Angels of Bourbon Street (Jade Calhoun Series: Book 4)
Page 7
Kane reached out a hand to guide me, but I jumped out of his grasp. I was too dangerous to be anywhere near him.
“Jade?” he asked.
“I’m sorry.” The words came out choked. “Go find Kat. I know something’s wrong. Please,” I begged him. “I’m going to go eat something, try to shake this off.”
“Promise?” he asked, his concerned eyes boring into mine. “Dan’s going.” He waved at my ex already striding out the door. “So’s Lailah.”
She hovered near us, car keys clutched in her hand.
“Yes. Just go. The more the better. Meri and I will be fine here. Call as soon as you know anything.”
Kane ran a light hand down my arm, and I struggled not to flinch, grateful when my magic didn’t electrify him. Then he followed Dan, Mom and Lailah out the door. That left me, Gwen, Meri, and Pyper, but Pyper was still hiding out in the kitchen. Gwen sat beside me and took my hand in hers.
“Don’t worry,” she soothed. “I have a feeling she’s going to be fine.”
“Going to be?” My voice rose with each word. Gwen was a psychic. She didn’t talk about her visions usually, but going to be fine was a far cry from actually being fine.
Gwen ran a sun-weathered hand over mine. “The message is vague but strong. ‘Going to be’ is good enough for now.”
I didn’t care for that answer at all, but what could I do? I grabbed my phone and called Kat again. Straight to voicemail. “Damn,” I said, echoing Dan’s sentiment.
The three of us sat in silence, Meri curled up in an oversized chair, her eyes closed, and Gwen and I huddled together, waiting. I didn’t wait well.
After five more attempts to reach Kat, I got to my feet. “I’m going to check on Pyper.”
“That’s a good plan,” Gwen said. “I bet she could use someone to talk to right about now.”
I nodded and retreated to the kitchen at the back of the house then paused in the doorway. Pyper stood at the sink, clad in yellow rubber gloves, scrubbing the dishes Kane must’ve left from breakfast.
“Hey,” I said softly. “You okay?”
She whirled around, a plate clutched in her hands. Her too-bright eyes found mine and then narrowed as her lips turned down into a deeper frown. Without warning, she threw the soap-filled sponge right at me. It landed smack dab in the middle of my face.
I sputtered, spitting out dishwashing soap. “Pyper! What the hell?”
Her mouth dropped open in a surprised O, and then she started to giggle, followed by bone-shaking laughter. Tears streamed down her face. “Oh, God,” she gasped. “I’m sorry. I was just…so mad.” Another bubble of laughter sprang from her lips.
“At me?” I asked, more than a little pissed. “What did I do?”
“Nothing,” she wheezed as she tried to sober. “Nothing at all, and that’s the problem.”
Chapter 7
Eyeing Pyper with caution, I reached over and pulled open a drawer full of dish towels. I wiped the water dripping from my chin and asked, “What are you talking about?”
“You.” Her amusement faded and she huffed with exasperation. “You do nothing, yet everything revolves around you. Everyone drops everything to deal with the crisis of the week. It’s no wonder everyone’s so fascinated with you.”
Her words were a sucker-punch to my gut. Crisis of the week? Everyone drops everything for me? As if I asked for these things to happen to me? Hell, I’d even saved her ass once. Everything about me? What the…? I narrowed my eyes. “By everyone, do you mean Ian?”
“Obviously.” She bent down and picked up the sopping sponge from the floor. Her fingers curled around it and a puddle formed at her feet. “And Kane. And Kat. And Lailah. And your coven. Jesus, even your ex-boyfriend shows up.”
My mouth hung open, and as her words sank in, my vision blurred a hazy shade of red. “Are you kidding me right now?” After all I’d done to help her, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Are you saying you’d rather be stuck in an alternate reality with Roy? Or that I should’ve let Meri keep Kane and Kat in Hell? Or that I should’ve given up my soul to a demon? Because all of those options sure as shit would’ve been a lot easier to deal with. In fact, none of us would be here right now to even argue about it.”
“Oh, fuck you, Jade!”
