by Amanda Rose
“What?” I ask quietly scooting in his direction. I get closer heart pounding just in case there is something out there. The irony of the situation isn't lost on me. We are arguing about not trusting people yet when it comes down to it I trust Kriminal Lacoste with my life.
“It's nothing.” This time when he speaks his voice sounds different. Broken, Lost, Hurting. Even as dense as I am when it comes to emotions there is no missing this. Something is very wrong with Krim. An aura of sadness surrounds him, and he won’t meet my eyes. My fear is replaced with concern.
“Tell me. Make me understand why this is so important to you.” I reach up and touch his cheek and try to get him to look at me. He doesn't budge. “Please.” I plead and try again. Something about that gets through to him and he lets me tilt his face to look at me. His eyes are a painful mix of emptiness and melancholy and my heart breaks for a man I barely know.
“Sometimes trusting the wrong person gets you and your whole family killed. I would know.” His voice cracks and the words are so quiet if I wasn't within arms reach they would be lost to the quiet night air. He points at a grave a few feet from where I was standing. I shine my flashlight on it and a familiar name it carved across the top of a family lot. Lacoste. Five names are written beneath the header: two adults, one teenager and two five-year twins and a baby all six all with the same death date. “The boy that this body used to belong to watched as his best friend cut out the heart of each and every family member and feed it to Marionette DeCheque.”
There are no words to take away Krim's pain. No condolences that can wash away the horror of such betrayal. But standing here next to such a poignant reminder of his darkest time I wish with all my whole heart there was.
I wrap my arms around his waist and lay my head against the heat of his solid chest breathing in the sweet scent of jasmine that clings to his skin. Krim's whole body goes stiff but only for a moment before he relaxes and wraps his arms around me and squeezes tight.
For the first time I realize I don't hate Kriminal Lacoste at all. I … like him.
When the bell rings after school on Wednesday I hurry home to get set up for tonight's study session at my house. Not only will my voodoo guardians be there–Sam and Sebastian might not actually attend school with the rest of us, but I have no intention of telling my father that–but Hannah and Scott are coming too. Sam agreed to give my friends a ride in the impala, so I have to ride with Krim on his motorcycle because there isn't enough room for everybody to ride together. I don't mind though because Krim has been much nicer to everyone since our … talk at the cemetery.
“I can't believe we're actually inside Hoodoo House.” Hannah squeals excitedly as soon as we all pile through the front door. Scott reaches up and pinches his arm.
“This is way too cool to be real. Just think about it, I drive to a study session at freaking Hoodoo House in the Supernatural car. And the valedictorian is going to be there to tutor me. Pinch me cause I must be dreaming.” Scott says voice laced with awe. I'm not surprised though. Both of my new friends acted like I had invited them to the white house not my grandma's creepy old mansion.
“Let's drop our stuff off on the dining table before I give you the grand tour.” I say heading to the left. I give them an abbreviated tour showing them through the downstairs before I take them upstairs show them my room.
“Last time I was in this bed you were lying next to me in your underwear.” Sam coos in my ear. “We should do it again sometime.” My whole body flushes with arousal.
“Can we please avoid any unnecessary PDA's.” Krim says with a sigh. He might be nicer but he's still a dick. I roll my eyes and ignore him.
“Please, You're just jealous of my undeniable charm.” Sam says sliding his hand up my arm purposefully trying to antagonize him.
“Whatever, I'm going downstairs to get set up.” Krim says before stomping out the door.
“Yeah we better get started or I'm going to fail Mr. Cooks history exam this Friday.”
We spend the next few hours poring over a mountain of school work. George Washington high is one of the toughest high schools in the country and trying to jump in mid semester sucks. Thankfully Krim really is an excellent tutor. He knows his stuff and he seems to like teaching. No wonder why he's got the highest GPA in the school. After a few hours I'm exhausted but feeling a whole lot better about this test but still not great.
