by J. N. Colon
Riley grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. “What is Étienne Benoit doing in your bed!” she whisper-yelled.
My head snapped back and forth until I finally slipped out of her grasp, the room spinning. “It’s a long story.”
“Girl, you better start talking.” Riley began jumping up and down, her red curls bouncing chaotically. “I want all the dirty deets.”
A throaty groan escaped Etie, and his hand slipped out, searching the mattress beside him. “Angeline?”
Lana mouthed Angeline, dramatically waving her face as if she were going to faint.
“Angeline? Where’d you go?”
Flames licked at my cheeks, and the absence of smoke was the only thing telling me I wasn’t actually on fire.
Etie shifted, his head turning in our direction as his lids fluttered open. A sleepy smile split his lips. “I didn’t know we had company, cher.”
My eyes narrowed. Something about that crooked half smile made me think he’d been awake longer than he was letting on. “I have company.”
He ignored my snarky tone and glanced at the tall girl next to me. “Hello, Riley.”
Her grin was borderline manic. “Hi, Étienne.”
“And you must be Lana.” His attention swiveled to the girl currently frozen against the door.
My usually silver-tongued friend had nothing to say in the face of the roguish Cajun.
“I guess I better go to work now.” Etie kicked the covers off, revealing his tight boxer briefs that left little to the imagination, and rolled out of bed.
We watched in silence as he grabbed his jeans from the floor, tugging them on. He spun around, his carved upper body ensnaring us. For the love of all things holy, Etie was built like a Greek god with a lure as sinful as the devil. He ran his hand through his wild locks as he searched the floor for his t-shirt.
Hot incarnate, plain and simple. Drool was probably dripping down my chin.
“Oh.” Etie finally spotted his shirt near the foot of the bed. He tossed it on, his muscles twisting and bunching as he covered that beautiful sight. When he glanced up, that crooked smirk curled his lips as if he knew we’d enjoyed watching him dress.
I certainly did.
“I see you soon, yeah?” he asked, walking toward me, looking rumpled and oh so sexy.
I tried—and failed—to keep the lust from my eyes. “Yeah.”
His hand curled around my hip, and he pulled me closer. My body melted under his touch. Etie’s head dipped and his mouth covered mine, giving me a quick yet steamy kiss that left my head spinning.
Riley’s barely contained excitement bubbled against my back the entire time.
“Bye, Angeline.” Etie’s deep, gravelly voice sent a swarm of butterflies through my stomach. He released me and headed toward a window, grabbing his boots on the way. “Nice meeting you, Riley and Lana,” he called over his shoulder.
My heart gave a whine of protest as he disappeared. It was never easy watching him go.
A high-pitched screech shattered the moody haze beginning to descend around me. “OMG! Angel De la Mora is getting it on with Étienne Benoit.”
“I am not getting it on with him. We’re just…” I wasn’t sure what we were doing.
“Hold on.” Lana held her hand out, her gaze bouncing between us. “Is anyone going to acknowledge that this guy just jumped out of a second-story window like it was nothing?”
Oh damn.
Riley waved her off. “There’s probably a ladder or something, right, Angel?”
“Uh, yeah.” Etie didn’t need a ladder when he had voodoo powers. I began tossing pillows off the bed, keeping my eyes averted so they couldn’t see the lies shimmering in them.
“Fine. He used a ladder.” Lana yanked the pillow from me, dropping it on the floor. “But does someone want to explain why you two have matching tattoos?” Her knowing eyes shifted to my collarbone.
My fingertips brushed over the intricate black lines crisscrossing my skin. Crap. How was I going to explain this? I was never the kind of girl who got inked much less one who did it for a guy.
Riley bolted over, yanking my hand away. “Holy shit.” Her eyes were bugging out again. “You guys are like seriously into each other.”
There weren’t enough fans in the world to cool the heat in my cheeks. “No, we’re not.” I spun around and busied myself with the bed again. “It was a drunken dare kind of thing.”
