He’s right, and his explanation about Lorena makes sense. Oh, she’s a sneaky one.
“So she must’ve found out where I was and managed to get me to come back.”
He nods.
“I was so mad, but she thought you died years ago, and I think Samuel let something slip several months back. She was acting funny and asking me all kinds of questions about you. I maintained that you were dead, but she found you anyway.”
My head reels with all this new information. Luke is my father, and Lorena is my mother, and for some reason, she wants me dead.
“Why does she want to kill me?”
“Does she?” he asks. “Lorena is a wicked woman, but I can’t see her wanting to kill her own child. To kill my child.” He rubs his hand up and down his face and takes another swig of beer. “Honestly, I always thought it would be her that would get us out from under Samuel’s rule.”
“Wait. I thought Lorena and Samuel were a thing once upon a time.” And Elias too. Let’s not forget him.
“That was after she and I were through.” He leans back. “I tried so hard to keep you out of this.”
“I know, Dad.”
It feels weird on my tongue. The people I believed to be my parents are in California, but now I find myself sitting in front of my actual father. I don’t think I could handle another thing tonight.
“Sounds weird.” Luke chuckles.
I let out a snort. “It really does.”
“I like it though.” A smile touches his face. “I’m glad to get this out in the open. It’s been great getting to know you, and I’m glad now that you can understand who I am.”
I really study him now, not as an uncle but as my father. We do have a lot of similar features, and his unwavering care for me makes so much sense now. But I wish he’d shower more than once a week.
I thought my parents abandoned me, but it turns out that my real dad has been here all along.
“I like it too,” I say even though it will be a long time before it feels remotely comfortable.
We sit in silence for several long moments. I have to find out what Lorena ultimately wants. Lorena, my mother. Why did she bring me here? Does she really want me dead? Or is it something else?
Chapter Nineteen
“We should go talk to her,” I say.
He looks at me like I’m crazy. “No. No way.”
“Do you have a better plan? We have to figure out what’s going on.” And maybe it’s naivety, or that a daughter naturally wants to believe her mother doesn’t want to hurt her, but I’m hoping this is all some big misunderstanding. Even though deep down I know it’s not. She’s evil to the bone. She has to be to have tried to kill me six different ways.
“No, I don’t have a better idea.”
I stand and avoid stepping on the empty cereal box. “I have to find out what the hell she wants with me, and then I’ll know what to do. She could be responsible for killing Juliette and Maddie.” And I don’t want to keep thinking that’s a possibility, but it’s probably reality.
“Look, I know it seems like there are no other options right now, but I’m sure we’ll get it. Just knowing who she is helps. We now know that we can’t trust her. We can find others to help us defeat her, like Ruth.”
“How do we know Ruth won’t go running straight to her? We have to confront her head-on. That’s the only way we’ll know exactly what we’re dealing with. I’m tired of doing this halfway.”
Luke stands and paces. He doesn’t say anything for a long while. “You just told me she tried to kill you, and now you want to go running after her. That’s a death sentence.”
“But she can’t kill me.”
“How do you know?”
“Because she’s tried. Several times. Then I signed the deal with Samuel, and I couldn’t die. She was so angry I did that, and now I know why. I wonder how he managed that, actually. Anyway, at this point, I’m Obeah. Immortal. She’d have to do away with all the spirits attached to me. She can’t kill me. I have literally nothing to lose by going to her.”
Luke stares out the window for a minute, and I can tell he’s trying to come up with another argument. I don’t know why he’s so against going after her.
“You’ll lose the element of surprise. If you reveal all your cards right now, then you’ll never be able to take that back.”
“That’s true, but I don’t have time to hide things. I need to prevent other people from dying. I’m going regardless. Are you coming with me or not?”
Luke sighs and glances up at the clock. “At least wait until a decent hour to take on the wicked witch.”
He’s right. I should get some sleep first and shower. I need my brain completely functioning. Plus I could use a kickass outfit. I miss Juliette. She was the best for things like this.
“Meet me there at ten.”
He nods wearily. “Try to get some sleep.”
A few hours will be better than nothing.
I escape back to my boat and collapse into bed. Sleep won’t come easy, but I can try.
Luke stands behind me, moving from foot to foot. I’m nervous as well, but at least I’m trying to hide it. I lift my hand and knock quickly. After this, everything will be different.
“Come in,” Lorena yells.
I enter slowly, scared of her home for the first time in my life. I don’t even know what I’m going to say. We find her in the kitchen, working on some concoction. At least she doesn’t have a knife in her hands.
Her face splits into a grin. “I wanted to talk to both of you. I’m glad you're here.”
I hesitate, surprised by her eagerness. Maybe it would be good to hear what she wants to talk about. If I start with what I know, I may never learn what she wanted.
“Sure, what’s up?”
“I’ve been thinking about your problem with not knowing who is pulling your strings, and I think I have an idea.”
“Oh yeah? What’s your idea?” It’s just a freaking smokescreen. She’s been using them since I got on the island. I’m such an idiot. I can’t believe I didn’t see this before now.
