by E. Van Lowe
*
Life was good. On Saturdays I worked till 5 p.m., and although I was tired when I got off, it was a good tired. My fatigue was well-earned.
I was nearing the end of my shift when my cell hummed with a text. I thought it was Guy, letting me know he’d be late picking me up after work. I was surprised to see it was from Maudrina. I hadn’t heard from her in so long:
Meet me at Aunt Jaz’s this evening.
I stared at my phone, the guilt and fear coming on me in waves. I hadn’t permitted myself to think about Maudrina for quite some time. I knew instinctively this cryptic text was about more than a breakup with Curtis. Something was seriously wrong.
Chapter Fifteen
A solemn Maudrina escorted us into the apartment.
I had chosen to bring Guy along. I didn’t know what they were about to tell me, but I didn’t think I could handle it alone.
One of them is dying.
That’s what I’d been thinking, and that’s what I knew for sure as we moved down the narrow corridor, our feet squeaking against the green linoleum. Usually Aunt Jaz’s apartment was filled with yummy fragrances. Today, a musty odor hung in the air, as if the place hadn’t been opened up in weeks. The stale air around us reeked of bad news.
We entered the living room where Aunt Jaz and Monsieur Perez were seated on the sofa deep in conversation. She was wearing a dark green polyester pantsuit, straight out of the 70s. I smiled inwardly. She was working her way into the 21st century. When we entered, they looked up and stopped talking.
“Hello, deary. It’s been too long,” Aunt Jaz said. Her voice was cheerful, yet her expression was pinched and weary.
“Yes, it’s good to see you,” said Monsieur Perez. “Both of you,” he added, nodding to Guy.
Guy nodded back but remained silent. He didn’t like Monsieur Perez, and wasn’t afraid to show it. I knew his feelings stemmed from the way Monsieur Perez had treated me last time. I didn’t like him, either. He seemed nice at first, but I didn’t like the way he looked at me. I could tell he envied my abilities.
“It seemed urgent,” I said. My eyes drifted to Maudrina, who was still standing in the doorway. She wasn’t as adept as the others at hiding her emotions as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She knew I was looking at her, yet she wouldn’t return my gaze. She locked her eyes onto Aunt Jaz and there they remained, twitchy and nervous.
“Yes, it is,” replied Aunt Jaz. “But not too urgent for a proper greeting.” She rose from the sofa and held her arms out to me. I moved in and was engulfed in one of her famous bear hugs. “I knew I should have cooked or baked something,” she said as she released me.
But what goes with death?
The sentiment invaded my thoughts like a marauder. It was followed by a tragic thought: Aunt Jaz is dying.
“But the least I can do is put on some tea,” she continued.
Maudrina was still avoiding my gaze and I knew… knew what I’d thought was correct. Aunt Jaz was dying. Relief began coursing through me, immediately followed by shame because I was relieved it was Aunt Jaz who was dying and not my best friend.
“Let’s save the tea for later,” I said. “Right now I’d like to know why I was summoned.”
“Oh, dear, I wouldn’t call it summoned.”
“Yes, yes, we just want to chat. I agree, let’s save the tea for later, Jasmine.” said Monsieur Perez. He was leaning forward in his seat. All business. I disliked him even more for being so anxious to get on with the bad news.
“Oh. Okay, then. Please sit.” Aunt Jaz pointed toward the orange banana-shaped sofa. Guy and I sat at the far end. I gripped his hand for support.
“You, too, Maudie,” she said to Maudrina, who had been planted in the doorway as if she’d sprouted roots.
“Right.” She moved to the old rocker in the corner. It was as far away from us as she could get.
Aunt Jaz turned to Monsieur Perez. “Hector, why don’t you begin.”
He cleared his throat and looked at me. “There is trouble afoot,” he said in his tremulous voice.
“Trouble?”
“The Satanists have cooked up a most diabolical plan. No, scheme, is a better word. For that’s what it is. It’s a horrible scheme.”
I squeezed Guy’s hand and could feel the color going out of my cheeks as it dawned on me this wasn’t about Maudrina or Aunt Jaz. This was about me.
