Sweet Tooth and Claw

by K A Miltimore

  "I would guess water is correct. I am dating an Undine, after all." Mel chuckled to see the surprised look on Delphine's face. Apparently, she didn't know.

  "The leaves aren't usually that on the nose with their symbols, but I would guess you're right. As we move down the cup, there are two symbols almost side by side, very unusual. One is that three leaf clover like shape - see it? That means love and attraction but it can also mean jealousy and possessiveness. The other, next door, is that crossroads shape - quarrels, disagreements. I'd say the leaves agree that you've been having some tiffs in your life." Delphine turned the cup back toward her own view and peered into it. She was quiet for what seemed like a very long time.

  "What, Delphie, what is it?" Hedy chimed in, unnerved by the quiet. Even when Delphine gave difficult readings to clients, she didn't usually pause like this.

  "The symbols are hard to read, things aren't clear in the shape. Like there is a veil over everything. But what I see is waves being cut with a scythe shape - there is confusion, there is tumult, and there is caution to be sure, but something will help make things clear. Something coming soon. You may not like the answer, but you'll learn a hard truth. I'm sorry, there isn't really more in the leaves for you today. At least, I can't read it." Delphine said, shrugging her shoulders and putting the cup back down.

  "If you can't read it, no one can - well, maybe Tante, but I'd wager you are as skilled as she is by now." Hedy said, picking up the cup to look at the symbols. They all looked like scattered leaves against the white china to her.

  "Thank you, Delphine. I'm not sure it gave me any answers, but I appreciate your effort." Mel said, clearly deflated.

  "Don't be so quick to despair, mademoiselle. The leaves have given you information. Your girl, the Undine - Ana - is involved, surely. These times of confusion and uncertainty are coming to an end. How they end remains to be seen, but you should be cautious in whom you trust." Delphine sipped her own tea, now close to tepid.

  Hedy's mouth opened but rather than her voice, the sound of bird, high pitched and screaming, rang out. Surprised, the trio looked at each other, unsure where it had come from. Zelda, even dozing, had heard the sound and perked up, her fur bristling. She sprinted toward the front door, back arched. The women followed her.

  The sound stopped when they reached the door and Hedy flung it open. There, in the center of the porch, was a black cat, fur covered in bits of dirt and grime, it's eyes a strange greenish tint. In its mouth, lay the still form of Alice the magpie.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Oh no! Alice!" Hedy screamed, startling the cat. It started to bolt but Mel was quick enough to grab it by the tail. Zelda stormed out the door, rearing back so she could strike her claws at its face. The cat, facing a trapped tail and a raging Zelda, dropped its prize so it could fight back.

  "Mel, let it go so it can run. We need to get Alice." Hedy shouted, reaching forward to scoop up the still bird. The black cat took off at a sprint, with Zelda fast on its heels, screaming and hissing as she went.

  "Alice, no, no. Look at her neck, oh no." Hedy cradled Alice in her hands, examining the broken neck. There was nothing to be done. Hedy clutched the broken bird to her chest, sobbing.

  "Come inside, Chère. Come on. Nothing to be done out here." Delphine cooed, trying to coax her old friend inside. Hedy let herself be led back into the entry, with Mel following close behind her.

  "But Zelda..." Hedy stammered, still holding tight to the dark feathers in her hands.

  "Nothing is going to hurt Zelda, did you see how she fought?" Mel said, wiping tears away from her eyes. The parlor door opened and Louis stood looking at the women, bewildered.

  "What's happened? What's that in your hands, Hedy?"

  "Alice....she's dead." Hedy said, unable to say more. Louis reached out and carefully opened Hedy's clutched hands, lifting the still form of the magpie away from her. Without a word, he took the bird away to find a box for a burial.

  "Hedy, let's sit. I'm so sorry, Chère . What a terrible thing to happen." Delphine turned Hedy toward the open parlor door, where the fire had the room warm and Maurice was sitting up in his bed on the hearth.

  "Thank you. You never met Alice, but she was a dear, sweet, simple soul. She was so kind. It's just awful." Hedy said, looking from Delphine to Mel, the tears coming to her eyes again.

