“It is pretty fantastic. And it feels so cold, which is especially wonderful after I’ve been sweating up a storm for hours.”
“Lucy, haven’t I told you a hundred times?” Cassie rolled her eyes at me.
“Yeah, yeah. Girls don’t sweat, they glisten. Well, when I’m dripping from glistening so much, that second skin feels fantastic.”
“I wonder what my new power will be? I hope it’s the ability to fly! Or invisibility, that would be so cool!” Cassie swirled the tip of her knife around as she tallied off all the cool powers she wanted to have.
A sharp whistle stopped our chatter. “We gotta roll, ladies. Quit primpin’ already,” Adam yelled in.
We came out of the locker room locked and loaded. Having no idea what we’d face after we arrived in Louisiana, we prepared for the worst. James, Zander, Adam, Max, and Elizabeth were all waiting for us at the realm transfer door. Surprisingly, Amelia was there too. I shot a look to James to see how he was taking this, but he was busying himself showing Zander a new technique for drawing weapons from his bracelet.
I walked up to Amelia and gave her a quick hug. “Hey, you! Where have you been recently? I’ve missed hanging out with you!”
“Oh I know, I miss you guys too. You must have tons of new gossip for me. This hard ass,” she pointed to Elizabeth who simply rolled her eyes, “keeps me running rampant night and day. I was coming to talk to her about taking on an assistant now that I’m in charge of the Guides. I haven’t slept more than an hour at a time for weeks! This job is exhausting!”
“Oh I bet! I wish you could have come on vacation with us. That would have been so much fun! But I can’t thank you enough for babysitting Frenchie during our vacation. And for watching her again now.”
“It’s not a problem. She’s a doll! I’m gonna have to get one of my own soon. Or steal her from you since you seem to be quite the jetsetter these days.”
I blushed, feeling guilty for rubbing it in. I knew she would have loved to have been a part of our team, but someone needed to take over now that Elizabeth was with us and Amelia was the best one for the job. Still, I didn’t want to make her feel worse. Especially since she was helping me out so much. I bent down and scratched Frenchie behind the ears. She happily rolled on to her back, and I took the hint and rubbed her belly too.
“I’m so sorry, Amelia—”
She waved her arm dismissively at me. “Forget it. I’m cranky today. Tell me all about your fun vacation, and don’t leave any details out! I want to live vicariously through you.”
“Max pulled some strings and got us a long weekend to Tasnim. It was amazing! Four days of nothing but sand, surf, and sun. I seriously haven’t been that relaxed since I was alive. You’ll definitely have to come with next time!”
“And did Elizabeth go with you too?” Amelia crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes.
“God, no! I shudder at the thought of her in nothing but a Speedo and those freaky ass shoes. Seriously, what is her fascination with those things?”
Amelia relaxed her posture and smiled. She must really be stressed out. “Oh, okay. It sounds like you had fun. Let me know the next time you have some time off, though I doubt I’ll be able to take any myself.”
“Sure. By the way, how are you doing after—” I let the rest go unsaid, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.
“Some things aren’t meant to be.” She shrugged her shoulders, but swallowed hard. I wanted to talk to her more about it, but I could see James signaling me that it was time to go out of the corner of my eye.
“Well, I’m here if you need to talk. Okay, we’re off. See you later.” I gave her a final wave as she headed back to the training center, but she didn’t wave back. Poor thing, I thought, it’s a good thing she’s busy.
Max came up and stood beside me, taking my hand and kissing my palm. “The realm door is opening; it’s time to leave.” I nodded and squeezed his hand, and closed my eyes. No matter how many times I did it, I never got used to the feeling of changing realms. I may have an immortal body, but it’s still a body and getting sucked through different realms was not pleasant. Just as I finally braced myself, remembering to breathe, I stepped through and left my realm.”
Chapter Ten
“Welcome to Louisiana!” A warm voice with a beautiful French-Creole accent greeted us.
“Water,” I croaked. Max was already on it and handed me a bottle he kept on him for when we transferred.
“Are you okay there, darlin’?”
I attempted to nod, but ended up choking on the water. Max filled in for me. “She’s fine, or at least will be. She still isn’t a fan of transferring realms at great distances.”
“Who is?” the woman teased. I finally composed myself to look up, and almost started choking again. “You sure I can’t offer you somethin’ to ease your throat? How about some good sweet tea? They don’t make it like this where y’all hail from.”
“No, no thank you. I’m okay. I was just surprised when I saw you. I apologize. You’d think after being star struck a few times, I’d get used to it. I’ve always been a fan of yours.”
“Well, aren’t you just the sweetest thing!” She held out her hand for me to shake. “I’m Sadie Ann. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“And you.” I turned and introduced the renowned jazz singer to the rest of my team, who all took turns either drooling (Zander and Adam) or stuttering (Cassie). Only Lola seemed herself, but I guess coming from the showbiz world she was used to it. Sadie Ann Jennings was a legendary beauty who was cut down in her prime when a jealous ex-lover murdered her in an “if I can’t have her no one can” murder-suicide during the 1960s.
