by V. A. Dold
As they strolled toward Canal Street, Richie spotted Café Beignet. “Would you like a Café au lait, or are you caffeined out?
“Yes, please! I’m dying to try one.”
“They have beignet’s too, if you care to try them?”
She grinned brightly. “Even better!”
By the time they’d walked up and down Royal Street it was only late morning. There was still time for a brunch cocktail.
“Let’s head toward the Oyster Festival on Decatur Street. We can stop for Bloody Marys at Pierre Maspero’s and check out their menu for dinner later.
They strolled slowly and still it only took them a few minutes to reach the restaurant. The waiter placed their drinks on the table and Piper took a sip of her cocktail of gigantic proportions, and moaned, “Mmm, this is the best Bloody Mary I’ve ever had!”
“I thought you’d enjoy it. Out of all the bars in the city, this is where I come for a Bloody Mary. Don’t tell my manager,” he whispered and leaned forward to kiss her sweetly.
He grinned as Piper studiously read her menu. “If we come back for dinner, I think I’ll have the Red Beans and Rice with andouille and alligator sausage.”
“That sounds good. I’ll get the Shrimp and Grits and we can share. That way you can try more than one thing.”
“Thanks, Richie. That’s very sweet.”
They finished their drinks and slowly strolled toward their destination, the parking lot of Jax brewery. The Oyster Festival would be in full swing by the time they got there.
At first, Richie tried to get them beers at one of the tents, but the line was twenty people deep. He looked over his shoulder at the entrance to the Brewhouse a half block down, where only a few people waited.
“Cher, let’s get a beer at my bar and I’ll introduce you to my friends.”
“Okay, I’d love to see where you work. Give me a minute to check the area.” Richie helped her search the crowd for Qball’s face. So far, nothing.
When they walked through the open double doors of the restaurant, you would swear royalty had entered the building. Everyone seemed to know him.
Hellos and nice to meet yous were repeated several times before they each held a beer to go and headed back.
“Wow, popular much?” Piper teased him as they walked back to the festival.
“Naw, I’ve just worked there a long time, so a lot of people know me.”
They had been enjoying the live music for a while when Richie suggested a walk along the river at Woldenberg Park. They had walked for about a block when he stiffened. His eyes glazed over in a far off stare.
“Richie? Are you all right?” Piper asked with worry in her voice.
He didn’t answer. Didn’t blink. Just stared into nothingness.
Richie was trapped in the vision of Piper again. He saw both him and Piper in what looked like an old burned out building. They were on the ground floor. He could see vehicles outside the empty gaping holes that used to be windows. It was incredibly dark, making it hard to identify where the vision was taking place. Add to that, all of the debris scattered throughout the space, and he couldn’t see much. But he heard a scuffling sound and heavy breathing.
The entire vision played out and ended once again with him watching in horror, as a man he assumed was Qball, stood and fired. Piper was thrown sideways to the ground with a gaping gunshot wound over her left breast. The light faded from her eyes and her last breath left her lungs.
Why was he being forced to watch his mate die again? He never saw the same vision twice. Frantic to get the horrifying picture out of his mind, he shook his head and struggled to breathe. His heart was crushed in a vise and his lungs refused to work. Fraught with fear, he needed to assure himself she was actually alive and still with him. He hauled her against his chest and held her tightly.
Piper let out an “umph.”
He couldn’t speak he was so shaken. After a long minute, he took a shaky breath and buried his nose in her hair.
“Never leave me, Piper,” he choked out.
“I wasn’t planning on going anywhere. What just happened to you?”
“A bad dream. A really, really bad dream I will never allow to happen.”
After several more minutes, Richie loosened his hold and allowed Piper to step away. It was one of the hardest things he’d ever done and his wolf didn’t like it one bit. “Let’s walk a bit more, then I’ll take you to Bourbon Street for a stroll before dinner. We can try out one of the rickshaw bikes.”
“Okay. But are you sure you’re all right? You’re still very pale.”
“Yes, cher. I’m fine.” The last thing he wanted to say out loud – EVER was that he’d seen her death in a vision. Some days his gift sucked gophers.
They turned away from the quiet of the river at Bienville Street and slowly walked toward the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter. Piper had only taken a few steps when she grabbed Richie’s arm and hissed through unmoving lips, “Qball - eleven o’clock.”
Richie gave her an almost imperceptible nod and continued to walk. They gave no indication of knowing he was there, yet something spooked Qball. He took off like the hounds of hell were on his tail.
Piper tore after him, never letting him leave her sight. Richie easily paced beside her. She may want to take Qball down, but he needed to ensure she survived the ordeal.
Thankfully, it was a short chase or she may have lost him in the crowd. A half block down, Qball ducked inside a burned out four story building that was under construction after years of neglect on the parking lot by N. Front Street and Bienville Street.
Unnecessarily, Richie pulled her to a stop as if she would charge blindly into the building. Apparently he didn’t understand, she was a seasoned hunter, she knew better than to do that.
Annoyed, she frowned at him, but didn’t give her position away by speaking. She took advantage of the deep shadows just inside the gaping vacant doorway to look and listen. Nothing stirred.
