“Thank you.”
Knowing that Mamman Merci never had a child of her own, Dinera had been well aware of the woman’s search to find a family member worthy of passing along all the secrets of her Voo Doo path. Her respect for the young woman instantly heightened. Mamman Merci would have taken her knowledge to her grave if she didn’t find this Rosette a worthy student.
“Would you like to join me for some Sangria and fresh pumpkin and banana bread?” Rosette asked.
No one ever just rushed in and out of Mamman Merci’s just to pick up a random necessity. A visit to her shop was a treat to all five senses.
“That would be just lovely,” Dinera said, following her over to a round glass table already set with a pitcher of iced Sangria, a choice of breads and fine china as place settings.
Taking a seat, Dinera said, “I generally prefer La Fée Verte, but on Samhain, Sangria is always my drink of choice.”
“Mammam said you would be coming tonight.” Rosette poured Dinera a glass of Sangria and added samples of both breads to her plate before taking a seat.
“There’s no taking her by surprise.” Dinera took a sip of Sangria, savoring the rich drink’s tangy flavor before cutting into her first taste of bread.
“You shouldn’t waste your energy burning another one of those black penis candles on your husband,” Rosette said. “If there is no love, there’s no use in being consumed by all that negativity.”
“She told you why I was coming, didn’t she?”
Rosette nodded. “Yes, I can sense all the negativity. It swirls around you like a tornado ready to tear across anyone who dares cross your path.”
“So, what do you suggest I do?” Dinera said.
“Let him go. Let him be with her. Those two are the ones that are truly in love. You don’t love him and you never have.”
Dinera almost choked on a bite of pumpkin bread and had to take a long sip of Sangria to formulate her response. “I took a vow to be with him until ‘death do us part’.
“Isn’t there a little something about love mentioned in those same wedding vows?”
Rosette’s dark eyes burned right into Dinera’s conscious, or what little conscious she had left.
“Mark my words.” Rosette shook her head, her cornrow beads rattling like wind chimes. “If you don’t let him go, you’ll destroy him by eating away at his sanity until he’s nothing but a shell of the handsome man he once was.”
~ 4 ~
“What are your plans for this night?” Dinera asked after finishing off the last of Rosette’s delicious breads.
“I would have liked to have joined Mamman at the cemetery, but I know she needs her personal time with her beloved,” Rosette said.
“Would you like to join me in invoking my ancestors to make a sacred plea?”
“Mammam has told me of your power and I would to honored to assist in your spellwork, provided,” Rosette gave Dinera a look that sent a shiver down her spine. “This has nothing to do with your William.”
“Not at all.” Dinera laughed. “If only my Charles had enough charm to lure a witch of his trollop’s power into his bed.” She took a steadying sip of Sangria, “Image a child of mine and Odessa’s bloodlines. The little red haired girl would be a force of nature.”
“So, you wish to cast an enchantment spell on your son to produce a DeFliehr heir?”
Dinera nodded, “ As slow as William is, I believe it will take several Samhain’s of spellwork with my ancestors to be able to carry out our bloodline.”
“He didn’t inherit any of his father’s charm or worldly ways?” Rosette asked.
“If I hadn’t given birth to him in my own bed I would have sworn my child had been switched with another.”
Dinera finished off her glass of Sangria before gathering the tools she would need, a red male figure candle and a female fertility candle.
“Do you want some of Mamman’s fertility oil for your candles?”
“But, of course.”
~~~
After gathering up their supplies, the two witches made their way to the rooftop terrace of Mamman Merci’s shop. This was where the ancient Voo Doo Priestess grew her special herbs and flowers in beds of dirt lining each wall. A trickling fountain brought a sense of divine peace, to her special meditation spot. In honor of Samhain, Mamman Merci had placed jack-o-lanterns in each corner of her rooftop oasis.
