Ryan snickered as he unlocked the door of his car and said, “Don’t worry about it.”
“And … thank you for doing this. Really, I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
“What do you need to ask this old broad anyways?”
I grinned, opening the passenger door and letting myself inside. “It’s a long drive, I'll tell you all about it on the way.”
~ * ~
“Your mom was having an affair?” he asked me dumbfounded.
“The details are still a little sketchy,” I confessed. “But they were definitely involved.”
I brought him up to speed on as many things as possible about Mom's history, without endangering him in the process. That basically meant explaining she had a relationship with a mysterious man before, and he had come to me with a business offer. Ryan eyes were wide and thoughtful, “Holy crap, that's…”
“Disgusting?” I suggested.
“…huge,” he corrected automatically. “Are you sure you wanna keep that to yourself? That’s way too much for one person to handle alone.”
I rubbed my face in exasperation. “Think about what it would do to my dad if he found out,” I pleaded with concern. “It would crush him! And I can’t exactly ask Mom, to get her side of the story. That’s why I’m going to find Aunt Nadia, she’s the only one besides Mom who probably knows about what happened. I’m sorry that I’ve been so short with you lately, I’ve just been dealing with a lot of stuff.”
“No kidding! I had no idea all this was going on. What about the guy? What did you say his name was? Alex…?”
“Aidan,” I corrected. “And I don’t trust him. He’s a seriously creepy dude. Initially, I wasn’t going to tell you about it, but then I remembered he technically only demanded I keep it from my family. He never specified I couldn't discuss it with a third party, so that means you're safe.”
“Why haven’t you called the cops? This guy can’t just show up in your life no matter what his relationship is with your mom. Hella creepy!”
I gave a defeated sigh. “It’s not that simple, trust me. He’s got leverage on her and I’m not sure what it is. Even if they wanted to help, what could they do? I told you this was going to be messy. I was fine going by myself but you insisted on coming along, so you’re going to have to take my lead. If you still think I'm crazy when we get back, you're more than welcome to have me committed — I'll even help with the paperwork.”
He muttered something under his breath before shifting into the exit lane. “All right, if you say so. Let me fill 'er up, then we can get back on the road.”
I gave him a lopsided smile as he pulled into the gas station. I grabbed my wallet from inside my bag and handed him a twenty. “It's the least I can do, since you're doing all the driving,” I offered modestly.
His lip twitched slightly when he accepted my offer and stepped out of the car. I knew he didn’t need it since his parents were fairly wealthy and always gave him gas money, but I couldn’t ask this favor of him without chipping in a bit. “'Kay. I'll be right back.”
The fumes of gasoline came leaking in from outside and my nose crinkled from the smell. While he was tending to the car, I whipped out my phone and did a quick web search to make sure my information was correct. All my searching for Nadia Brenning had been fruitless, until Mom’s last clue of “Quarter Moon,” leading me straight into the French Quarter of New Orleans. Nadia mentioned New Orleans in one of her letters, so I figured it was a good place to start.
I felt guilty not telling Caleb about this adventure, but wasn’t sure if he’d approve.
There was a tap on my window and I looked up from the screen to see Ryan outside my window, holding a Cherry Coke. I grinned and rolled down the window. “You got my favorite!” I cheered happily. “You know me too well.”
“I do,” he agreed, handing me the drink. “You owe me one.”
“I already owe you big! Thank you again for doing this.”
“You're welcome.”
As he walked around to the driver side and popped the gas lid, I opened the plastic bottle and started greedily chugging. After a bit, Ryan slid into the seat beside me and put the key in the ignition to get some air flow going. Just then a text came in and I glanced down at my phone.
What are you doing? - C
I ignored it, not wanting to upset him, and scratched idly at my arm to relieve the irritation.
“You should really get that checked out. It’s getting worse,” he mentioned casually.
“Oh, this?” I asked him, trying to downplay it as much as possible. “Just a little rash, no big deal.”
