by Donna Grant
She opened her eyes, but everything was blurry. Unable to focus on anything, she patted the dog until she found his collar, and then the leash. With the building to steady her, she got to her feet and managed to find the back door. “Get inside,” she told the lab, closing it behind him.
Davena turned around so fast that everything began to spin. She reached out for the building to steady her, but only grasped air. She could feel herself titling, falling.
Suddenly, strong hands steadied her, pulling her against a thickly muscled chest. “What hurts?” asked a rich, smooth voice she recognized instantly.
She looked up into Beau’s intense blue gaze. “You’re here. How is that possible?”
“Later. What hurts?” he asked again, his voice rough as if he were keeping something tightly leashed.
“My head. Delia threw me against the building.”
His big hands gently smoothed back her hair. “My brother is going to get you out of here.”
“No,” she said with a shake of her head that she instantly regretted. “Delia’s in trouble. I can’t leave her.”
“She’s up against someone she can’t handle,” said another male voice as he stepped closer.
Davena recognized the eldest Chiasson brother, Vincent. “I can’t leave her.”
A muscle ticked in Beau’s jaw as he simply stared. “If you stay, you could die.”
“It’s my sister. Would you leave one of your brothers?”
Beau gave a single shake of his head. “Never.”
“Let’s get Delia then,” Vincent said.
Davena placed her hands on Beau’s chest, feeling the heat of him through her palms. He took a breath, expanding his chest and causing his muscles to move beneath her hands. “It won’t matter where you take us. Delphine knows we’re here. Nothing will stop her now.”
“So everyone keeps telling me,” Beau said angrily.
Vincent’s gaze narrowed on Beau. “Who precisely?”
Beau shrugged. “I might have called Court.”
Vincent mumbled something in Cajun beneath his breath and peered around the edge of the building. “It’s now or never.”
“Go,” Davena said and tried to push him away. “This isn’t your fight.”
Beau’s blue eyes flashed dangerously. “How very wrong you are.”
Davena wanted to stay with him, to see if he might lean down and kiss her. That would have been the easy thing to do. Instead, she stepped out of his arms. She could see clearly once again, and she would stand by her sister and face the bitch that murdered their mother.
She saw Beau’s frown as he tried to figure what she was about. Davena took that second and rushed around the building in time to see Delia and Delphine face off. Delia was chanting, preparing a spell. She had only just begun, when Delphine lifted a hand in front of her and cupped the air. She then spread her fingers flat.
That same gnawing fear clawed at Davena that had been with her for days. She kept running toward Delia, even as Delia began to scream as she bent over. Davena was steps away when her sister burst into flames.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Beau grabbed Davena before the flames could touch her skin and dragged her away.
“Nooooo!” she screamed, fighting him to get free.
He held Davena with one arm, her back against his chest while his other hand lifted the shotgun to aim it at Delphine. The priestess merely smiled at him, her face alight with exhilaration. The smoke that was drifting skyward suddenly shifted toward him.
Vincent knocked his gun down. “Don’t be a fool.”
Beau pulled his gaze from Delphine to focus on his brother. “I could end this.”
“You’ll get killed,” Vin stated through clenched teeth.
Beau winced when one of Davena’s feet connected with his shin. Delia’s screams ceased. She fell to her knees, the flames so thick that he could no longer make out her features. The sound of quickly approaching footsteps had Beau shifting to aim his gun behind him. Vincent had his machete ready as he faced the oncoming threat.
They both lowered their weapons when they saw Christian and Lincoln. It was the man in a police uniform that came up behind them that caused worry.
Beau pulled his full attention back to Davena who was doing her damnedest to get free. A couple of times she nearly succeeded. “Stop,” he whispered urgently in Davena’s ear. “Her attention is focused on Delia right now, not you.”
That just fueled Davena to fight him harder.
“What the fuck?” the sheriff’s deputy asked as he rushed past them to Delia.
He tried to reach through the flames to Delia, but she fell to the side. “Get some water!”
One moment Beau was holding Davena, and the next he was flat on his back, the wind knocked out of him. He blinked and shook his head. When he looked up, he found his brothers and the deputy laid out as well. Only Davena remained on her feet.
He rose up on his elbow and watched as she walked to Delia. With words tumbling hurriedly from her lips, Davena put out the fire. Beau looked across the street to find Delphine’s victorious smile gone, replaced with a look of utter incredulity.
“Did Davena just do that?” Christian whispered from beside him.
Beau nodded as he jumped to his feet and slowly started toward Davena. He still had his shotgun, not that it would do any good against Delphine or even Davena. He halted behind Davena as she knelt beside Delia and took her sister’s hand.
“Everything is going to be all right,” Davena said.
Beau breathed through his mouth as the stench of burnt flesh reached him. He glanced at Delia to see there was no clothing, skin, or hair left.
“Let me go,” Delia croaked.
Davena shook her head. “I’m going to make you better.”
“You want to keep me in this kind of pain?” Delia asked brokenly.
“No, I’m –”
“You stopped the flames. Let them finish,” Delia said hoarsely. “Please.”
