Midnight Orchids Read online

  “Well then, show me what you can do,” Emelise said. “Surprise me. I want you to make four different mixed drinks for us to sample.”

  “On it,” Kylie said before she hopped up and went around behind the bar to see what she had to work with. The first drink she made was a Basilico. It contained one-and-a-half ounces of Citron Vodka, half an ounce of peach liqueur, one-fourth ounces each of apple liqueur, simple syrup, and lime juice, five basil leaves, and a single strawberry for garnish. The second was a Red Velvet Shortcake made with one-and-a-half ounces of Red Velvet Zing Vodka, two ounces of cream soda, a splash of lemon juice, and two strawberries muddled into the drink with a third as a garnish. The third drink was a Whiskey Smash made with two ounces of Dewar’s White Label Blended Scotch Whiskey, one teaspoon of sugar, two wedges of lemon, and three mint sprigs. The final drink was a Gold Rush, made with two ounces of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, one ounce of honey syrup, and three-fourths of an ounce of lemon juice. She placed all four drinks on a tray and added two empty glasses for them to sample the drinks from, then carried the tray to the table.

  Emelise

  Emelise watched her as she whipped four very different drinks up. She’d half expected Kylie to go with something basic, like a Whiskey Sour, but no, she went all out to prove her skills. She watched her put on a bit of a show with each bottle. Eme was already impressed.

  “Damn, she’s good,” Lily whispered to Emelise as they waited for Kylie to finish.

  “I was just thinking the same thing.”

  “If those drinks taste as good as they look, I think you’ve found your new Drink Mixologist.”

  “Me too.” Eme grinned. “Go ahead, say it.”

  Lily snickered. “Told you so,” she said and laughed when Emelise stuck her tongue out at her. “These look really good; what are they?” she asked once Kylie set the tray in front of them.

  Kylie explained what each drink was, along with what was in them, as she poured them both a sample of the first one.

  By the time they’d sampled all four drinks, Eme knew she’d found Joe’s replacement. Sure she was sad to see him go—he’d only worked there a month—but his wife’s job was relocating them, so what choice did he have but to move? “When can you start?” she asked Kylie.

  “When do you want me to start?” Kylie countered.

  “Tonight? I’ll have you work with Joe; you’ll be replacing him when he leaves in three days.”

  “Um, sure. Is there, like, a dress requirement?”

  “No. As long as it’s tasteful, not trashy, it’s fine. And no vulgar pictures or comments on your shirts, either, though usually it’s men you have to worry about with that. Also, the pay is higher than you’d get elsewhere because I think it’s ridiculous to expect an employee to be able to live off a wage that is below the federal poverty level. Most places in New Orleans pay around nine an hour, I pay fifteen and you’ll get paid weekly.”

  “So, Kylie, where are you staying?” Lily suddenly asked.

  Kylie didn’t want to look her in the eye as she replied. “A shelter.” She didn’t go into detail though.

  “Shelter? Oh, hell no,” Emelise countered. “You can crash at my place. Well, mine and Caine’s. We have a small cottage attached to the main house for new Pard members to use until a house can be built for them.” She was still getting used to the fact that, not only had she moved in with him, but they’d recently said their vows.

  “Oh, no, I couldn’t do that,” Kylie started.

  “You might as well not try to argue with her, Kylie. Eme is like a bulldog; she’s tenacious and she won’t take no for an answer. Mind you, you will have to be interviewed by both Alphas before you’ll officially be allowed to remain in Pard and Pack territory,” Lily told her.

  Kylie blinked before she busted out laughing. “A tenacious bulldog, that’s…quite an image,” she said. “Yeah, I kind of figured I’d have to meet with the Alphas,” she added, then looked at Emelise. “If you’re sure…”

  “Oh, I’m sure, chica,” Eme replied. “Do you need to go back to the shelter for anything?”

  “No, I have everything I came with right here,” she said and patted the large bag she’d brought with her.

  “Oh, honey, we need to take you shopping then.” Eme grinned at Lily. “Trip to Baton Rouge?”

  Lily laughed. “Hell yeah. At least this time we won’t have to worry about creepy stalkers.”

