by Sarra Cannon
He flashed me that same wolfish smile I had seen on his face numerous times tonight, and cocked his head to the side. All the tension from moments before had melted from his features. “What, no goodnight kiss?”
My head fell back as I laughed loudly, his bold words surprising me. “Nope. Maybe tomorrow night though.” I winked.
While I might not be looking for a one-night stand, that didn’t mean I wanted to pass up the opportunity to hang out with him again before I headed home on Sunday. There was more to him than met the eye, and I wasn’t opposed to learning as much as I could while I had the chance.
He lifted his chin. “Tomorrow night, she says.” Smoothing a hand along his scruffy chin, he smiled. “I can wait that long, I guess. Are we still on for in the morning?”
“We’re on for tomorrow, but I don’t know about in the morning.” I nodded toward Bree. “I’m not too sure how she’ll feel. How about we shoot for the afternoon?”
Bree muttered something about feeling perfectly fine, and then burst into a fit of tinkling laughter.
“Can I get your number now, so we can discuss a time tomorrow?”
My lips quirked into a small smile. “You’re all about getting my number, aren’t you?”
“I did say at the beginning of the night that I had my work cut out for me, but that the challenge had also been accepted,” he reminded me. “I’d say I’ve proven myself worthy tonight. I managed to find some fun for you two and get you both back to your hotel safely.”
Letting go of Bree, I slung my purse around and dug through its contents for my cell phone. Once I found it, I handed it to him.
“You’re right. Thank you.” I smiled. “Add your number please.”
Delvin licked his lips, and flashed me his most charming smile of the night. “With pleasure.”
After adding his number into my phone, he handed it back to me.
“Thanks.” I locked arms with Bree again. “I’ll see you tomorrow sometime.”
“Absolutely,” he said while walking away from me backward, his hands crammed into the front pockets of his dark jeans.
I pushed through the hotel doors and headed straight for the elevator. This night had been never-ending, but it had also been a blast. I was thankful I had let Bree talk me into hanging out with Delvin and enjoying everything New Orleans had to offer in terms of nightlife.
Exhaustion crept through my limbs in the form of a pulsating sensation as the elevator stopped at our floor. Steering Bree toward our room, I vowed to designate tomorrow night as my night to get shitty, because taking care of her tonight was going to be the pits and she would owe me. Big time.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Midnight Cauldron would not have been easy to find on my own. Stating it was off Bourbon Street was precise actually, because the creepy shop was strangely tucked into an alley. I was positive most didn’t even know it was there, even with the gothic-looking sign hanging at the corner. Delvin had been a lifesaver.
As we cut down the alley, the door to the place came into view, making my heart rise in my throat and unease surge through my stomach. Wind chimes made of bones hung at the entrance to the shop, and twin statues resembling voodoo dolls stood at attention on either side. Odd artifacts and potion bottles with various symbols printed on the fronts decorated the front window.
Everything about the place sent chills along my spine.
Bree paused a few feet away from the door. “Yeah, I think I’m just going to stand out here and wait for you.” Her voice was hoarse after last night’s events, and she looked paler than normal with large circles beneath her eyes, but her fear of the place was still visible in her expression.
“Gee thanks.” I frowned.
I didn’t need her to hold my hand, but I damn sure didn’t want her hanging out here while I stepped into who knew what all by my lonesome. My eyes shifted to Delvin. I preferred to keep him in the dark about what had brought me here, because of how crazy it all sounded, but I would be perfectly fine with him stepping inside and keeping me in his line of vision.
“I’m with Bree. I think I’ll just wait out here too.” He crammed his hands into his jean pockets as an incredibly boyish look swept across his face.
“Okay. I’ll be right back.” I smiled, but it was forced.
Inhaling swiftly through my nose, I stood perfectly still as I gathered up the courage to enter. My heart raced inside my chest as I stared at the ominous-looking shop in front of me. What if I were only a few feet away from my mother? What would be the first thing I said to her? Would I ask her any of the questions I’d thought of over the last few years? My eyes landed on one of the voodoo dolls decorating the entrance, and my throat constricted. What if I was about to learn something that would change my life completely?
“Well,” Bree spoke up, pulling me from my freak-out frenzy. “Aren’t you going inside?”
Steeling my back, I stepped toward the door. “Yeah.” Gripping the cool knob in my sweaty palm, I twisted. “Be right back.”
Once I entered the little shop, the door closed behind me, making me flinch at the sound. The musky scent of incense filled my nose, and burned my eyes. I paused a few steps past the threshold as I took the bizarre place in. A wooden counter dominated the wall farthest from the entrance. Dried bunches of herbs and flowers hung from the ceiling behind it, and shelves cluttered with glass jars of every shape and color adorned the wall. Dusty leather-bound books stacked in precarious piles along the left of the counter drew my attention, as well as the abandoned mortar and pestle set beside them.
Someone had been busy making something before I’d walked in, but where were they now?
