CHAPTER 21
Sahvrin helped His Petite into swamp attire, wondering where Lucas and Savvie went off to. “I swear, he better not be stupid with that girl.” They decided to play it by ear when to tell Savvie the truth, but just as he feared, Lucas was going to be a problem.
“Oh, stop,” His Petite scolded. “They’re fine. Plus, it’s not like they’re blood related and—”
He straightened, eyeing her. “Don’t even say it.”
“You’re right, I’m sorry. Are we going to be walking in water?” she wondered, changing the subject.
“No, but if you have to, for whatever reason, you want these boots that protect you from snakes and other creatures.”
“Creatures huh? I really like this thing,” she said, inspecting her overalls. “It has more pockets than a purse!” She stuck her hands in each one. “Very practical. Like field attire.”
He stood and gave her a firm kiss on the lips. If he didn’t do that every so often, it built up and became a distraction. “They suit you.” And they really did. She looked sexy as hell in black. The muscle shirt under it was black too, making him wish he’d selected one of his white ones. She had in between breasts, not big not small. Just right. And he was the big bad wolf ready to eat her perfect porridge. He’d have put her in long sleeves, but it was too hot. “You will need sunblock, don’t let me forget it,” he said. “Savvie too.”
“Unlike all you swamp soldiers. So tan.”
The envy in her tone made him chuckle. “No more tanning for you,” he said, making her laugh.
“My burn was nearly completely healed the next day thanks to your Mah-Mah’s cream.”
“You need a chaperone when tanning,” he said, making her laugh.
“Maybe Bishop can watch me sunbathe.”
Mon Dieu. He finished tucking her pants into her boots and stood. “Maybe Bishop could fuck you while you sunbathe.”
The desire that put on her face made him slam the brakes. “Sorry, I need to behave. I can’t have you wearing that look in front of my brothers.”
Her eyes widened with a whispered, “Oh God.”
“Here,” he said, handing her the black cap. “You can manage this.”
“You sure you don’t want to do that too?”
“You love it, I can tell,” he accused lightly.
“I do,” she said, giggling. “Dress me, feed me.”
He stood and eyed her. “Finger you. Lick you. Suck you.”
She shoved him in the chest with wide eyes, making him laugh.
“I’m sorry again,” he said, holding up both hands with a head shake. “Feel free to punish me later. Come,” he said, taking her hand.
“Wait, I have to put my cap on!”
While she did, he looked around in the supply room, filling his pockets with various foods.
“So where are we going first? I can’t believe I get to go on an air boat, I’ve never been on one. I hope it’s not too scary.”
He found an empty potato sack and dumped their snacks into it. “It’s very loud but lots of fun as long as you have a good driver. And you do.”
She fought to get her long hair through the hole at the back of the cap and he put the bag down to help. “Ma Petite, you may need to put your hair in those ugly knots, so you don’t look like a swamp creature after this is all over.”
She gave another one of her big laughs as he helped her, then took her hand and pulled her to the kitchen. “Grab something to eat, we won’t have time for a full breakfast. Lucas,” he called. “You ready?”
“Yeah,” he called back, hurrying down the stairs.
“Grab food, we need to hurry. Where’s Savvie and Bart,” Sahvrin asked, putting fruit and whatever edible vegetables he could find in the sack. “Grab the ice chest Lucas. Make sure it has drinks.”
“Already did,” he said.
“Good boy,” Sahvrin muttered.
“Bart!” Lucas yelled over his shoulder. “Let’s go! Oh, Savvie is talking to her mom. I’ll go get her.”
“We ready?” Bart asked, appearing in the doorway finally.
Sahvrin shook his head at his outfit. “Where you think we’re going, the north pole?”
“I prefer not getting a bug rash while you do a hundred on the water.”
“Beth and Savvie are coming,” he laughed. “I’ll be driving like a grampa.”
“Uuuugh,” Lucas muttered as he headed out.
“You don’t have to go slow for me,” Beth said. “I like going fast. I bet Savvie probably does too.”
Sahvrin headed for the door. “Come on, Ma Petite. Time to roday the swamps.”
“Roday?” she asked, as she followed.
“Means run around.”
“So how fast do you go? Like what, thirty miles per hour?” She hurried down the steps after him. “I seriously don’t mind going fast. I ski, I ride snow mobiles.”
Sahvrin nodded with a shrug, letting her catch up. “It’s like that. Just no snow.”
“Our snow mobiles are pretty fast,” she said, looking around the yard covered in a blanket of fog. “They go like sixty, but we never go that fast.”
“I’m happy to hear that. It’s not safe going fast unless you really know what you’re driving and the terrain.”