  "You sit here and rest. I will bring you more tea and you check on Zelda. I'll find Bren." Mel said, sure now that Hedy needed him to console her.

  With a nod, Hedy turned away toward the window, looking out at the gnarled tree where Alice liked to perch on sunny days.

  Delphine closed the pocket doors behind her quietly, following the young woman back into the bakery and Mel had another cup of tea poured, ready to hand off to her.

  "Can you take this to her while I find Bren? Alice wasn't just any bird. She lived in the house. She could speak, like Zelda and Maurice. She was part of Hedy's family." Mel said, handing off the cup. Delphine nodded silently and headed back toward the parlor while Mel hurried upstairs to find Bren.

  ✽✽✽

  Hedy and Bren were sequestered in the parlor. As much as Mel didn't want to eavesdrop, she wanted to know what they were saying, so she found herself lingering in the hall, looking for an excuse to stay near. The oak pocket doors were solid and kept their secrets. Louis, coming in from the front porch, gave her a wink.

  "What's that old saw about 'little pitchers have big ears'? Well, it's not like you are a child but I think it still applies. If you hear anything juicy, tell me first." Louis said, cocking his head to one side conspiratorially. Delphine was just inside the bakery, sitting at a table and shuffling her tarot cards. Before Mel could reply, the bramble gate at the foot of the stairs clicked open.

  "Is Miss Leckermaul about? I really should speak with her. If I wrap up my business here, I can be on a flight home to Brussels by nightfall." The Director said, with obvious desire in his voice. Mel tried hard not to look frightened by his gaunt and pale appearance. He wore an impeccable suit that must have cost a fortune.

  "I'm sorry but she is indisposed at the moment. We've just had a death, and she is....not available." Mel said, knowing it wasn't quite enough information but all she was willing to share at the moment.

  "I am sorry to hear that. Was it a close relation?" The Director asked, standing far too close to Mel for her comfort. She took an involuntary step backward.

  "No, not a relation. It was Alice. A member of the household." Mel replied, glancing quickly at Louis and Delphine to be sure they were still close by. She had no idea what a Draugr could or would do to a human and she didn't want to find out.

  "Alice...you mean the magpie? I read about Miss Leckermaul's menagerie in the previous Director's report. She is in mourning for a bird, for a pet?" The Director's voice dripped with incredulity, almost as icy as his visage. His eyes were the slightest sliver of green and Mel could smell whiskey on his breath.

  "She's not a pet. Wasn't a pet. She was a friend and a member of the house." Mel hoped her voice sounded more defiant than she felt. It irked her that this man should presume to tell Hedy how she should feel about Alice. What business was it of his?

  "Sir, Mr. Director, Leif, if I may," Louis paused at the stern look that told everyone emphatically that familiarity was not appreciated. "Sir, please join us in here and we can tell you why the Concierge is making a terrible mistake. There is no one more dedicated to the principles of the Concierge than Hedy. My cousin and I know this first hand." Louis watched the Director stay still in the hallway.

  "Mr. Magnon, I do not need input from biased sources, I have enough of that already. What I need is my final meeting with Miss Leckermaul. Then I will be on my way."

  Mel took the opportunity to scurry back into the bakery, putting some space between herself and the man lingering in the hall.

  "Alright, fine. You've made up your mind. C'est la vie. But right now is not the time to destroy Hedy's world. Have some compas
sion, man. Come sit down and tell us all about being a Draugr, or where you had that suit made - it is fantastic - or anything else you'd like to chat about. Just leave Hedy to grieve right now." Louis finished speaking and waited for the Director's response. After several moments, he crossed into the bakery and sat at the table with Delphine.

  "I am not without compassion, Mr. Magnon. I am not some heartless fiend, bent on causing pain to Miss Leckermaul. Well, I am heartless, but that is in the literal sense. Draugrs do not have hearts. Be that as it may, the whole reason I came to this town was because I was being compassionate. I hope Miss Leckermaul sees it that way." Director Haugrsson said, watching Delphine shuffle the cards. She had not raised her eyes to look at him.

