Dark Angel (An Angel Novel Book 2)

by Jane West

  Suddenly I felt stifled. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I ran down the stairs and out the door as quick as my legs could carry me. I leaped in my car and put the car in reverse and floored it.

  Two doors down, I stopped in front of Ms. Noel’s house. I waited a moment as I clinched the stirring wheel, trying to pull myself together. I should’ve left well enough alone. I inhaled, trying to shake off the shivers.

  I placed my hand over my eyes, squelching through the sun’s glare, and there Ms. Noel stood, waiting for me. Some things never changed. When I reached the top steps, she instantly grabbed me up, like I was the prodigal child returning home. For the first time since my release, I let myself have a good old cry. I suppose it was past-due. A flood of tears came as I lay in my old friend’s embrace. I wept like a baby. Finally, after what seemed like forever, we both pulled ourselves together and went inside.

  Once my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, I became startled. I knew the house had aged, but condemned hadn’t crossed my mind until now. As my eyes swept over the living space, it was apparent that the house was in a disarray.

  The ceiling buckled like it was water logged and there were cracks around the doorway, suggesting foundation problems. I feared at any moment the house would come crumbling down right on top of us.

  When my eyes landed on Ms. Noel, she attempted to brush off my worries. “Oh, Babee,” she waved her hand. “Don’t mind this old place. It’s just like me. Some things are more droopy these days is all.” She flashed a toothless smile. I didn’t expect anything other than her upbeat attitude. Nothing seemed to rattle her constant smile.

  From the lack of care for my dear friend and her deficient living conditions, I knew she couldn’t stay here any longer. “Ms. Noel, pack your things. You’re coming home with me,” I insisted.

  “Oh, that’s nonsense, Chile. I can’t leave my home. This old house and me have lived too long together for me to just walk out on it.” Ms. Noel patted my arm.

  No way in hell could I leave her in this sort of living conditions. “Okay, I’ll tell you what I’ll do. How about you come with me for a little vacation while I make arrangements to repair your house?” I smiled brightly.

  “Nah! That’s too much trouble. Don’t be frettin’ none over me. I’m just fine where I’m at, Babee.”

  “Ms. Noel, I can’t leave you here. This house is unsafe. I can’t believe the city hasn’t condemned your house.”

  “Don’t worry, Chile. I threw away that old yellow paper that some uniformed man posted on my front door. Stop your fretin’, I have magick protecting my home. No city feller is gonna come and remove me.”

  Right at that moment, I spotted a bright-yellow sign kicked halfway under the couch. I picked it up and quickly scanned over the letter. I was right about my suspicions. The Board of Health had declared this house condemned.

  “Ms. Noel, the city is demanding for you to leave your house in less than two weeks. If you don’t come with me, you’ll end up homeless. I can’t let that happen.”

  “Babee, I can’t turn my back on my home. This old house has watched over me since childbirth, and all my belongings, I can’t leave behind my crafts. Why some of my spirit books are traced all the way back to my ancestor, Marie.” Ms. Noel appeared distraught.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll hire someone to pack up all your possessions and move it all to my house.”

  Suddenly, Ms. Noel’s shoulders slumped as she gave in to a defeated sigh. “I guess I don't have a choice.”

  I felt terrible. Even worse, I feared this house collapsing on top of her. “Don’t worry. I have more than enough room for you, and besides your favorite nephew lives with me too!” I squeezed her hand gently. Ms. Noel just nodded her head. “Let me call a moving company and get things rolling. Then I’m going to take you out to eat.” I smiled, trying to hide my worries. “Are you eating, Ms. Noel?”

  “I eats when I feel like it, but lately I haven’t been feelin’ much like cookin’. This house gets too hot, and I’m just ailing too much lately.”

  I didn’t like the sound of that. I suspected her meals were infrequent. She appeared a bit pale. I feared her health had waned a great bit since last I saw her. When we return to New Orleans, I planned to get her in to a doctor, the sooner the better. Since money wasn’t an issue, I’d see to it she got the best medical care possible. It’d be nice to put this money to good use.

