by Deanna Chase
“You know you love me.” She twirled around with her arms open, clearly enjoying her moment in the spotlight.
“Pyper,” Jade said, pointing to the hat. “Ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” As ready as one could be when messing around with a blood spell. A tiny shudder of apprehension shook me. If this worked, did it really mean I was related to Bo? I pushed the thought out of my mind. It didn’t matter one way or the other at the moment. Our main goal was to find him, make sure he was okay, and then find Mia. There was no time to dwell on my personal anxieties.
I crouched down, balled my hand into a loose fist, and positioned it over the hat.
One drop. Two. When the third one hit, a thin trickle of smoke rose from the hat, slowly at first, then quickly escalating until the circle was so full of smoke I could no longer see Ida May or Jade. My eyes started to burn and my lungs constricted, sending me into an uncontrollable coughing fit. I was two seconds from leaving the circle just to clear my lungs when the smoke dissipated.
I let out a horrified gasp. Because right there in the middle of the circle, his eyes wild and his muscles taught, stood Bo… pointing a handgun straight at me.
19
“Whoa!” I raised my hands in the air, my heart thundering against my rib cage. “No one wants to hurt you.”
A muscle twitched in his neck as his eyes bored into mine. “What do you want?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head. “We only wanted to make sure you’re safe.”
“I can feel your magic, you know. That goes for the witch behind me.” He kept the gun trained steadily on me. “If either of you try to curse me, I’m pulling the trigger. No questions asked.”
Holy hell. This wasn’t the same Bo I’d hired to take Julius and me out on the bayou. Or rather it was, only now he was hostile, paranoid, and slightly unhinged. “No one is going to curse you,” I said in as reassuring a tone as I could muster. “I swear it.”
“Well, I will if he shoots you,” Ida May said, stomping up to stand beside him. “What the hell is wrong with you, dude? That’s no way to thank the people trying to save your ass.”
Bo jerked and trained his weapon on Ida May.
She let out an impatient huff and pushed his arms out of the way so the gun was no longer in her face. “Please. I’m already dead. Your bullets aren’t going to change anything.”
“What?” He relaxed his combat stance, now holding the gun with only one hand while keeping it pointed down toward the ground. “You don’t look like a ghost.”
“You don’t recognize me? I’m Ida May, and I hear I’m an Instagram star. How often do you see a ghost surfing on a gator?”
“That was you?” he asked, his entire demeanor relaxing. “Damn. Nice moves.”
She beamed at him. “Thanks.”
I cleared my throat. “I don’t mean to interrupt this bonding moment, but I don’t know how much time we have.”
Bo instantly stiffened again, and it didn’t escape my notice that his grip tightened around the gun.
I let out a sigh. “I promise you, no one here wants to hurt you.”
“Then what do you want?” There was a paranoid accusation in his tone.
“To help if you’re in danger. I saw those men abduct you earlier today. If you’re being held against your will, we’ll do everything in our power to get you out of there.”
He glanced around at the circle, then down at his decidedly solid body. A slow smile claimed his lips while that wild look in his eyes all but disappeared. “It appears I’m right here.”
“Unfortunately, no. You’re not,” Jade said.
He spun to face her.
“I’m sorry,” she continued. “You’re only here while the spell lasts or until it’s broken. The moment you step out of the circle, it’s over.”
He muttered a curse under his breath.
“But if you can tell us where you are, we’ll come get you,” she said.
But Bo shook his head. “No. It’s not safe.”
Ida May let out a cackle. “Safe? These two aren’t much for worrying about whether something is safe or not. They have some weird drive to actually save people at all costs. If I were you, I’d just give them the information they’re asking for, because they’re not going to give you a moment’s peace until you do.”
He gave her an odd look. “And saving people is a bad thing?”
She shrugged. “No. It just gets boring after a while, you know? I mean, wouldn’t you rather be dirty dancing with some hottie at a club in New Orleans than dealing with this crap?”
