Chapter Two
Maddoc leaned back against the iron railing that lined the balcony of the club and sipped his cold beer. A well-rounded woman who was currently bouncing around with a group of her friends had been giving him and a few other men around him a pleasant view. A couple more jiggles, and hopefully she was going to pop right out of the neckline of her top. “What about that one?” He elbowed his twin brother, Gavin, and pointed the neck of his beer toward the twittering bunch.
Gavin looked over his shoulder and then gave Maddoc a disgusted look. “Seriously? If you combined the three of them, you would get enough plastic and silicone to create a fourth. She has no natural ass, and she’s dressed as Bellatrix Lestrange, for fuck’s sake.”
They had been taken in once before by a woman who hid her natural abilities and then tried to use he and his brother as her own personal bodyguards. They’d foolishly believed that Morgana had loved them as much as they worshipped her. A dangerous mixture of youthful naiveté and perpetual hard-ons had blinded them to the truth. They’d believed every lie she’d told them and had turned against their own clan in her defense. When her narcissistic troublemaking caused a war, and in turn the death of their younger sister, they’d realized the cost of their selfish decisions. Gavin hadn’t had anything good to think or say about witches ever since.
“Yeah, but damn, she looks good.”
“With her clothes on, maybe. Artificial enhancements look better covered up, and I’m more interested in a woman with her clothes off.”
“I suspect your cock would still get as hard as mine does.” Maddoc winked at the woman when she looked over her shoulder at him. She pursed her lips and blew him a kiss while tracing the plunging neckline of her dress with a finger tipped with a blood-red nail. If you could call what she was wearing a dress. Her costume was tiny and barely covered her flat ass and obviously augmented breasts. Women with no hips or thighs didn’t naturally come that endowed. While he loved the curve of a woman’s breasts, he appreciated the other natural curves as much as his brother.
A disgusted snort from beside him drew his attention back to his brother. He turned, putting the Barbie-like woman and her friends out of his mind. “What’s got you so bitchy? You’ve been a bear all night.”
Gavin shot him a look Maddoc could easily decipher. Looking at the mirror image of his face all these years had made speaking unnecessary at times. He and Gavin were virtually identical in every physical way, right down to the small scar Maddoc had gotten on his eyebrow in a fight over a bar wench when he was younger. The exact moment his opponent had split the skin over his eye, Gavin, who was also part of the same bar brawl, had caught a shard of glass over his eye. They’d always dressed the same and kept their hair the same style. In fact, many of their current business associates thought they were one person, which came in handy when they needed to be in two places at the same time.
His brother reached up and gripped some of the intricate iron scroll work that framed the balcony as he looked down over the dance floor below them. “I don’t know how you’re so damn relaxed or why I let you talk me into coming here.”
Maddoc shrugged and took another sip of his beer before answering. “You needed to get out just as much as I did. We both know that the talks scheduled for tonight are going to break down into a fight. The tension in the city has been building for months, and this meeting is a thinly veiled excuse for all hell to break loose…no pun intended.”
Gavin shook his head, “It’s a bad idea for any one group to rule the entire city.” He turned and leaned back against the railing crossing his arms over his chest. “We have every right as anyone else, considering this has been our home for over a century. I’m not going to accept any rules put in place by a group working for their own benefit, especially those fucking vampires.”
“This is why it was so important to get out tonight. We needed to reacquaint ourselves with our city, our people and ground ourselves in the natural energy of the area.” The two of them had numerous businesses that required them to attend meetings all over the world. It had been months since they’d been home for more than a couple days at a time. But the Bywater District of New Orleans had become the one solace in their world. It was their home now, and not the heathered hills of Scotland where they’d been born.
Both he and Gavin knew that the meeting tonight was doomed to fail. The important question was who would be left standing in the end. No matter what omens they studied or rituals they performed, the future had remained completely unclear. Sometimes being a Druid wasn’t as magical and easy as the mythology made it out to be. They’d cancelled all their meetings for the next week in preparation for tonight, simply because neither had been granted any insight into the future.