The sponge flew again, but this time I ducked.
A startled gasp sounded from behind me. I whirled to find Gwen standing in the doorway, her red shirt darkened with sponge water. She held the sponge in both hands. “Ladies, is there a problem in here?”
“No,” we said in unison.
I turned angry eyes on Pyper. She’d just nailed my aunt with a sponge, and she hadn’t even apologized. “What’s wrong with you?” I demanded, scowling at Pyper.
“You!” She threw a wooden spoon into the sink and stalked toward Kane’s bedroom. My bedroom now. The door slammed shut, rattling the glassware in the cabinets.
I threw down the dish towel and forced out a breath. None of this was my fault, but I still couldn’t help feeling guilty. I’d kissed Ian. So what if I’d been possessed at the time? It was still awful. My whole body started to shake with delayed adrenaline. Clutching the counter, I hung my head. “Goddess, Gwen. Is that what she thinks of me? That I invite this crap to happen so I can be the center of attention?”
Gwen’s strong, capable hand wrapped around my arm. She gently tugged and led me to the table. “Sit.”
I did as I was told and buried my head in my hands. First, I’d been possessed—twice. Then Kat went missing, and now Pyper was ready to delete my number from speed dial. What a fucked-up day.
“Want to talk about it?” Gwen asked.
“No,” I mumbled, not lifting my face from my hands. “I’d really like to have a moment to myself if you don’t mind.”
I felt Gwen hovering, clearly not wanting to leave me alone, but then she nodded and squeezed my shoulder. “I’ll be in the living room if you change your mind.”
As her footsteps faded into the other room, I dropped my hands and leaned back in the chair. Damn Pyper. Why’d she have to take my room?
“Jade?” a deep female voice said quietly.
I jerked, finding Meri standing just inside the kitchen door. Her head was tilted to the side as she studied me. “Yeah?”
“Do you mind if I join you?” Her tone was quiet, cautious.
Now what? Frowning, I waved a hand at the chair next to me.
She chuckled. The chair skidded across the tile as she pulled it out and took a seat. “I’m not the enemy, you know.”
“I never said you were.”
“You didn’t have to.” She leaned in, her eyes locked on mine. “I’m not the demon who did all those terrible things to the people you love.”
No. She wasn’t. But she used to be. “I know.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think you do. Not where it counts.”
Goddess, save me from smacking her. I did not need this right now. “What are you talking about?”
She leaned back, her eyes sparkling with a knowing glint. “You’re so busy looking backward you don’t see what’s in front of you.”
My exasperation exploded with an exaggerated huff. “Meri, I’m sorry, but I can’t do this right now. I don’t think we’re going to be able to work out our issues in one night anyway.” I pushed my chair back and stood.
She shrugged. “Fine. This isn’t about you and me anyway. But you might want to think about what I said.”
I gave her an incredulous look as I stalked out of the kitchen and then stopped in the middle of the dining room. Pyper was in the room I shared with Kane. Gwen was in the living room. Meri was in the kitchen. That left the guest room if I wanted solitude. What I really wanted was my little apartment on Bourbon Street and my ghost dog, Duke. But Kane would kill me if I left. And I’d have to take Meri if I didn’t want to end up possessed again.
Shit.
I spun and headed back toward the master bedroom. I could
hole up and wait for a phone call, or I could get to the root of the problem with Pyper.
Dragging my feet, I forced myself down the hallway and paused outside the bedroom. Just get it over with. What was the worst that would happen? She’d throw something else at me? It wasn’t as if she could kick my ass. After all, I was still a witch.
Not that I’d actually use magic against her. I shook my head, knowing it wasn’t a physical outburst I was worried about. Time to woman up. I knocked gently on the door. “Pyper?”
Silence.
I knocked harder and pressed my ear to the door. “Pyper, I’m coming in.”
My words were met with the sound of running water. She was in the bathroom. Fine. I’d be waiting when she came out. Slowly, I opened the door just to make sure I hadn’t misinterpreted the noise. The bathroom door was shut with light seeping from the gap at the bottom. I glanced at the empty bed then headed for the armchair in the corner.