My dad is a great guy but if I get anything less than a B he will have a total meltdown. I mean he is like the stereotypical Asian parent, on crack. He's anxious and overprotective. If I want my dad to be okay with me hanging out with motorcycle riding bad boys and guys with tattoos, then my grades have better be stellar. Zan participates in the study session but barely and I have a sneaking suspicion he plans on cheating off me or Krim.
“I am starving, and I could really use a break.” I put my pencil in my text book at a place holder before slamming it shut with a groan. “No one delivers way out here but I can call my dad to pick us up some pizzas on his way home.”
“You mean no one is brave enough to deliver to a haunted house.” Scott jokes.
“That's dumb. This place might look like it was decorated by a bayou witch, but it isn't haunted. And trust me that was my first thought too. But seriously no ghosts.” I say with a laugh looking around the table. Hannah and Scott exchange a glance over a pile of text books and paperwork. “What?”
“You mean you don't know anything about this house and you live here?”
“No, did someone get murdered or something?” I joke.
“Um, like lots of people and even more have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.”
“They're screwing with me aren't they.” I say to my boys. Zan shrugs like he has no idea. Krim rolls his eyes like the whole conversation is a giant waste of his time. Bas shakes his head no. I turn and look at Sam who's sitting in the chair to my right.
“I honestly have no idea beautiful but I'm sure plenty of people died on this land. Places with history like this usually have a death or two.”
“Two deaths?” Scott scoffs. “Try like two-hundred.” I raise my eyebrows. Even knowing what I know about the whole Laveau thing that still feels like a lot of deaths for one house.
“No seriously this place has lots of history. Tell her Han.” Scott says. Hannah begins telling me the legend.
“This place has been the home of Voodoo Queens of New Orleans forever. So long time ago back before the civil war there was woman named Adele Laveau who lived on this land with her daughter Corine. Supposedly she was a powerful witch, a Voodoo Queen. People would travel from all over the south to get one of her magic hoodoo charms. That's where she got the money to build this big house.” She even gestures around us for emphasis. “An unmarried woman of color owning such a huge prosperous estate in those days was a really big deal and it upset a lot of people. One day an angry mob of jealous land owners marched on Laveau manor intending to burn it to the ground, this is a mistake they would come to regret.” She drops her voice dramatically as though she's telling a ghost story around a campfire. Sam slides his hand under the table and tries to run it up my thigh. I slap his hand away and try to pay attention to this story. “Legend says every man who stepped even a single foot on Adele Laveau's property that day died instantly. Seeing their friends drop dead for no reason caused some of the stragglers to panic and run.” I resist the urge to laugh at the melodramatic retelling of some urban legend. “Only eleven of over one-hundred men survived and most of them went crazy claiming they were haunted by Hoodoo Spirits.”
“You're just making this up.”
“I swear I'm not and you haven't heard the best part yet. The story goes all the dead men stood up and walked themselves all the way to Saint Louis Cemetery Number One where they collapsed in a pile for the graveyard attendants to find. People say this place is haunted by the spirits of the men who died that day.”
“I thought you said two hundred.”
“I did. There are dozens of incidents resulting in deaths since then. For instance, During the civil war Corine used Laveau Manor as a safe house. She would take in anyone in need. She gave everyone the same word of warning. Every person on this property was under her direct protection and she would send death swiftly to any who attempted to harm another while here. One night a group of slavers paid to collect AWOL slaves broke onto the property. The legend is Corine Laveau used black magic to open up the earth and send the men to hell without moving a finger. They were probably just killed by a mob, but the story is pretty cool. You should let us do an investigation.” Bas goes still, and he looks a little uncomfortable with the current conversation. I file it away to ask after Hannah and Scott go home.
“No.” Krim snaps. “Don't disturb the spirits of the dead.”
Zan seeing Krim and Bas getting weird jumps in.
