Léopold's Wicked Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans) by Kym Grosso Page B

gave me his blood.”
    “You’re a vampire?”
    “No. I’m a wolf. But I do have a few side effects from what he did.”
    “But he saved you? That doesn’t sound so dangerous to me.”
    “Yes, but…” Wynter didn’t want to discourage her as much as warn her. “Just be careful, okay? Léopold is not to be messed with. He’s one of the most powerful vampires around.”
    “In New Orleans?”
    “Ever, from what Logan tells me. Look, I know he’s very smooth and cultured, but he’s lethal. Just don’t forget it, all right?”
    “Okay.” It didn’t take much for Laryssa to believe that Léopold was dangerous. Even Avery had said as much. But after her interaction with him today at the shop, not only was she desperately attracted to him, she was certain he wouldn’t hurt her. Her ability to throw a large piece of furniture at him hadn’t undermined her confidence that she’d be able to hold her own if she was wrong.
    “Sorry, I know it’s none of my business, but I just felt like I had to say something.” Wynter had seen, too, how Léopold had been looking at Laryssa. “I’m sure he’ll be fine with you. I mean, just look at how he is with Ava. It’s unbelievable really. I’ve never seen him that way with anyone…so gentle. I guess maybe I didn’t know him that well, but I never thought I would have seen Léopold Devereoux taking care of a baby.” She shook her head in disbelief and cracked open the door.
    “He seems so at ease, doesn’t he?” Laryssa commented, knowing Léopold probably heard every word they’d spoken.
    “Yes, he does. God help me, it really makes me want to have pups,” Wynter confided. “I have to go check on things downstairs. Will you be okay here?”
    “Thanks, yeah, I’ll be fine,” Laryssa assured her.
    Quietly, Laryssa pushed open the door, and caught sight of Léopold, who was softly singing a French lullaby to the child. She contemplated what he’d told the others…how she’d stay with him. Was he crazy? If she stayed with him…no, no she could not even go there. In the little time she’d spent with him, she’d already told him so much, too much. Like a geyser, the secrets she’d kept buried for so long had begun to spew forth. She wanted to trust him, to tell him everything. But she couldn’t. Going to his home was simply not going to happen, yet the words of protest failed to emerge from her lips. She told herself the reason she didn’t argue the point was because she hadn’t wanted to stir up more trouble with that nasty vampire. But her gut told her it was because she didn’t want to say no. She wanted to say yes. Yes, to everything that was Léopold.
    Slowly, Laryssa approached Léopold, as he rocked in the chair, the infant finally asleep against his shoulder. Kneeling before him, she rested her hands on his thighs.
    “Elle est belle. She’s beautiful, no?” Léopold commented. Speaking softly to the infant, he continued. “Mon petit bébé, we shall keep you safe and sound.”
    “She’s so sweet. It’s hard to believe someone would try to kill a baby. Sick. Really sick.”
    “Einstein said, ‘the world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.’ So much evil exists. It’s a wonder people even get up in the morning.”
    “We’re going to stop this…whatever, whoever did this.”
    “That we will, Laryssa.” Léopold pressed up out of his seat and gently placed Ava on her back in the crib. Pulling up the blanket, he felt Laryssa’s hand on his shoulder. “I’ve lived hundreds of years. Like immortals, evil never dies. It’s almost as if we know this when we’re born. Even the newborn babes cry as they’re birthed into our world.”
    “I don’t know, Leo. I do believe that there’s something bigger than all of us.” Unconsciously, if not out of comfort, Laryssa noticed she’d touched Léopold.
    “The Goddess? Oui. But hell, I believe,