Wild Rapture: A Chiasson Story (Book 5) Page 5

  “Tomorrow,” she said. “There’s a little store two streets over from the bench. Meet me there at two.”

  He pulled her against him for a quick kiss as the boat docked. Riley pulled away and shoved him back so he could hide.

  In all the time she spent with Delphine, there had never been an occasion for her to lie to the priestess, so she wasn’t sure why she did it now. Only that her gut told her to, and she trusted that instinct.

  Riley looked back over her shoulder to have one more look at Marshall as she fell in line with the others to disembark, but he was now out of sight.

  When she walked from the boat onto shore, she smiled when she saw Delphine and George. “What are you two doing here?”

  “You left my area,” Delphine said, disappointment tinting her words.

  Riley widened her eyes. “I know. I wanted to push myself. I figured during the day would be better. I’m not that far from your section, so I knew I could get back if I needed to.”

  “And the man you were with?” George demanded as he looked at the face of every dark-haired man who exited the boat.

  “I don’t know who you’re talking about.

  Delphine raised a brow and folded her arms over her chest. “George followed you today. He said you spoke with a man and took his hand.”

  Riley’s first instinct was fury over being followed, but her gut told her not to show it. Not yet, at least. Instead, she gave a hollow laugh. “Oh, that man was a tourist. He was lost and looking for his way back to the French Quarter.”

  “That’s not what it looked like,” George said.

  Delphine put an arm out, blocking him from advancing on Riley. The priestess’s black eyes bored into her. “So, you weren’t meeting anyone?”

  “Who would I meet?” Riley said with a frown. “I’m alone except for you, my friends.”

  And her brothers.

  The thought drew her up short. That was the second time in less than an hour that, for just an instant, she thought she had siblings, but she couldn’t get any more from her memories than that. Not how many, not their names. Nothing.

  “You had me worried,” Delphine said with a sigh. “It’s time to go home, child.”

  As Riley walked away with them, she had to fight not to look back for Marshall. Already she missed the safety of his arms—and the heat of his kiss.

  7

  If Marshall thought not telling the Chiassons he had found their sister was hard, it was nearly impossible to keep from letting them know he had spent a few hours with her. Yet, somehow, he managed to keep his mouth shut.

  Mainly because the things Riley had told him worried him greatly. She said she was able to do what she wanted, but there had been a healthy dose of fear in her eyes when she spotted Delphine and George.

  Whatever the priestess was doing to Riley, it wasn’t working fully. The truth seemed to be making itself known to her slowly and at odd moments, but it was coming back to Riley.

  If he tried to tell her everything now, she might very well bolt and inform Delphine of it all, which would send the priestess after him. Frankly, Marshall would rather not go up against Delphine on his own.

  He needed more time with Riley to slowly get the truth to reveal itself to her. Only then would she believe anything he had to say.

  Thankfully, none of the Chiassons called him. It was a reprieve, but one he appreciated. Though he didn’t get much sleep. He kept thinking about Riley’s kisses and how he hadn’t wanted to let her go. Ever.

  He was literally counting down the minutes until he could see her again, to hold her. To taste her.

  Night finally gave way to dawn, but his anxiety only grew. He couldn’t shake off the sense that something had happened. A scan of the internet showed that while there had been crimes committed in New Orleans, none had involved anyone that fit Riley’s description.

  Why then did a feeling of dread fill him?

  The morning crept by, during which he worked out and did more research on Delphine and the Voodoo culture. When noon finally came, he ate a quick meal before jumping into the shower. He was ready over an hour early, but he couldn’t stay within the confines of the house anymore.

  Marshall got into his truck and drove toward Delphine’s area. He parked on the outskirts of the sector and decided to walk as he had the past two days. The violinist wasn’t performing, so he continued on until he found a pantomime.

  With time to kill and an affinity for watching others, Marshall found a bench and sat. There was so much he could tell about someone just from a few minutes of observation. It was a skill he liked to hone. And it helped pass the time.

