by Kira Saito
The house was eerily mute and dark since everyone was outside enjoying the festivities. As I passed the ballroom, a hand took a hold of me and drew me inside. It was Ivan.
“What the hell! Ivan, I don’t have time for any games. Let go of me, you ass!”
“Relax Arelia, I’m not going to hurt you,” his voice was disturbingly soft. He had called me by name, and that in itself was beyond nerve-wracking.
He placed his arms around me and held me close. I tried to break free, but his embrace was too powerful. “I just want to hold you, you smell so good.”
What the hell? Was I in some kind of alternate universe? Ivan just wanted to hold me? I dug my nails into his pale skin, but it got no reaction out of him what so ever. “Ivan I will murder you, get your weird hands off of me.”
“Arelia, I’ll do anything for just one kiss.” He started to sniff my neck like a fervent dog.
I was going elbow him when I realized he was sniffing the exact spot where I had passed Come to Me Oil. My blood froze, and I felt myself go rigid in his arms. Every odd thing Ivan had said to me came into focus. Could it be? I felt like such an idiot for not picking up on it sooner. I needed to make sure that this was really Louis bound in flesh and bone.
“Anything?” I whispered trying to sound all seductive when I really wanted to pee myself.
“Yes,” he said gruffly.
“Tell me who you are. Tell me your real name. Please.”
His strange eyes looked into mine. “I’m Louis.”
I showed no reaction and chose my words extremely carefully, as I softly stroked his cheek. “Why are you here Louis and why do you call yourself Ivan?”
Like a madman, he placed his head on my shoulders and continued to sniff that same spot. “I’ve been bound to this body since 1853. I named myself Ivan after the first Russian tsar, Ivan the Terrible. I’m no longer a victim; I’m someone to be feared. I knew that you’d be working here, so I got a job as a waiter.”
“How did you know I was going to be working here?”
“I’m a powerful voodoo king Arelia, do you like power? I don’t have much money, but I do have strength. Do you prefer money or strength?”
I didn’t answer his question. Instead, I ran my fingers through his hair and delicately spoke in his ear. “Why have you been messing with me Louis? Why did you want me to experience your life as a slave? Why don’t you want me to get close to Lucus?”
After another long sniff and pause, he responded. “I wanted you to see how awful it was, I want you to hate him like I loathe him. He doesn’t deserve to ever find peace. He took everything from me. I don’t want you to free him or help him. He’s not worthy of any of it.”
“Why didn’t you attack him and make him suffer? Why go through me?”
“My power is useless against him, I can’t hurt him. Believe me, I’ve tried. Only you can help him, only you Arelia. You’re so powerful. Do you know how many voodoo kings and queens in New Orleans know about you? How many crave your ability to call on the loa with so much ease?”
Actually, I hadn’t thought about that, and I’m not sure I wanted to. “Don’t you want to find peace?”
“No, I’ve given up on ever being free.”
“It’s not Lucus’ fault that you were born a slave,” I said soothingly. “He’s tortured over it too; he feels awful and remorseful and will probably do anything to earn your forgiveness. Your life was hard, and my heart bleeds for you, but you can’t live like this forever.”
I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to call him Louis or Ivan. If this was Louis, I shuddered as I thought about what had turned him into the present day Ivan. The Louis I had seen had been so sweet and kind, and now… Well I had no idea what he was…
“I could have gotten over the abuse my body went through,” he said, as he took another long sniff. “But he took her from me when he could have anyone he wanted. He chose to fall in love with her, and she fell in love with him. So many questions Arelia, come on now, just one kiss.” He brought his lips close to mine.
“If you want a kiss you need to answer all my questions,” I said, as I turned his head away from my mouth. “You tried to kill Lucus, why?”
“I saw her kiss him one night. The night she promised she was going to meet me. I waited and waited for her, but she never came. I snuck out to the big house, and saw her holding him just like she held me. She looked at him the way she looked at me and smiled at him the way she smiled at me. It was the worst punishment I’d ever experienced, worse than the most brutal lashes, or the most dreadful pangs of hunger. Do you know what it’s like to love someone with such intensity and brutality that your every waking minute revolves around that one person? She was my world, my light, my life. She gave everything meaning.”
“No,” I admitted. “I’ve never loved anyone with so much devotion before.”
