by Rose Pressey
Once I made it to the kitchen, I stepped out under the canopy of the darkened sky and headed toward the old graveyard located at the edge of the property. Tall moss-covered oaks ringed the cemetery, shading the graves and making the grounds even spookier. The sun hadn’t popped up yet, so I had to watch my step as I trailed through the grass—had I mentioned how spooky it was out there? No wonder Annabelle found even the outside of LaVeau Manor scary. Spooky movies could be filmed on location at LaVeau and they wouldn’t have to change a thing.
The sensation of being watched followed me everywhere I went. I hoped a ghost or other creature didn’t step out of the shadows and come after me. The sound of water lapping against the edge of the earth carried across the air.
It was hard to believe that a short time ago I’d been fighting for my life in that water. Mara had wanted the Book of Mystics so she could be the leader of the Underworld. We’d battled in the backyard, and when I’d run out of places to run, I had been forced to jump in the water. I’d been known to use a water noodle as recently as last summer, so that had been no easy decision on my part.
I’d seen my Great-Aunt Maddy in the old graveyard too. She’d reminded me of my new powers of the elements. If it hadn’t been for her, I probably would have drowned. Would she appear to me now? I could really use more advice right about now.
A black wrought-iron fence surrounded the graveyard. I pushed my way through a curtain of Spanish moss and stepped through the little gate and looked around at the aged tombstones. The names and dates had faded on most of them. Where would I even begin to find Catherin’s stone? I’d have to look at each and every one. The sun had yet to pop up, so my visibility was low. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and clicked on the flashlight.
As I stepped through the graveyard, navigating the uneven terrain, I stopped at each stone, holding up the flashlight to read the names etched in the stone. Most of the markers ended with the last name LaVeau. But there were a few other names that I didn’t recognize. I wished I’d taken more of an interest in my ancestry now. I’d always planned on researching the graves sometime in the future, but I hadn’t gotten around to it yet.
With each passing grave, my apprehension grew. What would I do if Catherin’s name wasn’t on one of these stones? I’d have to find a spell right away and try to get rid of her. Maybe I’d have to break down and ask for help from Liam and Nicolas. But Nicolas didn’t appear to be in any shape to help. Asking for help was one of the things I liked doing the least. I wanted to be able to handle all of this on my own.
I reached the last row of graves and had almost given up hope on finding her tombstone, when I saw it. On the stone was the name Catherin Butterfield. Born 1813 and died 1865. The epitaph read: We shall meet again. A huge weight of relief had just been lifted from my shoulders. I’d found her grave site, but it was creepy nonetheless.
A cold breeze blew across my skin like a whisper from the dead. Dizziness overwhelmed me and then there was blackness.
Chapter Seven
The sound of my name being called out caught my attention. When I looked around I realized I was lying on the ground next to the grave. How the heck had that happened? Had I blacked out? The last thing I remembered was looking at Catherin’s grave. The sun had just begun its rise, illuminating my surroundings. I’d probably been out for at least thirty minutes. How could I have missing time?
Maybe I’d fallen asleep. Was that possible? After climbing to my feet, I brushed the dirt from my clothing and hurried out the old iron gate and toward the house. Annabelle was standing on the back steps waiting for me. Her blonde hair glistened in the sunlight.
She rushed over to me. “Where the hell have you been?”
I brushed more dirt from my arms, then gestured over my shoulder. “I was in the graveyard.”
“What? Buried in the graveyard?” She looked me up and down.
I glanced down at my hands and clothing. It looked as if I’d tried to dig up a grave with my hands. “Maybe I fell and hit my head.”
“What happened?” She grabbed my arm and led me to the house.
After stepping inside the kitchen, I sat on one of the stools next to the center island. “I decided to look in the graveyard for the new ghost’s headstone.”
“And what happened?” Annabelle asked, handing me a towel, and then sitting next to me.