He shrugged and we fell into a comfortable silence as he put the car in drive and maneuvered it out of the parking lot. A couple minutes later he glanced over at me and said, “How much farther is it?”
I checked the GPS on my phone and told him, “We should be there in about fifteen minutes, so it’s not too much longer.”
Ryan nodded. “You know Lacey is going to kill us for missing rehearsal, right?”
“Ugh, you're right,” I groaned, slapping my hand against my forehead. “I forgot all about that. I'll send her a text and let her know what's going on.”
“Don't worry about it, I already talked to her when I went inside.”
“Was she angry?”
“She was at first, but it sounds like she'll be able to juggle some things around so we're actually not missing much.”
“That's a relief. What are they doing instead?”
“Music mostly, and some of the guys need practice on their dancing.”
We prattled on about the show for a while until we got to our exit. I called out directions along the way until we arrived at a quaint little terrace of shops on the edge of Dumaine Street. He slowed the car as we drove past the address I had written down and we went in search of somewhere to park.
It took us a couple blocks to find an empty meter, but that was fine with me — I didn’t mind walking in the slightest. We stepped onto the open sidewalk of the courtyard and found a picturesque French café named Café Du Monde, complete with outdoor seating and a band of jazz musicians playing on a makeshift stage. I couldn’t help but smile at the soulful, melodic tune drifting out across the street. “Ryan … I think I found my new favorite place in the whole world,” I informed him dreamily. “Elyse and I are the only people I know who willingly listen to jazz.”
“That's because Elyse is so old fashioned she doesn't even know what modern music sounds like.”
“Oh, really? Then what's my excuse?” I challenged playfully.
He shrugged and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Beats me. I've been trying to figure that one out for years.”
As I punched him in the arm, an actual horse-drawn carriage came parading down the street with feathers dancing from the horse’s bridle. We both started after it, slack-jawed.
“Okay you got me, this place is pretty cool,” he agreed with a reluctant smile. “Now let’s go find your aunt.”
“Oh! Um … actually, I was thinking I could meet you back here when I’m done. You could grab some lunch at the café.”
“Why don’t you want me to come?” he demanded stubbornly.
“There’s … probably some upsetting stuff that’s going to be discussed. Things I don’t exactly want you to know about me yet. Everyone else already thinks I’m a freak, I couldn’t bear it if you did too.”
“Wynn, nothing will change. How bad could it be? Besides, if you think I’m going to let you wander around back alleys in a strange town by yourself then you’re crazy. I’m coming with you. End of discussion.”
I sighed in defeat, “Alright, but remember I tried to warn you….”
We crossed the street together and walked a few blocks back towards to Dumaine, where Quarter Moon was advertised. On the way there we passed some of the most eclectic shops and street performers I’d ever seen, including tarot readings set up on the edge of Jackson Square a
nd the Voodoo Emporium. It was like a completely different world and I was loving every minute of it.
Out of nowhere, my phone started vibrating with “unknown caller” blinking across the screen. I furrowed my brow dismissively and immediately ignored who I could only assume was a telemarketer. “Sorry, dude. Not interested.”
Just as I was beginning to loose myself in the music and forget why we had come, my eyes caught sight of a familiar form leaning against the wall. He gazed out across the terrace beneath the rim of a grey fedora. Even though his face was obscured with shadow, I could recognize that presence anywhere — Aidan.
My pulse quickened at the sight of him and Ryan heard my quick intake of air. “Everything okay?”
I brushed past him to get a better look and see if my eyes were playing tricks on me. He flicked some cigarette ash onto the concrete and then brought it back to his lips, but when I took a step towards him, he disappeared with a coy smile. “Yeah, it’s fine,” I told him sharply. “I thought I saw someone. Come on, let's get this over with.”
He sighed as I began searching for the store. When we finally made it to Dumaine, there was just an enormous, red brick building with a wrought iron railing on the second floor.