“I asked her about it, but she denied it. She wouldn’t meet me some nights when she said she would. I thought I would be okay with it. For a while, I was, as long as she was by my side. Soon, the jealousy drove me mad, and I wanted nothing more than to kill him. She lied right to my face then kissed me with so much passion right afterwards. I was her willing prisoner.”
My mind raced as I tried to piece it together. They had been in love with the same girl. Was this the same girl that left Lucus? I tried to contain my jealousy. It was so immature being bitter over some girl in his past, but I couldn’t help it. “Was she a slave?”
“No, she worked for the LaPlante family in their kitchen; she was so beautiful and kind. She didn’t care about money, why did she choose him over me? What’s wrong with me Arelia?”
I despised Ivan with a passion, but I had felt his pain and suffering. He had once been a gentle soul. “There’s nothing wrong with you.” I cradled him softly. “There’s nothing wrong with you at all.”
“He had his pick of the wealthiest and most beautiful women in the entire country, but he chose her. Why did he pick her? Why couldn’t he leave me a piece of light in the dark hell that was my life?”
“I don’t know.” And then I said something that I thought I would never say. “Love isn’t rational. He was in love with her just like you were. I don’t think he did it to hurt you.” I hoped Lucus hadn’t purposely messed around with Louis’ girlfriend just because he could.
“My kiss Arelia, I need to kiss your lips. Why do you love him? I see the way you look at him. Why does everyone love him? Is it because he’s wealthy, is that all it is?”
“He’s kind and has a good heart, but so do you Louis.” Or you did I thought. “It’s not about his wealth. Just a few more questions and then I’ll give you your kiss. How did you get into this body? Who killed you? What happened to your mother?”
“Arelia.” He wildly sniffed my neck. “I don’t know. I woke up like this after I attacked Lucus. I don’t know anything aside from the fact that I need to feel your lips against mine.” He was getting desperate.
“Why did your mother do this to you Louis? Why would she trap you in a body that isn’t yours? Why would she keep Lucus trapped in this house?”
He shrugged and brought his hands to my cheek. “She was mad? I don’t know anything Arelia. I’ve given up on trying to figure it all out. All I know is that I somehow deserve this fate and so does he. If punishing him for eternity means that I have to suffer too, I’ll be more than happy to pay the price. He doesn’t deserve redemption or freedom; I’ll never let you give him that. I just need your kiss,” he said again.
Ivan/Louis was just as lost as Lucus. He was trapped and bound in a body that wasn’t his, and he had no idea how he had gotten there. I needed to learn more about Mad Marie, but where would I start? The only person that knew Mad Marie personally was Louis, only he could help. Erzulie and Gran-Ibo had warned me that there was something bigger behind this whole mess, and I was meant to get to the bottom of it.
As much as I pitied Louis and all that he had been through, I knew that I could ne
ver really trust what he had turned into. I could never trust Ivan. The sweet innocence that had kept Louis so hopeful over the years and enabled him to endure unspeakable cruelty was destroyed. This was no longer Louis Beau. I don’t know if he would ever return.
“You’re killing me Arelia,” Ivan’s voice was low and impatient.
I stroked his face and looked deep into his eyes. “You’re so beautiful Louis,” I said. I meant it. I did think that the past Louis was incredibly beautiful both inside and out.
He smiled. “I am?”
“Yes, you are. You have so much strength and courage. Your capacity to love is endless,” I said, as I thought about the Louis I knew. I held his eyes and quickly took out the Black Arts Oil from my bra. Thankfully, he didn’t even notice. “If you give me a hug, I’ll give you a kiss.”
Without saying anything, he took me into his arms and gave me a passionate hug. The energy I felt was the same I had gotten from the old Louis. It was kind, loving and positive. Behind his back, I passed the rancid Black Arts Oil over my lips. “Close your eyes Louis.”
“They’re closed.”
I brought his lips to mine and gave him a long, deep kiss. I cringed as I realized I was actually kissing Ivan. I brushed away the waves of disgust and focused on sucking out all of his power.
After it was over, he pulled away abruptly. “Queen what the hell?” Ivan was back, and Louis was once again pushed aside.
“Ivan, I promise I will try to understand, but you will never be able to mess with me again.”
To Be Continued…
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