“Just because we haven’t gotten a clear reading from anything doesn’t mean that tonight is our last night on this plane.”
“Something is changing for all of us tonight, Maddoc.” Gavin looked up at the dark sky above them. “I found an old passage in one of the scrolls.”
“Shit, no wonder you’re in a bad mood. Those scrolls are filled with doom and gloom, most of which never turns out like it’s predicted.”
“This one was different. I found it in one of the crates that Ma had tucked away in the attic. I tried to call her, but I’ve been getting her voice mail all day. Da said she’s been out in the moors all day, humming.”
“Oh god.” Maddoc rolled his eyes and took another swallow of beer. Every time their mother took to humming on the moors, it foretold of someone in the family falling in love. “As long as it’s not our names she’s humming.”
“No, what’s really strange is Da said she’s been humming Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Gavin shrugged as he turned his gaze from the starless sky above them and back to focusing on Maddoc. He obviously didn’t have any idea what that meant, any more than Maddoc did. “You don’t think she’s going a little loopy, do you?”
“I dare you to ask her.” Their mother was a firecracker on a good day, and Maddoc wanted to have a front row seat if Gavin was dumb enough to ask her if she was going senile. “We can call back again in the morning and ask her how she’s doing.”
“I guess. I still can’t shake this feeling that our world is going to change. It’s like there’s a third party involved in it all and we don’t know who they are, but I can’t describe the power they wield. It’s either going to kill us or bring us to our knees.”
“You are dramatic tonight. Too much scroll work, brother mine.” Maddoc swallowed the last of his beer. “Whatever happens… happens. We’ve never run and hid from a fight.”
“And we won’t start now.” Gavin tapped the neck of his beer bottle with Maddoc’s and then finished his own off. They clasped arms, each gripping the forearm of the other. The flashing lights of the club disguised the crackling light that danced over their skin as their natural power reacted with each other before Gavin turned around and eyed the women Maddoc had been looking at earlier.
Only now it was Maddoc who had an uneasy feeling. He’d seen all the same omens as Gavin and had been doing his best to put on a brave face, but there was something bigger out there. Combined with the news of his mother humming a child’s nursery rhyme, something which was so out of character for their strong-willed Ma, he was going to make certain that they were protected tonight, and when hell broke loose they’d be ready for it.
* * * *
Despite the crowds of people and continual barrage to her senses, Dani was always able to find solace on the dance floor. She could close her eyes and let the music sweep her away. Tonight there’d been a nagging sensation between her shoulder blades, almost as if she was being watched. But, every time she opened her eyes and looked around, she didn’t notice anyone. Maybe it’s the drinks?
She looked down at the curvy glass in her hand and tried to remember how many she’d had, but couldn’t. “It must be a side effect from the alcohol.”
“What side effect?” Faina,
who had been next to her, nudged her shoulder. “You ‘ave almost been keeping up with me tonight, you know.”
Faina Andropov had been pressed up against Dani’s side at the table she and her four friends had squished around. Dani always thought Faina had the prettiest accent, which tended to get stronger when they’d been drinking.
“If I tried to keep up with you, I’d be falling over right now.” Dani swallowed back the last of her drink and teetered a bit on her heels.
“Careful, подруга.”
“English, Faina. I have a hard enough time keeping up with conversation when it’s in a language I understand.”
A rowdy group beside them shifted, and two of the group bumped into Dani and Faina.
“This is worse than high school.” Faina elbowed a woman who teetered into her. “Seniors would routinely take over a specific table in the cafeteria, just to harass the freshmen.”
“Tell me about it,” said Dani. She could remember being forced to leave a table because the cool kids had decided they wanted to sit there. “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t bullied as a kid.”