Lana scoffed. “That is such bull, Angel.”
Riley plopped herself on the center of the mattress and snatched the blanket from me. “What happened to our little angel? We were only gone a few weeks, and you bagged the mysterious Étienne Benoit.”
“I can’t believe he was standing here only a few minutes ago.” Lana grabbed a pillow from the floor, sniffing it. “Oh my god. Is this what he smells like?” She tossed it to Riley.
A grin curled her lips as she breathed in his residual presence. “I want to take a bath in this. He smells like sin and paradise all rolled into one.”
That was so true.
I snatched the pillow from her. “You guys are weird. He’s just a guy.” I almost choked on that lie. Etie Benoit was much more than that.
“Is he a good kisser?” Riley asked, climbing off the bed.
He knew how to make my toes curl with one look. His kisses were downright lethal. They should be outlawed.
Lana leaned against my dresser, absentmindedly picking up a necklace. “Is it true—what they say about him and his brother? Do they practice voodoo?”
“Of course not.” The words came too quick, and the girls traded glances.
Riley gave a half smile. “Come on, Angel. All that talk can’t be lies.”
“Yeah.” Lana dropped the necklace back on my dresser and crossed her arms over her chest. “You know what they say about rumors. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Her dark eyes were too damn knowing. “There has to be some truth to what people in Carrefour say.”
I swallowed hard and twisted the ends of my hair. I’d rather they go back to grilling me on my relationship with Etie. “Voodoo is just a religion, guys. It’s not like people think.” I gave a weak laugh. “Do you really think he goes around casting spells and hexing people?”
“Yes,” Lana admitted. “That’s exactly what I think he does.”
I groaned and rubbed my temples. This was not how I pictured reconnecting with my friends after their trip to Spain.
“Enough about voodoo.” Riley crawled to the end of my bed and sat on the edge, fluffing out her dress. “Who cares if he and Bastien hex a few people from time to time.”
Lana scoffed. “I do.”
Riley waved her hand dismissively. “There are more important things we need to know about our bestie’s new boyfriend.”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I clarified.
“What else should we know about him?” Lana asked, ignoring my protests.
Riley bit her bottom lip, slowly curling a lock of deep auburn hair around her finger. “What does he taste like?”
That was easy. “Candy.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
I fell back on the bed with a dramatic sigh, thankful Riley’s one-track mind had saved me from Lana’s interrogation. “Étienne Benoit has the sweetest mouth I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.” The handful of guys I’d kissed couldn’t even remotely compare to the Cajun Casanova.
Riley wildly clapped, jostling me. “How did you guys hook up? Did he come up to you one day and start talking?”
“Nothing like that,” I said, rolling onto my stomach and propping my chin in my hand. “He and Bastien are working on restoring the old Leroux mansion. My grandmother got me a summer job with them.” Of course there was a little more to it involving a certain dark voodoo loa and a deal.
“Wait. What?” Lana stretched out on my other side, tossing her glossy midnight and blue locks over her shoulder. “One, why would your grandmother get you a job? Two,
why would she get you a job with the Benoits? Everyone in Carrefour knows the rumors.”
The rumors were exactly why Abuela had gotten me the job with Etie.
“Evangeline!” A persistent knock rattled my door. “Come downstairs, niña. I made breakfast.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not hungry.”
Riley blinked. “What was that?”
“What was what?” I asked, playing dumb.
“Are you and your grandmother fighting about something?” Lana’s dark eyes attempted to penetrate the thick shell around me. “You guys never fight.”
We never used to fight because I was a pushover and thought my grandmother was as close to perfect as you could get. She proved me wrong.
Riley gasped and sat up. “Does she not want you and Etie together?” She laid her hand over her heart. “Oh my gawd. It’s so Romeo and Juliet.”
“Hold your horses, Shakespeare.” She was fine with me seeing Etie—when he needed to help me. Now that he had by binding our souls, she was a little less thrilled by his constant presence. “She doesn’t dislike him. It’s a little more complicated than that.”
