Better Than Luck Read online

  Better

  than

  Luck

  Others of Edenton: Book 12

  Brandy L Rivers

  Copyright 2019 Brandy L Rivers

  Edited by Emily A. Lawrence

  Cover Design by Brandy L Rivers

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Also by Brandy L Rivers

  Others of Edenton

  New Beginnings

  In Too Deep

  Shadows Fall

  Shadows of the Past

  Fated Love

  Falling Into Place

  Breaking Free

  Mending Scars

  Labor of Love

  Light in Darkness

  Blissful Agony

  Deep Trouble

  Entangled Darkness

  Blood Bound

  Woven Fates

  Better Than Luck

  Others of Seattle

  Nights Embrace

  Storm Mistress

  Accepting Fate

  Red Queen

  Seductive Solutions

  Changing Destiny

  Coming Together

  Storm Wrath

  Twisted Bonds

  Darkness Binds

  Frozen in Flames

  Untitled (Coming 2019)

  Nights Embrace Spin Off

  Summer Rhythm

  Branches of Emrys

  Sleepwalker

  Dreams of Change

  Finding Hawk

  Chasing Dove

  Shattered Reality

  Exploring Reality (Coming 2019)

  Pine Barrens Pack Co-Written with Rebecca Brooke

  Cursed Vengeance

  Vengeance Unraveled

  Shifted Vengeance (Coming 2019)

  Combustible

  Heart on Fire

  Falling Star

  Sweet Tooth

  Backburn

  Love Behind the Scenes

  The Callback

  The Long Shot

  Untitled (coming 2019)

  To keep up with upcoming releases and news visit me at my

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  Or join my newsletter or reading group Rivers’ Shenanigans

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  About Brandy L Rivers

  Also By Brandy L Rivers

  Dedication

  My dearest Alan,

  I’d do anything for you

  Prologue

  Seventeen years ago…

  Another look over his shoulder, and Finnian knew without a doubt that Mercer had trailed him through the casino. The fire and earth Fae hybrid was Rory Golden’s hired muscle. And Rory was a world-class asshole who happened to own Finnian’s favorite place to win big. Money Pots Casino, full of Others. And it was so much more satisfying to win against stronger Others when they all thought they were better than him.

  Finnian was a leprechaun, and his luck was better than anyone in the casino. He walked in and everyone started to lose while he won big, bigger, and biggest. Usually, he figured out when to leave long before attracting too much attention, but he couldn’t help himself this time. Opportunity had presented itself when their daughters left for good and Diedre stayed behind, waiting for him. He could finally convince her to travel the world and see all the places they hadn’t gotten to before their first troublesome brat.

  Besides, gambling was how he kept his family afloat. Not that his daughters appreciated a damned thing he did. His eldest daughter was especially ungrateful. He’d spent a fortune on her cancer treatments that they could have wiped out if she hadn’t been so damned stubborn. Danika constantly tried to get Diedre to leave him. Her mother, his wife.

  Thankfully, Danika left, and Dominique followed, leaving his wife alone. Maybe he could finally convince her to take that adventure they’d talked about for ages.

  Finnian slipped down a corridor and pulled the fire alarm as a group of men exited the bathroom.

  He slouched down and did his best to fit in with the Asian tourists. He pulled his hood up and smiled at the young man next to him.

  The young man slipped an arm around him and rambled in some language Finnian didn’t have a hope to understand. He nodded and nudged the guy’s ribs before sliding the wallet from a pocket. Finnian focused on his proverbial pot of gold and the wallet left his hand, falling into the cavernous room where he kept his hoard, neither here, nor there, and only he had access.

  An exit sign caught his attention near the elevators. He ducked past the men on his way out the door. He didn’t stop moving until he was four blocks down and inside a cab sitting on the side of the road. Finnian envisioned his stash of money and treasures and plucked a hundred-dollar bill from a pile of money.

  “Hey, I have a fare coming back,” the driver shouted.

  A genuine smile graced Finnian’s lips and he held up the hundred. “Take me to the airport, and you can have all of this, and another if you hurry.”

  His eyes lit up as he turned, starting the cab. “All right then. Where you headed from the airport?”

  “Going home.” He needed to stay off Rory Golden’s radar, and out of Mercer’s sight. Luckily, he’d given a dozen names at the Money Pots Casino, off the main strip, but so many Fae and Others visited, it was a good place to get lost.

