by Tara Brown
“You won’t have to. I’ll beat you to it.”
Angie laughs and nods. "Where did you get this?"
"Mrs. Mercer, down the road from my friend Joe. She owns a bakery and makes the best damned sandwiches in the whole state. I buy them from her in secret. I pay double; she ain't allowed to sell me anything I don't eat there. Lorelei’s momma is watching everyone else. She knows if even a cracker is missing."
“She’s insane. We all know it.”
He laughs just as the car breaks down, just like last time.
“Oh, come on. Not in this temperature.” Ramón sounds spicy again. But this time we’re near Angie’s and in a safe place. Just as we are stopped, a dark car pulls up next to us. My stomach aches and my chest pounds until I see Henry get out, nodding at me through the window.
Then a smile crosses my lips. We are saved.
Ramón looks at Henry. “The girls need a ride. I’ll stay with the car.”
“NO!” I shout, making them all look over at me like I’m insane.
I shake my head. “I insist. It’s much too hot. We will all ride with you to Angie’s house and call a tow and my daddy.”
Ramón opens his mouth but I hold a hand up.
Marcus climbs from the back seat of the dark car, grinning at me. His subtlety is outstanding. I shake my head at his grin. “The young lady, who I don't know, is right. You must all come with me. It’s much too hot.”
I wince. Dear lord, he’s a horrid actor.
We all walk over to his car. He stops and smells me as I walk past him. I wave him off but he grabs my hand. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
I roll my eyes. “Lorelei. Lorelei Huntington and this is my friend Angela Palatino. This is my friend Ramón—”
“Driver.” Ramón corrects me, giving me a wicked stare.
“Lovely to meet you all.” Marcus kisses my hand and Angie’s. She looks like she might pass out at any second. We all climb into the back, except Ramón who sits up front with Henry. The stretch of the black car offers seats facing each other. So I get the horny vampire face for the four blocks to Angie’s as she gushes all over him.
“Where are you from, kind sir?”
He sighs. “Portland, Oregon.”
She scowls. “You have an English accent.”
“I was raised there but I enjoy the West Coast. The air is much cooler and fresher. Less stale and heady.”
As we park he gets out, slipping a piece of paper into my hand as he kisses it again.
I nod and walk up to the house, waving my thanks as Angie gushes hers. Ramón nudges me. “Now that man fills a pair of trousers, if you catch my drift.”
It makes me giggle, because I do. I completely do.
Chapter Fourteen
On the toilet I read it over again. The plan seems real simple, violent but simple.
I flush the paper and walk out to the pool. Daddy is on the deck talking to Mr. Palatino. He gives me a smile and a pat on the back as I walk past him. My heart is leaping and my soul is dancing, at seeing him so happy and alive. Alive is the important stuff. I dive into the cool water, letting the hot sun beat down on me. Marcello gives me a dirty grin as he walks past the fence. I know Ramón being snarky in his mind from under the umbrella where I told Daddy he had to sit with some tea. He’s much too hot.
Angie gives me a wicked grin when she sees Marcello. “It was fabulous. His hands are all rough from doing barn work and training the horses. It felt remarkable. You should give him a go—let him sex you up. Good to practice a bit before we end up slave traded into marriage."
Her seedy story once felt all kinds of wrong and nasty, but now it’s tame and mild compared to having Marcus tie me to a wall and lick every inch of me. I nod, watching Marcello walk beyond my line of sight. “He is beautiful.”
“Ain’t this pool nice?” She splashes me.
I float on my back and take it all in. “So much lovelier than nice.”
The sun starts to crest the trees as Daddy hollers, “Lorelei, honey. We need to get home. I imagine Ramón would like to go home too?”
I swim to the edge of the pool and spit water at Ramón.
He just shakes his head and gets up, taking my daddy’s hint at getting the car. I pull myself from the pool and wave at Angie. “See ya tomorrow.”
She waves and dives back under.
The ride home is awkward. I don't remember how to talk to my daddy. I don't remember if we ever did. And as far as love is concerned, I don't know if he ever got the chance. He is a weak man but he ain’t never had a chance to be strong. Momma made sure of that.
I lean forward, tapping my fingers on the leather of the seat. “Daddy, there is something I need to talk to you about.”
He makes the sound that means he’s listening but I know he ain’t. I reach across and touch his cheek. “Daddy.”
His eyes lift to meet mine. “What is it, darling?”
“I can’t marry Martin Ryan. He’s a bad man. He done something real bad, forced something real bad, on Margery Banks.”
He narrows his eyes like he’s gonna tell me I have to, but he pauses. “You certain?”
“Yes, sir. He made her do something no respectable girl should ever do. Something Ms. Mitchell told us never to do.” I’m trying real hard at being direct, but I don't want to be too direct.
His cheeks flush as a moment of thought crosses his mind. “That won’t do.”
“No, sir.”
Ramón’s eyes meet mine from the front seat. He winks at me.
Daddy shakes his head. “I’ll call Howard Banks tonight and find out the details of the sordid affair. If that Ryan thinks he’s gonna come down here and make a fool out of my daughter, he has another thing coming.” He winces. “Let me handle your momma on this though. She is mighty bent on seeing you a Ryan. Let me get the necessary proof to handle it.”