I ran my hand through my hair and pulled out a dead leaf. “It was still dark when I went out there. I had my phone as a flashlight.” I felt my pocket. To my relief, my phone was still inside. “Anyway, I looked though the whole cemetery.”
“But you didn’t find her grave?” Annabelle asked with widened eyes.
I shook my head. “No, I found it at the back. But just as I found it… I blacked out, I guess.”
Annabelle frowned. “What do you mean, you must have blacked out?”
“I don’t remember anything after looking at her grave. The next thing I knew, the sun was up and I heard you calling for me. It must have been about thirty minutes.” I attempted to run my hand through my tangled hair.
“So you think you hit your head?” she asked, touching my head.
“Well, I don’t remember hitting my head, but what other reason would there be for me blacking out? I don’t remember being dizzy. And there was a low-hanging branch,” I said.
“Maybe you should go lie down?” She furrowed her brow.
I shook my head. “No way. I need to take a shower, then make breakfast.”
She scrunched her nose. “You go shower and I’ll make breakfast.”
Annabelle never hid the fact that my cooking abilities were lacking. Since my magic had improved, I’d resorted to cooking via magic spells. Sure, it was cheating, but that was better than eating burnt pancakes. Annabelle slipped a ruffled floral apron over her T-shirt and jeans and motioned for me to go away.
Nicolas and Liam were obviously still sleeping since I hadn’t heard any movement coming from the third floor. My bigger concern at the moment though was Catherin Butterfield. All I wanted to do was get to rid of her as soon as possible. Right after breakfast I was definitely casting a spell to send her back to the grave.
While in the shower, I thought back on what had happened in the cemetery. It was very disturbing to think that I’d been out there in the middle of the graveyard passed out like I’d crawled home from an all-night college party. Since I had no other explanation, I had to assume that I’d either fallen asleep and not remembered, or bumped my head. Either way, I hoped it never happened again.
All this magic and running around was cutting into my routine. Dirty laundry overflowed from my hamper and my cupboards were bare. After finally finding a half-decent clean pair of jeans and a blue sweater that I hadn’t worn since senior year of college, I slipped on the clothing.
Next, I needed to find something for Catherin. I sifted through my closet, but there was nothing that looked remotely like something she’d wear. She would have to settle for modern clothing. I decided against the sweats with Juicy written on the butt though. Something told me she wouldn’t appreciate that. I pulled a pair of brown slacks and a cream-colored silk blouse from their hangers and headed out the bedroom door.
The faster Ms. Butterfield came out of her room, the sooner I could cast a spell and push her into the afterlife permanently. I knocked softly on the door, but before I’d even lowered my fist, the door swung open.
“Hello, dear,” Catherin said with a wide smile.
She was awfully bright and cheerful for so early in the morning. A morning person. Ugh.
I held out the clothing to her. “This won’t be a style you’re used to, but it was all I have. I’ve missed laundry day for a while.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you with my old-fashioned clothing,” she said, gesturing toward her dress.
“Oh no, you’re not embarrassing me at all. I just want you to be comfortable.” And to hide the fact that she was a ghost from Liam
and Nicolas, but I left that part out. But who was I kidding? The truth would slip out and it probably wouldn’t take long either. “Please come down for breakfast when you’re ready. My friend is here and she’s preparing food for us.”
“Isn’t that lovely. You must be starving from your walk,” she said while studying the blouse I’d brought her.
I froze on the spot. “How did you know I’d been outside?”
She smiled sweetly. “I looked out the window and saw you, dear.”
“Oh yes, right. Well, whenever you’re ready,” I said, still not convinced.
As I turned to leave, a crash rang out from downstairs. I dashed away from the door and down the hallway. I hoped that Annabelle was all right. The sound of running footsteps sounded from above me, then Liam bounded around the corner, almost smashing right into me.
His eyes were wide. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. The sound came from downstairs. Annabelle is down there,” I said breathlessly.
