Jewel of the Bayou

by Lynn Collins

  Jewel of the Bayou: A Council Novella

  A Common Elements Project

  Lynn Collins

  Contents

  The Jewel in the Bayou:

  Untitled

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Letter from the Author

  Legal Bits

  The Jewel in the Bayou:

  The Council Series

  A Common Elements Novel

  Lynn Collins

  The Council Series

  Book 1: A Member of the Council

  Book 2: Return of the Fae

  Book 3: The Salem Gathering

  Saving Parris – A Council Collection

  Book 4: The Jewel of the Bayou

  Dedication

  Megan Kelly – my partner in crime in the romance world.

  Acknowledgments

  This is a Common Elements Novel project. We came together, authors from all over the world, and chose five common elements. Then we wrote our stories around these elements. Big thanks to Cora Lee for spearheading the project. You can find the other books at – https://commonelementsromanceproject.wordpress.com/

  The common elements to look for in this book and others are the following – a lightning storm, lost keys, a person named Max, a haunted house, and a stack of thick books.

  This is also a continuation of The Council series. Parris, Ty, and the rest of the Originals group will be involved throughout this and the next set of stories. However, these three novellas are around Derek and Pru.

  1

  Derek Chandler studied the mansion his friend, Ty Wallace, had bought to house his new family. Well, his partner’s family, his new partner’s friend’s family, and probably a few strays since the last time Derek had visited a week after moving day. Parris McCall, Ty’s new girlfriend, never did anything in small measure. She’d been a tornado in the witching world ever since Ty found her in that little dive bar. Derek was used to change, but Parris was turning his world upside down. The Council was crazy if they thought they could control this storm she was stirring into existence. They should have killed her as soon as she was discovered. Derek could see why Ty was drawn to her, the dark curly hair that overflowed from her perfect face down to her shoulders and ended at the top of her breasts. She should have been discarded months ago.

  Ty Wallace had been Derek’s partner in their Council work for years. Now that Coven X had been exposed, Ty, Derek, and Parris McCall were running a sort of band of refuges from the witchcraft world. They still technically worked for The Council, the largest and most visible organization governing the non-human world.

  Derek glanced in the rearview mirror to analyze the level of bloodshot in his eyes. He’d been pushing the alcohol a little too hard lately, even for his playboy reputation. Satisfied at least some green showed through the signs of yet another late night, he put back on his sunglasses. Pushing thoughts of Parris out of his head, he focused on the house.

  Leave it to Ty to buy possibility the only or at least the most haunted house in the upscale neighborhood. He wondered if the spirits in the house had made themselves known yet. Ty had to have known the house was haunted, right? He threw the cigarette he’d been letting burn down out the window onto the gravel. Time to visit the zoo.

  He sighed as he climbed out of the sports car and slipped on his suit jacket thinking of the last romantic fiasco of Ty’s. The man never could do the love thing halfhearted.

  A tall, dark-haired man opened the large wooden door to the house and stepped out onto the porch. Ty Wallace blinked in the bright light and grinned when he saw Derek. When they’d been a team, people had wondered if they were brothers. Now Ty had something Derek had never felt. Derek’s gift of aura reading allowed him to see the power of Parris’s love that surrounded Ty in a blue haze. “Welcome, stranger. I didn’t expect to see you today. Is everything all right?”

  The Council and all the species under their control were in a war with a recently discovered group, Coven X. Even with the house and other trappings of domestic bliss, Ty had to know that his true role wasn’t one of provider and caretaker. He was a warrior for The Council, just like Derek. He just needed reminded of that from time to time. Especially since The Council hadn’t seen fit to hand over Parris to the rebels they now called Coven X, her other family, an action that would have stopped the war. Parris was an Original, a child born of both a Coven X warlock and The Council witch.

  No use thinking of what might have been, Derek chided himself. He let his lips curve into a smile he didn’t feel and slapped his friend on the back. “Nothing that wasn’t wrong yesterday.”

  Something in his tone must have alerted Ty to the feelings he was trying to hide. He stopped and turned toward Derek. “What does that mean?”

  “Sorry, just no new news.” His explanation was interrupted by a baby wailing. “Is Eric up already?”

  “The question you should ask is does Eric ever sleep.” Ty rubbed his face. “Their apartment is all the way to the other end of the house and I still hear him. I swear, I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep for months. I almost feel bad I didn’t let his parents put a growth spell on the kid. At least to get him out of the teething period.”

  Derek laughed because he knew it was expected, but inside he seethed. Ty Wallace was The Council’s best witch hunter. He could find a rogue witch that was hiding from The Council’s judgement faster than you could get a hamburger out of a fast food chain. Yet here he was, playing nursemaid. Derek pushed the feeling down. Not his circus, not his monkeys. “You got any coffee made? I’d like to go over some research I found this week.”