  ***

  When we returned home, there were swarms of family members, young and old, waiting for Ms. Noel’s arrival. When Jeffery laid eyes on his great aunt, tears streamed down his cheeks. He had no idea how bad her living conditions had become. Supposedly, a local family member promised Jeffery to look after Ms. Noel and swore she had things under control by frequently stopping by to check on her and running errands to the grocery store, even cooking for her as well.

  Come to find out, the money Jeffery had been sending only got as far as the kinfolk’s pocket. Not one penny went to Ms. Noel. Upon discovering this, Jeff nearly spit nails, and I was right with him.

  Evidently when I’d called home to let the guys know that Ms. Noel would be staying with us for a bit, Jeffery and Dom contacted a few of the family members. Then those folks called other family members, and before we knew it, our yard and home swarmed with people from all over the state, an overdue family reunion.

  Dom and Jeffery went all-out with decorated tables set outside in the lovely garden, filled with platefuls of every delicious dish. Many brought gifts and their own special dishes as well. There were at least ten different sides of Southern fried chicken from various family members. Plus, there were hot-water cornbread, collard greens, potato salad, mustard greens, macaroni and cheese, corn on the cob, barbecued ribs dripping in spicy sauce, mudbugs, catfish, shrimp gumbo, and mouthwatering desserts—a feast for a queen, indeed. But the best part of all was watching Ms. Noel’s face gleam with pure happiness.

  It was her special day. Dom seated her at the head of the main table as the queen she deserved to be, and everyone gathered around her with hugs and kisses, welcoming her home. I stood back, quiet to myself as I witnessed the love and devotion everyone expressed for this wonderful lady. I’d never seen so many smiles and tears all in one place at the same time. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, including mine too. I felt blessed to be part of this happy event.

  Even with all this wonderful joy, a part of me felt sorrow. A sense of loss tugged at my heart—the loss of my parents, a lost love, and possibly even the loss of a child I’d never cradled. A yearning began to stir within me. I found myself craving the soft touch of my baby, a child stolen, taken against my will. My eyes brimmed with tears, and I pushed them back. “No!” I said to myself. “I won’t do this today.” Today belonged to Ms. Noel and her family. My day would come, just not today.

  In the morning, I planned to call around and see about getting Ms. Noel in to see a physician. With a doctor’s care and Dom putting her on a healthy diet, she’d be as good as new in no time at all. Another thing I should add to the list was Jeffery’s fashion designer. I imagine his aunt could use some new garments as well. I wanted to roll out the red carpet for this sweet lady, give her the best of everything.

  ***

  That late evening, after everyone had gone, Ms. Noel finally said her good nights to everyone and went to bed in one of the guest rooms downstairs that we had planned on making a permanent bedroom for her.

  After I had washed the last dish, Jeffery caught me off guard. In one swift sweep, he’d grabbed me up and hugged me so tight he nearly knocked the wind out of me. As he held me, he spoke through choked tears. “Thank you so much for bringing my aunt home.” He sniffled. “You don’t know how long I’ve been trying to get her to come live with me. No matter what you say, once my aunt gets a notion in her head, you can’t talk her into nothin’!” The genuine gratitude in Jeffery’s tearful eyes touched me.

  Tears began to sting my eyes. “Don’t beat yourself up,
Jeff. She’s here now. I’m going to get her in to see a doctor tomorrow. She’s going to get the best care money can buy. With Dom’s cooking and your coddling, Ms. Noel will be as good as new.” I gave my friend a tight squeeze back.

  “Stevie, thank you.”

  “For what?” I placed the last dish in the drain.

  “If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have this sweet life I have now. It’s because of your generosity that I don’t have to worry about my aunt’s care. I appreciate everything, and I love you, and gurrrlfriend I never say nothin’ I don’t mean. Just like I won’t hold it against you that you’re not fabulous and black like me, of course.” Jeffery teased as he did his twirl, prancing like the best.

  I rolled my eyes and laughed. That’s my Jeffery. “Of course.” I smiled brightly. “To be honest, I’m not the one you should be thanking.” My voice dipped into a more serious note. “It’s Aidan who is responsible for all this extravagance.” I shrugged my shoulder, feeling a little sad. “I reckon that’s one good deed he did for us.”

  A glint of sadness flashed in Jeffery’s blues. “I miss him, you know.” Jeffery paused. “Do you?”