Faina rubbed Dani’s forearm. “But look how far you’ve come. You’re like a rocket scientist. If you started talking astrophysics right now, ninety percent of the people in this courtyard wouldn’t know what the hell you were saying.”
“Sure. And with my head in the stars all the time, I scare all the men away.”
“Only the stupid ones,” Faina raised her glass even though it was nearly empty. “To intelligent men. We know you’re out there…somewhere…”
Glasses clinked as Heidi returned to the table holding a newspaper. Her face was flushed and her expression was full of excitement. Heidi kicked her chair out from under a guy dressed as a piece of bacon.
“Sorry,” said Shayla. “I tried to save your seat, but he kept claiming his fat was burning.”
“Never mind,” said Heidi. Dani had always admired Heidi’s strength she’d never let anyone push her around. Someone bumped into Dani, jarring her elbow and sloshing her drink close to the rim of her glass.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Heidi, and Erin nodded. “It’s eleven now. At midnight it’ll officially be Halloween.”
Dani had no idea what they were talking about, but if it meant they could get out of this crowd she was all for it.
“I think I’m thinking what you’re thinking. Erin, Faina, Dani…look at this.” Shayla slapped the newspaper down on the table. She pointed toward the picture accompanying the article. “Marie Laveau! That was the priestess Lisette kept going on and on about. She worshipped her.” Shayla and Lisette had been roommates in their suite, and consequently she’d been the one closest to Lisette.
Faina frowned as she picked up the article and read it.. Voodoo Priestess’ Tomb Gets Makeover in Pink. “No,” she said. “Bad idea. She’s the most famous voodoo priestess in New Orleans. She takes the shape of a crow and flies over the cemetery where she’s buried. People leave X's on her tomb to ask her to grant their wishes. And now someone has painted her tomb pink. You think that’s not going to piss her off? I mean, look at this ghastly color.”
Dani wasn’t certain that someone painting a tomb pink was going to cause a spirit to go on a rampage, but metaphysical or spiritual rituals were not her forte.
Another round of drinks, and Dani found herself going along with her friends on what sounded like an adventure, but she wasn’t entirely certain. Trying to keep up with the conversation amidst all the other noise and flashing lights had been too much for her. At this moment, she was just thrilled to get out of there and into the streets where the noise was a little lower.
* * * *
Dani rested her cheek against the cool brass pole next to her seat on the trolley car. There was a slight breeze flowing through, which certainly helped the queasy feeling that was settling in her stomach. The stars weren’t anywhere near as bright as they were at the observation tower she usually looked at them through.
She didn’t travel well, no matter what the vehicle was. She was the first one to get car sick, plane sick, train sick, and apparently, thanks to a stomach full of margaritas… trolley sick. Staring up at the sky trying to pick out constellations was the only thing that tended to help.
Dani glanced back up into the sky in time for the clouds to part, revealing the same star cluster she looked for no matter where she went—the three stars that looked to form a stretched-out isosceles triangle, but was the belt of the constellation, the warrior. She didn’t know why she always searched for that particular cluster, but seeing it always made her feel a little better. She’d had many fantasies about her magical hunter coming from the stars and falling desperately in love with her. Something she’d realized long ago wasn’t going to happen to someone like her.
It’s not that she hadn’t had any relationships, but the couple boyfriends she’d had—if that is what she could call them—hadn’t lasted all that long. She’d been referred to as strange, odd, weird, and good for a fuck, but not much else. That last one had hurt her deeply, and she’d refrained from getting involved with anyone else since. Dani knew she had lots to offer, but most of it was locked up in her brain, and when it did come out it was in blunt terms that often were taken the wrong way.
Dani peered at a street sign as they passed. That’s not right. We should have gotten off before now. “We missed our stop!”
“It’s okay.” Erin patted her arm. “We’ll get off at the next one and walk back. Come on.”
“The voodoo priestess is going to be pissed if we’re late,” Shayla announced.