“As you know, there are four times a year when the Satanists summon and exalt Satan. The first is on Candlemas. You were witness to what the last Candlemas brought.”
I swallowed hard. “Armando,” I said so softly only a tiny bit of air escaped my lips.
“Now it is time for the solstice celebration. Usually the solstice is celebrated with two days of debauchery. But the Satanists feel they were so close with their last attempt, they want to try again.”
“A bride for Satan?” My head was spinning as the words fell from my lips.
“Yes,” said Monsieur Perez.
“How do you know such a thing?” asked Guy. There was irritation in his voice. “How can you be sure?”
“You will have to take my word for it,” Monsieur Perez said with a hint of annoyance.
“Megan, you know all the advice I’ve given you in the past was good advice. Was it not?” asked Aunt Jaz.
“It was dead on.” I turned to Guy. “She’s the one who told me about the gris gris, and she helped me defeat Satan.”
Sensing the despair in my voice, Guy squeezed my hand. “So what?” He turned his angry eyes on Monsieur Perez. “Why are you trying to alarm her like this? Satanists are nothing but lunatics. They have about as much power over Satan as I do.”
“That may be true, deary. But they’re planning a wedding all the same,” said Aunt Jaz.
“So what? Let them plan it. Plan away!”
“Do not take their intentions lightly,” Monsieur Perez warned.”
“They will never get their hands on Megan,” barked Guy. “I will protect her with every ounce of my being.”
“It isn’t Megan they want this time.” Maudrina had spoken from across the room. Her voice was small and lost. I looked at her. She was gently rocking the chair, her eyes filled with despair.
“Then, who?” I asked. But I knew her answer before she gave it.
“Erin,” Maudrina replied. “Your close friend since the third grade.” She said the last as if it was something vile and disgusting.
“That’s ridiculous. Erin is marrying that roughneck,” stormed Guy.
“That is what they want her to believe. But I have it on good authority it’s not the Satanist she will be marrying, but Satan himself,” said Monsieur Perez.
“She’s got a soul sucker eating away at her soul,” called Maudrina. Her eyes were filling with tears. “That’s why she’s been so cruel to you. She’s not herself. There’s a dark thing inside of her, preparing her for Satan.”
I thought of my own dark thing as her tears began to fall, and I realized she wasn’t worried about Erin. None of them were. They were worried about me, worried that I would hold true to my word and attempt to use my powers to free her.
“That’s ridiculous,” Guy spat, his eyes filling with rage.
I turned to him. He wouldn’t look at me. He sat breathing heavily in and out, his dark eyes sulking. It would be impossible for him to protect me if I chose to go up against the Satanists—that was the reason for his rage. I slid closer and pressed myself against his side. He was practically vibrating with tension.
I would do whatever I can to keep those I love safe.
My unspoken words hovered between us like a cloud filled with gloom.
“Well,” I said, doing my best to clear the tension from the air. “I think we should have that tea now.”
“Yes, yes,” said Aunt Jaz, rising quickly.
“Maudrina and I can get it.” I shot her a pleading look and she sat back down.
“That’s a splendid idea,�
�� she replied, pretending as though she agreed with me.
My gaze moved to Maudrina who was still struggling to hold it together. She nodded.
I rose and Guy jumped to his feet beside me. “I’ll help.”
“Thank you. But I think it should be just the two of us.” I gave his hand a gentle squeeze while peering into his eyes. He got the message, but I could tell he wasn’t happy about it, either.
“Okay. I’ll hang here and talk strategy with the shaman,” he said, his words laced with sarcasm.
I hoped he and Monsieur Perez wouldn’t get into anything while we were out of the room. But I couldn’t worry about them. Maudrina was falling apart before my eyes. My heart ached for her with every tear that fell. She was my best friend, always there for me. I needed to try and make things better.
As we entered the kitchen, Maudrina surprised me by wheeling on me and pulling me into a big hug. She began weeping onto my shoulder.
“I’ve been so selfish,” she said.