Liam rushed around me and down the stairs. I must have been slower than I thought because as I ran down the stairs, Nicolas caught up with me. It was good to see that he was awake, but the guilty feeling of knowing I had allowed his mother to slip away came flooding back.
“Are you okay? What happened?” he asked.
He sounded like Nicolas, but when I looked into his eyes, they had that now-familiar blank stare.
“Annabelle is downstairs. She must have knocked something over,” I said, searching his eyes for answers.
Before he answered, another loud crash rang out. When we reached the bottom step, I noticed the front door was wide open. Nicolas and I ran over and out onto the veranda. Liam stood on the front driveway, but he wasn’t alone. Jacobson Stratford was there and he had his arm around Annabelle’s throat. She was trying to scream, but he was cutting off her airway.
“Let her go now, Jacobson,” Liam demanded.
“I’ll let her go when you turn over Mr. Marcos.” He yanked Annabelle tighter as she tried to escape.
This had gotten totally out of hand. What would I do now? I was the leader and I had to think of something. Pronto.
“Jacobson, I demand that you release her right now, or I’ll be forced to strip you of your witchcraft powers. You’ll no longer be the leader of the New Orleans Coven.” I shot daggers at him with my eyes.
Where had that statement come from? I wasn’t even sure I could do that. But the words had just popped into my head and it sounded like the right thing to say at the time. Annabelle’s terror-filled face was killing me. I knew she hated the paranormal stuff anyway. She’d tolerated it because we were best friends, but that friendship was in serious jeopardy at the moment.
The magic’s energy was waiting to be unleashed. The power zinged through the air. Who would be the first to cast a spell? I was scanning spells in my head, trying to think of one that would work the best to get Jacobson to release Annabelle.
“This is your last warning!” I pointed and a furious wind blew around Jacobson, almost knocking him to his feet.
I couldn’t believe that had actually worked. For a nanosecond I glanced at my finger in shock. Why hadn’t my magic worked when I’d cast the spell to bring back Nicolas’ mother? Maybe it was the rush of adrenaline that coursed through me at the moment. With the way I felt, I could’ve probably lifted a truck off someone right now.
As if he’d lost control over his actions, Jacobson released Annabelle. She stumbled up and ran over to the veranda where I stood. I wouldn’t have blamed her if she’d jumped in her car and driven away.
I grabbed her arm. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, that lunatic just popped up in the kitchen and snatched me from behind.” Annabelle rubbed her neck.
Annabelle was safe at the moment, but now I had another problem on my hands. Liam and Jacobson tumbled to the ground. Liam smashed his fist into Jacobson’s face. Jacobson viciously swung his right arm, but Liam easily ducked the blow. I clearly had no idea what being a leader of the Underworld meant. Things had spiraled out of control.
By the time I rushed over, Jacobson had managed to slip away from Liam. He rushed over to his car, spewing a few colorful words on his way.
“Jacobson, as your leader I demand that you leave the premises right away.” I pointed at his car. “I’m calling an emergency meeting with your Coven. I’ll be at your home this afternoon at three.”
He actually looked stunned that I’d called him out like that. Having the meeting this afternoon would give me time to consult the Book of Mystics for the proper procedure on a situation such as this.
After a long tense pause, he turned on his heel and climbed into his black Ford sedan. Jacobson didn’t look up as he turned the ignition and sped down the driveway. A disaster had been averted. The situation was under control for the moment, but how long would that last?
Liam and Nicolas stood together, talking in a hushed tone. I’d never seen the men that quiet in any discussion they’d had since I’d met them. Were they discussing their next move against Jacobson? Whatever. I needed to check on Annabelle. She sat on the veranda step, rubbing her neck where Jacobson had had her in a chokehold.
“Who was that?” Annabelle asked.
“Jacobson Stratford is the head of the New Orleans Coven. His sister is the one who accused Nicolas of turning her into a vampire and he’s not too happy about it,” I said matter-of-factly.
