“I’m sorry I got distracted,” Nelson said, helping her up. “I heard you scream, and I just wanted to run over and protect you.”
Suddenly, Armand opened his eyes. After shaking his head back and forth a few times, he began to shift back to human form. Narcisse hurried to bring him his clothes.
“What happened?” he asked, rubbing his head.
“Villemont managed to knock you out,” Nelson said. “And then I let my guard down. He put his gun on Narcisse, and I let him go to save her life. I’m sorry, everyone. I screwed up.”
Serafine patted Nelson’s shoulder. “You did good tonight. Don’t beat yourself up. I’m proud of you.”
“So am I,” Narcisse said, leaning up to give him a kiss.
“Yeah, but now he’s even more dangerous than he was before,” Nelson said. “Not only did he get away, but he’s seen us shift. He knows there’s somethin’ strange goin’ on with the people who own our company. Don’t think he’s gonna let that go. I shouldn’t have let him get away.”
“Your mate is the most important person in your life,” Serafine said. “Ain’t no shame in wantin’ to take care of her. Even if it means he got away. You done right by Narcisse. That’s all that matters.”
Andre laughed. “Besides, I don’t care how rich he is. I think if he tried to tell people that he saw members of Five Gators Fishing Company actually turn into the company’s namesake, everyone would think he’d finally lost his mind.”
Armand shook his head. “Maybe you’re right, but I don’t think this is the last we’ve seen of him.”
“Neither do I,” Manuel said. “But I don’t think he’s gonna blow our cover. Least not if he wants to look sane.”
“Hey, guys?” Xavier called. “I could use a little help here. This guy is starting to thrash.”
Serafine walked up to Pomet, who was struggling to break free of Xavier and Oscar’s strong grasp. She reached into her pocket, tossed a powder into the air, and passed her hand in front of Pomet’s face.
“I cast darkness onto you, Alberto Pomet, so that you will fall where we all stand.”
Suddenly, the man went slack. It took Xavier and Oscar a second to accommodate for the sudden dead weight, but then they lowered him gently onto the dock.
“He’ll be out for a little while,” she said. “But we have to work quickly. Come on, we have a ritual to perform.”
“Ritual?” Narcisse asked. “But you said it had to be completed at sunset. I’m pretty sure it’s too dark for that now.”
Serafine smiled. “Yes. That ritual had to be done at sunset. But that was the one we had to do because we didn’t have Pomet or Villemont with us. Now that we have Pomet here with us, there’s a much more efficient spell I can cast. Somebody, tie him up and set him down on the dock.”
Armand raced over to Nelson’s boat and pulled out two lengths of rope. He secured Pomet’s wrists and ankles stood back with a small smirk on his face. Narcisse wanted to laugh at the sight of Armand admiring his handiwork. Just then, Pomet sprang back to life.
“Hey! What is this? What the hell do you think you’re doing? Get this off me!” He thrashed around, trying to loosen his bonds, but to no avail.
Serafine stood above him, looking both regal and terrifying. “You want to explain yourself?”
Pomet struggled against his restraints for a moment, and then assumed what was perhaps the smuggest look he could have managed despite his situation.
“I’m concerned with my bottom line and my profits. I don’t feel the need to be concerned about my competitors, or about what I’m supposedly doing to this bayou.”
“You seriously didn’t think about what was gonna happen when you caught every single fish?” Armand snapped.
Pomet’s face went red. “Who are you to tell me about running a business? If the wetlands go under, well, at least I’m smart enough to branch out. There are other swamps in other states. There are other avenues for my business. Maybe you should learn to diversify.”
“Maybe you should learn to respect the land and water that make you money.”
Pomet was so angry that his face was nearly purple, and he started to struggle again against his restraints.
Serafine, however, was having none of it. She grabbed him by the shoulder.
“Now you listen to me,” she commanded.
Pomet immediately fell silent.