My eyes scanned the remainder of the shop, this time searching for a person instead of soaking up details of the eccentric place. Even so, there were a few things that captured my attention—like the wall filled with diverse masks of assorted colors and sizes. There was one in particular that stood out to me—the face was solid white, its eyes seemed swollen to mere slits, its mouth partially open as though frozen in the midst of a painful scream, and on its head, there was a set of animal ears painted light red and gray. From one angle, they resembled ears; from another, they resembled horns.
“Kenna Blake,” a woman said from behind me, her voice breaking the eerie silence trapped inside the shop.
Spinning to face her, I flinched at her close proximity and appearance. Dressed in a gown of various colors that cascaded to the floor and pooled around her feet, the woman smiled, flashing her slightly discolored teeth. Fuzzy dreadlocks framed her face, and the only thing marring her dark, beautiful skin was a sporadic sprinkle of freckles beneath her mysterious eyes and across the bridge of her nose.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” She held out a hand toward me, her bracelets made of bones and frayed ropes clanked around in the movement, echoing through the silent shop. “Come, let us find your gift.”
Placing my trembling hand in hers, I followed her through the shop.
“I take it that means you’ve spoken with my mother?” I asked, surprised by how steady my voice sounded.
“Yes, many times,” the woman said in a cryptic fashion.
“I mean recently,” I clarified. “You’ve spoken with her recently. Is she here, in New Orleans?”
“It’s possible she may still be around.”
The woman dropped my hand the moment we reached the wooden counter. Stepping behind it, she bent at the waist to glance through some shelves beneath. I kept my eyes trained on her as best I could, taking in her outward appearance. She wasn’t old by any means. Her face was practically wrinkle-free, but there was something ancient about her nonetheless. It seeped from her movements and swirled through the dark colors of her eyes.
Coming up empty handed, the woman frowned. “Just a moment.” It was obvious she hadn’t been able to find whatever it was she’d been searching for. “I’ll be right back.”
I watched her as she walked toward a doorway covered by a c
urtain of beads that moved and swayed in an unfelt breeze, disappearing through them.
The eerie silence that had filled the place when I first stepped inside became present again, but only for a moment, because soon the woman was back. In her hands, she held a red box the size a small piece of jewelry would come in.
Flashing me a toothy grin, her discolored teeth on display for me once more, she held the box out toward me. “This is a present from your mother.”
“For what?”
It was still unclear to me the motive behind not only this present, but also the entire trip.
A mixture of elation and restraint shifted through her eyes, and I got the feeling she knew more than she was about to say. “Happy Halloween, of course.”
My mother had never given me anything in honor of Halloween before. Strange didn’t even begin to describe this situation.
“Go on.” Excitement glistened in the woman’s dark eyes. “Open it.”
Chewing the inside of my cheek, I dropped my gaze to the box in my hand. Nervous butterflies burst to life in the pit of my stomach as I carefully pulled the hinged lid back. My jaw slacked as I stared in bewilderment at what was inside. Nestled snuggly in the slit cut deeply into the box’s black velvet interior was the most stunning ring I had ever laid eyes on.
The band was silver and incrusted with diamonds, but the spaces between each was black, as though it had been tarnished by age. In the center was a large blood red, heart-shaped stone. Diamonds swirled along the surface of the stone, giving it a vintage look that I absolutely loved.
“Try it on,” the woman suggested, her voice barely above a whisper.
As if her words held within them some form of bewitching magic, I pinched the ring between my fingers and handed her the box so I could try it on. As I slipped the cool metal over the ring finger of my right hand, a sigh of contentment floated from my lips. It fit beautifully.
“Was this my mother’s?”
The woman nodded. “It was.”
Questions began to pour through my mind, and I lifted my eyes to the woman, ready to voice them all at once. The woman pressed a finger to my lips, stilling my mind.
“Shh.” She shook her head. “I know you think you have questions now, but in time, more important ones will fill their place as the night progresses. Trust me, child. All will be answered in due time.”
Swallowing the words on the tip of my tongue, I took a tentative step back. My mind cleared and the reality of how weird this entire situation actually was slammed into me all at once. The desire to get out of here burned beneath my skin, forcing my feet into motion.
“Okay, umm.” I made my way toward the exit. “Thank my mother for the ring, if you see her.”
A prickling sensation slipped along my spine, causing the fine hairs at the back of my neck to stand on end as I gripped the handle to the door and pulled. Once outside, the door shut behind me again, and the sounds of busy Bourbon Street filled my ears.
My eyes skimmed over Bree and Delvin leaning against the wall opposite the shop entrance. Bree’s head was cradled in her hands, and I knew she was still suffering from her hangover, while Delvin seemed to be content standing there and messing around on his cell phone while he waited.
Letting out a loud breath, I tugged on the ring as I started toward them, and realized quickly that it wasn’t going to budge. The damn thing was stuck. I couldn’t even get it to spin on my finger; it was as though someone had put super glue along the inside of the band, and now it was permanently fused in place.
Delvin lifted his gaze from his cell as I approached. “That was fast.”
“I’m glad.” Bree squinted at me through the bright midmorning light. “I don’t think I could have waited out here in this heat much longer.”
I didn’t respond to either of them; I was too busy trying to get the ring off.
Bree stepped to where I was. “What’s that? Was your mom in there?”