She nodded. “Well, that makes sense.”
It was good to see that she hadn’t lost her sense of humor after I’d almost gotten her killed. “I’m really sorry about what happened. I had no idea he would show up. How did he get into the house?” I asked.
“I guess I left the kitchen door open. He grabbed me from behind,” she said softly.
“Well, it won’t happen again. You have my promise.” I squeezed her in a big hug.
After making sure that Annabelle was still okay, I left her sitting on the step and approached Nicolas and Liam.
I ran my hand through my hair and let out a deep breath. “That man is clearly unstable. What am I going to do?”
“You did exactly what you should have done. Since he grabbed her from behind he probably thought Annabelle was you,” Liam said.
I brushed a strand of hair off my face and exhaled. “I hadn’t thought of that, but I guess you’re right. This takes it to a whole new level.”
“I’m assuming you’ll consult the books before the meeting that you just called?” Liam studied my face for a reaction.
Yeah, yeah, the book. Apparently everything I needed to know was in the book. That had better be the truth or I was in deep trouble.
I changed the subject and asked, “What have you two been talking about?”
Liam shrugged his shoulders. “Not much. Maybe I’d better let the two of you talk.”
I looked from Liam to Nicolas. Something was going on and I knew I was getting ready to find out what. From the grim expression on their faces, I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like the news.
Once Liam had stepped away, I touched Nicolas’ arm. “Are you okay?”
That seemed like the question of the morning. Nicolas had moments when he seemed normal, then he’d zone back out again. I had to get to the bottom of this behavior. I had a strong suspicion that it had everything to do with Jacobson. As far as I was concerned, his magic days were over. I’d find a way to stop him from hurting others with his powers.
“I am so sorry for what happened, Hallie.” Nicolas looked down, avoiding my stare.
“It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know he would come here.” I grabbed his strong hand.
“I had an idea that Jacobson would try something crazy. I shouldn’t have allowed this to happen.” He touched my cheek. “I have to leave. Jacobson will only cause more problems for you and Annabelle.”
Chapter Eight
My mouth opened in shock. “What? That isn’t the way to handle this. You just need to let me figure everyt
hing out. Okay?” I asked.
“It would be easier if I took off. I’ll get things settled and come back. You’ll be fine here with Liam.” Nicolas ran his hand through his hair.
Okay, this was bizarre. There was no way Nicolas would say that. What was going on with him? Maybe he really had forgiven Liam for not protecting his mother, but something still seemed off.
“You guys were at each other’s throats and now you trust me here with him?” I asked.
“Like I said, Jacobson will just come back for me. If I’m here, that won’t be good for you,” he said.
“Do you keep forgetting that I’m the leader now? You should have faith in my abilities to control the situation,” I said.
I searched his eyes. He appeared to be staring at me, but I just wasn’t sure.
Finally, he nodded. “You’re right. But if he comes back, I’ll have to leave.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” I said. “Come on. Annabelle was making breakfast. I’ll finish it up and we can sit down and discuss our next move.”
I grabbed Nicolas’ hand and led him back toward the veranda. A new problem had popped up. Catherin had Annabelle and Liam’s undivided attention. Had she revealed my little secret? How long would I be able to keep this secret from Nicolas and Liam? They weren’t the only ones keeping secrets.
“I see you’ve met my new guest,” I said, as I stepped up onto the porch.
Annabelle and Liam smiled. I couldn’t read their expressions though. It wasn’t clear if she’d told them about what I’d done. As soon as breakfast was over, I would pull out the spell book and banish her back to the great beyond.
Catherin’s lips curved into a big smile revealing little dimples on each cheek. Looking at her sweet face made me feel guilty that the thought had crossed my mind. It was like kicking your grandmother out on the street.
“Mrs. Butterfield was just telling us about her famous blueberry pancakes.” Liam rubbed his hands together. “I can’t wait to taste them.”
