by Sable Hunter
“Let’s go sit down, Arabella can’t stand much longer.” Tyler led them into the waiting room. They found a section that could accommodate them all. It wasn’t long before a doctor approached the family. He searched their faces for any indication of who to talk to. Nanette pushed Eric forward. He held his breath.
“There doesn’t seem to be any major internal injuries. The brain has swelled, but she is stable. After she regains consciousness, we’ll know more.”
“Can we see her now?” he asked.
The doctor looked at the group of six. “It’s a small room, but sure, your presence may go a long way to bringing her back faster.”
“That’s what we think.” Nanette assured him.
Eric nearly groaned at the sight of her. She was so small, so helpless looking. “She healed a second degree burn on my arm in a matter of hours. I know you healed the congressman. Can you do anything for her?” He turned to the family expecting great things.
Elizabeth walked near to her. She held her hands out over Evangeline. “Bastard!” she exclaimed.
“What do you see, Mother?” Arabella stood near, ready to help in any way she could.
“He didn’t have a weapon,” she spoke harshly. “He kicked her. He kicked her over and over again with damned, steel-toed, cowboy boots.” At her revelation, Eric closed his eyes and felt a part of him die. The thought of Evangeline being kicked like a dog paralyzed him.
“Was she raped, sexually molested in anyway?” The doctor hadn’t mentioned it, but Angelique asked the hard question. This hadn’t even occurred to Eric. He held his breath, praying he could repair whatever damage had been inflicted upon Evangeline’s gentle spirit.
“No, thank God.”
Breathe, Eric told himself. Breathe.
“This wasn’t really a sexual thing. In fact…” Elizabeth paused. She wheeled around to her mother. “There’s magick involved. I can smell it; a dark, cruel force. This wasn’t random. This was personal. There is a block, as to motive, a powerful block. But not by the assailant. His name is Clark Laurence and if they hurry, the police will catch him on I-20 between Marshall and Shreveport. He’s in a red Pontiac Solstice.” Tyler did not hesitate. He knew how good his wife was. Stepping out of the room with the cell phone, he started the ball rolling that would ensure Clark Laurence was taken into custody.
Eric was stunned. This was more overwhelming than he had ever imagined. The four women gathered around the bed. Nanette reached inside her purse and took out a large clear crystal. She sat it next to Evangeline’s head. “Get me water, Angelique.” To the water, Nanette added some herbs and some oil. Dipping her hands into the bowl she began to stroke Evangeline’s body. Everywhere there was a bruise, the water was applied. “Eric, Arabella is a healer, a Traiteur. A traiteur is a powerful Cajun healer. Arabella, place your hands on her head. That’s our main worry. Elizabeth, Angelique, join me. We’ve got to wake this baby up. The bruising won’t go away immediately, but we can accelerate the healing process. But bringing her out of this coma, that’s what we’re going to do now.”
Eric stepped back. Something his mother had done for him when he was little was tugging at the back of his mind. As he watched these four, confident women lay their hands on the most precious thing in the world to him, Eric began to remember.
He had been four or five at the time. It had been just before Christmas. He and his mother had returned from shopping. The excitement and mystery of the bags and packages filled with presents had seemed magical to him. In his childlike glee, he had gotten in her way and before she knew it, his mother had shut his hand in the car door. Eric still remembered the white-hot pain. He had screamed bloody murder. It had felt like his hand had been crushed, every bone broken. Grace had been horrified, but she had not panicked. Eric remembered her opening the car door, picking him up and carrying him inside. Then, instead of rushing him to the doctor or calling an ambulance or even his dad, she had knelt by him and took his hand in hers. “Hush, love, hush,” she had soothed him.
He remembered she had held his hand, encased in both of hers. There hadn’t been a lot of blood, but the pain had been excruciating. Looking back, Eric realized that many bones in his hand must have been fractured. That’s where the memory went awry. He had no recollection of a doctor visit, a cast, or even any discomfort. Grace had held his hand; he could still recall the heat. The pain had lessened and drowsiness had taken him over. When he woke up, it was as if nothing had happened. In fact, he had played T-Ball that night and his father had never known about the incident.
