by R. L. Wilson
“Where have you been?” I snarl and side-eye him.
“I haven’t been avoiding you.” He shakes his head. “I had to clean up my act. Make amends for horrible things I’ve done in my past. Get to know myself a little better.” He licks his lips. Imagining all the things he could do with his lips, I scratch my head; I have to concentrate on the matter at hand.
I know he hasn’t been avoiding me, and he sure cleaned up his act. I took a seat on Morgan’s recliner across the room from Kato. I don’t want to sit too close; he is so extremely hot my panties might melt off.
Morgan comes from the kitchen carrying my favorite, a strawberry margarita. I don’t need a drink for my headache anymore. Kato is curing me.
She gives me the margarita and turns to Kato. “Would you like something to drink?”
He frowns and shakes his head. “No, I’m okay.”
“Harmony, where are your manners? I’m Morgan.” She glances at Kato. She didn’t even recognize him. She’s only seen him once before. But his appearance was nothing like this.
“Morgan, it’s Kato,” I explained.
Her eyes widen. “Oh, hi Kato, I didn’t recognize you. How have you been?”
I’m surprised Morgan doesn’t say the crazy Voodoo guy. Sometimes, she doesn’t have a filter. She bluntly says whatever comes to mind.
“I’m fine, just stopped by to check on Harmony.” He shoots a death stare over at me. “But she’s mad at me,” he whines.
Morgan’s gaze darts back and forth between me and Kato. She has a silly smirk on her face. I complained to her a few times about missing him. And I was angry he hadn’t come to visit me. So she is expecting fireworks.
“There is text, Skype, and cell phones. Why didn’t you use any of those avenues to contact me?” I fold my arms and roll my eyes. I can’t put my finger on it, but something is mysterious about Kato. I don’t know him completely. He didn’t share a lot of his past or his feelings. I can’t help but assume he has a background full of trauma. Or deadly secrets.
“I love the way you roll your eyes.” He grins. His pink lips shine with Chapstick. I want to stay mad at him, but it’s hard.
“I did the right thing, by getting myself together?” He repositions himself and waits for my response. His expression is flat, as if I disappoint him.
“Yes, it is the right thing to do. Take care of yourself first.” I don’t believe the words I’m saying and maybe it makes me selfish that I want to be a priority in his life. I was never good at hiding my feelings. Even if I don’t say a word, it will show on my face.
“I don’t buy Prentiss leaving. A man who craves power doesn’t vanish,” Kato says.
Morgan nods her head in agreement. “We all should be careful.” She grabs a chair from the dining room and drags it to the living room. The scratching on the hardwood floor pierces my ears. Covering both ears, I yell, “Morgan stop.” The scraping noise irritates me.
“I’m sorry.” She stops dragging the chair and flops into it.
“Furthermore, the first person he would come after is probably you, Harmony,” Kato says.
“Me,” I cough. “Why me?” I take a gulp of my margarita and fan my face. My blood is buzzing at the thought of Prentiss coming after me. I finally got Prentiss out of my life, and I don’t want to go back down the dark road.
“But you can't put it all behind you. As soon as you forget about it, all hell breaks loose. Prentiss will come for you.” His voice is laced with concern. Too much concern.
Those words send a cold sensation through my body like ice shooting through my veins. But Kato is right; I have to be careful. Prentiss has plenty of foot soldiers working for him. He might be watching us at this second.
My phone buzzes on the coffee table. Who could this be? I talk with two people regularly. One of them is sitting next to me. And I talked to Momma already today. The caller ID says restricted. With my finger hovering over the phone, I answer.
“Harmony.” It’s the soft voice of Momma calling to check on me again.
“Momma, what are you doing?” My inner being is suddenly happy to hear from Momma. The distance has been great. We talk about everything now, since we don’t live together. And she is normal, like she was before when I was younger.
“Harmony, I’m scared. I need your help.”
I was already knee-deep in water and now I’m drowning. I frown, a bit of anxiety racing through me.
