by Donna Grant
With that, George strode from the room. It was several more tense minutes before Delphine followed.
Even after her door was shut, Riley didn’t move. While she had been fighting sleep earlier, she couldn’t sleep now if her life depended on it. She counted down five minutes and didn’t hear anything. Finally, she opened her eyes a slit and looked around before she sat up and leaned against the iron headboard.
Without a doubt, she and Elin had to get away.
Tomorrow.
10
The LaRues commanded attention. Marshall was never more aware of the brothers’ reach than observing everyone in Delphine’s district watching them as they paired off and walked the streets.
Those staring after the LaRues were Delphine’s followers—and there were many.
Marshall tossed money into the case of the violinist who had returned and made his way to the market where he was supposed to meet Riley the day before. He’d already left the symbol Kane taught him on the bench with an arrow pointed toward the store. Outside the building, he hastily drew a circle within a circle, making sure the lines met on the left side. Then he added another arrow.
It took Marshall forty-five minutes before he was finished in Delphine’s district, marking the symbols discreetly. A text to Kane let him know the LaRues could leave, but they were using the opportunity to search for their cousin.
Two hours later, Marshall carved the last of the symbols on the lamppost on the sidewalk outside of Donnie’s house. Marshall looked back, hoping that Kane’s suggestion worked. Otherwise, Marshall might go knocking on every door searching for Riley. Because he wasn’t sure how long he could wait before he saw her again.
* * *
Her theatre teacher would’ve been proud, especially since Riley had all but failed the class in high school. Yet, she’d become a master that morning when she left her room and proceeded as she had every other day that she could remember.
She looked for minute details in everyone to catch anything that would tell her they didn’t buy her act. But so far, so good.
Unfortunately, she didn’t get time alone with Elin until after lunch. They sat out in the back yard beneath the cloudy sky sipping ice tea.
“Why do you keep looking at me like that?” Elin asked.
Riley rubbed her finger along the condensation of her glass before taking a long drink of the sweet tea. “How did you sleep last night?”
“Like a baby.”
“Did you get up?”
Elin rolled her eyes. “No. What’s going on?”
“I have to tell you something, and I’m afraid you won’t believe me.”
Elin turned her head to look at Riley. “We’ll never know the answer to that unless you tell me.”
Riley knew she was right, yet once the words were out, there was no putting them back. And there was a chance that Elin would tell Delphine.
But Riley would be long gone by then.
“Yesterday, when I asked if you were having sex with George, it was because I saw you.”
Elin’s brows grew together, half in shock, half in denial. “I think I’d know if I was giving my body to someone.”
“I also remembered being held down as he ground into me.” Riley held up her hands to show the bruise again. “Then there was the fact that I was supposed to meet someone yesterday, but I forgot all about them.”
Elin turned her whole body to face Riley. “Who were you meeting?”
“Did you hear the part where I said I couldn’t remember them?”
“Yes,” Elin nodded slowly, anxiety growing in her eyes.
Riley licked her lips and pushed onward. “Something within me told me there was something wrong. I stayed awake all night because I had a feeling something would happen. And it did. But not to me.”
It took a moment, but Elin’s eyes widened as realization dawned. “Me? It happened to me?”
“Yes.”
Elin looked forward again and swallowed. “Do you recall things that don’t make sense? Like having a family even though I know there’s no one looking for me?”
“Brothers,” Riley admitted. “I think I have brothers, but I don’t know their names or faces or even how many.”
Elin looked at her with widening eyes, nodding. “I have brothers. Two of them.”
“You remember?”
“Just now, after you said something.”
Riley smiled and reached across to grab Elin’s hand. “That’s good.”
“Tell me about last night.”
With those words, Riley’s grin faded, and she released Elin. “I saw George and Delphine head there,” she said, nodding toward the adjacent house. “Candles were lit, and then you walked out of your room.”
“No,” Elin said as she scooted to the end of the chair.
Riley continued. “You walked from the house to where Delphine and George were. And I followed. I could hear Delphine singing, but I had to see. So I looked through the window.”
“And?” Elin demanded when Riley paused.
Riley glanced away. “You were naked. George came to stand before you and ordered you first on your knees to remove his pants and then to take him into your mouth.”
Elin slowly fell back on the chair. “And then he took me.”
“You were aware?”
“No. Those images come to me through a thick fog, like a dream. They’ve been going on for months, but I didn’t think they were real.”
Riley leaned close and said. “I don’t know what they’re doing to us or why, but I think we need to leave. Now. Today.”
“Yes. I want to find my brothers. And to stop the dreams.”
Riley was about to tell Elin her plan when Delphine exited the house. She wore a bright smile as her long, black braids fell past her hips.
“Are you two enjoying the day?” Delphine asked.
Riley forced a smiled. “As much as we can before the rain comes.”
Delphine kept her gaze on Elin. “And how about you, Elin? How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” Elin replied, but she couldn’t quite meet Delphine’s gaze.