With my feet tucked under me, I waited.
I stared at the bedside clock and counted as the minutes passed. One. Three. Five. What was she doing in there? Just as I was about to get up and check on her, the door eased open. Pyper emerged, a tissue clutched in one hand as she wiped fresh tears from her cheek.
“Oh, Pyper, no,” I breathed and hurried to her side. I’d only seen Pyper cry once. And that was after she’d been used as a punching bag by an evil ghost. She stiffened as my arms came around her, and despite my instinct to back off, I pulled her into a hug. She resisted for only a moment then leaned into me, sniffling.
I placed my hand on her back, rubbing gently. “What is it?” This couldn’t be about me. There was something a lot more serious going on.
She took a ragged breath and gently pushed me back. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I tugged on her hand and led her to the bed. Sitting, I patted the space beside me.
“No, it isn’t. I threw a sponge at Gwen.”
I laughed. “You threw it at me.”
She snorted and then frowned, her eyebrows pinched as she struggled to keep the tears at bay.
Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I pulled her into a half-hug. “Don’t worry. Whatever it is, I’m sure everything will be all right.”
“No.” She yanked back and dabbed at her eyes, reeling in the tears. “It’s not going to be all right. Ian kissed you, the asshat. After all this time, and you and Kane getting engaged, he still fucking kissed you!”
I swiveled, staring at her. “Is that what all this is about? I’m not even all that sure what happened. I mean, I was possessed. It was a blur. One minute, I was struggling to regain control of my body, and the next, the ghost was sucking Ian’s face.”
“What difference does it make?” She clutched at the comforter. “Between his infatuation with you and that reporter chick, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing with him.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Reporter chick?”
She laughed. A hollow, sardonic sound. “You don’t even know about her. Typical.”
“Hey, wait just a minute,” I said gently, trying to be sensitive. Tears still glistened in her eyes, but I would’ve bet my last dollar she wouldn’t let them fall. “I was gone for a month. How can I know stuff if you don’t tell me?”
Her normally bright blue eyes turned stormy. “You don’t ever ask. And Kane’s too busy watching over you to pay attention anymore.”
An ache formed in the middle of my chest. That was what she meant when she said everything revolved around me. Kane was her best friend and the one person who’d always been there for her. Ever since I’d come into his life, she’d taken a back seat. And some friend I was. I’d been so wrapped up in Kane and the wedding I hadn’t even noticed something was wrong. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry, Pyper.” Reaching out, I curled my fingers around hers. “You must hate me right now.”
I fully expected another humorless laugh, but when her lips curved up, her eyes softened. “I don’t hate you. How could I? You make Kane happier than I’ve ever seen him. It’s just…”
“You’ve been left behind?” My words slipped out so low I barely heard them.
She bit her lip and nodded. “I don’t…there’s no one around when I need…”
“I’m here,” I said. “And Kane’s here. I—”
“Where? When?” She glanced around. “When is there ever time for a normal breakdown? When aren’t we chasing a missing person or an evil ghost or demon? Hell, even my best dates with Ian include ghost hunting.”
“I’m here,” I said firmly. “And so is Kane.” Before she could deny my declaration, I took her hand and squeezed it. “I know I’ve been preoccupied. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care. Pyper, please, all you need to do is say something. You know Kane and I will come running.”
“That’s the point, isn’t it?” She didn’t acknowledge the pressure I kept on her hand, but she didn’t pull back either. She turned to stare at a blank space on the wall. “Before all this started, Kane always knew when I needed him. Now…” She shrugged. “I gained a sister.” Her eyes met mine. “But I feel like I lost my brother. And now my boyfriend, too.” She took a deep breath. “He’s been spending time with some reporter he dated in high school, and he’s clearly still got a thing for you, even though everyone knows you don’t want him.”
Damn Ian. He knew Pyper was in love with him. The bastard. She’d told him at the Christmas party last month. I couldn’t believe he was behaving this way. Sure, he’d been into me once, but I’d thought all that had ended after he started dating Pyper. What the heck had that kiss been about? “Tell me about this reporter. What’s her name?”