  When it got closer to two, Marshall rose and found the store Riley had spoken of. He walked inside and picked up a handcart while leisurely strolling through the aisles. Since he needed a few things, he began to fill the basket. When he checked his watch, it was ten minutes after two. He glanced toward the door and discreetly walked down the center row to look down the aisles. But there was no sign of Riley.

  He remained calm since she had been late the day before, as well. It was no great feat to position himself so that he could see the door and everyone who entered. He moved often so as not to draw attention to himself. Especially since any of those around him could be Delphine’s followers.

  The time stretched to three, and it became impossible to remain. He made his way to the cashier and got in line, thankful that there were people in front of him. Then, another cashier opened and motioned him to her. Marshall tapped the woman’s shoulder in front of him and pointed out the waiting cashier. But not even that could stop him from eventually reaching his turn.

  All too soon, he paid, and his groceries were bagged. Marshall was thankful that he hadn’t bought anything that needed refrigeration because he didn’t intend to leave yet. He walked around, keeping an eye out for Riley’s tall form and dark locks.

  Every time he caught a glimpse of someone who might be her, his heart raced. But disappointment soon reigned. The more time that passed with no sign of Riley, the more worried he became.

  It was nearing five o’clock when he finally gave up and headed back to his truck. Anger and frustration and regret rolled through him in waves. Not to mention the heavy doses of fear that something had happened to Riley.

  Two hours later, he’d nearly paced a hole in the floor of Donnie’s house. Knowing he was probably going to regret it later, Marshall drove to Gator Bait. He only knew Kane and Solomon—barely—but if anyone knew the underbelly of the city, it was the four werewolves.

  He parked on the side of the street and shoved a hand through his hair after he got out of the truck. The bar was situated in a prime corner location with the large wooden sign that looked as if a huge gator had taken a bite out of it.

  Music from within wafted out onto the street. Loud, noisy places weren’t his particular cup of tea—unless it was for pool—but this was a necessity.

  With a sigh, he walked across the street to the door and stepped over the threshold. A quick glance showed that every table was full with only a couple of barstools open. There were several pool matches going on, and all four dart boards were occupied. If he weren’t there on business, he would have made his way over to a pool table and gotten involved in a match. But that was for another day.

  “Find yourself a place,” said a woman with long, black hair and dark, smoky eyes.

  Based on Beau’s description, that was Skye Parrish, Court LaRue’s woman. It didn’t take long for Marshall to locate Kane acting as bartender.

  He walked to the bar and lowered himself onto the stool. When Kane’s blue gaze landed on him, the werewolf froze. Marshall clasped his hands together on the glossy bar and gave a nod.

  “What can I get you to drink?” Kane asked, studying him.

  “Bourbon.”

  Kane raised a blond brow as he set a glass on the bar. “That kind of night, is it?”

  “You’ve no idea.”

  After pouring the alcohol
, Kane shoved the glass to him. “How about you share?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Kane jerked his head to the side as he walked away. Marshall grabbed his glass and downed the whiskey before following. He wasn’t surprised when Kane took him to the back of the bar and into the kitchen area before turning right to an office.

  “Myles, you’re going to want to get off the phone,” Kane said as he motioned Marshall to a chair.

  Marshall nodded to Myles and put his hands on the arms of the chair before lowering himself down. When Myles hung up, Marshall said, “Hello.”

  “And you are?”

  “Marshall Ducet.”

  “Ahh,” Myles said, nodding. “The sheriff in Lyons Point. What the hell are you doing here?”

  Kane said, “We all want to know that.”

  Solomon, the eldest LaRue, walked in, followed by the youngest, Court.

  “Marshall,” Solomon said. “I’m surprised to see you here. Can I hope this trip is one of pleasure?”