  "I'm not sure she will find much compassion in a bit of theater designed to look like a fair inquiry. But you've made your decision, I am not about to rehash it with you. What do you mean that you don't have a heart?" Louis' voice had a tinge of excitement to it. Mel found the whole conversation beyond disturbing.

  "Draugrs are a bit like our Strigoi cousins - undead, if you like. But where Strigoi need blood to survive, we need no such thing. We live on souls."

  Mel gave a sharp gasp and backed into the counter. What in the world had the Concierge sent to Hedy's house? It was something out of a horror movie.

  "Souls? Why, those must be mighty hard to come by, I should think. However do you get by?" Louis sounded like he was asking for his favorite pecan pie recipe.

  "Oh, it is easier than you might think. In the old days, we fed as we pleased but in these enlightened times, we only take the souls from those who are damned, those who have committed grave sins. Draugrs only need to feed every few years, so it isn't as burdensome as you might think. There is always enough evil in the world to feed upon." The Director replied and Mel gave a slight exhalation of her breath, which apparently she had been holding tightly.

  "Yes, indeed, sin and evil enough for a million Draugrs, I should think. Do you agree, Delphie?" Louis looked toward his cousin, apparently trying to draw her into the conversation. She paused her shuffling and looked up from the deck.

  "The only evil I see right now is taking the life's work and passion away from a kind and caring woman. Someone who has suffered loss in the past and who has saved the lives of both me and Louis. That's the only evil I am worried about at this moment. Excuse me, I have gumbo to make." Delphine stood, leaving her deck on the table, and passed behind the counter to start her roux. Mel couldn't imagine being brave enough to tell off an undead creature. But then again, she didn't know exactly what all Delphine Magnon could do herself.

  "Well said, Miss Magnon. I appreciate your spirited defense of your friend. But you say you are only worried about the evil you think I am about to do here. I think that is a lie, don't you?" The Director moved his hands toward the deck, as if he would touch them, but he stayed a few inches away.

  "A lie? You better explain that." Delphine said, turning back toward the Director. Louis kept his eyes trained on the Draugr and Mel wondered if things were about to get very bad, very quickly.

  "Someone is after Mr. Magnon, or rather, something, and that is rather more evil than any deed I might do. Certainly, you are concerned about that?"

  "Speak plainly, please. What exactly do you know?" Delphine asked, exasperation clear in her voice.

  "Part of my business is keeping tabs on what is happening around the network. There has been some....chatter, yes that is the word, that Mr. Magnon fell into some trouble during the last full moon. There has also been some chatter that a rather well-renown necromancer, Alphonse Constant, is bent on revenge for that trouble. Monsieur Constant is not someone with whom I would trifle. He has powers beyond any I've encountered with necromancy. He is old, he is wily, he is cruel. And apparently, he is after you, Mr. Magnon." The Director let his hand over the deck, with hardly a whisper between his fingers and the top card.

  "Well, I should say it is a good thing that I am here and he is not. No one in New Orleans knows where to look for me, so that should slow down his grudge." Louis said, sounding far less confident than his words. He slid his hand just close enough to pick up the deck, holding it close to his green sweatshirt. The Director chuckled.

  "As if you or anyone can disappear from this world and not leave a trace. How clever do you think you are, Mr. Magnon? There is always someone who knows. And even if there weren't, someone has informed Monsieur Constant of your whereabouts. No, Miss Magnon, I would concentrate on that situation, rather than my own activities." The Director said, standing from the table. It seemed his tolerance for conversation was at an end.

  "Who? Who would do such a thing?" Mel blurted out, before she quickly closed her mouth. The Director turned toward her with what passed as a smile.

  "According to my Concierge connections, we should ask the Imp."

  Chapter Twenty

  Michael opened the shop for business but his mind was back at the bakery. He didn't regret his conversation with Bren; in truth, it was long overdue. He regretted that he left and Bren could spin the encounter in his favor. Unfortunately, living in Hedy's house, Bren had the advantage over him. Perhaps that arrangement would be short lived.

