Shadowed Secret (Daughters of the Vieux Carré)

by Rhys Rowlyn

  “I would say it’s a coincidence, but I don’t believe in them. She has probably heard about the curse and sensed us—or me rather—or maybe she was biding her time until I awakened.”

  It appears my past is catching up with me.

  Nyla has been silent through our exchange, but now her eyes narrow on me. “Why would she sense you?”

  “She captured and held me prisoner for a few weeks, trying to weaken me until I killed one of our kind and turned feral.” I scrub my face with my hands, hating having to think about that time. “Alastair got wind of it and rescued me. She escaped, and I almost didn’t come over on the ship. I wanted to stay behind and hunt her down.”

  Nyla furrows her brow, tilting her head to the side. “Why would she want to turn you feral? I don’t get it.”

  “Minerva has figured out a way to control feral vampires. I don’t know how she does it, but she does.” Giles continues to pace, hitting his fist in his hand. He is becoming more agitated by the minute, and I don’t blame him. Minerva is definitely a threat.

  “But how?” Nyla looks from Giles to me, and Giles stops his pacing with a shrug of his shoulders.

  “While I was in captivity, she would come to my cell and taunt me, and she loved to brag about how intelligent she was. One of the things she was most proud of was her ability to control her minions.” God, I hate thinking about this bitch, but it appears I have no choice. She’s definitely involved here. “She said you have to slip into their minds when they are losing control and take over. She uses this skill to create small armies for herself. She may not be technically feral, but she has no soul, or I should say her soul is so black, it shouldn’t exist.”

  “But what’s the purpose?” Nyla shakes her head and rubs her chin with her thumb and index finger.

  That is a question I’ve asked myself numerous times and can only come up with a few possible solutions. “I believe she is constantly trying to get Alastair’s attention. She was not right in the head before she was turned. Gabriel told me Alastair found her near death after she had been raped, and she begged him to save her. Gabriel felt Alastair wasn’t truly compelled to change her but did it out of compassion. Minerva was very young and had led a horrible life.”

  “Who is Alastair?”

  “He’s the oldest vampire I know of. He is Gabriel’s creator, and Minerva’s also. She is part of the reason Gabriel split off from him.” Alastair had a small group of vampires in Paris for a brief time while we were there, but for the most part, we stayed separate. I only really got to know Alastair when he rescued me, and that was briefly.

  “So he’s your granddaddy.” Nyla wrinkles her nose, and gives me a brief smile.

  I let out a quick laugh. “Yes, that’s one way to look at it, but technically, he’s everyone’s. He is also the only one who can destroy Minerva without going feral.”

  “What do you mean? If she’s bad, why can’t we kill her?” Nyla questions.

  “It’s hard to explain, love. I think ferals have given up their souls and are ruled by the desire to kill, whereas Minerva’s soul is simply black but still intact.” Giles takes out a sheet from the van and lies it on top of the woman as he explains.

  I walk over and help him wrap it around her.

  “She is also in control of her actions. Only a creator can kill his children without fear of losing their own soul. Although, I would imagine it’s not an easy thing to do.”

  Lifting the woman, I nod for Giles to open the van. “He still needs to take care of her. I wonder if anyone knows where he is.”

  “I’ve never come across the man that I know of, but I have heard of him.” Giles looks away, not wanting to meet our gazes. “My friend was part of his family, and after the French Revolution, they split up. Jacques was a good man and her brother. She held him until he went feral and controlled him. I had to kill him, and it broke me for a while.”

  After I carefully place the woman in the back of the van, I grip Giles’s shoulder and meet his gaze. “I remember Jacques. He was a good man. We cannot allow her to get her grips in this city. She needs to be stopped as soon as possible. I do know she can only control around four vampires at a time. Any more, and they tend to do their own thing. That doesn’t mean she won’t have more to cause havoc, but she won’t be able to control them all.”