  Kylie looked confused and Lily explained what had happened a while back with the jaguars.

  “Oh, wow. That’s kind of scary.”

  “It was, but it all got sorted out and now the Red Moon Clan are allies of both the Black Water Pard and the Ghostpoint Pack.”

  “At least it had a happy ending. For the most part. How is it that you two get along so well? I don’t mean to be rude, it’s just that, back in my old Pard, anyone who wasn’t a leopard wasn’t welcome anywhere near us. I’d expect there to be animosity between you two.”

  “Honestly, I think that is dependent on the Alpha of any given group. If the Alpha doesn’t like to interact with shifters who are a different species, his attitude will rub off on those who follow him. Caine accepts anyone as long as they don’t say or do something that will bring trouble to the Pard,” Emelise explained. “We can talk more about that on the drive to Baton Rouge, if you want. We should go tomorrow. You good with that, Lil?”

  “Tomorrow works for me. It’s my second day off, then it’s back to the grindstone.” Lily glanced at her phone to check the time. “Okay, I gotta get out of here. Declan and I are going out to dinner and I need to get home so I can get ready. Kylie, it’s really great meeting you. We will have to get together at a later time so you can meet Declan, since you’ll cross over into Pack territory if you go wandering around the city.”

  “Let’s plan to meet back here tomorrow at noon for our day of shopping. Then we can do the interviews with the Alphas. We can drag them both to Scarlet Flux,” Eme suggested.

  “Sounds good to me. See you later.” Lily waved at both of them before she left.

  “All right. Let’s get you out to the compound so you can meet your new Alpha, because I know my mate: he’ll let you stay once he’s interviewed you, get your stuff put away, and get ready for your first night of work.”

  “Lead the way.” Kylie slung her bag over her shoulder and followed Emelise out to her car.

  Chapter Two

  Remy

  If anyone were to ask him how he was doing, Remy would tell them fine. There were only a few, even among the Pard, who would know he was full of shit. Even fewer would call him out on it. He wasn’t fine, but he wasn’t one to go around bemoaning his bad luck, either.

  He watched from the sidelines as his brother realized the bond between he and Mia was that of mates. He again, watched from the sidelines, as Lily found her mate in a wolf sent to take her back home. Through her, his Alpha found his mate. Then there was Beau Rousseau. It seemed he might have found his mate in a human, which was damn-near unheard of. Hell, even Julius, Mia’s twin, may have found his mate if he would let go of his fears over his sexuality. Remy couldn’t help being envious of all of them. It just didn’t seem fair.

  It wasn’t that he couldn’t get women. He knew he was sexy as hell. All he had to do was go into a bar, flash a smile, flirt a little, and he had women panting after him. Human women. Not that there was anything wrong with them being human, because there wasn’t. The problem was him. He wanted the deep connection of a mate. As a result of that desire, he was seriously considering petitioning another Pard for permission to meet their unmated females in hopes of finding his mate. He was tired of being alone.

  “You look like you got a lot on your mind.”

  Caine’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Dat’s because I do. I’m tinkin’ dat maybe I need to petition a nearby Pard to meet wit’ dere unmated females.”

  Caine watched him closely. “I can understand dat. I’ll be sad to see you go—you’r
e a good man, a good lieutenant—but if you can find your mate, who am I to stop you?”

  “Thanks. I’ll let you know what I decide.” He spotted Emelise coming up from the docks with a redhead at her side and cocked a brow. “Looks like your mate’s brought company to visit.”

  Caine turned his attention to his mate with a faint smile. “So it does.”

  When they were close enough for the breeze to carry the redhead’s scent to him, Remy felt like he’d been hit by a tank. He damn near stumbled. Her scent was sweet, intoxicating, and it had his leopard growling. Fuck. Was this what it felt like when a shifter met their mate?

  “Earth to Remy.”

  He was so caught up in his reaction to the female, he hadn’t heard a word Emelise said until her ‘earth to Remy’ comment. “Sorry, cher, what was dat?”