“You and your company are bad news for this bayou, and I’m not gonna let you get away with it any longer. So you have two choices. You can calm down, and we can do this the easy way, or you can keep acting up, and we can do this the hard way. And let it be known that while many people in my family have an issue with killing, I don’t. I try not to use my magic to cause harm, but in this situation, I have no problem with doing whatever needs to be done to make sure you never work again. Is that clear?”
Pomet didn’t answer. He merely gulped and nodded.
“Very good. You just lie still, then. That’s all you need to do, and you seem to be pretty good at that. Don’t make me put another spell on you now, got it? I have more important things to think about.”
Serafine ushered everyone to form a circle around Pomet. She stood facing him and pulled a small velvet bag from one of the pockets of her flowing robes. She dropped a ring of fine powder around Pomet. With a snap of her fingers, the ring shot up in a blaze, and then it cooled to a hot glow. Narcisse felt a throb of power surge through every nerve ending. As the fire reduced, so did the surge, but it didn’t disappear as it had done when Villemont had interrupted the previous ritual.
Serafine crossed the boundary so the circle surrounded both Pomet herself, and then she began to chant.
An injustice has been done
I call upon the spirits of this bayou
I invoke the gods protecting these waters
I conjure them to do my bidding
The four elements shall lay their hearts and minds
There shall be fear and guilt and loss
There shall be bowing, breaking, and no pity
I point the spirits’ laws against you
Against you, they are pointed
Threefold, a hundredfold
It is the cost of my anger, and this bayou’s pain
You will be destroyed by fear
Destroyed by pain
Blinded by me
Broken by me
Cursed by me
So let it be!
As she spoke those last words, the smoldering ring suddenly lit up into a blaze again, and then went cold almost as immediately. Narcisse broke in a sweat as the flames reached toward the sky, and then her own temperature cooled as the blaze went away. Bending down, she loosened the ropes around Pomet’s wrists and ankles. He immediately sprang to his feet.
“What did you do to me?” he demanded.
“I’ve cursed you and your company. Anything with your name attached to it is gonna fail. Villemont might have bought you out, but because it was your business, and it’s your name on those boats, the damage is done. It’s gonna fail, and it’s gonna fail soon. You won’t be able to destroy our bayou anymore. Now, I suggest you get out of here right now.”
Pomet struggled to his feet and limped toward a small boat. He eased himself in, hands shaking, started it, and steered off into the night.
As soon as he was gone, Serafine collapsed to the ground. Narcisse’s breath caught in her throat as Armand and Nelson helped her into a sitting position.
“This—this is why I gotta ration my powers these days,” Serafine said.
“Are you okay?” Narcisse asked.
“I’m gonna be fine,” Serafine said as Armand and Nelson helped her up. “I just gotta get me some sleep.”
“I’ll drive your boat,” Andre said, taking over support of Serafine. “You’ll be feelin’ better in no time.”
As she watched Serafine hobble into the boat, Narcisse felt as though it was her turn to collapse. She could not believe what she’d witnessed
. Nor could she believe how she’d felt during the ritual.
“You okay, baby?” Nelson asked, squeezing her hand.
“Is Serafine really going to be fine, or is she sick?”
“She needs to recharge, but she’ll be better soon, I promise. She’s just gotta be more careful about usin’ her powers these days. Hopefully the new queen will show up soon, take some of the pressure off.”
“But she’s not—she’s not going to die, is she?”
“Not tonight,” Armand said.
Narcisse decided to ignore the implications of his statement. She’d worry about that later. “In that case, I’m better than okay. I feel fantastic. A little tired, but otherwise great. I can’t believe we did it.”
“All with help from you,” Armand said, kissing her cheek. “You took a risk, but it paid off for us. We’re so proud of you.”
An idea crossed through Narcisse’s mind. “How proud?” she asked, giving Armand a wink. “Because I have a pretty good idea of how you could show your appreciation.”
