Chapter Six
On the road to Duval Point village
Luc, drifted slightly above Grace as she rode. His curse usually tied him to the Only Love and a mile-wide surrounding area. He’d learned, however, that he could go farther, if need be. There were limits. The farther or longer he strayed, the more effort required, and the more pain he suffered.
Existing in two worlds wasn’t easy. His curse was governed by the moon.
Thus, his body, mind, and spirit were in near constant flux.
Being pulled one way or another, like the tides.
Every human being experienced pain, but most of those pains were temporary or emotional.
He was human so he suffered those. However, for the most part he existed in an alien world.
That world, because of the moon tore at his entire being minute by minute.
The only relief was the ebb and flow of greater or lesser pain.
On the ebb—from the new moon to the full moon, the curse tore in slow methodical pulses head to toe and back.
On the flow, each pulse built on the last so that by the new moon he felt nothing but pain, like being ripped into a thousand pieces and scattered to the winds.
Given that his pain was near constant, a large increase—like that caused by traveling too far for too long—could force him back to his ship.
Nonetheless, he’d been to Duval Point before.
Hovering over water, even at a distance from the Only Love lessened the pain to a minor degree.
His usual route followed the bayou. However, because he wanted to be close to Grace that was not possible.
He accompanied Grace today, because he feared she was in danger. That fire had been no accident. Someone was trying to hurt or frighten her. Luc was determined to learn who, and why.
Duval Point wasn’t much more than three buildings and a crossroad near the edge of a lake that fed into the bayou.
One establishment bore a sign stating Emporium of Groceries, Sundries and Fine Cloth.
Opposite that stood a post office. The third structure, sitting catty-cornered from the Emporium and larger than the other buildings, had no sign.
A covered porch ran the entire front of the premises, where several men sat in rocking chairs.
The edifice also had a dock that stretched into the lake for a good twenty feet.
A variety of pirogues, rowboats and canoes were tied up at the dock.
The unidentified structure was a tavern with a few rooms for rent.
The owner was a cur, and it wasn’t a place for any lady.
Luc hoped Grace was smart enough to stay away.
Reining to a stop in front of the Emporium, she let the horses drink their fill at the public trough before hitching them to a rail.
Luc entered the store on her heels. Closed doors were only a problem for him during the few nights every month when the moon was full.
A tall man with thinning gray hair and a paunch, the grocer was busy with another customer, so Grace wandered the aisles, checking the products offered for purchase.
The corner of Luc’s eye caught the customer leaving but another man entered. This shopper was slightly younger than the grocer and still physically fit. The fellow used entirely too much hair pomade and drowned himself in cheap cologne.
The odor made Luc’s nose twitch, despite his state as a spirit.
“Hullo, DeLille,” the man said.
“Guidry.” The grocer nodded a greeting. The hard, tight expression on his face indicated he wasn’t happy to see the man.
“I come by to pay my bill for the month, but I’d like to do a bit of shopping for the tavern first,” Guidry said. DeLille shrugged and stepped behind a curtain that probably hid storage space.
The new man went down one of the two aisles.
Grace stood at the end of that aisle, reaching for a can on a high shelf.
“Turn around, Grace,” Luc urged silently.
Guidry was looking at the items on the side shelves as he walked. Just as he neared the end of those shelves, Grace retrieved the can and stepped back, colliding with Guidry.
“Watch where you’re going, little lady, or are you looking for a little fun?” The man leered suggestively.
Luc hovered nearby. Guidry was dangerous, at least to someone smaller than he. Grace was a tall woman, and the tavern owner only topped her by an inch.
She turned, giving Guidry a scathing glance. Emotions battled to rule her. Luc sensed anger, frustration and … fear?
She couldn’t know Guidry, or that he was dangerous. How was it she feared him?
“Sir, it is you who should look where you are going. I could not possibly have seen you to avoid you, since my back was turned. You, on the other hand, should have been able to see me the moment you entered the aisle. Were I the sort of woman inclined to ‘look for a little fun’ as you put it, I would certainly not look for it with anyone as full of himself as you. Now, if you will excuse me.”
Good girl, Grace. Never show a man your fear.
She tried to move past him, but Guidry stuck out his arm, grabbing her around the waist and swinging her close to his body.
“Unhand me.” Grace slapped him hard with her empty palm.
Luc felt her heart race as a lurch of fear gained the upper hand.
