Terrance nodded. He was already dialing his phone as he walked out of the room. He ran down the steps to the front door. Dominic knew Terrance would find the bastard as quickly as possible.
Danielle stared at the Enforcer before her. She saw the pain and rage inside him. She didn’t know how to help him get rid of it. “I wish I could make everything better with just a wave of my hand, but I don’t have that power.”
Dominic leaned against the windowsill and looked at her. “What sort of powers do you have if you’re not an Enforcer?”
She shrugged. “I have all the same powers you or any other fallen has, plus a few others that you probably have, but Mika’il hasn’t seen fit to tell you about.”
“Which are?”
She shook her head. “If he hasn’t told you, I’m not going to. I don’t need him angry at me.”
“Who are the Enforcers in Chicago?”
“I don’t know and I have to say I don’t want to meet them. My helping you down here has destroyed my credibility as a neutral party already. I don’t want to become fast friends with any of them up there.” She traced a pattern on the top of the desk. “Have you ever wanted to be mortal? To live as a normal person who will have a finite time and die?”
“I might have when we first were banished from Heaven. There didn’t seem to be a reason to live forever. It was hard to watch friends and lovers age and die while I didn’t have an end in sight.” He glanced over to the bedroom where Teresa slept. “Now, I’m glad I lived this long. If I had died sooner, I wouldn’t have met her and known what real love was.”
“What is real love? I don’t think I’ve ever known or will ever know what it is.”
“For me, it’s knowing there is someone I would do anything for, even die if I have to. From now on, she is the most important thing in my life. She ranks before everything else.”
“Yes, you’ve proven that, but you might want to remember what will happen if you ignore your purpose for being on this earth. There will be more unrepentants that will come to challenge you. Once she is feeling better, there will be times when you have to leave her alone.”
“I know, but Terrance will be here to protect her while I’m gone.”
“So real love is being willing to die for someone.” She nodded. “I can see that as being a sign of true love.”
“Do you believe in soul mates?”
“You mean soul mates as in, there is a person out there meant just for me and no one else?”
He nodded.
“I can’t say that I do. Why would a God who couldn’t forgive us love us so much as to make such a person for us?” She shook her head. “I think you’re one of the lucky ones, Dominic. You were able to find a woman to love in a world where relationships are a thing of the past.” Changing the subject, she said, “So you trust your ex-mercenary with your most precious possession.”
“Yes. He’s never shown me any reason not to trust him.”
“Even though at one point in his life, his loyalty could be bought?”
“We all make mistakes.”
She laughed. “You’re right and I shouldn’t judge him when I made the biggest mistake of all.”
Dominic sighed and turned to stare out at the bayou waters swirling behind his house. He knew she was trying to keep his mind off Teresa and their problems, but his love was always in his mind. He prayed Randy would be back soon with someone who could help them. His phone rang right then.
“Hello?”
“Hey, boss man. I talked to my oungan. He thinks he knows someone who can help us. It’ll take a little while to get a hold of him, but we’re working on it. Just hold on a while longer.”
“Thanks, Randy.”
“Welcome. I’ll call when we’re on our way over.” Randy hung up.
“So we should be getting help soon?”
Dominic nodded. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.
“You didn’t get a lot of sleep last night and your power isn’t at full strength. Go take a nap and hold Teresa. Maybe that will make both of you feel better. I’ll hang out and fix lunch for us. I think it’s going to be a long day.”
Dominic didn’t say anything as he headed into the bedroom. He shut the door and stripped. Sliding into bed with Teresa, he pulled her cool body tight to his and closed his eyes. No dreams or nightmares haunted his sleep this time. Somehow a sense of peace and acceptance filled his spirit. Whatever happened would be the will of God and he believed with all his heart that God wouldn’t allow Teresa to die.
* * * *
“Hey, Janet. How are you?” Danielle held her phone between her shoulder and ear as she stirred some gumbo in Dominic’s kitchen.
“I’m doing good, girl. Are you home?”
“No. Business is taking a little longer than I planned down here. I’ve got a few odds and ends to tie up before I get back.”
“Meet any good looking men down there?”
Danielle smiled. Her best friend was always on the look out for men. “A few, but they’re all taken. Anyway, I wouldn’t want to start anything long distance. Too much work.”
“And you’re interested in a certain archaeologist who won’t give you the time of day.”
“We all have to have a goal and mine is to get him to kiss me one day. I’m sure it’ll be explosive.”
“Are you going to get him drunk at one of those museum functions? That might be the only way you have a chance to convince him you’re not trying to steal his limelight.”
“The museum has been a bit dull since he’s been in Peru. I wonder if he’s found anything exciting down there.” Danielle couldn’t wait until Grant Carson came back. His rugged good looks would definitely brighten her day. “I just wanted to let you know I wouldn’t be back for a few more days.”
“Okay. I’ll make sure your plants have water and your cat has food even though the little princess doesn’t like me.”
“Princess doesn’t like me on good days. I’m just the human who feeds her and adores her when she wants to be worshipped.” Danielle laughed. “I’ll call you with the flight information when I’m ready to come home.”