Rosette spread a scarlet cloth across the glass table where Mamman did readings for her most special of clients. She also lit a white protection candle along with some Jasmine incense and said a prayer in her native Haitian before taking a seat at the table.
Dinera unsheathed her athame and sealed their magickal circle, chanting in a combination of French and Romania that her mother had taught her as a small child.
With the circle sealed, Dinera sat down across from Rosette. She laid out her silver chalice engraved with DeFliehr and a pentacle before pouring some fertility oil in the antique cup. Then she carved her son’s name into the male figure and anointed it with a heavy dosage of oil.
“What are you doing?” Rosette asked when she saw Dinera start to carve a name into the female fertility candle.
“I want Charles to produce daughters who will mate with the sons of Billy Dalton. He’s such a handsome man and I adore his Lizzie. A mixture of our combined genetics is bound to produce a witch of immense power.”
“Tis not a good thing to be so specific in your desire.” Rosette grimaced as Dinera carved Dalton into the candle.
“This is defense of me and mine,” Dinera said. “I have to have a powerful red haired female heir to carry out the DeFliehr name.”
Using the protection candle, she lit the first of Mamman Merci’s special four elemental candles, “I call upon the power of earth for fertility.”
Dinera placed the green candle in its northern slot and embraced the yellow candle. “I call upon air to breath life into her womb.”
Next she took an orange candle, “I call upon fire to protect and sustain this new life.”
After placing that candle in the southern slot, Dinera used the protection candle to light the most powerful of the four elemental candles, blue for water, the essence of life. “I call upon water to instill a passion in their hearts.”
Dinera and Rosette joined hands as they called upon the Goddesses of their individual faiths to hear Dinera’s plea.
“Sacred Mother of us all, I come to you with an open heart asking that you grant my one and only desire, a red haired witch of extraordinary power. A little girl to carry on the DeFliehr bloodline. A child born from a union of my son’s offspring mating with the son of Billy and Elizabeth Dalton. May she have Lizzie’s beauty, Billy’s charisma, and my powers of a witch."
“And her mother’s strength and gumption, “ Rosette added. “I see Charles producing a woman child who will challenge all who dare to cross her, including yourself.”
Rosette squeezed Dinera’s hands. “Give Ms. DeFliehr the strength and grace to deal with this child. She’s going to grow up fast when she is ripped away from her mother at a very young age. It will take her many years to accept her own gifts and present the little redhead to Dinera as the heir to the family name.”
“Courtney…” Dinera said. “We shall name this girl child Courtney and she will mate with Billy Dalton’s eldest son to bear my grandchild.”
“Do you feel it?” Rosette asked?
“Yes,” Dinera agreed, as her blood ran cold. “William’s mistress is going to bear a child.”
“This is not good,” Rosette said, her voice shaking. “Charles must not mate with the child.”
“But, this little girl.” Dinera sighed. “With both mine and Odessa’s blood running through her veins, she would be a paranormal force to be reckoned with.”
“Her mind…” Rosette said, shaking her head. “She will be mentally compromised. This girl child will never learn how to control her powers.”
“She will be s
o beautiful, so special, so perfect--“
“No!” Rosette said. “You must do everything in your power not to allow her birth. What with the inbreeding and your and Odessa’s powers combined, why the child will lose her mind. Her gifts will destroy her.”
“Not if we find a way to reach her,” Dinera said. “Not if I send you to her as her mentor and teacher. Not if I take her as mine when she comes of age”
A sudden gust of wind swirled across the rooftop terrace, extinguishing all the candles.
“The Goddess has spoken.” Dinera stood, hugging Rosette. “I shall have two witches to call as mine. Two DeFliehr witches to carry out my family bloodline.”
“As it is willed, so mote it shall be."
THE END
Stealing My Heart
"Aah, Le Fée Verte." Odessa raised her crystal glass of absinthe to the door of the crypt that held her lover's remains. "Blessed Samhain, my beloved."
