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Heart of the Bayou Beasts chapter 17
“I do not want to ask anything of you or yours, you have given enough.” I reiterated. “If you are hungry and there’s food there’s no point in wasting it. The boys are processing that gator so we’ll be eating like kings for a while,” he paused. “Kings and a Queen.” He let me know when he retrieved the nearly cold plate of rice and beans meant for his Alpha. “We don’t waste here,” he said, handing it to me with a fork before disappearing. That one was moody in a brooding bodyguard sort of way.I ate, the quiet sounds of the surrounding swamp more peaceful and grounding now that the throbbing of my head had eased, not completely gone but manageable. I reached out with the senses I usually kept bottled up, finding them far more sensitive since the power boost. The cynical one lounged in a room not far from where I had been placed, glancing at the boots, I was definitely in the big guy’s space. The young ones were a short distance away across the island. My magic made something like a top
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 18
bri I set the pot aside and turned to him. “Is there a bathroom I can use?” I asked. Something in his eyes shifted. “To your right out the back, it’s nothing fancy but it serves its purpose well enough.” Following his directions I found myself faced with an outhouse in the dark, in the middle of a swamp, full of all kinds of creatures. I sighed moving forward as the last light of dusk disappeared from the world, the waning moon not yet risen to light my way. Reaching deep down I felt that glow within, my palm up, deeply ingrained instinct connecting like an ember touching gasoline. A churning sphere of moonglow slowly formed in my palm. Hmm interesting, I thought as my bare feet hit the earth. I made my way to the outhouse, guided by my little personal nightlight. I peered around in search of snakes and spiders, finding only a few eight-legged arachnids up in the far corners minding their own business so I did mine, the orb obediently floating before me. I returned to the house, wi
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 19
Bri His eyes narrowed at me “Is this frowned upon?” I asked. Holding one up. “We don’t do it, but we don’t care about it, however, we don’t want the boys around it.” He admitted stuffing his hands in his pockets. I nodded. “Fair enough, they are on the other end of the… island, and the wind is blowing away from them.” I said, tapping my head. “You can sense all that?” He asked. I just shrugged before nodding. “The big guy is deep in the swamp,” I said standing. He cleared his throat “What does that stuff do for anyone anyway?” he asked, stepping out of the way as I passed, having stuck the joints behind my ears. “Sometimes, it's for my nerves, sometimes it helps me get through a bad day, other times it helps with my headaches,” I said. “What’s it for today?” he specified. “All of that and more.” “You honestly think you know what we are?” he asked, following me. “I do,” I answered simply. “You're not afraid of us? Of him? Of his beast?” He queried and I looked over my shoulder at hi
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 20
The hum of the sounds of nature droned in my ears, in my blood. I purposefully ignored his reaction. I didn’t want his pity. Yep, I was high and yes I was going to take another joint and light it. If nothing more than to distract myself from the topic. “You sure you don't want any? You’re awfully tense.” I asked, holding the other joint up, finally gaining the courage to glance back at him. To which he shook his head no. I gripped the box in my lap for a moment. “To Zoey and Maggie,” I said, lighting the 2nd. I called the fireflies of moonlight back, with a slight suggestion of my magic’s intent. They zoomed back, hoovering around us, lighting our space. Beau sat beside me on the stoop, his domineering attitude, quelled for the moment. He glanced over at it. “What’s that,” he asked. He was trying to make himself small in the narrow space of the steps, no doubt also being the nosey protector. I found I didn’t honestly care that I shared this with him, it almost felt right. “I don’t kn
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 21
Wyatt I could feel every ounce of her strength, her power, but I could also sense the darkness and the part of her that wanted to give up on life. That had triggered The Beast to chase her not mentally but physically. “She's ours,” The Beast was adamant in his claim of her, she was ours to protect. Her mind and her body, a temple of chaos as we carried her home. When her heart attempted to die we’d looked straight at her phantom soul and held it with a predatory stare. ‘Not today, mon cher,’ We had projected out to her and her heart had sputtered back to life. Something held me to her like a tether, and The Beast had felt something slimy sulk away with its tail between its legs in a hurry, something had lost a battle but its essence was left behind at the fringe of some cloak of protection she had woven around herself. We had marked the intruder’s feel and promised it death if it ever returned. It was this and my need for space that had me scouring the swamp for anything that may be
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 22
Beau I didn’t know what to make of the girl besides she was being honest with us. What I had learned brought only more questions and I had just let her talk really. Sometimes you found out more about a person from what they were willing to divulge. She’d obviously had trauma, her thin form a telltale sign of all the family meals she’d admittedly avoided while working without pay. Who was the murderer she spoke of? Why had she gone quiet when she shook my hand? Her face had contorted as if steeling herself for an electric shock. Thinking about her situation had brought me to thoughts of Nadia, my sister who had been stolen from our pack and how our struggle to regain her had been the demise of all the adult males in our pack at the time. Which led us to be the guardians of their offspring from various affairs. Mates being rare due to our seclusion had us choosing mates among humans or simply sewing our oats and claiming the offspring which seldom was an issue with how wild we tended t
