Better Than Luck

by Brandy L Rivers

  “Don’t need worship. Just you.” She slipped into the car, and he shut her in. He hurried around to join her. They tore off down the street in time for Danika to catch a glimpse of her father searching the street. At least he didn’t seem to spot her.

  “Fucking bastard,” she snarled.

  “How can he be alive? They found his burnt corpse in Italy, right?”

  “And what if it was someone else? Our DNA doesn’t ever come out right. I tried to have the test to see what cancers I’d be prone to. They get nothing back in the results.”

  “He took her hand. “When did you do that?”

  She let out a breath. “Few years back. I didn’t think it would work. But I had to know.”

  “I see. How long have you been worried?” he asked, his tone much too sad.

  “About this round of cancer? A couple weeks. I thought maybe I was pregnant. I hoped I was pregnant. I want another baby with you, but it doesn’t look like that’s an option now.”

  “Hey, Dani, if you want another little us running around, there are ways. We can go that route. I will never hate you if you choose to be what you were born to be.”

  She threw her hands up. “That means fucking someone else, Adam. Not happening.”

  “Fair enough.” He took her hand. “You’re going to beat the cancer, one way or another.”

  “If my father doesn’t steal the last of my luck.”

  “What we have is better than luck.”

  “So true, but I’ve seen what happens to those around him. Shit goes wrong. They get sick, they lose jobs, they die. He comes in and sucks all the good out of life for everyone around him.”

  “That’s why you think you got sick?” he asked softly.

  “Damned sure. Bastard lost his job. Next thing I knew, I was sick, so sick. He got a job. And he hated me because Mom took care of me, instead of going along with all his bullshit. He left. I got better. He came back, and the werewolf pack in the next town started having issues. That’s where he was staying. It’s so fucked up. Just having him around, shit, maybe he’s why the cancer is back.”

  “Is it something he does on purpose?”

  “Don’t have a damned clue. Dominique doesn’t do it. I don’t know. I never discuss it with her. And now it doesn’t even matter. Hasn’t since I first laid eyes on you.”

  “Right. Okay.”

  She sighed. “What aren’t you saying?”

  “You don’t want to hear it. So don’t ask.”

  “Ugh, there are so many reasons not to be a leprechaun. What if I wind up just like him?”

  “You wouldn’t, Dani. But it doesn’t matter. You’ve made your decision.”

  Her face scrunched. “I’m sorry, Adam. You’re it for me. We have another solution. I don’t have to fuck someone else to make my cancer go away. And if I had to…I don’t know that I could do it.”

  “And I’m not complaining. If our positions were reversed, I couldn’t.” He let out a breath. “I just don’t want you to go through more pain to give us forever.”

  “I’d rather have a little pain, even a lot, if it means we’re together.”

  “But you shouldn’t have to.”

  “We can be wolves together.” She squeezed his hand.

  * * * *

  Finnian had wandered into a random bar, took a seat in a booth, and was drinking whiskey, trying to come up with a plan to find his wretched daughters. Then he heard a voice he knew well. Danika loved to sing when she was down, to raise her spirits, or her mother’s.

  He looked up to find her, blue hair, blue eyes, but new tattoos, and she was with a man wearing even more ink. Finnian didn’t miss the wedding rings. She chose a human and married him. And some part of him wanted to go to her, hug her. But she had taken so much from him and her mother. Then she left.

  Resentment flowed. Hatred. Anger.

  She was so fucking happy. Did she even know she had destroyed his happiness? All in a selfish act of ditching her mother.

  They climbed off the stage and their gazes locked.

  She dragged her man out the door, while he sat there. It took him a minute to dig out some money, toss it on the table, and hurry out the door. She was gone.

  Fucking gone.

  Where the hell had she gone?

  He needed to find her. He was sure to find Dominique there as well. He had one question for Dominique. Danika, he already knew the answer.

  Do you hate me?

  Danika did, without a doubt.

  Chapter 5

  Adam knew they would have to deal with Danika’s father, eventually. First, he wanted to remind her how much he loved her. How much he needed her.

  “Should we pick Makayla up?” she asked, her voice distant.

  “One night to ourselves,” Adam said. “Let me have you tonight, and we’ll pick her up in the morning. We can talk to Brody then.”

  “You sure?”

  He slipped his hand between her thighs, grazing her clit through her pants. “Tell me you still want me.”

  A low moan escaped. “Yes. Definitely.”

  “One night, she can stay with her cousins. She’s probably asleep already. Let her sleep.”

  “Mmhmm,” she uttered, scooting to give him better access.

  Smiling, he licked his lips. “Oh, that sound makes me hungry.”

  “You make me needy.” She reached across the console and caressed the quickly growing bulge. “For you. Only you, Adam.”

  “I know, baby.” He finally pulled into the driveway, and she had forgotten about the cancer, about her father, about all the bullshit they still had to sort through. But she wanted him, and he needed her.

  He hurried out of the car, and before he could go around, she was rushing to the door. She had her shirt off and her pants sliding down her hips as she shimmied to the bedroom. Her shoes hit the dresser, then her shirt and bra.