“Okay. Take care and have a fling or two.” Janet hung up.
Danielle set the phone down and dished out two bowls of gumbo. She set them on the table as Dominic came in. She didn’t say anything as he seated himself and picked up a spoon. They ate in silence. When they were finished, he stood and cleaned up the bowls.
“Did she wake up at all?”
He shook his head. “She didn’t move the whole time I was with her. I’m starting to get really scared, Danielle, and I don’t like it.”
“It’s hard not being able to do anything when you’re used to waving a hand and correcting all the problems.”
He agreed with her. “Normally I can fix it and just go on with my life. Most problems didn’t make an impression on me because I knew there wasn’t any that I couldn’t fix.”
“Except this.”
“Yes except for this one. Do you think He did it to teach me a lesson?”
“I don’t presume to know why He does anything He chooses to do. He can see the beginning and ending of time. He sees things differently than we do. We’re caught up in the here and now, so we don’t see the future in any other way than abstract. Since He knows what is going to happen in the future, He plans accordingly and we can’t begin to understand that.”
“What do we do then?”
“We accept He knows best and keep living. I’m not saying things work out for the best. I’ve seen some that haven’t, but I’m saying we have to trust Him and believe that in the end, He knows how much we can take before we’ll break.”
His phone rang interrupting the conversation. “Hello?”
“I’m on my way over with an oungan. He’s one of the most powerful in New Orleans. If this is a curse, he should be able to lift it without too much trouble.”
“Okay. What do we need to have ready for you when you get he
re?”
“Just be ready for a long night. This isn’t something we’ll be able to lift right away.”
“Right. We’ll see you when you get here.” He hung up and looked at Danielle. “Randy’s on his way with a priest they think will be able to help.”
“Great.”
They headed upstairs without a word. The sun was beginning to set as they set about lighting the bedroom with candles and opening the French doors to let in the humid breeze. Dominic went to sit next to Teresa on the bed. He took her hand in his and he sighed. All he really wanted was for her to look at him with a smile on her face. He squeezed her hand. There was a faint pressure from hers. Leaning down, he kissed her cheek and saw a tear splash on her skin. Danielle moved out on to the balcony. She tried to ignore the sorrow she felt coming from Dominic. She found herself longing for home and the uncomplicated life she had made for herself there. Maybe that was one reason she had never joined sides with the Enforcers. They had to deal with so many problems. She didn’t like complications. She loved an easy life with good friends and excellent wine. I guess everyone should have some adventure in their life. She smiled slightly.
A commotion had her heading back into the room. A very tall man with café au lait skin stalked in. Power rolled off him like a tidal wave and she knew this was the oungan Randy had found. The man didn’t look at anyone, but went right to Teresa. He held a hand over her forehead and closed his eyes. Danielle and Dominic could see the power flowing from him into Teresa. Even though he wanted to protest, Dominic managed to keep his mouth shut. He had to rely on this man to save the woman he loved. He couldn’t afford to alienate him.
“It was a good thing I happened to be in the city today.” The man’s Creole accent gave his voice a deep soft rhythm. “The young man here informed me what was going on. I’m afraid your woman has been cursed by a bòkò and he used the deadliest of spells. It is the voye lamò and it will take some time to lift it. She has slipped farther away from us. We need to get started as soon as we can.”
Dominic bowed his head in respect. While the oungan had been talking, Randy had been setting up a drum and lighting incense. The robes the oungan was pulling on were purple, black and white. He glanced around to see if the small makeshift altar had been set up right. A black rooster was in a cage next to the altar. He turned back to the fallen angels.
“The spell cast on your woman used the spirits of the dead. Also, she is standing close to the gates of the spirit world. We must petition the lwa, most importantly the Gédé. They are the spirits who deal with the dead and death. They watch over the use of black magic, so they offer protection from it. We must ask them not to allow her into the spirit world and to take the spell off of her.” The oungan studied the others. “I don’t usually allow those who aren’t of our religion to watch during such an important ritual, but I think your powers might be of help to me. Usually, such rituals would take place in the ounfò because we wouldn’t want to insult the spirits by asking them on unconsecrated ground. There is a feeling though that there have been other Vodou rituals held on this plantation.”
Dominic nodded, but stayed silent. He stayed seated next to Teresa.
“You stay there and keep holding her hand. You offer her a lifeline to come back to this world. Focus your energy on showing her the way back.” The oungan pointed to Danielle. “You should stay out of the way, but don’t leave the room. We need your power as well. Pray to your God.”
Danielle moved to the corner of the room. She knelt down and bowed her head. Dominic bowed his head as well and closed his eyes. If he was to focus his energy, he couldn’t allow the rituals to distract him. The drumming started and he felt the power swelling in the room. The chanting soared and softened with the beating of the drum. He found his body swaying to the rhythm and he began to lose track of reality. The only solid thing he could feel was Teresa’s hand in his. He felt his power start to drain from him. He sent a silent wish that he had had time to replenish it, but he hadn’t had a chance to because Teresa had been so sick. He would give all he had—even his life—to make her better. The squawk of the rooster made him open his eyes for a moment. The oungan was holding the dead bird over a bowl and collecting the blood. Then he poured the bowl of blood over the altar. Dominic quickly shut his eyes again. He didn’t like that part of the Vodou religion, but he understood it. Didn’t Christianity have its own version of sacrifice when Jesus offered himself up on the cross?