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 23
Bri At some point in the night, the nightmares of the beatings and confinement washed away. I dreamed of golden eyes and russet wolves moving through the swampland. It was so vivid, the smells of musk, sulfur, and decaying things filled my phantom head. It was like seeing the swamp with new eyes, hearing every heartbeat, feeling the primordial essence that ran through the land. The earth, water, and air came together there and fire lived within the spirit of its creatures. Sparks of magic no one else would notice linger in the depths of inky water and vast miles of uncharted clusters of cypress. But I could, each and every spirit, every tendril of magic called to me like a song in my soul. I awoke in darkness, the soft moonlight coming through the window, cocooned in the scent of, damp dog, the swamp, and a deep sort of spicy musk that made my toes curl. A large furry body was curved into the backs of my legs but I knew who he was. The Big Guy, the Rougarou, yet he looked like a ver
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 24
Bri The long sleeves of the shirt covered my hands as I gripped my warm mug. I finally looked up, fully noticing the two shirtless, tattooed, muscle-ripped males. Wyatt took a sip from his mug first, Beau following suit and they each grunted in approval. I smiled, tearing my eyes away from the hard tan plains of their chests. “Maggie's coffee is lagniappe (a little extra), I know I am an unwanted burden, but if you insist I stay, I will find a way to pull my weight.” I wanted to be as little of an inconvenience as possible. “I can vanish on a whim if you want me to. But I’m content to stay only if you insist”. I nabbed a dark chocolate biscotti as I needed more to do with my hands. I leaned against the counter, Wyatt and Beau eyeing each other. “Thanks,” Beau said, raising his hand that held his mug “It is really good,” He gave me a panty-soaking smile, making me swallow remembering I wasn’t wearing any. A mischievous smirk crossed his face, his eyes gleaming in amusement as he loo
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Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 186
WyattOn the ride to the truck, I found myself gripping my chest, Beau with his head leaning against the window did the same, the pain scorched and burned and though I knew the heartache would always be there this was more than my own. Beau’s eyes squeezed shut and a tear fell. I glanced at Zoey keeping quiet in the passenger seat leaning forward as she wound her way around narrow streets.“Promise me you will watch over her,” I asked. Zoey glanced at me as I gritted my teeth against the pain blooming in my chest.“You have my word,” Zoey answered quietly. I gazed out the window unseeing as the streets of New Orleans passed by.“I know she loves you both, very much,” Zoey said, swallowing hard. This had to be hard for her, knowing what Bri was sacrificing, what we all were, and being the only one who knew it all. A lump had grown in my throat as I gritted through the emotions of this “separation” and took a steading breath.“If she ever needs us, we will be there,” I let her know as Z
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 185
BriI woke to a rapt at the door moving felt wrong as the men growled in slumber and I pulled away, throwing one of their shirts on to answer the door. Thankfully it was Zoey as I leaned against the door jam not bothering to button the shirt and she handed me our bags. Her eyes scanned me as Wyatt came up behind me growling but I pushed my ass out to block him before he realized he was naked. Typical male Alpha bullshit dealing with his possessive female.I just passed the bags to him before I gripped Zoey’s hand like a vice as my emotions rose. “Give us some time, don’t leave me yet.” I bit my lip, emotions coursing through me.“I'm not going anywhere ma ami,” Zoey said, her eyes sad as they met mine. She knew the toll weighing on my heart perhaps, but not the one tethered to my soul. I nodded to her before ducking back into the room. My face fell as I faced them.“This is it,” I said, as both men approached me, my back leaned against the door.“We are only a few hours away,” Beau s
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 184
BriBeau placed slow-moving molten kisses down my back when he came to the dip in my backside where the dress covered my ass his fingers deftly began unclasping it when the skirt finally fell open, Wyatt undid the clasp at my neck and the entire thing slid into a glimmering pool of glittering fabric at my feet. Beau collected it and I stepped over it in my heels before he laid it out over a chair in the corner.Wyatt growled, “You went into that room without any underwear?”“Did you not see the dress?” he looked about to go feral on me and I was glad for it. Beau returned only to sink to his knees behind me as Wyatt's large calloused hands began to work my breasts as his tongue warred with mine. Beau’s lips pressed against the small of my back and descended. When he reached the seam of my ass Wyatt yanked one leg up high on his hip, steading me with an arm around my waist. The air hit my damp core and caused me to shiver. The next thing I knew Beau's mouth had found a mission. My dr
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 183