“I think I know what you have in mind,” Nelson said, nibbling on her ear. “Want us to take you against the wall again?”
A shudder of pleasure raced through Narcisse’s body. “While I’d like that in the future, that’s not quite what I was imagining for tonight. I’m in the mood for something a little more immediate.”
Armand raised an eyebrow. “Immediate?”
Narcisse gestured toward the members of the congregation who were loading up their boats and speeding down toward home. “Let’s wait until they take off.”
“You mean right here?” Nelson asked.
“Of course I do. It’s perfect. After all, we first made love on a dock not too different from this one. What better way to celebrate our victory?”
Armand didn’t even wait until the last boat was gone. He was discreet, but the light strokes up and down her back were driving Narcisse wild. Nelson reached out one hand and squeezed her ass, slowly massaging her flesh as the last boat went out into the bayou and they were left in darkness.
The second there were no longer any eyes on them, Armand and Nelson began to devour her, placing kisses all over her skin, running their hands all over her curves. Narcisse’s knees began to buckle with stimulation, and she almost collapsed. Both men caught her, easing her down onto the dock. They immediately pulled their shirts off and laid them beneath her back and head, cushioning her against the hard boards. Then they stood up and began unbuckling her belts.
Narcisse was so desperate for stimulation that she couldn’t help but run her fingers along her pussy lips and then start to play with her clit, rubbing it in slow circles as she watched two pairs of jeans drop on the docks, and then saw her mates step out of their boxers, their rigid cocks pointing proudly at the sky. She marveled at the way Armand’s light skin glowed in the moonlight, and the way the stars reflected in Nelson’s dark eyes. The low light cast alluring shadows over their tight abs and firm biceps, and Narcisse couldn’t wait to be trapped between both smooth, hard bodies.
She pulled her hand away as they crouched next to her, but Armand immediately grabbed her wrist and pulled her fingers back toward her clit.
“That was a good show you were givin’ us. Why don’t you keep goin’? We wanna see you come once before we have our way with you.”
Narcisse immediately began to rub her clit with full fury, feeling the orgasm beginning to well up in her aching cunt. With her free hand, she reached two fingers into her wet pussy and felt her muscles clench around the welcome invasion. She worked herself even faster than she ever could have imagined, and suddenly, the orgasm burst through her body. She rolled her head and jerked her knees as the powerful force overtook her nerve endings.
When she finally calmed down, Nelson had positioned himself at the entrance to her cunt, and Armand was kneeling at her head. She gasped as Nelson slid his cock inside of her with one swift motion. She reached her head up to take Armand’s cock in her mouth, but Armand pulled away.
“Just tease me, baby. I want you to drive me crazy. I want to be ready so I can have that sweet pussy of yours when Nelson is done.”
As Nelson began his slow thrusts, Armand moved closer to Narcisse and lowered his body so he could use one hand to tease her breasts. His cock dangled over her mouth, and she used the tip of her tongue to trace up and down the shaft. Armand jerked and moaned but never stopped twisting and pulling at her nipple as she gave him the exquisite torture he’d requested.
Nelson continued his slow thrusts, but when Narcisse hooked her legs around his waist and pulled him deeper into her pussy, he began speeding up. Each push into her was a little harder and faster, until he was moving with such intensity that Narcisse could barely keep focused on what she was doing to Armand. The pulsing fury of his movements had her focused on what was happening in her cunt. Suddenly, his body froze up, and he threw back his head and called out her name. In that moment, her pussy constricted around his cock and Narcisse moaned as pleasure overpowered her entire body.
Nelson collapsed on top of her, gasping for breath, but soon rolled away so that Armand could have his chance inside of her. Armand was just as eager as Nelson, and slid his cock in with one deft motion. Her pussy immediately tightened around him as he began to move inside of her. Once Nelson caught his breath, he rolled over and began to run his hands through her hair. As Armand pounded faster and faster into her cunt, Nelson began to move his touch down, teasing her lips with his fingertips. Narcisse opened her mouth and sucked each finger one at a time. As he gasped and moaned with the stimulation, new tremors of pleasure mingled with the tension that Armand was creating in her pussy.
