Voodoo and Fate

by Tamsin Baker

  They stepped into the bedroom, stinking to high Heaven of death and blood.

  Jesus Christ…

  He gagged and covered his nose, his enhanced senses making it almost impossible to breathe in a room like this.

  What the hell is that smell?

  “You’re pushing both of their souls too hard. You’ll kill them, Mary.”

  Chanti waved her arms around, the swirling black smoke obscuring his vision. He didn’t want to ask where they were or what was happening. He was meant to be the bodyguard, or something. Nothing more.

  “You need to open the windows, Mary. This isn’t the way to do it.”

  Mary stomped off and fresh air blew into the room.

  Kody coughed and gagged a few times, then forced himself to stand back against the wall, watching and waiting.

  When the black smoke cleared he saw Marty for the first time. His brother, his Alpha, literally chained to the wall. His head bleeding. His nose and eyes a bloody mess.

  What had they done to him?

  He looked away, his chest heaving as his breathing began to change.

  He’s alive. Calm down. You still have to get him out of here.

  “What are you killing the wolf for, Mary?” Chanti asked as she walked over and knelt down, inspecting Marty like any doctor would, without showing any signs of attachment or disgust.

  Kody could feel the rise of anger and hatred towards these people, but pushed it down with all his might. Refusing to look towards the mess of a man they’d left in place of his brother.

  “He’s a werewolf, Chantelle. They all deserve to die.”

  Chanti stood up and walked towards the bed that Mary was standing by. When Kody looked harder he could see another woman there also. Tania. She was lying down, her skin as pale as the white sheets she lay upon.

  “I don’t know why you think that, Mary. They haven’t hurt us.”

  Chantelle leant over the woman he assumed was Tania and Mary’s harsh laugh made him tighten his fingers into fists.

  If he was allowed to, he’d throw her right out the window.

  “You’re too soft, Chantelle. Just like your mother.”

  “I’m a healer, Mary. I find it hard to see anyone in pain. Including the wolf. I’d treat a dog better than that.”

  A harsh gasp echoed in the room. “Well, that dog got my baby pregnant! And look at her. She’s growing bigger by the minute. How are we going to stop this?”

  “Give me a minute to examine her.”

  Mary began to pace, her bright white hair tied up into a bun, shining like some sort of ironic halo.

  Kody retched, his stomach heaving at the evil stench in the room.

  “Your boyfriend’s got a weak stomach.”

  “He isn’t used to black magic, Mary. You know I don’t use it.” Chantelle’s voice didn’t waver, those same soothing tones making it clear she was in control.

  “Well, you’re soft. I don’t know why I came to you,” Mary spat in disgust.

  “Because I’m the best and you know it. Leave us. I need to concentrate and you’re distracting me.”

  Mary glared at Chanti for a moment, but his mate just looked back at the old bitch as calmly as can be.

  Mary finally gave up, throwing up her hands. “Fine then.”

  Chanti continued to touch Tania. Checking her eyes, her hands, her belly.

  As soon as the door closed Kody ran for his brother.

  “Marty. Marty! Can you hear me?”

  His brother groaned and nodded his head. His eyes too swollen to open.

  “Give him some water, there’s some in my bag, but don’t untie him yet Kody. Please.”

  He grabbed for Chanti’s bag and pulled out a bottle, holding it to his brother’s lips.

  Marty drank as much as he could, some of the water spilling over his cracked lips.

  “Oh fuck, brother, what happened to you?”

  “Don’t really remember.” Marty slurred.

  “They tried to kill him, but it didn’t work.” Tania’s weak voice filled the room as she staggered to her feet. “I’m so sorry.”

  Her face was so thin and pale. She looked so sick. Kody’s heart broke for the two people in front of him.

  They were the strongest of the strongest, the pair that were destined to rule his pack. And look at them.

  He took a shuddering breath. It was probably a great thing they were as strong as they were. They’d be dead if they were anyone else.