“Dirty dancing? Seriously?” He gave her a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me look.
She raised her hands, palms up, and shook her head. “Kids today. Such idiots. If you’re going to turn your nose up at the opportunity to put your hands all over a hot chick at a club, that’s your problem.”
He opened his mouth, then closed it as he seemed to consider her logic.
“Bo,” I said, losing my patience. “Are you being held against your will?”
His head jerked up and he started to shake his head, then stopped. “I guess technically I am.”
“What does that mean?”
His expression turned blank, and when he answered, his response felt measured and practiced as if he been fed a line over and over again. “If I want a roof over my head, I do what Emerson tells me to.”
“Did he tell you to stay put?” My heart started to pound. Had he been spelled like Hale had? Had his free will been taken away too?
“Not in so many words. But he did send his boys to get me. If I leave now, there’ll be hell to pay.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and hung his head. “There’s nothing you can really do.”
“Wrong!” Ida May shouted and waved her arms. “This is your chance, kid. If you want to get away from that douche bucket permanently, these ladies are the ones to listen to.”
“And go where?” he shouted back at her. “I’m not a ghost. I need a place to sleep. Food. Clothes. What are my choices? Even if I do leave, he’ll come after me, just like he does with everyone else. No. It’s better if I just deal with him. It’s not that bad.”
“You sure about that?” I asked him. “He tried to light Hale on fire today.”
“Fire? Hale?” He ran a hand through his shaggy black hair. “No way. I don’t believe it. I could see him messing with Brex or Paulie like that. But Hale is his business partner. There is no business without Hale.”
“I was there,” I said. “Hale’s legs were burned. He needs serious medical attention, but I doubt he’s going to get it. He and Moxie left town earlier tonight, and they aren’t coming back.”
“Is that why Emerson hasn’t come to the compound yet?” he asked, his eyes wide and full of fear.
“No. He’s been apprehended by the Witches’ Council, and with any luck, he’s being incarcerated right now while he waits to stand trial. I’d really like to get you out of the snake pit before the rest of the club finds out about it.”
His shoulders slumped. “Then what? Just go on with life like normal? Keep working at the Mayhem Tours company? Keep sleeping on a cot in Emerson’s shitty rental house, until the power is shut off, while he lives in his mini mansion across town?”
“It doesn’t have to be that way. We want to help you find a permanent solution. One that lets you concentrate on your future instead of condemning you to a life of crime.”
“I’m not a criminal,” he said, indignation clear in his tone. “I don’t have anything to do with any of that. I’m a tour guide. That’s it.”
“I believe you,” I said softly. “But what do you think is going to happen to you if you stay here? If for some reason Emerson manages to squirm his way out of this current problem, what do you think he’s going to be make you do next? Right now you’re an extra paycheck from the government. Once you turn eighteen, what will he do then? Surely he won’t let you live in his house out of the goodness of his heart. There’ll
be payments to be made, and if I had to guess, they’d come in the form of favors. Ones that could land you in prison.”
He scowled and started to pace. After a minute, he grabbed his hair with both hands and let out a loud scream of frustration.
I met Jade’s gaze from across the circle. The helpless look on her face mirrored what I felt in my gut.
“That’s it. Let it out,” Ida May said and patted his back. “We all need to make a little noise every now and then.”
He stepped away, rejecting her touch, but it didn’t seem to faze her. She just crossed her arms over her chest, looked him up and down, and asked, “Done yet?”
“For now,” he ground out.
“Good. Now man up and tell Pyper where you’re being held so she and wonder witch over there can go save your ass.”
He started to shake his head and opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand, cutting him off.
“Nope. Don’t even go there. The strongest thing a man can do is to admit when he needs a little help. So unless you think you can just walk out of that place, jump in your truck, and drive right out of this one-gator town, you best start talkin’.”
He stared at her, his mouth still open. Then he gave her just a hint of a smile. “One-gator town?”