Once she was done with Nelson’s hands, he moved down to her breasts, giving her nipples pinches and tight twists. That was all Narcisse needed. Her pussy suddenly clenched around Armand’s cock, grabbing all of the pleasure it could take in. As the pleasure began flooding her muscles and she began moaning, Armand started to shout. She felt his cock give a final throb as he released inside of her.
Armand collapsed and rolled off of her body, and Nelson slid down to lie on her other side. She gripped their hands and listened to them breathing in the cool night air. She stared up at the stars and realized that she finally felt as though she belonged.
“What are you thinkin’ about?” Nelson asked.
“I think I’ve finally found my place here,” she said. “I don’t feel like an interloper anymore. I’m actually excited about the prospect of staying here forever. This is all I need.”
“You still want to get your stuff back in Houston, right?” Armand asked. A slight look of worry crossed his face.
“Of course. I just didn’t want to rush into anything since I know there’s so much to be done at the congregation.”
Nelson laughed. “We already booked a truck for tomorrow. A hotel room, too, so we don’t have to do the whole thing in one day.”
Narcisse grinned. “Be careful. You don’t want me to end up spoiled.”
“After what you’ve been through?” Nelson asked with a chuckle. “You deserve to be pampered forever.”
Narcisse shivered. Both men tightened their arms around her.
“Maybe we should get home,” Armand said. “The bed is much warmer.”
“And it’s a hell of a lot more comfortable, too.” Nelson chuckled.
They gradually pulled apart, put on their clothes, and climbed into the boat. As they sailed back home, Narcisse continued to stare up at the stars, counting her blessings.
Epilogue
One week later
Narcisse’s mother took a long drink of water and then set down her glass. “Honey, I have something to say.”
Butterflies fluttered in Narcisse’s stomach. She, Armand, and Nelson had come to Houston for the weekend. The trip had two purposes. First, Armand and Nelson were making good on their promise to take her away for a trip out to the city. Instead of New Orleans, though, Narcisse decided she wanted another
trip to Houston. Although she’d been frustrated living there after college, she couldn’t deny that she’d made a few good memories there, and wanted to savor some of the nightlife.
Not only did Narcisse want the opportunity to experience some of the things she had actually enjoyed about her hometown, she wanted to return in order to pack up her apartment. And finally, even after her mother’s harsh words on the phone, Narcisse had wanted to give her family a second chance, so she called her father and suggested the five of them meet for lunch. She couldn’t help but feel surprised when he said yes.
They’d met up at an Italian restaurant, and had spent the first half of the meal making awkward conversation. Now, though, it seemed that Narcisse’s mother had something to get off her chest, and Narcisse was a little afraid of what she’d say.
“I owe you an apology. When you called, I should have been more supportive of you. I know that the life the three of you are living is, um, unconventional, but I should have actually listened to you rather than judging.”
“I accept your apology, Mom.”
“I’m just glad you didn’t take my harsh words to heart. I’m really thankful that you decided to call your father and convinced him that we should all meet up. I had been regretting my actions the moment after I hung up the phone, but just didn’t know how to call you, or if you wanted to hear from me, or anything like that. I should have called, I just…”
“It’s okay, Mom, really. I understand. I forgive you.”
“We just want you to be happy, sweetie,” her father said. “And as long as Armand and Nelson here take care of you and love you”—he paused, and gave them a stern glare—“then that’s all we ask. From here on out, we support you.”
Narcisse smiled. “Thank you.”
“And I know this goes without saying, sir,” Armand said, “but we’re gonna take care of your daughter. We promise.”
“She’s the love of our lives, and we’re gonna make sure she’s always happy.”
Rose, Charlotte - Bayou Famine [Shifters of Alligator Bend 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 14