“But you do,” she said as he took her hand across the narrow bridge at the back of the yard. “Wow, is this another boat dock? You know, I can carry something.”
“Lucas,” he yelled before answering her. “This is the dock for the airboats.”
“Oh my God, is that…is that them?” she wondered as they walked along the pier. She shielded her eyes against the bright morning sun rising behind their six Swamp Dragons. “Are those boats?”
Pounding feet and excited screaming erupted behind them and Sahvrin turned right as Lucas and Savvie flew past. “So close!” Lucas said, grinning at Savvie. Sahvrin wanted to be pissed with the look on her face but there was nothing he could find wrong with seeing her that happy.
“Hi Sahvrin,” she said with a smile and wave, telling him her mother hadn’t said anything yet. Not like he expected her to jump in to calling him Dad right off.
“Hello, Savvie, how did you sleep?” he asked.
“Surprisingly amazing, thanks to Lucas.”
Sahvrin eyed him.
“I loaned her my blues collection,” he said with an innocent enough grin.
“Hi Miss Beth,” Savvie said with a cute wave. She was a tiny little thing and beautiful like her mother, but her eyes were his and it was a strange feeling knowing that she was too.
“Well, hello gorgeous,” His Petite said, giving her one of her breathtaking smiles. He realized he might covet those. “How is your mother, is she doing okay?”
“Yes ma’am, she loves it out here. I haven’t seen her this happy in a long time.” Sahvrin felt like Savvie might share that love, at least he prayed.
“I’m so happy,” Beth said, nothing but angelic concern. “And don’t call me ma’am, you make me feel old!” She looked at Sahvrin then. “Maybe Katrina would like to come?”
“Oh, I wish we could,” he fervently lied. “Not enough seats this round.”
“It’s okay,” Savvie said. “Zep is keeping her company.”
Sahvrin adjusted his cap on that interesting bit.
“So, wow, these boats are amazing!” Beth said. “I’ve never seen anything like them. Which one are we going in?”
“Miss Beth,” Lucas announced, “Miss Savvie,” he added with extra flair and his killer smile. “These beauties are the SwampDragons.” He hopped onto Sahvrin’s boat like it was his own. Soon enough Mon’ Lil Frere. “But this one is Sahvrin’s and there’s not another one like it on planet Earth,” he bragged. “Sahvrin modified thefff—uh, frack out of it.”
Beth turned to him. “You…built this?” she asked, her eyes huge.
“Modified it.”
“He built it,” Bart argued, climbing on. “He built all these boats.”
“I modified all of them.”
“Name one thing on this boat you’d find on any other air boat,” Bart challenged with a pissed tone.
“A hundred things.” Sahvrin helped Savvie onto the boat, then Beth. “The seats, to start.”
“Big ha,” Lucas said. “Beth and Savvie, let me introduce you to the infamous… Night Dragon.” He gave a bow, making Sahvrin shake his head as he fished out life vests. “Whom I like to call—when Sahvrin can’t hear—” he said quieter right before yelling, “The God of a Thousand Thunders!”
Sahvrin had to laugh as he guided Beth to her seat and lifted her onto it while Lucas bragged on.
“This swamp monster flies across the watery graves of a thousand demons at 130 miles per hour, and,” he added with a thrust of his finger, “he creates category five hurricane force winds up to one-hundred-and-SEVENTY miles per hour-- out of his ass!”
Sahvrin straightened and leveled a hard look at him.
“He means from the blades,” Bart explained, pointing to the propellers.
He helped His Petite into her life vest. “Foul mouth little shit,” he muttered, making her laugh while Savvie over-enjoyed his theatrics.
“Category five?” Savvie exclaimed while Lucas helped her in her seat.
“You know I can swim, right?” Beth asked, distracting him from the love affair in progress between his daughter and fucking brother.
“That’s good,” Sahvrin said. “You can keep your cap on.” He slipped a black headset on her.
“Is it really that loud?” she wondered, seeming disappointed to have to wear them.
“Is it loud,” Lucas cried. “The sound he makes is where he gets his name—God of a Thousand Thunders!” He struck various Hercules poses while whisper roaring at all his pretend ghosts in the swamps. His Petite and Savvie laughed at his antics, and Sahvrin couldn’t hold in his smile at his Swamp Dragon Nerd.
“Lucas, check the hold for extra gas,” Sahvrin said, putting his headset on. “Maybe it’s time we build your dragon, yes?”
