RICHIE: New Orleans Wolf Shifters with plus sized BBW for mates (Le Beau Series Book 6)

by V. A. Dold

  “You’re right, I got a little side tracked. Shifters have royalty, a king and queen. Our king, Isaac, is a direct descendant of the original shifters created. His mate, our queen is Emma. I think you’ll really like her.

  “She was a gypsy from the old country a couple hundred years ago, and when she settled here with Isaac she added voodoo to her magical talents. Her power is off the charts. She is the main healer for the shifters and the local humans, using natural herbs and crystals and such. She comes off kind of ditzy sometimes, but I think she does it on purpose. I’ve seen her do things that would curl your hair, but she prefers to be benevolent and kind.

  “Cade, their oldest son is their investment advisor and has amassed a huge fortune for the family. They are billionaires several times over, but you would never know it. They act like everyone else in the bayou, friendly and helpful never snooty or pompous.

  “The king owns the airplane and airstrip, I just borrowed it.”

  “Holy crow.”

  “Yeah, accumulating wealth tends to happen when you live a long time.” Richie winked.

  Piper’s eyes grew large. “What do you mean, live a long time?”

  Richie gave her a good long look. “Are you sure you’re ready to hear more?”

  “There’s no way I’ll sleep tonight wondering what that statement meant, so you better tell me.”

  “Okay, scoot over close to me so I can hold you while I tell you the rest.”

  The way Piper smiled and snuggled closer, she looked like a little girl ready for a bedtime story.

  “A shifter isn’t immortal, but we do live a long time. A normal lifespan is fourteen hundred years. At maturity, we appear to be around twenty-five to thirty years old and we remain that way until we are about nine hundred years old, and then we start to slowly age again. I was born on July twenty-third, eighteen sixty-six. I turned one hundred forty nine this year.

  “When a human completes the ritual with a shifter, if the human is past thirty, they go through a regression of sorts where their body returns to the way they were in their mid to late twenties. Anna, who you just met was in her forties and had a pretty dramatic regression. I know better than to ask a woman her age, but I’m guessing you’re around thirty so you may not have to go through much of a regression.”

  Piper laid her cheek against his chest and played with the front of Richie’s T-shirt. “Thank you for the compliment. I’m actually thirty-five. That’s pretty old for a female bounty hunter and another reason I’m retiring. Age and wanting to start a family are my two big factors. It would be difficult to chase a perp down if you’re nine months pregnant. Not that I have a husband to start a family with. I learned really early on, it’s hard to maintain a relationship if I’m never home. Getting a nine to five job and finding a husband was my goal after I caught Qball.”

  “What are your goals now?” Richie asked quietly and held his breath.

  “To catch Qball and get to know you,” she said matter-of-factly.

  “Good answer,” he said into her hair as he breathed her in.

  “How do shifters stay hidden from the world if they live so long? Someone is bound to notice.”

  “It’s a combination of the magic which allows us to appear to age for the benefit of humans as well as making people believe we are our own descendants. After a normal human lifetime, a descendent inherits the property and investments we have. Of course, this person is actually just us pretending to be our own relatives. Since the invention of computers, it’s much easier to get into public records and manipulate identifications or create new ones. Isaac has a hacker on payroll and all he does is maintain shifter identities.”

  “If you’re over one hundred years old, you must have had at least one other name.”

  He smiled, and rubbed his chin across the top of her head. “Yes, I was born Raoul. I faked my death and left the area for about twenty years, then came back with a new identity.”

  She raised her head and studied his face, then nodded. “You look like a Raoul. The name suited you, you should take it back for your next alias.”

  “Good idea, I think I will. I liked that name.”

  She laughed and flashed him a smile.

  Damn, she had a killer smile that made his heart race. He watched as her eyes went soft and inviting. As if touched by a tuning fork, her laugh vibrated through his body. It wrapped around his heart and made his wolf sing with joy.