The St. Louis Cemetery wasn't exactly her idea of a romantic date, but Odessa had to make due with what she had. She'd lit enough votive candles to fill the Fletcher family vault with pure white light, thankful to have already imbibed in enough absinthe to quell any fears or doubts. Not even a raging thunder storm could deter her from spending this time with her beloved.
Before William had wound up here, she had loved to wander the old cemetery. How she'd enjoyed soaking up the histories of all the souls laid to rest among the beautiful statues and ornate mausoleums. Being a witch, she'd never felt any fear of those who've crossed over.
It was nothing to walk amidst the souls of those she hadn't loved. What bothered her was that William hadn't wanted to be laid to rest here. He would have preferred to have had his ashes strewn into the Mississippi river so his remains could have drifted down into the gulf and off to sea.
What a shame it was that she knew him better than his own wife. It wasn't fair that their handfasting hadn't held up to the legal vows he had exchanged with Dinera DeFliehr years before they had ever met. The woman hadn't even taken his name. That alone should have made it obvious that Dinera had seduced him only for his money and First Street mansion.
Odessa was the one who really loved Will and now not even in death would they be torn apart. She sat her glass down on stone floor and tossed back her long red hair. She'd gotten soaked traipsing through the rain. If not for the warmth of her cape, her lacy purple dress would have been ruined.
After another soothing sip of absinthe she untied the ribbon that laced the bodice of her dress. The satin fabric rubbed teasingly against her nipples as she loosened the black ribbon. She cupped her breasts with gentle caresses, remembering how Will's hands and then his mouth had felt again her pale flesh.
Odessa slowly shimmied out of the dress and kicked off her high heels to stand naked in all her glorious beauty. Those shoes hadn't been the most appropriate footwear for such weather conditions, but her relationship with Will have never been anywhere near most people's idea of acceptability.
Will had always loved her long legs in a pair of stilettos. On many a lazy afternoon he had bend her over his desk, taking her naked, but for a gorgeous pair of shoes. Her pussy throbbed with desire for the way his cock had always left her sated and full. She hadn't had a moment of such contentment since his death.
The cold marble floor of the mausoleum chilled her bare feet and sent a shiver through her spine. At least this was better than being locked away from her beloved and left out in the even colder rain. Even a witch of her immense power would have never been able to cast this spell without access to this inner sanctum.
Odessa lit the white and lavender laced protection candle from the flame of one of the candles she'd used to seal her circle of protection. Grasping her pentacle necklace, she kissed the green emerald that centered the circle. Will had given her the pendant because he thought the expensive stone matched the sparkle of her even greener eyes.
Tonight she also wore an old fashioned skeleton key on that silver chain. Thank Goddess for the key that got her out of the rain and inside the vault. It had been so easy to obtain from the cemetery caretaker. She'd only had to offer the elderly man a bottle of bourbon and a flash of her pale white breasts in exchange for access to the Fletcher family's finally resting place.
It hadn't been quite as easy to get the item she retrieved from her satchel and placed upon a makeshift altar. She felt her cheeks flush at just the memory of what she'd had to do to claim what should have been rightly hers.
Luckily, her best friend Carmella was a surgical nurse with access to the hospital's morgue and Will had signed up to donate his organs. Unfortunately, at least for those awaiting various body parts, Will's organs were deemed unsuitable for donation.
Odessa had just happened to be hanging out, okay stalking the morgue, waiting to have some alone time with her beloved-- Goddess knows his wifey wasn't about to let her anywhere near the funeral home-- when a not so responsible intern had been left in charge of the dead zone.
Her stomach churned just thinking about the things she let that boy do to her body. Those five minutes in that supply closet had been her own little dose of hell. Had it been worth it? She wondered. Yes, that horny intern got a quickie and she got what she had always wanted--William's heart-- sliced out of his chest and placed in a pretty blue Tupperware Bowl.