“Evangeline.” The knocking continued. “If you don’t want to eat, I’m sure Lana and Riley would love some French toast.”
Lana’s stomach growled on cue. “Sorry, dude, but I’ve been without her cooking for weeks. I need my fix.”
“Me too.” Riley bit her lip to hide the wry smile trying to break through.
“Fine,” I relented. “Let’s go.”
They both scrambled off the bed, and Riley yanked the door open, the smell of breakfast already wafting up the stairs.
“Hola, girls.” My grandmother gave them a brilliant smile. She was already dressed in tan linen pants and a soft sea-foam blouse. “I’m so glad to have you back. I’m sure Evangeline is too.”
I passed her without making eye contact, but she was quickly on my heels.
“You can’t ignore me forever, Evangeline,” she said.
“Until you stop ignoring my questions about magic and my powers, I don’t see any reason to carry on a conversation with you,” I hissed between gritted teeth. “If you’d like to apologize for screwing with my life and Etie’s, I’d at least listen to that.”
She scoffed. “I’m not going to apologize for trying to save you.”
Abuela was about as stubborn as the summer sun in Louisiana. When it finally went down after a long, hot day, the heat still lingered to remind you it would be back in a few short hours.
“And don’t think I didn’t hear Étienne sneak in last night.”
Once again, my cheeks burned, but I let anger wash away the mortification. “You wanted us together.” I glanced at my father’s picture before descending the stairs, saying a silent good morning. I was mad at him too for his part in keeping this huge secret about our family from me. We were witches for crap sakes! But Cristóbal De la Mora was gone and couldn’t defend himself or apologize. You shouldn’t speak ill of the dead and all, right?
“I wanted your deal with Baron Samedi broken.” Abuela’s collection of necklaces tinkled as she followed me down the stairs. “I didn’t mean for you and Etie to become…bound.”
“Yeah, well, didn’t you ever hear the saying be careful what you wish for?” As my foot left the last step, I darted ahead of my friends, cutting off our tense conversation. Too bad the residual effects still lingered, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
The breakfast bar in the kitchen was piled high with French toast, eggs, bacon, and sausage. Marisol sat at the other end, a loaded plate in front of her.
How was my older sister not three hundred pounds? She ate like an NFL linebacker.
“Hey, chicas!” She spoke with a mouth full of French toast, syrup dripping down her chin.
If only the guys in Carrefour could see her now. Who was I kidding? They’d step over each other for a chance to lick that syrup off.
Riley climbed on the seat next to me. “You’re looking good as usual, Marisol.”
Lana took the stool on the other side of the redhead. “Guess those college boys didn’t drive you nuts.”
My sister laughed around a bite of bacon. “Please. Those guys are little baby seals compared to me.” She winked. “I’m a big bad great white.”
I shook my head and fought a smile. “I thought you had a boyfriend.”
She shrugged. “I have a friend who’s a boy that I’m currently seeing.”
I still hadn’t officially met this Jesse guy she ensnared at Tulane. He was staying with his aunt who happened to be our neighbor, Ms. Delphine.
The world was even smaller than I thought.
Marisol finally swallowed and took a break from inhaling her breakfast. “Tell me all about Spain.”
Lana and Riley launched into an exuberant, detailed account of their vacation—the one I wasn’t allowed to go on. I wasn’t sour about that anymore. If I’d gone, Baron Samedi would have collected his debt, and I’d be in the spirit world serving my sentence.
My fingers absentmindedly skimmed over the toujou, my mind drumming up images of my mysterious Cajun with a sweet tooth the size of Texas. Abuela caught the movement, her eyes narrowing infinitesimally. Why was she so worried about Etie and me being bound? He sacrificed his own happiness to save my life. What was her problem?
“Toma, niña.” She handed me a plate of French toast and bacon.
I pushed it back toward her. “I told you I wasn’t hungry.”
Her lips thinned. “You need to eat, Evangeline.”
“I’ll eat when I’m hungry,” I hissed.
