“A foolish opportunity,” Lola muttered under her breath.
“Thank you, Adam,” Sadie Ann agreed, ignoring Lola’s comment. “I don’t think they’ll try anything with a group our size, but it’s always better to be prepared for the worst. And Lola, I agree with you as well. It would be foolish, but we’re not dealing with Mensa members here.”
“Yes, but we can’t underestimate them either,” James pointed out. “While they lack common sense and intelligence, they make up for it in cunning at trickery. Their only goal is power, no matter the cost.”
We rode the rickety streetcar through the Garden District and onto the edge of the Quarter. Max let me sit against the window so I could take in the sights, for which I was grateful. I hadn’t gotten the opportunity to travel much outside of Florida during my lifetime save for a few trips to Atlanta and one cruise to the Bahamas. The city reminded me of St. Augustine with its Spanish moss trees and in its ornate architecture. Both cities were among the first to be colonized in the South and were remarkably well preserved.
When the train ride ended, I was saddened to end my sightseeing. Max leaned his head on my shoulder and whispered in my ear, “After this is over, I’m going to show you the world.”
My heart fluttered at his words and I knew they weren’t only wishful thinking. He really would move heaven and earth to make me happy, and I wanted to do nothing more than to kiss him endlessly in thanks. We didn’t work a normal 9-5 schedule, with weekends and holidays off. We worked hard because we liked the job and we took pride in it, not because someone forced us for a paycheck. If we wanted time off, it was usually approved.
Max took my hand to help me to my feet and we stepped off the train and onto the outer edge of Bourbon Street. Neon signs welcomed us and advertised stores and goods while crowds of people laughed and drank as they walked down the center of the streets, cups in hand. The street was closed off to motor traffic, allowing people access to walk and drink. Street performers set up their posts every few blocks, drawing large crowds and delighted cheers.
Everything about it appeared to be the ultimate party, but if you looked closer, you noticed the fist fight between two drunks, the drug deal going down on the corner, or the pick-pocket weaving between the crowd, lightening tourists of their hard-earned money.
“Stay close to the center of the street. We want a visible presence.” James and Sadie Ann capped the ends of our line while Max and I took the dead center. I wouldn’t be using any weapons unless absolutely necessary since I was the only one who could protect myself and wanted to keep my hands free to call up a shield instantly if necessary. Adam, Cassie, Lola, and Zander stood between us with their guns out, cocked, and ready to go. I was glad the tourists couldn’t see us, because I’m sure we would have scared the crap out of a few of them.
We took our time marching down the street, slowly making our way block after block. We passed several blocks full of strip clubs, girls hanging out the doors giving passersby a “sample” of what was inside. Next, several blocks offered bars with every kind of music or dancing you could ask for. People gyrated and sloshed their drinks as they danced, not caring who might be watching. Then, a few streets later, there were several gay bars. The bright feathers and outlandish costumes from the drag show inside were visible from the street.
We took our time walking, checking each dark corner and making our presence known as we took in the sights. After walking a dozen or so blocks, we came to the end of the crowded bar section and hit a more residential area. On the corner of one of the streets, an old woman clutched her cane and toddled out of a lamp-lit bar, beckoning us forward. “I seek a word with you.”
“Is she motioning for us to go over?” I asked. Surely I was imagining it and she actually meant the group of drunken frat boys vomiting behind us.
“Yes, that’s Madam Dufrane. She’s a local voodoo priestess and a bit of a local legend. She’s also one of my informants. I’ll be right back.” Sadie Ann jogged over to the hunched, wrinkled woman and was led into a small courtyard. While we waited, the rest of the group broke formation and took a look around.
“I know she looks like a sweet old grandmother, but that woman scares me,” Lola whispered to Cassie and me.
“It is pretty scary knowing someone can see us. I’ve been assuming for years that no one else could. I wonder how many have been secretly spying on me.” Cassie shuddered, rubbing her hands up and down her arms and looked around the street before turning and walking closer to James.
