by Tara Brown
Henry smiles at me, bowing almost. I don't understand him.
My eyes draw to the black blood on Ramón’s hands and the tears stinging his eyes. “She tried to save you. Why you gotta kill her?”
I stumble to him, dropping to my knees and hugging her to me. I feel the warmth leave her as her soul pulls from the corpse. “She’s in the house, Ramón. Waiting for you.”
His head lifts. He smiles when she opens the front door, not crossing the threshold though. “Now ya stop dat crying. I’ll give ya something ta cry about.”
Ramón snorts and wipes his eyes. “She gave you her mortal magic.”
It dawns on me, something I never saw before. “She is the last of the Blackwater witches. Her and me and my momma and Em.”
Henry comes to me, offering me his hand again. I take it, letting him squeeze my fingers. Grandmamma Holt points a long, bony finger at me. “Ya take care of dat situation, cheri. You end it all.” She holds the door open for Ramón.
He wraps his arms around me. “I don't understand, cher. But I will ask her about it later. See ya tomorrow.”
I walk to the car, full of everything. Being a witch without being a vampire or a halfling is amazing. I am full, just being me. When I get into the car I sneer at Marcus, suddenly not so addicted to his charms.
He smiles wide. “Welcome back.”
Henry gets in and drives, taking me home.
When we get out front of the house, Marcus leans in, taking a big smell. “You are quite the delightful thing this evening.”
I push my hand against his face. “No!” I climb out and walk up the driveway. When I walk through the front door, my momma is standing in the front entryway with a look on her face that could kill a cat. “Where have you been, you little slut?”
I lift a hand, slamming her back into a wall. I smile wide. “Momma, I learned some things recently. You meant to have me killed. I’m a witch and you never told me, all this time. You aren’t even my momma, and this is my auntie’s body.” She struggles with the spell, wriggling and fighting. I shake my head. “I’m stronger than you.”
She lashes out with a bolt of fire but I catch it. I place the burning hate she shot at me in front of my lips, inhaling it. I let it settle in nice and deep and then blow it back at her. She screams, bringing Em and Daddy to the front entryway.
Daddy stumbles over his words, “Lorelei, wh-wh-what in tarnation? Wh-wh-what are you doing?”
I shake my head, not letting my eyes drift from her evil for one second. “She’s evil, Daddy. Watch this.” I point my free hand at her, screaming with all my might. "ETERNITY YOU SHALL SPEND AS THE SPIRIT THAT YOU BROKE. RETURN THE SOUL TO THE BODY THAT YOU STOLE!"
She instantly starts to squirm but it becomes screaming as she writhes and then goes limp. Her head hangs. Then a wind of great anger fills the room, blowing Em and Daddy a bit. The body fights and as the wind drops, Momma’s head lifts. I can tell immediately it is Maria.
She lifts a hand to her lips, and her face. She starts to cry.
“LORELEI! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” My daddy is shouting and Em is screaming but I am laughing. I smile and wave. “Hi, Aunty.”
She sobs, holding herself. “I never thought—I never imagined I could ever be freed.” She drops to her knees, shaking.
“Daddy, calm down.” He is heaving and shaking. He hurries to Momma, lifting her up off the floor. She shies away from his touch when she’s standing, shaking her head. He looks back at me, rage filling his eyes. “What have you done? What kind of evil are you?”
“That ain’t Momma. That's Momma’s sister, Maria. Momma is an evil witch who steals the bodies of her family members, so she can be young and beautiful forever. She had a plan. She was gonna do it to me or Em.” My eyes rise to the railing above where Em is holding her hands over her lips and sobbing silently. “It’s why she was always trying to make me skinnier.”
Em sees it, I think. She looks like she might anyway.
But Daddy is shaking and sobbing and trying to touch Maria.
I turn back and whisper to the door. “Come and fix this.”
I don't need to speak loudly, I know he’s there, waiting in case I need help.
Marcus comes right in the door and walks right past me. He runs his hand down Daddy’s cheek. “You love your wife, you cherish her. You cherish your daughters and you have a happy life and an amazing marriage.”