  “Unfortunately not,” Marshall said. He blew out a breath and pressed his lips together. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important, and I need all of you to understand that what I’m about to tell you, no one else can know.”

  Court crossed his arms over his chest. “We’re waiting.”

  “It’s about Riley, isn’t it?” Kane asked, his blue eyes filled with worry.

  Marshall cracked his knuckles and wished he had another shot of bourbon. “Yeah.”

  “Don’t keep us in suspense,” Myles said.

  Unable to stay seated, Marshall rose to his feet. There wasn’t much room to pace with the four brothers standing around the desk staring at him, but he couldn’t keep still. He rubbed the back of his neck, giving himself one last second to make sure he was doing the right thing. Not that the LaRues would let him leave now that they knew what had brought him to New Orleans.

  “Do my cousins know you’re here?” Solomon asked.

  Marshall glanced at him and walked a few steps before turning around. “They do. It was my suggestion not to alert any of you to my arrival.”

  “Why?” Court demanded.

  Myles leaned back in his chair. “Because if we’d known, we would’ve pushed ourselves on his search, making it impossible for him to look on his own and thus drawing attention to him by being associated with us.”

  “You found her, didn’t you?” Kane asked.

  Marshall halted and looked at Kane. From what he’d heard, Riley and Kane became close friends after she arrived. They shared an apartment, which allowed Kane to keep an eye on her, and for her to keep an eye on him. The bond that developed between the two had stabilized Kane and given Riley purpose.

  Marshall blew out a deep breath. “I did.”

  With two simple words, Solomon, Court, and Myles began bombarding him with questions.

  “Is she all right?”

  “Did you talk to her?”

  “Why isn’t she with you?”

  “Do you have her hidden somewhere?”

  “Can we see her?”

  “When can we kick Delphine’s ass?”

  “Enough!” Kane bellowed, putting a stop to the questions.

  Marshall looked at each of the brothers. “Riley is hale and hearty. But she’s...not herself.”

  “How do you mean?” Myles asked as he braced his arms on his desk, a frown furrowing his brow.

  Marshall struggled to find the words. “For one, she believes she doesn’t have any family.”

  A look of fury erupted over Court’s face. “What the fuck?”

  Marshall held up his hand. “I came to the same conclusion that you four and the Chiassons did. Delphine had to have her. Since I don’t register on the priestess’s radar, I decided to stroll through the section of the city she’s claimed as hers. Imagine my surprise when I saw Riley that first day.”

  “I think I’m going to be sick,” Court mumbled.

  Solomon’s blond brows drew together in concern and disbelief. “The first day? You mean, you had only just begun looking for her, and she was there?”

  “Yes,” Marshall answered. “I walked over to the bench where she was sitting, and we had a nice chat. She told me that Delphine found her after an attack. That it’s the priestess who’s been sheltering her and keeping her safe.”

  “Actually, I know I’m going to be sick,” Court stated.

  Kane issued a growl to Court before turning his gaze back to Marshall. “What kind of attack?”

  This was the part Marshall didn’t want to tell them, but there was no way around it. “A werewolf attack.”

  The four brothers displayed varying degrees of shock. It was Solomon who clenched his fists at his sides and said, “It’s so damn obvious. Of course, the bitch would make our cousin believe she was attacked by the very creatures we are so she won’t trust us.”

  “We underestimated Delphine,” Myles said with a shake of his head. “And how the hell did we do that after everything she’s done to this family?”

  Kane glanced at the ceiling. “So, the very thing we’re trying to kill took Riley, somehow erased her memories of us and her brothers, made her believe she was attacked by a were, and now, Riley thinks Delphine is her friend.”

  “Yeah,” Marshall said.

  “It’s probably a good thing you didn’t tell Vin and the others. They would’ve been here immediately, wanting to attack Delphine,” Solomon said.

  Court issued a loud snort. “Hell, I want to attack her.”

  “You can’t,” Marshall said. “Not yet anyway.”