  Adam damn near tore his clothes off before he dropped to his knees behind her. “Put your hands on the bed.”

  She bent forward and he pulled her cheeks open, slipping his tongue through her slick heat. The rumbling moan made him harder, but he wanted her to come before he put his aching cock into her.

  “Adam, I’m so close. Stop wasting time.”

  “Not wasting time. Love this part.” He sucked her pearl and she leaned back. He caressed a thumb over her rear passage while flicking her clit.

  “So fucking ready for you,” she pleaded.

  He licked into her as she came apart and lapped until she trembled, falling to the bed.

  He moved behind her, gripping her hips as he slid into her. She wrapped around him so damn tight he held his breath as he pulled back before slamming back in.

  “Need more, Adam.” As if he could deny her. He couldn’t imagine life without her. He didn’t want to. Danika was his world. Makayla was his sun.

  He banded an arm around her front, pulling her up and back. She turned her head, their mouths connecting as he gripped her breast.

  Danika came, her walls spasming around him. He couldn’t do anything but follow as he brought her to the bed with him. She turned, wrapping her arms around him.

  “Give me a little bit and I’ll show my appreciation.”

  He kissed her lips. “I’m all yours, whatever you want.”

  “You’re so good to me. How did I get so lucky?”

  “I ask myself that every day.” He caressed her cheek. “You’re my fairy tale. My love has never wavered.”

  “Neither has mine.” She tucked her head against his neck and she drifted to sleep.

  He held her close, praying everything would work itself out. He didn’t want her to suffer any more than she already had. And he felt pretty damned useless.

  When she fell asleep, he slipped from the bed, taking his phone. She would either sleep a short time, or the rest of the night, so he needed single a minute.

  He sent Brody a text.

  Adam – The leukemia is back. I convinced her that we should
become werewolves. Can you find out if Slater is down with that, and what we need to do?

  The reply was fast.

  Brody – I’m sorry, Adam. And Slater won’t have any issue. We’ll figure it out before you come for Makayla. We’ve got your and Danika’s back.

  Adam – Thanks. I need to go. Love you guys.

  Brody – Love you too.

  He wiped at his eyes and headed back to pull Danika into his arms. Whatever he had to do, he would. She would be healthy, and they would have forever. He had to believe that.

  * * * *

  Brody sat back on the couch, shaking his head.

  “What is it?” Fallon asked as she came back from checking on Ryan, Rhiannon, and Makayla.

  “Danika has Leukemia. She went through it as a teen. They’re going to become werewolves to beat it.”

  Her brow creased. “That may or may not work, Brody. I mean, it depends on how far the cancer has spread. And from what I understand, healers can’t usually fix something like that. A tumor they can usually fix, but a lot of cancer is too complicated to heal so easily. Do they have a backup plan?”

  “Not that I’m aware of. He said he had to convince her.”

  She curled up beside him, taking his hand. “She’s half leprechaun. The awakening would wipe out the cancer. I’ve seen it cure things nothing else could. Not the best healers, not modern medicine.”

  Brody rubbed at his face. “Let’s hope it’s not that bad. I can’t imagine Danika ever considering sleeping with another man.”

  Fallon tipped her head back and forth. “I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but if you were in her shoes, and the only way to fix you without a lot of pain and suffering was sleeping with a Fae, I would beg you to sleep with one to get through the awakening. I would. It’s selfish, but it would be one act to save her life. I can’t see Adam arguing with that.”

  He snorted. “She hates her father, Fallon. Like you wouldn’t believe. She blames him for ruining her mother’s life. For destroying her childhood. He caused so many problems by absorbing everyone’s luck.”

  “Sure, there are bad people out there, and maybe her father was one. But look at Dominique. Has she ever fucked with anyone’s luck, unless she was being harassed? If anything, people benefit from her good luck, more often than not.”

  “True. But Danika may not be able to get past her views of her father.”

  “Hopefully being a werewolf works. If not, she’ll have to fight it the human way, or maybe contact Mathis and Paavo.”

  Brody winced. “I’m not sure how Adam would take that.”

  “They’d probably encourage him to participate. And really, that might be the best way to go. She doesn’t have to see it as a betrayal. It’s an act to free her of cancer. They’ll have forever together if he still becomes a werewolf.”

  Brody’s head dropped back to the couch. “God, that’s so fucked up.”

  She smiled. “Maybe, but we don’t have that problem. I’m druid, and you’re a werewolf. Thankfully, that’s not going to come up. However, I think Adam is open-minded enough he’d be fine with it.”

  “I’m not sure I would be,” Brody admitted.

  She lifted a shoulder. “I’d accept it to save your life. It’s that simple. But I don’t fault your view on it.”

  “You’re amazing like that.”

  She pulled him closer to take his lips in a kiss.

  He brushed her hair aside. “I need to call Slater. I’m sure they’re going to want to try that first.”

  “I hope it works,” she answered.

  He kissed her again. “Meet me in the bedroom, and we’ll get back to that.”

  Smiling, she stood and headed back.

  Chapter 6

  Danika woke feeling refreshed. She’d made love to Adam three times the night before. And she needed more. She rolled him to his back and straddled his thighs, gripping his half-hard length. It took a few strokes to get him fully hard.

