Moon Thrall (8 page)

“Detective,” Court replied.

Scott looked around the bar. “You act surprised to see me. Myles left a message for me to come by. Said it had something to do with the murder last night.”

Court looked down at the sink and the basin of water where he had been washing glasses. “Did he now?”

“Should I talk to Myles?”

“Up to you.” Court poured Scott’s beer and set it in front of him.

Scott blew out a breath. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“The murder last night wasn’t done with a knife as it’s being reported.”

Scott lowered his gaze to the mug of beer. “I know. I didn’t draw the case, but I had a look. Two small wounds on the victim’s neck and all the blood gone. I know what that means.”

“The woman your colleagues are looking for to question isn’t involved. The victim accompanied her to a club but left without her. Kane and I had to save her from two vamps.”

Scott shook his head, mumbling a string of curses. Then he looked back at Court. “Vamps means the Viper’s Nest.”

“Yep. They’re after her. She’s under our protection until we can get them off her trail. I don’t trust anyone with her. She’s found herself with a lot of enemies in a short time, and we know how well connected the supes are in town.”

“You want me to keep the cops away from her?”

Court leaned his hands on the bar. “What we would appreciate is a heads up if NOPD decides to take a look here or any of our places. I don’t know if the vamps want to kill her or turn her, but either way, they got her to leave the Viper’s Nest without using their mind control.”

That made Scott frown. “What?”

“They used some form of magic. We need to find out what it is, as well as who is teaming up with the vamps.”

“I suppose you have a plan?”

Court nodded. “It’ll involve returning to the Viper’s Nest. We have to learn who is helping the vamps.”

Scott turned his glass in a circle. “I saw what happened in the cemetery a few weeks back.”

Court straightened. Why would Scott have been there? And why hadn’t he shown himself?

“Y’all handled getting Myles’s woman free well. None of the tourists, and most of the residents, didn’t even know what was going on. Delphine almost got one over on you though.”

“She won’t ever stop.” Court ran a hand down his face. “You should’ve let us know you were there.”

Scott sat up and sighed loudly. He ran a hand through his hair and adjusted his faded red tee. “With all those weres and witches. I think not. The witch that was taken with Addison hasn’t been seen since.”

“She’s fine,” Court was quick to say. “Her coven turned on her so she decided to put some distance between them and her.”

“Smart girl. Pretty, too.”

Court shrugged. Minka was attractive, but she didn’t compare to Skye.

Scott slid off the stool. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do my best.”

He watched Scott walk out of the bar and into the bright sunlight. Court turned and found Riley beside him.

“He’s cute,” she said, watching until the door closed. Then she turned her gaze to Court. “Who was that?”

“Detective Scott Theriot.”

“Really? How do you know him?”

“We used to be friends. Until he found out what I was.”

Riley’s face shifted into a frown. “What a jerk. None of us need friends like that.”

“It scared him, Riley.”

“I don’t give a shit. He knew you, Court. He should’ve realized you never would have sharpened your teeth on his bones. Has he come here to make amends?”

Court grinned at his cousin, thankful for her words. “Myles called him about Skye. Scott said he would try to keep us informed if the cops turn this way.”

“Right,” Riley said with a roll of her eyes.

~

It had been years since Skye had waited tables, but it was something to occupy her time. Besides, she enjoyed Addison and Riley. The bar was much different than a restaurant, as well. It could be the music that made it such a good atmosphere to work in. It could be the place itself, or even the great food.

But she had a suspicion it had to do with a hunky blond werewolf with piercing blue eyes working behind the bar. Several times, Skye had looked up to find Court watching her.

It had been so long since she’d flirted with a guy that she was pretty rusty at it. Still, she wasn’t going to let such an opportunity pass.

Court wasn’t just breathtakingly gorgeous. He was focused on his family. She could see the man he was just by watching him with Riley, Addison, and his brothers. Court was a good guy. Even if there was a primal, dangerous vibe about him that made her heart race with excitement and a bit of fear.

Skye put on a brave face about returning to the vampire club. In truth, she wanted to be as far from it as she could get. The simple fact was, no matter how far she ran, the vampires would still be there.

She had created some enemies, and she never liked looking over her shoulder anyway. The only way she could get through the night was knowing that Court was there.

It still boggled her mind that she was surrounded by werewolves. Riley told her there was a pack that lived out in the swamps, as well. The Moonstone pack was once powerful in New Orleans, but they’d disappeared years ago. It was only recently that they had returned.

The only faction she hadn’t met someone from was the Voodoo sect. Based on the story Addison had told her about Delphine, the Voodoo priestess who had taken it upon herself to rid the world of all Chiassons and LaRues, Skye had no interest in meeting her.

The stories hadn’t stopped there. Riley had told Skye how Delphine had ventured to Lyons Point to terrorize her family on multiple occasions. Luckily, Riley’s brothers and their women had come through it, each time defeating Delphine.

There was one story that was the hardest to hear, and that was Kane’s. Myles had been the one to tell her about the laughing, friendly Kane, who rolled out of bed with messy hair and came to work.

But that was before Delphine had cursed him to kill the daughter of her enemy. When Delphine had sent Kane after Ava, she happened to be in Lyons Point. The curse prevented Kane from doing anything but hunting her. It became his singular purpose. Riley’s brothers had protected Ava and stopped Kane.

But Kane hadn’t been the same since. He was reserved, focused. He rarely smiled. His hair was always combed and his clothes were always neat and orderly.

That story explained so much about Kane that Skye forgave him immediately for all his harsh words. She immediately dispelled her nasty thoughts toward him.

