Angels of Bourbon Street (Jade Calhoun Series: Book 4)

by Deanna Chase

  Meri nodded. “We think so. I talked to Bea a little while ago and that’s what she suspects. Because you’ve been known to transfer energy to your friends, and apparently you had some trouble with transmitting your essence, they have enough of you in them that Camille is able to control them. Kat more so than Pyper because she’s spent a lot more time with you.”

  Holy fuck. That was all true. I had used my empath gift to help ease my friend’s moods when I could. And I’d been doing it wrong for years. “Oh, no.”

  Pyper grabbed my hand. “It wasn’t for long. It’s like I lost five minutes of my life, wandering around the club. No trauma. No flashbacks. Nothing odd except I wasn’t in control.”

  Of course it was only for a few minutes. Camille had used Pyper to lure Meri away and as soon as she’d seen her chance, she’d taken me over and turned me into a sex-crazed, psycho bimbo. Ugh.

  “And Kat? Is she doing okay?”

  “She’s still at Bea’s. She’s perfectly fine, but after today’s turn of events, Bea didn’t want her to be subject to the ghost again. She’s keeping an eye on her.”

  I held my head in my hands, trying to make sense of everything. Why was Camille trying to possess anyone at all? To save her daughter? But how? She was fixated on me because I was the easy target. But why Kat? Was she drawn to her because of my energy transfer? Did she think she could take her over? I’d have to talk to Kat about what exactly happened. With Pyper, it was clear what Camille had done.

  “No one is safe until I get my soul fixed,” I said.

  Meri got up and headed toward the door. She paused with her hand on the knob, her head tilted forward. “I love your mother. She’s been a friend to me when I had no one else. But she’s wrong to have kept the identity of your biological father from you. How long are you going to wait until you take matters into your own hands?”

  Chapter 20

  Meri’s words set a fire in my belly. As soon as she left the room, I grabbed my phone and dialed Mom.

  Gwen answered on the second ring. “Jade! We’re so worried. Are you okay, sweetheart?”

  “Put Mom on the phone.” My tone was icy, and I winced at the sound. Gwen hadn’t done anything wrong. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just…stressed.”

  She hesitated. “Perfectly understandable.”

  They way she said the words implied she understood, but I’d still hurt her. I frowned, feeling even worse. “Gwen?”

  “Yes?”

  “You didn’t deserve that. I really am sorry.” I clutched the phone. “Mom’s keeping something from me. Something important.”

  “You know I don’t want to get in the middle.”

  I bit down hard on my lip. Why was everyone walking on eggshells around Mom? My life was the one at stake. It was really starting to piss me off. “I know.”

  “But…” There was static on the end of the line and a mumbling of voices. I had the distinct impression Gwen was covering the mouthpiece of her phone. The line cleared. “It’s time, Hope.”

  Silence.

  “Jade?” Gwen came back on the line.

  “Yes.”

  “Your mother just went to shower. If she doesn’t tell you by the end of the day, I will. But I’d rather it came from her.”

  I was twenty-seven years old. Why the hell couldn’t they just tell me who my father was? I clenched my fists in frustration and ground out, “How long have you known?”

  She sighed. “Just a few days, sweetie. I swear.”

  My fingers relaxed. That was why I loved Gwen so much. She was loyal to a fault and good all the way to her bones. She’d give Mom every chance in the world to do the right thing, but if someone Gwen loved was at risk, she’d take matters into her own hands.

  “Okay,” I said.

  “You know I’m telling you the truth, right?”

  “Of course. You don’t lie.” And she didn’t. She’d kept her mouth shut, but she’d never blatantly lied to me about anything. At least not as far as I’d known.

  “Good.”

  “Gwen?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Where are you? Back at my apartment?”

  “No, we’re at Pyper’s. After what happened today at your place, your mother didn’t feel comfortable going there.”

  “You mean after I was possessed?”

  “Yes. It’s disconcerting.”

  Tell me about it. “Do me a favor?”

  “Anything.”

  “Keep her there. I’ll have Kane pick up some takeout, and we’ll meet you in an hour.”