“She’ll be more pissed if we drink all her rum,” Faina added.
Dani’s stomach rolled at the thought of drinking more. The priestess could have all the rum with Dani’s blessing. She pointed back down the street as she thought about the map she’d looked at earlier in the night. “One block back the way we came, and one block up.”
When the trolley came to a stop, Dani could have kissed the ground. The fact that they missed their stop would have normally sent her into a tail spin of panic, but the margaritas she’d consumed earlier had numbed her obsessive tendencies somewhat. She didn’t give a damn where they were as long as they got off this thing.
“How are we going to find the way inside?” asked Faina.
We didn’t plan this well at all. Dani thought that perhaps if she gave the priestess all her rum then she’d be willing to point some men in Dani’s direction. She looked around. For a cemetery, they kept it pretty secure. The only way she could see them entering was by somehow opening a door from the inside. She pointed toward a high cement wall. “Let’s see if we can get over that and look for a gate or something.”
No one, including Dani was inclined to try climbing the wall, so they ended up walking along the way looking for a way in.
“You’d think there would be more people here on the night before Halloween,” said Shayla. “I don’t hear any voices.”
“Considering the majority of inhabitants are dead, I’d be very concerned if we heard too many voices.” Dani grinned at her friend, “Especially if they are moaning, bbrrraaaiiiinnnsssss.”
It took a few minutes, but they finally came across the entrance. The inside of the cemetery was much creepier than she’d expected.
“I’ve got to pee,” said Heidi. “Don’t go anywhere.”
She’s out of her mind. Dani looked at Heidi and then at her friends. “Is she out of her mind?”
“She might be,” said Faina, “but now that she’s said it, so do I. Be right back.”
“They’ve both completely lost their minds.”
Faina took off in the opposite direction as Heidi, and Dani tried to watch out for her friends, but it was like the shadows had swallowed them up. “I don’t like this.” She glanced around, realizing that she and Erin were the only ones there. A cold feeling started to burn away her lovely alcoholic haze, and anxiety started to climb her senses with
icy precision. “Where the hell did Shayla go?”
Erin slumped against Dani’s body, throwing off her balance. Not that Erin weighed that much. What the hell? She’s lost way more weight than I thought. “Hey.” Dani shook her, trying to get her attention. “Are you okay?”
Erin mumbled something that sounded like “fine,” but Dani wasn’t entirely certain. She’d noticed all the weight that Erin had lost, but now that she was supporting her friend, she realized Erin was much thinner then she’d realized.
“Just stay here.” Dani leaned Erin into the large gate, and Erin’s breath hitched. “I’m going to find the others, and then we’ll head back to the hotel. You aren’t looking so good.”
Dani tried to take a deep breath, but her lungs didn’t want to cooperate at the moment. They fluttered with panic as she felt everything spin out of her control. Erin was sick, really sick, and she couldn’t see anyone in the shadows. Maybe Shayla had decided to go pee, too, and left with Faina. Dani headed in the direction that Heidi had gone.
“Heidi?” Dani yelled out, her voice echoing around her. It felt like the temperature around her had dropped at least fifteen degrees, and the small little costume was making her feel very vulnerable.
A low snarl caught her attention, pulling her gaze back to the ground. “Shit!” Where is everyone? She spun in a small circle, looking for her friends and the sinister sound. Dani had read that after Katrina there had been a lot of homeless animals as well as people. Oh my god, I’m going to get mauled by a wild dog. I left Erin by herself. What if she gets mauled?
Dani backed up against the side of one of a long line of mausoleums and inched her way along it, listening again for the threatening sound. She wanted to call out for her friends, but the night had suddenly become very still and a small voice that she figured was her sense of survival kept her from speaking out loud. It felt like her heart was pounding in her throat, and her skin prickled as if ants were marching over it. Her only focus was getting back to Erin. Maybe everyone had made it back and now she was the one worrying them?
Magical Redemption Page 2
