As soon as he was laid down, Addison sat on the floor beside the couch, his hand in hers. She rested her forehead on his side and simply held him, praying that he woke.
~ ~ ~
It was dark when Myles opened his eyes. He grinned when he saw Addison asleep as she leaned against the couch. Myles was careful as he sat up, expecting pain, and when there was none, he looked at his shoulder to find that he was healed. There was a large scar, but no wound.
He gently gathered Addison in his arms and moved her to the couch. As he stood, he saw Minka and Griffin on the porch talking in low voices. The interest in Griffin’s eyes was obvious, and Myles suspected Minka might be interested, as well.
Myles was about to walk onto the porch when he caught sight of Solomon standing in the corner of the kitchen looking out the window at Minka and Griffin. Suddenly, Solomon’s gaze swung to him and he smiled.
“I’ll be damned,” Solomon whispered.
“Minka’s magic worked then?” Myles asked.
Solomon motioned to Myles’s shoulder. “Obviously. Addison hasn’t left your side, or eaten, all day.”
Myles would see that changed as soon as she woke. “Where are Court and Kane?”
“With the Moonstone pack.”
There was something in the way Solomon said the words, paired with the glare he shot Griffin, that made Myles wonder what was going on. Then he heard Minka’s soft laughter and saw Solomon’s brow furrow before he turned away.
“Griffin and his wolves have said they would keep an eye on Minka,” Solomon stated.
Myles crossed his arms over his chest. “We owe her a debt. I don’t think it should be just the Moonstone pack. I think we owe it to Minka to check on her ourselves.”
Solomon shrugged and leaned against the kitchen counter. “I agree.”
Myles saw Griffin depart and took the opportunity to talk to Minka. He walked outside, softly closing the screen door behind him. There was no air conditioning in the old house, so the windows and doors remained open to let in any breeze available.
“You look much better,” Minka said with a smile when she saw him.
He leaned against of the posts. “Because of you. Thank you, Minka. I owe you a debt I’m not sure I’ll ever repay.”
“I’m glad it worked.”
He watched her profile for a moment as she looked out over the bayou. “Are you sure this is where you want to stay?”
“My great aunt did it. It’ll work as long as my coven thinks I’m dead.”
“You still need to eat. You’ll have to go into town for supplies.”
She faced him and shrugged. “I’ll be fine for awhile. There are still those that live on the bayou that my great aunt trusted.”
“We’ll come to check on you when we can.” He scratched at his cheek, longing for a shave. “However, the Moonstone pack have promised to keep an eye on you, too.”
Minka glanced inside the door to the couch that Addison slept on. “What about y’all? What happens now? We both know Delphine won’t give up. There are plenty of witches around for her to use.”
“No,” he replied with a weary sigh. “She won’t give up, but I’m hoping the other factions saw us working with the witches. That could go a long way in convincing the others to join us in defeating Delphine.”
“Watch out for my coven. They can’t be trusted.”
“Isn’t that said of all witches?” he teased.
There was no smile on her face. “And keep a close eye on Addison.”
“You don’t have to worry.” He looked inside, his gaze locking on his woman. “I wasn’t looking to find someone, and then she walked into my life. Now, I can’t live without her.”
“Then don’t. You two have something special, something most crave with every fiber of their being.” Minka pushed away from the railing. “Now, get in there and let her know you’re all right.”
Myles chuckled, but took her advice and walked into the house. He sat on the edge of the couch, marveling at his woman. He lifted a lock of champagne blond hair and twirled it around his finger.
Addison cracked open one eye and saw Myles. She sat up and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. “You’re alive. You’re really alive.”
He held her firmly. “I’m alive.”
“I thought I’d lost you.”
“For a moment there, I thought I was gone.”
She sniffed and buried her head in his neck. “That was the scariest night of my life.”
Myles pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. “Addison, I love you with every ounce of my being, but this is my life. I risk it all every night -”
“I know.”
“-to help those that need it. If it’s too much-”
“It’s not.”
“-then I understand. There isn’t just the hunting, it’s also my family being werewolves. And lest we forget, there’s Delphine.”
“Are you listening to me?” Addison demanded as he pulled his hands away. “I know it’s dangerous. I know this is your life. I know you’re a werewolf, and that if we ever have children, they will be, as well. I know there’s Delphine, and vampires, witches, djinn,, and demons. I know all of it, and I still remain beside you.”
He stared at her for a full minute.
Addison shook her head as she looked up at him. “You saved my life. You saved Minka’s life. How many people have you and your family saved, Myles?”
“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug.
“You bear a curse not of your doing. That in itself is amazing,” she said. “But then you go the extra mile and protect the Quarter, at the peril of your own life. I know what’s out there now. I’ll never look at the Quarter the same again, but knowing you and your brothers are there to protect as many as you can makes me smile.”
He was the luckiest bastard to ever walk the earth. Myles kissed her hard and quick. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”
“Good,” she said with a wicked smile. “It’s taken you long enough.”
“I can be a little slow at times, but I eventually come around.”
“Hm,” Addison said as she smoothed her hands down his chest. “I think I’d like to see more of your place.”
“I can make that happen.”
Riley made a noise at the back of her throat. “Yes, please do. You’re making all of us sick with this love talk.”
Myles looked over and saw all three of his brothers standing behind Riley and Minka. Addison blushed and dropped her head onto Myles’s shoulder as everyone laughed.
Today was a good day. The LaRues learned to grasp each one tightly because they never knew when the next might come around.
