by VA Dold
Richie glanced from them to the body. “Do you want me to start hauling wood from the car?”
“Yes. While you do that, Sara and I will collect more from the woods. We need to leave nothing but ash behind.”
Several hours later, the funeral pyre was no more than a few glowing embers.
Seth kicked dirt over the ashes to ensure it was out and the evidence was hidden. Then he took Sara’s hand. “Let’s go home.”
“I need a shower,” Richie said and headed for the guest bathroom, no doubt giving them privacy.
Seth took Sara’s hand and led her to the couch. He pulled her down onto his lap and snuggled her close.
With everyone lost in thought over what happened, it was a long silent ride back to Seth’s house.
“Thank you for taking the sword. After what Paul said. What he revealed. I couldn’t do it. Poor Paul.” She shook her head. “What he endured. It breaks my heart.”
“Whoever this Benevolent Sovereign is, needs to pay for what they’ve done.”
She gazed at him, sadness in her weary eyes. “You have to figure out who he is first.”
He lifted his hand to smooth his fingers over her cheek. “True. I’ll talk to my father. Tell him everything Paul said and see if he has any additional information.”
They sat like that for several long minutes. Content to hold one another. Then Seth heard the shower shut off. “You’re tired and dirty from the hunt. Take a nice hot shower, and I’ll rustle up something for dinner.”
Sara sat up and kissed his cheek. “That sounds like a really good idea.”
He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers in a gentle kiss. “Take your time.”
She got to her feet and gazed down at him. “I love you, Seth.”
“I love you, too.”
Seth was pulling steaks out of the fridge when Richie walked in toweling his hair.
“Want some help?”
“Sure, wash the potatoes.”
Richie worked at the sink quietly for a minute then asked, “How’s she doing?”
“Pretty good, all things considered.”
Richie nodded. “That Benevolent Sovereign is some kind of evil piece of work. That’s the second time that bastard has reared his ugly head.”
Seth turned from the stove where he was preparing the steaks. “What do you know?”
Richie shrugged. “Not much. Only that whoever he is, he’s working with the swampers and after the throne.”
“And apparently is either extremely powerful or has friends who are. It would take a hell of a lot of magic to go against the natural inclination and will of a shifter to follow his mate in death, force them to turn rogue, and then control them.”
Richie shivered. “I know. Thinking about it scares the crap out of me.”
Seth turned his attention back to the steaks. “I’m going to talk to my parents. See what Dad knows and also ask Mom what kind of dark magic could cause what happened to Paul.”
“If anyone will know it’s your mom.” Richie popped the potatoes in the microwave. “What else can I do?”
“There’s a salad in the fridge. Grab that and the dressing. Then set the table. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”
Sara joined them as Seth was plating the steaks. “You look refreshed.”
“I am. I feel so much better after that shower.” She took a deep breath and sighed. “Dinner smells fantastic.”
He grinned and winked at her. “Thank you. I slaved over the stove for hours.”
Richie grabbed the potatoes and met them at the table.
Seth forked one onto her plate and passed her the butter. “Dig in before it gets cold.”
They ate in silence for a few minutes. Then Richie cleared his throat. “I hope you don’t mind that I arranged for the jet to take me home in the morning. Everything is handled here, and I miss Piper something fierce.”
Seth shook his head. “Of course not. Thank you for everything you did for us and give her a kiss for me.”
Richie grinned. “I’ll do that, right after I give her one from me. You’ll have to come by and meet her, Sara. You two would get along well. She used to be a bounty hunter.”
“Really? I’ve never met one before. I bet she has some interesting stories.”
Richie snorted. “You could say that.”
Seth leaned closer to Sara. “Richie met Piper at a wedding where her last bounty turned the tables on her and tried to kill her.”
“No!” she said in a hushed voice.
Both Richie and Seth nodded.
Richie pointed his fork at Sara. “I’ll let her tell you all about it when you meet her.”
Richie and Seth entertained Sara with tales of their youth, and before they knew it, their plates were clean.
“Boy, I’m stuffed. I hate to eat and run, but I have an early flight.”
Sara got up and started to clear the table. “Go ahead. We can clean up.”
Seth stood and pulled Richie into a man hug. “Thanks again, buddy.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see y’all back home.”
Seth helped Sara clean the kitchen in record time. Then he grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses. “Come sit with me on the couch.”
“Okay.”
He handed her a glass and took a deep breath. “Come home with me. Back to Louisiana.”
Everything in her stilled. Could she? She had a house, a good job she’d worked hard for, and her family was here. Could she pull up stakes and move to the other end of the United States? She didn’t know.
But if she stayed in Minnesota would Seth? He didn’t have a job or the resume to get one. It’s not like he could claim Elite hunter for the past one hundred fifty years on a job application. And his family was in Louisiana. What was he going to do, sit around the house all day watching soap operas? She snorted. Not likely. He’d be miserable.
“Sara, move to Louisiana and start a new life with me. I have a house waiting for us. It’s right on the river. You’ll love it.”