  He really should have moved to a different casino. Too long at one, and someone always caught on. But luck was like a drug. He couldn’t help gleaning a little from everyone around him. And this time, he just couldn’t bring himself to leave until he noticed the security closing in.

  He glanced out the back window and was relieved no one seemed to follow through the night. As usual, luck was on his side.

  Being a leprechaun had its share of problems. There wasn’t much he couldn’t have if he truly desired it. But some people took offense. It got him in trouble far more often than not.

  This would be the last time in Vegas for a good long while. His hoard was filling up and overflowing once again. Though, he should have played it safe and stuck to human casinos. That would make life easier. But taking luck from powerful Others was so much more fun.

  * * * *

  “I cast a tracking spell on the fool. He boarded a plane for Juneau,
Alaska. Which means you’re going out there to hunt him down,” Rory explained for the dozenth time.

  Mercer sat back, a scowl on his face. “It’s too damned cold there.”

  “Which is your problem to sort out. You’ll survive. At least it’s summer, which means it’s not freezing.”

  He growled. “Fine, whatever. I’ll go.”

  “Don’t come back without him. The little prick is going to work for me, or he’s going to die.”

  “What if Juneau is just a stop on the way to wherever he’s headed?”

  Rory moved around the desk and laid his hand on Mercer’s shoulder, funneling pure pain into his body, tripping down his nerves. Mercer’s muscles contracted and jumped. “You will go, or you will die this way, and it will take days, if not weeks.”

  Panting, Mercer muttered, “Of course, of course. You have my word. I will find him and bring him to you or kill him.”

  Rory took a step back. “Take the time you need. Just be sure you’re working on finding that slimy little asshole.”

  “I’ll drag him back, alive.”

  * * * *

  After landing, Finnian stole a car and drove two hours to his wife. He kept his family far enough away from any place he made his money. Most of it came from gambling, or specialized theft jobs. Diedre wanted him to quit all that, and he planned to. Now that it was just them, maybe he could. Far, far from the States.

  Diedre had been all alone for a month. She begged him to come back after their girls had tried to turn her against him and convince her to leave him behind. But she had stayed for him.

  Neither Danika nor Dominique had come back. That much he knew.

  They could explore the world. He’d keep them afloat.

  Finnian pulled into his driveway and hurried up the steps. Diedre opened the door and jumped into his arms. “I was beginning to think you had grown tired of your boring wife.”

  He caught her face and kissed her lips before delving his tongue into her mouth, while carrying her inside. He kicked the door shut and pressed her against the wall. She melted against him.

  Leaning back, he captured her gaze. “Told you I’d be back. I’ve missed you so damned much. I was wrong to leave without you. Please, please, come with me this time.”

  Her eyes closed. “You’re not staying?”

  “If I can’t convince you to join me. Don’t you want to see the world? Don’t you want to go to Rome?” The one place she wanted to see more than anything, and knew he had a chance of convincing her. From there, he could get her to explore the world.

  A breath escaped her lips. “What are you running from now?”

  “Boredom,” he answered honestly. Though that was only part of the problem. “Let’s run away together.”

  “What if Danika and Dominique come home?”

  “They won’t. We leprechauns have to find our own way in life. And my way needs you by my side, my love. Come away with me.”

  She blinked back tears. “When?”

  “After I make love to you. It’s been a month. I need you.”

  She pulled him back for another kiss.

  He carried her back to the bedroom.

  * * * *

  Mercer cornered a troll who eventually told him where Finnian had scurried off to. Bastard had a family stashed away, out toward the Alaskan wilderness, outside of Juneau. Finnian had a world of hurt coming. Though he had a feeling he’d be killing the leprechaun, as opposed to bringing him back to Rory.

  He pulled into the driveway. All the lights were off.

  Only problem, he made it to the damned house and found the lights off. He could scent the leprechaun and a human. His wife, no doubt. They’d left within the hour. He stormed through the home. The drawers and closet were thrown open, clothes removed.

  He’d probably passed them on the way there.

  He kept searching the rest of the house. Two smaller bedrooms. Neither had been used in ages.

  The only thing he found was a note sitting on the table.

  Girls,

  I know I should be here, waiting for you, but you both said you weren’t coming back. Fin came for me. I’m with him. We’re living out our dream.

  Love,

  Mom

  The girls didn’t matter. Rory might think so, but Mercer still held onto a sense of honor. He picked up the note, crumpled it, and burned it to ashes.

  Then he trailed his palm over the counter, the table, the couch in the living room, and along the wall as he walked out. Fire spread quickly, taking the house with it.

