurants. You should meet her.”

"We need to have a tea party.”

“I'll make the arrangements,” Sittel said.

“Let me do some checking and perhaps we can host the party at the new bank.”

“That would be just the thing. Let me know.”

“Thank you, Sittel. I will talk with you soon.”

Natalia ended the call. She stepped out of the bathroom, glad to still find the room empty. The hall was dead quiet. She peeked out, but the only person in view was Anpu standing by her door. “Uri,’ she said, when she returned to his side. “I have to go.’

“One last thing," he mouthed.

'What?'

"You can work towards being a bank, but it takes about a year of paperwork and approval. However, anyone can open a savings and loan company.’

“How about The Neighborhood's Savings and Loan. There is already a People’s Bank. I don't want people to be confused.’

“Good.

“Keep breathing. I have work to do."

Her leg was throbbing again when she walked back to her room. Everyone was there, watching her. 'l want to go home.’

They all nodded.

“We need a household meeting,’ she said in a terse voice.

Kate picked up the cards and put them in the bag. Bonnie pushed Mag's wheelchair out of the room. They headed for the elevator in silence. Anpu followed.

No one stopped them. In fact, they didn't see a single person. They all piled into Kate's car. Anpu followed in his.

There was no conversation during the drive home.

“Oh, my word,” Natalia said, when Kate pulled into the laneway.

The whole front of the house was black and almost looked gutted out. Every window was open. When they approached the front door, it opened. Zena looked tired. There was soot on her face She backed up to let them in.

Natalia did a slow spin. The living room was totally destroyed. She could see where the fire had been. The whole house smelled of smoke.

“This is the plan, Natalia said, noticing that Anpu had stayed outside.

As far as she could see, he was still in his car.

“We're opening a bank in Hell. We're going to take the Council and the Bank of A'ppollo down as many notches as we can. Everyone knows about the money we have hidden. We're going to move it to the new bank. Uri said we won't be a bank at first, but there is nothing stopping us from being a savings and loan company.’

She did a slow spin to look at all of them. Bonnie was helping Mag stand.

"You're all fired,’ she said. “And you're all hired as employees of The Neighborhoods Savings and Loan Company.’

Bonnie cracked a smile.

“We need to move the money and find a new place to live. A couple of us aren't in any shape to help.’

“I'l call in reinforcements,’ Kate said.

“I've called Sittel, and we may already have some customers.

She looked around the house.

“What can we salvage?’

“Clothes can be washed,’ Zena said. “We can come visit and feed grubbies. The explosion rattled the walls, but the basement is still intact. The guest house is fine as well. We can stay there.’

Natalia shook her head.

“Let's find a place in Hell for now. I want to be close to the action.’

“I've been eyeing apartments in Hell,” Bonnie said.

I have a company coming to evaluate the damage,’ Zena said. “And cover the roof and windows so if it rains, we don't get any more damage.’

“Thanks, Zena.’

'I think this calls for plastic bags,’ Mag said.

“Definitely,’ Zena said.

“What? Natalia said.

“I can pack. Just sit me down,’ Mag said.

Bonnie helped her up the stairs.

Natalia didn’t know what they meant.

Zena and Kate disappeared into the garage.

Natalia followed them upstairs. Bonnie sat Mag on Victoria's bed, then moved the changing table and removed the panel.

“I didn’t know you knew of this,” Natalia said to Bonnie

“I'm not stupid. Besides, Uri has been paying me extra bonuses.’

Mag slid herself onto the floor by the cavity in the wall. Zena and Kate came up and handed her a box of black plastic bags.

“I can help, too,’ Natalia said.

She removed the toys from the top of the toy box and sat to help Mag fill plastic bags.

“Not too heavy now."

“We'll empty the closets,’ Zena said.

Bonnie and Kate followed her, taking their own box of bags.

They worked in silence. Natalia felt intense focus.

“How much more?’ she said, leaning back on the toy box.

She was feeling the strain of leaning over while she filled bags. Sitting on the floor looked much more comfortable.

The toy box creaked and cracked.

“Damn.’

Natalia rose.

“She needed a new box anyway,’ Mag said. “Not too much more in the wall."

Natalia opened the toy box to see what was left inside.

“Oh.’

Natalia stared at it.

“I think this explains the missing money,’ she said.

“How did it get there?” Mag said. “None of us moved it."

“Only one person I know of who could have. Victoria. Uri did say the panel was off.’

Natalia piled some of the money into a bag.

“That's where that went."

She pulled out the necklace she had been missing.

“And there's my pearl necklace as well. And Uri's tie."

She pulled them both out as well.

“Dangly,’ Mag said. “I'd say kitten. She was always up on the dressers.’

“That explains a lot," Natalia said. “Victoria isn't tall enough to see onto the dresser or reach, but I could see her finding them on the floor and picking them up.’

Kate stepped in to grab two bags.