  Richie’s focus centered on Piper’s beautiful face. With each breath he inhaled, her unique bouquet filled his lungs. Wherever her hair brushed his skin, tingles rose. He moistened his lips and quietly said, “Kiss me, Piper.”

  The request was spoken so softly Piper almost missed it, but her mind registered the words as her heart and soul filled with his longing and love. Without hesitation, she slid her palm around his neck and urged him toward her parted lips, pressed her mouth to his, gliding her tongue into his warm welcoming depths.

  Heat and erotic energy flashed from her to him and back, sending all the blood from his brain straight to his groin. His breathing became ragged and he held on to his control by a bare thread. He slowly pulled his lips away and pressed his forehead to hers. “I need a moment if you plan to ask any more questions. Mon amour, you destroy my control like nothing else can.”

  She grinned playfully and brushed her lips across his jaw. “I didn't know my kisses made such an impact.”

  “Impact is an insipid description of the way your kisses affect me.”

  Piper looked up at him, feeling flirtatious and mischievous, and heard him exhale a breath. The air left his lungs in a rush. He gripped her shoulders to put a few inches between them. “You are one hell of a dangerous woman, Piper.”

  “I’m only intimately dangerous to you,” she said, repeating his words from the wedding dance.

  “Touché.”

  She slipped her hand from his neck to rest on his chest and held it there, wanting the connection. Anna was right, she was falling hopelessly in love with him. Surprisingly, the depth of the emotion wasn’t as alarming as she had expected.

  “I don’t have any more questions right now, but I would like a tour of your property so the next time I take a walk I don’t get lost. That is, after you kiss me again, of course.”

  Richie wanted nothing more than to kiss her again. He didn’t just want to kiss her, he had to kiss her. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

  He slipped his arm around her waist and hauled her onto his lap. Piper squeaked, but she didn’t complain when his mouth came down on hers. He kissed her as if his life depended on it. His tongue plundered and explored her mouth hungrily, dancing and sliding along hers. She tasted exactly like she smelled.

  They devoured each other until air became a priority. He broke the kiss, his body hard as a rock, and out of breath. “I love you, Piper. I’ve never wanted anyone as badly as I want you. Not just in my bed, but by my side for the rest of my life. I want to hold you as you fall to sleep every night and wake up next to you every morning,” he panted in a husky voice.

  Piper remained silent for what felt like an eternity. Her eyes searching his face, and gazing deeply into his own as if she could see clear to his soul. She took a deep breath, taking his scent deeply into her lungs. “I never thought I would say this only days after meeting a man, but I love you, too. It scares the daylights out of me. Thankfully, Anna explained feeling this way is normal for mates, but I’m doing my best to not freak out.”

  “You’re right. The intense emotions you’re experiencing are normal. I feel your confusion, and as much, as I hate to say it, we should spend the remainder of today getting to know each other rather than falling into bed.”

  She covered her mouth with her hand and tried to suppress a giggle. “Wow, I bet it really hurt to say that.”

  He rose from the couch and held out a hand. “Cher, you have no idea. Come on, let me show you around the place.”

  Richie owned ten acres, which felt like
a heck of a lot more when wading through bayou brush. And it was stifling with such little air movement in the dense foliage. He noticed she was breathing hard in the heat and humidity. She wasn’t acclimated to the life in the bayou.

  “Do you see that snake over there?” He pointed to a multicolored snake in the brush. “That’s a Texas coral snake, you want to avoid those. There are also rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads around here so be careful where you step and what you touch.”

  “All the snakes kind of take the fun out of exploring. I have to tell you, I’m not a fan.”

  “If you keep to the paths or game trails, and watch yourself, you’ll be fine,” he instructed, as he showed her every available option. He didn’t want to take any chance of her wandering off or getting bit.

  “Holy crow, this is a workout.”

  “I’m sorry, cher. Just a little further and we will be back at the yard.”

  “Awesome,” she panted.