“I’ve done some scrying in the past. I could try again. Usually, you have to know the person’s name, but it might work.”
I love how she’s trying to make it seem like she’s helping when she knows damn well it won’t work. Her plans have worked for her so far. Until I found the contract, I barely suspected her. I feel like such a fool.
I snort. “Not necessary. I already know who’s controlling the island.”
She stops stirring the pot. “Who?” Her face reveals nothing.
I look her straight in the eye. “You.”
She hesitates for a beat and then laughs. “That’s absurd.” She turns back to her pot.
I point to the table. “Can we sit and talk?” I’m hoping we can do this civilly.
She drops her spoon and points at me. “And listen to you make more ridiculous accusations? I don’t think so. Why don’t you go on home and come back when you’re ready to talk sense?”
I cross my arms and level my gaze at her. “I got all the contracts Samuel had with those of us on the island. Only one person doesn’t have one. You.”
She waves her hand and rolls her eyes. “That’s weak evidence. He probably lost it.”
“Those contracts are magical to the very core. They don’t get lost, burned, or water damaged. What I don’t understand is what you want with me, since I’m your daughter.”
She turns to Luke. “You have some nerve, bringing this girl here and telling her she’s my daughter. Our daughter died, or did you forget that?”
Luke laughs, though I can tell he’s faking his bravado. He’s terrified, his knee bouncing up and down. “You and I both know I faked her death. You found that out a year ago, didn’t you? You admitted as much to me when Callie showed up here. I didn’t realize you were behind the whole island though. I should’ve seen it. Samuel was your puppet. Though he managed to hide some things from y
ou, such as Callie’s disappearance. Also, I suspect the contract he signed with Callie wasn’t your doing at all. I bet that threw a wrench in your plans. You must’ve been livid.”
A vein twitches in Lorena’s forehead. She wants to say something, but she’s holding back. I wish she would just get it out already. I want all the cards on the table so we can find a solution.
I cross my arms and hold her gaze. “Look, you either work with us, or Luke and I will tell the whole island who is in charge, and they’ll all be out for your blood. We all know what the islanders are capable of. Your choice.”
She looks from Luke to me, cracking her knuckles one at a time. Finally, she goes to the door of the kitchen and opens it. “Get out.”
Her decision has been made. This wasn’t exactly how I envisioned this happening, but I shouldn’t be surprised. I still don’t have any answers, and that’s what I really want. I can’t act without more information.
I stand to leave, and Luke joins me. We cross her living room, and she follows quickly. After we exit the boat, Lorena comes onto the deck, but we keep going. As soon as we clear the edge of her boat, she speaks low, foreign words I’ve never heard before.
I stop abruptly and turn around. What is she doing?
Lorena is stooped low on the deck, speaking directly into the water. Her words are completely undecipherable. She spits, looks up into the sky, and mutters a few more words, and the water roils. Alligator eyeballs pop up all over the swamp.
Oh no. They move for the docks, scramble up, and chase us.
“Run!” Luke yells, and I’m on his heels. His boat is closer, and so I follow him there. More and more of the alligators pop up over the docks, including in front of us, cutting us off. Luke stops, and I grab his hand and run for the first boat I see.
I don’t know who it belongs to, and I don’t care. I reach for the handle and tug on it. Locked.
Dammit.
I bang on the door, and the gators race for us. My heart pounds, and I try to block out the sound of them. I have magic, but I don’t know what to do. I should be able to do something. But I can’t.
A swing hangs precariously on the edge of the porch. The only way to go is up.
“The roof,” I yell and leap onto the swing. Luke joins me, it swings over the swamp, and I nearly fall off. He grabs my hand. The alligators come ever closer. Their jaws could still reach the swing.
“Go,” Luke yells, pointing up.
“What? Hell no. You go first. I’m not going to die no matter what those monsters do to me, but you could be killed, and I don’t want to lose my dad the day I found him.”
He lets out a breath and props himself up on the upper edge of the swing, sending it rocking. For once, I’m grateful for his cowardice. At least he won’t try to play the hero. I hold tight to the chains, which are pinching my hands, but I don’t care. He grips the edge of the roof, and I scoot closer to him.
“Here, step on my shoulder. Then once you are up, you can pull me.”
He looks skeptical but presses his boot into my shoulder and swings his other leg onto the roof. The boot bites into my shoulder, but it’s not that bad. The alligators reach the swing and lunge up with their jaws. They can’t get it yet. I hurry up onto the back of the swing as more and more alligators pile onto the porch. They climb on top of each other to reach the swing. Oh my word. This is awful.
“Luke, hurry.” I know I can’t die, but I don’t really want to be torn apart by these monsters and see how that all works out. Luke reaches down his hand. The water beneath me ripples with activity. A gator jumps up and barely misses my foot. I grab Luke’s hand, and he pulls. His hand is slick with sweat, and I’m afraid he’ll drop me.
I grip his wrist with my other hand, and we continue up on the roof. A searing pain bursts through my ankle, and suddenly I’m moving backward. I let go of Luke’s wrist, and my hand slips out of his grip.
I fall.