I nod. He doesn't need to know that Momma won’t be a problem for either of us, not for long.
When I get inside of the house I feel a cool breeze coming in the window. Momma comes in the room, handing me my lemon water. I know she’s been putting things in it. She looks at my body and rolls her eyes. “Lorelei, honey. No man is going to want a hog for a bride. You need to stay on the lemon water for a few more days.”
I take the abuse, because I would have.
She turns on her heel and leaves.
I walk to the window and dump the lemon water out.
“She is so much worse than I imagined, sexy as hell but really evil. She makes me look like a choirboy, and not the kind the fathers get after either. A really innocent one.”
I jump, turning to see Marcus lying on my bed.
I sigh, trying to slow my pounding heart. “You are an idiot. The choirboys that the fathers get after are innocent, moron.”
“You say tomato, I say tomato,” he shrugs.
I hurry to my door and close it, clicking the lock. “What are you doing here? The note said nightfall.”
He climbs off of the bed, sweeping me into his arms and pressing his lips against mine. I moan and let him unbutton my blouse, slipping his hands inside, rolling my nipples. “You’re a virgin again, aren’t you?” He groans into my neck, rubbing his cock on my thigh. “You smell like one.”
I’m lost, and his completely.
I have no willpower, just a memory of once having it. I have no ability to stop him. I haven’t claimed my magic, so I am still a regular girl. His fangs graze my neck as he tears my blouse from my body and unsnaps my bra in one swoop. He crushes his chest against mine, rubbing slightly. His movements are fast and forced, shoving me onto the bed we have walked up to and lifting my skirt up. He slides a hand into my underwear, tearing it from me. I gasp, frightened and unsure of how this is going to feel.
He drops to his knees, biting into my thigh at the same moment his fingers find my clit.
I lie back on the bed, letting him drink so near to my pussy. He slides a finger up inside of me. It stings for a sec
ond but my body remembers how to relax and have fun. He is pushing his finger in farther and farther, making me groan and wriggle. I feel my virginity break, for the third time. He climbs up me, pushing my thighs apart more to accommodate room for his wide body. When I look down he’s got his cock between my pussy lips and is dragging it up and down the moisture he’s made. He looks up and grins as he pushes the full length all the way in. It stings, making me wince but I know he’s enjoying it.
He shortens his thrust once he’s inside, letting me adjust, but it’s too late. I’m adjusted. I wrap my legs around him, trapping him to me as he pounds me with the short thrusts, rubbing the spot I need him to.
He mutters into my neck. “You fuck a lot less like a virgin than I imagined you might.”
I press his face into my throat, encouraging him to bite me. When he does it jolts my body, forcing an electrifying shudder through it. I hover in a state of constant vibration as he draws long drinks of my blood. When he comes inside of me, my body is still clenching to his. Riding him as much as he is using me.
He shudders and shakes his head. “I missed you.”
“It’s been a day, not even a whole one.”
He shakes his head. “No, it was an eternity.” He licks my wounds and kisses my cheeks. “Didn't you miss me?”
“No.” I shake my head.
“Liar.”
I smile against his face and sigh. It feels like all the pent up sexual angst I had stored has released in one fell swoop.
He looks around at the room at my shredded clothing and grimaces. “I don't think this is why I came here.”
I laugh.
He swallows hard. “No. Right. Your virginity was a card I wasn't expecting to be okayed. Who knew you were nearly a senior citizen when you lost it?”
“Marcus, girls in the ‘50s don't just go giving it up to anyone.”
“You did.” He shrugs. “The reason I came was that I saw Whit today. He never saw me. He was meeting with your mother. They had sex. It was creepy for me.”
“Rydal.”
He scowls. “What?”
“That would have been Rydal. I don't believe Whit would have had sex with my momma.”
“Right, so we assume both lads are here in full force, ready to kill you and make your mother queen of the world?”
I nod. “That sounds like the plan.”
“Where’s Ramón?”
“Blackwater Bayou. He’s there with his Grandmamma.”
He climbs off of me and offers me a hand. “Shower or should you go as a whore for the party?”
I take his hand. “You need to learn tact. It’s a skill that will just improve your daily life tenfold.”
“You’re doing that incessant talking again. It annoys me.”
I turn on the shower, looking back at the sexy man in all his filthy glory. “You’re doing that whole ‘pretend you feel nothing so I won’t fall in love with you’ thing. It’s also annoying. I’m not going to fall in love with you, in spite of what you fear. I know better.” It’s a bold-faced lie. I could love him—I think I already do.
His azure stare narrows. “That obvious, am I?”
I nod. “You are, sir.”
When we get into the shower he shakes his head. “Is it wrong of me to like you enough that I don't want you to be hurt? I respect you. I respect two women in this entire world and you are one of them. Ours is the longest relationship—that isn’t a relationship—that I have ever been a part of. ”
I wince. “Saying shit like that makes me want to love you, Marcus.”