  “Sure, let’s go into the morning room. Parris is in there studying. I’m sure she’d love to talk to you about some spells she’s been working on. You know she still needs your tutoring in her spell work.” They turned away from the sounds of the crying baby and farther into the house.

  “Great. I’ve been meaning to check in with her and see how things have been going. I’ve just been so busy.”

  Ty’s head jerked Derek’s way and he studied his friend, like he knew Derek had been lying. “You know you’re welcome here anytime. We’ve got plenty of room. I’d rather you stay close just in case someone tracks you down from Salem.”

  “We’re in St. Louis. I’m ten minutes tops from your place to mine.” Actually, it was more like thirty from his place in the Central West End to this new house on the outskirt of Chesterfield, but Derek was betting that Ty didn’t realize that. Ty stuck close to home these days. He had even opened a second office for his law practice out here in the second upscale town, dealing with business issues along with some estate cases. His partners were ecstatic but Derek knew Ty worried that Parris would be abducted. Again.

  When they entered the morning room, Parris was head down, studying at the end of the table. The pile of thick books behind her looked like they might fall at any moment. She was stunning, even in jogging pants and a tank top. Nothing remained of the shy, determined bar owner they’d met over a year ago. Her power radiated from her, even when she wasn’t casting. She looked up and burst into a real smile. Not like the one Derek had on his face. He found himself encased in a tight hug. The girl even smelled sweet, like a cross of lilacs and chocolate.

  “Derek! Thank the goddess you got my messages. I’ve been trying to figure out this one story forever. It just doesn’t make any sense. I’m sure you’ll know the answer I’m missing.” She took his hand and drew him to the ta
ble. She turned back pages to where she’d slipped in a bookmark and pointed. “Here, it’s the haunted house story. I don’t get the message it’s telling me.”

  He glanced at the book. He knew the story well. Parris hadn’t been the first witch he’d taught to use her powers. Another student and another love interest of Ty’s, Regina, had asked him the same question. It had to be a coincidence. His gaze met Ty’s and he realized Ty was having the same memory. Derek crossed over to the buffet and poured himself a cup of coffee. Then he sat down and motioned her to sit as well. He pointed to the house in the picture. “The lesson is danger sometimes comes from places and things you can’t see. You know, like a ghost.”

  “You’re telling me that ghosts are real? I just got used to the fact that fairies, elves and trolls were out there. Now you’re telling me spirits exist too?” She ran a hand through her hair. A habit Derek knew she did out of frustration. He knew how she felt. He was frustrated too. Mostly because he feared he was falling in love with the woman in front of him. A woman who was off limits for so many reasons. He blinked, trying to get the thought out of his head.

  “Spirits are real, but that’s not the point of the story. The danger isn’t just spirits. It’s what you’re turning a blind eye to. What your subconscious is screaming at you and you’re ignoring for some reason.” Like his feelings. He really needed to ask The Council for another assignment. He’d explain it to Ty with a whole “I need a new challenge” excuse. But he knew he couldn’t leave. Not with knowing what a mess the world was in right now. He was right where he was needed. He just needed to buck up and deal with it.

  Prudence Martin knew he was in the house before she left her room. She looked at herself in the mirror, thinking her red hair needed a trim. Her face was finally showing some of the wrinkles her years banished to a stone statue had postponed. She mentally kicked herself.

  “Rubbish, just rubbish. Pull yourself together. Just because the man is in the same house as you doesn’t mean you can go all soft and mushy.” The Council had brought them together – sending them out on the first wild goose chase last month. The Council were also the people who had encased Pru into a stone statue and donated the fountain to Cincinnati for a downtown park. Yep, they were funny like that.

  The warlock was a player. Rumor was that he’d bedded more witches than anyone else in The Council in modern times. Just her luck that the first guy she got a crush on after her banishment was a bad boy. And one obviously in love with Parris McCall. She’d seen some of the looks he gave Parris when no one was watching. Did he even know his true feelings? Men could hide these things, even from themselves under the guise of just being friends. Or caring for his friend’s mate. Because there was no denying the mate status of Parris and Ty. Even without the mortal measure of a legal marriage.

  She considered changing out of her jeans and too tight tank, but decided that it really didn’t matter anyway what she looked like since he couldn’t see her. Not in the way she desired. It was going to be a long, uncomfortable visit. At least for her. She might as well wear too tight clothes.

  Pru tucked a stray curl behind her ear and went down to where everyone congregated. She didn’t know what was going on, but she could feel the energy of the group as they talked.

  She arrived in the morning room as the same time as the patriarch of the fake family. Robert Nelson was a class one wizard that had refused a seat on The Council more times than most wizards had been offered the honor. He preferred research, but since he’d been reunited with his wife after casting a long-ago forgetting spell to protect her and their granddaughter, Parris, he seemed to be getting ready for the upcoming war. Everyone was. Robert was just more obvious in his workout routine. He nodded to her as they entered. “Pru, don’t you look lovely today.”