As my eyes dance around the room, I realize I’m helpless. Momma is over a thousand miles away in New Orleans. I need to get to her now. Sweat greases my palms as I listen to Momma. I move my gaze to Kato, viewing his concerned expression.
Morgan races from her chair at the sight of my face. She takes a seat beside me.
“Someone threw a rock in my window,” Momma explains.
“Momma, it could be anyone, maybe a kid throwing rocks.” I try staying calm, not wanting Momma to know I’m terrified. If she senses my fear, she’ll become engulfed by anxiety.
I grab my cup as my hands tremble. I need some alcohol to calm me down. My heart is racing a thousand miles an hour. Please, someone protect Momma.
“No. Harmony, I had a vision. Prentiss knows where I am. He’s going to come after me. What will I do?”
Chapter 3
I don’t know shit about New Orleans.
I must get to Momma and save her. Since I’m an only child and Dad died, it’s me and Momma. Sure, I don’t have much money or a car. But it’s never stopped me before. She’s the only family I’ve got left. I’ll be damned if I let the devil get a hold of my mother. Hell will freeze over first.
“You know your mom has those weird visions,” Morgan says.
I stop her right there. “They’re real, and if she says someone is after her, then it’s true,” I urge with a stern voice.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” Morgan says.
Momma has a history of being crazy. She had visions and heard voices of unseen people. But she’s not insane.
From the corner of my eye, I observe Kato roll up the sleeves of his flannel shirt. He sits up on the couch. “Don’t worry. I’m from New Orleans, it’s my old stomping grounds. I’m going with you.”
New Orleans is a melting pot of all things supernatural. There are shifters, genies, and potion handlers roaming the street. I visited once or twice when I was younger. What I remember most is the groove of the city. It’s like one giant heartbeat.
Morgan is my ride or die. We’ve been through good, bad, and the ugly. But Kato? I’m not sold on him. Does he have my best interests at heart?
I’m still angry at Kato, and I’m not sure if he should come along. But I have no other choice. I need his help. The more I consider it, the fewer doubts I have. What harm will he do? Besides, he helped me get Prentiss off my ass.
I call Marvin, the head elf of Silver City. None of the elves have seen or heard from Prentiss. Marvin says this is the quiet before the storm. My gut tells me he’s right.
I’ll keep calling. Someone had to spot him. He didn’t disappear.
I call the vampires, the shifters, and the Dragons. They all tell the same story. Prentiss has ghosted the supernatural world. It means he has left Detroit and is laying low. Or it’s what Momma said—he’s in New Orleans. Is Prentiss that desperate for me to work for him? He would hunt down Momma? I’m convinced he’s desperate enough. Quite a few times, I had to heal him.
My skin tingles with panic. The more people say they haven’t seen Prentiss in Detroit, the tighter my esophagus becomes. It’s getting hard for me to breathe. I get a suffocating sensation.
“It will be okay, relax,” Kato urges.
He’s right, it will be fine. I call Momma back to tell her I will come down to New Orleans with her for a couple of weeks.
I dial the number and put the phone to my ear. The phone rings and rings. I dart glances at Kato. “She’s not answering,” I explain as my heart rate skyrockets. She always answers for me.
Trying to still my trembling finger, I hover over her name. I send a text simply saying, Momma I’m trying to call you. I wait for a few minutes for her response. It feels like hours. Five minutes pass by and still no response from Momma. She is not a big texter. She recently got a new phone and I’m not sure she knows how to use text. But a phone call won’t hurt. Something to ease my mind. Right now, I’m having negative ideas. Suspecting the worst has happened.
“Don’t worry, I have a friend who works at the NOLA police department,” Morgan says.
“Really, who?” I question.
Morgan had never been to New Orleans since I’ve known her.
“My aunt Kathy’s ex-husband is an officer down there. If your mom doesn’t send a text or call soon, I’ll call him.”
That gives me a little solace, but it still doesn’t solve the question roaming in my head: where is Momma? I wish this was a dream. I close my eyes and rest my head on the arm of the couch. The knock on the door brings me back to reality.
