[ade Calhoun Series Book 9] - Dragons of Bourbon Street

by Deanna Chase

  Kane moved in, wrapped one arm tightly around me, and held Flame and me to him as if he never wanted to let go. “I think I should stay and keep an eye on you.”

  “Oh no you don’t.” I shook my head. “What’s going to happen to me if I’m just sitting in my house, minding my own business? Pyper needs help. Women are disappearing. They’re the ones we should be worried about. Not me.”

  “I’m always going to worry about my family, Jade,” he said, his expression so earnest it made my heart squeeze.

  I placed my free hand on his cheek, loving him more than ever, if that was even possible. “How about this? I’ll stay home and take care of our little girl while you go and watch Pyper’s back. I’ll even call Kat and see if she can come babysit me. Or I’ll go to her and help her at her shop.”

  “I’d feel better if you went to Bea’s shop,” he said.

  “Fine. I’ll go visit Bea,” I said. “Happy now?”

  “No.” He gently took Flame and then tightened his arms around me and pulled me in, hugging me close. “I’ll be happy when the council takes their order and shoves it up their asses.”

  Pyper laughed. “Me too.”

  “Won’t we all.” I smiled up at my husband. “I love you. And our little peanut. Now let’s have lunch before you and Pyper have to go check out Harper’s boyfriend.” I glanced over at Pyper. “Julius sent his information, right?”

  Pyper nodded. “Yep. He managed to pull it up before he got sent out on another case.”

  “Good. While you guys are gone, I’ll call Lucien and see if he’s learned anything more about dragons.”

  “But if you learn anything, you’ll pass it on to us, right?” Pyper asked.

  “You won’t rush out to save anyone, right?” Kane added.

  I clenched my fist, trying not to let my irritation get the better of me. “I’m not foolish, you know.”

  They shared a look that didn’t go unnoticed.

  “Dammit, you two.” I lost the battle. My frustration was on full display as I stalked over to the fridge and yanked out the lemonade pitcher. “You know I can’t just do nothing if someone is in danger.”

  Kane, who had more patience than a saint, gently took the pitcher from my hands and said, “We know. That’s why we’re worried. Please, just promise you won’t be the one running into the middle of a crisis.” He pressed his hand to my belly and stared into my eyes, his chocolate ones silently pleading with me. “For the baby’s sake.”

  “I promise.” What else could I possibly say? It wasn’t as if I didn’t take Miss Maybelle’s warning seriously. I absolutely did. But their inability to understand I wasn’t going to be stupid was wearing on me. “You can stop your worrying now. Both of you. I’ll stay in the house for the next two months, eating bonbons and watching Witchin’ Hills reruns until I can recite every last line. Sound good?”

  “Like you don’t already know most of the lines to Witchin’ Hills,” Pyper said with a snort.

  I ignored her, grabbed my sandwich, and let the other two fend for themselves.

  16

  Boredom was stuffing over a hundred sachets with herbs and dried petals. I’d kept my word, and before Pyper and Kane left to investigate Liam Colman, they’d dropped Flame and me off at Bea’s shop. I’d called Bea earlier to ask if it was a good time to come by, and she’d been overjoyed. The minute I got to her shop, she put me in charge of finishing the wedding favors for Kat and Lucien’s big day.

  Bea’s contribution was a gentle spell designed to bring love, peace, and prosperity to Kat’s guests. She described the spell as more of a suggestion. If Kat’s guests were open to the spell, it would help pave the way for positive events. If they weren’t, nothing would come of it.

  My eyes started to water, and I desperately wished for a nap. Or a coffee. Neither was in my future, but a cupcake could be. I finished filling the last of the sachets and then put Flame’s leash on and we made our way from the back room of Bea’s shop into the main store area.

  My mentor was behind the counter, smiling at a young woman who was purchasing a variety of prepackaged spells designed for the tourists of the city, not necessarily the magical community. I waved as I walked past and said, “Headed to the Grind. Want anything?”

  “Iced latte, please. Thank you, dear,” Bea said and turned her attention back to her customer.