She swallowed hard. There were only two choices, go their separate ways, her in Minnesota and he in Louisiana, or make the move because there was no way he would be happy here. She finally found her voice, “What about my job?”
He leaned forward. “I thought about that. My father has two security teams, one at the plantation and one at Le Beau tower. You could join one of the teams. Or you could apply to the New Orleans PD. And if none of those interest you, start your own private detective agency. Whatever you want to do, I’ll help make it happen.”
Sara tipped her head. “What are you going to do?”
He shrugged. “I haven’t decided yet. I have more money saved than I could ever spend, so for now, I just want to relax. When I get bored, I’ll figure something out.
“For the foreseeable future, all I want to do is share my life with you. I want to have kids and grandkids and grow old with you. I want to sit with you on the deck and watch the sunset over the water.”
Sara sat her glass on the side table and moistened her lips. “You want children?”
He nodded. “One, six, ten? As many as you want.”
Her eyes bugged out. “Ten!”
He chuckled, pulled her onto his lap and tucked her head under his chin. “I think you skipped over the part where I said we would have as many as you want. I was just throwing out numbers.”
She exhaled a long breath. “Good, because there’s no way I’m having ten children. Two, maybe three, but that’s it.”
“Fine, two or three. But answer me this, do you love me?”
Her head came up. “You know I do.”
His thumb rubbed lazy circles on the back of her neck. “Then we can figure this out.”
Could it be that easy? Move to Louisiana and chase any dream that came to mind? Her entire life had centered on responsibility and duty. She’d never had the freedom to follow her dreams. Yes. She
could see herself doing that. And if she wanted to see her family, they could fly back, or her family could come for a visit. That’s what airplanes were for, right?
A slow smile tugged at her lips. She raised her eyes and gazed into his. “Yes. I’ll move to Louisiana with you.”
Seth’s eyes glowed with happiness, and his smile dazzled her. “You will?”
“Absolutely.” Then she started counting off a to-do list on her fingers. “But I need to give notice at work and sell the house. Oh, and pack everything up. This isn’t as easy as locking the door and hopping on the Le Beau jet.”
Seth squeezed her until she squeaked. “You just made me the happiest man on the planet.” He kissed her until he couldn’t see straight, then pulled back far enough to take a breath. “Do you mind if I call my mother? She set up the house while I was in the mountains and I’m sure she decorated it with me in mind. Which means it looks like a bachelors pad.”
“No, go ahead.”
Seth grabbed his phone and scrolled for his parent’s number.
“Seth? Is everything all right?” Emma’s voice rose with concern.
“I’m great, Momma. The rogue is taken care of, and I’ll be home in a couple of weeks.”
“That’s excellent news. I can’t wait to have you home for good.”
“Yeah, about that. I’m bringing someone home with me. Could you add some feminine touches to the décor of my house? I have a feeling it’s all dark wood and heavy leather furniture right now.”
“Of course it is, I decorated it the way you would like it. But I’d be pleased to pretty it up a bit. Two weeks you say?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Perfect. That will give me plenty of time to get everything ready.”
“Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it. Say hi to Dad for me.”
“I will, cher. I can’t wait to see you and meet your lady friend.”
“I’ll be home in a couple of weeks. See you then. Bye, Mom.”
“Bye, sweetheart.”
Emma turned and grinned at Isaac. “Success again. Seth will be home in two weeks with his mate.”
Isaac held his arms open for her to nestle on his lap. “That’s wonderful.”
She kissed the tip of his nose. “I was thinking. Three weeks is more than enough time to plan a pack gathering.”
He frowned. “I thought he would be home in two.”
She cupped his cheek and winked. “He will, but I need a few days to plan their wedding once they get here.”
Isaac shook his head chuckling. “You’re a frighteningly, cunning woman.”
She kissed him sweetly. “Yes, I am.”
He tipped his head and narrowed his eyes. Emma knew that look. Isaac was thinking and more than likely planning something.
“Seth wants us to disclose the shifters full history and truth. Do you think you could talk to Luperca about that? If she agrees with him, the gathering would be perfect for the disclosure.”
Emma cocked a brow. “I could ask her about it if she appears to me. But I can’t give you any guarantees.”
Isaac threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled her down to him. “That’s all I ask of you, mon amour.”
After a few minutes, Emma pulled back breathing heavily. “I have to do my meditation. If you keep kissing me like that, I’ll be late.”
He gave her behind a pat as she rose from his lap. “We can’t have that. I’ll be right here when you’re done.”
Emma rushed down the hall to her altar room. She closed the door and stepped up to the small altar she’d used for the past few decades. Carefully, she brushed a hand over the altar cloth as she considered what crystal to use. All clear quartz Lemurian crystals seemed to be the ticket today.
She lit the white candles and pulled the crystals from a shelf where she stored them. Once satisfied, she knelt before the altar. Closing her eyes, she centered her mind and quieted her thoughts. Then opened herself to her spirit guides and to the goddess.
“Blessed be, my daughter,” Luperca greeted her in her soft, soothing voice.
“Blessed be, Mother.”
Luperca tipped her head to the side. “You have questions for me.”