She popped the lid of the bowl and lovingly caressed what remained of Will's heart. Despite the herbal mixture and prime place in her refrigerator, the once beautiful burgundy mass had faded and withered. So unlike her love for Will.
"Oh, well." She sighed. "This has got to be done."
Odessa picked up her pearl handled athame and went into that quiet place in the very far corners of her brain. With her mind settled, she gathered her powers to surround herself in a vivid orange light. Most others used a white light. Not Odessa. The positive energies of orange always worked best when harnessing her powers.
"Mother, Father, Spirit," she sang in a clear trill. "I call upon you to light Will's path and show him the way. Bring him back to me, if only for one day."
She lit a brown candle placed beside a pentacle in the north most corner of her altar. "I call upon the earth to reignite his vitality with all the strength of Father Sun."
Next, she lit a yellow candle. "I call upon air to wrap his soul in the wind and carry him back to me."
Lighting a red candle, she said, "I call upon fire to reignite his passion."
Then it was the blue candle beside her crystal chalice. Her favorite because it reminded her of Will's eyes and the way she felt when they were upon her. "I call upon water to quench and sate our desires."
She took a sip of absinthe, thinking about how sweet it would be to once again drown in William's love. With a steady hand she lit the red candle of the two lovers with their bodies entwined in a waxen erotic embrace. No explanation necessary on that one.
Odessa watched the flame ignite and dance above the lovers. She and Will united again. Just as she'd done that miserably hot day when she'd procured his heart, Odessa took her athame and cut away a tiny bit of tissue in the shape of a cartoon heart.
How different, she thought, does the real thing look in comparison to the heart's imagery of love. Maybe it had been different when Will's heart pulsed with blood and kept a steady beat inside his broad chest.
She swallowed the tissue, chasing it with a large gulp of absinthe, and placed her lips against the cool black marble of his vault for an icy kiss.
"My beloved," she said, "please come to me tonight. Make love to me one more time."
Odessa sat down crossed legged on the floor, shivering when her bare ass met the cold stones. "This tomb would be much nicer if your ancestors had thought to install a fireplace."
She closed her eyes, envisioning the way Will would come to her tonight. How wonderful it would feel to be back in his arms. How much she wanted him back inside of her. Making her whole again.
Her body convulsed with sobs and tears ran down her fa
ce, running in rivulets streaming down her breasts in what she tried to imaging as Will's wet kisses. If this spell didn't work she knew with certainty that her only option would be to join him on the other side.
Odessa collapsed to the floor so weak with despair that she didn't have the will too try to get back to her feet. She closed her eyes, giving in to the nothingness that the absinthe always brought. If only she had the strength to reach for her cape. Will had always loved to watch her unclasp the cape and let it fall to the floor to reveal her nakedness. He used to tell her the mossy green velvet matched her eyes. How she wished she could once again twirl around in front of him, basking in his adoration.
Just when she knew she couldn't go on, she felt the cool embrace of one of her snakes slithering it's way up her leg. She cradled the beautiful black snake in her arms, rocking it like a baby. Goddess how she loved her snakes. Almost as much as she adored Will.
She had always been known as a snake charmer. Although to her, it was the other way around. Snakes had always soothed her. Their beauty and grace coupled with most people's irrational fear made the snake the perfect creature in Odessa's eyes.
The serpent healing touch calmed her to where she was able to climb to her feet. She found her cape and wrapped the soft velvet around her willowy frame. The heat felt good seeping though her skin, enveloping her with a sense of serenity she thought she might never feel again.
Odessa blew out all the candles except for the lovers embrace. She stood for a moment entranced by the dancing flame and the wax dripping down the bodies to meld the lovers in an eternal embrace. Not bothered by the heat of the wax, she traced an outline of a heart. First on the altar and then on the door to Will's vault.
She sealed the container bearing Will's heart with a burp and placed the blue bowl back in her satchel. Then she picked up the snake and carried it to the door of the crypt.
Wicked Desires Page 2