Chapter Twenty
My ankle burns. I hit the water and sink down amidst thrashing tails and snapping jaws. They bite my leg and then my arm. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I can die after all. I can’t think of worse ways to go.
I close my eyes and surrender to the pain, but I hold my breath, not wanting to drown on top of everything else.
Suddenly, the thrashing stops, and strong arms grip my waist. I open my eyes and find myself staring right into the creepy face of Zombie Benny. I’m surrounded by all the zombies. He swims for the surface along with the rest of them.
My whole body is on fire, and my blood swirls in the water around me. No gators are in sight. We break the surface, and I hear Luke swear.
Zombie Benny slogs through the water and hoists me onto the deck of a boat, and then they disappear. My mind is going crazy with the pain.
“I thought you were a goner,” Luke says, hovering over me. “You’re bleeding a lot.” He picks me up and cradles me against his chest. “Come on, we’ll get you to Ruth. She’ll fix you up fast.”
Every step is jarring, but I’m grateful to still be alive and not in a thousand pieces. A few holes can be mended quickly. I don’t know what would’ve happened if they’d torn off an arm or a leg. Just because I can’t die doesn’t mean I can’t lose a limb.
Luke doesn’t say anything as he moves along the docks. He’s not going the right direction, but I think that’s because he doesn’t want to pass Lorena’s boat.
After what feels like forever, Luke enters a tent.
“Ruth,” he yells. “Get out here.”
I hear rushing footsteps and a squeak. This feels so déjà vu like.
“What happened?” she asks. Cupboards open and close, and cold liquid hits my skin.
“Lorena happened. She’s the witch controlling the island.”
Ruth cackles. “Interesting. She’s not voodoo either.”
“Then what is she?” I ask weakly. Lorena didn’t answer my questions, but maybe Ruth will.
“Ancestral witch. I’ve seen her work. She uses the spirits of her ancestors.”
My head feels woozy with the pain. I hope I don’t pass out. “That’s why I couldn’t use the zombies to find the other Obeah,” I croak.
“Yep. Now, hush while I fix you up.”
I shake my head. “No. I want answers. Why didn’t you say anything about her magic before?”
“Because I never realized the extent of her abilities. Normally, ancestral witches aren’t terribly powerful unless they come from a long line of witches. She must. It took me forever to figure out what she was. At first, I thought she was a kitchen witch, but I caught her summoning one of her ancestors. I never told her I knew. I didn’t want her to get in trouble with Samuel. I had no idea she was the one pulling the strings.”
The liquid Ruth pours on me numbs the pain. I take a few deep breaths.
“You’re not voodoo either,” I say.
She narrows her eyes. “How do you know?”
“Because I found your back room with all the symbols when I was looking for Shrek. What are you?”
“I’m a hedge witch. Those symbols make it possible for me to do my healing magic. I’m surprised you didn’t come after me once you found that room.”
“I wanted more evidence, but I definitely thought it was you. How long will it take for me to recover?” I ask.
“Not long. You’re Obeah now, so the best thing to do is to let your body heal itself. You should be good to go in an hour or two. What’d Lorena do to you?”
“She sent all the alligators in the swamp after me and Luke.”
Ruth whistles. “That’s some nasty magic. How did you get away?”
“The zombies. I control them. And I don’t know why Samuel didn’t use that to his advantage more often.”
“Beats me. Maybe he didn’t know what they could do,” Ruth says. “Did you call them?”
“No. But they saved me. They’ve been dead useful.”
She rocks back on her chair, her eyes serious. She watches me. “W
hat will you do?”
I stand, surprisingly free of pain. “Do? I’m going to end that bitch.”
Luke sits in a chair across the room, lips pursed.
“You shouldn’t be getting up yet,” Ruth says.
“I feel fine.” I look down at my legs. They are completely healed.
Ruth raises her eyebrows. “Not even Samuel healed that fast. You’ve got some power there, little girl.”
Luke rubs his hands over his head and stands. “What will we do now?”
I sigh. “I don’t know. But I think we both need to recover from our meeting with her. Let’s go back to our boats for a bit and let me think.”
I leave Luke at the turn off for his boat and keep an eye out for stray alligators. I turn the corner to where my boat is tied up and freeze. My birds are all on the roof, but there are round things all over my porch. I take a few more steps forward.
Oh. Hell, no.
“Whooie girlie, I wouldn’t go near your boat today,” Elias hollers from his boat.
All those round things.
They’re snakes.
“Can you see what kind they are?”
“Mostly water moccasins. What witch did you piss off?” He seems almost happy I’m in this predicament.
I close my eyes and think for a moment. I’m not in any immediate danger, but I absolutely cannot get into my boat. I could go to Luke’s or Amy’s, but this is a personal challenge.
I’m not panicked like I was with the gators. I healed in ten minutes, and I can set just about anything on fire. I should’ve used my fire on them.
I can get rid of a few measly snakes. No fire though. I don’t want to set my boat ablaze.
I focus on a snake that’s far enough away that if he tried to come after me, I could still run.
Circus of the Dead: Book 3 Page 11