“Yeah, Bas is right. Besides those are just a bunch of old stories meant to scare kids. I mean really a hundred Zombies walked themselves to the cemetery. That's an urban legend for sure.”
“But-” Bastian cuts Hannah off.
“To many Laveau woman are more than just conjurers they are spiritual leaders, pillars of strength that hold the evil of the world at bay. This place is sacred to a lot of people. Please pretend this is a church. You wouldn't ask a priest to snoop around their church with video cameras.” His deep voice has this quiet strength laced with disapproval and possibly fear. I think the whole room is surprised by Bas's reaction because nobody speaks. “Of course, it's Sera's house so she gets the final say and I didn't mean to so rudely cut you off Hannah.” I know Sebastian well enough already to know there is a very good reason for him not wanting them to do it. I will ask him to explain later but for now I'm just going to trust him. I don't want to hurt my new friends’ feelings, so I let them down easy.
“It's cool. You were just being honest.”
“I can always ask my dad, but I wouldn't expect much. Before I even ask I'm going to have to warm him up to the idea because I can guarantee he won’t like it. The best way to put my dad in a good mood is straight A's. In the mean time you've got to have another haunted house we can visit.”
Scott speaks up.
“Yeah there is this one less than fifteen minutes from here. We've been thinking about visiting it for a while. The thing is it's boarded up so we're gonna have to break in.” He sounds really excited.
“Let's do it this weekend. After all this studying I'm gonna need something fun to do.”
#
“It's built on a crossroads.” Bas states as soon as we pull up outside Mouton house. He runs a hand over his lightly stubbled chin.
I stretch my neck, so I can see what Sebastian is talking about. It looks like someone decided to drop a two story Victorian farmhouse on the intersection of two well used gravel roads. The weirdest part is that the roads aren't at all overgrown like the rest of the yard. The plant free tracks of gravel touch the walls of the house as though someone were purposefully maintaining them … or they were still being used.
“So, what? There's nothing in there. Not a single ghost, spirit or invisible is in that house right now.” Sam says before he throws the door open and climbs out of the impala. The rest of us follow suit.
“With Legba bound places like this aren't safe.” Bas continues arguing with him. Mouton House–named after the last family that lived in it–is exactly what you'd picture when thinking about an abandoned haunted house: boarded up windows, white peeling paint, a yellow condemned sign taped to the front door. And I thought Laveau Manor was horror movie material.
“Please, that doddering old fool isn't the only one with power over crossroads.” Sam pulls out a cigarette and lights it. The evening twilight does nothing to hide the fact that once again neither Sam nor Sebastian is wearing a shirt. Bastian takes a deep sigh. My eyes latch onto his broad chest as it rises and falls. He really is a gorgeous man.
“But he's the strongest. Like it or not Legba is more powerful than you.” Bas grumbles.
“Wrong. Was more powerful than me. I now have the power of a deliciously curvy and incredibly powerful Laveau to give me strength.” He looks at me licks his lips and them makes the shape of an hourglass in the air as though he's tracing the shape of my body. It shouldn't be all that sexy but damn it really is. I look at the two guys who aren't participating in this conversation. Krim is sitting on the hood of the black Impala, arms crossed and scowling. Zan is staring at the Mouton house like he is looking for something.
“Don't get cocky. The universe only provides so much power if it is necessary to maintain balance. Whomever opposes us should not be taken lightly.” Before Sam can say anything else Krim speaks up for the first time.
“We should leave. This place feels off.”
“I refuse to spend another night trapped behind wards. Since you four are all too boring to party with me I have to find fun where I can get it.” Sam tosses the half-smoked cigarette onto the overgrown grass. His boots make a loud thump thump as he makes his way up the steps of the front porch to the front door.
I know this house supposed to be haunted but it really is creepy AF. My skin tingles but I try to brush it off as nothing.
“Zan what about you? Yay or Nay?” My question snaps Zandor out of whatever he was so focused on. He turns and gives me one of those big happy smiles of his, but his eyes are glowing.