“You’re a simpleton of the worst kind and I think your accent makes you sound trashy.”
A smile crosses my lips. “See, now how hard was that? Keep it all business.” We both need to be protected from the real Marcus Dragomir, the man behind the monster.
When we are finished in the shower and ready to go, he jumps out the window and holds his arms out for me. I shake my head. “No way.” The night has cooled off a touch and the air feels slightly less heavy.
“You really think I’ll drop you? I very nearly professed love for you in the shower.”
I drum my fingers along the windowsill. “No.” I close my eyes and jump without making a sound. When he catches me I gulp a huge breath. “That wasn't love, it was the blood talking. No more jumping.”
He rolls his eyes and drags me into the woods along my driveway. When we get to the road, Henry is waiting there. We slink into the car.
“Do you know where they are?”
Henry nods once.
Marcus gets his evil look on his face. “Excellent.”
We ride in the car, staring at each other. It dawns on me how much I really like him. Everything about him is so charming. Even his mean-guy routine draws on my heartstrings. When we get to the swamp Grandmamma Holt points a finger at Marcus as he’s getting out of the car. He immediately climbs back in, muttering something about foolish old women.
Henry offers me a hand, which I take. He squeezes my fingers as we walk up to the house. I can’t help but wonder if he can talk at all.
Grandmamma gives me a look, shaking her head. “What ya done now, cheri? Ya gone and brought it all back again?”
I sigh. “I can fix it. Let me claim my power now and I can fix it all.”
She spits on her hand, muttering the way Marcus was, and holds her hand into the wind. “Dey no happy wit ya, child. Dey no happy you gone and changed da time again.” My heart sinks until she looks back down on me. “But dey say dey gonna help.” She grabs a blade and walks down to the water, still all feisty and old.
“Can we do it this time without killing you?”
She turns away from me and hobbles down into the black murky waters, just like she did last time. She looks back at me. "You gotta put dem feet in de waters, cheri."
I flip my sandals off and walk down to the water, again grimacing at the squish of muck in my toes. When I get to the water, I gasp at the cold of it. Water ain’t never cold here.
Again, she takes my hand in hers and starts to chant something in Cajun French that I can't understand. She mutters it fast, looking up to the heavens, as if she were speaking right to God. It is the strongest of the déjà vu I have had since the day started at school.
The water changes, coming alive again, swirling away and frothing as it churns and sparkles with the lives it once took to keep safe. The witches once came here, bleeding into the water to save their magic for one they would deem worthy of it.
I have no idea how on earth they ever decided this should be gifted to me.
The mud heats, starting to match the thick, heavy air.
"Call dem, cheri. Tell dem you want to claim what's yours, again."
I open my arms and clear my mind. I snap my fingers and let the sparks fill the darkness. "I CALL YOU TO ME! I CLAIM THE MAGIC!" My screams become part of a wind that has suddenly rushed the swamp.
I feel the mud come alive. It crawls up my legs.
I scream into the night's air and let the crawling sensation cover my body. It enters my mouth and fills me up. I feel the magic and spark come alive in my whole body the way it always has my fingers and arms. My whole body is buzzing and on fire. My scream becomes part pain.
Just when I think I can't take one more second, it stops as abruptly as it started.
The night is still and calm.
I open my eyes, wobbling a little as something overloads my system. It makes me shudder and feel uneasy.
It is exactly as it was the last time, identical.
Grandmamma hands me the blade. "Now kill me again and offer dem spirits some of ya blood." She points to the waters.
I take the blade and hold it, wishing I could change the fates. I don't want to kill her again. The last time was brutal.
This time Ramón comes walking out of the house. “Lorelei, cher. What you doing here?”
I look back over my shoulder at him. He sees the blade and shakes his head. “Don't do this.”
My insides are burning with the magic, but I hate that I have killed her all over again. Hers is the one death I cannot prevent.
“WHY, LORELEI? WHY HER!” Ramón screams, skidding along the mud to Grandmamma as she collapses onto the ground.
I pull the knife and slice along my hand. My blood is red but as it runs from my hand it turns black, like the water. The droplets of it falling into the churning liquid below, shatters the air around me.
Then I stand on the shores and call them, using the words from last time. "Ancient witches, sisters and mothers, come to me. Fill me with the love and the light of the one power. I call upon you Mother Earth and Father God; I call upon you Mother Moon and Father Sun. Bless with the powers of the old." I take a step into the water, letting it climb my body. "Mighty mothers of old, witches of the earth and the fire and the water and the air, fill me." The winds pick up and spin around me. The water joins the spinning air and becomes a tornado of water. Dirt flies from the banks of the swamp and becomes debris floating on the water and air. Lastly, a strike of lightning shoots from the sky, landing in the tornado surrounding us. I am locked within the huge electric walls of water and dirt and air.
My hair is whipping around my face and my dress is nearly being ripped off of me. The force of the wind is incredible.
Then, like last time, it freezes. All the debris and the chaos are frozen and then drop back down to the water. Everything becomes still.
Except the blood inside of me.
My body is raging with electric fire and the need to fulfill my destiny.