My God! This shit is real! Time had passed. Grace had died when he was only ten years old, but he still remembered he had protected her, keeping things like that from his dad who refused to listen, consider, or give his wife any freedom at all. Eric vowed he would never be like that. He listened to Nanette’s voice.
God and Goddess, Mother and Father of all life, hear my cry
Archangels—four—Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel—open heaven’s door
Watchtowers of the East, Element of Air—send a healing wind
Watchtowers of the South, Element of Fire—bathe her in your warm embrace—the spark of life please send
Watchtowers of the West, Element of Water—let blessings flow
Watchtowers of the North, Element of Earth—mercy and peace, please show
* * * *
Evangeline could see and hear everything. She just couldn’t respond. Nanette and the others were willing her to move, to open her eyes. She saw Eric standing by praying for her. Then, Evangeline realized she was clear across the room, connected to her body by a silver ribbon. I’ve been trying to do this for years. She looked down at her body; it looked almost the same as the one lying in the bed, except her skin was opalescent instead of opaque. Walking up to Eric, she placed a hand on his broad shoulder. He turned around, and looked through her. She leaned up and kissed him on the throat and he jerked.
“Nanette, is Evangeline still alive?” His voice had a definite sense of panic to it.
Evangeline put her arms around him and he stiffened. Then he relaxed. He knew she was there.
The women all looked around at him, their hands still on her inert body. “Why yes, baby, her heart is beating strong and steady. Why?”
“Because she has her arms around me. I can feel her.” His voice held a note of wonder.
Nanette put her hands on her chubby hips and spoke forcefully to her granddaughter, “You get yourself back over her and get inside your body. Open those eyes for me and quit your playing around.” Elizabeth and Arabella couldn’t help but smile.
Eric felt her slip away. Then, as he watched, Evangeline moved slightly. She let out a long breath and he saw the tip of her tongue wet her lips and her top teeth caught her full bottom lip as if she was fighting pain. He stepped closer. The women kept their hands on her.
“Come on baby, open your eyes.” Nanette encouraged her.
Eric held his breath. Then a prayer of thanks slipped from his lips as he watched her head move and her small voice spoke one word.
“Eric?”
Nanette motioned for him to come up. She took his hand and joined it to her granddaughter’s. “He’s here, baby.” All of the women stepped back, giving them a little space. Cradling her body, he held her close. Kissing her neck he whispered in her ear. “Oh, love, love. I’m never letting you go again.” He felt one hand reach up and stroke his hair.
“Did you feel me kiss you a few moments ago, when you were standing across the room?” Eric rose up and looked at her. She was smiling.
“Yes, I did. You nearly scared me to death, I thought you had died.”
“No, just fooling around.”
He laughed, then abruptly cut it off. His throat closed up and his chest burned. “I thought I had lost you.”
Nanette stepped back up and put her arm around Eric. “She’ll be all right now. The bruising won’t get any worse. In fact, it should start to fade, soon. When the doct
or comes back, he’ll be surprised to find you vastly improved.”
“Do I have to stay in the hospital tonight?”
Her question resulted in five resounding simultaneous answers, “Yes.”
Her eyes immediately went to Eric’s. She wanted to ask him to stay with her, but she didn’t want to make any demands. He heard her thoughts as clear as a bell.
“Oh, I’m staying, babe.” He answered her unasked question.
They all laughed. “Our powers are rubbing off. He’s reading her mind.” Elizabeth, also, had heard every word.
* * * *
“Idiot!” Duvalier knocked a lamp from his desk.
“Your puppet came off the strings.” The small black man smiled slyly.
“All he was supposed to do was watch and listen.”
“Maybe the witch was just too tempting.”
“I want her. She has a power that I don’t have in my collection.”
