Shadows: A Bayou Magic Novel

by Kristen Proby

  “But we don’t know the circumstances,” Millie says, interrupting him. “They might have been in an accident together. They might have died of natural causes. They could have died years ago and are just now reaching out—though that doesn’t make sense with you talking to the one girl the other night.”

  “We wait,” I add, nodding. “And in the meantime, I’ll just have two creepy girls following me around. Oh, and one more thing. They didn’t die of natural causes, that much is clear.”

  No, the torture marks on their skin weren’t anything normal.

  They were killed; after they were put through inexplicable horrors.

  “Was that your first sage cleansing?” I ask after Millie leaves for the night. She stayed and helped me sweep my apartment for anything that made its way inside. It should also tone down the resident spirits for a while.

  “It was,” Cash says. He leans on my kitchen counter, watching as I tidy up, trying to keep my hands busy for a little while longer.

  He’s ridiculously handsome. Hot, even. Tall and broad with muscles and tanned skin. His lower front teeth are just a little crooked, which only makes his smile more interesting.

  But I could get lost in those green eyes.

  “What are you thinking?” he asks.

  “That you should probably go. I’ve kept you here for far too long.”

  His eyes narrow on my face. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “So, I know I joked around earlier about sex on the first date, but I’m not getting naked with you tonight. Sorry to disappoint.”

  “Funny.” He chuckles and reaches out to drag his knuckles down my cheek. “I’ll sleep on the couch. I don’t want to leave you alone tonight. What if they haunt your dreams?”

  “Sleep’s always been my safe place.” I can’t hold back from wrapping my arms around his middle and hugging him. “I appreciate you thinking of it, but I’ve never had sleeping issues, thank goodness.”

  “Well, that’s something, then.” He kisses the top of my head. “But I’m still staying. We’ve already established that, although this is new, it’s strong. And if you think I won’t be here to protect you, you still have a lot to learn about me.”

  “I don’t think you can protect me against this,” I whisper into his chest. “But having you here is soothing, so, thank you. You don’t have to sleep on the couch. I have a guest bedroom. I don’t get many visitors, but I have it anyway.”

  “I’ll take it,” he says. “Where’s your room?”

  “Second door on the right.”

  “Come on.”

  He takes my hand and leads me to my bedroom. He turns down the bed and then faces me. “I’ll go make you some hot tea. Your sister pointed out the one I should use.”

  “She’s helpful.”

  “You get ready for bed, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “Cash.” He stops in the doorway and turns back to me. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  I can hear him puttering around in my kitchen as I change into yoga shorts and a loose tank top, then pad into the bathroom to brush my teeth and my long, dark hair. I wash my face, and just as I walk out of the bathroom, Cash walks into the bedroom with two steaming cups of tea.

  “Thank you again,” I say as I sit on the bed and accept a mug. “I’m glad you made yourself a cup. I was going to suggest it. It’ll protect you, too.”

  “Am I in danger?”

  I frown. “I don’t think so. I know that nothing here can hurt you. Or would want to. Trust me, I wouldn’t live here if that were the case. But, just in case, the tea can’t hurt.”

  He nods and sits in the rocking chair across from the bed, watching me. His brow lifts when we hear footsteps in the living room.

  “That’s normal,” I say with a grin. “It’ll calm down in a few minutes.”

  “Do you just live your life in fear, every single day?” he asks, surprising me. I think back to the three of us huddled under the stairs of the god-awful house we grew up in.

  “For a long time, we did. The three of us. Our childhood wasn’t fantastic, Cash, and only half of that was due to our gifts and not understanding them. The other half was our parents.”

  “You mentioned them earlier.”

  “My father died when I was thirteen.” I take a sip of tea and guard my mind, reinforcing my personal shields and grounding myself. He’s been truly gone for a long time, but I don’t want to take any chances. “I’m pretty sure my mother killed him, but I can’t be sure.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “I wish I were.” I shrug a shoulder. “He haunted the three of us for a decade. He’s the only spirit that’s ever followed me. Before this week. He was a bastard when he was living, punishing us for the smallest things. He took a lot of joy in inflicting pain.”

