If Luc had to guess, he’d bet the majority of her tirade was made up of swear words. He glanced at Jake, who was staring at him. When she finally ran out of steam, she was standing in the middle of the room glaring at Luc.
“You could have been killed!” she shouted, her eyes pooling with tears.
He was shocked by the emotional outburst. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Both of you were stupid and reckless. You went in their without protection.”
“I had my knife,” Luc countered.
“Not that kind of protection, lame ass.”
“Than what the hell are you talking about?” he hissed.
“Me.”
Insulted, Luc jumped out of his seat and strode across the room. He stared down at her diminutive form. He could rest his chin on her head if he got any closer. “You want to tell me how you could have protected us in that forest, pipsqueak?”
She stared at his chest before her eyes met his. He wasn’t a wimp. He’d been working out faithfully the last few years to make sure he was as strong as possible in case he ever ran into someone from the old gang.
That’s also why he kept his switchblade with him at all times. He hadn’t gone so far that he looked like a damn body builder, but he was pretty much all muscle and could handle himself if he needed to.
She shook her head. “Men.”
Luc crossed his arms over his naked chest. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Let me ask you this. Did all that muscle help you today?”
“That’s not fair. She was using magic.”
“Right. My point exactly. The other night before we went into that swamp I did a protection spell. That’s why no harm came to us in one of the most dangerous places in Louisiana.” She picked up the rooster foot that still hung from Luc’s neck. “This may have helped, but from what you’ve told me, this Bokor is very strong.”
Celestine grabbed Luc by his arms and turned him around. Her loud gasp spoke volumes.
SIXTEEN
“Unadulterated evil,” Celestine said.
Freaked out, Luc stared at Jake across the room, he shook his head. He too was in the dark about her ramblings. “What do you see?”
“You’ve been marked.” Celestine turned Luc so Jake could view his back. “See, three distinct claw marks.”
“I felt my back burning, but so was everything else at the time. It was hard to distinguish what hurt worse,” Luc explained.
“Shit, buddy, I didn’t notice that. I guess I was concentrating on your ass,” Jake said by way of an explanation.
Celestine laughed.
“I meant his shredded jeans,” Jake said sheepishly.
Her hands left Luc’s arms and the heat from her body abated, so he knew she was backing up.
“My God, your skin is so raw you’re bleeding. You need to take these off so I can nurse your wounds.”
Luc spun around and faced her. “I am not taking off my pants in front of you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself. I prefer my lovers older and much more experienced.”
“You know nothing of my experience as a lover. I’d bet I lost my virginity a hell of a lot younger than you.”
“Bully for you. I still don’t go for kids.”
“Oh for Christ’s sake, you’re what, twenty, twenty-one?”
“Twenty-two.”
“Wow, you’re three whole years older than me. Like that makes a big difference.”
Her head tilted. “Well, it is a known fact that women mature faster than men.”
Jake cleared his throat. “And on that note, I’m going to see if I can find you some new clothes. I’ll let you two duke it out here.” He laughed. “Don’t hurt yourselves.” He turned his back on Celestine and wiggled his brows at Luc before he left.
“Good idea,” Celestine said before she grabbed Luc’s arm. “I’ll show you to the bathroom so you can take a shower and clean your wounds the best you can before I take a look at them.”
He let her drag him through the small house. In all honesty, he didn’t see that he had much of a choice. His wounds did need to be attended and he wasn’t about to have Jake’s hands on his bare ass. She all but pushed him into the room and then shoved a towel and washcloth at his stomach, which he latched on to with both hands.
She pulled back on the plastic curtain and revealed a shower/tub combo and pointed to the shelf. “Shampoo, conditioner and soap.” When her gaze met his again, her expression softened. “Just do the best you can.” Then she closed the door behind her.
Luc just stood there looking at the door. Then he remembered the mirror above the sink. He gazed at his reflection. The knife wound wasn’t too bad. He ran his finger over it and turned around.
His head looked over one shoulder, then the next. That’s when he saw the three giant claw marks on his left shoulder blade. They were four or five inches in length and looked deeper than the cut from his blade. Blood and bits of debris had dried in the wounds.
He turned on the water in the shower and regulated the temperature. He knew he didn’t want hot water beating down on his raw skin, but it couldn’t be too cold either. He settled on tepid. He unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down, but they stuck to his ass. “Ow.”
A knock came at the door. “You need help in there?” Celestine asked.
“No. Thank. You.” The words came out clipped, but he couldn’t help it. He held in another groan. He slid his hands between his skin and the fabric, and then went about the task of peeling it away where the blood had dried. He sucked in a breath and continued.
It was slow going. Just as he thought he’d broken the connection, the hair on his ass would get pulled. He finally got his pants down to his thighs. Sweat rolled down his forehead. He didn’t know how he was going to go any further. His legs were much hairier than his butt. “Shit.”
“You’ve been in there a long time. Are you sure you don’t need some help?” Her voice came through the door.
