Hoodoo Blue

by Katalina Leon

  “It’s been tough. I’m scared I’m going to hurt someone.”

  “Me, too.”

  “I don’t know what to do about it.” Fredi toyed with her purse strap. “Actually, this was my first social outing since my big fiasco six months ago. By the way, I got tricked into this.”

  “Tell me about it. Me and social fiascos are compadres. Don’t get me started. A few months ago, a friend tried to fix me up with a slinky little cat shifter. Big mistake. Territorial canines and aloof cats are not a good mix. There was a lot of hissing, and I got my nose clawed. Apparently, I can’t date within the shifter community, and I certainly can’t date outside it. It’s a bit awkward breaking the news to unsuspecting women that you’re a wolf-shifting Lycan. Therefore, I’ve been lying low.”

  “No cute Lycanettes in your life?”

  “Nope, not lately.” He grinned. “Besides, I think I prefer blonde witches.” He looked at her with a broad smile on his face for a noticeably long pause.

  Her heart hammered so fast she felt like it might jump out of her skin. “Before you leave. I should show you that scratch on your truck.”

  “I don’t mean to sound rude, but I don’t give a damn about the scratch.”

  “I’ll fix it. I promise.”

  “I’m not worried about it." He leaned closer. “I wish there was something I could do for you.” His eyes flashed amber, and a purely carnal expression crossed his face. A shudder racked him as the silky strands of hair on his forearms grew longer. “Oops, the shift is starting. I better go. Where was that fire road that led into the hills?”

  She pointed over her shoulder. “A block north, there’s a paved path that runs behind city hall and becomes a dirt road. You’ll be fine.”

  “I guess this is where I say goodnight.” The way he looked at her made her think he was going to pull her into a kiss, but he offered a curt nod instead and strode away.

  “Wait! Before you leave, would you move your truck so I can pull out?”

  Spinning on his heel, he turned. “Whoa! That’s some tricky parking. How did you exit the driver side—through osmosis?”

  She was reluctant to admit there’d been a lot of bumping and grinding. “I’m a witch. I have my ways.”

  “Maybe I should spray some WD40 between the car doors so I can back up.”

  “Do it and make it fast. I see tendrils of chest hair climbing over your collar.”

  “Goddamnit.” He clamped his hand over the top of his shirt as if the simple action would hold the rampant hair growth at bay. “I’m on the lunar clock and running out of time. Let’s get this show on the road.”

  Gus dashed to the driver side of the truck and unlocked the door. Her gaze riveted to his every move. For a big guy, he was agile with a smooth stride. She loved his long legs. They looked great in body-hugging, dark-washed jeans. It was obvious those all-night moonlit hikes in the hills had done him some good on many levels. Aside from keeping him away from prying eyes and innocent people, from this angle, she could clearly see he had a mighty impressive ass. For sure there was some serious horsepower in his caboose.

  He hopped into the truck, lowered the window, and leaned out. “You better move aside. I can’t back out with you standing directly behind me.”

  “I’m sorry to hover by your tailgate.” She hadn’t even noticed she’d drifted closer to him as he prepared to leave, and stepped left. There was something so compelling about Gus. Maybe it was his warmth and quick admission that he had problems, too, that made her want to climb into his lap and stop him from driving away.

  The truck slowly rolled in reverse and stopped when he reached her. With crooked fingers, he coaxed her to the window. “Fredi.” His smile was wide, but there was a touch of melancholy in his eyes. “Another time, okay? Maybe drinks or dinner someplace where we won’t be slipped a mickey and risk massive urban destruction if we accidently touch or think a randy thought?”

  “I can’t imagine where that might be.”

  “Would you think about it and promise to call? I would love to spend more time with you.” He paused. “You don’t happen to enjoy hiking, do you?”

  “No.” She lifted a glossy boot, tilting her ankle to clearly display its towering heel. “Don’t be ridiculous. Do I look the least bit outdoorsy to you? Besides, the hills are too dry this time of year. For sure I’d start a brush fire and piss off Smokey the Bear.”

  He looked at her with longing. “I had to ask.”

