Rose, Charlotte - Bayou Famine [Shifters of Alligator Bend 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (14 page)

“And you definitely don’t deserve banishment,” Nelson said. “We want you here with us.”

She laughed. “You really mean it?”

Nelson nodded. “We really do.”

“I just have one question,” Armand said. “If you missed us and regretted your decision, why didn’t you just hop on a bus and come back?”

“A few minutes ago, I thought I should be banished. A few days ago, I certainly didn’t think you’d want me. Especially since I stole your boat and all. I really am sorry about that. I really don’t know why you’d still want to be with me after all this.”

Armand smoothed her hair. “Don’t you worry, baby. All is forgiven.”

Nelson nodded. “And we never would have turned you away. If you would have come back, we would have been overjoyed. We spent that entire two days searching for you. The whole congregation was on alert.”

Narcisse averted her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Armand lifted her head and kissed her. “There’s no need to feel guilty. We’re all back here, we’re all alive, and we’re gonna be together forever.”

“Maybe since we’re in a slow spot with the fishin’ business we should take you out on the water and teach you some of the basics,” Nelson said. “I’m sorry we didn’t think of it before. It didn’t occur to either of us that you might’ve been bored, especially with so little to do right now. Maybe we should be teachin’ you some new skills, so that you’re not bored out of your mind shuckin’ oysters all day. Would you like that?”

Narcisse nodded, her heart swelling with even more happiness. “Thank you. That would be perfect.”

He grinned. “Not to mention I like the thought of bein’ able to work and spend time with you all day.”

“And if you don’t wanna fish, I’m sure you could learn some mechanic work,” Nelson said, as he got out of bed and pulled on his jeans. “Hell, Adele will be back to her research before you know it. Soon you’ll probably have a lot to do as her assistant.”

“If she wants me as her assistant. It’s not like she doesn’t have a lab full of graduate students at Tulane.”

“You should talk to her more about it. I’m sure she’d be more than happy to find a place for you.”

Armand nodded. “Now, if you two don’t mind, I’m starvin’. Nearly dyin’ really works up an appetite. What do you say we get some breakfast?”

Narcisse grinned. “That sounds like a great idea.”

She was so happy that she practically skipped into the kitchen. She was grateful to be alive, to be with her mates, and to finally feel as though her life was coming together.

Breakfast was in full swing when Narcisse, Nelson, and Armand made their way down to the kitchen to get food. As they entered the room, everyone stopped eating and talking and burst into applause.

Narcisse felt her face heat up. She didn’t think she deserved such a warm reception after the way she had left and the consequences that had followed. She froze in place, unable to decide what to do in response to the surprisingly happy welcome.

“You okay?” Nelson whispered.

“I thought everyone would hate me after what I did,” she whispered back.

Before Nelson could respond, Adele rushed across the room and pulled Narcisse into a huge hug.

“I’m so relieved you’re back,” she said. “I was so afraid something really bad was going to happen to you.”

“I’m sorry I took off without talking to you first. I’m sure you could have convinced me to stay.”

Adele pulled away, small tears in the corners of her eyes. “Just promise that if you ever feel that way again, you really will come to me.”

“Of course I will.”

“Good.” Adele gave Narcisse another squeeze and then retreated back into the kitchen crowd.

As Narcisse and her mates filled their plates and settled the table, they encountered smiles from everyone who made eye contact with them.

“Feelin’ okay this mornin’?” Armand asked.

“I do,” she said, leaning her head on his shoulder. “And I’m so sorry I caused so much trouble. I should have done a better job of talking about the problems I was having.”

“If you ever start feelin’ that way again, I’m sure Nelson and I can give you a reminder that you’re wanted here.”

Narcisse giggled. “I just might take you up on that.”

After breakfast, Narcisse walked through the boat to Serafine’s quarters. It was time for her to resume her shifting practice. This time, she wasn’t going to let anything stand in her way. She was ready to commit to her new life, as strange as it had become.

Even though the congregation had welcomed her back with smiles and applause, Narcisse was still nervous as she walked into Serafine’s rooms. She felt as though she still had to atone for the mess she had created by running away. She was relieved that Armand and Nelson had escorted her to Serafine’s home. She was a little intimidated about facing down the all-powerful voodoo queen alone.

“Before we begin, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry I ran away,” Narcisse said. “I should have talked to Armand and Nelson, or I should have talked to you. Adele would have been a good confidante, too. I should have listened to you when you said I couldn’t leave. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, and that I caused so much trouble.”

Serafine stroked Narcisse’s hair. “All is forgiven. You’re back, order has been restored, and everyone is healthy. I’m just glad they were able to get to you in time. Didn’t want another tragedy like we had last time. Especially because my replacement ain’t here yet.”

Narcisse raised her eyebrows. “Nelson and Armand said you said something like that. What does it mean?”