  “Got it.” I strolled out of the pleasantly air-conditioned shop and was immediately hit with a wave of humidity so thick it made my limbs feel as if I were walking through water. Good goddess, New Orleans was oppressive in August. Still, I was willing to brave the heat. I needed something to keep my mind off what was happening with Kane and Pyper. Liam appeared to be a powerful witch, and if he was the one who was abducting the women, then he was very dangerous. Not that Kane didn’t have impressive skills himself. He was a demon hunter after all. I just wasn’t used to being left out of the fight.

  The Grind was only a handful of blocks away, but by the time I got there, I was dragging. Flame, however, didn’t seem any worse for wear. She bounced into the shop, happy as could be, still no fire-breathing in sight. Me, on the other hand—my lower back, shoulders, and feet were aching again. If I hadn’t already offered to get Bea a latte, I’d have just gone home and to bed. Instead, I ordered a couple of cupcakes, a scone, a cookie, and a bottle of water along with Bea’s iced latte from Bo, who refused to let me pay.

  “Thank you,” I said and stuffed a twenty into the tip jar.

  “You know you don’t have to do that,” he said, nodding to the tip jar. “Pyper would kill me if she found out I let you or Kane pay for anything.”

  “I do know.” I smiled at him. “But the service is so great—I’m just doing what I’d normally do.”

  “Here you go, Jade,” Reagan said, handing me Bea’s latte and my water. “Try to stay cool today, huh? I hear we’re supposed to have record heat.”

  “Really?” I checked the weather app on my phone. The heat index was close to 110 degrees. Yikes! I’d been so uncomfortable for the past month that I hadn’t even really noticed the change. I grimaced. “You’re right. Good thing I’m headed back to Bea’s. She has great air-conditioning.”

  I waved, and Flame and I left to navigate the steamy streets of the French Quarter back to Bea’s shop. It was late afternoon, and Bourbon Street had that slight lingering stench of rotten garbage despite the smaller late-summer crowds. I held my breath and hurried down the street, trying to keep my nausea at bay.

  Keeping my head down and my face out of the sun, I turned left to get off Bourbon and onto one of the quieter streets, Flame trotting just ahead of me. The stench faded almost immediately, and I started to relax my shoulders.

  But then I stopped when I felt dread and unease crawl up my back. Flame growled and… was that smoke coming out of her nostrils? I inched closer to the building and turned to glance around. No one was there. Not behind me or on the other side of the street. Tourists were still milling around on Bourbon, and I saw some crossing Royal a block down, but the side street I was on was empty.

  Only it wasn’t. I could feel the ominous energy, and it was headed straight for me.

  It’s an illusion, I thought for the second time that day. It had to be. Magic sprang to my palms. Without thought, I let go of my goods. They floated in the air near me as I placed my palms out in front of me for protection, calling, “Ipsum revelare!”

  My magic spilled out of my hands, hitting nothing but heavy, humid air. I spun around, throwing my magic in the other direction, and hit pay dirt.

  A small redhead materialized, her face set in a smug smile. “Jade, exactly the woman I was looking for.”

  Flame yanked on her leash, growling and lunging toward Harper.

  “Flame, stop it! It’s Harper!” The dog promptly sat back down but continued her low growl. I turned my attention to the woman in front of me. “What’s going on? Where have you been?” I asked, scanning her for any obvious injuries. There weren
’t any. In fact, she looked perfectly fine. I frowned. “We’ve been looking for you everywhere. Are you all right?”

  “I’m perfect now that I’ve found you.” Her smile turned to one of pure self-satisfaction, and then magic trickled over my skin, making me chilled to the bone, something that should’ve been impossible in the summer heat.

  It was a spell or a curse, and I was in trouble. My magic flared to life, but before I could do anything to defend myself, Harper disappeared again, and without any other warning, I was stunned with a bolt of electric magic that slammed me against the brick wall behind me. The coffee, water, and pastry bag fell to the ground, the liquid splashing over my sandaled feet. My head hit hard, and my vision blurred as I collapsed to the ground, barely able to hold myself up on all fours. My stomach rolled, and sweat popped out on my forehead as I struggled to hold back the vomit rising in the back of my throat.