At hearing it, Lucas popped up with huge eyes, making everybody laugh. Sahvrin took several minutes explaining the communication how-to with the headset to Beth. “So, they’re not just for saving your eardrums, it’s for talking,” he said, handing her a two-way radio that worked just between the two of the, demonstrating that next. “When you need to talk to just me, press this. To talk to everybody, press this on your headset.”
“You can even listen to music,” Lucas said, his smile huge as Savvie called him to sit by her. Mon Dieu. Controlling what was unfolding was like spitting at a fire.
“Lucas, get Savvie a headset and show her how to work it.”
“Got it, boss.”
Sahvrin looked around, amazed with the humidity at that early hour. Merci Dieu, Fall couldn’t come fast enough. He found the sunscreen and covered His Petite’s exposed parts with it, then handed it to her. “Your face.”
She took it and Sahvrin turned on the main com channel. “Who can hear me?”
They all gave a thumbs up and Savvie broke their eardrums with a “Me!” Then a “Crap, sorry,” at seeing them jump.
“The mic works really good,” Lucas said, adding a wink that sent Sahvrin’s rage through the roof. Lucas caught his what the fuck are you doing with her glare, and he lost the smile.
“Strap up,” Sahvrin called out.
“Yes sir, Mr. Bishop,” Lucas said, getting in the seat with Savvie who gave him a love-struck smile that had Sahvrin shaking his head. Was fucking love-at-first sight. Why now? Why not a month from now? Or never?
He glanced over his shoulder at His Petite in the seat right behind him. It was the highest for seeing. “Ma Petite, you can hear me?”
She shoved her thumb up next to his face and he glanced over his shoulder at her with a smile.
“Tell me in the mic so I can be sure I can hear you.”
He braced for another audio rape and got a quiet, “I can hear you.”
“Perfect. I hear you too. You ready for this?”
“Yes.”
Her low squeal made him smile as he turned on the engine. “If you get scared, tell me, and I’ll slow down or stop. I don’t mind. I only mind if you don’t tell me.”
“Yes sir, Mr. Bishop.”
Mon Dieu, she was being a temptress.And she liked doing it. He’d say she was being Cah-nigh, but it was more than sneaky behavior, it was like picking a fight with his cock. And he wouldn’t say he didn’t love it. She was supposed to be submissive and seemed to enjoy being the exact opposite at times. And as usual, the Bishop insisted on retribution.
****
The propellers on the back of the boat began to spin or growl as Lucas would describe it and Beth’s heart raced as she glanced behind her to see it. The blades were as tall as her!
“You ready Ma Petite?”
The eager words filled her ears and she nodded and gasped her, “Yes.”
“I’ll go slow until we have more space to ride.”
She watched as they moved down the winding roadway lined with towering trees. The thick fog lingered above the water, wrapping around the huge bases of the cypress. So, so beautiful.
“We usually fly through this,” Lucas informed, laughing in her headset. She forgot they could talk to each other, and his sudden voice scared the crap out of her. Dear Lord, fly through this? Now that would be terrifying, given how winding and narrow it was.
“Oh God, I’m so nervous!” Savvie said.
“You’ll love it,” Lucas promised.
“No flying today,” Sahvrin said. She still thought it was cute how much Savvie liked Lucas, and even cuter that Sahvrin was so protective about it. But if Lucas was anything like Sahvrin, and he surely seemed to be, then what better person for her to fall for?
“Why are the seats so high?” she wondered, remembering not to yell.
“So you can see what’s in the water,” Sahvrin said, angling his head toward her. “It’s important since the boat has no brakes or can’t go in reverse. Hitting anything at high speed would be bad-bad.”
She smiled at the bad. She noticed he doubled words like that. Not really an accent but a culture thing maybe. His English was actually very good, he didn’t skip words or do many contractions like most who were native speakers of English. Like somebody who didn’t practice it enough. Wonder how he sounded in French? More relaxed? Did they even have contractions in the language? Now she wanted to learn it to meet and know that side of him.
She remembered his bad-bad remark. “I used to ski a lot and snow mobile on mountains,” she reminded, letting him know she wasn’t a stranger to recreational danger.
“Now that’s something I’d love to try,” Lucas said. She realized he was humming.
“What are you listening to Lucas?” she asked.
“Swamp Blues,” he said, giving her a profile shot with one of his heart-throb smiles. He was such a cutie, there was no doubt about that. No wonder Savvie was head over heels for him. “Wanna hear?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said.
“Gonna put my music on the com,” he announced.
“Go for it,” Sahvrin said, his deep voice sending a thrill through her. Every now and then his voice sounded deeper and she liked to think it was his Bishop side.
“Shit!” Beth gasped when the twang of a harmonica blared in her hear.
“My bad, I like I loud,” Lucas said, turning it down.