  Giles grips my shoulder and nods. “We will stop her this time and, once she’s captured, find Alastair to destroy her. We can’t allow her to continue.” He releases me and motions with his head for us to get in the van. “Let’s go give this poor woman a proper burial and see what we can do to prevent her from hurting any more people.”

  Nyla

  We’re all silent as we return to the house after burying the girl. Giles was a reverend in his former life, so we had a small service for the woman in the woods outside New Orleans. All trace of the poor soul has been wiped out, and I find it sad. It’s as if she never existed. I wonder if she has family looking for her.

  “Dear, I know this is upsetting, but it’s life. If we could have prevented the loss of her, we would have, but we couldn’t. Our job now is to stop more lives from being lost unnecessarily.” Giles gives me a brief hug.

  “Thanks, Giles. I know you’re right. It’s just hard.”

  “It is, and you never get used to it. If you become complacent, then you are no better than Minerva.”

  I see Jean Pierre slipping upstairs, and I follow him. He enters our room, and I know he’s not in a good place. He blames himself for Minerva still being around. From what he said earlier, he’s as much a victim as anyone.

  I enter the room, and he stops his pacing to face me. “Nyla, I need to be alone.”

  “No, you don’t. You need me, and I need you.”

  “You don’t understand. If I had stayed in France and hunted her down, she wouldn’t be a threat today. Jacques would still be alive.” He grips his hair with both of his fists.

  “That is not on you. It’s on Alastair. You were as much a victim as Jacques or that woman. Besides, what would you have done if you had captured her? You couldn’t kill her without going feral yourself.”

  “Maybe you are right, but I could have at least held her.”

  I walk to him and wrap my arms around his neck. I’m tall, five feet ten inches, but he still has at least six inches on me, so I have to lean up to reach his mouth. I brush my lips against his, and he stills, gazing down at me with hooded eyes. I nip at his bottom lip, and he opens for me so I can enter his mouth with my tongue. His hands move to my waist, and he pulls me against him. I feel him hardening against me and make a snap decision.

  After pushing him back until his knees hit a chair, I encourage him to sit.

  “What are you doing?” He furrows his brow, but his eyes widen when I reach for his belt.

  I unhook the buckle and then unbutton his pants and grip him through his boxers. He moans, lifting his hips, and I slide his pants down along with his underwear to reveal his long, thick cock. I lean forward, suck the tip into my mouth, and hear wood crack when Jean Pierre grips the sides of the chair.

  “Merde, Nyla! Oui, cheri.” He fills his hand with my hair and holds on tight as I take more of him down my throat.

  I’m not sure how things worked when he was around before the curse or if I’ve shocked him, but his moans say he’s enjoying my attention. The thing is I’m a thirty-year-old woman and know what I want. I’ve never been shy about my desires, and I don’t plan on starting now.

  One thing I know for sure is I want this man like I’ve never wanted anyone before. I know the mate bond has a lot to do with how I feel but I have decided to not care and go with it. Jean Pierre doesn’t show his emotions but he cares deeply. I admire the fact he takes responsibility for Minerva’s actions even though he was a victim himself.

  I run my tongue along the underside of his hardness and then flatten my tongue to take him into my mouth. I suck him down until he hits the back of my throat, and I gag a bit.

/>   “Oh merde, I need to be inside of you. I want to bury my release deep inside you.” He tugs my hair until I lift off his cock, releasing it with a pop.

  “Take off your clothes, angel.” His voice has a commanding quality, and I feel my panties getting wet as I stand before him removing my shirt and bra.

  Bending forward, I slide my jeans and thong down, then use his thigh to brace myself as I toe off my boots and socks and step out of my clothes.

  Jean Pierre’s eyes darken to emerald green, and I feel my cheeks heat at his intense look. “Beautiful.”

  His hands grip my hips and pull me to between his thighs, and he takes my nipple into his mouth. He sucks on it lightly and rubs his tongue against it. My back arches, and I grip his hair, bringing myself deeper into his mouth. I cry out, thrusting my hips as he runs a finger along my center and around my clit. He moves to my center and inserts one finger, then draws it in and out, and my muscles tighten around him. He then inserts another, and I groan at the fullness, wanting to feel him buried deep inside me.