Riley watched as Delphine’s brow furrowed. She then leaned over Elin and put her hand on her stomach. Riley’s heart fell to her feet.
“What is it?” Elin asked as she moved the priestess’s hand away.
Delphine straightened, a huge smile on her face. “Life is growing inside you, child.”
“That’s not possible,” Elin said, her face going white.
“With Voodoo, anything is possible,” Delphine said and turned on her heel. “I’ll spread the news.”
Elin turned to Riley once Delphine was out of earshot and said, “I can’t stay here another second.”
Riley tried to reach for her, but Elin was already up and running into the house. She hurriedly followed in time to see Elin collide with George in the kitchen. Riley prayed Elin would keep going, but the anger and betrayal were too much to contain. Elin confronted George. She barely got two words out before he had her by her throat up against the wall.
Elin looked at Riley. Riley glanced at the set of knives, contemplating using one as a weapon when she noticed one was missing.
“Run!” Elin shouted to Riley as she plunged the blade into George’s chest.
Riley took a step toward her friend, but the crack of Elin’s neck halted her. Riley watched as Elin fell to the ground in slow motion. Then Riley looked back at George, who pulled the knife from his chest without so much as flinching.
Shouts and approaching footsteps filled Riley’s ears as loudly as a rushing wave. She gave Elin one last look before she turned and ran out the door. Knowing how everyone was a follower of Delphine kept Riley off the streets, moving between houses and ducking behind anything that could keep her hidden.
So many times she was sure someone had seen her, but miraculously, she was able to keep moving without being stopped—or chased. For once, she was happy when the rain began. She stole an umbrella from a po
rch and opened it, mingling with the others on the sidewalk. She kept her head down and walked as quickly as she could without bringing notice to herself.
Riley had no idea where she was headed. Though she wasn’t surprised to find herself near the bench where she had first met Marshall. She paused to look at it. The rain sent everyone for cover, including the violinist. With a sigh, Riley continued on, not stopping again until she was in front of the market.
She glanced inside, hoping she might spot Marshall within, but he wasn’t to be found. Just as she was turning away, something caught her eye. The symbol was no bigger than the palm of her hand, and though she couldn’t say how she recognized it, she did. And she was sure it hadn’t been there before.
The arrow pointed in the direction she was headed, so she decided to follow it. All the while, she kept her eye out for more of the symbols. And as luck would have it, she found them, each pointing her a certain direction.
The heavier the rain came, the more people hurried indoors. It allowed her to find the symbols easily enough. She shivered as her jeans from the thighs down were damp, and her bright pink Converse were soaked through.
As soon as she walked out of Delphine’s section, she breathed a sigh of relief. That’s when she began moving more quickly from symbol to symbol. Yet, she wasn’t stupid. She stopped often, taking cover and looking behind her to see if she were being followed. Because she knew Delphine would come for her.
She ached for Elin’s needless death, and she was terrified of what awaited her if Delphine—or George—found her. It’s what kept her moving instead of hunkering down in a corner somewhere and letting the tears fall.
Because Riley wanted to make sure she wasn’t followed, it took her hours before she found herself standing in front of a house. This was where the symbols had led her.
Suddenly, the door opened, and a man stepped onto the porch. Her gaze collided with gray orbs. When she saw it was Marshall, her composure crumbled. Without a word, he walked into the rain and down the path to her before pulling her into his arms.
“I’ve got you,” he said.
She clung to him, soaking in his warmth and his strength. He took the umbrella and turned them. With his arm around her, he walked her to the porch and then inside the house.
He led her to the bathroom and turned on the shower. “I’ll leave some dry clothes on the bed for you. Take your time.”
Riley only stayed beneath the hot water until she was warm. She dried off and found the sweat pants and tee shirt waiting for her. Then she went looking for Marshall. She found him in the living room, staring out the window.
He smiled when he saw her. “I wasn’t sure you’d find your way here.”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore. I’ve seen...some horrible things, and I know Delphine has been lying to me.”
The smile faded as a frown took its place. “What do you mean?”
She lifted her arms to show him the bruises.
“Who did that?” He was careful to keep his face even, but his words were laced with fury.
“I’m not sure. I only recall bits and pieces, but I know I was held down.”
“Did they...hurt you?”
“I don’t think so. But they did harm Elin.”
He ran a hand down his face. “There was another woman with you?”
“She’s dead because I told her I saw them taking her last night. Then Delphine told Elin she was pregnant.”
Marshall closed the distance between them and put his hands on her arms. “Is that why you didn’t meet me yesterday?”
“I didn’t meet you because they made me forget you.”
“But you remembered,” he said, his face softening.
Riley grinned. “I couldn’t forget you for long. But I want to know who I am.”
“I can tell you that.”