  “Fucking hell, Brielle.”

  “And it didn’t stop after he died. So, yes, our childhood was full of fear. Then, once the three of us were all out of the house, Millie started studying with Miss Sophia, a very powerful witch, not far from our childhood home. She told her about our father, and Miss Sophia was finally able to create a spell to get rid of him forever. Without her help, I’m sure he’d still be around.”

  Cash’s jaw clenches. “And your mother? Is she dead, too?”

  “No.” My smile turns cold. “But if I had my way, she would be.”

  “You can’t tell an FBI agent that you wish your mother was dead.”

  “Yes, I can.” I raise my chin. “While my father inflicted punishment and pain, she simply ignored it. Ignored us. I raised my sisters, not our parents. In fact, when I turned eighteen, I moved out and took them with me, filing for full custody. She didn’t fight it. She still lives in that godsforsaken house in the bayou, by herself, slowly dying.

  “She didn’t believe us when we told her about what we saw, what we felt. And she would beat us with the belt if we talked about it.”

  “Christ.”

  “So, when we left, I immediately called other people in the area that were like us. And I started to ask questions. Built a community around us. We learned, we grew stronger, and after a while, we healed.”

  “I’m so glad. I hate that you went through that.”

  “Maybe we’re all stronger because of it,” I reply honestly. “We learned to control ourselves out of necessity, so our gifts aren’t messy or frivolous now.”

  “That’s a positive way to look at it.”

  He blinks slowly, watching me.

  “What about your family? Tell me about them.”

  “Does it sound weird for me to say that I feel guilty that I had the exact opposite of you?”

  “You shouldn’t feel guilty at all.”

  “Andy is my only sibling. He’s a couple of years younger than I am, and he works for the New Orleans PD.”

  “Lots of law enforcement in your family.”

  “My dad was a cop,” he says and nods. “He was killed in the line of duty when I was eighteen.”

  “Oh, Cash. I’m sorry.”

  He nods and drinks the rest of his tea, then sets the mug aside. “It was tough. Mom never remarried. She still lives in Savannah. She’s been sick lately.”

  His eyes hold mine.

  “Cancer.”

  “Why aren’t you there with her?”

  “I was,” he says on a sigh. “I went there first, and she’s doing much better. She basically shooed me out the door and told me to go spend some time with my brother.”

  “She sounds wonderful.”

  “She is,” he says with a nod. “But, to be honest, I was ready to go. All she does is lecture me about working too hard, and that I need to find a nice girl to settle down with.”

  “She loves you.” I set my empty mug aside and lie down, facing Cash. I pull the blankets up around my shoulders and smile at him. “I swear, it’s not the company making me tired.”

  “You had a busy day,” he says, letting out a small laugh.
“And an emotional one. If you need me, I’ll be next door, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  He crosses to me and kisses my forehead, then turns off the light and leaves the door open just a crack. I hear him walk to the kitchen, set our empty mugs in the sink, and then into the guest room. His feet shuffle around as he gets ready for bed, then the bedsprings squeak a bit as he climbs under the covers. And then it’s quiet. Even the spirits have settled down.

  My eyes droop, and before long, I sink into sleep.

  This is new. It seems today is the day for it, whether I’m awake or asleep.

  Have I mentioned that I don’t like surprises?

  I’m walking through the Quarter on my usual route to work. I nod at people I know and ignore the shadows that lurk in the corners. I’m used to them. Some don’t know I’m here, and some try to get my attention, but I always keep my eyes straight ahead.

  Focus. Focus is always the key. Stay centered. Grounded. Keep my mind calm. If I let the fear sink in, I’ll make myself vulnerable, and that’s not good.