  “Then why did you come to us?” Myles inquired.

  Marshall suddenly found that his legs couldn’t hold him. He sank into the chair he’d abandoned moments ago. “Riley wanted me to meet her yesterday. She was followed by a black man named George. She didn’t see him, but I was able to get us away. We even left Delphine’s area and got on a tour boat. Her memory is there, but it’s being blocked. I think she recalls things at times, but she questions them. Anyway, when we docked, Delphine and George were waiting for her.”

  “Did they see you?” Solomon asked.

  He shook his head. “Riley asked me to hide, which I did. But we made plans to meet today. And that’s what brought me here. She never showed up.”

  8

  Her body was on fire. It burned from the inside out with desire that felt as if it would never be quenched. Yet Riley knew that there was one who could ease the ache within her—Marshall.

  She tried to move, but her arms and legs were held down. Thrashing her head, she attempted to call out. But no sound fell from her lips.

  Her hair tangled in her face. She felt it stick to her skin, just as she felt the wind whisper over her bare legs and the sweaty hands that pinned her down. The hard floor vibrated from the stomping and clapping of those around her, which was only matched by the loud singing.

  Was this a nightmare? Because she couldn’t remember any of her dreams being so... vivid. It had to be a nightmare. Otherwise, someone was doing this to her.

  “Shh,” a voice said near her ear. “Stop fighting.”

  Delphine. Riley recognized her voice and soft hands smoothing the hair away from her face. She stopped struggling, thinking that she might wake from this horrible dream.

  Instead, she felt the hem of her gown being pushed up her thighs to her hips, exposing her panties. Riley’s heart began to pound as fear consumed her when she couldn’t open her eyes.

  “She’s coming,” Delphine whispered. “Open yourself up for the spirit to possess you, child.”

  No. Riley didn’t want to be possessed. She, more than anyone, knew that doing such a thing opened a person up to all sorts of events afterward.

  But wait. How was she so sure of that?

  Lincoln had told her.

  No sooner did she think of her brother than she felt someone over her. There was only a fraction of a second before the body rested atop hers.

  Marshall. She coul
d picture his face, recall the taste of his kiss, feel the heat of his body. He wouldn’t let anyone hurt her. She was as sure of that as she was that—

  “I want you.”

  George’s rough, lust-filled voice made her panic, but now, she couldn’t even move her head. She screamed as loud as she could in her brain as he ground his arousal against her, humping her.

  “Now, Delphine?” he asked.

  “Soon, my sweet. Soon, Riley will be yours. Until then, Elin awaits you.”

  * * *

  Riley stopped chopping the bell pepper and lifted her gaze out the window.

  “What’s wrong?” Elin asked as she walked into the kitchen carrying a basket of homemade jams someone had delivered.

  Riley looked over and met Elin’s green gaze. “I just feel like I was supposed to do something today.”

  “You had a terrible migraine last night. I heard you call out.”

  How come she didn’t remember that? “It must have been a bad one.”

  “You don’t remember, do you?” Elin asked, her lips turning down in a frown.

  Riley shook her head.

  Elin walked to her and put a hand on her arm. “I was like that for months after Delphine found me. They’ll go away, just like they did for me.”

  Months of pain and lost time? Riley wasn’t sure she could stand another day of it, much less longer.

  Something pulled at her mind again. She was sure she was supposed to be somewhere else. The more she fought to remember, the farther away the memory seemed to go.

  “What’s on your arm?” Elin asked.

  Riley looked down and saw the bruise on her left wrist. A glance at her other arm showed the same thing. “I have no idea.”

  And that’s what frightened her. Lost time, bruises she couldn’t explain, and the feeling that she was forgetting something vitally important that plagued her.

  “I did hear you yell,” Elin said. “Maybe they had to restrain you.”

  Suddenly, a flash of images filled Riley’s mind. They came at her so quickly that she dropped the knife and grabbed hold of the counter to remain standing.