  "Did you administer the potion?" Mary called to him, reminding him of her presence. As much as she could be annoying, he had to admit her knowledge of herbs had proved quite useful.

  "Yes, I did. With the full moon tonight, we should see some activity from Mr. Magnon. Then, with my help, Hedy can assure the Director that she can be of assistance in a time of supernatural crisis.”

  "But remember, the network was created to protect supernaturals from danger from the mundane world, not the other way around. If your plan is to succeed, you will need to ensure that the mundane folks of this town are after the Rougarou." Her voice, still youthful sounding, despite hundreds of years, also sounded chiding. As if he hadn't thought of that.

  "Yes, Mary. Of course. I suspect there will be trouble enough from the local constables when the potion takes effect - or it should, if your ingredients work as you promised." Michael snapped. She was the same old Mary after all - questioning him and his plans. It reminded him why he had never married her, back before the town burned her.

  "Don't doubt the concoction. It will work. Just be there to make sure Hedy and her friends don't hide the results from mundane eyes. That's all I meant, Michael." She replied, subdued.

  "I'll be there, don't worry." He replied.

  ✽✽✽

  Ana arrived at the bakery and despite everything that had happened, Mel was glad to see her. After quick introductions to Delphine and Louis, Mel shared the latest news about Alice and what the Director had told them about Michael. Ana clutched absent-mindedly at the vial she always wore around her neck. Mel knew it gave her comfort whenever things were frightening to the Undine.

  "Mel, that's terrible, truly terrible. I am so sorry to hear about Alice. She was a kind creature. I am sure Hedy is taking it very hard. How can I help?" Ana squeezed Mel's hand and gave her a small smile. Mel pushed Delphine's predictions to the back of her mind; there would be time for that later. Right now, they needed to focus on how to best help Hedy.

  "I think just being here will mean a lot to her. She hasn't come out of the parlor yet but I expect she will soon. And she'll have more bad news when she does,” Mel whispered, telling Ana both the news about Michael and the Director closing the waystation. Ana gasped in response.

  "No! That is so awful. What can we do to help with this? Can we talk with the Director?" Ana looked as if she were going to cry and Mel leaned in, hugging her close. The pair held each other for a long time, just letting themselves embrace and comfort each other. They finally parted when Louis cleared his throat.

  "Ladies, I don't want to interrupt but we need to decide what we are going to tell Hedy and when we are going to tell her. I don't think we should tell her about Michael just yet. It is too much, too soon. Bad enough that the Director is going to crash her w
orld. Then we add that tidbit on top? Doesn't seem right." Louis said, glancing back at Delphine, who was stirring her pot of gumbo and filling the shop with the most incredible scent.

  "No, Cousin, I disagree. It isn't fair to keep things from Hedy. She has a right to know. It isn't our place to protect a grown woman from the truth. You do her a disservice with your attempt at kindness." Delphine replied, turning down the burner and covering the pot so the gumbo could simmer until dinner.

  "What do you two say? Is it better to tell her or to wait until the dust settles?" Louis asked, looking back at Mel and Ana. Both young women looked at each other questioningly.

  "Mel, what do you think? You probably know her best from spending so much time with her." Ana said.

  "I agree that Hedy is a grown woman and has a right to know, but I don't know that it helps her to learn about it in the middle of crisis. There is time to tell her about Michael, later." Mel said, unsure if that was truly the best answer.

  "I agree with Mel, unless Michael comes here and starts stirring things up, we should wait to tell her. Just until tomorrow, perhaps. How much bad news can one person take?" Ana said, squeezing Mel's hand again before she walked over to Louis' table to take a seat.

  "I'm out voted it seems. Fine, I'll agree to wait until tomorrow. But if that Imp comes around causing havoc, all bets are off. Agreed?" Delphine said, and the trio nodded.

  There was a scratching at the front door and Mel ran over, sure it would be Zelda. The tabby entered the house briskly, hopping light up to a chair in the bakery. She had dirt on her fur and a few remnants of dead leaves.

  "I chased him, but I don't think he is gone for good. How's Hedy?"