  Damn, the sensual expression on his face left her breathless. Why couldn’t she enjoy a little time alone with this handsome man without causing an environmental disaster? Was her situation truly so hopeless? It would almost be enough to brush a kiss against his beautiful mouth. At least it would give her something to dream about. He looked like a good kisser, too, the kind who started sweet and easy and ended in a scorching hot fusion with his hands tangled in a lover’s hair. Did she really have to say no to all of it and walk away? It wasn’t fair.

  Gus gave her a halfhearted little wave. “Goodnight, gorgeous.”

  Why did he have to smile again and give her that sad puppy look? Her fingertips suddenly felt hot as a lava flow. She glanced around in a panic, knowing she was about to blow, and swung her fingertips toward a brick wall at the exact moment a gusher of emerald flame poured forth from her fingers with the force of an exploding oil well. The bricks glowed white-hot and turned a vitreous pale green and crackled as they cooled.

  She gulped in shock. “Santa Diablo, that was close! I almost struck your gas tank. I have to be more careful. You better go right now, and, for safety’s sake, stop saying nice things and flirting with me. I mean it.”

  “Bye.” He glanced over his shoulder and backed the truck toward the parking lot exit.

  The moment the truck moved away from her, a burning sensation built under her skin. By the time Gus had driven to the edge of the lot, shooting hot stabs of pain doubled her forward as if she were being forced to roll on smoldering coals. “Holy dementia! Am I bonkers or hexed? What the hell is happening?”

  “Arrh!” At the same instant, Gus slammed on the brakes and leaped out of the truck. “I’m on fire! I feel like I fell into a freaking cactus patch. God, it hurts!” He stumbled toward her. “What the…? Do you think this is some weird side effect of the Hoodoo Blue?”

  She tugged the hem of her dress into place. The closer Gus got, the quicker the pain faded. By the time he was a couple yards away, there was no discomfort at all. “How do you feel now? I’m all right.”

  He stopped. “I’m fine, too.” To prove it, he lifted his hands and gave them a quick wriggle. “There’s nothing wrong now. That was the weirdest thing. As I was pulling onto the street, a pins-and-needles sensation started, but after I crossed the sidewalk, I got tossed in the hurt locker, bad.” With a look of concern, he gazed into her eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look shaken.”

  “I’m fine.” She reached into her purse and rummaged for her car keys. “It’s probably the last effects of the Hoodoo Blue wearing off. Let’s hope we’ve already experienced the worst of it.” A glance skyward revealed the full moon peeking over the top of a parking structure. “You should go.”

  A big grin lit his face. “Later days.” Gus turned and walked back to his truck.

  As he walked away, she stopped to enjoy his easy, swaggering stride. He was all man, broad shoulders, lean hips, and great ass. Her fingertips tingled.

  “No,” she whispered. “Not again. No flames, no cactus needles, please…”

  At the same second Gus opened his truck door, they both screamed in unison. “Aaaah!”

  “This is worse than the fucking Inquisition!” She ran toward him. “It’s happening again.”

  Gus leaped away from the truck and rushed to meet her. “In the name of all that is fucked-up, that hurt!” His face blanched. “How is it even possible that the pain was worse the second time? This isn’t funny. I have to get out of here. I can’t shift in downtown San
Buena. We’ve been lucky no one walked past and noticed all this paranormal nonsense. Oh, shit…”

  He hunched forward with a violent shudder as his shirt ripped with the loud pop of snapping threads. His already broad back got wider. “Damn it, another work shirt wrecked!” When he glanced her way, his eyes glowed and his canines descended. A chilling growl rumbled low in his throat. He lifted his face to the sky and released a booming wolf howl that rolled on and on and sounded like the roar of the most feral demon-possessed crackhead on Earth.

  Fredi threw her hands into the air. “Well, that ought to attract at least four patrol cars to the parking lot. Let’s leave before anyone arrives and ask questions. Whatever you do, don’t panic and give in to a full shift.”

  It looked bad. He was already wild-eyed, and perspiration beaded his upper lip. “All right, if you say so.”