EPILOGUE
Two weeks later…
Two hours before opening, Addison was laughing as she and Myles came out of the kitchen at Gator Bait. She had moved into Myles’s place, and though he asked her every day to marry him, she had yet to say yes. She was going to. She just wanted a little more time with him. Everything had happened so fast, but she had no doubt she was meant to be his.
“So you stole the materials out of Tulane and learned to be an accountant that way?” she asked in disbelief.
Myles set the box of rum on the bar and shrugged. “We’d just bought the bar, and each of us had our jobs. I’ve always liked numbers, just not school. Plus, I didn’t want to put a strain on my brothers by going to college.”
“How do you know you’re not screwing things up?” she asked as she took a bottle of rum from his hand and climbed the stool to stock it on a shelf.
“I hire a CPA every few years to double check me.”
She raised a brow. “So you’re that smart.”
“He was asked to join Mensa,” Solomon shouted from the kitchen.
Addison gaped at him. “Mensa? Seriously? The International High IQ Society?”
Myles shrugged and handed her another two bottles.
“Tell me again why you haven’t gone back and gotten your degree?” she asked.
“Not interested. It’d be repeating things.”
“Yes, but you’d actually have your degree.”
“That’s what you’re for.”
She paused in setting the last bottle in place. Then she slowly looked at him. “What?”
He grabbed her by the waist and swung her to the ground. Keeping his hands on her, Myles brought her against him. “You’ve got one year left. Let me help you finish. We can do the accounting together.”
It was in her nature to refuse any handouts, and yet this wasn’t a handout. This was from the man she loved, the man she would spend the rest of her life with. How could she refuse him?
“Don’t answer now,” he said when she hesitated. “Think it over.”
Addison rose up on her toes and kissed him. “I love you, Myles LaRue.”
“And I love you, Addison Moore, though that should be Addison LaRue.”
She laughed as they kissed again. They were interrupted by a throat clearing.
Addison turned her head to see a man with dark hair and bright blue eyes. She didn’t need to be told this was a Chiasson. She could see the resemblance between him and Riley.
“Myles,” the man said with a smile.
Myles was smiling, his head cocked to the side. “Well, I’ll be damned. If it isn’t Beau Chiasson.”
The two met at the end of the bar and clapped each other on the back in a quick embrace. Addison saw the way Beau looked around and how Myles watched him.
“What brings you to town?” Myles asked.
Beau started to answer when he turned his head toward the kitchen and saw Solomon, Court, and Kane walking out.
Addison walked to Myles and linked her hand with his. In her weeks at Gator Bait, she had come to value Riley’s friendship. Riley was still finding her way, and Addison didn’t intend to let any of Riley’s family – including the LaRues – force Riley to return to Texas.
“Riley,” Beau finally answered. “I’ve come for Riley.”
Kane crossed his arms over his chest. “Why do you think she’d come here?”
“Where else would she go?” Beau answered with a crooked smile. “Look, I just want to know she’s all right. Vin is losing his mind, and Linc is ready to start scouring Louisiana for her. Christian is in Austin hoping that’s where she’s at, but I know Riley the best. She was hurt.”
“Damn straight I was,” Riley said as she came out of the back.
Beau let out a relieved sigh. “Thank God you’re all right.”
“I’m not going back,” Riley stated.
Beau held up his hands. “I’m not here to make you. I intended to, but Davena set my ass straight quick enough. We did you wrong, Riley. Vin isn’t ready to admit that, but it’s the truth. Take whatever time you need before you return to Texas.”
Riley rolled her eyes. “Did you not hear me? I’m not going back. I’ve no need to return to Texas, dumbass. I’ve already graduated!”
Addison had to turn away to keep from laughing at Beau’s dumbfounded expression.
“You really fucked up there, cuz,” Court told Beau.
Beau ignored him and walked to Riley. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. “I’m sorry, sis. Let me make it up to you?”
“How?” she asked.
“I won’t tell them I found you. Call tomorrow and let Vin know things are fine.”
Riley was shaking her head before he finished. “No, Vin and Linc will look for me.”
“You have my word they won’t. Olivia is still angry with Vin, and she won’t let him force you to do anything. As for Lincoln, he’s not about to do anything to upset Ava again.”
Riley stared at him a moment before she sniffed and discreetly wiped at her eyes. “Since you’re here, you might as well stay and eat. Where is Davena? I wanted to meet her?”
“She wasn’t ready to come to New Orleans just yet after her last run in with Delphine,” Beau said as he took a stool at the bar.
Myles glanced at Addison. “She should get ready to do so.”
Beau’s eyes hardened. “What’s happened?”
The rest of the LaRues sat around Beau and began to recount everything. Addison watched it all with interest. If she was going to be a LaRue, it meant the Chiassons were also part of her family.
“What are you smiling at?” Myles whispered in her ear.
“The fact that I’ve gone from an only child to having an entire family.”
Myles turned to look at her. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Yes,” she said with a smile.
Myles let out a whoop and gathered Addison in his arms. “We’re getting married!” he shouted.
The two were swarmed by Riley, Solomon, Court, Kane, and Beau congratulating them. Addison couldn’t take her eyes from Myles. He was her best friend, her lover, her soon-to-be husband, and her werewolf.
Life couldn’t get any better.
Look for the next story in the Chiasson/LaRue series with
MOON THRALL
– Coming
February 9, 2015
!
Until then, read on for the sneak peek at
HOT BLOODED
, the fourth book in the Dark King series out
December 30, 2014
…