“Weather.” Black Eddie smiled.
“Yes, I need a storm magnet, a lightning rod.” Maurice Duvalier’s mind raced. What he could do with power like that.
“Listen to me, Frenchman, I have a plan.”
* * * *
Aimee held Zak’s hand. “It’s too dangerous. I can’t let you risk yourself like that.”
“But I know where she is.” Zak insisted. “Clark’s shallow mind was easy to crack.”
“If I can get to Evangeline, she can get to your mother. You know I can’t go to New Orleans, there are too many eyes, but Austin is a different story. With Clark out of the way, the field is wide open. I can do this. Black Eddie doesn’t understand what I know, what I can do. I don’t know how you have done it, Aimee, but you have built a hedge around me. Your love has protected me. I never knew my own mother, but I can’t imagine her loving me more than you do.”
“I do love you, sweet boy. There’s a bond between us, I don’t understand it. Maybe, one day we will know why our hearts and lives are entwined the way they are, but for now—we work as one.” Aimee was so tired. She was weak. They kept both of them on short rations, anything to tamp down their powers and keep them controllable. But they had underestimated her Zak. Big time.
Zak continued, “They only value me for my ability to spot the casino winners and to know which slot machines are about to pay off. They have no idea what I’m capable of. They don’t know I can leave this place any time I get ready. They don’t know I can slide through time and space.” He knelt close to the woman who had become his family.
“And we don’t want them to know. Rest, now. Give me time to think.” Aimee spoke solemnly.
* * * *
Before the family left, Eric took Nanette out into the hall. “I don’t want her to be by herself. The summer session is over, so she won’t have to go to class. If only I didn’t have to work for a damn living.” Eric was frustrated, wanting to be in two places at one time.
“Settle down, son.” Nanette calmed him. “Angelique and I will come back. There is plenty of room and Phillipe will be here tomorrow. We’ll help you watch out for her.”
“I want to stay, too—when I’m not on duty.” Eric watched the older woman’s face to see how she would react. What he was saying was, ‘I intend to sleep with your granddaughter.’
“Don’t worry, baby. I want you in her bed. You’re a bodyguard extraordinaire.”
“Thanks, Nanette. I knew you’d understand. I can’t leave her.”
“She wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Convinced that Evangeline was going to be fine, the family dissipated. When they were finally alone, Eric didn’t just stand by her or sit on the bed. He climbed in next to her. “We need a bigger bed,” he fussed in jest. Evangeline scooted over to give him room, almost going over the side. “Come back here,” he caught her before she fell onto the floor. Being mindful of her IV, Eric scooped her up and slid under her, so that he was lying on the bed and she was nestled on top of him.
Immediately, she sighed, “Oh, this is much better. I can’t imagine the nurses will approve.”
“They’ll just have to deal with it.” He hugged her close. “Are you in pain?”
“Not much, I’m just really sore and my head is sort of achy. But being in your arms makes everything all right.”
Eric rubbed his hand over her soft hair, over and over. “I heard you call me and I came as fast as I could.”
His touch was soothing and comforting; Evangeline closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his chest. “I cried out for you when I was being attacked.” Evangeline remembered how scared she was. “I didn’t say it out loud, I cried for you in my head.” Eric caressed her face, tracing her brow, her nose, her lips.
“Babe, what happened? Did you have any idea he wanted to hurt you?”
“No. Clark was always quiet. He was on the soccer team. He had asked me out a couple of times and invited me to parties at his house. He was very popular; I was never suspicious of him.”
“Tell me how it happened.” His hands continued their exploration of her body, as if he needed assurance that all was well.
“I thought everyone was gone. When I was cleaning up my station, he grabbed me and held me down.” Eric’s arms tightened around her. “He said that he had seen the bronzes and he hadn’t realized I was such a slut. He told me if I had needed a man that bad, why didn’t I just come to him. He said he knew exactly what I was.”