My eyes snap open as Kato hops off the couch. Morgan fidgets in her chair. Ever since we moved into this apartment, she gets jumpy when there’s a knock at the door. I’ll stay sitting and let Kato answer. If danger lurks behind the door, he will protect us.
“Who is it?” Kato asks.
A muffled deep male voice answers. I swivel and glance at Morgan. “Are you expecting someone?”
“No,” she growls with a frown.
“Who?” Kato says.
I spring to my feet and trot over to the door. Kato steps aside then I view the peephole.
With excitement, I swing the door open. “It’s Scott, Morgan!” I yell.
Scott and his fiancée enter the living room and take a seat on the couch. As she passes by I get a whiff of expensive perfume. The kind you smell at the mall when the sales lady sprays your wrist and you get a whiff of heaven.
She is pretty, I guess. Tall and thin with long red hair. Scott could do better, if you ask me. I don’t envision Scott in a sexual way anymore; we just had one kiss. He will soon be married. I don’t agree with it, but it’s not my place to speak on his engagement. We are back to being best friends. I have my eye on Kato even though I’m mad at him.
“Morgan texted me,” Scott explains. “Did you get ahold of your mom?”
Morgan acts like she had no clue who was coming over, knowing the whole time she texted Scott. He always races over when he suspects one of us is in danger.
“I have an idea of what happened. It’s time I take a trip.” I need to find the truth.
Scott’s fiancée crosses her legs and surveys the apartment. She’s bordering Scott’s thigh closely; she may as well sit on his lap. She has her nose in the air, not even speaking. Scott is down-to-earth and funny. It will never work between them.
I’m angered by her scrutinizing gaze. She glares around the place like it’s a shack. I can only imagine her perception of me and Morgan.
“I texted my uncle. He says he will stop by her house. What’s the address?” Morgan asked.
I scroll through my phone and locate Momma’s phone number and address, noticing she still hasn’t texted me back.
I exhale and concentrate on the friends and support I have around me. Scott’s fiancée still doesn’t appear pregnant—her stomach is flat as a board.
“Maybe she fell asleep,” Scott says.
“I just talked with her, she didn’t fall asleep.” Kato takes a seat on the sofa next to my chair.
“I’m Kato. Harmony’s friend.”
“I’m sorry, Kato, this my friend Scott and his fiancée. Scott, this is Kato,” I say.
They exchange hellos, but Ms. Thing doesn’t speak to Kato either. At least she’s consistent.
I can’t sit around here waiting for my momma to call. “Let’s go, Morgan.”
Morgan bolts to her feet and races to her room.
“I’m praying for you,” Scott says as he smiles on his way out the door with his bougie-ass fiancée. She doesn’t even say bye. She never acknowledged she was in our house.
“I’m going with you,” Kato says.
“No, you better stay here.” I clear my throat. “You may have things to do,” I reply while rolling my eyes. I’m being sarcastic. Since he has been busy, he couldn’t stop by and visit me.
“I have nothing to do but help you locate your mother.”
Morgan comes from her bedroom with an oversized suitcase.
“Morgan, we’ll be gone for two days, not two years.”
“I got some of your clothes, too,” she says while setting the luggage on the ground and wrapping her hair up into a bun.
Morgan thinks she’s famous. She always travels with too many clothes and overpriced luggage. Not to mention she always has her sunglasses. In high school, they nicknamed her Hollywood.
“Let me get the suitcase for you,” Kato offers.
He insists on going, and actually I want him to go. He has connections in New Orleans and he’ll protect Morgan and me. Besides, how can I resist this handsome man? Every time I glance at him, his green eyes sparkle, causing me to lose control.
He carries the suitcase out to Morgan’s car.
“He won’t take no for an answer,” Morgan says while giggling.
“How long is this ride?” I ask.
“Fifteen hours,” Kato answers.
I nearly piss my pants hearing the number fifteen. Sitting in the car for too long makes me stiff and my ass sore. For Momma, I will ride one hundred more hours.