Beau’s gaze latched onto Delphine. The Voodoo priestess wasn’t done, but he didn’t know if she would attack Davena that night or if she would wait.
“I love you, Delia,” Davena said and rolled back onto the balls of her feet before standing.
As soon as she released Delia’s hands, the flames returned. He stood beside Davena as she watched her sister burn, the life draining from her until nothing was left but a shell. The moment Delia’s life ended, Delphine turned and vanished. But it wasn’t the end. Things had just begun.
“What the hell just happened here?” demanded the deputy once he was on his feet.
“A shit storm,” Christian answered.
Beau wanted to offer comfort to Davena, but he didn’t know if it would be welcome. She looked so forlorn standing there silently staring at her sister. There were no tears, just an absence of hope.
He finally gave in and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. When she didn’t shrug him off, he stepped closer so their bodies touched. “I’m sorry.”
“Beau,” Vincent called.
He looked over his shoulder at his brothers to find the deputy staring at Davena. Beau nodded and turned Davena around to face them. She didn’t fight him, didn’t utter a word. He bent and glanced at her to see her gaze vacant.
“She’s in shock,” Lincoln said.
Christian snorted. “Hell, I think we all are.”
“Someone tell me what just happened before I arrest you all,” demanded the deputy.
Beau looked him over. He was well built, and wore his gun like a man who knew how to use it and wouldn’t hesitate to do so. His black hair was kept short and combed back, and his wild gaze said he was on the edge of losing it all.
“Magic,” Beau finally said. “You witnessed a powerful Voodoo priestess exact her revenge.”
Lincoln cleared his throat. “Deputy Marshall Ducet, let me introduce my elder brother Vincent, and my youngest brother, Beau. The woman on his arm is –”
�
�Davena Arcineaux,” Marshall interrupted in a calmer voice. “I gave her a ride to work this morning.”
Beau tightened his hold on Davena. There was much about her he didn’t know, but he wanted that to change.
“Voodoo,” Marshall said and shook his head as he looked at the ground. “I left New Orleans to get away from that shit.”
The brothers exchanged looks. It was Vincent who asked, “You were a cop in New Orleans?”
“For over seven years,” Marshall said.
There was more to Marshall’s story, but Beau was concerned with Davena right then. “We need to get off the streets and get Davena to the house.”
“Agreed,” Vincent said.
Christian looked at Marshall. “I wouldn’t stay out here alone. She saw you with us.”
The deputy shrugged. “I don’t much care. Get out of here, all of you,” he said as he looked around at them. “I’ll get this cleaned up.”
Beau didn’t have to be told twice. He walked Davena to Christian’s truck. He put her in the middle of the back seat and climbed in beside her. Lincoln sat on her other side, and as soon as Vincent shut his door, Christian drove them home.
The ride was made in silence, with each of his brothers casting furtive glances at Davena. To Beau’s surprise, she reached over and took his hand. He wasn’t sure she was even aware of it. She needed comfort from whoever would give it. And he was most willing to give it.
When they reached the house, Davena was still glassy-eyed from shock. Beau didn’t ask, just gathered her in his arms and walked her inside the house. Ava and Olivia met them at the door, their questions coming all at once. Fortunately, Lincoln and Vincent were there to answer them.
Beau took Davena into the office and laid her on the couch. He took the throw off the back of the couch and draped it over her. Then he squatted beside her. He stopped himself from stroking a lock of her golden hair.
“You’re safe here,” he said, hoping she heard him.
He stood and sat in the chair next to the couch. The last thing he wanted was for her to come out of her shock and find herself alone in a strange house. Not to mention he wanted to be with her in any way that he could.
“How is she?” Olivia asked in a whisper from the doorway.
Beau shrugged helplessly. “Not good.”
“I’ll make some coffee. I have a feeling we’re all going to need it.”
Beau propped his elbow on the arm of the chair and dropped his head into his hand. He squeezed his eyes closed. Delphine had found the sisters. That was surprising enough, but not nearly so much as knowing that Delia tried to go up against the priestess with Hoodoo.
Then there was Davena. She was infinitely more powerful than her sister. She had shown that tonight by putting out Delphine’s flames and knocking all of them on their asses. Why then didn’t the sisters attack Delphine as one?
The minutes ticked by as the voices from the kitchen drifted into the room. His family was keeping their voices down, but he knew they were talking about the night’s events. It wouldn’t be long before they would want his take on things.
“I couldn’t stop her,” Davena suddenly said into the quiet.
Beau’s eyes snapped open and he lifted his head to look at her. After a brief hesitation, he leaned forward so he could see her face. “Delphine can’t be stopped.”
“Delia. I couldn’t stop Delia.” Her voice was soft, grief filling every syllable.
Beau blew out a breath, unsure of what to say. “You’re not responsible for her decisions.”
“I should’ve known she would try something.”
He was thinking of how to reply, when her hand reached out for his. Beau didn’t hesitate to slide his fingers into hers.
“Tell me how you came to be there,” she asked.
She might be looking at the empty fireplace, but he knew she could see his every move. Beau licked his lips. “The Chiassons have been protecting this parish for generations from the supernatural.”