  I withdrew a long sigh and dropped the towel over the sink. “The Aidan before the betrayal, I do.” I glanced down at my feet, trying to collect my raw emotions. “There are times I want to smack him hard upside the head for tricking me. Then there are times I wish I could feel the comfort of his arms around me once more. He had a way of making me feel safe and secure.” I felt a knot in my throat surfacing. “Still, even that was a lie.”

  “You may find this hard to believe but I believe he loved you. There were times when you wasn’t lookin’, I’d catch him watchin’ you. He had a smile on his face. With that said, even when a person loves you, it doesn’t mean they is good for you. With Mister Aidan raised in that no-count family, they screwed up his mofo mind.” Jeffery shook his head.

  “What happened to him?” My breath caught as my curiosity rose. Aidan wasn’t known for sharing a lot of his personal stuff.

  “Gurrrl, you don’t know?” Jeffery’s eyes rounded to saucers.

  “Know what?” Now I really wanted to know.

  “One could say he finally flew over the coo-coo’s nest.”

  “Why do you say that?” Instantly, I felt the sensation of a spider crawling up my back.

  “He killed his parents, boo!”

  I think my heart needed a jump-start. “W-w-what?”

  “Gurrrl, his parents were monsters—torturing kittens, sorta shit. He just snapped.”

  I stood as if I’d been shot and waited to fall. “Oh my God! It all makes sense.” I half whispered to myself as my eyes bounced around the room and then back to Jeffery. “That’s what Van was blackmailing him over, the murder of his parents.”

  Jeffery’s mouth flew open. “Lord have mercy! No, I didn’t. That’s some fucked-up shit.”

  “Yeah, there seems to be a lot of secrets and mysteries surrounding Aidan.” I blew out a deep sigh and asked, “Do you think Aidan had partnered up with Sally and the Family to frame me?”

  “Boo, I’d like to say no, but Mister Aidan was a hard man to understand. He pretty much kept to himself.” Jeffery appeared baffled, shaking his head.

  “I’m with you on that one, Jeffery.” I bit my bottom lip. “It seems that Aidan had a dungeon full of hidden secrets.”

  “It sure does seem that way.” Jeffery rubbed his neck, thinking.

  I let out a curt laugh. “Yeah, I reckon we can’t really know a person.” I picked up the dish towel and started wiping the counter with robust.

  “I didn’t understand why Mister Aidan kept letting his uncle come around. He didn’t like him no mo than he liked his cousin, Sam.” Jeffery’s face twisted. “Hell, I got lots of family I’d shoot on sight if they even looked like they is comin’ to visit.” Jeffery grabbed up a cookie and took a large bite. He paused chewing before he spoke. “I don’t know why I is surprised about Van’s underhandedness. He and that whole family is the devil.”

  “Tell me about it!” I scoffed. “I know that better than anyone.” I quickly folded the towel and laid it on the counter.

  One huge question kept circling my brain, if the death of Aidan’s parents was what Van was holding over Aidan’s head, then I had to wonder if Van had something to do with his death. But how could a mortal kill a powerful Druid? An immortal Druid at that. I grabbed a raisin cookie and shoved it in my mouth. There were so many possibilities and untold truths surrounding the Family that it left my blood cold with fear.

  “Jeffery, when did you learn of Aidan’s parents’ death?” I rubbed my hands together to knock off the crumbs.

  “The eve of Halloween, the night before you were taken, I overheard Aidan and his uncle in a heated argument.”

  “That’s interesting, Jeffery.” I dropped my gaze down at my feet, remembering that night far too well. I lifted my eyes back to Jeffery. “Do you think their fight might’ve had a correlation to my getting framed and Aidan’s death?”

  Jeffery shrugged. “With that family, boo, anything is possible.”

  “Don’t I know that!” I shivered thinking how my life had taken an terrifying turn that morning at the cottage.

  “Gurrrl, it’s nonsense to try to figure those mofo folks out. Forget them! It’s the past, and Aidan’s gone. There’s love out there for you. Now you needs to get out there and find it!”

  “I don’t know. I just don’t believe it’s for me.” I shrugged sharply.