  He looked to Chanti. “What are we going to do?”

  Chanti blew air out her nose in a frustrated sign. “I don’t know yet. We can try to carry them out of here, but we’ll be stopped at the door.”

  He looked towards the only sunshine in the room. “The window maybe?”

  They were on the second floor.

  She screwed up her face. “It’s a thirty foot drop.”

  Onto concrete.

  “Yeah… but if I can get outside I might be able to shift. Which means I can catch them.” Kody grinned, the idea becoming more and more inspired.

  Chanti turned to Tania. “I know you wanted to get rid of this baby, Tania. But you won’t be able to. It needs to be born. Are you ready for that?”

  She nodded, tears leaking from her pale blue eyes. “Yes. I think my heart broke in two when I saw my mama hurt Marty like that...” Her voice trembled and she sobbed. “I never wanted that to happen, I just didn’t want… oh God…. I’m so sorry…”

  Chanti pointed to the door. “Lock the door, Kody.” She turned back towards her patient, “Then lets get you out of here.”

  Kody did as his mate bade, then rushed to unlock his brother from his chains. He pulled and pushed, using all his strength. They finally broke apart loudly with a clang.

  Fuck. That would bring someone.

  “Hurry!”

  He picked Marty’s weak form up into his arms, his brother’s weight heavy and stinking of death.

  “He smells like decay.”

  Chanti grunted as she pushed open the double window as far as it would go. “They tried to kill him, I have to assume my Voodoo, and his Alpha strength kept it from happening. Jump out, quick.”

  Kody propped his brother up against the window sill, jumped up onto the edge and let himself fall. His wolf leapt to the surface, his clothes ripping apart as he transformed, landing squarely on all four paws.

  He shifted straight back, holding out his arms. “Jump brother.”

  Marty fell, twisting awkwardly.

  Kody caught him, just, his head inches from the concrete. He righted him up, pushing him against the white wall of the house.

  “Come on. You too!” he yelled at his mate, his heart beginning to pound as the real danger his mate was in rammed home. He’d left her alone up there.

  Please hurry.

  Chanti’s head disappeared from sight and then Tania slid onto the ledge, her eyes wide with shock as she squealed, then fell, her arms flailing as Kody caught her.

  He placed Tania on the ground too and she staggered towards his brother.

  Chanti was next and instead of seeing his mate launching out of the window as he hoped to, he heard her yelling and screaming, something smashing loudly.

  “Fuck! Chanti!”

  He glanced at his very injured brother and weak future sister-in-law.

  “Marty, if you can, shift and take your mate back to the pack.”

  Shifting into wolf form would make Marty’s injuries heal faster, but that was only if he could.

  Marty nodded once, a horrible moan of pain rolling off him as his clothes ripped apart and the huge black wolf stood in his place.

  There were cries of alarm around them as people in the street saw what they were doing.

  He didn’t have time to deal with them.

  “Quick, Tania, get on his back and hold on.”

  The poor, pale girl nodded. He lifted her up and placed her on his brother’s back.

  “I mean it, hold tight and don’t fal
l off.”

  “Thank you.” Tania whispered, as they took off awkwardly down the street. His brother limped and howled as he tried to run and Kody cringed to see his brother in so much pain, but he needed to focus.

  He turned back to the window.

  “Chanti!”

  A growl ripped through him as his muscles bulged, readying himself for the shift.

  Her leg appeared, and then another.

  Relief washed over him as she jumped without a seeming thought, straight into his arms.

  He pressed his lips to hers quickly.

  Thank God.

  “Quick. We need to get out of here. Now.”

  “Jump on my back and hold on. Do not fall off.”

  He didn’t wait for her to agree, as there was a loud curse above them and a glass vase shattered beside them on the pavement.

  He let the change take him over and dropped to his paws. Chanti jumped on his back and clenched onto his fur tightly.

