Fateful Attractions

by Lucretia Stanhope

  Thoughtfulness filled his face as he thumbed over the red spot under her eye. “My mistress indeed. My mistress wouldn’t dare present me with demands.” While he spoke, his mouth hovered close to her neck. When he scraped his teeth, she shuddered, and he made a purring sound.

  Her voice quivered as he stood close, chilling the air to the point it hurt. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it a demand. I’m begging you. I need your help.”

  “Begging?” He snarled and stepped away. “I think begging requires some act of supplication. A little humility, perhaps. Grovel.”

  She didn’t move, unsure what he needed to see from her. “What do you want? Tell me. I will do it.”

  “I will take what I want.” He pulled her arm to his mouth and bit down. His eyes landed on hers and he watched as she braced for a feeding. He dropped her hand and his lip twitched. “What is it you are asking of me, Gwen?”

  “I need protection for three humans, and I need access to Jeremy, or someone who can help me trace my family line to the debt.”

  “I don’t have the time or patience for human concerns presently.” He stood closer again, feeling her peace was not as strong as usual. “Do you need Percy? Shall I escort you there? Why are you traveling alone?”

  “I needed Sergei there with, there is a witch, I…” She looked up to meet his eyes, which flashed black at her defiance. “Please don’t involve humans in our affairs. What are you preoccupied with? Can I help you?”

  “Well that was a lot of evasion, followed by your customary disrespect. Is that who I smell on you, a witch?” He pulled her hand to his mouth, bit down, twisted and pulled his teeth out without feeding. “Leave vampire affairs to me. Tell me about your new witch.”

  “Please, don’t involve him. He’s just a harmless empath, no help to you at all.” Tears threatened, but she held them back. “I can be all the witch you need. Let me help you.”

  Dmitry snarled and bit her again, this time deeply gnashing into her forearm. “I decide who is what to me. You are assertive tonight. Did you want another nip? Is that why you came here pushing me? Is the outside world too gentle for my little sunshine?”

  She pulled her hand free. “No, Master. Please, I just want the things I asked for.”

  “You want?” He leaned in and bit down hard on her neck, drinking deep. When he pulled away his face looked more at ease, and even his eyes softened. “You are so intoxicating, and infuriating. You shouldn’t come here without good reason.”

  She noticed that as he always had, he seemed to relax after a feeding. She wondered if it was always like that for them. Either way it was time to push. “Please, can I have your help?”

  He bit her again and she felt herself growing weaker.

  “Delicious. I will find you a historian. Stay away from council. Who needs protection?”

  “Steven a professor, Shane the witch, and Dillon my sheriff.”

  Dmitry put a hand on her forehead and she watched him rummage around, looking at her memories of Steven. If she had been able to, she would have pushed him out when he came to her time in the woods with Shane. She was glad he didn’t linger there. “Done, go home. A historian will contact you.” He looked at her thoughtfully. “You need Percy first. Come.”

  “No, I’m just tired.” She stepped back and started to turn toward the door.

  “You will need Percy.” He snatched her arm. “Come.”

  She travelled, locked in his embrace to council. There was not time to think over things, and she was glad he didn’t care and there was no discussion about the value of Steven’s life, or that she had slept with Shane, who was essentially a stranger.

  Outside, they were greeted by Mikhail. “Gwen needs to see Percy. After, you are to take her straight home. Make sure Sergei is there, and then leave. Understand?” Dmitry bit down on her arm and drank until she passed out. He handed her to Mikhail. “I need to see Greta. Go, take her, dismissed.”

  “I see you are still annoying him.” Mikhail muttered to himself as he carried her limp body to Percy.

  “Y ou feel extraordinary. What happened?” Shane laid beside Gwen, running his hand over her skin. There was a faint tingling coming off of her that tickled his fingers.

  “I had a special healing. One day I want you to meet Percy, the healer. It’s not human but it’s not a monster.” She closed her eyes and smiled. “A historian will contact me. Probably tomorrow, Dmitry, they get things done quickly.”

  “Dmitry?” He kissed her hand and her wrist, planting small kisses down her arm. He noticed she had some new scars and wondered why they were left like that. Dmitry never left scars on him. “Does this mean we won’t be going to the libraries?”

  “Probably not. He’s one of those creatures I mentioned, a proper monster. I hope you never meet him. You won’t if I can help it.” The touch of his hand on her skin was a stark contrast to what she just endured with Dmitry. She pulled his hand to her mouth and kissed it. “I don’t know how you are staying so calm for all of this. Dead bodies, witches, ex-lovers, and monsters.”

  He rolled over and propped himself over her, kissing her neck. “All I can think about is the magic between us.” He kissed her ear. “I’m calm, it’s you.” His nose nuzzled in her hair. “I’m happy, that’s you too.” Soft kisses danced on her lips. “Let me make you happy again, even if just for a little while.”

  G wen looked at the paper on the table. Sergei gave it to her in the wee morning hours, before the sun came up. It had the name, address, and number of the historian Dmitry allowed her to work with.

  The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if she wanted to drag yet another witch into whatever this was. She didn’t want more innocents dead because of her. Of course this witch, Gregor Crandon, was likely innocent as well.