  The sun is up and bright in the sky, but suddenly, a shadow covers it, sending everything into darkness. I stop and blink, trying to let my eyes adjust to the dim surroundings. When I can see at least some things again, they’re right in front of me.

  The two women.

  The two apparitions that have been following me for days.

  “You have to help us,” Tammy, the one from my tour group says. “You have to find us.”

  “Find us,” the other agrees. They reach out for me. Both are covered in blood, and wounds still seep all over their bodies. The girl I don’t know has a slit throat, and one eye is missing.

  Tammy doesn’t have any fingers on her right hand.

  “Who hurt you?” I ask, but no sound comes out of my mouth. “Tell me who hurt you.”

  “There are more,” Tammy says. “So many more. We need you. You have to find us.”

  “Who did this?” I ask again, frustrated when no sound emerges. Damn it! I need to communicate with them. “Please, tell me how to find you.”

  “Help us,” they say in unison. “Please. You have to help us.”

  “Holy shit.”

  Suddenly, I’m sitting up in bed, gasping for air. Cash holds my shoulders firmly.

  “Brielle, wake up. You’re safe, baby. Wake up.”

  “I’m awake,” I gasp and lean in to rest my forehead on his chest.

  “You were having a nightmare.”

  “No.” I look up into his green eyes. They seem brighter in the dim light. “I was dream-walking. The girls are talking, Cash.”

  “What did they say?”

  “They asked me to help them. Find them.” I feel a tear slide down my cheek. “Horrible things were done to them.”

  “They told you?”

  “I could see it.” I swallow hard. My mouth is so dry. “He tortured them.”

  “Where are they?”

  “I don’t know.” I shake my head in despair. “I don’t know.”

  Chapter Five

  Brielle

  “Good morning.”

  I smile at Cash as I walk into the living room and sit on the couch next to him. He passes me his coffee, and I take a sip.

  “Good morning.”

  I think I could get used to having him here like this. After he comforted me in the middle of the night, he stayed with me, holding me until I fell back to sleep. And this morning, when I woke up, he was no longer in bed with me, but I could smell the coffee.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Tired.” I shrug and take another sip of his coffee, then pass it back to him. “I guess dream-walking will do that to a person.”

  “You guess?”

  “This week is full of firsts.”

  Cash frowns and takes my hand in his, linking our fingers. “I’m worried about you, Brielle. And I barely know you.”

  “Thank you.” I lean my head on the couch and watch him thoughtfully. “I’m seriously shocked that you haven’t escaped yet. Why are you still here?”

  He blows out a breath and sets his mug aside. “I was asking myself that this morning. It’s not that I feel bad for you, or even that I feel an obligation.”

  “Good.”

  “I’m drawn to you in ways I can’t explain. Like I said before, it’s a…recognition. Like, I was looking for you and didn’t even know it.”

  “Same,” I whisper.

  “I’ve never believed in soul mates or that sort of thing,” he says. “And I’m not sure I do now. But there’s something here, and I’m going to stay for as long as you’ll let me.”

  I smile just as a knock comes from the front door.

  “Are you expecting someone?” Cash asks.

  “It’s probably Millie.” I walk to the entry and look out the peephole, then open the door and smile at my sister. “I thought you’d be working this morning.”

  “I have employees for a reason,” she says as she walks into the room carrying three coffees. “I brought goodies.”

  “Bless you,” I mutter, reaching for the paper bag she’s carrying. “Fresh croissants make everything better.”

  “For you,” she says to Cash, passing him a coffee. “There’s a protection spell in there.”

  “Does it have eye of newt?” he asks, flashing a smile.

  “Not this time,” Millie replies with a wink, making Cash’s smile slide from his face. “And I might have put a little spell on the pastries, as well. We can’t be too careful. We don’t know what we’re dealing with here.”

  I’m already sitting on the couch, my legs crossed under me, happily eating my way through the bag’s contents.