  His eyes fluttered open and a lazy smile graced those lips as she scooted up to take him in. He caressed her thighs, staring up at her with such love.

  “Morning, gorgeous.”

  “Morning, beautiful,” he answered, running his palms up her body to cup her breasts and play with her nipples. She moaned, rocking back. He sat up, banding one arm low on her waist while bending to suck at her tip.

  He was so good at that. She wrapped her hands behind his neck and moved harder, faster, taking the pleasure higher. She tried to hold off, but he looked up, catching her gaze, and gently nipped.

  She came apart but continued to ride until he followed and crushed her to his chest, his mouth connecting with hers. Their tongues danced as he brought her back on top of him.

  Tears filled her eyes. This was what she lived for. Adam and their little girl. She’d been so afraid she’d lose the battle and die, leaving Adam and her baby behind.

  He gently pushed her head up to look into her eyes. “What is it, babe?”

  “I was ready for the worst. I wasn’t sure I could survive another fight.”

  He rolled so they lay facing each other, then caressed her cheek. “Anything we need to do, we will. I’m not losing you. Not for anything, Dani.”

  “Love you, Adam.”

  He ran a finger along her jaw. “We should pick up Makayla.”

  “All right. I take it you called Brody last night?”

  “Had to. Told him what we plan to do.”

  “Good, maybe we can hurry up and do it.” She climbed from the bed to get dressed. Hope flowed through her. They had a solution, one they could both be happy with.

  His hands curled around her shoulders and his lips pressed against the back of her neck.

  She let out a breath.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I may have been too rough.”

  “Why? When?” she asked.

  He trailed his fingers over her hips where he’d gripped her the night before. “Bruised you. Didn’t mean to.”

  Smiling, she turned, wrapping her arms around him. “Loved every second. Don’t worry about that.” But fear spiked for a second. He didn’t grip her too hard. That was her stupid body fighting with itself. She winced. “Bruising is part of the symptoms. Gonna happen a lot until we get it fixed.”

  Nodding slowly, he pulled in a breath. “Soon. Maybe this morning. Sooner you’re done with that, the better. Though, what are you going to tell Anne?”

  Her nose wrinkled. “I’m having Jolene treat me?”

  “Cancer is Anne’s specialty. She’ll take offense.”

  “Think she could handle the truth?”

  “Considering what Henry does for a living? Yeah, most likely.” Her husband was a paranormal investigator. Of ghosts and spirits, not Others. Though he was certainly open-minded.

  “Hope so. I don’t know what else I’ll do. I just hoped going out there, she’d tell me it was nothing, and I could forget about it.”

  Adam pulled her into his arms. “After you’re ready, we’ll go over to Brody’s.”

  “Okay.”

  He stepped away and opened a drawer. She took his lead and did the same.

  * * * *

  Finnian sat in his car, staring at a magazine someone handed him when he went back to the bar for a shot the night before.

  In Other News. A magazine dedicated to Others. With stories about everything humans didn’t understand. And he only noticed because someone asked why someone was reading the Enquirer in a bar. Only he saw what it was and asked.

  The guy had slid it over with a wink and he flipped through. The guy told him to go ahead, that he could get another.

  There was a story that referenced Edenton. Dominique Walsh had been abducted with several others. She lived in Edenton, a town full of Others.

  Somewhere to start at least.

  And if he could find Dominique, perhaps he could convince her to lead him to Danika. He wanted to make her suffer as bad as he had over the years without Diedre.
>
  He wanted to tear her luck apart. If she could have just listened to him and let a Fae fuck her, she wouldn’t have suffered through cancer. She wouldn’t have decided he was an evil bastard who stole luck.

  He very rarely went up and took someone’s luck. That wasn’t often worth it anyway. Things had a way of balancing everything back out. It’s why he managed to land in trouble a few times. He took too much luck and had to pay the price.

  In this case, it would be worth it. If he depleted her luck, she would die, and there would be nothing to balance out.

  Finnian took the keys and headed into a diner. He didn’t expect to find anyone straight away, but perhaps he’d glean some information. So, he took a seat at the counter and ordered coffee.

  A man in a cop uniform took a seat next to a guy who could be a logger or in construction. Neither was human.

  The cop with the darker skin held a hand up for the waitress and ordered coffee, then turned to the other man. “Hey, Dane, how’s Dominique?”

  Bingo. His first clue. How many Dominiques could there be in a town like Edenton?

  “Hey, Lincoln.” Dane rubbed at his face. “She’s stressed out. She’s worried about her sister and pissed she didn’t call to talk to her about her plan to become a werewolf instead of just accepting what she was born to be.” Dane rubbed his face. “Not to mention she’s upset Danika hasn’t bothered to call to tell her about the cancer. She only found out because Adam called Brody, who called Slater, who called me.”

  Lincoln patted Dane’s shoulder. “Maybe she just found out? I’m sure Danika didn’t keep secrets to slight her.”

  “I guess she got the results back last night. We’re meeting them over at Brody’s in another hour. Slater asked me to be there, and I told Dominique. Of course she’s coming, just has to get off work first.”