Inevitable: Shifters Forever Worlds (Only After Dark Book 5) Read Free Page B

exactly a shocker.
    A dangerous gleam appeared in Lucia’s eyes. “My sister…” She didn’t finish her sentence, shaking her head instead.

    * * *
    A ttendance at Latrice Mathieu —Mémé’s—funeral was high. The service was short.
    Leandra knew that would be exactly how Mémé would have wanted it. She was never much for formality.
    “Let’s visit Quake. Have lunch, maybe a latte and some beignets? They have the very best in town.”
    “How can you think about food at this time?” The words slipped out of Leandra before she could put her filter in place.
    She was ready to apologize, except Lucia raised her hand and released a low laugh.
    “My mother said you were just like her. I see that’s so.”
    “I’ll take that as a compliment.” Leandra was angry that laughter could slip past Lucia’s lips on a day like this.
    “Don’t be angry with me. My mother had a full wonderful life. She lived longer than some witches, not as long as others. She knew it was time to go. She’d done her job.”
    “What do you mean?” Leandra glanced at the dark haired woman in black.
    “We’ll talk at Quake.”
    “But—” Leandra began a protest.
    “No.” Lucia’s hand went up. The only thing she didn’t do, was say talk to the hand.
    Thank goodness, Leandra thought
    The drive to New Orleans went quick though it wasn’t all that short.
    “I’ve missed going to Quake,” Lucia confessed.
    “Where have you been, that you couldn’t go?” Leandra asked.
    Lucia gave her a sideways glance. “Quake.”
    That’s all she said.
    Fine. We’ll talk at Quake.
    Leandra stayed silent for the rest of the trip, but she’d picked up a slight hint of emotion behind the singular word Quake when Lucia had said it.
    What’s that about?

Chapter 6
    N ew Orleans , Louisiana

    L ucia parked the car in front of the restaurant, though a weathered, battered old sign clearly proclaimed that this was a no parking zone.
    Leandra pointed to the sign. “You could get towed.”
    “They wouldn’t dare.”
    The tone in Lucia’s voice gave Leandra pause. She so wanted to delve into the topic, but Lucia’s face was as welcoming as a cottonmouth’s.
    “What is this place?” Leandra studied the building, with its balconies, standard for New Orleans.
    Balconies laced with metal architecture over each door and in front of windows on the second floor created the illusion there were several buildings, not once giving a hint the original structures had been fitted into one building. Not many knew that Quake occupied the entire block, it was a secret known only to the paranormal beings that inhabited the area.
    The entrances were marked with different colored doors; the walls were dilapidated.
    Lucia halted in the middle of the sidewalk between two buildings. This brought Leandra to a full stop next to Lucia.
    She looked at her aunt. “What’s up, Tante?”
    “Just taking a moment.” Lucia inhaled a deep breath, then released it slowly.
    “What is it?” Leandra studied her aunt, so starkly beautiful, curves emphasized by a dark mourning dress.
    One last exhale, then Leandra put a smile on her face as if it was a difficult task. “Nothing. Let’s go in. You’re familiar with the doors, the rules, all that?”
    Leandra had heard rumors, but she would welcome the opportunity to hear more. Quake had a mysterious reputation in the witch world. A restaurant that doubled as a meeting place for supernatural beings.
    Yeah, who wouldn’t want to hear more?
    Especially when she’d heard that they welcomed all beings, as long as they remained segregated.
    “Not really,” she told Lucia. “Tell me, Tante?”
    Lucia nodded. “Shifters come here, and vampires, and witches, and elementals. Other types at times. Shifters use the blue door. The red is for witches. The green for vampires. Black for elementals.”
    “Which do you use? Born of a witch, but you’re a shifter.”
    “What do you know of my heritage, Leandra?”
    “Mémé didn’t