“I’m not seeing any store here,” Ryan muttered feebly.
“No, it’s got to be!”
There was a gap in the numbering on the street corner, opening to a small alcove. It had a small archway that led into a courtyard and a spiral set of stairs. My eyes narrowed as I stepped over the threshold and found a wooden sign that read Quarter Moon Apothecary. Ryan seemed trepidatious as we headed down the darkened alleyway, but I didn't even blink. I didn't feel quite like myself, but someone else entirely. Someone stronger than I was, someone braver.
I followed the walkway down the alcove to a large, black door set apart from the rest of the street. I supposed the nature of this business would cater to the sort of clientele that placed a high value on their privacy. “Hey, Ryan?” I asked him nervously.
“Yeah?”
“You know those rumors about my mom being a witch?”
His brow furrowed with confusion as I grasped the silver handle in front of me and took a final, calming breath. “Um … yes?”
“They're true,” I deadpanned, pushing the front door open. “Let's go meet her comrades.”
His reaction was a perfect cocktail of anger, fear, and confusion, but the moment we stepped inside, social contract went into effect and he couldn’t yell at me the way he wanted to.
I passed through the doorway and my senses were immediately bombarded by the scent of lavender and sage coming from incense burning in the corner. Hanging on the wall beside that was an array of Celtic tapestries and a bohemian style light fixture made of multi-colored glass. The wall next to them was completely lined with books and a smallish counter with a register upon it.
Ryan was right behind me and grabbed me by the wrist before I could finish taking all of it in. “What do you mean your mom's a witch?” he demanded quietly. “I thought you hated talking about that crap.”
“I do,” I agreed with him calmly, speaking out the corner of my mouth as I continued to look around the shop. “Or rather I did, until I learned they weren’t just rumors. That’s the other reason I have to find Nadia, I have to get some answers. Everything I’ve found has led me here, she’s the only one who can help.”
He was about to argue when a woman came out from the back and started, “Welcome to Quarter Moon, how may I assist … you…?”
Her aura was red like Mom's — another witch. Based on her reaction, I assumed she could see mine too and knew exactly what I was. The blood drained from her face as I took a step towards her and it felt strange to know that for once, I was the dangerous one.
Ryan was perceptive enough to pick up on the tension between me and the woman at the counter, so he took a step back and started browsing around, trying to appear casual. She looked at him, and then at me, taking a long hard stare at the color of my hair before realization struck. “Oh my God … you're Michele Whelan's daughter!”
The sound of my mother's name caught the attention of us both, and Ryan’s head whipped around. My eyes narrowed as I took another step towards her. “If you know who my mother is, then you know why I am here. Where’s Nadia?”
She opened her mouth to speak, but before any words came out, Ryan was tugging on the sleeve of my shirt and gestured for me to follow. “Come here, I think I found something.”
I turned away from the girl begrudgingly and gave her a little smile. “Never mind, I think we found what we’re looking for.”
The woman watched us open-mouthed as Ryan led me to a beaded doorway and pointed to a woven tapestry. There were voices coming from deep inside that suddenly hushed. “Wynn, what's going on?” he whispered vehemently.
I grabbed hold of the dark, blue fabric and said, “We’re about to find out.”
I pulled the curtain aside to find eight or nine women in the adjoining chamber all sitting in a magnificent sea of ruby auras. The color was so unique, I'd never seen one outside the hospital. Mom was the only witch I’d ever met. It was unnerving to see so many of them together in one place. All of them could see me for what I really was — I had never felt so naked in my life. It gave me a wicked thrill to know that not only was I recognized, but feared because of it.
“A DEMON!” one of the women hissed.
Chaos erupted and I shouted above them, “I'm looking for a witch. Her name is Nadia Brenning. Do you know where I can find her?”
They whispered fearfully to one another.
“A mortal demon!” another added. “That's impossible.”