Emma swallowed, then nodded. “Yes, I do. Seth would like to explain everything to all of the shifters. Is that what you want as well?”
Luperca sighed. “He is a persistent man.” She floated across the room, turned, and floated back. “He’s right. It’s time. The human population will know about beings from other planets soon enough. The shifters need to be prepared with full knowledge of their heritage.”
Emma nodded. “Seth is returning with his mate, and I’m planning a pack gathering in celebration of his retirement and hopefully a wedding. Should we explain everything to them then?”
Luperca’s transparent image tapped her chin. “No. It’s time I manifest to all. I will come to the gathering and make an appearance after the wedding feast has been eaten. I think it would be best for them to hear the truth from me personally.”
Emma inclined her head. “Very good.”
Luperca’s chest rose and fell like she took a deep breath. “Now, you have another question to ask.”
Emma felt her cheeks warm. “Yes. As long as you are here, I thought I would ask if there is another name for me?”
Luperca smiled lovingly and tipped her head. “Yes,” she tipped her head to the other side, “and no. But, I have arranged for Krystal and her mate to meet at the ranch. Everything is in motion, so there’s nothing you need to do. He is the local sheriff of the town she lives in, but also a nonterrestrial.”
Emma frowned. “A nonterrestrial?”
“Yes, from another planet. He is from her home planet and has adopted a human form to find his mate. They only just met and as such will not attend the gathering. I will talk to her personally and explain everything. I have plans for her that includes expanding her matchmaking service to nonterrestrial’s.”
“Really? How…” Emma paused uncertain how to ask her question, “will that work?”
“I will give her the help she needs to set up a national matchmaking service that will pair humans with nonterrestrial’s. Since shifters are technically of that category, they will be part of the program.”
“Does her mate know about the plan? It sounds like a massive undertaking for a newly mated couple.”
“He will leave law enforcement and be her partner in the corporation.” Luperca smiled. “Fear not. I will ensure she has all the help she needs.”
“Perfect. Thank you.”
“I will return to talk with Isaac in a few days to arrange for my appearance. Take care, my daughter. Blessed be.”
“Take care, Mother. Blessed be.”
Emma snuffed her candles and rushed back to Isaac. “I have so much news!”
He caught her up as she leapt into his arms. “What’s your news, cher?”
“I spoke with Luperca. She wants to be the one to speak to everyone at the gathering. And, Krystal has found her mate!”
“Really? Luperca is going to appear in public?”
“I know right? I was floored.”
Isaac shook his head. “Wow. I didn’t see that coming. And Krystal found a mate?”
“Yes. Luperca said the sheriff in their town in Texas is her mate. It’s already in the works, so there isn’t anything for us to do.”
Isaac rubbed his hands together. “Excellent. We get a win without doing the work. I’ll take that.” Then he frowned. “Lucinda is going to have a cow over this. I better warn Charles.”
“I need to get started with the party plans anyway. Why don’t you talk to him while I call Rose.”
“Deal. I’ll meet you back here in fifteen minutes. I built a fire in the fireplace and plan to open a nice bottle of wine to celebrate our success.”
Emma winked as she headed for the door. “In that case, I’ll be back in ten.”
Two weeks later, Seth stood in his own kitchen, coffee cup in hand, waiting for Sara to finish dressing. He finally had her in his home, and now he was on a mission to make Sara his wife. He wanted every shifter male within a hundred miles to know his woman was taken. Sure she was covered in his scent, but he wanted visual proof on her person as well. Some of the shifter community, especially the swampers were incredibly dense.
“Good morning, wolfman.”
“Good morning, beautiful.” He held up his cup. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please. What’s on the agenda today?”
“I want to go to town. There are some errands we need to run.”
Sara blew on her coffee and took a sip. “When did you want to leave?”
“As soon as you’re ready.”
“I’ll put this in a travel mug, and we can get started.”
Sara was quiet for the duration of the drive, content to watch the scenery. He’d glanced at her a few times trying to read her mood but got nothing but contentment. She’d said she had never seen the bayou before, so that must be it.
Seth figured the moment he walked her up to the jewelry store the jig would be up. He assumed wrong.
She gave him a quizzical look. “Do you need to get a gift for someone?”
“Yes.” Seth dropped to one knee, right there in the middle of the store. Conversations hushed as all eyes focused on them. “Sara Adams, will you make me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me?”
She clasped a hand to her mouth as a tiny sound of happiness escaped. “Yes.” She nodded, tears swimming in her eyes. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He stood and pulled her in for a kiss.
The customers and employees erupted in applause and well wishes.
When Seth broke the kiss, he glanced at the smiling faces all around them. “Thank you.” Then he led her to the diamond case.
She leaned into him and whispered, “My sister never had a wedding, so I assumed shifters didn’t get married. I thought mating was their version of that. I didn’t expect…” She shook her head and wiped away her happy tears. “This wasn’t even on my radar of possibilities.”
“Even better. I wanted this to be a surprise.” He leaned over the case trying to see the rings the way Sara would. “See anything you like?”