  Emelise arched a brow at him. “I said hey, this is Kylie. She just moved here from Maine, and since she doesn’t have anywhere to stay, she’ll be staying with me and Caine. She’s also my new Drink Mixologist for the VIP lounge.”

  Remy gave himself a mental shake to clear his racing thoughts. “Welcome to da bayou, and da Black Water Pard, cher.” His voice came out a rough growl. “If you need anyting, anyting at all, you just say da word and it’s yours.”

  Kylie

  When they reached the two males, it was easy to tell which one was the Alpha because the man only had eyes for Emelise. The other male, however, was staring at her as if he could see into her soul. Just being near him made her pulse speed up and her hands itched to reach out and touch him. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with sandy-blond hair and blue eyes that made her think of photos of the Caribbean sea she’d seen once. The bit of scruff on his face gave him a rugged look and she was stunned to find herself wondering what it would feel like against her skin. There was also this air of strength and confidence about him that made a part of her want to wrap herself up in him, which was even more startling. Her reaction to his presence was unsettling.

  She vaguely heard Emelise’s introduction and managed to acknowledge the Alpha before Remy spoke. The rough growl of his voice moved over her like a silken caress and she shivered. “Thank you.” She felt breathless and had to clear her throat. “That’s very kind of you.”

  Eme looked between Remy and Kylie before she motioned to the house. “Come on inside, Kylie. I’ll show you to the guest area. Like I said earlier, it’s a cottage, complete with everything but a kitchen, attached to the house by a small hallway, so you’ll have some privacy if you want or need it. Oh, you don’t have an issue with kids, do you?”

  It took more effort for Kyle to pull her attention away from Remy than she was willing to admit to. “No, not at all. Why?”

  “Awesome. Well, because we have the most adorable four-year-old you will ever meet. Of course, I could be a little biased.” Kylie followed Emelise into the house and watched as Eme braced herself when a little girl squealed and ran to her.

  Emelise picked the little girl up and hugged her. “Hi there, pumpkin. This is Kylie. She’s gonna stay with us for a little while. Kylie, this is Hailey.”

  Kylie smiled at the little girl. “I have to agree, she is adorable. It’s nice to meet you, Hailey.”

  Hailey eyed the other woman before she sniffed and grinned. “You’re just like us.”

  “Yes, I am, little one.” Kylie noticed another woman approaching them and tipped her head in the woman’s direction, which caused Emelise to turn in that direction.

  “Hey, Mia,” Eme said. “I see Caine has you babysitting while he takes care of business. This is Kylie. She just moved here from Maine. Kylie, my cousin, Mia.”

  “I’m guessin’ you’re new to da Pard. Welcome.” She had her son tucked close.

  “I am, thanks. I have to say, you guys are more welcoming to outsiders than my old Pard was.”

  “We try. Aw hell, who am I kiddin’? You’re right, we are pretty welcomin’ to outsiders. Has she met Lily yet?” When Eme nodded, Mia continued. “Lily came here about four years ago and after she met wit’ da Pard, she became an unofficial member. I guess it’s our Southern hospitality.” Mia flashed a grin.

  Kylie laughed at that. “I’m beginning to see why so many people like the South.”

  “It grows on you,” Eme said with a snicker.

  “Ignore her. She’s a heathen who grew up in da desert. You know all dat sun had to have fried her brain,” Mia countered.

  All three women laughed at that. “All joking aside, like Remy said, if you need anything, Kylie, just let any of us know and we’ll make sure you get it,” Emelise assured her.

  “I got the feeling, when he said that, he meant I should tell him, specifically.”

  Emelise nodded. “I got the same feeling but that doesn’t matter. Any one of us will help you. That is one of Caine’s biggest concerns: that every member of the Pard is taken care of and all their needs are met.”

  Kylie swallowed to clear the sudden lump in her throat. “This Pard is so different from my old one. Well, that’s not entirely true. My old Pard used to be a lot like this one but after some of the older members passed, things started to change.” She saw the look Emelise gave her but she was grateful the other woman didn’t ask her any questions. She wasn’t really ready to talk about her old Pard.