“I actually like it that there are some who can see us. It gives me comfort that there’s a way I could get in touch with my loved ones if I really had to.”
Lola nodded in agreement before replying, “Is that even allowed?” I shrugged, having no answer. Lola was quiet for a moment, before whispering, “There’s something about that woman’s eyes that give me the heebie-jeebies.”
Max came up behind me, placing both of his hands on my arms and leaning close to my ear. “Did you hear that?”
I looked at him quizzically and listened for anything out of the ordinary. “I don’t hear anything.”
“I swear I heard a growling. Maybe it was a dog.”
“We should check it out. What if it was a werewolf?”
Max nodded, but then scrubbed his face with his hands. “Adam told me Cassie’s not feeling well, and James went with Sadie Ann.”
“Lola, Zander and I can go with you,” I suggested. “It’ll only take a few minutes to check out. It was probably a dog. Louis told me no werewolves have been spotted in this area in months. They don’t want to compete with the vampires.”
“No, you girls stay here. I’ll go with Zander to check it out. With Cassie not feeling well, I want you to be here to back them up. Don’t go anywhere, and stay together. James and Sadie Ann should be back momentarily, and Z and I will only be a minute.”
Twenty minutes later, we were still waiting for Sadie Ann and James to return from her talk with the psychic woman. Adam and Cassie took seats on a stoop of a nearby house where he was gently rubbing her shoulders. I wished I knew how to help, but Adam was with her, and he told me to keep watch. Max and Zander still hadn’t returned, and Lola and I were growing restless.
“Do you want to look in the window of that antique shop with me?” Lola motioned to a shop several doors down that was filled with relics from the turn of the century. “I’m pretty sure I saw some old records from the 1950s and I wondered if one was Sadie Ann’s.”
“You go check it out. I’m going to wait here for Max. He should have been back by now.”
Lola shrugged her shoulders. “Suit yourself, but if it were me I wouldn’t wait around for some man. Let him chase you a little every now and then.”
“It’s not like that; I don’t want him to be worried if I’m not here when he gets back.”
“Sugar, it’s a half a block. He won’t even need to strain to see you.”
“I’d still rather wait, but you go on ahead. I’ll holler if I need you.” I gave Lola my biggest smile to convince her I was all right and watched her walk away, muttering about how times had changed. I leaned back against a fence and watched the happenings around me. This end of Bourbon Street wasn’t as crowded, but there were still several people milling about. A ghost tour was in progress across the street, with the guide explaining how he too had the ability to see spirits that remained trapped on earth. I snorted at his assertion and wondered if I should run up and yell “boo!” to see what he’d do. The crowd ate up his story and snapped photo after photo with their phones and cameras as he pointed out one of the most haunted bars in the city.
As they continued on down the street, I caught a bit of motion out of the corner of my eye coming from the back of the tour. Looking more closely, I didn’t spot anything strange. Everyone continued to listen to the guide’s stories and no one seemed out of place. I shook my head, convinced that whatever I thought I saw was a self-fulfilling prophecy. I turned away, glancing in the opposite direc
tion to see if I could find where Max and Zander went, but I detected no one. Lola was immersed in the store window, cupping both of her hands against the glass to shield her eyes for a better view.
I was about to stand behind Cassie and Adam, who were lost in their own world on the stairs, when I spotted an inhuman flash of color by the tour group. I took a few steps toward the group to investigate, but they were almost a block away by now. I jogged a few paces and finally locked my gaze on the source. A vampire was hiding in the center of the crowd. It was easily recognizable, with its skin taking on a grayish hue and bright, pulsing veins popping up against the surface of its skin. I opened my mouth to yell for my team, but the vampire put his finger to his lips indicating quiet.
How odd, I thought silently. Is he actually asking me to keep his presence a secret? I smirked at the ridiculous notion, but before I could do anything else another vampire peeked out of the crowd. I hadn’t noticed it hiding in the center of the throng because it was so much shorter than everyone else.