  “Get moving.” She turned and walked toward her car. Gus returned to his truck. The faster he walked away, the more her skin tingled. Before he even opened the driver side door, she was gasping for air. By the time he was in the truck, the pain had escalated so sharply she was ready to detonate.

  “Aaaahhhh!” they both screamed in unison. Both abandoned their vehicles and ran toward the other.

  She panted as she confronted him, “This is weird. If I get close to you, I’m okay. But if you move too far away… I can’t bear it!”

  Worry showed on his face. “What distance is too much?”

  “Who knows?!” She pointed to his truck, which was blocking the sidewalk. “That distance seems to be too far.”

  He stared at his truck. “How far do you think that is?”

  “Maybe ten yards?”

  “Watch.” He held his palms in the air, glanced over his shoulder, and took a giant step backward. “Help me keep count. One…” He stepped back. “Two…” He stepped farther. “Three…”

  “Keep going. I’ll tell you when I start to feel something strange.”

  “Four, five, six, seven…”

  “Okay, I’m beginning to feel those stingy little needle jabs.”

  “Eight, nine…”

  “It’s getting worse! Slow down, goddammit!”

  “Ten—holy crap!” Gus buckled over. “I feel like I’m being flayed alive!”

  “Then stop.” She rushed toward him. “So, now we know ten paces is too far. Until the hoodoo from our Hoodoo Blue wears off, we need to be careful about our proximity.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean someone, most likely Estele, has cast a hoodoo on us.”

  “I’m Lycan. I’m not versed in Pagan or Wiccan subtleties. What exactly is a hoodoo, and why did Estele do something so vicious and stupid?”

  “Estele’s not vicious. She’s actually a very sweet friend, but her judgment and proficiency at spellcraft can be iffy.”

  “How ‘iffy’?”

  “She fucks up a lot.”

  “Damn. And a hoodoo is what exactly?”

  “A hoodoo is a time-released spell with finite effect.”

  “Like a sinus medication?”

  “Yes. A hoodoo won’t last or cause permanent damage, but—”

  “But we have no idea how long its effects will linger?”

  “Right. It could last until sunrise.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “I’m pretty sure I can use my brand of witchery and pure sunlight to break any sort of hoodoo Estele may have inadvertently cast.”

  “Geezus. So Estele really doesn’t understand what the hell she’s inflicting on others when she does these terrible things to her ‘friends’?”

  She winced. “That’s about it. For the record, Estele means well. She’s not a bad person.”

  “What do you think she was trying to do to us?”

  “I think Estele wanted us to sit together for a drink and stay long enough to talk.”

  “For God’s sake, she didn’t have to go this far. The moment I saw you, I thought wow—”

  “Don’t!” With a flick of her hand, she was quick to hush him. “If you say something flattering or sexy, you’ll start another firestorm, and I’m not sure that brick wall over there can take another plasma blast without crumbling.”

  “Fredi, we have a big problem. We can’t stay here all night hoping nothing goes wrong. I’m starting to shift. My shirt’s already ripped, and the pants are next. I really need to be off somewhere alone, not standing in a neon-lit alleyway beside a gorgeous blonde who I’m dying to drag into my backseat. What can I do? The last thing I need is to piss off a witch or earn myself a criminal record.” He winked, and the first solid hint of sarcasm crept into his tone. “I’m getting a little antsy. This very public parking lot is not the ideal place for me to go Lycan. Trust me on that. Do you have any suggestions?”

  Chapter Four

  “Let’s get in your truck.” Fredi motioned for Gus to follow as she hurried toward the pickup. “We can’t leave it blocking the sidewalk.”

  “All right, but where will we go?”

  “I haven’t thought of any place yet. We can’t hang around waiting for the police. I hear sirens in the distance. I think somebody called in your last howl.”

  “Or your green fire blast.” He lifted his trembling hands to reveal rippling skin, patches of long silky hair that came and went, and bones shifting and crackling in a disturbing series of popping noises. “We may not get far. I have no idea how long I’ll be able to keep my hands on the steering wheel and drive safely.”