“All the clothes are loaded.’

Jewelry?"

“Loaded. The entire bedroom is empty, except for furniture.’

'You two are too fast.’

“We're not disabled like you two.

It was another hour until they were finished. She and Mag slowly made their way downstairs.

"You look as sore as I am Mag."

"Yeah. Time to rest a little.’

Bonnie stepped in from the garage.

“The limo is loaded."

I made sandwiches,’ Kate said, waving them toward the garage.

Mag managed to crawl into the Limo. Natalia followed her. Kate handed her a bag and a thermos. “I'll follow in my car. Anpu will probably follow in his. Zena is staying with the house to watch over it’

“She's exhausted.’

'She’s going to take a nap. Don't worry about her.’

Kate shut the door and trotted out the garage door. Natalia watched her go, then felt the limo back out.

Mag opened the bag.

They ate in silence, hardly moving. Natalia felt stiff. She could only imagine how sore Mag was. She was thankful that the limo could still drive into Hell.

It pulled up to the shop.

Natalia sent a text to Grazie.

"You stay put,’ she said to Mag.

Mag looked relieved that she didn’t have to get out.

Bonnie left the drivers seat and joined her with Kate.

“We need places to stay,’ she said to them.

“We'll work on that.

Ill check on Lisa, then get with Grazie."

There were nods and the group broke up. Natalia headed into the shop since the door was wide open. Lisa was right there looking at bolts of fabric.

“Nattie. Oh, look at this stuff. I thought I was buying good stuff. And look at these invoices. She's getting imported silk for dirt cheap.”

Natalia felt the fabric.

“Wow. This is soft.”

“We just received an order in. Come look.”

Lisa took her into the alteration area. There were patterns scattered on a piece of fabric.

“We're precutting blouses. That will speed up production. Yeah, we increase our scrap, but since we're just starting out, speed will be our friend.”

“What are these?”

“You'll never guess. One of the fashion things to come out this summer was silk dresses. Well, silk is also a good warm undergarment. We're making the equivalent of high end silk thermal underwear.” “Those look nice enough to lounge in during the evening.”

“That too. Hey, why are you limping?”

Natalia rolled her eyes.

“We had a fire at the house caused by burglars. Uri is in the hospital. He got hurt fighting them off. I got hurt. Mag, one of my maids got hurt.”

Yiggy came in with a bolt of fabric.

“Just in."

She set it on the table.

“Ultrafine cotton,” Lisa said, fingering the fabric. “I'm so sorry to hear about the fire.”

"So now I'm heading over to Grazie Ave to look at an old bank to see about renting that and starting a new bank.”

"I take it Grazie owns that block. I'm learning about the names of the streets,” Lisa said with a laugh. "Yes. Uri and I are thinking of just focusing on business here instead of the A’ppollo Bank. It's draining both of us.”

“See. Now you know why I'm here.”

“Bank be good here,” Yiggy said. “Can walk to it.”

“Live here, eat here, bank here, everything here,” Natalia said.

“Nattie.”

Grazie walked in.

“I looked at that building. It's an absolute mess. Lots of garbage inside.”

“Do you even have access to the vaults?”

She was starting to think this wasn't a good idea. There was a lot of work involved.

"We have keys to all the safety deposit boxes, believe it or not. There are two vaults. We don't have combinations, but both vaults are open, so we might be able to do something with them.”

“Crack them,” he said in Viperian.

“Well, let's take a look.”

“You need clean, just say,” Yiggy said. “We owe you rent.”

“I'll keep that in mind.”

"You stop giving away free rent. We clean. Just say,” Yiggy said.

“Sorry I told her that,” Lisa said.

“No, problem,” Natalia said. “I'll keep that in mind.”

“Let's me show you the building,” Grazie said.

“I'll catch up with you later, Lisa.”

Natalia followed Grazie out.

“How far of a walk is it?"

“I see you're limping. Don't worry. Golf carts have been approved.”

Parked out side was a golf cart.

Grazie waved for her to get in.

No one followed when they drove off.

“Everyone is talking to Uri,’ Grazie said, switching to Viperian. “We know what is happening.’ Natalia nodded, feeling some tears.

“Bonnie stopped me and said the house isn't livable. Since Uri had me map out what he had, I have some good places you can hole up in. They just need the usual cleaning.’

'Yiggy seems to be our go-to for that."

Grazie pulled up to the building. It was in the middle of the block, taking up almost the whole block. “It's huge Grazie. You can't give this whole building to me to use.”

“I know what you can do, Nattie. I have a feeling that what you make of this building will be worth more than any rent I can charge you. But take a look first.”

Natalia knew the front alone needed some work. The paint needed retouching. Most of the windows were boarded up and needed replacing.

Grazie opened the door. There was no lock. It looked to be ripped out.

“Rats,” she said, when she stepped in. “I smell rats.”