She released a thankful breath. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
11
M arshall would never know what made him walk to the front of the house and look out the window. But when he’d seen Riley, he felt a rush of relief so great that it made his knees buckle.
He’d managed to catch hold of the back of a chair before he hit the ground, but that was only because he had wanted to get to Riley quickly. It took all of his control to calmly open the door instead of rushing out to her. The look of fear on her face made him want to hurt the ones responsible—and he intended to do just that.
Marshall hadn’t cared about the rain when he walked out to her. He was immensely grateful when she didn’t push his arms away, and instead, let him hold her before leading her into the house.
He walked around the house trying to find something to do while Riley warmed up beneath the hot water, but all his mind could focus on was wondering how she had gotten away from Delphine.
And when the priestess would come for her.
Marshall needed to call Kane and the others, but he wanted to talk to Riley more before he bombarded her with family that she didn’t remember.
Then—finally—Riley was standing before him once more. She was no longer shivering, but as soon as she showed him her bruises, he found it nearly impossible not to go out into the storm and start bellowing for Delphine.
Riley wanted to know who she was. And it was up to him to tell her.
They sat in the living room facing each other in opposite chairs. He was sure someone else would be better at filling her in on her past, but he was selfish and didn’t want anyone else with them.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
He gave a shake of his head. “No.”
“You’re just sitting there. Normally, that means there’s something you don’t want me to know. At least that’s been my experience with others.”
Marshall ran a hand through his damp hair. “That’s because I’m probably not the one who should be telling you about yourself.”
“Why?” she asked with a frown, cocking her head to the side. “I thought you knew me.”
Shit. He’d really stepped in it this time. “I know your brothers.”
“So I do have brothers,” she said with a grin. “I knew it! How many?”
“Four.”
“Four!” she repeated with wide eyes. She looked at the ceiling and laughed. “Four.”
He watched her curiously. “You’re the youngest, which makes them very protective of you.”
Her blue eyes returned to him. “Beau. That’s one of my brothers’ names.”
“Yes,” he replied, unable to stop the smile that pulled at his lips.
“Tell me more,” she urged eagerly. “Why aren’t they here?”
Each time Marshall tried to answer her question, he realized she needed to know more before she could fully comprehend what he was saying.
Finally, he said, “They looked for you extensively, but Delphine wants to hurt them. That’s why I came instead. She doesn’t know me.”
“And she knows my brothers,” she replied with a nod.
“Yes.”
“How long have I been gone?”
He swallowed. “Over eight weeks.”
“I see,” she murmured and sighed.
“There was an attack, but not like you were led to believe. You were fighting with others against Delphine.”
Riley’s face shuttered as if she were searching her memories. “I don’t recall that. Tell me more. How was I fighting her? Who were the others?”
Marshall rose and began to pace. He’d delivered all kinds of news to people before, but this time, he couldn’t find the words. Because it was Riley.
Because he cared about her.
“Marshall,” she said, standing before him so he had to halt. “I can handle whatever it is you don’t want to tell me.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s that there are years of information that bitch took from you. Things you lived through and did. My words won’t be the same.”
She put a hand on his arm and smiled. “But th
ey may lead me to those memories.”
He knew she was right, but he also knew that it should be one of her brothers talking to her right now and not him. Yet, he was prepared to fight anyone—even Delphine—to remain by Riley’s side.
“Your family fights the supernatural. Any evil that comes into the parish, your family hunts down and kills.”
She blinked, nodded. “Wow. Tell me more.”
“You were raised by your brothers when your parents were killed. Vin sent you off to Austin to attend college, and after you got your degree, you came to New Orleans.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Why New Orleans? What’s here? I wouldn’t just randomly pick a place.”
“Your cousins are here.”
She looked away, her brow furrowed. “I...think my cousins are men, but I feel like there are women I’m close to, as well.”
“You’re very close to the women who have fallen in love with your cousins.”
Her smile was back in place when she looked at him. “More memories are being unveiled, but it’s going slow and only fragments at a time.”
“Delphine had a lot of time to work her magic on you and wipe away all that you knew.”
“She might have won had I not met you.”
He tucked her wet hair behind her ear. “You’re much too strong for Delphine to have kept a hold on you much longer.”
“You know me, which means we did meet before.”
“I wish we had, but I only saw you once. I’m the sheriff in Lyons Point, and I help your brothers when I can. I came to the house when you were leaving to return to New Orleans. We briefly looked at each other, but we never spoke.”
She raised her brows. “How stupid of me.”
“I know you, Riley, because I’ve listened to stories from your brothers. They sent me so many pictures of you from throughout your life that I almost feel as if I were with you all those years.”
She glanced at his mouth, making his balls tighten. “How lucky my family is to have you as a friend, but I think I’m the really lucky one.”
His blood rushed in his ears. He put a hand on her hip and lowered his head. “From the moment I saw you, I wanted to pull you close. Nothing would stop me from finding you. Not this city, not Delphine, and not magic.”
