Moon Thrall by Donna Grant Read Free Book Online

am.”
    “Good. Those are good answers. You’ll do fine, Skye,” Helen said as she leaned forward and rested her arms on the desk.
    “Do fine?” Skye repeated. “What’s that mean?”
    Helen’s face pinched in worry. “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Matthew was found dead this morning.”
    Even though Skye knew he was dead, hearing it again was like a punch to the gut. She looked down, feeling sick. “How?” she croaked out.
    “The police are calling it a homicide. They think it was an attempted robbery, and assume Matthew tried to resist. His attacker used a knife.”
    Skye could only stare at Helen. The police were covering it up. Aside from saving her, Court had given her no reason to trust him, but what he’d said about the supernatural in law enforcement made sense.
    “They’re going to want to talk to you,” Helen was saying.
    Skye mentally shook herself. “How do they even know my connection to Matthew?”
    “Someone at the club said they saw the two of you enter together.”
    Just freaking wonderful. Skye wished she had remained in the bayou with Court instead of insisting that she return to the city.
    “I see.”
    “I wanted to let you know so you wouldn’t be surprised.”
    Skye ran her hands through her hair. “Should I go to the police?”
    “There’s no need yet,” Helen said. “They’ll find you if they want to talk to you.”
    Skye stood then. “I need to finish some research for the article.”
    “Stay in touch,” Helen said.
    Skye walked out of the office on shaky legs. Not even the fresh air calmed her. She spotted a patrol car driving slowly down the street, and she remained where she was, waiting for them to come for her.
    It drove past.
    She released a relieved breath and turned to the left. It was time to visit Court. Even in late September, the streets were crowded with tourists. October was a truly crazy month for New Orleans since everyone equated the city at Halloween with the supernatural.
    It was all the innocents walking around that had prompted her to write the articles. The college kids just looking to get lucky, the high schoolers looking to score some alcohol, the families just wanting to make lasting memories, and the business professionals wanting to have some fun.
    Those were the people the supernatural hunted.
    Or so she’d thought before last night. Court had said some of the vampires didn’t kill. The thought boggled her mind. A vampire that didn’t kill? How was that even possible? And who made the laws?
    Court mentioned that his family enforced the laws, but how could four brothers control an entire city of supernatural when a thousand policemen couldn’t govern the humans?
    Skye spotted the LaRue’s bar situated at the corner of the street. The wooden sign hung above the sidewalk with a bite taken out of the side, as if by an alligator. The lettering was done in a deep green with a gator below the name, its mouth wide open.
    It was after noon, and already, the bar was busy. The sound of music thumping could be heard even from outside. It wasn’t until customers walked from the bar that she recognized Godsmack playing.
    Skye glanced at her reflection in the window before she stepped inside Gator Bait. As soon as she entered, she stopped and looked around.
    The place was welcoming with its wood floors and highly polished bar. Hundreds of pictures of celebrities who had visited lined the walls. There were also alligator jaws of various sizes hung here and there.
    All in all, it looked like Court.
    “Court said you would come?” Riley said as she walked up with a smile.
    Skye returned her grin, intrigued that Court would know her well enough to announce what she would do. “Did he?”
    “He’s insufferably right most of the time,” Riley said with a wink.
    Skye laughed at the remark. Whatever she might think of the LaRues, they were obviously a close-knit family.
    “You hungry?” Riley asked as she motioned Skye to follow her.