  “Oh, mon cheri, so wet for me.” He removes his fingers and stands, then kicks off his jeans, and I pull his shirt off.

  He backs me up until I hit the bed, and I fall back upon it. Jean Pierre grabs my legs and pulls me to the edge of the bed, placing my legs over his shoulders. “Put your hands above your head and grab the blanket. Don’t let go of the blanket.”

  My eyes widen, and I’m surprised at his orders but follow them, gripping the comforter above my head. My man is quiet, but I’m finding out he’s dominant as hell, and I’m loving it. His eyes have sparks of gold in them as he runs his tongue from my bottom to top, and I close my eyes, arching my back.

  “Open your eyes, Nyla. I want you to watch me devour you.” His growl vibrates against me, and I gasp as I quickly open my eyes, not wanting him to stop.

  He circles my clit with his tongue several times, and I dig my hips into his bed, needing more pressure. This man’s tongue is infused with magic, and I want more of it. His finger pumps inside me, in and out as he continues to tease my bundle of nerves. He then adds another finger, and it sends me over the edge. I scream as I fall to pieces. He continues to thrust his fingers as I ride the wave until it calms.

  My chest rises and falls rapidly as I try to catch my breath. Never taking his gaze from mine, he crawls up my body, and I feel his tip at my entrance. He plunges deep within in me in one thrust, and I gasp.

  “Are you all right?” His brow furrows, and he frowns.

  “Yes.” I grab his shoulders as he moves, and my hips lift to meet him halfway. I’ve never felt this way and feel another orgasm building.

  Jean Pierre groans as my muscles tighten around him, and he continues to push me closer to the peak. I dig my nails into his shoulders as he grinds against me in just the right way that sends me off into another storm screaming his name.

  He roars as he stiffens above me and empties himself deep inside. Falling next to me, Jean Pierre pulls my leg over his hip and then kisses me deeply.

  He tucks me into his side and pulls the comforter over us. I draw circles on his chest and glance up at him.

  “Now are you going to tell me what happened? I may understand more than you think.” Tilting my head back, I meet his gaze. “You do remember where you found me, don’t you? I know how it feels to be powerless and trapped.” It’s a feeling I never want to have again or want to think about, but if I can help him work through this, I’m willing to.

  “Oui, I remember, and it’s part of the reason I don’t want to talk about it. I know how you feel, but I also know you need to know what we’re up against.” He grips my chin, brushing his lips against mine. “Minerva is very dangerous and not to be taken lightly.”

  “I gathered that from your and Giles’s reactions. Why did she target you?”

  He takes a deep breath, turning onto his back and staring up at the ceiling. “I met Minerva at a party being held by a French comte. I was so different at that time, enjoying parties and living a very carefree life until I met her. As much as I hate to admit it, we were intimate.”

  “So she’s an ex-girlfriend?” Against my will, a spark of jealousy runs through me, and I know how irrational it is. I mean, let’s be real. I wasn’t going to be born for hundreds of years, but I still don’t like the idea of him having someone else.

  Jean Pierre continues his story, staring at the ceiling, lost in the past and unaware of my crazy thoughts. “If you mean she’s an ex-lover, then oui. We were together for a few weeks and then she disappeared, only to return a few years later. That is when she captured and held me prisoner, starving me.”

  I lean up on my elbow and stare down at him. “Why was she starving you?”

  “That is how she creates her feral vampires. She starves them until they lose all control and kill. She figured out a way to control them.” He cups the back of my head, pushing it back down on his shoulder and kissing my forehead. “Although, I believe I may have been the first she attempted it with. From what she told me, she would normally simply create a vampire and then have a donor ready for them to kill for their first feed. They never stood a chance.”

  “That’s horrible. So why did she want to turn you?” I draw my brows together, wondering what had gone sideways to lead to her obvious displeasure in him.