“What? You? No!” I pushed back a little so I could look into her eyes. Her tears were falling freely. “I’m the one who’s been selfish. I knew you needed me and couldn’t reach out. I could have tried harder to get in touch with you, but I didn’t because I was being selfish about my time with Guy,” I said as my own emotions began to unravel.
“That might be true. But I was so embarrassed I couldn’t face you.” She stopped sobbing. “You couldn’t have found me because I didn’t want to be found.”
“Why? What happened?”
She backed up a few steps and sighed before speaking. “I went to Curtis’s house that Saturday night just as I had planned. It’s a big beautiful house, the kind a girl pictures herself living in after she gets married. There’s a vase filled with roses that stands on a pedestal in the entryway. It was like walking into a dream.”
“That sounds nice.” I was trying to urge her on. Now that she was talking about herself, the tears had stopped. I was desperate to know what Curtis had done to her.
“We were alone in the house. His parents were out of town, just as he had said they’d be. We sat in the family room. Not the living room, but the family room.” She said it as if a family room was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen.
“And?”
“We started making out. He was gentle. And so sweet.”
Sure he was.
“And?” I said a little louder and with a little more urgency.
“And I started realizing I couldn’t do it. Somewhere after the first few kisses, I realized I couldn’t go through with it. You were right. I wasn’t ready.”
“What did he do to you?” I asked, trying to keep my emotions in check.
“Nothing,” she responded quickly. “When I told him I couldn’t go through with it, he said he understood. We sat up all night watching old movies. It was so romantic.” I looked into her eyes and could see her reliving the night. “He dropped me off the next morning. We parted with the sweetest kiss. I said ‘See you later,’ and he said ‘Yep.’ And that was the last time I saw him.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean he hasn’t called or texted or returned any of mine.” She started to cry again. This time for herself. She really was an emotional mess.
“C’mere.” I pulled her close to me, allowing her to once again rest her head on my shoulder. “You can do better than him.”
“I knew you were going to say that. But I love him. I don’t want to do better.”
I knew how she felt. Hadn’t I felt the same way about Guy? Men.
“We’d better make that tea before Aunt Jaz sends out a search party.”
She smiled through her tears. “Yeah. If we’re in her precious kitchen alone for too long she’ll probably come out to see if we broke something.” She laughed at her own joke and I joined in.
I put the tea kettle on the old stove while she placed cups and boxes of tea on a serving tray.
“I’m your best friend, right?” She was at the counter, folding dainty cloth napkins with her back to me. I had to tread lightly with my response. I knew where this was headed.
“The best best friend ever,” I replied sincerely.
She turned. I thought she’d be smiling, but she wasn’t. “I feel the same way about you. Erin did this to herself, Megan.”
“You know that’s not true.”
“It is so true!” she said sounding like a nine-year-old.
“We both know her anger came about because I was trying to get between her and Matt. I can’t look past my part in this.”
“Well…” She smiled suddenly. “I know I’m not going to change your mind. You’re the most stubborn person I’ve ever met.” We laughed lightly at that one. “I know you’re going to try to help her. I’m just worried that this time things won’t come out so good, and I’ll lose the best friend I ever had.” The smile was gone, replaced a subdued, loving expression. Her eyes were once again filling with tears. “And I know it’s selfish of me, but I can’t stand the idea of losing my boyfriend and my best friend back-to-back. That would make this the worst summer ever.”
*
Loud talking greeted us as we moved back down the hallway.
Maudrina entered ahead of me carrying the tray with the cups and boxes of tea. I entered with the kettle and a plate of Lorna Dunes.
Both Guy and Monsieur Perez were squared off in the middle of the floor a few feet apart. Aunt Jaz was between them.
“She wants to do it!” The vein in Monsieur Perez’s neck was bulging as he spoke.
“I don’t care! Do not take advantage of her weakness to save her friend, sir. You have no idea what I’d do to anyone who puts her in harm’s way.” The threat that Guy hurled at Monsieur Perez surprised me. He looked up as he realized we were back. I knew from the change in him this was something he didn’t want me to see. “I’m… sorry,” he muttered.
