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He knocked aside the gun, wrapping his fingers around the man’s thick throat.

“Who sent you to kill Ashe?”

The man laughed, the fetid stench of ‘wrongness’ intensifying.

“This is bigger than you,” he choked out, his eyes simmering with the madness of a true fanatic. “This is bigger than all of us.”

Raphael tightened his grip, battling back the growing weakness that threatened his survival.

“Tell me who sent you, dammit,” he roared.

Without warning the man jerked his upper body off the ground, smashing his forehead into Raphael’s with enough force to make him see stars.

Giving a shake of his head, Raphael suddenly found himself being rolled onto his back, the man holding him down as he reached for the gun that lay a few feet away.

Oh…hell.

Raphael wanted answers, but the combination of the unknown poison and the blood loss from his wound was taking its toll.

If he didn’t kill the man quickly, he was the one who was going to end up in a soggy grave.

Clearing his double vision, Raphael bared his teeth. He was going to rip off the man’s head and feed it to the gators.

The satisfying thought had barely formed in his mind when he caught a familiar scent and his heart forgot how to beat.

Goddammit. That stubborn female was going to get locked in his house and never let out again.

He gathered his waning strength, desperately grasping his attacker’s arms to keep him from reaching the gun. At the same time, Ashe stepped into view, her arms held over her head as she swung a heavy stick toward the back of the man’s head.

There was sickening crunch as the skull busted at the impact, and the man’s eyes glazed.

Raphael didn’t hesitate. Grabbing the man’s face, he jerked his head to the side with enough force to snap his neck. Instantly the stranger went limp and Raphael tossed his dead body aside.

Rising to his feet, he stepped over the corpse so he could glare down at his mate in frustration.

“I thought I told you to run?”

She rolled her eyes, tossing the stick aside so she could wrap an arm around his waist. Only then did he realize that he was swaying like a drunkard.

“You know how well I take orders,” she reminded him with a wry smile.

He brushed his lips over the top of her head, allowing her to keep him balanced as they continued their interrupted journey through the bayou.

Once he reached the Wildlands he would send someone back to check the body for a brand.

For now he had to get Ashe to the safety of his people.

“That’s something we’re going to have to work on,” he assured her.

She tilted back her head to meet his weary smile.

“Together.”

“Together,” he breathed, wondering if a word had ever sounded so sweet.

Leaning against each other, they managed to stumble their way through the swamp, combining their strength as only a truly mated pair could.

They reached the Wildlands just as the sun crested the horizon, and Raphael wasn’t remotely surprised when a cat padded forward to greet them.

Dark as the shadows, the lethal feline regarded them with a predatory gaze.

Then, with a low roar the creature surrounded itself in a silvery mist, shifting to reveal a tall, grim-faced warrior.

“So it’s true, Raphael. You return with a mate and a child,” the leader of the Hunters drawled with a taunting smile. “I don’t know whether to congratulate you or have you thrown into the psych ward.”

“And a happy fucking hello to you, Parish.”

With a shared chuckle, they stepped into the Wildlands, the magic wrapping around them as overhead a raven screeched in fury.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandra Ivy is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Guardians of Eternity series, as well as the upcoming Sentinel series. Alexandra Ivy graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. An active member of RWA, she also writes under the name of Deborah Raleigh. She lives in Missouri with her husband and family.

Book list:

Guardians of Eternity

Darkness Avenged

Fear the Darkness

Bound by Darkness

The Real Werewives of Vampire County

Supernatural

Yours for Eternity

Devoured by Darkness

Beyond the Darkness

Darkness Unleashed

Darkness Revealed

Darkness Everlasting

Embrace the Darkness

When Darkness Comes

Immortal Rogues Series

My Lord Vampire

My Lord Eternity

My Lord Immortality

Sentinel Series

Predatory

Sentinel Anthology

PARISH

BY LAURA WRIGHT

CHAPTER 1

THE baby emerged writhing and covered in amniotic fluid. Cradling the child, unable to curb the proud and relieved smile breaking on her sweaty face, Dr. Julia Cabot reached across the bed and placed him on his weary mother’s belly and chest. Annette, one of the three nurses assisting, quickly covered him with a blanket, then suctioned his nose and mouth with a bulb syringe. In seconds, a hearty wail erupted from the infant, the welcome sound pinging off the walls and calling forth a duet of sighs from the baby’s father and aunt.

Twenty-one hours of hard labor. This woman’s a freaking rock star. Julia glanced at the clock. “9:51 pm.”

“Got it,” Annette said, scribbling on the chart. “Do you want me to get his scores now, Doc?”

“Right on his mom’s chest will be fine.” Julia returned to her work, another nurse assisting as she delivered the placenta. “So, Mrs. Dubroux, do you have a name for your beautiful boy?”

“Garth,” the woman said, pulling her gaze from her little love and looking up at her husband. “Garth Allan Dubroux, just like his daddy.”

The man beamed.

“Nines across the board, Doc,” Annette announced, making the note in her chart.

“Well, well, you’ve got a strong one there,” Julia said, pulling off her gloves and letting the nurse take over with the cleaning. She walked around to the side of the bed and eyed the precious new family member. “Welcome to the world, Garth.”

As the baby rooted around on her chest, Mrs. Dubroux smiled up at Julia, tears brightening her eyes. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“You’re a godsend, Doctor Cabot,” Mr. Dubroux added, his arm tightening around his wife’s shoulders. “Marilyn would’ve been in the surgery room if it wasn’t for you.”

“It was my pleasure,” Julia said, trying to hold back the wave of emotion and sadness at such a lovely ending to her career at New Orleans General. “One of the nurses will help you with breastfeeding if you need it, and Doctor Salander will be coming in to check on the both of you very soon.” She gave them one last smile. “Congratulations, and good luck.”