He grabs Maria and says the same thing. When I look upstairs Em is gone. I run through the house to find her but I can’t. Marcus doesn't follow me upstairs. He walks to the back and I see him walking across the back lawn. Henry comes to him, holding Em in his arms. She is limp.
Marcus kisses her cheek, waking her up. She screams but he speaks softly. Suddenly she nods, no longer sniffling. He points at me in the window and waves. She waves too. She walks away from them, coming to me clumsily.
I turn and walk downstairs, my daddy and Maria are making out like I have never seen him do before. He picks her up and carries her to the bedroom upstairs.
I wrinkle my nose as Em comes in the house. “I was just sleepwalking. The gardener found me. I feel sick.” She stumbles up the stairs and turns to her room.
I follow her up, making certain she is asleep. I stand in her room and hold my hands out.
“Mother of love, mother of grace, bring all the powers of the sisters to this place. Surround my house with love and light. Let no one enter who wishes darkness or fright. Fill this house with the love we need and keep Momma’s ghost out to give us reprieve. So be it and it is.”
I surround the house with a giant green light for healing the things that have gone wrong. Then I surround it with a huge pink bubble to promote love and peace. Lastly, I surround it with the golden light of grace, to protect it. There is now a barrier on my house, a proper one. It crushes Momma’s evil and takes away the darkness.
Exhausted, I turn and walk to my room. Maria is in the hallway, standing there looking so much like my momma my hair stands on end.
“I know who I am.”
I nod. “I figured the Blackwater wouldn't let his compulsion work so hot on you.”
“Thank you, Lorelei.” She opens her arms and pulls me in. “My beautiful daughter. I always knew you was the special one. Thank you for freeing me and giving me a chance to be with him. I have loved him from afar for a very long time.”
I hug her back and realize it is the first time in my life my momma ever loved me.
She lifts my face and kisses my cheeks. “Now get to bed.”
I smile back. “Yes, ma’am.” She turns and goes back into her room to no doubt hug my daddy and thank everything holy that she has the love of her man, finally. There is peace inside of me knowing my daddy is free of Momma too. Her and her evil ways. She’ll now be stuck to haunt the old dirty trailer in the bayou like Maria was.
When I get to my room he’s there. His silhouette is in the window. The moon is high and the light makes him look like a spy. I walk to him, pausing when I realize he shouldn’t have been able to get past the barrier. “How are you here?”
Marcus turns and smiles. “I jumped in your window?”
I wrap myself around him and sigh. Good God, only good things can come in this house. Dear lord, do not tell me this is a good man.
Chapter Fifteen
“They’ve fled.”
My jaw drops. “What does that even mean?”
Marcus sighs. “We have to go to the Roses. I’ve sent word to Lorri. Henry thinks they’ve gone back to Scotland. They don't know that we know about their dirty little secret. They might know you vanquished your mother.”
“Great.”
He rolls his eyes. “You’ve managed to save Em, your father, your aunt, your ditzy friend—that one I might have just let him have her—and you’ve stopped the attack or your engagement to dipshit there.”
Martin, of course. “I still need to deal with him.”
Marcus gives me an unholy
grin. “Well, we have a little time before Lorri gets here and I am hungry.”
“Let’s go find him.”
“The governor’s mansion. He was hanging out there a lot.” I walk to the driveway but Marcus gets into his car. “I’m not walking to another bloody place with you. You’re not normal. It’s not right to exercise this much.”
“Race you there!” I shout and take off for the field that I once ran across after Martin assaulted me.
I hear him cuss as the car skids down the gravel.
I leap into the field, sprinting hard for the mansion. My legs open up for me, flexing and pushing. I push myself harder than I thought I could go. I leap across the hedge at the far side of the field, gasping for air.
The car stops a second later. He gets out, looking refined but I can see the spicy look on Henry’s face from the passenger seat. Marcus must have shoved him over and driven himself.
When he sees me gasping for air, he rolls his eyes. “So much easier your way.”