WyattBri had been magnificent, the amount of power that had poured through her, that she had siphoned into us for our wolves to take shape outside of ourselves had been immense. I could have said it shocked me, but that would be a lie. Our Moonbeam was more than a common witch. She hadn’t hesitated, barely batted an eye as she became judge, jury, and executioner to the Vipers who had done such unspeakable wrongs against her. She wore her scars for all to see and I loved her more for overcoming it all. It hit me then, this was our last night. Her very power marked her as the rightful head of this seat on the council. When she had claimed it, no one had dared to oppose her.When the doors had unlatched a few cowards took off. I watched her note them. Analyzing who they were and how she would have to manage the aftermath, those who would oppose this spectacle. I stood prone and mute as did Beau. Her father's supporters and those brave enough walked before her and bowed low expressing th
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 182
beau182He had a cocky smirk on his weathered face, his silver beard mirroring his hair. He looked too strong for his age as he filled out the light grey tuxedo, a plaid handkerchief tucked ornately into his pocket. He nodded looking around at the now vacant dias.“Seems like it’s ma turn Little Bird,” he said, his accent thick and not any I recognized. Bri scowled at him. “You can try tae kill meh, lass but it wulny work. Yae urny ready for aw the answers yae seek. It’s still tae be seen if yae earn them.“What the fuck is that supposed to mean,” Bri spat. “You were always a strange one, I could never quite figure you out,” Bri admitted. “That you weren’t the worst of them, doesn’t get you out of this Silas, you will be judged.” Bri pointed out.“Judge me aw yae wish, I care not. I did wit I needed tae dae, by you and I’ll stand by it. I never molested yae, I didny beat ye. In fact, if it wisny fur me, they wid hiv taken ye years ago. I stopped that, just like I stopped them from s
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 181
Beau“Fucking disgusting pedophile freak, and a necro to boot,” Brianna tutted, she looked at her fingernails and shook her head, “I wonder if I took more than your ability to walk when you came looking for me. Do you know how hard it was to not kill you on the spot every time you touched me? To endure it so I could get out? Just so I could gain my full strength to come back and seek retribution for everything? She smiled towards her mother, “You don’t get to go to hell for killing my father. You wanted purgatory and I have someone here that can send you somewhere better. And you won't have any power there, will she?” She turned casually to Wyatt in question. “No,” he growled out, his canines showing his face shadowed in the angles that marked him as a predator, as he sat precariously in the lane between shifting and humanity. I wasn’t any better off as I struggled to keep my claws in. Brianna set loose her mother.“You little bitch you ruined everything! From the day Pierre brought y
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 180
BeauWithin Bri lay the power of the moon, pure and clean and good. Their cruelty had created something far darker and more sinister within her. They didn’t anticipate how that darkness would protect the light. How Bri’s mind would find a way to survive everything they put her through, and how the mysterious girl would fuel the light with hope.Andrew smirked as the crowd gasped in awe. He bowed low. “I, Andrew Carlson, offer you my allegiance and my loyalty. I bid for your place as high priestess of the North American Council of Witches. I am a son of both the eastern house and the western, may they see the strength you have borne in your oppression, and the vengeance I know you will cast as a testament to the tides of change. ” He stood and his eyes locked on Sug’s, she held that stare. “Brianna has shown me the world of witches her father sought to join together. I for one share that dream, that all sects of our kind and humans can preside alongside each other in a natural harmo
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 179
Bri“So we have established that a rite was intended to take place, that my mother ordered my familiar killed, and Beckham dealt that blow. Andrew.” Andrew took a tentative step forward. “I ask that you speak only the truth, Andrew here is a victim too, he didn’t have a choice in this either, he was forced to follow his father’s wishes.” Andrew’s gaze looked over the crowd of fearful faces before looking straight at Bri.“I always knew you’d never walk away without justice being served, I am sorry for my part in this and how I treated you over the years. You were once my friend and I hope you can forgive the things I did and overlooked while under the same roof as you.” His eyes raised to the crowd, “I wasn’t much older than Brianna when my father started acting strange and fell under the seductive spell of Lorrain’s promises. Power and dominion. She wants this seat on the council so that she can worm her way into the highest position possible. She’s a compeller and weaves that into h
Heart of the Bayou Beasts Chapter 178
Bri“On the contrary Lorraine, I am very present,” I said, striding before the dais. “I have come to see to it that you do not steal my father’s legacy and poison New Orleans as you did my Papa.” My voice was cold, hard, resolute. In this moment I let the warmth my heart had grown accustomed to leach into the men at my sides. Let her try to get out of this farce she made for herself.“Daughter, you are well,” Lorraine hid her surprise and I laughed darkly.“You do not get to call me daughter, after what you did to me. Allowed to be done to me. The abuse you exposed me to, in hopes you could wield the power I bear.” Beckham stepped forward gritting his teeth, eyes livid.“Child, enough of this nonsense,” Lorraine tried to reason.“You girl, owe us all a debt,” Beckham growled out. “I owe you nothing, if you ever thought I did that's on you.” I seethed. “Your little den of snakes stole everything from me,” I shot back. “You don’t get to pin a scared 14-year-old girl down and force her
