Prince of Nowhere (Gray Wolf LEGACY #3)

CHAPTER ONE

It appeared that it was going to be a wet spring for Louisiana.

The rain would stop and twenty minutes later start up again.

One day the temperatures were in the seventies and the next day it was a damp, cold forty.

With the rain coming down once again, they huddled in the offices to review the upcoming work.

“Well, it appears that all of our ghosts found what they needed to find, or at least I hope they found what they needed. I’m just happy they have moved on and are finally at peace,” said Luke shaking his head.

“Bet you never thought you’d say that,” smirked Eric.

“Asshole,” muttered Luke with a grin. “Honestly? Anymore I don’t doubt that saying, seeing, or doing anything is impossible or unheard of. It seems every day something new happens here that proves to me we’re in the right place.

“Mardi Gras is in full swing and the parades are kicking off this week. Even though Grandma is, well, ghostly, she still wants the parade of boats through the bayou.”

“I’m glad,” said Hex. “I love that shit. I didn’t have that when I was a kid so I’ve grown to love the custom here.

Besides, king cake is my jam this time of year.

Praline filling with cream cheese for me.

Plus, people getting all excited for a bunch of plastic beads and cups, everyone laughing and having a good time.

It’s great. We see a lot of neighbors that we don’t always get to see throughout the year. ”

“I know,” nodded Luke. “It’s been decades now and even though I bitch about it, it’s a lot of fun.

Ajei and I were king and queen one year.

A few of our people have been king or queen.

Wouldn’t everyone shit themselves if Grandma and Grandpa were king and queen this year.

” The whole room erupted in laughter but Luke held up his hand.

“No surprise that Grandma has created a list of things we need to get done, along with Aunt Claudette and the others.”

“Hell, our own wives are barking orders,” said Eric. “Sophia Ann was yelling at me to get the Christmas lights off the house and swap them for Mardi Gras lights. She’s a fucking engineer! Couldn’t she figure out a way to make the lights change colors by season?”

“Yes, she could,” came his wife’s voice standing in the door.

“Oh, hi babe,” he smirked.

“Don’t hi babe me. Yes, there are technologies like that but remember that our lights are in different shapes for every season. Besides, I have more important things to develop than colored lights.”

The men all smiled at her, then grinned at Eric who was squirming in his seat.

“Is there something you needed, Sophia Ann?” asked Hex.

“Oh, yes. I have an updated list for you. You’re going to need to send some of the boys into town to pick up this stuff. Ham said some of their team doesn’t have a lot going on if we need help.”

Luke took the list from her and gasped.

“It’s four pages!” he yelled.

“Problem with that?” she smiled, her hand on her hip. She knew she had the upper hand because Mama Irene wouldn’t allow for anything but success at a party on Belle Fleur land.

“Soph, come on,” he whined. She walked toward her husband, kissing him and touching his face intimately.

“Eric, make it happen please. Even if Luke whines about it. Mama Irene is serious about this and let’s keep her happy, shall we?”

“Okay, babe,” he laughed.

He watched his wife’s beautiful ass sway as she left the boardroom. It was great to still feel that familiar stirring when he saw her. There was no doubt she was the love of his life and would always remain so.

Eric looked at Luke who was shaking his head at the list handed to him. There were decorations to pick up, king cakes to be ordered and picked up, hundreds of pounds of oysters, crawfish, shrimp, and other seafood. It seemed never-ending.

“Listen, it’s usually like this so it shouldn’t be a big deal,” smirked Hex. “If the SW team has some maneuverability, let’s get them to help. Besides, as much as it pains me, they are younger and have more energy.”

“Fuck that,” snarled Luke. “I’m as energetic as I ever was.”

“Sure you are,” smiled Cam, leaning back in the chair he kicked his feet up on the table. “We all want to believe that but I think we need to be grounded in the fact that we’re human. I don’t know what Matthew and Irene are but we are not them.”

“Wait. Will we be ghosts one day?” asked Eric. They all looked at him, shrugging their shoulders.

“No clue, dude. I’m going to guess we’ll all do the ghostly thing but I’m in no rush,” said Cam. “What about cases? What do we have this week?”