I pull my middle finger from my pocket. He nods. “I know I know, you found all the hate you can muster for me, in your pocket. Let’s go, smart-ass.” He grabs my arm and pulls me down the driveway to the mansion.
The huge white house no longer holds mystery and magic for me. I have become a tainted and worldly woman in my two attempts at life. Marcus walks straight toward the front door but I pause. “What are you doing?”
“Getting that annoying boy you let torment you. I want to hurt him.”
I shake my head. “No. He might not be here. His daddy is a friend. If we drag him out and kill him everyone will know it’s us.”
“What do I care if they know?” He scowls.
“You really are sheltered in some ways.” I reach forward and grab his warm hand, sliding my fingers through his. “Come this way.”
When we get to the back window I recall the sex show I saw in here once. That was disturbing enough to have burned the memory into my brain. We creep to the window where the entertainment room is downstairs. Billiards and other games. Daniel, the governor’s nephew might be down there, he liked that room. If he’s there then Martin should be.
But we don't find Daniel. We do however find Martin.
He’s in the middle of thrusting his cock into Daniel’s sister, Michelle’s, mouth. She’s stroking and making ridiculous faces. Marcus leans forward. “She has some skill.”
“Not exactly a trait a lady should be proud of.”
“I’m sure she could give you lessons and you'd feel better about your abilities enough to not mock hers.” He looks back with a hateful grin.
Martin grabs her blonde hair and thrusts into her mouth. His ass cheeks squeeze together as he fills her plump lips with his orgasm. I gag little.
Marcus claps softly, whispering, “Brava! Brava!”
We creep back around to the front of the house. He points at the door. “Shall I knock now?”
“No. The ball is tomorrow, the one where Martin assaulted me. The governor is throwing it to celebrate his nephew and niece coming.”
“That's his niece gobbling up Martin’s wee, skinny cock?”
I nod.
He gets a gleam in his eyes. “I say we attend the party. It’ll be fun.” He walks me home through the field. He doesn't come down the driveway. I know he’s hungry. And I have a feeling he’s in the mood to murder.
“Till tomorrow, milady.”
I wave and stalk up to the front door. Em is walking by with a book and a tea. “Where were you?”
“Watching Michelle, the governor’s niece, pray to the wrong sort of gods.”
She cocks an eyebrow.
“She was on her knees, praying between Martin’s legs.”
“That might make tomorrow night awkward,” Em grimaces and shudders. “That kid is scum.”
I nod. “Daddy told Mr. Ryan about what happened with Margery Banks and Mr. Ryan said ‘Well, boys will be boys.’” I take Em’s tea and have a sip. “Then Daddy said, ‘Well, he won’t be like that with my daughter.’ So I guess the deal is off.”
“But we were gonna get a whole cow for the price of you!”
I cock my head to the side, making her giggle. “Guess he’ll have to find someone else to marry you off to.” Em’s eyes glow with wicked sarcasm.
“I don't want to get married. I just want to be free.”
She snorts and turns up the stairs. “Don't we all.”
“You have Greg.”
She looks back, smiling real peaceful like. “That I do.”
The next night I pull on the green dress Momma bought for me before she got changed back to Aunty Maria. Em comes in, whistling and shaking her head. “You going naked for a reason?”
I ooze a smile at her. “To torture Martin Ryan.”
“That’ll work.”
I pull on a sweater to cover the goods until we get to the party. Maria is a lot more conservative than Momma ever was. In the car Ramón gives me a look. I wink at him, thankful he’s still here with me.
Dad scowls at my dress. “That's a touch provocative, Lorelei.”
Maria gives me the exact look he has.
It’s crazy how much they actually suit one another.
“I’ll keep the cardigan on.”
“I should say,” he scoffs.
When we get to the party I see Henry and Marcus. I have to clench my thighs together and not think dirty thoughts as he walks away from Henry and the car and approaches. He has on a suit and tie, with a smug look smeared across his face. His eyes are settled on my slightly exposed chest. He gulps when he sees it.
My father turns and I point. “Daddy, this is Mr. Marcus Dragomir. He’s a friend, from New Orleans.”