  He takes a deep breath in and slowly releases it. “I did not take our relationship as serious as I should have. I only thought of her as a dalliance, but we weren’t mates. There was nothing to make me desire to stay.”

  I glance up, and Jean Pierre’s cheeks are pink. “Ahhh, so you cheated on her?” Great, we are dealing with a scorned woman.

  “I may have paid attention to another woman, but Minerva had made it clear we were not a permanent thing.” He rubs my hair between his fingers, staring at it as if it were fascinating, then glances up to meet my gaze. “Besides, she couldn’t hide her idiosyncrasies. The longer I was around her, the more I realized how unstable she was. Little did I know just how insane she was.”

  “So you held out, obviously, and didn’t allow her to turn you. How did you get away?” I can’t imagine what he went through. I know I’m new to this whole vampire thing, but when I wake up, I have to have blood. It’s almost painful. Going without for weeks must have been horrible.

  “Alastair heard rumors about what she was doing and paid her a visit. He then killed her small army and found me, half-starved but basically still intact.” He picks up my hand and links our fingers.

  “What did he do with Minerva?” This was the million dollar question. I don’t know this Alastair, but everyone seems to think he’s the be-all and end-all.

  He stills under me, his muscles tensing. “See, that’s just it. She escaped, and Alastair assured us he would take care of her, but here she is, and no one has seen or heard from him in years.”

  “Do you think he could be dead?” And how are we going to take care of her if she can defeat her maker?

  He shakes his head, frowning at me. “No, from what I’ve heard, you know if your creator is dead, so Bram would know. I’ve talked with vampires who have lost their creators, and they say it’s a feeling of intense loss.”

  “Do you think Minerva captured him and has him stashed somewhere?” I lean up again, meeting his startled gaze.

  “Merde, I never thought of that.” Jean Pierre furrows his brow, running his hands through his hair. “I guess anything is possible, but Alastair is very powerful. I would imagine he would be difficult to capture, much less keep prisoner.”

  With a yawn, I snuggle into his side, burrowing against him. “Hopefully you’re right, but it still leaves the question of where he is and what happened.”

  “True, but we’ll have to figure that out later. Right now, you need to sleep, and I do too.” He wraps his arms around me, kissing my forehead. “Goodnight, angel. Sleep.”

  Smiling, I obey his command.

  Nyla

  “Hi, Joey, it’s Nyla. I miss yo
u and Tara. Wondering if we can get together.” I leave the voicemail and hope she’ll call back soon. It’s been over a week since I talked with either of my girls, and I’m needing to know they’re safe. I’ve developed a big-sister attitude with the two younger women and take their safety very seriously. With this new threat, my anxiety had me calling to ensure the girls were fine. Joey not answering has me pacing and thinking about calling again.

  I almost jump out of my skin when my phone buzzes in my hand, and my lips curve upward when I see Joey’s contact pop up.

  I answer but before I can get a word out, Joey’s voice comes through. “Hey, girl, sorry I missed your call. I was just getting out of the shower.”

  “It’s all good. Look, I really need to see you two.” I plop onto the bed, rubbing my face with my hand. “A lot has been happening, and I miss my new soul sisters.”

  Joey laughs, and I hear her rustling around. “I miss you too. Do you think you could come to the compound and meet us? I haven’t been into town yet and am still feeling a bit leery of it.”

  “Oh yeah, is it okay if Jean Pierre comes? We’ve kinda become a package deal.” He’s made it clear I’m to go nowhere without him, especially now with the Minerva threat looming over us.

  “What?! A hot French vampire to stare at all night? I don’t think that’ll be a problem,” Joey replies with a laugh.

  “I have to run by and see my mother at seven and then we’ll head out your way.” Guilt assaults me at the thought of my mother. I haven’t been to visit her since I returned, and I have no excuse for myself. I should have made time when I first got back. “Text me directions, and I’ll let you know when we’re on our way.”

  “Will do. I’m so excited to see you and get all the latest on what’s happening in town.”

  I frown, hating that I’m going to have to worry my friends, but they need to know about the threat we’re facing. “Bye for now.”