  He took off. Running through the streets, following his brother’s bloody footprints and odd smell.

  People screeched and screamed, jumping out of his way. Food was thrown at them and he took a short cut, turning right and running straight down the main street.

  They had to get out of New Orleans, and get back to the pack. He didn’t know what Tania’s family would do when they found them, but having a Voodoo priestess on their side had to be a good thing.

  ****

  Chanti kept her eyes open and clung tight to the grey fur that covered the wolf she rode like a horse.

  Her muscles ached as she clasped her thighs tight to his lean frame, the sheer thrill of running so fast making her heart pound like a bass drum.

  How had she been so wrong about these creatures? They were majestic. Strong. Honourable.

  Kody turned left and jumped over a log as they moved through the forest. She squealed and swallowed the sound.

  She couldn’t be scared. She refused to be.

  Her whole life she’d known there was a reason she hadn’t realised her full powers and potential.

  And this had to be it.

  Her life partner was a werewolf. And her whole community had an inbuilt hatred for them.

  This was going to be a harder road that any she’d travelled before.

  Chapter 5.

  Chanti lifted her head from the harsh fur on Kody’s back and squinted hard at the houses she could see in the distance. Kody had slowed down and was now moving at a walking pace.

  “Where are we?”

  Even as she asked the question, she knew the answer. Where else would Kody take her, but home?

  He stopped and waited.

  Did he want her to get off?

  She relaxed her cramped hands, gasping as the pain pulsed through her tired, sore fingers.

  She slid off, her legs shaking as she hit the solid earth. A giggle escaping her lips as endorphins flooded her blood stream.

  “We made it. We actually made it!”

  They’d managed to steal back an Alpha werewolf and a Voodoo priestess. The Gods must have been watching over them today.

  Thank you, Loa.

  Beside her, a naked Kody stood, his chest heaving with exertion and his skin slick with sweat.

  “This is my family’s home. I know it’s nothing like the bright lights of New Orleans, but…”

  “It’s home.” She finished for him.

  She knew that. She’d never understood people’s obsession with money and material possessions. All she’d ever wanted was to help people, and have a family.

  Perhaps my wishes are finally coming true? But at what cost?

  Her mind whirled with the implications of what would happen when they were found, but she pushed them away.

  She was a powerful Voodoo woman. She had to have faith that the Gods would protect her.

  “Let’s go find my brother.”

  Kody took her hand and led her through the thick forest, finding a path of sorts that led into town.

  It was a ramshackle style village. Lots of small, obviously man made homes. Makeshift streets, no shops.

  What did they do for medical assistance? Food?

  “Where would he be?”

  “My mother’s house.” Kody pulled her further into the town, the townsfolk all gathering to take a closer look at her.

  They all had long hair, and a dirty look about them that spoke of their wild heritage.

  She tried not to cringe, but struggled when a large man came too close.

  “What do you have there, Kobes?” the older man grabbed for her and Kody pulled her behind him, a nasty growl rolling out of his mouth.

  “Back off, Cooper. She’s my mate.”

  “Your mate?” The man fell back and away, his hands coming up as though he were giving up. “Since when do wolves mate with witches?”

  “I’m not a witch.” She glared at him and the man gaped at her.

  Kody growled once more and dragged her down the muddy drive, walking right up to a larger, more well-kept home. There were wild flowers planted in front of the house and a bright red door that had been carefully painted by someone.

  Kody didn’t knock, pushing open the door and pulling her inside.

  Once the door shut she pulled out of his grip. Her conscious brain knew that he was just trying to protect her, but as she unlocked her gripping jaw, she acknowledged that she also didn’t like being manhandled.

  “This way.”

  Chanti followed when Kody moved along the hall and ducked into the first room. When she stepped into the bedroom, the smell of something acidic assailed her as she blinked.

  “He’s dying.”

  Five heads turned towards her and Chanti knew she must have spoken aloud, rather than in her head as she had intended.