  Something let out a whimper. It took me a moment to realize the sound was coming from me. Then Flame whined, pressing her little body to my leg. Someone moved above us, and Flame jumped up, barking and growling as smoke puffed from her nose.

  “Shut up!” Harper ordered and followed with another blast of cold magic. It hit me right in the chest, and the last thing I remembered before I passed out was Flame breathing a torrent of fire at her mistress.

  I woke in a pitch-black room, the heat so stifling that my dress was sticking to my legs. My head ached, and my mouth was so dry my tongue was practically glued to the top of my mouth. Blinking through the darkness, I pushed myself up from the smooth wooden floor and let out a loud gasp as a shot of pain ran up the side of my abdomen.

  “Who’s there?” a female voice called from the darkness.

  I clutched at my stomach, willing the pain to go away. Silent prayers filled my mind, and I pressed my palm to the side where the pain pulsed.

  I see danger for you and your daughter.

  Miss Maybelle’s words came back to me, and tears filled my eyes. This was what she’d been talking about. And all I’d been doing was getting cupcakes and coffee. The image of the iced coffee hitting the ground right before I’d been attacked came rushing back. It was like a slow-motion video running over and over in my mind.

  “Hello?” the voice called again. “Willa?”

  “Willa?” I echoed. “Is she here too?”

  “No. I don’t… You’re not Willa?”

  I ran a hand over the back of my head and winced. There was definitely a lump. “No. I saw her earlier today. She was fine. Who are you?”

  “Quiet!” a harsh voice called over some sort of speaker. Then the creak of a door reverberated through the room, followed by the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh.

  The other woman grunted and let out a low moan.

  “Stop it!” I called. “Who’s there? What do you want with us?”

  There was no reply, just the sound of rustling as I imagined the other woman being dragged from the room.

  The door slammed shut, leaving me in the eerie darkness. I had a terrible feeling I’d just been cut off from my only human contact.

  “Anyone there?” I tried. Nothing. I wasn’t surprised; I hadn’t expected anyone to answer. With my head still spinning, I forced my magic to the surface, relieved to feel my powerful magic concentrated in my palms. But instead of trying to blast my way out of the room, I first sent my magic out, confirming that no one else was there.

  Except I couldn’t release it. It was there, right at the surface of my hands, but when I tried to send it out into the world, it clung to me as if trapped by my own skin. Frustrated, I tried again.

  Still nothing.

  Then I let out a growl and tossed a bolt of my raw magic toward the area I thought I’d heard the door slam shut. This time my magic flew through the air, but just before impact, it slammed back into me, reverberating through my body and shaking me to my very core.

  Another sharp pain ran up the side of my abdomen, causing my knees to weaken from the force. I went down on one knee, still holding on to the wall with one hand.

  “Holy hell. That fucking hurt,” I muttered, trying to catch my breath and hoping I hadn’t cracked a kneecap.

  After I got back on my feet, I pressed my hands to the wall and felt my way around the room. There appeared to be nothing but smooth walls, a slightly uneven wooden floor, and two solid wood doors, both of them locked and unmovable. When I tried to use my magic to open the doors, my power rebounded on me just as it had before.

  There was no doubt about it. I was in some sort of prison that had been spelled to contain magic. And there was nothing to do but wait.

  17

  Time ceased to exist. The blackened room remained silent while my heart seemed to beat in my throat. The pain in my side persisted, intensifying, hurting not only when I moved but when I breathed too. I was no stranger to dangerous situations. I’d fought demons, black magic, evil witches, and vengeful ghosts. A room void of light hardly compared.

  But I’d never had a child to protect either. And now I was nearly going out of my mind with fear. I had no way of knowing if I was seriously hurt or if I’d just pulled a muscle. Or when I was likely to be given food or water. Would anyone come back for me? Or was I stuck in this magic-sucking prison forever?

  My magic was pulsing through me, charged and on high alert, ready for me to attack at any moment. It was wearing me out. If I didn’t control myself, exhaustion would claim me. But I couldn’t. My nerves had taken over, and reining myself in was all but impossible.