  True to his word, they stepped onto his manicured lawn a minute later. “Let me get you a bottle of water and then, why don’t you cool off on the pier while I make dinner? You can catch a nice breeze down there.”

  “That sounds like heaven, thank you.” She accepted the water, gave him a kiss and headed for the pier.

  Richie watched her until she was settled then turned to the task at hand. His mate needed sustenance and he and his wolf longed to care for her. He opened the freezer and took stock of what he had on hand. Steak or chicken? Steak with baked potatoes and a salad sounded perfect. He had a tasty red wine to go with it, too. He grinned to himself as he thawed the beef recalling the last time she had wine. She was adorable when she was tipsy.

  He wanted her glued to his side, but at the same time, he wanted her to love the bayou as much as he did. That was why he sent her to the river instead of keeping her with him in the cabin. If she found the peace she so desperately wanted here, she just might stay. He would go with her wherever she chose to live, though he prayed she would agree to live here after they completed the ritual.

  *****

  Qball checked his hand held tracker. She was here. Based on the blip on the screen, she was just around the bend. He glanced at the black murky water. There wasn’t a gator in sight. As a matter of fact, he hadn’t seen one for over a mile. He wasn’t sure why there weren’t any here when they seem to be plentiful everywhere else, but it worked to his advantage so he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

  Quietly, he worked the boat he’d stolen toward the water’s edge and tied it to a low hanging branch. He set the tracker aside and stripped off his shoes and socks, no need to get them wet. Then he went into the water and quietly swam toward his quarry, keeping close to the edge where he could stay out of sight.

  As he rounded the bend he spied her on the end of the dock with her feet in the water. He wanted to laugh. The bitch was making this too easy. He inched his way along, staying under low hanging branches and hiding in the floating plants. Just a few more feet and he would be able to grab her ankle.

  *****

  Piper swished her feet back and forth feeling the water flow across her heated skin. The coolness felt wonderful and helped her relax and think. If she weren’t afraid of what might lurk under the surface, she’d dive in. She took another sip of water and enjoyed the view. The beauty of the bayou surprised her. She had spent her life as a city girl and hadn’t given this part of the country much consideration.

  Her mind wandered to Richie and her future. Could she commit to one man for hundreds of years? God, she hoped she could. The intense feelings and attraction were terrifying. Even as she stared at the water her thoughts turned to him in the cabin and she found she wanted to jump up and run back. No, she would stay put, she couldn’t think straight when she was close to him.

  Okay, Piper, what are you going to do? she asked herself.

  Pros and cons, she needed to weigh her options. She had never met a sexier man or had a better lover. Check and check. She enjoyed his company and he made her laugh, more checks. He didn’t pressure her to be something she wasn’t or try to change her. And if she was really going to be honest with herself, she loved his cabin. Although, it could use a few more bedrooms. She was shocked when she realized she could see herself settling down and having children with Richie.

  Her heart hammered in her chest, there had to be negatives. She searched her mind and came up with nothing. She had nothing. Damn, Anna was right, he was perfect for her. She needed to hear the rest of what Richie had to say about shifters and that ritual before she made a final decision.

  She was lifting her feet from the water when something latched onto her ankle. Before she could scream, she was yanked from the dock. Terrified a gator had gotten her, she lashed out thrashing to get free. When that didn’t work, she balled her fist and pounded on what had a grip on her. That was when it dawned on her, it wasn’t a gator’s jaws that held her under the surface, it was a hand.

  A solid kick with her free leg loosened the hold on her and she broke the surface coughing and gasping for breath. Before she could escape to shore, she was grabbed from behind and pulled under again.

  The case file she’d read said Qball wasn’t the best swimmer by any means, but he was determined. Add insanity to that and she had a fight on her hands. He wouldn’t let her escape if he could help it. She was preparing an offensive when he seized a fist full of hair. He pushed her further under using his body weight, but she was strong and had trained for water combat.