“What is it that you’re so sure I want to do, Monsieur Perez?” I wasn’t totally ignoring Guy’s apology. I knew he wanted to protect me. But I had to speak for myself.
“Save your friend, of course. The wedding is in two weeks. Saturday evening June 22nd. If you were there, perhaps you could lure the soul sucker out before the ceremony.”
“You see why I don’t like this plan? I’ve never heard of a soul sucker, and I am a deity.” Guy stood with his arms folded across his chest striking a pose that dared Monsieur Perez to prove him wrong.
“Let’s assume you’re right, Guy,” said Aunt Jaz. She was still standing between them, although neither was acting like he wanted to fight. “But for argument’s sake, it can’t hurt if Megan attended the wedding and got a chance to chat with Erin. She could at least warn her of what her boyfriend has planned.”
“She’d be in danger,” stormed Guy. “Did she tell you that the last time she tried to contact Erin, her betrothed and a bunch of his friends tried to molest her?”
Aunt Jaz turned to me with widening eyes. “Is this true?”
“I want to do it,” I replied, bypassing her question. I looked into Guy’s eyes. They were seething with anger. “The Satanists want to marry my friend off to Satan. To Satan, Guy! Soul sucker or not, I have to warn her.”
“Of course you do,” he replied sarcastically, but I could see the fight tumbling out of him. “No concern for your own well-being.”
“Of course I’m concerned.” I moved to him, picking up his hand, and placing it on my cheek. “Erin is my best friend since childhood. I know she’s been mean to me, but I can’t give up on her. I’ve been working on controlling my abilities. Now I get to test them. Saving Erin is all they’re good for.”
Guy pulled away from me and plopped down on the sofa, pouting.
“So it’s… settled?” Monsieur Perez ventured.
“Yes. I’ll do it.” As the words crossed my lips, I felt a hatch of butterflies begin to swarm in my stomach. I was worried for my own well-being, but I needed to put up a brave front in front of Maudrina
and Guy. “I’ll be fine,” I said, and smiled.
Guy turned hard eyes on Monsieur Perez. “Tell her of the blood sacrifice,” he demanded.
“We don’t know—”
“If Satan doesn’t accept her alive, they will kill her,” Guy blurted. He hammered his fist onto the coffee table. “If you try to help her, they will kill you!”
“I agree blood sacrifice is often part of Satanic ritual. But that doesn’t mean it’s part of this one.” Monsieur Perez spoke calmly, but I could tell he was agitated.
“I want to do it,” I repeated. All eyes were on me. The air was thick with tension and no one dared speak.
Monsieur Perez broke the silence. “Good. We were able to get our hands on an invitation.” He handed me the invite that had been filled out in scribbly handwriting—definitely not Erin’s.
The wedding was the Saturday evening of my birthday at Tavares Castle. As I read the invite, I was overtaken by a sudden chill, like a dousing of ice water. Tavares Castle was an actual castle in an isolated part of town. It had been on the market for many years. Do Not Trespass signs had been posted on gates that had been locked and chained so long, the chains were rusted. I’d always wondered about the old castle, and now, on my birthday, I’d get to see what I’d been wondering about.
Happy birthday to me, I thought. Happy birthday to me.
Chapter Sixteen
We didn’t speak all the way home.
Of course, we were on a motorcycle, and it’s impossible to hold a conversation when all you can hear is the wind whistling in your ears. But Guy was still pouting. He didn’t want to talk.
This was a side of him I hadn’t seen before. I didn’t like it. When he dropped me off at the corner, he pecked me dutifully on the lips and sped into the night. I was disappointed to see him go because I wanted to explain myself. I knew he was acting snippy because he was worried about me. I was worried about me as well, and I wanted a chance to try and make him understand why I had to go through with it.
Evening had come, accompanied by a very welcome cool breeze. As I took the short, half-block walk to my front door, I stopped thinking about Guy and considered what I had promised to do to save my friend. The leaders in the occult community wanted me to crash Erin’s Satanic wedding. They knew I’d do it because of our history together. I found my mind wandering to the good times Erin and I had shared.