The tavern owner just smiled. “You don’t want me to do that.” He cooed. “Looks to me like you need a man to help you understand what’s important.”
Anger sprang like a wolf. Get your hands off her.
The urge swelled to pummel the man into a smear of blood and dirt. Luc gathered spectral strength to do just that.
Before he could act, Grace’s body stiffened, and her expression became icy cold. Death stabbed from her eyes. “Are you suggesting that you are the man for that job?”
Fight or flight has become fight.
Luc leashed his power, waiting to see what Grace would do. Her emotions were high—fear, anger, confusion—but none of that showed.
“I could be.” Guidry put his free hand on her hip. “But a woman like you needs to be a whole lot more accommodating, if you want a man like me.”
The leash began to fray.
“Perhaps you did not understand me,” Grace sneered.
“I would not have you, if you came trussed like a turkey on a gold platter and tied in red satin ribbons. You are an, ignorant, puffed-up piece of slime out to exploit anyone you imagine might be stupid enough to swallow the bul…baloney you spout. Now, Let. Go. Of. Me.”
“Sure, I will,” He grinned. “Just as soon as I get a taste of you.” He bent to put his lips on hers. Luc focused all his power to send the man flying.
Grace clocked Guidry with the can she held.
He fell like a rock. The force of Luc’s energy slid him all the way down the aisle to impact his head on the checkout counter.
“Oh, dear.” Grace covered her mouth with her free palm. Luc noted the smile she was trying to hide.
DeLille stepped out from behind the curtain. “What’s going on here?”
Grace walked up to the counter. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to cause any problems. That man,” she pointed to Guidry. “Accosted me and refused to let go of me.”
“So, you hit him?”
Luc had no sympathy; Guidry deserved what he’d gotten.
She nodded. “With this can of…” she looked at the dented tin, “…black beans. I didn’t think I hit him that hard.”
She gnawed her lower lip.
Luc sensed the self-doubt growing in her.
The grocer chuckled. “Beaned him with the beans. It’s okay, miss.
That there’s Thomas Guidry. He’s a local citizen.
Owns the tavern across the way. Holds a couple jobs around the county, and has a lot of family money besides.
Thinks he’s better than everyone. Never did learn decent manners.
He and his daddy are two peas in a pod.”
“Thank you for explaining. Still, I worry that I may have hurt him.” She cast a worried look at the fallen man.
The grocer was good. Luc felt the thread of her self-doubt fade away.
“I’ll have my stock-boy tote Guidry over to the tavern. They’ll take care of him. Taddy!”
A tall gangly youth hurried out from the back of the store. Grace drew in a deep breath while she waited.
DeLille assisted Taddy in hoisting the unconscious man onto the boy’s shoulder. “Now then,” the grocer dusted his hands, as if he’d just handled something dirty. “How can I help you today Miz …?”
“Thibodaux.”
“So, you’re the woman opening up Sweet Dreams. Don’t think I was here the last time you came in. I’m Horace DeLille, grocer, mayor and Duval Point sheriff. You need anything, you come to me.” His smile was open and sincere.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. DeLille.” She smiled and gave a nod.
“Welcome to Duval Point.”
“Thank you.” She dipped her head. “I have a list of supplies I need, and I want to arrange for delivery of the icebox and mattress I ordered. I also need fencing materials and want a few regular deliveries.” She gave him her list.
DeLille studied the paper for a moment then looked up at Grace. “I can handle this list. Taddy’ll drive out t’ Sweet Dreams with the ice box, mattress and fencing tomorrow.”
“Thank you. That will be convenient,” she said. The grocer moved in a flurry, pulling items from the shelves behind him. “You only been at Sweet Dreams a few a days. Everything fine out there? Haven’t had any problems?”
Grace stared. Luc frowned. Plain neighborliness explained the question? However, the fire made it and the grocer suspect. What would Grace tell him?
“Actually, I arrived at Sweet Dreams a week ago, and no. No problems other than being really tired when I go to bed. I must have been very tired and didn’t completely doused the coals in the kitchen hearth last night. I woke to a small fire this morning.”
She shouldn’t blame herself. Luc had to find a way to convince her that she was not the source of all her own troubles.
“That’s serious,” the grocer said. Grace straightened her shoulders.
Smart of DeLille to empathize. He definitely knew how to handle customers.
“Yes, however, I was lucky, the fire was small and didn’t do much damage.”