  “Our Pard wasn’t always so welcomin’,” Mia informed her. “Our old Alpha was a bastard. He took money dat should have gone to takin’ care of da Pard and either used it for himself or gave it to one of da prostitutes he brought home wit’ him. Caine took over eight years ago and tings are so much better now.”

  “My old Alpha wasn’t quite that bad, but he turned a blind eye to some things he shouldn’t have.” Kylie shrugged. “I’m just glad to be away from there.”

  “Well, we’re glad to have you here,” Eme told her. “Come on, I’ll show you to your room. We really do need to go shopping tomorrow, though. You need more clothes than what’s in that little bag.”

  Kylie frowned at Emelise. “I…really don’t have any money for shopping.”

  “Girl, you don’t need to worry about that. The Pard’s got you covered.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of your hospitality.”

  “Kylie, you are part of this Pard now. Or, you will be once you are officially welcomed by Caine, after he interviews you. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. He’s going to have to know what you’re running from, though. What being part of the Pard means is, if you need something and you can’t pay for it yourself, the Pard will take care of it for you. That is one of the core values Caine has instilled in every single leopard here. We take care of our own.”

  Kylie laughed and held up her hands in defeat. “Okay, okay, you made your point. I’ll be sure to pay it forward once I start getting a paycheck.” She was nervous about her upcoming interview with Caine. How was she going to tell him what she was running from without going into detail? She wasn’t ready to share that with anyone.

  Mia laughed. “You’re gonna fit right in wit’ us, cher.” She turned her attention to her cousin. “Since you’re home, I’m goin’ to take dis little guy on home so I can put him to bed.”

  “Alright. Thanks for keeping an eye on Hailey.” Emelise gave her cousin a quick hug.

  “She’s a treasure. You know I don’t mind sittin’ wit’ her,” Mia replied.

  “I’ll remember you said that once the twins are here and change your tune,” Emelise teased.

  Mia laughed. “Like I’d have trouble wit’ dat. Have you forgotten I grew up helpin’ my mama wit’ Adele and Auguste, and then Dempsey, once he got here, too?” She turned her attention to Kylie. “Welcome to da Pard, Kylie,” Mia said again before she grabbed the diaper bag near the sofa and left.

  “Good point, Mia,” Emelise called after Mia as she left the house. “I’ll let you relax a bit,” she said once she’d turned back to Kylie. “We’ll head back into the city in a couple of hours so you can meet with Jo
e and shadow him tonight.” Emelise opened the the door leading to the guest quarters. “Here you go. There is a bedroom with an attached bath at the end of that hall. If you’re hungry, kitchen is here in the main part of the house, through that arch,” she said and motioned in the kitchen’s direction. “Just help yourself to whatever is in the fridge.”

  “Thank you, Emelise, for taking this chance on me. I know you didn’t have to, especially since…I can’t give you references.”

  Eme waved it away. “You’re running from someone, that’s obvious, and it’s none of my business who that is. That is between you and Caine. Like I said before, Kylie, as long as you’re not running from the law, I don’t care.”

  Kylie stepped into the room. “Still, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. See you in a bit.”

  Kylie nodded at her and once the door was closed she breathed a sigh of relief. She’d gotten the job, found a new Pard, and had a place to stay that wasn’t in a shelter, all in one day. Moving to New Orleans was definitely the smartest thing she’d ever done. Now, as long as Ezra didn’t find her, she could really start her life over.

  An hour after her arrival at the compound, Kylie had showered, gotten something to eat, and was sitting across from Caine in his office. She tried to keep from fidgeting but she knew she was failing miserably. She bit her lip and waited for the questions to begin. Emelise was there, as well, and she was grateful for that. She knew she would have to give Caine enough information to prove she wasn’t a risk to the Pard but she hoped she wouldn’t have to go into detail.

  “Relax, cher. You’re in no danger here. You just take your time and tell me at your own pace what brought you to N’Orleans.”

  Caine’s voice was calm and it soothed her leopard’s unease. Kylie closed her eyes a moment to center herself before she opened them and looked at her new Alpha. “I recently got out of a volatile situation and needed a new start for my life. I didn’t plan to come to New Orleans; it just happened to be the first bus leaving the station in St. Louis.”