Page 104 of Brandt's Rule
“You are welcome to return at your convenience,” Delilah said, playing her part as Alpha and as a Dragon Queen perfectly.
“Thank you, Delilah,” Lily said.
Lily smiled at Janie. “I must compliment you. Your son is a lovely person. I hope they’ll have an opportunity to clear all this misunderstanding and have many happy years together.”
“I hope for the same,” Janie said, smiling as she approached Lily and held out her hand. “We’re family after all. They’re mates, which binds us together, too.”
Lily took Janie’s hand in hers and held it warmly as they shared a moment without any words being necessary. Then Lily let go of Janie’s hand and took a second to make eye contact with everyone there. “I wish you all a good night,” Lily said, her mists swirling as her image began to fade. Her voice echoed behind… “Mr. Maverik, it was a pleasure to see you again. Perhaps next time you’ll visit us. Don’t forget, it’s due south of the store where you met us.”
“Wow,” Barron said.
“Sit, my son. You do not need to protect me,” Delilah said, kissing her son’s cheek as he returned to his seat.
“But I would!” Barron insisted.
“She’s impressive,” Valerie said.
“Uh, yeah,” Daisy added.
“She’s a very kind, very gracious soul,” Delilah said, gazing up at her ceiling and around the kitchen quickly.
Maverik laughed. “Making sure she’s not lurking?”
Delilah grinned. “I have to admit that I’m not accustomed to being in the company of one so powerful, however, I do really like her.”
Daisy laughed. “She’s nothing but good. Light, nurturing, honesty. But I can see how that can be switched if someone she loves is threatened.”
“Great,” Brandt said.
“Oh, you’re good. I don’t think she’d have made herself known if she planned on smiting you from the face of the Earth or something like that,” Daisy said.
“Smiting me?” Brandt asked, his brows raised.
“That’s the only description I know,” Daisy said.
“I wish I was more like that. A perfect lady, and a total badass,” Everly said.
“Let me tell you what, you standing over your man with a pistol in each hand firing at anything that threatened him is about as badass as it gets. And everyone of y’all is indisputably a lady.” Maverik grinned. “I keep good company. Apparently, always have.”
“At least since you met her last,” Valerie snarked.
“Yeah. Before that… not so much,” Maverik agreed.
“Where’s the store?” Brandt asked.
“What store?” Maverik asked.
“The one where you met her and Tempest. Didn’t you hear her? She’s giving me a hint of where to look.”
“Oh! I don’t even know if it’s there anymore.”
“Doesn’t matter. If I can figure out about where it used to be, maybe I can find Tempest.”
“If I’m remembering right, and you know I always remember right, it’s right on the outskirts of Cocodrie. It’s actually south of Cocodrie itself.”
“There’s a swamp outside Cocodrie. It’s even called Cocodrie Swamp. But I don’t think it’s right there near the town. It might even be across the parish lines, closer to Dulac,” Avaleigh said.
“I’m sure I’ll end up wandering around both. But I don’t really care. I’m not coming back without Tempest,” Brandt said, walking toward the back door.