Chapter 4
I have come to a dangerous place. I want revenge; my soul is angry. Stepping out of Morgan’s black Honda, I curse the ragged thing for the banging and rattling it made on our way over. It’s time for a new ride, but Morgan isn’t done paying for this one. Hopefully, we make it to New Orleans.
I’m proud I have people to ask for help. Even the city leaders have respect for me. I dart my gaze around the neighborhood, on alert, making sure we weren’t followed. But no one screws with Big Sam. He would probably run out the door, blazing fire down the street.
Kato and I bang on the door of Big Sam’s house, the criminal leader of the Dragons. The red door is bright and makes me chuckle. I’ve never seen a door this bright. Our knocks go unanswered. After several bangs, we trot down the stairs. A lock clicks, grabbing our attention.
He comes out with his hair disarranged and wearing a little tank top, which is half his size. He has an angry frown on his face. But then again, I’ve never seen him smile.
“Are you sleeping?” I question.
“I’m up now. What’s the problem?” He rubs his eyes and let out a yawn. It’s afternoon, and the sun is shining bright. He must stay awake at night, in the vampire hours.
“I have a feeling Prentiss is back,” I reply.
He scrunches his face as if there’s an awful scent. “Come on in,” he mutters.
Morgan stays in the car; she doesn’t like dragons and is afraid of Sam. From the stories floating around the supernatural community, you’d consider him a serial killer. But I’ve met him before, and he is not as mean as he appears. I’ve only seen him in human form. Most dragons don’t shift. But Big Sam will if he gets mad enough.
We enter his home, which is nothing like I expected. Everything is bright, although he has such a dark persona. The carpet is bright red. The furniture is glowing white. We pass the huge picture of him and a lady on the wall and take a seat at the wooden table. I assume it’s his wife.
The fresh scent of lavender drifts throughout the house. The dragons always reek of burning wood. His wife does an awesome job cleaning.
“I have to go to New Orleans. I don’t know if this is Prentiss’s way of getting me out of Detroit…” It gets warmer and I unzip my pink hoodie and lean back in the chair, trying to catch my breath. I talk fast because every minute I waste is a minute Prentiss might be harming my mother.
“Wait, slow down,” h
e says. “Why are you going to New Orleans?”
“My mother says Prentiss threw a brick through her window. She lives in New Orleans.”
“All right.” He nods but looks confused.
“It’s possible he located Jeanette, to get to Harmony. Or maybe it’s a distraction,” Kato explains.
“Oh, okay. He’s trying to get Harmony out of Detroit and take over?” Sam questions.
“Yes,” Kato replies. He stands from the chair as if he’s ready to go.
Big Sam’s arms are the size of tree trunks. I don’t know why anyone would want to fuck with him.
“Don’t worry about nothing if he comes through here. I got something for his ass,” Sam barks.
Music to my ears. What I’ve been waiting to hear. I don’t want to leave Detroit and have the shit hit the fan. My main priority is to get my mother back in one piece. It’s Sam’s job to keep Detroit safe while I’m gone. I know he will. I’m not worried anymore.
We get back into Morgan’s Honda as she sits there bobbing her head to the rock music playing way too loud. The scent of her cherry air freshener is overwhelming. At least the scent isn’t bad, like black magic.
“Morgan.”
She turns down the volume. “Yeah?”
“It’s too loud.” I hold in a sigh. It’s her car, but she needs to be respectful of my eardrums. And Kato doesn’t like rock music.
“Oh, my fault.” She scrolls down her timeline on Facebook and starts typing.
“No, don’t put where we’re going on Facebook.”
She turns to me with her forehead wrinkled. “Why not? I put everything on Facebook.”
“What if Prentiss or one of his soldiers are watching?”
“Can we at least take a selfie?” Morgan questions.
“No time for selfies.”
“Fine.” She closes the Facebook app and enters Momma’s address into Google Maps. The smirk slides into a frown and she rolls her eyes.