  Silence.

  “Gwen? Can you do that?”

  “I’ll try, but you know how she is when she gets something stuck in her head.”

  “Yeah, she’s exactly like you…and me, for that matter. We don’t let it go.” I rubbed a hand over my throbbing forehead. “Does she have something in mind? Somewhere she thinks she’s going?”

  “Maybe.” Gwen said the word slowly as if she wasn’t sure how to answer me.

  I knew that tone. She used it every time she didn’t want to talk about one of her visions. “You saw something?”

  “Yes, but you know I’m not going to say anything about it.”

  I shook my head. “Of course not.”

  Gwen chuckled. The conversation was a familiar one.

  “See you soon.” I hung up and turned to Pyper. “They’re still at your place. Is it okay if we pick up dinner and head over?”

  “No problem at all.” She followed me to the door and laid a gentle hand on my arm. “Are you sure you’re ready to deal with everything after what happened this afternoon?”

  My mind whirled once again from the memories. I forced a bright smile. “Better than sitting around here thinking about it.”

  “Fair enough.” She held the door open and swept an arm out. “After you.”

  ***

  Forty-five minutes later, with a sack full of po’boys and steaming French fries, Kane pulled into the parking spot behind Wicked. During the short ride and wait for the food, my frustration with my mother had kept me sane, as if anger were holding me together. But as soon as I saw the building, apprehension filled me.

  Kane must’ve felt the shift in my emotional armor because he placed a hand on my knee. “You don’t have to go in. I can go get them, and we can go somewhere else.”

  I shook my head, but everything inside me was screaming, yes.

  Kane narrowed his eyes and studied me. Then he shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. Wait here with Meri, and I’ll be right back.”

  His door slammed and Pyper, Meri, and I glanced at each other.

  Pyper grinned. “I guess we’re going to have a night picnic.” She reached into the bag and drew out a steaming French fry. The starchy smell made my stomach growl. When was the last time I’d eaten? She reached in, grabbed a few more, and passed them to me.

  The salty shoestring-cut fries practically melted on my tongue. “Oh, that’s good.”

  Her lips turned up in a satisfied smile. “Told ya.”

  She’d dragged us to some hole-in-the-wall local joint that was fifteen minutes out of our way, singing the praises of Loletta’s Po’boy shack. If the sandwiches were as good as the fries, we were going to be daily customers.

  Kane emerged from the back of the club with Mom and Gwen in tow. I glanced at the backseat. Kane’s car really only comfortably fit four people. I frowned.

  Pyper opened her door. “I’ll just wait here. I’m sure Charlie could use some help in the club. Unless you need me for something.”

  I bit my lip. “Actually, if you don’t mind, can you go check on Kat? I haven’t been able to see her today, and I want to be sure she’s okay.”

  Pyper’s brows furrowed. “She’s at Bea’s, right?”

  I nodded.

  “Then I’m sure everything’s fine. Bea would’ve called.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. I’m not sure she knows what happened.” I gritted my teeth. “If she does kn
ow, and Kat took a turn for the worse, do you really think she’d bother me today?”

  Pyper smoothed her hair from her eyes, her black locks shining in the late afternoon sun. “You might have a point.” She stood there, clutching the food bag. “Ian could be there.”

  The blood drained from my face. Hearing Ian’s name made my stomach turn. I’d been fine with talking in a general sense, but I couldn’t do this.

  Understanding and then anger rolled through Pyper’s bright blue eyes. “That doesn’t make one bit of difference. Kat is my friend, too. I’m not going to let him stop me from seeing her.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” I took a deep breath, trying to expel the unease claiming my body.

  She trotted off to her red Bug.

  Gwen glanced once at me then at Pyper. I waved for her to go with my friend. Gwen had already said she’d tell me by the end of the day if Mom didn’t come clean. She’d keep her word. “Take care of Kat for me.”

  “Of course, honey.” Gwen grabbed one of the bags of food and smiled at me as she climbed into Pyper’s car.

