Murder Read online

  Contents

  Cover Credit

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Introduction

  About This Book

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Epilogue

  From the Author

  About the Author

  Cover Credit

  Christopher Coyle

  darkandstormyknight.com

  Thank you for adorning my words so beautifully.

  Your talent knows no bounds!

  Sandra R Neeley

  P. O. Box 1464

  Hammond, LA 70404

  [email protected]

  Independently Published

  by Sandra R Neeley

  68,750 words

  MURDER

  BOOK 5

  WHISPERS FROM THE BAYOU

  by SANDRA R NEELEY

  Copyright © 2020 SANDRA R NEELEY

  All rights reserved.

  Thank you for purchasing and/or downloading this book. It is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and/or distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes without express written permission from the author.

  Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales, is purely coincidental. The characters are creations of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademarked ownership of all trademarks and word marks mentioned in this book.

  For my readers – without you I wouldn’t be making my dreams come true. Thank you for reading my words and for all your continued support.

  Introduction

  Whispers From the Bayou

  The swamps of South Louisiana shelter all manner of creature, paranormal as well as natural wildlife. Whispers is a community of paranormal beings hidden deep within the most uninhabitable areas of the wetlands. All of its inhabitants — be they Vampires, Shifters, Gargoyles, Banshees, Ancients, Windigo, Mer-people or other — came here for one reason: sanctuary. The members of this community intentionally migrated here over time in an effort to escape humankind and their intolerant ways. Some species were hunted to the point of near extinction; those few who survived now live here. They all have one rule, one unbreakable rule — no humans. No humans are allowed to know about their community. It’s the only way they can all remain safely hidden away.

  About This Book

  Murder is the last of the gargoyles in Whispers to find his mate. Or so he thinks…

  A fateful mission into Hell to rescue his best friend’s stolen mate leads Murder to a female he can’t look away from. As he hangs helpless from the chains holding him secure in the Dark One’s torture cell, a quiet female with midnight-blue eyes tends his wounds and nurses him the best she can despite his snarls and warnings to leave him alone. He doesn’t understand why he’s soothed by her presence. Before he can figure it out, he’s rescued and whisked back to the place he calls home. But he finds he has only one desire… and he’s got to go back to Hell to retrieve it.

  Lucitari is an ancient. All her life she’s believed a mate is nothing more than a liability — someone to be used against you. It’s a weakness she cannot afford Which is why eons ago, she selflessly gave away the part of herself that calls to a mate. It was an impulsive, yet sensible decision — until now. Now she’s found her mate, but he’s claimed another. Her heart is breaking, yet even so, she wishes him well. She’s doing her best to put on a brave face, though it’s hard to do when he makes her so angry she struggles to control her temper. But she’s determined to be happy for him. A little. Maybe.

  The fates are never clear with their intent for the future. And life can be downright confusing. Like why a soothing pair of beautiful, mid-night blue eyes suddenly turn brown. Why the pull you feel for a mate is no longer a pull at all, and why an ancient who’s lived on the outskirts of your life for years suddenly seems to be all you can think about. For Murder it’s become a race against time to put all the pieces together before his real mate falls through his grasp forever. She’s hidden herself away from the pain he’s caused. If he can’t locate her in time, she’ll be lost, not only to him, but to all — forever.

  Warning: Intended for mature audiences. This book contains intimate love scenes, some violence, and possibly some abuse both real and inferred that may be disturbing for some readers. If you are offended by these subjects, please do not buy this book.

  Chapter 1

  Murder woke from a restless sleep, his body entangled in the sweaty sheet he’d been fighting. The moment his eyes opened, he realized it was all just a dream. He was alone. Phrygia was not beside him, and there’d been no Dark One, or his minions, trying to snatch her from his arms.

  His chest heaved with the adrenalin his dream had pushed into his veins. He snatched the sheet up and threw it to the floor beside his bed before jumping to his feet and stalking through his house to the back door. He flung open the door and stepped barefoot out into the soft, cool grass of the summer night.

  Murder raised his face to the darkened sky, the stars twinkling their lights seemingly winking at him, through the deep blue tinted veil that always seemed to shroud the celestial view from his own place in the world. His chest continued to heave, his heart pounding as he thought of Phrygia still suffering under the Dark One’s rule. He closed his eyes and brought to mind her face, her timid touch as she tried to cleanse his wounds while he’d hung chained and bound, unable to care for himself. Though he’d snarled at her, she’d still come back time and again to try to care for him.