The atmosphere of the room changed when another presence entered in. The oungan spoke to it, offering the blood and tobacco in a black box. Dominic didn’t know what they were saying. The language wasn’t any he had ever heard before, but he could hear the respectful plea in the priest’s voice. As the last of his power drained from him, he slowly sank to his knees on the floor. He hoped it would be enough for them to save Teresa. He offered up a prayer to God. He knew he didn’t have a chance of saving her even with all his power, but the Father could do it, if He chose to. Dominic had to trust that God wasn’t so unforgiving He would cause this curse to destroy her. The world went black.
* * * *
Teresa found herself standing in a white room with no furniture except for a desk at one end. There were two windows in the wall on either side of the desk. A man was leaning on the desk, studying some papers. He hadn’t noticed her. She cleared her throat. She couldn’t help but laugh when the man jumped and the papers went flying. He stared at her with familiar silver eyes.
“Mickey O’Flynn? What are you doing in my dreams?” She walked towards him.
“What the hel…heck are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here.” He stalked towards her. Grabbing her arm, he turned her around and started walking her back towards the other side of the room.
“Where am I?” she asked as she tried to keep up with his long strides.
“This is a waiting room,” he said vaguely. “They must have left it too late. I told them this test was too dangerous, but no one listens to me. I’m just a warrior angel. What do I know about spirits and the ‘other’ world?” he mumbled to himself.
She was puzzled and rather intrigued because she got the feeling this man didn’t lose his cool very often. “Left what too late? What kind of test?”
Mickey opened a door in the wall that she hadn’t seen. He ushered her through and she saw Dominic standing on the other side. Dominic looked shocked to see them both together. He rushed forward to take her into his arms.
“What the heck are you doing here?” Mickey demanded of Dominic.
“My power was drained and I believe I died, but why I came to Heaven, I have no idea.” Dominic glared at Mickey. “What is she doing here? I thought she would be all right.”
“She will be when you take her back. I can’t believe you gave your life for her, Dominic.”
“I knew He would take care of her whether she lived or died.”
The two men smiled at each other for a second, ignoring the other man standing nearby. His face was white with powder and he wore a pair of sunglasses. Cotton was wrapped around his head. He grinned at her and she shivered.
“What is that?” she asked as she pointed at the man.
“That’s something you weren’t ever supposed to see. Take her out of here, Dominic, and remember how close you came to losing her.” He waited until the couple disappeared. He turned to the man. “You cut it too close. You promised me that she would never get this far.”
The man shrugged. “Things happen, man. She’s fine and will get better. Death didn’t get her this time.” He laughed.
Mika’il grabbed him and shook him. “It was never supposed to be like this. There was never to be a chance that she could die.”
The Gèdè shook off Mika’il’s hand. “Remember you came and asked us for help. You needed us. We do things a little differently than you. We’re on a different schedule. We all work for the God, but the lwa interact with the mortals every day. We know how close we can cut it.”
“She better not suffer any damage from your joking around. I have little patience with spirits who believe they can be excused any mischief.” Mika’il glared at the Gèdè. “Get out of here and take care of that bòkò of yours.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll be taken care of. He knows practicing black magic is against the rules.” The Gèdè smiled up at Mika’il. “Hey, all’s well that ends well, man. She’s fine. Your fallen has found his soul mate. So she got a peek at Heaven before she should have. She’ll forget about it.” The man disappeared.
Mika’il ground his teeth in frustration. He hated dealing with the earth spirits that inhabited the mortal world. They reacted with shocking disregard for His plans. He made a mental note to check in with Dominic and Teresa in a couple days to make sure she made a complete recovery.
Chapter Eleven
Dominic heard Danielle’s voice calling him from out of the dark. He struggled through the fog to find her.
“Come on, Dominic. You’ve got to wake up.”
There was a light touch to his forehead and power surged into him. He opened his eyes and saw the other fallen standing over him. He was lying on the bed entwined with Teresa. He looked over at her and felt tears fill his eyes when she smiled at him. Her eyes were clear and sparkling.
“I’m glad to see you’re both okay. I’m heading back to Chicago now. You know how to get a hold of me if you need me.” She hugged them. “Rest for a while, but first Terrance needs to talk to you.”
She left as Terrance came in. “I heard the good news. I’m glad to see you awake, but I don’t have good news about Delacourte.”
Dominic pulled himself up to lean against the pillows and headboard. Teresa snuggled close to him and rested her head against his chest.
“I can’t find him. He seems to have disappeared.” Terrance shrugged. “I talked to all my contacts and no one’s seen him.”
Dominic felt a surge of anger race through him. He couldn’t believe Delacourte would get away with almost killing Teresa.
He’s being punished, Mika’il said.
How do I know? Why should I trust you? Didn’t I see you with one of the lwa?
Fallen: Dominic Page 11