“So I know y’all just got here, but I’m fixin’ to get started right away. We have seen a big growth in attempted soul theft, and our research shows that one of your covens has settled in our fine city of New Orleans, which I figure is kinda appropriate, but I sure do wanna kick their sorry butts for disruptin’ my peace and quiet.”
James, acting as leader for our team, took over. “Well we’re happy to help in any way we can. We have a little more experience in battle, so if you need any support that’s what we’re here for. But for now, please fill us in on the details.”
“According to my psychic sources in the Quarter, there’s a new group that’s been trolling Bourbon Street on the weekends looking for young blood. Their hope, as far as we can tell, is to get ‘em good and inebriated and then cause an ‘accidental death’ via a fall or somethin’ like that. I’m sure if they could kill them outright, they would, but they know that’ll raise too many red flags and they don’t want to get caught.
“Then, before they can arrive here they’re snatched. And since the victims aren’t children, we don’t have Guides waiting. Five in the last month alone have disappeared!”
“You use psychics?” I asked incredulously. That idea sounded beyond hokey.
“The real ones, not the Dionne Warwick kind. They’re some of our best sources. They have a connection to the human world that we simply don’t have. And with so many drawn to our fair city, we never lack for information or people willing to help. I’m surprised y’all don’t use them yourself.”
It made perfect sense. I couldn’t believe none of us had thought of it before. James, seeing the question on my face, explained. “Many of our Patroni are a little more old fashioned and don’t always see the benefit of change. I’m working on that.” He turned back to Sadie Ann. “Have your sources given you any specifics on the coven?”
“Only that they’re large. One of the largest we’ve ever seen as a matter of fact. I know this may take several days, so I’ve arranged a few guest rooms for you. Why don’t you go put your stuff down and meet me back here in say a half hour? Louis here will take you to the quarters.”
A very distinguishably handsome man in his fifties with dark, ebony skin and a bright smile walked over. “Welcome to our Parish. I’m Louis Boudoux, the New Member Orient
ation Councilor for Louisiana.”
“Oh wow, I didn’t know Patronus had those. It could have come in handy my first few weeks.”
Max leaned over and took my overnight bag and placed his hand into mine. “We do have them. I convinced James that you didn’t need one and that we—and by ‘we’ I mean me—could train you ourselves. I didn’t want to leave you that long. Usually, new recruits are sent for weeks of training in all aspects of becoming a Patronus. Kinda like boot camp, but less brutal.”
Louis smiled and nodded. “Your beau there is correct. Though I’m surprised they granted such an exception. You must really be sumptin’ special.”
Max squeezed my middle, causing me to squirm under the uncomfortable spotlight and turn a few shades of red. Everyone had heard that the “original souls” found their way back to each other, but few on other realms actually knew who we were.
I needed to change the subject away from me. “Louis, this place is beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s nothing like our realm. Ours reminds me of a college campus.”
“No ma’am, I suppose it’s not. Each realm is unique to the area in which it resides. This here is a replication of a turn of the century plantation home.” He motioned toward one of the stately homes closest to him. “We have a total of twenty on our grounds, all slightly different. I’d say that it’s been recently remodeled, but that was over 100 years now.”
I looked around at the expansive grounds, littered in giant oak trees covered in Spanish moss that people lounged under. Beautiful large houses with giant white pillars and wrap around verandas with rocking chairs were all around me. It was so peaceful, it was no surprise several people were napping. “I love it.”
“This one here,” he said, pointing to one of the smaller houses with a sunny yellow façade trimmed in black with big, black shudders on each of the outside windows, “is modeled after the famous Houmas Plantation where I served as cook for the masters of the house during my lifetime.”
“You were a slave?” Cassie asked. She was such an advocate for equal rights during her human life, I could imagine the things that she might say about the slavery that occurred in this area. Her eyebrows were already raised and she was balling her fists.
“Yess’um. I was born into slavery and was so until I was whipped to death in 1857 for trying to help my wife and son escape. Since then, I’ve happily been a Patronus and helped other souls escape a doomed destiny. I think it’s kinda poetic that I am doin’ now what I died for. But, I’m happy about it. I wouldn’t have changed nuthin.”
I didn’t have any reply to that and was glad when he stopped walking. “Here we are, the guest quarters. We have reserved four rooms for you. Ladies, you’ll be sharing the master suite since there are three of you. Gentleman, you’ll be doubling up in rooms two, three, and four. I hope you don’t mind bunk beds.”
I resisted the urge to pout that I didn’t get a room with Max, but since this was a work trip and not vacation, I didn’t feel I should be too disappointed. Cassie took the key, practically squealing when she eyed the giant master bathroom complete with claw foot tub.
“First dibs!” she called, throwing her overnight back down and quickly examining each of the different bath salts and candles that adorned the bathroom.
“You’re going to have to wait. I think Sadie Ann wants us back to the headquarters so we can get started. We need to change into our fighting gear and get going.”
“Lucy,” Lola asked. “Will your new power work okay here in this district?”
It was a question I hadn’t thought of, and I suddenly became nervous that I would be without it. I’d only had my new silver skin for a few months, but I already couldn’t imagine a battle without it. “I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, but I’ll check with Max and James to be sure.” I wished I could try it now, but it only worked when there was actual danger around.