“I didn’t see any horses hanging around, now did I?”
“No, Miss Ida May, you probably didn’t.” There was still a trace of humor in his tone when he turned to me and said, “There’s no official address. It’s on the south end of Bayou Charles off Black Sands Road. Look for the polka-dot panties.”
“Panties?” I echoed.
He nodded. “Hanging from a faded sign. After you pass the sign, go another five hundred feet and turn onto the dirt road. There’s only one way in and one way out. Expect to encounter at least a dozen bikers. I’ll be in the back, cooking in the kitchen.” Resentment clouded his deep blue eyes.
“We’ll be there as soon as we can,” I promised.
“If you say so,” he said.
“We say so,” Jade added. “Just be ready to hightail it out of there at a moment’s notice. All right? No running back in for your phone or cash or anything else.”
“Fine. Ain’t nothing I need here anyway.” He glanced around curiously and then frowned, that muscle once again pulsing in his neck. “The spell is fading. I’m being pulled back into the—”
He disappeared with a small pop.
The three of us stood there, staring at each other for a moment. Then Jade shrugged. “Better figure out how we’re going to get there. The three of us aren’t going to fit on the motorcycle.
I eyed Ida May. She was grinning and rubbing her hands together as if it were Christmas morning at Jade’s implication that she’d be invited. Sighing, I nodded. Besides, if we took the bike there’d be no room for Bo. “I think I know someone who can help out.”
20
“Did someone say they needed a ride?” Miss Kitty asked as she glided into the entry of the inn wearing a bright red, white, and blue maxi dress with a gold Wonder Woman–style cinch belt. But the outfit wouldn’t have been complete without her gold wristbands and gold lamé knee-high boots.
“Damn, Kitty. You look hot!” Ida May strode over to the older woman. “Where did you get those boots?”
“At a secondhand place in Thibodaux. Can you believe someone gave these up? I’m going to wear these like a boss.”
“You already are,” I said. The boots were pretty fabulous. But the entire outfit was a little on the loud side. Just like Miss Kitty. Trying to be stealthy was going to be a challenge. Between her and Ida May, one of them was bound to blow our cover.
“Let’s get a move on. I have a live chat scheduled first thing in the morning. My fans can’t get enough of that ghost video.”
“You mean I’m famous?” Ida May fluffed her curly hair and plastered a smug smile on her lips. “I always knew I was destined to be a star.”
“You…” Miss Kitty paused to really study Ida May. “Omigod!” She pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. She stared at it, then held the phone up beside Ida May, comparing the ghost on the video to the one on her screen. She let out a squeal of delight. “You’re a ghost! I just met a real live ghost.” She tapped a few more buttons on the phone and then paused again. “I’m about to go live on Facebook. Is that okay? I want to share this experience with my followers.”
Ida May shrugged. “Why not?”
“Uh, Miss Kitty?” I cut in, frustrated at the derailing. “Now isn’t really the best time for this. Maybe after we get Bo, the two of you can discuss live streaming or group chat or whatever you need to do?”
“Right. Right. Sorry.” She waved a hand. “I let myself get carried away. Let’s go get that young man.”
Ida May slipped her arm though Miss Kitty’s. “I like you. If I’d lived to see my golden years, I think I’d have been just like you. Feisty is my favorite trait.”
“Oh honey. You’re so kind to say that. Now tell me, how did you end up a ghost and how is it you’re here with us now?” Miss Kitty poked at Ida May’s bare arm. “I mean, if I hadn’t seen you on my video, I’d have never known you’re not… you know, alive. Or are you? Are you a witch with the ability to tame gators and make yourself invisible?”
Ida May’s high laugh rang through the inn. “That’s a long story. I’ll fill you in later.”
I sucked in a deep breath, and with Jade just behind me, we followed them out the door.
When we got to the CRV, Miss Kitty tossed the keys at me. “You drive. I’m too wound up. Imagine… a real live ghost.”