  “I’m so damn hungry,” I say with my mouth full.

  “Probably all that walking you’re doing in your sleep,” Cash says calmly.

  “What?” Millie’s eyes fly to mine. “Where did you go?”

  “I didn’t physically go anywhere. I wasn’t sleepwalking, I was dream-walking.”

  “Oh, I’ve always wanted to do that,” Millie says with excitement. “I didn’t know you could.”

  “I didn’t either. And, trust me, it wasn’t nearly as fun as it sounds.”

  “I’m going to let you two talk while I go get my things from Andy’s house.”

  I frown up at him. “You’re moving in?”

  “I told you, I’m here for as long as you’ll allow it. I can’t protect you from my brother’s home.” He leans in and kisses my head. He hasn’t kissed me on the lips yet, and it’s killing me. “Since you have Millie with you, I’ll run over there now. I’ll be back shortly.”

  “I don’t need to be babysat, you know.”

  “There’s strength in numbers,” he says, his handsome face completely sober. “And until all of this is resolved, I’d rather you weren’t alone.”

  He hurries out of the apartment, and Millie watches him walk down the street through the window.

  “He’s hot.”

  “I know,” I say and reach for another croissant. “I should probably have some protein with this.”

  “That one has turkey and cheese in it,” she says, watching me carefully. “Where did you go in your dream, Bri?”

  “I was walking in the Quarter.” I take a deep breath. “Toward work. Everything was normal until it went dark. Suddenly, the two women were standing before me.”

  “The sun went down?”

  I frown, thinking about it. “No. More like something covered the sun.”

  Millie leans forward. “A cloud?”

  “A shadow.” I blink rapidly. “A shadow covered the sun.”

  “Okay, keep going.”

  “I could hear the girls. They kept saying that I needed to find them. Help them. But when I tried to ask questions, no sound came out of my mouth.”

  “Fascinating,” Millie says. “Did they say where they are?”

  “No. They didn’t give me any other information. It’s so damn frustrating.”

  �
�I wonder what happened to them?” Millie asks.

  “They were tortured.”

  It’s her turn to blink rapidly in surprise. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I could see it.” I swallow hard and tell her what I saw. “It was awful. I wish they were still just shadows.”

  “I’m so sorry you had to see that,” Millie says softly.

  My phone rings. “Holy shit.”

  “Who is it?”

  “Daphne.” I hold Millie’s gaze as I answer the phone. “Hello?”

  “Hi.” My sister’s voice is quiet. I’ve missed it so much. I feel tears spring to my eyes. “I know we have our issues right now, but I’ve been dreaming, Bri. I feel like you need me.”

  “I do.” And not just for this. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine, but those girls aren’t.”

  “You’ve seen the girls?”

  “And you,” she confirms. “Last night, I saw you talking to them in my dream.”

  “I didn’t see you.”

  “I kept trying to get your attention, but it was no use. It was damn frustrating.”

  “Come over. Millie’s here, and we can talk about it all.”

  “I’m working today,” Daphne says with a sigh. “But let’s go out for dinner. We can talk then.”

  I agree, and we end the call.

  “It’s not just you,” Millie says.

  “No, she says she had the same experience I did last night.” I shake my head in disbelief.

  “That means I’m next.” Her smile brightens. “And I’ll be ready.”

  “She’ll be here,” Millie assures me. We’re at our favorite restaurant in the Quarter, Café Amelie.

  “She’s ten minutes late. Daphne is never late.”

  “She’ll be here,” she says again as she reads the menu.

  “Maybe she changed her mind. I could tell she wasn’t thrilled to be talking with me.”

  “One of the things we need to clear up tonight is this stupid fight y’all have been having for more than a year. It’s ridiculous.”

  “I—”

  “Sorry I’m late.” Daphne hurries to the table and sits in the empty seat next to Millie. She looks amazing. Her red, curly hair is weaved into a simple braid, and her golden eyes look tired.