“It means that the next voodoo queen ain’t livin’ here right now. She needs to find her way to her place in the bayou. Just like you did.”

“How long will that be?”

“The spirits only tell me certain things. I don’t have that information. But it don’t matter right now. What matters is that you’re back.”

“And we’re gonna make sure you feel welcome here from now on,” Armand said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

Narcisse leaned her head against him and smiled. Nelson flashed a grin at her, and she couldn’t help but blush. Even with her minor embarrassment, she couldn’t help but glow at the warm reception the congregation gave her. She thought they’d shun her, but instead, they’d welcomed her as though she had come home.

This wasn’t home yet. But Narcisse decided to give it one more try to see if it could be.

* * * *

Armand looked over his shoulder and smiled at Narcisse as he powered his boat to life.

“Now obviously, there ain’t much to catch right now, so I hope you ain’t bored.”

Narcisse laughed. “Don’t worry about it. I just want to learn.”

Armand steered the boat out toward the area where the congregation had established pot traps. Normally, he and Nelson fished with nets, while another boat checked and maintained traps, but with so little fishing work to be done and plenty of time to kill, he and Nelson had sometimes done double duty.

When they approached the first trap, Armand killed the engine. “First, we’re gonna check for crawfish.” He grabbed the rope and looked at Narcisse. “You wanna pull it up?”

She gave him a small smile and tentatively circled her hands around the rope and gave a gentle tug.

“Naw, you’re gonna have to give it more than that, baby.” He wrapped his hands around hers and tightened the grip, then gave the rope a good, hard pull. The trap started to move up through the water, and Armand showed her how to keep pulling it up. The trap burst through the water, but there were only two crawfish sitting in it.

“Goddamn,” Nelson cursed. “I feel like we should be used to small catches by now, but it don’t ever get easier to see the traps like that.”

“No, it don’t,” Armand said. He handed Narcisse a pair of gloves. “Here, baby. Wanna take them out?”

She paled slightly. “Oh, I don’t know.”

He chuckled. “They ain’t dangerous, and you have gloves. Don’t you worry.”

Narcisse put the gloves on, and when Armand popped open the trap, she made a tentative grab for the crawfish. She got one, but the second crawfish escaped her and darted on the trap, landing on the floor of the boat.

Narcisse squealed and almost lost control of the crawfish she had. Nelson acted fast and passed her a bucket they used to store their catch. Narcisse dropped it in and continued to try to stay away from the crawfish.

“Careful, baby, or you’ll tip the boat,” Armand said. He grabbed the crustacean with his bare hands and popped it in the bucket.

“I can’t believe you touched that thing with your bare hands,” she said.

Armand shrugged. “It’s just a fish. Ain’t no thing. C’mon, let’s go check the rest of the traps.”

They only yielded a total of ten crawfish that day, but by the time they were done with the traps, Narcisse was able to haul them out of the water with ease, and was less skittish around the catch.

“Okay,” he said when they had checked the last trap. “Now it’s time to cast a few nets and see if anythin’ happens.” He steered the boat out toward deeper water while Nelson readied the nets.

Suddenly, Narcisse gripped Armand’s arm. “Is that what I think it is?”

Armand looked in the direction where she was pointing. One of Pomet’s boats was floating in the water, its giant cathode sticking out to lure what fish there were left to their doom.

“Aw, shit.”

“You sound surprised,” Nelson said. “Ain’t like we haven’t seen ’em every single day we’ve been out here.”

“I still wake up every mornin’ hopin’ that won’t be the case.”

Suddenly, someone walked out on the deck and began checking the cathode.

“Narcisse, baby, you lie down in the bottom of the boat, okay?”

“Why?”

“I don’t know how this guy is gonna react if he sees us. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Narcisse curled up in a ball on the floor, and Armand adjusted their course slightly to move them out of sight. The last thing he wanted was for Pomet’s lackey to freak out if he got caught. He wanted to take the whole operation down, but not in a way that was going to endanger his mate.

Armand glanced over his shoulder again and caught Pomet’s employee looking in their direction. He quickly averted his gaze, pretending as though he didn’t notice what was going on.

Finally, Nelson said, “We’re all clear.”

Armand didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until he heard those words. “He saw us,” he said after a deep exhale.

“I know. But he didn’t do anythin’. I think we’re okay.”

“Can I get up now?” Narcisse asked.

“All clear, baby.”

“Why didn’t you confront them?”

“First, I wasn’t about to risk you gettin’ hurt. Second, even if it had just been Nelson and me, we’d still have been outnumbered. It don’t make sense to get ourselves killed.”

Narcisse laid her hand on his shoulder. “Please don’t. I like having both of you in my life.”

Armand couldn’t help but grin as he continued to pilot to deeper water.
 

When they stopped the boat, Armand handed her the net’s landline. “You cast it from this, kinda like how you’d cast a regular fishin’ line.”