Ryan balked at the accusation and opened his mouth to say something when I cast him a warning glance. There was some whispering amongst the women, one of whom pointed towards my hair. I could only imagine they’d heard the rumors from their respective demons about the Earthwalker child. Red hair was difficult to hide and a fairly obvious descriptor.
“We all know Nadia, ’cher, but that girlie ain't no witch,” a bolder witch in the crowd addressed me.
My heart sank as the words left her mouth. If Nadia wasn't a witch, then she had no way of helping me. “Not a witch?” I asked them in bewilderment. “Then what is she?”
“Very pleased to see you,” a melodic voice responded.
Ryan and I both turned and found a beautiful middle aged woman standing behind us. She had lovely mocha skin and long, black hair woven into dreadlocks. She was different than I remembered, and thinner, but I recognized the scent of vanilla and Birchwood perfume. Most importantly however, was that even in the sea of red auras, she had none at all. The only other creatures I’d seen void of spiritual essence were the fae from the Grove of Ancients. Since she didn’t have one either, that placed her firmly in their domain. “Nadia?” I breathed. “You’re … fae?”
“How kind of you to notice,” she told me with a smile.
The witches around us snickered.
“Oh, hush!” the woman scolded them, offering me her hand. “Hello, Wynn. I was wondering when you'd come to pay me a visit. What brings you to the Crescent City?”
“I thought that would be quite obvious.”
She clicked her tongue and smiled, looking me over carefully. “Yes … why don't you come upstairs? I own the townhouse on the second floor.”
Ryan stepped back into the hallway and I cast one last glance to the witches’ coven before following. Nadia led the way back through the store and Ryan made sure to stay close behind. “How did you know I was here?” I inquired nervously, when we passed the girl at the register.
“Phoebe came and got me,” she answered simply. The witch behind the counter nodded, with the hint of a smile on her face. “Phoebe, please shut down your register and let the customers know we're closed. I have some personal business to attend to.”
“Yes, ma'am,” the girl responded.
Nadia led us past the checkout counter
to another door that opened into a narrow stairwell. “I wish you hadn't barged in here like that,” she clipped sternly. “You nearly scared the pants off our local coven. Most of them have never even met their Masters and you come blazing in here as the first demon they've ever seen. Next time, I would prefer if you'd use some tact. I am trying to run a business.”
“Sorry, I needed to talk to you and this place was the only lead I had.”
Nadia chuckled, “For good reason, I've gone out of my way to remain off the radar. This entire complex has a cloaking spell cast over it. No scrying spell will work in here, and no angel or demon can get a trace on anything inside.”
“Nice, I can see how that would come in handy … and why the witches would want to meet here.”
“I think you hit the nail on the head,” she nodded with approval and motioned up the stairs. “After you.”
Chapter Eleven
The Whelan Curse
I ascended the stairwell and a silver tabby mewed from the top, chasing its tail in a happy circle. I smiled at the resemblance it had to my own little rascal at home. “Please, have a seat,” Nadia welcomed us through the door.
She gestured to the parlor of a humble dwelling and I stepped inside, setting my bag on the tile flooring. A row of potted herbs graced the window sill and underneath them sat a bookshelf which boasted many fine volumes in English, French, and Italian. I was impressed by her selection and took note of some of the more famous authors in her collection; Dante, Homer, Shakespeare, and Poe. The fat tabby jumped on the couch beside me and chirped a friendly “meow”, sniffing the air to see if I was a human that could be trusted. I nuzzled the fur around his face and he purred happily against my palm. “Hey there,” I cooed, petting his fluffy coat. “You and Mom sure have a thing for cats.”
“Indeed,” Nadia agreed with a hidden smile. “Why don't I make us all some tea while the two of you get settled?”
“That would be lovely.”
My phone started buzzing noisily in my pocket, so I pulled it out to take a look at the caller ID:Unknown Number.
Dealing with the Devil (The Earthwalker Trilogy Book 1) Page 16