“I should have never let you walk to class alone.”
“Stop it,” she put a finger over his lips. “We didn’t know. I’ve walked back and forth to class alone a hundred times. This is not your fault, besides, there has to be more to it than just sex. I’m just not that attractive.”
“Not attractive, my ass. You’re incredibly sexy, lusciously hot, and down-right spectacular looking.” Eric appeared ready to argue the point.
“Yea, you would say that,” she assured him. “You’re still under my spell.”
Gently, he pulled her up till he could reach her lips. “Forever. I want to be under your spell forever.” Their lips met in the lightest, sweetest of kisses. He was so very careful of her; she was sore and still badly bruised. She, on the other hand, had other ideas.
A slight whimper escaped her throat. Holding his face with both hands, she deepened the kiss. Her tongue rubbed against his. She toyed with his lips, nibbling with her teeth.
He held himself back, letting her take what she needed. He was willing to wait; she was way too fragile for his passion. “Eric,” she grumbled. “Kiss me back.”
“No, witch.” He laughed at her consternation. “There’ll be plenty of time for that when you’re feeling better.”
“But I need you now. Just a little.” She pleaded. “For a few seconds, before I blacked out, I thought I was going to die. When he kicked me in the head, I was sure that was just the first—all I could think about was you. I wouldn’t miss breathing. I wouldn’t miss walking and talking. I wouldn’t miss this world or living in it. What I would miss is you. You were my very last thought. You.” Tears were flowing down her cheeks and he caught each one of them with his lips.
“Don’t cry baby. Don’t cry.” Giving her what she needed, he captured her lips, feasting on them, telling her with his kiss that his life began the moment he first saw her.
“That’s better. Thank you.” Eric kissed her on her forehead as she laid her head back on his shoulder, exhausted.
* * * *
When she fell asleep, Eric gently slipped out from under her and took up a vigil by her bed. The doctor had been in and was rightfully amazed at her progress. Nanette had called and checked in, but the news he had most wanted to hear came in person. Just before visiting hours was over, Tyler Garrison tapped on the door.
“Hey. How is she?” Eric pulled another chair up near the bed and they spoke in whispers.
“She seems to be doing well. The doctor said I could take her home in the morning.”
“How much did you know about the famil
y before today?” Tyler asked with an amused expression on his face.
Eric leaned back in his chair, stretched his long legs out in front of him and looked at the detective. “Evangeline didn’t come out and tell me everything right away, but she never hid anything. She said she had power and then she began to show me.” Eric smiled remembering what had happened in the bathroom. “But today, I understood that she hadn’t been kidding, about any of it.”
“No, they’re for real.” Tyler looked at him seriously. “And they’re good and kind and compassionate. You can trust them with your life. I’ve seen them do things you can barely wrap your brain around. When the woman and the little girl came up missing in Wimberley last winter, I watched Angelique walk through a wooded acre and precisely pinpoint the graves of four murder victims. Initially, I was a skeptic. But, it didn’t take me long to realize that this world is a much more complicated place than I ever envisioned.”
“I’m beginning to understand that.” Eric agreed.
Then as if remembering why he came, Tyler leaned forward and lowered his voice even further. “Clark Laurence is no longer a threat. It was the weirdest thing. He was on I-20, just like Elizabeth said. But when the units spotted him and began to pursue him, he drove his car straight into the wall of an overpass. Never slowed down, he must have been going ninety. There wasn’t enough of that red car left to assemble a toy fire truck.”
Eric breathed a sigh of relief. “I never would wish anybody dead, but I can’t say that I’m sorry he’s no longer a threat to Evangeline.”
Tyler rose. “I’m headed back to Wildflower Way. I understand Nanette and Angelique are going to be bunking with you and Evangeline for a while.”
“Yea, Elizabeth seems to think there is more to this than just Laurence. I’d rather Evangeline not be alone. Although, I’m having a hard time seeing how two little old ladies will be much protection.”