“I’m having issues getting these damn pants off. They’re glued to me and ripping out all my body hair by the roots. How the hell do you women stand to get your legs waxed?”
She giggled. “I could come in there and rip them off like a Band-aid.”
“Hell, I can do that.”
“You’ve been in there for twenty minutes. If you were going to do it, you would have done it by now.”
He clenched his teeth and pushed the pants down to his knees. “Arrgh!” his yell echoed in the tiny room.
“Or, you could just jump in the shower with your pants on. Once the water gets the blood wet again, they should come off easily.”
“Dammit. Why the hell didn’t you suggest that to begin with?”
She laughed again. “You didn’t ask.”
He said every swear word he’d ever learned under his breath, even making up a few more.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that. Would you mind repeating it?” she said sweetly.
“Never mind. Get out of here. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
He could hear her giggles recede as he stepped under the water. Ignoring the lower half of his body, he washed his face, chest and arms before attempting his back. He turned slowly and let the water run down him.
The claw marks burned at first, then desensitized. So he shampooed his hair. He found twigs and dried leaves buried in the tangled mess. Once he felt he got them all out, he followed with conditioner and raked his fingers through it to make sure.
By the time he was finished with all that, the pants did come off easily without the loss of any more skin or hair. He was mad at himself for not thinking of it himself. He lathered up the front of his body first, putting off the worst till last. When he couldn’t procrastinate any longer, he gritted his teeth and lathered up his ass. The soap stung and he washed it off immediately.
He shut down the water. That was as good as it was going to get. He grabbed the towel off the counter and dried his
hair before his body, then wrapped it around his waist. He stepped over the tub and searched the drawers until he could find something to comb out his hair. He settled on a giant afro pick.
When he came out of the bathroom, he was alone. “Hello?”
“In the kitchen,” she called out.
He followed the voice until he found her stirring a large pot on the stove. “That smells good. What is it?”
“Andouille Jambalaya.”
Luc came around the stove and peered into the pot. She was stirring the sausage in with the rice. She spooned up some and gave him a bite. “Mmmm.” He closed his eyes as he chewed. When he opened them again, she appeared to be staring at his towel.
“I’m sorry but it’s not like I had anything else to wear until Jake gets back.”
Her head whipped up and she pinned him with a smokey look that turned into a wide-eyed stare before she turned away.
“Don’t worry about it.” She walked over to the sink and washed off the wooden spoon.
That’s when he realized she wasn’t condemning him for his lack of clothing, but more like appreciating it. That came as a complete shock. He’d been quietly lusting for her since they’d met, but never would have thought the notion had crossed her mind.
If he had any question about it, she’d pretty much shot that down quickly herself not all that long ago. Had she changed her mind, or just hidden her feelings very well? He swore he’d never understand women. She turned back around without so much as a look in his direction, put the lid on the pot and turned off the heat on the stove.
“All right. Follow me.” She came around the counter and passed him by while staring at the floor.
He wondered where she was taking him. They’d just passed a perfectly good couch, so he guessed it was back to the bathroom. But he was wrong. He took a right at the end of the hall, when he turned the corner he ran right into her.
“Sorry,” Luc said.
She glanced over her shoulder with a funny look on her face. He followed her view and realized he was in her bedroom, the bed straight ahead.
SEVENTEEN
Celestine didn’t like her lack of control. It wasn’t like her, not one bit. She’d been angry at Jon-Luc since he’d returned to the shop and claimed not to recognize her. It really hurt her feelings. She remembered him quite well, how the hell could she be so forgettable? She decided he must be lying. Just acting like he was some hot number that had met so many girls he couldn’t remember them all.
She vowed then and there she wouldn’t be one of them. Then he surprised her that night at the swamp. She spied a glimpse into his soul and realized that he might act all tough on the outside, but inside he was still that little boy, lost and confused. So she gave him some slack, but the moment she got home, she rebuilt her defenses.
Then in he walked tonight with that hideous tale and all she could think of was what might have happened to him. She had lost it, simply lost it. She was so angry she almost hit him and wouldn’t he have just loved that, a woman losing her shit all over him. She thanked the spirits she didn’t actually cry like she wanted to.
She was so damned livid; she hadn’t really gotten a good look at him. In her defense, he was covered in dirt and blood. All she could think about at the time were his injuries. But the moment she did see him, really see him, he was wearing nothing but a towel. Holy moly, he was not a kid anymore.
His long black hair reached down past his shoulders and was combed back, bringing out his chiseled features. She watched as a drop of water ran from one side of his hair down his sculpted chest and stopped on his right nipple. She had the overwhelming urge to lap it up. She took advantage of his closed eyes to continue her assessment.
His stomach was tight, his legs were long and sinewy. Her eyes roamed back up his body and had just landed on the bulge in his towel when he spoke. Her eyes flew up to his face. She’d quickly turned away to recover when she realized what he was saying. He thought she was offended. That was good, she’d go with that.
Celestine couldn’t ignore her attraction to him any longer, but she swore he’d never know. After the minor slip in the kitchen, she decided to act like a rock. Show no emotion. After her attitude adjustment, she continued on with her original plan.