  Murder breathed deeply, trying to calm his pounding heart. Finally, he opened his eyes. He lifted his arms, his hands palm up to the sky and repeated the words he’d spoken to the winds these last few weeks. “I am coming, Phrygia. Just hold on a little longer. I will not fail you.”

  Murder returned to his bedroom, pulled on whatever clothes he touched first and reached for his saber, tossing it up several times and catching it expertly by its grip. He left his home, his steps swift and sure, his voice raised to a level that would wake the dead. “Lore! It is time! I will wait no longer!”

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Lore stretched first one leg, then the other as he woke beneath the warm coverlet on the bed. He tried to figure out what had awoken him, but then he looked down at the sleeping woman who’d rested her head on his chest. He smiled as he stroked the wild tangle of long blonde curls spilling across his chest. Lore ran his fingers through the strands and played with a curl as it wrapped around his finger. He sighed and marveled to himself at the level of complete peace and happiness simply having the love of this one woman had brought him.

  His Evangeline had given up her immortality for him, just to be with him. And when he’d claimed her anew, and she him, he’d given it right back to her. Not that she had her wings, she didn’t. Those had been gifted to Carnage and there they would remain, but Lore’s own immortality had been shared with his mate and she’d live eternity beside him. Which was a lucky occurrence for all living things on this planet. Because without her, he was completely unpredi
ctable and a danger to all, including himself.

  Lore’s ears honed in on a distant sound. Then he knew what had awakened him. It was Murder. He could hear Murder’s voice filtering through the realms, searching out Lore and the favor that Murder had begged, and now demanded. Murder was calling for him. It was time. He’d allowed Lore time to reclaim and bond with Evangeline, but he was done waiting. They had a date to keep with Hell.

  <<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Phrygia slowly lifted her hand, trying to release some of the tension built up in her muscles, but doing her best not to allow the metallic clink of the chains keeping her secured to the huge bed to wake the male she’d been spending every night with since Murder had escaped. She watched her arm as it moved, just barely noticing the bruises on her forearm. She licked her lips and didn’t even wince at the split on her upper lip. Her body was bruised. She’d even bled a little. But it didn’t matter what she endured now — Murder was safe, he was away from this godforsaken place and would never have to suffer at the hands of her master again.

  “Ahhh, I see you’re awake already. How kind of you to wake early to service me before your duties.”

  Phrygia didn’t think. She just responded, doing exactly what she’d been conditioned to do. She flipped over onto her back and spread her legs, leaving her shackled wrist to hang over the bed. Her mind returned to Murder. She wondered what he was doing, if he had recovered fully, if he had a female waiting for him back home, wherever home was. Her eyebrows drew down over her eyes — she wondered why the thought of him with another female didn’t cause her any anger or jealousy. She literally felt no angst at all at the thought of him with another female. Yet, she feared for him, sent up what she was sure were unheard prayers for his safety and his happiness.

  “What is wrong with you?” a deep, resonant, and had it belonged to another, sexy voice asked from right above her.

  Phrygia shifted her attention from inside her head to the male looming over her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You. What is wrong with you?” the Dark One asked again.

  Phrygia thought about it for a few seconds. “I’m damned to hell?” she asked.

  “We are all damned to hell! That is not the problem,” he shouted.

  “Oh,” was all she said. No fear crept into her voice, no hesitation. No emotion at all.

  “That! That is the problem! What is the reason for your lack of fear? Why do you no longer care if you are brought to service me? Why do you no longer even fight against that which frightens you?”

  Phrygia shook her head gently. “I have nothing else to fear. I’m here and that will never change, but you can’t hurt me anymore. I don’t care what you do. Just get on with it so I can get on with my own duties when you’re done.” All this was said with a measured amount of respect, but also a measured amount of disregard. She just really didn’t care anymore.

  The Dark One loomed over her, holding himself up with his hands planted on either side of her head, his lower body resting against hers. “This can all be over. Call to him. Just call to him. Beg him to come back and save you. I will reward you handsomely,” he promised, biting his bottom lip seductively and looking down the length of her body.

  Phrygia watched him, listened to his words. She didn’t even hesitate — she shook her head. “No.”

  “No?!” he shouted. “No?!” he repeated more loudly.

  “No. I don’t want him. So, go ahead and do your best. It doesn’t really matter any longer.”

  His face wrinkled, pulling into a sour moue. He huffed, then shoved himself backwards and to the side, quickly exiting his bed. “I see no reason to put out the effort if you’re not even going to try to be frightened! And do not think I will forget that you have taken away all the fun of your submission!” he shouted angrily as he stalked to the door and yanked it open to stride out as naked as the day he was created. He did not always wear clothing.