She listened to the music, immediately seeing the attraction. The stomping grind had a command to it that made you just want to get up and move. Or at least tap your foot and nod your head, which she did. When the lyrics came, the gravelly voice raised her brows in appreciation. Very complimentary to the tune. Seductive too. Reminded her of Mr. Bishop.
“I think Sahvrin does this one better than anybody,” Lucas said.
“Yep,” Bart agreed.
“He can sing? You can sing?” she wondered, forgetting everybody could hear.
Bart and Lucas laughed, and she heard Sahvrin’s sigh of “MonDieu.”
“That man was born with a harmonica in his mouth, at least that’s what Pah-Pah says.”
“You can sing?” she cried, annoyed with how many amazing things he kept from her. “Why didn’t you tell me!”
“Ma Petite,” he chuckled. “Why would I tell people such things?”
She realized he wouldn’t, not him.
“Don’t worry,” Bart said. “You’ll hear us tomorrow night. We have to perform, Mah-Mah’s orders.”
She gasped now. “You all sing?”
“Yep, and play,” Lucas said, not hiding his pride. “They say we’re famous in the swamps.”
Her smile slowly bloomed as she imagined. “I bet you are. What do you all play?”
Lucas looked halfway over his shoulder. “Sahvrin is on the mouth horn, I like the banjo.” He aimed a thumb at Bart. “He’s badass on the drums, and Jek, that dude puts Jethro Tull to shame on the guitar.”
“And Zep is boss on the base,” Bart said.
“And August is Beethoven on the keyboard,” Sahvrin finished.
“Wow,” Savvie said with her tinkly laugh. “I have zero musical talents!”
“Same here,” Beth said. “You and I can take care of the dancing.”
“You know how to dance, Ma Petite?” Sahvrin asked.
“Wellll, I have some experience with the classical.”
“Now look who’s holding back,” Sahvrin muttered, laughter in his voice.
“What kind of classical?” Savvie asked. “Please say ballet.”
“Yes! You know ballet?”
“Yes!” she shot out, turning to give her a look of wide-eyed joy. “And I hate it!” she cried, turning back around, making Beth laugh.
“How long have you taken it?” Beth asked.
“Since I was five,” she said. “My dad and mom made me.”
Worry tightened her stomach for Sahvrin at that. “Same,” Beth said.
“You both will have to perform something now,” Sahvrin said, somehow hiding the bite her words had to have caused.
“How long did you go to ballet?” Savvie wondered.
“Till I injured my ankle at sixteen. Oh, I forgot, I do know how to play music. During physical therapy, I learned how to play glass harps.”
“Glass harps?” Bart wondered, interested.
“All these secret talents, Ma Petite.” Like he was adding up infractions.
“Also known as the Ghost Fiddle,” Beth said with a grin.
“Is that where you rub the top of the glasses and it makes music?” Savvie asked.
“Yep,” Beth said, laughing. “I learned a couple of songs.”
“How did you come by this amazing talent during physical therapy, Ma Petite?”
“Well, the uh, therapist did it as a hobby and taught me.”
“Ohhhh,” Savvie said, like she assumed a romance.
“It wasn’t like that,” Beth assured. “I was only sixteen and he was in his twenties.”
Bart shot out a laugh. “Damn, a senior citizen.”
“I’m very sure Ma Petite wasn’t into boys at that age,” Sahvrin mocked, making her stare at the back of his head with a jaw drop.
“Well, even if I was, he wasn’t into me. I was jailbait.”
“Unless he was a good priest,” Bart said, “he was into you.”
“So where did he teach you this Ghost Fiddle?” Savvie wondered over her shoulder with a sweet smile, not helping.
Beth was trying to recall if she’d missed something obvious with good ole Jeremy.
“So quiet,” Sahvrin muttered.
“I was distracted,” she said, laughing.
“Fond memories?”
“Yes, they actually were up until this interrogation,” she half joked.
“So where did he teach you, Miss Beth?” Lucas pressed now.
“Yes, please tell us so we can all get back to breathing,” Sahvrin said.
Oh my God, he was being dangerouslypossessive she realized, heart hammering while she grinning like a fool. “He taught me at the place we did therapy, in the kitchen. It had a kitchen,” she explained, trying to avoid the answers that she realized would make her the most na?ve person on the planet now.
“What kind of a hospital has kitchens with wine glasses?” Bart wondered perplexed.
“It wasn’t technically a hospital, it was…a more private facility.”
“How private was it?” Savvie drew out the question with dramatic suspicion then laughed.
“Probably his house,” Bart said, with a snicker.