“What happened to your monster truck?” I asked, curious.
She shrugged. “Not enough seats. Not unless someone wanted to ride in the back.”
“No thanks. This is perfect.” I climbed into the front seat, Jade the front passenger seat, while the two jokesters giggled their way into the back. I glanced over at Jade. “Does Black Sands Road show up on Google Maps?”
“Yep.” She flashed her phone toward me. “Nothing about polka-dot panties though.”
“They need to up their game.”
“What’s that?” Jade leaned forward, peering through the window.
“I don’t see anything except creepy tree shadows,” I said.
“You should turn the brights on,” Miss Kitty said. “You wouldn’t believe how many people run right off the road right into the bayou for being careless. And I didn’t live for seven decades just to become gator food.”
“Don’t worry, Miss Kitty,” Ida May said. “I’m the alligator whisperer, remember? I’ll protect you.”
“Sure. But what about my boots? They won’t survive bayou mud.”
“True.” Ida May leaned forward between the seats. “Make sure you don’t dump us in the water. The trauma from boot-death would be too much to bear.”
“For the love of…”
“That’s it. Right there. The billboard Bo was talking about.” Jade pointed straight ahead.
I slowed and pulled to the side to let the lights—already in bright mode—illuminate the faded signage. It read: Get Trashed at Jerry’s Junkyard and Tavern. “Classy.”
Jade started to giggle, and it took me a moment to figure out what was so funny. A grizzled man wearing overalls was holding a handle of some sort, but it was positioned right at his crotch, making it appear to be something else entirely. “Is that a shovel?”
“I don’t know what it is exactly, but I know what it looks like.”
“Those polka-dot panties are hanging off his woody,” Miss Kitty said. “I hope that’s a caricature and not representative of his actual size. Because damn, wouldn’t that be a disappointment?”
“You haven’t seen small until you’ve seen a micro-penis.” Ida May held her thumb and index finger together. “I mean, we’re talking maybe an inch.”
“No! How did that work?” In the review mirror, I noted Miss Kitty had turned to face Ida May. She had a strange mix of amuse
ment and horror in her expression.
Ida May laughed. “Let’s just say he was good with his—”
“Stop!” I waved my hands in the air. “Now is not the time for slumber party gossip.”
“Really?” Ida May waved a hand at the sign. “How can anyone look at Billy Bob Boner up there, with those panties hanging off the end of his… ah, handle… and decide it isn’t time for a little girl talk?”
“That is not a boner— Never mind.” I pulled back onto the road. “Just keep a lookout for the dirt road.”
The two in the back ignored me, continuing their conversation on size preference. “What did I do to deserve this?” I asked Jade.
She gave me a wan smile. “You wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Really?” I snorted and inched along. “I think I could live without the instructions on how to work with a micro-penis.”
She snickered. “At least they’re entertaining. And you deserve them because they amuse you.”
“If you say so.”
“Here it is. To the right,” Jade said.
I pulled to the side of the road and took a deep breath. “Ready for this?”
“No, but we don’t have a choice, do we?”
We did, but we’d do what we felt we had to, even if it meant walking into a situation we had no way of analyzing. We could’ve literally been walking into a trap.
Jade closed her eyes and cocked her head to the side, concentrating. Grimacing, she said, “We can’t just drive up to the house. There are too many of them, and they’re already amped up. Probably wondering what’s keeping Emerson.”
“So what do you think?” I asked her. “Park the car on the road and walk up?”
“No way,” Miss Kitty interjected, her tone all business. “Switch places with me and Ida May. I’ll drive up, and before we get to the house we can drop you off. Ida May and I will distract those boys while you get that nice kid out of there.”
“I don’t think—” I started.
“That’s the perfect plan.” Ida May already had her door open. “If anyone knows how to fluster men, it’s me. And they won’t dare mess with Miss Kitty. Between those boots and her sass, they’ll be lining up for her attention.”