It was Jessica. My baby sister, complete with bloodied fangs from what was no doubt a recent kill, was standing in front of me half a block away. Seeing me, she giggled, and the sound knocked me back a few steps. It was my sister’s laugh and smile, wrapped around a bloodthirsty monster who didn’t even bother to clean the blood off of her mouth.
I blinked my eyes rapidly, needing to double check my vision. She was still there. I reached down to activate my bracelet and send an announcement that would bring my team running, but Jessica took off running back into the crowd. I couldn’t lose her. I couldn’t let her slip away again. My fingers fell from my wrist, and I barreled after her. I needed to find out where she was going and I could alert my team. I couldn’t waste time now and risk her getting away. She turned up a side street heading toward the river and I followed, pushing myself faster than I’d ever run. Jessica was using her vampire speed to her advantage, and before I knew it we were both standing in front of the famous Café Du Monde. Though it was after ten o’clock at night, there were at least thirty people enjoying the sweet French doughnuts. I thought Jessica would stop now, but her lithe frame weaved through the tables of the outdoor café and headed for the river’s edge.
I made it to the edge of the restaurant when I was tackled from the side. Strong arms pressed my arms down to my side and wrapped around my waist, preventing me from reaching my bracelet for a weapon or to call for help. I wiggled and squirmed as we fell to the ground, but the iron grip only increased. As we lay on the floor, another set of hands cupped my head. I screamed out for help, but I was too far away now, and no one around could see or hear me. The fingers on my head raised me up a bit, and slammed my head back down onto the pavement. A bright, white, searing pain engulfed my senses as my vision blurred. Before I could recover from the first blow, two more came in rapid succession. I opened my eyes, desperate for a way out of this mess when Jessica knelt in front of me.
“It’s so good to see you again, big sis. We’re going to have so much fun together,” she sang in her syrupy sweet voice.
I didn’t get a chance to reply before another blow finally came, and I slipped out of consciousness.
Chapter Twelve
A slow, steady drip woke me out of unconsciousness. The rhythm of the noise, followed by a splash confused me. My eyes wouldn’t open, and I couldn’t seem to move my arms or legs either. I focused on the sound as I fought to remember where I was. I remembered being in New Orleans, I remembered walking down Bourbon Street with my team, then I was…my eyes snapped open as the memory washed back over me. Jessica. I had found my sister.
I scanned the area but detected no one. The room was empty, damp, and dark. I made out nothing I could recognize, no clue that would help me tell my team where to come find me. There was absolutely nothing in the room. Cement floors stretched from wall to wall, and the drip came from a faucet on the opposite, with each solitary drop pooling on the floor and creating a stream that flowed toward me. It must have been an empty basement or warehouse. I looked down at my feet. My boots and all weapons had been removed. Swinging my head to the side allowed me to see that my arms were shackled to the wall, and worst of all—my bracelet was no longer snug on my wrist.
“How in the world did they get that off?” I wondered aloud. It seemed like such a permanent fixture of my body that I couldn’t figure out how they would have removed it without the Jaws of Life.
“It took some doing, I’ll admit that,” an unseen voice replied. I squinted and looked to either side of me, but saw no one.
“Who’s there?” I called, pulling at my wrists to try to get free. Even as the steel cut into my flesh I didn’t stop. I knew I’d heal on my own. It was more important to be free and able to fight. “Don’t hide in the shadows like a coward. Show yourself.”
The voice chuckled again, but didn’t move forward. “You’re not calling the shots here, sweetheart. You don’t get to give the orders. But if I were you, I’d be a good girl and cooperate so we kill you quickly. I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if we found out what we need to know the hard way.”
“I’m not telling you a damn thing. I don’t care what you do to me.”
“You will care, eventually. They all do.”
“What did you do with my sister?” I tried changing topics, hoping to throw him off and discover a weakness. There was also a part of me that desperately wanted to know. A long, horrid laugh echoed off the walls and made me shiver for a moment before I gathered my resolve once more. I wouldn’t be scared off by someone not even brave enough to show his face. “You better go get your boss quickly, because when my team gets here and finds you, there won’t be much left of you to do any talking.”