  She tapped her fingers on her phone, considering her options and decided to call him. The sooner they could get started the better.

  “Gwen, I was expecting your call. Greta tells me you need some help,” he said, in a slow, cracked voice with an accent she couldn't place.

  “Thank you, when do you think you will be free?” She fiddled with the paper.

  “I'm not busy next week. When were you thinking? Greta did tell me it was pressing.”

  “Yes, very. Can we meet today or tomorrow? I have your address, but if you could send me a picture, I could, well I can be there.”

  He laughed a warm laugh. “Of course, that will be fine. I will clear my schedule. I’ve done some preliminary work, based on what Greta told me, and then I will have a few things to tell you. Give me an hour.”

  Gwen felt better after hanging up. He was nice, or so he seemed. He was clearly in Greta's pocket, maybe even Dmitry's, that was often one and the same. It didn't really matter, she decided, what mattered was finding the witch whose deeds had led to the debt and deaths.

  “Sounds like good news.” Shane walked in, and kissed her forehead. “You are still buzzing. I’ll never get used to how that feels.”

  She stood up and hugged him. “You feel pretty fabulous too. I hope this means things will be over soon. I’m really looking forward to just relaxing with you.”

  “That sounds like something I can get behind. When are we meeting this witch?”

  “About an hour. Did you want to grab something to eat first?” She found herself staring at his smiling face. Nothing seemed to shake his happiness. She needed that, needed him. Fate was a strange thing, but right then she felt glad it sent Shane just when she needed him most.

  “Whatever you want.”

  While they ate, she went back and forth in her mind about taking Shane, and finally decided to leave him. She wanted to err on the side of caution when it came to him, and connecting him to Dmitry and council.

  He was agreeable as he had been with everything else, and said he would go to the proper city, while she was away, to get a few things.

  After they ate, she pulled out her phone and committed the image Gregor sent to
memory.

  Since it was daytime, she had to find a dark room inside and ended up stepping out under several trees, behind a house. Daytime shadow walking was a bit tricky and not something she was well practiced with. She made her way as quickly as possible to the front of the yard to make sure it looked like the image. She didn't even get a chance to walk up the path before the door opened.

  “Gwen?” a tall, slender man said.

  “Yes, Gregor?” She used the rail to make it up the few steps.

  The man's appearance reminded her of a professor, with his jeans, casual shirt, and tweed jacket. His hair was short but shaggy and several shades of gray. He was handsome in an intellectual sort of way.

  Once they were inside, he offered her a seat in a room that was heaped with books.

  “Can I get you anything to eat or drink?”

  “No, thank you, just answers.” She smiled, enjoying the scent of library with a hint of mint that filled the air. “I appreciate you making time to see me on such short notice.”

  “I wasn't given many options. Are you a member of council?” He sat down in the chair across from her.

  His honesty caught her off guard. She assumed he had been asked firmly, but wasn't expecting him to say as much, and to do so in a way that made it so clear, he didn't appreciate it. “No, not anymore. I'm sorry if this was forced on you, but it is very important to me, and I can compensate you for your time.”

  A fluffy, slightly overweight, gray tabby strolled in the room, pausing as if it were observing Gwen, before it settled at Gregor's feet, curling into a ball and purring. Gwen could feel that it was a magical creature.

  He reached down and gave the cat an acknowledging stroke. “I love history, it has and will be an interesting diversion. It isn't often witches and voodoo mix in such a way.”

  “You've already made the connection?” It impressed her that he had already done the hard work. She wasn't exactly sure what she was expecting, but imagined they would be time walking together.

  “What I have done is worked back through your history to a suspicious person and time. With the brief information I was given, I think I have found what we are looking for. Records are scarce, but I spent the night, and most of the morning hopping time. You have a sad, sad family history, Gwen.”

  “I agree. I have a lot of questions, maybe it would be better for you to tell me what you know and we can start from there.”

  “I assume you figured this voodoo queen was brought here as a slave. She was Fon, and arrived in French Louisiana, on the Duc du Maine in 1721.”

  Gwen's eyes widened. “1721? Seems unreal.”

  “Very sad, she had almost as sad a history as you. Lucky for Fannie, the slaves of Louisiana stayed in family groups and kept their culture. She was mistress to a good many powerful men and ended up with some sway among both slaves and slave owners. She was sought out for gris-gris, for everything from fortune to medicine, and even vengeance.”

  “Fannie, you are sure this woman from 1721 is alive, and the woman connected to my family? That is almost three hundred years.”

  “Fairly certain, yes. I do want to warn you, while this woman, this queen may have simply learned hexes from some relative once here, she also could have been practicing magic since before she arrived on that boat. I did not trace her any further, but she could be an eternal for all we know. Her current power and longevity would suggest as much.”

  “An eternal?”

  “Made a deal with dark forces for eternal life on this and all realms.”

  “But, why would an eternal need witches for anything?”

  He leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers on the desk. “That seems to be the million-dollar question. Why are you so damn important to everyone?”