  Kane held the back door open for Mom, and she took Pyper’s spot.

  Mom studied me, her gaze concerned. “Are you okay?”

  No, I wasn’t okay. What kind of question was that? I’d been sexually assaulted and she was making me crazy keeping secrets. “I’m fine, or I will be once you tell me about my father.”

  She sucked in a breath. “It’s only been a day. Give me some time.”

  “It’s been twenty-seven years.”

  Silence filled the car.

  When it appeared Mom wasn’t going to respond, Kane cleared his throat. “Where to?”

  “The coven circle,” I said, not knowing why I was choosing that place. Maybe it was the large oaks. Maybe it was the feeling of being surrounded by a buzz of familiar magic. But I didn’t want to be indoors anymore, even if the temperature was dropping fast into the low forties. My lungs just didn’t feel like they were getting enough oxygen.

  “Jade—” Mom began.

  Meri cut her off. “The circle is fine. If anything goes wrong, all three of us have magic to fall back on.”

  Kane didn’t question anything as he took off down the street toward uptown, where the coven circle was. Goddess, I loved that man.

  Mom shook her head. “Never mind.”

  “Hope,” Meri said with a frustrated sigh. She turned to me. “Not that I want to get in the middle of any of this, but your mom isn’t exactly a fan of coven circles these days.”

  “No?” I raised my eyebrows. “Well, I’m not a fan of being lied to, so I guess we’re even.”

  I tore open the bag Pyper had left behind and grabbed an oyster po’boy. My rage started to fuel my hunger, and it was all I could do not to tear through the white wrapper with my teeth. I knew I was being unfair. After all, Mom had been taken by a demon while in a coven circle—by Meri, one of her best friends, no less. None of that could be easy for her. And I couldn’t even say why it was so important I go to the circle tonight. It wasn’t really a place I usually longed to be. Sure, I craved the heady mixture of magic and the strum of feeling all the members together, but I wasn’t even the coven leader anymore. It wouldn’t feel the same.

  I stopped mid-bite. That was it. I was craving my connection to the coven. Ever since I’d given the title to Bea, I hadn’t felt that constant undercurrent and it was making me antsy. Going to the circle wouldn’t change that. I opened my mouth to tell Kane we could just go to Carrolton Park, but Mom spoke before I had a chance.

  “You’re being unreasonable, Jade.”

  “What?” I twisted in my chair, trying to hold back an accusation of my own.

  “It’s not time yet. Maybe after we sort this out. And the circle isn’t going to do you any good. If you think for one moment—”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Meri waved her hands. “That’s enough. You two can talk when we get there and have this out.” She glared at Mom. “And you know as well as I do that now is the time. Stop taking your insecurities out on Jade. If you’d told her years ago, she would’ve been prepared for this.”

  “Meri!” Mom scolded. “This isn’t your place.”

  “We’ll have to agree to disagree on that point.” Meri gave me a sidelong glance.

  I sent her a tiny smile and went back to my sandwich. I could’ve let Mom off the hook about the circle, but she was being so unreasonable, I decided I’d stay in childish mode just to spite her.

  But as soon as we parked in the parking lot and Mom’s eyes went wide with fear, my resolve faltered. I placed a hand on Kane’s shoulder. “Go to Carrolton. We don’t need to be here.”

  “Actually,” Meri began, “I think it’s a good idea. We might need to…ah…summon someone. If we’re here, it’ll be more convenient.”

  Mom shot Meri another look of disgust but didn’t say anything else. In fact, she opened her door, got out, and headed into the trees.

  I glanced at Kane. He shrugged and put the car back in park.

  “Let’s do this,” Meri said, standing beside my door.

  I tossed my half-eaten sandwich back into the bag and grimaced at the heavy weight of grease rumbling in my stomach. Maybe that hadn’t been the best plan. I reached down and grabbed two bottles of water and joined Meri.

  “Want me to wait here?” Kane asked from the other side of the car.

  “No.” I met him halfway in the front of his car and slid my hand into his.

  “Good. I don’t think I could’ve stayed away anyway.”