Her gaze snapped to his, a small frown forming between her eyes. “So you knew Delphine was here?”
“No,” he hurried to say. “We knew something was here, but we didn’t know what or who.”
“Yet you were there tonight. It wasn’t by accident.”
Beau paused. He hadn’t liked explaining what had been happening to him with his family. He certainly wasn’t keen on sharing it with Davena.
“Tell her,” Lincoln said from the doorway.
Davena looked from Beau to Lincoln and then slowly sat up, removing her hand from his. Then her gaze came back to Beau. “Tell me what?”
Beau fisted the hand that had held hers, hating how much he missed the contact, and slowly sat back. “I had a feeling it was you.”
“It was far from a feeling,” Lincoln said and walked into the room. “He’s had dreams of smoke. Tonight, while we were watching someone else, he doubled over in pain, telling us we had to get to you.”
Beau couldn’t stand Davena’s troubled eyes on him. He rose and walked to the desk on the other side of the room. How was it he had to put distance between him while needing to have her close?
“How is that possible?” Davena asked.
Lincoln said, “I thought you might tell us.”
Beau kept his back to her, afraid to look at her again and not touch her. And if he got close enough to touch her, he wasn’t sure if he could keep from pulling her close and kissing her. Here he was thinking of her lips and tasting her when she was dealing with the death of her sister and the arrival of Delphine. If she knew his thoughts, she would never let him near again.
“I don’t know,” she finally answered.
A sound from the doorway drew his gaze. Beau found the rest of his family standing there waiting. It was Olivia who walked into the room with a mug of coffee that she set on the coffee table.
“I thought you might need that,” Olivia told Davena
Beau turned just enough to see Davena. She eyed the coffee and then looked at Olivia. “I could use something much stronger, actually.”
“We’ve got that, too,” Christian said as he moved to the cabinet near the desk and poured a glass of bourbon. His eyes briefly met Beau’s.
Unable to help himself, Beau turned around and let his gaze settle on Davena. Her blonde hair fell like gold around her shoulders. She kept her legs tucked against her and used the throw like a shield.
Her hands shook a little as she took the proffered liquor from Christian. She took two sips before she let out a wobbly breath and met his stare. “You know what happened in Algiers, don’t you?”
Beau nodded. “You and Delia were safe all this time. Why draw Delphine out now?”
“I didn’t. Delia did.” Davena looked down at her hands. “I knew something bad was coming. I even knew it was Delphine, but Delia didn’t want to leave.”
Ava took the chair Beau had vacated and laid a comforting hand on Davena’s arm. There was no need for words. The action said it all.
Beau walked to the desk and leaned against it. “Do you know what you did tonight?”
“Did?” Davena asked, her gaze jerking to him.
“You stopped Delphine’s fire.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
It wasn’t possible. Davena wasn’t powerful enough to even think about going up against someone like Delphine. She looked into Beau’s fierce blue eyes and wished he were still beside her. His warmth and comfort were all that kept her from losing herself.
“You’re mistaken.” She took a large swallow of the bourbon and felt it burn down her throat and settle warmly in her stomach. “I don’t have that kind of ability. My mother, perhaps.”
“And Delia?” Vincent asked.
Just thinking about her sister brought an ache to her chest. She wanted to cry for all the years her sister had lost, but no tears would come. Davena grinned ruefully. “She thought she did, but she didn’t. Our mother didn’t want either of us involved in what she did.”
“Which was what, exactly?” Christian asked.
When she heard Beau’s growl directed at his brother for such a question, it eased some of the numbness gripping her. She knew it had been Beau who came to her and placed his arm around her, who walked her to the truck, and who carried her inside the house. He had stayed with her, silent and patient.
“My mother got into the Voodoo religion when she was thirteen,” Davena said as she studied the gold liquid in her glass. “She had an affinity for the...other side of the religion. Soon, others were coming to her for spells and dolls. It wasn’t until she met my father when she was eighteen that something changed. She never told us what, but she backed away from the religion.”
Lincoln rubbed his hand over his jaw, his palm scratching along his whiskers. “I gather there were those upset by her move.”
“I guess.” Davena shrugged. “She didn’t like to talk about it. It was part of her past we knew never to speak of while growing up. A year later, when she was nineteen, she married my father and got out of Voodoo altogether. Yet people still came to her for help. That’s how she turned to Hoodoo. Some of her friends were being cursed because of their connection to her. She didn’t think that was fair, so she found a way to counter it.”
“Brave woman,” Beau said.
Everyone else in the room was forgotten as she looked at him. How she wanted to run her hands through his hair and draw him close. She imagined he would kiss like he lived – softly at first, and then full throttle. “She was. She put her very life on the line every day. She saved a lot of people in the process.”
“Did things change when you and Delia were born?” Ava asked.
Davena stiffened as she remembered it wasn’t just her and Beau. “Not really. My father owned a restaurant in the French Quarter, and mother went on as she was, bringing in a little extra money in the process. That continued until I was four. I don’t know why things changed that summer, but they did. It began when my father was killed in an alley outside his restaurant. He was found with his throat slit, and Voodoo markings painted in white all around him.”