“This place does sort of give me the heebie jeebies, but we need to go in. There is something important we need to find.” Bas's thick mane of chestnut hair does nothing to hide his frustration.
“Okay cool I want to stay too. If there really is something dangerous in there I can't let my friends get killed. That makes the vote three to two. We stay.”
Sam struts down the front and starts walking around back. I take Sebastian's hand.
“Come on let’s go, it'll be fun.” gesturing for the others to follow.
Sam leads the way sauntering like he doesn't have a care in the world. The crunch of gravel and dead leaves is so loud echoes around the unkempt yard.
“Sera, this still doesn't feel right.” Bastian grumbles.
“It'll be just fine. You'll be there to protect me just in case something does go wrong.”
Head lights flash across the tree line. I guess Han and Scott are here.
I pull out my phone and shoot Hannah a quick text. 'We're around back trying to find a way in if you want to start unpacking.' a second later my phone dings 'kk'
“They're here. I told them to wait for us up front and start unpacking their cameras and stuff.” Zandor safely out of Scott and Hannah's sight shifts into a familiar black cat with a white x on its side. He takes off ahead presumably to find somewhere to get inside so he can unlock the doors for us from the inside.
Sam stops walking and bends down to look at something on the ground.
“What is it?” I ask.
“La Belle Creole cigar.”
“Is that weird?”
“Maybe.” He stands up and pulls a clove cigarette out parking it between his lips.
When we come around the corner of the house Cat Zandor is at the back door waiting for us.
“There's a cat door. Too bad I had been hoping for a little challenge” He says with a stretch. “I already unlocked it for you slow pokes.” He darts back through the small opening. We follow him into a dark kitchen and I have to use the flashlight on my phone to make out anything. There are bits of broken furniture and personal belongings strewn across the floor and a layer of thick dust cover's everything. The worst part thought is the dank scent of decaying earth. He holds out his hand for us to stop.
Sam's purple eyes glow for a moment. “I can smell blood. Old blood.”
“Me too. No bodies though.” Krim chimes in from a few feet behind me and Bas.
“Should we leave?”
“I don't think so.” Zan responds still in cat form tail swishing slowly.
“Let's help get Se
ra's friends set up for their silly ghost hunt. Kriminal and I will look around the basement level because that's where the smell is coming from. Zandor stay on the ground floor and keep an eye on the humans make sure they don't get into anything that could get them killed. Bas you can take the top floor with Sera.”
Hannah and Scott have been planning on sneaking in and conducting a paranormal investigation on the property for a while now and it's a little more involved than the one at the cemetery last weekend. Even with five of us helping to unload it takes more than a half an hour to get all the boxes of camera equipment into the living room.
Scott and Hannah set up a little command center set up to watch for anything on the dozen or more cameras they plan on setting up around the house.
“While you guys set up Sebastian and I are gonna check this place out.” Krim and Sam are already gone, presumably to see what's in the basement.
“Cool. Check out the attic or the basement that's where the most activity is supposed to be. If you see or feel anything try to remember where so we can put a camera there.” Hannah hands me a big yellow flashlight so I don't have to use my phone.
“Thanks.” I say taking it and turning it on. With the bright light of the flashlight guiding our way Mouton house looks even creepier than it did in the dim light of my phone. There are spiderwebs everywhere. I resist the urge to shiver. If it wasn’t for Bastian's firm grip on my hand I might not be brave enough to make my way up the creepy staircase to the second floor. The floor boards creak with every step and the more of this crumbling building I see the more concerned that I'm going to fall through the floor. Parts of the ceiling are sagging with water damage. There are half a dozen doors on the second floor, but I'm only drawn to one. A small door at the end of the hall. It leads to the attic, one of the places Hannah and Scott claimed was the most haunted. As soon as I touch the door my whole body tingles with magic.