“Sweetie, that’s where you’re wrong.” Legs stepped forward into the light and I gasped. “Because I am the boss.”
The voice—that sinister, evil voice—was coming out of my sister’s mouth. I wanted to scream for her to run, and get away from these monsters, but I knew that she was one of them now. Vampires could morph into any human form they wished, so why would they keep her an eleven year old girl? What purpose did it serve to keep her that way? The only possibility was to use my love for her against me. I bit my lip to keep from speaking. The vampires wanted a reaction out of me and were using Jessica to get it. I couldn’t let them; I had to be stronger than that.
“I swear, when I get out of here—”
“What’s a-matter, Sissy? You don’t want to stay and play with me? Don’t you love me anymore?” the vampire taunted. The rough voice was replaced with the sweet sound that plagued my dreams and I fought once more against my chains.
“I guess a game of hide and seek is out of the question, huh?” she teased again.
“What do you want?” I bit out through clenched teeth.
“Can’t I want to see you? I’ve missed you, Lucy.” Jessica looked up at me, wide eyed and innocent. But I knew that was only on the outside. She was pure evil on the inside now.
“WHAT do you want?” I screamed this time, tears rolling down my cheeks. “Why are you doing this?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” She giggled and shook her head, but then turned an icy glare at me. “Don’t play stupid, girl. I know you better than that.”
I had no idea what she was talking about, or wanted from me, so I stayed quiet. I needed to stop getting sucked into her mind games. They used my sister’s image to lure me here, and now were taunting me by having her in front of me. They wanted it to be a weakness.
“It’s not Jessica, it’s not Jessica.” I repeated the mantra over and over. I needed to focus on my goal: retrieving her soul from the interloper who currently resided in it.
“Of course I’m Jessica,” the girl protested, putting her hands on her hips.
“Not Jessica, not Jessica,” I continued, closing my eyes from seeing her face.
“I am your sweet little sister!” Her cold, frail fingers grabbed at me and attempted to pry open my eyes. A
t this point, it dawned on me that part of their plan depended on me doing anything necessary for my sister, for me to be desperate to defend and protect her. And my mantra sprung a leak in the game. The anger was evident, and she hissed and growled, but I kept my eyes closed. I kept repeating the phrase, happy to finally see a weakness I could exploit.
“Look at me! Why would you doubt me? Please, Lucy. Help me. I need your help. Save me from these monsters.” The vampire was back to using her sweet voice but doing a poor job of hiding the anger that seeped through the fringes of her words.
“Jessica is gone, there is no one in front of me but a monster,” I continued.
“You shut your face! I am Jessica!” She was quiet for a minute while she contained her temper. “Please, Lucy, won’t you save me? Don’t you want to protect me from them?” When I didn’t answer, the tiny hand slapped my face, and I opened my eyes to stare at her.
“Do you know how I know you’re not my sister? Because Jessica could never, ever stand to see me chained to this wall. And she would have hugged me as soon as she saw me, not letting go. You have no warmth, no love, no compassion inside you. That’s how I know you can’t be my sister.”
Without warning, the vampire posing as my sister elongated her fangs and bit me. Over and over, covering my entire body with bite marks that grew slower to heal the more blood I lost. I screamed in agony for her to stop, but it only spurred her frenzy. I couldn’t fight. I tried breaking my own wrists, tearing the joints from the sockets but nothing worked. There was no way out. I was going to die there, as a prisoner of the vampire who mocked the memory of my sister. Tears slid down my face, not from the pain but from the horror of seeing the face of my sister twisted in rage, her mouth covered in blood. It was my worst nightmare come true.
Eventually, I stopped screaming. I knew the blood loss was great because I could feel it getting harder to draw breathe. It was easier to keep my eyes closed, and the sounds around me became muted, like my ears were covered in cotton. I didn’t know what happened to a person who died twice. It never occurred to me to ask before. Did I go back and get a redo on being a Patronus? Did I simply go straight to my final destination? Or did I use my “one up” already and now it was game over?
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