We glared at each other, Lana and Riley oblivious to the tension between us. Thankfully, Marisol was keeping them engrossed in their conversation about their trip.
Abuela roughly tucked a stray lock of midnight and silver hair back into her low bun. “Are you going to act like a brat all summer?”
My jaw dropped. “I’m not acting like a brat. I’m angry, and I have every right to be.” Electricity began to tickle my skin, a warning my powers were rising toward the surface. “My family kept me in the dark about what I was and still refuses to tell me more.” My eyes glanced at my friends to make sure they weren’t paying attention. “You won’t even help me understand what I am.”
I was a bruja but also a conduit, some freakishly strong magical channel that could magnify others’ powers or steal them. That was all I knew. Etie was trying to help me understand, but I had the biggest source right in front of me, and the woman refused to give me even one tiny tidbit of information. My mother was no better, maybe even worse. All I received from her were tight lips and silent responses.
Energy zipped down my spine, and sparks lit the air. Before I could stop it—not that I knew how—power hit the air. The microwave shuddered, and the door violently crashed open.
Riley and Lana jumped, their eyes wide as smoke poured from the kitchen appliance above the counter.
Abuela let lose several curse words in Spanish as she sprinted over, slamming the door shut and trapping the smoke inside.
“What the hell?” Marisol mumbled, her dark eyes flickering in my direction. Clearly, I’d caused the strange malfunction. Who else? She was lucky her powers were still bound.
“What in the world happened?” Lana’s gaze circled around the room, her brows knit.
Marisol gave a nervous laugh. “The house needs rewiring.”
So we were still going with that old theory?
“I’ve got to get ready for work.” I jumped off the stool and flashed my friends a forced smile. “You guys can stay and eat. I’ll see you later.” I stormed out of the kitchen, feeling Lana’s dark, suspicious eyes on me all the way around the corner.
Chapter 3
The tall lamp in the corner flickered. I wanted to blame it on the faulty wiring, but the electricians finished the entire Leroux house yesterday. It was me. Plain and simple. Or rather my freaky, uncontrollable powers.
The paint roller splattere
d tiny white speckles along my arm as I dragged it across the bedroom wall. I was still stewing about all my unanswered questions. Abuela and my mother knew the kind of chaos I’d caused this week. Shouldn’t they want to help me understand how to tone down the Sabrina the Teenage Witch act? What if my powers went rogue, and I did something unexplainable in front of a crowd?
Ms. Unrue would have a field day. She’d probably start a rumor that the Benoits had tainted me with their voodoo.
A smile curled my lips thinking of the youngest Benoit. He’d certainly tainted me with something. That Cajun Casanova was too damn hot for his own good.
“What are you thinking about, Angel?” Bastien strolled in. The sunlight streaming through the windows picked up the natural gold highlights in his hair. “From that naughty smile, I bet it’s my little brother.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “You two playing nice?”
I rolled my eyes, but it was hard to deny the truth when it was written all over my face. “Aren’t you supposed to be working in the basement?”
He leaned against the wall and withdrew a cigarette from his pocket. “It’s too damn hot down there, cher. And stop trying to change the subject.” He winked one of those mischievous amber eyes. “I believe we were talking about you and my brother.”
I turned back to the wall as my cheeks heated. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
Bastien’s chuckle held nothing but trouble. “He might as well move in with you.”
“He’s only stayed over twice.” My gaze flickered toward him, narrowing. “Right?”
His expression said it all. I’d apparently missed the Cajun Casanova’s presence a time or two. “He’s been gone more than he’s been home.”
A growl bubbled in my throat. “Just wait until I see him.”
“Ah now, don’t give him a hard time.” Bastien leaned away from the wall and tucked the cigarette behind his ear. “He just don’t like being so far from you. It’s only been a week since you became his alimèt.”
“I know.” Alimèt was the voodoo word for soul mate. I dropped the roller back into the pan, scooping up the last little bit of white. “Neither of us really know how to handle this soulbind thing.”