  Time to bribe someone at the airport for the information he needed.

  * * * *

  The flight was long, but the farther from the states they flew, the better Finnian felt. The chances of Rory’s men finding him were slim to none.

  Diedre clung to his hand.

  “Babe, relax, we haven’t hit turbulence.” And the chances of that happening with him in the plane were nonexistent. His luck would keep them in the air, out of danger.

  His luck had kept him out of the worst of danger in all but one case. And he refused to think about his time in HARP’s hands, or the torture he’d endured. And fine, he’d stolen from the wrong asshole, but he’d never been caught, and hadn’t since.

  Turning to Diedre, he brushed the hair from her face and smiled.

  “You are my lucky charm,” she murmured.

  A snort bubbled up. “Sure am, babe.”

  The pilot came on to announce they’d be landing in Rome shortly.

  She laid her head on his shoulder and loosened her grip. “Hate flying.”

  “Trust me, I know.” He was lucky she hadn’t crushed his hand. “But we’re in Europe now. We never have to get back on a plane.”

  “I’d ask how you got a passport for me, but I fear I don’t want to know.” She sighed. “I thought you were done with illegal work.”

  “Mostly. But I didn’t want to wait forever to convince you to leave. I knew it had to be now.”

  “Doubt I want to know.” She sighed. “Think the landing will be bad?”

  “Unlikely. I’ve never had a bad landing.”

  She nudged his shoulder. “I’m glad you came back for me. I was so lonely. The girls told me I'm a fool. But you always come back.”

  “I love you, Diedre. Never stopped. I needed to roam, but you’re the only one I want, the only one I need.”

  Her smile dampened. “You say that, but do you mean it?”

  He kissed her lips. “Never touched another woman since meeting you. You’re mine, love.”

  The descent started, and she gripped his hand tighter. He planned to take her to a friend’s home. He knew the bastard preferred France and had prior engagements in Faery. Chances of running into Aeremaius were slim to none. Besides, the prick owed him a favor.

  * * * *

  Two months of bliss and Finnian had forgotten how good it was to have his woman at his side. He still had plenty of cash to get them through the next decade. He’d have to take a job, or find some place to gamble eventually, but for now, his only goal was to prove they could have the perfect life. And maybe in a year or two, he could convince Diedre to become a werewolf or vampire to stay with him forever.

  For once, he wanted to do right by Diedre. She’d taken care of their ungrateful bitch through cancer and Danika still left her. And Dominique followed soon after, even though Diedre had never done well on her own.

  Learning his daughters had ditched her, he realized he needed to step up and take care of the woman he loved. That was why he spent so long in Vegas.

  Not to mention, he’d leached too much luck from a wolf pack in the area. Part of him leaving was to keep Diedre and their girls safe. But neither daughter stuck around to take care of their mother.

  They blamed him. They always did. Diedre didn’t. He couldn’t help tapping into everyone else’s luck. It was rarely intentional. Hell, he could scarcely control it.

  “Hey, hon,” Diedre called. “Did you tur
n up the heat?”

  He hurried up the stairs. “No, why would I?” He stepped into the doorway of the bedroom.

  Diedre stared out the window, overlooking the river below. She turned to him and red glowed around her as time slowed down. The window shattered with the fireball flinging through. He moved toward her but slipped, landing on his ass as heat singed his hair.

  Diedre flailed and screamed, already engulfed in flames, blood catching fire from the shards of glass impaling her pale skin.

  He scrambled back and rolled down the stairs as one of the neighbors ran in. “Where is Diedre?”

  “Gone.”

  Bastard rushed up the stairs, past him, into the hallway as another fireball slammed into him, knocking him over the railing. The fire spread across the walls as he rolled down the rest of the stairs.

  Mercer had finally caught up to Finnian.

  He hit his head, the heat too much to bear, and broken bones left him in agony. He focused on his stash and his broken, burnt body landed on piles of money and treasures before darkness took him.

  Chapter 1

  Danika sat in the doctor’s office, her eyes closed, her breathing even. She wanted to believe everything was fine, that she wasn’t going to have to drag Adam through hell.

  Only, reality said it was back

  The big C.

  Cancer.

  And the fight would be hell. It wasn’t something they could slice out and nuke. No, the cancer was in the parts of her that made blood.

  And if Adam hadn’t been so damned persistent that he wanted to stay human, she could convince him that they should become werewolves together. Since her other option flew out the window when she fell in love with him.