  Pru saw the glance he threw Derek and she immediately knew she hadn’t been able to stop the blush. Her cheeks were on fire. She should have realized she couldn’t hide her feelings from Robert. “Just jeans and a tank. No need to call the paparazzi.”

  “Some women look good in anything, don’t they, Derek?” Robert asked to the clueless warlock.

  Derek glanced up from the book he and Parris had been studying and nodded. “Right, Robert.”

  He probably didn’t even hear what the old man said. She beelined to the coffee station and poured herself a cup. Then she leaned on the wall, looking as bored as possible. “What has the three of you chittering around like a bunch of chickens this morning?”

  “We have a message from The Council.” Ty looked up at Pru and Robert. “I think we need to call a meeting and get everyone’s thoughts.”

  Robert leaned over and studied the parchment. “Make sure to bring Alex and April in on this. I’d be interested in hearing his take, and April can reach out to her father for insight as well.”

  “So basically” —Pru sank into a chair across from Parris and Derek—“we’re having a dinner together. I suppose the baby will come along as well.” She actually kind of liked having Eric around. The boy would coo at her and wrap his tiny fingers around her hand, then try to grab her hair and pull. He was a scamp.

  “That’s a great idea. We haven’t had everyone together for a meal since we did our house sealing ceremony.” Robert clapped his hands in glee, making him look more like the demented wizard on that television show than he already did. “I’ll go tell Matilda. Let’s do lunch. I’ve always wanted to say that. We’ll have it catered so no one has to deal with the dishes.”

  “Grandpa,” Parris called out to Robert who was almost to the door. “I’m not sure we can get a catered lunch scheduled today. It’s already nine.”

  He turned and smiled back at her. “Now there’s where you’re wrong. You need to believe in the power of magic.”

  After he left, Pru set her cup down and reached for the page Ty had shown Robert. His eyebrow twitched, but then he handed it over. She read the short letter twice before she set it down. “I don’t understand. They want us to look for find a bauble that’s been hidden for ten years? In Louisiana? And that’s all the information they have?”

  “Typical Council instructions,” Ty said. “They’re hiding something in the wording. I know it. Having everyone together while we make plans for this will ensure we’re going in as prepared as possible.” He picked the page back up and stared at it. “There’s a memory tickling the back of my mind, but I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe someone else has a piece to the puzzle that will help snap this information together.”

  “Or more likely, Derek’s getting close on the genealogy track and they want to slow him down.” Pru drank her coffee watching the three. Had they discovered something about Coven X without letting everyone else know?

  “We’ve discussed that possibility,” Parris put in. “I know it has something to do with the bloodline. Why else would they be sending us out after a broach?” She leaned in her chair and pushed her hair out of her face with both hands her body arching as she stretched her back.

  Pru felt the charge course through Derek’s body before he caught his reaction and stifled it. She smiled at him and something in her gaze made his eyes narrow as he considered her. They shared a secret now. And with that one non-verbal conversation, she realized she had him over the barrel. as her papa used to say.

  She tuned out the rest of the conversations, waiting for the time when he pulled her away so they could be alone. And he could ask her what she wanted to keep her mouth shut. Now she just needed to figure out her price. She began calculating.

  2

  “I take it that it’s decided then?” Parris leaned against Ty as they sat outside watching Eric play in the oversized yard. His father had brought home a puppy for Eric a few weeks ago and Parris could feel the magic flowing off the dog. Black Lab on the outside, he had to be some sort of magical creature inside because the dog just knew everything to do. And he never took his eyes off Eric when he was outside. The dog was definitely the boy’s protector.

 
“Talking about the job or Drago?” As Ty said his name, the pup turned to look at them. Parris could swear the dog smiled.

  “I was talking about the Louisiana job. Although Drago is a bit of a puzzle.” She moved her hand down off the chair and snapped her fingers. He came trotting over to her, but kept his eyes on the baby sitting up on the blanket. April had darted into the house to grab something and had asked Parris to watch him.

  Ty studied the pup’s face, looking deeply into his eyes. “You really don’t think he’s part dragon, do you?”

  “I’m not doubting anything lately. Remember, less than a year ago, I didn’t even know I was a witch. Now I have a whole magical family and share my house with not only mortals, but a few more wispy residents.” Parris rubbed Drago behind his ears. “Besides, Eric adores the guy. It doesn’t really matter what he’s crossed with. Eric wouldn’t let us get rid of him now.”

  As if he’d understood her words, Eric shook a rattle at her then cooed something that sounded like “Drago.” Apparently, the dog thought the same thing and he left the adults to go lay next to the blanket and in reach of his boy.

  “I wondered if you’d met our resident ghosts yet. I’ve talked to the leader. He says he’s here to help and we shouldn’t worry about anything. I guess we’re the first residents of the house that could actually understand them when they tried to communicate.” He glanced back at the house, lines etching his face.