The awkward silence grew and then came Sahvrin’s mildly incredulous, “Mon Dieu, she doesn’t deny it.”
This brought everybody’s laughter, and Savvie’s, “Ohhhh, this changes everything.”
“It doesn’t change a thing because he was a perfect gentleman.” She wasn’t about to admit or let on that she’d had a crush on him.
“I’m sure he was,” Sahvrin muttered, sounding almost pissed, which made her cover her mouth to keep from laughing.
“Somebody’s jealous,” Savvie sang lightly, and Lucas laughed with a “Yup.”
“I just cannot wait to hear the musiche taught you,” Bart added, turning his head to show his shit-eating grin.
“There will be no glass music playing in these swamps,” Sahvrin said. “I’ll post the decree on every tree in the land.”
Beth cracked up at that, leaning and stroking his muscular tanned neck. He caught her hand in his and turned his head, kissing the palm. He looked so cute with his black cap turned backwards. “Okay boys and girls,” he announced. “Time for a little speed.”
The road in the woods came to an end she realized. “Ohhh kay” she said, her heart suddenly jumping into her throat.
“Come on big bro, show the ladies a little of what the Night Dragon has!” Lucas begged.
Beth moved the earphone from one ear, wanting to hear how loud it was. The moment Sahvrin hit the gas, the low growling did just as Lucas described and roared like a thousand thunders! But it was the thrust and speed that had her holding the seat and her breath. Oh God, this was way different than snow mobiles!
“Whooooooooa!” Lucas yelled, both arms up.
Beth caught sight of Savvie holding his hand in a death grip while laughing with exhilaration.
“Open her up!” Lucas yelled.
Sahvrin shook his head. “Nooooo, not this time, lil bro.”
Oh my God, he could go faster? She didn’t need any more speed, this was plenty!
“My petite, I’m on our private channel. You okay?”
“Oh,” she said, picking up the walkie talking and smiling. “Yes, I’m amazing, I love it!”
“You are amazing. Glad you’re enjoying yourself.”
“This is so beautiful, Sahvrin! Don’t you dare try to make me hate the swamp ever again!”
He laughed and she stared at his shoulders and back, needing to touch him. “I won’t dare do it anymore.”
“Good! You should be trying to convince me to stay!” she said, watching the trees fly by
“Done.”
“Where are we going first?” Savvie asked in the main com.
“We have five stops to make and if Ole man Pee Chue doesn’t talk too much, we might make all of them,” Sahvrin said.
Beth put the walkie talkie to her mouth and pressed the button. “I think it’s so sweet of you all to take care of the older people. I love that. It’s like a big family out here.”
“It is,” he said. “It’s always been that way.”
“What are you guys doing at their places?” Beth wondered.
“We do maintenance inspection on all the essential things, check it’s all still in working order. Make sure they have food and whatever else they want. During hurricane season especially. Sometimes it’s easier to bring them to the main house during bad storms like that.”
She pressed her button. “The main house? How many houses are there?”
“We have many around the swamp, but the main house is safest for hurricanes.”
Wow. “Where on earth do you put all of the people?”
“Meh, we scatter them all over the place, wherever they can fit.”
She laughed at him. “You joking?”
“Nope. It’s just a big swamp slumber party. Mah-Mah probably prays for these things, always looking for a reason to celebrate something.”
“Awww, that’s just so sweet. And I can’t believe I get to be a part of it.”
“You say that now, but Big Sha’s Pah-Pah snores louder than my swamp dragon.”
She laughed, staring at the back of his head, pressing the button. “You sure nobody can hear me?”
“Only me, Ma Petite.”
She bit her lower lip, nervous now. “I… I love your back and your tattoo. Not sure if I ever told you that. Such a nice view I have right behind you.”
“Would be a much better view if you were right on me.”
Mercy. “You sure nobody can hear us?”
“Yes, I’m very sure, Ma Petite. Why?” he asked after a few seconds. “You want to say something naughty to me?”
“I do,” she whispered, her pulse hammering as the boat bumped up and down and the wind whipped her hair.
“So shy,” he said when she couldn’t bring herself to, like maybe he both liked and lamented that.
“I am, I’m sorry.”
“Do not be sorry for that, it’s one of my very favorite things about you. My doose petite d-amour escleve.”
His sexy tone lit her up more. “What on earth did you just say,” she murmured, smiling.
“That you are my sweet little sex slave.”
“Hey,” Lucas said in the headset, making her jump in her seat as her heart pounded. “Can we stop at Leblancs? I left my fishing pole there the other day.”
“If we have time, yes,” Sahvrin said.
How did he stay so cool headed? She was burning up with lust in sixty mile an hour wind.