  “Yes. He is.” An older woman answered, standing up slowly, straight and tall like a proud oak. “And who are you?”

  The suspicion on the air made Chanti wrinkle her nose, a sneeze forthcoming.

  “Hang on.. ah…choo.” Chanti blew out the toxic air, her body unable to handle this environment for long. She’d have to change the energy, or get out. Fast.

  “Sorry.”

  Kody stepped up next to her, guiding her forward with an arm around her waist.

  “Mum. This is Chantelle Dubois. She helped us escape.”

  Marty groaned from the bed and she moved forward.

  Tania sat by the bed, still pale and sick.

  “Kody, can you get Tania some water and something to eat? Preferably high in sugar. She needs to get her energy back up.”

  She didn’t turn around but she heard him leave, the temperature in the room dropping lower as her body mourned the loss of her mate.

  She shook her head at herself.

  Ridiculous.

  Focus.

  “May I?”

  The older man by his bedside stood up. He must have been a relative of Marty and Kody’s. He had the same shaped eyes and mouth.

  Marty’s mother however, stayed close, touching him. “I don’t know why he isn’t healing. Normally once you shift into wolf form, most of your healing is complete. He…” She gestured to her son and her voice broke.

  Poor woman. No parent should ever outlive their children.

  “I know you won’t want to hear this, but he’s been poisoned by black magic. Voodoo I do not use or like.”

  The woman’s eye brows rose high on her forehead and then narrowed to a point.

  “You? You’re a Voodoo witch?”

  “I’m a practitioner. A healer. Voodoo is a faith, not what the movies have made it out to be. I can help, I think. Would you allow me to?”

  The older woman’s wrinkles increased as she frowned hard, her brown eyes shimmering with tears until she blinked them away.

  She nodded once.

  Chanti stepped closer, then sat in the chair facing him.

  Marty lay on the bed, his face pale and still. “A lot of his injuries have healed.” She ran
her hands over his face, feeling for the energy pulses, his life force. “He was beaten and bloodied, so swollen we couldn’t see his eyes before. This is much better.” She waved at his face as she moved down his throat, feeling the knots and fever in his skin.

  “He collapsed just outside the town. His uncle carried him back, and now… he won’t wake up.” His mother’s voice trembled as she spoke.

  Chanti closed her eyes, putting both hands up and hovering over Marty’s body. She moved them over his vital organs. Testing, Feeling. Searching for anything that would tell her what she could do to help him.

  What had Tania’s parents done to him?

  Tania!

  Chanti’s eyes popped open and she reached her arm out to the woman who’d started all of this.

  “Tania, come here.”

  Tania fell forward onto her knees, crawling over to Marty’s bedside and laying her hands on her lover’s thigh.

  “Please, Chanti. Please help him. I‘ll do anything.”

  She focused hard on the girl in front of her. If Tania lied, she’d know.

  “What did they give him, Tania? Do you know?”

  She shook her head. Her sad brown eyes speaking volumes of her pain.

  “They were trying to hurt me, too. I… I don’t know why my baby is still alive.”

  Tears welled and flowed down her cheeks as one of her hands dropped to cradle her belly.

  “Because I protected you, I protected you both. And if I was powerful enough for that, I will be powerful enough for this.”

  Chanti wasn’t sure if she was speaking to Tania or herself, but either way, it was true.

  Tania’s eyes went wide. “Oh, thank you. Thank you.”

  Chanti raised an eyebrow at the same girl who only yesterday had asked for an abortion.

  “Really?”

  Tania’s pale face flushed pink, her eyes going downcast.

  “I should never have… I don’t want that anymore.”

  Kody stepped back into the room and handed Tania a bottle of water and a bowl of ice cream.

  “Eat quickly. I’m going to need your help for this.”

  She needed to get a better look at Marty and they’d obviously dressed him once he returned. She opened his shirt and pushed it back.

  “Oh… my God.”