  My frustration and fear swirled around me until I felt as if I’d formed my own tornado, and finally in a fit of rage, I unloaded all my pent-up magic right at the door in front of me.

  My magic hit with a boom, rattling the entire structure. The door lit up, illuminating the room’s twelve-foot ceilings, an ornate crystal chandelier, one blood-red wall, and the door’s deep mahogany color and matching crown molding. The floor was newly refinished, and everything about the room said it was a glorious Victorian except for the bucket in the corner. My modern-day chamber pot, I guessed.

  Where the hell was I?

  My magic continued to rumble around the room, shaking the chandelier, and then just like that, it winked out as if absorbed by invisible energy. The room went pitch-black again, and suddenly my magic reappeared, slamming back into me.

  I let out a cry and slumped to the floor, my energy zapped and the pain now a continuous dull ache in my side. Clutching my abdomen, I hunched over and sobbed, defeated and hating myself for not being stronger for my little girl.

  My reality turned fuzzy as I slipped in and out of sleep. During my lucid moments, I prayed I’d fall into a deep slumber and that Kane would find me there in my dreams. When I did slip under, my mind whirled with jagged, broken dreams. Women with flaming hands had wolves by their sides with their teeth bared, snarling and ready to battle as they stalked through the bayou in the dead of the night. The blood moon was overhead, and the air was ominous with unease and danger.

  Anticipation covered me like a sheen of sweat while I waited… Waited for what, I didn’t know. But he was out there, ruling the bayou, making his plans and setting everything into motion.

  Jade? His voice was faint but cut through the chaos, soothing my soul.

  Kane? Is that you?

  Where are you? Are you all right? What happened? His voice was frantic now, his fear creeping into his tone.

  Tears threatened to choke me, but I swallowed my own emotion and said, I don’t know where I am. Harper hit me with a Taser or stun gun and knocked me out, and now I’m locked in a room. I think it’s a nice Victorian, but I have no idea where.

  Harper? Really?

  Yes. She fooled us all. The council was right to arrest her, I said.

  Son of a bitch.

  He could say that again. I was still standing in the bayou, only the women and wolves were gone, and all I saw was the still water and the sway of the Spanish moss hanging from the cypress tre
es. Where are you? Why can’t I see you?

  I can’t find you. His tone was full of frustration. Then it softened as he asked, Are you and the baby okay?

  The tears were back, but I’d be damned if I let him hear them or gave him more to worry about. Somehow, I managed to fortify my voice when I said, We’re okay. Ready to go home, but okay.

  Thank the gods, he said, letting out a sigh of relief. Bea is leading a finding spell tonight, Jade. We’re coming for you.

  I don’t know if it will work, I said, unable to hide the tremble as I voiced the fear I hadn’t wanted to admit to myself. My magic is contained in this room. I think it’s sealed. You might not be able to get a read on me.

  He was silent for a moment. So silent I started to think I’d lost him.

  Kane?

  I found you in our dreams, Jade. One way or another, Bea and I will find that house. Trust me.

  Hope swelled in my heart, and this time the tears flowed freely as I answered, Hurry.

  The door banged open and a sliver of light shone into my barren room. I jerked my head up, squinting as I waited for my eyes to adjust. A woman I didn’t recognize strolled in wearing a white robe. She dropped a tray on the floor. A bottle of water toppled over and rolled toward the wall.

  “Eat,” the woman said. Her voice was gruff, and her eyes were almost black against her pale face. She had long, straight gray hair, and her hands were covered with wrinkles and liver spots, but she was agile and moved with ease, defying her aged appearance.

  “Where am I?” I choked out.

  “Where you need to be.”

  The door slammed shut, but the lights from the chandelier flickered to life. The light was too bright, causing my eyes to water. I had no sense of time or how long I’d been in that room. Hours? Days? I could no longer tell. I did know I was dehydrated, and the bottle of water looked like heaven. I practically lunged for it, gritting my teeth through the pain in my side.