  “Very well,” Phrygia answered. She lay there, shifting her wrist back and forth for a moment before the Dark One stalked back in and released her from her shackles.

  “You will report to duty and you will work double duty this day. Then you will return to my bed and these chains tonight.”

  “Whatever you wish,” Phrygia answered, completely nonplussed.

  “I will find a way to lure him back. I will somehow get my hands on your male again, and this time, I will not lose him. It will come to the end I want it to come to!”

  “He’s never coming back. He will not come back to your realm. Not ever,” Phrygia said calmly, as she began to bring herself into a sitting position in preparation of leaving the Dark One’s bed.

  The Dark One reached out, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her from the mattress as he brought her close enough to his face to feel his breath on her face. “He will come back here. And you will assist with that, or you will die. Do you understand?” the Dark One asked, his voice low and deadly.

  Phrygia nodded her head one single time, because it was what was expected of her.

  “Do not trifle with me, female,” he warned, loosing a slow, snarling rumble only centimeters from her face.

  When she didn’t respond, he tossed her back onto the bed.

  Phrygia landed and just watched him as she stopped bouncing.

  “You will lure him back here, and I will be waiting,” he told her, his clawed finger giving away just how close to losing control he really was. The Dark One stormed out of his bedroom again, leaving her to get herself to her duties.

  Phrygia watched the spot she’d last seen him. Finally she shrugged her shoulders. “I’m already dead,” she whispered before getting to her feet and starting her rotation at the holding cells they kept all their most dangerous arrivals in.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Lucitari looked down over the small, clay tiled roof that covered Murder’s home, sheltered him from the weather and served as his safe place. She’d felt his fear and frustration and had come at once. Only when he walked outside into his backyard did she realize it was a nightmare that had triggered those emotions. She perched quietly on the highest peak of his roof and watched him, felt him, hurt for him, while he took the minutes needed to regain control.

  She listened to his words, spoken to the winds and to any who cared to hear. His promise to Phrygia that he was coming for her, then, she hurt for herself. Murder was a luxury, and a liability, she could never allow herself. Lucitari thought of Phrygia. The poor girl had been through Hell. Literally. She herself had thought of trying to free her several times over the centuries, but it had never come to fruition. She’d felt bad over the girl’s situation for a very long time, but finally, having given up so much of herself already, she’d had to let it go.

  The sounds of Murder rummaging around in his home and the yearning to be near him was just too much to bear. He loved Phrygia. That was all she needed to know. She shook her head, trying to dislodge any crazy idea she may have allowed to begin to brew there. She was partially responsible for this. If she’d spoken up at any point when she’d been near Murder, or even just told Lore, this may have been avoided, but now it was done. And it was after all, what she’d wanted — at one time anyway. She took a deep breath, reminded herself that Murder was safe and that was what she’d come for to begin with. Then, she closed her eyes and misted away, leaving her protections in place around his home, just in case there came a time he needed protection and she wasn’t able to get there right away. At least that much she would allow herself — to watch over him from a distance, to ensure that he was safe. Even if his future was with Phrygia.

  Chapter 2

  Lore gently turned Evangeline to her back and leaned over her, admiring her peacefully sleeping face before kissing her awake.

  Slowly Evangeline began to wake, stretching her body this way and that as the stained glass of the windows of their church-turned-home splayed bright colors across her skin as the morning sun shone down on them.

  “You
are radiant in the sunlight and colors, my love,” Lore said, kissing her collar bone.

  “I’m surprised I’m conscious,” she said in a husky, sleep-laden voice. “You kept me up all night.”

  “I believe it was you who kept me up, sweet,” Lore said, nipping her teasingly.

  Evangeline brought her arms down from her pillows and encircled Lore’s neck, tangling her fingers in his hair.

  “Are you going to feed me?” she asked, turning her head to the side to give Lore better access to her throat as he kissed his way up her body.

  “I thought we might have breakfast with friends,” he answered.

  Evangeline’s eyes popped open. “Really? Who are we going to see?” she asked excitedly.

  “I hear Murder calling me. I need to visit Whispers, and I don’t want to leave you here. Will you come with me?” Lore invited.

  “I will. And I know what it means that Murder is calling for you. He wants his mate. You’re going to go back to Hell, aren’t you?” Evangeline asked quietly.

  Lore looked into her bright blue eyes and smiled softly for her. “Yes. But it’s different this time. I’m fully restored. My powers are not weakened in any way, and actually, since we’ve vanquished Acaelo and we absorbed his powers as well, I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. We will be in and out much quicker than before, and we will not have to worry about my powers fading this time. I will not be depleted while in that realm.”