  Piper struggled under the water. If she lost a chunk of hair so be it, Qball was going down. She twisted and wedged her feet against the body of her attacker. Mustering all her strength, she pushed with her well-developed thigh muscles. Her scalp burned and it hurt like a mother, but she was free again. This time when she broke the surface she faced the asshat and gasped. Qball sneered and went for her again.

  Too slow.

  She was ready this time. Her feet were planted and she put everything she had into the punch. Qball’s head lurched on his shoulders an instant before he crumbled into the black, churning river. Piper reached for him, but her hands found nothing but water. Carefully, she felt around with her feet, he had to be here somewhere. Nothing. He’d gone down, literally at her feet. How the hell could he not be there? She dove under and continued to search.

  *****

  Mid chop of the salad Richie was preparing, he went rigid. A vision overtook him and held him in its grip. Piper was being attacked. Qball was here. He came out of the vision in a cold sweat and rushed from the cabin.

  He smelled the intruder the instant he cleared the door. The scent of Piper’s fear was heavy in the air. When he didn’t see her on the pier, he panicked. The water boiled and churned as if a gator rolled with its prey below the surface. Richie dove in blind, unsure what he would find.

  A body banged against his legs. Thinking it was Piper, he grabbed hold of what felt like a shirt and tried to pull it to the surface. The rough cotton yanked from his grasp. He meant to suck in a breath and dive again, but when he opened his eyes, Piper stood before him searching the water.

  She hadn’t seen him yet and continued to search for him below the surface. “He’s here somewhere, dammit.”

  “Piper! Thank goddess, I thought I’d lost you.” He yanked her into his arms and buried his face in her hair.

  He held her tightly as she struggled to get free, running his free hand down the length of her hair. When she flinched, he pulled back to examine her. “Where are you hurt?”

  Instead of answering his question she pulled away and began searching again. “Don’t worry about me. We need to find Qball’s body.”

  “His body? You killed him?” Richie asked as he helped her locate her bounty.

  “No, I wish I had. I only knocked him out. He went under and I can’t find him. I need to retrieve the body.”

  Then it dawned on him, the shirt he’d had hold of must have been Qball’s. “I’m pretty sure he’s gon
e, Piper.”

  She paused and turned to stare at him. “What? How?”

  “I felt a cotton shirt when I dove in and it was yanked out of my hand. I’m pretty sure it was him making an escape.”

  He took a deep breath and smelled the water and the air for a sign of Qball.

  “What are you doing?” she asked as she watched him breathe in and out with an expression of total concentration on his face.

  “Smelling for him. He’s no longer here, his scent has dissipated.”

  “Well, shit.” Qball getting away again really burned her ass and that stuck in her craw something fierce.

  “Come on, I want to get you cleaned up and check you for injuries.” He heaved his heavy frame from the water and gave her a hand onto the pier.

  Now that she was on a dry surface, he couldn’t see any gaping wounds. That was a good sign. “Anything broken?”

  “No. The little bastard didn’t get a chance to do much damage.”

  His brows drew together and his breath caught in his chest. “Then why do I smell blood?”

  She reached for the back of her head. “The asshat ripped out some of my hair, my head burns like crazy. That bastard fights like a girl. I hope it grows back. The last thing I want is a freaky bald spot that makes me look like a monk.”

  He took her by the shoulders and turned her. “Let me take a look.”

  “Is it bad?”

  “Not too bad. I think it will heal and be fine. Besides, even if it didn’t grow back, you wouldn’t have a bald spot after the ritual.”

  She turned back. “Really? Why?”

  “I’ve been thinking about it and I’m convinced you’ll go through a minor conversion. Only a few years younger than you are now. Regardless, anything that’s happened since you turned about twenty five will be reversed as if it never occurred.”

  “So the scar I have from a knife wound I received last year will be gone?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He led her way from the pier and toward the cabin. “Was it a bad injury? If so, that will be painful when it heals during the conversion.”