  I smiled up at him. “I know.”

  Meri’s phone buzzed. She rapidly tapped out a message. Another buzz. More typing. Three rounds later, she slipped the phone into her pocket.

  I raised my eyebrows. “Everything okay?”

  “Fine.” She joined us and started walking toward the trees. “That was Dan checking in on me.”

  The three of us walked in silence through the oaks, our feet crunching on fallen twigs and dried leaves. Kane kept one hand on the small of my back, his touch making me feel comfortable and safe.

  Ahead of us, Meri passed through the last of the trees and came to a sudden stop.

  “What is it?” I called and ran to catch up with her.

  She stared at the clearing, her mouth open in surprise.

  I followed her gaze, and my heart stopped at what I saw in the middle of the circle. A strangled cry came from my throat as I broke into a run.

  Chapter 21

  An odd mix of joy and trepidation seized me as I stared at the man directly in the middle of Mom’s circle. His golden locks had turned silver over the years and despite a few age lines, he looked exactly as he had the last time I’d seen him standing by that old green truck of his.

  “Why is he here?” I demanded as I slowed to a walk.

  “You wanted to know about your father, so I summoned him,” Mom said. “He’s the only one you’ve ever had.”

  I wanted to shout at her that I needed my biological father. That without him and part of his soul, Camille could come back and do Goddess knows what else. Unspeakable, awful things. Maybe next time she’d succeed. But I couldn’t bring that up in front of Dad. I wasn’t sure I could bring it up at all.

  He turned, and a smile curled his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized how much his absence had affected me. The sad, lonely little girl inside me wanted to cry with both anger and relief at his sudden reappearance.

  I stopped at the edge of the circle, my hands on my hips, fighting the urge to run into his arms and bury myself in one of his bear hugs. My inner little girl wanted that more than anything, but my adult self held her back. I couldn’t trust this man. He’d hurt me. I wouldn’t allow him to do it again. “Where the hell have you been for the last seventeen years?”

  His gaze flicked to Mom. She turned away and stared in the direction of the Mississippi, just on the other side of the levee.

  “Well?” I demanded, irritate
d at myself for wanting anything from him. He’d abandoned me, left me and Mom and never even came back when she disappeared. So what if he wasn’t my real dad? He was the only one I knew.

  His legs shifted as he tried to step forward, but his body didn’t actually move from his spot. That was when I noticed he was floating just above the ground.

  I eyed the ground. It was void of any markers or maps, two standard tools normally needed for summoning individuals. “She knew where you were the entire time, didn’t she?”

  Dad turned his attention to Mom. “Hope? Are you going to tell her now?”

  Mom shrugged. “She wants to know why you left.” She spun around, glaring at him. “Go on. Tell her.”

  He closed his eyes and sighed. “If that’s the way you want to play this.” He paused, seeming to give her one last chance to change her mind. When she didn’t respond, he turned to me and held out his hand.

  I stared at it as if he’d just tried to hand me toxic waste.

  Slowly, he lowered his arm then rubbed his hand over his jaw. “You probably can’t touch me, anyway.”

  This time I shrugged. I had no idea if I could or couldn’t. The last time I’d done a finding spell, I’d actually transported two angels into the circle instead of just their images. I’d been able to touch them. But then again, they’d been completely solid. I couldn’t tell if Dad was or wasn’t. It didn’t matter. Until I got answers, I wasn’t going anywhere near him.

  His eyes, so sad and tortured, met mine. “I’m so sorry, baby. I never wanted to leave you.”

  My breath got caught in my throat, and I swallowed the raw ache coming from the depths of my core. He hadn’t loved me enough to stay. I could not break down. Not now. Not in his presence. “Why did you then?”

  “I didn’t have a choice.”

  Mom snorted.

  “Hope, not now,” he said, his tone full of anger. “This never would’ve happened if you’d allowed me tell her the truth years ago.”

  Her head snapped up, and her green eyes flashed with a dangerous challenge. “Don’t you put this on me. A ten-year-old was not ready to know she was a white witch.”