I held my hand out to her. “A ring, which, for whatever reason, won’t come off. And no, she wasn’t. It was just some crazy witch lady.”
“Oh.” She shrugged a shoulder halfheartedly. “Well, at least the ring is pretty.”
“True,” I muttered.
“Told you that place was spooky.” Delvin grinned. “That lady is the real deal.”
“I can see that.” I dropped my hand to my side, and released another breath. “I’m so glad that’s over with.”
“So that was it? That was what your mother wanted you to come to New Orleans for?” Bree pressed. “A ring?”
“I guess so.”
“I mean, I’m glad that we came here—it’s been a dream trip for me—but a ring? Seriously? Why couldn’t she have mailed it like all the other gifts?”
I shrugged. “I have no clue.”
I didn’t understand it any more than she did. Why pay for this elaborate trip so I could gain possession of a ring? It made absolutely no sense.
“Maybe it’s a family heirloom and she didn’t trust shipping it through the mail,” Delvin offered.
I risked a glance at him, thinking how bizarre this all must sound to him, while wondering how I should explain it, but my lips sealed together the second my eyes landed on him.
Everything about him looked the same as before, but there was some sort of yellowish, golden glow shimmering around him that resembled bright flecks of glitter. I blinked, thinking it was a trick of the light, or something in my eyes maybe, but when I brought my gaze back to him—the shimmering glow was still there, swirling around his form.
“Could be,” Bree answered for me. “But let me just say, I don’t think you want Kenna to even attempt explaining it all to you. It wouldn’t clear anything up. Trust me.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” He smiled, and I was glad the conversation was going to be dropped. “So, are either of you hungry yet? I could go for some lunch.”
My eyes shifted between Bree and him, taking note of the fact that he was the only one with the colorful shimmers floating around him. Delvin lifted his eyes from his cell before pocketing it, and glanced at me. Bree had said something to him, but I hadn’t. My mind was too preoccupied attempting to figure out what the hell I was seeing.
“So are you in, then?” His brows furrowed, and a teasing smile slipped into place on his face. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to pass out or something?”
“Nothing,” I said. “Yeah, I’m in.”
I blinked rapidly this time, and forced my eyes away from him. As we stepped out onto the busy sidewalk, I scanned those around me. My heart constricted in my chest once I realized every male within my line of vision had similar shimmering glitter floating around their bodies like Delvin. While some were the same shade as his, there were others that were a deep brown, green, blue, and one or two that were even solid black.
What the hell was wrong with my eyes? What was wrong with me?
CHAPTER NINE
“Kenna?” The feel of Bree’s hand smoothing along my back startled me, and I flinched. “Are you all right?”
I nodded. “Mmm-hmm.”
I was sure I didn’t seem convincing. How could I? I was freaking out! Was I having a stroke? Were these the signs for something like that?
Rubbing my eyes, I opened them reluctantly. No glitter swirled around Bree, and for a fraction of a second, I thought everything was okay, but then I remembered there never had been anything around her. It had only been around Delvin—and every other male in my line of vision.
“Do you have a headache or something?” Delvin asked, concern swelling within his words.
“Yeah, a slight one,” I lied. How the hell was I supposed to tell them I was seeing shit floating around every guy I looked at? Delvin would think I was nuts, and Bree would be worried sick. “It hit me out of nowhere.”
Bree smoothed her hand over my forearm. “Maybe something to eat would be a good thing for all of us.”
“Sure.” I nodded, rubbing my
temple to add to my headache excuse. “Let’s grab something.”
“There’s a place around the corner,” Delvin said. “Do you feel like walking or should I drive us?”
I couldn’t look at him. If I did, I’d see the glitter shit again and be right back where I was seconds ago—on the verge of a panic attack. Had that witch put some sort of spell on me without me realizing? Surely not. No matter what I had just told Delvin about thinking she was the real deal as well, witches, magic, all that mumbo jumbo, it didn’t exist.
Did it? Was this what she meant about me having questions later on?
“Walk, walking would be good.” I let my hands fall to my sides. Plastering a small smile onto my face, I risked a glance at Delvin. The golden specks floating around him had dulled in color. I took this as a sign that maybe whatever was wrong with me was beginning to fade. “I think some fresh air would be good for me right now.”
We followed Delvin around the corner, and down the street. A café caught my attention near the end, but not for the right reasons. The colors of the place were vibrant, but it was the group of people standing outside the doors that captured my attention and held it.
Five people—three guys, and two girls. To anyone else, they most likely appeared normal while they stood talking to one another, but to me, there was something strange about the way their shimmering glitter seemed to float around each of them with no prejudice to their sex as I’d seen before. My eyes shifted back to Bree, thinking this thing—whatever it was—must be getting worse, but when my eyes focused on her, there was nothing there. She was shimmer free still.
What was going on?
Risking another glance at the group as we approached them, I noticed something else odd—each of them had the same color lingering in the air around them. It was golden brown. The longer I stared at the group, the more noticeable their color became. When my eyes locked with one of the girl’s, my heart stopped and I forced myself to contain a scream at what I saw.
In the course of one heartbeat, her face had morphed into a wolf.