Marcus scowls at me but quickly changes it to a soft smile for my father. “Pleased to meet you, son.”
It’s funny hearing Daddy calling him that. He’s old as dirt. “Marcus, this is my daddy, Charles Huntington and my momma Mar—Monique.”
They both smile and nod. She knows exactly who he is, but for Daddy’s sake she pretends to be clueless to the fact they’ve met.
Marcus offers me his arm. His gaze is stuck on the swell of my dress. “That's some neckline.”
I lift my head higher, exposing my entire throat. “You think so?”
He growls. Angie comes running over, grinning away at Marcus. “Our savior.” She looks at my daddy who is just behind us. “This is the man who saved us.”
My daddy smiles harder. “Of course he is. Thank you again for being there that day. It was blessed hot out.”
Marcus shakes his head nobly. “It was a pleasure and, of course, my duty.”
My dad is nowhere near as slow as I’d like him to be. “So you knew Lorelei already, from New Orleans?”
I smile. “No, Daddy. Just the accident.”
“He lives in Portland, silly. She wasn't hanging off your words the way I was.” Angie beams at him.
My father cocks an eyebrow and Marcus leans in. I grab his shirt, giggling nervously. “He has houses in both places, Daddy. Jeeze, go easy.” I wave at my family, smiling and drag Marcus toward the front door. “Don't compel my father.”
He looks back, scowling. “They’re confusing. I can’t take listening to all the questioning. This is why I prefer to lie to humans.”
I link my arm in his and open my cardigan up, revealing my neckline more. “Focus on the small stuff, big guy.”
“I would never refer to those as small. They’re ample and more than a handful which always pleases a man, regardless of his feigned indifference to size. All men like more, Lorelei,” he moans.
“You are so crazy.”
When we get inside, Martin’s eyes leave the slutty Michelle’s and turn to mine. He cocks an eyebrow and offers me a lift of his glass and a smug grin. I want to throw a fiery lightning ball at him and burn the house to the ground, but clearly that would be an overreaction.
When his eyes lower to my chest, I mutter, “He has taken the bait.”
Marcus grumbles. “Every bastard in here has taken the bait. You’re lucky I can kill everyone in here in a matter of seconds.”
I cock an eyebrow at him. “There is nothing I like less than a man who threatens people.”
“I never threaten.” He shakes his head and leaves my side, walking to the bar.
As soon as I am alone Martin excuses himself. I walk toward the door to the large porch.
“You look radiant.”
I glance back over my bare shoulder and shrug. “You don't.”
He chuckles softly. “Lorelei, my father has explained that perhaps you have misunderstood my desires and goals in life.” He links his arm into mine, leading me to the porch.
I hate having his hands on me but the plan is going perfectly.
He leads me to the railing and stands in the dank air of the night. “Some girls are made for marrying and others are not. Some girls are more of an entertainment sort of breed of female. I would never disrespect you that way. You have to know that.” His eyes lower to my chest.
“You swear?” I take a deep breath, trying to hypnotize him with cleavage. I could kill myself right now.
He nods, licking his lips. “I do.”
“What makes a girl made for entertainment?”
His eyes struggle to leave my heaving chest. “Lack of virtue and modesty.”
I hold my hands over my breasts. “I have neither of those things.”
He blinks, confused. “What?”
I shake my head. “I love sex, Martin. I like it hard and rough and dirty. I like it real dirty.”
He swallows hard. “Is that so?” he looks like he might pass out.
“I like it when a man knows how to lead a lady around the dance floor, if you get my drift?”
“I do indeed. I like to lead.” He’s mouth breathing and swallowing with effort.
I wink and walk down the steps to the grass, the very grass where he once led me to try to rape me. The very grass I would imagine he has led many girls down, girls like Michelle who don't know any better to be able to say no to a family like his.
I kick my shoes off and run across the grass to the gazebo, laughing and giggling. When I get there, I press my back against the wood as he runs through the opening and encompasses my waist, pulling me into him. He presses my chest into his and kisses my neck.