That’s how she found herself standing in the doorway of her room staring at the bed. Crap. Not the best idea she’d ever had with everything considered. Where the hell was Jake? He sure was taking a long time. Jon-Luc ran right into her and apologized. To be fair, she did stop short just inside the door. Think fast. She continued into the room, pretending she had no misgivings.
“Okay, lay face down on the bed. I have a special salve that will take the pain away while you heal.”
He stared at her, then the bed, and shrugged. He dropped the wet towel on the floor and lay down on his stomach. She swallowed as she stared at the naked body on her bed. She turned away and grabbed the jar off the nightstand and focused on his injuries. She scooped a thick amount of the viscous ointment and began applying it to his derriere. He sucked in a big breath.
She cringed. He appeared to be missing several layers of skin; the angry red area was swelling up with blisters. “I’m sorry. I’m sure it hurts, but if we leave it alone it could get infected.”
“It’s fine,” he said through clenched teeth. “Just be as quick as you can.”
“I’ll do my best.” She tried to ignore his obvious pain and slathered on the salve as quickly as possible. When she was finished, she got off the bed. “I’ll be right back.” She collected the items she needed from the bathroom before she returned.
After covering the areas with gauze and tape, she grabbed the towel from the floor and held it up where he could see it. “I’ll step out while you roll over and cover yourself. Call me back when you’re ready.”
She waited just outside the door for the all clear, but it was forever in coming. She knocked. “Are you okay in there?”
“Just a minute.”
She leaned back against the door.
“Okay,” he shouted.
When she opened the door, she spied him lying on his back, the towel draped over his private parts.
“Sorry it took so long, it hurts to lie on my back.”
She glanced at his face. “That’s understandable.” She turned away quickly as she snatched up the jar again. It was hard to see him in such a vulnerable state.
She administered the salve to the cut on his shoulder, and then covered it as well to keep it from rubbing off. “We’ll need to reapply this tomorrow.”
“What is it?” he asked.
“It’s a special blend of herbs and oils my grandmere makes. It will help you to heal faster.”
“Thank her for me.”
“I will.” But this time when she gazed into his soft golden eyes, she couldn’t turn away. It was as if she were hypnotized; there was a gravitational pull that defied all logic. She leaned down and kissed him. His lips were soft, his five o’clock shadow scratchy, but she didn’t mind.
She pulled away, wondering what the hell she was doing. He placed his hands on either side of her face and eased her back down. She went willingly. It was as if she had no control. All her defenses had fled.
His eyes smoldered as he claimed her mouth. The tender kiss became passionate and she found herself being pulled onto the bed beside him. She wanted nothing more than to be next to him, touching him in any and every way possible. He ravaged her lips, and then her tongue in a way she’d never experienced. Her juices flowed, her muscles ached for him to be inside her.
She held back a giggle as she remembered calling him an inexperienced boy. He wrapped her in his arms and rolled on top of her, the towel long forgotten as his erection pressed against her belly. It turned her on even more. He nibbled her neck and followed up with tiny kisses.
He untied the spaghetti straps of her dress and pushed it down. His warm mouth captured her nipple. He nipped and sucked until she moaned before he moved over t
o her other breast. Soon kisses trailed down her belly, pushing the fabric out of the way until he’d removed the dress and her panties in one swift motion. She spread her legs to give him better access.
His hands started from the tops of her feet, moving up her calves and then her thighs before they landed in her thatch of kinky hair. His fingers were driving her wild.
“Cher, do you have protection?”
Her mind was a bit preoccupied and it took her a little bit before she understood what he was asking. “Oh,” it came out a moan. “I’m on the pill,” she exhaled the words.
Her orgasm built until she was just about to… Abruptly his fingers disappeared. Her eyes shot open and she found herself gazing into his amazing amber eyes. They appeared to be on fire. He drove his cock deep within her and she swore her eyes rolled back in her head.
His thrusts were strong and steady. Before she knew it, an incredible orgasm flooded her body. She screamed and bucked her release. A sexy, lopsided grin appeared on his face before his eyes closed and he came himself. He collapsed on top of her. “You are so beautiful, cher,” he whispered into her ear. His deep voice sent shivers throughout her body. He eased off and lay beside her.
“I take back what I said,” Celestine murmured.
His brows furrowed. “And which comment would that be?”
“You are a wonderful lover, but I don’t understand how one so young could be so …knowledgeable.”
“Ah.” He stroked her check with his knuckle. “You want to know my deep dark secret.”
She thought about it, but her decision came quickly. “Yes, I guess I do.”
Luc eased onto his back and stared at the ceiling. She wondered what was going through his mind. She suddenly regretted the question. “Never mind. You don’t need to answer.”
“Her name was Ruby,” he said without eye contact. He seemed a million miles away.
Celestine shifted onto her side and rested her head on her hand while she awaited the tale.
“She took a shine to me,” he said dreamily.
“How old were you?”
Spirits of the Bayou Page 11