“Sybil Tanner,” she said, misery coloring her tone.
The name rang a bell, and her face flashed in my mind. She’d done a story on the immorality of witches not long ago and outed our coven circle. “The one who reported on Goodwin’s rally last fall?”
“Yep. That’s her. Perky Sybil.”
I frowned. Ian had gone to high school with her? Why hadn’t he said anything? It wasn’t as if Ian and I were best buddies. Still, Sybil had reported on the coven circle. You’d think he could have warned us her knew her. “What makes you think he’s seeing her?”
Pyper clenched her hands into fists as her eyes narrowed. “Well, he says he isn’t seeing her. But I know they’ve had dinner together at least twice. Charlie saw him with ‘some blond in a pink suit’ at The Gumbo Shop last week. And once, on a different occasion, I accidently picked up his iPhone, thinking it was mine, and saw a text from her, confirming drinks.”
“Did you confront him about it?” My mind spun in eight different directions, contemplating the ways I could torture the douche canoe. My favorite involved fire ants and maple syrup.
“No. ” She stood and paced in front of me. “I was hoping he’d tell me, and when he didn’t, I had my answer.”
I leaped off the bed. “And you’re still dating him? Why?” I grimaced as I heard the accusation in my voice. Dammit. The last thing she needed was me judging her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“Don’t worry about it. I was just sitting here asking myself the same thing.” She moved to the door.
“Wait.” I stood and scrambled to block her exit. “Can you tell me one thing?”
She tilted her head, waiting.
“Why Ian? I mean, I used to think he was a nice guy, but now I don’t know. What is it that drew you to him?”
She laughed, true humor shining through this time. “He’s quirky. A free spirit. Someone who hasn’t conformed to the norm. Just like me. I thought that was obvious.” She reached around me for the door and quietly slipped from the room.
I stood there, staring at the deserted hallway and filing away that mental note. Ian had said much the same thing to me once, that he liked me because I made a living as a glass artist, or at least tried to. He liked that I understood his desire to live a nonconformist life and didn’t judge him for wanting to
make a living hunting ghosts—something most women found unstable at best and downright crazy at worst.
Pyper fit that bill to a T. She’d been a stripper for a handful of years before she opened her coffee shop. She was a body-paint artist. She even helped Ian with his ghost-hunting jobs. He’d be hard-pressed to find someone more supportive of his unconventional goals. And she was sexy as hell. What the fuck was wrong with him? Anger burned in my chest, and the fire tingled at my fingertips again.
I stared down in horror-filled fascination at the flames flickering from my fingers and took a step back from the door. Just breathe, Jade. Breathe. As the air filled my lungs, I forced myself to relax. Rolling my shoulders, I exhaled and imagined the tension draining from my muscles. My fingers tingled with cold and when I looked down, the fire was gone.
What was I becoming? My heart thundered. What if I couldn’t control my magic? What if I hurt someone? I stumbled back and landed on the bed, too afraid to move. Trembling, I reached into my pocket and produced my phone. I stared at it, ready to scream from the lack of messages. Where was Kat? Why hadn’t they found her yet?
Just as my finger touched the button to call Kane, my phone started to vibrate. Lucien’s number popped up.
“Have you seen, Kat?” I asked.
“Yes. She’s with me—”
I let out a loud sigh of relief, totally missing his next words. “Huh? What was that?”
“Dammit, Jade. We’re at Bea’s. Just get here. She’s barely hanging on.”
“What?” I jumped up, running into the hall.
Silence on the other end.
“Lucien?”
The phone beeped twice, signaling a dropped call. Kat? No! He was wrong. Not her. She wasn’t even a part of the crazy paranormal world.
“Goddammit!” Tearing through the house, I burst into the living room and spotted Meri lying on the couch, a light blanket covering her legs. “Get up. We’re leaving.” I glanced back at Gwen. “It’s Kat. She’s in trouble.”
Without waiting to see if anyone was following, I burst through the door. A whisper of ice crept over me, and I froze. Static filled my ears.