“You’ve had a busy day.”

Skye smiled as she recognized Court’s voice. She set the dirty dishes down in the kitchen and turned to face him. “I have. It’s been fun.”

“Really?” he asked with a raised brow.

She shrugged. “Really. I’m not sure I’d want to do it all the time, but it kept my mind off things.”

“I hear you’ve been told some of the recent happenings with our family.”

“I have.” She licked her lips. “Why haven’t you killed Delphine?”

Court’s chest expanded as he took a deep breath. “She’s not easy to kill. We had the chance once.”

“Why wouldn’t you take it?” she asked, flabbergasted.

“We used the advantage to get her to remove the curse she put on Kane. If he would have killed anyone, whether it was Ava or not, he would’ve remained in wolf form for the rest of his life without knowing who he really was.”

Skye was too shocked to speak for a moment. “I’d have done the same thing as you.”

“I think it’s time you took a break. Follow me.”

He turned and walked from the kitchen. Skye hesitated, letting her gaze linger on his butt before she followed him. The guy could fill out a pair of jeans nicely. It didn’t help that his shirt was tight enough to see every bulge and valley of his muscles. He must work out every day to have a body like that.

Skye found herself back in Myles’s office again. Except this time, it was just her and Court. She looked around worriedly before she took one of the chairs.

Court sank into the one next to her. “I wanted to talk the plan over with you. If you’re uncomfortable with any of it, we can change it.”

“I should think the plan is fairly simple. You and I go to the club. You blend in, and I wait to be approached again. When I am, you rush in and take care of the nasties.”

“Nasties?” he repeated with a choked laugh.

Skye lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “That’s what my mother used to call monsters.”

“It fits. Essentially, that is the plan. That’s the basic version anyway. Riley and Addison will be there but outside the club. You’re right. I’ll be inside the club. We’re known around town, so if more than one LaRue shows up, it’ll make everyone wary.”

She wasn’t sure that was smart. Things could happen. Court could be outnumbered and they could attack him.

“They won’t mess with me,” Court said as if reading her mind. “It’s not uncommon for one of us to visit the clubs to make sure everyone is obeying the rules.”

Skye clasped her hands in her lap. “All right.”

“Myles and Kane will be with the girls. Solomon will be hiding right outside the club, as well. If, for some reason, the vamps get you out before I can stop them, Solomon will be there.”

She nodded. “Understood.”

“You don’t have to do this, you know.”

She looked into his blue, blue eyes. “I do have to do this. For Jo, for myself, and for all the innocents out in the world. Besides, I need to set this right and get whatever enemies I’ve amassed off my butt.”

“You can back out anytime,” he urged.

“I’m doing this.”

“Then you’ll need to be prepared.” Court handed her a silver knife.

C
HAPTER
N
INE

It was wrong. Court knew it the moment he walked into the Viper’s Nest. Now he wished he had waited to leave the bar after seeing Skye one more time. He sent off a text to his brothers so they would stop Skye from entering the club. No sooner had he hit send then the door opened and she walked in.

Court let out a string of curses. He glanced around, noting how a current went through the club. Everyone was looking at Skye. Some because they knew who she was. No doubt they also knew she had escaped from Jacques and Anton the previous night.

But many were eyeing her because of what she was wearing.

Court licked his lips. Her long hair was down, the curtain of black silk falling midway down her back. It was parted on the side, with one section tucked behind her ear.

She was once more in all black. The black pants emphasized her long legs while the black shirt dipped low to show off a wealth of creamy skin and cleavage.

Skye stood inside the club at the door for several seconds before she slowly walked to the bar in her black booties. The heels weren’t nearly as tall as the previous night, but they were tall enough to cause him worry if she had to run.

Hell. Who was he kidding? Just thinking of her near a vamp was enough to cause him anxiety of the worst kind.

He watched as she placed a drink order and turned to watch the dance floor. The couples on the floor were half-naked, their bodies grinding against one another.

Her head turned slightly to the left where a vamp was drinking from a woman’s neck as she stroked his cock. Skye quickly turned her head away.

Court’s phone vibrated with a text. He looked down to see a reply from Myles asking if he was going to escort Skye out of the club. Court wanted nothing more, but he had a feeling Skye wouldn’t leave easily.

He didn’t want to make a scene of any kind. There were already too many vamps eyeing Skye as it was. Court waved on a scantily clad blond who was walking his way. She frowned but found a vampire soon enough.

Court spotted Anton making his way to him and sent off a text to his brothers with just one number – 11. That was their signal that things were going to shit in a hurry.

“Well, well, well,” Anton said loudly over the music as he stopped next to Court. “I didn’t expect this.”

Court swiveled his head as he felt someone on his other side and saw Jacques.

“Or that,” Jacques said as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward Skye.

Court leaned back against the wall as casually as he could. It was one of the most difficult things he had ever done, especially when he wanted to kill both vampires right there. “You two broke the rules. Did you actually think we wouldn’t check in on you?”

“Did you bring Skye as a gift?” Jacques asked.

“Touch her and you die.” The words were out of Court’s mouth before he could stop them.

Anton smiled deviously. “Has the youngest LaRue found himself a woman? Don’t get too attached, wolf. I doubt she’ll live long.”

“Is that a threat?”

Anton glanced at Skye. “Fact.”

“Do you know what she’s doing?” Jacques asked. “She’s writing articles about all of us. We vamps don’t mind. The more, the merrier. But some...well, some don’t like being pointed out so blatantly.”