The girls and I were changed and ready for battle a few minutes later when we met back up with our hosts. “Tonight we’ll visit Bourbon Street and meet up with a few of my contacts. We may get lucky and spot a vampire, but I’m more interested in making our presence known so they stop using this as their huntin’ ground,” Sadie Ann explained.
“Remember, though we will be able to see and hear everything happening on earth, they won’t see us unless they have a sixth sense. Any vampire or werewolf in the area will spot us and hopefully report back to their leaders, and they’ll stop trolling.” James’s voice was confident and he stood with his shoulders back, arms clasped behind him like a military leader delivering orders. I bit my lip to keep from shouting back, “Sir, yes sir.”
“I’m confused,” Lola interjected. Her voice was quiet. She hated being the new kid. “Wouldn’t it be better if they didn’t know we were here? So we could capture them instead of scaring them off?”
“It’s a good question, Lola,” Adam responded. Having the most military background besides James, he was a great source of information. “Both the vamps and weres have very keen noses, so they’d sense our presence anyway if we snuck up. By making ourselves known, they’ll try to take us on head-on. They’ll prepare for it first of course, but they find their greatest victories and rise in status by defeating their enemies head-on. They’re not ones to run away.”
“And if this clan is as old as we think they are, they’ll be even more likely to want a head-to-head battle,” James added as he placed weapons on his thigh and waist for easy access.
Lola chuckled and shook her head. “What’s so funny?” I asked.
“It seems stupid to me. How many vampires or werewolves have won against a team of Patroni? They’re all gonna end up dead because they’re so prideful—not that I’m complaining. It seems silly to me. What’s the point?”
“It only takes once, one slip up from us and they win. That’s all they’re looking for really. One chance to make a name for themselves and obtain more power,” James reminded her. “And power is all they’re interested in.”
I knew that James was thinking about the Patroni he lost all those years ago, and I changed the subject to keep his head in the game. “Sadie, I’ve never been to New Orleans. Tell me what the legendary Bourbon Street is like.”
She and Louis both chuckled and shook their heads sadly before Sadie spoke. “It’s such a shame, you know? New Orleans has one of the richest histories in our fine nation and all people seem to think is that it’s a great place to get liquored up. They seem to forget about the rest nowadays.”
My face flushed with heat from embarrassment and guilt. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I only—”
“It’s okay, I know you didn’t. It’s a bit of a sore spot for us locals. I really feel bad for the Nevada bunch. Those poor people get it even worse with everyone thinkin’ their state is only about legal prostitution and ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’ debauchery.” She squeezed my arm, reassuring me that I was forgiven for my crass assumption and continued. “The French Quarter is an amazing place to be, both day and night. It’s a shame you didn’t get a chance to visit when you were alive. The antique shops and art galleries that line Royal Street can keep you busy for days and have happily emptied many a pocketbook. You can tour St. Louis Cathedral, which in my humble opinion is one of the finest churches in the South. And don’t even get me started on Café du Monde. I swear I can still taste that powered sugary goodness if I close my eyes and think about it.”
I licked my lips imagining the fresh, warm doughnuts that would no doubt be a new favorite addiction if I could eat them. “It sounds amazing.”
“It really is, sugar. Bourbon Street is a small part of what New Orleans has to offer. When I was a little girl, I used to take the streetcar into the Garden District and imagine I lived in one of the Victorian homes. Years later when I signed my first major recording contract, I bought one of those homes that I used to marvel at.” Sadie Ann shook her head, coming out of her memories and back to the present. “Now, B
ourbon Street itself is a fine place to be on a Friday night. They have a little somethin’ for everyone and no one will judge you there. It’s a great place to let your hair down and live a little. Which is why the vampires have such an easy time findin’ prey. Everyone lets their guard down and ignores the warning in their gut tellin’ them somethin’s wrong.”
Chapter Eleven
“So how exactly is this going to work?” Cassie asked. “Are we going to walk up and down the block looking fierce and scaring the bad guys away?”
“Sadie Ann and Elizabeth came up with a plan before our arrival. Do you want to outline it, ma’am?” James walked a few paces behind her so she could have the floor and our undivided attention.
“We’ll walk and talk. We’re still quite a ways away from the center of the city and it’s after nine, just when things start to pick up.”
We said goodbye to Louis, who would be manning the headquarters while we went into the city. I was surprised Sadie Ann’s team wasn’t joining us, but she explained that they got a call about an attack in Shreveport and had to leave.
We walked to a trolley station and stopped. “We’re taking public transportation in?”
“More like we’re hitching a ride,” Sadie Ann explained. “It’s the easiest and fastest option. When we get to our destination, we want our presence known to the enemy. We need to present a formidable and united front that will make them fear crossing us. We’ll walk in a single, wide line and take our time. I want to look in every alley way and dark corner to make sure no one is lurking, and to let them know we leave no stone unturned. Keep your weapons out and visible. Let them know we mean business. ”
“And be prepared for any sudden attacks. The young ones may think it a good opportunity to rise in the ranks,” Adam chimed in.
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