“Nothing big, which is fortunate considering the list we have to attend to. Anybody check up on the animal sanctuary?”

“I was out there yesterday,” smirked Hex. “Your dad is finally coming into his role out there. I think, anyway. He seemed happy. He was talking to Rusty, the bison, who was unhappy because apparently the flamingoes have been using his back as a space to keep their feet warm.”

“You’re screwing with me now,” said Luke with a shocked expression.

“Nope. Your father was quite diplomatic. Explained to the flamingoes that they couldn’t use Rusty’s back without his permission but as a compromise, he would ensure they had warm spaces to stick their feet and warm themselves, in their own habitat.”

“I’m getting this really odd feeling that one day that’s going to be my life,” said Luke looking slightly frightened. “Damn. One day you’re a SEAL, then a retired SEAL but part of an elite team of operatives, then you’re talking to bison and birds. Life is weird.”

“No,” laughed Eric. “Life is weird at Belle Fleur. The cool thing is, I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“Same, brother,” smirked Cam.

“Okay, let’s see if the SW team is still meeting and we can see who might be able to help us with this list.”

As they left the office building, they turned onto the paths leading to the larger space now occupied by the SW team. Headed toward them was one of their friendly spirits, Tony.

Tony was a bonafide genius that hacked into nearly every federal databases in his time. Even now, as a ghost, he advised the tech boys on things they could try, and they were usually successful. He prided himself on keeping up with the technology and continuing to learn.

But Tony was stuck right where he was. Never getting older. Never getting sick. Never moving on. He seemed happy with that but they wondered if he was truly alright with his situation.

Having given his life to save Rachelle and Alexandra, he was rewarded with eternal, blissful happiness at Belle Fleur. Not yet twenty when he died, in death he found the love of his life in little Claudette. Had they been alive, they would have been told they were too young for one another.

But how do you tell two ghosts, one more than two-hundred years old, that they can’t love one another in the after-life? It didn’t seem fair. So, with the wisdom sought by others, Irene and Matthew spoke to the two young ghosts and they found a happy space where they could have a life together.

“Tony! What’s up, man?” asked Eric. Tony’s facial expression was unreadable. “Hey. Tony?”

“Oh, hi, sorry. I was lost in thought.”

“Are you okay, brother?” asked Cam.

“Yes. I’m not sure. I’ve got a feeling that something is about to happen. Something big.”

“Tony, please brother, if you know anything at all please tell us. We do not like surprises and we damn sure don’t want one popping up during the celebrations.”

“I wish I could tell you more,” said the young man. “It’s like noise in my head but I have no idea what’s causing it.”

“I heard that,” said Spook walking toward them.

Spook arrived with Kane and his team. After being exposed to the odd pink dust like the others, Spook seemed able to tune into any phone, computer, or other technology and see it in his head.

“Spook? You too, brother?” asked Luke.

“I’m the expert on noises in your head,” he smirked. “I’ve been fortunate that the security measures and dome you have here seem to block most of the noise for me. But this is different. It’s small, like a constant buzzing from a hive.”

“Did Grandma put bee hives on the island?” asked Luke. The others laughed but he stared at them. “Y’all, I’m serious. That would be something she would do. Bees, hornets, wasps, anything alive that she thinks is of value to us she would put out there.”

“No, it’s not alive,” said Spook. “Or I don’t think it is. It’s more of a feeling of something or someone that needs us.”

“I’m not sure,” said Tony shaking his head. “I just know that it’s like something or someone is searching. But I have no idea what they’re searching for or looking for.”

“Well, that’s been extremely helpful,” frowned Eric. Spook just laughed, gripping the young Tony’s shoulder.

“Listen, just know that we’re both hearing and feeling something. If we hear anything else or feel anything else, we’ll let you know.” The two men walked away, Spook seeing his wife off in the distance and Tony seeing Claudette waiting for him in the gardens.

“What do you suppose all that was about?” asked Eric.

“I don’t know,” said Luke, “but if the two of them are telling us that something is off, we need to listen.”