Piper, promise me you’ll be careful and not do anything foolish. You’re a professional and I know you will put personal safety above anything else including catching this bastard. If you can’t take a shot from a safe position, please don’t behave rashly.
She scowled at him. I know how to do my job.
Richie’s wolf tore at him. Raging to protect their mate. The beast wanted to drag her way from the building and lock her in a padded room where she would always be safe.
He wanted that too, but doing that would cause his vision to reach its ultimate conclusion in another fashion. One he wouldn’t be prepared for. He agonized over letting her enter the building, but this was the only way he could ensure his chance at keeping her alive.
With one last push, he forced his wolf into submission and locked his fear away. He needed to focus everything on his mate and remove emotions from the equation. He was terrified his plan wouldn’t work. With his mate facing her unknown death, he decided in that moment if he didn’t succeed, he would follow her into the beyond. He didn’t want to live without her. That left only one option, he had to save Piper.
Determinedly, Richie took point and silently moved forward a few feet into a pocket of cover created by a pile of pallets and burned timbers.
He cocked his head to listen. His muscles were bunched and tense, ready to explode into movement when the need presented itself.
Without looking, he knew when she quietly joined him, and after several long minutes when silence continued to reign, he felt her impatience and knew by the shifting of her weight from one foot to the other she meant to move further into the structure.
With his shifter speed, he snaked a hand out and stopped her. Use your gift before you move.
He watched her closely as she slowly studied a ten-foot area around them, any further than that and it was too dark for a human to see. He did a search of his own. Nothing. That could be good or bad. They had no way of knowing what Qball’s line of sight was. If she tried to move, he might se
e her without her knowing she’d given away her position. That was too risky.
I checked the immediate area and didn’t see him. He must be further in. Do you think he found a way to an upper floor?
Richie gave the structure a closer look. The fire had burned out the entire interior. From what he could see, there wasn’t a staircase leading to the upper floors, but if Qball slipped out a window, he could utilize the scaffolding. No, he would have heard soled shoes on metal. He hadn’t gone up.
Unless he escaped out a window, he’s here somewhere on this level. I’m going to work my way to the pallets on our left. Stay here until I have a chance to test the position.
Test the position? Are you using yourself as bait?
Richie didn’t respond to her outrage. Of course, he was the bait. He was a shifter, she a human. His odds of surviving an attack were ten times greater.
Piper wanted to smack him. The aggravating man had no sense of survival. She watched as he shifted to wolf and silently crawled on his belly. She knew his heart rate remained slow and steady, because she felt each beat as her heart tried to match his. His breathing was relaxed. The man had nerves of steel. He could have been lying on his dock at the cabin, taking a nap for all the lack of stress he exhibited. For the first time, she saw Richie for what he was, a deadly predator.
Damn, that’s hot.
Piper gradually slipped from protective cover, making slow, smooth movements so as not to draw the eye.
What are you doing? Are you trying to get killed? Move your ass before you get yourself shot! he snarled into her mind.
His anger and lack of confidence in her abilities amused her. She didn’t rush to heed his demand, but continued in her well-honed manner of moving silently. Three carefully placed, extremely slow steps and she hunkered down behind his cover. She grinned triumphantly. Happy now?
Abruptly the smile left her face as she glanced through charred slats toward the sound of gravel underfoot. Qball was nearby—and on the move.
She tensed to rise and track Qball. She needed to flank him. Before she could move she felt Richie’s warning hand on her arm.
Wait for him to take cover. We might be able to pinpoint his position without giving ours away.
She nodded and relaxed back on her heels to wait. About twenty seconds later, silence filled the dark interior again.
Piper, he’s behind the metal door leaning against a pile of debris. Can you see him?
No.
From the angle of his cover, we can move to our left without being seen unless he raises his head above his hidey-hole. I’ll cover you while you make your way over there. Once there, verify there’s room for both of us. I won’t have you separated from me. Understand?
She did the equivalent of a telepathic eye roll and growled. Got it, O’ Bossy one.
Damn, her confidence and ability to tease him under pressure was sexy as hell. Who knew a warrior woman would be such a turn on? And she’d sexy growled at him. SEXY GROWLED in the middle of a life-threatening situation.
He heard Piper giggle in his mind as her body tensed to make her move.
Richie mentally gave her a snort and patted her ass quietly. Behave yourself.
She’d just made cover and signaled him to follow, when Richie heard Qball on the move. It was now or never. Dammit, this could be it and they were separated again. Richie used his shifter speed to close the space between himself and Piper.
He steadied the mountain of pallets they hid behind. In his haste, he’d almost sent the entire pile to the ground. Do you have his location?
Of course.
He smiled at her cool, almost bored attitude. Where?
Seven feet left of where he was before. He seems to be working his way toward the entrance so he can make a break for it.
Right. Okay, I’m getting back up. We need someone to watch that door in case he gets past us.
Piper frowned at him. Who?
I know some people he grinned as he sent a text and pocketed his phone.