  “I’ll drive.”

  “You can drive a clutch in those heels?”

  “Of course I can. Don’t insult me.”

  He moved toward the driver side. “It’s not an insult, I’m just… skeptical.”

  “Keep your doubts to yourself.” She smiled confidently and stood next to the driver side as he opened the door. “I can drive a truck.”

  She’d never driven a truck, and damn, this was a big one.

  Gus opened the door and handed her the keys. “Here you go.”

  As she grabbed hold of the steering wheel, she realized how high the cab of the truck sat above the pavement. His long legs could manage the climb with ease, but it would certainly be an unladylike hoist and hove in a fitted sweater dress for her. “I already know the answer to this, but I’ll ask anyway—by any chance, does the driver side have a fold-out step?”

  “I can do better than that.” He took hold of her waist, gripped tight, and lifted her into the cab, making her squeal with surprise.

  “Wow, that was easy.” She slid across the seat while struggling to compose herself from the zippy little thrill of being in his strong arms.

  Even after he released her, his warm hand lingered on her thigh. For several moments, he didn’t move. With a frozen stare, he seemed mesmerized by the fine weave of her cashmere dress. Slowly, he stroked a fleck of soft fuzz with his fingertips with the same level of fascination as a hungry cat toying with a tiny bird. The faraway look in his eyes betrayed he was lost in thought.

  Fredi snapped her fingers. “Hey, you, what’s with the dog-at–a-barbeque expression?” She worried about the distant look in his eyes, as if he were checking out of his mental hotel. For a moment, his expression became feral and he didn’t even look like himself. “Are you okay? Something has changed. You seem agitated.”

  Gus’s only answer was a soft growl that vibrated deep in his chest. As he slowly withdrew his hand from her thigh, his sideburns lengthened and covered his jaw in a shocking burst of facial hair growth unlike any five o’clock shadow she’d ever witnessed. His eyes glowed the same uncanny shade of iridescent green as a raccoon staring into oncoming headlights. He grabbed hold of the front of his damaged shirt and ripped it down the center, causing a stream of buttons to fly into the air and snips of thread to cascade to the ground. The tear revealed a lush triangle of silky hair covering his chest. His teeth lengthened and appeared sharper, too, as his lips retracted in a vicious snarl.

  “No!” Fred
i clapped her hands to get his attention. “No way, stop right now! No shifting. Not here. You’re in a public place. Get it together, dude.”

  He instantly sobered and glanced furtively from side to side. “I’m so sorry. I sort of slipped into a fugue state. I didn’t say or do anything I need to apologize—”

  “No, we’re fine. You were only out of it for a few seconds, and your only victim was the last remnant of your work shirt.”

  Glancing down, he crossed the torn fabric over his chest. “Crap. This was only the second wearing. Oh, well. The first hour of a shift is always the worst. We’ll have to slog through it.”

  “What would help you?”

  Immediately, he broke his eye contact and stared at the ground. “A physical outlet always helps,” he said sheepishly. “I’m usually alone by this point. I get pretty pent up, but there’s no way I would… in a parking lot… take matters into my hands with you watching. You understand.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Don’t force me to say it.”

  “Say what? I’m not Lycan. I don’t like making assumptions. Be specific. Give me a clue.”

  “It’s not so much about being Lycan as about being male. By now, you must realize what I’m talking about.”

  “I don’t.”

  “I’m badly in need of ‘physical’ release… you know? It’s the only thing that helps. I should be running in the woods chasing rabbits until I drop from exhaustion, or ripping the dress off you and diving between your thighs. I’d give you the wildest ride of your life. God help me, I’m dying to do it.” More threads popped, and a steel button flew off his jeans. “Terrific. There go the pants!”

  The bit of steel hit the asphalt with a soft plink and rolled.

  “Are you really bursting the buttons off your pants?”

  “Yes, and it hurts.”

  She stared at the impressive bulge rising against his shredded inseam. “Is that…? Are you for real? Whoa. Don’t just stand there doing some sort of Lycan striptease on the pavement. Get in the truck before someone else sees you and gets the wrong idea.”