  “What did Greta tell you?” Gwen asked, feeling a little uneasy with the question and the way he looked at her.

  “I just know you are to be treated with kid gloves. Drop everything, cater to Gwen. I could feel you as soon as you stepped from the shadows. Powerful.”

  Chapter Nine

  G wen shifted in her chair. “Tell me when and how this woman connects to my family.”

  Gregor smiled, rubbing his fingers together on his right hand. “Yes of course. However, the more I know, the better I can research.”

  He paused, but Gwen didn't fill in any blanks, she just stared at him expectantly, so he continued. “Before 1852 your family was a typical witch family, nothing standing out, minor powers, charms, healers. In 1852 things were shifting and slaves were being sold to other states as needs changed. Fannie was a stunning woman and sold very fast as a mistress and nanny to a small, wealthy family who ran a plantation in Natchez, Mississippi. Your family.”

  He stood and started to slowly pace as he talked. “Josephine, the witch we are likely looking for, was unusually in love with her wealthy, handsome husband, Fredrick, who was smitten with Fannie. Many women of the time were grateful to not have the attention of their husbands and the burden of more children that it brought. Josephine was not grateful. Fannie was also not grateful for the attention. They formed a friendship, based on the unhappiness.”

  “But how can you know such details?”

  “I am a time walker, dear. I have been in the house, listening, watching. Best I have gathered, Fannie and Josephine left with her first born, and were never seen again. Fredrick was found mutilated and surrounded by voodoo related items. Your line continued with the three younger children, two boys and a little girl. You come directly from the girl, Lottie. A reasonable caster in her own right. Nothing too special. Her husband was a strong water witch who died early and tragically. Seems after Josephine, all men in your line, by birth or marriage, died as soon as they had procreated the next generation. I wouldn't be surprised that when we track Fannie and Josephine, we find some voodoo totem that is being fed as a curse on men in vengeance for the suffering both women felt from Fredrick.”

  Gwen rubbed her head. “Fed? Like with hearts? Would that be why they would take a heart?”

  “I gather from the tone and urgency of this matter we are too late to help your lover?”

  “There have been deaths, of men I loved. Not fathers though.” She looked puzzled. “Men are in danger. I need to find this totem and destroy it.” Her voice trembled as she spoke.

  “I am sorry. I didn't mean to be so curt with you. I do have things that require my attention, and this whole demand struck me as intrusive.”

  “I'm sorry. As I said, I will compensate you. I need to do this.” She looked at his eyes that seemed kinder now. “There are several people I love who could be targets. Please.”

  He waved a hand, stopping her. “It will be my pleasure. I expected some sort of council brat and treated you as such. Best I can tell you is they were in Mississippi.”

  “Can we jump to a place where I can get something of Josephine's before she left? I can have her tracked.”

  He cocked his head. “Wolves? Vampires? Or Demons?”

  “Demons? Have you seen a demon? Demons are real?”

  “Yes and you may see one if you hunt down Fannie. If she is an eternal she will know how to summon demons. She will have them scent you and track you to the ends of all the realms.”

  “After we are done would you tell me more about what she can do and what demons do? I could need to know.”

  “I would strongly advise if you can, you walk away from this. I know you want to help, but let the monsters do this for you. They are suited to it. If this is as dark as I suspect, you won't be able to walk away unchanged.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Why would she take the heart?”

  “She has more than likely used it to trap their spirit here. If they are witches she could even use their magic.”

  “Can I kill her?” Her tone was flat and her face held little expression.

  “We would have to track her back or forward to whatever point she gained such power to see what she made the deal with, and what she gaine
d. I would say no. Not you, not a witch.”

  “I'm a strong witch.”

  “I can feel that. Can you rip a demon through the veil to fight the one she might call?”

  “No, maybe, I haven't. Okay, Josephine, let's go get something of hers.”

  “I will, you are not supposed to travel time with me during the day. I will only appear to be gone a few moments.”

  “Who told you that?” Gwen found it annoying that he had already been given rules, as if Dmitry did not trust her. He had come to know her too well.

  “Greta. You may only travel at night, when you have a man named Sergei to watch over us. Just as when you have visions we will physically stay here, vulnerable.” He looked at her thoughtfully. “It is probably best, if these women are hunting you.”

  “But how can you grab things if your body stays here?”

  “I'm crafty like that. They picked me for a reason.”

  She tapped her fingers on the chair and then stood, stretching her legs and back. “You go, but please, please make sure you get something she wore, a hairbrush, something bloody would be best. I have a vampire and a wolf that can track her.”

  He smiled, looking impressed. “A strong witch with strong allies. I trust you will stay here, in this room while I am away. I will lock myself in my altar room. Do not come in under any circumstances, and should the house fall down around us, do not touch me. I will need my body exactly as it is to return.”

  Gwen agreed and waited in the same room they had talked in, thinking about what she learned so far as she nibbled some shortbread he left for her. It was sickening to her that people were killed because two women were wronged hundreds of years ago. The hate from Fannie after all that time made no sense.

  If she had been a loved mistress, he must have treated her decently, he even shunned his wife for her. Some part of the puzzle was missing. There was more.