*****
Nick, I have a situation at the burned out building on the parking lot at N. Front Street and Bienville. Please come immediately.
His fingers moved with such speed over the screen of his smartphone, it took but a second to type the text. A heartbeat later, it vibrated with a response.
Help is on the way, he whispered in her mind.
Richie knew Nick was rushing toward his location and would more than likely have Derick with him. The vampires were Rose’s brothers for all intents and purposes. When he’d first met them, they’d been called, Jack & Michael. But with their conversion from human to vampire, their human existence was no more and as such they’d taken on new identities. Once changed, the new vampire had one year to create a new identity. It was the way of the vampire.
Technically, all human ties, including familial were cut and ceased to exist. Nick and Derick were an anomaly since their only family was a shifter. Etienne, the vampire king, allowed the relationship to continue since humans weren’t involved. No other vampire in history had ever been allowed ties to their previous existence that Richie knew of.
His phone silently vibrated in his hand again.
We’re outside, what do you need us to do? Nick sent.
Guard the door. There’s a man in here that needs capturing and he’s attempting to escape.
We will take care of it. He won’t get past us.
While he’d been texting he knew Piper hadn’t moved her eyes off the last position Qball had taken. What the devil was he trying to accomplish? It had been sometime since he’d moved or made a sound. If his goal was to kill Piper, what was he waiting for?
He handed his phone to Piper and kept watch on Qball while she read the text conversation. She glanced at him and nodded once as she handed it back to him.
I’m going to use my gift. I need to get a look at his position.
Richie had every sense he possessed on high alert. Piper was doing her out of body experience in the middle of a deadly situation. This was more danger than his wolf could stand. The beast fought to surface and protect its mate, but Richie held it in check. From the fierce pain he was in, his guts were shredded.
Piper’s patience was at an end. If Qball wasn’t going to make a move, she would. With a determined expression, she took Richie’s hand, closed her eyes and sent herself out to find out what Qball was up to.
Her invisible self, floated across the space to peer around the barrier Qball hunkered behind. He was there, sweating like a pig and fumbling with his gun. It looked like the piece wasn’t working right, as if it was jammed.
She floated closer for a better look. Qball’s lips were drawn tight, and his breathing was harsh. He was obviously, panicking. This was her chance to take him. With his unusable weapon she had the advantage.
Chapter 13
To Richie’s horror, Piper suddenly stood, stepped from behind their cover, and began walking across the room. You would have thought she was on a Sunday stroll instead of taking down an armed serial killer.
He scrambled to catch up to her. This was too close to his vision for comfort. They were a few feet away from Qball’s foxhole when he feared his nightmare was about to play out in real-time.
Using his heightened shifter senses he listened. He heard humanity on the sidewalk, distant music playing, a car horn honk…and the rasp of metal on metal followed by a snick. The distinctive sound of a gun being cocked.
Richie’s body tensed, heart stopped, and lungs burned from lack of oxygen. He’d never been more petrified, or had more to lose in his life. He didn’t doubt the vision he’d had or his shifter speed. What terrified him was the uncertainty he could change Piper’s fate.
He’d never successfully thwarted fate, and not from lack of trying. He prayed this would be the first time. Forcing a ragged breath, he watched every twitch and shift of her body posture, waiting for what he knew was about to happen. She would shift right to skirt the pallets as Qball rose and
fired. He would have to intercede at precisely the right moment.
He blinked, and there it was. Piper shifted her weight to take that fateful step. As if in slow motion, the top of Qball’s head appeared above his hidey-hole. As she turned right, Qball’s arm came up, and Richie launched his body in front of her. The last thing he heard was the bullet exploding from the gun.
Piper caught his movement out of the corner of her eye and turned as his body jerked, the air whooshed from his lungs, and he slumped into her arms.
Qball locked shocked gazes with her. It was plain as day, he’d thought he’d had her that time. The crease in his brow spoke of his confusion as to how Richie had gotten in front of the bullet. What he’d seen wasn’t humanly possible, but then he didn’t know Richie wasn’t human. It was a few seconds before he gathered his wit’s to take another shot.
Piper used those precious heartbeats to leverage Richie against her chest and work her right hand free to return fire. Qball recoiled and her bullet went wide, finding purchase in his shoulder. She’d been aiming for his heart. It was the first time she’d ever gone for a kill shot, but dammit, he’d shot Richie!
The hit spun Qball to the floor and out of sight. Shit. She loaded another round and readied for him.
The gunfire drew Nick and Derick from their position. One second they were leaning on the brick opening and the next they were there. She had no idea who was who, but they were definitely her allies.
“Secure that bastard!” the one snarled at the other, his guttural, angry tone contradicting the gentleness by which he wrapped an arm around Richie to help prop him up as they headed for the door.
Richie moistened his lips and looked down at Piper’s lovely face. What’s wrong, cher? You look so worried.
Don’t try to talk. You’re going to be fine. You have to be fine.
Subconsciously, he knew he’d been hit. Hell, he’d expected it. That was the plan. But the pain had yet to register with his brain, and his inability to focus his thoughts confused him.