  “Don’t be stupid! You’re young and beautiful. You have this really huge heart, and I think you deserve to have true love. The sort of love that wiggles your toes. Your one true love who will lay his mofo life down for you. That’s the love I’m talkin’ about,” Jeffery snapped his finger with perfect flare.

  “When you find that kind of love, let me know.” I grimaced. “I don’t put much stock in that soul mate stuff. Look at my parents. My father’s love for my mother cost him his life. Look what love has cost me. Three years in a mental institution for murders I didn’t commit. And that’s not the worse part. I may have a child at the mercy of those sociopaths.” I stopped. I had to put a cork in my brewing emotions. It was wearing me down something fierce. I felt her spirit pulling at me every waking minute. I thought my heart was going to rip in two. My face felt heated. I took a deep breath, slowing my heart rate down along with my temper. “Jeffery... love has too high of a price for me. Besides, I don’t have anything to give!” I spun on my heels facing the sink. It was like an electrical charge of emotions surging through my body. I wasn’t angry, I was enraged. I felt like smashing something.

  “Chile, I feel your pain”—Jeffery gently touched my shoulder—“but one of these days, you’re going to want to get back on that horse. I promise you, and this time, it’s going to be the real mofo deal.” I glanced up at Jeffery’s twinkling eyes.

  The Promise

  Exhausted from the day, when my head hit the pillow, sleep came in only minutes. It wasn’t until 2:00 a.m. I’d awaken from a stir at the end of my bed. My heavy lidded eyes slowly opened as I spotted Ms. Noel sitting down at my feet. Startled, I sat up, gasping. I rushed, asking, “What’s wrong?” Alarm flooded my hazy mind.

  “Oh, baby, I couldn’t be better. I wanna thank ya for today. It was very kind of ya to bring me to my family.”

  “Ms. Noel, it’s not necessary to thank me. Let me help you back to your room. You need your rest.”

  “Nah! Catin, (pretty girl) ya don’t worry ya pretty little head about me no mo. I’m gonna be just fine. In a minute I’m goin’ home, but before I leave, I want to tell you somethin’.”

  A sudden spurt of panic jolted me. What did she mean she was going home? She must be delirious, I thought. I strained my eyes from the faint moonlight wafting through the window. I could see only a thin outline of Ms. Noel in her nightgown, “Remember, your home is with us now,” I reminded her though I was getting this eerie dread.

/>   “No, I don’t mean this home, baby. I’m talkin’ about my home upstairs.”

  Upstairs? Now I knew something was off. “Ms. Noel, we are upstairs. You climbed the stairs to my room.” I started to reach for the light, but something stopped me.

  “Now you need to listen to me because I don’t have long before they come fer me.” She whispered in a low voice. My brows puckered, baffled. “There’s a young man with gold eyes.”

  “What?” I stared at her, wondering if I might be dreaming.

  “Hush, babee, listen,” Ms. Noel scolded me.

  Okay. I’ll hear her out, and then I am calling 911.

  “The gold-eyed man came to me in a dream. He wants me to tell you to seek him out. He can help you find your baby, honey.”

  My throat went dry. How did she know about my child? Then again, Ms. Noel had an uncanny ability of knowing a person’s deepest secrets. “Wait! How do—”

  Ms. Noel interrupted, not allowing me to finish.

  “He saved your life that night at that gin joint with the strange name. Jeffery and you had stepped into a world that only few have witnessed. The gold-eyed man stepped in to protect you both. Stay close to him. He will guide you through your journey.”

  “I don’t understand?” My eyes blinked with incredulity.

  “Babee, I have to go now. They’re calling me. Take care of that nephew of mine. Give him my love. I love you too, Catin.”

  “Wait! Ms. Noel. Let me help you to bed.” I slipped from the covers and slid out of bed. When I turned back, I realized I was alone. The end of my bed was empty. “Ms. Noel!” I called out, mystified. Quickly, I flipped my bedside lamp on. The light shed its glow around the room, but I saw no sign of a living soul. Chills tickled my neck. I flopped back down on my bed, releasing a nervous giggle. Could I have been dreaming?

  With no warning, an icy breeze fluttered through my hair. I wrapped my arms around my waist as I rushed to close the window, yet to my surprise, I found it was shut close.